Chapter 1758: Liu Qiangdong's Intuition

Since no one was keeping him company, Zhao Fusheng had no choice but to focus on work.

Zheng Yao received his notice and began shifting the center of work toward Future Film, bombarding the stars under Future Film with advertisements and endorsements as if money were no object.

Even that guy Wang Qiang managed to snag several endorsements.

Of course, his image was naturally silly.

According to Ye Jing and Zhao Fusheng's intentions, any artist under Future Film would be eligible for original shares if the company went public.

No one thought there was anything wrong with this, after all, if even such benefits weren't available to insiders, who would stay with the company?

This was also a way to motivate employees.

"But do you really plan to withdraw your shares later?"

Sitting in Zhao Fusheng's home, Jiang Wen asked him in confusion.

Just now, while discussing the company's shares, Zhao Fusheng had revealed to him for the first time the idea that one day he might completely retire.

Hearing this news, Jiang Wen was quite surprised, but upon careful thought, he realized that Zhao Fusheng seemed to have ample reason to do so.

After all, this guy had already made enough money, and the shares he held in these companies would certainly be very valuable after they went public.

Cashing out and leaving at that time would indeed be a good choice.

As for whether it would affect the company?

Ha, talking about feelings with a businessman—isn't that a bit naive?

Though unwilling to admit it, one had to say that Zhao Fusheng was a businessman.

"For a businessman, considering problems only cares about the outcome."

Zhao Fusheng smiled and looked at Jiang Wen: "If withdrawing shares allows me to gain more benefits and makes me happier, why wouldn't I do it?"

Jiang Wen remained silent, knowing that Zhao Fusheng's words were absolutely correct.

Everyone has the right to choose their own way of life, and Zhao Fusheng was no exception. If he believed withdrawing shares was the best choice for him, then he could do it.

"But after all, it's the fruit of your hard work that you created with your own hands."

Jiang Wen sighed and said to Zhao Fusheng.

He knew better than anyone how Future Film had developed step by step to where it was today.

Though he clearly knew Zhao Fusheng's decision was not wrong, when it really came to this moment, his heart was still filled with reluctance.

"Why are you so sad?"

Zhao Fusheng laughed heartily: "It's still a few years away; maybe I'll change my mind by then."

Jiang Wen thought that made sense—nothing was set in stone, and his worrying was indeed pointless.

"By the way, did your wife go back to the People's Art Theatre?"

Jiang Wen recalled something and asked Zhao Fusheng in a low voice.

"What's up?"

Zhao Fusheng was a bit puzzled, wondering why he was being so cautious.

"Don't even mention it. Zhou Yun wants to go too."

Old Jiang said bitterly: "She said staying at home was boring..."

"Well, they're forming a group then."

Zhao Fusheng shrugged helplessly, indifferent to it; he had never been the type to think women should stay home and do nothing.

Everyone has the right and freedom to pursue happiness, and doing what one loves is undoubtedly human instinct.

"What, you don't like it?"

Zhao Fusheng glanced at Jiang Wen and asked casually.

"No, not at all."

Jiang Wen shook his head: "Just a bit emotional; years have passed in a flash."

Zhao Fusheng rolled his eyes in exasperation. For this kind of middle-aged literary man who occasionally got sentimental, he really couldn't keep up with Old Jiang's train of thought.

For Zhao Fusheng, life now was like a race; the purpose of moving forward was to one day stop and rest in peace.

For Jiang Wen, most of his life was tied to movies.

That was the fundamental difference between the two.

At different stages of life, people's pursuits differ.

Just like when he was first reborn, Zhao Fusheng had an indescribable obsession with wealth.

Now, he preferred a leisurely life.

Why do top tycoons, after reaching a certain level of wealth, choose to travel the world? Largely because they know that continuing to strive cannot be for wealth alone, but for the desire and satisfaction of success.

Sometimes Zhao Fusheng felt he was really boring: accomplished, wealthy, with a happy family, a beautiful wife, a daughter growing up slowly, and healthy parents.

Living this second life, everything was developing toward the situation he most desired.

So beautiful it felt almost unreal.

Perhaps the heavens saw how hard his previous life was, so they favored him a bit more in this one.

With this mindset, Zhao Fusheng lived happily.

……

……

Time passed quickly, and before long, National Day arrived.

Alibaba's listing date was drawing nearer.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Fusheng received a visitor who surprised him greatly.

"Chairman Zhao, hello."

Sitting across from Zhao Fusheng was Liu Qiangdong, speaking with a Subei-accented Mandarin.

Brother Dong of society was dressed very formally today, in a suit that looked expensive, sitting with an air of righteousness, making it hard to imagine that this man's obsession with women far exceeded that of ordinary people.

"President Liu, you look a bit pale. Take care of your health."

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said, glancing at Liu Qiangdong.

After all, this was the benchmark for men in years to come.

As a man, the measure of your stamina was how many 'Dongs' you equaled.

One Dong equaled two minutes.

"Thank you for your concern."

Liu Qiangdong, unaware of his future nickname, was at this moment in the entrepreneurial stage, with a completely different mindset from a few years earlier.

They say environment changes people, but wealth can also change people.

At the very least, Liu Qiangdong was now more confident than when he was desperately seeking investment.

Zhao Fusheng could tell this from his eyes.

Now Brother Qiangdong seemed to have a sense of riding the wind.

Zhao Fusheng remembered a big shot once commented that Liu Qiangdong, perhaps because of his rural background, had in his bones a peasant-like or Chinese urban petty character: usually gentle and refined, but once he went wild, he would always give people a big surprise beyond imagination.

According to the information Zhao Fusheng had, JD.com had been developing quite well in the past two years.

Especially after expanding its main business from physical stores to the internet, it was no exaggeration to say that in recent years, JD's development speed was like riding a rocket.

Even Zhao Fusheng had to admit that Brother Dong did business as fast as he did certain things.

"Is there something you came for this time?"

Zhao Fusheng looked at Liu Qiangdong and asked with a smile.

There was no reason for this man to suddenly appear here without any business; Zhao Fusheng certainly didn't believe that.

Talking about money or feelings with a businessman is a very foolish thing.

So Zhao Fusheng had a clear positioning for himself and these former big shots.

We are just business partners. If you can offer the benefits I need, we cooperate; if not, then goodbye.

Although this made him seem a bit cold, at least Zhao Fusheng felt he could avoid a lot of trouble.

There was no help for it; Chinese people love to form circles too much.

Even in business, it was the same.

Not to mention anything else, the intricate chambers of commerce were already exasperating.

In his previous life, it seemed Brother Dong was also a member; if he remembered correctly, he should have stood with Little Brother Ma.

Yes, that Pony Ma.

The waters here were too deep. In his previous life, Zhao Fusheng only occasionally caught a glimpse of news, after all, he was just a small figure, completely unaware of the world of big shots.

"Yes, there is something."

Liu Qiangdong seemed a bit nervous facing Zhao Fusheng.

There was no help for it; JD had indeed developed rapidly in recent years, and Liu Qiangdong was hailed as a rising star in the domestic e-commerce industry.

But the problem was, it depended on who you compared him to.

In front of this man, Liu Qiangdong knew very well that he was nothing.

In terms of wealth, the other's net worth was dozens of times his own.

In terms of company, without his investment, he might still be struggling.

More importantly, the man before him was now the de facto largest shareholder of JD, and although he didn't participate in the company's management, Liu Qiangdong knew that Zhao Fusheng simply didn't want to.

At his level, just investing money and waiting at home to collect returns was enough.

That was the beauty of being an investor: as long as you had money, you put it into a project or company, and the rest was up to the founding team, who would strive to make the company and project bigger and stronger, and then you just waited for your shares to appreciate.

Even if you lost money, you only lost that investment.

The prerequisite was that you had to have that much money.

This was no joke. How did Masayoshi Son rise back then?

The reason was simple: at that time, SoftBank wielded a money club, investing all of its $200 million within two years.

That's right, Masayoshi Son was called a madman in Silicon Valley and Wall Street back then.

SoftBank's label was four words: rich but dumb.

Under these circumstances, no one expected that a few years later, although most of the companies and projects initially invested in ended up losing everything, with the rise of internet companies like Yahoo, people suddenly realized that SoftBank had become the biggest winner.

Holding shares in several internet companies, Masayoshi Son soared to success, quickly becoming the richest man in Asia.

Even for a time, he surpassed Bill Gates to become the world's richest man.

For some reason, Liu Qiangdong suddenly felt that the Zhao Fusheng before him seemed to have that kind of potential too.

It was an intuition, his own intuition.