Buzz buzz buzz—
Chen Yansen's phone suddenly vibrated, interrupting his thoughts.
"Hello? Say something!"
"Boss, you're still not up? Our train leaves at ten." Song Yuncheng, pulling her suitcase, stood at the school gate and asked softly.
"Do I ever rush you when you're late?" Chen Yansen said irritably.
"Yes, yes, Boss Chen is right." Song Yuncheng, who had just received her salary, didn't dare talk back this time.
Chen Yansen hung up, went to the bathroom to freshen up, dressed neatly, stuffed a few sets of clothes into his suitcase, and leisurely headed downstairs to drive toward the east gate.
"Get in."
Two minutes later, Chen Yansen stopped the car and called out to Song Yuncheng.
Song Yuncheng put her suitcase in the trunk and was about to get into the back seat when Chen Yansen glared at her. "What are you doing? Using your boss as a chauffeur?"
"Oh." Song Yuncheng shrank back and obediently took the passenger seat.
"Every business trip, the boss has to drive you. If you don't have your driver's license by the next trip, I'm transferring you back to the design team," Chen Yansen threatened.
"I'm on it! I'm taking the test now—I'll definitely pass on the first try," Song Yuncheng assured him quickly.
Last month, she took home 59,000 yuan. Why would she want to go back to the design team for a fixed salary of five or six thousand?
"I'm taking you for two main reasons: First, Mr. Lei promised to introduce me to Amazon's new channel director and Vancl's Chen Nian—you'll handle liaison with them. Second, we'll discuss a game co-promotion partnership with Xiaomi."
After giving instructions, Chen Yansen drove off toward Xucheng East Station.
New channel director?
"Zhang Hanhua resigned?" Song Yuncheng asked in surprise.
"Didn't you see the news? He was arrested for taking kickbacks—probably looking at five or six years inside," Chen Yansen said casually.
Song Yuncheng fell silent, staring at Chen Yansen with a knowing look.
"It has nothing to do with me," Chen Yansen denied outright.
As a third-party channel, FoxTao—regardless of Zhang Hanhua's character—understood that accepting rebates was an unspoken rule in most business dealings.
If word got out that he was the one who got Zhang Hanhua arrested, he'd likely be labeled unethical.
Reputation is worthless when you don't need it, but priceless when you do.
Song Yuncheng clearly didn't buy it; she had a strong feeling Chen Yansen was behind Zhang Hanhua's downfall.
She smiled, didn't press further, and began studying the gameplay and core profit model of game co-operation. Once she grasped it, she started thinking about how FoxTao, as a third-party channel, should approach distribution and promotion to maximize profits.
Soon, Chen Yansen parked at the high-speed rail station, wheeled his suitcase inside, with Song Yuncheng following closely.
The journey from Xucheng to Yanjing took three and a half hours.
The two sat in the waiting hall. Song Yuncheng unzipped her backpack, took out a bag of still-warm steamed buns, and began eating in small bites.
Chen Yansen had overslept and hadn't eaten. He'd planned to buy a boxed lunch on the train, but the aroma of the buns made his mouth water.
Without hesitation, he snatched one from Song Yuncheng's hand and devoured it. Mmm, his favorite—pickled bean and pork bun.
He finished a tofu and vermicelli bun in a few more bites.
"Not bad. Which cafeteria window did you get these from?" Chen Yansen asked, licking his lips with satisfaction.
"Second cafeteria, first floor, third stall from the entrance," Song Yuncheng replied, opening her mouth but not daring to say more, her voice trailing off.
"Next time you buy breakfast, remember to get me some," Chen Yansen instructed.
Song Yuncheng nodded, unlike a few months ago when she would've foolishly asked why.
"Passengers, boarding for train G106 has begun. Please have your tickets and valid ID ready, queue in an orderly manner, and proceed to the designated platform," the announcement sounded.
The two found their corresponding carriages and seats according to their tickets.
After eating a boxed lunch, Chen Yansen closed his eyes for a short nap. When he opened them again, the high-speed train had arrived.
They took a taxi to the hotel and, as usual, booked only one suite.
Song Yuncheng pulled her suitcase to the sofa, plopped down, and reclined comfortably.
"I have a meeting tonight. Dress nicely," Chen Yansen said, turning and walking into the bedroom.
Dress nicely?
Song Yuncheng paused slightly. The only decent outfit she had was the "work uniform" Chen Yansen bought her in Shenzhen last year—a white blazer set.
March in Yanjing was still chilly, so Song Yuncheng added a base layer, walked to the mirror, and tucked her loose long hair behind her ears.
Her oval face was full of collagen. Paired with the highly business-like attire, she exuded both youthful charm and a mature, sophisticated aura.
Chen Yansen changed into a casual suit, pushed open the door, and happened to see Song Yuncheng in the mirror.
"Why are you wearing this again?" Chen Yansen said disapprovingly.
It wasn't that the clothes were bad—Mr. Chen was just tired of seeing them.
"Is it not okay?" Song Yuncheng looked puzzled. She'd privately studied business etiquette and didn't think there was anything wrong.
"You must have been a miser in your past life," Chen Yansen joked.
He checked the time on his phone and said to Song Yuncheng, "Let's go."
"Then you must be the reincarnation of a ruthless miser," Song Yuncheng muttered softly, afraid Chen Yansen would hear.
"Alright, I'll transfer you to the customer service team next month," Chen Yansen said with a squinty smile.
"You heard that?" Song Yuncheng stared wide-eyed, incredulous.
"Have you forgotten? My hearing is very sharp." Chen Yansen pointed to his ear, grinning mischievously.
"Boss, you misheard. I didn't say anything," Song Yuncheng smiled apologetically, stubbornly denying it.
Chen Yansen ignored her and walked straight out.
Song Yuncheng quickly chased after him.
After leaving the hotel lobby, Chen Yansen hailed a taxi, gave the destination, and then contacted Lei Jun on MiTalk.
About twenty minutes later, the car stopped in front of a quaint roast duck restaurant. The exterior was grandly decorated, with several luxury cars parked outside, indicating the place wasn't cheap.
As soon as Chen Yansen got out, a middle-aged man in his thirties approached.
The man was of medium build, with a crew cut, glasses, jeans, and a suit jacket, smiling brightly.
"Mr. Chen, I'm Li Wanqiang from Xiaomi. Mr. Lei specifically asked me to wait at the door for any young man over 1.8 meters tall and even more handsome than him."
Though Li Wanqiang started as a UI designer, his innate competitive spirit had flourished after becoming head of Xiaomi's marketing department. He was adept at channel integration and immediately set a friendly tone.
"Mr. Li, you're too kind. Let's go inside and talk." Chen Yansen nodded modestly, his expression relaxed.
After all, in his previous life, when Feiyu's market cap peaked, his net worth was no less than Li Wanqiang's.
In this life, it went without saying—Xiaomi's phones hadn't even launched yet, and its valuation wasn't as high as FoxTao's.
Right now, it was Lei Jun who was wealthy, not Xiaomi.
A tech ace like Li Wanqiang, who invested based on skill, would need another seven or eight years to make the rich list.
"Alright! Mr. Lei and Mr. Zhou are both here," Li Wanqiang said with a smile.
"Mr. Zhou?" Chen Yansen asked, confused.
"Zhou Hongyi, the boss of 360," Li Wanqiang explained as they walked in.
Wasn't this guy supposed to be lying low in Hong Kong?
"Someone from above stepped in and smoothed things over from last year," Li Wanqiang explained in a low voice, noticing his reaction.
Last year's 3Q War had been a huge scandal—everyone in the industry knew.
If Old Zhou hadn't been well-connected and quick to act, he might have been caught in the crossfire.
Chen Yansen nodded, not saying much. He wouldn't make such a basic mistake; careless words could offend.
Li Wanqiang led the way, bypassing the front hall to the back courtyard, stopping before an elegantly decorated private room.
Inside were two middle-aged men. One, with a side-parted hairstyle, wore a polo shirt and an indigo suit, chatting with the other while sipping tea.
Hearing the noise outside, Lei Jun turned and stood to greet them. "Mr. Chen, sorry to trouble you to come all this way."
His smile was sincere, his tone earnest, and a hint of guilt flashed in his eyes. He hadn't acted entirely ethically—using the pretense of investment to actually discuss cooperation with Chen Yansen.
Chen Yansen stepped into the private room, politely shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. He knew Lei Jun had no real intention to invest, but he wasn't exactly keeping quiet either.
The two chatted and laughed.
Lei Jun thought he was honest and straightforward; Chen Yansen, however, felt Lei Jun was different from expected—all smiles on the surface, but his words carried an edge. In presence, he completely overshadowed Li Wanqiang and Zhou Hongyi, who remained seated.
Anyone who had risen to this position couldn't be as simple as they seemed.
Chen Yansen was absolutely certain of this.