Rekindle 2003

Chapter 1185 The Thorn in the Ordinary Days

Bai Le rolled his eyes on the other side of the phone that he couldn't see, and analyzed the situation to Kong Ziqian very calmly.

“Xiao Kong, this is already a very fair price.

I gave this number because it is indeed difficult to find translations.

Of course, the price for a formal job would be much higher, but now it’s just a part-time job for college students, so this price is fair.”

Kong Ziqian wanted to curse, but when he saw Imanda's surprised look next to him, he was stunned.

No...are you satisfied with this?

He blinked his eyes, but was sensible enough not to continue to argue with Bai Le. He could only pretend to be helpless, chat with Bai Le and ask for more.

Imanda, on the other side, covered her mouth with her hands to prevent herself from screaming out loud. This salary was far beyond her expectations.

In Tanzania, the per capita annual income in 2003 was only US$350, equivalent to RMB 2880, or an average of RMB 240 per month.

The monthly salary offered by the Yanhuang Group is as high as 720 yuan, which is three times the average income.

For Imanda, this money can not only cover her tuition and living expenses, but can even help her two younger brothers.

On the other end of the phone, Kong Ziqian finally understood the local income level.

The average monthly salary that Yanhuang Group pays to local people in Tanzania is more than 600 yuan.

Of course, the entry requirements are not low.

Sales positions require at least a high school degree, while administrative positions require a college degree or above.

This requirement is considered very high for a country with an illiteracy rate of over 27%.

Therefore, the part-time salary that Bai Le offered him was actually very reasonable, and it also took into account the scarcity of bilingual translators. Otherwise, it would be reasonable to reduce it further.

Listening to the conversation between Kong Ziqian and Bai Le, Imanda's heart was filled with shock and gratitude.

She didn't expect that Kong Ziqian would call the company's leadership specifically for her.

And she also heard that others were just doing their job.

Her salary is not very eye-catching, and it can even be said to be the lowest.

If we go by the Yanhuang Group's own standards, it's quite reasonable.

But she knew what the money meant to her.

She no longer has to worry about tuition and living expenses and can have more time to focus on study and her future.

but……

Why is he so nice to me?
Imanta bit her lip, a deer in her heart constantly causing car accidents.

……

When Imanda went to work at Yanhuang Group on her first day, the anxiety in her heart far outweighed the novelty.

She was well aware that she was able to get into the company through Kong Ziqian's connections, which made her worry that her colleagues would look down on her because of this.

Moreover, her salary was much higher than the market price, which made her even more anxious, fearing that others would gossip about her behind her back.

She even began to doubt whether she was really capable of doing the job.

In the morning, Imanda came to the company early, wearing a simple white shirt and black skirt, looking neat and tidy.

Standing in front of the building, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her nervous mood.

She walked into the company and the lady at the front desk greeted her with a smile, but Imanta felt uneasy.

She was worried that her colleagues would be prejudiced against her because of her relationship with Kong Ziqian.

Hello, my name is Imanda and today is my first day at work."

Newcomer to society, Imanda, said to the receptionist, her voice trembling unconsciously.

The receptionist smiled and said, "Welcome, Imanda. I have heard that you were recommended by Mr. Kong.

He is a popular figure in our company, and you will definitely learn a lot from him."

Imanda nodded, but she became even more nervous.

General assistant?

In an instant, Imanda suddenly lost confidence in the development of Yanhuang Group in Africa.

That little fat guy is actually the chief assistant?

But inexplicably, she gained a lot of confidence in her ability to gain a foothold here.

It’s not because she was recommended by Kong Xiaopang.

But it’s because Imanda feels that when it comes to people with connections, Kong Xiaopang is probably the one with the biggest connections!
Since the fat kid who hasn't even officially started his sophomore year can hold a high position here, there's no reason why I, who has worked hard since childhood, can't gain a foothold in this company.

Come on, Imanda!

You have to work hard to prove your ability.

She walked into the elevator, came to Kong Ziqian's office, and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Kong Ziqian's voice came from inside.

Imanda opened the door and saw the seemingly cunning but actually innocent little fat boy in school sitting at the desk, looking at the computer screen.

He looked up, saw Imanda, and said with a smile: "Imanda, welcome. Starting today, you will be my assistant. I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation."

After hearing his words, Imanda's heart sank.

The general assistant's assistant?
The fat boy in front of me, wearing a shirt and trousers, perfectly embodies the image of a 'beast in human clothing' in the modern Chinese context.

While smiling and nodding, Imanda smiled bitterly in her heart.

Haha too.

In the mind of this little fat boy, what ability do I have?

She was precocious and knew very well that in this society, in any relationship, recognizing one's own identity and putting oneself in the right position was the most sober consciousness.

What I can bring to a young man like Kong Ziqian who is full of vigor and vitality is emotional value and sexual value.

So, does that salary seem too cheap?

After all, you are buying your own body.

Looking at the unconcealable coldness in her eyes, Kong Ziqian felt a little puzzled.

What the hell?

Are you grouchy when you wake up?
After looking at his watch, Kong Ziqian had no choice but to stand up and take his suit jacket and briefcase from the hanger.

"Come on, follow me to visit some clients. I'm going to use the bathroom first."

Imanda, who was still immersed in her own little world, obviously hadn't come back to her senses. After a cry, she took the briefcase handed to her by the fat man and stared blankly at his back.

……

No matter what company it is, there will always be small groups.

In the Yanhuang Group, Imanda was no longer discriminated against as before. Her identity as Mr. Kong's assistant allowed her to easily integrate into the circle of local employees.

After a few days, through private communication with local employees and indirect inquiries, Imanta gradually realized that her salary was indeed not high in the company and was within the normal range.

In other words, it is not without reason that the overall salary level offered by Yanhuang Group to local people is very high in Tanzania.

And the salary she earned was indeed from selling her body.

However, it was different from what she understood. This kind of selling one's body was not that kind of selling one's body.

While she enjoys selling her body now, she also feels ridiculous and cheap.

The work efficiency of Yanhuang Group is far higher than the national conditions of Tanzania, and everyone is extremely busy.

The entire company implements the wolf culture.

Overtime is the norm here.

On her first day at work, Imanda followed Kong Ziqian around, doing various research, interviews, and field work, and dealing with different people in society.

Usually, by the time we get back to school, it's usually late at night.

Well, the problem is coming.

Why did Kong Ziqian return to school for dinner some time ago?
This discovery made her face flush and she felt a little uncomfortable at the same time.

It also made her original disgust towards Kong Ziqian fade a little.

But it's not much better.

From the obscene look that the fat boy had accidentally caught, she knew very well that he was just after her body. This made Imanda not happy at all.

The Chinese proverb 'where there is gain there is loss' kept circling in her mind.

During this time, she followed him everywhere and carefully observed every detail.

She found that Kong Ziqian had very strong working ability.

Not only is he very familiar with the business, he is also able to resolve customer issues quickly.

Correspondingly, the Yanhuang Group is indeed focusing on training Kong Ziqian, and he participates in every aspect of the company every day.

The boss of the African company, Mr. Zhu, and the second-in-command, Mr. Bai, often gave guidance to Kong Ziqian in person during lunch and dinner in the cafeteria.

This benefited Imanda, who was listening in, a lot. Occasionally, she would talk about Tanzanian customs and culture to liven up the atmosphere at the table.

But what benefited her more from this move was that it also indirectly made her very prestigious among the local employees.

After all, no matter which company it is, not everyone can have meals and chat with the company's top management from time to time, or even have a lively conversation.

Of course, there are also rumors about her and Kong Ziqian.

Strengthening localization is the strategy formulated by the Yanhuang Group, and many local people are given important positions.

However, there are also many Chinese executives in this temporary regional headquarters in Tanzania. In order to facilitate communication, they are usually assigned special translators or local employees in this section or department as assistants.

However, under Zhu Zhaojiang's personal example, these assistants are usually men. The only two male executives in the company who have female assistants are the two young men Bai Le and Kong Ziqian.

Imanda also knew Bai Le's assistant, who was two years older than her.

She is also a beautiful mixed-race girl.

and……

Imanda knew very well that Mr. Bai Le was not as simple as Kong Xiaopang.

My cheap senior sister always sleeps in the same room with Mr. Bai when she is on business trips, and it is obvious that she has been in bed with him a long time ago.

However, I heard that Bai Le is a divorced person, so it is not easy to condemn the love affairs between men and women.

And the little fat guy...

At least for now, I still respect myself.

Imanda sat at her desk, holding a pen in her hand, but she didn't write a single word in her notebook for a long time.

From time to time, her eyes glanced at Kong Ziqian who was sitting not far away. He was concentrating on handling documents with a frown on his face, as if he was thinking about some important issue.

What made Imanta feel gloomy was that her position was, after all, Kong Ziqian's assistant.

But she couldn't find her value in her work.

Although Kong Ziqian explained that her Swahili could help him communicate with the outside world, Imanda didn't believe it at all.

Or they don't see the necessity of this value.

Because what Kong Ziqian is doing now is actually communicating more in English and Chinese.

Although his spoken English was halting, he was not unable to communicate. It was just a little difficult due to his lack of proficiency.

Moreover, this problem is decreasing as time goes by as the little fat boy becomes more skilled.

Moreover, during the stage of establishing channels for the consumer business, the international brand influence of the Yanhuang Group, brought about by its mergers and acquisitions with Abiemu, NEC and Dongzhi Group, was materialized in Tanzania.

Kong Ziqian did not understand Swahili, but those who communicated with him would consciously bring a translator with them.

These translators are all industry professionals and are far more professional than her.

In other words, Imanda's existence is not of great value, she is more of a vase sitting next to Confucius Qian.

This made her lose her direction and feel unfulfilled.

When she tossed and turned in bed at night, Imanda still felt that Kong Ziqian probably had his eyes on her by asking her to be his assistant.

But this kind of plan is different from the one Bai Le always has towards his senior schoolmate. Kong Ziqian is sincere in this.

But Imanda felt like a canary being kept as a toy.

Or it might be like a packaged commodity, placed on Confucius' desk or even on his bed for him to appreciate at any time.

Although she was grateful for the well-paying job that Kong Ziqian had secured for her, she felt very uncomfortable when she thought that the final price would be to exchange it for her own body.

But the reality forced her to accept the job.

At this stage, it is impossible for her to find a proper job with a higher salary than here.

She made up her mind that if Kong Ziqian did anything wrong, she would resign immediately and only earn clean money.

……

Imanda sat at her desk, the pen in her hand moving unconsciously on the paper, her eyes drifting towards Kong Ziqian opposite her from time to time.

The office was so quiet that it was a little depressing, with only the hum of the air conditioner echoing in my ears.

She has been in this new job for three weeks, but every day is like walking on a tightrope, cautiously and treading on thin ice.

Kong Ziqian didn't seem to notice Imanda's nervousness. He was concentrating on the computer screen, frowning slightly, as if thinking about something important.

Tanzania has a good foundation of relations between the two countries, and setting up a regional headquarters here will be conducive to the development of work.

But the economic conditions in Tanzania are very poor.

Tanzania's founding father Nyerere was indeed a great man. He fought for national independence and peacefully merged with another country to create Tanzania.

Of all African leaders, he was the most idealistic, gentlest and most selfless dictator.

He was approachable, had no extra money, was good at agitation, was full of passion for ideals, and everything he did was for the people.

He was very moderate in dealing with international relations. Even though he practiced collectivism, he did not completely break off relations with Western governments and secured a large amount of foreign exchange aid for the country.

However, for any country, in order to maintain healthy and stable economic and social development, in addition to factors such as a population size that does not exceed carrying capacity and abundant natural resources, it is also important for the ruling party to know how to govern the country according to common sense and act in accordance with economic laws.

If the above factors are not properly matched or are missing, the country is likely to fall into a development dilemma, and even survival may become a big problem.

This is Nyerere’s shortcoming.

Lack of experience and knowledge prevented him from achieving greater greatness.

To be fair, Tanzania is very rich in natural resources and has all the advantages for economic development.

In terms of proven reserves of various minerals, its total volume ranks fifth in Africa.

Among them, there are 44 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, 1800 million ounces of gold, 250 million tons of diamonds, 8500 million tons of iron ore, 1000 million tons of phosphate, and considerable reserves of nickel ore and coal.

At the same time, Tanzania is rich in forest and hydropower resources, with a forest area of ​​3350 million hectares, and is rich in tropical crops such as coffee, sisal, cotton, tea, cashews, cloves, and coconuts.

It is no exaggeration to say that if Tanzania can effectively develop and utilize the above resources, and if those in power can govern the country according to common sense, even if it cannot achieve "great wealth and honor", it is still very likely to escape poverty and join the ranks of middle-income countries.

But unfortunately, Nyerere, an idealist who did everything for the people, made a fatal mistake during the period of social and economic construction and proposed the "Ujamaa" movement, which buried everything.

The so-called "Ujamaa" movement advocates the relocation of scattered farmers to new villages for concentrated residence, the establishment of a "big family" without classes, oppression, and complete equality between people through collective labor of all members, the complete abolition of private ownership, and the complete nationalization of various economic sectors.

This unrealistic Ujamaa utopian ideal is simply not feasible.

Not only has it severely dampened the production enthusiasm of the majority of farmers, it has also led to serious waste of resources, distorted economic structure, and seriously lagging development level in Tanzania. The entire country has never been able to escape the predicament of extreme poverty.

Although Tanzania's tourism and industrial and mining industries have improved in recent years after its total Sinicization, and have played an increasingly important role in economic development, leading to a continuous increase in national income, it is still far from the poverty alleviation standard.

The economic poverty has led to a difficult life for the people of Tanzania and brought difficulties to social security...

This is not a bad thing for businesses that come here to do business.

Any society needs the circulation of goods.

However, the current situation in Tanzania makes it impossible to sell some high-value goods.

Focusing on the strategies and tactics of the Yanhuang Group, it is here that work can be carried out the fastest and mobile phone sales can be quickly opened up, but...

It is limited to the most basic models similar to domestic elderly phones.

也就是搭载了在MTK原始MT6205芯片基础上集成了GPRS、WAP、MP3功能的MT6218芯片，售价21.99万坦桑尼亚先令，折合人民币629元的手机。

However, Yanhuang Group's killer weapon for the African market, the MT34.99 chip mobile phone with camera function, which costs over 1001 Tanzanian shillings (equivalent to RMB 6219), has little market here.

Because the national income here restricts the speed of generational replacement of goods.

Moreover, the sales here are currently conducted in the form of contract phones.

Consumers also have to consider their affordability of the tariff packages.

Therefore, now, the Yanhuang Group has reached the stage of moving out of Tanzania.

……

(End of this chapter)