After Divorce, I Inherited the Game's Fortune

Chapter 608: 516, Effort Only Determines the Lower Bound (Soliciting Monthly Votes)_2 Chapter 608: 516, Effort Only Determines the Lower Bound (Soliciting Monthly Votes)_2 “`

But as his age kept increasing, Yang Hao found that his disdain was replaced by an ever-growing envy, because with the passing years he realized that others had achieved his career peak the moment they stepped out of school.

Effort wasn’t useless, but it could only determine the lower bound of your quality of life, and it couldn’t really change your destiny.

Sometimes, your efforts over several generations still hadn’t reached the threshold others were born with.

“He must be representing Xiangyang Steel Plant to wish Grandpa a happy birthday,” Kang Xiaowei took over the conversation.

Kang Jingchun, the elder in the family, had been a workshop director at Xiangyang Steel Plant before retiring, truly dedicating his life to the steel plant.

Now that he was retired, the plant couldn’t possibly ignore him, especially on his eightieth birthday.

It was only right for the plant to send someone to bring a birthday gift.

…

Zheng Dapeng walked towards the main table where Kang Jingchun was seated, all smiles as he dealt with people who came up to greet him eagerly, but the moment he reached the main table, his gaze was immediately captured by Li Manni.

After a while, he reluctantly looked away and handed over the cigarettes and liquor he had brought to Kang Jingchun, “Director Kang, I’m here on behalf of the plant to wish you a long life!

“I hope you stay healthy and live another eighty years!”

After setting down the cigarettes and liquor, Zheng Dapeng handed over a red envelope, “Uncle Kang, this is a little token of personal regard from me.”

Zheng Dapeng, true to his sales background, spoke very fittingly.

He first used the title “Director Kang,” which was appropriate as he was representing the plant.

Then he called him “Uncle Kang,” which was a more personal address.

Given the age difference between them, it was normal for him to call him “Grandpa.”

Moreover, Zheng Dapeng had a small ulterior motive; that red envelope wasn’t really a personal gesture, but rather something his father had asked him to deliver.

But after seeing Li Manni, Zheng Dapeng changed his mind and decided to present his father’s gesture as his own, thus hoping to curry favor in Kang Jingchun’s eyes and later have him introduce Li Manni to him.

“The plant still remembers this old man, thank you to the plant,” said Kang Jingchun gratefully.

“And thank you, Young Zheng, for making the trip personally.”

Kang Jingchun accepted the birthday gifts with a smile covering his face.

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He had worked at Xiangyang Steel Plant all his life and felt a strong sense of belonging to it, so he was very happy and proud that the plant had sent someone with gifts for his birthday.

There were many retired employees from Xiangyang Steel Plant, but not many received the kind of attention he did.

“Young Zheng, have a seat,” invited Kang Jingchun.

“Take a seat at this table!”

Kang Jingchun pointed at the remaining empty seat at the main table.

So far, only the Kang family members had been sitting at this main table, and by inviting Zheng Dapeng to sit there, Kang Jingchun was giving him significant recognition.

“Alright, I’ll follow Uncle Kang’s arrangement,” affirmed Zheng Dapeng with a nod.

He scanned the main table and really wanted to sit next to Li Manni, but unfortunately, the seat next to her was occupied, with Yang Hao on the left and Xixi on the right, followed by Li Manshu.

So Zheng Dapeng couldn’t get close, and he reluctantly took the seat next to his old classmate Zhao Xiaofeng.

“Xiaofeng, long time no see.

I heard you’re doing quite well in Shanghai!” Zheng Dapeng initiated a conversation with Zhao Xiaofeng, whom he was fairly acquainted with.

“Getting by, I can’t compare to Brother Peng,” Zhao Xiaofeng humbly replied.

He didn’t usually stay in touch with Zheng Dapeng and there were no hard feelings between them, so chatting was no issue.

“You’re being modest!” Zheng Dapeng waved his hand, “I’ve heard that you work for a big company in Shanghai, not like me, stuck in a small place like Xiangyang.”

“Moreover, the performance of Xiangyang Steel Plant has been declining over the past few years, and as the head of the sales department, I’m worried about the sales targets every day.

This year, the plant even set me a sales target of ten billion, which is a joke!”

While it seemed like Zheng Dapeng was complaining, he was actually boasting about his position as the head of the sales department at Xiangyang Steel Plant and subtly informing everyone that the deals he handled were calculated in billions.

Of course, his main target was Li Manni.

While he talked, he kept glancing at her from the corner of his eye, wanting to gauge her reaction.

But to his disappointment, though he was speaking animatedly, she seemed completely uninterested, without even a flicker of emotion in her eyes.

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Isn’t a sales target of ten billion impressive?

Come on, beauty, show some reaction!

Zheng Dapeng muttered to himself inwardly.

“Peng, how much of the ten billion sales target has been achieved?”

At this moment, Kang Xiaowei took over the conversation.

His old man, Kang Zhifei’s company, deals in steel materials and has a partnership with Xiangyang Steel Plant.

Now with Kang Xiaowei learning at his father’s company, he naturally knew about the situation at Xiangyang Steel Plant.

Although the sales target was set at ten billion, completing 30% of it would already be considered good.

Therefore, his question was actually designed to undermine Zheng Dapeng.

As expected, upon hearing Kang Xiaowei’s question, Zheng Dapeng’s mouth twitched imperceptibly, then he replied, “The global economy is sluggish, and the steel industry is no exception.

Not to mention far-off issues, even your family’s enterprise isn’t having an easy time this year, right?”

Zheng Dapeng’s years in sales had not been for naught; he effortlessly shifted the topic and took the opportunity to step on Kang Xiaowei a bit.

“It’s been tough doing steel business these past few years.

Everyone’s having a hard time!”

Kang Xiaowei shrugged indifferently.

Ever since the real estate market went down, the steel business became difficult.

However, Kang Zhifei’s company was in a somewhat better position, as most of their projects were in collaboration with the government, unlike those major real estate companies that were prone to defaulting on their debts.

But there were many drawbacks to partnering with the government, such as long payment cycles.

In recent years, local governments also faced tough times, to the extent that some even started delaying teachers’ salaries.

Consequently, the payment of construction funds became even slower.

Thus, most of Kang Xiaowei’s time since joining his father’s company had been spent accompanying his father to collect debts or being sent out by his father to do the same.

“Hang in there and it’ll pass.

There will always be a day when the economy turns around.”

“The sun always comes out after the rain, doesn’t it!”

Zheng Dapeng laughed out loud, then his gaze swept over and fell on Kang Xiaoxiao: “Xiaoxiao, you’re about to go to university, right?”

“Next week, I have to attend your university entrance celebration.”

Kang Zhichao also worked at Xiangyang Steel Plant, carrying on his father’s legacy.

But even so, Kang Zhichao wasn’t doing as well as his father, Kang Jingchun, in the plant.

He was currently just a deputy director of the logistics department, with a rank even lower than Zheng Dapeng’s.

“Yes, I got into Shanghai Normal University.”

Kang Xiaoxiao answered truthfully.

“Xiaoxiao, you’re really amazing!”

Zheng Dapeng raised his thumb and said, “I wanted to go to university in Shanghai too, but unfortunately, my scores were too low to make it happen.”

“Oh, this beauty looks unfamiliar, is she Xiaoxiao’s cousin?”

After enough preamble, Zheng Dapeng cut to the chase and directed the conversation towards Li Manni, sending a gentle look her way as he asked.

“Oh, this is my cousin, Li Manni.”

“I thought you knew her, Peng!”

Kang Xiaoxiao casually responded, her mind not really on the conversation, especially seeing that Zheng Dapeng had been talking to her the whole time.

“Li Manni?”

Zheng Dapeng repeated the name softly, then his eyes lit up, and a look of surprise appeared on his face: “I was wondering why you looked so familiar, turns out you’re a big star!”

“I see your videos every day; you’re much more beautiful in person than in the videos.

I didn’t dare to recognize you!”

As he spoke, Zheng Dapeng stood up from his seat, took out a business card, and handed it to Li Manni, introducing himself formally: “Hello, Teacher Manni, my name is Zheng Dapeng.

I’m the head of sales at Xiangyang Steel Plant.”

“By the way, my father is Zheng Dongshan, the plant manager of Xiangyang Steel Plant.”

Zheng Dapeng felt his position as a small head of sales might not seem impressive enough, so he decided to bring up his father.

Xiangyang Steel Plant held a high status, and theoretically, his father, the plant manager’s, administrative rank was equivalent to that of the Mayor of Xiangyang.

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