After the Divorce, I Could Hear the Voice of the Future
Chapter 429 - 426: Close to Lu Zefu

"The correct choice is more important than the correct effort."

"Long Fei, there was no need to explain to you, but since you care so much about the company, I don't mind elaborating."

"Suppose, you cool down the market to bring the stock price back to three US Dollars, or four US Dollars, do you think it's harder to climb from three US Dollars to ten US Dollars six months later, or to fall from ten US Dollars, or even higher, to three US Dollars?"

Lu Liang still had a smile on his face, and he didn't blame Long Fei for his frankness. Although he had his own motives, he didn't feel this would betray the identity of a Panda shareholder.

Old Jia had fled, but recently LeEco had tapped into the heat of the 5G concept and its stock price had returned to double digits.

Because this stock had trapped too many people, small investors might be helpless, but large investors and institutions were constantly thinking of self-rescue, or minimizing losses as much as possible.

If the company had very good prospects, like Ningde Era or BYD, becoming a hype stock would indeed be a bad thing.

But Panda, although listed, was in a very bad situation, surrounded by strong competitors in the live commerce arena; just holding their own ground was a blessing.

Becoming a hype stock and cultivating a group of long-term shareholders at a high level could also facilitate future capital raising from the market, so this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Suddenly, Long Fei's momentum weakened, and Lu Liang, squinting his eyes, said softly, "Mr. Long, you should drink less."

Success is 99% sweat and 1% inspiration, but that 1% inspiration is often more important than the 99% sweat; the same applies here.

Though Lu Liang had once said that of the credits for Panda's development so far, he and Little Wang each had two parts, Long Fei alone had four parts, and the rest had two parts.

This was indeed true, but both Lu Liang and Little Wang were irreplaceable, while Long Fei could be replaced.

By saying this, Long Fei showed he was more arrogant than Little Wang, attributing 90% of Panda's success to himself.

Just like some people always attribute their success to their own hard work, deliberately ignoring the dividends of the era.

Long Fei looked up and saw Lu Liang's gaze, and was suddenly so frightened that his drunkenness dissipated, "Mr. Lu... Mr. Lu, I'm very sorry, I misspoke."

Lu Liang smiled faintly, patted his shoulder, and said no more.

Just then, the spotlight on the stage suddenly hit them, and Little Wang, holding a microphone, said with a grin, "Lu, isn't the atmosphere here good enough? Why are you whispering with Mr. Long?"

Facing the crowd, he said, "They say behind every successful man stands a woman, but I disagree, behind me stands a man."

"It's him, it's him, it's definitely him, our Lu Liang, who is invincible everywhere, undefeated in battle, and unstoppable!"

"The whole venue, with shouts, screams~~"

Cheers and applause resounded.

Lu Liang smiled awkwardly. Little Wang might be tipsy, but he was certainly not; his scalp tingled with embarrassment, but he could only raise his glass, "Gathering here is fate, a toast to you all."

Witnessing this, Long Fei wished he could slap himself.

Even Little Wang didn't dare to speak to Lu Liang like that, and Long Fei, after a couple of drinks, didn't even know his place?

To put it bluntly, if Lu Liang spoke up, Panda's general manager could be replaced tomorrow.

After Little Wang tired of playing, he handed the stage back to the DJ and leisurely approached Lu Liang, "Watching what?"

Lu Liang looked ahead, next to the pool slide, there was a short-haired girl, who seemed to be watching him.

Little Wang followed his gaze, visibly disgusted, "Damn, you jerk, you didn't forget her just because you slept with her, did you?"

"Did I sleep with her?" Lu Liang wondered, then asked, "How do you know? Did you push my butt?"

Little Wang was about to speak, suddenly furious, "I push your dead ass, forget it, figure it out yourself."

He was going to warn Lu Liang, but now he couldn't care less about his fate, directly cuddling his new girlfriend and dancing intimately.

"Call me when you wake up tomorrow; I need to talk to you."

Lu Liang left a message, not bothering to deal with Little Wang any longer, having held back for so long, he might as well let loose for a night.

He circled the open-air pool and approached the short-haired girl, smiling, "Hello, do we know each other?"

Lu Liang wasn't the naive boy; since Little Wang said he had slept with her, it was highly likely true, and he felt she looked familiar; why fuss over it.

"Mr. Lu, you really forget important people."

The short-haired girl looked aggrieved, pulling a green, casino chip-like item from her bag.

Nibbling it between her teeth, her eyes filled with a melancholic glow, she asked again, "Mr. Lu, do you remember now?"

Lu Liang suddenly laughed, "Miss Lin, sorry, sorry, it's been two years, and you've become even more beautiful; I hardly dared recognize you."

It must have been Little Wang's ex-girlfriend's best friend; back then in Macau, she was specifically called over, indeed spending a night of fleeting passion.

Miss Lin playfully scolded, "Mr. Lu, always so charming, but I wonder how many naive girls you've deceived."

Lu Liang was speechless, chuckling, "Aren't you in Yangcheng? How's your online store doing?"

He remembered, Miss Lin was an online celebrity, managing her own women's fashion brand, modeling for her online store.

Seemingly also a high-achieving graduate from Zhejiang University, that night they drank together, he even got a little educated.

Lin Yike once said something he remembered clearly: being an internet celebrity meant being a popular figure online, not a spokesperson for grabbing attention without limits.

It was just that the unevenness in this field prompted the public to label them with stereotypes; and in some sense, Lu Liang and Little Wang were also internet celebrities.

"It's going well, already developing offline stores in Modu." Lin Yike's eyes twinkled with a smile, her gaze growing gentler.

A fleeting romance that lingered in her memory for two years—if Lu Liang had forgotten her, she would have been really sad.

Fortunately, Lu Liang still remembered that she ran an online women's clothing store, which meant he hadn't completely forgotten her.

Lu Liang signaled for a waiter and turned to ask, "Alcohol or juice?"

"Either is fine." Lin Yike spoke softly.

Lu Liang picked up two cocktails and handed one to her: "Did you come here alone?"

"Sort of but not really; I'm just not very familiar with them."

Lin Yike looked towards the girl dancing passionately with Little Wang—his new girlfriend, who was also an internet celebrity, and her classmate.

She laughed heartily and openly said, "It must be what people consider a socialite training class."

"You admit it quite frankly." Lu Liang was dumbfounded, remembering the recent hot search topic about socialites grouping together.

A bag, an accessory, a high tea session—all could be grouped together for a photo shoot, then shared on social media accounts to craft an image of a socialite, all originating from socialite training classes.

Last year, Li Manli also wanted to enroll in such a class, saying she wanted to become more elegant and tasteful, only to be lectured by Lu Liang.

Being a socialite wasn't about pretense—only grandsons were about pretense. So-called Western dining etiquette and wine-tasting etiquette were just barriers set for those lacking in power. Even if one managed to cross these barriers and enter so-called high-end circles, they would still stand as mere underlings.

As long as one was powerful, the barriers of these circles would be incredibly low, even rolling out the red carpet and welcoming them grandly.

Lin Yike, pride evident on her face, said, "They need to pretend; I don't. I'm just looking to expand my brand's market."

Having been an internet celebrity for three years, right when social media rapidly developed, her total assets had exceeded thirty million US Dollars.

At the beginning of the year, she even spent two million US Dollars to fully subscribe to the Tianxing Mixed Fund.

"Mr. Lu, netizens are saying being close to Lu Zefu really seems reasonable." Lin Yike squinted her eyes with a smile.

Ever since meeting Lu Liang, her online store's sales exploded after she returned home. Although the return rate was high, the profits were too.

A typical piece of women's clothing sold for 120, she could earn at least 100, and in just a few months, she made her first million in life.

Lu Liang chuckled lightly, happy for her: "So are you seeking to rekindle our former relationship?"

"Mr. Lu, don't be so narcissistic, okay? You were the one who approached me first." Lin Yike pouted, dissatisfied.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Lu Liang asked.

Lin Yike shook her head: "I haven't found the right one yet."

"You're so beautiful and rich, how could no one pursue you?"

"Perhaps I'm too outstanding, a leftover woman, you know, what's left is only the best."

"Lower your standards a bit."

"I can't lower them even a bit; maybe I'll wait a few more years until I'm really old, then I might be able to settle down and have some fun with a few 'toy boys'."

"Not now?"

"Definitely not now. I'm still young and beautiful. Wouldn't I be at a loss dating 'toy boys' now?"

"Seems like you have a point."

Lu Liang naturally put his arm around Lin Yike's waist: "Women always hope to aim higher."

"Mr. Lu, do you remember? I once asked you a question," Lin Yike smiled broadly, offering no resistance.

"What question?" Lu Liang was puzzled.

Lin Yike suddenly changed the topic: "Mr. Lu, do you have a girlfriend?"

Lu Liang was startled, vaguely recalling what that question might have been, and shook his head with a smile: "No."

Lin Yike giggled coquettishly, a dimple on her left cheek, her beauty indescribable. She leaned on Lu Liang's shoulder, whispering softly, "Mr. Lu, I think I'm a bit drunk."

"Then let me take you home."

"Mhm."

The two arrived at the hotel downstairs, and as soon as they entered the room, sparks flew, ready to ignite.

When Lin Yike had suddenly asked Lu Liang if she could be considered his girlfriend, Lu Liang had not responded, not even willing to deceive her.

Although Lu Liang did not clarify, Lin Yike knew she did not even have the right to be deceived.

Meeting again, Lu Liang had a girlfriend, yet he claimed he didn't, suggesting that now she was eligible to be deceived.