Chapter 70, around 8 or 9 pm...
It was around 8 or 9 pm.
The two arrived at the local Shanghai cuisine restaurant that Huang Shiyu had mentioned.
It is located in a residential building.
Li Xingzhou's first impression of this place was that it was old, dilapidated, and small.
He casually pulled up a chair and sat down, glancing out the window. At this hour, a few pedestrians could be seen passing by on the road outside the old alley. Only an old, orange-yellow streetlamp illuminated the deep alley. Unlike the lights across the Huangpu River, which could highlight Shanghai's vibrant and bustling side, this streetlamp revealed its quiet, profound, historical, and ancient side in its entirety. It was a unique trace and flavor of old Shanghai.
He looked ahead along the winding road, the long and dimly lit old street illuminated and swept away by the lights of the Shanghai Mansion several kilometers away.
Li Xingzhou stared at it for a long time. Perhaps because of the dazzling light, he was somewhat dazed. The towering buildings seemed to be constantly distorting and changing into all sorts of strange patterns in his eyes.
He watched silently, and in a daze, he was reminded of that night a few years ago.
Huang Shiyu thought it was their first meeting at the German restaurant, but it wasn't.
He never told Huang Shiyu that he had actually visited her at school twice, both times during his first semester of university. Around the time he called her, he secretly flew from Germany to Shanghai to accompany her to one of her classes. He remembered that the class was microeconomics. The lecture hall was large and crowded that day. He found a seat close to her but out of sight, fully disguised, with even his eyes hidden.
He sat there, secretly watching her. When they broke up, her hair was shorter than it is now, shoulder-length, and would slightly block her eyes when she looked down. Now, however, she has cut her shoulder-length hair back to just past her chin, and she can't even tie it into a small bun.
He couldn't help but look around, as if trying to make up for the lost time. There were still more than ten minutes left before get out of class ended. He had originally planned to leave, but just as he was about to get up, he suddenly saw Huang Shiyu being called on to ask a question, so he sat down again.
Seeing the fleeting look of guilt and panic on her face, Li Xingzhou knew all too well that this was her usual behavior when she couldn't answer a question. Because he was so familiar with this person, he didn't need to look closely; he understood at a glance.
She's already in college, almost twenty years old, but she seems unable to learn to hide her inner emotions. Just like this person, she's very clear about her love and hate, and whether she loves him or not is written all over her face.
But can we blame her? No.
During that class, besides staring at Huang Shiyu, he wasn't completely ignoring the lesson. He borrowed paper and a pen from the person next to him, wrote the answers on the paper with his left hand, and had the person next to him give them to him.
The man seemed somewhat surprised, glancing at him with a puzzled look, then at Huang Shiyu, before taking the note.
Li Xingzhou breathed a sigh of relief. He looked up at Huang Shiyu again. The panic on her face had completely disappeared, replaced by a blush and her dark pupils rolling around.
Li Xingzhou was charmed by that look in his eyes.
In the time that followed, as get out of class was about to end, Huang Shiyu would occasionally look in his direction, which made his heart race with excitement, but he knew that Huang Shiyu wasn't looking at him.
It was the person next to him whom he had asked to pass on the answers.
It was during the Song Dynasty.
He didn't know if Huang Shiyu's inexplicable feelings for Song Chaoye stemmed from this incident.
He really didn't know.
Love is a complicated matter; it can't be explained in just a few words.
If it were so easy to understand and explain, there would be no suffering in this world, and everyone would be better off than a living god.
Li Xingzhou blinked until his eyes stung and he came back to his senses.
Looking at the brightly lit buildings, he suddenly felt a pang of emotion.
It's only been a few years, but looking back now, it feels like a lifetime ago to him.
Huang Shiyu, holding the menu, skillfully recited the names of the dishes to the uncle while half-turning to the side. The custom of handwriting the menu is still preserved here. The uncle took a pen and paper and wrote down each dish. Every word written on the paper was a dish that Huang Shiyu and Lu Xiao used to order often, and it was also the restaurant's signature dish.
As the old man finished writing the last stroke on the paper, which was soaked with the smell of the old house, he glanced inadvertently at Li Xingzhou, who was looking out the window with half of his handsome profile visible. The light bulb in the restaurant hadn't been changed in a long time and was covered with a layer of oil, making his eyes look even more crystal clear. However, he didn't know if it was just his imagination or the lighting, but his eyes seemed heavy and empty.
Moreover, he felt that the person looked familiar, as if he had seen him on TV before. Just then, a customer was greeting him, so he didn't think too much about it. Before leaving, he asked Huang Shiyu, "You told me you brought a new friend today. Is it the usual scallion noodles with a braised egg?"
Huang Shiyu paused, holding the menu.
During her university years, every time she and Lu Xiao came to this restaurant, no matter what dishes they ordered, there would always be a scallion noodle dish with a braised egg. She didn't really like braised eggs, but Lu Xiao always insisted on adding them. She thought it was because Lu Xiao liked them, but Lu Xiao said that she remembered that when she ate breakfast, she would always have a cup of soy milk with a tea egg, or a poached egg in her noodles. In short, she always had eggs in her food, so she assumed that Lu Xiao really liked eggs.
Actually, that's not the case.
That was purely because her family was poor back then, and Huang Guodong didn't provide much child support. Her grandparents could only rely on the few mountains and fields they owned to raise her. Besides food and clothing, they also had to support her education, so their financial situation was very precarious. Occasionally, Ms. Tong would give her a little, but not much, which couldn't alleviate the situation much. Pork was also quite expensive, so they couldn't afford it. Fortunately, they raised a few old hens, so eggs became the best choice to supplement protein. Back then, being able to eat hot, fresh eggs several days a week was the happiest thing for her.
However, that's all in the past.
Knowing that Lu Xiao meant well, she didn't say it aloud. She didn't like to take advantage of other people's good intentions, so she accepted the favor.
Another point is that it feels really good to have someone thinking about you.
She glanced at Li Xingzhou, then, as if suddenly remembering something, said, "This time, don't add braised eggs, just add cured pork."
She actually knew that Li Xingzhou didn't like eggs. She had cooked for him so many times before, so of course she knew that Li Xingzhou didn't like the taste of eggs. She hadn't deliberately put eggs in the sandwich last time. It wasn't that she forgot, but that there wasn't much food in the refrigerator at the time.
Li Xingzhou hadn't been listening to Huang Shiyu's list of dishes, nor had he noticed the brief glance his uncle had given him. He was looking at the Shanghai Mansion across the street, thinking about the past. When he heard Huang Shiyu's words, his eyelids fluttered, his breath hitched, but he didn't say anything.
The old man sensed a faint, sweet scent of romance between the two, glanced at them for a moment, then picked up the menu and left with a smile.
Seeing the old man's smile, Huang Shiyu felt a little uncomfortable for some reason, as if he had been caught red-handed. Perhaps to cover up this little oddness, he unconsciously said to Li Xingzhou, "This shop has been open for many years. Usually, only nearby residents or old Shanghainese people come to patronize it. Few people know about it, but the taste is particularly good."
He asked Huang Shiyu, "Then how did you know about this store?"
"If I'm treating you to dinner, I have to pick the best restaurant. Can I be so casual about it?"
Li Xingzhou laughed and said she was glib.
Huang Shiyu smiled, neither denying nor showing any unhappiness on his face.
For her, "smooth-talking" is the best interpretation of how she learned to navigate the unpredictable conflicts and chaos in the business world, and how to handle situations tactfully.
It is an ability acquired through cultivation.
Soon, all the dishes were served. Huang Shiyu readily mixed the scallion noodles with cured meat, then took a bowl and chopsticks, filled it up, and handed it to Li Xingzhou, saying, "These scallion noodles taste best when they're hot."
"Try a bite."
Under Huang Shiyu's bright gaze, he was momentarily stunned. It wasn't until Huang Shiyu asked him again with a smile that he finally came to his senses, picked up his chopsticks, took a bite, and found it smooth and fragrant. It had a chewy texture, and each noodle was coated with the aroma of scallion oil and seasoning sauce. It was hard not to find it delicious. Li Xingzhou agreed with what she had just said.
When a message popped up on WeChat, he had already eaten most of the scallion noodles in his bowl.
Xiang Zhinan asked him where he was, saying that the investment director of KKR's Shanghai branch wanted to meet him.
Li Xingzhou glanced at Huang Shiyu across from him and replied, "No, I'm eating."
Huang Shiyu naturally noticed Li Xingzhou's subtle glance and saw him replying to messages. She ate a mouthful of rice, picked up a piece of fried shrimp, and was thinking about how to bring up the topic of working at her company with Li Xingzhou.
The man ate half of his scallion oil noodles, then suddenly put down his chopsticks, pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth, and looked almost indifferent.
For some inexplicable reason, Huang Shiyu had the illusion that Li Xingzhou was about to take out his phone and tell her he had to leave first.
Time was short, but she quickly made up her mind that she had to persuade him.
"Oh, with Huang Shiyu? How's it going?"
Li Xingzhou replied instantly: "That's pretty good, she likes me."
Xiang Zhinan, sitting opposite him, probably felt like he had heard the most absurd joke in the world. He scoffed, "Stop it. Don't you think this is as horrifying as hearing someone say you ejaculate prematurely? People who didn't like you a few years ago suddenly like you after a few years? Don't you think this is a fantasy, this is unrealistic?"
Xiang Zhinan's words were like a knife to the heart, as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over his head.
Li Xingzhou paused slightly, his hand gripping the fuselage. He was quickly organizing his thoughts to refute Xiang Zhinan's words. Just then, Huang Shiyu brought him a bowl of soup and piled up a lot of vegetables on his plate, making the bowl look like a mountain.
He smirked, raised an eyebrow, and tapped the screen a few times with his finger. "What do you know? I'm not going to say anything more. She's putting food on my plate; it's all my favorites."
Finally, before Xiang Zhinan finished reading, he added, "Replenish my vital energy."
Xiang Zhinan on the other side: "..."
Li Xingzhou had only one thought in his mind right now.
She invited him to a candlelight dinner, and personally mixed noodles, served him vegetables, and ladled soup for him.
Doesn't that prove anything?
That means Huang Shiyu is currently pursuing him ardently!
If Li Xingzhou had a tail right now, it would be practically wagging its tail in the air, shamelessly wagging it at Huang Shiyu, and it would probably be a colorful one.
Commonly known as peacock displaying its tail feathers.
Huang Shiyu was naturally unaware of Li Xingzhou's true intentions at that moment. She hadn't forgotten the purpose of inviting Li Xingzhou to dinner: "I want to talk to you about something."
Before he could gloat for long, upon hearing Huang Shiyu's question, Li Xingzhou suddenly sensed something extremely subtle was amiss. "What?"
Having come this far, Huang Shiyu stopped worrying about how to bring it up and directly brought up the stock option incentive. Li Xingzhou's reaction was as she expected. In fact, she had been mentally prepared from the moment this idea first came to her, and all she could do was try her best to persuade him.
"I did this to motivate my employees." She told Li Xingzhou what Lu Xiao had told her that day. "You saw how much money the other company was spending to poach people from me."
As soon as she finished speaking, the air fell silent. Li Xingzhou paused, his hand holding the chopsticks still. Looking at her shrewd and calculating expression, Li Xingzhou's expression was quite interesting.
He looked somewhat bewildered: "You invited me to dinner just for this?"
"Mmm," Huang Shiyu responded, then lowered her head and took another sip of soup.
He immediately realized what was happening.
From inviting him to dinner to serving him noodles, vegetables, and soup, everything was just a prelude to this event.
Everything was purposeful; it was all for the sake of equity incentives.
Li Xingzhou had never felt so embarrassed.
It was incredibly sudden...
Even the scallion noodles in front of me were really hard to swallow.
He couldn't eat, so he put down his chopsticks: "The other party offering shares to poach people is a different matter from you offering shares to stop them from poaching people. And do you know how much they promised? If all employees go out and get an offer and then ask for shares, wouldn't that create chaos? This is a very serious matter."
Huang Shiyu was enjoying the fried shrimp in his bowl when he heard this, so he swallowed the food in his mouth. "What you said is true, but we are also a startup company. Talent is scarce these days. The other party must have realized this as well, which is why they offered this condition. They are all businessmen who are profit-driven and would never do something that would lose money."
Li Xingzhou absentmindedly hummed twice, his gaze lingering on her greasy lips, which shone slightly under the light.
“I admit that what you said earlier makes a lot of sense.” She winked at Li Xingzhou. “But if these employees leave because of the equity issue, it can’t be said that it won’t affect the company and the project. Even if we can find suitable people in a certain period of time, the workload during the gap period will have to be shared by other employees, which will likely cause a lot of complaints. Moreover, new employees will also need a certain period of adjustment when they join the company. So the return on investment doesn’t seem to be proportional.”
He admitted that what Huang Shiyu said was true, but every company has old employees leaving and new people coming in to fill the gaps. This is also true for Fortune 500 companies. No one can expect a person to work in one position until they die.
Li Xingzhou was about to explain something, but Huang Shiyu didn't give him a chance to speak at all.
"My purpose in coming here today is very simple: I want you to transfer an equal share of your current stake in United Innovation, no more than 5%." Huang Shiyu's tone was full of sincerity. "Although it may seem like your shareholding percentage is a little small, you can exchange this small amount for long-term benefits. Why not?"
So that's where they were waiting for him. Huang Shiyu is such a clever guy. After all that buildup and twists and turns, this is the real highlight.
Li Xingzhou's gaze was still on her lips, and he raised an eyebrow slightly, "What if I say no? Among the four of us, you hold the most shares, so it's no problem for you to take out 10%."
“Li Xingzhou, you know I definitely can’t transfer 10%.” Huang Shiyu frowned. “Then I won’t be the actual controlling shareholder of United Innovation.”
If she really transfers 10% of her shares, then she will no longer have the final say in the company. Although 10% may not seem like much, it is this 10% difference that can change a shareholder's decision-making power in the company.
But she didn't say these words aloud, knowing that Li Xingzhou was certainly aware of them.
The two of them were in perfect unison, remaining silent and staring at each other without a word. They were separated by only half a foot of the dining table, and Huang Shiyu could vaguely see her own expressionless face reflected in Li Xingzhou's pupils.
The alleyway restaurant was bustling with people, chatting and laughing. From the kitchen came the deafening clatter of pots and pans. Amidst this cacophony, the aroma of food wafted through the alley, reaching her nose and slowly seeping in from top to bottom, an irresistible fragrance.
But for a moment she felt rather bored.
After a long, silent stare, Huang Shiyu finally gave in, probably unable to bear the cold atmosphere any longer. "Li Xingzhou, I really need you to transfer 5% of your shares. I can't lose control. If you're unwilling, you can choose to sell them to me."
"Or what do you want?" She stared intently at Li Xingzhou, wanting to know what he really wanted.
What do I want? Li Xingzhou thought to himself, I want you to stop bidding on this batch of equipment from Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group, but is that possible? Knowing you as I do, it's impossible.
The equipment that Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group brought back from Germany was originally intended to help them develop their own chips, just like Huang Shiyu's current idea of self-sufficiency.
He could tell that Huang Shiyu now had the same expectations for this new sector of the chip industry as he had back then. It was as if he wanted to challenge the heavens. After all, the chip industry was developing rapidly, and everyone wanted to get a piece of the pie. If possible, everyone would definitely want to take the biggest slice.
However, as the Shenzhen-Hong Kong R&D team delved deeper into their research, they gradually invested more and more in materials and capital. After several rounds of investment, Li Mingsheng and all the shareholders of the group felt that too much money had been spent and that the burning was too intense. If they continued to burn money, other business segments would also be affected. At this point, the normal approach was to cut their losses in time.
So in less than a year, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group disbanded its chip R&D team. Nothing changed during this period, and no real benefits were gained. In the end, people felt that Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group's technology was nothing special.
In terms of talent, technology, and capital, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group is already one of the most advanced companies in China. However, even so, they have encountered obstacles all the way on the road to developing their own chips. This road is more difficult than they imagined.
Moreover, especially for a new company like Huang Shiyu, which has no foundation in the relevant field, he was afraid that all of Huang Shiyu's efforts would go down the drain, resulting in losing both the small gains and the big losses, and potentially leading to a dead end.
He wanted to stop her, but after these few encounters, Huang Shiyu's firm attitude had already explained everything, and he was powerless to do anything about it.
But he forgot that the best way to care for a flower is not to keep it in a greenhouse, but to let it experience wind and rain, to wait for the right opportunity in the darkness, and when the storm comes, the flower will not need to rely on or cling to anyone. It can hold up its own umbrella or shield itself from the wind and rain with its bare hands. It will not face the risk of its branches being broken by the rain.
Suddenly, it was as if he had made a decision.
“I can transfer 5% of the shares.”
What are your terms?
"What I want is something you probably wouldn't dare give me, nor could you do it." Li Xingzhou stared straight at her. "And you can't do it either."
"How do you know I can't do it or give it to you if you don't tell me?" Huang Shiyu said, dissatisfied.
He thought of Song Chaoye's words. Indeed, given Huang Shiyu's current financial situation, it would be like digging her own grave to support the operation and research and development of Xinyu Xinsheng while also bidding for this batch of equipment. Even if she were lucky enough to win the bid, the subsequent investment and regular maintenance of the equipment would require a continuous stream of money. He didn't believe that Huang Shiyu hadn't considered these issues, but he didn't understand why she was so stubborn.
Even shrewd investors would be bewildered by her stubbornness.
But some people are born just like Huang Shiyu said, arriving here with nothing, destined to have a life that will never be peaceful.
“Didn’t you want to bid on this batch of equipment from Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group?” At this point, a subtle complexity began to flash across Li Xingzhou’s expression. Finally, after much deliberation, he said, “Let me go in your place.”
She had expected to hear some outrageous conditions or yet another heartless rejection, but to her surprise, it was exactly what she wanted.
The auction was on Thursday, which conflicted with the competition's schedule. That day was the final, so she couldn't go. Wang Ping and Lu Xiao were also unable to make it.
This competition has an official background, is large in scale, and has a very strong lineup of judges and guests. It's the first time that such a large-scale event has been held, so it must be of great interest to those in power. The booth promotion is also crucial and a very important part. The better the user experience, the greater the impact on their subsequent product launches.
However, this area has always been the responsibility of Wang Ping and Lu Xiao.
She was just wondering who to turn to when Li Xingzhou suddenly volunteered.
She looked at him.
There were emotions in those dark eyes that she couldn't understand, even more blurred under the old lamplight. They seemed to fall on her, and instead of making her feel light and airy, she felt a heaviness. Huang Shiyu was momentarily dazed. It was strange; this was the result she wanted, but why didn't she feel relieved? Instead, an indescribable unease weighed on her heart. Huang Shiyu looked at him, and despite her inexplicable confusion, she compromised with her initial desire, nodded, said "okay," and then fell silent, continuing to eat her rice.
Although Li Xingzhou sat upright without moving, he dared not look at her even slightly out of the corner of his eye.
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Author's Note: Happy New Year! The show is about to begin!
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