Countless interested investors, either through friends or by calling the company, always find themselves somehow connected to Lu Liang, whose phone is nearly bursting from all the calls.
Where there are vested interests, there are naturally scammers.
Just a few hours later, people were swindled out of hundreds of thousands, allegedly buying into Tianxing Private Equity's private index.
"Strange things happen every year, but this year, especially so."
Lu Liang couldn't help but marvel; private equity, private index—these terms sounded so niche.
But to avoid more people being deceived and tarnishing his reputation, he had no choice but to clarify on Weibo, warning not to believe in so-called insider relationships, which were absolutely non-existent, and to beware of scams.
At the same time, he had Old Meng release news that Tianxing II was in preparation and that details would be announced soon. .c
The specific date, naturally decided by Lu Liang, could be a week, a month, or two—it all could be referred to as "soon."
It was a signal to the outside world: those who missed the first round should not panic. It wasn't necessary to wait ten months after the first round ended to start the second.
"A family with an elder is like having a treasure."
Lu Liang reflected on how Old Meng, who left his hometown at 14 and had been struggling in Modu for over twenty years, had some real skill in calculating human nature.
"Old my foot." Meng Changkun gave Lu Liang a disgruntled look.
He was only seven years older than Lu Liang, but having experienced more of life's trials, he appeared a bit more mature.
"Sorry, sorry," chuckled Lu Liang.
Lu Liang was invited to Anchi Road in the outskirts of Modu.
Li Bing's NIO had passed the official approval and obtained the necessary documentation to manufacture cars. The company was also officially opening today.
Spanning 12,000 square meters and decorated like a 4S store, it was also the first NIO intelligence driving experience center.
But the building was empty. As soon as Lu Liang arrived, he saw Lei Jun and joked, "Mr. Lei, you're free today?"
This year was Xiaomi's time to shine, as Lei Jun finally shook off his reputation for cheap tricks, with a significant increase in phone production capacity.
In the third quarter, shipments exceeded 60 million units, accounting for 12.5% of the smartphone market, and Xiaomi was at the top of the sales charts for major brands.
"I just got off the plane last night and came to take care of some business. Li Bing was waiting right at the airport gate, how could I not come?"
Lei Jun was both amused and surprised by Lu Liang's arrival, who sighed, "Just stepping out to avoid the limelight."
He could not stay in the company any longer as people kept coming to visit; ignoring them was rude, but meeting with them led nowhere.
So he was always running out these days, letting Old Meng handle the visits. After the initial few days, things should quiet down.
"The world bustles for profit, and scrambles for it, too," Lei Jun mused, also expressing his interest in the next phase of Tianxing Private Equity.
After all, as the so-called Cash King of Beijing, lying on his account were billions upon billions, and even collecting interest from the bank was almost embarrassing.
"Remember to come when the time comes, Mr. Lei."
Lu Liang smiled and agreed, also showing his interest in investing in Xiaomi's E-round of financing.
With Xiaomi valued at 45 billion US dollars and likely going public in a couple of years, investing now wouldn't yield much, but it was certainly a safe bet.
On the verge of breaking the one billion personal wealth mark, Lu Liang was acutely aware of the need for security and planned to set aside one billion to establish a family trust in Xiangjiang.
He intended to hold long-term recognised blue-chip stocks like Apple, NVIDIA, Tencent, Ali, and Moutai, with himself, his parents, his sister, and his yet-unknown children as beneficiaries.
Xiaomi Group was also in Lu Liang's consideration. After all, Lei Jun was incredibly strong, almost single-handedly driving down the prices in the smartphone market.
Although Xiaomi has always been synonymous with the low end, even Lamborghini, which is high-end enough, is still struggling with losses, being bought and sold over the years.
Products that ordinary people can afford are mainstream: profit margins are low but resilient, and there is always an unyielding push towards high-end. Failure just means a few years delay before making another attempt.
Upon learning that Lu Liang only wanted to buy a few shares and had no intention of leading a major investment, Lei Jun agreed with a laugh.
In a light-hearted exchange, the two reached a mutual benefit.
"What are you two talking about?" Li Bing approached with a full smile, on the cusp of a new phase in life, his spirits high with joy.
"Just chatting," Lu Liang replied with a smile, signaling to Wen Chao to bring over a pair of flower baskets for the opening.
As ten o'clock approached, the NIO experience center grew busier, and the media, having caught wind of the event, began to swarm.
"Mr. Li, Mr. Lei, I'll be heading off now."
Lu Liang, knowing when to step back, was aware that at least half of the media presence was due to him.
Not wanting to steal the spotlight or compete for attention, he courteously excused himself and left early.
"Mr. Lu, have a safe trip."
Watching Lu Liang drive away, Lei Jun was full of admiration: "He's grown too fast."
Two months ago, Lei Jun saw Lu Liang for the first time at Mobike's financing meeting. They merely exchanged nods then, without expectations of future interactions.
In the blink of an eye, Lu Liang had become the hottest new figure, with countless people wanting to connect with him.
"Effort spent in planting flowers may not yield blooms; willows planted without intent may provide welcome shade."
Li Bing admired his foresight; initially just wanting Lu Liang to make up numbers, he had instead snagged a giant crocodile.
As a NIO backer, Lu Liang could imagine the stir the new car would create in the European and American markets upon its release.
Unlike earlier established companies like Tencent, Redwood, and Xiaomi, where the company's fame far exceeded that of the founders.