Chapter 45: 044 Use Everything to Its Full Potential (10,000 Characters for Monthly Votes)

Song Yufeng’s bones must harden, but his body has already gone soft.

The course of events was completely different from what he imagined.

He thought Gui’ai Network had suffered, but it was himself who had been crushed.

He thought Yu Xing was naive, but it turned out Yu Xing was the most seasoned of them all.

He had known the truth since that drunken night, yet he still drove him home, even agreed to help his girlfriend find a job—granting her equity and a side income in online marketing.

From that day until now, over half a month had passed, yet he had remained silent—until…

As Song Yufeng looked back, he saw calculation, depth, experience—and damn it, all of it had ruined him!

He had listened to the recording and agreed to the terms.

Song Yufeng suddenly felt liberated.

“Yu Xing, Yu Xing, I truly underestimated you. But even if I do speak out, your company can’t beat NetEase.”

“What kind of company is this? It’s barely been a month—you can’t win.”

“If all else fails, just sell your company to NetEase!”

Song Yufeng said two things and suddenly found a way to save himself.

If he spoke out, he’d lose his job, and the industry would view him differently.

If he didn’t speak out, it would be even worse…

But if NetEase bought Gui’ai Network, it would solve Yu Xing’s problem—and rescue his own career.

“If NetEase were willing to buy, they wouldn’t just copy us without even asking,” Yu Xing saw clearly. “Even if they truly wanted to buy, how much would they offer now? To get NetEase to pay—or to sell your company for a good price—you need to make this hard bone burn first.”

In Song Yufeng’s mind, a little voice kept screaming “finished,” but he shook his head hard and suddenly asked: “Yu Xing, if I refuse, will you really release the recording?”

Yu Xing gave him a strange look and said bluntly: “Journalist, how can you still be so naive? What else would I do? My company can’t survive—why should I care about your fate?”

Song Yufeng spoke weakly: “You’re not really caring about my fate either.”

“Some deaths are disgraceful,” Yu Xing said. “Some deaths are glorious. As a journalist, you took my transportation fee, then turned around and sold my project to others—and how much of that marketing fee did you pocket?”

Song Yufeng swallowed hard and stayed silent, unwilling to leave more evidence.

Yu Xing didn’t press further, only dropped that hint and sneered: “In short, you just think we’re easy to bully, that small companies have no voice, that college students have no ability—even if you’d just come ask us?”

Song Yufeng sighed: “Who would ask you? Would asking even get you to agree?”

“Correct, I don’t agree!” Yu Xing declared firmly. “But is it wrong for me to disagree?”

Song Yufeng had nothing to say.

It wasn’t wrong—Gui’ai Network and Yu Xing weren’t wrong. The company’s actions… well, the industry does this everywhere.

He felt a pang of sorrow, watching Yu Xing finally rise from his seat. He asked: “Can I go now?”

“Go ahead. Tell Yin Baoyi we’ll work to make her equity more valuable.” Yu Xing slung the bag of cash over his shoulder.

Song Yufeng thought this was sarcasm. After a few seconds of silence, he said: “I’ll have her tear up the contract when I get back.”

“Why tear it up? I said 1.5%—it’s 1.5%.” Yu Xing shook his head. “I’m not going to steal that little money. Do you think everyone acts like your cultured types?”

Song Yufeng finally fired back: “Yes, you don’t act like a cultured person—you just use recordings to blackmail.”

Yu Xing smiled at this journalist he’d known nearly a month, not angry at all.

He invited: “I’m hungry. We’re going to eat—come with us?”

Song Yufeng stared at this deep, calculating entrepreneur, and suddenly a vague resentment rose in him. He answered without thinking: “Fine! Let’s eat!”

Yu Xing was slightly surprised, but didn’t mind.

Night had fully fallen.

Yu Xing and Lu Haiying didn’t indulge in excess; they picked a small restaurant, each taking calls to handle matters in between.

Only Song Yufeng, lost between thoughts of his job and the coercion he’d endured, ignored his girlfriend’s calls entirely.

“Stop looking so gloomy,” Yu Xing noticed his expression and advised. “Your company came to crush me—I’m not gloomy. Why should you be?”

“Right, with me as the torch lighting your way, why should you be gloomy?” Song Yufeng sighed. “After this job, I’ll never survive in this industry again.”

Yu Xing smiled warmly: “What? You media people—too clean, too righteous—and that’s why you can’t survive?”

Song Yufeng said nothing. When the food arrived, he suddenly snapped: “Don’t pretend to be pure! You gave me transportation fees yourself!”

“What else could I do, Brother Feng? You always stand by your own position, your company’s position. You think the industry does it this way, so your company’s actions are fine. You think transportation fees are an unwritten rule, so you take them.” Yu Xing laughed bitterly. “So it’s only fair that we suffer? That we must pay more and stay silent after being innovated upon?”

He tapped his chopsticks against the dish: “Brother Feng, what else do you expect me to do?”

Yu Xing fell into memory, shaking his head sadly: “When I heard your drunken words, wasn’t I shocked and furious too? Wasn’t I afraid? But I had no choice—I could only protect myself, protect my company.”

His words were heartfelt.

But Song Yufeng only stared at this man, helplessly seeking the truth: “Did you manipulate me back then?”

Yu Xing rolled his eyes: “Don’t overthink it. It’s done. Whatever happens—whether we grow big or sell the company—we’ll give Yin Baoyi the promised 1.5%. And your marketing fee? I won’t pursue it. Consider it settled.”

Song Yufeng fell silent, ate and drank mechanically, even feeling a sudden urge to drink.

But remembering the consequences of his last drunken night, he hated alcohol again.

As dinner neared its end, Song Yufeng weighed his options and realized he had only one path left. He put down his chopsticks and asked: “Yu Xing, how should I write it? I’m good at writing articles.”

Yu Xing’s eyes lit up: “Brother Feng, you finally understand what to do. Write a piece attacking and countering NetEase—from our perspective. Add that pure, naive outrage of college students—something like…”

Song Yufeng thought: “Black and white?”

“Exactly!” Yu Xing nodded. “First, lay out the logic clearly. Then amplify the feeling of grassroots fighting giants.”

Song Yufeng slowly nodded, thinking it over—he now understood the client’s needs.

Yu Xing added: “Once our manifesto is published, you emerge as a repentant figure. That’ll validate our claims—you’re the interviewer, a NetEase employee—you can quickly help the story spread. Not right after we post, though. Wait a day or two.”

“Understood. Let the story simmer, then I’ll give it a push,” Song Yufeng realized his role as the torch.

Yu Xing noticed how smoothly this man had shifted his thinking.

A moment later, Song Yufeng offered another idea: “What if, before I speak out, I make a scene at the company? I publicly reprimand Yin Baodong, condemn his actions, condemn his team’s behavior.”

Yu Xing gave him a surprised look—was he thinking for himself?

Song Yufeng felt the weight of that gaze and finally spoke with new confidence: “My bones can be harder than you imagine.”

Yu Xing beamed: “Yes, yes! That’s the spirit, Brother Feng—keep it up.”

“Don’t call me Brother Feng. Call me Brother.” Song Yufeng’s tone was complex. “Brother Xing, you really will destroy that recording, right?”

“Of course,” Yu Xing said seriously. “I Yu Xing keep my word. Besides, after you do this, you can’t stay at NetEase—what threat does that recording hold for you?”

Song Yufeng said cautiously: “I’m afraid you still have other recordings that insult my character.”

Yu Xing thought for a moment: “I’ll give you a USB drive later. Listen to it yourself. There’s nothing else.”

Song Yufeng finally felt a little relieved.

“Brother Feng, I don’t want you to do anything extreme. I have no grudge against you,” Yu Xing declared now. “I just want to grow the company. Go home tonight and think—write my true anger into your article.”

He signaled his second-in-command to settle the bill.

Song Yufeng, still professional about his work, asked the client: “For example?”

“For example, even if NetEase claims co-innovation, they could’ve changed the reward—no need for roses. They could’ve used diamond rings, gold, anything romantic—even cash.” Yu Xing frowned. “That’s the real core. As long as the final reward far exceeds the order price, it works.”

He spread his hands: “But they didn’t change a thing—not even the name. So arrogant.”

Standing with the college startup team’s perspective, Song Yufeng couldn’t help but nod—yes, it was arrogant indeed.

“They think a big brand name alone can crush us?” Yu Xing sneered proudly. “They never imagined we have hard bones.”

Song Yufeng: “…”

He couldn’t feel proud at all.

“That’s it, Brother Feng. Send me your draft. Then we’ll pick the right timing. You’ll help us connect with online marketing resources. After that, make your scene at the company—and finally reveal the truth.” Yu Xing stood, giving his final instructions.

Listening to all the “you’s,” Song Yufeng felt more important than ever before.

The three stood outside the small restaurant.

Song Yufeng lingered, reluctant to return to his bleak future.

“Brother Feng, good luck to us,” Yu Xing extended his right hand.

Song Yufeng’s emotions had been turbulent all night. He sighed and extended his hand: “Yu Xing, don’t call me Brother Feng. Just call me by my name—I’m more comfortable that way.”

Yu Xing shook his hand vigorously and grinned: “OK, call me Manager Yu.”

Song Yufeng looked at the young entrepreneur before him—his methods, his depth, his experience—and sincerely said: “Manager Yu, farewell.”

Yu Xing released his hand and watched the journalist disappear from view.

“The recording really worked,” Lu Haiying said beside him.

“Social death is painful, but this case is different. If NetEase hadn’t broken the story first, even if they’d launched the same dating service, no one would’ve thought much of it.” Yu Xing turned to his second-in-command. “So really, it was your connection that worked.”

Lu Haiying humbly said, "No, it should be said that Zhi Ling went in better."

Originally, it was Zhong Zhiling who had been caught off guard, leading Yu Xing and Lu Haiying to try using media pressure to draw the school’s attention—and that “attempt” had drawn NetEase’s reporter Song Yufeng right to them.

Only then had today’s cooperation become possible.

It was fate—like dew meeting autumn wind.

Lu Haiying walked beside Yu Xing and asked: “Can we push this online?”

“Tencent might be interested. Their reputation in this area isn’t good—they’d probably love to drag someone else down.” Yu Xing said casually. “I asked Sister Ying to help connect with Tencent’s resources. I’ll prepare more transportation fees—then have Song Yufeng give them an interview.”

Lu Haiying realized this was about squeezing every last drop of use from him.

After walking a while, she asked: “Will NetEase consider acquiring us to salvage their reputation?”

“Unlikely. We still need to find an opening with the other three—Jiayuan and the rest. But companies aren’t easy to sell.” Yu Xing said offhandedly. “Most of our cash is tied up in employee payouts. Our users all expect redemption. Those companies would only buy a brand name. If you were them, how much would you pay for such a brand?”

Lu Haiying now genuinely considered the buyer’s perspective—it really wouldn’t be worth much.

“Good thing those three are competitors—we still have room to maneuver.” Yu Xing stopped walking. “NetEase can carry our sedan. The publicity window in August is crucial. If we can’t cash out at a high point in September or October, we’ll face all kinds of problems.”

Gui’ai Network was built by force, its revenue inflated by reckless profit-sharing. Rules and compliance? They’d only grow more problematic over time.

Lu Haiying murmured, “NetEase is truly important.”

Yu Xing smiled: “Do you know how I felt when I heard NetEase was entering the market? It was like coming home, opening the door, and finding Tang Sanzang sitting in the pot himself!”

Lu Haiying thought her senior’s analogy was vivid; she savored what she had seen and heard that day, carefully studying and absorbing the operational insights from her senior’s words and actions.

For now, Jin Ling would be handled by colleagues; what happened in Shanghai was more critical.

However, Lu Haiying did not wait long—Song Yufeng, as a professional journalist, was highly capable; by the next day, he had sent over the denunciatory manifesto. Whether due to self-identification or not, the content brimmed with righteous fury, its prose heart-wrenching and deeply moving.

The only difficulty lay in the title.

In the end, after discussion between Yu Xing and Song Yufeng, the first article published on the campus network was titled—NetEase Rides Our Innovation, Penguin Stands Still, Who Can Challenge Us?