----A profile of Xiao Shifen, an outstanding employee of China Construction Fifth Engineering Division
　　At China Construction Fifth Engineering Division there is an employee who traveled thousands of miles to Algeria, carrying her longing for family, to join the government-subsidized housing construction endeavor that benefits the Algerian people. In her work she weathered storms and setbacks, shouldering one burden after another on her frail shoulders, winning over one client after another through her perseverance, while reserving her gentleness and kindness for her family and the colleagues who worked alongside her. She is a strong woman in the eyes of the client, a beloved big sister among her colleagues at China Construction Fifth Engineering Division's Algeria company, and a devoted mother far away in a foreign land. She is Xiao Shifen, an outstanding employee of China Construction Fifth Engineering Division.
　　I. First Encounter with the Storm
　　On April 9, 2008, Xiao Shifen joined the Algeria company to work in commercial contracts. In September 2009 she was assigned to the closeout work of the Batna 1,000-unit project. The Batna 1,000-unit project was the largest of the first batch of projects undertaken by China Construction Fifth Engineering Division's Algeria company upon entering Algeria. The later closeout work was fraught with unforeseeable difficulties.
　　The first negotiation with the client over the provisional acceptance issue ran into a problem: in the Batna 1,000-unit project, two buildings' underground commercial levels each had a stairway entrance that, per the client's requirements, had been designed without a security door. But at provisional acceptance, the client demanded that security doors identical to those in other buildings be installed at these two stairway entrances, or acceptance would not be granted.
　　Faced with this problem, Xiao Shifen thought it over carefully. It seemed simple but was in fact very tricky. First, these two security doors were not in the design and were outside the scope of construction of China Construction Fifth Engineering Division's Algeria company; given that the construction itself had no problems, the client's demand was unreasonable. Second, supplying the security doors was a problem: the earlier doors had been purchased from China, and installing identical doors would require ordering and shipping from China, taking several months. If provisional acceptance were delayed until then, the schedule would certainly be pushed back and the company would face hefty delay penalties.
　　Faced with this, Xiao Shifen did not back down. She negotiated with the client repeatedly, but the result was still "install the security doors"!
　　Xiao Shifen was not discouraged.
　　"There must be a better solution!" she told herself silently.
　　Xiao Shifen calmed down and reorganized her thinking. Suddenly she realized: why not approach the problem from a different angle? By focusing solely on how to install the security doors as the client demanded, she had become trapped in the problem, and continuing to deadlock with the client would not help advance the project closeout.
　　So Xiao Shifen changed her approach, turning passivity into initiative, and decided to give the client two welded iron doors. The two welded iron doors were commissioned from the Setif 500-bed prison project, with the cost borne by the Batna 1,000-unit project. Thus a whole series of problems—the design and the purchase of security doors from China—were resolved at once. The client also strongly endorsed this proposal. For this thorny matter, Xiao Shifen achieved a result satisfactory to both sides at the lowest cost.
　　The difficulties encountered in the closeout work went far beyond these. In dealing with the client, Xiao Shifen was quick-thinking, not confined to the problem at hand, and flexible, resolving various problems satisfactorily with her distinctive approach. While negotiating solutions, Xiao Shifen placed greater emphasis on corporate image and professional ethics, convincing others with reason: never shirking what was our responsibility, and not yielding an inch on matters that were not ours. This approach not only earned the client's trust but also established a genuine cooperative relationship, advancing the closeout of the Batna 1,000-unit project.
　　From taking over the closeout work of the Batna 1,000-unit project in September 2009 to obtaining the provisional acceptance PV in November 2009, Xiao Shifen also advanced the issuance dates of all provisional acceptance PVs to varying degrees. Through unremitting efforts, the project obtained the final acceptance PV in April 2010.
　　The Batna 1,000-unit project was the first among the 35,000 housing units of China Construction Algeria Branch at the time to obtain the final acceptance PV, and the first project of China Construction Fifth Engineering Division's Algeria company to obtain the final acceptance PV. It was also the first project on which Xiao Shifen handled closeout work. Xiao Shifen admitted frankly: without weathering storm-like difficulties, how could one grow? Xiao Shifen's path of commercial negotiation in Algeria thus began—this was not the end, but only the start.
　　II. No Regrets Through the Storm
　　Xiao Shifen successively took over the closeout work of more than 10 projects, including the Batna 1,000-unit residential buildings, the Ain El Malha 500-unit residential buildings, Phase I of the Setif Anti-Cancer Hospital, Phase II of the Setif Anti-Cancer Hospital, and the 6,000-seat teaching building of the Setif University Town.
　　The closeout work was fraught with difficulties. After numerous negotiations, numerous confrontations, numerous heartfelt exchanges, and numerous demonstrations of dedication, and with the support of the leadership of China Construction Fifth Engineering Division's Algeria company, by this day in 2014 multiple projects had obtained final acceptance PVs, and all settlement and payment collection, release of performance bonds, and other work had been completed.
　　While handling closeout work, Xiao Shifen also took charge of commercial contract negotiations for the Constantine 4,050-unit project. She participated in negotiations over out-of-contract quantities and unit prices for the 4,050-unit project. After arduous and repeated negotiations, the out-of-contract unit prices for the 4,050-unit project secured more favorable rates than those in the new 20,000-unit contract. Through countless negotiations with the client, Xiao Shifen accumulated rich negotiation experience and came to understand the mindset of local Algerian clients. Combined with her refusal to shrink from problems and her optimistic, proactive search for solutions, she achieved gratifying results in both the closeout work and the commercial negotiations for the 4,050-unit residential buildings.
　　Xiao Shifen often said: without going through the storm, how can you see the rainbow?
　　The rainbow after the storm is beautiful indeed, but only she knows the bitterness of weathering the storm.
　　III. The Beauty of the Rainbow
　　Xiao Shifen has worked in Algeria for more than six years. Beyond work, what weighs most on her mind is her son and family far away in China. Although she cannot personally care for her son and family, her love for them has not diminished in the slightest.
　　In daily work and life, Xiao Shifen cares for everyone like a big sister. In daily life she gives her colleagues meticulous care; when her female colleagues feel unwell, you will see Xiao Shifen brewing ginger and brown sugar water. Xiao Shifen is also a close confidante of her female colleagues; when they are in low spirits, they like to confide in Xiao Shifen, who counsels them like an understanding sister, giving them care and help.
　　Difficulties and setbacks cannot stop Xiao Shifen's advance, and time differences and distance long ago ceased to be barriers between her and her child. The rainbow after the storm sets off her beauty all the more.
　　Xiao Shifen pours her love for her family and child into the government-subsidized housing blocks of Algeria, and into the construction endeavor that benefits the Algerian people. It is precisely this selfless spirit of sacrifice and unremitting pursuit of her work that make Xiao Shifen shine with both strength and courage and with kindness and gentleness.
　　Carrying her longing for family and her concern for her son's growth and education, facing countless setbacks and difficulties at work and weathering storm after storm, she has raised a brilliant rainbow over Algeria for China Construction Fifth Engineering Division!