Chapter 54: Are You Talking to Me About Fairness?
“Mr. Lu, do you happen to have a better plan?”
Dai Wei’s tone was sincere, and his growing respect for Lu Liang was evident in the way he kept adjusting his address.
“You need funds. A lot of funds,” Lu Liang said with a smile, as if stating the obvious.
“Mr. Lu, could you give us ten minutes? We need to discuss this internally,” Dai Wei said, realizing that their initial offer of 10% equity wasn’t enough to sway Lu Liang. They needed to up the ante.
Lu Liang nodded lightly. After whispering a few words to his teammates, Dai Wei and his co-founders moved to the door to deliberate.
Meanwhile, Liang Juntao, all smiles, handed Lu Liang a cigarette. “Mr. Lu, where are you working these days?”
Liang had looked into Tianxing Investments—a newly registered firm with a pledged capital of 6 million yuan. Recently, it had even invested 5 million in a film. Still, he had never heard of Lu Liang, let alone how he obtained a gold-trimmed invitation.
“I’m partnering with Mr. Meng from Kunqian Trading on some small ventures,” Lu Liang said, invoking Meng Changkun’s name. Without a notable reputation of his own, associating with Meng gave him credibility.
Despite their right to refuse, Yu Xin was shocked to see Dai Wei remaining composed.
“Dai Wei, you can’t seriously be considering this!”
Dai Wei’s resolve showed in his eyes. “Mr. Lu, please give me more time. I’ll convince them.”
Lu Liang nodded, a trace of surprise flickering in his eyes.
Liang Juntao, always eager to mediate, chimed in. “Mr. Lu, Dai Wei seems impressive, doesn’t he?”
“He has guts,” Lu Liang acknowledged.
If anyone opposed the deal, Dai Wei could simply call for a vote and push it through. With 70% equity and the general manager title, he held all the power—a key reason Lu Liang saw potential in this team. Their unity and decisive leadership set them apart from others he’d seen, where shared equity and indecision doomed them to failure.
Fifteen minutes later, Dai Wei returned with his team’s decision. They agreed to the supplementary contract and asked when the formal agreements could be signed and funds disbursed.
Dai Wei had no choice. With Mobike backed by heavyweights like Li Bing from BitAuto, OFO lacked a similar pedigree and had to gamble for survival.
“Come by my office Monday to sign the contract. Once it’s signed, the funds will be transferred immediately,” Lu Liang said.
“Mr. Lu, how about signing a letter of intent first?” Liang suggested. As the expo organizer, he felt responsible for safeguarding the agreement between the parties.
“Sure,” Lu Liang agreed, and Dai Wei quickly nodded as well.
Liang left to prepare the documents, returning soon with three copies of a clearly written letter of intent that even non-professionals could understand. It included both the financing and supplementary agreements, along with a 30% penalty for breaches, with Shanghai Finance University holding a third copy to ensure accountability.
“Mr. Lu, I have one last question,” Dai Wei said as they signed the agreement. “Could you explain how you view OFO as a financial product?”
“Leverage,” Lu Liang said with a smile. “Borrowing is leverage. Delaying payments to suppliers is leverage.”
Since they were now partners, Lu Liang didn’t mind sharing his insights. OFO’s biggest challenge was its underutilized assets.
“For companies like yours, once you start growing, you must never stop. Pursue funding relentlessly. Expand as fast as you can. Keep running forward—Rome awaits those who don’t pause.”
Dai Wei was stunned. Hearing these words felt like a decade’s worth of learning condensed into a moment. Yet, he couldn’t resist asking, “What happens if we stop?”
Lu Liang chuckled but didn’t answer directly. Instead, he turned to Liang. “Professor Liang, where’s the Shanghai International Studies University team? I think I saw someone I know.”
“B Section, I believe. Let me show you,” Liang offered.
“Thank you, Professor Liang.”