Becoming a Billionaire From Awakening a System

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Wager, Is This a True Businessman?

”I hear you’re starting a company?”

Yang Tianming led the two of them into the VIP room and cut straight to the chase.

”Yes, Uncle Yang.”

Lin Feng had no intention of hiding it.

He knew that on the surface, Yang Tianming acted as if he didn’t care about Yang Qiniang.

But in private, he had surely invested a lot of effort in him.

Otherwise, there was no way Yang Tianming would have known about it today, just one day after he’d told Yang Qiniang about starting the company.

So, rather than hide it, it was better to be upfront.

”It’s like this, Uncle Yang.”

”I can’t manage a large amount of capital on my own.”

”So I want to build a team that I’ll personally train.”

”I can guarantee that after training, the team will be able to manage up to one hundred million in funds and achieve an annual return of at least ten percent.”

”When Brother Nian heard about it, he felt it was a bit small-scale, so he wanted to just open a company directly.”

”Once the company is established, we can also attract outside capital.”

Lin Feng explained briefly.

After all, he was trying to poach Yang Tianming’s people; it was impossible to avoid him completely.

Being direct might even win him some goodwill.

Even if Yang Tianming ultimately disagreed and the matter was dropped, it was still far better than having a falling-out later on.

After listening to Lin Feng’s explanation, Yang Tianming nodded.

It was more or less consistent with what he had already learned.

But he had one question: how could Lin Feng guarantee such a high rate of return after his training?

He looked at Lin Feng but, in the end, decided not to ask.

Everyone has their secrets.

Even if he asked, Lin Feng would never tell him.

”Your idea is very good.”

”Regardless of whether you succeed or fail, at least you’ve taken the first step.”

”If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to ask you to take Qiniang under your wing.”

”It would be best if you could give him some shares.”

Yang Tianming’s brow furrowed slightly as he said with a serious expression, ”Of course, I won’t be asking for these shares for free.”

”I don’t want these shares so you can make money for me.”

”I want them so Qiniang will take this more seriously.”

”Whether you succeed or fail, it will be a valuable experience for him.”

Yang Tianming’s words sounded sincere.

Lin Feng could also understand the meaning behind this arrangement.

Yang Tianming was using his soon-to-be-established company as a whetstone.

’So he can start honing Yang Qiniang’s skills early?’

”The shares aren’t an issue. I was already planning to give Brother Nian a portion anyway.”

And Lin Feng had indeed been planning to do so.

After all, Yang Qiniang was contributing both money and effort. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to give him ten or twenty percent of the shares as a gesture.

’But from the way Yang Tianming is acting, it’s obvious that ten percent won’t satisfy him.’

”No, no, no. Even with brothers, you have to keep clear accounts.”

”No matter how close you and Qiniang are, these things need to be calculated properly.”

But Yang Tianming shook his head upon hearing Lin Feng’s words.

”How about this: you give up thirty percent of the shares.”

”In return, I will provide thirty million in cash to be deposited into your company’s account as client funds.”

”How about it?”

Yang Tianming’s offer was very tempting.

’For a securities investment company, what’s the hardest part? It’s not the various investments. It’s the lack of sufficient capital to support investment activities in the early stages.’

At the very least, Lin Feng was already prepared for the possibility that for the first six months after the company’s founding, they would have no clients other than their own circle.

’After all, no one would trust a brand-new securities investment firm.’

But now, Yang Tianming was using an offer of thirty million in client funds to negotiate for thirty percent of the shares.

’If I agree, the problem of initial client capital will be solved instantly.’

’But... that’s it?’

Lin Feng smiled and shook his head.

”Uncle Yang, there’s no need for that.”

”Even if you hadn’t mentioned it, I was going to give Brother Nian ten percent of the shares. As for the initial client capital, we’ll figure out a way to solve that ourselves.”

”After all, that’s the only way to get the full entrepreneurial experience, don’t you think?”

Lin Feng said with a smile.

’You’re the one who said ’even brothers must keep clear accounts,’ so let’s account for everything properly.’

On the surface, Lin Feng’s words seemed to be a rejection of Yang Tianming’s help.

But in reality, he was rejecting Yang Tianming’s offer.

’With the system as a safety net, the company can’t possibly lose money. If he wanted to buy thirty percent of the shares for thirty million, I might have agreed. But to inject that thirty million as client funds in exchange for thirty percent of the shares? Is he kidding me?’

As an old fox, how could Yang Tianming not understand the meaning behind Lin Feng’s words?

However, Lin Feng’s rejection surprised him somewhat.

’It’s just a shell company. Does Lin Feng really need to be like this?’

”Then why don’t you tell me, Xiaolin, how much support should I provide for you to have the ’full entrepreneurial experience’?”

Yang Tianming decided to kick the ball back into Lin Feng’s court.

”How about this, Uncle Yang. You can provide capital as a client first.”

”Give me two months.”

”We can talk again after two months. How does that sound?”

’If we talk about the price now, Yang Tianming won’t offer much, and I’m not willing to lower my expectations. There’s no point in continuing this negotiation. It’s better to just wait. Once I’ve accumulated some capital, I’ll take a spin in the stock market. With the Stock Market Trend Card, the results will definitely astonish Yang Tianming. By then, what I’ll be asking for won’t be client funds, but real, hard cash!’

Yang Tianming hadn’t expected Lin Feng to be so confident.

He looked at Lin Feng for a moment, then nodded. ”Fine! I’ll give you two months.”

”I will help you behind the scenes with setting up the company. Once it’s established, I will deposit fifty million into your company account as client funds.”

”But if you can’t generate a profit of more than two percent on these funds after two months, how about you give up thirty percent of the shares?”

Only now was Yang Tianming truly treating this matter like a business negotiation with Lin Feng.

’If profits don’t exceed two percent after two months, I have to give up thirty percent of the shares. This profit margin is slightly higher than a ten percent annual interest rate, but not by much.’

Lin Feng thought it over briefly and already had an answer in his mind.

’Yang Tianming really is an old fox. When he’s talking serious business, he doesn’t plan on taking any losses. If my profit margin exceeds two percent in two months, it’s not a loss for Yang Tianming. After all, his fifty million would have earned one million. A return like that already surpasses the profits of a typical company. And if I can’t make a profit of more than two percent, I have to obediently hand over thirty percent of the shares. Is this what a real businessman is like?’

Lin Feng couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

However, he didn’t refuse. Following Yang Tianming’s lead, he said, ”I accept.”

”But I have one condition.”

”Uncle Yang, since you’re investing as a client, regardless of how much profit is made, I will only calculate your final payout based on an eight percent annual interest rate.”

An annual interest rate of eight percent already exceeded the returns of a typical company.

It was also far higher than the interest from a fixed-term deposit at a bank.

It was basically on par with the rate of inflation.

This figure was a standard rate of return offered by most securities investment firms.

Yang Tianming didn’t overthink it and simply nodded.

”Since you’ve agreed, Uncle Yang, when do we sign the contract?”

Lin Feng looked at Yang Tianming and said with a faint, knowing smile.

’In this bet, although it seems like Yang Tianming has the upper hand, it’s not actually that simple. Because I still have a Stock Market Trend Card. With this card, I’m confident I can double, or even triple, Yang Tianming’s fifty million! But in the final settlement, I only need to give Yang Tianming four million! Anything extra is all mine!’

”No need. This can be a gentleman’s agreement between us. Just don’t let Qiniang know.”

”Once your company is established, we’ll just need to sign a client investment agreement.”

This request wasn’t unreasonable.

In fact, Yang Tianming didn’t seem to be too concerned about the fifty million.

’That’s normal, though. Once the new company is set up, it’ll be filled with Yang Tianming’s people. Even if I really wanted to abscond with the funds, I wouldn’t be able to.’

However, Lin Feng didn’t believe the system would just stand by and watch something like that happen.

”Then thank you, Uncle Yang, for giving us a hand.”

Lin Feng smiled and poured Yang Tianming a cup of tea.

”You’re too kind!”

”Ultimately, it’s because you are outstanding enough.”

Yang Tianming seemed to sigh, murmuring, ”I just hope this experience can help Qiniang grow a little.”

He had meticulously groomed Yang Qiniang for over a decade, yet he still couldn’t compare to Lin Feng.

Even knowing that Lin Feng’s background was just as impressive, the feeling wasn’t a pleasant one.

”Don’t worry, Uncle Yang. I will definitely help Brother Nian grow to a level that satisfies you before we graduate from university.”

Lin Feng was clearly from the same generation as Yang Qiniang.

But the words he just spoke made him sound as if he were a generation older.

And yet, Yang Tianming didn’t find it awkward at all.

”Good. I’ll be sure to remember that.”

Although Lin Feng’s guarantee had no real binding effect, Yang Tianming still smiled and accepted it.