Longming Department Store Headquarters.
Marketing Manager Ye Yong looked at the continuously losing financial report, feeling helpless.
If it keeps losing like this, I'm afraid the company will have to close down in another two years.
And this old man of mine, in his fifties, wouldn't be wanted by anyone either.
The more he thought, the more his head hurt. Just as he was about to light a cigarette to vent his feelings, the office door was suddenly knocked.
Knock knock knock!
"Come in."
Pushing open the door, Xia Zixi came in. Ye Yong still had a good impression of her.
"Zixi, is there something you need from me?"
"Director Ye, please don't get too emotional about what I'm about to tell you."
"Haha, what kind of storms haven't I, Ye Yong, experienced? Just say it."
Xia Zixi paused, then slowly spoke.
"Li's Group is preparing to invest sixty million in our company!"
Hearing this, Ye Yong sighed and shook his head.
"Ah, how is this little money enough for our company's operations? We need at least ten million!"
What's going on?
I clearly said sixty million, so why does Director Ye still look so worried?
Could it be that Director Ye has been too tired recently, causing the information from his auditory cells to be incorrectly relayed to his brain cells?
It seems I need to tell Director Ye again.
"Cough cough! That, Director Ye, Li's Group is preparing to invest sixty million in us, a massive sum of sixty million!"
"That's fifty million more than our planned operating funds!"
"It's just fifty million more, what's the big... Wait! What did you say? I didn't hear clearly, say it again."
This time, Ye Yong heard Xia Zixi's words clearly, but he still couldn't quite believe it.
"I mean Li's Group has decided to invest sixty million in our company!"
"Sixty million! That much! Where did you get this news?"
"My best friend is the secretary to the President of Li's Group. She just called to ask if our company needed investment."
"So that's how it is."
But Ye Yong still didn't quite understand.
"But Li's Company owes two hundred billion, where do they have so much spare money to invest in us?"
"Ah, about that, I heard from my best friend that her President borrowed another ten billion."
Hearing this, Ye Yong was also confused: "What are those guys who eat people without spitting out the bones thinking, to actually lend him another ten billion?"
"Aren't they afraid he'll take this ten billion and disappear without a trace?"
"Ah, forget it, let's just get this investment first."
"Zixi, please contact your best friend. We'll find a time to have a good chat later."
"Okay, I'll contact her right away!"
Meanwhile, on the other side.
"President Li, my best friend said their company is willing to accept this investment and suggested we find a time to have a good chat."
Li Chen thought for a moment: "Tell her we'll meet at Fennel Pavilion tonight at eight."
"Okay!"
After the conversation ended, Xuan Ke's joy was evident.
After all, he earned ten million just by moving his lips!
Anyone in this situation would be very happy.
Not to mention Xuan Ke was still a newcomer to the workplace who had graduated less than half a year ago.
"No rush, this investment hasn't been finalized yet. I'll transfer the money to your card after it's finalized."
"That's true, I shouldn't be too happy, otherwise the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment."
At eight o'clock in the evening, Ye Yong and Xia Zixi arrived at Fennel Pavilion on time.
Then, led by the waiter, they arrived at the private room Li Chen had booked in advance.
Upon arriving at the private room, Ye Yong was the first to hand over his business card.
"Hello, President Li, I am the Marketing Director of Longming Department Store, my name is Ye Yong."
"Director Ye, a pleasure to meet you."
Before coming, Li Chen had already reviewed Ye Yong's profile.
His resume was simple, but under his operation, Longming Department Store became a department store that surpassed all others within three years.
Truly a talent among talents!
"This is Miss Xuan Ke, a pleasure to meet you."
"Director Ye, you are too polite."
"Director Ye, please have a seat first. How about we eat and chat?"
"Haha, of course."
After some interaction, Ye Yong felt that Li Chen wasn't as bad as they said he was.
On the contrary, he was amiable and didn't have the arrogant pride of a young person who looks down on others.
After a few rounds of drinks and dishes.
The two had also finished their chat.
"President Li, may I ask you a question?"
"Why did President Li specifically choose our company as the investment target and not other companies?"
"According to the current situation, other department stores should be more attractive for investment than us."
This was a question Ye Yong had been thinking about.
It was a good opportunity to just say it after having a little drink; holding it in felt uncomfortable.
Moreover, this was testing Li Chen.
After all, based on this meal, Ye Yong had a pretty good impression of Li Chen.
If he could give Ye Yong some more surprises, then Ye Yong could consider deeper cooperation on some projects with their company.
Li Chen also understood why Ye Yong asked this, so he smiled faintly.
"Because I highly appreciate your company's direction and strategy."
"Although your company's financial reports show losses year after year, the citizens have showered your company with praise."
Hearing these words, Ye Yong let out a bitter laugh.
"But now I feel that getting a few more negative reviews and increasing the company's revenue is the correct policy."
Even if they had to spend some money on the pro-citizen route Ye Yong proposed, it didn't matter.
After all, with good reviews, sales wouldn't be too bad.
So they relied on this policy to achieve an unexpected overtake, dominating the competition for three years!
But just as Ye Yong was feeling happy about the policy he proposed, reality slapped him hard.
In the past two years, other department stores also discovered this wealth code and started taking the pro-citizen route.
And because of their sufficiently large scale, they severely beat down Longming Department Store.
The only advantages Longming Department Store had were reputation, quality, and price.
But now, in order to make money quickly, who still cares about these things?
"Director Ye, the path you chose is not wrong, it just hasn't reached its own opportune moment yet," Li Chen said.
"Reached its own opportune moment? President Li, what do you mean by that?" Ye Yong didn't quite understand what Li Chen was trying to say.
"I wonder if Director Ye believes me. If he does, I will increase this investment to one hundred million!"
The three people besides Li Chen were all stunned.
Just one word, 'believe', and this investment would be increased to one hundred million!
They had lived for so long, but this was the first time they had seen someone who didn't treat money like money.
If it were anyone else, it would be fine, but Li Chen was still burdened with a company that owed two hundred billion.
Ye Yong didn't agree immediately but was thinking about why.
After all, he had been in the business world for many years. Adding forty million with just one sentence was clearly not a normal thing.
"May I ask why?"
Li Chen smiled calmly: "Of course!"