Translator: Kim Guo Editor: Tehrn
On the second Sunday of June, the sea became orange in the scorching sunshine as if it had been drunk. This day was Huang Xuan’s 16th birthday, his first one in Brazil. He had been waiting long for this day. However, he hadn’t expected that his first birthday after he had left his mom had come so early.
Huang Qunsheng had reserved two rooms at the Castle Hotel at the famous Copacabana beach. He dropped the experiments he was doing and took Huang Xuan to Rio de Janeiro. Zhang Xinyi started waiting in front of a visual telephone very early and spent the whole afternoon with Huang Xuan and his father.
Eating the meat his father had just roasted for him, Huang Xuan suddenly had an urge to cry.
The beach was still bustling in the evening. The shouts of the tourists could be heard nearby. The warm Brazilian women who had curvy bodies were circulating among the campfires. Only the stand of the three was cheerless.
After eating the last piece of cake, sitting by the visual telephone, Huang Xuan suddenly spoke some Portuguese. Zhang Xinyi was pleased.
“That’s great, son. What does it mean?”
Huang Xuan shrugged and said it again in Greek. His mom laughed.
Huang Qunsheng was attracted by Huang Xuan’s voice and sat by the phone too.
“Mom, a lot has happened recently. I think I can do more, not only learning.”
Both of Huang Xuan’s parents were clear about the level of his English. Although he was using simple words, hearing him speak English so fluently, Zhang Xinyi was excited. She felt that maybe it was the changes in the family that had made her son work hard. She was also sorry for the hard work.
“You must have been very tired recently. What do you want to do? Tell me,” his mom said gently.
“I want to run Shengfeng Company,” Huang Xuan said in English.
Huang Qunsheng looked at his son in surprise. Zhang Xinyi was also dazed, but she didn’t refuse his son, although his idea was so unrealistic.
“Why do you want to run Shengfeng by yourself, son?” she asked softly.
“I can do it. Please let me have a try,” Huang Xuan answered firmly.
Zhang Xinyi realized that her son had grown up. He knew what he wanted and how to get approval and more freedom in the clan. However, this was not a simple issue. It did not only entail the managerial authority of the 100 million dollars. When the children of the Huang Family grew up, they would receive part of the profit of the Huang Family Funds. But the vast majority of the children wouldn’t get a position in the family business even after they had got married.
Normally, the children must first manage their own property or the clan’s, i.e. the peripheral enterprises of the clan. Only if they were recognized in the clan could they enter the managerial level of the clan. However, the system brought about two problems.
First, the poor or the small families wouldn’t be able to provide their kids with internships, so except for the outstanding ones who could enter society by studying, the rest of the children would be farther and farther away from the power center. Second, to guarantee that their child could get into the clan, each clan member was trying their best to build their own company, but sometimes clan companies and private companies conflicted when new problems occurred.
If Huang Xuan took over Shengfeng, somebody might misread the message: the third branch wanted more power.
Zhang Xinyi was thinking deeper while Huang Qunsheng just simply said, “Huang Xuan, you don’t even have the time for that. You are too young and need to study.”
“Now that currently learning foreign languages is my only task and I have already completed it, why can’t I run the company?” Huang Xuan responded.
Actually, Huang Xuan’s parents had been devastated about his school achievement long before and were trying to create a better learning condition for him, which had become even more obvious after Huang Xuan had been sent to Brazil.
“Xuan, running a company is complicated. It doesn’t just require foreign languages,” his mom said after a long moment.
“I want to give it a go. I think I am ready.”
“How do you know? It is not just a dozen thousand hectares of land, it also involves hundreds of employees’ jobs,” his mom responded with a smile.
“You are not taking care of it anyway. Why not let me have a try?”
Huang Qunsheng had roasted more meat and handed it over to Huang Xuan, standing opposite him.
“Xuan, are you serious?”
“Yes,” Huang Xuan nodded.
“Then why is it not Xihuang but Shengfeng?”
Huang Xuan took over the meat and answered, “I think it suits me better.”
Huang Qunsheng smiled at the screen and said, “Then let our son have a try.”
At the family meeting, if Huang Xuan’s father made a decision, his mom rarely objected. Zhang Xinyi frowned and said, “OK, but don’t let it affect your study.”
Finally, Huang Xuan and his father started enjoying their meal. Huang Xuan’s mom treated herself with a lot of snacks. She was watching a movie as she chatted with them. She talked to Huang Xuan nonstop about everything, from eating to management.
Translator: Kim Guo Editor: Tehrn
On the second Sunday of June, the sea became orange in the scorching sunshine as if it had been drunk. This day was Huang Xuan’s 16th birthday, his first one in Brazil. He had been waiting long for this day. However, he hadn’t expected that his first birthday after he had left his mom had come so early.
Huang Qunsheng had reserved two rooms at the Castle Hotel at the famous Copacabana beach. He dropped the experiments he was doing and took Huang Xuan to Rio de Janeiro. Zhang Xinyi started waiting in front of a visual telephone very early and spent the whole afternoon with Huang Xuan and his father.
Eating the meat his father had just roasted for him, Huang Xuan suddenly had an urge to cry.
The beach was still bustling in the evening. The shouts of the tourists could be heard nearby. The warm Brazilian women who had curvy bodies were circulating among the campfires. Only the stand of the three was cheerless.
After eating the last piece of cake, sitting by the visual telephone, Huang Xuan suddenly spoke some Portuguese. Zhang Xinyi was pleased.
“That’s great, son. What does it mean?”
Huang Xuan shrugged and said it again in Greek. His mom laughed.
Huang Qunsheng was attracted by Huang Xuan’s voice and sat by the phone too.
“Mom, a lot has happened recently. I think I can do more, not only learning.”
Both of Huang Xuan’s parents were clear about the level of his English. Although he was using simple words, hearing him speak English so fluently, Zhang Xinyi was excited. She felt that maybe it was the changes in the family that had made her son work hard. She was also sorry for the hard work.
“You must have been very tired recently. What do you want to do? Tell me,” his mom said gently.
“I want to run Shengfeng Company,” Huang Xuan said in English.
Huang Qunsheng looked at his son in surprise. Zhang Xinyi was also dazed, but she didn’t refuse his son, although his idea was so unrealistic.
“Why do you want to run Shengfeng by yourself, son?” she asked softly.
“I can do it. Please let me have a try,” Huang Xuan answered firmly.
Zhang Xinyi realized that her son had grown up. He knew what he wanted and how to get approval and more freedom in the clan. However, this was not a simple issue. It did not only entail the managerial authority of the 100 million dollars. When the children of the Huang Family grew up, they would receive part of the profit of the Huang Family Funds. But the vast majority of the children wouldn’t get a position in the family business even after they had got married.
Normally, the children must first manage their own property or the clan’s, i.e. the peripheral enterprises of the clan. Only if they were recognized in the clan could they enter the managerial level of the clan. However, the system brought about two problems.
First, the poor or the small families wouldn’t be able to provide their kids with internships, so except for the outstanding ones who could enter society by studying, the rest of the children would be farther and farther away from the power center. Second, to guarantee that their child could get into the clan, each clan member was trying their best to build their own company, but sometimes clan companies and private companies conflicted when new problems occurred.
If Huang Xuan took over Shengfeng, somebody might misread the message: the third branch wanted more power.
Zhang Xinyi was thinking deeper while Huang Qunsheng just simply said, “Huang Xuan, you don’t even have the time for that. You are too young and need to study.”
“Now that currently learning foreign languages is my only task and I have already completed it, why can’t I run the company?” Huang Xuan responded.
Actually, Huang Xuan’s parents had been devastated about his school achievement long before and were trying to create a better learning condition for him, which had become even more obvious after Huang Xuan had been sent to Brazil.
“Xuan, running a company is complicated. It doesn’t just require foreign languages,” his mom said after a long moment.
“I want to give it a go. I think I am ready.”
“How do you know? It is not just a dozen thousand hectares of land, it also involves hundreds of employees’ jobs,” his mom responded with a smile.
“You are not taking care of it anyway. Why not let me have a try?”
Huang Qunsheng had roasted more meat and handed it over to Huang Xuan, standing opposite him.
“Xuan, are you serious?”
“Yes,” Huang Xuan nodded.
“Then why is it not Xihuang but Shengfeng?”
Huang Xuan took over the meat and answered, “I think it suits me better.”
Huang Qunsheng smiled at the screen and said, “Then let our son have a try.”
At the family meeting, if Huang Xuan’s father made a decision, his mom rarely objected. Zhang Xinyi frowned and said, “OK, but don’t let it affect your study.”
Finally, Huang Xuan and his father started enjoying their meal. Huang Xuan’s mom treated herself with a lot of snacks. She was watching a movie as she chatted with them. She talked to Huang Xuan nonstop about everything, from eating to management.
