Chapter Fourteen: The Wager

Rizhao braced himself, forced a smile, and said, "Mr. Zhao, don't you want to hear the offer?"

Yu Zhe looked on with anticipation. Regardless of whether a deal was made, he wanted to know exactly what price this titan of domestic web novels was willing to pay for Zeyue.

"Alright, there’s no harm in listening," Zhao Zejun said breezily.

Rizhao felt exactly as Zhao Zejun had when he first fought for the Gaogang Village reconstruction project with Zheng Yuan. He realized that with this young Mr. Zhao before him, he might only get one chance. In such a situation, playing the petty game of starting with a low offer and nudging it up bit by bit was meaningless; it would only cause resentment.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Four hundred thousand, plus five percent incentive equity in Huanjian! I can push to have that incentive equity converted into actual equity right now."

"There's equity involved too? Does that mean if the deal goes through, Boss Zhao becomes a boss at Huanjian as well?" Yu Zhe asked in surprise.

"One of the bosses," Rizhao nodded, his tone quite sincere. "Mr. Zhao, we are truly earnest this time. You really should consider it."

"Mr. Li, I appreciate the high regard and favor you and the team at Huanjian have shown me, but I have no intention of selling Zeyue, nor do I intend to sell myself." Zhao Zejun chuckled. "Of course, if you were to offer fifty million or a hundred million, I might consider it. I assume Huanjian isn't capable of that price, though."

"Mr. Zhao, you're joking," Rizhao said with a bitter smile. "All the novel sites in the country combined aren't worth fifty million."

"That’s true for now. As for the future, no one can say for sure." Zhao Zejun looked at Rizhao, his tone somewhere between joking and serious. "Perhaps, one day, a single book will be worth tens of millions, and a website will be worth hundreds of millions, or even billions—in US dollars."

Rizhao’s eyes lit up. Caught off guard, he frowned and asked, "Mr. Zhao, are you that optimistic about the web novel industry?"

Zhao Zejun nodded earnestly. "I believe this industry has a future. It breaks the shackles of traditional literature, using words to create countless vibrant worlds with almost limitless creative space. As the internet becomes more accessible, hundreds of millions of young people in this country will become creators for this industry, and its population of over a billion could all become consumers. Furthermore, it sits at the very top of the supply chain for film, television, comics, games, and other entertainment sectors. Of course I’m optimistic about such an industry. You’re asking me to sell my vision of the future for four hundred thousand—tell me, if you were in my shoes, could you accept that?"

These words struck a chord deep within Rizhao. His total dedication to the web novel industry wasn't just born of a love for stories; it was because he believed it was a sunrise industry with a future, and that by persisting on this path, he would eventually see the dawn. Of course, most people fell just before the break of day. But regardless, this was the cause he had pursued his entire life.

Zhao Zejun’s words, though simple, were like clearing the clouds to reveal the sun.

"Mr. Zhao, your words are profound. It’s no wonder the internet calls you the 'Godfather of Web Novels.' I have been enlightened." Rizhao’s expression was serious. "Mr. Zhao, I believe we are kindred spirits. Therefore, I must invite you once more: Huanjian is the largest web novel platform in the country. If you join us, we can certainly achieve great things together. As for the acquisition price and equity, I can help you fight for more..."

"Mr. Li, we can talk about the industry, but let’s not talk about acquisitions anymore," Zhao Zejun said, still smiling.

"In that case, please excuse me for a few minutes. I need to make a phone call." Without giving Zhao Zejun a chance to refuse, Rizhao walked away from the pool, phone in hand.

Once outside, Rizhao immediately dialed Kong Decheng’s number. "Mr. Kong, this Zhao Zejun is an incredibly rare talent. I suggest we either buy him out at a high price or concentrate our efforts on dealing with Zeyue first."

...

Yu Zhe watched Rizhao’s retreating back and said to Zhao Zejun, "Boss, he’s got his eye on you. He’s absolutely determined to have you!"

Zhao Zejun nodded with a straight face and said solemnly, "What a pity. I’m not that kind of person. No one should try to possess my body—or my heart!"

"Ugh... Boss, you’re getting more shameless by the day!"

A few minutes later, Rizhao returned. "Mr. Zhao, I’ve spoken with our major shareholders. We can go up to six hundred thousand to acquire Zeyue, and we’ll gift you an additional five percent stake personally."

Zhao Zejun was feeling a bit helpless at his persistence. He said, with a wry smile, "Mr. Li, let’s just be friends today. We really don’t need to discuss the acquisition."

Rizhao persisted, "Mr. Zhao, I think you can see that Huanjian and I are acting with great sincerity. A craftsman must sharpen his tools if he is to do his job well. Huanjian is the largest novel platform in the country. Since you have faith in this industry, why not utilize this ready-made, massive platform?"

Zhao Zejun snuffed out his cigarette and held up a finger, shaking it. "Mr. Li, you’ve missed a critical point. No matter how good Huanjian is, it isn't mine."

"Mr. Zhao, I admit that Zeyue is growing fast, but it is a small site after all. It’s common in this industry for a wave of readers and authors to flood in at launch, creating a false sense of prosperity. Can you guarantee that Zeyue will maintain this high-speed growth?" Rizhao finally played his trump card, his expression stern. "If we truly start competing, Zeyue may not be a match for Huanjian. Your grand ambitions cannot be realized on a second-tier platform."

Zhao Zejun laughed out loud. "Mr. Li, I have to give you a thumbs-up for that! I welcome all competition, and I hope for it. Competition is the greatest driving force for corporate progress."

...

Rizhao had arrived full of expectations, only to leave disappointed after their conversation. He even declined Zhao Zejun’s invitation to dinner. Still, Zhao Zejun drove him to the train station.

"Mr. Zhao, thank you. We shall part ways here."

"Mr. Li, I look forward to our next meeting even more."

"What do you mean?" Rizhao was slightly taken aback.

"I heard from Yu Zhe that you are the one at Huanjian who truly understands web novels. From our talk today, I can see you possess immense passion for this industry. Heroes cherish heroes. Mr. Li, since you brought up competition, why don't we make a bet?"

"What kind of bet?"

Zhao Zejun’s eyes flashed as he said slowly, "If one day Huanjian crushes my Zeyue in competition, I won't ask for a single penny; I will willingly join Huanjian. Conversely, if Zeyue manages to defeat Huanjian, I would truly hope to work with you to create a new chapter in the history of web novels."

Rizhao stood frozen at the car door, his face full of astonishment. I came here to acquire him, yet after all this talk, he’s the one trying to poach me instead!

"How will we judge the winner?" Rizhao asked in a low voice.

Zhao Zejun laughed. "The outcome will be self-evident. Neither you nor I are petty, untrustworthy people. I don't think we need to set rigid standards. You and I both know what winning and losing look like."

"Very well, it’s a deal!"