When he heard they were discussing profit shares, Yang Yuhui instantly fell silent and looked at Tao Chenggang expectantly.
Of course he wanted in too.
Tao Chenggang asked, "How much of a share do you want?"
Chen Guiliang said, "I want 28% of the profits. Also, my cousin Feng Tao and Yang Ge have to join too. You can work out how to split the rest yourselves."
Tao Chenggang laughed speechlessly.
He had finally figured out Chen Guiliang's plan.
So developing a Free Game had just been the setup. He had used something for nothing to get the capital to invest in a Legend Private Server!
Tao Chenggang carefully went over the whole process—
In other words, Chen Guiliang had not spent a single cent, yet had gotten him to fork out tens of thousands. There were still tens of thousands in unpaid balance left. Now Chen Guiliang was using the money Tao Chenggang had paid him to turn around and partner with him on a private server. Tao Chenggang had to pay twice before seeing a penny of profit, and somehow he even owed Chen Guiliang a favor.
He even had to thank Chen Guiliang for helping him make money, without feeling the slightest resentment!
And bringing Feng Tao into it was simply another layer of insurance, to keep Tao Chenggang from tampering with the profit split.
Sigh.
This kid was craftier than a ghost.
Tao Chenggang could not help asking, "If I hadn't wanted to develop my own game or buy into your Free Game concept, would you have partnered with me directly on a private server? And taken only a small share?"
"Yes. In that case, I wouldn't have had any capital to invest, so I couldn't have demanded too much of the private server profits," Chen Guiliang answered honestly.
Seeing Yang Yuhui practically itching to get involved, Tao Chenggang sighed. "I'm not low enough to fall out with your cousin over one private server, then fall out with Yang Yuhui too and lose two friends at once. Little brother, I'm starting to doubt you're really just a high school student."
"A top student from No. 2 Middle School," Chen Guiliang said.
Tao Chenggang sighed. "Even top students from Tsinghua and Peking University don't have as many schemes as you!"
He took out his phone and placed it in front of Chen Guiliang. "Call your cousin yourself, so you don't say I'm trying to trick you again."
Feng Tao's business had been pretty good that day. He had actually made one sale in the morning and another in the afternoon.
He was helping a customer choose a computer setup when he casually pulled out his phone to answer. "Hello... Guiliang? You really sold that stuff?"
"I sold it. I'm calling you on President Tao's phone."
"You're still the impressive one. I never would've thought of it."
"I'm going to make a Legend Private Server with President Tao and Yang Ge, the kind that makes big money. Come join us."
"I'll pass. I'm content selling computers."
"You can invest just a few thousand, and make your money back in a few days."
"Quit joking around."
"Let President Tao talk to you."
Chen Guiliang handed the phone to Tao Chenggang.
Tao Chenggang got straight to the point. "Feng Tao, just put in a few thousand. Otherwise your nephew won't trust me. Yang Yuhui is joining too. You two are the fuses—your nephew is afraid I'll skim his money when we split the profits."
Yang Yuhui shouted from beside him, "Feng Lao Er, come on, join us! Your nephew is fucking incredible!"
"Fine, I'll put in 2,000 yuan." Feng Tao did not refuse again. Throwing in a little money was enough to show his support.
After hanging up, Tao Chenggang asked with a smile, "Feeling reassured now?"
Chen Guiliang poured himself a drink and raised his glass. "A toast to President Tao and Yang Ge. May money pour in for us!"
"Easy enough."
Tao Chenggang tipped back his head and drained his glass. "I'll contact some experts tonight to make the private server. Those guys are all night owls."
Yang Yuhui drank heartily as well, then warmly patted Chen Guiliang on the shoulder.
Chen Guiliang said, "After this meal, I'll go to the bank and transfer President Tao the money. How much should I invest?"
"No need to give me anything. We'll deduct it from the balance I still owe you. Just wait to collect your 28% share," Tao Chenggang said. He had completely come around and would no longer use the remaining tens of thousands to hold Chen Guiliang back.
There was no need to write contracts or IOUs.
A verbal agreement on how to split the profits was enough.
Private servers were illegal to begin with. If things really went south, would they take it to court? It all came down to mutual trust.
After the meal, Tao Chenggang insisted on driving Chen Guiliang home.
There were no designated drivers in those days, and Tao Chenggang had no chauffeur either. Chen Guiliang was so frightened that he repeatedly declined, saying he still wanted to stroll around downtown.
Watching Tao Chenggang drive off drunk, Chen Guiliang could only hope he would not get into an accident.
He was still counting on the man to make money!
After driving two blocks, Tao Chenggang pulled over to the side of the road and smoked to sober up.
The cold wind cleared his head considerably.
He felt that he had been a little impulsive that day, but he did not regret it. He never regretted what he did.
Taking out those A4 sheets, then pulling out the notes he had made during dinner, Tao Chenggang read them again and again. The more he read, the more promising they seemed. Making games would definitely make money.
That unconventional private server could make money too, and it would be perfect for building up more capital for developing his own games.
That high school student had a sharp mind. He would have to find a way to win him over later.
"Brother Gang, give me a ride back to the studio," Yang Yuhui said with a cheeky grin.
Tao Chenggang asked, "What do you think of Chen Guiliang?"
Yang Yuhui gave him a thumbs-up. "He's damn smart and capable too. He'll definitely be a big boss someday."
Tao Chenggang said, "Don't go back to the studio. Come to my place first so we can discuss the private server details."
"Sure, I'll make arrangements." Yang Yuhui began making calls.
Among those internet-addicted teenagers at the studio, he could always find one or two with quick minds.
Yang Yuhui had been training assistants all along. Usually, he could just toss the trivial matters to them. This time, since they were partnering on a private server, he wanted to bring an assistant in too, specifically to play games alongside wealthy players.
Drunk driving was far too common in those days. He drove all the way home without any traffic police stopping him.
The moment Tao Chenggang entered, he flopped onto the sofa. Yang Yuhui ran off to pour him tea, as though the host and guest had gotten their roles mixed up.
Ding-dong, ding-dong!
"Brother!"
Before Yang Yuhui had even finished pouring the tea, the doorbell rang again. He ran to open the door and said with a smile, "Xue Yao Mei'er."
"Hello, Yang Yu Gege."
Tao Xue gave a bright greeting, then ran inside and sat beside her brother. "I heard the door close over here, so I knew you were back."
Their family had originally lived in housing assigned by the factory.
Later, after Tao Chenggang made money, he bought two adjacent new apartments. One was for his parents and sister, while he lived alone in the other.
"Were there guests at home? I think I heard voices just now," Tao Chenggang asked.
Tao Xue smiled. "Someone came to set you up again. I think it was Director Liu's niece from the factory."
Tao Chenggang was left speechless.
Ever since people learned that he had made money, someone came by every few days to set him up. Most of the time, he could not refuse outright and had to make time to meet them, since his parents had not retired yet and had to show some people at the factory proper respect.
Tao Chenggang had known Director Liu's niece before. Leaving aside her short, plump figure, she also had several very noticeable moles on her face.
Tao Xue teased her brother. "She graduated from university, works at a foreign company, and her uncle is an executive at a state-owned enterprise. She's more than good enough for a vocational college graduate like you."
"Adults' business. Kids shouldn't butt in," Tao Chenggang said gloomily.
Tao Xue chuckled. "The real adults already settled it just now. When that woman comes home for the New Year, they'll arrange for you two to meet. Maybe she can even help you with your business."
"Cut it out."
Tao Chenggang quickly interrupted her. "There's a student at County 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.
"That guy is terrible," Tao Xue said, then recounted in detail how she had bought the books. "That day, I went to buy ice cream with my roommate after PE class. When we came back, I saw someone selling books from a stall... It made me so mad! I ran to Class 1, Senior 3 to look for Zhang Wei, but there was no one there by that name at all."
Yang Yuhui sat nearby and slapped the sofa as he laughed. "Hahaha, that sounds exactly like something he'd do. He's got one trick after another when it comes to scamming people."
Tao Xue asked, "How do you all know him?"
Yang Yuhui said, "Chen Guiliang scammed Brother Gang out of 100,000 yuan today."
"100,000?"
Tao Xue's eyes widened in shock. Then she looked delighted by his misfortune and said with a grin, "Brother, so you can get scammed too?"
Tao Chenggang snapped, "What are you laughing at? Shouldn't you be furious and share your own brother's outrage after hearing I got cheated out of money?"
"I'm furious. Extremely furious!" Tao Xue puffed out her cheeks as she spoke, raised both hands, and clenched them into fists. She looked exactly like a Pikachu storing up anger.
Sigh.
Tao Chenggang said, "Actually, it doesn't really count as being scammed. I was happy to pay that money."
Tao Xue said with a smile, "Even though he used a fake name to trick me into buying books, I don't dislike him either. The books had his annotations and notes in them. I got a lot out of reading them."
Yang Yuhui thought, These siblings have both taken the bait. He has them wrapped around his finger. Chen Guiliang is seriously incredible.
"Oh, right, Chen Guiliang has a nickname—Chen the Hero. He's quite famous among the Senior 3 students..." Tao Xue began recounting Chen Guiliang's glorious deeds.
Tao Chenggang listened carefully and somehow caught a glimpse of himself in the stories.
After his sister chattered away for a long time, Tao Chenggang said to Yang Yuhui, "Call Feng Tao and tell him to come over for dinner tonight. We'll discuss the private server together."
Before you continue