Chen Yang accompanied Wang Jingman to Achievement Media Co., Ltd., a trendy online company located in Diwang Building. They were greeted by polite receptionists and led to Manager Qi's office. Inside, they met Liu Qingqing, Wang Jingman's university friend, and Manager Qi. Despite a seemingly positive atmosphere, Chen Yang felt a sense of unease. The group then proceeded to discuss a potential business collaboration, with Manager Qi highlighting the profitability of their industry and Wang Jingman expressing her interest.
"President Qi, you may proceed; I am listening."
"Very well," President Qi stated directly. "President Wang, as you likely observed upon entering, our company's streamers and staff members exhibit exceptional motivation, and moreover, they generate revenue at a remarkable pace."
"The daily earnings are easily in the tens of millions; the scale of business is immense."
"Frankly, accumulating this wealth independently is quite satisfactory, but as the company expands, even a venue of this size has become insufficient."
"Consequently, I have been contemplating expansion, which is why I am open to collaboration. Otherwise, under normal circumstances, my company would never consider allowing external investment."
President Qi articulated his points with evident confidence.
From the current circumstances, his assertions indeed appeared to be well-founded.
Earlier, Chen Yang and Wang Jingman had witnessed the bustling activity outside, and Liu Qingqing had repeatedly highlighted the achievements of this media company to Wang Jingman.
Therefore, from all present indications, this enterprise was undeniably potent and highly profitable.
"Haha, I could indeed perceive that, President Qi, having noticed it as we passed by earlier," Wang Jingman responded with a smile, nodding.
"Hmm, since you grasp the situation, I shall dispense with further preamble and proceed directly to discussing the terms of cooperation." President Qi deftly steered the conversation towards the partnership conditions.
This was, in essence, the most critical aspect, and thus, all parties present were keenly attentive.
"The conditions for acquiring shares are not overly complicated. I have estimated that to achieve immediate profitability upon launch, we must secure several top-tier streamers, and the signing fees represent a significant expense. Conservatively, this necessitates an investment of at least one billion."
"Should the three of us divide this investment equally, each would contribute thirty million."
"President Wang, if you possess a genuine interest in partnering, your initial contribution would be thirty million, after which we can delve into the finer details. What are your thoughts on this proposal?"
President Qi's sudden demand for capital caused Wang Jingman to pause momentarily before replying.
"Ah, thirty million upfront? Might we first review the documentation? After all, I have yet to see any formal contract, President Qi," Wang Jingman stated.
"Jingman, seize the opportune moment! This venture appears exceptionally promising. What era are we in now? It's the digital age; you cannot afford to miss this early advantage, or you will undoubtedly regret it later." Observing Wang Jingman's hesitation, Liu Qingqing immediately interjected with urgency from the side.
She seemed particularly enthusiastic about this deal, eagerly anticipating an immediate investment.
Although Wang Jingman also held this matter in high regard, her extensive commercial acumen compelled her to adhere to the principle that haste often leads to waste.
Regardless of how promising a project might seem, a thorough understanding of its intricacies was paramount.
"Qingqing, I am not implying I won't invest. President Qi's willingness to discuss this with us signifies his inclination towards collaboration, and our presence here demonstrates our keen interest as well. It is simply that I am not entirely familiar with the nuances of the internet industry and wish to explore them further to comprehend the cooperation model more thoroughly, thereby enabling a more informed decision. Given the substantial amount involved, clarity is essential, wouldn't you agree, President Qi?" Wang Jingman responded with a calm smile.
A fleeting expression of surprise crossed President Qi's face, though it was expertly concealed, undetectable without careful scrutiny.
His smile remained steadfastly in place.
"Haha, President Wang's perspective is entirely accurate; business ventures should never be undertaken with undue haste. Since you are unfamiliar with the specifics, allow me to elaborate on the operational model once more and subsequently discuss the contract details." President Qi readily agreed with a smile, then proceeded to systematically and meticulously re-explain everything to Wang Jingman.
From the company's operational framework to its daily work schedules, even the most minute details were thoroughly elaborated upon.
"President Wang, in this current era, our company represents a virtually foolproof path to profitability; as long as you commit to investing, you can anticipate substantial returns without any complications whatsoever." President Qi concluded with a smile.
Having listened to the explanations regarding the partnership and operational models, Wang Jingman nodded, appearing relatively satisfied with the proposed venture.
Not only she, but Chen Yang also felt a sense of contentment regarding the matter.
He genuinely believed it had the potential to be lucrative.
"Jingman, I assured you, you can have complete peace of mind with this project. As sisters, we would never deceive you. Furthermore, I am investing myself, so there will be no untoward issues; we shall simply await the profits." Liu Qingqing declared with a laugh from the side.
Wang Jingman offered a knowing smile and a nod, seemingly in agreement.
"Chen Yang, what is your assessment?" However, she wished to ascertain Chen Yang's opinion first.
"The project indeed appears promising and is suitable for collaboration. Let us review the contract first; if there are no objections, we can proceed." Chen Yang stated.
President Qi and Liu Qingqing paid close attention to Chen Yang. Upon hearing his words, they nodded with smiles in agreement.
"Haha, President Chen’s assessment is indeed spot on. Let us review the contract now. If there are no issues, we can sign it today. My company is in urgent need of expansion, so I cannot help but hastily seek a partnership," President Qi said with a cheerful smile, promptly retrieving pre-prepared contracts from a drawer in the coffee table.
The contracts were then meticulously handed out to each person present.
Upon receiving hers, Wang Jingman immediately began her review with utmost seriousness. Chen Yang, however, lacked the same enthusiasm to read through it.
He trusted Wang Jingman’s meticulous review would be sufficient, ensuring no problems would arise.
Setting the contract aside, he expressed a slight displeasure towards President Qi and Liu Qingqing, stating he needed to use the washroom and left the office first.
Not genuinely requiring the restroom, he felt uneasy due to the prior impressions left by Liu Qingqing.
Therefore, he deliberately created this excuse to investigate before the formal signing.
Although President Qi spoke persuasively, caution is always the wisest course, as the old saying goes, safety ensures longevity.
Leaving the office, Chen Yang made his way to inspect the streaming hosts and the marketing zone, then proceeded to wander through the entire company premises.
He discovered that the company was genuinely as President Qi had described; everything appeared to be in perfect order.
Individuals in every department were diligently occupied, energetically engaged in marketing and live broadcasting activities.
Furthermore, all their performance data was relatively positive, indicating a profitable operation.
"Could it be that I am overthinking things?"
Having confirmed that the company had no underlying issues, Chen Yang intended to return to the office, realizing he had been away for quite some time.
However, on his way back, he encountered the restroom and decided to attend to his needs.
As he was washing his hands at the sink, he suddenly overheard soft murmurs emanating from the adjacent women's restroom, discussions about the company.
"Do you think they'll actually pay our salaries tomorrow? President Qi has already delayed my wages for three months. If they don't pay, how are we supposed to survive?"
"Aren't we all in the same predicament? I'm barely making ends meet myself."
The voices belonged to two women, seemingly streamers employed by the company.
Hearing their conversation, Chen Yang was taken aback.
How could a company generating tens of millions in live stream revenue be unable to afford salary payments?
Was this exaggeration to such a degree?
"Ah, don't worry too much. Last time, President Qi mentioned that an investor was coming. Surely, there will be enough money for our salaries tomorrow."
"Hah, is this shoddy company actually attracting investment? Even if they get investment, they'll probably still fail to pay salaries in a few months."
"Why fret over it? Didn't we agree to leave once we get paid? Whether they pay or not won't matter to us then."
"Hehe, that's right."
"Alright, let's stop talking. We need to go out and put on a show. Clearly, we haven't achieved anything yet, but we have to pretend we have. It's truly exhausting."
After exchanging these few remarks, the sound of footsteps indicated that the two women had departed the restroom.
