Chapter 36: 035 A Gamble (Two-in-One)

Song Yufeng had also walked the path from his student days.

He knew the innocence and naivety of college students, and he knew their ignorance. In the year and more since he joined NetEase, he had grown a lot, and on certain nights, he often sighed at how difficult society and the workplace could be.

Yet, he had only just conducted the interview, and it hadn't even been published yet, when his internal colleagues turned around and were already actively and enthusiastically participating in innovation...

This situation was truly something Song Yufeng found hard to accept.

Even if you had waited three or six months...

If things were done this way, what face would he have left to face his interviewee?

The more enthusiastic Seeing Yu Xing was, the heavier Song Yufeng felt in his heart. Drinking and chatting with such a heavy heart, he, who already had a poor tolerance for alcohol, lost consciousness without realizing it. By the time he woke up again, it was late at night and he was in his own bed.

Song Yufeng fumbled to sit up and turned on the desk lamp. His girlfriend sleeping beside him woke up in a daze.

"Why am I at home? How did I get back?" Song Yufeng drank half a glass of water, feeling much more alert.

"Your younger brother brought you back," his girlfriend, Yin Baoyi, answered groggily.

Song Yufeng was stunned: "Which younger brother?"

"The one who runs a company," Yin Baoyi rubbed her eyes and turned over. "That Seeing Yu Xing. You two came back with your arms around each other's shoulders, and you even said you were going to look out for him."

Song Yufeng fell silent. Alcohol was truly something best consumed in moderation.

Yin Baoyi yawned: "Is his company reliable? Can it make money?"

Song Yufeng sighed and offered his best wishes: "It's reliable, and it can make money."

Yin Baoyi muttered something, pulled up the thin air-conditioning quilt, and went back to sleep.

Song Yufeng didn't know what he had talked about with Seeing Yu Xing after getting drunk, but it couldn't have been anything more than bragging or chatting about industry inside information. At most... at most, he might have revealed the signs of joint innovation in NetEase's matchmaking business to him.

If that were the case...

Song Yufeng took another sip of water and pondered for a while. He felt that even if he had really told Seeing Yu Xing, it wouldn't be a problem. On the contrary, he felt less guilty. He was just a small fry; could he really control other teams in the company?

This was others acting on greed, and he could only do his own job.

Just as Seeing Yu Xing himself said, once this project was created, it would be seen by others. Even if NetEase's matchmaking colleagues didn't see it from him, they might notice information about competing products on the market anyway!

Song Yufeng felt much more at ease. He went to the bathroom, returned to bed, and quickly fell asleep.

He had to go to work tomorrow. No matter what, that enthusiastic and simple college student was just a passerby who would soon disappear from his work life.

Perhaps because the post-drinking reflection had liberated his mind, Song Yufeng's writing was inspired the next day. He quickly processed two news drafts, and after hesitating for a moment, he followed Seeing Yu Xing's request to change the marriage probability in the previous draft to 14.8%, and then submitted it as the final version.

Let it be. Whatever happens after this has nothing to do with me.

Song Yufeng cast aside distracting thoughts, threw himself back into his work, and confirmed that he would be going on a business trip in two days.

He was busy all day, avoided working overtime, and left on time with his bag.

However, when he returned home, Song Yufeng found it strange that his girlfriend wasn't home today, whereas she usually had dinner prepared by this time.

"Did she go grocery shopping?"

Song Yufeng made a call, and after it connected, he heard his girlfriend's reply that she would be home soon.

He watched TV for a while, and when his girlfriend Yin Baoyi returned, he was surprised by the happiness written on her face at just one glance.

"Did you get an offer?" Song Yufeng's guess slipped out. His girlfriend studied computer science, but she was somewhat arrogant and had quit her job after the New Year, and a new job had been slow to materialize.

Yin Baoyi looked at her boyfriend in confusion and said excitedly: "Yeah! Let's go, let's eat out. My treat today."

Song Yufeng was happy for her too. As he stood up, he asked: "Which company? The one you applied to last week?"

Yin Baoyi answered somewhat confusedly: "Gui'ai Network."

Song Yufeng's expression froze, and he widened his eyes: "What? Gui'ai Network?? Seeing Yu Xing's Gui'ai Network???"

"Yeah, didn't you introduce it to me yesterday?" Yin Baoyi asked strangely. "What's wrong?"

A sense of absurdity surged in Song Yufeng's heart. He laughed bitterly: "I introduced it? Damn it, I was drunk yesterday! You're quite the talent too! This damn Gui'ai Network doesn't even have an office!"

Yin Baoyi retorted: "How could it not?"

"Yu Xing just arrived in Shanghai yesterday; his company doesn't have an office!" Song Yufeng vaguely remembered chatting with Yu Xing about this before he got drunk—the college student team had just arrived in Shanghai and had to start everything from scratch.

Yin Baoyi argued strongly: "It has one today! I went to rent the office with them!"

Song Yufeng: "..."

He was so angered by his girlfriend's resolute expression that he laughed.

"What's the difference?" Song Yufeng asked twice. "What's the difference??"

"Of course there's a difference. They are serious about running a company," Yin Baoyi said earnestly. "Yesterday, you were the one begging them, saying to give me a job opportunity. I even asked you in the middle of the night, and you said it was reliable, which is why I went today! What is wrong with you!"

Song Yufeng felt his vision go dark. What on earth did he do after getting drunk last night!

He was dumbfounded. He wanted to mention the innovation within his company, but held back. Without a word, he took out his phone and dialed Seeing Yu Xing directly.

Yin Baoyi felt that her boyfriend's attitude was completely different from before. She rolled her eyes, stopped mentioning eating out, and turned to go into the room to change her clothes.

Song Yufeng dialed the number angrily, and before he could speak, he heard an enthusiastic voice on the other end.

"Hi, Brother Feng," Seeing Yu Xing greeted.

"Seeing Yu Xing!" Song Yufeng said in a deep voice. "What's going on with Yin Baoyi? Why did you recruit her into your company!"

Seeing Yu Xing said inexplicably: "What do you mean what's going on? Sister-in-law is quite excellent and is indeed suitable for our company."

"Whether she's excellent or not, don't I know?" Song Yufeng scolded. "Your company... you, why did you recruit her!"

Yin Baoyi, who was halfway through changing clothes in the room, heard the commotion outside, and her anger began to rise.

Seeing Yu Xing's voice sounded a bit unhappy: "Brother Feng, hey, I'm puzzled. You were the one yesterday, right in front of Sister-in-law, crying and begging me to give her a job opportunity! What is this now? What kind of person are you??"

"I was crying and begging?" Song Yufeng was a bit dazed. "I, I..."

"If you don't believe me, ask Sister-in-law yourself!" Seeing Yu Xing hung up the phone with a stiff tone. "I have things to do, I'm busy!"

Song Yufeng clutched his phone, feeling dazed for a moment.

Yin Baoyi, having finished changing, walked out angrily: "Song, what do you mean by this!"

"I... I was drunk yesterday!" Song Yufeng gasped for air. "No, his company really won't work! It's just a grassroots company! They don't even have much business! How much money can they give you!"

Yin Baoyi said coldly: "The company is giving equity! Can you get equity at NetEase?"

Equity?

Song Yufeng was stunned: "Equity... if the company isn't run well, equity is just waste paper!"

At this point, he finally couldn't hold back and poured out all the innovation within his company, hoping to persuade his girlfriend.

"So, before this probability was modified, your company thought this business was doable?" Yin Baoyi heard a different angle and said dismissively, "That deputy director also said they would research it. Big companies have so many internal processes, it's not certain they'll really do it. What are you afraid of?"

Song Yufeng didn't know what else to say.

"Furthermore, the probability has already been modified. The opportunity is right in front of us. If we don't gamble, how can we make money?" Yin Baoyi pointed at her boyfriend. "If we don't gamble, how can we stay in Shanghai?"

Yin Baoyi took two steps forward and raised her voice: "Rely on whom? Rely on you? Rely on your family? Or rely on mine?"

Song Yufeng felt a fire in his heart. He cursed and said loudly: "Rely on whom? You tell me who to rely on? But it can't be Seeing Yu Xing!"

"Taking a step back, the market is so big, even if NetEase really does it, so what? Can they eat all the meat?" Yin Baoyi was still obsessed with the equity. "If we don't gamble now, when will we gamble!?"

Song Yufeng sat back on the sofa and held his head in his hands: "I'm really defeated!"

"You just don't trust me. Let me tell you, Song!" Yin Baoyi said word by word, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river!"

She slammed the door and went out to eat by herself.

Song Yufeng curled up on the sofa in pain. Drinking leads to mistakes! Being drunk leads to mistakes!

This drunkenness had dragged his girlfriend into it!

Song Yufeng made a decision in his heart: from today on, no more alcohol!

However, sitting on the sofa, he slowly recovered his composure. In some situations, he had to admit that his girlfriend's words made sense; his own company wouldn't necessarily enter the field to do this.

That deputy director last time, Ying Jiadong, might just have had a momentary interest, and he might not necessarily be able to push the department to develop this new business later on.

If that were the case, could Gui'ai Network develop?

Song Yufeng didn't make any rash judgments at this moment; after all, he wasn't a professional.

As for his girlfriend's job...

If the company didn't develop well, at worst, it would just be a waste of three months or half a year...

What if it really succeeded...

Song Yufeng rubbed his face, still feeling it was quite mysterious in his heart.

At eight o'clock in the evening, Song Yufeng was eating instant noodles when he heard the sound of the door opening. Turning his face, he found his girlfriend carrying takeout, walking over angrily, placing the items on the table, and entering the room without a word.

"Thank you, I knew Baobao was the best to me!" Song Yufeng offered soft words.

"Just eat your food!" Yin Baoyi's annoyed voice came from the room.

The young couple's momentary conflict was easily resolved for the most part.

After the post-meal exercise was over, the two had no more conflict. Song Yufeng talked straightforwardly about his views on the company and the cause and effect of the internal innovation.

Yin Baoyi hugged her boyfriend's arm and thoughtfully criticized: "Then that deputy director of your company is really not a good thing! How difficult it is for us to start a business!"

"You... have you really become a shareholder or what?" Song Yufeng smiled bitterly. "Let's find a job with our feet on the ground, save money slowly. If it really doesn't work, we can go to other cities."

"I won't. I want to be here," Yin Baoyi said stubbornly.

Song Yufeng stopped talking.

A moment later, he shook his head slightly: "What do you think of Seeing Yu Xing?"

"He says what he thinks and doesn't hide anything," Yin Baoyi evaluated. "Although we haven't been in contact for long, I think he's quite sincere."

Song Yufeng sighed: "I'm just afraid he's too sincere. This world is treacherous."

He thought about it left and right, and feeling his girlfriend's determination, he could only compromise: "Then let's try it. I'll ask around again later. Perhaps Ying Jiadong really has no interest in this anymore."

The bedroom light was turned off.

Yin Baoyi fell asleep quickly.

Song Yufeng in the darkness tossed and turned, closing his eyes only after a very, very long time.

Sigh, the world is treacherous. Little Yu, don't be too sincere.

Yu Xing's business expansion after arriving in Shanghai was very fast.

Within three days, he recruited 7 new interns, hired 1 programmer, rented 2 small offices, and prepared the necessary materials. It could not be called anything but efficient.

This was first and foremost due to the choice of accommodation; there were students looking for work at the Phase VI apartments, and the effect of replicating the Jin Ling experience was also quite outstanding.

Secondly... Seeing Yu Xing really didn't expect Song Yufeng's alcohol tolerance to be as poor as he himself had said. Thus, they opened up to each other, and poaching another programmer could be considered an unexpected joy of planting a nail in NetEase.

Hmm, this reporter involved might still have great use.

Finally, neither the company nor the business was complicated, and everyone could understand them very quickly.

On the afternoon of the third day, Gui'ai Network officially launched its first business in Shanghai's Songjiang University Town, targeting the East China University of Political Science and Law.

"Why start the first station here?" Feng Zongze was puzzled by this.

Seeing Yu Xing gave his reason: "Because they understand the law."

Sure enough, as a political science and law university, when the social survey stall was set up, the first thing Seeing Yu Xing faced was the college students' questioning of whether the business was legal.

"Why is it illegal? Students, whether our contract is valid and whether it complies with civil legal acts depends on three conditions..."

"The actor has the corresponding capacity for civil conduct, the expression of intent is true, and it does not violate the mandatory provisions of laws and administrative regulations, nor does it violate public order and good customs."

"Whether it's you or us, our capacity for conduct is fine, right? Which clause in the contract is hidden? And what mandatory provision have we violated?"

"We are doing a social survey to verify the probability of love and marriage and to conduct long-term data tracking. Finally, the high-value wedding gifts are also to praise love. Where does this not conform to public order and good customs?"

Secondly, Seeing Yu Xing faced the questioning of whether it could be finally redeemed, that is, whether there was the ability to perform the contract.

He gave his explanation: "Students, we are doing a large-scale social survey. When there is enough data from different regions, we will stop accepting new orders, reduce the team size, and lower operating costs. Also, because we have accumulated enough orders in our hands, this can be used to bargain with rose suppliers, which also reduces costs."

"How much does it cost you to buy a rose? Several yuan."

"How much does it cost us to buy thousands of roses? One yuan, or even a few cents."

"There is no need to worry about funds and operations, unless we take the money and run."

Seeing Yu Xing heard the questioning from the surroundings as he said this.

Someone said loudly: "Yeah, what if you take the money and run?"

Seeing Yu Xing looked in the direction of the voice and answered humorously: "Then that would be perfect. Wouldn't our running away be the perfect time for you to show off your skills?"

Those around were students majoring in investigation, public security, law, etc. Hearing such an answer, they couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Seeing Yu Xing took the opportunity to shout loudly: "Absolutely no coercion, absolutely no concealment, absolutely support 7-day no-reason refunds!"

After such an afternoon, Gui'ai Network's debut in Shanghai really achieved some results.

By the second day, the work became simpler. The stall was set up at the University of Foreign Studies, and it also received questioning.

Seeing Yu Xing didn't go to great lengths this time, just took out the orders from yesterday afternoon and said lightly: "Students from Huadong University of Political Science and Law have already placed orders and confirmed there's no problem. What are you still afraid of?"

The questioning then vanished.

The employees were convinced.