The old factory auditorium.
Gao Fei announced an all-hands meeting, and Ding Yao quickly made arrangements.
Within ten minutes, all one hundred and thirty-five on-duty employees were present.
The factory's long-term employees were all local residents from the southern part of the city, living adjacent to the industrial zone, so it only took them five or six minutes by bicycle or motorcycle to reach the factory.
The new employees all lived in the factory dormitories and arrived quickly upon receiving the meeting notice.
The partially worn auditorium buzzed with conversations.
New and old employees sat in groups of three or five, chatting and laughing, creating a warm and lively atmosphere.
The common topic of conversation among all employees was the new perfume product from the Poli Cosmetics Factory.
The new employee group.
"CEO Gao made a huge investment to acquire the old cosmetics factory, only to be swindled out of six million by the former director. Then, someone intentionally set a fire, burning all the raw materials in the warehouse. CEO Gao had only just entered the cosmetics industry, and his losses have already reached tens of millions!"
"Not only tens of millions in losses, but there's also worse news. According to insider information, Poli Cosmetics Factory's new perfume is related to the perfume our factory has been developing, and it was an inside informant who leaked the research data to them. Who do you think this informant is?"
"We new employees can be ruled out immediately. CEO Gao interviewed and selected us all. None of us know anyone from Poli Cosmetics Factory, and we haven't had any contact with them in such a short time. As for the informant, it must be one of the old employees in the factory."
"I also think the informant is an old employee. After all, most of the factory's management are old employees. How else could they get such confidential research data?"
"That makes sense, I agree!"
The new employees huddled together, whispering amongst themselves, all feeling a sense of pity for Gao Fei's tens of millions in losses.
When the topic of the informant arose, the new employees looked at the old employees with a hint of coldness in their eyes.
The old employee group.
"Why did Gao Fei suddenly call a full staff meeting, and hold it in the auditorium? What's his game?"
"What else could it be but that he can't keep it going and is preparing to sell the factory!"
"I think Old Chen is right! Poli Cosmetics Factory has launched a new product, and it's a copy of what Gao Fei developed. This heavy blow, anyone would want to sell the factory and run."
"We're all experienced employees, with both skills and knowledge. Even if there's a new owner, we'll likely be kept on. It's just a shame for those new employees who were just hired; they'll be out of a job in less than a month."
The old employees remained calm and unhurried. They noticed the accusatory glances from the new employees but paid them no mind.
In their eyes, today's staff meeting was undoubtedly about selling the factory.
After all, Gao Fei had already suffered significant losses after taking over the old factory; no one believed he would continue.
As long-time employees, they had experience in factory operations, even if the next owner didn't focus on cosmetics.
Therefore, the old employees were not concerned about the factory's survival, only whether Gao Fei would pay out this month's wages in advance before selling.
Just as the new and old employees were divided into small groups, speculating and discussing in the audience, Gao Fei, accompanied by the factory's senior management, strode into the auditorium.
Seeing Gao Fei, Ding Yao, and the others enter, the new employees immediately stopped their discussions and sat down obediently.
The factory's old employees continued their loud conversations, completely ignoring Gao Fei and his entourage, treating him as if he weren't the boss.
However, when Gao Fei walked onto the stage alone, and Ding Yao and the other senior managers all took seats in the front row of the audience, a few of the more observant old employees suddenly sensed that something was amiss.
After all, in a factory-wide meeting, why would the senior management sit in the front row while the factory boss occupied the speaker's podium alone?
Those five or six more perceptive old employees, sensing the unusual situation, immediately nudged their companions to be quiet.
But the others paid them no mind, continuing their conversations as before.
Gao Fei sat alone at the podium, his gaze sweeping over the old employees on the left side of the audience, and let out a cold scoff of disdain.
Noticing his sharp gaze, and the indifferent glances from Ding Yao and the others, the old employees who had been dismissive finally began to realize that the meeting was unusual. The auditorium gradually quieted down.
When there was complete silence, Gao Fei leaned forward slightly, resting one hand on the chair and the other on the table, looking down at the audience with a detached expression.
He chuckled into the microphone and swept his gaze across the left side of the audience: "You were saying? You can pretend I'm not here and continue!"
The old employees in the audience exchanged glances and lowered their heads in embarrassment.
"Why aren't you talking anymore? Continue!"
*Bang!*
With a dull thud, Gao Fei slammed the table, startling all the old employees.
The workshop supervisor in the second row suddenly looked up and said loudly, "CEO Gao, the factory is currently suspended for rectification. Are you suddenly calling this all-hands meeting because you're planning to sell the factory?"
The workshop supervisor voiced the thoughts of all the old employees. Everyone looked up at the stage, waiting for the boss's answer.
"Who said I'm selling the factory? Where did you hear that?"
Gao Fei looked out at the audience, directly addressing the supervisor who had spoken: "Supervisor Zhang, Zhang Pingyu, is that right? Go to HR after this and resign. You don't need to come back anymore!"
"Gao Fei..."
Zhang Pingyu called out the boss's name.
But before he could finish speaking, a voice suddenly came from the auditorium's speakers, and a secretly filmed video began playing on the screen behind him.
"Director Feng, don't worry. I'm at the old factory, but my heart is with you. Just give me any orders you have, and I, Zhang Pingyu, will handle them perfectly!"
The video on the screen synchronized with the audio.
In the video, Zhang Pingyu was seen dining with Feng Kunlin, and they were exchanging pleasantries.
Next to Supervisor Zhang's chopsticks and bowls, a stack of thirty thousand yuan in cash was placed.
The hidden camera then zoomed in on the thirty thousand yuan.
As the video played on the screen, the entire audience erupted in an uproar.
The old employees looked at Zhang Pingyu with expressions of surprise, pity, and sympathy...
While the new employees' gazes were filled with disdain, coldness, and mockery...
"How could this... How do you have a video of me eating..."
Zhang Pingyu stood stunned, then suddenly looked at the assistant supervisor beside him.
The assistant supervisor shrugged helplessly and said with a smile, "I'm sorry, Old Zhang. CEO Gao offered more. Besides, you were already in cahoots with that old swindler Feng."
The assistant supervisor, who had filmed the video, now directly confirmed Zhang Pingyu's collusion with Feng Kunlin.
Gao Fei waved his hand and turned to the side of the podium: "Continue playing!"
Hearing this, the old employees' hearts sank, and cold sweat broke out on their foreheads.
The new employees exchanged smiles, all eagerly anticipating the unfolding drama.
The subsequent playback consisted of recordings and videos of other old employees colluding with Feng Kunlin.
The number of people who had colluded with Feng Kunlin internally and externally accounted for more than half of the old employee group.
It was only then that everyone realized, with dawning comprehension, that this was not a mere staff meeting, nor was the factory being sold.
It was a reckoning between Gao Fei and the old employees.
(Still stuck on the highway, this chapter was written while stuck on the highway. I don't know how long I'll be here.)