Both Siblings Fell for It

Hearing that they were going to discuss profit sharing, Yang Yuhui immediately shut up and looked at Tao Chenggang with anticipation.

Of course, he also wanted to join in.

Tao Chenggang asked, "How much do you want to share?"

Chen Guiliang said, "I want 28% of the profits. Also, my uncle, and Yang Ge, must also join. You can discuss among yourselves how to split it."

Tao Chenggang couldn't help but laugh.

He had completely figured out Chen Guiliang's plan.

After all this fuss, developing a free game was just a setup. He was using empty promises to get capital to invest in a Legend Private Server!

Tao Chenggang carefully reviewed the entire process—

That is, Chen Guiliang didn't spend a single cent, yet he made Tao Chenggang shell out tens of thousands, with tens of thousands more still owed. Now, he was taking the money Tao Chenggang gave him and turning around to partner with him on a private server. Tao Chenggang had to pay twice, hadn't seen any profit yet, and was actually indebted to Chen Guiliang.

He even had to thank Chen Guiliang for bringing him money, without a trace of dislike or resentment!

And Chen Guiliang bringing in his uncle, Feng Tao, was simply another layer of insurance to prevent Tao Chenggang from manipulating the profit sharing.

Sigh.

This kid was more cunning than a ghost.

Tao Chenggang couldn't help but ask, "If I wasn't willing to develop the game myself, and didn't buy into your free game concept, would you have directly partnered with me on the private server? And only taken a small share of the profits."

"Yes, because in that situation, I wouldn't have the capital to invest, so it would be impossible to demand too much of the private server profits," Chen Guiliang said truthfully.

Tao Chenggang looked at Yang Yuhui's eager expression and couldn't help but sigh, "I'm not so low as to fall out with your uncle and Yang Yuhui just for a private server, losing two friends at once. Little brother, I find it hard to believe you're just a high school student."

"A top student from No. 2 High School, you know," Chen Guiliang said.

Tao Chenggang sighed, "Even top students from Qingbei don't have as many tricks up their sleeves as you!"

He took out his phone and placed it in front of Chen Guiliang: "Call your uncle yourself, so you don't say I'm trying to trick you again."

Feng Tao's business was good today; he actually had a deal in both the morning and afternoon.

He was currently helping a customer choose components, and casually took out his phone to answer the call: "Hello... it's Guiliang. Did you really sell that stuff?"

"I sold it. I'm calling you using Director Tao's phone."

"You're amazing, I never expected it."

"I'm going to work with Director Tao and Yang Ge on a Legend Private Server, the kind that makes big money. You should join too."

"I'll pass, I'll stick to selling computers."

"Just invest a few thousand, and you'll get your money back in a few days."

"Stop joking."

"Let Director Tao talk to you."

Chen Guiliang handed the phone to Tao Chenggang.

Tao Chenggang got straight to the point: "Feng Tao, just invest a few thousand, otherwise your nephew won't believe me. Yang Yuhui is also joining. You two are the fuses; your nephew is afraid I'll cheat him out of his money when we split the profits."

Yang Yuhui shouted from the side, "Feng Lao Er, come join us. Your nephew is awesome!"

"Alright then, I'll invest 2000 yuan." Feng Tao didn't refuse anymore; investing a little was just a gesture.

After hanging up the phone, Tao Chenangang asked with a smile, "Are you relieved now?"

Chen Guiliang poured wine and raised his glass: "A toast to Director Tao and Yang Ge, wishing us all great wealth!"

"Cheers."

Tao Chenggang tilted his head back and drained his glass: "I'll contact the experts to set up the private server tonight. Those guys are night owls."

Yang Yuhui also drank heartily and enthusiastically patted Chen Guiliang's shoulder.

Chen Guiliang said, "After we finish this meal, I'll go to the bank to transfer the money to Director Tao. How much should I invest?"

"No need to give me money, just deduct it from the balance I owe you. You just wait to receive your 28% share," Tao Chenggang had completely figured it out and was no longer going to use the tens of thousands of yuan balance to hold Chen Guiliang back.

Contracts, IOUs, none of that was necessary.

A verbal agreement on how to split the profits would suffice.

Private servers were inherently illegal; if things went south, would they really go to court? It all depended on mutual trust.

After finishing the meal, Tao Chenggang insisted on driving Chen Guiliang home.

There were no designated drivers back then, and Tao Chenggang didn't have a chauffeur, which scared Chen Guiliang into repeatedly declining, saying he wanted to wander around the city.

Watching Tao Chenggang drive away drunk, Chen Guiliang could only wish him not to get into a car accident.

He was still counting on this guy to make money!

However, after driving two streets, Tao Chenggang pulled over to the side of the road to smoke and sober up.

The cold wind blew, and Tao Chenggang sobered up considerably.

He felt a bit impulsive today, but he didn't regret it; he never regretted his actions.

He took out the few A4 papers, and then found the notes from dinner. Tao Chenggang read them over and over again. The more he read, the more he felt it had potential; making games would definitely make money.

That alternative private server also had money to be made, which would正好 accumulate more funds for his own game development.

This high school student had a good head on his shoulders; he needed to find a way to win him over in the future.

"Steel Ge, drive me back to the studio," Yang Yuhui said with a playful smile.

Tao Chenggang asked, "What do you think of Chen Guiliang?"

Yang Yuhui gave a thumbs up: "Very smart, and capable. He'll definitely be a big boss in the future."

Tao Chenggang said, "Don't go back to the studio yet, come to my place first to discuss the details of setting up the private server."

"Okay, I'll make arrangements." Yang Yuhui started making calls.

Among the internet-addicted teenagers at the studio, there were always one or two who were quick-witted.

Yang Yuhui had been training assistants and usually handed off trivial matters to them. This time, partnering on the private server, he also wanted to bring his assistants in, specifically to accompany the wealthy players.

Drunk driving was too common back then; he drove all the way home without encountering any traffic police.

Tao Chenggang lay down on the sofa as soon as he entered the door, while Yang Yuhui ran to pour him tea. The roles of host and guest seemed to be reversed.

"Ding dong, ding dong!"

"Ge!"

Yang Yuhui hadn't even finished pouring the tea when he heard the doorbell again and ran to open the door, saying with a smile, "Xue Yao Mei'er."

"Hello, Yang Yu Gege."

Tao Xue greeted him sweetly, then entered and ran to sit beside her brother: "I heard the door close here, so I knew you were back."

Their family originally lived in housing allocated by the factory.

Later, when Tao Chenggang became wealthy, he bought two adjacent new houses. One for his parents and sister to live in, and the other for himself to live alone.

"Do we have a guest? I think I heard voices just now," Tao Chenggang asked.

Tao Xue smiled, "Someone's here to set you up again. It seems to be the niece of some Director Liu from the factory."

Hearing this, Tao Chenggang looked speechless.

Ever since people found out he was rich, someone would come to set him up every now and then. In most cases, he couldn't refuse and had to take the time to meet them, because his parents hadn't retired yet and he had to give face to certain people in the factory.

Tao Chenggang had met Director Liu's niece before. Not only was she short and plump, but she also had several very noticeable moles on her face.

Tao Xue teased her brother, "She's a college graduate, I heard she works at a foreign company, and her uncle is a leader in a central enterprise. She's more than enough for you, a college dropout."

"Adult matters, kids shouldn't talk too much," Tao Chenggang said gloomily.

Tao Xue chuckled, "The real adults have already agreed just now. When that girl comes home for the New Year, they'll arrange for you to meet. Maybe she can even help you with your business."

"Don't talk nonsense."

Tao Chenggang quickly interrupted, "There's a student from the county's No. 2 High School named Chen Guiliang. Have you heard of him?"

"You know him?" Tao Xue asked in surprise.

"You know him too?" Tao Chenggang asked.

"This person is really bad," Tao Xue recounted the story of buying books in detail. "That day, I had physical education class and went with my roommate to buy ice cream. When I came back, I saw someone selling books at a stall... It was so annoying. I went to Class 1 of the third year to look for Zhang Wei, but there was no one with that name."

Yang Yuhui sat nearby, listening and slapping the sofa with laughter: "Hahaha, that sounds like something he would do. He's got a whole set of tricks for deceiving people."

Tao Xue asked, "How do you all know him?"

Yang Yuhui said, "Chen Guiliang tricked Steel Ge out of 100,000 yuan today."

"One hundred thousand?"

Tao Xue's eyes widened in shock, then she gloated, saying with a smile, "Ge, you actually got tricked too."

Tao Chenggang said angrily, "What are you laughing at! Shouldn't you be filled with righteous indignation and share the same enemy when you hear your own brother was tricked out of money?"

"I'm very angry, extremely angry!" Tao Xue said, puffing out her cheeks and raising her hands into fists, looking like a Pikachu accumulating anger.

"Sigh."

Tao Chenggang said, "Actually, it's not really being tricked out of money. I was happy to pay this money."

Tao Xue smiled, "Although he used a fake name to trick me into buying books, I don't dislike him. In those books, there are his annotations and notes, which are very rewarding to read."

Yang Yuhui thought to himself: Both siblings have fallen for it, completely under his thumb. Chen Guiliang is truly amazing.

"Oh, by the way, Chen Guiliang has a nickname, Chen the Hero. He's quite famous in the third year..." Tao Xue began to recount Chen Guiliang's glorious deeds.

Tao Chenggang listened carefully and actually heard a hint of his own reflection.

After his sister chattered on for a long time, Tao Chenggang said to Yang Yuhui, "Call Feng Tao and ask him to come over for dinner tonight to discuss the private server."

At this moment, Chen Guiliang was strolling on the street, but he found a phone booth and went in to call his parents.

His parents, who had been hiding from debt and repaying it for seven years outside, could finally come home.

(Thanks to big boss jly69 for the Alliance Leader reward.)