Venture Capital Planning, Returning in Glory to Enter Shengxin

Tianhong Venture Capital.

This was an investment firm co-founded by Zhang Shangyu. Initially, the original plan was for their first project to be a film brought in by an investment manager they had poached. However, thanks to a warning from Zhang Long, Zhang Shangyu had spent the past few days using his connections to investigate the matter.

And he actually uncovered some issues.

……

"Phew, that was close."

At the Tianhong Venture Capital office, Zhang Shangyu gently rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Manager Li himself isn't the problem; the problem is the film project. I learned from a friend that there's something fishy about it, though they didn't go into detail."

He hadn't gone into detail, but the hint was more than enough.

"Let's change the project."

Zhang Long, Ding Junchen, Nie Yun, and Yang Qingshuang were all present in the office. Among them, Yang Qingshuang's expression was the ugliest. If Tianhong's very first investment failed and went down the drain, it would be terribly inauspicious.

As for the loss of ten million, while a substantial sum, splitting it five ways meant two million per person, which was no big deal.

It was merely pocket money for the five of them.

"A-Long, thanks."

Zhang Shangyu expressed his gratitude to Zhang Long. "If it weren't for your warning and caution, I would probably have taken a nasty fall. Losing a bit of money is no big deal, but losing face would be fatal."

"Don't mention it, Brother Zhang..."

Zhang Long replied with a smile. "Investing in a movie for our first project felt a bit insubstantial. I just threw that out there out of caution without thinking much else. Tianhong must have backup projects prepared; we might as well bring those to the table."

"As for Manager Li?"

Hearing this, Zhang Shangyu nodded knowingly. "I've already let him go. Regardless of whether he found the film project himself or sourced it through other channels, if something goes wrong, it's his responsibility. Tianhong has poached other investment managers, and they've all brought their own projects..."

With that, Zhang Shangyu gave a subtle nod to Yang Qingshuang. The conference room projector flickered on to display a PowerPoint presentation.

Three backup manager projects.

As the PPT played and the introduction proceeded, Zhang Long's gaze remained firmly fixed on the screen. However, right up to the end, he did not see any figures related to "return value" displayed on the slides. He wondered if it was impossible to display, or if all three projects were normal investments without any hidden pitfalls.

Investments naturally came with both gains and losses.

Just like a movie script: a director might shoot one and it becomes a massive box office hit, while another results in a total loss.

The same applied to physical investments. Even two identical shops on the same street operating the exact same way could see one packed with customers while the other sat desolate.

Operations, management, personnel—all major conditions had to be on point with no major flaws for a venture to turn a profit.

……

"Virtual? Pass."

Zhang Shangyu had also grown a bit cautious. One of the three backup projects was virtual, so he crossed it off immediately. Of the remaining two physical projects, one was an investment in a milk tea chain, and the other was a hot pot restaurant. They were both tied to the food and beverage industry.

Previously, Zhang Shangyu hadn't cared for milk tea or hot pot at all, but now it seemed these two were all that remained.

"Let's go with the milk tea."

The voice belonged to Yang Qingshuang. "Spring is already here, and the spring and summer seasons are prime time for cold drinks. Even in autumn and winter, hot beverages sell well. Although there are countless milk tea brands of all sizes in the country, as long as costs are controllable and operations run smoothly, making a profit shouldn't be an issue."

"The flavors are basically all similar anyway; the worst ones aren't that far off from the best. We can give it a try."

The milk tea chain on the PPT was a new brand. To expand its market presence and build a reputation, they planned to open multiple stores simultaneously alongside grand opening promotions. Shanghai was massive, and this particular project involved opening five stores first to test the waters.

The projected investment was one million per store.

Prime commercial locations, equipment and raw materials, staff salaries, plus promotional discounts lasting at least a month—one million wasn't an exorbitant sum.

If they could carve out a foothold in the market at the start, the subsequent phase would simply involve scaling up the model and growing the brand.

And when the time was right, they would cash out.

Venture capital was all about investing in entrepreneurial talent and providing them with capital, rather than Tianhong stepping down into the arena to handle management and operations themselves. Out of ten investments, perhaps only two or three would turn a profit, but that was generally enough.

After putting funds into a project to test the waters, if it proved valueless, they would immediately cut losses and pull the brakes—unless it was a project they valued immensely, in which case they would hold on until the bitter end and gamble!

Of course, winning a gamble often didn't guarantee a massive return, but losing meant a bloody defeat and total ruin.

"Alright, milk tea it is."

"Fine, no problem."

As Nie Yun and Ding Junchen both nodded in agreement, only Zhang Long was left. Zhang Shangyu shifted his gaze toward him as well; surely this one would be okay.

"I have no problem with it either."

Zhang Long had been pondering something just a moment before. Snapping back to reality upon sensing everyone's eyes on him, he gave the green light.

Putting everything else aside, when everyone agreed to invest in the milk tea chain, no negative return values appeared over anyone's head. At the very least, this milk tea chain project was normal, and the corresponding managers and founding investors were untainted by fraud.

That was enough. As long as there were no hidden traps, it was good to go.

……

"The funds will arrive next week."

Tianhong Venture Capital was now just short of Zhang Long's ten million to reach the fifty million milestone. The first project, the milk tea chain investment, only required five million—merely a third of their total capital. Aside from keeping necessary liquidity and covering Tianhong's operational payroll, they needed to spend as much as possible.

Therefore, they would definitely invest in a few more projects in the near future, aiming to deploy at least twenty million first.

"Got it, no rush for now."

Zhang Shangyu and the others didn't say much more. Since Zhang Long said the funds would arrive next week, they would almost certainly be there; otherwise, constantly backing out of commitments wouldn't look good.

As for whether Zhang Long was mortgaging his luxury mansion to cash out or using other channels, it didn't matter.

In 2013, Tianhong Venture Capital definitely needed to produce some results; running a business without making waves was pointless.

As for Zhang Long's perspective, it was simple.

Ten million wasn't an astronomical sum. Throwing it into Tianhong allowed him to maintain a certain network of connections and partnerships with Zhang Shangyu and the others. Since they were all looking to get things done and make money, they wouldn't deliberately sabotage investments for the sake of it. As long as the projects were decent, turning a profit wouldn't be a problem.

Of course, exactly how much he would make was hard to say, and Zhang Long wasn't counting on this ten million to yield a fortune. Simply dropping by Tianhong from time to time to attend strategy meetings made it entirely worthwhile.

With every new project he encountered and every operational management model of Tianhong Venture Capital he learned, he was accumulating wealth.

Besides, investing ten million in Tianhong didn't mean he couldn't start his own investment management company later on.

He could just treat this as gaining hands-on experience at Tianhong.

For instance, if the timing was right in half a year, once Shengxin's development and operations stabilized and he had more free time, his foreign exchange earnings would long since have surpassed one hundred million.

Leaving a pile of cash sitting in a bank account was the most wasteful approach. Why not start a venture capital firm and let the money make more money?

That sounded pretty good. Entering Tianhong as an investor hadn't been a waste at all.

"Brother Zhang, hold on a second."

As the meeting broke up, Zhang Long stopped him, having another matter to discuss. "I'm thinking of buying a Cayenne recently. Do you have any connections or friends who are into cars? Can you bridge the gap?"

While he could simply walk into a Porsche 4S dealership and buy one directly, leveraging personal connections was always preferable.

Human relationships required mutual give-and-take.

"Okay, easy."

Zhang Shangyu nodded without a moment's hesitation. "I'll forward you a WeChat contact later. Just reach out to schedule a meeting to check out the cars, and I'll give them a heads-up."

"Sounds good, cheers."

And just like that, the meeting concluded. Zhang Long walked away today with a full harvest, his future plans clearer than ever.

Being a novice wasn't terrifying; as long as you were eager to learn, anything was possible.

……

"Hmph, eating inside and out."

On Friday evening, Ling Zhiqing, who had officially stepped down from Hongze today, was summoned back to the Ling family's ancestral home. The moment she stepped through the doors, a sneering voice greeted her, but she ignored it.

She had resigned from Hongze, only to join forces with Qian Caiying to invest in Shengxin. It was obvious she had no intention of keeping a low profile.

Wouldn't it be better to just stay quietly at home and wait to be married off?

"Quiet down."

The old patriarch still harbored a soft spot for Ling Zhiqing and doted on her. Although she was a bit disobedient, the Ling family didn't strictly rely on arranged marriages to weather their storms. Not long ago, when he ran into the old immortal of the Qian family, he had been ruthlessly mocked for selling his granddaughter. Aside from turning dark, he could only blush, completely lacking the backbone to retort.

That little Qian girl was only a true disciple of the old hag; when it came to verbal sparring, she still fell short by half.

"Grandfather, I'm sorry."

Ling Zhiqing lowered her gaze without offering any retort or explanation. Ever since her mother passed away from illness, she had become less and less welcome in this household. If not for her grandfather's lingering care in this ancestral home, there would be basically no reason for her to return so often.

As for her father? Better not to mention him.

Interests superseded familial affection. Even while her mother was still alive and before she fell ill, he had kept a mistress outside, and now his younger son was studying abroad and about to return soon.

There was no place for Ling Zhiqing in this house.

Yet, even so, the family education instilled in her since childhood placed filial piety at the forefront; she was deeply filial.

She could compromise on almost anything, but on the matter of marriage—her ultimate life event—she could not back down. The precedent was right in front of her eyes.

Her father was the best example.

"Just make sure you don't regret it."

In the study, the old patriarch didn't say much more. Ling Zhiqing's choice to break away from the family framework alongside Qian Caiying to venture out into the world had both pros and cons. After all, the waters outside were very deep; simply carrying the Ling family name wouldn't automatically earn everyone's respect—at most, it bought a tiny sliver of courtesy.

The same applied even with Qian Caiying by her side. If the two women failed to maintain proper relations with outsiders, nobody would care whether it was the Ling family or the Qian family; if they needed to be driven out, they would be shown the door just the same.

The major shareholder of Shengxin didn't play favorites with nonsense.

"I am still a member of the Ling family."

Ling Zhiqing bit her lip and spoke with firm resolution. "Just pretend I've temporarily gone abroad on vacation. The day the Ling family truly needs me, I won't stand by with my arms folded. I'll exert every ounce of strength I have—I mean what I say."

"Mm, thank you."

A simple "thank you" almost caused Ling Zhiqing's defenses to shatter, driving her to tears. "Thank you" implied politeness; it implied estrangement.

Grandfather and granddaughter—how sigh-inducing.

……

"You have your eye on that Zhang Long?"

Over at the Qian family's ancestral home, the atmosphere wasn't nearly as solemn as the Ling household's. They weren't discussing career or work either; instead, they showed a much greater interest in the relationship between Zhang Long and Qian Caiying.

At twenty-eight, she wasn't young anymore. Being three years older than that Zhang Long was said to bring good fortune, and getting married and having children right about now was entirely feasible.

"Stop right there, absolutely not."

Qian Caiying rolled her eyes slightly. "At most, I have a sliver of appreciation for him; he's not my type."

"Grandfather, you know me. I like the refined, erudite, and knowledgeable sort—someone who knows how to pamper and take care of someone, treating me like their precious treasure."

"Then you might as well keep dreaming."

The Ling family's old patriarch unceremoniously curled his lip. "No one is perfect. If someone like that exists, it's definitely an act. I won't bring up that past lesson; you have a big heart and moved past it long ago, but you mustn't fall in the same ditch twice."

"Isn't that Zhang Long an orphan? He'd fit right in as a matrilocal son-in-law for our Qian family—the best of both worlds."

"Tsk, keep dreaming."

This time it was Qian Caiying who pushed back, telling her grandfather to stop dreaming. "Zhang Long was dumped precisely because he refused to be a matrilocal husband. That phrase is probably nailed into his pride for life."

"What a pity."

The old patriarch clicked his tongue with a smile. "Why don't you just find a husband whose surname is Qian as well, get married, and have kids quickly? You're twenty-eight; a few more years and you'll be an advanced-age maternal risk. The younger you are when you give birth, the healthier and smarter the child. Understand?"

"I'd believe a ghost before I believe you."

Qian Caiying stood up immediately and bid him farewell. Tonight was just a dinner at the ancestral home punctuated by nagging, but she intended to sleep in her own villa for maximum comfort.

The ancestral home felt too gloomy and oppressive.

Seeing this, Old Master Qian didn't try too hard to persuade her to stay; instead, a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.

Zhang Long possessed decent capability. If he could be absorbed into the Qian family as a matrilocal son-in-law, it would be like adding wings to a tiger. Unfortunately, his granddaughter wasn't the type to easily captivate men, and frankly, her looks weren't as striking as the Ling girl's—a rather troublesome predicament.

Oh well, let fate take its course. Marriage certificates could be signed casually on a whim, but emotional attachments couldn't be forced; the more one meditated, the messier things got.

Let nature take its course. What if things worked out down the line?

"Old Fei."

Suddenly, Old Master Qian called out. A figure emerged from the side door—none other than the butler who had reported on the luxury yacht last time. He stepped forward to listen to the instructions.

A moment later, he nodded in acknowledgment and withdrew.

No outsiders knew of this conversation. Until results materialized, these ripples didn't matter.

……

Saturday and Sunday passed in a flash.

Zhang Long first met up with the friend recommended by Zhang Shangyu. Accompanied by that friend, he went straight to the Porsche 4S dealership to look at the Cayenne. The chosen specifications, interior options, and taxes totaled around two million.

The overall class was certainly better than a BMW 740, though not by an overwhelming margin. Aside from the Cayenne SUV being much larger, they were roughly comparable.

He didn't buy a supercar; that could wait for next time.

Zhang Long anticipated having very little leisure time to enjoy himself over the next half year. Once he stepped into Shengxin, he'd be busy; trading futures and foreign exchange on his own would keep him busy; and Tianhong Venture Capital would require him to drop in for strategy meetings from time to time. Where would he find the time to wine, dine, and play around everywhere?

As for the weekends, he could spend time rolling in the sheets with Luo Man or taking Liang Xue out for a meal, but aside from that, his schedule was essentially packed. He'd deal with other things once things slowed down.

In half a year, after National Day, whether it was a BMW or a Cayenne SUV, once his driving skills were fully honed, he'd buy a supercar then.

To avoid needing major repairs from the slightest scratch.

As for the Luo family's rental housing and retail storefront, Zhang Long had just successfully negotiated with the original landlord. Once the agency paperwork and property transfers were completed next week, they could officially sign the contracts. Currently in mid-March, the Luo family would be able to move into their new home before the end of the month.

As for the storefront, it would naturally need design and decoration. Mama Luo could continue working at her current fruit shop in the meantime; by the time everything was fully explored and set up, the timing would be absolute perfection.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly and methodical fashion.

"Damn it, what kind of nonsense is this?"

Monday morning marked the opening of the stock market. Looking at his portfolio plunging further downward, Song Wei let out a harsh curse.

He had no idea what was going on lately, but Hongze's stock recommendations were getting increasingly pathetic. They were decent around the New Year and February, but starting in March, things went completely south.

A bear market was understandable—stock picks naturally fluctuated between wins and losses—but making money was an uphill battle while losing it happened in a flash.

His previous gains had been completely wiped out.

Song Wei's trading situation was not an isolated case at Hongze; the vast majority of clients were experiencing the exact same thing. Previously, Ling Yushan hadn't paid much attention to it, but now, with an escalating volume of angry calls from furious clients, something felt fundamentally wrong.

"Huh? This account?"

Suddenly, Ling Yushan froze.

After Ling Zhiqing and Qian Caiying departed, he had obtained full administrative permissions today, and suddenly noticed an abrupt, anomalous account. Its returns were shockingly higher than every single profitable client combined?

The transaction history looked terrifyingly pristine!

And right at that moment, Qian Caiying, Ling Zhiqing, and Zhang Long, accompanied by Old Zhu and others, stepped into Shengxin's conference room to officially sign their residency contracts.

However, the moment Director You and Director Guan saw Zhang Long standing right behind Old Zhu, their faces turned as dark as charcoal.

"Long time no see, Director You."

Zhang Long greeted them with a smile. Shengxin had already signed equity and share buyback agreements with Director You, Director Guan, and the others, so showing his face today carried no risks.

At the same time, it was a chance to bid farewell to old friends—though Director You and Director Guan looked on the verge of suffering a cerebral infarction?

No worries, he'd gladly dial emergency services for them.