Chapter 439: Evening at the Office

In the evening, downstairs at the company.

Nie Fei suddenly remembered something and led Xu Chen straight to the parking area.

She pointed to a black Audi A4 and said:

“Xu Chen got this for me; he said I should drive it.”

“It’ll come in handy for company meetings and client receptions.”

Last month, when Xu Zhiquan visited, he mentioned getting a car for Fei Jie, and now it was already arranged.

Such quick efficiency must have involved Fang Jun’s help.

Xu Chen glanced at it and smiled:

“My dad really went for it—got you a sleek black one like that…”

Nie Fei was puffing on a slim cigarette:

“The car’s great, and I like black.”

“I left a spare key at the front desk with Nana. If you ever want to borrow it, just grab it.”

Xu Chen: “Sounds good, thanks Fei Jie!”

……

……

As soon as they entered the office, they spotted the sweet and pretty front desk attendant, Nana.

She smiled and stood up, politely greeting them as “Young Xu Chen” and “Fei Jie”.

Having such a charming young woman at the front desk really added a nice touch to the company’s image.

Xu Chen quickly gathered Nie Fei and Gu Xinxi to discuss the intern recruitment briefly.

Gu Xinxi smiled and said:

“No wonder I got a bunch of resumes in my inbox just now…”

Xu Chen: “For the advertising side, it’s mainly under you, Xinxi, so we need one or two interns to help out.”

“As for ‘Ran Bing Sports’, Fei Jie can handle the arrangements there.”

“The resumes are all with Xinxi, so you can pick through them.”

Nie Fei: “No problem.”

“Our online store operations need some extra hands anyway.”

“They don’t need deep expertise—in fact, interns are perfect for it…”

“Xinxi, forward the resumes to Sun Lingfeng, and let him select a few.”

Gu Xinxi: “Got it, Fei Jie!”

Xu Chen turned to Gu Xinxi:

“Discuss with Aimi and Xiaowei if they need an extra design intern.”

“We’ve got that ongoing design project from Kunlun Mountain, and Tang Xiaowei might be swamped on his own.”

Gu Xinxi: “Understood, boss!”

Xu Chen smiled again: “For your team, Xinxi, you can handle the interviews and decisions yourself—no need to run them by me.”

Nie Fei joked:

“Yeah, it would be a bit awkward for you to interview your own seniors, Young Xu Chen.”

……

In the meeting room.

Xu Chen called a meeting for ‘East Morning Star Advertising’.

Also present were Sun Aimi, Tang Xiaowei, and Gu Xinxi.

The sweet admin assistant, Nana, brought Young Xu Chen his usual sparkling water and even set out a fresh fruit platter on the table.

Xu Chen couldn’t help thinking how being looked after by company staff like this really boosted his spirits.

The meeting focused on the ‘Cadillac’ project requirements.

They had to present the proposal next Thursday, so time was tight.

Sun Aimi and Tang Xiaowei exchanged glances, looking a bit uneasy.

“What’s up?” Xu Chen asked with a smile, sipping his sparkling water.

Sun Aimi adjusted her round-framed glasses:

“Boss, we’ve got to pitch this project next Thursday?”

“Xiaowei and I talked it over, but we haven’t nailed down a concept we’re thrilled with yet…”

Xu Chen smiled: “Don’t worry, I’ve got something ready.”

Tang Xiaowei paused, then showed a spark of excitement and anticipation.

Sun Aimi still looked nervous:

“Every time we use your ideas, it feels like we’re not pulling our weight…”

Xu Chen chuckled:

“Nonsense! You two are crucial!”

“We’re just dividing the work—I’m on ideas, you’re on refining and executing them.”

“Without you, the project wouldn’t get off the ground.”

Sun Aimi thought about it and figured that made sense.

But reflecting on her past job experiences, it still felt a little off…

After all, in other companies, as an employee, she handled everything from planning to execution herself.

She adjusted her glasses again and sneaked a peek at Xu Chen.

She thought Young Xu Chen was just incredibly skilled and also really approachable, never pushing the team too hard…

Xu Chen sipped his sparkling water and said with a smile:

“Take it easy.”

“Now that we’ve won the Great Wall Award, a bunch of brand clients have reached out.”

“They’ve sent project requests to Xinxi’s inbox, and she’s sorting through them…”

“Aimi and Xiaowei, check those out.”

“If you can handle a project on your own without me jumping in, I’ll give you extra bonuses!”

Sun Aimi and Tang Xiaowei glanced at each other, still a bit apprehensive.

Sun Aimi said timidly:

“Then Xiaowei and I will brainstorm first!”

Xu Chen: “No rush.”

“We’re not chasing massive growth here—just work on projects you enjoy.”

“Don’t worry about your pay; I’m not a stingy boss. I’ll make sure it’s fair based on your contributions.”

“Thanks, boss!”

……

For the Cadillac project, Sun Aimi and Tang Xiaowei shared their initial ideas.

Time was short, but they had prepared seriously.

Xu Chen listened carefully and liked one concept enough to suggest developing it as a backup for the pitch.

The idea came from Sun Aimi and was called ‘The Stance of Fearlessness for Cadillac’.

This year, Cadillac’s entire lineup had some family-style exterior updates.

Cadillac always aimed for a rugged look.

That set it apart from other car brands…

‘The Stance of Fearlessness for Cadillac’ captured the essence of the car’s bold design and the spirit of its owners.

The cars embodied ‘the stance of fearlessness,’ while owners had ‘the heart of fearlessness’.

……

Xu Chen couldn’t help but comment:

“This concept is solid—it really matches the brand’s vibe.”

“Polish it up and use it as one of the pitches!”

Sun Aimi adjusted her glasses, clearly thrilled.

Getting approval from Young Xu Chen meant her skills were improving!

……

Xu Chen shared a document, projecting it onto the meeting room screen.

It was the idea he’d outlined the day before.

“The decline of masculinity is a tragedy of our era, but thankfully, there’s Cadillac.”

The line appeared on the screen, and Sun Aimi and Tang Xiaowei perked up.

Tang Xiaowei pondered it and said:

“That’s bold— and it’s a line that sticks in your mind…”

Sun Aimi: “Plus, it fits Cadillac’s image perfectly.”

She thought for a moment:

“Boss, your concept outshines my ‘Stance of Fearlessness’—it’s sharper and more striking!”

Xu Chen smiled: “Just a different angle, Aimi. Don’t sell yourself short.”

Xu Chen spent about ten minutes outlining the ideas for posters and video ads.

It revolved around the ‘masculinity’ theme, pairing various images with Cadillac’s muscular lines.

Like the horns of powerful animals—rhinos, reindeer—that scream strength and aggression.

Or warriors’ blades, such as Roman swords and ancient Chinese cavalry sabers.

And the muscles of human males and mighty beasts…

The creative execution wasn’t complicated.

For both posters and videos, it matched horns, blades, and muscles with Cadillac’s body features to highlight its masculine energy.

As Xu Chen explained, Sun Aimi and Tang Xiaowei took detailed notes.

They exchanged looks, both feeling inspired.

Young Xu Chen’s ideas were always on another level.

He didn’t just come up with concepts—he even detailed how to present them…

Once Xu Chen finished, Sun Aimi said:

“Boss, this idea is fantastic! I can picture it with real impact and drama!”

Tang Xiaowei: “Especially those rhino, reindeer, and antelope horn designs—they’ll look epic!”

Xu Chen paused briefly, then continued:

“A great idea alone might not seal the deal…”

He meant leveraging current social trends.

Influenced by Korean waves, Hong Kong, and Taiwan entertainment, ‘softening’ trends had sparked huge debates in mainland China.

Cadillac’s ad would tap right into that, boosting its spread and discussion.

Xu Chen checked the time and decided not to dive deeper with Sun Aimi and Tang Xiaowei.

He could showcase that during the actual pitch.

“Anyway, that’s the gist. You two get the proposal ready—appreciate it!”

Sun Aimi: “No problem! Xiaowei and I will nail it!”

“This concept has so much character—the visuals will pack a punch!”

Xu Chen smiled: “Alright! It’s the weekend, so head out early!”

……

Leaving the meeting room, Gu Xinxi updated Xu Chen on next week’s presentation schedule.

They’d pitch to Cadillac Thursday morning.

Then fly to Beijing that evening and present at Baidu Headquarters Friday morning.

The Cadillac pitch didn’t worry him much.

After all, the client had approached them, so their interest was strong.

Plus, his proposal was compelling…

For the Baidu pitch, even though he was using a proven idea from the past, he’d need to think carefully on delivery.

The ‘Tang Bohu versus foreigners’ concept was pretty edgy for 2007—he wasn’t sure if the clients would go for it.

Zhao Ling seemed okay with it, but she mentioned Baidu’s founder, Li Yanhong, was watching this project, which made Xu Chen a bit uneasy.

From what he recalled, Li Yanhong was a classic tech guy.

For someone so focused on tech, this bold creative might not click easily.

……

Xu Chen remembered something and asked:

“How’s the ‘Calling Spring’ project going?”

Gu Xinxi: “It’s exploded online!”

“Oh?”

These past couple of days, Xu Chen hadn’t checked the buzz, but the breakout was expected.

Gu Xinxi: “It’s playing out exactly as you planned from the start. The topic’s spread beyond Yichun’s local forums.”

“Now it’s on Tianya Community and other sites, with some criticism, but mostly people are just enjoying the spectacle.”

Xu Chen: “Some media must have picked it up, right?”

Gu Xinxi: “Yeah, a few have jumped on the trend. It’s mainly online outlets like NetEase, Tencent, and Sina.”

Xu Chen nodded: “And the client? They’re holding steady?”

Gu Xinxi: “Absolutely.”

“We had contingency plans, and everything’s unfolding as predicted, so they’re fine.”

“Director Lou mentioned privately that despite the backlash, the leadership is pleased.”

“The big win is that Yichun’s getting nationwide attention—something unthinkable before. The name ‘Yichun’ is buzzing now!”

Xu Chen nodded:

“Great! Keep an eye on how it’s trending.”

“Once it peaks, roll out the official spin!”

Gu Xinxi: “All set! We’ll push the next wave of official content once it builds more momentum!”

The next official push would interpret ‘Why Yichun is called Spring’ from the city’s perspective.

Based on Xu Chen’s strategy, Yichun’s publicity team had crafted responses highlighting tourism, culture, investments, and more.

Themes like ‘Spring Wells, Spring Mountains, Spring Scenery, Spring Moon, Spring Breeze’ would reframe ‘Yichun calling spring’ positively.

It would flip any negative vibes and ride the wave of popularity…

Wrapping up another project as a hot topic left ‘Young Xu Chen’ feeling satisfied.

“Once this project wraps, make sure to compile it into a case study for ‘East Morning Star Advertising’s website.”

Gu Xinxi: “You got it, boss!”

……

……

That evening, in the Southwest Building dormitory.

Xu Chen yawned as he returned to his room.

Only the ‘study king’ Jiao Tianbo was there; Hong Xiaoqiang and Chen Wenyi must have gone to shower.

Seeing Xu Chen, Jiao Tianbo stood up and approached, like he had something on his mind.

“What’s up?” Xu Chen asked.

Jiao Tianbo: “Seen the Yichun topic?”

Xu Chen smiled: “I asked Xinxi about it this afternoon—she said it’s taking off.”

Jiao Tianbo: “More than that—it’s huge now.”

“Even 163 and Sohu’s front pages are featuring it!”

Xu Chen: “That’s great news, and it was expected.”

Jiao Tianbo frowned slightly and said seriously:

“How did you pull it off?”

Xu Chen: “Huh?”

Jiao Tianbo paused:

“From the initial buzz to now exploding…”

“Every step matched your original plan perfectly.”

……

……