Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 535 Mr. Liu, I'm here to buy my wife a birthday present! (Bonus chapter for the top-ranked fan CC)

PS: Thanks to Sky, Monchhichi, and Taigu Huifeng for joining the alliance. The progress of reaching 100 alliances is now 84/100!
-

A black minivan carrying Ma Huateng and his group headed to the Crowne Plaza Zhongguancun Hotel, which is only two kilometers away from the headquarters of Lianxiang.

The atmosphere in the car was slightly tense. Liu Chiping looked at Little Ma with a serious expression: "Boss, should we inform President Liu about his return first..."

Ma Huateng glanced at him with an unchanging expression, showing no surprise at his subordinate's seriousness.

Lu Kuan's return to Beiping at such a crucial juncture, with his relaxed and indifferent demeanor, seemed strangely unsettling.

"Never mind." Little Ma glanced at the "First Anniversary of the Beiping Olympics" banner flashing past the window. "Perhaps the chief director of the Olympics is back to receive an award."

"Once he's on TV, everyone will know. Let's talk about it when we meet this afternoon."

Ironically, he had come prepared with a whole host of ideas for his meeting with Chairman Liu, but the moment he met this supposed adversary, his own thoughts began to race.

The reason he didn't greet Chairman Liu wasn't because he "kept his information to himself," but because he felt that being so paranoid was going too far.

The car came to a smooth stop in front of the Crowne Plaza. Little Ma breathed a sigh of relief and got out of the car. The August sun in Beiping could not shine directly on the tycoon, but the sweltering heat was already overwhelming.

It makes people feel anxious for no reason.

"What's going on here?" Ma Huateng's leather shoes had just stepped onto the scorching granite in front of the hotel when the waves of blue-black and sky-blue scarves in the lobby almost overturned the crystal chandelier, and the sound of "Forza XX" made the glass doors vibrate.

Inside the glass doors, fans dressed in blue-black and sky-blue jerseys were packed, and the front desk was surrounded by a huge crowd.

The doorman who opened the car door for them still had some acne scars on his face, but he still answered Liu Chiping's questions professionally:
"Today is the one-year anniversary of the Beijing Olympics. Tonight, there is an Italian Super Cup match between Inter Milan and Lazio at the Bird's Nest. Our hotel is where the teams are staying, and these are all fans."

The opening ceremony of last year's Beijing Olympics was a great success, so many events were held across the country to commemorate its first anniversary.

The first "National Fitness Day" launch ceremony was held on the Olympic Park Landscape Avenue in the morning. More than 30,000 people also performed the 24-style Tai Chi on the landscape avenue between the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, setting a Guinness World Record.

Furthermore, there's the Super Cup match tonight, which is in partnership with an Italian Serie A brand, marking the first time the Super Cup has come to China.

The doorman, a native of Beiping, was a bit of a chatterbox. As he took everyone's luggage, he chuckled, "You all surely know Director Lu, the chief director. He'll be here tonight as the opening pitch guest. He and his wife are both football fans..."

He looked up and saw Little Ma taking off his sunglasses. Wasn't this Little Ma, the biggest recipient of his pocket money?

Damn, changing your QQ profile picture costs a dollar! In Penguin Ranch, if you don't buy speed-up items and sheepdogs, you'll get robbed to death! What a rip-off!
The young man was quick-witted. He then thought of the competition between penguins and the world, and quickly changed the subject: "Sir, you see, we can't get through here for a while. Why don't you wait over there for a bit, and I'll store your luggage for you?"

Ma Huateng subconsciously loosened the top button of his shirt, as if ever since he brushed past Lu Kuan at the airport, there was a wad of cotton soaked in gasoline stuck in his lungs, impossible to ignite or expel.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then silently took out his ID card and handed it to Liu Chiping and the staff: "I'll wait for you here. Squeeze through and get it done. Be careful."

Little Ma found a secluded spot to stand quietly. Actually, he was also a football fan, but he had no mood to think about such trivial matters at the moment.

In the lobby, a wave of heat mixed with the smell of sweat and cheap perfume hit his nostrils. Thinking back to the doorman's casual mention of the wide road, Ma Huateng's bad premonition grew even stronger.

On the other side, Liu Chiping and his entourage tried several times to get through the crowd but failed. Instead, they were squeezed and sweated profusely before being pulled apart by security guards who rushed to maintain order.

After all, Serie A was the first top European league to be broadcast in China, and the number of fans it has accumulated over the years is staggering. This is also the first time that the cup finals of the top five leagues have been held in Asia.

Having no other choice, Liu Chiping turned around and saw his boss scrolling through his phone in the corner. He rushed over, panting.

"Boss, I'll contact Mr. Liu's secretary now. Let's go to Lianxiang first."

"Boss?"

“Oh,” Little Ma suddenly looked up, his expression somewhat unreadable to his subordinates, “For now… for now, I probably don’t need to go.”

"What?" Liu Chiping's heart sank to the bottom. He had always had concerns and speculations about the situation.

Ma Huateng seemed to have returned to his taciturn demeanor, handing the phone to him before turning to look at the bustling crowd outside the glass door.

A web newsletter was prominently displayed on the screen—

Global Times: Breaking! Ni Guangnan, Zhang Jie, and other individuals with backgrounds in the China Academy of Sciences have filed a formal complaint alleging that the equity transfer is questionable in compliance with regulations. The Beijing Stock Exchange and Lianxiang have not yet responded.
Stay tuned for more news.

At this moment, Liu Chiping stared at his phone screen with a hint of fear. As an industry insider, and having learned about the old chairman's background through Ma Huateng, he was well aware of the seriousness of the situation.

"Is this...him?" Liu Chiping didn't realize that he was even avoiding mentioning that name.

"Even if it wasn't him, it was him."

Liu Chiping paused for a moment, then pondered for a few seconds before realizing that Ma Huateng wasn't giving him a riddle.

Perhaps Ni, Zhang, and others raised the issue out of public interest, but under the current circumstances, such public interest will inevitably be exploited by Lu Kuan, who will embellish the story and exaggerate its significance.

Now that you've taken this step, there's no going back.

What's more, the Global Times, which released this brief newsletter, also has an editor-in-chief named Hu, who is used to praising Lu Kuan as "the strongest post-80s generation in East Asia"!
Liu Chi turned off the screen and handed back the phone, feeling both hot and irritable, though his forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Looking up at Brother Ma again, I wondered if it was just my imagination, but he seemed more relaxed and at ease than when he made the decision to keep the appointment a few days ago.

Liu Chiping couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Everyone says that a place is a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, and this guy had only just stepped into that den, yet the situation was already making his scalp tingle just thinking about it.

He could understand the fleeting sense of relief that crossed Ma Huateng's face.

Under the invisible smoke of battle, what is most suffocating is not the open confrontation, but the oppressive feeling of the opponent always holding back.

The lurking of Lu Kuan and Wen Jie is like a bowstring taut in the dark night:
Before the arrow is fired, every whistling sound could be deadly. This strategic deterrence brought about by the unknown is far more agonizing than actual combat.

Even though they hesitated for three months and thought from every angle that the old chairman should have the upper hand in this round before deciding to come to Beijing for the appointment, who could completely ignore that person's existence?

For Ma Huateng, now is the time when the fog on the chessboard begins to dissipate, and it is also the time that is most exciting and unsettling.

He didn't know what Chairman Liu was thinking at that moment, but from the perspective of the penguin's strategic interests, it was a "strange" relief.

Of course, Little Ma didn't want Wenjie to turn things around, but he was also somewhat embarrassed to admit that the news broke before he met with the old chairman.

He was able to make a more prudent assessment of the situation and make the most appropriate choice.

For example, let's find a place now to appreciate the "latest film" brought to us by this genius director, and see if it is just a minor obstacle or a life-or-death struggle.

……

HD District, Science South Road, Lianxiang Headquarters.

The former chairman and his daughter were also watching "this movie," but they were looking at the paper materials transferred by the Beijing Stock Exchange, which had already appeared on Ni and Zhang's Weibo accounts.

Using real names, being open, and unafraid of powerful figures.

In his "Emergency Report on Suspected Asset Loss in the Equity Transfer of Lianxiang Holdings," Academician Ni pointed out:

Based on the consolidated net assets of 139.49 billion yuan, the 29% equity stake was worth 40.45 billion yuan. Now it has been sold off for a mere 27.55 billion yuan. Where has the 1.3 billion yuan of state-owned assets vanished to?
He bitterly denounced the fatal oversight of the assessment agency, namely that the billions of dollars in market value of Digital China and Lenovo Group were excluded, turning the groups into withered bones stripped of their lifeblood.

What is particularly distressing is an old incident from 1984: Back then, the Institute of Computing Technology contributed intellectual property rights such as the "Lianxiang Chinese Character Card" to the company as equity investment for 1.1 million yuan. According to the "Law on Promoting the Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements," the rights and interests of scientific and technological personnel should be preserved. However, this transfer completely transferred the equity of the Institute of Computing Technology to the institute, depriving the technical team of its historical contributions. What is the rationale behind this?

The National Science and Technology Progress Award medal, first prize, was prominently displayed in the old academician's Weibo photo, seemingly mocking his life's work and prompting netizens to reflect and sympathize with him.

Therefore, at the end of the article, he made a heartfelt appeal for a re-examination of the current equity transfer process, so as not to discourage the technical staff!
Zhang Jie's whistleblower report was more like a scalpel, directly piercing the heart of procedural compliance issues.

He is a legal scholar well-versed in the Chinese Academy of Sciences system, and his questions directly address the power struggles behind the property rights transaction announcements:

The so-called public listing is actually a secret transaction by the Taishan Club, requiring controlling stakes in the financial, energy, and real estate sectors. Only Lu Zhiqiang of Panhai Group can solve this problem.

what is this?
This was a case of pre-determined bidding and then sham negotiation. Therefore, we have reported this to the relevant departments and requested that they investigate whether Oceanwide Holdings might be involved in any transfer of benefits, and that at least the terms of the contract be followed.

Even if Oceanwide acquires the shares, it must set strict transfer conditions to prevent private transactions.

Compared to outsiders who only vaguely understand the situation, the old chairman, whose face was now so gloomy it was almost dripping with water, found the contents of the materials submitted by these two "old comrades-in-arms" and "one of his own" even more shocking.

In the two months since the announcement, it's not that no one has raised objections; there have been plenty of financial media outlets making a big fuss.

But these two are different; the data they cite, the cases they present, the truth they analyze, and even their own identities are all far more impactful.

"Dad, I'll contact Editor-in-Chief Dai first." Liu Qin turned around and dialed the number before her father could give any instructions. She wanted to find Dai Zigeng, the editor-in-chief of the "Heart-Stopping News". No matter what the other party's backup plan was, she had to do emergency public relations.

"It's no use talking to him, I'll contact President Yang of Nanfang directly."

The old chairman knew the danger of this situation, and he was even more aware of the terrifying nature of the public opinion system in the world. He could no longer hesitate and had to act decisively.

"Okay, then I'll go and arrange for the other friends to come and uphold justice."

Liu Qin left in a hurry. As soon as the office door closed, the old chairman, unable to contain his anger, slammed his hand heavily on the table, causing tea to splash everywhere with a "bang".

He suddenly stood up, his trousers creased sharply at the knees, and the whites of his eyes behind his glasses were slightly bloodshot and red from his rage.

"You bastard!" The face of the over-sixty-five-year-old entrepreneur was contorted like a tree root, and the veins at his temples throbbed with his heavy breathing.

He wanted to yell at some shady character hiding in the shadows, but given his composure and magnanimity—he always avoided getting angry in front of his daughter—if he really wanted to give Lu Kuan a good scolding, he could only manage a few of his usual Shanghai slang terms like "scoundrel" and "damn it."

But in that sudden dizzying moment after getting up, the old chairman couldn't help but want to ask a certain washing machine from afar:
How can someone be so shameless?!

Why would someone jump out and do something so harmful and pointless?
His view of "harming others without benefiting oneself" does not mean that Wenjie created unnecessary complications without the qualifications to bid, thus hindering his plan to revitalize assets and alleviate the company's difficulties.

He never even considered that possibility.

If everyone is on the same page and there is no strategic misjudgment, how dare you, Lu Kuan, brazenly bring your knife and charge in, knowing exactly what I am doing right now?

Do you really think that Leader Liu can protect everything?

Your broad vision ultimately makes you disliked by everyone and brings you no benefit whatsoever. Even your grand plan to revitalize the company and embark on a new journey through restructuring has been tarnished...

What is this if not harming others without benefiting oneself?
Due to the information gap, Ma Huateng, like the old chairman, never dreamed that in addition to his "divine move," there was another "heavenly fairy" move in this game.

In his eyes at this moment, Lu Kuan was a complete impulsive "idiot," and the old chairman wanted to point his finger at him and yell: "You little brat, don't bother me!"

There are still 12 days left in the public notice period. This is equivalent to the former chairman being in high spirits, welcoming a new concubine with a grand banquet and a full house of guests, while Lu Kuan is accompanied by his ex-wife's close relatives—

Ni Guangnan, a "technical veteran" who had made great contributions to Lianxiang but was ostracized, and Zhang Jie, a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, stormed into the wedding hall holding up "letters of divorce" from the "Company Law" and the "Regulations on the Management of State-owned Assets".

Ni Guangnan's real-name report and stern accusations against Xiang Xi's case record the blood and tears of the technologists who were deliberately marginalized during the equity reform.
Zhang Jie's identity as a researcher is like an elder in an ancestral hall publicly reciting clan rules, directly pointing to the bidding requirements in various dimensions, which are "dowry thresholds" tailor-made for Oceanwide Holdings.

What enraged him most was that Lu Kuan not only led his men to overturn the banquet table, but also completely exposed the wounds of Lianxiang's twenty-year-long "exchange of market for technology" but ultimately "abandoning technology for capital" to the guests.

This matter, which involves his posthumous reputation, was something he could not tolerate.

The old chairman, having weathered forty years of ups and downs, calmed down after a brief outburst, took out his phone, and pondered how to phrase his words.

Regarding public opinion countermeasures, regarding coordinating various parties, and regarding top-down pressure.

Then I suddenly thought, "This is fine too. It's okay if you touch my cake, but if you offend others, see how you die!"
Even if it means failing this time, I'm going to teach this little bastard a lesson.

Nanfang responded quickly, with the main writers of its various subsidiary publications taking turns to extinguish the first fire started by Boss Lu!

Heart-Stopping News – “Commercial Revenge or Defender of Justice? Unveiling the Capital Bureau of Questioning the World”:
It is shocking to hear that all of Wenjie's internet media outlets are frantically pushing news about Lianxiang's shareholding reform. The reasons behind this are thought-provoking.

Our investigation has revealed a subtle connection between the allegations of "asset loss" mentioned in the whistleblower materials and Wenjie's recent aggressive subsidy strategy in the ticketing market.

According to insiders, Wenjie is under cash flow pressure due to the subsidy war with Damai.cn and the Avatar agreement. The former may try to shift the blame by inciting technical veterans.

Business competition is perfectly acceptable, but if technological passion is distorted into a tool for business warfare, it may discourage those who genuinely care about corporate reform.

Nanfang Business Weekly – “From Full-Industry Chain Monopoly to Public Opinion Manipulation: Wenjie’s Napoleonic Expansion”
Wenjie prides itself on being an "innovator in the film industry," yet it has built a closed empire encompassing film production and ticketing within eight years. Its "full industry chain + traffic monetization" model has triggered collective vigilance from other companies in the industry.

This report against Lianxiang's mixed-ownership reform confirms industry concerns that when a company simultaneously controls content production, distribution channels, and public opinion, it may abuse its dominant market position.
According to our statistics, in the past two months, the number of articles in the media outlets affiliated with the Wenjie Group criticizing Alibaba's "trade-industry-technology" approach has surged by 300%, while discussions about the closed nature of Alibaba's own equity structure have been deliberately downplayed during the same period.

Behind this selective rights protection lies Wenjie's ambition to restructure industry rules.

"Nanfang Entrepreneurs" – "Chairman Liu's 'Entrepreneurial Spirit' and Lu Kuan's 'Traffic Game'"

At the entrepreneurs' forum in early July, Chairman Liu emphasized that "serving the country through industry requires sustained effort," a statement that now seems remarkably prescient.

Compared to Linksys' compliant operations in the globalization process over the past 30 years, Wenjie's rapid expansion model in recent years through short-term means such as industry monopoly and fan economy is worth being wary of.

According to industry data, Wenjie's ticketing fund pool had previously exceeded 8 million yuan, yet it continued to erode consumer trust through financial operations such as pre-sale props.

While established companies adhere to the bottom line of real industry, some newcomers are indulging in the capital game of "burning money, monopolizing, and monetizing." This difference in values ​​may be the essence of this turmoil.

One dog barked, and all the dogs in the village gathered around.

Almost all of Nanfang's media outlets mobilized, leveraging their dominant position in offline print media to publish commentaries.

Incidentally, the public intellectuals who had been suppressed before also cautiously echoed, with few daring to shout out loud, and most of them making veiled and insinuating remarks.

Netizens, who had already been arguing for a month over Damai.cn and Wenjie Ticketing, became even more agitated.

It must be said that Nanfang is quite professional in handling this kind of public opinion crisis and counterattack.

With this kind of momentum, the topic was quickly shifted from "Lianxiang's shareholding reform" to "Lianxiang's internal conflict."

While Academician Ni and Researcher Zhang's words and outbursts were certainly alarming, why should I give a direct response?
You say your piece, I'll say mine. The main strategy of the old chairman's side is to directly expose Wenjie and Lukuan behind the scenes. That's what you're instigating!

Netizens are blindly obedient, foolish, and fond of watching the drama unfold. How many of them are truly interested in the past and present of Lianxiang and the secrets of its shareholding?
Therefore, the public's search for the truth behind the scenes can be shifted to the heated debate between Wenjie and Lianxiang.

It's like shifting the perspective from "Da Ming Dynasty 1566" to "Meteor Shower"—where's the fun in studying complex state-owned assets and equity compared to watching a show and gossiping?

The uproar online has almost overshadowed today's "first anniversary of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics".

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Lu Kuan had just finished looking after the two little ones and tiptoed back to the study with his wife.

Liu Yifei was quite interested in this media battle. Wenjie and his fans had been holding back for two months and finally saw a glimmer of a counterattack. How could they not flock to it?

As for whether Wenjie or Lianxiang is playing the positive role, it's not too important to these fans; as long as they're having fun, that's all that matters!
But he was only halfway through enjoying the spell when Nanfang interrupted his casting, leaving him feeling somewhat awkward and unsatisfied.

The weather was hot and humid. Mr. Lu leaned back on the sofa, feeling a bit tired in the afternoon: "If I go out and say that Academician Ni and Researcher Zhang were not approached by me, but by them, would anyone believe me?"

"Haha, impossible!" Liu Yifei brewed a pot of tea for her husband and said with some amusement, "Even I don't believe it. Think about the others. You're a big bad guy."

The washing machine sighed, "These people, when they want to accuse someone, they'll always find a reason!"

Seeing his shameless attitude, Xiao Liu said sarcastically, "Come on, the good stuff you prepared for them is much better than what these two have."

"But they still have a way. By doing this, not many people really care about the truth anymore. They're all here to watch you fight."

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "In media studies, this is a typical example of 'issue shifting' and 'framing reconstruction'."

"It is by forcibly shifting public attention from professional and complex issues such as the compliance of equity transfers to entertainment and emotional issues such as 'battles' between companies."

"The essence is to use low-threshold conflict narratives to cover high-threshold institutional discussions."

That's what the former PR firm owner said.

Liu Yifei asked curiously, "What about framework reconstruction?"

"Similarly, Lianxiang's mixed-ownership reform falls under the framework of public governance, while Wenjie's retaliation against Lianxiang as the mastermind falls under the framework of business competition, and it took advantage of the spread of conspiracy theories."

Conspiracy theories have such a wide audience that later marketing accounts, Xiaohongshu, and Zhihu all follow this path, which is quite delightful.

As for the truth about Lianxiang's mixed-ownership reform, let alone in 2009, even when Sima Jiatou was causing trouble in later years, how many people really cared about the specific figures and the past?
If the wall is falling, I'll just give it a push; I don't have time to dig into the details.

"What a coincidence, now you've brought their topic back again." Liu Yifei smiled and opened the homepage of Zhijie Video. Several video series appeared in the most prominent position, belonging to the first tier of push notifications.

Meanwhile, online forums such as Tianya, Hupu, Douban, Weibo, and Sina Weibo all showcased topics related to the video series in various ways or provided direct links to them.

On Saturday, August 8, 2009, countless netizens, media, leaders, industry colleagues, and the former chairman who were watching the drama online clicked on a large-scale series called "Old Hu Doesn't Talk Nonsense".

This old Hu is none other than the creator of the tacit agreement to be the "strongest Lu Xun fan of the 21st century" and the "strongest post-80s generation in East Asia," and the then editor-in-chief of the Global Times.

Hu Xijin.

The old chairman was so busy personally connecting everyone, both inside and outside the organization, that he didn't even have time for lunch.

Because of low blood sugar, he shakily clicked on the first episode of "Old Hu Doesn't Talk Nonsense" with his daughter's help. A face that made him inexplicably disgusted appeared on the screen.

Hu Xijin, dressed in a sharp dark blue suit with a light gray shirt underneath and a tie tied meticulously, sat at a retro mahogany desk.

The background is a huge projection screen, displaying faded old photographs.

At the gate of the Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1984, several researchers in white coats were moving equipment.

He placed his hands on the table, leaned slightly forward, a faint smile on his lips, but his eyes were sharp as knives, as if he were about to reveal some earth-shattering secret.

"Dear viewers, welcome to the 'Old Hu Doesn't Talk Nonsense' series of decryption programs. The first topic of this series is about the mixed-ownership reform of Lianxiang, which has been the subject of much discussion recently. I believe everyone is very interested in it."

"Based on facts and guided by laws and regulations, we will tell you the story in detail, providing you with an in-depth analysis of the past and present of this farce."

"Alright, now please follow me as we step into the Institute of Computing Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences 25 years ago..."

The old chairman stared at the screen, his slightly sallow face twitching slightly.

His withered fingers gripped the armrests of the chair tightly, veins bulging, his eyes fixed on Hu Xijin's ambiguous smile on the screen. The steaming lunch in front of him could no longer attract his attention.

In the video, Hu Xijin is recounting the events in his unique, somewhat playful yet serious tone.

The angry accusations of Ni Guangnan and Zhang Jie, after being adapted by the screenwriting department of Wenjie Film and Television, supplemented by the animation and special effects production of the professional team of Tianying Pictures, and narrated by Lao Hu in a deep and vivid manner, were finally presented to the audience in the form of a large-scale business war mystery film.

Holy crap, this is a production team that has won the three major European film awards and the Oscars, including screenwriters, editors, and more!
Is there any team in China that can produce commercial films better than this one?
Now, Lu Kuan is using it to tell an "interesting" story to the general public, which has made it quite sophisticated.

Old Hu himself has never fought such a rich battle in his entire life!
When Wenjie extended an olive branch to him half a month ago, and Lao Hu actually went to the Wenjie building to record a program, touching a corner of this cultural aircraft carrier, the public opinion resources controlled by the time traveler were something he simply could not refuse.

Regardless of how he was nicknamed "Flying Disc Catcher" in his previous life, he has now been secretly recruited, just like Zhuo Wei before him, and has become the "Sima Jiatou PLUS" of 2009.

Hu Xijin himself did not have a bad reputation in this era.

His in-depth war reporting on the front lines in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 93 to 96 earned him widespread recognition. Starting in 05 as editor-in-chief of Global Times, he led the magazine back to million-level sales in four years, second only to newspaper groups such as Nanfang.

Thus, in the old chairman's eyes, he was hosting in the style of a "storyteller," combining historical archives, interviews with those involved, animation, and scene reenactments to break down complex issues such as Lianxiang's equity changes, disputes over technology routes, and business games into an easy-to-understand "business spy drama."

Each episode ends with a cliffhanger to encourage viewers to keep watching.

The first episode, which lasts for half an hour, is almost over. The old chairman isn't too outdated. Looking at the densely packed "bullet comments" on the screen, he feels dizzy and his scalp tingles.

"Holy crap! So Lian Xiang's 'technology, industry, and trade' strategy was completely crushed by him? Poor Ni Guangnan!"

"The 2001 share reform was a massive asset sell-off! And now 29% of the shares are being sold off so cheaply?"

"Old Hu is awesome! This show is even more exciting than 'Ming Dynasty 1566,' is he even imagining a version of Yan Song? And isn't Liu Qin just a little scheming bitch?"

The old chairman's fingers trembled involuntarily. These comments contained a large number of sharp questions that he had never seen in mainstream media before. Some details were even hard for him to remember, but Hu Xijin used archives, animations, and interviews to restore them clearly.

What alarmed him even more was that the public opinion in the comments section was almost unanimously against him:
No one cares whether "Wenjie is the mastermind"; everyone is discussing "how much asset was lost this time" and "what is the truth behind the acquisition of IBM's personal computer business".
As Liu Yifei said, the topic was cleverly "shifted" by the PR firm owner.

Didn't you use "low-threshold conflict narratives to cover high-threshold institutional discussions"?

I lowered the high threshold for discussing the system and made it more vivid and interesting, still using a program produced by a world-class film team as the medium;
Using the narrative of the editor-in-chief of the Global Times, a newspaper with a circulation of millions, as a bridge;

The largest video website in China, with approximately 1.8 million registered users, and Weibo serve as the hubs for public opinion.

Looking at all the countermeasures and public opinion offensive capabilities, only Wenjie University meets the requirements. This is still the result of years of hard work and accumulation of industrial expertise.

With the iconic line "Therefore, Lao Hu believes...", the first episode came to an end.

Less than ten seconds later, the next episode started playing automatically. When the face of "Nonsense" came into view again, Liu Qin finally couldn't stand it and closed the screen with the mouse.

"Dad, the food is getting cold."

"dad!"

"Go and stand guard at the door." The old chairman's tone was calm, without the fury he had shown earlier in the morning. His slender fingers pulled open the bottom drawer and took out an old Nokia phone.

The numbers on the keyboard were worn smooth and shiny. The old man pressed the shortcut keys with trembling hands. His address book contained only a few unmarked numbers.

Liu Qin looked anxious but dared not say anything more, standing quietly by the door.

The call connected, but the old chairman's voice was so humble and low that she could barely hear it.

Her father, whom she had admired since childhood, was standing by the window. The setting sun cast a long shadow of the old man's hunched back, which looked like an old tree about to fall.

At that moment, the image of an old boatman suddenly appeared in her mind. The young tycoon's prediction that he was "adept at forming alliances on small boats" seemed to be coming true. (Chapter 537)
Why is this happening?

We have clearly united all forces, both domestic and international, so why are there still signs of us losing support and becoming isolated?
-

2009年8月8日，晚上7点50分，鸟巢国家体育馆。

Commentator He Wei's voice rang out in front of countless television sets: "Viewers, welcome to the Bird's Nest! Tonight, the Italian Super Cup will feature a thrilling showdown here: Inter Milan vs. Lazio!"

"Now, the two guests who are entering the field to prepare for the kickoff are Mr. Liu from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games and Mr. Lu Kuan, the chief director. They are shaking hands with the players and coaches of both teams."

Liu Jianhong, who was standing next to him, chimed in: "We saw that when Director Lu Kuan shook hands with Inter Milan coach Mourinho, they exchanged a few words with a smile. I don't know what language they were using."

He Wei said, "It should be in English. Director Lu is a well-known football fan among people in the arts and culture circles. We often see photos of him at the stadium."

He joked, "Maybe Coach Lu will have plans to buy and run a club in Europe someday. This is like a head coach interview in advance."

"Haha, if one of the top five European football leagues had a Chinese owner, this team would probably become the Rockets of the NBA."

After chatting for a while, He Wei got back to the main topic:

"One year ago today, Director Lu Kuan led his team to showcase the grandeur of Eastern civilization to the world with his genius artistic imagination. Tonight, he stands on the green field, using the passion of football to continue writing another kind of cross-cultural resonance."

A whistle blew, "Alright, viewers, this is the set, and you are watching..."

The road width disappeared from the screen, and he and Leader Liu appeared in the VIP viewing room backstage.

Secretary Pan quietly closed the door and left, not going far. Afei also stood at the door, attending to him.

Leader Liu started by chatting casually: "Little Liu, are you recovering well? And are the two little ones doing well too?"

"Everything's fine, the little ones are doing great too, eating and pooping well." Lu Kuan smiled as he talked about his children. "You only realize how important it is to have kids when you're a father. You really don't want to travel far from home."

"When I came back this month, I was obviously much older. It felt like I was changing every day."

"Haha, kids make you age faster," Leader Liu laughed. "Who would have thought that a great artist like you would be such a doting father?"

Lu Kuan said frankly, "Life is only a few decades long. Fame and fortune are fleeting. Sometimes, it is these human touches and blood ties that are more touching."

"You're so worried, why did you have to go and rip them apart?" Leader Liu suddenly brought up today's topic.

Boss Lu laughed loudly: "The pressure has reached you so quickly? Your tolerance level is too low!"

"You should at least have informed me before you flip the table. You know him well..." Boss Liu feigned annoyance. "I received about ten calls trying to plead my case. I refused the ones I could refuse on the spot. As for the ones I couldn't refuse, I could stall them for a while."

"As for how long it will drag on, that depends on the situation. After all, this involves mixed-ownership reform, which is a top-level design; you know what I mean." Boss Lu spoke strategically, showing no concern for his own affairs. "It won't affect you, will it?"

"What impact will it have? It just means the responsibilities are heavier and there are more aspects to consider." Leader Liu said with a smile, "We are open and honest with each other, and we are like-minded comrades who work for the country."

"Let's talk behind closed doors today. I might have to consider some of the details in other people's affairs, but I trust your position, Lu Kuan."

The leader was a master of the art of conversation; with just a few small tokens, Boss Lu knew what he was going to say next.

"but--"

Leader Liu lowered his voice slightly: "We must grasp the right measure. We absolutely cannot go beyond what is appropriate for this father and daughter, and we absolutely cannot affect the overall situation of the mixed-ownership reform."

"Even if we can overturn the tables, we still need to keep the small areas in front of some guests clean and tidy..."

He casually mentioned it, but seeing Lu Kuan smiling at him, he waved his hand rather boredly: "Never mind, it's pointless to tell you all this."

Some things don't need to be taught, and some people seem to be born with these knowledge, which is astonishing.

Leader Liu joked, "Your elders must often find it boring. With such a young person, the fun of us old folks relying on our seniority is greatly diminished."

"No way! I'm all ears!"

The two chatted for a while, exchanging some information that was inconvenient to say over the phone, and then Leader Liu left first.

His last words before leaving were to tell him to pay attention to the preparations for the Beiping Film Festival and to get along well with Cai Fuchao.

For a time traveler familiar with the plot, he knew that this meant they truly considered him one of their own.

It's fate; I'm destined to be with everyone surnamed Liu in this life.

……

With a hint from Leader Liu, the vast public opinion system of Wenjie went into overdrive under high pressure.

Weibo's mission is to "ignite public opinion," sparking heated discussions on topics such as stock reform controversies, technological routes, and the truth about IBM.

Seeing how far things have gone, bloggers from all walks of life have stepped forward to share their experiences, analyzing this huge scandal from various angles, and even launching a poll for a "Lianxiang technical route discussion".
Zhijie Videos belong to the category of "in-depth and interesting decryption":
"Old Hu Doesn't Talk Nonsense" is updated daily in three installments. The first installment is "The Forgotten Chinese Card", the second is "The Disappeared Hundreds of Billions in Market Value", the third is "The Origin of the Radish Hole", and the preview for the fourth installment is "Who Will Save IBM's Outdated Production Capacity?"
Blog.com launched a column called "Lianxiang Veteran Employees", which published a series of memoirs such as "My Years in R&D at Lianxiang", and highlighted the comparison between Ni Guangnan's National Science and Technology Progress Award medal and the luxury cars of the current management.

Travel Channel even invited Academician Ni and Researcher Zhang to "A Date with Luyu," where they presented the core issues of the equity reform, such as the deprivation of the technical team's rights and the divestiture of Digital China's assets, through the personal accounts of the parties involved.

During the program, Academician Ni's hands trembled as he showed the original document of his investment in the Institute of Computing Technology in 1984. When Chen Luyu asked him if he regretted his choice back then, Academician Ni stroked the medal and remained silent for ten seconds before suddenly bursting into tears. This scene, which was restored by Zhijie Video, went viral on Weibo.

Even with the offline hype and clamor from the Nanfang faction, and the overwhelming support from some "dog food" (a term for online trolls) on Weibo, when Wenjie truly unleashed its "server-wide megaphone," firing fiercely at its target within certain limits—

The public opinion is overwhelming and raging. Even if the old chairman had three heads and six arms, he would not be able to resist or stop it. Can you silence the voices of the people who are protected by the power of righteous public opinion?

Ma Yun and Li Yanhong tried calling the old chairman several times but couldn't get through. They watched the situation unfold with heavy hearts.
Wang Jianlin and Ma Huateng were extremely grateful for their previous choices. Although they couldn't be said to have stayed out of it, they had at least remained within the bounds of reasonable business competition.

Perhaps only the diligent "Twelve Black Slaves" within the Ask World didn't care about this at all. Even during the two months when public opinion pressure was at its highest, no one doubted the boss's countermeasures.

Although they don't yet have enough to form the Eighteen Bronze Men, this abbot is indeed not someone to be easily offended, especially when his bottom line is crossed.

The division of labor within the realm has always been as follows:
High-ranking black slaves, earning millions annually plus stock dividends, are responsible for doing the work, while the boss is specifically responsible for deflecting, creating, and settling problems.

The 8th marked the first day the media war ignited, and thereafter the public outcry intensified, with many former employees and scholars with CAS backgrounds writing to relevant authorities to report the situation.

On the morning of the 10th, Zhijie Video received a regulatory letter from relevant departments, reminding them not to tolerate misinterpretations of policies and the spread of false information. However, the wording was not very strong and it was a matter of official business, not a genuine effort.

On the afternoon of the 12th, Lu Kuan received a call from the head of the department, who subtly suggested that the Travel Channel should be more mindful of the content of some programs and control their impact. Mr. Lu readily agreed, assuring his superiors he wouldn't cause them any trouble. After hanging up, he continued with his usual routine.

On the morning of the 13th, "Old Hu Doesn't Talk Nonsense" quickly updated to episode 8. The analysis video titled "Unveiling the 'Magic' of Lianxiang's Stock Reform" went viral, with total views exceeding 500 million within 24 hours and the number of bullet comments exceeding 1500 million.

On the afternoon of the 14th, personnel from the Information and Communication Department conducted a routine inspection and communication visit to the Wenjie Building. They had a cordial exchange with Dong Shuangqiang, Liu Hong, and other core leaders of Wenjie, discussed relevant matters, expressed their concern about the recent public opinion storm within the Zhijie system, and "suggested" further strengthening of control to avoid affecting the overall situation of mixed-ownership reform.

The relevant leaders of Wenjie attached great importance to this matter. After Zhuang Xu stepped down, Dong Shuangqiang, as the sole vice president, represented Wenjie in making a statement:
Our company will always adhere to the correct public opinion guidance, and all content will be based on facts and the law. We have strengthened our internal review mechanism to ensure that programs such as "Old Hu Doesn't Talk Nonsense" disseminate information within a compliant framework, while actively cooperating with regulatory authorities to jointly create a clean and healthy online environment.

The core leadership of Wenjie, including Lu Kuan, has received countless phone calls these past few days from all sorts of influential figures seeking favors. Even knowing it's useless, they still need to appease the people making the requests so they can give a reply later.

It's not that I don't want to say it, but you see, it's no use even if I do!
This time, unlike a few years ago when Zhou Jun attacked Xiao Liu, the website could be shut down at will. Several forces are swirling and tearing each other apart in cyberspace, and it is impossible to determine who is superior.

Thus, the vast mouthpiece of the questioning system would say "good, good, good" on the surface while secretly "doing things" behind the scenes, while firmly maintaining the right balance and never crossing the line.

Finally, under pressure from both inside and outside the company, on August 16, 2009, the Asset Management Committee, in conjunction with the Beiping Property Exchange, issued an "Announcement on Suspending the Equity Transfer Project of Lianxiang Holdings":
According to Article 32 of the "Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Enterprise Asset Transactions", due to the large number of real-name reports received and the high level of public attention, it is necessary to conduct another compliance review of the 29% equity transfer process.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences was instructed to review the asset appraisal report from the 2001 restructuring, especially the brand value section, and to republish it.
The transaction also required both parties to provide a specific explanation regarding the suspicion of "determining before bidding".

……

The news caused a huge stir, with netizens spreading the word and believing it to be a victory for public opinion and justice. The latest video of "Old Hu Doesn't Talk Nonsense" has reached a new high in views.

But it's clear to anyone with eyes to see that the situation is far from that.

First, the statement did not characterize the core violations, nor did it directly identify substantive issues such as "selling state-owned assets at a low price" or "procedural violations."

Secondly, requiring the transferor, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to conduct a self-examination of the asset valuation and for both parties to prove the compliance of the transaction procedures is tantamount to having the athlete also act as the referee, which is to delegate the conflict to the stakeholders.

Using the word "pause" instead of "termination" leaves room for future actions.

Boss Lu only glanced at the announcement before setting it aside. He had already achieved a partial victory in public opinion, revealing the truth more than a decade earlier than in his previous life.

But unfortunately, the old chairman is capable and old, and there are just too many smart people in this country. With this one skillful maneuver, he was able to easily brush aside the public opinion that was not aware of the situation.

If major media outlets like Weibo weren't controlled by Wenjie, all they would need to do is release another bombshell to divert attention and investigate whether Hu Jintao evaded taxes, and this whole mess would slowly disappear—a tactic that has proven effective time and again.

Lu Kuan, who returned to the naval base on the 10th to continue filming, knew that the real showdown was only just beginning.

Seemingly to confirm his guess and judgment, at six o'clock in the morning on August 18, Leader Liu called.

Lu Kuan watched special effects until midnight last night. When he saw that Lu Kuan was calling him personally, he still spoke cautiously: "Boss, is there something you need?"

The voice on the other end of the phone was deep and steady: "Xiao Lu, I won't be able to attend your family member's birthday celebration on the 25th of this month. Thank you for the invitation."

shock!
Boss Lu instantly came to his senses.

Liu Yifei has never invited outsiders to her birthday celebrations, and from a matter of etiquette, it would be even more impossible for her to invite him to celebrate the birthday of a junior. So where does this idea come from?
He reacted extremely quickly, instantly realizing that the leader wanted to personally convey some messages to ensure that there was no misinterpretation of information between the two sides.

But some things are better left unsaid, so we can only offer excuses.

"Boss, that's such a pity. Was something holding you up?"

Leader Liu chuckled and said, "Yes, the organization has sent me to lead a team to our sister city, Berlin, to investigate the city's sustainable development and low-carbon economy. It should take about a week."

"Make a good movie, we are all looking forward to seeing your Chinese science fiction."

He paused, then said the following sentence lightly, yet it truly conveyed an important message:

"In addition, we should also pay attention to the Beiping Film Festival, exchange opinions with (Cai) Fuchao, and not act impulsively, but consider the big picture."

"Okay, I understand." Lu Kuan said in a deep voice, "Have a safe journey, sir."

"Okay, that's it."

beep...

He sighed inwardly. Sure enough, even if he won the battle of public opinion and exposed the man's true colors, he still couldn't turn his advantage into a victory.

The pressure from hovering in the air has become so great that even Leader Liu has to go abroad for an inspection tour; he has done everything he can.

As for the last sentence, it was an admonition to him not to act impulsively, and to communicate and discuss any problems with Cai Fuchao, whom he could trust.

In less than two minutes of phone conversation, the two sides had exchanged all the information in a few words, and in such a frank manner.

Mr. Lu, wide awake, leaned against the headboard and habitually flipped through the photos of the baby his wife had sent him yesterday. He then got up and boiled water for tea in his hotel room.

Feeling calmer, around eight o'clock in the morning, he easily dialed Cai Fuchao's number. They had exchanged contact information when they first met on the set of "The Founding of a Republic." (Chapter 525)
"Director Lu! Good morning." The voice on the other end of the phone showed no surprise, but rather implied, "Why did it take you so long to call?"

Lu Kuan didn't waste any words: "Good morning, leader. I'd like to report to you about the Beiping Film Festival sometime. When would be a convenient time?"

Cai Fuchao smiled and said, "I suggest the sooner the better, after all, this is a big deal and cannot be taken lightly."

“Especially when Leader Liu goes abroad for inspection, there are many things we can only discuss and handle, and then give specific instructions when he returns.”

Lu Kuan thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll go to the city to report on my work tomorrow at 2 PM."

"Hehe, I have some good tea here, you might as well come and sit down."

"Okay, see you tomorrow, boss."

Boss Lu had Afei book the tickets, and then the day's filming schedule began. However, the phone kept ringing, and the calls were all bad news.

The regulatory communication with departments such as the Information and Market Supervision Bureau was clearly more forceful and worded than the last time.

At 12:8 pm on August 19, Lu Kuan, who had flown back to Beiping for the first time in two weeks, landed at the Capital Airport.

Even though it was only a 20-minute drive home, he rushed to the city as soon as possible because the situation was tense and he could not afford to be careless.

The summer sun slanted into the office through the half-drawn blinds, casting fine shadows on the dark brown solid wood desk.

The teacups on the table were steaming, and a copy of the Beiping Daily was spread out next to them, with the front page reporting on the current situation of mixed-ownership reform.

The secretary led Lu Kuan inside, and Old Cai politely stood up: "Welcome, Comrade Lu!"

"Boss, I'm sorry to have disturbed your lunch break."

"No, no, please sit down." He waved his hand, signaling his secretary to close the door and leave, and then extended his hand to invite the richest man, who had recently become famous again within the system, to sit down.

After exchanging pleasantries and chatting over a cup of tea, Old Cai, knowing the situation was unusual, got straight to the point.

"How's the situation on the other side? You must have received quite a few regulatory letters this morning, right?"

Boss Lu laughed and said, "The military dispatches are in twelve volumes, and every volume bears my name. All that's missing is twelve imperial edicts ordering me to shut down the website."

"Haha! It's not that bad. Even if the leader isn't home, we still have to follow the rules." Cai Fuchao shook his head and laughed. "Wenjie is a top-tier company that has grown up in Beiping. The city will definitely protect your legitimate rights and interests."

At this moment, even his deputy, Lao Cai, couldn't help but admire the young man before him. He was impressed by the young man's magnanimity and courage, as he remained calm and composed in the face of such a situation.

In a private office, some things can be said more clearly. He composed himself and said, "That's right, the leader previously instructed me to pay more attention to this matter."

"Currently, the Beiping Property Rights Exchange has received the Chinese Academy of Sciences' review of the 2001 brand value assessment, and Oceanwide has also submitted a supplementary commitment letter regarding procedural compliance. Although there are still some disputes regarding the supplementary agreement with the technical team..."

He paused briefly, then added, "But the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission has already issued a filing receipt and decided to resume the listing and public announcement process immediately."

After Lao Cai finished speaking, he kept his eyes fixed on Lu Kuan's face, afraid that he would suddenly become furious and try to fight to the death once they left.

After all, the feeling of striving for success in one battle only to fail at the last hurdle is extremely unpleasant!

Even those who have weathered the storms of officialdom and whose resolve remains steadfast cannot help but sigh at this.

What a brilliant combination of tactics! The operation of media tools, topic setting, and public opinion guidance is almost flawless. It would be an absolute master in the propaganda field.

The current outcome can only be attributed to reasons other than the war effort itself.

Boss Lu chuckled, but simply picked up the teacup and gently rubbed the rim with his fingertips.

The tea was clear, reflecting his calm and composed expression.

"lead."

"You said."

"After all that fuss, they should have used up most of their connections and favors, right?"

Lu Kuan looked up, his slightly tired face showing no trace of anger or resentment, but he looked at Cai Fuchao earnestly, seeking his opinion.

Old Cai paused for half a second, then nodded involuntarily, before whispering, "Old Liu has already flown out, what do you think?"

"Xiao Lu, sometimes taking a step back doesn't necessarily lead to a brighter future, but this time there's really no way to go any further, and we can't force it any further."

Boss Lu sighed, "Yes, there is no such thing as good or bad without a reason in this world. Everything of value is a consumable without exception."

“If—” he paused, “I mean, if Wenjie were to participate in the bidding now under the same conditions, would the city support us?”

The young tycoon suddenly sat up straight, his whole being like a sword drawn from its sheath, all the fatigue from days of filming and the bumpy journey vanished.

At that moment, Cai Fuchao felt the cicadas chirping in the courtyard grow increasingly agitated, and his temples throbbed.

"You...you mean Wenjie also wants to participate in the bidding for Lianxiang's shareholding reform? But their conditions..."

Lu Kuan said seriously, "To be precise, it's not Wenjie, it's our former vice president Zhuang Xu. He co-founded a company in Hong Kong with local businesses."

He explained with a smile, "Coincidentally, this company perfectly meets all the requirements of Lianxiang's shareholding reform bidding."

“We were initially worried, after all, Dean Ni and his team raised some very valid questions about the bidding conditions. Now that the legality and compliance of the procedures have been confirmed, I think—”

"Why don't we let him give it a try? After all, it's his way of contributing to the country's mixed-ownership reform, right?"

At this moment, Lao Cai could no longer hide his exaggerated expression. He suddenly realized that this young man in front of him was not here to seek comfort or advice.
Those nonchalant tea drinking and laughter, those seemingly resigned and weary sighs, have nothing to do with this matter.

Lu Kuan had been waiting for this window of opportunity for "compliance review," waiting for a legitimate chance to enter the battlefield.

First, a feigned attack; then a feigned retreat; finally, retreating one step and advancing two to strike directly at the heart of the enemy's stronghold—how cunning!

Just like the question he just asked himself:
Is the old chairman's capacity for favors truly limitless? He has already reached his limit by going this far.

His goal was never to obstruct Lianxiang's share reform, but to participate in it!
As for his purpose in getting involved, it's now even more of a mystery; it certainly wasn't for computer industry shares that were useless to him.

They simply chose the strategy of "opening a window, then pretending to demolish the house first," waiting for their opponent to run out of tricks and resources before gracefully entering the fray.

Even a centipede with a hundred legs doesn't die easily; how could the old chairman be as easy to deal with as the two kings whose wings he had clipped before?
Looking at the ending of Lianxiang's previous life, one can understand why he had no choice but to first wage a "war of attrition" and then a "positional war."

So the incredibly intelligent young man in front of Lao Cai calmly repeated:
"Sir, if this joint venture between a Beijing and Hong Kong company also wants to participate in the bidding, can the city provide support?"

"I am here today to seek your consent and to ask you to convey to Leader Liu that we want to participate in the mixed-ownership reform process through legal and compliant procedures."

"Why not support it?" Old Cai, snapping out of his daze, slapped his thigh and stood up leisurely. "Of course we should support it!"

“On behalf of the city, I express my support for the participation of Wenjie’s former vice president’s company in the mixed-ownership reform.” He smiled and walked to his desk: “Now I will contact Leader Liu and ask him for instructions.”

For official business, of course, you should use a work phone. This is a transparent work process that needs to be documented.

"Hello? Xiao Pan, it's me. If it's convenient, please have your supervisor answer the phone."

"Old Cai?"

"I am your superior, and Lu Kuan is here. I have an important matter that I need your instructions on."

Perhaps due to poor signal, the person on the other end of the phone paused before replying, "Please go ahead."

After Cai Fuchao recounted the current situation in detail, he looked up at Lu Kuan, who was standing quietly to the side with a teacup in his hand. Then, Liu's hearty laughter came through the telephone line:
"Great! That's a good thing."

"Introducing high-quality private enterprises like Wenjie to participate in mixed-ownership reform is a concrete practice of implementing the decisions and plans on deepening reform."

Leader Liu solemnly said, "This is not only conducive to optimizing the equity structure and improving the modern enterprise system, but also to discovering the true value of state-owned assets through market competition and preventing asset loss."

"Old Cai."

"Yes, sir!"

"Please represent me, the city, and relevant departments to ensure that our city's enterprises receive fair and just treatment in this bidding process, and that the transaction procedures are standardized and transparent."

"The city should come up with support measures as soon as possible and send letters to the Asset Management Committee and the Beijing Stock Exchange to ensure that we provide good services for high-quality enterprises."

"In addition," Director Liu thought for a moment and then added, "I will return to China before the end of the listing period."

"Yes, received!" Old Cai's expression turned serious as he responded in a solemn voice, and the two quickly ended the call.

He didn't mention that the road was wide and right next to him, or whether he should call his boss. Naturally, the boss wouldn't directly contact the company over such a work call.

When it comes to being cautious and adhering to rules, "Old Cai and Old Liu" are a hundred times better than Boss Lu, who is used to being carefree and unrestrained.

At the office door, Lu Kuan and Cai Fuchao shook hands warmly to say goodbye: "Leader, thank you very much for your and the city's support. As a private enterprise, Wenjie will definitely make its own contribution to the mixed-ownership reform."

"Okay, okay." Old Cai smiled and said, "We will keep the news of the bidding for Wenjie confidential. You should be prepared to notify them in a timely manner."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the two parted ways. Cai Fuchao stood by the office window, watching the five o'clock afternoon sunlight slant across Chang'an Street.

The traffic was heavy, and the black sedan carrying the passenger slowly drove away from the city government compound and quickly merged into the flow of traffic.

Old Cai recalled the spectacle that had been watched for more than three months, and felt quite emotional.

He inexplicably recalled the reply he received when he had asked Leader Liu to act as an intermediary to try and communicate with this artist about the Beiping Film Festival:

"Lu Kuan is a man of integrity but not arrogance. If you don't put on airs, he will definitely treat you with sincerity. Whenever it is beneficial to the industry or the overall situation, he will always find a way that is both public and private."

"Don't be so wary of him just because he's an artist or a billionaire. The more you get to know him, the more you'll find that he'll never have any financial dealings with you or make things difficult for you."

"Maintaining a public-spirited attitude and engaging in normal contact is all that's needed."

At this moment, Lao Cai understood his former leader's words more deeply, just as he himself had during his recent trip to Europe for inspection.

Despite the overwhelming pressure from all sides, Lu Kuan remained uncomplaining and instead found a better solution, providing the city with an impeccable reason for support.

What seemed like a dead end turned out to be a sudden and unexpected turn of events.

Can this be called favoritism?

Can this be called favoritism?

Even if those people on the other side were to nitpick with a magnifying glass, they would find it very difficult to find even the slightest fault.

But conversely, what if we look into their private, underhanded dealings?
It's probably riddled with errors and omissions, isn't it?
But now the biggest question on Lao Cai's mind, and the one he has been unable to figure out since the very beginning, is: what is his ultimate goal after achieving this great victory by retreating in order to advance?
Does he really want a 29% stake in Lenovo?

This is clearly unrelated to the nature of Wenjie Culture Media Group, so why bother getting involved? It's even more impossible that they're deliberately causing trouble.

Is he trying to force Lianxiang to relinquish his shares in Damai.cn, so that he can seize control of the online ticketing market from the ground up?
But if he only takes out half of the funds he spent on the share reform, it would probably be enough for him to win the subsidy war, right?
I can't understand it, I can't figure it out...

Cai Fuchao chuckled self-deprecatingly, thinking to himself that he really couldn't blame himself for being dull-witted.

Given the current complex situation and the behavior of this mainland tycoon who seems to have eight hundred schemes in his mind, the mystery will likely be revealed on the day Wenjie officially registers to participate in the share reform.

On August 25, 2009, Lu Kuan, who had traveled between Qingdao and Beijing three times in a month, landed at the Capital Airport again. He then met up with Li Shoucheng and Zhuang Xu, who had returned from Hong Kong, and they went directly to the Beijing Stock Exchange.

Today is the final deadline for bidding on the Beijing Stock Exchange's proposed share reform.

Including the previous two times, Boss Lu has passed by his home three times without going in.

It wasn't that they had to rush to the last minute to deliver the decisive blow; it was because after the Beijing Stock Exchange and the Asset Management Office requested supplementary materials last time, the joint venture that Wenjie and Yinghuang had prepared also had to supplement relevant materials in accordance with regulations, and only after the checks were completed could they start bidding.

This is also to avoid being hindered by external factors due to procedural issues.

Most importantly, last night, Leader Liu ended his European inspection tour ahead of schedule and returned to Beiping. He is quite concerned about this major event in the city and "demanded" that Lu Kuan handle it with caution.

With everything in place, the group arrived at the Beijing Stock Exchange located on Financial Street in Xicheng District at around 10 a.m.

"You guys go in first." Boss Lu looked at the caller ID on his phone with a happy expression and answered the call while standing in the corner of the glass door.

Li Shoucheng and Zhuang Xu exchanged a glance, knowing he was used to being secretive, and led the staff carrying several thick stacks of documents into the exchange first.

At approximately 10:10 AM, three more black Audis pulled up in front of the gate.

The composed old chairman and his daughter walked into the exchange together. Because there were reporters present, he was dressed in a well-tailored suit, while Liu Qin was dressed in a moon-white Dior suit, her pearl earrings swaying gently with her steps.

Liu Qin's expression suddenly changed slightly: "Dad, over there..."

The old chairman turned his head and looked at a certain repulsive figure. His expression changed. He knew that the person who had returned from the inspection yesterday was now back in the country. Did this kid have some underhanded tricks he was going to use today to vent his frustrations?
His reputation among the people is now completely ruined, all thanks to this young man a few meters away.

The old chairman pondered for two seconds with a gloomy expression, then instructed his daughter, "Go find your Uncle Lu first, I'll go say hello and then I'll be there." Even though he was fairly certain that there would be no further changes, he still subconsciously wanted to test the waters.

"it is good."

He approached unhurriedly, and Boss Lu, who had already spotted him, hung up the phone at the opportune moment.

But the last "goodbye" spoken through the receiver in a Guizhou accent sounded strangely familiar to the old chairman, as if it were an old friend.

Boss Lu turned around, flashing a bright white smile, and said in a commanding tone, "President Liu, what a coincidence!"

The latter smiled calmly at him, exuding an air of superiority: "It shouldn't be a coincidence. Comrade Xiao Lu should be filming a movie in Qingdao right now. Did he fly back specifically to see me?"

He sighed softly: "As someone who's been through it, I have to give you a piece of advice: if you're going to gamble, you have to accept the consequences."

"If you keep pestering me like this, you're really losing your composure, which is quite unwise."

“The official documents from the Chinese Academy of Sciences carry far more weight than your trending topics on Weibo and your nonsense.”

Mr. Lu was speechless for a moment because of his confidence. After a long while, he said helplessly, "Old Chairman, it's a misunderstanding, it's really a misunderstanding."

"Today is my wife's birthday, and I came back to see the kids. I miss them."

Liu Chuanzhi was angered by his lazy attitude, and his suspicions and doubts intensified. He couldn't tell whether he had real skills or was just pretending to be strong.

"It's your wife's birthday, why don't you just go to the nearby mall and buy her some designer bags and watches? What are you doing at the exchange?"

The old chairman said in a deep voice, "Lu Kuan! Don't hide your true self; otherwise, people will look down on you!"

"See, you've misunderstood again, old chairman." Boss Lu seemed to have found amusement in teasing the elderly, and spread his hands, saying, "I'm here to buy her a gift, aren't I?"

Liu Chuanzhi felt a surge of irritation and was about to abandon his composure and reprimand someone when the exchange's loudspeaker suddenly blared.

"Attention all relevant personnel! Attention all relevant personnel!"

"Lianxiang Holdings, project number GZ20090801, has added a bidder at an unexpected time. The relevant entity is 'Xiangjiang Hongmeng Capital Co., Ltd.' After preliminary review, it meets the bidding requirements. The bidding session originally scheduled for 11:00 a.m. has been postponed. Please go to the first trading room if you are interested."

"Duplicate! State-owned enterprise reform project number..."

Lu Kuan seemed to have suddenly become overwhelmed by the virtues of respecting the elderly and caring for the young, losing interest in appreciating the old chairman's wonderful expression at this moment. He glanced at the reporters who had already swarmed in, and carefully straightened his well-fitting suit.

As he brushed past the elderly man who was standing there in a daze, he turned his head slightly and said, "Old Chairman, you keep interrupting me."

"I wanted to tell you from the beginning that I wanted to buy this as a gift for my wife—"

"It's just thinking about it."

(End of this chapter)