Chapter 28. Are You GG or MM?
“It’s not exactly a formal visit.”
“More like a casual meeting.”
“The current Ma Xiaoyun…”
“…is no longer the struggling entrepreneur who resigned to start his own business.”
Li Mo had already mapped out his future investment plans.
Alibaba was a company with returns no less impressive than Tencent’s.
“…you’re willing to meet him?”
“I’m very interested in investing in Alibaba.”
“The company’s growth prospects are huge right now.”
Ma Tengyun nodded as well.
“That’s right, Mr. Mo.”
“Before this, Mr. Ma approached many investors, but none of them believed in Alibaba.”
“However, after Goldman Sachs stepped in…”
“…many venture capitalists suddenly became eager to invest.”
“Goldman Sachs is one of the top three investment banks in the U.S.”
“And even with the Nasdaq performing poorly…”
“…while most investors are cutting back on spending…”
“…Goldman Sachs still chose to invest in Alibaba.”
“That alone speaks volumes.”
“The three major investment banks have funded many great companies worldwide.”
“Now, Alibaba has become a hot commodity.”
“But Alibaba’s CFO, Joseph Tsai…”
“…strongly opposes taking on more investment.”
“Because five million dollars can sustain them for a long time.”
Ma Tengyun paused in thought before continuing.
“Mr. Mo, if you’re looking to acquire a large stake and influence Alibaba’s decisions through the board, forget it.”
“From what I’ve seen, Mr. Ma has the sharp, calculating gaze of Sima Yi.”
“And in business, he’s Liu Bei through and through—he’ll never submit to anyone else.”
“His management style is completely different from Tencent’s.”
“At Alibaba, it’s his way or nothing.”
“Once he makes up his mind…”
“…no amount of opposition will change it.”
“Because of this, some shareholders have already left Alibaba.”
Li Mo found this somewhat surprising.
“So, Mr. Ma is like Liu Bei from the Three Kingdoms era.”
“Getting a controlling stake in Alibaba seems impossible.”
…his original investment plan wouldn’t work as intended.
He’d have to adjust his strategy.
There was still time before the right moment to invest in Alibaba.
So there was no need to rush.
Even if he couldn’t gain absolute control…he could still secure a significant investment.
After all, how many internet companies offered such high returns these days?
“Alright, Xiao Ma, you can go now.”
“In a few days, come with me to the land auction.”
“I’ll let you know when.”
Ma Tengyun assumed Li Mo just wanted to observe and didn’t think much of it.
“How is your brain so brilliant? It’s unbelievable!”
Su Qingyan hugged Li Mo in admiration and kissed him on the cheek.
“Alright, Yan Yan, go rest in the office for a bit.”
“I need to make a call.”
Su Qingyan obediently left.
Li Mo then opened his phone contacts and found the number of his old friend and close buddy, Yin Qiang.
After dialing…a warm voice answered.
“Hey man, what’s up? Calling to hang out?”
Hearing his old friend’s voice lifted Li Mo’s mood.
“Yeah, let’s meet up soon.”
“I heard you passed the civil service exam?”
Yin Qiang sounded thrilled.
“Yep! I’m in the land auction department now.”
“In a few days, I’ll be handling my first auction.”
“Actually, I’m planning to bid on some land this time.”
Yin Qiang wasn’t surprised.
“Your wife’s buying land, right? Back when you stole our school belle Su Xiaoxiao from us…”
“…all the guys in the dorm were heartbroken!”
“Now I hear she’s running a successful cosmetics company.”
“Must’ve made tens of millions by now, huh?”
“No, we’re divorced.”
Yin Qiang sounded like he’d just discovered something shocking.
“If this gets out, it’ll be explosive news in our alumni circle!”
“What happened? Did she dump you for someone richer?”
Since they were close friends…
…Yin Qiang didn’t hold back.
“That’s how it is these days.”
“Women… if they’ve never seen the world, they’re easy to impress.”
“But once they get a taste of success—especially if they make their own money…”
“…they start looking down on the men around them.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll set you up.”
“Ever since I got into civil service, relatives and coworkers keep introducing me to women.”
“I’ve got tons of connections!”
Li Mo politely declined.
“No need, I already have a girlfriend.”
Yin Qiang sounded amused.
“See, being handsome has its perks—even if you’ve got nothing else, you can still be a player.”
“So, you’re coming to the auction just to check it out?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle all the paperwork in advance.”
“Just show up when it’s time.”
“And hey, the other two idiots from our dorm aren’t far either—let’s all meet up!”
Li Mo agreed without hesitation.
The auction arrangements were quickly settled.
“The stock market still has some room for profit.”
“With leveraged futures, I can probably pull out another 30 million.”
Li Mo checked the stock and futures market trends.
There was another big wave coming that night—a perfect opportunity to make more money for the land auction.
“Oh right, I should buy a Rolls-Royce.”
A Rolls-Royce was a must-have for any successful businessman.
…he needed these status symbols to prove his credibility as an investor.
Tencent rolled out an update.
All the points Li Mo had suggested were implemented.
The “Passionate Chat” department was officially established.
Ma Tengyun, sitting in his office, created a female account.
“Mr. Mo is truly a man of vast knowledge.”
“His thinking… is nothing short of astonishing.”
“I should try my hand at this chat thing too.”
…this was no different from promoting QQ one user at a time in internet cafés.
As he browsed through a list of inactive QQ users, one familiar ID caught his eye.
“Lovelorn Cold Prince.”
“Isn’t this the account I registered at that internet café?”
He thought of the internet café legend he’d met back then.
After a moment’s hesitation…
…he sent a friend request.
“Hey there, MM is so bored~”