Chapter 12 Human Favor Are you Cheng Mingdu's sister?
When Ye Yuying and Li Song arrived in Jiangcheng, it was noon. Li Song was going to take her to a restaurant for lunch, but Ye Yuying asked him to take her directly back to the hotel.
Ye Yuying originally wanted to park directly at the hotel entrance, but Li Song thought that she had difficulty walking, so he drove directly to the underground parking garage and parked at the elevator entrance.
"I have an appointment with an investor at 2 PM. I need to go back and finalize the materials. Go eat by yourself. Thank you for taking me."
Seeing her hurried appearance, Li Song was a little worried, but he didn't try to persuade her. He helped her out of the car and pressed the elevator button for her.
Before leaving, he suddenly asked, "Is this the person from the investment and financing meeting last time?"
"Yes, his name is Feng Ting." She said this with a worried expression.
Upon hearing the name, Li Song paused slightly.
Ye Yuying also found it strange. Last time, she originally thought that Zhou Ruochen was the most interested in medical intelligence, but he didn't give any news for a long time. Instead, Feng Ting, who didn't show much confidence in their project, extended an invitation to meet and discuss.
The elevator arrived, and Ye Yuying got on, waving goodbye to Li Song.
Before the elevator doors closed completely, Li Song quickly raised his voice and urged, "Don't get any more injections, and remember to bring your crutches."
Ye Yuying opened her mouth, but before she could utter the word "um," the elevator completely cut off her voice.
*
Ye Yuying wasn't very confident about meeting Feng Ting this time.
She remembers Feng Ting's attitude at the investment and financing meeting very clearly—professional, sharp, and ruthless. He bluntly stated that the project's "valuation was too high," "the technical barriers were not strong enough," and "there was a lack of practical application scenarios," each point hitting the nail on the head without any mercy.
Ye Yuying understood that this kind of person wouldn't be swayed by emotions, sentiments, or even idealism. He only looked at the ratio of value, expectations, and risks.
But for now, she can only seize every possible opportunity.
Ding Chu carried her materials the whole way, constantly encouraging her: "You can definitely do it! Feng Ting's willingness to meet with us means there's definitely a chance!"
In November, the Jiangnan region is already deep into autumn, and the mountains and fields appear somewhat desolate after the first frost.
The meeting place was located in Feng Ting's private mountain villa, nestled in a low-key mountain valley on the outskirts of the city. It was far from the hustle and bustle of the city and very quiet. The road leading into the mountain was lined with rows of maple and tallow trees, their leaves all turning red. When the wind blew, they fell like a rain of fire.
The meeting started promptly at 2 PM.
Upon entering, one finds an open-plan tea room with wooden lattice windows partially ajar. A warm fragrance fills the air, subtly carrying the scents of sandalwood and agarwood. Outside, the chill is intense, but inside, it's as warm as a spring day.
Ye Yuying arrived ten minutes early and sat quietly on one side of the long table, with the documents neatly arranged in front of her.
Feng Ting and his assistant then entered, their expressions as relaxed yet somewhat aloof as ever. He didn't even exchange pleasantries, immediately turning to the first page of documents and beginning to read.
It seems that this time was taken out of their busy schedules, and they didn't want to waste a single second.
Ten minutes passed before he slowly spoke:
"Last time at the meeting you said you would deliver the second-generation prototype in six months. If I vote for you today, is that promise still valid?"
"It works," she answered crisply.
Feng Ting didn't speak, but turned to the next page of the document, his eyes quickly scanning it. "You know the financing environment is colder than you think. Nobody's willing to gamble on a project with only a prototype and where even the patent licensing process is still in progress, even if you throw in ten million."
Ye Yuying nodded, her tone neither humble nor arrogant, "I know."
She sat upright, her voice low but steady: "So I'm willing to add terms. If the technical review fails or the schedule doesn't meet the requirements, I agree to relinquish controlling interest, and you will take over the team."
Upon hearing this, Feng Ting finally raised his head and looked at her for a few seconds.
"Aren't you afraid? All your hard work... will end up benefiting me."
Ye Yuying's hand, hanging under the table, tightened slightly, but her expression remained calm: "I'm afraid, but even if I'm no longer in control, my team will still be responsible for continuing to push the project forward, and right now..."
“I care more about the survival of the team. They gave up everything abroad to come back to China with me. I can’t let them bow down to life because of financial problems.”
Feng Ting didn't speak, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table, his gaze still fixed on the document page.
"You are calmer and more sincere than I imagined."
Who would be so open about their predicament? But she was different; she laid out all the pros and cons and the advantages and disadvantages of the technology on paper.
This, in turn, strengthened Feng Ting's confidence in her.
The atmosphere in the room became tense for a moment, with only the lingering scent of sandalwood incense. After a few seconds, he suddenly put down the documents, leaned back in his chair, and scrutinized her.
He asked, half-casually, "By the way, do you know Cheng Mingdu?"
She was taken aback.
But she quickly realized, "Does it matter whether we know each other or not?"
Feng Ting's lips twitched slightly, as if he had sensed her avoidance.
He closed the document and slowly said, "Ms. Ye, since you are so frank, I might as well be frank with you too. To be honest, I originally didn't plan to get involved in your project because I don't understand your technology and prospects. If I were to invest in you, it would just be to do you a favor."
He looked at Ye Yuying frankly and said, "It's just about human relationships. I'll be frank with you. You're a smart person."
Ye Yuying didn't reply, but just stared at him, her expression unreadable, but her eyes flickered slightly for a moment.
In those few seconds, she weighed the pros and cons countless times in her mind.
She felt that Feng Ting must have sensed something between her and Cheng Mingdu, but he wasn't sure yet and didn't want to ask Cheng Mingdu directly.
She didn't want to reveal the past; after all, those secrets, those private moments with him, were secrets between them.
Just as he was about to speak to avoid the question, Feng Ting spoke up.
"I heard that Cheng Mingdu's mother lived in Europe for many years and does have a younger sister there. Could it be you?"
Ye Yuying's expression froze slightly, and her fingertips unconsciously tightened their grip on the folder.
She did know a little about Cheng Mingdu's mother. Her mother remarried overseas and had a daughter who was about the same age as her. Moreover, her identity had not been made public yet. This was indeed a fact.
After a moment, she curled her lips into a smile and said calmly, "President Feng, rumors are not to be believed, especially this kind."
Feng Ting raised an eyebrow, neither angry nor smiling, but just looking at her, as if confirming something, or as if testing her bottom line.
Ye Yuying felt that she had done her best in the conversation, so she closed the documents and prepared to get up: "If President Feng wants to use whether I know Cheng Mingdu as the basis for investment, then our cooperation really cannot proceed."
Seeing this, Feng Ting composed himself, sat up straight again, and gently patted the documents on the table: "Miss Ye, you're overthinking it. It was just a casual question. I'm not trying to pry into your private affairs. Now I'll talk about the project itself."
Ye Yuying smiled again. "Please speak."
He suddenly changed the subject: "You just said that you would deliver the second-generation prototype in six months, and if it fails the technical review, you would give up controlling stake. Are you willing to include that in the agreement?"
She answered without hesitation, "Yes."
“Okay.” Feng Ting nodded and looked at his assistant. “We internally rate her B+, but after today we will raise her to A- and increase her funding to 20 million, with 10 million to be credited to her account initially.”
The assistant quickly took notes.
She paused for two seconds, seemingly surprised that things had taken such a dramatic turn for the better: "Thank you, Mr. Feng. We will finalize the draft agreement as soon as possible and send it to you for review."
Feng Ting nodded, as if the mention of Cheng Mingdu earlier was just an illusion.
Feng Ting suddenly seemed to remember something and whispered.
"However, I must remind you that more tech startups fail than survive. The biggest risk is not the technology itself, but the rapid collapse of morale. If everyone in your team can be as resilient to failure as you are, then you... are not far from success."
Ye Yuying held her breath, and after a long while, she solemnly said, "Don't worry."
After saying that, she packed up her file bag, picked up her cane, and prepared to leave.
At the last moment, Feng Ting was somewhat surprised: "Your leg..."
Everything seemed normal during my last speech at the investment and financing conference.
"An old injury," Ye Yuying said casually, not intending to elaborate, and immediately waved goodbye, "I'll take my leave now."
Feng Ting didn't ask any more questions.
*
As evening fell, the wind picked up in the backyard of the villa, and the maple trees under the eaves rustled crisply in the breeze.
When Cheng Mingdu arrived, the sky was already beginning to glow with a golden light, and the sun was hidden below the horizon by the shadows of the mountains, disappearing without a trace.
He was wearing a suit; he must have just come from a meeting.
Feng Ting came out to greet him, deliberately walking lightly. Standing next to him, he casually said, "You've arrived quite early today. It seems you're very interested in my new project."
Cheng Mingdu glanced at him sideways but didn't respond.
Feng Ting, always one to make friends easily, spoke without hesitation, saying, "I've seen that project—Ashera. The technology isn't mature yet, but the people are good."
Cheng Mingdu withdrew his gaze, his tone calm, and went straight to the point: "You voted?"
Feng Ting nodded: "Twenty million, with ten million to be received initially. Her bottom line is very clear: we can take over control of the project at any time. The fact that she dared to write it like this shows that she is truly desperate."
As soon as he finished speaking, Feng Ting used his peripheral vision to observe Cheng Mingdu's reaction.
Cheng Mingdu remained silent upon hearing this, his deep gaze revealing nothing of his thoughts.
Feng Ting continued: "But it's really rare. This is the first time I've seen a female tech founder speak so clearly. It's not about talking about vision or emotions—it's about clear logic, a complete structure, and even the willingness to let go where necessary."
He paused, glanced sideways at Cheng Mingdu, and said with a smile, "But I must say, you're really heartless. You didn't throw it yourself, but instead let her limp all the way to the manor to find me..."
Cheng Mingdu stood there, his eyes dimming slightly, and whispered, "She recently injured her leg..."
Feng Ting's eyes lit up, as if his guess had been confirmed; they did indeed know each other, and were quite familiar with each other.
"Are you training your younger sister?" Feng Ting's smile faded slightly, and he glanced at him with an ambiguous look.
"She prepared the documents more meticulously than anyone else today, and wrote the terms more concisely than a legal advisor... Such a decisive and ruthless person, but when it comes to her group of people who came back from abroad with her, she... can bow down to anyone, as long as she can protect those people."
Cheng Mingdu paused, a faint chill appearing in his eyes: "There's nothing wrong with her project, there's no need to make things difficult for her."
A note from the author:
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