Chapter 835: Chapter 300: The Junior Schoolmate Also Came to Intern at the Company (2)
The adults from both the Su and Qin families didn’t stay long in Lin’an. When they found out Su Zelin only had minor issues, they quickly returned to Jianglan.
During the hospital stay, except for meeting visitors, all other time was spent in quiet rest, which drove the idler crazy. Given that Qin Shiqing and Huang Panpan were there to keep company, Su Zelin was someone incredibly energetic who couldn’t sit idle; resting for so long was really unbearable.
After enduring for five long days, he couldn’t continue any longer, and the idler was determined to discharge himself.
On the very day he was discharged, Su Zelin received a gift—a new Audi A6.
The Passat he usually drove was badly damaged in the accident and beyond repair. The insurance company on the big truck side compensated for its depreciation, and subsequently, New Era upgraded Su Zelin’s official car.
Actually, even without the accident, Su Zelin’s Passat was due for an upgrade soon.
Not just him, but Yang Fen and Kang Baohong too.
marked the year of New Era’s national strategy, necessitating many image projects, with the biggest being the Super Headquarters plan, making the upgrade of official cars quite essential.
For a company with such a high market valuation and rapidly becoming a national brand, it wouldn’t do justice to the idea of being one of the big three by only driving a Passat worth two hundred thousand. At least a mid-to-high-end BBA, perhaps a BMW 5 Series, Audi A6, or even a Mercedes-Benz S-Class was needed.
The end of the year is the best time to purchase imported luxury cars.
The luxury car market in 2004 was full of "discounts," with news of a certain luxury car brand cutting prices across all lines being the most frequently read headlines that year. From the end of 2003 to the end of 2004, the luxury car market underwent two large-scale price reductions, with average drops of 15% and a maximum of 25%.
Particularly in October 2004, Audi took the lead in drastically reducing prices for luxury car brands in China, with a drop of up to 60,000 yuan. Subsequently, various dealers of Brilliance BMW quickly followed suit, with BMW’s biggest discount reaching 80,000 yuan.
The reason is well-known: starting January 1, 2005, the domestic quota system for imported cars will be abolished, and tariffs will continue to decrease.
This policy change directly affected the luxury car market.
Previously, luxury cars had demand but no real price due to quota limitations keeping their prices firm. Now with the market completely open, prices were bound to plummet. Consumers were holding onto their money and waiting for greater discounts, leading to a slump in the luxury car market, and it wasn’t surprising to see all brands lowering their prices.
Originally, there were plans to change the car during this period, but then Su Zelin had an accident, and the Passat was wrecked, so the company helped him replace it.
This was a luxury executive version of the Audi A6, just launched this year, far more stylish and steady in appearance than the Passat, with a large space and high configuration, even equipped with an onboard TV in the back seat, boasting all high-end features one could think of in this era.
The next morning, Su Zelin drove this car back to the company.
When he appeared at the New Era headquarters, the receptionist, Zhang Yuying, was quite happy: "President Su, you’re discharged?"
"Haha, yes, discharged yesterday. Resting every day, I was almost rusting!"
After exchanging a few words with Zhang Yuying, he left the reception. Along the way, his colleagues were very happy to see him, greeting him one after another.
He hadn’t been in the office for long when Song Yuwei, as usual, brought him some tea and delivered some documents that Su Zelin couldn’t check on time during his hospital stay.
The idler stayed in the office the entire morning until noon when the deputy director of the human resources department found him.
"President Su, today I received an internship application resume. The applicant’s desire is to enter the operations department. Do you want to see how to arrange it?"
Su Zelin felt a bit surprised.
This time of year is the internship season for many universities, and many companies recruit interns, New Era included.
There should be quite a few interns wanting to join the operations department. As a rule, the deputy director of the human resources department wouldn’t need to specifically come looking for him over one intern.
But when he saw the internship application resume, he understood.
Name: Huang Panpan!
During his hospital stay, the junior almost stayed constantly by his side, and when the deputy director of the human resources department came to visit, they naturally noticed her and likely guessed that this girl had a close relationship with him.
The resume had a three-inch color photo of Huang Panpan on it, which the deputy director probably recognized at a glance, which is why they sought his opinion.
During the days of caregiving, Huang Panpan had mentioned the internship matter, saying she planned to forgo the school’s arrangement and find an internship company on her own.
Furthermore, she wouldn’t go anywhere else; she was set on New Era.
As soon as he was discharged, she submitted her application to the company.
Su Zelin pondered for a moment: "Based on my understanding of Junior Panpan, I personally feel the marketing department would be more suitable for her. Of course, as for which specific department she ends up in, you, Deputy Director Lin, can decide."
The deputy director of the human resources department understood well. President Su preferred to have this female university student placed in the marketing department rather than his operations department.
The specific reason was unknown, and it wasn’t appropriate to question further.
Three days later, the junior arrived at New Era for her first day, causing quite a stir among the male employees in the marketing department.
"Have you seen the new intern? There’s this girl who’s really a sight for sore eyes!"
"Yeah, I saw her too. I heard she’s from the Finance Institute and attended the same school as President Su!"
"In our marketing department, apart from Qin Shiqing, she’s probably the prettiest. I wonder if she has a boyfriend."
"Does it need to be said? Such a female university student must have had plenty of suitors at school!"
"Having many suitors doesn’t mean she’ll definitely accept them. What if she doesn’t like the boys at school and ends up liking me instead!"
"Come off it, you’re dreaming!"
"..."
On the other side, in the director’s office of the operations department.
Qin Shiqing came in holding a data analysis report and said as she placed it on the table, "Junior Panpan reported for work at the company today."
Huang Panpan joining New Era didn’t surprise her at all.
Given the junior’s infatuation with her boyfriend, it would be strange if she went to intern at another unit or company.
"I know."
Su Zelin nodded.
Today was the unified registration day for interns.
Qin Shiqing hesitated for a moment and suddenly said, "Why don’t you ask her if she’s free tonight after work, and we can all have dinner at our place."
Invite the junior for dinner?
Qin Shiqing’s words made Su Zelin momentarily stunned.
Although Qin Shiqing was quite tolerant of Huang Panpan, in his previous life, she genuinely never invited her for a meal.
Had they bonded over the days of caregiving to form a class friendship?
Or did Qin Shiqing have another agenda?
Why didn’t she approach Huang Panpan directly, but instead spoke through him?
The idler had many questions in his mind and couldn’t quite grasp his girlfriend’s intentions.
He tentatively asked, "Honey, what are you up to?"
"Thanking her for helping me take care of you recently!"
Qin Shiqing smiled slightly.
"Besides, now she’s a part of New Era too, and it’s quite possible she might stay after graduation. Since we’re both in the marketing department, as her senior and a predecessor, I should at least offer a welcome. Anyway, just ask her, and say it’s my idea."
After leaving a few words, Qin Shiqing left, leaving Su Zelin deep in thought.
During the staff leisure time, the idler found Huang Panpan to inform her of this.
The junior was quite surprised to hear it.
"Sister Shiqing invited me to eat with you all?"
Logically, Qin Shiqing should see her as a rival and dislike her, yet she extended such an invitation.
"Yes, she said as your senior and a company predecessor, she ought to welcome you, so she’s inviting you over for a meal."
Su Zelin relayed Qin Shiqing’s message, but omitted a few things.
"Alright."
Huang Panpan hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded in agreement.
What is Sister Shiqing’s plan here?
Could she intend to use this dinner opportunity to make things clear to me, forbidding me from approaching the senior in the future?
That’s impossible!
The junior made up her mind.
Even if Sister Shiqing scolds me, I will never leave the senior!
...