The speed at which the "40,000 monthly salary" incident escalated exceeded Chen Pingjiang and Li Xi's imagination, becoming the hottest topic on Renren.com recently.
While a monthly salary of 40,000 yuan in 2006 was indeed a lot, it wasn't completely outrageous.
But what if you added the preconditions of being a college student and working for a startup company?
This also alarmed Ning Yongde.
He had originally planned to wait for Renren.com to develop for a while before inspecting it, but realizing its growth was excessively fast, he, along with Lu Ye, Kuang Minghong, and people from the Entrepreneurship Park Management Committee, swiftly headed towards Renren.com.
As soon as they met, Ning Yongde said with a beaming smile,
"Student Chen Pingjiang, your Renren.com has made quite a splash recently, haha."
Chen Pingjiang gave a helpless, bitter smile:
"Sorry, leader, we've caused trouble for the school. We didn't realize it would have such a big impact ourselves."
"What impact? If there's any impact, it's a good one,"
Ning Yongde waved his hand, not bothered.
With Chen Pingjiang's "breaking out" and the 40,000 monthly salary incident, coupled with having a quasi-star project like Renren.com, the University of Finance and Economics' reputation climbed further.
"Since the leader says so, it would be disrespectful for me to decline."
"Some of our teachers are very envious that you can offer such high salaries to your employees. Won't this put a burden on your operations?"
After all, Chen Pingjiang was young, and Ning Yongde was still afraid he might get carried away, so he offered a reminder.
To everyone's surprise, Chen Pingjiang shook his head,
"Student Li Xi signed an order worth 360,000 yuan with New Oriental Education Group, bringing value to the company. According to industry practice, this part is what he deserves. When he creates value for the company, the company should give him back.
I believe entrepreneurship should be a win-win for both the company and employees, not the company winning twice by exploiting employees. Of course, I am also willing to show other talented individuals Renren.com's attitude of being willing to show generosity to attract talent."
The students from the campus radio station's press corps clicked their tongues in admiration.
Indeed, the boss who started a business in his freshman year spoke differently; such a statement could be published directly without any revisions.
Lu Ye, the Dean of the School of Industrial Management, was seeing Chen Pingjiang for the first time.
Having heard Chen Pingjiang's name daily recently, and with Kuang Minghong praising him multiple times in front of him, he had developed considerable curiosity about Chen Pingjiang.
Now, he finally understood how to write the idioms "worthy of the name" and "well-deserved reputation."
"Student Chen Pingjiang has remarkable foresight and vision,"
Ning Yongde exclaimed, finding the student before him incredibly seasoned and mature.
The group walked around, visiting each department, and finally arrived at the conference room, where Chen Pingjiang explained Renren.com's next steps in development to everyone.
"What difficulties does the company currently face? You can bring them up."
Chen Pingjiang saw this good opportunity and immediately made an audacious request.
The crying child gets the milk; if not now, when should he make his demands?
"Thank you, leader. We currently lack computers and funds."
Ning Yongde laughed heartily:
"You easily get an advertising order for 360,000 yuan, and breaking 600,000 to 700,000 yuan in monthly revenue is very easy for you. Why are you still pleading poverty? The school can provide used computers, but no funds."
"Well... that'll do, I guess,"
Chen Pingjiang said, feigning reluctance.
In reality, getting computers was good enough.
He hadn't expected the school to provide funds; if they actually offered, he wouldn't dare to accept.
Would it be a loan or an investment?
After thinking for a moment, Ning Yongde turned back to the people from the management committee and said,
"Waive Renren.com's utility fees."
Chen Pingjiang hadn't expected such a pleasant surprise; utility fees amounted to a considerable sum over a year.
After seeing off Ning Yongde and his entourage, Chen Pingjiang breathed a sigh of relief and shook his head at his team members:
"It's really tiring. Tomorrow there's also an exclusive interview with the campus radio station's press corps. There's really no time to rest."
Zou Yu from the content department covered her mouth and laughed,
"Boss, why do I hear a hint of showing off in your words?"
Chen Pingjiang chuckled:
"Not at all, not at all."
"Zou Yu, you're not wrong, he totally is."
"Boss, you're quite a celebrity at school now, you know. My roommates are all clamoring to come visit the company and see your real face."
"Exactly. The people in my dorm are the same. As soon as I get back, they grab me and ask all sorts of questions."
Chen Pingjiang chuckled:
"These are the troubles of being a celebrity. It was better before, when no one recognized me on campus. Now people constantly come up to greet me, leaving me with no privacy or sense of security."
Wan Yuqian covered her face, unable to watch any longer:
"If you're so idle, sign these funding application reports for me."
Chen Pingjiang immediately shut up and slipped away.
From the start of the entrepreneurship competition, to the subsequent 40,000 monthly salary incident, and then to the principal's inspection, Chen Pingjiang and Renren.com's reputation were pushed up step by step.
This was also the University of Finance and Economics' goal; if the benchmarks and role models it created weren't publicized, how would other teachers and students know?
Chen Pingjiang wasn't opposed to this.
Chen Pingjiang got off work early that evening.
A few minutes after he returned to the dorm, other boys from his class started flocking to room 603.
Soon, the small dorm was packed with over a dozen people.
Chen Pingjiang usually returned late, but today he was finally "caught" by them.
When he wasn't there, room 603 was noticeably quieter.
He Siyu read a book, Wang Lei read novels, Zhao Shaoyang played games, and Guo Dewen and Dong Tinghui lay on their beds, flirting and texting girls.
But when Chen Pingjiang appeared in the dorm, it instantly livened up.
It was as if there were endless things to talk about, all centered around Chen Pingjiang.
Wu Zhaogang leaned casually by the bunk ladder and curiously asked,
"Brother Chen, is working at your website really that profitable? I was stunned when I heard about it."
Chen Pingjiang took the cigarette Zhao Shaoyang offered, lit it, and took a puff before saying,
"That was just by chance, signing a big order. Not everyone gets paid that much; most earn around two or three thousand."
"Two or three thousand is still quite a lot! My monthly living expenses are only 600 yuan. Two or three thousand would almost last me a whole semester."
"How big of an order would it take to get such a high commission?"
"Three or four hundred thousand."
Chen Pingjiang became the center of attention.
A group of curious 'babies' around him fired off endless questions, but Chen Pingjiang didn't show any annoyance.
"Holy cow, Brother Chen, so you earned even more?"
Zhao Shaoyang's eyes glowed green.
"Your news is outdated. Someone said Brother Chen's website valuation has already exceeded ten million."
"What the hell?"
Zhao Shaoyang's voice became sharp.
"Tomorrow, I need to write a novel called 'My Billionaire Roommate,' the richest man at the University of Finance and Economics!"
"Then write it, I'd love to read it. Lately, I've been constantly searching Renren.com for posts about Brother Chen. I don't know why, but watching it is more exciting and passionate than me earning all this money myself."
Chen Pingjiang felt like laughing as he listened:
"You certainly know how to flatter."
"Brother Chen, if you also win over the campus beauty, you'll be a definite winner in life. It's a pity you're still a single dog."
"?"
Chen Pingjiang tilted his head and glared at Zhao Shaoyang, who responded with an awkward, goofy smile.
Then he heard geese-like laughter from nearby and found it incredibly grating.
"Do you have a girlfriend, laughing with such a wide grin?"
To fully boost Chen Pingjiang's reputation, laying the groundwork and building momentum for the next plot development.
(End of this chapter)
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