Chapter 22

Later, I thought about it—marriage costs money. And for a woman, she needs to establish her career before starting a family. I might as well not take weekends off and find something to do.

The fatty called me, “What are you busy with?”

Me: “I’m on the street, handing out flyers.”

After saying it, I felt a bit bitter. The CEO, grand as it sounds, is actually distributing flyers on the street. Others can earn a hundred in a day by handing out flyers. Even if I hand out more, I’m still working for myself without earning a penny.

No matter how much I post, it’s just working for myself without earning a penny.

Fatty: “Did your company go bankrupt?”

Pah, pah, pah! Don’t jinx it!

Me: “I’m doing promotion and surveys for Get Rich, okay?”

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Wyvvu pwarakpkdtzu flyzswp: “Myzjkdt ycswv Qlv Sknb yzz eyu zsdt, xyucl R pbswze nbydtl xu dyxl vs ‘Qlv Sknb.'”

R zywtble blyavkzu, “Tso ycswv usw? Ebld es usw rzyd vs alvwad vs vbl nswdvau yde pvyav uswa sod nsxrydu?”

“Uwaaldvzu, R’x pvweukdt qwde xydytlxldv okvb Dkys Ubl, xydytkdt ypplvp qsa nzkldvp. R esd’v rzyd vs wpl xu sod xsdlu vs pvyav y cwpkdlpp; R’zz oykv wdvkz R qkde kdhlpvsap. Mbkp oyu, lhld kq vbl cwpkdlpp qykzp, vbl zspp okzz cl xkdkxyz.”

R vlyple bkx, “Fs usw’al fwpv y osajkdt xyd dso? Tyby, R’x y UOX! Valpkeldv! Uyzz xl Ubykaxyd Yldt!”

Wyvvu alqwple vs nyzz xl vbyv, vbld xsnjkdtzu vbalo y pswz-rklankdt iwlpvksd, “Tso xwnb kp uswa xsdvbzu pyzyau?”

Bx.

Gojoyae.

R elqldpkhlzu pyke, “R’x y ralpkeldv! Ebu vyzj ycswv y xsdvbzu pyzyau? Fs swveyvle!”

Fatty: “Then how much do you get in bonuses every month?”

Damn it…

Me: “A few hundred… is that okay?”

Fatty chuckled on the other end, then annoyingly started bragging, “In just one week, my commission alone can earn—”

I covered the phone receiver and said into the microphone, “Blah blah blah blah blah, can’t hear you!”

Fatty suddenly asked me seriously, “With your financial capability, are you investing in tech stocks?”

Me: “… What are tech stocks?”

Fatty on the other end was stunned for a while, sighed in frustration, “I give up on you. If you don’t even understand this, how dare you start a business! So, how much equity do you hold in the entire company?”

Me: “Five…”

Fatty: “Fifty percent is too little.”

Me: “Five percent…”

Fatty remained silent for a moment and instructed me, “Go back and tell them that they should at least grant you 30% in tech stocks. Otherwise, you won’t do it.”

Me: “…”

Fatty: “Afraid? Why be afraid? You have to be assertive! This idea is yours! The inspiration comes from you. You have to know how to argue logically and fight for your own rights.”

Me: “… Why so fierce?”

Fatty lowered his voice and said, “You’re about to… no, you’ve already entered society. You’re almost twenty; you can’t be all carefree and cheerful about everything. When it’s time to be tough, you need to be a bit more assertive.”

Alright.

I admit it, I’m a coward.

I only dare to be arrogant and domineering in front of my parents and boyfriend. Once in society, I become timid.

Fatty offered to stand up for me.

I quickly refused.

Too embarrassing.

I don’t know if I’m just one person.

In other words, if I encounter troubles, I’d rather mess things up and take a loss myself than have someone strong-arm their way in for me. Handling things poorly on my own represents my ability to deal with situations.

I appreciate Fatty’s concern, but I really don’t need his help. Fatty insisted, saying he had even booked a plane ticket.

I didn’t want him to come all the way for such a matter and exclaimed in frustration, “I don’t need you to interfere with my affairs!”

This angered him to the point that he didn’t call me for a whole month.

With Fatty’s warning, I began to take a serious look at myself. I expressed my opinions to the team members, leading to intense discussions and numerous disagreements. The product structure and model kept changing.

Being the only technician in the company, I ended up bearing the brunt of the workload. Shortly after the product went live, problems arose. Many college student users started defaulting on loans, some posing as students to scam investments, causing a surge in bad debt rates for our get-rich-quick scheme.

What to do?

Handle it myself.

Never did I expect that the esteemed CEO, President Meng, would descend to the point of going door-to-door offline to collect debts. Zhou Taidi and Ji Yagu were with me. Zhou Taidi, tall and sturdy, specialized in debt collection through intimidation. Ji Yagu, more patient, focused on phone harassment and persistent surveillance.

And me—

I was in a more miserable situation.

Every time I caught those who didn’t repay their money, I pretended to be pitiful and persuaded them to pay back quickly. Full principal and interest, of course. However, the money we collected each time wasn’t enough to cover our transportation expenses.

Whenever we were collecting debts, we hesitated to trouble Shen Cheng. Young Master Shen would often glance at the debt list and casually say, “This little amount? I’ll advance it.” Me: “…” Money is indeed great.

Not long after, Fatty finally got in touch with me. Still for that same matter. He said that China’s credit system was still imperfect, relying solely on models to calculate results was unrealistic, and there were potential high risks.

He also mentioned that small companies like ours, lacking risk management capabilities and poorly managed, would either be eliminated or face even more serious risks.

I sneered, “Let’s make a bet. If we don’t go bankrupt, what will you do?” Fatty: “I’ll give you a million. What if you lose?” Me: “I’ll reward you with a set of Dragon Yang’s Eighteen Techniques!”

Looking back now, it truly was a narrow escape… He predicted it with extreme accuracy; in less than three years, China’s P2P online lending experienced a devastating wave of closures.

Luckily, Fatty didn’t know what Dragon Yang’s Eighteen Techniques were!

I feel that the collapse of “Get Rich” and Du Hongting constantly bad-mouthing me have a significant connection.

As I entered my senior year of college and remained focused on that software, Fatty came back again. This time, he didn’t advise me to quit my job. Instead, he earnestly advised me that in my senior year, I should channel my energy into studying and concentrate on preparing for postgraduate exams. The primary responsibility of a student is to study, not to be single-mindedly engaged in entrepreneurship.

At that time, I was really restless and had no intention of studying. My mind was occupied with thoughts of developing new projects to make more money. I believed in the uselessness of education and mocked Fatty, saying, “After getting a Ph.D., isn’t it still for making money?”

Thinking about being a CEO before the age of twenty sounded impressive and made me swell with pride. I even put three eggs in my instant noodles.

Fatty got angry again when he saw that I didn’t even pass the national postgraduate entrance exam.

We fought again.

I felt that if we kept arguing like this, we might automatically end our relationship.

I had forgotten that the initial purpose of starting a business was for marriage.

To be honest, I had a very naive view of entrepreneurship. The rapid growth of “Get Rich” was astonishing, and with my limited knowledge and abilities, I was overwhelmed and stressed out.

Fortunately, every time I returned to the dormitory exhausted, Liu Lijuan’s caring sweet soup comforted me. Liu Lijuan is truly virtuous; if she wasn’t so unattractive, I would have considered marrying her.

I particularly liked it when she sincerely praised me, “Starting a business as a college student and being so vibrant, Meng Qiqi, you’re really amazing. If only I were as smart and capable as you…”

Listening to her, I felt like I wasn’t so much of a failure.

I asked her, “So your dream is to achieve a successful career?”

Liu Lijuan said, “Exactly the opposite. My dream is to marry into a wealthy family, become the wife of a tycoon, have intimate moments in a huge mansion, then give birth to many children, and live a simple and enviable life, taking care of the family and teaching the children…”

Oh.

I forgot you’re the daydream queen.

I sighed, “My dream is to save up 300,000 before I turn thirty. If I can’t afford a house, at least I want to buy a car.”

Life is sometimes very ironic. Often, you end up not reaching the destination you originally planned but heading in a completely different direction. Just like me and Liu Lijuan, each living the life the other had hoped for.

In the second semester of my senior year, not long after the start of classes, Get Rich held a board meeting. Shareholders Zhou Taidi and Ji Yagu strongly suggested that the company should transform. They unanimously believed that my initial intention was too naive. Helping struggling college students and supporting their entrepreneurial endeavors was nothing but an impractical fantasy. They planned to transition the company into a microloan company serving individuals and businesses.

I said, “As a CEO, I disagree.”

As a result, the board gave me a small severance package and let me go.

I approached the major shareholder, Shen Cheng, about it.

Boss Shen said, “There’s nothing I can do. They hold 55%, so whatever they say goes.”

Ouch, that hit hard, Boss Shen.

After being fired, Shen Cheng also withdrew his shares from Get Rich. I felt quite guilty towards him, so I invited him to dinner to apologize.

Shen Cheng was incredibly magnanimous, saying, “I haven’t lost out either.” He even encouraged me, “Your ideas are good; they just need support from a larger force. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.”

His words brought tears to my eyes. Shen Cheng patted my head, like petting a golden retriever, and said, “Meng Qiqi, don’t be sad; you’ve done well.”

Unable to hold back, I burst into tears with a loud “wah.”

Many people graduate only to face unemployment. I could see myself becoming one of them in the future. Instead of studying when I should have, I chose to mess around, leaving me with no books to read in the end. Instead of interning when I should have, I played CEO. Now, who would dare hire me as an apprentice?

I went to several internship companies recommended by the school with my resume, but they all said they were full. The most annoying was a human resources manager who actually mocked me, saying that the temple was too small to accommodate a big Buddha like me.

Frustrated, I took my resume and boldly went to one of the top software companies in the country, seeking an internship opportunity. During the interview, I chatted and blabbered, completely ignoring the “Rules for Fresh Graduate Interviews.” Moreover, in such a large international company, even the minimum educational requirement for a programming apprentice was a graduate degree. I didn’t think my audacity would break through and get me accepted.

But unexpectedly, I was accepted against the odds.

Still an awesome R&D department!

The fortune teller was indeed accurate; I haven’t even reached twenty, and I’m about to make it big with Get Rich! After signing the employment contract, I officially became part of the company and underwent a two-week orientation for new employees.

After the two weeks, various project managers would come to select people. I heard that the most outstanding project manager in the entire company is surnamed Shang. Associating with him means making money.

One day, Manager Shang came to make selections. I tried my best to use my charming techniques and flirted shamelessly. Perhaps it’s because I still have some looks left; he walked towards me!

He gave me a glance, “Do you have an eye problem?”

Me: “…”

Manager Shang: “Listen carefully, never hire this person into my team.”

Me: !!!

I was wrong. It’s not a crime to be ugly, but thinking you’re beautiful and scaring people with your antics is not right. Since being marginalized by the most powerful person in the company’s technical department, I became an apprentice in an outsourced department.

There are ten people in the team, and I’m the only woman. Everyone is quite friendly, and someone even brought me eye drops once. I work five days a week, with weekends off, and never have to work overtime; it’s quite enjoyable.

Among colleagues, there’s a friendly atmosphere, and we often discuss whether to go for a spa or a bathhouse after work. However, they never invite me to join them.

I don’t understand.

Didn’t they say going there was so enjoyable, like reaching the heavens or something?

I also really want to enjoy myself a bit.

Previously, when I was working at Get Rich, the workload was intense, so I found it challenging to adjust to the leisurely pace here. Seeing others work slowly, I would do more by myself, using my familiar programming methods. Although our outsourcing department is not highly valued and is somewhat neglected, for some reason, Manager Shang personally came to our department to recruit people.

He transferred me to his team.

Manager Shang is quite handsome, rumored to be the company’s most eligible bachelor. However, he’s not my type. His refined and slender physique lacks the thickness and fullness I prefer…

Oops, accidentally confessed to Fatty.

Anyway, being able to enter the core department of the technical department made me very happy, and I was both respectful and apprehensive. I didn’t dare ask Manager Shang why he brought me in. Moreover, his attitude towards me was very cold, serious, and even a bit disdainful.

I feared he might want to start a cliché story of a domineering manager falling for an intern programmer.

Later, I found out that he seemed to have some misunderstanding about me. During a staff dinner, after drinking a bit too much, he suddenly said he admired my personal abilities but was somewhat uncomfortable with the act of relying on connections to enter the company.

Relying on connections? What connections?

He claimed he didn’t know, just heard it from the HR department.

My brows furrowed as I realized things were not so simple.

Could it be that my dad is actually the chairman of this company?

Well, let baseless rumors spread as they please.

Originally, it didn’t matter much, but now I feel a bit regretful about joining the team.

Working seven days a week without a day off.

Getting off work at 6 p.m. and still having to work overtime.

Even during bathroom breaks, I have to balance my laptop on my thighs and code.

Manager Shang and his team don’t see me as a woman.

They always boss me around, calling me “Little Meng, Little Meng.”

In the quiet moments of the night, reminiscing about the past glory, I can’t help but secretly wipe away tears.

I used to be a CEO, after all…

Feeling a bit excited when receiving my first paycheck, I called Fatty to boast a bit.

Me: “I’m so happy! I got 8,000 yuan for my first month’s internship salary! Our company is really rich!”

Fatty responded casually: “I made some money on short-term trading yesterday, and the company gave me an 80,000 yuan bonus.”

Is there even a point in continuing this conversation?

Realizing it has been half a year since the last photo, I suggested a video call.

Fatty refused, saying: “Do you know? I don’t even dare to look in the mirror now. Seeing my own face just irritates me.”

Me: “Alright, that’s enough.”

He persisted: “And now I don’t eat pork.”

Me: “Doesn’t the U.S. sell pork?”

Fatty: “It’s not about that. When I see pork belly, I think of you saying I’m like a piece of pork belly. I can’t bear the thought of harming my own kind.”

Me: “If I call you again, I’ll call you a pig!”

I’ve been wanting to say this for a long time.

I suspect Fatty has changed his heart in the U.S.

He must have someone else.

Why else hasn’t he called me?

Does he want me to actively call him and then imitate a pig’s squeal?

How can I bear this?

Imitating a pig’s squeal is too difficult!

During that busy period, fortunately, there was a major project, an urgent one at that.

An American financial company expanded its new business in China, introducing financial software to manage employee salaries.

Generally, programmers don’t have direct contact with clients.

The project manager is responsible for communicating with clients and then assigning tasks to the programmers under them.

However, this time was an exception.

Manager Shang unexpectedly asked our team to stay behind, mentioning that the client wanted to treat the team to a lavish seafood feast as a reward for their hard work.

True to the style of an international financial company manager, he spared no expense.

Quite unlike our company’s manager, who only treats us to skewers—no need to guess, it’s Manager Shang.

Initially, Manager Shang was reluctant to bring me along, fearing that my quick eyesight might act up and startle the esteemed guest who had traveled from afar.

I assured him I would sit at the farthest position, not looking at all, would that be acceptable?

Upon arriving at the hotel, I carefully examined the menu, calculating how to eat enough to cover my share.

While I was contemplating, the esteemed guest arrived.

We agreed not to look, and I kept my head down throughout.

I heard Manager Shang conversing with the guest in English, and the response was a light “yes.”

Let the feast begin.

Glasses clinked, and it had nothing to do with me.

While engrossed in devouring a large crab, I glanced up with the corner of my eye.

Wow!

Although quite far away, you can tell at a glance that he’s a tough guy.

Foreigners with their tall and sturdy physique are indeed impressive.

Look at that white shirt, stretched tight by muscles… so sexy!

Even though I promised Manager Shang not to look, I couldn’t resist lifting my eyes because of this physique—

Oh my, he’s incredibly handsome!