After Divorce, I Can Hear the Future

Chapter 55: You’re Giving Too Much

“Mr. Lu, this is Section B,” said Liang Juntao as he led Lu Liang to the area. From afar, Lu Liang spotted Su Wanyu seated on a bench.  

The booth had four or five people, but it was eerily quiet. The number of visitors was fewer than the team members themselves.  

This wasn’t unusual. Despite the expo hosting over 200 entrepreneurial teams, fewer than 50 venture capital firms and independent investors had accepted invitations. Many only showed up as a courtesy to the university.  

One investment manager had once remarked that he randomly deleted 100 business proposals from his inbox daily, stating that unlucky individuals didn’t even deserve his time. With over 200 proposals to choose from, options were abundant.  

External entrepreneurs, having endured societal realities, approached investors humbly. In contrast, student entrepreneurs often believed their ideas were groundbreaking, just one step away from unicorn status.  

Unaware that business ideas held little value, they overlooked the harsh truth: pioneers often suffered the most. The early days of group-buying platforms were a battlefield, and few survived—Meituan, Dazhong, and Nuomi emerged victorious, while few remembered the first group-buying site, Qijia.  

Su Wanyu was absentmindedly watching ants when a pair of sneakers entered her line of sight. Looking up, she was startled to see Lu Liang. Jumping to her feet, she greeted, “Hello, Mr. Lu.”  

“Are you part of this company?” Lu Liang asked with a smile, picking up a brochure from the table.  

The startup was an online one-on-one foreign language education platform called Foreign Educator, offering lessons in 14 languages. The software currently had 122 registered Shanghai International Studies University students and faculty members. The team sought 250,000 yuan in funding to build a website platform.  

“No, I’m just registered as an online English tutor,” Su replied honestly, her natural sincerity evident.  

Lu Liang chuckled and didn’t press further, nodding in acknowledgment before leaving the expo.  

“Xiao Yu, why didn’t you just say you were involved? He might have invested!” Su’s friend scolded her, exasperated.  

“Why would I lie?” Su asked, puzzled.  

“You don’t know unless you try! Do you realize how much Zheng Qin has sacrificed for this team?”  

Su’s face fell. She was unhappy but didn’t want to argue with her friend. “Xiaomin, I have things to do this afternoon. I’ll be going now.”  

Zheng Qin was Xiaomin’s boyfriend, but even if he were hers, Su wouldn’t stoop to manipulation.  

Not knowing Lu Liang well, she wouldn’t act presumptuously. Even if they were close, she wouldn’t exploit their relationship—it was a matter of principle.  

Xiaomin huffed in frustration, falling silent.  

Su sighed softly, unwilling to dwell further on the matter.  

Similar tensions unfolded throughout the expo. For many student entrepreneurial teams, their first hurdle wasn’t securing funding but navigating the strain on relationships.  

Leaving the expo near noon, Lu Liang called Chen Jinchun to see if she was free. With the company understaffed, he wanted to recruit more people.  

Hearing this, Chen scrambled out of bed. They agreed on a time and place to meet.  

“Were you sleeping?” Lu Liang asked, amused.  

“I’m nearby, at Jinqiao Community’s south gate. Could you pick me up there?”  

“Sure. I’ll be there in half an hour,” Lu Liang said.  

After picking up Chen, they headed to Hongqiao Airport to meet Tang Caidie, who had just returned from Dalian. The three then went to Xintiandi for a belated company meal at a high-end hotpot restaurant.  

“Any dietary restrictions?” Lu Liang asked as he glanced at the menu. Anticipating their reluctance to order, he took the initiative.  

The restaurant was known for its luxury, with dishes priced in the hundreds of yuan. Per-person costs often exceeded 1,000 yuan.  

As they ate, Tang shared stories from her trip to Dalian. The film industry was small, and there weren’t many investment firms. As newcomers investing in a grassroots film, they had already received numerous project proposals.  

“What kind of projects?” Lu Liang asked while savoring a well-done, slightly charred beef slice, the rich flavor bursting in his mouth.  

“Titles like City of Amnesia and The Deadly Show. There are about twelve in total. I’ll print the details for you later,” Tang replied.  

She refrained from giving her opinion, leaving Lu Liang to decide.  

Lu Liang nodded and mentioned his investment from the morning. “They’re coming to sign the contract Monday. Could you handle the reception?”  

Tang agreed. Lu Liang then asked, “Tang Jie, what other roles do you think our company needs?”  

Initially planning a shell company to focus on financial ventures, Lu Liang’s plans had evolved. Having invested in a film and a startup, he realized the need to expand personnel.  

Tang considered it. “Given our current scale, we need four more people: a deputy general manager, a financial officer, a clerk, and your assistant.”  

The deputy would oversee administration, the financial officer would provide checks and balances, the clerk would handle routine paperwork, and the assistant would manage Lu Liang’s errands.  

“If financial oversight isn’t under you, multiple layers of checks and balances are crucial,” Tang advised.  

Lu Liang found her reasoning sound. With more projects, proper financial management was essential.  

“Tang Jie, I’d like you to take on the deputy general manager role. What do you think?” Lu Liang said suddenly.  

Tang was startled. Nearing forty, she hadn’t expected to land such a position. After a long pause, she asked, “What salary are you offering?”  

“An annual salary of 400,000 yuan, and you can pick out a 300,000-yuan company car,” Lu Liang replied with a smile, appreciating Tang’s directness.  

Work was about value exchange, not emotions. If Tang didn’t meet expectations, Lu Liang wouldn’t hesitate to dismiss her.  

“Agreed,” Tang said decisively.  

“Welcome aboard, Deputy General Manager Tang,” Lu Liang said, raising his glass of tea.  

Chen, wide-eyed, followed suit, though her mind spun. Is this how adults operate? One moment Tang Jie, the next Deputy General Manager Tang!  

Lu Liang turned to Chen. “Xiao Chen, do you have a boyfriend?”  

Caught off guard, she stammered, “No.”  

“I need an assistant. Interested?” Lu Liang asked. Tang’s earlier suggestion had made him realize the gap in his support structure.  

“What does the job involve?” Chen asked nervously, fidgeting with her hands.  

“General office work—helping with minor tasks like tea, travel arrangements, and document reviews. You’d need to be available 24/7,” Lu Liang explained.  

The description felt oddly like being a personal assistant. Though similar to her current duties, the shift to full-time felt intimidating.  

Lu Liang added casually, “The pay is 10,000 yuan a month, effective immediately.”  

“I’ll take it!” Chen’s face lit up, thrilled. She was officially a five-figure earner now.  

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