Chapter 1388: Really Good at Pretending

The four sisters finished their classes and chatted and laughed as they headed back to the dormitory to drop off their books. With only a half-day of classes today, they planned to first swing by the company to snag a boxed lunch before getting to work.

Just as they returned downstairs from the dormitory building, they saw a lean young man rushing toward them.

"Da Qiao Da Qiao! Are you okay?"

"Qin Li Chuan?" Xie Da Qiao was quite bewildered; glancing at the three pairs of gossipy eyes beside her, she asked, "Wait, how did you fly back here?"

"You called me crying your eyes out; how could I not come back?"

"Oh, what are you talking about? I didn't cry at all."

Xie Da Qiao gave a sudden start, quickly shoved her books into Wang Ying's hands, and said, "Um... you guys go up first; I need to talk to him for a bit."

So the three of them cast a regretful glance, turned around, and entered the dormitory building.

"I told you Xie Da Qiao was crying," Wang Ying said. "But she actually managed to fool us at the time."

"Something must be up," Xu Lin nodded.

Xiao Qianxi, confused, asked, "When did Da Qiao Da Qiao cry?"

"The night before last, when Xie Da Qiao came back, her eyes were all swollen," Xu Lin recounted the day's events. "She claimed she rubbed them because something got in her eye and refused to tell us. Maybe we should ask her in a bit?"

Xiao Qianxi shook her head. "If she wanted to tell us, she would have done so long ago; better not ask."

"What could it be?" Xu Lin scratched her head.

"I think it must be about her 'Little Boat' brother," Wang Ying pondered and said. "Haven't you noticed she hasn't mentioned him much these past two days? Unlike before, when it was 'Little Boat' brother this and 'Little Boat' brother that every single day."

"That's likely," Xiao Qianxi recalled and agreed.

"Rejected after confessing?" Xu Lin said in surprise.

Wang Ying nodded solemnly. "Nine times out of ten."

"Alright then, it's no big deal; no need to worry about it," Xu Lin chuckled. "But this Qin Li Chuan's intentions aren't very pure either. Good heavens, she cries the night before last, and by noon today he flies all the way from Canada to the school. He's really investing heavily. Hey~ this childhood friend is truly something..."

"Sometimes I really want to tear your mouth apart and die together with you," Wang Ying rolled her eyes.

"Hey, if you want to tear my mouth apart, you'll have to get past Qianxi first."

"That has nothing to do with me," Xiao Qianxi waved her hand.

"You can't escape; I learned all this from my good buddy," Xu Lin laughed, then turned to Wang Ying with raised eyebrows. "Why don't you just go tear my good buddy's mouth apart instead? His mouth is even more chatterbox than yours, and his tongue is more poisonous."

"Wait, are you looking for trouble?"

The three of them, chatting and laughing, returned to the dormitory, put away their books, drank some water, briefly gossiped about Xie Da Qiao and Qin Li Chuan, and then headed downstairs.

By now, Xie Da Qiao had also successfully fobbed off Qin Li Chuan; of course, she couldn't tell him the embarrassing truth that she had confessed to He Xiaozhou only to be rejected and treated merely as a little sister, or Qin Li Chuan would laugh himself to death.

So she could only come up with some half-hearted excuse to bluff him, and thus Qin Li Chuan believed her.

Qin Li Chuan truly believed; whatever Xie Da Qiao said, he believed.

"Da Qiao Da Qiao, are you still going to the company?" Xu Lin called out.

Xie Da Qiao thought for a moment, shook her head, and said, "No, I'll take him to the cafeteria to eat first, then we'll head over this afternoon."

Xiao Qianxi noticed her hesitation. "If it's just about eating, you don't need to worry so much; we can all go together. You know, the company always orders more boxed lunches than needed every day; one extra mouth to feed makes no difference."

"It is just about eating, but I figured since he hasn't done any work for the company, it doesn't seem right for him to eat for free," Xie Da Qiao said somewhat embarrassed.

"Oh, come on, you know Wang Yan; what harm is there in sharing a boxed lunch?" Xu Lin waved her hand. "Buddy, do you want to leave your suitcase upstairs? It's quite a walk to the company; over ten minutes on foot."

"I'll just carry it; no trouble. Thanks, young hero," Qin Li Chuan replied with a grin.

Xu Lin naturally knew Qin Li Chuan was calling her manly, but she didn't mind; that was just how she was, unafraid of what people said.

Immediately, she walked ahead with large strides alongside Xiao Qianxi and Wang Ying.

Xie Da Qiao said, "Let's go; I'll show you what a real powerhouse looks like."

"Isn't that just the campus network startup you told me about last time? Hasn't it failed yet?" Qin Li Chuan said dismissively.

"What are you talking about? It's called Zhiwo Network," Xie Da Qiao snorted. "Not only has it not failed, it secured two million dollars in financing! The company is valued at ten million dollars, and he holds seventy-two percent of the shares. Can you do that math?"

"A net worth of fifty-seven million?" Qin Li Chuan's eyes nearly popped out.

"What did you expect? He's incredibly awesome. Not just a prominent figure in our university, but a standout across universities nationwide, and a major player in the internet industry."

"He's recognized as an Outstanding College Student at our school. I heard the university even nominated him for the National Outstanding Youth selection. Only ten people are chosen nationwide; do you know how prestigious that is? Even if he doesn't get selected, the fact that his name was submitted speaks volumes. Let alone the National Outstanding Youth award; just being named an Outstanding College Student at our school, you know how impressive that is, right?"

"Of course I know that; do you take me for a fool?"

"As if you're so smart," Xie Da Qiao pursed her lips. "Once we get there, don't talk nonsense; just behave yourself and eat your meal."

"You make it sound like I'm begging for food."

"Well, are you eating or not?"

"Eat, eat, eat! Who would refuse a free meal?" Qin Li Chuan dragged his suitcase, falling behind Xiao Qianxi and the other two alongside Xie Da Qiao, listening as she recounted Wang Yan's amazing deeds over the past three months. It felt like listening to a legend; he simply thought, "Damn, this is truly awesome."

An orphan, eighteen years old, studying photography and art, an internet entrepreneur, a company valued at ten million dollars, two million dollars in financing, over a million users nationwide and still growing, selling computers, mobile phones, portable music players, and so on...

Is this even human?

The group walked to the technology park, arriving downstairs at the building housing Zhiwo Network, where they saw Wang Yan, accompanied by Liu Qiangdong and several other employees, chatting and laughing as they saw off two individuals.

"Oh, I was just thinking of coming to pick you up," Wang Yan called out with a smile.

The four young women politely greeted Liu Qiangdong as "Brother Dong"; he chuckled, exchanged greetings with them, and then turned to head upstairs, having no desire to linger and be an eyesore.

"Good buddy, did you buy a car?" Xu Lin asked in amazement, looking at the row of ten vans parked downstairs, all adorned with Zhiwo decals.

"That statement is incorrect," Wang Yan shook his head. "The company bought the cars. Delivering goods and materials was taking too long before. Besides, it's quite cold in winter; providing comrades with vehicles makes getting anywhere much more convenient."

"Then didn't you buy a car for yourself?" Wang Ying asked.

"Of course I did. Come, let's move aside," Wang Yan invited the group to the far end of the ten vans, where a small black car was revealed. "A Santana Variant, imported from Germany..."

"I've been planning this for a while; the car only arrived yesterday. After finishing the paperwork, they delivered it to me today. But I must reiterate: this is a company car; I'm just the one driving it."

Wang Ying pursed her lips, looking disdainful. "Isn't it just spending venture capital money to satisfy your own enjoyment? You make it sound so noble."

"While the situation is indeed as you describe, the wording is not quite right. Didn't you see I specifically bought the Variant model? It has a large trunk space, perfect for hauling computers and loading cargo. I'm still handling after-sales service myself; sometimes I have to go to the front lines to supervise operations and personally lead promotion teams. How can you call this personal enjoyment?"

Wang Yan waved his hand. "Wait until next year; you should go get a driver's license, and then it will be much more convenient for you."

"I'll listen to whatever you say."

"Oh, stop being so mushy, you two." Xu Lin couldn't take it anymore; he went over, put an arm around Xiao Qianxi, and led her away. "Let's go up quickly. It's weirdly cold downstairs, and I'm starving."

"Is this how you treat your bestie? I'm here exchanging tender words and conveying affection with my eyes, and you just ruin it for me?"

"Save the eye-flirting for when no one's around," Wang Ying said, joining forces against them.

Wang Yan shook his head with amusement, then turned to look at the somewhat unnatural Xie Da Qiao, and then at Qin Li Chuan standing behind her. "Where did this guy come from?"

"He's just tagging along for a free meal," Xie Da Qiao said.

"Hello, my name is Qin Li Chuan. I'm Xie Da Qiao's childhood friend," Qin Li Chuan introduced himself.

"Hello."

Facing an old acquaintance, Wang Yan nodded with a smile. "Let's go up. Eat whatever you like; don't stand on ceremony."

The group went up into the company office. As soon as they entered, the aroma of food wafted out. A large pile of insulated food containers sat on the floor, next to a shelving unit stacked with boxes of beverages, while over a dozen large barrels of water lined the ground. The employees were all eating, drinking, and chatting casually.

Even with Wang Yan, the boss, present, no one paid him any mind; the place was buzzing with lively noise.

"Serve yourselves; plenty for everyone."

Wang Yan called out, then went over to grab two boxed meals and a bowl of soup, sitting down at an empty desk.

Xiao Qianxi and the others likewise helped themselves to boxed meals, soup, or drinks.

Qin Li Chuan followed the crowd, taking a boxed meal just like everyone else, and sat down beside Xie Da Qiao. As soon as he opened the box, an even richer aroma hit his nose.

"Wait, Boss Wang, your staff meals are this good?"

It was no wonder Qin Li Chuan was surprised. The boxed meal was quite large, and the container deep. Opening it, he saw rice mixed with red beans, dishes of sweet-and-sour pork ribs, braised pork belly, deep-fried cutlassfish, plus blanched choy sum, and shredded cabbage salad serving as pickles. Along with a separately served bowl of meatball soup, that made five dishes and one soup: four meat and two vegetable.

Wang Yan replied with a smile: "In this life, eating is the top priority. What do our comrades struggle hard for, if not to live good lives? In the past, we had no money, so we made do. Now that we have money, we certainly must eat well. Only by eating well can we work with strength and spirit. Besides, relatively speaking, how much does eating actually cost?"

"We place bulk orders with restaurants, over a hundred portions daily. The price isn't high, yet the food is quite good. Compared to the company's operations, what are these expenses? In fact, if money weren't needed for so many other things right now, I'd want to open my own restaurant just to sell boxed meals, so we could eat and drink with peace of mind."

"Hearing you talk like that, when is money ever not needed for something?" Xu Lin said, looking utterly speechless.

"We'll see during the next round of financing. By then, we'll have more employees, and the cost of opening a restaurant won't be much," Wang Yan said, calculating seriously. "The next financing round will be at the latest around this time next year; if things go quickly, it'll be between July and September next year. By then, the money will pretty much be spent."

"Then what do you think the valuation will be by then?" Wang Ying asked curiously.

"At least a hundred million. Next year will basically be the final round of financing. After another year or two of development, we can basically go public."

Hearing such boastful talk and seeing the four women nodding as if it all made perfect sense, Qin Li Chuan felt somewhat speechless.

Wait, do you guys actually believe this?

"So, are you still going to run a magazine?" Xiao Qianxi asked.

"Of course I am. Isn't that the whole reason I started this company?" Wang Yan said with a smile. "Once the next round of financing arrives, I'll set aside several million to establish a magazine company under Zhiwo. By then, you few will have learned enough and will understand company operations, so I'll hand it over to you to run. How about that? Moved?"

"Dare not move, not even a little," Xu Lin said, shaking her head repeatedly. "Good buddy, you really have guts. Even if you dared to let us do it, we wouldn't have the courage. If we messed this up, selling me off wouldn't be enough to pay it back."

"Nonsense. Aren't I here to give you advice? Do you think I'd just watch you flounder blindly? I'll outline the framework for you; you'll handle the specific execution and refinement. If it succeeds, it's because you executed well. If it fails, it's because my framework wasn't good enough. If it succeeds, you get the credit; if it fails, you bear no blame."

"Moreover, from another perspective, this venture is actually very hard to fail. Why? Because we have the resources of our Academy of Fine Arts. If I start a magazine, we can incorporate everything from our academy. Leaders, teachers, and classmates will all support our magazine. There are many resources we can mobilize; we can cover anything related to art and find people for it."

"We can even participate in film, hailed as the seventh art. Just within our own school, we have photography, costume design, fine arts, literature, and more—enough to make a film. Later, we can also connect with the Beijing Film Academy, the Central Academy of Drama, the Shanghai Theatre Academy, and so on. The academy-trained stars and famous directors alone will be enough for our development. Furthermore, moving from film to stars, we can naturally penetrate into entertainment, fashion..."

Wang Yan wore an expression of self-moved intoxication. "I'm truly such a good friend. You should cherish me. Where else will you find a friend so generous and open-hearted? I'm still driving a Santana, yet I'm thinking of spending several million on you to let you run things."

"Really, if I were you, I'd burn incense to Wang Zong every day, praying for Wang Zong's good health, smooth career, and beautiful mood. Of course, Qianxi is exempt."

Wang Ying curled her lip. "Fine. Later, we'll get a Buddhist shrine, enshrine your photo, put it in our dorm room, and burn incense to you three times a day."

"Listen to that sarcasm," Wang Yan said, looking at her with disdain. "Let me tell you, little rich girl, you need to reflect. Knowing me is like accumulating eight lifetimes of virtue, and you're still not satisfied?"

"Pah! I've incurred eight lifetimes of bad luck. Hmph~"

"Qianxi, eat some meat." Ignoring Wang Ying's tsundere act, Wang Yan instead served Xiao Qianxi some food. "The chef today must have been distracted; it feels a bit lacking. No, later we need to find a few more partner restaurants. Otherwise, if we stick with just this one, they'll have no sense of crisis, start cutting corners, and treat us like suckers."

"Then you should develop faster and open more restaurants. That way, we can eat whatever we want, costs will drop, and quality will remain controlled," Xiao Qianxi echoed Wang Yan's words.

"We're in for some good eating then," Xu Lin chimed in.

Wang Ying habitually took the opposing side: "If I were an investor, I definitely wouldn't agree."

"See the stinginess of the rich?" Coincidentally meeting Xie Da Qiao's gaze, Wang Yan raised an eyebrow at her, then smiled at Wang Ying. "We have contracts. They have no power to interfere in company operations. They do have financial oversight and the right to object, but my power is to render their objections void. My will is supreme."

"If you become an investor in the future, then while the company is developing smoothly, it's best not to say a single word. Otherwise, you could easily affect the next round of investment. For instance, right now, if any of my investors dare to argue with me or dictate terms, I can manipulate things during the next financing round to kick them out. I'll let them make a small profit, but they won't get the big money after the IPO."

"Truly sinister."

"These are the rules. Everyone acts within the rules."

Watching Wang Yan chatting and laughing with the four women, Qin Li Chuan had only one feeling.

This guy is really fucking good at showing off...

?? Daily thanks to all the good brothers who support us with donations, monthly votes, recommendation tickets, and those who silently read!

? (End of Chapter)