Stronger by Paying Salaries and I Have 1 Billion Employees

Zhang Yong was telling him to just copy Chen Yansen’s homework, plain and simple!

"Exactly," Zhang Yong said with a resigned smile.

Ever since last year’s Singles’ Day, both Yitao and Juhuasuan had been trying to copy FoxTao’s brand collaboration model. It was inevitable that Zhang Yong would start paying closer attention to Chen Yansen, who wasn’t even twenty.

When he learned about Chen Yansen’s maneuvers after applying for the payment license, he immediately realized their opportunity had arrived.

"Then we need to move fast. We can’t give Yang Zhiyuan time to react." Ma Liyun didn’t think this was a breach of business ethics. As long as it was legal and above board, it was fair game.

When Yang Zhiyuan eventually came to them, they could negotiate. There was always a solution to be found.

As a successful businessman, Ma Liyun knew that while Ah Li’s current performance qualified it to ring the bell at the Nasdaq, his own stake was too small. He had been stalling, hoping to build up enough capital to buy back the 40% of shares held by Yahoo.

He had no intention of letting Yang Zhiyuan swallow all the profits after Ah Li went public.

"I’ll handle it," Cai Xin said calmly.

The plan was already laid out; he just needed to execute it.

"At this year’s Singles’ Day kickoff meeting, I want to meet this young man." Ma Liyun felt a pull to nurture this talent, already planning to bring both FoxTao and Chen Yansen under his wing.

As for FoxTao’s valuation of over two billion, Ma Liyun didn’t give it a second thought.

Yitao Network was on life support anyway. If it weren’t for the traffic from Ali Alliance and aggressive promotion by their own staff, it probably wouldn’t even be able to compete with Meili Shuo.

By acquiring FoxTao, Ah Li could shore up its third-party traffic sources and boost the group’s overall revenue.

"Alright, I’ll arrange it," Zhang Yong agreed with a smile.

No one could have imagined that a deal involving a shift in equity worth hundreds of billions would be decided in this very room, and that the inspiration for the plan had come from a college freshman.

「Meanwhile.」

Chen Yansen sped along in his car with Song Yuncheng, arriving at a hot spring hotel in Shidu at 3:30 in the afternoon.

Chen Yansen had been to this place before with Meng Jie, so he knew his way around even better this time.

After checking in, Chen Yansen took Song Yuncheng’s hand and gently nudged her into the room.

Outside the three-meter-high glass wall stood a row of lush, green purple bamboo. Beyond the bamboo was a perimeter wall, which backed up against the mountainside.

’Perfectly private!’

"Let’s take a soak first. There’s a concert and an outdoor barbecue tonight."

Chen Yansen let go of the suitcase, grabbed the hem of his shirt, and pulled it off, revealing a well-built torso.

His muscles were well-defined but not exaggerated like a bodybuilder’s. He was leanly muscled, more like a swimmer, which gave him a sleeker, more sculpted look.

Song Yuncheng stood frozen. They hadn’t been this close in a month, and being suddenly alone in a room with him made her feel flustered.

"Why are you just standing there like a fool?"

Chen Yansen didn’t hold back. As soon as he spoke, he started to take off his pants.

Song Yuncheng instinctively covered her eyes.

Seeing her reaction, Chen Yansen stopped, walked over barefoot, and pulled Song Yuncheng into his arms. "Feeling a little distant, are we? You saw everything last time."

Before Song Yuncheng could say a word, Chen Yansen lowered his head and kissed her.

Her girlish lips were rosy and soft, like the QQ gummy candies he’d had that morning.

Like a master locksmith, Chen Yansen was an expert at undoing clasps and buttons.

The sound of GUSHING water filled the room as the hot spring pool continuously refilled.

By the time Song Yuncheng came to her senses, they had moved from the doorway into the water.

For a moment, water splashed everywhere.

Only when the sky outside had darkened, the thick ink of night spreading across it, did the two of them finally rinse off, change into fresh clothes, and head toward the hotel lawn.

Overhead, a crescent moon hung high in the sky, casting a cool, pale light.

While Chen Yansen was enjoying his vacation, Ma Liyun was busy plotting the transfer of Wealth Treasure’s ownership.

「At the same time.」

A Group Buy website in Rongcheng had actually launched a promotion to buy a TA-4K Skyhawk fighter jet for just 10 yuan, even though it was a beat-up plane that had been retired for a decade and was over fifty years old.

But combining the keywords "10 yuan," "Group Buy," and "fighter jet" was enough to attract the attention of tens of thousands of netizens, with several thousand people actually participating.

Inspired by this, other websites began launching Group Buy deals for houses, appliances, and cars, milking the publicity stunts for all they were worth.

「Late that night, in a hot spring hotel on a mountainside in Shidu.」

Chen Yansen lay back in the pool, scrolling through the news on his phone with one hand. His other hand rested on Song Yuncheng’s shoulder, tapping out a light rhythm—partly a massage, partly just the idle fidgeting of a child.

Song Yuncheng lay beside him, the warm water enveloping her. The weariness in her heart seemed to have gradually melted away over the past couple of days.

She gazed at his sharply defined profile—his strong brows, his brilliant eyes, and the hint of a nonchalant smile playing on his lips.

’Chen Yansen really is exceptional,’ she thought, ’but he can never be completely mine.’

Song Yuncheng sighed softly and settled against him, her gaze drifting up to the crystal chandelier overhead. Her mind went blank, empty of any other thought.

’If only you weren’t such a player, Chen Yansen.’

Song Yuncheng sighed inwardly. She felt herself falling deeper and deeper, terrified of the day Meng Jie would find out, or the day Chen Yansen would find someone new.

"What are you thinking about?"

Chen Yansen asked with a soft chuckle, noticing her vacant expression.

"If you went bankrupt one day, and I had more money than you... would you be willing to let me take care of you?"

Song Yuncheng was rephrasing the dream she’d had, testing the waters with her question.

"Are you trying to be my sugar mama?"

Chen Yansen was taken aback. Song Yuncheng was the first woman who had ever offered to ’keep’ him.

’With my looks, physique, and talent, it’s no wonder women young and old are drawn to me,’ Chen Yansen thought with a sheepish laugh. He had no desire to be a kept man—even if the thought of living off a woman was a sweet and tempting one.