The general manager of the newspaper, surnamed Chen, Chen Zhuoguang, first reported on the company's situation. Due to the poor economy, sales had plummeted, and the newspaper was operating at a loss.
Xie Sui flipped through the financial statements and slammed them onto the table. Chen Zhuoguang trembled, not daring to make a sound.
"Poor economy? I see other newspapers are thriving, with rising sales. Is it the economy that's failing, or the people?
Look at your reimbursements, entertainment expenses, equipment costs, and travel expenses – they're almost as much as your salaries. Are you taking me for a fool because you think I don't pay attention to this place?
You, resign. I can't afford a general manager like you."
Chen Zhuoguang pleaded, "Mr. Xie, please don't fire me. I have elderly parents and young children to support, and it's hard to find a job now. Please give me a chance. I promise I'll do a good job."
Xie Sui remained unmoved. "Since you know times are tough, you should cherish your job even more. But I haven't seen you cherish it. Do you only realize its value after losing it?
You admitted you didn't work hard before. You were complacent then. Now you're begging because you regret it. What were you doing before?"
"Mr. Xie, I was wrong." Chen Zhuoguang truly regretted it. He had initially thought the mainlanders were easy to fool, but this one saw through everything at a glance.
Xie Sui suppressed his anger. "Fine, I'll give you one chance. In one month, I want to see the newspaper revive and sales double. Can you do it?"
Chen Zhuoguang hesitated. "This, one month is too short. It's impossible. The company doesn't even have enough money to pay salaries right now..."
Xie Sui interrupted him. "It seems it's not that I'm not giving you a chance, but that you lack the ability. A newspaper is different from other industries; it can generate profits quickly. You only care about salaries, but without profits, where will the salaries come from?"
"Mr. Xie, you're out of your depth there. I think a newspaper is the hardest to turn around..."
Xie Sui raised his hand. "I don't care what you think. You say I'm belittling your abilities, but you also feel looked down upon. Three days. Just watch. In three days, I'll revive this newspaper. However, by then, you'll be fired, not resigning.
Now, get all the reporters back, and bring the finance department to my office. Meeting adjourned."
Xie Sui's words shocked everyone. Three days? How was that possible?
Weren't they told he was a country bumpkin from the mainland? What did he know about the media?
Chen Zhuoguang's face darkened. The two deputy general managers and the editor-in-chief followed him to the office to discuss countermeasures.
The finance director was a bald, thin, refined, and meticulous man in his fifties, fitting the image of an accountant.
"Mr. Xie, what do you need me for?"
Xie Sui said, "As the company's finance director, the old reimbursement accounts and the current ones are vastly different. Who authorized you to approve unreasonable expenses?"
The finance director, surnamed Li, named Li Xingjia, shared the same surname as the richest man but was not part of the Li family. He said pitifully, "Mr. Chen signed off on them. I couldn't do anything."
He didn't want to be fired. He was genuinely struggling financially. At over fifty, it would be very difficult to find another job if he lost this one.
Moreover, he was only a few years away from retirement and had planned to retire peacefully.
Xie Sui tapped the desk. "I know your difficulties, and I'll give you a chance. Find out for me how much money Mr. Chen and the others embezzled. You can remain director; otherwise..."
In a situation where one must choose between themselves and others, Li Xingjia immediately said, "I'm willing to do it. Within three days, I'll calculate it for you, Mr. Xie."
"Good, you may go."
"Yes."
Li Xingjia wiped the sweat from his brow. Those people were in for trouble.
Xie Sui reviewed the employee files. Three reporters returned, two men and one woman, all in their thirties, somewhat worldly and lacking the passion and drive of younger individuals.
However, people their age had more experience. What they needed now was motivation to reignite their passion.
"What kind of news have you all been covering?"
The woman, Xu Meiying, replied, "There hasn't been any major news lately, just small matters. We have no choice but to go out and try our luck." Su Dan Novel Network.
The men, Lin Fei and Wu Xiong, also looked troubled. "Since Du Shao is gone, there's no gossip news. Other wealthy families are unwilling to be reported on, and they put pressure on us. It's very difficult for us."
Xie Sui smiled. It was true that Du Feiyang supported half of the Hong Kong media circle. Unfortunately, no one paid him a red envelope; it was all his contribution.
"Now, I'll give you a piece of news. Within three days, I want the company's performance to double. If you can't achieve this, you can resign."
"What news?"
"The Chairman of the Film Association, Mr. Jiang, being forced to kneel. Is that not big news?"
The three reporters' eyes lit up. "Really? That's huge news. If we can get it exclusively, it could double our performance, or even more. Who is so powerful that they could force him to kneel?"
"I am."
Xie Sui uttered a single word. The three were stunned. "Mr. Xie, don't joke."
"Do I look like I'm joking? Have you forgotten? I also have an entertainment company. The banquet held by Chairman Jiang last night – didn't you send anyone?"
Xu Meiying said, "Such banquets are not open to the public, and reporters can't get in. We have no way."
Xie Sui was speechless. "I find you all very interesting. You say 'no way' for everything. Are you waiting for luck to fall from the sky?
If you can't do anything, you might as well lie down at home. Why come out to work?
From now on, I don't want to hear such words. If there's no news, create news. If there's no opportunity, create opportunity. If you can't do it, others can."
The three were jolted. "We understand."
"Now, first dig up the story about Chairman Jiang. He wants to suppress it, but I haven't agreed. This time, I will ruin the Jiang family's reputation and ensure he doesn't remain chairman."
Xu Meiying asked, "Mr. Xie, aren't we making an enemy of Chairman Jiang? Won't that be bad?"
"So be it if we make an enemy. In this line of work, who doesn't have a few enemies? Since we've made an enemy, we can't let him off easy. If he gets away with it, he'll retaliate against us, and then we'll be in trouble. A dead enemy is a good enemy.
Do as I say. Tomorrow's front-page headline will start with the Jiang family."
"Okay, we'll arrange it immediately."
They asked Xie Sui for some details, but unfortunately, Xie Sui had forgotten to take pictures, which would have added more sensationalism. A single photo could lead to many versions of the story.
As expected of seasoned reporters, their draft was compelling. Xie Sui glanced at it and was quite satisfied. He then selected some trivial gossip news, and Xie Sui personally wrote an article on Hong Kong's economic situation, putting together a newspaper.
Without advertisements and sales yet, the newspaper had no advertisers. No advertisements meant no money. Everything still depended on first establishing sales.