Chapter 209: Negotiation

Lu Yu's age is indeed young, but his past performance has already proven his ability.

So, now if anything comes up, once Lu Yu steps forward, Professor Chen will feel reassured and will gladly entrust the matter to Lu Yu to handle.

So, but when we complain that family, friends, or bosses are unwilling to entrust us with important matters or work, we might as well imagine our usual performance.

At this point, Lu Yu and Chen Hao had already taken Qiao zhi on a tour of the Research Center.

The Research Center covers a modest area and isn't tall, so the three of them finished touring it in just over half an hour.

"Qiao zhi, how do you find our work environment here?" Lu Yu looked at Qiao zhi.

Qiao zhi's face looked a bit grim; he really hadn't imagined that such a work environment existed in Huaxia.

Saying this place is more like a lavishly decorated café would be more fitting.

To be honest, Qiao zhi took a liking to this place at first sight.

So, at this moment he felt a bit embarrassed.

Because of the attitude he had shown earlier.

"Not bad." Qiao zhi said, not entirely sincerely.

Lu Yu smiled and continued, "Then, what do you think of our equipment here?"

When the three of them were just touring, Chen Hao naturally also introduced the equipment here.

The equipment is where the Research Center spent the most money.

Initially, Chen Hao had told Lu Yu that such high-end equipment wasn't actually necessary.

But Lu Yu could be said to have been obstinate, raising the equipment grade to the highest level, even exceeding the budget for that.

So, at this moment Qiao zhi could only say, "Well... well, not bad."

In fact, the equipment here is not much inferior to that of the Fruit Phone Research Center.

Moreover, in some details it even surpasses it.

Lu Yu smiled again and prepared to speak.

But at this moment, Chen Hao couldn't help tugging at Lu Yu's hand.

By now, Chen Hao felt that Lu Yu was deliberately making things difficult for Qiao zhi.

Who made Qiao zhi's initial attitude so bad?

After all, Qiao zhi might become everyone's companion going forward, so Chen Hao... didn't want Lu Yu to continue.

Still, for the sake of the Research Center and its results, Chen Hao felt that personal gains and losses weren't that important.

Lu Yu merely smiled and did not respond to Chen Hao.

Chen Hao's brows involuntarily knit; he felt a bit uneasy, and Lu Yu's attitude made him displeased.

Lu Yu, however, ignored Chen Hao, looked again at Qiao zhi, and said, "So, Mr. Qiao zhi should find this environment acceptable."

Qiao zhi said nothing.

"Then, if we are to work together, one problem is definitely unavoidable."

"I would like to ask, what compensation does Mr. Qiao zhi have in mind?"

"Or rather, how is Mr. Qiao zhi's compensation at the Fruit Phone Research Center?"

"Sorry, such a question may be a bit offensive, but it is the foundation of our cooperation."

Lu Yu stared straight at Qiao zhi and said.

To be honest, Qiao zhi now actually finds Lu Yu a bit hard to read.

As for Lu Yu, Qiao zhi naturally knows of him.

The International Game Maker Competition has considerable influence worldwide.

Moreover, Lu Yu can be said to have created a miracle, letting the Chinese people step onto the world stage in gaming for the first time and winning great honor.

Previously, Qiao zhi treated Lu Yu that way naturally because he wanted to boost his own worth.

He had long heard that Huaxia people are full of reverence for foreigners, and the worse foreigners behave, the more Huaxia people think they are capable.

But now...

It seems not to be the case!

From beginning to end, Lu Yu's demeanor has been so calm and composed, utterly unaffected by himself.

Moreover... this person is still just a kid!

Has Huaxia already become this powerful?

So what does Lu Yu mean now?

In just an instant, Qiao zhi's mind filled with countless thoughts.

"My annual salary in Mi Guo is two hundred thousand, of course in Mi yuan." Qiao zhi said after a moment of silence.

Upon hearing this, Chen Hao instantly became nervous.

Two hundred thousand! That's in Mi yuan!

That amounts to over one million Huaxia currency!

Such a salary would be considered top-tier across all of Huaxia, wouldn't it?

But now a programmer dares to ask for such a price?

Chen Hao feared that Lu Yu might, in anger, directly drive Qiao zhi away.

"Of course, after all, this is Huaxia, not Mi Guo."

"If you truly have enough sincerity, I can settle for half the annual salary."

Qiao zhi suddenly spoke again.

Chen Hao then relaxed, thinking that one hundred thousand Mi yuan, while sounding high, is at least a barely acceptable figure.

But just then, Chen Hao saw Lu Yu shaking his head.

Chen Hao's heart leapt up again; could it be that Lu Yu thought this price was still too high?

Lu Yu wouldn't just start scolding, would he?

Then…

Lu Yu opened his mouth and said, "Since you all say this is Huaxia, how could our treatment possibly be worse than yours in Mi Guo?"

"Forty thousand."

Qiao zhi thought he had misheard, his eyes widening.

Then anger appeared on his face as he said, "I'm talking about US dollars!"

Qiao zhi thought Lu Yu wanted to give him 400,000 Huaxia yuan.

Lu Yu calmly said, "What I meant was also US dollars—400,000 US dollars would be your annual salary."

"Besides, I will also arrange housing and a car for you."

Qiao zhi's eyes widened again—this… the salary had doubled?

"And a car and housing too?"

"Are Huaxia people really this wealthy and generous?"

Qiao zhi found it hard to believe.

"Not only Qiao zhi, but even Chen Hao found it unbelievable."

He had also thought Lu Yu would keep cutting Qiao zhi's salary, but he never expected Lu Yu to pull off such a move.

"But… of course there are conditions."

"You should have heard the saying, 'The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility.'"

"Since you've obtained a salary that doesn't exist in Mi Guo, you should accomplish what cannot be done there."

Lu Yu spoke again.

"What do you mean? What do you need me to do?" Unbeknownst to him, Qiao zhi's attitude had shifted—he was no longer arrogant and overbearing, but instead had become a bit meek and inquisitive.

"It's simple—our Research Center exists to study phone systems."

"Naturally, we want to see results."

"I don't need you to develop a system identical to the Fruit Phone."

"But you must develop a phone system that won't be far behind."

"Of course, we will work together through this process."

"If… in the end we fail, or if throughout the process there is no hope of any result…"

"Then… I will not pay you any compensation."

"Besides, you must also sign a confidentiality agreement, guaranteeing that you will not leak any of the content seen here."

Lu Yu said a lot in one breath, then his eyes quietly gazed at Qiao zhi.