As a Magnate, I Started Checking in at a Convenience Store

Chapter 299: It’s Too Difficult for Me!

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“Boss, when did you arrive?” Zhou Jilong and Chai Lao, who were enjoying themselves, heard this familiar voice and immediately stopped.

“I’ve been here for a while. If I didn’t come, I’d miss this exciting moment, right? Wang Feng, did you capture the scene just now?”

“Boss, I’ve captured it!” Wang Feng, holding his phone, walked out from behind. Shortly after, Xu Yu also came out.

When Zhou and Chai Lao regained their senses, they both looked at Wang Feng, who was holding the phone. If their gazes could kill, Wang Feng would have been reduced to ashes under the piercing stares of Zhou Jilong and Chai Lao.

“Boss, can you ask Wang Feng to delete the photos he just took? If they get leaked, I won’t have a place to hide my face!” Chai Lao looked at Zhou Chao with hope in his eyes. Although Zhou couldn’t see their faces, he could feel how desperately they wanted him to agree.

“Ahem, Wang Feng, check if the photos you took included the machine tool. If they did, delete them all. Our ultra-precision machine tool project is still confidential. 1 hope everyone here keeps their mouths shut. I don’t want to hear any rumors spreading outside.”

“Understood, Boss!” Zhou Chao nodded in satisfaction as everyone agreed to keep things under wraps.

“Lao Zhou, you and Chai Lao, continue with a few more experiments to ensure the stability of the machine tool. As for the machine tool itself, we won’t release it to the public for now. Let’s consider holding a launch event when we have new research projects lined up in the future.”

“Don’t worry, Boss. We’ll conduct a thorough investigation.”

“Alright. While maintaining accuracy, manufacture a few of these as soon as possible. I’ll need them later. Now, get back to work. Also, tonight, I’ll host a celebration in the factory. It might be a bit cramped, but it’s the best we can do!”

“Boss, we’re not bothered by that at all. Making the ultra-precision machine tool is the most satisfying thing for us!”

“Good, get back to work then. I won’t disturb you anymore.” Zhou Chao turned and walked away, and Xu Yu and Wang Feng followed him.

As they removed their sterile clothing, Zhou Chao’s face was slightly sweaty. He could only imagine how hard Zhou Jilong and the others had worked.

“Boss, about the celebration tonight in the factory, is it for everyone or just this team?”

“Just this team. For the others, instruct the cafeteria to prepare extra food. Let’s have something special today. If there’s anything missing, go and buy it now!” “Alright, Boss. I’ll go and make the arrangements.”

“Don’t wait. Go now. There’s nothing for you to do here. It’s better to get some real work done.”

Xu Yu felt a bit embarrassed by Zhou Chao’s words, but she replied, “Okay, Boss. I’ll get busy then.”

“Good, go ahead.”

Watching Xu Yu’s departing figure, Zhou Chao then returned to the research institute with Wang Feng and headed to Zhou Jilong’s office.

As soon as Zhou Chao entered the office, he lay down on the sofa, while Wang Feng brought the tea he had brewed earlier.

“Boss, do you still want to drink this tea?”

Zhou Chao glanced at the teapot, which had already gone cold, and then at Wang Feng’s serious expression. He said, “Put it down. Why don’t you try some Cantonese herbal tea? I’ll fill your cup.”

Wang Feng blushed the moment he heard it and quickly poured himself a cup, which he drank in one gulp.

“How does it taste? Is it good?” Zhou Chao also sat up from the sofa, looking at Wang Feng with a smile on his face.

After Wang Feng finished a cup of herbal tea, he felt a bitter taste in his mouth, and all the organs on his face seemed to gather together.

“Boss, is this Pu’er tea spoiled? Why is it so bitter?”

“Do you even know what bitterness is? Don’t you know that many teas become bitter after they cool down from being steeped hot? This is because the tannic acid in the tea dissolves when it cools down, making the tea even more bitter. You should read more books and learn when you have free time. If 1 take you out in the future, won’t it embarrass me?”

Upon hearing this, Wang Feng’s face showed a ashamed expression as he lowered his head.

Seeing this, Zhou Chao sighed lightly, shook his head, and said, “I’m not blaming you. 1 just wanted to teach you a lesson so you won’t make such a mistake again. Alright, go brew another pot of tea.”

Wang Feng, who was burying his head in self-blame, immediately raised his head when Zhou Chao spoke. He quickly tidied up the tea set and went out. Watching Wang Feng’s departing figure, Zhou Chao revealed a faint smile. Soon, Wang Feng returned with a teapot filled with freshly brewed tea. He poured a generous cup for Zhou Chao and stood by the side.

As Zhou Chao was engrossed in looking at some scenic pictures and local environments that Jiang Li had sent him earlier, he suddenly felt a shadow blocking most of the light.

Zhou Chao raised his head and looked at Wang Feng, speaking with a somewhat annoyed tone, “What are you doing here? Why are you just standing around?”

“Uh… Boss, then I’ll go back to work!” Wang Feng looked wronged and saw Zhou Chao’s forehead veins popping.

“Go, go, 1’11 call you if there’s anything.” Zhou Chao didn’t look up from his phone and waved his hand, signaling Wang Feng to go and busy himself. Hearing this, Wang Feng left the office, his mood sulking. As he walked out of the research institute, he bumped into Zhou Jilong, who was returning from Factory Building No. 5.

“Wang Feng, what’s wrong? You look gloomy!” Wang Feng, who was blaming himself with his head down, heard someone calling him and quickly raised his head.

“Zhou Suo, things have been so difficult for me!”

Then Wang Feng recounted the events that had just happened to Zhou Jilong. When he finished, Zhou Jilong burst into laughter.

“Even you’re making fun of me!”

“Come on, it’s okay. You don’t know the boss yet. He’s sharp-tongued but kind-hearted. He’s definitely looking out for you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have told you what to be careful about. If it were another big boss, they would have just asked you to pack up and leave. Don’t overthink it. 1 have something to report to the boss. You go back to work!”

Hearing Zhou Jilong’s words, Wang Feng felt a little better in his heart. He took a deep breath and adjusted his state.

“Zhou Suo, then I’ll go now!”

“Yeah, go ahead and get busy!” Zhou Jilong watched Wang Feng’s departing figure, a smile on his face, not mocking but rather a contented smile.

Once Zhou Jilong snapped back to reality, he walked into the research institute. “Knock, knock, knock!” Zhou Jilong knocked on the door three times before pushing it open.

“Lao Zhou, you’re back. How’s the situation in the laboratory?” Zhou Chao, seeing the newcomer was Zhou Jilong, also sat up from the sofa and took a sip of the now lukewarm tea.

“Boss, everything is progressing smoothly in the laboratory. Chai Lao is currently comparing data to provide a reference for the manufacturing process.”

Zhou Chao nodded at his words and then said, “The machine tool exhibition won’t be open to the public. 1 hope you won’t hold any grudges about that.” “Boss, don’t worry, we understand that you must have your reasons. Besides, you provided the technical data for the machine tool, and we are merely the manufacturers. If someone else took over, they would be able to complete it just the same!”

Zhou Chao nodded in agreement, and a satisfied smile appeared on his handsome face.

“Lao Zhou, I’m planning to separate the projects in Xiong Lao’s and Chai Lao’s hands and establish our own independent laboratory, still under the research institute. Also, do you happen to know any top experts in the semiconductor field?”

“An expert in the semiconductor field? There is one, my college classmate. Back in university, he specialized in semiconductors, while I focused on materials. We even worked together on a national key project later on. Our relationship is solid!

Moreover, he’s now an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and is currently leading a project at Xi’an Jiaotong University. If you have any questions you’d like to consult him about, I can give him a call!”

Though Zhou Jilong had his doubts, he answered the boss’s question truthfully.

“Alright, I got it. Send me his contact details to my phone, and if I have any questions, I’ll call him personally.”

Zhou Jilong noticed that the boss wasn’t saying anything about it and instead started talking about the machine tool.

“Oh, by the way, boss, 1 forgot to mention earlier. After you left, we conducted another 20 experiments using different materials, all at the nanometer level!” Towards the end of his explanation, Zhou Jilong’s face revealed an ecstatic expression.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chao immediately stood up from the sofa, wearing a delighted expression as he clapped his hands and kept repeating, “Well done!” “What 1 just said about Chai Lao and Xiong Lao forming their own teams and labs, we’ve implemented it today. I’ll personally announce the celebration time in the evening. Additionally, regarding the rewards for Chai Lao’s team, you and Xu Yu should discuss it thoroughly. I don’t want our researchers to work hard, burn the midnight oil, and end up with no rewards in the end. I don’t want that happening in my company!”

“Yes, boss, I will quickly discuss the specific reward plan with Mr. Xu.”

“Good, I trust you can handle this. Have a seat, don’t stand. Try the tea Wang Feng brewed and see how it tastes.”

Zhou Chao sat on the sofa, took a clean teacup, and prepared to pour a cup of tea for Zhou Jilong personally, making Zhou Jilong feel pleasantly surprised. “Boss, let me do it myself!” Zhou Jilong said and reached out to take the teapot from Zhou Chao.

“It doesn’t matter who does it; you are a great contributor. What’s wrong with me pouring you a cup of water?”

Zhou Chao handed the tea to Zhou Jilong, then poured some tea into his own cup from a thermos bottle in his bag.

“Lao Zhou, if we announce the successful production of a world-class ultra-precision machine tool, do you think it will leave some people utterly amazed?”

“Definitely! Not only in China, but even abroad, those few companies capable of manufacturing this level of machinery might have to conduct thorough internal reviews!”

Zhou Chao chuckled upon hearing this, as this technology had been tightly controlled by foreign conglomerates. Now that their small, unknown company had managed to produce it, it was bound to make a lot of people uneasy. “Knock, knock, knock!” Just as they were about to continue their conversation, someone knocked on the office door. Wang Feng pushed the door open and walked in.

“Boss, Xu Yu has made the arrangements. When are you planning to go over?”

Zhou Chao nodded and said, “Lao Zhou, let’s go and celebrate their achievements!”