Dust Settled

The conference room suddenly fell silent.

Ma Teng stood up and patted his back. "Sorry, I'm going to use the restroom."

"Sorry, I need to go too."

A few people hurried out.

Ma Teng sighed in the restroom. "Ah, I've been away from academia for so long that I can't follow these cutting-edge topics anymore. But judging by those old professors' expressions, there shouldn't be any problems... Xisha University has worked with us for a long time, and they've always been trustworthy."

"Xiao Guo, what do you think of Zhang Yuan?"

The assistant, Xiao Guo, thought for a moment and replied earnestly, "Mr. Ma, if we can hire him, we absolutely should. I'd estimate that with him, we could cut the timeline by at least a third. A job that would normally take twelve months could be done in eight..."

The restroom door opened again, and Chairman Ding came in.

As soon as he entered, he said loudly, "Mr. Ma, could I ask you a favor, in a personal capacity?"

It was a small world. Though the two were rivals, they were also friends in private.

Ma Teng burst out laughing, as if he knew what Ding was about to say. "No, I won't accept! Not even in a personal capacity!"

"Mr. Ding, are you really going to fight me for this guy?"

Ding Peng laughed along with him. "Then let's both get behind the sedan chair and raise the price together until it reaches the moon?"

"I'm not stupid. I think we could do this..."

When the group returned, Ma Teng's first words were, "Mr. Zhang, have you considered staying on Earth and joining our company?"

He held up two fingers. "I'll offer you an annual salary of two million. If the government wants to punish you for anything, we'll take care of it!"

The two Deep Space Foundation representatives turned green at this blatant attempt to poach Zhang Yuan, but they didn't know what to say.

Zhang Yuan immediately shook his head. "Sorry, Mr. Ma... This has been my dream ever since I was a child."

The two representatives let out another long sigh of relief.

Ma Teng said meaningfully, "Two million is already a lot. I'd have to spend quite a bit of time persuading the board to approve a high-paying position for an outside hire... Every penny in the company's budget is accounted for."

"Remember, we've only known each other for two hours. We know you're very capable, which is why we offered that much..."

"But knowledge doesn't necessarily mean you can do the job. I've met plenty of people who can talk but can't deliver... If you really produce results down the line, the price won't be a problem!"

Ding Peng laughed. "Mr. Ma, you're being awfully stingy. I'll offer him an annual salary of three million, and I'll put in another million out of my own pocket! All he has to do is agree to stay."

Zhang Yuan hurriedly said, "I appreciate the offer, but it's not about the money. Even two hundred million wouldn't change my mind. Mr. Ma, Mr. Ding, I think that from where you stand, you should understand that life isn't just about money. There are many things more important than money."

"I can work on the project aboard the spaceship, too. There's communication equipment on board, so staying in touch remotely won't be difficult."

Ma Teng stared at him for a moment, then nodded to show he understood and quietly sat back down.

The conference room fell silent for a while.

After a long pause, he said admiringly, "I envy you young people. You're willing to abandon everything and start over on an unfamiliar planet. Sometimes, I feel the same urge."

"A new civilization—a grand vision. In our imagination, it's like paradise, always full of endless possibilities."

"...As someone who's benefited from Earth's civilization developing to this point, I often feel that many things are wrong, but I don't know how to set them right."

"Or maybe I know perfectly well that many things are wrong, yet I still oppose changing them because the changes would affect my own interests. Perhaps that's what people mean when they say your position determines your perspective..."

"I hope your new civilization will become a better place."

"Thank you, Mr. Ma," Zhang Yuan said with a smile.

"See? He's not going to stay here!" Wang Lili whispered to Han Ziyue.

"I know," Han Ziyue said with a smile. "If he really stayed, I probably wouldn't even bother with him..."

"Don't you think he looked so cool when he turned them down just now? That Mr. Ma was completely stunned! Even two hundred million wasn't enough..."

Wang Lili looked rather helpless. "Fine. I really don't understand you artsy girls. You make yourselves miserable for no reason. Why bother making friends? I don't want to be friends with him at all."

The negotiations over the collaboration lasted three days in total. The back-and-forth over the equity split and all the terms left Zhang Yuan utterly exhausted.

Even the usually refined Professor Lu and Professor Lin had to get involved, saying they could take part in some of the work.

After everything was settled, Zhang Yuan treated the two girls to a meal at a small restaurant.

"I finally understand why those big companies are so rich. They never let go of a single penny until they see a rabbit. They saved their way to riches!" Zhang Yuan couldn't help complaining.

After all the haggling among the five major companies, they'd invested only twenty million. It was enough to make anyone's jaw drop. They planned to register a small company called Genesis Technology Co., Ltd.

As one of the technology providers, Zhang Yuan held a ten-percent stake. Of course, taking the ten percent meant giving up the two-million annual salary.

"They even wanted to save the two-million salary. I'm impressed."

But even so, he was in a pretty good mood. When he donated money, he'd been like some rich tycoon throwing it around, but that had all been wealth left by his father. This time, he'd earned the money himself, and that made all the difference.

Han Ziyue smiled. "This round of investment is called a 'seed round.' The project is just a concept; there's only an idea, with no actual product or service. It's also called 'face-based investment'... In other words, they're giving you money because of who you are."

"The fact that they're willing to invest twenty million already shows how much they respect you and the university! You don't have anything yet. Do you really think people would invest billions based on a concept alone? Impossible."

Zhang Yuan nodded. She was right.

Being optimistic about the project was one thing; whether it could actually deliver results was another.

Han Ziyue added, "Didn't they reserve the right to make additional investments in the partnership agreement? If you really get results, those big companies will all rush to invest. After rounds A, B, and then C, the company could grow into a major player in no time."

"Sure, I know that. They're investing less now as a way to control their risk. But they're really shrewd."

Zhang Yuan said, "Besides, in a few years, the company will have nothing to do with me."

He didn't care how the company developed in the future. He wouldn't be on Earth to enjoy that sense of accomplishment.

The foundation's people had also managed to secure him a considerable stake. Under the company's articles of association, Zhang Yuan's ten-percent stake counted as fixed equity. Even after future fundraising and share expansions, he'd still own ten percent; his shares wouldn't be diluted.

"If the shares weren't fixed, I'd be better off taking the salary and donating it to the foundation."

This arrangement was actually a pretty sweet deal. With a fixed ten-percent stake and no need to put in additional capital, Zhang Yuan could maintain his shareholding. He'd made out like a bandit—assuming the project actually took off. Otherwise, it would all be nothing but a beautiful illusion.

Afterward, the chairmen invited him and the professors to dinner, but Zhang Yuan politely declined. There was no need for that kind of socializing, and they would all understand.

"I'd rather have dinner with you!"

"Why?"

Zhang Yuan hesitated before saying, "Because it saves time."

"If I eat with them, who knows how long they'll spend discussing things. Then they'll all have to flatter each other. What a pain."

Laughter filled the room.

With one burden finally lifted, Zhang Yuan felt much more at ease. This was probably the last major matter he needed to take care of before leaving.

He checked the date. There was only one day left, and he couldn't help feeling a little sad.

Tomorrow would be his last day on Earth.

That day had finally arrived.