Chapter 779 600 Billion! China's Cash King! Mr. Ma, don't misunderstand, I'm not involved in monopolies!
On January 27, Orange Pay once again secured the title sponsorship of the Spring Festival Gala program. Just like last year, it will send out password-protected red envelopes to users on the eve of the Lunar New Year.
At this time, Orange Pay had accumulated over 800 million registered users, making it the largest electronic payment software in China.
Leveraging its market influence last year, as soon as the news was announced, dozens of food, clothing, cosmetics, and digital home appliance brands proactively contacted OrangePay's marketing department, hoping to place advertisements on the cover of the password-protected red envelopes.
What was originally a Spring Festival Gala sponsorship deal was transformed by Orange Payment into a "general contractor → subcontractor" business model.
However, Zhang Yinjia of Orange Pay doesn't actually care about the hundreds of millions of yuan difference in advertising fees. He is more concerned about the product's daily active users, the length and depth of users' app usage, and the accumulation and returns of user funds.
He spent 94 million yuan to buy the naming rights, and the advertising fees he received reached 440 million yuan. He simply raised 60 million yuan and announced that Orange Pay would distribute 500 million yuan in cash red envelopes.
CCTV was immediately dissatisfied when it saw that the advertising revenue paid by Orange far exceeded the revenue it received from the naming rights.
After discussions among several senior executives, it was decided to revise the cooperation model next year. In the future, if anyone wants to place advertisements on electronic red envelopes, they must hand over the funds to CCTV for allocation.
In their view, Orange Pay only invested less than 100 million yuan, but collected a whopping 440 million yuan, which is extremely unfair!
Chen Yansen had connections at CCTV and soon received a related recording, leaving him both amused and exasperated.
After muttering a curse under his breath about being a "little cutie," he immediately called a video conference to inform Fang Xiang, Liang Bo, Mao Chaorong, Zhang Yinjia, and others that they would not be buying the Spring Festival Gala sponsorship rights next year, but instead would be renting out the entire performance hall to create a New Year's Eve gala exclusively for the group.
Damn it, they make dumplings every year, they make dumplings at the drop of a hat, Mr. Chen has had enough!
Moreover, the price of the Spring Festival Gala naming rights has been rising year after year. Last year it was only 54 million yuan, but this year it has soared to 94 million yuan, and the other party still has the attitude of "selling it too cheaply".
In any case, Orange Pay is already a national-level app, and most first-time smartphone users will download it. Relying solely on natural traffic, it adds no less than 200,000 new users every day, so there is no need to rely on the Spring Festival Gala for user acquisition.
The following day, the Asberba Stock Exchange in Abyssinia officially opened for business.
This is the second time Abyssinia has established a securities exchange association and stock exchange since the stock exchange was closed in the 1970s.
The first batch of companies that submitted listing materials are mostly related to light industry, covering fields such as rice, flour, cooking oil, clothing, agricultural and sideline products, and fertilizers.
From the outside, these companies are mostly branch factories of multinational corporations with limited investment value, but for the locals, they are closely related to their daily lives, so the investment enthusiasm is high.
That afternoon, Chen Yansen flew to Davos to attend the latest economic forum.
As in previous years, Li Qingsong will lead the team this time.
However, Chinese entrepreneurs have clearly felt that in recent years, the influence and voice of Chinese businesses in the international arena have been gradually increasing.
Previously, apart from Chen Yansen, Ren Zhongfei, Ma Liyun, Ma Wenteng, and others, other Chinese entrepreneurs were virtually unknown.
Even when they travel abroad with the delegation, overseas entrepreneurs have no interest in them, neither paying attention to their companies and products nor inviting them to private business parties.
This year, European and American businessmen have begun to actively learn about business leaders in China's home appliance, machinery manufacturing, and finance sectors.
Everyone knows that all these changes are due to Chen Yansen and his Senlian Group.
It is precisely because of the prominent "business card" of Senlian Group that other Chinese businessmen have been able to benefit from it.
After arriving in Davos, Chen Yansen and Song Yuncheng checked in and headed straight to a nearby ski resort.
For Chen Yansen, attending the forum was secondary; the main purpose was to go on vacation.
At the Klosters ski resort, Chen Yansen adjusted his ski bindings, leaned forward slightly, and with a gentle push of his feet, shot off like an arrow.
The skis drew two arcs on the snow. On the initial gentle slope, he did not need to use ski poles and could maintain high speed by simply adjusting his body's center of gravity.
The wind, carrying snowflakes, lashed against the goggles, and the hem of the ski suit was lifted by the airflow.
As he passed a raised snow mound, Chen Yansen suddenly exerted force with his feet, lifting the front of his skis and instantly launching himself into the air.
Song Yuncheng followed behind. Although she wasn't good at fancy moves, her skating posture was standard and her speed was not slow.
In the nearby rest area, Ma Liyun and Ma Wenteng sat facing each other, with two steaming cups of coffee on the table.
The two arrived in Davos one after the other. Ma Liyun had originally come to ski, but as soon as she entered the lobby, she saw Ma Wenteng.
After making eye contact, Ma Liyun couldn't pretend she hadn't seen him, so she went up to greet him, only to find that Ma Wenteng was sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the ski resort.
When Ma Liyun learned that Ma Wenteng was looking at Chen Yansen, his face immediately darkened.
Recently, Ali has been hit with two heavy blows. First, he paid a fine of billions of yuan, and then he was severely criticized. To be honest, it almost extinguished his ambitions after the company went public.
The only saving grace is that no fine was issued the most recent time.
"It's so good to be young."
Ma Wenteng picked up his coffee cup, took a small sip, and remarked with emotion.
He is 44 years old this year and looks to be in good condition, but he knows that his physical condition is far inferior to that of a young man in his twenties.
No matter how much wealth you have, it cannot stop the passage of time.
Upon hearing this, Ma Liyun would have loved to scoff and snort on the spot if it weren't for her sense of decorum and politeness.
In his view, Ma Wenteng's business career has been smooth sailing, and even if he encounters setbacks, he can quickly overcome them.
His own situation was much more tragic; he was fifty years old before he finally got Ali listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Now I have plenty of money and time, but my body can't keep up with the demands of life.
Ma Wenteng noticed Ma Liyun's "suppressed" expression and secretly felt smug.
Before Chen Yansen appeared, Tencent's e-commerce business was always being thoroughly defeated by Ali. Now the situation has reversed, and Ali has become the one being beaten.
Although it wasn't Tencent that directly intervened, Tencent holds a 15.8% stake in Pinduoduo, which is equivalent to indirectly defeating Ali.
Ma Wenteng looked at Ma Liyun, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.
Ali's situation is like a mirror, reflecting the possible outcome if Tencent had not chosen to invest in Chen Yansen but instead competed with him.
He knew that giving up controlling stake and enjoying dividend rights was the wise move.
Take Pinduoduo as an example. Its market value is as high as 260 billion US dollars, from which Tencent has earned 40 billion US dollars. There is no need for Tencent to be obsessed with controlling stake.
Professional tasks should be left to professionals.
"Pony, I heard you invested in Yunkun Aerospace. Do you really think this kid can bring something new to private aerospace companies?"
Ma Liyun suddenly asked, her tone somewhat probing.
Ma Wenteng put down his coffee cup and answered slowly, "I believe in Chen Yansen! Besides, it's only 3 billion, just consider it a lottery ticket."
In his view, if the 3 billion yuan could deepen his cooperative relationship with Chen Yansen, it would be a sure-fire way to make money, no matter the outcome.
The large-capacity memory storage chip that Tiangong Technology is developing is exactly the hardware that Tencent Cloud urgently needs. If they can get a good relationship with Chen Yansen, even just a small discount, the price difference would be more than 3 billion.
Frankly speaking, Ma Wenteng cannot understand Ma Liyun.
Ali had already invested in Kuaidi Dache and Kuaipao, and could have simply waited for the returns, but instead, she insisted on starting a new venture to compete with Chen Yansen.
In the capital market, investing in two companies in the same sector or "investment + self-operation" is a common practice. However, Kuaidi Dache and Kuaipao have already occupied half of the market in their respective fields, and the market structure is basically stable. For Ali to want to compete head-on at this time is really abnormal and irrational.
Upon hearing this, Ma Liyun glanced at the ski resort outside the window out of the corner of her eye.
He had to admit that Ahri was probably no match for Senlian Group.
Judging from its financial strength, outsiders estimate that Senlian Group has at least 600 billion yuan in liquid funds, making it the "Cash King of China"!
Even if Ahri gives it her all, she cannot compete with its financial investment.
In terms of resources and networks, Senlian Group possesses core technologies such as lithography machines, high-precision machine tools, and high-energy-density lithium batteries, making it far more valuable to top management than Ali.
More importantly, although Chen Yansen is young, he is extremely shrewd in business, adept at using others' strengths against him, ruthless in his actions, and often resorts to "underhanded tactics".
In terms of talent reserves, Ahri is also at a disadvantage.
In 2014 alone, more than 900 employees at the P6 to P10 levels jumped ship from Ali to Senlian Group.
What made things even more difficult for Ma Liyun was that these former employees were also posting on Maimai (a Chinese professional networking platform) to badmouth him.
For example, Ali works a lot of overtime and has to write reports on weekends. Those who do the work take the blame, while those who don't do the work only know how to manage upwards by optimizing PPTs.
Senlian Group offers high salaries, ample holidays, and full overtime pay.
Without the comparison with Senlian Group, Ali's salary and working environment are actually considered top-tier in the industry. However, once compared, Ali instantly becomes the "internet version of Huang Shiren" (a notorious landlord in Chinese folklore).
“Pinbei’s branches in Europe and America are all joint ventures with local suppliers and financial institutions. Tencent doesn’t even have 5% equity. Are you really not worried?”
After a moment's thought, Ma Liyun asked in a calm tone, but his words carried a hint of stirring up trouble.
Taking Pinbei's site in the United States as an example, it appears to be an overseas branch of Pinbei, but in reality it is a joint venture established by Pinbei, Senlian Group, Goldman Sachs, Walmart, and Morgan Stanley, with Chen Yansen holding the controlling stake and other partners holding shares.
Although Tencent has invested, its stake is extremely small.
"I prefer to eat big cakes. Small cakes may be enjoyed by one person, but big is big and small is small."
Ma Wenteng chuckled and responded with a double entendre.
He understands and supports Pinduoduo's overseas operating model.
As a Chinese e-commerce platform, if it wants to expand its market in the United States, it will inevitably have to face local business protection policies. This is a globally accepted rule, just as Amazon has faced difficulties in its development in China.
Only by proactively sharing benefits and distributing the pie can we gain more support.
Do you think you can win just by relying on your strength?
What's the point of having a background?
Facts have proven that Chen Yansen's decision was correct.
Pinduoduo's overseas transaction volume reached 100 billion yuan in just one year after it went global in 2014, an astonishing growth rate.
Seeing that Ma Wenteng was not fooled, Ma Liyun could only give up in frustration, his heart filled with melancholy and disappointment.
Last year, he was a co-mentor at the Davos Economic Forum, on par with Chen Yansen.
This year, however, the title was revoked.
He knew that this was because Chen Yansen was better able to represent China's core industries such as e-commerce, semiconductors, and energy. Chen was the true leader of China's business and technology sectors, with international influence far exceeding his own.
In Europe and America, Chen Yansen's name is almost a household name.
At 23, born into an ordinary family in a small town, he has been the world's richest man for two consecutive years after five years of entrepreneurship!
Its businesses cover multiple fields including e-commerce, short videos, entertainment, logistics, batteries, consumer electronics, semiconductors, and aerospace.
Such a life experience is so absurd that even screenwriters wouldn't dare to fabricate such a ridiculous plot in a script.
In the eyes of mainstream media in Europe and America, Chen Yansen is a model of self-made success, so it is normal for him to become an idol admired by young people.
While Zuckerberg, Musk, and others from the United States have also achieved great success, Chen Yansen is undoubtedly the most outstanding among people of the same age!
"Mr. Ma, Taodiandian's market share is probably less than 10% now, right?"
Ma Wenteng asked with a smile.
Previously, Taodiandian and Kuaipao engaged in a fierce battle in the food delivery market. At its peak, Taodiandian captured 30% of the market share.
But as time went on, users gradually returned to Kuaipao.
The reason is simple: KuaiPao delivers on time, has abundant merchant resources, and provides reliable after-sales service.
If you find a foreign object in your Taodian delivery, customer service will compensate you with a maximum of a 5 yuan no-minimum-spend coupon, provided you do not experience any health problems.
When encountering the same situation with Kuaipao, customer service will verify it immediately. If the merchant cannot provide evidence to clarify the situation, they must first compensate the buyer with 1,000 yuan in cash. After verification, the merchant's balance of 50,000 yuan will be frozen as an after-sales reserve fund.
Conversely, Kuai Pao also has very strict requirements for buyers. Once a customer is found to be making malicious claims, their account will be immediately blocked and they will be blacklisted by the entire group. They will never be able to use any of Senlian's products again. The case will also be handed over to the legal department for further processing.
It is precisely this fair attitude that makes the merchants involved in the "Chopsticks Run" incident willingly accept the punishment.
While the platform appears to be protecting buyers, it actually maintains neutrality throughout, judging solely on facts and without letting personal emotions interfere.
“There’s still a 10% chance,” Ma Liyun retorted stubbornly.
"Why not sell Taodiandian to Kuaipao? Look at JD.com, they don't do logistics or food delivery, but they can still leverage the high-frequency consumption of food delivery to drive traffic to their e-commerce business, right?"
Ma Wenteng suggested casually.
"Is this Chen Yansen's idea?" Ma Liyun immediately retorted.
“No, that’s not it.” Ma Wenteng shook his head.
He simply believed that only by joining forces could the greatest benefits be achieved.
The food delivery industry already has very low net profits. The marketing expenses burned in the subsidy war over the past few years will take at least five years to recoup. There is no point in continuing the war!
Just as Ma Liyun was about to say something more, she saw Chen Yansen walking into the rest area in his ski suit.
Chen Yansen, who had just entered, immediately spotted Ma Liyun and Ma Wenteng, and smiled and waved to them.
"You can order," Chen Yansen said to Song Yuncheng, and then walked towards the two of them.
Upon seeing this, Ma Wenteng quickly got up to greet him.
After a moment's hesitation, Ma Liyun also stood up.
"Pony, why didn't you go skiing a couple of times?" Chen Yansen pulled over a chair, pressed Ma Wenteng back into his seat, and then said to Ma Liyun, "Teacher Ma, please sit down!"
Ma Liyun smiled awkwardly, glanced at the two of them, and was about to get up to say goodbye, but then thought better of it and sat down instead.
"With you on the slopes, how could I dare to go down? The only one who can rival your skills is Charles."
Ma Wenteng replied with a smile.
Since the establishment of Orange Interactive Entertainment, the competition between Tencent and Senlian Capital has been limited to the short video field. However, despite Ma Wenteng's massive investment of funds and traffic in Weishi, there has been no improvement, and the platform has been left to its own devices.
Between men, once there is no conflict of interest, the relationship can be easily brought closer.
In the past month in particular, Chen Yansen has frequently invited Ma Wenteng to Hong Kong to experience the customs and culture of Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Africa, and their personal relationship has grown increasingly closer.
"Where's Lao Zhang? Didn't he come?" Chen Yansen asked casually.
"He's busy with the lawsuit. Bilibili used Sohu Video's animation copyright without asking."
Ma Wenteng explained simply.
In fact, Zhang Chaoyang is qualified to participate in the Davos Economic Forum, but his era has long passed. If he comes, he will only be a "backdrop" for others. He might as well stay in Yanjing and enjoy life.
The so-called "lawsuit" is just an excuse.
Chen Yansen nodded, then turned to Ma Liyun and said, "Teacher Ma, I have a collaborative idea: to establish a food delivery association. Based on the actual market situation, we can flexibly adjust delivery fees and merchant commission rates to promote the healthy development of the food delivery industry."
He didn't beat around the bush with Lao Ma and got straight to the point.
To put it bluntly, the food delivery industry receives 70 million orders every day, but the average order value is less than 30 yuan, with 60% of orders costing only 15 yuan, making it difficult for practitioners throughout the entire industry chain to make a profit.
The business isn't making any money!
The platform isn't making money!
Riders aren't making money!
We've clearly taken the wrong path!
Especially for the more than 600,000 full-time riders under Kuaipao, he can't even give them some dividends because the gross profit of the food delivery business is negative.
Ma Liyun remained silent, her mind in turmoil.
If delivery fees, merchant commissions, and marketing costs are all adjusted uniformly, Taodiandian's already weak competitiveness will further decline, and it may be eliminated from the market more quickly.
"Mr. Chen, Kuaipao holds 80% of the market share in the food delivery industry. They can decide what they want to do themselves. Why do they need to consult with me?"
After thinking for a moment, Ma Liyun asked.
"Mr. Ma, what do you mean by that? Kuaipao is not a monopoly. I have always respected my peers and competitors."
Chen Yansen shrugged.
Ma Liyun opened her mouth, almost unable to control her emotions.
He cursed inwardly: With your greedy nature, you're clearly trying to monopolize the market, and you won't let anyone say anything about it?
But since he chose to sit here, he must have his own reasons.
After a few seconds of silence, Ma Liyun slowly spoke: "President Chen, have you considered a share swap partnership?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Yansen leaned back and a smile gradually spread across his face: "Old Ma, after being slapped twice, is seeing that he can't win and is preparing to admit defeat again?"
(End of this chapter)
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