Internet moguls are being held hostage by the entertainment system!

Chapter 253 Wang the Richest Man's Request
Upon receiving the second "invitation" from Wang Sicong, the richest man in China, Chen Xiu didn't hesitate and contacted the person in question that very day.

It was the dead of winter, so the two couldn't actually go golfing. Instead, they arranged to have dinner together at the Orland Club.

When they met, Chen Xiu wondered if she was in a daze, but she saw a sigh on Wang Shoufu's face.

"Mr. Wang, long time no see."

Haha! You're really hard to get a hold of!

Wang, the richest man, laughed as heartily as ever, but the worry between his brows remained.

Chen Xiujian, with his keen observation skills, began to speculate about the reason for this meeting.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the richest man, Wang, didn't initiate any conversation. Instead, he started ordering food, as if his only purpose for the day was to eat.

Chen Xiu wasn't picky about what to eat; she simply let Wang the richest man order.

When the dishes were brought in, Wang, the richest man, opened a bottle of Maotai and urged Chen Xiu to drink.

"Come, let me toast you first."

"What should we pay our respects to?"

"Anything is fine, but I'll just congratulate you on your success in your career."

"Hehe, I wouldn't dare accept that."

Even so, Chen Xiu still raised her glass and clinked it with Wang, the richest man in the country.

No sooner had he finished one glass than Wang, the richest man in China, raised a second glass, this time to praise Chen Xiu for his youth and promising future.

That was reasonable enough, but the third cup was even more outrageous. The reason given was that he had a wide circle of friends... Chen Xiu suppressed his doubts and drank three cups in a row.

Just as he was pondering what excuse he would use for the fourth drink, Wang, the richest man, suddenly changed the subject.

"Chen Xiu, are you aware of Wanda's current strategic development direction?"

"I dare not speak carelessly about this topic."

"Hey, you're getting slyer and slyer. I remember when we first met, you were all sharp and ambitious."

"When things are going well, it is also a time when hidden worries are brewing. I think we should keep a low profile and be more discreet."

"Then why did you become a celebrity?"

"Acting is for company promotion, and also a bit of personal hobby. As long as I pay all the taxes and fees, nobody can interfere."

Wang, the richest man, furrowed his brow, as if he were pondering something.

"When things are going well, it is also a time when hidden worries are brewing... If I had known this saying earlier, things might have been much better, but even if I had known it earlier, I probably wouldn't have listened to it."

"Mr. Wang?"

"Wanda's strategic development direction is to gradually transform from an asset-heavy company into an asset-light company, that is, to shift from real estate to the cultural industry. In recent years, I have also acquired a lot of film and television assets internationally, as you should know, right?"

"I've learned some things."

Chen Xiu nodded calmly. In recent years, Lao Wang has been buying up theaters all over the world, from AMC Theatres to Eurovision, Wanda's cinemas have opened almost all over the world.

Then, it acquired Legendary Pictures and negotiated with Viacom to acquire Paramount.

The scale of the action was astonishing.

This series of buying sprees also inflated Wang's ego. Starting from the end of the year before last, he made several remarks in public that were easy to misunderstand.

Looking at Wang, the richest man, who had become listless after drinking, and his earlier remark, I could see the signs.

Chen Xiu guessed that he must be regretting his wild and unruly behavior, but she didn't know to what extent he regretted it.

“I originally wanted to upgrade Wanda from a domestic company to a multinational corporation through acquisitions.”

Wang, the richest man, smacked his lips and continued, "However, the movement was a bit too big, and some problems arose."

Chen Xiu stared wide-eyed at Wang the Richest Man, thinking: What kind of problem are you talking about? Our units of measurement seem to be a little different. You wouldn't need to borrow money from me, would you?
“Last year, I privatized and delisted Wanda Commercial from Gangcheng. For this, I signed a performance-based agreement, stipulating that it would be relisted on the A-share market by August next year. You should know that, right?”

"heard about it."

"But now the wind has changed. It will be quite difficult for Wanda Commercial to list on the A-share market. In addition, banks have started to tighten lending, so the company's cash flow has run into problems."

"..."

Chen Xiu remained silent for a long time, and as her thoughts raced, she understood the unspoken meaning behind Wang the richest man's words.

“Mr. Wang, the little money I have won’t solve your problem, but since you’ve come to me, you must have other ideas. So please speak frankly.”

"Hehe, your words do have the flair of what you said two years ago."

Wang, the richest man, smiled and praised, then drank a glass of baijiu (Chinese liquor), his expression turning serious.

“To be honest, I’ve been worried ever since I heard the news that the banks were tightening lending. Wanda has several loans that will be due in the third quarter of this year.”

“I can still find a way to solve this problem. What I really need to worry about is the money that Wanda Commercial will have to pay for the betting agreement if it fails to list on the A-share market next year. I really have no idea how to deal with that.”

"How can I help?"

Chen Xiu asked directly, since Old Wang had made himself so clear, there was no need for him to beat around the bush.

Wang, the richest man in China, stared at Chen Xiu for a long time before saying, "You're a shareholder of Tencent and have a good personal relationship with Liu Chiping, right?"

"It's alright." "I'm not shameless; I certainly won't make any requests that would put you in a difficult position."

"What exactly do you need me to do?"

Chen Xiu nodded to Wang, the richest man, to confirm, without any hesitation or reluctance on her face.

“If Wanda Commercial can complete its IPO on the A-share market, all the problems will be solved. But we always need to have a backup plan. Could you help me communicate with Mr. Liu at the right time and ask if Tencent is interested in investing in Wanda?”

"Is it appropriate for me to handle this?"

Chen Xiu looked at Wang the richest man with hesitation, wanting to ask him why he didn't arrange for Wanda's people to make the contact.

This question was also successfully understood by Wang, the richest man in China.

“If I have arranged for someone to liaise with them, it would be fine if Tencent is interested in this. If not, it will only affect the investors’ perception of Wanda. Your communication with Mr. Liu is just at the level of personal friendship, and everyone has room to maneuver.”

"If Penguin really has an idea, I will arrange for someone to go and coordinate, and things will go much more smoothly; if not, then let's pretend nothing happened, and none of the three parties will be affected."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiu leaned back and thought to herself: So they wanted me to be their middleman!

Analyzing Wang's idea, Chen Xiu also thought of the second betting agreement that Wanda signed with Tencent and several other companies in her previous life.

If the first bet isn't completed, they move on to the second; if the second isn't completed, they seek new funding for the third... This method of stepping on one foot while using another, trading space for time, was real in my past life.

Chen Xiu thought about her network of connections and her personal relationship with Wang, the richest man in China, and immediately understood why he would make such a request.

"Mr. Wang, I can help with this. However, if Tencent is really interested, I can't say anything about the specifics of how you two will cooperate."

"I'm already grateful for your help, so I won't make things difficult for you!"

"Hmm, when would you like me to contact you?"

"There's no rush. Although the IPO has become more difficult, I'm still trying to push it forward. I'm telling you in advance so that we can be prepared if things don't go well."

Wang, the richest man, chuckled lightly, his irritation subsiding somewhat, but he no longer possessed the same spirited demeanor he had two years ago.

After discussing work, the two ate dinner, each lost in their own thoughts.

When the plates were almost empty and the white wine cups were replaced with barley tea to aid digestion, Lao Wang started talking to Chen Xiu about Wang Sicong again.

"I heard from Congcong that you helped him invest in Mobike?"

"You can't say that. Investment is all about personal judgment. There's no such thing as taking on someone else's investment. If he loses money in the future, Mr. Wang, don't blame me."

"Investing involves both gains and losses, that's normal! What I mean is, you can give Congcong more advice. He hasn't experienced much hardship, so he tends to make assumptions about how to conduct himself."

"Mr. Wang, I'm younger than him."

Chen Xiu politely declined with a smile, saying that he called Wang Sicong "nephew" just for fun.

In the future, if we meet in business or investment, as long as he doesn't cheat Wang Sicong, that's fine. As for giving advice, forget it. Chen Xiu doesn't think he has a strong fatherly attitude, and he doesn't have the habit of teaching others how to do things.

Upon hearing Chen Xiu's refusal, Wang, the richest man, frowned and said in a spoiled manner, "That's not how it works. You promised Congcong to call you Uncle back then."

"Let's all just talk about our own opinions."

Even if we're talking about separate matters, he still calls you "brother"!

"Hehe, if he asks me, I will definitely tell him, but I can't do things that would annoy people."

Chen Xiu then settled for a lesser request, figuring out another layer of the request from Wang the richest man's words.

Although Wang Sicong has a lot of scathing criticisms of others, at the end of the day, he's just a spoiled rich kid. If it weren't for Wang Sicong protecting him, he would have been taken advantage of countless times.

Thinking about this, Chen Xiu vaguely understood that when Wang the richest man took the initiative to befriend him, it was probably to build up Wang Sicong's network of connections.

"With you saying that, I can rest assured!"

Wang, the richest man, smiled with a relaxed expression. This time, the worry on his face seemed to have disappeared even more than before.

Having navigated the ups and downs of the business world for decades, he has discerned the major shift in the industry. His observations over the past two years have also allowed him to see Chen Xiu's character; he is not the kind of hypocritical and treacherous person.

Wang, the richest man, felt that as long as Wang Sicong wasn't too stupid, and Chen Xiu was willing to give him some pointers, then at least his eldest son wouldn't be deceived in the future.

Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them.

If it weren't for his mentally challenged son, how could he have taken the initiative to form a close friendship with Chen Xiu two years ago?

After finishing talking about Wang Sicong, Chen Xiu sat in her seat for a few more minutes.

Seeing that the richest man, Wang, had nothing else to say, he took the initiative to stand up, supporting himself on the table, and said goodbye.

"Mr. Wang, I had a very good dinner tonight, thank you for your hospitality."

"I'm satisfied! Let me give you a ride."

"no need."

"You want what you want."

Wang, the richest man, escorted Chen Xiu all the way to the entrance of the Orland Club before stopping.

Watching Chen Xiu's departing figure, he could only mutter with a sigh, "So promising at such a young age!"

(End of this chapter)