Returning to his senior year of high school, he went all in and made billions by buying at the botto

Provincial capital international airport.

The plane slowly taxied onto the tarmac.

As I walked out of the VIP passage, a light drizzle was falling from the sky over the provincial capital.

Chen Mo stood at the entrance of the terminal and took a deep breath of the chilly air.

The situation in Hong Kong has temporarily come to an end.

The structure of Chuangsheng Investment, the institutional accounts of the four banks, the acquisition of Jianing Holdings, and the asset swap of Xiling Mining have all entered the subsequent execution stage.

Instead of returning to Jiangcheng, Chen Mo took a car directly to his uncle Chen Liping's company.

This is a small software company located in the Entrepreneurship Park of Changhu High-tech Zone.

After receiving 500,000 yuan, Chen Liping left his original location and rented an office space in a new business park, where he subsequently recruited more than a dozen software developers.

The place wasn't spacious, and the decor was very simple.

Rows of computer desks were crammed together, and the walls were covered with product flowcharts and code module descriptions.

Several young programmers wearing headphones were typing on their keyboards, with instant noodle containers, energy drinks, and cold takeout food piled up on the table.

The air was filled with the mixed smells of coffee and electronic devices.

Although it is not large in scale, it already has the beginnings of a software company.

"Xiao Mo?"

Chen Liping, who was checking the project progress at his workstation, looked up and saw Chen Mo, and immediately showed surprise.

"When did you get back? Why didn't you give me a heads-up?"

"Just got off the plane."

Chen Mo looked around and said, "The company is doing well."

"We certainly can't compare to those big companies, but at least we've set up the framework."

Chen Liping brought his nephew into the office and personally poured him a cup of hot water.

"Your 500,000 yuan was a huge help. We've now taken on several projects for enterprise management systems and government website maintenance. Although we don't earn much, at least we can support our staff."

Chen Mo nodded.

He initially gave his uncle the funds hoping that Chen Liping could accelerate the development of his own company. Originally, Chen Mo did not intend to interfere too much.

But as his responsibilities grew, Chen Mo gradually realized that there were very few people around him who were truly trustworthy and capable of handling things independently.

Lin Wan is in charge of Xingchen Technology, and Zhao Qiang is in charge of Taichu Capital in Kyoto.

Lu Jingyi can only assist with some overseas business, but she also has her own family and career.

Bian Xuezhang has other plans at the moment. As for Wei Shan, I wonder how life is for this big guy in the army. I should be able to meet him during the Spring Festival.

He couldn't stay in Jiangcheng forever; he also needed to make some arrangements in the provincial capital. Chen Liping was someone he knew well, valued loyalty, and was willing to work hard. Most importantly, he also had a vision that was ahead of his time.

If it weren't for the financial constraints of his previous life, Chen Mo would have no doubt that his uncle could have risen to the forefront of this era.

"Uncle, I have a new project."

Chen Liping paused in his drinking motion: "What project?"

"Short videos".

"Short videos?" Chen Liping clearly didn't understand. "Video websites?"

"Not long-form video platforms like Youku and Tudou."

Chen Mo explained, "Users shoot videos ranging from ten seconds to a minute with their phones, add music, filters, and effects, and then upload and share them. The platform continuously recommends content that interests each user based on their viewing habits."

Chen Liping frowned and thought for a while.

"With mobile data so expensive these days, will users watch videos every day?"

"4G is becoming widespread, and smartphones are rapidly decreasing in price. Data costs will only continue to decrease."

Chen Mo looked at him: "In the next few years, people will have less and less patience to read long texts. Pictures are more direct than text, and videos are even more direct than pictures."

"Whoever can capture users' most fragmented time each day will gain access to one of the largest traffic portals on the mobile internet."

Chen Liping only half understood what he was hearing.

However, he had already gotten used to his nephew's amazing abilities.

The 500,000 yuan in funds, stock profits, and the recent changes in his family all made him realize that this nephew could no longer be viewed through the eyes of an ordinary high school student.

"Xiao Mo, tell your uncle the truth," Chen Liping said in a low voice, "where did the money for these projects come from?"

"Stock trading."

Chen Mo answered very decisively.

"I made several million in the first few years, and then I did some leveraged trading and futures trading. Now I have enough funds to support an internet project."

Although Chen Liping was mentally prepared, he still gasped when he heard the answer.

"How much did you actually earn?"

I'll tell you slowly later.

Chen Mo did not provide specific figures.

It's not that I don't trust my uncle.

Rather, it was because his wealth was so enormous that knowing about it too early would not benefit Chen Liping.

"I've come here today to ask you to accompany me to Kyoto."

"What are you going to Kyoto for?"

"To meet someone."

Chen Mo picked up his water glass, his tone calm:

"Zhang Ming, founder of Toutiao."

……

That afternoon.

A high-speed train bound for Kyoto slowly departed from the provincial capital.

Inside the carriage, Chen Liping held the project plan handed to him by Chen Mo, and the more he looked at it, the more alarmed he became.

The plan covers everything from product positioning, shooting tools, music library, and content tagging, all the way to recommendation mechanisms, traffic pool distribution, creator incentives, and commercialization paths.

It even provides interfaces for potential future live streaming, e-commerce, and Google systems.

"Xiao Mo, did you write all of these?"

"Um."

"When did you learn software development?"

"I don't understand the specific code, but I understand what users need."

Chen Liping opened his mouth, but in the end he could only lower his head and continue flipping through the pages.

Having worked in software for so many years, he could certainly see the value of this planning proposal.

This is not a simple idea; it is a complete framework that has been built from product to business model.

On the way, Chen Mo took out his phone and dialed Zhang Ming's number.

"Mr. Chen?"

Zhang Ming's slightly tired voice came through the phone shortly after.

"Mr. Zhang, I've arrived in Kyoto." Chen Mo looked at the scenery rushing past the car window. "Do you have time tonight to come to your company for a chat?"

Zhang Ming paused for half a second, then smiled and said, "Since President Chen is in Kyoto, of course I have time. Perfect timing, we've discussed that planning proposal you left behind many times internally."

See you tonight.

"I'll have Liang Bo pick you up."

……

evening.

Chen Mo and Chen Liping arrived at the office location of Toutiao at that time.

Compared to those glamorous internet giants, ByteDance still seemed exceptionally young at this time.

The office area is not luxurious; in fact, it is somewhat crowded.

Behind the glass door is a row of densely packed workstations, with dark pipes exposed overhead, and whiteboards covered with algorithm models, product requirements, and growth data.

Many employees hadn't left work yet; some were holding their lunchboxes and staring at the screen, some were arguing about recommended parameters around the whiteboard, and some programmers were even resting on their desks with their coats on.

Boxes of bottled water and instant noodles were piled up in the corner.

The air was thick with the tension typical of startups.

Everyone is running, as if if they slow down even a little, the company will be completely swallowed up by the waves behind them.

A young man wearing glasses walked briskly towards us.

"Mr. Chen, welcome."

The visitor was Liang Bo, Zhang Ming's classmate, co-founder of ByteDance, and also a tech guru.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Liang Bo led them into the conference room, where Zhang Ming was already waiting.

In the short time we hadn't seen him, he had clearly lost weight, and his eyes were filled with deep fatigue.

Toutiao is growing rapidly, but the pressure behind that growth is even greater.

Traditional media outlets are increasingly questioning the content aggregation model, leading to a series of copyright disputes and fierce competition from rivals.

The company may seem to be riding a wave of opportunity, but in reality, it is still walking on the edge of survival.

"Mr. Chen."

Zhang Ming stood up, shook hands with Chen Mo, and then looked at Chen Liping.

"Who is this?"

"My uncle, Chen Liping."

Chen Mo introduced, "He is the person in charge of Yunfan Software in the provincial capital."

There's no need for much small talk with a boss who comes from a technical background; Chen Mo cuts straight to the point:

"Mr. Zhang, what do you think of the product architecture plan I sent you last time?"

When the planning proposal was mentioned, Zhang Ming's expression immediately became serious.

"very good."

He was generous with his praise.

"In particular, the full-screen immersive information flow, music beat matching, low-barrier shooting tools, and tiered traffic pools you proposed are essentially redefining video distribution with recommendation algorithms."

"In the past, the core of video platforms was that users actively searched for content."

"Your solution is to let the system understand the user first, and then proactively feed the content to the user."

Zhang Ming pointed at the table, his eyes showing obvious excitement.

"If this model can be successfully implemented, its user stickiness may be even more terrifying than that of text and image information feeds."

Chen Liping sat beside him, secretly surprised.

This entrepreneur, who has already made a name for himself in the internet industry, gave Chen Mo's proposal such high praise.

However, Zhang Ming quickly sighed.

"But we now have a practical problem."

Chen Mo remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"Money and energy."

Zhang Ming frankly stated, "Toutiao is far from being firmly established. The encirclement by traditional media, copyright lawsuits, content review, server and bandwidth costs—every single one is burning through money."

"The company's main business is still on the verge of survival."

"If we were to spin off an independent short video team now, it would mean opening up a second front at the same time."

Zhang Ming shook his head.

"I am extremely optimistic about this plan, but given ByteDance's current situation, it will be difficult to actually launch the project."

The meeting room fell silent.

Liang Bo did not refute this. He was also aware of the company's situation. A good direction did not mean that they had the ability to implement it now.

The most common reason why startups fail is not because they chose the wrong direction, but because they spread themselves too thin at the wrong time.

Of course, even if you see the right direction, you might not be able to find your way out, like with Baidu.

Chen Mo had anticipated this. If ByteDance had sufficient funds and manpower, Zhang Ming would not have allowed such a complete project plan to remain on paper.

"What if we don't use ByteDance to pay?" Chen Mo suddenly asked.

Zhang Ming looked up, completely bewildered.

Chen Mo pushed a document about Yunfan Software to the center of the desktop.

"I have a software company here."

"It's not a large-scale operation, but the technical team has already been set up. We can continue to recruit developers from the western provinces and Kyoto."

"I can provide funding, personnel, and be responsible for company operations and product launch."

"ByteDance only needs to provide technical support, recommendation engine, distribution algorithm, and a part of the core team."

Zhang Ming's expression gradually turned serious.

"You mean, to jointly establish an independent company?"

"right."

Chen Mo leaned forward slightly.

"The project operates independently, does not consume Toutiao's cash flow, and does not drag down ByteDance as a whole."

"ByteDance contributed its algorithms, technology, and some human resources as equity."

"I invested with funds, product planning, and the Yunfan Software team."

"The shareholding percentage is negotiable."

Zhang Ming did not answer immediately.

He looked at the planning document on the table, a struggle clearly visible in his eyes.

He was acutely aware of the project's potential, and it was precisely because he saw it clearly that he was unwilling to easily relinquish control.

The core of Toutiao is its algorithm and distribution.

Once these capabilities are handed over to the joint venture, it's tantamount to personally incubating a massive platform that could potentially surpass the main business in the future.

But what if you disagree?

This proposal was written by Chen Mo.

Chen Mo had complete control over the product architecture, user logic, and business model.

Toutiao is the most suitable partner, but not the only one.

Tencent, NetEase, Baidu, or any large company with technology and traffic, all have the ability to make the project happen.

If Chen Mo were to leave with the plans and funding, and competitors were to seize the short video market first, the cost for Toutiao to enter the market later could be ten or even a hundred times greater.

Once an opportunity is lost, it is very difficult to regain it.

In the conference room, only the low hum of the central air conditioning was heard.

After a long while, Zhang Ming finally raised his head.

"Mr. Chen, how much money are you planning to invest?"

Chen Mo smiled.

Once money is mentioned, it means Zhang Ming has accepted the logic of cooperation.

"The first installment is 100 million."

As soon as he finished speaking, the conference room fell silent.

Chen Liping's hand holding the water glass suddenly trembled.

One hundred million?

His software company is now so frugal that it's almost impossible to spend even a 500,000 yuan investment in half.

My nephew just casually asked for 100 million?

Liang Bo was also stunned for a few seconds.

This amount of money is by no means small for ByteDance at present.

Chen Mo remained calm and continued, "One hundred million is just the initial development and promotion budget. If the product data meets expectations, I can add more."

"I don't lack money, and the project can't miss the most important growth window because of money."

Zhang Ming looked intently at Chen Mo.

How will the shares be divided?

"I account for 65%."

"Bytes account for 35%."

Zhang Ming frowned and shook his head without hesitation: "Impossible. Mr. Chen, ByteDance's distribution engine is the heart of this product. If we don't have control, even if we don't have a controlling stake, we need at least a 50/50 split, otherwise I can't explain it to the internal team and investors."

Chen Mo did not back down, leaning forward slightly: "President Zhang, 100 million is just the first bullet. If you want controlling stake, this project will become an appendage of ByteDance, and the potential for future financing will be hampered by the pressure on your main business."

"Besides, the business model is in my hands."

"If I take 100 million yuan in cash and a complete plan to Shenzhen, with Tencent's social network and huge budget, will it really fail to break into the market just because it lacks one byte of algorithm?"

"I'm sitting here today because your algorithm can save me six months of trial and error, not because only ByteDance can do it."

Zhang Ming fell silent.

This statement was like a heavy blow.

He was all too aware of the copycat nature of internet giants. If Chen Mo really went to Tencent, the short video market would be completely closed to ByteDance.

Zhang Ming took a deep breath and shifted the focus: "Even if the logic is sound, product implementation requires extremely strong technical integration. Can you manage the joint venture without ByteDance's development team?"

At this moment, Chen Liping, who had been silent all along, finally forced down the turmoil in his heart.

He adjusted his glasses and looked directly at Zhang Ming: "Don't worry, Mr. Zhang. Yunfan can build the underlying framework for the front-end UI, video stream preloading mechanism, and high-concurrency client architecture within a month."

"As long as ByteDance can open the API interface of the recommendation engine on time, I will personally lead a team to handle the data layer integration, and it will definitely not hold back the algorithm."

Zhang Ming glanced at Chen Liping with some surprise. These few words of industry knowledge reassured him a little, and he nodded slightly.

"What about board seats?" Zhang Ming continued to ask.

"According to shareholding ratio."

"The core algorithm licensing must be limited to the joint venture project and absolutely cannot be transferred to any third party!"

"Can."

Chen Mo agreed readily.

"If there is any further financing, ByteDance has the absolute priority right to participate in the investment."

"no problem."

Who is in charge of the product team?

Without hesitation, Chen Mo brought up the name that was already in his mind: "I've heard that you have a product manager named Zhang Nan. She has a keen sense for text and image communities and content ecosystems. Have Zhang Nan lead a team to the western province to serve as the product manager for the joint venture."

Zhang Ming and Liang Bo were both taken aback.

"You even know Zhang Nan?" Liang Bo couldn't help but ask.

Zhang Nan is far from being considered a core executive within ByteDance.

Chen Mo remained calm and composed, saying, "Since we're planning to invest 100 million, I need to do some background research on which capable leaders ByteDance has. She understands community logic and is the most suitable for this project."

Zhang Ming pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly without delving further.

"I will talk to her."

He paused, took a deep breath, and finally made a decision: "ByteDance will contribute its recommendation technology, exclusive algorithm licensing, and some core personnel as equity, holding a 35% stake."

"Mr. Chen invested 100 million yuan in cash, a complete product plan, and the Yunfan Software team, holding a 65% stake."

"The project will be established as an independent company, and ByteDance will have absolute priority in subsequent financing."

Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Mo stood up and extended his hand.

"It's a pleasure working with you."

Zhang Ming looked at the hand extended in front of him, his heart still filled with mixed feelings.

He had a vague feeling that what he was relinquishing absolute control to today might be a super behemoth capable of overturning the landscape of the mobile internet.

But without cooperation, ByteDance might not even have a 35% chance of getting this opportunity.

Finally, he stood up and reached out to shake hands with Chen Mo.

"It's a pleasure working with you."

The moment their hands clasped, no one knew that a short video empire that would sweep the globe and change the lifestyles of countless people in a few years had already laid its first cornerstone in this slightly crowded conference room.

Chen Liping sat to the side, looking at his nephew, the words of their exchange still echoing in his mind.

Only now did he truly realize it.

The money Chen Mo talked about making from stock trading was completely different from what I understood as making money.