Stronger by Paying Salaries and I Have 1 Billion Employees

The strengthening ended in just three seconds, and Chen Yansen couldn’t help but complain.

Although the framework for his food delivery, express delivery, and ride-hailing services had taken initial shape, he was an impatient man. His mind raced, searching for industries that could create the most jobs. In the end, he silently apologized to his competitors.

’I’m just too desperate to get stronger!’

’Since you can’t even afford to pay for social security and overtime, you might as well just die. Let me bear the pain and pressure of building a business.’

Chen Yansen’s eyes narrowed, ready to crush even more of his competitors.

Meanwhile, under Kang Yiping’s leadership, the Senlian Star Shining Card—a collaboration between Senlian Capital and a major telecom provider—had swiftly passed its internal review. The data allowance, scope of data-free apps, and call time limits were all finalized.

As for text messages?

After the chat functions on WeChat and Orange Pay were released, who would be foolish enough to pay 0.1 yuan per message to chat with someone?

Therefore, a rumor recently began circulating that the mobile carriers were preparing to charge WeChat additional fees.

To put it bluntly, the money they were losing from SMS and MMS had to be recouped from somewhere—either from Ma Wenteng or from WeChat’s users.

As a result, the three major carriers got blasted all over the trending topics lists!

Their test failed!

Users wanted to rip the carriers’ heads off. Who would dare try to charge now?

In light of this, Kang Yiping instinctively accelerated the project’s development.

While Chen Yansen was still in meetings in Shencheng City, Kang Yiping had already upgraded the billing and operational support systems. He ran extensive functional and stress tests to ensure the system could accurately identify traffic from data-free apps. He also made sure it could correctly calculate fees for out-of-plan data and calls, guaranteeing stable operation.

Normally, this process would take several weeks, but under Kang Yiping’s personal supervision, it was more than halfway done in less than a week. It was expected to launch in mid-April.

Chen Yansen stayed at the office until five o’clock and left right on time.

Xiaoli drove, but their destination wasn’t the Delta Villa District. Instead, they headed for the residential complex where Master Ye lived.

「On the other side.」

Ye Qiuping, wearing a Pikachu-patterned apron and a pair of translucent white stockings, stood before the stove. She skillfully stir-fried dishes, simmered a broth, and boiled a sweet dessert soup.

”Add more chili. I’ll poison you!”

Master Ye muttered under her breath, letting a hint of her true Sichuan nature slip out.

But in front of Chen Yansen, she was as docile as a kitten.

The tricks and techniques she used to manipulate people seemed completely ineffective against Chen Yansen.

It was like a starting-zone Succubus running into the server’s top-tier final boss. Besides getting utterly dominated, there was no other way out.

With her skills, she could have easily found a high-paying job in the tech industry. Chen Yansen had even returned the investigation file he had on her, but still, Ye Qiuping found she was reluctant to leave.

DING-DONG—! Just then, the doorbell rang.

Ye Qiuping immediately spun around and ran to the door. She opened it, took a pair of men’s slippers from the shoe rack, and helped President Chen take off his shoes and put them on. The entire sequence was fluid and practiced.

Chen Yansen accepted her service without a shred of guilt, thinking, ’You owe me this.’

”I made a kumquat and pear dessert soup, as well as salty braised pork and diced rabbit with chili peppers,” said Ye Qiuping.

”I’ll have a bowl of the dessert soup first,” Chen Yansen said.

”I’ll go get it,” Ye Qiuping replied obediently.

President Chen pulled out a chair and sat at the head of the table, waiting for President Ye to serve the dishes, the soup, and the rice.

There were four dishes and a soup, plus a pot of the golden and white dessert soup.

Chen Yansen picked up a bowl of the dessert soup and took a sip before asking casually, ”I gave you the investigation file. Why are you still here? Can’t bear to part with your hundred-thousand-a-month salary?”

”If I left, who would make dessert soup for you?” Ye Qiuping lifted her chin, bringing her lovely face close to his as she spoke softly.

”Stay by my side, and you might end up with nothing,” Chen Yansen warned, his words carrying a deeper meaning.

”But I never had anything to begin with,” Ye Qiuping said in a deliberately soft, sweet voice. Her long eyelashes trembled as she gave Chen Yansen a pitiful look.

”Good. As long as you know that.” Chen Yansen lowered his head and drank his soup.

”...” Ye Qiuping’s composure nearly shattered. It took all her effort to steady her emotions and force a pained smile.

”The dessert soup is very sweet,” Chen Yansen commented.

’Sweet?’

’That didn’t stop you from saying the most brutal things!’

Ye Qiuping cursed silently.

”Isn’t it good? You look so miserable.” The corners of Chen Yansen’s mouth lifted in a smirk as he watched Ye Qiuping mockingly.

”It’s delicious. Especially when I’m eating with my boss. It makes everything taste even better.” Ye Qiuping instantly suppressed her negative feelings, her expression turning radiant and seductive.

As she spoke, she even licked her plump lips, which were moist and pink, like a piece of jelly.

”Pick someone from the Brand Department and vacate the director’s position,” Chen Yansen ordered, popping a piece of rabbit meat into his mouth as he spoke.

Ye Qiuping froze. Her face went pale as she thought he was trying to get rid of her. She hurriedly grabbed his arm. ”I don’t want to leave.”

”You don’t want to be the general manager?” Chen Yansen retorted.

”You’re promoting me?” Ye Qiuping’s expression was awkward as she instantly realized her mistake.

”The Senlian Star Shining Card project needs a manager, and you’re the best fit.”

Chen Yansen said unhurriedly.

’When it came to his staff, he always prioritized ability. Ye Qiuping fit the bill; there was no reason not to choose her.’

”Is it because you acknowledge my professional abilities, or is it because...” Ye Qiuping stammered, unable to bring herself to finish the sentence.

”Forget it. Just stay in the Brand Department. If you don’t even have confidence in yourself, how can I have confidence in you?”

Chen Yansen shook his head.

’Are you a dog or something?!’

’Flipping out just like that!’

Ye Qiuping was fuming internally, but she didn’t dare show it. She could only straighten her spine and say, ”Boss, there’s no problem with my abilities. I’m confident I can handle the management of the Senlian Star Shining Card project.”

”Don’t embarrass me,” Chen Yansen said.

”Am I your person, then?” Ye Qiuping scooted closer, draping herself over President Chen’s body. Her eyes were bright as she asked with a blossoming smile.

”What do you think?” Chen Yansen, focused on finishing his meal, paused and then asked, ”Is there rat poison in the soup today?”

”Yes, I put in two packets,” Ye Qiuping replied, her eyes curving into a smile.

”No wonder it tastes so good. Get me another bowl.” Chen Yansen handed over his bowl.

Ye Qiuping couldn’t stand his arrogance, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Before long, the food on the table was more or less finished.

Chen Yansen scooped up Ye Qiuping and headed straight for the bathroom. They brushed their teeth, washed their faces, and took a bath—first scrubbing the outside, then scrubbing the inside.

...

...

The next morning, Qian Du publicly announced that it was initiating the acquisition of 91 Assistant for 1.9 billion US Dollars.

Immediately after, Penguin announced a strategic investment plan to merge QQ Search with Sogou Search.

Taobao Delivery posted its ”battle report,” announcing that its average daily orders had surpassed ten thousand.

What the public didn’t know, however, was that Kuai Pao Delivery’s own daily order volume on Taobao had long ago reached five hundred thousand.

This arrangement boosted Taobao’s user retention and daily active user metrics, while Kuai Pao gained traffic and orders.

The internal debate at Ah Li about abandoning the Taobao Delivery business was growing more and more intense.

After the ”IT Leaders Summit,” Ma Liyun poached an executive from Penguin who was in charge of instant messaging, appointing him as the project general manager for ”Laiwang.”

Only then did Little Ma realize that Lao Ma was making a social media app!

In the face of Ah Li’s provocation, Penguin ramped up its promotion of WeChat, hoping to seize as much market share as possible before Laiwang could launch.

That afternoon, the Hang City Inspection Institute paid a visit to Ali Headquarters and took away an employee from the human resources department.

The reason was simple: while recruiting the head of the Laiwang project, this HR employee had sent the candidate’s resume to his own email under the name of a headhunting firm.

A headhunting firm that happened to be run by his own relatives.

In short, he had swindled Ah Li out of a hefty headhunting fee.

But Ah Li’s poaching also drew the ire of Little Ma, and the two sides began a public war of words.

Privately, the two men began poaching each other’s mid- and high-level managers, offering deals that included double the monthly salary, generous stock options, and guaranteed promotions.

Some people seized the opportunity, instantly doubling their annual salaries.

The saying that ”choice matters more than effort” was fully realized in that moment.

And just then, the promotional poster for the Senlian Star Shining Card appeared on the homepage of Toutiao!