Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 231 Zhao Tiezhu's Escape Route
The departure hall of Shenzhen International Airport was bustling with activity, and boarding announcements were frequently broadcast over the loudspeakers.

Chen Mo stood by the check-in gate, his gaze fixed on Zhao Tiezhu with a complex expression.

He raised his hand and patted Zhao Tiezhu's shoulder lightly twice, conveying a thousand words in that simple gesture.

Zhao Tiezhu immediately dropped the serious demeanor he usually put on in front of his subordinates and revealed his signature roguish smile again.

"Brother Chen, don't worry about me!"

I'll stay at a university in Shanghai until the college entrance exam is over. After my younger brother finishes his exam, we'll go to North America together for further studies.

I guarantee you'll bring back a master's degree; it won't embarrass you!

These words made Chen Mo laugh, easing the sorrow of parting.

For once, he didn't retaliate with insults, but instead looked earnestly into the other person's eyes and said, "Good brother, I'll be waiting for you to come back!"

Gong Yun stepped forward at the opportune moment, holding two bank cards in her hand.

One was a China Merchants Bank card with a gold sunflower pattern, gleaming with a delicate metallic luster under the airport lights; the other was a heavy-looking black Morgan Bank VIP card.

"This Golden Sunflower card has 500 million yuan in cash, enough for all your expenses in Shanghai for the whole year!"

Gong Yun's tone was gentle yet clear, and she tapped the black card with her fingertip.

"This black card is an account at Morgan Bank North America, with $500 million in it. This is for your and your brother's tuition, living expenses, and any activity funds you might need during your studies!"

500 million yuan plus 500 million US dollars is definitely more than the cash-out of Zhao Tiezhu's mere 2400 million yuan equity incentive!

Zhao Tiezhu took the two thin cards, and his fingertips could clearly feel the weight they carried.

He felt a surge of warmth in his heart, said nothing, just squeezed the card tightly, and then casually slung the somewhat worn Decathlon backpack over his shoulder.

This was the one that Xiao Zheng lent Zhao Tiezhu when he was on a business trip to Dongguan to pack samples, and he had "forgotten" to return it.

"Brother Chen, Sister Gong, I'm off! Wait for my good news!"

He waved vigorously at the two of them, then turned and walked toward the security checkpoint.

The moment his back was turned to the two of them, the smile that Zhao Tiezhu had been deliberately maintaining vanished, and his eyes uncontrollably reddened.

But he stubbornly refused to turn around, only gripping the bank card in his hand even tighter, and taking large, steady steps.

Zhao Tiezhu understood that this was not a farewell, but rather a journey to further his studies with the expectations of Brother Chen and Sister Gong, so that he could return and create a new world for Chengzi.

Chen Mo watched the figure carrying the old backpack until it completely disappeared around the corner of the passage before letting out a soft sigh, nodding slightly to Gong Yun, and the two silently walked towards the parking lot.

As Chen Mo got into the car, he happened to see a Boon passenger plane roaring into the blue sky through the car window.

He didn't immediately tell Xiao Zheng to drive, but just whispered a reminder: "Xiao Zheng! Be careful, drive slowly!"

After speaking, he leaned back in his chair, gazing at the bustling terminal building in the distance, remaining silent for a long time.

The carriage was silent, and Gong Yun didn't make a sound to disturb them; she knew Chen Mo too well.

At this moment, he was both concerned about the future of this founding member who had fought alongside him in the past, and also deeply attached to the brotherhood that had been forged in the ups and downs of the business world.

Two emotions intertwined, both written in his deep eyes.

Devil
The black Mulsanne Penthouse came to a smooth stop in front of the solemn gate of Jiaotong University.

The car door opened, and Lu Qingyue got out of the car nimbly.

She wore a sharply tailored black suit, her long hair was meticulously tied up in a bun at the back of her head, and her expression was aloof, just like the "cold beauty of investment banking" rumored in the financial world.

Zhao Tiezhu, carrying a Decathlon backpack that seemed somewhat out of place in the elite environment around him, quickly walked around from the other side.

He smiled before he even spoke, his face beaming with an infectious, warm smile.

"Oh my, thank you so much, sister-in-law, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to make this trip!"
Brother Chen used to say that you're incredibly busy, and I was mentally prepared to figure out how to get to my school in Shanghai all by myself!

The familiar "sister-in-law" made Lu Qingyue's lips, which had been pressed into a straight line, loosen slightly.

She gracefully adjusted her suit sleeves, her tone noticeably softer than when she was speaking businesslike in the car.

"Don't rush to decide on the form of address!"
Chen Mo told me about your situation.

You'll be assigned to be a preparatory transfer student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University for a year, with your main task being to intensively study English.

Every morning there is an intensive reading class, and in the afternoon there is oral practice. On weekends, small group classes taught by experienced North American foreign teachers are also arranged.

All of these arrangements are to ensure a seamless transition for you when you arrive in North America next year!

She turned to Chen Min beside her and instructed, "Xiao Min! You are in charge of all his affairs while he is in Shanghai."

Chen Min immediately stepped forward with a warm and welcoming smile.

"Hello Mr. Zhao, I look forward to your guidance in the coming year. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions!"

Zhao Tiezhu quickly waved his hand dramatically: "No! Don't call me 'sir,' it's too formal!"
Just call me Brother Zhao! Brother Chen and I have a life-or-death bond!
In terms of seniority, it's only natural that you call me Brother Zhao!

Looking at Chen Min's young and delicate face, he deliberately straightened his back and put on a "sincere" expression to show that what he said was "true".

Chen Min was slightly taken aback by his sudden enthusiasm, but seeing his "mature" appearance, she readily called out, "Brother Zhao!"

Lu Qingyue glanced at her watch, checked her phone messages, and said to Zhao Tiezhu, "I have a merger and acquisition meeting at Lujiazui at 10:30, so I have to go. Xiaomin will help you with all the follow-up procedures!"

She turned to Chen Min again: "Settle the people in place and keep all information updated in a timely manner."

After saying that, Lu Qingyue didn't linger and turned to walk towards the waiting car.

Lu Qingyue's back view was still upright and capable, but compared to the icy coldness when they first met, it had finally melted a little after that "sister-in-law".

Chen Min led Zhao Tiezhu through the tree-lined campus, introducing the area with familiarity.

"Brother Zhao, the English preparatory program at Shanghai Jiao Tong University has a very strong faculty."

In particular, many of the oral English teachers are graduates of Ivy League universities.

In addition to classes, the school also has an "English Corner" every week. You can go there when you have time and chat with the foreign teachers and international students.

Zhao Tiezhu looked around curiously, nodding repeatedly while occasionally cracking jokes.

"An English corner, huh? Okay, I've got it. I'll go there and hang around, strike up a conversation with every foreigner I see, and I'm determined to understand this gibberish!"

His down-to-earth remarks made Chen Min smile.

The two chatted and laughed all the way and quickly became acquainted.

Upon arriving at the Academic Affairs Office, the process went exceptionally smoothly.

Looking at the dormitory assignment list, the teacher said, "Zhao Tiezhu, you will be assigned to a four-person room in the West Campus Graduate Apartment. The three students who will be sharing the room with you are all regular master's students admitted by our university. Their backgrounds are simple, which will facilitate your communication and learning!"

As Chen Min walked out of the academic affairs office, she explained in a low voice.

“Some transfer students with special backgrounds will be arranged to live separately, but Brother Zhao, both Third Brother and Miss Lu think that it would be more convenient for you to live in a regular dormitory to communicate with others!”

Zhao Tiezhu grinned knowingly: "This arrangement is the best! I like living with cultured people who are down-to-earth and dedicated to their studies; it's more interesting that way!"

On his way to the dormitory, he watched the students hurrying by with their books on campus and the figures deep in thought in front of the library, and unconsciously straightened his back.

Zhao Tiezhu knew that this year of preparatory life was not only to live up to Chen Mo's expectations, but also to keep up with the Orange Fleet's full-speed progress. He had to do his best not to fall behind.

Zhao Tiezhu's three roommates were the entire staff of a small game studio.

The eldest brother, Liu Wei, is in charge of programming and project management. He wears black-rimmed glasses and has a calm personality. The second brother, Cai Hao, is the artistic soul of the team and has a bit of an artist's sensitivity. The third brother, Luo Yu, is in charge of planning and external communication and has a quick mind.

Last year, the three of them poured their hearts and souls into developing "Moonlight Adventure" in their dormitory, but it received a lukewarm response, and now they are in a state of desperation.

On the first day Zhao Tiezhu moved into the dormitory, he did not put on any airs of being a "connected person".

With his high emotional intelligence honed through years of hard work at the bottom, he quickly figured out the background of the three tech geeks by cracking jokes and spending a few packs of cigarettes and late-night snacks on them.

After a barbecue and a "red romance" experience that made the three fledglings blush, they were completely convinced of his worth, calling him "Brother Zhao" affectionately and even offering to help him brush up on his English.

That afternoon, Zhao Tiezhu had just returned to his dormitory after finishing a one-on-one tutoring session with a foreign teacher. Before he could even put down his backpack, he was surrounded by three people.

Liu Wei pushed up his slipped glasses, clutching a crumpled financial statement in his hand;

Cai Hao kept scratching his messy, naturally curly hair;

Luo Yu slammed his laptop down on the table, the screen displaying the background interface of the game "Moon Shadow Adventure".

"Brother Zhao," Liu Wei said, forcing himself to speak first, "Could you help us find an investor who's interested in indie games? The project proposal for our new game is almost complete, and we're really confident we can succeed this time!"

Zhao Tiezhu didn't rush to agree. He leisurely sat down in a chair, crossed his legs, and took out his phone with a smile.

"Put the investors aside for now."

I met a beautiful foreign female teacher today, and I'm so motivated to learn English! It's got me all excited too!
"Come on, it's my treat! Let's have some barbecue! We can eat and chat!"

Upon hearing that there was good food, the group temporarily put their worries aside and escorted Zhao Tiezhu out of the school gate.

At the smoky barbecue stall, grease drips onto the charcoal and sizzles.

After a few glasses of ice-cold beer, Zhao Tiezhu turned over the skewers while listening to the three men enthusiastically explaining the world view and gameplay innovations of their new game.

As Zhao Tiezhu observed the pious light in their eyes when they mentioned code and art, and the rapid dimming of their expressions when they talked about their financial difficulties, he gradually came to a conclusion.

He tried out "Moonlight Adventure" and thought the character art for the cute, adorable female protagonist in the moon adventure was quite good. This studio has huge potential; it's just lacking in funding and time.

Hmm! The main reason is that Cai Hao has a doujinshi featuring a cute, voluptuous woman. Upon first seeing it, even Zhao Tiezhu, a seasoned womanizer, found it incredibly exciting!

But in the end, the cunning Zhao Tiezhu didn't give the three kids any effective promises!

Investing costs money. Zhao Tiezhu might burn through millions for his own pleasure, but he would never invest for three roommates he had just met.

We'll have to observe their abilities further!

After a hearty meal, Zhao Tiezhu waved his hand again.

"Let's go, guys, you've all worked hard studying today, let's go relax at 'Red Romance'!"

In that relaxing atmosphere, after a few drinks, the last bit of distance completely disappeared.

Liu Wei, beaming, patted Zhao Tiezhu on the shoulder: "Brother Zhao! Don't worry! We three brothers will take care of your English! We guarantee that when you get to North America next year, you'll be chatting and laughing with those foreigners!"

Two days later, Zhao Tiezhu noticed that although the three of them had taken on some odd jobs, they were still worried about the start-up capital for the new game, so he took the initiative to approach them.

"Hey guys, I was chatting with some friends from Orange Treasure the other day, and I heard they're looking for illustrations to outsource for 'Protect Oranges' and 'Orange Wars'."

I think your art style is pretty much on my radar. Are you interested?

If you're interested, I can put in a good word for you!

The three of them's eyes lit up instantly upon hearing "Chengbao"! They nodded eagerly, "Yes, yes, yes! We're so interested! Brother Zhao! You're truly our benefactor!"

Zhao Tiezhu was extremely efficient. After just one phone call, a well-paid outsourcing contract was presented to the three of them within a few days.

The prepayment was enough to give this studio, which was on the verge of collapse, a much-needed breather.

Liu Wei privately pulled Cai Hao and Luo Yu aside, his expression more serious than ever before: "See that? Brother Zhao's influence! He's definitely a powerful ally! We have to stick close to him!"

That evening, after finishing their day of studying and outsourcing work, the three of them gathered around Zhao Tiezhu, who was still struggling with English vocabulary, and brought up the matter of finding investors with even greater respect.

Zhao Tiezhu put down "IELTS Core Vocabulary," looked up, and suddenly smiled.

"What kind of investor are you looking for? I'm right here, not far away! Let's get to know each other again. I am Zhao Tiezhu, a multi-millionaire. Tell me, how much money do you want?"

The three of them froze on the spot.

Cai Hao even subconsciously reached out to touch Zhao Tiezhu's forehead: "Brother Zhao, are you running a fever? This...this joke isn't funny at all."

"Who's joking with you guys?" Zhao Tiezhu's smile vanished. He grabbed Luo Yu's computer, skillfully logged into Orange Enterprise's internal system, brought up his employee information page, and abruptly turned the screen towards the three of them.

Orange Technology
Name: Zhao Tiezhu
Department: None
Position: Department Manager (Paid Training)
Employee ID: 002
The bright red, bold "002" stood out starkly in the center of the screen.

He pointed to his employee number, his tone calm but with a hint of smugness.

"Look closely? Chen Mo from Orange Technology, employee number 001, that's my older brother!"

The three of them were frozen in place, staring intently at the screen, their mouths agape as if they could fit eggs in them.

Orange Chen! They knew each other, Orange Mobile knew about it, and as a studio specializing in mobile games, Orange Treasure and the others naturally knew a bit about it too!
Luo Yu was the first to react, and he jumped up from his chair in excitement.

"Orange Baby! Orange Run! Our Moon Shadow Adventure was inspired by Orange Run! Brother Zhao! You're our savior!"

"Alright, stop flattering me!" Zhao Tiezhu waved his hand impatiently. "Get to the point, how much do you want?"

Liu Wei swallowed hard, exchanged countless glances with the other two, and finally mustered the courage to tentatively ask, "One million! If... if Brother Zhao thinks that's too much, eight or eight hundred thousand will do."

Zhao Tiezhu clicked his tongue, his face showing a look of disappointment.

"One million? Eight hundred thousand? You guys are more timid than sesame seeds! You're afraid to risk your lives when you're about to do something big, what kind of future will you achieve? I'll invest three million in you!"

"Three million!" The three were completely stunned, their minds blank.

It took the three of them a while to recover from the shock and they huddled in a corner to discuss things in hushed tones.

Finally, Liu Wei, speaking on behalf of the company, said in a trembling voice, "Brother Zhao, three million... we're willing to give you 30% of the studio's shares! What do you think?"

"30%? That's too little!" Zhao Tiezhu interrupted without hesitation, holding up three fingers and then adding another: "I want 34%!"

Seeing the three men's faces turn pale instantly, he lowered his leg, leaned forward, and explained earnestly.

"Don't get me wrong, it's not that I want to take advantage of you!"
This is the internal investment rule of the Orange Group: for projects they favor, they must retain at least one veto right, and 34% is precisely the threshold for this right!

His gaze swept over the three young and nervous faces, and his tone softened.

"Don't worry, the contract will be signed clearly and transparently."

This 34% simply means that I have a veto power on major decisions to prevent the studio from going astray.

I will absolutely not interfere with any specific matters related to daily operations and game development; I will leave everything to you.

I have faith in your professional abilities!

The three fell silent again, their minds racing with calculations.

Previously, the bottom line was 100 million for 15%. Now Zhao Tiezhu is offering 300 million for 34%, which is a much higher percentage of equity, but the amount of capital is three times that of before!
Moreover, they weren't really sure if the new game would be successful.

Exchanging more equity for more funds and attaching oneself to the "Orange Group" seems like a worthwhile investment.
Seeing that the three were clearly wavering, Zhao Tiezhu knew that the time was right and slowly threw out his last trump card.

"You all know about App Store, right?"

The three nodded subconsciously.

Which mobile developer wouldn't know about the largest third-party Android app distribution platform in China?

"That's Orange Treasure's own son!" Zhao Tiezhu said casually. "For your next game, in addition to the iOS version, you will also develop an Android version."

I'll talk to Wang Teng, the technical director of Chengbao, and ask him to arrange traffic support for you on App Store.

These words were like a thunderclap out of nowhere!

The three's previous game was lukewarm on iOS, mainly because it received no exposure.

With the support of top-tier channels like App Store, success suddenly becomes within reach!

Overwhelming joy instantly engulfed the three of them!

Without the slightest hesitation, Liu Wei slapped his thigh, his voice cracking, "Brother Zhao! No problem! We agree! We'll do it your way! 34%! Three million!"

The contract signing process went exceptionally smoothly.

While verifying identity information, Liu Wei inadvertently glanced at Zhao Tiezhu's birth date on the photocopy of his ID card, and suddenly looked up, his voice filled with disbelief and astonishment.

"Brother Zhao! You're only 20 years old?! You're six years younger than us!"

Zhao Tiezhu was taken aback at first, then burst into a hearty laugh, the faint scar on his right eyebrow twitching with his laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha!
What? Haven't you heard the saying, "The business world is like a battlefield, and the winner takes all"?

Age is nobody's business!
Let's go! To celebrate officially becoming partners, it's "Red Romance" today, my treat! We won't leave until we're drunk!

The three of them were now completely in awe of Zhao Tiezhu. Upon hearing this, they cheered and thronged around "Brother Zhao," the youngest among them, as they rushed out of the dormitory.

These days, only those who can afford to pay the bill can be considered "brothers"!

Walking along the tree-lined path, Cai Hao suddenly remembered the most important thing and hurriedly grabbed Zhao Tiezhu's arm, saying, "Brother Zhao! I forgot to report that our next game is called 'Honkai Impact 1,' remember to ask Cheng Bao to help promote it!"

Zhao Tiezhu chewed his gum and nodded casually.

"Honkai Impact 1? That's a catchy name. I'll make a note of it. Remember to 'review' the scripts in the private domain; they have to be positive!"

A few days later, at the headquarters of Orange Treasure Games, Wang Teng, the technical director, received a call from Zhao Tiezhu.

"Hey Lao Wang, I invested in a game studio, I own a stake in it. They're releasing 'Honkai Impact 1' next month, can you arrange some traffic support for them?"

Wang Teng understood immediately: "Brother Zhao, if you ask, we must arrange it! Featured positions on the App Store's category charts and new product charts are no problem; we guarantee ample exposure!"

After hanging up the phone, Wang Teng immediately gave instructions to the operations team leader.

"Add 'Honkai Impact 1' to the list of premium partners for next month, and after its release, give it a fixed recommendation spot on the role-playing category chart and the new release chart. Give it some resources!"

The operations team leader quickly made a note of it, thinking to himself: A project that can get General Manager Wang to personally intervene must have an extraordinary background.

In the dormitory, Zhao Tiezhu looked at the signed investment agreement and a smile appeared on his lips.

He took out his phone and sent Chen Mo a rather literary text message to showcase his learning achievements:
"Brother Chen, everything is settled now, and I'm studying hard don't worry about me!"

When Chen Mo, who was far away in Shenzhen, received the text message, a relieved smile appeared on his face.

Little did he know that this "naive young man" in his eyes had already quietly laid the first piece on the chessboard of his life within the ivory tower of Shanghai.

As night deepened, Zhao Tiezhu stood by the dormitory window, gazing at the dazzling night view of Shanghai.

He knew this was just the beginning.

While catching up with the Orange Fleet and ensuring he doesn't fall behind, he also needs to build his own spaceship.

If I can't keep up, at least I'll have a backup plan!
A supply chain can never have only one supplier, and Zhao Tiezhu secretly prepared a way out for himself in the future!
"Honkai Impact 1" is not just the name of a game, but also the starting point of Zhao Tiezhu's new journey.

Behind the scenes, his fate became inextricably intertwined with that of these three young entrepreneurs, and they were about to create their own waves in the mobile internet revolution.

(End of this chapter)