191 Qiandu is Doomed to Fail
When Wang Heng walked into the Penguin building, it was a sunny morning.
He arrived at Tan Meng’s office, closed the door, sat on the sofa, and exchanged a few pleasantries with Director Tan.
After waiting for more than ten minutes, before the agreed time of eleven o’clock, the video signal connected.
Wang Heng held the tablet handed over by Tan Meng and looked at President Lu on the screen—this big shot wasn’t very old, looking about thirty-something, with a scholarly appearance, but there was a hint of exhaustion in his eyes. Just after the video screen connected, he yawned.
“Hello, are you Little Wang who wrote that report… ma?”
(T/N: (Ma / Ba (吗 / 吧): “Ma” is a question particle for yes/no questions. “Ba” is a particle indicating suggestion, supposition, or agreement. President Lu almost used “ba”, which implies familiarity or confirmation, but switched to “ma”, which is more formal and distant. ))
Tan Meng, who was on the side, couldn’t see the video screen, but just hearing the voice, he couldn’t help covering his mouth and laughing. He was sure that the tone particle President Lu almost said just now must have been ‘ba’ instead of ‘ma’, but he realized the problem just as the words reached his lips and forcibly changed it.
Of course, Wang Heng also guessed it, but just smiled. “It’s me. I’m glad to have this opportunity to chat with President Lu.”
President Lu in the video rubbed his chin and asked, “I heard that besides that report, your record in the investment field is quite impressive. Bitcoin, stock market, you seized the best opportunities?”
Wang Heng glanced at Tan Meng, who had just stopped snickering, and said calmly, “Probably because a newborn calf is not afraid of tigers. I don’t know if it’s accurate judgment, or just good luck.”
President Lu laughed. “Once is good luck, but success two or three times, plus that report, it’s definitely not just luck. Little Wang, you’re still in university, right? Studying computer science?”
Wang Heng: “Yes, studying programming.”
President Lu: “With your investment talent, studying programming is a waste. Do you want me to help find connections and transfer you to the University of Finance and Economics?”
University students can transfer schools? Wang Heng really didn’t know about this.
With the connections of Penguin Group’s senior management, maybe it could be done… but if he went to the nearest University of Finance and Economics, wouldn’t he become classmates with Han Yixuan?
Wang Heng decisively refused. “Forget it, President Lu. My current investment judgments, and that report, all rely on my understanding of the technical field. If I don’t continue to study this major and keep up with the development trend of the Internet, I won’t know how to invest in the future. Besides, I’m very interested in this major, so I don’t want to change majors or schools.”
“Student Little Wang is so determined, that’s a good thing…”
As President Lu said this, he brought over a lunch box from the side, opened the chopsticks, and started eating.
Wang Heng glanced at the time displayed in the corner of the screen. Almost eleven o’clock exactly. It was reasonable to eat at this time. It was just that President Lu could eat whenever he wanted, but he and Tan Meng couldn’t be so casual.
A bite of shrimp, a bite of rice, President Lu asked while chewing, “Little Wang, your current position is still part-time, right?”
Wang Heng: “That’s right.”
President Lu: “Then do you want to consider raising the position a little?”
Wang Heng couldn’t help but be a little strange. “Can part-time jobs be promoted?”
President Lu smiled. “For particularly outstanding employees, HR rules can be compromised appropriately. For example, positions like special consultants don’t require clocking in and sitting in the office. It’s no problem to do it while going to school.”
At this time, Tan Meng next to him added, “But consultants are usually experienced professionals. For example, senior executives of other friendly companies, experts and professors in schools, etc.”
Wang Heng pointed to himself. “In that case, I shouldn’t be qualified, right?”
President Lu pulled a tissue and wiped his mouth. “So I said it must be a particularly outstanding newcomer. I read your report, it’s indeed good, but it’s indeed not enough. But we can chat first. Besides that report, what do you think the future Internet business situation will be like? Don’t be nervous, let’s just chat casually.”
Wang Heng laughed secretly—the main topic finally came.
First throw out a bait like a consultant, let him pour out the things in his head as much as possible, while the other party doesn’t need to pay anything. If the things poured out from his head are good enough, there is no need to make an exception to give a position like a special consultant, just raising the salary is enough as a reward.
Wang Heng, who looked like a freshman on the surface, had a psychological age approaching thirty, enough to keep him sober. He knew very well that for President Lu, finding someone to chat with during lunch was a cost-free thing. So being able to have a video conversation with the group’s senior management today didn’t mean he would be put in an important position. Of course, the probability of being promoted existed, but it was quite slim.
But thinking about it from another angle, talking about certain facts that were almost certain to repeat in the second timeline now, at least there would be no loss, right?
So Wang Heng said, “In my opinion, there will be many, many investment opportunities in the next few years, especially Internet-related investment opportunities. But most entrepreneurs have a similar destination, which is financing, burning money, seizing the market, and finally selling themselves to Penguin or Ali.”
President Lu’s chopsticks stopped involuntarily. “What do you mean?”
Wang Heng: “I mean, there will be many attractive companies in the Internet field in the future, but most of these companies are difficult to make a profit. However, in the mobile Internet era, traffic is wealth. And there are only two giants that can attract traffic, Penguin and Ali. So, with very few exceptions, the best destination for most Internet entrepreneurs in the next few years is to sell themselves to the two giants. And other investors and capital parties are doing incubation work. After incubating them, they sell them to the two giants for a good price.”
President Lu put down his chopsticks. “Why do you think Penguin and Ali will take over?”
Wang Heng: “Because the profitability of the two giants is strong enough to burn money. Moreover, these two giants have a common point, that is, as long as they win the traffic war, they can overwhelm the other party and invade the other party’s territory. Ali wants to engage in social networking, and Penguin wants to engage in e-commerce, both invading each other’s territory.”
President Lu already understood what he meant and continued, “For others, it’s losing money to earn fame, but for Penguin and Ali, as long as there is traffic, they will never lose, right?”
Wang Heng nodded and smiled. “That’s right, that’s it.”
“But there are not two giants in the Internet circle, there are three giants,” President Lu asked again, “Did you deliberately ignore Qiandu?”
“There is no need to consider Qiandu. They have no future.”
As soon as Wang Heng finished speaking, he saw President Lu’s eyes widen on the screen. And Tan Meng beside him was also dumbfounded, his face full of surprise.
At this point in time, predicting the decline of Qiandu was obviously a bit sensational. But Wang Heng was too confident, after all, he had seen it once.
So he emphasized decisively, “Starting this year, Qiandu will get worse year by year and retreat to the second line of the Internet circle. Just a search engine can’t protect its foundation at all.”
President Lu: “You mean…”
Wang Heng: “Among the three giants, Qiandu is doomed to fail.”
