Meng Chang felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders. He quickly smiled and said, “Alright, thank you very much for your questions, Boss Ma! The press conference today will end here. If anyone is interested in the ‘cold-faced lady’, feel free to come and talk to me…”
After the news conference ended, some investors stood up and left. Some investors went up to talk to Meng Chang, obviously wanting to ask more questions in private.
Ma Yang had been waiting for a long time. He was like a primary school student who had waited impatiently for school to end. He dragged He Desheng away.
However, Li Shi took note of everything that happened.
Xue Zhebin noticed Li Shi’s strange expression and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong, Boss Li?”
Li Shi looked at Ma Yang’s back view as he walked away. He frowned, deep in thought.
“Is Boss Ma capable of asking such questions?”
“Tsk, it doesn’t look like it.”
Xue Zhebin was confused. “Why? Are these questions of a high standard?”
First, he asked if the cold noodles were delicious. Then, he asked what the word ‘multi-dimensional fusion’ meant. What kind of standard was that?
If it had been Xue Zhebin, he would not have dared to speak in front of so many investors and bosses. That was because the problem was too simple and childish. It was a little embarrassing.
Li Shi shook his head. “If you think that way, you’re gravely mistaken!”
“The two questions that Boss Ma asked, including every word he said, hit Meng Chang’s vulnerable spots, making him very uncomfortable!”
“Of course, Meng Chang is extremely smart after all. He reacted quickly and responded flawlessly.”
“His on the spot adaptability is indeed very strong.”
“However, no matter how strong that ability is, he was still inferior to Boss Ma in terms of ‘power’. A not so clever investor might not be able to tell, but a smart one would definitely be able to sense it.”
“However, this is not enough to shake the investors’ expectations of Meng Chang. It’s just that Meng Chang’s goal of attracting investment would not go so smoothly.”
Li Shi remained silent for a moment and sighed. “Based on my understanding of Boss Ma, a game theory of this level is definitely not something he is capable of doing.”
“He Desheng might be slightly better, but his skills are still lacking. He doesn’t have that ability.”
“I’m afraid Boss Pei had already instructed Boss Ma to do this before he sent him here. Boss Ma is passing on a message for Boss Pei!”
“That’s right. Even if Boss Pei did not know about the ‘cold-faced lady’ at the beginning, he must have received the news after Meng Chang used Tengda’s name to gain popularity.”
“A minor character of this level is not worth him coming out personally. If he really came, Meng Chang would seize the opportunity to increase his popularity.”
“Therefore, Boss Pei sent Boss Ma over to represent Tengda, giving a hint and expressing his stance. He was also trying to knock Meng Chang down.
“Meng Chang should be able to sense it given his level of intelligence.”
Chapter 734 - Boss Pei's Warning
Xue Zhebin scratched his head, confused by Li Shi’s words.
Of course, he could not be blamed. He was just a rich second-generation heir, not a professional investor. What’s more, he was still very young. There was nothing to be ashamed of even if he did not understand.
However, he had to get to the bottom of things since he had met with this situation.
Xue Zhebin thought for a moment and asked, “Boss Li, you said that Boss Ma was sending a message from Boss Pei. Then… could it be that Boss Pei already knew what Meng Chang wanted to say in advance? Otherwise, why would Boss Ma specifically ask about the meaning of ‘multi-dimensional fusion’?”
Li Shi shook his head. “I can’t be sure about that. There are many possibilities.”
“Perhaps Boss Pei learned about ‘multi-dimensional fusion’ from He Desheng or Meng Chang’s previous investment in Dream Realization Ventures and concluded that Meng Chang would definitely use it again at this news conference;”
“It could also be that Boss Pei did not restrict Boss Ma from asking a certain word. Instead, he asked Boss Ma to ask about a random word created by Meng Chang.”
“The effect is the same.”
Xue Zhebin still looked confused.
Li Shi continued to explain. “The two questions that Boss Ma asked, as well as the questions he pressed on, actually have hidden meanings behind them. What’s more, they point to the core of the problem!”
“Why did I say that there are many levels of gameplay here?”
“If Meng Chang asked Boss Ma to ask questions, he would be almost invincible. No matter whether Boss Ma asked or not, as long as he did not undermine him, Meng Chang would interpret it as’ Tengda supports the ‘Cold-Faced Lady’.”
“On the other hand, Meng Chang thinks that the possibility of him being undermined is negligible. That’s because the content of his speech is purely theoretical. It’s logical and consistent. In that case, even if Boss Ma raised his doubts, as long as the doubts are limited to the pure theory stage, it would be Meng Chang’s home ground. There would be no way to determine the winner.”
“Therefore, this is a trap.”
“What is the counterattack that Boss Ma, or rather the counterattack that Boss Pei has already thought up for Boss Ma? It is to find the weakest point of Meng Chang’s theoretical system, jump out of the idealized concept of theory, and directly deal a blow in the real world.”
“The first question, is this roasted cold noodles delicious? It’s actually the core of the problem. Meng Chang’s entire business idea was built on a hypothesis. It was that the Cold-Faced Lady would crush all the roasted cold noodles in terms of taste. That would form a strong attraction to consumers and make them willing to pay a premium.”
“It’s just like how the burgers in roadside shops sell for 10 yuan each while the burgers in large branded chain fast-food restaurants sell for 20 yuan each. The price has doubled, but consumers are willing to endure the hardship and willingly pay.”
“But what if the consumers don’t buy it? Wouldn’t the first step be impossible?”
“Meng Chang obviously realized the danger of this question, so he did not dare to answer directly. He could only answer this question indirectly: Cold Faced Lady is willing to spend money on standardized production, formulas, and choosing the raw materials.”
“At that time, investors would feel that after doing so much work, it would definitely be better than the roasted cold noodles sold by roadside stalls. That would be equivalent to answering Boss Ma’s question.”
“However, Boss Ma asked one more question: Does this guarantee that the roasted cold noodles would be delicious?”
“Actually, this is reminding all investors that some things cannot be settled with money.”
“Meng Chang said that in theory, this is an inevitable result. In fact, he doesn’t dare to guarantee it 100%. He still doesn’t dare to jump out of the realm of pure theory.”
“From the confrontation this round, while Meng Chang’s response seemed perfect, Boss Ma’s question was actually directed at the core of the problem: the taste of the roasted cold noodles is the root of everything. Even if you make the formula and standardized production, as long as you don’t meet the expectations of ordinary consumers, all of this would be empty.”
“The second question is for Meng Chang to explain multi-dimensional fusion.”
“Actually, everyone knows that multi-dimensional fusion is a new term created by Meng Chang. It sounds like a very high-class concept, and it seems to be able to justify itself.”
“However, such terms cannot be explained clearly because it is essentially repackaging a common concept that had existed for a long time and forcefully gives it a new meaning
.”
“That’s why Boss Ma continued his question, isn’t that basically a collaboration between the various departments?”
“Meng Chang obviously can’t agree because agreeing would mean voluntarily lowering the concept of ‘multi-dimensional fusion’. However, he can’t deny that ‘multi-dimensional fusion’ is actually the same as a multi-department collaboration.”
“Therefore, Meng Chang could only passively emphasize the difference between the two concepts: their layouts and levels are different. In short, ‘multi-dimensional fusion’ is a more advanced business form.”
“In that case, while Meng Chang managed to smooth things over, this empty speech would make some investors realize further that these beautiful concepts were not as high-class as Meng Chang made them out to be.”
“I think when Boss Pei asked Boss Ma to ask questions, he probably did not think too much about the word ‘multi-dimensional fusion’. In fact, any word that Boss Ma asked would have the same effect.”
Xue Zhebin nodded with realisation. “I see!”
“In other words, the ingenious thing about these two questions is that they were not restrained by Meng Chang’s theory. Instead, they found the weakest point of the entire theory from the outside, dissolving the entire concept and atmosphere!”
Li Shi revealed a satisfied smile. “That’s right, completely right.”
“This time, it can be seen as a warning and counterattack from Boss Pei.”
“First of all, Boss Pei knows that he cannot come personally with his identity. He cannot let Meng Chang continue to ride on Tengda’s popularity.”
“Second, getting Boss Ma to raise these two questions would not only remind Meng Chang but also all the investors:”
“No matter how good the internet market is, real products are king. Without outstanding products, everything would be empty and up in the air;”
“Meng Chang said that he values his products very much, but that’s just saying. Whether he values them or not depends on his actions later on.”
“On the other hand, those high-end concepts look beautiful, but they’re nothing more than repackaging some well-used business theories. As for why they should be repackaged? Obviously, it’s to induce certain effects.”
“To Meng Chang, after being beaten down by Boss Pei, he would definitely have to restrain himself if he wants to ride on Tengda’s popularity in the future. Boss Pei also reminded the investors that if you’re still in a hurry to invest, Tengda would have nothing to do with you if you get cheated in the future. It’s purely because you’re not smart enough.”
Xue Zhebin was confused. “Then… Why didn’t Boss Pei express his stance directly? Why did he use such an obscure method?”
Li Shi smiled. “You understand the theory behind how you can be ruthless in your actions, not your words, right?”
“Up until now, the ‘cold-faced lady’ is just a purely business idea. Whether it can be done depends on how Meng Chang does it. It’s too early to say that the cold-faced lady would fail.”
“Even if Meng Chang wanted to scam the investors, it would be just a bad thought if it is not eventually carried out, right?”
“Meng Chang did not pose any real threat or loss to Tengda either. What would Boss Pei be thinking if he were to tear down the company he just invested in?”
“When smart people fight, they stop when they reach the effect they wanted. Boss Pei is gently beating Meng Chang up so that he would have misgivings about his actions. That’s the best way to deal with this.”
Xue Zhebin asked, “Should we continue watching?”
Li Shi nodded. “That’s right. Boss Pei has clearly pointed out the risks involved. While he did not directly object to it, he did not approve of it either.”
“We should continue observing with Boss Pei. We cannot jump to conclusions yet.”
“Let’s go.”
Both of them stood up and left.
On stage, Meng Chang became the center of attention. He stood among the investors and saved their contact details.
After sending all the investors away in an appropriate manner, Meng Chang stopped to take a sip of water and wipe the beads of perspiration on his forehead.
“Phew… I wish I did not ask Boss Ma to ask questions. I didn’t expect it to backfire.”
“That’s not right either.”
“From the looks of it now, even if I did not ask, Boss Ma would probably take the initiative to ask.”
“This long-faced man looks stupid on the surface, as though he did not know anything. However, perhaps he’s deliberately showing it? Is his aim to make others lower their guard?”
“That’s right. How could Boss Pei’s trusted right-hand man be an idiot? Today was really dangerous. If I had been careless, I might have failed.”
“It’s slightly affected, but it’s not a big deal. I have to be careful in the future.”
“Tengda’s capability is much deeper than I imagined.”
Of course, Meng Chang saw the problem that Li Shi had noticed as well. He did not feel it so keenly when he was on stage, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt that something was amiss.
Boss Ma’s question caused many investors to return to a wait-and-see state, pouring a bucket of cold water on the fire that Meng Chang had worked so hard to ignite.
Meng Chang could vaguely feel that Boss Pei and Boss Ma had already noticed that he was trying his best to ride on Tengda’s popularity. This was a blow to him.
Of course, Meng Chang would not give up on this kind of behavior.
However, he would have to be more restrained and careful in the future.
Originally, Meng Chang had heard a lot about how the Dream Realization Ventures’ restrictions were very loose and easy to obtain investments.
That was why Meng Chang wanted to start with Dream Realization Ventures because it was the easiest.
However, even though he had obtained the investment, Meng Chang had not expected the rest.
Meng Chang found a random chair and sat down. He opened an unopened bottle of mineral water and moistened his throat.
He felt a little thirsty after talking for more than two hours.
“From the looks of it now, Boss Pei’s willingness to invest is just his facade. That’s right, Boss Pei is an investment genius. How could he be cheated of money so easily?”
“It looks easy on the surface, but if you really think so, you’ll probably die a horrible death.”
“I have to be more careful.”
“However, Boss Pei’s business is so big. It’s impossible for him to always keep an eye on this place. As long as I’m careful and don’t offend Boss Pei and Boss Ma, I can still sing this song however I want to.”
After some consideration, Meng Chang made up his mind.
This small setback could only make him slightly wary, but it was impossible for him to give up. Meng Chang would not be Meng Chang if he backed away from such a small setback.
Chapter 735 - Assigning Bodyguards To Boss Ma
November 14th, Monday…
Pei Qian briefly organized his schedule in the office.
This cycle was relatively short. There were still more than two months to settlement. At the moment, it seemed like all the projects were progressing smoothly. There should not be any problem.
Someone knocked on his door just as he was considering.
Pei Qian looked up as Ma Yang pushed the door open and entered.
“Eh? You’re back. How was the news conference?” Pei Qian asked casually.
Ma Yang sat down opposite Pei Qian’s desk. “News conference? That was so boring! I almost fell asleep listening to it.”
“However, not to worry, Brother Qian. I didn’t embarrass you. I even asked two questions.”
Pei Qian looked up at him, lowered his head, and continued browsing the web page. “Oh.”
Old Ma asked questions?
It was better not to talk about this topic. It wou
ld be very awkward to imagine the scene at that time.
Pei Qian was not interested in what exactly Old Ma had asked. Old Ma had not even listened to the contents of the news conference seriously. What kind of high-level questions could he ask? It would be good enough if he did not embarrass Tengda.
Of course, it did not matter even if he did lose a little bit of face. One of Pei Qian’s biggest worries was that Tengda and Dream Realization Ventures had too many good reputations. As a result, they had been overly glorified and caused a huge obstacle to his loss.
Ma Yang did not take this matter to heart. He did not bring it up again seeing how Pei Qian was not interested. Instead, he began to talk about the problem that he had been more concerned about recently: becoming an internet celebrity.
“Brother Qian, I’m here today to talk to you about the live-stream.”
“I’m still trying to fulfill people’s dreams through weibo. It’s just that the frequency has decreased by quite a bit, roughly about one to two times a week now, at a rate of about thirty to fifty thousand yuan each time.”
Pei Qian was stunned for a moment. “Oh? We can’t be stingy or slack at realizing dreams. We have to persevere since we’re doing this.”
It was originally a good thing for Ma Yang to spread coins on Weibo, but why was it that the frequency of him doing so was getting lower? While the amount of money he spent each time was still the same as before, the less he did it, the less he would spend.
Ma Yang replied, “Brother Qian, it’s not that I don’t care. The key is that there were many people who wanted to fulfill their dreams in the beginning. Now, there are fewer and fewer of them. There are fewer and fewer new comments on Weibo as well. As a ‘dream investor’, I have to keep a close eye on such investment opportunities. I can’t give money to just anyone.”
Pei Qian was a little confused. “Erm… actually, the meaning of dreams is very broad. We can relax the standards a bit.”
Ma Yang waved his hand. “Hey, Brother Qian, I’ve already made it very general, but how can their dreams be considered dreams if they are not passionate about them?”
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