Stronger by Paying Salaries and I Have 1 Billion Employees

Yanjing, No. 18 Changsheng Road, Sanwang Cafe.

Hou Jun and Xiao Jun sat at an outdoor table, gazing at the Gaode Map Headquarters across the street, a nostalgic look in their eyes.

Back then, Gaode was merely a division of Datong Industry.

The three of them had purchased GPS navigation devices from Neon, localized the accompanying software, and then loaded them with maps of Hua Country.

That was the prototype for Gaode’s very first product!

”Back then, I rented fifteen cars and drove all over Yanjing with surveying equipment. It was only after we finished mapping that I remembered we didn’t even have a surveying license.”

Xiao Jun said, taking a gentle sip of his coffee.

”I’m the one who wronged you,” Hou Jun said with a sincere sigh.

Xiao Jun was the true entrepreneur of the trio. He was the one who led the team that spent over half a year crisscrossing Hua Country to create the first version of Gaode’s national electronic map.

When it came to professional skill, he was the most capable of the three.

But when it came to internal politics, Xiao Jun was no match for executives like Hou Jun and Cheng Congwu, who both came from financial investment backgrounds.

He was the one who chose this business sector; he even bought the product name, Gaode, from a friend.

Yet right up to the moment Gaode was about to be sold, Xiao Jun had never managed to become CEO, and his equity stake was the smallest of the three.

”Let’s let bygones be bygones. Honestly, I used to think you were an incompetent CEO, but Cheng Congwu is even worse. After he took over, not only did he neglect the business, he went out of his way to target Gaode’s veteran employees. But I knew the person he was really targeting was me.”

Xiao Jun waved his hand dismissively. Though he sounded casual, a bitter smile touched his lips.

”So, maybe it’s for the best that we’re selling it! Look at us. How long has it been since we could just sit down for a meal and a chat because of this company?”

Two years ago, Hou Jun had voluntarily stepped down as CEO, partly for other reasons, and partly in an attempt to end the conflict between the three of them.

After all, he, Xiao Jun, and Cheng Congwu had worked together for many years at Datong Industry, and he truly didn’t want things to get so ugly that they couldn’t even be friends anymore.

”So, Cheng Congwu has talked to you,” Xiao Jun stated, his tone certain.

Otherwise, knowing Hou Jun, there was no way he’d give up his stake in Gaode Map so easily.

”Yes, Cheng Congwu did talk to me. Compared to Qian Du Map, Gaode has never had an edge in data collection and integration. Add our funding shortfalls to that, and our map updates are far slower than Qian Du’s. If things keep going like this, it’s inevitable that Qian Du Map will overtake our market share.”

”We might as well sell for a good price while we still can!”

Hou Jun looked perfectly composed, making no attempt to be subtle.

”If all you do is focus on raking in money without improving the product’s core functions, isn’t it perfectly normal to lose market share again and again?”

Xiao Jun scoffed, seemingly recalling something unpleasant, and retorted bluntly.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Hou Jun fell silent for a long moment before saying quietly, ”I’ve already settled the sale with Cheng Congwu. Whether you agree or not won’t change the outcome.”

”President Hou, if you asked me here today to get my support for Gaode’s privatization, then fine. I can agree to that.”

Xiao Jun wasn’t angry; he agreed without hesitation.

After all, Hou Jun and Cheng Congwu were his original benefactors. Though they’d had a falling out over management conflicts, he knew in his heart that Hou Jun was right. It was better to sell at a price that satisfied everyone than to wait for Qian Du Map to overtake Gaode.

Looking at Xiao Jun, Hou Jun felt a pang of guilt. He couldn’t help but think, ’If I had supported Xiao Jun’s promotion back then, maybe Gaode wouldn’t be ending like this.’

But the negative feeling was fleeting, quickly swept away by the thought of the incoming 114 million US Dollars and replaced by overwhelming joy.

Hou Jun held a 17% stake in Gaode Map. Once the deal was done, he could use the money to fund a new project or simply enjoy the rest of his life in comfort.

He was already forty-eight. His life was half over; if he didn’t start enjoying it now, he might never get the chance.

”Waiter, the check!”

Xiao Jun got the message and stood up to leave.

’So everything he said before was just to get me to sell my shares,’ he thought. And here he’d actually believed Hou Jun came to reminisce with him.

At that moment, the lights were still blazing in the Gaode Map Headquarters building.

The people inside had no idea that the company’s three largest shareholders had already decided to sell them, along with the entire project, as a package deal to Senlian Capital.

「The next morning.」

Chen Yansen, Gao Weilin, and Song Yuncheng drove to No. 18 Changsheng Road. As soon as their car stopped, they saw Cheng Congwu and a middle-aged man in gold-rimmed glasses approaching to greet them.

”President Chen, this is the Chairman of Gaode, Mr. Hou Jun.”

Cheng Congwu said by way of a simple introduction.

”President Hou, a pleasure. I’d like to take a tour first, if you two don’t mind?”

Chen Yansen asked with a smile, secretly sizing up Hou Jun.

According to Gao Weilin’s research, the man was a graduate of Yan University with a degree in ancient texts, yet he had managed to become the chairman of a car dealership (Datong Industry). That alone spoke volumes about his capabilities.

Then, he leveraged Datong Industry’s resources and network to found Gaode Map, even snatching a major order from Toyota right out from under Siwei Map.

It had to be said: people who studied history were all masters of manipulation.

With a single glance, Chen Yansen could tell: Hou Jun hadn’t withdrawn from Gaode’s daily operations because he was losing the power struggle against Cheng Congwu.