Chapter 55

Zhenai. com was studying the business of Gui'ai. com, and likewise, Yu Xing was also studying the current status of Zhenai. com and the others.

None of the three companies were listed yet, but Yu Xing couldn't remember who had successfully listed later. He could only say that if a company had a goal to sprint toward an IPO in the next two years, it would probably be more interested in the new business.

Because the Love Contract has an effect that acts directly on financial reports.

This business can successfully keep most of the revenue funds on the books, and subsequent costs can be pushed to two, three, or even more years later.

With better-looking financial reports before an IPO, the company is easier to list, and the stock price can be higher.

As for the subsequent expenditure of funds when they mature...

List first, then worry about it.

This is somewhat similar to debt rollover, which can effectively improve cash flow, make the statements look healthier, and increase attractiveness to investors. As long as the "Love Contract" can be made to work, its effect is even stronger. After all, the extremely low probability of marriage means the cash really stays in the company.

When Yu Xing was collecting buyer information, he wrote the word "Statement" in his notebook, which could also serve as a preparation angle for potential future negotiations.

Of course, his thinking diverged further. Debt rollover, debt relief, debt conversion, and a series of debt restructuring methods are all very suitable for packaging financial statements, which can make the two very important financial indicators—the current ratio and the quick ratio—look better.

However, excessive use of this approach might violate regulatory requirements. In principle, everyone should be wary of such behavior.

—Financial Statements.

—Zhenai. com, Century Jiayuan.

Yu Xing wrote down the names of two potential buyers in his notebook. Both had rumors of wanting to go public online, especially Zhenai. com, which launched in 2005 and clearly set up a VIE structure in 2006 with the intention of listing overseas.

This VIE structure is the "contractual control" architecture first pioneered by Sina, mainly used by domestic companies to circumvent certain industry restrictions on foreign ownership when listing overseas.

Yu Xing drew a circle around "Zhenai. com" with his pen and looked at the notebook thoughtfully.

Perhaps this is one reason why Zhenai. com was the first to send a quote.

As for Century Jiayuan, there were also rumors, but they were not as concrete as those for Zhenai. com, and now there was no news of any moves regarding the new business.

Yu Xing organized his thoughts on this aspect, wove them into a concise text message, and sent them to the free consulting company employee for review.

However, perhaps she was busy, as there was no reply from Liu Liu Wan Ying for quite a while after the message was sent.

While waiting, Yu Xing acted as an online store customer service representative and incidentally took on part of the marketing tasks for the campus network.

In mid-August, the days were very hot, so the working hours assigned to the employees had been adjusted to run from the afternoon to the evening.

Campus traffic was drying up, and online traffic had reached an inflection point. Fortunately, the transformation to expand into social groups had achieved initial success. At the very least, it could achieve initial success after mixing in some "sand" with the data.

At nine o'clock in the morning, the office of Gui'ai. com welcomed the third-in-command, Zhong Zhong Zhiling.

"Brother Xing, cold drink." Zhong Zhong Zhiling sat next to the senior disciple, handed over the drink, and even diligently helped unscrew the cap.

Yu Xing took a sip and asked casually: "Where is Xiaoying?"

"She went to print some things," Zhong Zhong Zhiling replied with a smile.

Yu Xing glanced at the third-in-command, looking at the smile on his face, and felt a bit suspicious.

"Brother Xing, I've discovered that every customer has to ask this, asking if we can guarantee the redemption." Zhong Zhong Zhiling pointed to the screen. "What else can we say? Who would say their own company doesn't keep its promises? Of course, we all guarantee that it can be redeemed."

Yu Xing nodded and casually replied to the other side: I am the boss, acting as customer service temporarily today. If the company can't redeem it when the time comes, you can come directly to me. Chinese people don't deceive Chinese people.

Zhong Zhong Zhiling looked at this sentence, and before he could speak, he saw the other side send an "OK, then I'll place an order."

He was suddenly speechless.

After a long while, Zhong Zhong Zhiling complained gloomily: "Brother Xing, didn't you tell me to pretend to be a female customer service representative? Why didn't you pretend to be one yourself?"

Yu Xing answered truthfully: "I don't like doing that."

Zhong Zhong Zhiling was dumbfounded: "Do you think I like it?"

Yu Xing said seriously: "I didn't see you object when I said it."

Seeing that the third-in-command was suddenly a bit depressed, he comforted him: "Everyone has their own methods. Don't be too conflicted. We are successful if we can sell the product."

Zhong Zhong Zhiling was silent for a while and said: "Brother Xing, I have reflected on my thinking over the past two days. I believe that treating people with sincerity is very important, and its priority should be even higher. I also want to treat people with sincerity."

Yu Xing blinked and smiled slightly: "Okay, then tell Xiaoying about your debt first, 430,000."

Zhong Zhong Zhiling: "..."

Yu Xing corrected his statement: "Oh no, it's 43 + 1.5 + 2, totaling 465,000."

Zhong Zhong Zhiling was just about to feel miserable when he suddenly realized: "That's not right! I won't even mention the 15,000 borrowed from relatives! Brother Xing, that 20,000 personal loan of mine was borrowed for the company's use!"

When he first consulted on the college student entrepreneurship support policy, he learned there was a 20,000 yuan loan support, and he had applied for it as the legal representative before leaving Jin Ling.

Yu Xing nodded: "Yes, but tell me, is that a debt or not?"

Zhong Zhong Zhiling thought and thought, but in the end, he slumped dejectedly in his chair.

Should he say it now?

Better not. Wouldn't it be better to wait until the company is sold, and then say it, or never say it at all?

This... treating people with sincerity is really hard!!

Yu Xing looked at the third-in-command's performance and nodded slightly in his heart. Lu Lu Haiying was indeed a trustworthy person; she said she would keep it from Zhong Zhong Zhiling, and she really did. Privately, she couldn't help but confront him or let anything slip.

Zhong Zhong Zhiling felt dejected about his thinking and his position for a while, but eventually pulled himself together. Forget it, the current task is to do the work well first; everything else is secondary.

"Brother Xing, if the company is sold, are we really going to mess around with a paparazzi website with Song Song Yufeng?" Zhong Zhong Zhiling asked about future plans.

"To be honest, even if Gui'ai. com is sold, the money might not fully cover our deficit, so we still have to think about how to continue making money." Yu Xing considered and said, "What I told Song Song Yufeng is the truth. Those big companies above have already established their climate. It is really very, very difficult for us to compete with them in the fields they have entered, so we can only do vertical segmentation."

"A workplace paparazzi website is a vertically segmented content."

"There is another consideration of mine in this, but it's not easy to tell you."

"However, 'those things' have a chance of succeeding. The internet workplace is indeed still lacking an ecological niche. You can understand it as a 'paparazzi website,' or you can understand it as an 'industry insider center'."

"However, this is only a chance. As long as we have money in our hands and have gained some experience, we can still do a lot."

"Just before you came, I was also thinking about the trends in the current era and the future period. Besides vertical segmentation, it should also be good for us to do some tool-based things."

Zhong Zhong Zhiling heard a new key point and asked: "Tool-based?"

"Yes." Yu Xing nodded. "Yes, has e-commerce developed quickly over these years?"

Zhong Zhong Zhiling replied immediately: "Fast, very fast!"

Taobao, Dangdang, JD—these were names he had heard since high school, and after entering university, he indeed discovered the joy of online shopping.

Zhong Zhong Zhiling now buys books from Dangdang, bought from Amazon two years ago, and also uses Taobao a lot.

Yu Xing continued to ask: "Then do you think we can do e-commerce? To compete with Taobao, Dangdang, and JD."

Zhong Zhong Zhiling: "Uh..."

At this moment, he felt even more deeply about the statement of vertical segmentation. Since such large fields are already occupied by companies, how can one compete with them when they have capital, resources, and customers?

"It's not that it can't be done, it's just what I said about doing vertical and segmented work, but we still have to guard against them extending their business down as well." Yu Xing talked eloquently. "Just like we are doing the college student Love Contract, there was NetEase before, and now there is Zhenai. com. They didn't do this originally, but they still brought the business over."

Vertical segmentation is not a panacea; it's just that opportunities still exist.

Capital is profit-seeking. As long as there are benefits in an opportunity that make people's hearts move, the giants will naturally kill their way in.

Yu Xing said calmly: "However, the era will change. Those giants are not sitting securely on their thrones; there will still be new opportunities. But we are too weak now. How much money can we get from selling Gui'ai. com? And what resources can we have?"

He shook his head and brought the topic back: "Let's talk about this e-commerce. Since e-commerce is developing so well and is far from over, what do users need?"

Zhong Zhong Zhiling focused his attention.

"They need to compare the prices of different websites." Yu Xing smiled. "This is the tool I'm talking about. We can build a website specifically for comparing the prices of similar products on different websites."

He continued: "It's also not aimed at all users. As long as a small portion of price-sensitive users are willing to use it, this website can survive. Even, if the scale is sufficient, we can directly sell some products on it."

Zhong Zhong Zhiling muttered: "Compare prices?"

This...

Such a tool seems indeed feasible.

He thought for a while and suddenly frowned: "Brother Xing, will such a price comparison website be tolerated by e-commerce companies? If we make it, won't this website easily intensify the competition among e-commerce companies?"

"Whether they tolerate it or not, as long as it's legal, it's fine." Yu Xing smiled. "As for intensifying competition, what does that have to do with us? It serves the users, not the e-commerce companies."

Zhong Zhong Zhiling nodded and silently thought about what the senior disciple had said.

In just this short while, the senior disciple had provided a lot of information: paparazzi websites, insider centers, vertical segmentation, tool-based approaches, price comparison websites, and even... he mentioned era changes.

Zhong Zhong Zhiling thought for a while and felt like he was daydreaming again.

What kind of era changes will there be?

What other opportunities will there be?

The opportunities in the senior disciple's tone seemed to be aimed at the big companies that occupied the ecological niches...

Yu Xing replied to several online store customers. Turning his head, he found the third-in-command still thinking blankly, and said with a smile: "Don't think too much. My meaning is, even if the price Gui'ai. com sells for isn't enough to cover the deficit, we can sell a second 'Gui'ai. com.' If one isn't enough, we'll sell two; if two aren't enough, we'll sell three. We can always fill our deficit."

Just as Zhong Zhong Zhiling was about to speak, footsteps came from outside.

"It's too hot, it's really too hot today." Lu Lu Haiying complained about the weather while walking into the office. "Small companies are better; the business is flexible, and the time is flexible. Otherwise, how could work be carried out in this weather?"

Zhong Zhong Zhiling looked at his girlfriend with a guilty conscience. Had the previous conversation been overheard?

Judging by her reaction, it seemed she hadn't heard it.

Lu Lu Haiying picked up the cold drink she had bought earlier, drank half the bottle, and smiled: "Senior brother, didn't that Song Song Yufeng come today?"

"No, he sent me a text message this morning saying he went to look for offline advertising resources." Yu Xing replied. "He is quite attentive to company matters. You should be careful when you speak in the future."

Lu Lu Haiying said with a smile: "Is he attentive to company matters or attentive to what senior brother says? I really didn't expect that the reporter NetEase sent to interview us would end up working with us..."

And, without taking a salary!

This is too bizarre!

Oh no, what should be bizarre is that he stood up before and angrily confronted his employer. I don't know what the content after the recording is...

Thinking of this, she suddenly asked: "Senior brother, has the recording of Song Song Yufeng after he got drunk been destroyed?"

Zhong Zhong Zhiling heard this question and also turned to look at the senior brother.

Yu Xing said without raising his head: "It's destroyed."

Zhong Zhong Zhiling's expression didn't change, but in his heart, he thought how could it be destroyed? That always counts as a weapon to control people with people.

Lu Lu Haiying also had no unusual expression. Since the senior brother said it was destroyed, then it was destroyed.

She took out the materials she had copied and printed in the morning. Some of them were insights from the past week of developing offline business in Jin Ling, and she was prepared to try them in Shencheng as well. Although the business difficulty was high, they couldn't just stop there.

The working hours of Gui'ai. com were now from 2:30 PM to 9:00 PM. For a time, only the three giants were in the office.

The morning passed quickly. They didn't go out to eat at noon, and the three giants ate their boxed lunches with relish.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, just as Yu Xing was preparing to call the Beijing team, he received another call from Wei Jialan, the Vice President of Zhenai. com.

"Hello, Wei Zong, hello." Yu Xing answered the phone with a smile. "Are you wanting to give me a quote again? Why do you have your eyes on our company?"

Lin Weiwei Jialan had gone to experience the campus in person the day before yesterday, and yesterday she tried adding the product to the existing business at an offline store. The response was slightly better, which made her realize even more the huge difference between the two customer ecosystems.

Therefore, this call today was both to probe the thoughts of the founder of Gui'ai. com and to try to seek answers.

"Yes, if I didn't have my eyes on your company, why would I offer a price? President Yu, I read the content of your interview with Penguin. Shamefully, I didn't consider anything about entrepreneurship at all at your age." Lin Weiwei Jialan exchanged pleasantries. "I am particularly curious, why did you suddenly give up medicine? After all, you were already in your first year of graduate school."

Yu Xing answered casually: "Because I saw that your matchmaking industry makes money. Who doesn't want to make money? It can also be considered lucky. Our current entry point is very good; the acceptance on campus is quite good, and the expansion in society has also been very effective."

Lin Weiwei Jialan felt a jolt in her heart, and then became suspicious. Expansion in society has been very effective? Is he bragging?

How was the expansion achieved given the huge difference between the two customer groups?

She didn't ask this question immediately, but smiled: "Indeed impressive. I heard that President Yu is going to make 10 million in revenue from the campus group in the coming year?"

"Not just campus, it should be said campus plus society. And it can't be said 'make,' only that we will strive toward this goal." Yu Xing said very seriously. "The growth trend of the matchmaking industry is still very strong. I believe Gui'ai. com will become a fast-growing new force."

He added: "Since Zhenai. com has noticed us, and since Wei Zong has called me twice in the past few days, you must want to compete with us. I particularly welcome healthy competition and hope for more guidance from a senior, but there's no need to talk about acquisition."

Lin Weiwei Jialan frowned slightly upon hearing this firm tone.

She was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed and said firmly: "President Yu, there's no need to be so absolute. As far as I know, universities are all on vacation now. It must be very difficult for Gui'ai. com to get new orders on campus, right? That so-called expansion into society of yours is also empty talk."

Yu Xing said amusingly: "Wei Zong, it's strange, why is it empty talk? I have a stack of yesterday's orders right here in my hand. It's too hot today, and several markets haven't started working yet."

Lu Lu Haiying and Zhong Zhong Zhiling looked at the senior brother grabbing at the air in unison, as if he really had a stack of orders.

"President Yu, I am an old hand in the industry. There is an insurmountable chasm between campus and social groups." Lin Weiwei Jialan continued to bluff with a firm tone. "It is not an easy thing for Gui'ai. com to want to transform from campus to society."

Yu Xing laughed and said proudly: "Hey, Wei Zong, it's not that I'm saying this, but you underestimate our team. We are all college students!"

Lin Weiwei Jialan felt a tightness in her heart. Are college students that awesome?

Well, however, Zhenai. com's requirements for employee education are indeed not high...

Even this project was thought of by college student entrepreneurs. Could they have some special training, scripts, or some magic weapon?

Lin Weiwei Jialan did not look down on college students. The existence of differences between the two groups is an objective fact, but there is an even more objective situation from many years of work experience: one must respect reality and respect the market.

If Gui'ai. com has already successfully expanded, or initially successfully expanded, no matter how they expanded, can one deny the existence of the fact?

It was quiet on the phone for about five seconds.

When Lin Weiwei Jialan spoke again, her tone was no longer so firm, but instead clearly probing: "You do have many college students, but I heard that many college students have also resigned."

Yu Xing already felt that Zhenai. com hadn't been idle recently and had a preliminary understanding of Gui'ai. com.

He laughed again: "It's normal to have many resignations. After all, they are college students, so they have to be filtered."

—We are college students!

—After all, they are college students...

College students are so fickle!

How much water is in these words?

Lin Weiwei Jialan was silent.

But she didn't stay silent for too long: "Since President Yu is so confident, Zhenai. com welcomes competition with Gui'ai. com on the same field. I hope everyone can develop healthily in this industry."

Yu Xing agreed readily: "Definitely, definitely. I hope to have a chance to meet and chat with Wei Zong."

The call ended.

Seeing this, Lu Haiying asked: "Did Zhenai. com give a new quote?"

Yu Xing shook his head: "No, it was mostly probing."

Zhong Zhong Zhiling wiped his sweat: "Brother Xing, your words were full of water..."

He reached his right hand into the air, replicating the senior brother's action when he was on the phone.

Yu Xing got up from his chair and paced in the office, deliberating: "It's not that easy to sell the company, and it's even less easy to sell it for a good price. I don't know if these companies are going to Jin Ling for a meeting in September. If we could talk directly to the top management, it might be better."

Zhong Zhiling said "Hmm": "Only Zhenai. com has called so far. Century Jiayuan and Baihe. com haven't made any moves. I don't know if they are..."

Before he finished speaking, a strange number appeared on Yu Xing's phone. Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

The call was from Xue Xue Xiaoyuan, the director of Century Shiji Jiayuan.

After stating his identity and exchanging brief pleasantries, he stated his purpose: "President Yu, we at Century Shiji Jiayuan are quite interested in your company."

Yu Xing gave a simple answer directly: "Zhenai. com offered 500,000. How much are you offering?"

Xue Xue Xiaoyuan was stunned, as if there was no need to offer a price.

Yu Xing knew the price couldn't be higher than that without hearing the other side's answer, so he took the opportunity to say: "I didn't talk to Vice President Wei Jialan of Zhenai. com because I don't intend to sell the company. Director Xue doesn't need to talk about this either."

He pointed out the name of the Zhenai. com executive to increase credibility.

Xue Xue Xiaoyuan naturally knew who the senior management of his peers were. After thinking for a moment, he said: "Okay, President Yu is straightforward. I hope we have opportunities for cooperation in the future."

Another call from a competitor ended.

"Bad news, Century Shiji Jiayuan's valuation of our company isn't high either, also under 500,000." Yu Xing smiled after putting down his phone. "Good news, we have one more buyer, so we still have value."

Lu Haiying and Zhong Zhiling nodded in unison. The million in revenue and the ten-million goal were all watered down, and Zhenai. com and Century Jiayuan were obviously unwilling to be easily taken for a ride, expressing some interest but also carrying caution toward the new company.

"Alright, get ready to work. We achieved the Jin Ling experience in Jin Ling; now let's see if we can achieve the Shanghai experience in Shanghai." Yu Xing put away his phone and boosted morale, striving to truly develop social group customers.

Perhaps it wasn't enough effort, as they really didn't get any.

By nine o'clock in the evening, Yu Xing received reports from the other two places.

Zhong Zhong Zhiling: Brother Xing, I didn't get any orders today. How many did you get?

Lu Lu Haiying: Senior brother, I, uh, didn't convert any orders today. How many do you have?

0+0+0=0.

The three giants of Gui'ai. com led the team to a score of 0.

Fortunately, other groups saved a little face for the company, managing to get 5 orders.

In one day, 43 people from the Gui'ai. com Shanghai headquarters were on duty, totaling 5 orders.

Yu Xing laughed on the way back.

Damn, did I use up all my luck today receiving the call from Century Shiji Jiayuan!

Or was it the backlash from the water in my own words!

But he thought again, since he didn't get any orders himself, it wasn't bad to have these 5 orders.

The second-in-command and third-in-command were also a bit low in their emotions on the phone, while the other employees were... okay.

However, those two had ways to comfort each other, while Yu Xing could only lie alone on the hard bed in his apartment. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep, worrying about the orders, when his phone suddenly received Liu Liu Wan Ying's long-delayed reply.

Liu Liu Wan Ying gave praise: Yu Xing, very impressive. Looking at the problem from the perspective of an IPO, you really have the perspective of a senior executive.

She seemed to have finished her work and quickly sent a second message: Such a bargaining chip can definitely move your buyers, because Gui'ai. com already has proof of performance. Even if it's just campus orders, it's still a good cash inflow on the financial statement.

Yu Xing felt comforted from afar. Even if the expansion was ineffective today, with campus performance, the value was there.

He turned on his side and replied: Look at the cat.

Liu Liu Wan Ying was just about to send a third message praising Yu Xing's senior executive thinking when she received the reply out of the blue and was so angry she laughed.

You bastard...

She calmed her breath, just about to send a photo of the black cat, when she suddenly, on a whim, clicked on a photo of her legs. But just as she was about to send it, she replaced it, adding the caption: Its name is Jerry, cute, right?

The reply came three seconds later.

Yu Xing: Cute, good night.

Liu Liu Wan Ying didn't reply again. Bastard, I even praised his thinking; this "good night" is too cold!

That Yu Xing from Gui'ai. com, how much of what he says is true and how much is false?

Lin Weiwei Jialan arrived at the office early in the morning, still pondering the communication with Gui'ai. com yesterday. If the company could have one more potential business, the benefits would be many, but one also had to prevent being played.

Do college students have tricks?

Hmm, they can no longer be seen as ordinary college students; that is an entrepreneur aiming for ten million in revenue.

Lin Weiwei Jialan adjusted her mindset, poured a cup of tea, and habitually stood by the window looking out at the city scenery outside the company.

The next second, she froze. An advertisement for "Gui'ai. com" had appeared on the billboard opposite the company!

Good grief, who is trying to acquire whom?

Lin Weiwei Jialan called the marketing director over, somewhat angrily, and demanded that they immediately find a way to remove the competitor's advertisement. In this short while, she had already seen that it wasn't just on the billboard.

"I don't know how long they've been running it; this has to be... asked about." Marketing Director Mo Lingwei was a bit hesitant.

"If you can't squeeze it out, find someone to spray it with paint at night, or find someone to cover the words with small advertisements!" Lin Weiwei Jialan frowned. "Do I still need to teach you? This is practically sticking the ad on my office door!"

Mo Lingwei nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, Wei Zong, I'll find someone to handle it right away."

Lin Weiwei Jialan let out a breath and stood by the window again, staring at the three characters "Gui'ai. com."

Heh, young people are indeed full of vigor. Yu Xing's entrepreneurial drive has actually reached my doorstep!