Chapter 311: Genius

"From a purely commercial perspective, the benefits of being reported far outweigh the drawbacks."

"This is truly a very interesting thing, very interesting."

"Even if a report in the New York Times contains criticism, it might be harmful to you personally, but it might be very valuable to your business."

"The key is, if you are a bit different, or a bit outrageous. Or if you do bold or controversial things, the media doesn't need to be invited, they will scramble to report on you."

"This is exactly what you need."

"Ignore them in this process, keep a normal heart. Don't listen to those fake news scolding you, do your own thing."

"Because, they are helping you reach the third step of success."

The next day, at the same time, Sheryl Sandberg, wearing a work skirt, walked into Zuckerberg's office once again.

This time the woman's expression carried a kind of helplessness.

The day before, the two had discussed and believed that Chen Nuo's answer in "Time" was perhaps just his accidental hot-headed strange talk, which could be ignored for now.

However, this day, the September 15, 2009 issue of "People" weekly proved that that person was not hot-headed for a moment.

He was always hot-headed.

And it was overheated.

Compared to "Time," "People" didn't focus on his current social account; it paid more attention to his main job and gave this Asian actor more space.

A full seven-page interview,

from Berlin in 2005 to the recent Cannes, almost covered Chen Nuo's entire acting career from the beginning to the present.

The reporter from "People" not only talked about past achievements but also talked about his upcoming sci-fi movie.

Perhaps it was really as said in the opening, this was an interview after a three-year absence, and there were many questions to ask him.

However, when the interviewee talked about the sci-fi movie and then chatted about the future world, the style of the entire interview changed suddenly.

He started talking eloquently about his video platform again, talking about that non-existent, unheard-of program algorithm, giving people the feeling that he was about to switch from an actor to an entrepreneur.

"Facebook is very tolerant of me in this regard. I have already registered a tech company in China, specifically prepared to do this. The whole cycle might take two to three years..."

Seeing this, Zuckerberg looked up, shook his head and said: "Sheryl, what do you think?"

Sheryl Sandberg said: "Mark, could it be that he is dissatisfied with our new contract, so he is using this to put pressure on us? Mark, I haven't contacted him, I don't understand him as a person. Your opinion is the key."

Zuckerberg twirled his pen for a while, then shook his head: "I can't judge. It's possible you're right. However..."

He suddenly laughed, "He really knows nothing about this. He also chose the wrong direction. I believe without us saying anything, naturally someone will tell him that what he said is a big joke."

Little Zha was not wrong.

The remarks published in "Time" weekly and "People" magazine for two consecutive days, after several days of brewing and fermentation, began to gradually enter the vision of more media, triggering widespread dissemination.

However, the trend of the reports was mostly filled with ridicule and mockery.

Many professionals in the tech field expressed their views, believing that this was the shallow knowledge shown by the typical low-education group in Hollywood.

That kind of magic algorithm was simply an idea born from a layman among laymen. Based on current hardware foundations and data processing capabilities, it was completely a fairy tale.

For a time, the media was flooded with all kinds of ridicule about him.

At FB headquarters, Zuckerberg and Sheryl couldn't help but feel relieved seeing this.

Now, this whimsical Chinese person should know how wrong he was and shut up, right?

However, unexpectedly, in the New York Times on September 20, Chen Nuo appeared again and mentioned his video communication platform that was ridiculed by everyone again.

"Donald's charity gala raised 10 million USD, NuoChen bid for the naming rights of the 2009 Sea Lake Estate Christmas Gala, saying it will be used for the promotion of his video platform."

"In his speech, he said he had already thought of a name for the video platform, called Instagram, meaning instant telegram, which will allow users to share videos as fast as a telegram."

When Zuckerberg saw this report, like Sheryl Sandberg, he really couldn't understand what Chen Nuo was thinking.

Why was he so persistent about something meaningless that didn't look like it had any possibility of success?

Excluding the option that the other party was already crazy...

This matter suddenly became tricky.

Mainly because this person wasn't just any Tom, Dick, or Harry.

With a fan base of nearly 20 million on FB, the man called the new king by "Time" weekly, even if it was just a speech at a charity gala that seemed to be talking nonsense, was enough to set off another wave of media reports the next day.

But it was still ridicule, still no one was optimistic.

Experts invited by ABC, CBS, NBC, etc., when talking about this matter on the show, were all shaking their heads and sighing, and their words were full of questioning and criticism of his remarks.

All of America thought that this person was already irrational, this young Chinese star had forgotten himself in the face of huge success, and thus made a big fool of himself.

However, the public opinion storm became more and more intense amidst such ridicule.

This matter became known to everyone in the mainstream European and American groups in an extremely short time.

Five days later, September 25.

Sheryl Sandberg brought over a newspaper again. This time her face had become much heavier.

It was that day's Huaerjie Journal, which contained an interview with Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and now a famous angel investor on Huaerjie.

Peter Thiel mentioned the video website in Chen Nuo's mouth.

He didn't follow others' views and was very interested in the video website in Chen Nuo's mouth in the conversation.

Especially the algorithm inside, he believed that although it was very difficult, once successfully developed, it would have a earth-shaking impact on the existing internet landscape.

This seemed like a signal flare.

In the next three days, many blog bloggers on the internet began to discuss seriously, if this algorithm really existed, what application prospects it would have, including what the so-called video sharing website in Chen Nuo's mouth would actually look like.

By September 28.

Sheryl Sandberg brought a report again, this time her expression was not only serious, it could even be said to be gloomy.

"Mark, I think you should talk to him again now. Can't let him continue to talk eloquently like this anymore."

"Sheryl, we have discussed internally, his ideas are impossible to realize within at least five years. What are you worried about?"

"Mark, please look at this sentence, look at these people now, mentioning his video website, how are they saying it?"

Zuckerberg saw the keywords in the report, frowned and repeated: "The next generation of network interaction paradigm?"

"That's right. The next generation of internet interaction mode. This statement has now spread like wildfire in the internet world. Mark, think about it, what kind of impact will this have on our future IPO. Especially since these words came from the mouth of our most influential user!"

"Before we are listed, our Facebook has already become the 'previous generation.' How do you let Huaerjie investors think? Just the shadow cast by this title will make the capital market's imagination of our company greatly discounted."

Zuckerberg frowned.

Sheryl Sandberg added again: "Hurry up and tell him to shut up, Mark. At least ask him what he means."

The Jewish woman who held board seats in many Fortune 500 companies was not a submissive yes-man.

The 1.9 million Class B shares of FB she got from jumping ship were enough for her to speak for her future interests.

However, in the end, Little Zha shook his head and said: "No, this is just a trick he's playing. This is his big lie."

"He must be dissatisfied with a certain clause in the contract. He wants to put pressure on us. I just don't know if it's money, or those restrictive clauses, or, our competitors have already contacted him without our knowledge and made some big promises to him."

"I feel he just wants me to take the initiative to speak now."

"And I won't let him succeed."

"Absolutely not."

"When the other party starts to consider how to solve your problem, you have entered the formal negotiation stage."

"At this time, repeated changes in attitude can not only make the opponent unable to determine your true needs and intentions. At the same time, it can simply and effectively create psychological pressure on the opponent."

"So, the art of the deal, step three."

"Constantly change your mind in front of the other party, disrupt the opponent's negotiation rhythm and plan, create anxiety, create pressure. Finally, let the opponent's mind be left with only one thought, that is, no matter what, hurry up and finish this damn deal."

September 30, 2009.

Mark Zuckerberg held the phone and smiled: "Hello, Chen, where are you now? Do you have time to meet and talk? I think we should sit down and have a good chat."

The computer screen in front of him displayed Chen Nuo's FB account.

The latest update posted was a photo of daily life, a bustling stage.

There were quite a few people standing on the stage, in the middle was a woman in her 30s and a middle-aged man, and a chubby young man.

The three of them were holding a large cardboard check together, with the words 5 million yuan written on it.

Both adults were facing the camera with smiles, only the young man had bulging eyes, looking silly.

Mark Zuckerberg was indeed learning Chinese, so even if Chen Nuo didn't say anything, just posted a photo, he could understand what those words in the photo meant.

Except for the 5 million yuan on the check.

The large background board also wrote: BJ Yike joins hands with Peking University School of Information Science "Internet Frontier Exploration" Student Aid Donation Signing Ceremony.

Undoubtedly, there were many eye-catching points in this photo.

But Zuckerberg's gaze fell involuntarily on the fat man in the middle.

Because for some reason, as soon as he saw this fat man's eyes and demeanor, he felt an inexplicable familiarity.

At the same time, in the comment section below this update, his followers all left messages one after another.

"Chen, hurry up and make it, I can't wait."

"You are a genius."

"You are too excellent, you are truly a doer." "Wow, it has already started, now let's see what those idiots in the tech world say."

"Chen, if that video website is really as you said, I swear I will love it to death!"

When Zuckerberg saw these crazy messages, he knew it was time to call.

5 million?

Peking University!?

He is actually motherfucker for real!?

Zuckerberg felt that if it were him, to spend so much money and time to put pressure on the other party, at least there had to be visible profits of over 100 million USD to be worth it.

And he didn't think in any way that Chen Nuo's contract with his company could reach this point.

Just in May, when his company introduced strategic investors, Russia's Digital Sky Technologies invested 200 million USD, occupying 2% of FB's shares.

In that transaction, the overall valuation of FB was only 10 billion USD, 6 billion USD less than Microsoft's 16 billion USD before the 2007 financial crisis.

This made him suffer a heavy blow, but he also had to accept this fact.

So...

He didn't think that his 10 billion-level company was worth this movie star spending so much effort to bluff and put pressure on.

After all, the upper limit and ceiling of a promotion contract were right there.

In this way, Zuckerberg overturned his previous judgment, and after discussing with Sheryl Sandberg, picked up his phone and dialed.

However, the answer that came back from the receiver made Mark Zuckerberg freeze for a moment, even disrupting all his thoughts.

"What? You have already returned to China?"

"Yes, I returned to China... contract? I haven't looked at it yet, mainly because I'm too busy. OK, I'll contact you after I look at it in two days, bye-bye."

He then looked at his watch, it should be 6:30 PM on September 30 in California.

The bullet that flew out finally hit the galloping horse.

It seems that the update he asked Li Jing to post in China today really worked.

It was pitch black outside the window, and the sea could no longer be seen.

For this moment, they had prepared thirteen plans before and after.

If this call came tomorrow morning, his answer would be Florida.

Tomorrow afternoon, that would be in New York.

In short, the more anxious Zuckerberg was, the further away he was from him. The less anxious, the closer he was to him,

for this matter, he had been busy for almost a whole month, and even missed the premiere of "The Founding of a Republic" on September 17, which made Han Zong very disappointed on the phone.

However, he really had to stay in the United States to adapt to circumstances, and really couldn't spare the time to support Han Zong's scene.

Of course, the result was good in the end.

The tribute film "The Founding of a Republic," which gathered nearly two hundred superstars, had its box office soaring in the country, making China Film and Han Zong make a fortune.

During this period, he asked Qi Yuntian to secretly return to the country and implement the Peking University donation matter that had been contacted before with Li Jing.

The tech company was one he had recently established and registered.

He took the name Yike on a whim himself.

There was no reason for taking this name, in short, it felt a bit auspicious, like a company that would produce the richest man.

As for the 5 million donation amount, in 2009, although it wasn't much, it was definitely not little.

The key was that although the name of this tech company was unfamiliar, the fame of the legal person was definitely big enough. And the things Chen Nuo had been making in the United States during this time were also booming in China.

So, although Chen Nuo didn't show up personally in the end, Peking University also had the Dean of the School of Information Science come forward and politely accepted that 5 million yuan check.

This 5 million had nothing to do with any algorithm.

Peking University saw the news and dug out Liu Qi, feeling that this Sichuan province top scorer who was unreliable back then was the genius in Chen Nuo's mouth, thinking Chen Nuo really wanted to rely on him to do some instant telegram.

But Chen Nuo didn't mean that.

What genius.

There are more than 30 top scorers in each province every year, so there are more than 30 geniuses every year? This genius is not Chinese cabbage in the field.

Although Little Liu was not bad, Chen Nuo didn't think he had this ability.

Chen Nuo actually only had two purposes for this 5 million RMB.

One was to pull Peking University's tiger skin to do advertising, and add weight to the Jewish ghosts.

5 million RMB, in the eyes of the future Zuckerberg, it definitely counted for nothing, but the Zuckerberg at this time, would be moved even seeing his villa in Palm Beach, which shows that the stinginess of the Jews, and the billionaire later, are completely different things.

Second, he spent hundreds of thousands of USD at the charity gala in the United States, buying a naming right that was worth nothing.

As a result, returning to the country and acting like an iron rooster without pulling a hair, it seemed a bit uncomfortable in his heart. It just happened to be the 100th-anniversary celebration, so he simply didn't look for extras to act, and directly made a real donation.

He made a real one, and it seemed all parties took it seriously.

Whether it was news media or Peking University, they all took this matter quite seriously.

On the day of the donation, he also received a message from Liu Qi on QQ, who was also very moved, saying he would definitely make that algorithm.

Make my ass.

This algorithm might be one of the most valuable things in the world in the future, just relying on you?

Hehe.

Chen Nuo immediately replied a few words tactfully on QQ, telling Little Liu to study hard and not think about this and that.

As a result, the message was sent, and the next day one came back.

"It's okay, the teaching task is not heavy recently, besides studying, I still have time."

Chen Nuo stared at this message for a long time, and didn't quite understand what this person was saying. Can a first-year graduate student teach at Peking University?

But he also had experience, and sent a message cautiously: "Brother Qi, aren't you just a first-year graduate student?"

Then the next day, a message came back from there.

"Haha, Chen Nuo, your news is too outdated. I will have my doctorate in 3 years! Our Peking University direct-to-doctorate students must study for five years, it's too slow. What about your Film Academy?"

Second time.

The first half was all good, but this second half, every time it was a sudden peak, giving people a feeling of being unbearable.

Chen Nuo didn't care whether this person was bragging or telling the truth,

anyway, he put this matter down afterward.

At this time, after hanging up Zuckerberg's phone, a trace of a smile appeared on Chen Nuo's face.

"Wow, what are you laughing at? Why does it feel so treacherous?" Liu Yifei asked curiously, eating pistachios on the side.

"Nothing. By the way, you should prepare, I guess you can return to China in two days." Chen Nuo said lightly.

"Ah? What about you, aren't you going back?"

"I still have to film, it will start next month, did you forget?"

"Oh."

Chen Nuo glanced at Liu Yifei, the girl was sitting on the sofa, puffing her cheeks, hands pressed under her butt, staring at the floor in front, looking unhappy.

With her personality of putting everything on her face,

if this was another month of living together, and Chen Nuo hadn't noticed anything, he should be one of those stupid male protagonists in Japanese light novels.

Including the ten days of returning to Palm Beach, Linghu didn't show his face, every day the two of them were like when they were in Hubei, a lone man and a lone woman almost together all the time,

Liu Yifei's unusual attachment to him was even clearer, like a louse on a monk's head.

It's just that this woman's way of thinking was always different from others.

He still wasn't sure if she was clinging to him every day, usually even if she went to the bathroom for a long time and didn't see anyone, she had to shout Chen Nuo Chen Nuo everywhere,

was it lack of fatherly love? Lack of friends? Or lack of something else.

However, he felt there was another strange place.

Clearly Liu Xiaoli also came to the United States together, but actually said she wanted to return to LA to visit some old friends and connect feelings, so she stayed there all the time and didn't come over.

What does this mean?

These thoughts flashed through his mind, Chen Nuo had no heart to think too much now.

The big event planned for so long was finally about to see the dawn.

These trivial matters must be put aside first.

In Chen Nuo's view, these were trivial matters, but Liu Yifei didn't sleep well almost all night that night.

Thinking that once they separated this time, she didn't know how long it would be before they met again, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep all night.

Although she knew this was work, there was no way, and he and she didn't have any relationship yet.

Where he wanted to go, what he wanted to do, could be said to not need to say hello to her at all.

But she just felt uncomfortable.

That feeling was like when she was a child in Wuhan, learning from her grandmother that her mother and father had divorced.

It was like being abandoned by the world, a heart floating in the air, not knowing where to go.

Actually, Liu Yifei knew that at most four or five months, after he finished filming, they would meet again.

But she still couldn't help but worry. Because in such a long time, too many things could happen, right?

Thinking all night, Liu Yifei also thought a lot. Until the sky was about to brighten, she fell into a shallow sleep for a while.

But not long after, a small movement came from outside the door, which startled her from her shallow sleep.

After waiting for a while, she rolled out of bed, stood by the window, lifted a bit of the curtain, and looked down from the crack.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 312 =====