The richest man started taking advantage of loopholes after joining Alibaba.

It was a Montblanc Meisterstück fountain pen.

The nib is plated with 18K gold, and it gleams with an almost eerie cold light under the lamp.

Lin Che took it.

My fingers rubbed the cool resin barrel of the pen.

He did not immediately put pen to paper.

He opened the thirty-page agreement.

The paper was new and smelled of a mixture of ink cartridge and pulp.

Article 12.

[Scope of Non-Competition Agreement]:

Within 24 months of leaving the company, Party B (Lin Che) shall not participate in any business activities that compete with Party A (Alibaba) in any form (including but not limited to joining the company, investing, or consulting).

Scope: Global.

Penalty for breach of contract: Three times all vested option proceeds.

tough enough.

This is to completely cripple his martial arts skills and turn him into a rich man who can only live off his money and wait to die.

Tsai Chung-hsin stood to the side, his gaze behind his glasses sharp as a knife, staring intently at every muscle twitch on Lin Che's face.

He is waiting.

Wait until Lin Che gets angry, wait until Lin Che refuses, or wait until Lin Che begs for his money to keep those huge stock options.

But he was disappointed.

Lin Che simply flicked the paper lightly.

"puff."

The sound was light and cheerful.

"Is that all?"

Lin Che raised his eyelids, his pupils showing no emotion whatsoever.

Joseph Tsai paused for a moment.

"Isn't that enough? Lin Che, if you sign this, you won't be able to open a Taobao store for two years."

Lin Che smiled.

He didn't answer, but instead turned directly to the signature page.

Remove the pen cap.

The pen tip touches the paper.

The ink spread, forming a pitch-black dot.

Without any hesitation, not even a moment's pause.

"Swish, swish, swish."

The brushstrokes flowed like dragons and snakes.

It didn't feel like signing a contract that would lock him up for two years; it felt more like signing a celebrity poster for a fanatical fan.

Only Lin Che himself knows why.

The complex equity structure of the Weiguang Group came to mind.

Top-level structure: Cayman Islands offshore company.

Domestic operating entity: Hangzhou Weiguang Technology Co., Ltd.

Legal representative: Wang Defa.

Actual controller: Unknown.

In all publicly available business registration information, Lin Che is listed as an angel investor with a "small number of shares".

The non-compete agreement prohibits "holding a position" and "managing a business".

It cannot regulate "financial investment".

This is a loophole in the rules.

This was a trap he had set for Alibaba long ago.

"It's all signed."

Lin Che closed the agreement and pushed it back onto the table.

The movements were fluid and graceful.

Mr. Ma and Mr. Cai Chongxin exchanged a glance, both seeing the astonishment in each other's eyes.

So satisfying?

Is this kid really planning to retire with billions and spend a couple of years sunbathing in Hawaii?

"but."

Lin Che did not return the pen.

He fiddled with the pen, tapping the cap rhythmically on the table.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Since I signed a 'contract of servitude,' shouldn't I receive some compensation?"

Mr. Ma frowned.

"The options have been reserved for you, which is against the rules, but I've made an exception to ensure an amicable parting."

"I don't want stock options."

Lin Che suddenly interrupted him.

He stood up, walked to the whiteboard, and erased the previous "68".

I wrote down a new word:

Displacement.

"My Alibaba stock options are worth about $4.2 million today."

Lin Che turned around, leaning against the whiteboard, looking like a wolf conducting business.

"I returned all of these stock options to the company."

"In exchange."

"I want Alibaba's 10% preferred stock in 'Weiguang Group' converted into common stock, and..."

He paused, his eyes suddenly turning sharp.

"Give me your voting rights forever."

The air in the room froze instantly.

Joseph Tsai's brain was working at lightning speed.

Redemption option?

This means Alibaba can reduce a huge cash expenditure and improve its Q3 financial report.

And what about Weiguang Group?

In Alibaba's eyes, it was nothing more than a logistics and group-buying tool that depended on the Taobao ecosystem.

Although it is growing rapidly, it is still a "son".

Giving his son some voting rights in exchange for $4 million in real money.

This is a worthwhile deal no matter how you look at it.

Are you sure?

Joseph Tsai pushed up his glasses, his tone carrying a hint of disbelief.

"Alibaba's current stock is a golden egg, but its future prospects are uncertain... it's not listed yet, so it's a risky asset."

"I like taking risks."

Lin Che shrugged.

He was actually sneering to himself.

You think those are risky assets.

But I know that it represents the future of Pinduoduo + Cainiao Network + Meituan.

That value is not $4 million.

It's 4000 billion.

"make a deal."

Mr. Ma made the decision.

In his view, Lin Che was "leaving with nothing".

They gave up their newly listed, booming Alibaba stock in exchange for control of a startup with an uncertain future.

That's stupid.

But it also shows Lin Che's determination to leave Ali completely.

This made Mr. Ma feel safe.

The new agreement was quickly printed out.

Lin Che put pen to paper again.

This time, he used even more force with his wrist, and the pen tip almost sliced ​​through the back of the paper.

Because of this contract.

He then completely severed the last umbilical cord with Ali.

He is no longer a wage earner.

He is the only king of the Glimmering Empire.

"It's a pleasure working with you."

Lin Che threw down his pen.

The expensive Montblanc rolled a few times on the table before finally stopping in front of Mr. Ma.

"Lin Che".

Just as Lin Che grasped the doorknob, Mr. Ma's voice rang out from behind him.

With a hint of complex emotions.

"Contracts are used to bind gentlemen."

Lin Che did not turn around.

He opened the door.

The noise outside surged in like a tide, engulfing him.

But before he completely left, he left behind a message.

The sound was very soft, yet it was like a nail driven into the door panel.

"And I am a businessman."

……

boom.

The heavy mahogany door closed.

He completely shut out that room filled with scheming and strategic maneuvering.

Lin Che stood in the corridor.

He let out a long sigh of relief.

The shirt on his back was soaked with cold sweat.

Those last few minutes were like dancing on a knife's edge.

If Joseph Tsai had thought one more step ahead, or if President Ma had hesitated for even a second longer, this perfect "escape plan" would have failed.

But he won his gamble.

They took advantage of the arrogance of the giants and the bias in information.

He completed his initial capital accumulation and then withdrew unscathed.

Lin Che took a step forward.

The pace quickened, eventually turning into a jog.

He rushed through the empty corridor, into the elevator, and pressed the "G" button.

A feeling of weightlessness came over me.

The numbers are plummeting.

Just like his wildly beating heart at this moment.

"bite."

We've arrived at the lobby on the first floor.

Lin Che walked out of the New York Stock Exchange.

The midday sun was so bright that he couldn't open his eyes.

The streets were still packed with people waving orange flags, cheering for the astronomical figures.

But that was no longer relevant to him.

roadside.

A stretched black Lincoln, like a lurking beast, stood quietly in the no-parking zone.

Several police officers were preparing to issue a parking ticket.

The car window slowly rolled down a crack.

A chubby hand reached out and slipped a few Franklin bills to the policeman.

The policeman shrugged, smiled, and walked away.

This is America.

This is the taste of money.

Lin Che opened the car door and climbed into the back seat.

The air conditioning was on full blast, instantly dispelling the heat from my body.

Fatty Wang was sitting inside.

He held a bottle of top-quality Ace of Spades champagne with the cork open in his hand, and wore the big gold chain that he never took off his neck.

"elder brother."

Fatty Wang handed over the wine glass, his chubby face filled with excitement, but also a hint of fear of the unknown.

"Is it all done?"

Lin Che took the wine glass.

The golden liquid swayed in the glass, reflecting his face, which had finally relaxed.

"It's done."

He tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

The icy liquor burned down my throat, igniting the wildness in my blood.

"I'm free."

Fatty Wang started the car.

The engine emitted a deep roar, like the sound of some beast awakening.

"Boss."

Fatty Wang gripped the steering wheel and glanced back.

"Where to?"

Lin Che leaned back in the leather seat and closed his eyes.

The huge world map reappeared in my mind.

Alibaba is just a beginner's village.

He's now at the maximum level.

Time to explore the new map.

He opened his eyes and looked out the window at the jungle of steel and concrete.

"Go to Silicon Valley."