What's wrong with me being a rich man?

Chapter 410 A Smile at Our Meeting

On July 16, the Silicon Carbon Group in Lingang once again welcomed a visit from the CEO of a listed company.

Yu Xing met with his former employer, Jia, the accountant from LeEco.

Before the other party arrived, he asked himself a question: If it were President Jia, what would he do?
The gift for this meeting will probably be quite generous.

As expected, Jia Yueting smiled and shook Yu Xing's hand as soon as he got out of the car, saying, "President Yu, I've heard so much about you, but it's only today that I've finally met you in person. I came here specifically to order cars for our LeEco employees."

He reached out his hand, and his secretary handed him the check.

Jia Yueting took the check and put it in Yu Xing's hand, saying earnestly, "Mr. Yu, I am eager to get our hands on the first new energy vehicle in China."

Yu Xing reached out and pushed back, saying cheerfully, "Mr. Jia, you're too kind. I was just joking last time. How could I really take it? Our Carbon Silicon Group wouldn't dare say we're the first to make cars. Tesla is very popular abroad, and BYD started making hybrids very early in China. We are the younger generation in the automotive industry."

“That’s different, Mr. Yu. I’ve heard that many people in the internet industry are very interested in new energy recently.” Jia Yueting said confidently, “As long as Mr. Yu’s product is launched and the market is booming, a large amount of capital will inevitably flow in. Mr. Yu’s success will attract a large number of people and funds. Moreover, the Silicon Carbon Group has already done a lot of work to promote the development of the supply chain.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Xing nodded slightly: "That's true."

Jia Yueting was taken aback.

Yu Xing stepped aside to welcome him, took the check, and said with a smile, "Come, come, Mr. Jia, let's go inside and talk, and also take a look at the progress of the Silicon Carbon Group's projects."

Secretary Zhang Yangxu, with great perceptiveness, accepted the check.

Jia Yueting's gaze involuntarily followed the flow of checks, but he was instantly delighted and, under President Yu's guidance, went to visit the prototype vehicle of the Silicon Carbon Group.

Silicon Carbon Group has recently received many visitors from various industries.

There were joint venture car executives who were just dealing with things, internet companies that came to learn from their experience, and local leaders who were assessing the situation... So, everyone had a wealth of experience in receiving guests.

Yu Xing gave a concise overview, Hu Zhengnan explained the details, and Yao Yanghui from the supply chain management company discussed external cooperation.

Jia Yueting remained attentive throughout, but when he was signaled that he could test drive the Kyushu No. 1 prototype, he was surprised: "President Yu, can your car actually run?"

"Of course it can run! What car manufacturer can't make it run?" Yu Xing laughed. "Mr. Jia, what you said is really interesting."

Jia Yueting explained, "No, I mean the cars you've built are already running? That's pretty fast progress."

"It's easy to get it running, but it's difficult to meet the requirements and achieve the expected results," Yu Xing said. "The battery capacity, the battery power, the efficiency of the range extender—all these aspects are still problems."

Jia Yueting joked, "Mr. Yu, I understand. You should build the car first and put it here. When the investors come and see that the car can run, they will feel more at ease investing."

Yu Xing knew that the accountant was judging him by his own standards.

He shook his head: "The financing ended before our prototype came out, but everyone was definitely more confident after seeing it."

Jia Yueting didn't accelerate. While experiencing driving the prototype car, he said, "Mr. Yu, what do you think of LeEco expanding its ecosystem into the automotive field?"

“The car business is very capital-intensive. I saw that LeEco also launched a TV business this year, oh, and there’s also LeSports, right?” Yu Xing said bluntly. “If LeEco wants to get into cars, its cash flow will inevitably face severe pressure.”

Jia Yueting laughed and said, "President Yu, we can be like you. You are our best role model."

Yu Xing immediately replied, "The Silicon Carbon Group is independently financed. Regardless of the success or failure of its car manufacturing, it will not affect Baixiaosheng's stock price. They are two completely different businesses. Will LeEco be the same?"

Jia Yueting let out an "uh," suddenly realizing that the other person's words were a bit sharp.

LeEco's goal of creating an ecosystem naturally involves ambiguity, using assets from non-listed companies while attaching the concept of a listed company.

He paused for a moment before saying, "We are still considering this issue. The independent financing of Silicon Carbon Group is indeed very good."

“Carbon Silicon Group can’t be placed under Baixiaosheng’s umbrella. Its initial funding came from the sale of WeChat. If LeEco wants to build cars, it must consider the issue of its cash flow as soon as possible.” Yu Xing said with feigned concern, “I see that LeEco already has a lot of content in its ecosystem. The automotive industry requires huge investments in the early stages, so we must be cautious in this regard.”

He continued, "If LeEco were to manufacture cars under its own umbrella, it would be difficult to bear the financial investment. If it were to be spun off, how would it be integrated into LeEco's ecosystem? If it were not to be integrated into LeEco's ecosystem, would LeEco invest in it?"

Jia Yueting remained silent. The man next to him was the president of a listed company and a car maker recognized by investors. These questions of his would be difficult to evade if further scrutiny were pursued.

As he turned the steering wheel, he seemed to catch a fleeting glimpse of President Yu's enigmatic gaze out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head again, he saw that the other party was still waiting for his reply.

Jia Yueting smiled naturally and said, "President Yu, I still have some friends. If LeEco can do a good job in the early preparations, it should be able to get the initial funding."

Yu Xing hummed in agreement and pondered, "In that case, we must do it well, otherwise we'll be letting our friends down."

Jia Yueting couldn't help but glance at President Yu again, and said with a wry smile, "President Yu, don't worry, I'm definitely not the kind of person who would betray my friends. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made a special trip to see the Silicon Carbon Group today."

He didn't want to discuss this topic further, so he moved on to something they had already covered last time, asking, "Does Mr. Yu think that pure electric vehicles like Tesla can also have a large market in China?"

“Tesla has already achieved considerable success in the market, from sports cars to the Model S. With this development experience and technological accumulation, it will inevitably continue to make a lower-priced model. Judging from the current situation, that model will definitely be more popular,” Yu Xing analyzed. “The car market recognizes this, the US stock market recognizes this, and the domestic market will not be much different. Our market here is too big.”

Jia Yueting asked with great interest, "Is the technology in our domestic supply chain mature enough?"

Yu Xing did not answer immediately. After thinking for a moment, he said, "It's still in its infancy. It needs to be pushed a bit more. But the progress in this area is faster than many people imagine. Of course, I'm referring to the domestic supply chain. If we choose foreign suppliers, it might be even faster."

Upon hearing this, Jia Yueting asked curiously, "Since choosing a foreign supplier can be faster, why doesn't Silicon Carbon Group do it even faster?"

“Silicon Carbon Group hopes to gain greater control, and the advancement of automotive electrification requires the cooperation of suppliers,” Yu Xing replied. “In addition, we don’t need to rush things now. Silicon Carbon Group is not a listed company, and we don’t need to quickly hype things up to boost the stock price.”

Jia Yueting said with a smile, "No wonder the investors recognize the Silicon Carbon Group. President Yu is pushing forward the electric vehicle project very steadily."

He felt that President Yu's words seemed a bit barbed, but it seemed quite normal for him to be a little barbed.

Jia Yueting slowly brought the prototype vehicle to a stop. Before getting out of the car, he praised, "This car drives quite well, Mr. Yu. It's really unconventional of you to come up with this range-extended vehicle and this six-seat configuration!"

He personally witnessed the prototype of the "Kyushu" No. 1 car from the Silicon Carbon Group and found it to be counterintuitive.

Regardless of whether range-extending technology is suitable for the domestic market, are there any six-seater models that sell well?
Jia Yueting wanted to use common sense to demonstrate his concern for the Silicon Carbon Group, but when he saw Mr. Yu's bright eyes, he abandoned the plan to avoid being rebuffed.

“It’s not exactly taking a risky approach; we did conduct market research,” Yu Xing said, then shook his head. “But those surveys and our ideas are still just on paper. Without market validation, it’s all just empty talk.”

Jia Yueting immediately said seriously, "President Yu, I actually have a favor to ask of you today."

Yu Xing exclaimed in surprise, "President Jia, why does LeEco have so many unreasonable requests? The last person also made an unreasonable request."

Jia Yueting's carefully prepared emotions were interrupted.

He frowned this time. This guy surnamed Yu even accepted the check, so why was he saying such unpleasant things?
However, upon further reflection, considering that the other party was capable of even crying over a horse in person, this level of behavior was really nothing. Jia Yueting sighed and asked, "President Yu, do you have any objections to LeEco's plan to manufacture cars?"

Yu Xing, with a composed and serious expression, said, "How could I have any objections? President Jia, I welcome any funds and projects that want to enter the new energy industry, because it can enhance the industry's reputation. What I hope for is expansion..."

Jia Yueting interrupted, "Really? Mr. Yu, really?"

Yu Xing nodded and said, "Of course."

Jia Yueting smiled and said, "Then we would appreciate it if President Yu and the Silicon Carbon Group could give us more guidance on LeEco Auto."

Seeing that he had previously said he was considering it, but after going around in circles he suddenly expressed his determination, Yu Xing asked in the same way, "Are you really going to build cars? Mr. Jia, really?"

"LeEco hopes to expand its business into automobiles and create an ecosystem that can generate tremendous synergy," Jia Yueting said seriously.

Yu Xing felt that this sounded too human; he was more used to the term "ecological chemical reaction."

After a moment's thought, he said, "The idea is good. We can't say that the Silicon Carbon Group is successful yet, but we have a good understanding of the domestic supply chain. If Mr. Jia wants to discuss this, we can have someone talk to our supply chain management company."

Jia Yueting smiled and invited, "President Yu, how about this? I'm still making preparations. If I'm almost done with preparations, could I sincerely invite you to be an honorary president? We can share resources in the supply chain, help each other in industry operations, and work together to promote the development of the new energy vehicle industry!"

Yu Xing never expected that President Jia would invite him to take up a temporary post today.

He shook his head without hesitation and said, "No."

Upon hearing such a decisive rejection, Jia Yueting suddenly didn't know what to say next.

“I don’t have the energy to spare. Mr. Liu is currently in charge of Baixiaosheng’s side, and I’m already swamped with the two companies, Silicon Carbon Group and Silicon Carbon Data. I simply don’t have the energy to do anything else,” Yu Xing added. “Besides, I have no achievements in the automotive industry, so how can I have the face to be some kind of ‘honorary’ president?”

Jia Yueting felt that this made sense and said regretfully, "President Yu, I have also learned about the domestic new energy sector during this period. Since you can't come to LeEco Auto, I have been hesitant about my decision."

“I may not be there in person, but all the familiar suppliers and technical experts are here to help. True friendship is like water, so there’s no need for formalities,” Yu Xing said with a smile. “As the saying goes, ‘Brothers who have survived all hardships remain, and a smile can dissolve all enmity.’ If LeEco Auto can do well, that’s better than anything else.”

A smile can erase all enmity, but it all depends on whether these brothers can weather all the storms together.

Jia Yueting felt that the poems quoted by President Yu were a bit strange, but he was still pleased with his statement.

LeEco wants to expand its story to new businesses, and if it can get help and guidance from the supply chain, it will definitely be beneficial for the project to take shape.

Yu Xing then added, "By the way, Mr. Jia, some domestic suppliers have reached critical points. For example, we invested in Zhibo Company, which specializes in millimeter-wave radar. LeEco could also invest in it, and we can prioritize its production capacity."

This just happened naturally.

Jia Yueting is not interested in millimeter-wave radar or radar at all, but he is very interested in priority production capacity and the stories that can be discussed.

When it comes to the situation and technology of the new energy industry, there is so much to say.

Yu Xing quickly raised several points, and although he was trying to restrain himself, it still took him quite a while.

Jia Yueting appeared to be listening attentively and expressed deep gratitude for the guidance he received from President Yu.

It wasn't until the afternoon that Yu Xing finally had a moment to ask his secretary, "How much is on the check?"

Zhang Yangxu replied, "1000 million, President Jia is quite generous."

Yu Xing chuckled but didn't say anything. If it wasn't his own money, then he could certainly be generous.

He changed his mind and clicked his tongue in amazement: "LeEco Auto, wow, what a LeEco Auto!"

Zhang Yangxu felt that the boss's tone was a bit... indescribable.

Did the boss have any past grudges with Mr. Jia?

No, I don't think I've heard of that.

Even if there's a minor conflict...

Zhang Yangxu thought about the number on the check and smiled, letting bygones be bygones.

……

Xing Hongyu, the head of Weishi, bravely approached President Liu Chiping and CEO Pony Ma to express his views, hoping to adapt the product to user needs.

Then, unsurprisingly, it was rejected.

Not only was the proposal rejected, but Liu Chiping also pulled Xing Hongyu aside and warned him, "President Xing, don't talk to Pony about this kind of thing. You need to be mindful of your work methods. If Vine doesn't move, then Weishi shouldn't move either."

Xing Hongyu was helpless, but he expressed his thoughts on the product with a firm attitude.

Liu Chiping was somewhat surprised by Xing Hongyu's statement and asked, "What's the reason? Mr. Xing, you can't define a product based solely on your personal ideas. What market data and performance data do you have to support this idea?"

Xing Hongyu was speechless. He couldn't very well bring up President Yu to emphasize his vision and operational skills.

Liu Chiping emphasized again: "We must pay attention to working methods. I know you have different opinions, but we cannot prove something just for the sake of proving it."

Xing Hongyu silently returned to his office, feeling that the matter could not be moved forward.

However, just two days later, the internationally renowned company Instagram also launched a short video app, which, unlike Vine, has a recording time of 15 seconds!
Instagram has revolutionized short videos!
Upon seeing the message, Xing Hongyu immediately grabbed his phone and rushed to President Liu Chiping, using the latest market situation as a reason to push forward the work.

This is a perfectly legitimate reason!

“Instagram might not be right either,” Liu Chiping frowned.

Xing Hongyu said somewhat excitedly, "President Liu, at least we can't say that everything Vine says is right, right?"

Liu Chiping looked at the person in charge of Weishi in front of him, and after a long while said, "President Xing, you've forgotten again that we need to pay attention to working methods."

Xing Hongyu felt as if he had been doused with a bucket of cold water.

Liu Chiping then said, "Then let's try grayscale testing as you suggest, and see how it goes."

Xing Hongyu smiled, "Weishi can still be pushed forward!"

(End of this chapter)