Chapter 73: 071 Invitation

Night fell, and a gentle evening breeze blew.

Sitting on the curb of Shuiximen Street, one could almost feel the coolness drifting from Mo Chou Lake.

Yu Xing tilted his head and drained half a chilled beer; the crisp, refreshing chill sliding down his throat seemed to sweep away all internal heat—but occasional car headlights reflected in his eyes stirred the ambition buried beneath countless thoughts.

Thud!

“Beer’s here!”

Zhong Zhiling set down a crate of beer and handed his senior a newly bought pack of cigarettes.

Yu Xing passed out cigarettes: one each to the second-in-command and third-in-command, one to the designated legal representative—the hard bone—and none to the third shareholder’s second-in-command.

Dinner had already been eaten; after gathering, no one felt like eating again, but a few beers under the evening breeze, followed by a light review, was still necessary.

“2.635 million.”

Yu Xing repeated the price once more.

Unlike his initial announcement upon meeting, he now explained the details thoroughly.

“Baihe.com offered 2.4 million; Mu Yan probably left room for further negotiation. Shiji Jiayuan offered 2.88 million; Gong Haiyan asked me to continue leading the team in operations. Zhen’ai.com’s 2.635 million binds me for only three months.”

“After three months, I’m free. I’ve calculated the timing—it’ll be just right to spend the New Year before getting back to work. Not bad.”

Yu Xing outlined the lightning-fast background behind tonight’s deal.

“It’s funny how Zhen’ai.com came up with such a precise number,” Song Yufeng chuckled.

Yu Xing glanced at the second- and third-in-command; Lu Haiying smiled, while Zhong Zhiling flickered with surprise.

He explained: “Li Song offered a round 2.6 million. I asked him to add 35,000—this is a dedicated fund to repay Zhong Zhiling’s outstanding debt.”

Song Yufeng roughly understood the situation.

Lu Haiying nodded, unsurprised—her senior was always this honest with people.

Zhong Zhiling froze completely.

After a moment, he still couldn’t believe it: “This money?”

Yu Xing smiled: “Don’t you need it?”

“I—I…” Zhong Zhiling felt a storm of emotions inside.

Someone like his senior…

His senior was always strictly professional in business, used personal matters to support official ones, and kept everything neatly separated!

Over these past three months of co-founding the company, Zhong Zhiling had been led by his senior into a world he’d never imagined, deeply impressed by his actions and methods.

Yet precisely this man, at the final moment of achieving the company’s goal, added 35,000 for him!

Is this about 35,000?

This is… my senior cares for me!

Zhong Zhiling gripped his beer can and stood up abruptly: “Xing Ge! I won’t say a word—I toast you!”

All this manipulation—my senior controls me because he wants what’s best for me!

All this broken promise—my senior deceives me to teach me!

Yu Xing grinned and clinked his can with his junior’s: “These three months weren’t easy. Now we have a result I can explain to anyone—especially Zhong Zhiling, who was the first to follow me and gave support in every way possible, however it came.”

Zhong Zhiling had already downed his beer in one gulp; hearing this, he immediately declared: “Xing Ge, from now on, if you say east, I won’t go west!”

Yu Xing waved his hand: “No need for that. We still need to cover each other’s blind spots. This time was also just lucky.”

Song Yufeng heard “luck” again but stayed silent.

Lu Haiying asked seriously: “Xing Ge, did you meet each person once and immediately agree to Zhen’ai.com’s price?”

Yu Xing nodded: “Yes. There might still have been room to negotiate—Mu Yan called me after I finalized with Li Song, furious I didn’t push further. The price gap between them wasn’t huge.”

“But Zhen’ai.com was the first to approach us and the first to quote. Today, when I met Li Song, Wei Jialan was present too—their overall attitude felt genuinely serious.”

Yu Xing reflected further: “Still, I was eager to sell the company quickly, so tonight I acted too hastily. I threw out Baihe.com and Shiji Jiayuan’s prices right away.”

All three fell silent, listening intently.

Yu Xing frowned: “I thought with those two prices on the table, Zhen’ai.com would just add a little more, and I’d seal the deal. But when Li Song heard my quote, he just… stayed silent.”

“Not only did he stay silent—he leaned back slightly.”

Yu Xing mimicked the motion, pulling his upper body back: “Usually, that’s a sign of resistance or caution. I don’t know if that’s what Li Song meant, but he definitely didn’t do what I expected—raise a price higher than the competitors.”

One offered 2.4 million, another 2.88 million—just add a little and you win easily.

But he didn’t add. He didn’t react.

Yu Xing reflected: “I thought I was handing him a gift, but he didn’t take it—he suspected a trap. So, never rush in business.”

His original target price was around 2 million; selling within that range would’ve been fine. But when he met Li Song, the offer had already far exceeded expectations, and under pressure from questions about the data, his actions became distorted.

Zhong Zhiling felt as if he’d been there himself, wiped sweat, took another sip, and asked nervously: “So how did you finally reach an agreement?”

“Liu Qiangdong from JD.com called me, interrupting our conversation,” Yu Xing gripped his beer can. “He saw media reports of my daytime statements, thought they were impressive, and invited me to join JD. But JD’s major investor, Xu Xin, is Li Song’s wife.”

“So that added another layer of endorsement—Ma Zhuan thought I was good, Liu Qiangdong thought I was good, so maybe I really was.”

“We talked a bit about JD, adjusted the terms slightly, and that’s how the deal was finalized.”

Yu Xing sipped his beer, his mood complex: “Thinking back, we’ve had it tough.”

Song Yufeng chimed in: “If Li Song hadn’t bought, we could’ve gone back to Mu Yan or Gong Haiyan.”

“Haha, yes, there was still some room to maneuver—but I don’t know what conditions they’d offer the second time around. Would Mu Yan raise his offer? Would Gong Haiyan release me from her binding?” Yu Xing smiled. “Still, this is a good outcome.”

Song Yufeng had to admit: “Extremely good!”

Lu Haiying nodded firmly—before the meeting, the highest offer had been 1.3 million; after two days of talks, it had jumped to 2.635 million—doubled! The increase was staggering!

Zhong Zhiling added: “Liu Qiangdong called because of your own performance today, Xing Ge.”

“Exactly. I should reflect a bit, but overall, our three months of hard work weren’t wasted.” Yu Xing raised his beer can. “Thank you all—and thank our new employer. Cheers!”

All four drank.

“Will we have targets during these three months at Zhen’ai.com?” Zhong Zhiling asked after finishing his beer.

“No. I made it clear with Li Song—we don’t have to work.” Yu Xing smiled. “Think from Li Song’s perspective: this expense isn’t huge. He bought us, that’s it. For these three months, we’ll just improve our own website. When the time’s up…”

A new website needed a sacrificial offering, especially one like Baixiaosheng with its niche positioning—and the original plan had been to make a name for ourselves in the online dating industry.

Song Yufeng wanted to ask if the plan had changed, but seeing the fleeting, icy look in Yu Xing’s eyes, he knew the answer.

“I wonder if this can be written into the contract,” Zhong Zhiling mused. “We should pay attention when signing.”

Yu Xing grunted: “No problem—I recorded all our conversations on my phone.”

Song Yufeng stiffened. Hmm…

Yu Xing glanced at the hard bone and explained: “It’s better to be cautious.”

Zhong Zhiling nodded: “Right!”

“Business data, tax records, future market expansion plans, urban customer surveys…” Yu Xing instructed. “All of this must be handed over to Zhen’ai.com as thoroughly as possible.”

Zhong Zhiling understood and nodded.

“Come on, pass out the beers—we’ll walk along the street.” Yu Xing reached for the beer. “Feng Ge, I’ve got some ideas about the website setup and operations I need to discuss with you.” Song Yufeng perked up—he knew Yu Zong had been holding back, and now that the company was sold, he was finally ready to get serious.

Fewer cars passed by; the city’s noise faded.

The four sat by the intersection, walked along the street, and stood chatting at the hotel entrance.

Unlike the constant pressure before, tonight’s conversation was unusually relaxed.

“It’s late. Let’s rest. Tomorrow, we’ll finalize everything about the company.” Yu Xing checked his phone—it was already too late.

Zhong Zhiling took two steps, grabbed his senior’s hand, and shook it vigorously: “Thank you, Senior.”

Yu Xing smiled faintly and corrected: “Don’t call me Senior. You’re just the third-in-command.”

Though he knew it was a joke, Zhong Zhiling was speechless—only the second-in-command could use that title, right?

“You go ahead. I’ll make one more call.” Yu Xing smiled at the three, planning to contact their angel investor and share the good news.

The three bid farewell, took the elevator upstairs, and prepared for a good rest.

Song Yufeng, while they were still together, whispered to Lu Haiying: “Lu Haiying, do you think Xing Ge really destroyed my earlier recording?”

Zhong Zhiling heard the question and thought: You asked the right person.

As expected, Lu Haiying answered without hesitation: “Destroyed!”

If their senior said it was destroyed, it was destroyed.

Song Yufeng relaxed and smiled: “Actually, I didn’t say anything too outlandish that day—just complained about colleagues. That’s not good.”

Zhong Zhiling glanced at the hard bone and said: “Yeah, no need to explain.”

Song Yufeng felt awkward—the one who respected him least among the three was Zhong Zhiling! He loved being sarcastic! Why not just insult me outright like Xing Ge does?

“Bye, see you tomorrow.”

Song Yufeng waved cheerfully.

Zhong Zhiling and Lu Haiying had to go up another floor; they both waved goodbye to Song Yufeng.

Once inside the room, Zhong Zhiling chuckled: “This Song Yufeng… really…”

Lu Haiying replied kindly: “People change. They grow. Don’t believe me? Look at yourself—you don’t have to cling to the past.”

Zhong Zhiling fell silent, then nodded.

He sat on the bed, stared blankly for a while, then rubbed his face: “I never thought my senior would remember that extra loan I took…”

Lu Haiying didn’t lecture him about honesty—she just smiled: “That’s why he’s the Senior.”

She took a few steps and caught sight of Yu Xing on the street below, still on the phone. With full confidence, she said: “The Senior won’t be satisfied with this. In fact, I think this gossip website isn’t even his final goal.”

Zhong Zhiling grunted—he agreed with the second-in-command.

He rose and walked to the window, looking down at the man below, thinking only one thought: My Senior treats me like this—how can I repay him?

…

"The company really got sold? Wow, Yu Xing, you’ve truly become impressive."

At midnight, Liu Wan received a call from Yu Xing and was deeply astonished by the latest news.

Although she had originally suggested turning the company into a commodity, she never imagined it could reach this level three months ago.

Theory is theory, practice is practice—there are countless pitfalls between the two.

In the end, Yu Xing not only crossed over, but achieved an excellent result.

"So, Sister Ying, have you seriously considered my offer to you?" Yu Xing brought it up again, this time with even greater urgency.

Liu Wan smiled: "Selling the company gives you confidence, doesn’t it? You’re speaking with such assurance now."

Yu Xing denied it: "I’m not confident because I sold the company—I invited you before I sold it."

"Then is it because of your conversation with Ma Chuan that you’re confident?" Liu Wan asked with a laugh.

Yu Xing was surprised: "You saw the report too?"

Liu Wan admitted: "Yes, it was basically an industry summit, and with the financial crisis still fresh, everyone was curious. Your remarks stood out—truly stood out."

Yu Xing teased: "I’m still the same person. After speaking with a big shot, everyone suddenly upgrades my abilities, huh? You’re all so fixated on appearances."

"That’s how it is, Boss Yu," Liu Wan explained. "I don’t think my insight or acumen compares to Ma Chuan’s. If even he sees no problem and fully agrees, then it means I underestimated you—not that I’m blinded by bias."

Yu Xing was surprised: "Huh, that actually makes some sense."

"Of course, Boss Yu, you’re impressive—now you’ve got money to play with, so you’re even more impressive," Liu Wan laughed. "But the more impressive you become, the better—I want my investment in Baixiaosheng to become a truly legendary Baixiaosheng."

"Baixiaosheng is a weapon that can stir public opinion. If you give it the right cultivation method, it can surely turn the tides," Yu Xing invited again. "Sister Ying, I formally invite you to build a short-selling institution."

Liu Wan sighed: "With just two million from selling your company?"

"It’s not just two million," Yu Xing said seriously. "Aren’t you holding onto some money yourself?"

Liu Wan was both annoyed and amused: "So this is your real goal? Isn’t investing in your website enough?"

"Sister Ying, I haven’t finished. I now have a suspected target," Yu Xing offered his lure. "Today I met the CEO of Focus Media. Out of curiosity, I took a quick look at the company’s data—its stock price has been falling, but this year Fosun made a major purchase, along with several other moves."

Liu Wan was startled—not by the target itself, but by how quickly Yu Xing had picked it.

She ran through what she’d heard: "What does that prove? This isn’t unusual."

"So I’m just suspicious—I’ll verify it," Yu Xing said seriously. "A company usually runs smoothly without problems, but once it hits setbacks, issues may surface—or it might take desperate risks."

Liu Wan frowned deeply.

After a long pause, she commented: "Too far-fetched. Go verify it then—you’ve got money and time."

"But I lack a capable, reliable person to run the institution," Yu Xing said seriously. "I want someone with ability, trustworthiness, some capital—and who always wears sexy lipstick and loves cats like I do."

Liu Wan found it funnier and finally asked: "Do you really love cats?"

A flicker of guilt crossed Yu Xing’s face, then he firmly said: "Yes, I love cats the most."

"Alright, Boss Yu, you’re a successful man now—go verify it. Didn’t you sign a three-month indenture?" Liu Wan laughed. "If you find clear problems, then I’ll… I’ll give it a try."

Yu Xing smiled: "Liu Wan, it’s a deal!"

Liu Wan was suddenly called by her full name—it felt strangely odd. She replied irritably: "It’s a deal."

"Alright, rest now. I’ll finish up the last details of Guiai.com—I already have some verification ideas," Yu Xing said finally. "If I spot anything, I’ll let you know. Good night, Sister Ying."

Liu Wan hung up, holding her phone, shaking her head. Boss Yu was probably a bit inflated—but that was only natural.

Yet as she put down her phone, a sudden thought struck her: Wait, why does this situation feel so familiar?

Last time she made a deal with that Yu guy—she’d promised to sell her stocks and invest in him if they dropped 20%… and what happened?

She lost the stock bet last time—could she lose this time on her job?

Liu Wan took a deep breath, shook off the thought, and flung herself onto the bed, convinced that nothing serious would likely happen.

(End of Chapter)