[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-get-stronger-every-payday-with-one-billion-emp":3,"chapter-i-get-stronger-every-payday-with-one-billion-emp-i-get-stronger-every-payday-with-one-billion-emp-chapter-188":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I Get Stronger Every Payday—With One Billion Employees!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2264401,4419,"Chapter 188: Zhang Yiming, You","i-get-stronger-every-payday-with-one-billion-emp-chapter-188",188,"\u003Cp>At 10:00, Cheng Wei stepped onto the stage, delivered a brief opening speech, and handed the microphone to Wei Secretary, the Hangcheng official in charge of commercial affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately after, a middle-aged man in a business blazer walked to the center of the podium and began a long-winded speech on the forum’s theme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen listened, half-asleep—everything was empty rhetoric, devoid of substance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real core of the development forum lay in the subsequent trade cooperation project pitches and the lunchtime networking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...We are honored to have Mr. Chen Yansen, founder of Senlian Capital, as a leading figure among 90s entrepreneurs. I look forward to his insights and hope he can offer new cooperative opportunities to entrepreneurs both at home and abroad...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Secretary spoke at length, ending by singling out Chen Yansen as the highlight of this year’s Youth Entrepreneur Development Forum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen smiled politely toward the media cameras, thinking to himself: If I hadn’t shown up, they’d have used Cheng Ou from JuMei YouPin as the gimmick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard the conference originally invited Wang Xin from Meituan, but he didn’t want to attend and feared offending Hangcheng, so he claimed he was born in 1979 and didn’t qualify as a post-80s entrepreneur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After talking about Chen Yansen, Wei Secretary shifted the topic to Lin Qi, chairman of Youzu Network.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the crowd’s gaze, Chen Yansen realized that besides Cheng Ou, there was another gaming entrepreneur with even greater wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Wei Secretary, Youzu Network was currently valued at 3 billion yuan—perhaps exaggerated, but likely not by much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, everyone in the audience was sharp; baseless boasting would backfire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third person named was Cheng Ou, who waved at the cameras, always seizing every chance to promote himself and his product.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought Chen Yansen’s phrase “I speak for myself” perfectly matched his personality and JuMei YouPin’s brand image.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, Chen Yansen’s fame was too great—he dared not directly imitate his persona, or he’d risk looking like a clumsy copycat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the corner, Zhang Yiming’s eyes shimmered with envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a young man himself, he had failed repeatedly in entrepreneurship, while Chen Yansen, Lin Qi, Cheng Ou, and others had already risen to fame and amassed hundreds of millions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When would he ever make a hundred million himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, Wei Secretary stepped down from the stage, and applause erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterwards, others took turns on stage to present their startup projects—high-end ones centered on investment banks, brokerages, electronics, or the internet; more down-to-earth ones ran dumpling factories or ecological breeding operations back home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sequoia, Hillhouse, and Thinking Capital all sent investment managers, but they were low-ranking—clearly, they didn’t take this forum seriously, merely giving the organizers face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Chen Yansen spoke with Gao Wei, Cheng Weixing from Fan Cheng Technology sidled up and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Chen, after Mr. Cheng Ou from JuMei and Mr. Lin Qi from Youzu finish their talks, could you share your entrepreneurial insights with everyone? Just a casual ten minutes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem,” Chen Yansen nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since he was here, he might as well promote his products and give Tang Qingshan some face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello everyone, I’m Cheng Ou from JuMei YouPin. I’m honored that the Hangcheng Youth Entrepreneur Association invited me to this development forum. As a beauty-focused vertical website, JuMei has won user trust through guaranteed authentic products, 100% real photos, and a 30-day unconditional return policy...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Ou’s oratory skills were impressive—he used the opportunity to elaborate on JuMei YouPin’s business model.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think of JuMei, Gao?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen asked Gao Weilin with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It has potential, but I believe vertical e-commerce sites in beauty, maternal and infant, or footwear are pseudo-demand—only niche subcategories still have room to survive. Beauty, in particular, will be crushed the moment Taobao, JD, or you yourself turn your attention to it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Weilin replied quietly, his tone certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During his time on the mainland, he had deeply researched e-commerce and mobile industries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vertical e-commerce seemed to target the weakest part of industry giants, avoiding direct confrontation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how could Ma Liyun and Liu Qiangdong tolerate someone stealing their market?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Alibaba and JD go public, sites like JuMei will enter a death countdown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, JuMei’s valuation peaked near $6 billion in 2014, then plummeted steadily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same face mask sold for 99 yuan per box on JuMei via third-party suppliers, while Taobao and JD sourced directly from brands, offering promotional prices of just 59 or even 49 yuan per box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plus, JuMei’s weak control over suppliers allowed some to forge brand authorization letters and customs documents, mixing real and fake goods—or selling nothing but fakes—destroying JuMei YouPin’s reputation in users’ eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his rebirth, Chen Yansen knew JuMei had already shut down five or six years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For beauty products, unless you directly partner with brands, it’s nearly impossible to eliminate counterfeits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen nodded, acknowledging Gao Weilin’s point, and relayed it to Song Yuncheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This explained why, when so many A- and B-rated brands approached Pinbei, Chen Yansen demanded joint review by procurement, legal, and marketing teams—and rejected any vendor with even minor issues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Pinbei didn’t solve the counterfeit problem from the start, it would become impossible to fix once scaled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can sell cheap goods, but counterfeits are different—they risk blowing up the entire platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Song Yuncheng listened, seeming to grasp the insight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later, Cheng Ou returned to his seat, visibly unsatisfied, and Lin Qi from Youzu Network took the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen knew nothing about the gaming industry—he’d only invested 2 million in Mihayou for a 15% stake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Lin Qi stepped down, Cheng Weixing hurried over to Chen Yansen and reminded him it was his turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen smoothed out the wrinkles in his jacket and stepped onto the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The murmurs among the crowd vanished instantly as he ascended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m the founder of Orange Tech and Pinbei Mall. All of you here are my industry seniors. In terms of entrepreneurship, I’ve been in the game for less than two years—I only have a few shallow insights...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen spoke humbly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his expression radiated arrogance, clearly implying: I’ve achieved this in two years—what about you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In my view, before starting a business, you must first choose the right path—either a narrow road with few people, or a wide one with many.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen smiled faintly, speaking vaguely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These people hadn’t given him a cent, weren’t his sons—he wouldn’t share anything genuinely useful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke for several minutes, full of hollow, grandiose phrases—impressive on first hearing, meaningless on reflection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yiming, however, felt Chen Yansen’s words made sense—he listened carefully, pondering how to leverage his own strengths to find the right path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Zhang, I’ve organized a small networking dinner tonight—Chen Yansen, Lin Qi, and Cheng Ou will all attend. Do you have time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Cheng Weixing slipped over to Zhang Yiming’s seat under the guise of his position and asked quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d noticed Chen Yansen’s interest in Zhang Yiming and, using Chen’s name as cover, planned to gather a few influential figures for a private gathering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yiming didn’t think much—he’d seen Cheng Weixing approach Chen Yansen multiple times and assumed he was inviting Chen, never realizing he himself was the first person Cheng had invited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course I’m free. What time?” Zhang Yiming agreed readily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not decided yet—I’ll notify you later, Mr. Zhang,” Cheng Weixing replied with a smile, relieved he’d secured Zhang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Chen Yansen stepped down, he used Zhang Yiming’s name to persuade Chen to attend the evening gathering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen didn’t hesitate—he agreed immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his view, Zhang Yiming was at a critical juncture in his life; whether investing in him or partnering, the returns would be substantial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During their earlier conversation, Zhang had gazed at him with admiration—he was certain Zhang wouldn’t refuse if he proposed equity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, through his two-sided deception, Cheng Weixing had successfully pulled off the gathering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The morning forum ended, and lunch began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Chen Yansen and the others sat down, people approached with business cards and flattering smiles to greet them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them were bosses from dumpling processing, electronic toys, and breeding industries, as well as investment bankers and brokers—the former were handed to Song Yuncheng, the latter to Gao Weilin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen chatted with Zhang Yiming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Would you be interested in joining Pinbei or Orange Tech? Whether in product recommendations or AuroraOS’s algorithm department, we need engineers like you with rich project experience.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen extended the invitation directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During his time at Kuxun, Zhang Yiming had accumulated extensive recommendation engine expertise; later, at Wang Xin’s Fanfou, he focused on search, message distribution, and hot-term mining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After over four years of experience, Zhang Yiming had developed strong skills in execution, team management, and algorithms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why Wang Xin had immediately wanted him to join Meituan after founding it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yiming pushed up his glasses, his smile barely contained, but finally declined: “Thank you, Mr. Chen, for your recognition, but I left Jiujiu House specifically to build my own product.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no conflict—I can give you funding and autonomy to develop your own product,” Chen Yansen waved dismissively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Chen, I haven’t figured out yet what product to build,” Zhang Yiming smiled wryly, touched by Chen’s respect and trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, puzzled: “Why do you have such faith in me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a tech mind, everything has a reason—Chen Yansen had no logical basis to value him so highly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m planning to develop a personalized recommendation engine for Pinbei Mall to boost product exposure efficiency, so I’ve been closely watching top algorithm talent in China. Last year, I had headhunters contact you—but you declined the offer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen lied straight-faced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yiming chuckled awkwardly, embarrassed—he hadn’t expected Chen Yansen to have noticed him so early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A headhunter had indeed contacted him last year, but he had no intention of switching jobs—he wanted to start his own venture. He had no idea whether anyone else Chen had approached had accepted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your product idea is excellent. I’ve tried similar approaches at Kuxun and Fanfou—you can extract product attributes and descriptions, calculate similarity between items using these feature vectors, and let the recommendation system work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yiming spoke openly before Chen Yansen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d assumed Chen was a liberal arts graduate, stronger in management than tech.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To his surprise, Chen understood instantly and could articulate a rough code implementation plan on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what product do you plan to build?” Chen Yansen recalled the timeline—Zhang Yiming’s goal at this point should’ve been news content distribution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My initial idea is to develop a mobile browser combining intelligent search and personalized display. With smartphones advancing, mobile advantages are growing steadily...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yiming replied with a sincere smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aren’t you supposed to be building Toutiao?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yansen wanted to interrupt him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought Zhang was bluffing—but his eyes were sincere, his breathing and heartbeat perfectly normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant he was 99% telling the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the mobile browser market still looked promising—evidenced by He Xiaopeng’s $20 billion exit from UC.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in this way, Zhang Yiming's path has gone completely off track.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I still invest in Zhang Yiming?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yan also hadn't expected that his first meeting with Zhang Yiming would begin like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's as if, having been reborn back to 1999, you invested ten million yuan in Ma Liyun to have him build Ali Baba and launch e-commerce, but he insists on developing QQ chat rooms instead—equally surreal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1924,"2026-06-19T19:17:18.227Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e6f61ba739015efa36969808d10d6000b6fde0e2bd1fc762864f0bba7863e7b9","i-get-stronger-every-payday-with-one-billion-emp-chapter-189","i-get-stronger-every-payday-with-one-billion-emp-chapter-187",387,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-get-stronger-every-payday-with-one-billion-emp-cover.jpg"]