Chapter 69

The first rays of morning sunlight shone through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating Yan Hui's office. A sliver of light fell on his disheveled hair, and as if sensing something, Yan Hui suddenly sat up. He glanced at his watch; it was 7:05. He jumped up and began organizing the materials needed for today's negotiation.

He wasn't as relaxed as he appeared when chatting with Donggua. He had met with Jiang Daqiao several times and knew this person well. From the bottom of his heart, he felt a sense of fear.

Jiang Daqiao's eyes seemed to see through people, making any lie impossible to hide, leaving one no choice but to tell the truth.

His stern expression and cold gaze exuded a domineering presence, creating an invisible pressure.

After leaving the company with Donggua last night, he hadn't even left the park before turning back. Yan Hui knew himself well; even if he went home, he wouldn't be able to sleep. So, he returned to the office to review the financial analysis, financing plans, and other documents, checking for any flaws.

After organizing and tidying up, he fell asleep on his desk when he got tired.

Fortunately, he managed to sleep for a few hours, replenishing his energy. He stood in front of the mirror, tidied himself up, and felt quite satisfied with his appearance. Taking a deep breath, he encouraged himself, determined to succeed.

It was just before 9:30, and Yan Hui arrived at Shengshi Group at 8:30. Located in the Chaoping Industrial Park in Yuhui District, Jianghai City, the company occupied a large area. Facing the main gate was a building over 20 stories tall, with several auxiliary buildings connected to it, forming an impressive sight.

He had breakfast at a convenience store next to Shengshi Group, then entered the company after finishing his meal. After being announced, he waited in the meeting room, his leg trembling unconsciously as he waited for 9:30.

It felt like a long time had passed, but when he checked his watch, only half an hour had gone by. At this moment, a secretary, a tall and elegant woman, entered and politely served Yan Hui a cup of tea, smiling and saying, "Mr. Yan, I'm sorry, but the chairman just called and said he has something important to handle, so he might be half an hour late. Please be patient."

Yan Hui quickly thanked her and said, "Chairman Jiang is very busy, and I understand. It's no problem for me to wait a bit longer."

He sighed, sensing that today's negotiation might not go smoothly, and his mood became somewhat dejected.

He continued to wait.

Finally, Jiang Daqiao walked into the meeting room with a calm expression. He casually said, "Xiao Yan, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting."

Yan Hui quickly said it was no problem. After sitting down, he noticed a young girl who walked in with Jiang Daqiao. She had a bright and charming smile, and he thought she must be the famous author Jiang Yuehan. He said, "This must be Miss Jiang. It's truly an honor to meet you in person."

"Brother Yan, you're too polite. We're all part of the online literature community, so just call me Yuehan," Jiang Yuehan replied with a smile, disliking formalities.

After some small talk, they got down to business.

Yan Hui took out the materials he had prepared, but Jiang Daqiao waved his hand, exuding a natural authority, "I've already reviewed these reports and data. There's no need to go over them again."

The materials he had prepared all night were now useless, and Yan Hui felt a bit disappointed but quickly put them away.

"You know, my daughter Yuehan is very fond of online literature, and she has influenced me over time. I plan to increase my investment," Jiang Daqiao said slowly.

Hearing this, Yan Hui's heart, which had been disappointed, was suddenly filled with joy and excitement. He tried to control his emotions and glanced gratefully at Jiang Yuehan.

Jiang Yuehan thought, "Now you're in trouble. Dad always starts with praise before the criticism. You're in for a rough time!"

"Jiang always does things with the goal of being the best in the industry, achieving an absolute advantage! How does your Dianmiao Chinese Literature Network plan to achieve this? I know there are several websites that are on par with yours," Jiang Daqiao said, dropping a bombshell.

Yan Hui was well-prepared and had anticipated this question. He spoke confidently, discussing the website's redesign, the operations of the editorial team, how to effectively discover and nurture new talent, establish a competitive mechanism, and the monthly ticket system, among other things.

Just as he was getting into the flow, Jiang Daqiao raised his hand to interrupt him, saying, "All of this is too general. Other websites can do the same, and you may not be better than them."

"Our team is currently the best in the online literature industry, in terms of age and experience..." Yan Hui quickly explained.

Jiang Daqiao interrupted him again, "None of this is convincing. I want to know what your core competitiveness is, something unique to you that other websites don't have and can't have."

Yan Hui opened his mouth but couldn't find the words. All his prepared arguments had been dismissed by Jiang Daqiao.

Jiang Yuehan knew things were about to get bad and cleared her throat, interjecting, "Brother Yan, online literature is just articles published on the internet. The internet is just a medium; the key is the content. High-quality articles are what matter. Talk about the influential authors on Dianmiao, something other websites don't have."

Thanks to Jiang Yuehan's hint, Yan Hui had an epiphany and began discussing the major authors on Dianmiao, using data to support his points, such as VIP subscription numbers and daily readership, in great detail.

Jiang Daqiao listened patiently, nodding frequently. When Yan Hui was out of breath, he said slowly, "All of this is just a rehash of Western fantasy. It's too monotonous. When readers' tastes change, you'll lose the market."

"Chairman Jiang, you don't need to worry. Our website has recently seen the rise of several historical authors, some of whom are of high quality. With proper cultivation, they have the potential to become platinum authors," Yan Hui explained.

Jiang Daqiao waved his hand, and Yan Hui had no choice but to stop, "I won't beat around the bush. I'm willing to invest in 60% of Dianmiao Chinese Literature Network, but this investment contract must be a conditional one. It will only take effect if you sign 'Return to Ming.' Without this groundbreaking historical novel, you can't crush your competitors. If your competitors get it, they will stand out, which is something I cannot tolerate in business."

Yan Hui was taken aback by Jiang Daqiao's condition and felt a bit awkward, "Chairman Jiang, to be honest, we have a dedicated person communicating with the author of 'Return to Ming,' San Pang, but so far, we've had no success. He seems uninterested in signing with any website."

"Since that's the case, your success will show your unique strengths. This condition is non-negotiable. If you agree, we can sign the contract now," Jiang Daqiao said firmly, leaving no room for discussion.

Yan Hui looked to Jiang Yuehan for help, but she pretended not to see, thinking, "I'm about to take over Dianmiao Chinese Literature Network, and I want to see what this San Pang is like."

It's better to treat a dead horse as if it were alive. If he didn't sign, there would be no hope. If he did, there would still be a chance. Yan Hui understood this and quickly signed the contract, then rushed back to the company to discuss a strategy to secure San Pang.

After Yan Hui left, Jiang Yuehan shook her father's arm, pouting, "Dad, what if Yan Hui can't sign 'Return to Ming'? Will we give up on Dianmiao? I want to work there."

"Let's put some pressure on them first. If they can't do it, we'll make other plans. Hey, Xiao Han, bring up that webpage again. I was in the middle of reading it and want to read a few more chapters," Jiang Daqiao said eagerly.

"Go away! You're using your power for personal gain, Dad. You've become a die-hard fan of San Pang," Jiang Yuehan giggled.

"Dad doesn't know what a 'copper fan' or 'iron fan' is. Just open the webpage quickly..."

...

Yan Hui rushed back to Dianmiao Chinese Literature Network at noon. He didn't even have time to eat and quickly convened an emergency meeting with the chief editors and editors. Some had just finished lunch, while others hadn't eaten yet, but he gathered them all.

This was the first time such an urgent meeting had been called at Dianmiao Chinese Literature Network, and the editors were all puzzled, looking at each other in confusion.

Yan Hui was very anxious, as his entire future was at stake. Holding the newly signed investment contract, he said solemnly, "This morning, after relentless efforts, we finally signed an investment contract with Shengshi Group."

Everyone cheered in unison.

Yan Hui had to knock on the table to stop the cheering, "However, this is a conditional contract. Only if the conditions are met will the contract take effect. Now, this is a critical moment for Dianmiao Chinese Literature Network. If we succeed, we will become the undisputed leader in the online literature industry. If we fail, we will struggle to survive and eventually be replaced by competitors."

The editors' moods plummeted from the sky. They were all curious about the conditions that had made Yan Hui so anxious.

Yan Hui glanced at Donggua, admiring her insight, and said solemnly, "You've all heard of the recently emerged historical novel 'Return to Ming,' which has over a million words in the public version and hasn't signed with any website. The condition of the investment is that we must secure the exclusive publication rights to 'Return to Ming.'"

He paused to let the information sink in, then said urgently, "Now, everyone, use your creativity and come up with a good plan."

One of the chief editors said, "Donggua is the most familiar with the books in her group."

Another chief editor said, "When the book was recommended by the editor of Huandao Book Alliance, it was rated two stars on Dianmiao. It wasn't until it reached 100,000 words that it was noticed. Is there still a chance to secure it?"

Yan Hui waved his hand, mimicking Jiang Daqiao's gesture, and said, "Now is not the time to rehash old issues. Now is the time to solve the problem. We'll discuss responsibility later."

Donggua stood up, like a proud lotus, and said firmly, "This is our group's mistake. I will take responsibility for signing 'Return to Ming.' If I fail, I will resign voluntarily."

Editor Baxi, seeing his goddess step forward, felt uncomfortable. He was afraid of losing his job but refused to be a coward. Gathering his courage, he stood up and said, "I was the editor who rated 'Return to Ming' two stars, leading to the chief editor only noticing it at 100,000 words. It was my mistake, and I resign."

Yan Hui was frustrated and raised his voice, "I said this is not the time to discuss responsibility. This is the time to solve the problem. Everyone, go back to work. Donggua, stay."

The group was in a commotion, and no solution was reached. Yan Hui pinched his forehead, feeling a headache. After everyone left, he asked urgently, "Donggua, do you have any good ideas? You've been in contact with San Pang for a long time."

"I can't guarantee 100%, but at least 70%. I need to confirm our bottom line with you," Donggua said with a smile like a hunter seeing his prey in the net, beautiful and confident. To Yan Hui, this smile was like a warm sun in winter, incredibly comforting.

---

Yan Hui rushed back to Dianmiao Chinese Literature Network at noon. He didn't even have time to eat and quickly convened an emergency meeting with the chief editors and editors. Some had just finished lunch, while others hadn't eaten yet, but he gathered them all.

This was the first time such an urgent meeting had been called at Dianmiao Chinese Literature Network, and the editors were all puzzled, looking at each other in confusion.

Yan Hui was very anxious, as his entire future was at stake. Holding the newly signed investment contract, he said solemnly, "This morning, after relentless efforts, we finally signed an investment contract with Shengshi Group."

Everyone cheered in unison.

Yan Hui had to knock on the table to stop the cheering, "However, this is a conditional contract. Only if the conditions are met will the contract take effect. Now, this is a critical moment for Dianmiao Chinese Literature Network. If we succeed, we will become the undisputed leader in the online literature industry. If we fail, we will struggle to survive and eventually be replaced by competitors."

The editors' moods plummeted from the sky. They were all curious about the conditions that had made Yan Hui so anxious.

Yan Hui glanced at Donggua, admiring her insight, and said solemnly, "You've all heard of the recently emerged historical novel 'Return to Ming,' which has over a million words in the public version and hasn't signed with any website. The condition of the investment is that we must secure the exclusive publication rights to 'Return to Ming.'"

He paused to let the information sink in, then said urgently, "Now, everyone, use your creativity and come up with a good plan."

One of the chief editors said, "Donggua is the most familiar with the books in her group."

Another chief editor said, "When the book was recommended by the editor of Huandao Book Alliance, it was rated two stars on Dianmiao. It wasn't until it reached 100,000 words that it was noticed. Is there still a chance to secure it?"

Yan Hui waved his hand, mimicking Jiang Daqiao's gesture, and said, "Now is not the time to rehash old issues. Now is the time to solve the problem. We'll discuss responsibility later."

Donggua stood up, like a proud lotus, and said firmly, "This is our group's mistake. I will take responsibility for signing 'Return to Ming.' If I fail, I will resign voluntarily."

Editor Baxi, seeing his goddess step forward, felt uncomfortable. He was afraid of losing his job but refused to be a coward. Gathering his courage, he stood up and said, "I was the editor who rated 'Return to Ming' two stars, leading to the chief editor only noticing it at 100,000 words. It was my mistake, and I resign."

Yan Hui was frustrated and raised his voice, "I said this is not the time to discuss responsibility. This is the time to solve the problem. Everyone, go back to work. Donggua, stay."

The group was in a commotion, and no solution was reached. Yan Hui pinched his forehead, feeling a headache. After everyone left, he asked urgently, "Donggua, do you have any good ideas? You've been in contact with San Pang for a long time."

"I can't guarantee 100%, but at least 70%. I need to confirm our bottom line with you," Donggua said with a smile like a hunter seeing his prey in the net, beautiful and confident. To Yan Hui, this smile was like a warm sun in winter, incredibly comforting.