Chapter 71 After finishing their meal, Li Xingzhou saw...
After dinner, Li Xingzhou took Huang Shiyu back to her hotel to rest. When the car stopped in the hotel's underground parking lot, he saw that it was getting late, and it was dark and there were no people around. He thought he would take Huang Shiyu to the door, but he was unexpectedly refused.
Whether Huang Shiyu failed to perceive the sincerity in his words or simply interpreted it in her own mind, she got out of the car and closed the door quickly. Her "thank you" and "goodbye" were like a fleeting evening breeze, light and brief.
He was stunned for a few seconds. When he came to his senses, all he could see was Huang Shiyu fleeing into the elevator.
Li Xingzhou smiled.
Even though they were only a few meters apart, Li Xingzhou's gaze followed her, but the woman didn't show the slightest intention to catch up; she just sat there in the car.
He suddenly remembered the sentence Xiang Zhinan had sent that day.
"Don't you think it's unbelievable that someone who didn't like you a few years ago would suddenly like you a few years later?"
This really leaves you wondering whether to be angry or laugh.
He felt that there was no need to delve too deeply into many things, and sometimes being a little confused wasn't a bad thing.
The elevator doors opened and closed, and the red floor numbers slowly came to a stop at the top floor in front of him.
Standing there quietly.
He figured Huang Shiyu should be out of the elevator by now, swiping her room card and entering the room.
He wondered if this person was plunging headfirst into work again, or if he was taking a shower and planning to get a good night's sleep.
If it's work, given Huang Shiyu's workaholic nature, he won't stop until 3 or 4 in the morning.
He still wanted Huang Shiyu to have a good night's sleep. He really liked Huang Shiyu when he was sleeping. He was very well-behaved. On weekdays, all the wildness and determination in his bones disappeared, leaving only his soft side.
I just don't know if she'll still have nightmares or cry like she did last time.
He was clumsy and didn't know how to coax Huang Shiyu.
All I could do was frantically tell her not to cry and wipe away her endless tears.
He didn't know how long he had been sitting in the car when the elevator lights came on again, interrupting Li Xingzhou's thoughts. It took him a full half minute to look away, calm himself down, and get out of the car.
Lu Xiao sat in the hotel lobby, glanced at the time, and had a stack of documents on her legs. These were the contract documents for the Heartfelt Words and Heartfelt Voices exhibition from today. She was checking them one by one in an orderly manner, afraid that she might have missed something.
She is the kind of person who can sit on the ground and work on her job the moment she sets out, regardless of the surrounding environment.
This stems from the habit formed during my four years of living together in college with Huang Shiyu. Huang Shiyu is very serious about everything she does. During her internship, although she was earning a meager salary, she could get into work mode at any time. No matter how noisy the surrounding environment was, she could calmly turn on her computer, put on her headphones, and sit on the floor to type.
Even while waiting in line at the hospital, she can squat down to reply to emails.
There are many such people in this city. They are ordinary people who walk alone, climbing through the cracks of the city, striving and never giving up, just to make a living.
They all have one thing in common: they are always available when called upon.
Over time, this habit became contagious, and Lu Xiao gradually picked it up.
To say I've contracted it is an understatement; more accurately, I'd say I've gotten used to it.
Despite handling important work, Lu Xiao's posture was just like her attitude towards work—upright and proper. When Li Xingzhou passed by the hotel lobby, he caught a glimpse of this scene with his narrow eyes. Her upright posture looked as if someone was measuring her up meticulously from behind with a ruler.
Earlier, Li Xingzhou noticed that Huang Shiyu hadn't eaten much during dinner and was worried that she would be hungry in the middle of the night, so he went to buy some late-night snacks and was about to bring them to her when he entered the hotel lobby and saw Lu Xiao sitting there. He paused, but instead of looking away, he hesitated thoughtfully for a moment before walking over.
"Do you have a moment to chat?"
The quiet atmosphere was broken.
Lu Xiao looked up from the stack of documents and said, "Okay, Mr. Li, just tell me."
Li Xingzhou sat down on the sofa opposite her and got straight to the point: "What do you think about Huang Shiyu wanting to bid for this batch of equipment from Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group?"
His question surprised her quite a bit, but knowing that Huang Shiyu wanted to poach him, it seemed reasonable that he would ask such a question.
Lu Xiao found it quite strange that Li Xingzhou came to see her, as the two were not close at all and had never exchanged more than a few words.
She thought she had misread or misheard.
"What do you think?" Lu Xiao's gaze lingered on his face, fixed on him, and she couldn't help but sigh, "He still has that handsome face that can make one's heart flutter. Do you want to hear my agreement or disagreement?"
"That depends on which aspect of interests you are considering, Mr. Lu."
Lu Xiao was taken aback. She had anticipated various possible answers from Li Xingzhou when she asked the question, but she never expected him to throw the question back at her. She was uncharacteristically speechless for a moment.
Besides being busy with the setup of the exhibition booth these days, Lu Xiao also has to prepare for the upcoming auction. She knows very well how troublesome it is to win the bid for that batch of equipment. Money is a huge problem, not to mention the tight schedule.
Huang Shiyu has been focusing his energy on dealing with other businessmen and borrowing money lately.
This shows that she really cares about this equipment, even more than the competition itself.
However, raising money is not an easy task; on the contrary, it is a tough job, no easier than finding people to finance a project. She and Huang Shiyu were mentally prepared for this in advance. Fortunately, Huang Shiyu had not been idle in the business world over the years and had accumulated some connections, so there were many people willing to lend money.
As a businessman, Huang Shiyu has a successful point: he is sweet-talking, bold, thick-skinned, good at judging people and manipulating them.
She would tailor her approach to each person's specific situation, then work diligently and meticulously, like a cheetah, with a clear goal and without any hesitation.
Following this process, borrowing from this person and that person, a considerable sum of money was quickly obtained.
However, these businessmen were no pushovers either; they were all shrewd and demanded extremely high interest rates. Even so, Huang Shiyu agreed without hesitation.
Lu Xiao felt it wasn't worth it; the price was too high. Before even making a profit, she was already heavily in debt.
Huang Shiyu calmly told her, "What doesn't come at a price? We are all businessmen, and I would rather they talk to me about mutual benefits than owe me favors. Favors can never be repaid, and it's hard to maintain the right balance. So it's better to be clear about things from the beginning."
How could someone live with such clarity? That was Lu Xiao's first reaction after hearing what she said.
At the time, the man smiled at her nonchalantly and said, "It's okay. The interest is a small matter. I can earn this money back in the future. The most important thing right now is to get the equipment. Otherwise, if we miss this opportunity, we don't know if we will have another good opportunity like this. This is a big deal."
For a moment, Lu Xiao wondered if it would be too reckless to rush into taking pictures of that batch of equipment. But seeing Huang Shiyu's confident demeanor and hearing what she said, she felt that it made sense and it seemed to have rekindled the ambition she had when she had just given birth.
She admitted that at that moment, she was indeed bewitched by Huang Shiyu.
She was truly captivated by Huang Shiyu's confidence; his decisiveness and courage to take a gamble were so alluring and boundless that anyone would be deeply drawn to him.
He immediately dismissed the idea, but Li Xingzhou brought it up again.
She pondered for a moment before saying, "Although there is a slightly unwise element to it, the prospects for development are indeed very promising."
“That’s true,” Li Xingzhou agreed.
His words were ambiguous, sounding like he was saying something positive and negative at the same time. Lu Xiao didn't know what he meant, so she asked directly, "So?"
Li Xingzhou glanced at the stack of documents in her hand and said to her, "Products and chip development in the AI field are not categories that you have focused on before. I just didn't expect that you would still be able to spare energy to focus on self-developed chips at this critical moment."
Lu Xiao understood the meaning behind his words; he was practically telling her directly.
The meaning behind the words can be roughly understood as: don't try to do two things at once, settle your mind, or you'll suffer the consequences.
“You’re not wrong, but the Chinese market is only so big. This cake can’t be eaten up forever, and opportunities don’t wait for anyone.” Lu Xiao looked directly at him with her dark eyes and smiled slightly. “It’s like the difference between the Huangpu River and the Suzhou Creek. Don’t complicate simple things.”
Lu Xiao and Li Xingzhou are both from Shanghai, so she used the Suzhou Creek and the Huangpu River as metaphors. Li Xingzhou knew what she meant. Both the Suzhou Creek and the Huangpu River are Shanghai's mother rivers, but Shanghainese people have different interpretations and often argue about these two rivers.
In fact, the Suzhou Creek is also called the Wusong River. For thousands of years, it has been closely related to the lives of the people of Shanghai and is a true mother river.
"I know the chip industry is a promising field with great potential, but there's no rush to get involved. Besides, your current fundraising situation doesn't seem to be going very smoothly, does it?" Perhaps feeling the sofa wasn't soft enough and uncomfortable, Li Xingzhou moved back, leaning against the back of his chair, and frowned as he said, "It's like the long jump. A proper start is key. Don't always try to achieve too much at once, or you'll land in a terrible state. Moreover, Huang Shiyu's previous hype on Xinyu Xinsheng was too much. She probably didn't realize what that meant in the market: either success or bankruptcy. Which outcome do you want to see?"
Before Lu Xiao could answer, he continued, "Haste makes waste. She's still young and prone to impulsive actions. She might do things on a whim, thinking she can make money. But what money can you really keep in your pocket, and what money can't you? There are always things you can't predict. Have you researched and analyzed recent policy directions and the industrial ecosystem? As her good friend and partner, you should help her when she's about to fall. That's how you make a long-term business relationship. Otherwise, one wrong step can lead to another."
A subtle look flashed in Lu Xiao's eyes, but it was too blurry to be easily noticed under the glaring lights.
"What I hope is that she can make the project a success and go public, rather than it being a flash in the pan and becoming cannon fodder in the market. She might as well put all her time and energy into one project first, and only after she has made a name for herself and has a sustainable cash flow will she have room for choice."
Lu Xiao never interrupted him, her clear black and white eyes fixed on his face. Li Xingzhou also looked at her. The two stared at each other for a few seconds without saying a word, as if they were silently confronting and competing.
The hotel lobby has returned to its initial quiet state.
A moment later, Li Xingzhou sat up straight, his tone even more serious than before, "Otherwise, the first thing to defeat you will be yourselves."
Lu Xiao narrowed her eyes, seemingly pondering what Li Xingzhou had said.
If Huang Shiyu were here, upon hearing these words, he would certainly be unconvinced and would definitely refute Li Xingzhou.
for example:
I haven't even done it yet! How do you know I can't do it?! At least wait until I do it before you judge me.
And what do you know?! Money is beckoning to me!! Don't get in my way!!!
Li Xingzhou's words may sound cold, but rationally speaking, they are indeed true.
Yes, trying to do both can easily lead to a break in the cash flow, which is very dangerous for a company. Many businesses have suffered continuous losses under such pressure, eventually succumbing to the pressure and becoming precarious.
The fate of these companies is self-evident; she has seen too many in the business world where they all inevitably face acquisition.
Is this the outcome that she and Huang Shiyu wanted to see?
Obviously not.
The chip industry has undeniably broad prospects, but this is not a piece of cake that can be easily taken on. It requires a long-term strategy to reap big rewards, and financial strength and talent are indispensable. What worries Lu Xiao the most is the memory of Speed Technology's acquisition.
She knew best why the company was acquired because of her past mistakes. It was because she lacked sufficient funds to continue operating both the game and AI projects simultaneously. That's why Huang Shiyu relented when faced with the acquisition conditions proposed by Black Tower Group once again.
It must be said that Li Xingzhou was eloquent; his words were sharp yet full of hidden meaning. Lu Xiao was speechless for a moment. She pondered Li Xingzhou's words several times and found them to be true.
Li Xingzhou stared at her without saying a word, making no further statement or movement, not even shifting his body slightly.
The shimmering ceiling lights shone on Li Xingzhou's face, making his already dark eyes appear even deeper, like a cut gemstone.
The lines are clean and crisp.
Staring into those big eyes, for some reason, she couldn't see any sparkling color in them; she only saw a calm and unwavering expression on the person's face.
The fragrance that was constantly sprayed in the hotel lobby gently yet aggressively entered her nostrils, making her feel dizzy and uncomfortable.
Perhaps it was the fragrance, perhaps it was the dazzling light from the overhead lamp, or perhaps it was the calm look in his eyes, but she suddenly remembered the online comments about Li Xingzhou: the mastermind.
I didn't realize it before, but now that I think about it, it seems to make a lot of sense.
Looking back now, Li Xingzhou's expertise in artificial intelligence and his investment skills are indeed impeccable; he is a qualified investor.
This was evident in the discussion about chip market share. He didn't simply relinquish a portion of the chip market share because he liked Huang Shiyu. Instead, he adhered to his principles as an investor, carefully evaluating Huang Shiyu's talent, management, team, the pros and cons of the project, and the potential for unforeseen circumstances. He concluded that the cost of the chip market was currently beyond Huang Shiyu's means—or rather, quite difficult to secure. Therefore, Li Xingzhou consistently refused.
He might soften his stance later, perhaps because Huang Shiyu is too difficult to deal with. Li Xingzhou said that if Huang Shiyu can sell 50,000 orders first, he can soften his stance. To say he softens his stance is more accurate than saying he wants Huang Shiyu to back down.
That wasn't 500 orders, it was 50,000! For a team that didn't have a product in the early stages, that was simply a pipe dream.
But Huang Shiyu did not back down; instead, he became more courageous and accomplished it without any physical products or marketing.
It was precisely because of this that Lu Xiao saw the coldness of the capital market, but also Li Xingzhou's principles and bottom line as a qualified investor, and his willingness to share the risks with Huang Shiyu within the bounds of principle and with certainty, which is exactly different from Song Chaoye.
Having worked with Song Chaoye for so many years, she naturally knew that he was capable of dealing with risks, but he was simply unwilling to take any risks. This might also be related to his work with algorithms, where he disliked the feeling of being out of control.
I understand your concerns.
However, she encountered Huang Shiyu, a very ambitious woman. Her ambition in the market was obvious; clearly, she wanted more than just to make more money. She also wanted to expand her business beyond the domestic market and diversify her operations.
Therefore, this is one of the reasons why Song Chaoye and Huang Shiyu eventually parted ways.
Two people who are no longer on the same wavelength can no longer walk side by side.
Li Xingzhou has a background in finance, extensive overseas investment experience, a focus on return on investment, and a bold yet meticulous investment style.
In Lu Xiao's view, Huang Shiyu and Li Xingzhou are in the same industry, have similar project experience, understand each other's professional bottom line, understand market trends, and will not waver because of emotions when faced with problems. They are committed to keeping public and private matters separate. More importantly, Li Xingzhou is good at making trade-offs in investment and attaches great importance to tail risks.
Although he and Huang Shiyu have different investment philosophies regarding the acquisition of Shenzhen-Hong Kong equipment, for an ambitious and idealistic founder like Huang Shiyu, a highly rational and business-savvy operator like Li Xingzhou is needed to achieve a delicate balance.
To be honest...
This was the first time she had ever evaluated someone so seriously; it was a very high evaluation.
After a long while, Lu Xiao asked him, "You've already talked to her, haven't you?"
"Um."
Did she accept your suggestion?
"If I had, I wouldn't have come looking for you."
Lu Xiao looked at him suspiciously: "Can I ask you something? What are you planning?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the air seemed to freeze. Apart from the faint sounds of the barista wiping the cups in the lobby bar, no one spoke. This silence lasted for an unknown amount of time. A strange look flashed in Li Xingzhou's eyes. After a moment's thought, as if he had made a major decision, he stood up and went to Lu Xiao's side.
Meanwhile, Wang Ping pushed open the hotel door, his steps a little hurried, and paused slightly when he saw the scene in the lobby.
Li Xingzhou's voice wasn't loud, and Wang Ping was standing quite far away, so he couldn't hear what Li Xingzhou was saying in Lu Xiao's ear. Before she could think about it, she saw Li Xingzhou slowly move away and sit on the sofa opposite Lu Xiao.
Seeing that she had probably finished speaking, Wang Ping walked over, her steps quicker than before. She had come to find Lu Xiao to discuss the exhibition booth tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Lu Xiao seemed to have heard something earth-shattering. Her pupils dilated slightly, and she looked at him with a rather strange expression, her eyes revealing mostly surprise. "Does she know?"
Compared to Lu Xiao's surprised expression, Li Xingzhou looked completely calm. "I don't know yet."
After much deliberation, Lu Xiao asked, "So, are you planning to tell her?"
The moment he finished speaking, Li Xingzhou's expression stiffened slightly, and he was caught off guard and stunned. In that instant, there was an imperceptible struggle hidden deep in his eyes, but it was only for a moment.
Then, his eyes flickered slightly, and he said, "Wait a little longer."
Lu Xiao was clearly still immersed in what Li Xingzhou had just said and did not notice his subtle change. After a brief moment of thought, Lu Xiao frowned slightly. Just as she was about to say something, she heard someone call her from behind.
She turned around and saw Wang Ping, who said his computer screen was black and he couldn't use it, and he wanted her to find someone to fix it.
Lu Xiao was puzzled. She had just used the computer and all its functions were working fine. Why was it suddenly not working now? Then she saw Wang Ping give her a subtle, faint smile. With just one glance, Lu Xiao clearly understood what he meant.
This was clearly a veiled message, delivered indirectly. She glanced at Li Xingzhou out of the corner of her eye and understood.
Lu Xiao turned her head and glanced at what Li Xingzhou was carrying. She knew without guessing who it was for and went straight to the point, "Shiyu is in 4402."
"Um."
Lu Xiao took the documents, stood up and said goodbye to Li Xingzhou, "Okay, I'll head over now."
Li Xingzhou nodded: "Okay, I won't disturb your work anymore."
After watching Lu Xiao and Wang Ping slowly walk away for a while, his phone rang. He looked away and answered the call.
The caller was Zhang Jinheng's secretary.
The other party said that Mr. Zhang would have time to meet with him at 3 pm tomorrow.
When Li Xingzhou heard that Zhang Jinheng finally had some free time, his eyes lit up.
He was determined to take this opportunity to persuade Zhang Jinheng. One reason was to solve Huang Shiyu's current project's need for chips, and the other was to discuss patent matters with Zhang Jinheng.
He understood Huang Shiyu's needs, knowing that she wanted to expand her business into the semiconductor industry and focus on two key areas: semiconductor chips and AI-powered mental healing.
But reality is often like this: people may have the potential to soar to great heights, but without good fortune, they cannot achieve their goals.
Therefore, before one's wings are fully grown, one must first learn to leverage external forces. This is not only a survival rule in the business world, but also the first lesson for people entering society.
Li Xingzhou asked, "Okay, the usual place?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Okay, I'll be there on time." Li Xingzhou answered the phone while turning to walk towards the elevator, casually exchanging pleasantries with Zhang Jinheng's secretary. His gaze lingered on the two elevators descending simultaneously, watching them stop one after the other on the forty-fifth floor. Li Xingzhou frowned, hung up the phone, and while waiting for the elevator, he casually glanced at the hotel's magnificent revolving door, its shimmering lights resembling scattered gold. For a moment, it was difficult to distinguish whether the light reflected on the revolving door was the hotel's overhead beams or the dense lights of the distant skyscrapers.
The glass reflected light, flashing and shimmering. The glittering scene that had just entered his eyes now silently reappeared in Huang Shiyu's eyes.
She leaned against the dazzling night view, puffing out smoke. Grayish-white smoke billowed from her nostrils, swirling and billowing, even her eyes, hidden in the night, were tinged with a hazy hue. She kept looking at the Oriental Pearl Tower in the distance, her hand holding the cigarette resting lightly on the windowsill. The flickering flame danced restlessly in the darkness, the sparks rising little by little. The thin smoke shrouded her in a hazy, ethereal light, as if she herself were part of the smoke.
Occasionally, a few wisps of early summer breeze would blow by, bringing a sense of oppression. Even though summer had not yet truly arrived, she felt that the air still carried the lingering heat of summer.
Perhaps it was the scene that stirred her emotions, or perhaps it was the fact that the night always brings forth feelings that shouldn't exist during the day. Under the thick darkness and gentle breeze, she recalled many things from the past.
For example, when I was part of the large group of graduates, standing on the Bund, looking at the Oriental Pearl Tower so close by, I was thinking about how much effort I would have to put in to stay in Shanghai.
For example, how can she find a high-paying job in Shanghai, one that can provide for her basic needs, allow her to buy a car and a house, enable her to travel comfortably, and free her from having to carefully consider prices when buying what she wants...
When the spark touched her skin, Huang Shiyu snapped out of her daze. Looking down, she realized the cigarette had long since burned out. She stubbed it out, threw it in the trash, and lit another cigarette. Her gaze remained fixed on the river view under the thick clouds that obscured the moon, and on the towering buildings that seemed to pierce the sky.
My thoughts began to drift again.
She recalled when she first came to Shanghai. She was nineteen years old that year, and countless freshmen of similar age flooded into the brightly lit city of Shanghai like a tide. At that time, the Internet industry was booming, the bubble economy had not yet arrived, and the market was thriving.
That year was also the year of the circuit breaker, with the stock market plummeting. Many people's dreams of celebration were ultimately shattered, and perhaps the slowdown in economic growth was already evident at that time.
Huang Shiyu remembers clearly that at the time she really wanted to integrate into the city and stay in Shanghai.
Thanks to her years of experience in the business world, she has come to a profound realization: whether in the past or present, the prerequisite for solving these problems is always related to money.
The thought of money gives me a headache, even though I've managed to raise a considerable sum of money for the auction during this tight schedule by borrowing from here and there.
But she knew this was just the beginning. When things started to get going, it really was like money was flowing away like water. There might even be a situation where money was thrown into water and no sound was heard.
She knew all the concerns Li Xingzhou had for her. Her only problem was that she was currently short of funds and needed working capital for her "Heartfelt Words" project. However, the chip industry had a very promising market outlook, and she was extremely envious.
Although it was a field she had never explored before, she wanted to be the first to try it.
So at this stage, she can only try to make more money, at least to make the situation less passive. Everything is difficult at the beginning, and she can get through the early stages by enduring them. Just as she was thinking about this, her phone rang.
She clicked on it and saw that it was a message in the group. Lu Xiao and Wang Ping were acting out a duet, refreshing the page precisely every two seconds. Huang Shiyu was too lazy to scroll back to see what they were talking about, so she just asked directly.
Wang Ping quickly replied, "Everyone online is saying that Qixing's production line has problems and they can't deliver the goods."
Although Huang Shiyu had never cooperated with Qixing, he was still somewhat aware of Qixing's reputation in the industry. After all, it was a nearly century-old company, and Qixing was not a supplier with unstable delivery times. On the contrary, they had been diligent and reliable for decades, never affecting the production schedule of their customers. Could it be that the recent surge in business volume due to foreign monopolies had prevented them from delivering on time?
Huang Shiyu guessed: "Is the production capacity at full capacity?"
However, the situation was worse than she had imagined.
Wang Ping succinctly summarized: "No, it's because the person in charge of Qixing's production line lost money in the stock market and was unwilling to accept it. He then used his position to embezzle this batch of advance payments to speculate in stocks. He failed and lost money, and ended up owing the bank millions of yuan, which is why he can't deliver the goods now."
Lu Xiao also added, "It's such a pity. He originally had a happy family, but now his wife wants a divorce. I heard his mother also just got stomach cancer. It's really a shame that such a good family is gone. But then again, if you don't have money to invest in stocks, don't try to use leverage and chase after stocks that are soaring. If you lose money, just stop immediately, or you won't be in this situation now. In the end, it's all because he was too greedy."
Huang Shiyu himself also invests in stocks, so he knows all too well the mentality of these people. They all invest with a speculative mindset, and they're bound to lose money. Of course, there are ways to make sure you don't lose. It's very simple: don't be greedy, take profits when you can, and treat it as an investment, not a way to get rich quick. That's basically it. But very few people can do that. Instead, most people want to leverage their investments and multiply their money several times over, only to get trapped in losses.
"Oh, right, there's one more thing. A few days ago, a headhunter contacted me. A tech startup wants to poach me to work as a research and development engineer for them."
Wang Ping posted a picture containing information about that tech company.
Huang Shiyu clicked on it and zoomed in to take a look. The company had been established for less than a year and had not yet raised funds. It had only about fifty employees and was indeed a startup. She herself had been through that process and knew that now was the time when a large number of talents were needed.
"How much do they pay you?" Huang Shiyu asked.
Wang Ping replied instantly: "About the same as now."
Huang Shiyu took another drag of his cigarette, flicked off the ash, and thought for a moment: "What kind of benefits are you promised? Stocks? Dividends?"
The elevator doors behind me opened and closed, and the unusually quiet corridor was filled with the sound of leather shoes. The motion-sensor lights above my head also came to life and lit up.
Huang Shiyu didn't turn around, completely ignoring him, assuming he was just a hotel guest. After all, all her thoughts were on what Wang Ping had said, and she watched the cigarette burning quietly between her fingers.
In addition to being the manager of the pre-research department, Wang Ping also holds 15% of the shares in United Innovation. Huang Shiyu felt that since Wang Ping was willing to bring this up, it was very likely that the other party was offering good treatment. She wanted to know what the good aspects were, but the result was unexpected.
“20% equity.” Wang Ping said frankly and truthfully, without hiding anything.
Huang Shiyu knew this. Wang Ping had always been a very honest person and didn't like to play games with others. Just like when she encountered algorithm problems, she would only focus on breaking them down, calculating, and doing n experiments. It was very simple and pure.
"So much." Lu Xiao was also somewhat shocked. "It seems this company is really going all out."
Lu Xiao's surprise is understandable, after all, Wang Ping only holds 15% of the shares in United Innovation, and it's not a phantom share, but a real share, which requires real money to purchase with his personal investment.
"It's just a startup," Wang Ping said dismissively. "Even if you get 50%, the odds are the same as winning the lottery."
Wang Ping is right about this. Many startups are in the early stages of development and want to recruit talent through equity. Using phantom stock as equity incentives is the most common practice.
However, as Wang Ping said, even if the company were to offer 50% of the shares, although it wouldn't cost any money, the odds of success would be like winning the lottery. In short, it was just empty promises, since it was hard to say whether the startup would even be able to develop in the future.
Wang Ping sent another message: "I said the main reason they can poach me through headhunters is that they will definitely try to poach other people in the company. I just wanted to give you guys a heads-up."
These words reminded her that a few days ago, Lu Xiao had told her that a startup company had poached engineers from their pre-research department by promising them equity. Huang Shiyu thought that this must be the company.
Clearly, she wasn't the only one with the same idea.
"No wonder the name of that company in the screenshot sounded so familiar. It's that bastard who poached our own people using the same method a few days ago. Luckily, I managed to keep these engineers at bay after much persuasion. It wasn't easy!"
Lu Xiao suggested, "We can use this method too. It's simple. I'll contribute 5%."
"We can't give out phantom shares, we can give equity rewards." Huang Shiyu glanced at the bright sparks from the cigarette butt, and replied to the message without the slightest hesitation.
After she sent that message, the chat window seemed to freeze, and no messages appeared for a long time.
“But phantom shares don’t require money to buy, while equity rewards do. I’m afraid they’ll feel bad for us when they compare the two options later.” Wang Ping replied as if he had been struggling with this for a long time.
"If you give them shares without any investment, they'll feel like they're getting something for nothing, and they won't cherish them. It's like when you go to the supermarket and get a buy-one-get-one-free deal, you'll naturally think the free one is more valuable than the one you bought. It's the same principle."
Knowing that Wang Ping's intentions were good and that he was thinking of the company, Huang Shiyu didn't want to ruin the good atmosphere of the conversation over this topic.
"I give them shares mainly because I hope they can be good shareholders of the company. As the company develops, their profits will naturally follow. Moreover, we have plans to go public. Anyone in the know understands that it's better to spend more money to invest in a good project than to spend less money to invest in a bad project. There's no such thing as a free lunch."
This isn't charity work. She knows Wang Ping will understand this approach, and what she wants are shareholders who can weather the storm together, not those who abandon each other in times of trouble.
Looking at the night view from the corridor window, Huang Shiyu took a drag of his cigarette and asked, "Could it be that you're tempted by the 20% equity stake?"
"No, I never intended to leave. If I wanted to leave, I could have just made up some excuse."
Then another sentence followed.
"For example, my parents left more than a dozen houses for me to come home and collect rent from."
Although Wang Ping wasn't a particularly sensitive or delicate person, he could still sense subtle changes in the atmosphere, so he tried to defuse the situation by joking around.
Lu Xiao joked, "Where are those dozen or so houses? In Beijing? Do your parents need another daughter? How about me?"
Huang Shiyu added, "If you become rich and powerful, don't forget me. Count me in. Actually, what I want to say is that whether or not I collect rent is not important. What's important is that I like to show houses to people."
Wang Ping first sent a laughing emoji, then sent a message: "I don't have a dozen or so buildings, but I do have a dozen or so apartments. But I'm sorry, I can't give you the official status you want. However, if you work hard to get the company listed on the stock exchange, buying a few apartments will be a piece of cake. Do you agree with what I'm saying?"
The wind was still howling outside the window, and the lights were still dazzling. As Li Xingzhou stepped out of the elevator, he immediately saw Huang Shiyu standing by the window in the corridor, making a phone call. The incandescent light illuminated half of her face. Her long hair was flowing as she leaned against the windowsill, a cigarette between her fingers.
Suddenly, his gaze faltered.
Huang Shiyu had her back to him, so she naturally didn't feel the familiar gaze fixed on her from behind.
Li Xingzhou remained silent, staring at her back for a while. There was no one in the corridor except the two of them. He watched as Huang Shiyu finished burning her cigarette, lit another one, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled. Pure white smoke swirled and floated around her, as if isolating her from the outside world.
Li Xingzhou walked over calmly amidst the mingled scents of tobacco and thick incense.
Hearing the footsteps getting closer behind her, Huang Shiyu noticed that they were different from before. She turned around and, in that instant, peeked through the misty smoke and glanced at him.
It was Li Xingzhou.
In the misty white smoke, Huang Shiyu saw him walking over carrying a bag.
The two stared at each other across the distance, neither speaking, as if their language systems were blocked by the white smoke.
The phone rang several more times. Seeing that the group chat had returned to its initial lively atmosphere, Huang Shiyu simply turned off the screen.
Just then, Li Xingzhou stood in front of her, carrying a bag.
"Why are you here?" Huang Shiyu asked, somewhat surprised.
Li Xingzhou didn't answer directly, his gaze sweeping over her hand holding the cigarette, "I came up to see you."
Huang Shiyu was about to say, "It seems you miss me a lot. It hasn't been that long, and you're already so eager to come find me. You men really aren't reserved enough." Just as he was about to say this string of teasing words, he heard him suddenly speak.
"I noticed you didn't eat much earlier, and I was thinking you might be working overtime, so I brought this out for you to have something to eat."
Huang Shiyu opened it and saw several light, home-style dishes inside. "Thank you for your trouble."
"Don't be so busy talking to people that you don't even have time to eat."
Faced with such words of concern, Huang Shiyu never knew what to say. Sometimes she would feel very happy and think it was nice to be cared for, but other times she would feel that being cared for was a burden.
She herself didn't know why she had this thought.
Ultimately, she felt guilty because she was afraid she wouldn't be able to repay the kindness others had shown her—it was that simple.
Huang Shiyu lowered his head and finished his cigarette, then took out another cigarette from his pocket and handed one to Li Xingzhou, "Okay, want one?" Then, as if he remembered something, he put the cigarette in his own mouth, lit it, and smiled, "Sorry, I forgot you don't smoke."
Looking at the flickering sparks, Li Xingzhou tentatively asked her, "When did you learn to smoke?"
Huang Shiyu took a drag of his cigarette and shook his head. "I don't remember."
She wasn't deliberately refusing to talk about it; she genuinely couldn't remember. She herself had forgotten when she started smoking. Perhaps it was because of a moment of frustration, perhaps to release stress, or perhaps to improve her mood...
The exact reason is now unknown, but I remember that as the nicotine passed through my lungs and I inhaled and exhaled, it felt as if all the troubles that had arisen were released.
"Have you noticed you've been smoking a lot lately?" Looking at Huang Shiyu, who was surrounded by smoke, Li Xingzhou couldn't help but advise her, "Smoke less. Your health is what you need to make a living. Don't ruin your health."
This was the first time Huang Shiyu had ever heard someone advise her to quit smoking. Song Chaoye had never liked her smoking before, but he had never tried to persuade her to quit. He would just frown and remain silent when she smoked.
Huang Shiyu looked at Li Xingzhou and smiled slightly, "Baby."
Her "baby" was so sweet and charming, even sweeter than the hotel's fragrance. Men are naturally unable to resist a woman's coquettishness, just as women are naturally unable to resist sweet words. This call went straight to Li Xingzhou's heart.
Huang Shiyu stubbed out the cigarette she hadn't finished smoking and threw it into the trash can. Noticing the lingering smoke in the air, she waved it away. To avoid hearing Li Xingzhou's incessant nagging about her smoking again, Huang Shiyu chose a straightforward approach. She leaned closer to Li Xingzhou and answered his question with her lips, "No."
The warm lips and tongue were so forceful and ruthless that they pried open his teeth and squeezed in, then held his penis and completely invaded him.
The kiss was so intense, it felt like a surge of molten lava flowing through my very being, even engulfing my ears, nose, and throat.
Li Xingzhou was startled.
This kiss was different from the last one, which was more of a tentative and cautious one.
This time, however, they came with great force and showed no mercy.
He never imagined that Huang Shiyu would kiss him.
He stared at Huang Shiyu's face, his eyes revealing a hint of confusion and helplessness. His heartstrings trembled without warning. He stared blankly for a long time before suddenly lowering his eyes, turning the tables and taking back the tongue that Huang Shiyu had tangled up. Then he deepened the kiss.
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Author's note: Wishing everyone abundant wealth and prosperity!
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