Chapter 1767: Cooperation

In the restaurant, a full table of dishes was ordered; the liquor was Moutai, and the cigarettes smoked were Huazi.

Dongzi watched Wang Yan pouring wine for him and lost confidence: "Boss Big Brother, we're just having a meal; there's no need to be so extravagant."

"What extravagance?" Wang Yan said. "I have a huge appetite and usually eat a lot, let alone with four of us today. As for the cigarettes, I normally smoke Huazi anyway. But the liquor was indeed bought for you, good brother; normally, I only drink Hongxing Erguotou."

Liu Qiangdong paused, then laughed heartily: "Then I must eat and drink well with you, Boss Big Brother."

"Boss is boss, and big brother is big brother; how many years older am I than you, really? Just call me Brother Yan."

"Brother Yan!"

Wang Yan nodded satisfactorily, raised his wine cup: "Come, let's have a drink!"

Liu Qiangdong raised his cup; seeing Wang Yan down two liang first, he too felt his blood surge, tilted his head back, and drained his cup.

Good brothers at that time were still innocent, easily getting carried away. One cup down the throat, his face visibly turned red; he clamped his mouth shut, holding his breath, forcibly enduring the scalding heat and churning spice of the alcohol.

Wang Yan smiled and urged his good brother to eat: "With such expensive wine, one cup is enough; let's not waste it. There's still plenty of time; let's eat slowly and drink slowly. Eat, eat some dishes to settle it down."

Liu Qiangdong recovered for a while before finally exhaling; he stuffed his mouth with food to suppress the discomfort and said awkwardly: "I've made a fool of myself, Brother Yan."

"There's nothing to laugh at; you can't handle drinking like that but drank anyway, which honors me. You are a talented scholar from Renmin University, a future pillar of the motherland; I am just a street vendor. If you are still willing to drink with me like this, what more is there to say?"

"Brother Yan, I am also a child from the countryside. Back when I got into university, my family had no money; it was the villagers who pooled together five hundred yuan and seventy-six eggs, leading to my today. So what if one is a university student? No one is superior to another; we all serve the construction of socialism."

Wang Yan nodded repeatedly, playing the straight man earnestly: "This great talent really speaks with level; his awareness is truly high."

"Yes, yes, Brother Dong, you are truly amazing." Shen Ranran feigned innocence and joined in the praise.

Neither Zhuangzhuang nor Shen Ranran knew what Wang Yan wanted from this university student; anyway, since Wang Yan was praising, they just followed suit.

Liu Qiangdong felt somewhat embarrassed; fortunately, the alcohol had already flushed his face, so his blush wasn't noticeable; he merely kept saying he was just an ordinary person and then turned to serious matters.

"Brother Yan, regarding the seasoning business you mentioned to me..."

"What is your view on my seasoning?"

"It's great! Brother Yan, your seasoning tastes so good and has so many uses; once promoted, it will surely do well. To be honest, Brother Yan, I recently looked into related matters. Do you know Wang Wang Shouyi Thirteen Spices? It has been established for ten years, specializing in condiments, with an annual output value of over ten million.

Your seasoning tastes even better; although it isn't as versatile as Thirteen Spices, the usage volume is huge. Barbecue, roasted meat—how many restaurants are there across the country? Once started, the annual output value would be far more than ten million.

Moreover, once funds are sufficient, we can expand into other soy sauces, vinegars, sesame oils, and even Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, chilies, and the like, continuing to delve deep into the condiment field; sooner or later, we can build a large company, and going public is not impossible.

All of this is because your condiment is a unique business. However, the technical content of this condiment is too low; a skilled old master could gradually blend and replicate it. Therefore, Brother Yan, if you truly want to do this, you must act quickly and use this first-mover advantage to earn enough money.

By then, even if others replicate it, you will have a capital advantage and a first-mover brand advantage; others won't easily surpass you..."

Liu Qiangdong certainly had insight; the first time he ate Wang Yan's lamb skewers and watched Wang Yan get into trouble, his strong ability to act led him to go back and immediately start researching the matter.

He told Wang Yan a great deal, essentially covering everything he knew about the condiment industry. He also explained to Wang Yan how he would promote the condiments if it were up to him.

Wang Yan kept playing the straight man but didn't stop eating and drinking; by the time Liu Qiangdong realized it, Wang Yan had drunk quite a lot, and half the large table of dishes had been eaten by Wang Yan.

"Brother Yan, did I talk too much? My alcohol tolerance isn't good; after two cups, I can't hold my tongue back." The good brother felt awkward again.

He was still young, always unable to hide his words, always having many Duo De Xiang Fa to express, always wanting to master his fate and change the world.

"Too much? I actually think you said too little." Wang Yan raised his cup and took a sip with his good brother, speaking while picking up food: "I actually just wanted to sell seasoning; where would I have so many Duo De Xiang Fa as you? Look, this is what makes talented people different."

"Right, right, right, different." Zhuangzhuang and Shen Ranran, like yes-men, raised their cups to drink with Liu Qiangdong.

Previously, the two of them might not have understood why Wang Yan wanted to sell seasoning; now, after Liu Qiangdong's long speech and his depiction of a beautiful future blueprint, they completely understood that selling seasoning was far better than running a restaurant.

But at the same time, they couldn't help but think even more highly of Wang Yan. After all, everything Liu Qiangdong said was not too different from what Wang Yan had explained to everyone at Winter Goes, Spring Comes, just not as detailed as Liu Qiangdong.

"Alright, alright, just drink among yourselves."

Wang Yan stopped Zhuangzhuang and the other, then said, "Good brother, since you speak so clearly and plainly, come work with me. I will provide the core seasoning formula and the startup capital; you work hard, run around for sales, and manage the company. Let's partner up to make it big and strong. I'll give you twenty percent of the shares; what do you think?"

Liu Qiangdong fell silent; he hadn't expected Wang Yan to directly invite him to work together and offer him twenty percent of the shares.

The core assets belonged to Wang Yan, and the funds were also Wang Yan's; in other words, Wang Yan could work with anyone and didn't necessarily need to partner with him, Liu Qiangdong.

Especially since Wang Yan's seasoning itself was very distinctive and would be irreplaceable for a period; even promotion and sales wouldn't require too much effort. As long as one was willing to spend some money to produce a batch and give it away for others to experience, the phones would soon be blown off the hook, and there would be no worry about sales channels.

After a moment of silence, Liu Qiangdong raised his cup to toast Wang Yan, then said: "Brother Yan, thank you for valuing me, but I cannot take advantage of you. Moreover, my studies are not yet complete, so I cannot properly balance work and study; furthermore, my ambitions truly do not lie in this."

Wang Yan said: "Where is there any talk of taking advantage? You are talented and have ideas; no amount of money would be taking advantage. Besides, we are just a makeshift crew; whether we succeed is still uncertain. If we succeed, there's money; if we fail, it's all for nothing, like drawing water with a bamboo basket.

As for the issue of studies, I think there's even less need to worry. Didn't you go to university to achieve yourself and build the nation? You said you got into university thanks to five hundred yuan and seventy-six eggs; now I see you holding a brick phone and wearing clothes of fine material, so it seems you already have some business of your own.

This brings us to your ambitions; good brother, elaborate on them."

"Then shall I speak?"

Seeing Wang Yan nod and encourage him, with Zhuangzhuang and Shen Ranran also showing anticipation, Liu Qiangdong slowly began to speak.

"Brother Yan, my entrepreneurship isn't exactly successful; I just opened a shop outside to sell computers..."

Perhaps having drunk enough, Liu Qiangdong talked a lot, starting directly from the beginning. He spoke about how he learned about computers, how he sold computers, his judgments on the future information age, his visions for the development of the computer industry, going all the way to the software level, and even mentioning some domestic and foreign companies.

After speaking for a long time, Liu Qiangdong asked: "Brother, what do you think?"

"Wonderful! Simply wonderful!" Wang Yan clapped his hands in praise: "Hearing you speak like this, I feel computers have great prospects, can make big money, and even change the world."

Liu Qiangdong waved his hands repeatedly: "It's not that exaggerated, but the computer industry certainly has a bright future."

"If there's a future, there's a fortune; then we must do it. Here's the plan, good brother: if you are willing, merge your stall with the seasoning company; let's partner to register a company, with both ventures as subsidiaries.

Don't rush to refuse; I listened to you for a long time. To do business, one needs money. A single computer costs tens of thousands; it's prohibitively expensive. Moreover, we only know the future of computers is bright, but we don't know exactly how to proceed; we might even lose money. Isn't that the logic?"

Seeing Liu Qiangdong nod, Wang Yan continued: "But my seasoning sells well; as long as people know about it and it gets promoted, money will flow in like water. At that time, we'll use the money earned from seasoning to subsidize computers; we'll continue investing and betting on the long-term development of computers.

Merge your stall in, and I'll give you thirty percent of the shares. With us brothers working together with one heart, we will definitely make it big and strong."

Liu Qiangdong was now slightly intoxicated; as the saying goes, a scholar dies for one who understands him, let alone that Wang Yan, whom he had only met twice, valued him so highly and was so generous; who among us isn't a person of true character?

"Brother Yan! Twenty percent for the shares is enough! My stall, along with my hundred-plus jin of body, isn't even worth a fraction of your formula. Taking twenty percent already makes my conscience uneasy; any more and I wouldn't be able to sleep."

"You're drunk now, so your words don't count. Tomorrow, after you sober up, we'll talk again; then we'll find a lawyer, properly sign contracts, register the company, and work together to make it big and strong, creating glory. Come, let's drink!"

Wang Yan pulled Liu Qiangdong to drink and talk; fueled by alcohol, they freely envisioned a beautiful future in their conversation, painting an even more splendid future scroll for his good brother.

Unknowingly, Liu Qiangdong drank a bottle of baijiu, plus seven or eight bottles of beer, and was already becoming somewhat unconscious. After confirming he was physically healthy, Wang Yan took him to a nearby inn, left the phone number and address of Winter Goes, Spring Comes, and waited to contact him the next day.

At that time, the nights in Jingcheng were naturally not as lively as in the future, nor were there so many neon lights; the people and vehicles on the streets were very few. Consequently, there was actually only one tricycle, moving at a leisurely pace along the wide road under the dim yellow streetlights.

Shen Ranran sat on the side rail; even though it was very late and she had drunk some alcohol, she was still full of energy.

She said, "Brother Yan, is what you guys were talking about earlier actually true?"

"Of course it's true."

"Is it reliable? It sounds like a dream to me."

Wang Yan laughed heartily: "It is a dream. If no one dares to dream, how can dreams ever come true?"

"But you don't understand computers, and you don't know all the twists and turns of running a company; don't let him scam you," Shen Ranran expressed her worry.

Zhuangzhuang said, "Ranran, you're overthinking it. No one is born knowing how to walk. If you don't know computers, you can learn; if you don't understand the intricacies of business, it doesn't matter—once you start a company, you'll understand. If you never start one, you might never know in this lifetime. Besides, being scammed? How smart is Brother Yan? Look how he bewildered that college student into stupidity; if anyone's doing the scamming, it's Brother Yan scamming him."

"Although you have great confidence in me, don't say that next time; why does it sound like I'm some major villain?" Wang Yan listened with mixed feelings of amusement and helplessness.

"Isn't what I said the truth?"

"No, not at all," Wang Yan argued sophistically. "What you said earlier was fine, but using the word 'bewilder' isn't right. How could that be bewildering? It was simply that my good brother and I share the same interests and had an exceptionally harmonious conversation."

"Right, right, right; whatever you say is harmonious is harmonious," Shen Ranran teased.

All three had been drinking; alcohol fueled their spirits, making their voices louder and their chatter more nonsensical. Tonight, the starlight in the sky was a rare sight, and the evening breeze was gentle; the three talked and laughed together, the two women sitting on either side swinging their legs, constantly emitting laughter like silver bells...

Yet countless experiences have taught us that at moments of happiness, some unhappy thing always pops up.

When Wang Yan and the other two returned to the Taiping Hutong, a group of people emerged.

"Damn, we guys have been out here feeding the mosquitoes, while this bastard is having fun with two girls, one of them a lamb skewer vendor; where's the justice in that?"

Accompanied by these rude remarks, five or six figures materialized from the darkness.

"Brother Yan, behind us," Zhuangzhuang tugged at Wang Yan's clothes.

Wang Yan turned to look and saw another five or six people blocking the way. Each of them wielded either a club or a cleaver, looking quite terrifying.

Shielding Zhuangzhuang and Shen Ranran behind him, Wang Yan beckoned to them, barely needing to shout, 'Come over here!'

"Damn, still acting cool? I'll beat you until you call me Grandpa and take my surname. Brothers, get him!"

At the leader's command, more than ten people rushed forward.

Zhuangzhuang did not scream; she merely hugged Shen Ranran tightly in nervousness. Having experienced such events before, she knew Wang Yan was quite capable in a fight. Shen Ranran, however, had never witnessed anything like this; startled, she already began screaming, shouting for help.

"You little bitch! Don't shout! Shout again and I'll slap the hell out of you. I... ah..."

One person raised a club and charged over, only to be slapped flying by Wang Yan an instant later, knocking out several of his teeth.

In the next moment, more clubs and knife backs attacked; their faces were ferocious, as if they wanted to eat people alive.

Shen Ranran's screams grew even louder...

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