Stronger by Paying Salaries and I Have 1 Billion Employees

A college freshman who grew his user base from zero to a million in two months, with monthly sales approaching ten million?

After listening to Chen Yansen’s introduction of FoxTao, Ma Wenteng merely gave a slight nod, his face devoid of surprise.

With his breadth of experience, he had seen too many geniuses. While Chen Yansen was outstanding, he wasn’t impressive enough to move him.

Even a terrifying viral user acquisition product like the "Bargain to Zero" feature failed to stir his heart.

Does QQ lack users and traffic?

If he wanted to, he could drive tens of millions of daily impressions to any new product at a moment’s notice.

"So, what makes you say that Paipai Network is doomed?"

Ma Wenteng waved his hand, taking the initiative in the conversation.

"First, it lacks a differentiating advantage as a platform. C-end users will choose Taobao and Jingdong, and B-end users will choose Ali Baba and Jingdong. What does Paipai Network have? It’s like three beef noodle shops on the same street. Taobao’s noodles are affordable, and Jingdong’s noodles have a great texture. Paipai Network’s prices seem okay, and the taste is decent, but it loses because it has no special character."

Chen Yansen commented casually.

Paipai Network’s position within Penguin was rather awkward. The board of directors wanted to expand it, but due to limited resources and a wavering strategy, it never managed to secure the group’s Tier-0 support.

It couldn’t grow big, but it wouldn’t die either.

"What you’ve said is worthless." Ma Wenteng was suddenly disappointed.

’Then again, what kind of profound insights could a college freshman possibly have?’

"Second, Penguin has no e-commerce DNA. In terms of supply chain management, cultivating user shopping habits, platform operations, and the merchant ecosystem, you’ve neither put in the effort nor invested enough resources. If the merchants can’t make a living, who’s going to stick with you?"

Chen Yansen knew that for a comprehensive e-commerce platform, the core wasn’t traffic and resources, but ensuring all platform participants had a good experience. Buyers should receive products they love, and sellers should be able to make money.

The future rise of Pinduoduo would be a perfect testament to this. As long as there was a profit to be made, merchants would risk everything, even fines, to take a shot.

"Third, and most critically, Paipai Network’s B2C business proportion is too low. It’s almost entirely C2C. As long as the dark side of human nature exists, counterfeit goods in a C2C model are impossible to eliminate. An e-commerce platform overrun with fakes, even one backed by QQ, won’t attract any customers."

Chen Yansen curled his lip in disdain.

In his memory, aside from the later Xianyu, Zhuanzhuan, and Dewu, every platform that dared to focus on C2C business met a brutal and swift end without exception.

"So according to you, I should just cut the C2C business and focus on B2C?" Ma Wenteng scoffed, not agreeing with Chen Yansen’s opinion.

"Brother Pony, Penguin’s core advantage lies in connecting people and content, not in running an e-commerce platform. Zheng Chunbin isn’t cut out for e-commerce, and neither are you."

Chen Yansen shrugged and spoke the blunt truth.

But his words were so shocking and cutting that Liang Youzhi and Liu Zhiping, who were standing by, were left dumbfounded. Who would have thought that Little Ma would be dressed down to his face by a college freshman?

"And you are?" Ma Wenteng pushed up his glasses, his expression cold and clearly displeased.

"If Paipai Network were in my hands, it wouldn’t be hard to multiply its size several times over in a year. But I’m not interested in working for someone else."

Chen Yansen said this without a hint of fear, his tone light.

"You met with Zheng Chunbin to get investment? It didn’t work out?" Ma Wenteng stood up and asked casually.

He hadn’t gotten the answers he wanted from Chen Yansen. In his view, Chen Yansen’s arguments were superficial. He was already aware of those problems, but when it came to actual execution, things often ended up a mess.

The people in charge had been replaced one after another, but to no avail.

"Not exactly. President Zheng wanted to invite me to join Paipai Network, but I just didn’t agree." Chen Yansen also rose, making a polite gesture to see them out.

’Zheng Chunbin was rejected?’

’This kid is so arrogant!’

Ma Huateng didn’t want to deal with Chen Yansen anymore. He felt that the last ten-odd minutes had been a complete waste of time.

"Brother Pony, you think what I said makes no sense simply because my status has made you biased. Why don’t we make a bet? I can grow FoxTao to 100 million users in one year."

Seeing that Ma Huateng was about to walk out the door, Chen Yansen directly called out his thoughts and threw out an extremely attractive hook.

He had never imagined that he could make a tycoon of Ma Wenteng’s caliber bow down to him with just a few words. That might happen in a novel, but in reality, just being able to stop him for a brief chat was a stroke of luck.

’100 million users?’

Ma Wenteng stopped in his tracks and looked straight at Chen Yansen. The young man before him was tall and handsome, his eyes filled with a confidence that knew no defeat. When their gazes met, his was firm and powerful.

This look reminded him of his own early days as an entrepreneur. Back then, he hadn’t possessed such an unshakeable belief in victory.

"Martin, give the investment department a heads-up. Have them invest ten million and see how it goes. By the way, what’s your product called?"

Ma Wenteng turned and asked.

"Brother Pony, our product is called FoxTao."

Chen Yansen had originally wanted to act cool and unlock the achievement of "Rejecting Shencheng Ma," but unfortunately, the offer was just too good to refuse.

What did ten million even mean?

It was enough to scale up the "Bargain to Zero" campaign by another ten or twenty times!

Chen Yansen looked at Ma Wenteng with a strange expression, muttering to himself, ’Could this guy be a masochist? My experienced insights didn’t move him, but after I talked back to him a few times, he’s suddenly chasing me down to invest.’

’How pathetic!’

"You’re Chen Yansen, right? I’m Liu Zhiping. You can call me Brother Martin. Wait here for a bit. I’ll have a colleague from the venture capital department come and connect with you."

Liu Zhiping clapped Chen Yansen on the shoulder, a slight smile on his face.

Ma Wenteng’s change in attitude gave him a glimpse of an opportunity. Naturally, he felt a bit more appreciation for Chen Yansen, the person who had caused this change.

Whether this ten million investment went through or not wasn’t important. What was crucial was that he saw a chance to persuade Ma Wenteng to change the group’s strategy.

"Thank you, Brother Martin." Chen Yansen shook his hand, his tone sincere.

Ma Huateng said nothing more and led his entourage toward Zheng Chunbin’s office.

Only after everyone had left did Song Yuncheng let out a long sigh of relief. "That was terrifying! The man’s a multi-billionaire, a super-tycoon. Weren’t you afraid he’d just flip out when you talked back to him like that?"

"With people like him, trying to suck up to them will only annoy them. If you express a different opinion appropriately, he’ll actually think you’re unique. See? Didn’t we get the 10 million?"

"Besides, what am I supposed to be afraid of? That he’ll ban my QQ account?"

Chen Yansen also breathed a sigh of relief and took a sip from a bottle of mineral water.

"Chen Yansen, you’re really amazing." Song Yuncheng was amused by his words, and her tense nerves gradually relaxed. She exclaimed with heartfelt admiration.

She had been scared stiff when Chen Yansen started tearing into Zheng Chunbin. She never expected such a turn of events. Not only was the issue of the banned domain and IP resolved, but he had also secured a 10 million investment for the project.

’Actually, I’m even more amazing in other areas,’ Chen Yansen silently added in his mind.

As for things like the little blue pills, he’d paid for them with his own money, so of course they counted as part of his strength.

The subsequent process moved much faster than Chen Yansen had imagined.

Perhaps it was because the amount was small, or perhaps because Pony had given the order himself, but Chen Yansen spent the entire day at Penguin, scrounging two meals from the employee cafeteria, and even left with a financing contract in hand.

million for 6% of the equity!

Although the Penguin Venture Capital Department, based on FoxTao’s business model maturity, growth data, and market competition, was only willing to offer an 80 million valuation, Chen Yansen had shot them down with a single line: ’It only took me two months—or to be precise, just one week—to break the one-million-user mark.’

In fact, FoxTao was already the leader in the shopping guide e-commerce sector, so its valuation naturally deserved to be in a higher tier.

Future competitors like Mogujie, Meili Shuo, and What’s Worth Buying had either not yet been founded or were still exploring paths to profitability. They were simply no match for FoxTao.

Plus, with Ma Wenteng personally giving the word, the contact person from the venture capital department agreed to Chen Yansen’s asking price after careful consideration.

’I’ve hit the jackpot!’

’Now that I’ve hitched a ride on the great ship QQ, who will dare to block my links in the future?’

"Are we going back to Xucheng now?" Yuncheng gently nudged Chen Yansen and asked in a low voice.

Her day at Penguin had matured her quite a bit. After all, she had met big shots like Ma Wenteng and Liu Zhiping. When liaising with the investment department, she was able to calmly present FoxTao’s development, current data, and future plans.

"We’ll go back tomorrow. You’re in charge of booking the plane tickets, preferably a flight that lands in the afternoon. Shencheng City is a great place. I’ll take you out tonight as a reward for your hard work."

Chen Yansen said after a moment’s thought.

"Boss, can I just get that in cash?" Song Yuncheng squinted, her face wreathed in a fawning smile.

"Song Yuncheng, if you need money so badly, why won’t you be my girlfriend? If you think the money’s not enough, I can give you twenty thousand a month."

Chen Yansen said, looking completely baffled.

"Stop! Don’t bring that up again, or else..." Song Yuncheng instinctively reached for her brick, only to realize she wasn’t wearing her backpack. She then glanced around, looking for a handy weapon for self-defense.

"Fine, fine! You’re no fun at all." Chen Yansen rolled his eyes, took a couple of steps toward the roadside, and hailed a taxi.

After getting in the car, Chen Yansen asked the driver, "Sir, where do the rich people in Shencheng City like to hang out at night?"

"Of course they go to Sun Island! So many pretty girls, all with great figures. It’s a man’s paradise!"

The driver answered enthusiastically in the local dialect.

"Pretty girls? I brought my own," Chen Yansen said, pointing at Song Yuncheng.

"Go to Window of the World, or maybe Meisha Beach. Those places are suitable for you young people." The driver, hearing his less-than-authentic Cantonese, switched to Mandarin.

"Window of the World, then."

If he hadn’t brought Song Yuncheng along, Chen Yansen definitely would have chosen Sun Island to test if his eighteen-year-old "staunch spear and sharp cannon" was formidable enough.

Shencheng City was a kaleidoscope of colors under the night sky, far more prosperous than a third-rate city like Xucheng. Chen Yansen took Song Yuncheng for a walk around Window of the World and then to the beach to feel the breeze for a while. They didn’t return to the hotel until the traffic on the streets started to thin.

"Song Yuncheng, come here!"

Chen Yansen walked into the room and saw Song Yuncheng holding her laptop, about to book tickets. He waved her over.

"What is it?" Song Yuncheng hugged her laptop and PITTER-PATTERED over to him, thinking he had more work-related instructions.

"There’s still one more reward I haven’t given you," Chen Yansen said, feigning mystery.

"Can I get it in cash..." Before Song Yuncheng could finish her sentence, her mouth was covered by Chen Yansen’s.

Having learned from last time, just as Song Yuncheng was about to bite down hard, Chen Yansen pulled back, dodging her biting attack.

"Wangcai! Good night!"

A triumphant smile on his face, Chen Yansen waved and walked straight back to his room.

Song Yuncheng, standing frozen in place, glanced at the half-brick in her backpack. In the end, she couldn’t bring herself to grab her weapon and crack Chen Yansen’s skull open.

「Meanwhile.」

At the Innovation Park, rooms 206, 208, and 204 were brightly lit. After learning that Chen Yansen had resolved the link-blocking issue, everyone shouted in excitement, venting the frustration that had built up over the past two days.

"Brother Sen also said that Penguin is investing 10 million in our project!"

Zhuang Rui, sitting in front of his computer, added this with a hint of hesitation. When he first saw the message, Zhuang Rui’s initial reaction was that he was seeing things. His second was that Chen Yansen must be joking.

"How much did you say?" Zhang Wenbo stood there dumbfounded, a look of utter disbelief on his face.

The expressions on the others’ faces were more or less the same.