Chapter 58 The Master of Empty Promises
"Meng replied to my email!"
The airport was bustling with people. Following the ding-dong notification sound and the professional announcement, a deep, resonant male voice rang out loudly without any attempt to tone down its volume.
“Andrew, I must warn you, as a public figure, I hope you can pay more attention to your image. Or perhaps I should just say it directly? Don’t embarrass us.”
A stunningly beautiful woman with long, wavy brown hair and sunglasses pursed her red lips and said sharply, "I don't want to appear on the same gossip news cover as you."
"I also received Meng's email reply!" The petite blonde girl's presence was inevitably diminished, and she struggled to raise her small face, trying to interject between the two who were about to erupt into a dispute.
She pouted slightly, her clear blue eyes looking back at the screen, and said carefully, word by word, "She said she hoped we would bring her violin... Ah..."
Andrew opened his mouth, which was hidden by his beard, and exchanged a glance with Lina. Then he scratched his head in distress. "How could she know... we didn't say anything!"
"You're a genius, aren't you? Who told you to send her that email to brag?" Lina sneered, her red lips curling up. "The other guys actually did what you said obediently. If Meng couldn't see through it..."
"Oh no, I don't think that's possible."
"What should we do then?" Andrew frowned deeply, looking troubled. "The plane is about to take off. Going back to get it now? It'll be too late. Do we have to rebook?"
"...Why do you think I would need to check in extra luggage?"
Lina sighed and decided not to continue talking to this man who looked like a bear and whose intelligence didn't seem to be much higher than a bear's.
“J.” When she looked at the blonde girl, her tone softened considerably. “Do you remember our promise?”
J raised his azure eyes, a sweet smile on his face, and nodded vigorously. "Yes, after I meet Meng, I will tell her that I was so curious about her hometown that I asked you to come with me."
"Yes, that's right, what a good girl."
Lina nodded in satisfaction, and as she met Andrew's gaze, the two exchanged a knowing smile.
J didn't experience the period when Meng was with the band and they, so naturally he wouldn't understand the sense of oppression that Chinese girl brought.
Although Meng couldn't possibly do anything to them... they preferred to believe that Meng would let it go afterward, considering J's angelic and adorable appearance.
Thinking of the 'special training' that Teacher Meng had suggested they receive, both of them looked away guiltily.
As they noticed that many people were turning their gazes toward them and hearing the familiar whispers and comments, Lina pushed up her sunglasses, nodded to Andrew, and the two of them, one dragging luggage and the other carrying a J, walked towards the boarding gate with practiced ease.
…
…
"...As of now, a total of 21,283 people have participated in the preliminary rounds."
During the online meeting, the person in charge of the presentation was none other than Song Ruining, a master at using the Gugu machine to deliver PowerPoint presentations.
She calmly explained, "The deadline for the preliminary selection is next Friday, January 17th. At that time, we will determine the final top 100 contestants in each region through scoring and ranking, as well as the semi-finals."
“During this period, any contestant who is eliminated can upload their work to the Guji Music app. After the review, the work will be evaluated based on data such as the number of listens and shares. One contestant from each region will return to the competition for a do-or-die battle by winning first place online.”
Meng Er's expression remained indifferent as he lowered his eyes and pondered quietly.
Who proposed this plan?
"...She was an intern at the company. During the meeting, she was responsible for listening in and taking notes, and afterwards she submitted her suggestions to her supervisor."
Song Ruining hesitated slightly when answering. According to the unspoken rules of the workplace, such "credit" should not have been given to an intern, no matter how you look at it.
Why did an intern come up with an idea that so many full-time employees and management couldn't even think of?
However, despite his busy schedule, Chairman Li made a special and serious reminder that when dealing with Meng Er, this "sugar daddy," one should not use conventional thinking.
Meng Er nodded slightly, scrolled through the interface with the mouse, and said calmly, "If they could come up with this idea, they wouldn't have waited until now to tell me."
“…Yes.” Song Ruining stiffened slightly and steadied her voice.
"That concludes the report on program planning. Mr. Meng, next I'd like to discuss the budget plan with you."
"I've reviewed the budget, and there are no problems."
Meng Er calmly said, "Don't worry about the money. You just need to do your job well. I don't want any mistakes to happen at any stage, not even the so-called common sense."
“I believe Li Ming understands this better than I do, but if there are disagreements within the company, I don’t mind using my power to play the bad guy.”
"Yes, President Meng." Song Ruining stared at the screen, momentarily holding his breath.
She began to understand why Chairman Li held this excessively young-looking girl in such high regard.
At least during this online one-on-one meeting, Song Ruining only clearly felt at this moment that Meng Er's aura was cold and composed, which was completely inconsistent with her age.
Before that, she felt like she had returned to the days when Li Ming was full of vigor and ambition, and subconsciously regarded Meng Er as the superior.
"Your Chairman Li must be very busy lately?" Meng Er shifted her gaze to the side, clicked off the new message from Xu Yitong, and then edited an email in English, addressed to Terbni.
L·s Band is currently enjoying immense popularity.
Although the members of the band seem to be a bit out of touch with their sudden fame, they still live such a casual and rough life.
Compared to wearing formal attire, holding red wine and champagne, and chatting amiably in a luxurious banquet hall, her words reveal her love for art and music.
They prefer to wear clothes that make them comfortable, nestled in historic old buildings, each playing their own instruments as if without any prior agreement. When the mood strikes, the chaotic music gradually becomes harmonious, allowing 'refined' music to flow out from between the red bricks, white ash, and iron frames.
However, Meng Er felt it was still necessary to inform Mr. Teberni, as she couldn't guarantee that these guys would be willing to tell the teacher their 'plans' in advance.
Knowing the situation, Song Ruining spoke up when Meng Er's gaze paused slightly, saying earnestly, "Yes, Chairman Li has been very busy lately, so he specifically asked me to convey his apologies for not being able to report to you personally."
In fact, Li Ming didn't need to adopt such a humble attitude.
At least that's what Song Ruining thought before she had these few encounters with Meng Er.
The big spender—
It really depends on who it is.
Song Ruining didn't underestimate Meng Er at all. Thinking of Li Ming, who had been working like a spinning top lately, she felt it was necessary to make a good impression on him in front of her sugar daddy.
"Hmm, it's good to be busy," Meng Er said calmly. "It means my money wasn't wasted."
Song Ruining's carefully prepared remarks vanished instantly. She wasn't even sure if it was her imagination, but why did her sugar daddy seem to have laughed just now?
"Ahem... Please rest assured, President Meng, everyone at Gugu Machine is now of one mind, with only one goal: to live up to your choice." She said with a bright gaze and a very infectious voice.
This was the first time she hadn't said anything polite at a time like this.
A month ago, Gugu Machine was almost lifeless. Colleagues were leaving every day, and one after another, the contract termination announcements of the artists under its management were like throwing stones at the head of a drowning person.
Every employee who remained at their post was bewildered. The success of the Gugu machine seemed like yesterday, but now they were already stuck in a state of having nothing to do.
Until Meng Er appeared.
Nowadays, the Gugu machine is like a wound-up toy from top to bottom, with everyone excited and creating the spectacle of one person doing the work of two.
When it came to Li Ming, one social engagement after another came up. His colleagues took turns accompanying him and drinking with him, almost gambling with his last chance to build connections with Gugu Machine, placing all his hopes on this show.
Through a series of social engagements, one key step after another was taken.
The general manager and others in charge of the music software worked day and night to keep a close eye on the progress.
Song Ruining witnessed the general manager casually scratch his head, then toss a tuft of hair tangled between his fingers into the trash can, and immediately convene the next meeting after just finishing discussing the requirements of one phase.
Every day there are waves of interviews, and new employees are drafted on the very day they join.
Even some artists who were not very famous and were previously signed by the company were arranged to be judges in the auditions and become part of the triple scoring mechanism.
For Song Ruining, reporting to Meng Er at this moment was the only time he could rest during this period.
She was busy and tired, but fulfilled. What she saw was a Gugu Machine that seemed to have been revitalized.
No one had time to think about whether it would succeed or not. Or perhaps, like Chairman Li, they all regarded this as a last-ditch effort, and even if they failed, they didn't want to have any regrets.
Meng Er's gaze shifted to Song Ruining's face on the screen.
She had seen many faces like this, full of energy, their eyes almost invariably filled with ambition, pursuing both fame and fortune.
But for people like Song Ruining and Li Ming, their ambition is mixed with a pure belief.
In Meng Er's view, this belief is somewhat naive, but it is often those who hold such beliefs who are more likely to create incredible miracles.
A slight smile played on her lips, though her dark eyes remained calm.
"Then please convey this message to all the employees in the company."
"After the program goes live, regardless of the outcome, all employees will receive double their bonuses."
Instead of offering words of comfort, give a large sum of money.
To drive away wolves and tigers, in addition to the necessary deterrence, you also need to provide enough juicy and fresh meat.
Meng Er never hesitated to reward people with money; this method was incredibly convenient, quick, and always resulted in a win-win situation.
Song Ruining suppressed the wide grin that almost reached his ears, cleared his throat, and, unable to contain the joy in his eyes, calmly said, "On behalf of all my colleagues in the company, I would like to express our gratitude to President Meng!"
They truly are a major investor...
Two tears of emotion welled up in her eyes as she thought about the new car she had hesitated to buy for so long, and the family trip abroad that she had been planning since last year…
Song Ruining could barely suppress the urge to smile.
"That concludes the report on the project progress. I've gathered enough information."
Meng Er glanced at the time and said calmly, "Thank you for your report. You've worked hard."
"Yes, Mr. Meng." Song Ruining pursed his lips, his eyes shining as if they could glow, and said as calmly as possible, "It's no trouble at all, it's all what I should do... Well then, that concludes today's report. Goodbye, Mr. Meng."
"goodbye."
Meng Er slightly raised his gaze and clicked the mouse to close the video conference.
She turned off the computer, packed her things quickly, and left the rented apartment.
Twenty minutes later, at the same coffee shop.
A woman whose face showed the marks of time, yet remained beautiful, now had a hint of weariness in her eyes as she stirred her coffee, occasionally glancing at the street scene outside the window, and unconsciously letting out a soft sigh from time to time.
Her name is Huang Surong. She made her fortune in the early 2000s through a beauty salon business. She has been married and divorced.
She ended her career to marry and then stepped away from being a wealthy businessman's wife, only to find herself heavily indebted because her husband transferred assets, leaving behind only debts.
Over the years, Huang Surong has persevered with her determination, working hard from a small-time agent to the founder of a cosmetics brand with independent stores in some shopping malls.
Although her market is limited to Hecheng and a few surrounding cities, it is enough to prove her ability.
This has always been Huang Surong's proudest achievement.
However, in recent years, the domestic market has been constantly impacted by imported brands, and the market share of her cosmetics brands is being swallowed up at an extremely fast pace, leaving her completely powerless to resist.
Unfortunately, at the crucial moment when Huang Surong resolutely decided to expand into other regional markets, her cash flow was on the verge of collapse, leaving her in a dilemma.
When faced with the company's life or death, Huang Surong thought of the suitor who had been pursuing her for over a year.
They also received an invitation from an unknown investor.
The suitor is a fund manager who manages a staggering fund and is quite well-known in Hecheng, despite his somewhat bad reputation. But... it's inevitable that this circle will be embroiled in all sorts of scandalous news.
Huang Surong had no doubt that his help would be effective. Compared to the investor she had never heard of before, all she needed to give up was a new marriage.
Although her suitor was not particularly handsome, he was humorous and witty. Apart from the occasional inappropriate words or actions, he did not leave a bad impression on her.
Huang Surong should know better than anyone else how to make the right choice.
She didn't even understand why she had agreed to the other person's request, and was now sitting in this coffee shop waiting for them.
The coffee shop door was gently pushed open, and the crisp, melodious sound of wind chimes rang out in the quiet space.
Huang Surong was so preoccupied with her complicated thoughts that she had no interest in seeing who had entered the store.
Her brows were slightly furrowed, her red lips were tightly pursed, and her calm, beautiful eyes were slightly lowered, revealing a few lines that hinted at the passage of time.
"Hello, are you Ms. Huang?"
"I am Meng Er. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Having earned a little money, Meng Er upgraded her mode of transportation from bus to taxi. She wasn't late at all; in fact, she arrived ten minutes earlier than the agreed time. With her eyes slightly lowered, she looked at the woman in the seat and greeted her softly.
'Clang...'
Upon hearing that pleasant yet youthful voice, Huang Surong unconsciously loosened her grip. She raised her eyelids, took a close look at Meng Er, and then revealed a wry smile.
So young...
What is she still hesitating about?
"Excuse me..." Huang Surong took a deep breath, regardless of what gave this girl the confidence to contact her as an investor.
But it was clear that what she needed, the other party couldn't provide.
Huang Surong was able to maintain this politeness entirely out of her own self-cultivation, even though she couldn't help feeling annoyed at being mocked.
But more than anything, I felt disappointed in myself.
"Ms. Huang, after learning about the Qingque makeup brand, I am very interested in some of your core beliefs, such as traditional craftsmanship."
Meng Er seemed oblivious to Huang Surong's meaning, and sat down on his own, saying calmly, "But it seems that your company's marketing strategy has consistently missed the mark."
"..." Huang Surong's expression paused for a moment. She subconsciously tightened her grip on her bag and finally looked directly at the girl sitting opposite her.
"A glass of water, please." Meng Er nodded slightly to the waiter who came to her side.
"OK."
“…Meng, Miss Meng.”
After ordering a glass of water, Meng Er simply looked at Huang Surong with a calm expression, neither making her feel offended nor giving her a sense of distance.
If she could, Huang Surong would like to get up and leave immediately; she didn't need to waste any more time.
But under the indifferent gaze of the girl opposite her, Huang Surong kept replaying the words she had just said in her mind.
Unable to resist in the end, she straightened her toes under the table, pursed her lips, let out a soft breath, and looked at Meng Er with a scrutinizing gaze.
“I don’t quite understand what you mean. Qingque’s marketing has always emphasized that we use traditional techniques, and that is precisely the reason why Qingque’s target audience buys our products.”
Huang Surong's expression turned slightly cold, and she spoke rather quickly, "These are all data obtained through market surveys, and they probably have nothing to do with what you, Miss Meng, said about not being able to grasp the key points."
Nine out of ten people who choose Qingque are attracted by its traditional craftsmanship.
She admitted that she was somewhat 'provoked'.
The shadow that had been lingering in her heart for years gradually grew, making it impossible for Huang Surong to accept Meng Er's ridiculous and self-righteous explanation of why Qingque was declining.
If it's that simple, why does she feel powerless?
This also led Huang Surong to have a somewhat dismissive view of Meng Er.
It's understandable that young people are short-sighted and limited by their experience, but trying to show off in front of her will only make you look foolish.
The waiter brought over a glass of water, nodded politely, and left.
Meng Er's lips curled up slightly, a smile that appeared on her rather aloof and elegant face, yet it did not seem out of place.
"I can't see Qingque's financial reports, but it's not hard to guess that Qingque's market share must have been declining year by year over the past five years, right?"
Her smile was faint yet approachable, which at least effectively calmed the emotions that surged within Huang Surong when she heard those words.
"Yes, there's nothing to deny. Since Miss Meng has expressed interest in investing, she must have sent someone to learn about our Qingque."
Huang Surong sat upright, completely unaware that she was adopting a negotiating posture in a business setting when facing an eighteen-year-old girl.
"Qingque's customer base will naturally provide you with the answer you want, after all, Qingque has a good reputation in Hecheng. Even though its market share is being eroded, it still has a group of loyal customers."
Meng Er said calmly, "Ms. Huang should have also considered how markets outside of these customer groups view Qingque."
"Is the reason for using traditional methods as a selling point because the upper limit is too low and the audience is more inclined to choose foreign brands, or is it because the advertising strategy has not captured the audience's mind?"
"As a mid-to-low-end cosmetics brand, frankly speaking, why does Ms. Huang think that Qingque should be eliminated by major brands that mainly operate mid-to-high-end cosmetics lines?"
"..."
Huang Surong pursed her lips slightly, her brown eyes fixed on Meng Er.
Despite consciously trying to avoid being led astray by what the other person said, I couldn't help but keep thinking along the lines of what Meng Er was saying.
After a moment, she paused, her voice a little hoarse, "I wonder what Miss Meng's insights are?"
"Ms. Huang, why don't you try the coffee here first?" Meng Er smiled slightly and said calmly, "Their beans are quite good. If you know a lot about coffee, you might even be able to tell where they come from."
Huang Surong coughed lightly, feeling awkward. She wanted to withdraw her outstretched hand, but then felt that doing so would be too deliberate.
I could only console myself with the thought that I was thirsty anyway.
She picked up the cup and took a small sip.
A hint of a smile flashed in Meng Er's dark, calm eyes.
She then parted her lips slightly, her tone as calm as casual conversation, "It's not exactly insightful, but Ms. Huang seems to have forgotten that you're here to seek my investment, aren't you?"
Huang Surong nearly choked on a small sip of coffee. She tightened her grip on the coffee cup, and after a few breaths, she was able to maintain a calm expression on her face.
She even forced herself not to scold Meng Er.
At this moment, Huang Surong completely stopped looking down on the girl in front of her.
The tiny, dim embers of fire within me, which had somehow dwindled to mere scattered sparks, suddenly burst forth with a 'poof'.
"How about..."
Meng Er remained calm, lightly tracing the rim of the glass with her fingertip. "Tell me first about the advantages of Qingque that make it a worthwhile investment?"
Her fingers eventually slid down the side of the glass, and she picked it up, leisurely assuming a drinking posture, indicating that Huang Surong could speak.
Meng Er chose Qingque primarily because of the brand's reputation built up over many years.
And its mature production line, as well as the philosophy of Huang Surong, the person in charge.
Qingque's marketing strategy is not inherently flawed. Even its seemingly clumsy approach of constantly instilling its traditional craftsmanship and raw material quality into the market is not inherently wrong.
It just lacks a favorable wind.
Meng Er, however, knew exactly how to use this favorable wind to help this falling bluebird soar straight to the clouds and grow wings.
But she's not a kind-hearted person who's always willing to help others; what she wants is more than Huang Surong is willing to give.
It all depends on whether Huang Surong has the courage to make a decision.
The woman opposite him, still charming and maturely beautiful, lowered her eyes and pondered for only two or three minutes before quickly raising her gaze slightly, her expression becoming serious and earnest.
"So far, Qingque is a domestic brand..."
Meng Er's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile of satisfaction. Her dark eyes were focused intently on an angle that would make Huang Surong uncomfortable, yet would show that she was listening attentively.
Investing in Qingque was her first step into the cosmetics industry, and the second part of illuminating her business empire.
Speaking of which, Big Sister's birthday is coming up soon. Should she prepare a birthday present for herself?
Judging by the time, it seems that another batch of the younger children in the welfare home have reached school age. Perhaps the old director gave her instructions, because she has not yet received any news about needing financial aid.
The old lady had a strange, stubborn streak.
Even though she herself had hardly ever used an umbrella and had been rained on for most of her life, she still couldn't bear to let the little children in the yard get even a drop of rain.
Why not donate another sum as a birthday gift to herself and her husband?
As for the old lady, let her be angry, she's easy to appease anyway.
Meng Er glanced at Huang Surong, who paused for a moment to take a sip of her coffee, and nodded slightly. "It seems that Ms. Huang still has great confidence in Qingque and is very passionate about it."
“…Miss Meng.”
Huang Surong gave a wry smile. "Actually, even if you're unwilling to invest, I don't mind. After all, my ideas are too idealistic for investors, and I'm well aware of that."
Perhaps it's because she gives off a very calm and reliable impression.
At least some things that Huang Surong thought were difficult to say aloud suddenly gave rise to the urge to express her inner turmoil when she met Meng Er's clear, bright eyes.
Once the words were out, rather than regretting not keeping my composure and causing the conversation to subtly fall behind, I felt more of a sense of relief and ease.
"Idealism?"
Meng Er smiled slightly, "President Huang, many people in this world like to call themselves idealists, but very few can actually achieve anything. It's an idealist like you who has both passion and the ability to produce tangible results."
"I would be happy to invest in you."
"..."
Huang Surong finally couldn't hide her surprise and looked at Meng Er with her eyes widening slightly.
After staring at her for a moment, he suddenly realized that he had been somewhat out of line and quickly composed himself with a light cough.
"Of course, that was a much larger reason why I decided to invest."
Meng Er paused, then said meaningfully, "It's because in my mind, Qingque is the pride of Chinese products."
The pride of our nation and its products?
No matter how proud Huang Surong was of Qingque, she never thought, or dared to claim, that Qingque could reach the level of a shining example of Chinese products.
Her fair face flushed slightly, and she secretly thought to herself that the little girl was quite the smooth talker...
Huang Surong's relaxed thoughts suddenly froze, and then she looked at Meng Er hesitantly with an incredulous look in her eyes. "Miss Meng, do you mean... the pride of Chinese products?"
"Um."
Meng Er nodded slightly, understanding her meaning, and said calmly, "As you think."
It's not like I lack the ability. If I'm not bold enough, who am I trying to impress with my humility?
Instead of instilling ideas in customers, it's better to let them develop their own acceptance.
Meng Er slowly lowered his eyes, leaving Huang Surong space to think.
How much she's willing to give up has already been planned out. As for how much Huang Surong is willing to give up, it all depends on how big a piece of the pie she's made is in Huang Surong's mind.
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