Yu Xin was not someone who couldn't read a situation. She could tell that the young man before her was of no ordinary status; otherwise, even the habitually arrogant Xue Chen wouldn't be showing him such deference.
Since the other party had proactively offered a way out, there was no need for her to remain locked in a stalemate.
"You flatter me, Young Master Zhou. It was just a minor misunderstanding, cleared up now. Since you've spoken, I naturally must give you this face."
Zhou Muchen seemed rather appreciative of her, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment as he nodded with a smile. "Miss Yu is straightforward."
"Perfect timing, we haven't eaten either. Would you mind joining us for a meal? My treat."
At this moment, Bi Jin stood up. "Since you all still have matters to discuss, I won't overstay my welcome."
He had absolutely no desire to get further entangled with these young people.
Zhou Muchen did not try to keep him, merely giving a slight nod. "Take care, Director Bi."
Bi Jin picked up his briefcase and left the private room directly, even forgetting to bid farewell to Yu Xin.
All he wanted now was to distance himself from this trouble spot immediately. The clashes among these young people lacked any finesse, and his old bones couldn't withstand such turmoil.
If it weren't for the favor owed to his old superior, he wouldn't have bothered helping Xue Chen in the first place.
After Bi Jin left,
Zhou Muchen very naturally pulled out a chair and gestured for Yu Xin to sit.
"Please, Miss Yu, have a seat."
Then, he casually said to Gu Yebai and Lu Chen behind him, "Find yourselves seats, don't just stand there."
Gu Yebai gave a lazy smile. "You chat first. Lu Chen and I will go see what good wine they have."
"Alright, go ahead then," Zhou Muchen nodded.
Yu Xin sat down composedly, and Chu Yang also sat down silently by her side.
Zhou Muchen called a server, instructing them to clean up the private room, remove all the previous dishes, and bring a new set.
Once things were more or less arranged, the two minor celebrities who had been hovering nervously on the side finally found an opportunity. They hurried over, trying to ingratiate themselves. "Young Master Zhou, shall we keep you and this elder sister company? We can help pour the wine."
This was a rare chance to access the top social circles. Although they claimed to be Xue Chen's friends, they were actually just two minor artists under Xue Chen's entertainment company.
On ordinary days, they had no opportunity to come into contact with top-tier figures like Zhou Muchen.
Now, with three more arriving at once, plus Xue Chen, that made four. Naturally, they wanted to curry favor.
To their surprise, Zhou Muchen didn't even lift his eyelids. He waved his hand dismissively and directly said to a nearby server, "Please escort these two unrelated individuals out. We need a quiet environment to discuss matters."
The smiles on the two minor celebrities' faces instantly froze. They instinctively looked towards Xue Chen, hoping he would put in a good word for them.
Xue Chen was still seething over the earlier incident. Why would he bother with them? He shot them an impatient glare. "Didn't you hear Brother Chen? Still standing here being an eyesore? Get lost!"
The girl's eyes instantly reddened, and the young man's face also turned very ugly, both filled with humiliation.
They had clearly been brought here by Xue Chen, yet now they were being shooed away like stray dogs, and they didn't dare to voice their anger.
Despite their glamorous, idolized image in front of fans, in the presence of genuine elites like Zhou Muchen and Xue Chen, their star aura counted for nothing.
They were truly the kind of people who could be summoned and dismissed at will, with no dignity to speak of.
Failing to climb the social ladder, the two slunk away dejectedly.
The private room door closed again, finally falling completely quiet.
Zhou Muchen picked up a hot towel to wipe his hands, then looked at Yu Xin. "The nuisances are gone, Miss Yu. We can talk over the meal."
Yu Xin: "I won't be staying for the meal, Young Master Zhou. If you have something to say, please speak directly."
Zhou Muchen gave a slight nod. "In that case, I won't beat around the bush."
"I am very optimistic about the future of Wanhui Youxuan. However, the internet industry is volatile, and going it alone carries significant risks."
"Myself, and the capital I represent, are prepared to offer your Wanlong Technology an opportunity—a ticket to a higher level."
Yu Xin frowned slightly. "Mr. Zhou, no need for circumlocution. What exactly do you want?"
Zhou Muchen held up two fingers. "Twenty million, to acquire 51% of Wanhui Youxuan's shares. I've done my research. Your team should still hold 60% of the shares. I'm leaving you 9%. This is already an extra favor granted out of personal regard for you, President Yu. My original plan was to take it all."
"After obtaining controlling interest, we will pour in substantial resources and push Wanhui Youxuan towards a full-scale listing. At that time, the value of the 9% shares you retain could multiply tenfold, even a hundredfold."
"So, how about it? Am I not showing considerable sincerity?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Xin almost laughed in anger, though she controlled her emotions and didn't erupt on the spot.
Is he treating us like beggars?
How utterly shameless, dressing up robbery in such pretty words.
"Mr. Zhou, are you sure you're not joking, or that I misheard? Wanhui Youxuan recently completed its Series A funding round with a valuation of five hundred million. For 51% of the shares, the market price would be at least two hundred and fifty million. And now you want to take absolute control for twenty million?"
"Frankly, I'm questioning whether you're here to discuss cooperation or to engage in outright robbery?"
Zhou Muchen seemed to have anticipated her response. He slowly picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"Miss Yu, that's not how the calculation works. Valuation is valuation, cash is cash. A five hundred million valuation is the pie-in-the-sky picture capital paints for outsiders. How much of that is inflated, you, as the person involved, know better than I do."
"Twenty million. If you agree, it goes directly into your company's account immediately."
"Moreover, the name 'Zhou Muchen' and the resources and influence I represent, once invested, would bring Wanhui Youxuan a premium far exceeding those couple hundred million. You're a smart person, Miss Yu; you should be able to calculate that value, right?"
"Also, I feel it necessary to remind you, Miss Yu, the market environment changes rapidly. What's worth five hundred million today might not be worth that tomorrow. Sometimes, it's wise to seize opportunities and secure gains in hand. Refusing our investment might mean that before long, you won't even have twenty million left."
Zhou Muchen's final statement was almost an open declaration, essentially telling Yu Xin directly that if she didn't agree, he had the power to make Wanhui Youxuan go under.
Hearing this, Yu Xin knew there was no point in continuing the conversation. It would be utterly meaningless. So she stood up directly and raised her teacup.
"I appreciate Young Master Zhou's sincerity."
After taking a sip, she said directly to Chu Yang, "Brother Yang, let's go!"
Chu Yang also gave Zhou Muchen a deep look before decisively following Yu Xin out.
Zhou Muchen did not stop them.
Xue Chen, however, grew anxious. "Brother Chen, you're just letting them leave like that?"
Zhou Muchen toyed with his teacup, lost in thought. "So she left. Did you really think we'd close the deal in one meeting?"
Xue Chen replied, "Well, why not? That bitch didn't even give you the time of day, Brother Zhou. I say we should have just detained her and locked her up!"
Zhou Muchen looked at Xue Chen as if he were an idiot. "When will you ever learn to think?"
Xue Chen fell silent.
Zhou Muchen said calmly, "We need to be civilized. Avoid causing trouble for the family if we can help it. Besides, Yu Xin doesn't have the authority to make decisions anyway. This meeting was mainly to test the waters."
Xue Chen asked, "So, did you get a read on the situation?"
Zhou Muchen sighed. "I did. But I'm not letting this opportunity slip away."
As he spoke, a name surfaced in his mind—Liu Yutong!
