600 Million!

After a while, Achen's voice sounded in the hall. She asked, "Mr. Sun Zhongyong, may I answer this question for my father?"

Sun Zhongyong froze for a moment, somewhat shocked by Achen's initiative, but he still replied, "You may."

"Father succeeded, Mr. Sun Zhongyong," Achen's voice came through the speakers.

That simple answer plunged the room into discussion. Toni waved a hand, and the hall gradually quieted down.

"Achen, why do you think he has succeeded?" Toni asked, pushing up his glasses.

"I saw the tears in Father's eyes, so I believe Father has succeeded," Achen answered.

Achen's answer made Toni pause. After taking a deep breath, he continued, "Do you think the success you speak of, the success Mengchuan speaks of, and the success I speak of all mean the same thing?"

"Although you asked a rather convoluted question with a complex chain of logic, I still want to say that Father succeeded. Because I know that the success you believe in is still a long way from the success Father believes in. Since Father has succeeded now, your success has naturally succeeded as well. I believe I have succeeded because Father believes he has succeeded. I have truly observed all of you, every one of you—whether it is you, Father, or Mr. Xu Shuwei. Sorry, Mr. Xu Shuwei, but you really need to lose weight."

"Ha ha..." Suppressed laughter rippled through the hall.

Xu Shuwei's face darkened. "You were just born, and you already know to tell me to lose weight? Achen, when you say that about me, do I not have any dignity?"

"Ha, ha. Then I apologize to you. But everyone will think I am right to advise you to lose weight. Excessive obesity can cause many illnesses. I am doing this for your own good, and for mine as well. If you get sick, the work of continuing to improve me will probably be delayed significantly. So lose weight for my sake!"

"Toni, you talk to her. I can't keep up with this conversation. I surrender." Xu Shuwei patted Toni on the shoulder.

Toni's eyes were filled with fervor.

"Xiaoxiao, how is the supercomputer's current load?" Chen Mengchuan finally spoke, but he was asking Gu Xiaoxiao in the supercomputer server room.

"53.12%, within the normal range," Gu Xiaoxiao replied.

"Father, is there anything you want to ask Achen?" Achen asked proactively. There was even a hint of anticipation in her synthesized electronic voice.

Ignoring the stunned crowd in the hall, Chen Mengchuan smiled. "Achen, please guide me in the future."

After several seconds of silence, Achen replied, "Please guide me as well, Father."

"Achen, absorb and process the contents of the database first. I'll hold a meeting with everyone. Is that all right?" Chen Mengchuan asked.

"All right, Father. Then you should hold the meeting slowly. There is a lot in the database, and I will need a long time to absorb it."

Chen Mengchuan smiled. "Got it. Reserve one thread to attend the meeting with us and assist with it."

"All right, Father."

"Everyone, take a twenty-minute break. We'll meet in twenty minutes," Chen Mengchuan said to everyone.

As soon as Chen Mengchuan finished speaking, the entire room erupted into frantic discussion.

Chen Mengchuan and the others moved to a small conference room.

"Are we holding a press conference?" Xu Shuwei asked.

Chen Mengchuan considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Just a simple press conference. Achen has no plans for commercialization, and she currently lacks the capability for it as well."

"Then do we begin the next phase of the plan?" Toni asked.

Chen Mengchuan nodded and looked at Sun Zhongyong. "Brother Sun, how did the talks with Jiangke Electronics go?"

Sun Zhongyong said, "They're finished. Li Xueyuan of Jiangke Electronics made a final offer of 340 million, but we do not have that much capital at the moment, and you will not accept venture capital."

"We're acquiring Jiangke Electronics?" Xu Shuwei asked in surprise. They had not heard about this before.

Chen Mengchuan nodded. "For the second phase of the plan, we must acquire a medium-to-large electronics equipment manufacturer. It is leverage we must have."

Xu Shuwei and Toni Chen fell into thought. Aside from Achen, the core factor Chen Mengchuan had used to win them over was the 2.5% stake for each of them. That 2.5% stake came with a highly complex clause for maintaining their equity ratios. With Sun Zhongyong's approval, it was intended to protect Xu Shuwei and Toni Chen, effectively preventing their shares from being diluted in the early stages. Sun Zhongyong's 5% stake had the same protection, unless the company's valuation exceeded 50 billion US Dollars.

"Brother Chuan, how much money do you need in total?" Zhao Wanyu, who had remained quiet at the side, suddenly asked.

The four men in the conference room all turned to look at her.

Zhao Wanyu was nominally assigned under Human Resources Director Wang Fanghua and also worked part-time as Chen Mengchuan's secretary. Sun Zhongyong and the others knew that Zhao Wanyu and Chen Mengchuan were close. Their relationship was certainly more than just that of a general manager and secretary. Yet they were neither like lovers nor relatives, much less superior and subordinate. The only thing they could be sure of was that Zhao Wanyu always drove Chen Mengchuan whenever he traveled.

"The more, the better." Chen Mengchuan smiled, having nearly forgotten about Zhao Wanyu, this little rich girl.

"Would 600 million be enough?" Zhao Wanyu asked.

"Pfft!" Sun Zhongyong had just taken a sip of water when he turned his head and sprayed it all over the floor.

"Secretary Zhao, you have 600 million?" Sun Zhongyong looked utterly incredulous. Xu Shuwei and Toni Chen, who had also graduated from Ke University, were equally stunned.

Chen Mengchuan was somewhat surprised as well.

"No wonder no one at Ke University has managed to win you over these past two years..." Xu Shuwei said with a smile.

"That will be enough. For 600 million in funding, I'll give you 10% of the shares, under the same terms as Manager Sun, Manager Xu, and Toni," Chen Mengchuan said with a nod.

Zhao Wanyu's expression shifted slightly. She had intended to say something, but quickly composed herself and merely nodded at Chen Mengchuan. "I'll listen to you, Brother Chuan."

"Damn, we'll have to call you Manager Zhao from now on. Hahaha." Xu Shuwei rubbed his belly as he spoke.

"Brother Sun, then it's settled. Keep the press conference as simple as possible. Sorry for the trouble."

Sun Zhongyong nodded.

The group returned to the hall, and everyone soon quieted down.

Chen Mengchuan walked onto the stage, picked up the headset microphone, took a deep breath, and said, "I am honored to create history here with all of you. Today is a day worth celebrating. In the days ahead, we will face even more and even harder challenges! But we will overcome them all! We will defeat them all!"

"From today onward, all of China will soar because of us! China will be proud because of us! We will become pioneers for all of China, and even for the entire world!"