novelraw Chapter 470 "The Bet"
Chapter 470 "The Bet"
Chapter 470 "The Bet"
“Everyone’s gone, so we won’t hear any more flattery. We’ll save it all for when my cousin comes back next time,” Meng Jingmo joked with his roommate and college classmate.
He was attacked as soon as he finished speaking.
"Great, he's making fun of us, let's beat him up."
Loud noises of playful fighting could be heard coming from the office.
Despite the playful banter, we still need to get down to business.
In a corner unnoticed by anyone, a company called "Xunteng Technology" quietly emerged, with a core team of six people.
With strong technical support, ample funding, and a continuous stream of talent acquisition, Meng Jingmo's company is developing rapidly.
At the end of the year, Lin Zhao received a slim and compact mobile phone.
"You guys finished it?" She looked at Jingmo in surprise. "So fast! I thought it would take you several years to finish it."
"With Zhiqian as the technical consultant, this is considered slow. Aunt, take a look, and if you think there's anything wrong, tell me, and we'll optimize it." Meng Jingmo's dark eyes sparkled.
Lin Zhao held the phone; it was a novelty for her age. She wasn't afraid of breaking it, since her tech-savvy son and nephew were there. Without asking them for help, she picked up the instruction manual and started fiddling with the phone.
Turn on.
The black screen lit up, displaying a simple wing icon that disappeared after two seconds.
Four words appeared above:
Welcome.
"Aunt, the card has been installed. You can try calling Zhiheng."
Lin Zhao nodded, found the dial pad, and dialed the number he knew by heart.
"...Mom?" Gu Zhiheng was quite surprised to see that the caller ID did not show the home landline number.
Lin Zhao exclaimed in surprise, "It really works! That's so convenient. When will they go on sale? I'll get one for everyone in my family, and then it'll be so easy to contact people. At least we won't have to search for phone booths everywhere anymore."
Her tone was filled with joy, like that of a little girl full of curiosity about the world.
Gu Zhiqian's handsome features softened with a smile as he said gently, "My second brother's mobile phone is an improved version of the telephone, so it can naturally function as well."
Gu Zhiheng raised an eyebrow when he heard his voice. "Sanzai is here too. Are you done with your work? What improvements? Was it the touchscreen phone that you and Jingmo were working on?"
“It’s a touchscreen phone.” It was Lin Zhao who spoke, her tone light and cheerful, touching the phone with satisfaction. “It’s a white phone, small and light, and the call quality is very clear. It’s really good, much better than your old mobile phone. Your thing is like a brick.”
Gu Zhiheng curled his lip. What? His mobile phone was a symbol of status and position. Although it was ugly, it was quite useful.
"It's been used for so many years, after all."
"Without this brick, Mom, you wouldn't be able to contact me anytime, anywhere."
Lin Zhao thought about it and agreed, "Yeah. Your big brother mobile phone has certainly put in a lot of effort, even if it didn't do anything special. Let's not talk about it anymore."
Gu Zhiheng's lips curled into a wide smile.
"Qianbao, when are you selling them? Save one for me, I'll advertise for you and guarantee your business will thrive."
Lin Zhao agreed. She looked at Jingmo and said, "MoMo, listen to Zhiheng. He knows all the big bosses. If this phone can break into their circles, will we still have to worry about sales?"
Meng Jingmo wasn't stupid; his mind worked quickly. "Zhiheng, I happen to have an extra one on hand, the black one you like. How about I send it to you later?"
“No need to send it, I’m on my way back. I’ll come find you when I get there,” Gu Zhiheng said.
He knew all too well how big the mobile phone market was, and countless ideas popped into his mind. He couldn't help but offer a suggestion, "Jingmo, have you thought about how to do advertising?"
"I've thought about it. I'm planning to buy advertising space in newspapers and magazines. What do you think?" Meng Jingmo asked.
"Too slow." Gu Zhiheng shook his head. His figure was reflected in the car window, and his eyes under his deep brows were surprisingly bright, full of ambition.
"Let's talk at the TV station."
Meng Jingmo's eyes gleamed, "A TV station?"
Lin Zhao chimed in, "Finding a director to shoot an advertisement and having it played on a loop on TV at a certain point is indeed a good idea; the effect should be very good."
How could it be bad?
Things are different now than before; rural areas now have televisions, and the audience for advertisements is much larger.
Meng Jingmo slammed his fist on his head. "How could I not have thought of that? I was only thinking about those traditional media."
"It's not surprising that you didn't expect this," Lin Zhao comforted her. "You've only been back in China for a short time, so it's normal that you're not clear about the situation here."
"The TV station didn't have this 'business' before you left."
Meng Jingmo nodded, tilted her head towards her aunt, and said with a smile, "Thank you, Zhiheng, you reminded me. We'll talk in detail when you get back."
“OK,” Gu Zhiheng said.
"Bye then, I'll wait for you at home." Meng Jingmo didn't plan to leave; he would sleep with Zhiheng tonight.
This kid has a lot going on inside him; we should take this opportunity to dig deeper.
Meng Jingmo grinned slyly.
Lin Zhao and Gu Zhiqian both noticed it, and the mother and daughter exchanged a glance and smiled.
-
Meng Jingmo is incredibly efficient. After learning from Gu Zhiheng, he immediately went back and put his team into action. They hired an experienced advertising company to create the advertising copy, hired a director to shoot the film, and the advertisement was officially released just in time for National Day.
An advertisement lasting just over a minute, when broadcast on television, is treated like a blockbuster.
The entire nation was stunned by the superb quality of this advertisement!
It looks like a short film.
I want to see what's going on.
Wake up, this is an advertisement!
First, I was amazed by the quality of the advertisement, then my attention was completely drawn to the cell phone in the beautiful woman's hand.
It can make phone calls.
It can send text messages.
It can play music.
Noto Penguin.
……
Most importantly, it's very light and also looks great.
Countless young men and women were captivated.
Soon, the phone number left in the advertisement was bombarded with calls.
Meng Jingmo understood how busy Gu Zhiheng was when he first started his business. He could only sleep for two or three hours a day and didn't even have time to eat or drink.
I was definitely tired, but the joy was real too.
It's all money.
It's about to be released.
After finishing that period of work, Meng Jingmo called Gu Zhiheng.
The relationship between these two cousins, both experiencing ups and downs in the business world, has grown increasingly close.
Gu Zhiheng took out his lightweight touchscreen phone, tapped the screen, and said, "Congratulations, President Meng." Meng Jingmo smiled reservedly, "My business isn't as big as President Gu's."
He then changed the subject, saying, "However, for now, I'm the only one in this industry. No one is competing with me for the pie, so there's a lot of potential for making money. You'd better watch out, because I'll be overtaking you soon."
Gu Zhiheng snorted and said confidently, "Impossible, I will definitely be the richest man."
"That's not necessarily true. How can you be so sure I can't catch up with you after accumulating experience?" Meng Jingmo said ambitiously.
"Tsk, I'm not going to stand still and wait for you. You're climbing the mountain, and so am I. I have plenty of leverage. It's almost impossible for you to catch up with me," Gu Zhiheng said casually.
"I didn't expect you to be so confident, Zhiheng. How about we have a competition? Let's set a five-year timeframe and see who has more assets in five years." Meng Jingmo, with a touch of madness in his bones, suddenly became interested.
"Sure, what's the stake?" Gu Zhiheng asked casually.
It's fine for family members to gamble; whatever the stakes are, it's just a matter of money going from one pocket to another.
"How about two percent of your total personal assets?" Meng Jingmo asked.
"Sure." For Gu Zhiheng now, two percent of his total assets is already a terrifying figure.
"President Gu is so magnanimous," Meng Jingmo quipped.
“President Meng is no less impressive,” Gu Zhiheng retorted.
The two spirited young men made their bet at that moment.
It was as casual as asking if someone had eaten.
The advertising campaign had a huge effect, sales soared, and Meng Jingmo's assets multiplied. Gu Zhiheng was also busy, investing in new projects.
They bought a lot of land, formed a construction team, and started building hotels.
"Why are you starting a hotel business again?" Lin Zhao frowned, her tone worried. "The business is already huge. People have limited energy. What if you ruin your health..."
"I know what I'm doing," Gu Zhiheng explained with a smile. "Lixin handled the previous issues, and I have plenty of people I can use. I only need to set the direction; I won't exhaust myself."
"Mom, don't worry, I'm not stupid, I won't mistreat myself. I've spent a lot of money hiring so many elites, they'll handle the specific tasks, I don't need to follow up on every little detail, I'm not tired." Gu Zhiheng's greatest skill is managing people.
He has a keen eye; after just a few meetings, he can tell what position a person should be placed in and how to utilize them. He is fair in his dealings and clear in his rewards and punishments, so his subordinates are all very convinced and work with great enthusiasm.
"Hmm, it's good that you're not tired." Lin Zhao's brows relaxed.
"Don't mistreat the people below," she reminded them.
“I know. My company doesn’t force overtime. If someone works overtime, the overtime pay is always very generous,” Gu Zhiheng said earnestly.
This was something Lin Zhao had repeatedly requested, and Gu Zhiheng took it very seriously.
People are not tools; they have the right to rest. He cares a lot about the basic rights and interests of his employees in all aspects.
"I know, I've always trusted you with everything you do." Lin Zhao took her son's hand and patted the back of his hand.
"I heard someone in the transport team has contracted a serious illness?" she asked, recalling what she had heard.
“…Hmm.” Gu Zhiheng’s brow furrowed with a heavy expression. “I gave him some money on behalf of the company. His salary will continue to be paid during his treatment. I hope he can get through this.”
This person had been with him since the team was first formed.
He was diligent and capable. While some people were restless and impatient, he calmed down and worked diligently under his guidance.
Gu Zhiheng felt very sorry to learn that the person was sick.
"You did a good job," Lin Zhao praised. She was worried that her son would lose his integrity as he earned more and more money, and she was very pleased to see how Zhiheng had handled the situation.
"Of course," Gu Zhiheng said naturally. "Once he recovers, he can come back to work at the company."
"Did you promise him?" Lin Zhao asked, looking at her son.
"I promised." Gu Zhiheng nodded.
“Very good,” Lin Zhao said. “He is the head of the family, and the whole family depends on him for support. It is unimaginable how painful it is for him to suddenly fall ill. Your words have given him hope, and I believe he will pull through this ordeal.”
"Mom, don't worry, our family businesses are all ethical businesses. We wouldn't do anything that's unethical or heartless. I'm like that, and so are my uncles. Do you remember my dad's old comrades-in-arms? The three who went to my second uncle's factory." Gu Zhiheng suddenly said.
“Of course I remember. Those three people who came to the capital to work after the opening up, got scammed, and almost ended up in the police station, still come to our house to pay New Year’s visits every year. How could I not remember them?” Lin Zhaobai glared at her son. “Your mother is getting old, but my memory hasn’t deteriorated to that extent.”
"I didn't say your memory was deteriorating," Gu Zhiheng said with a flattering smile.
He quickly changed the subject.
“Those three uncles just bought houses and officially settled down in Haicheng. They are now proper Haicheng residents!” he said with a smile.
The third branch of the Gu family has two soldiers and one researcher. Gu Zhiheng has a natural affinity for soldiers and is happy to know that the three veterans are doing well.
When I remembered, I told Lin Zhao about it.
Gu Zhiheng knew that his mother would also be happy for those three uncles.
"Really? That's fantastic news!" Lin Zhao was genuinely happy. "Your dad would be overjoyed if he knew. But I won't tell him yet; we'll wait for them to come and tell your dad in person."
She added, "I have a feeling they will come to our door."
The three men were all big fans of Gu Chenghuai, admiring their 'battalion commander' to the extreme, and every time they saw him, they would have an exaggerated expression as if they were looking at a god.
"I'm really happy for them. It's a pity they're not in Haicheng. If they were, I would definitely send them a congratulatory gift."
Gu Zhiheng smiled and said, "I knew you would think this way, Mom. I'll give it to you."
"You understand me better and better. It's fine as long as you've given it to me." Lin Zhao nodded with satisfaction.
Gu Zhiyao was off work today and stayed home. She ate grapes one after another without making any comments.
After they finished speaking, he said, "Second Brother, do you really not need to advertise your school construction and scholarship program for impoverished students in the newspapers? It would be good for you. I've seen many business owners creating hype. They donate less than you, yet they make a huge fuss about their donation ceremonies, get media coverage, and even have the recipients read long essays..."
Gu Zhiheng sneered.
"Don't compare me to those who seek fame and fortune. I'm ashamed to be associated with those show-offs."
He had seen what Yao Bao was talking about. Such a small amount of money, yet it seemed to have bought the dignity of the recipient. That arrogant and condescending attitude made him feel disgusted just thinking about it.
He understood the principle that a gentleman judges by actions, not intentions, but the sight of the old man standing there with a flushed face and a helpless expression made him hate this kind of showmanship to the core.
"Second brother, I didn't mean to put you and that person together." Gu Zhiyao nervously tugged at Gu Zhiheng's sleeve. "I meant to say that this is also a publicity opportunity, a win-win situation, and a reminder to you. How can those hypocrites be compared to my brother, Gu Zhiyao? Their names don't even deserve to be mentioned alongside yours!"
Gu Zhiheng pulled his clothes back, "Your brother isn't that petty. Don't look at me like you're afraid of offending me."
Gu Zhiyao immediately beamed with joy, "I knew Second Brother was the most generous!"
“Let’s not bring this up again.” Gu Zhiheng said seriously. “Building a primary school or setting up a scholarship are my personal actions and have nothing to do with business. I don’t want trouble, and I don’t want too much attention on me.”
He doesn't care about other people's praise or slander.
Just leave him alone.
"I understand," Gu Zhiyao said.
Gu Zhiheng suddenly realized that it was the weekend and this guy hadn't gone out at all, staying at home obediently.
His eyes probing, "You broke up with Cat Egg?"
(End of this chapter)