A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1401 With a net worth of billions, Chen Xun becomes a father! (Please subscribe!)
The night sky over Hong Kong Island is particularly enchanting, outlined by the dazzling lights of Victoria Peak and the neon lights on both sides of Victoria Harbour. At the Victoria Peak restaurant, Hua Shier and his entourage are enjoying a celebratory dinner after the successful listing. Away from the hustle and bustle of the banquet, the place is more private and warm.

"cheers!"

Several crystal goblets clinked lightly in the air, their crisp sounds reflecting the deep red wine within, which swirled and mirrored the faces of several young and spirited individuals.

Hua Shier, Fang Hui, Lin Jiamo, Shi Jie, Ruan Wan, and Zhao Ye, whose face was flushed with excitement, all had joyful smiles on their faces.

After attending Penguin's grand celebration party, Hua Shier bid farewell to Penguin veterans such as Xiao Ma Ge, and, with his core circle of friends, planned to spend a few days in the Pearl of the Orient, both to celebrate and to relax.

After a few drinks, the atmosphere became even more lively.

Zhao Ye picked up his wine glass, faced Hua Twelve, his expression a mixture of excitement and utmost sincerity:
"Brother! I must toast you with this glass! I didn't really care about that 27,000 yuan back then, I just thought it was something I did with you. I never expected you would actually use that money to help me invest!"

"Twenty-seven thousand turned into more than seven million! My God, this is like a dream."

Although Zhao Ye is now a multi-millionaire, and although his 0.16% stake didn't even qualify him to go on stage at the Penguin gong-striking ceremony, he is still filled with gratitude.

I am grateful to Hua Shier for helping me take off when I was nobody and aimless. Now I am also a shareholder of a listed company!
Hua Shier smiled and clinked glasses with him, downing his drink in one gulp, then patted him on the shoulder:

"We're like family, no need for formalities. Don't sell these shares easily. Hold onto them and wait for them to appreciate in value and generate annual dividends. You'll earn even more in the future!"

"Brother, whatever you say goes!"

Facts speak louder than words. Since they met, every decision Hua Shier made has been proven by time to be a stroke of genius. Zhao Ye respects him like a god, and he's determined to cling to this golden opportunity!
Fang Hui, Lin Jiamo, Shi Jie, and Ruan Wan all looked surprised as they listened to their conversation.

They knew Zhao Ye had made money with Hua Shier Investment, but they never expected the returns to be so terrifying!
Turning 27,000 into over 7 million is simply turning lead into gold!

They couldn't help but cast curious glances at Hua Shier. Zhao Ye, who wasn't even qualified to go on stage, had already earned over seven million. Hua Shier, standing next to Little Ma when Penguin rang the gong, must have held an astonishing number of shares.

Feeling the probing gazes of his girlfriends, Hua Shier smiled calmly.

Everyone present was one of our own, so there was nothing to hide about this.

Moreover, whether it's investing or starting a business, for him, it's more like experiencing an interesting game of life.

He swirled his wine glass, revealing the answer in a relaxed tone:

"Actually, it's nothing. When Tencent was in its most difficult early days, I invested five million yuan and took 40% of the shares. Then I transferred 0.2% to Zhao Ye, and I kept 39.8% for myself."

He paused and continued to explain:

"Later, when Tencent needed to expand into overseas markets, it conducted a Series A financing round. Goldman Sachs invested $32 million and acquired a 20% stake. My stake was diluted to 31.84%, while Zhao Ye's became 0.16%."

"With this IPO, 25% of the shares were newly issued, which diluted my holdings again. I now have 23.88% left. Based on today's closing price, Tencent's market value is about HK$62.2 billion."

He casually dropped the final figure, "So, the shares I hold are worth about HK$1.5 billion."

"Fifteen billion?"

The girls gasped almost simultaneously, their beautiful eyes widening, and they were all speechless for a moment.

Although they knew that Hua Twelve was very wealthy, the impact of the specific figure of '1.5 billion' still far exceeded their imagination.

This was in 2004! 1.5 billion Hong Kong dollars was an astronomical figure for ordinary people.

Although they had accepted their relationship with Hua Shier, they still harbored some subtle reservations and uncertainties about his having four girlfriends, stemming from societal societal views.

But at that moment, that little bump vanished instantly.

The man before me is not only young and handsome, but also possesses extraordinary abilities and thoughtfulness. In just a few years, he has built such a vast wealth empire from scratch.

How many men like that are there in the world?

Fortunately, they caught up with him and were cherished by him.

Someone once commented on Guo Xiang's love life, saying, "Don't meet someone too amazing when you're young, otherwise the rest of your life will be nothing but memories."

At this moment, the four women all had the same thought in their minds—Hua Twelve was that amazing person.

And how fortunate they were, they did not let this happiness become a memory they could not have, but held it firmly in their hands.

Moreover, considering Hua Shier's inhuman physical strength, they all blushed a little. No one could withstand it in a one-on-one fight, so this strange 'balance' became the most realistic reason to maintain the status quo.

Zhao Ye, who enjoys watching Hong Kong movies, was processing Hua Twelve's wealth figures when, after his initial excitement wore off, he suddenly remembered something:

"Brother, you're so rich now, isn't it dangerous for us to go out like this? I've seen so many Hong Kong movies where they kidnap rich people, demand ransom, and then kill them in the end."

Hua Shier glared at him irritably: "Can't you wish me well for once?"

However, what he was really thinking was that if someone really came to kidnap him, who knew who would end up unlucky?

He had even imagined the sensational news headlines from Hong Kong Island: "Well-known mainland tycoon suspected of abusing robbers, my goodness, what exactly did they go through?"

Hua Shier didn't care, but the four women immediately took it seriously.

Lin Jiamo nodded with a serious expression:

"Zhao Ye is right! Twelve, your status is different now, your safety must be taken seriously!"

She even gave a vivid example:
"In February of this year, the kidnapping of actor Mr. Wu caused quite a stir. If the police hadn't acted quickly, the consequences would have been unimaginable! I heard that those desperate criminals were ruthless and left no survivors!"

This incident caused a national sensation at the time. Everyone present had heard about it, and upon hearing it, they all changed color and echoed each other, demanding that Hua Twelve must hire bodyguards.

Looking at his girlfriends' worried eyes, Hua Shier felt a warmth in his heart and readily nodded in agreement:

"Alright, let's find them. Not just me, but all of you, including Zhao Ye, need to be matched."

He specifically emphasized, "However, your personal bodyguards must be women."

Seeing his slightly jealous expression, the girls couldn't help but chuckle, feeling a sweet warmth in their hearts.

Hua Twelve considered things more thoroughly.

Of these girlfriends, Lin Jiamo is currently helping him manage the Weibo company, Shi Jie is in charge of the daily operations of Jingnan Mall, and he also intends to cultivate Fang Hui and Ruan Wan to help him share more business in the future.
Therefore, they are destined to become female millionaires in the future, and their personal safety must be taken seriously.

While his protection would certainly ensure safety, having professional bodyguards in the open can avoid many unnecessary troubles and potential risks.

Lin Jiamo volunteered to take on this task:
"Leave this to me. I'll contact them later and see if I can find them among retired special forces soldiers, as they are highly qualified."

She also looked at Zhao Ye mischievously:
"Huohua, how about we find you a beautiful female special forces soldier as your bodyguard? Maybe you can even win her heart!"

Zhao Ye blushed deeply, and amidst the laughter of the crowd, he stammered but surprisingly did not object:

"That works too."

Over the next few days, Hua Shier, accompanied by four beautiful women of different styles, toured Hong Kong Island, browsing through famous shops in Central, sampling snacks in Causeway Bay, and experiencing the prosperity and charm of the Pearl of the Orient.

They originally stayed at the historic Peninsula Hotel, but felt it lacked privacy and a homey feel.

With a wave of his hand, Hua Shier purchased a luxury villa in Repulse Bay, facing the sea in a tranquil environment, as his permanent residence when visiting Hong Kong in the future.

Since he had already bought a luxury house, Hua Shier thought he might as well go all the way and get it right away.

He then purchased a medium-sized luxury yacht, personally piloted it, and took everyone out to sea for two days.

Azure sea and blue sky, riding the waves, enjoying the sunshine and sea breeze, it's incredibly pleasant.

"Twelve, when did you even learn to drive a yacht?" Shi Jie asked in surprise, leaning against the railing.

Hua Shier, wearing sunglasses, gripped the steering wheel, a mysterious smile playing on his lips:

"This is nothing, I can even pilot a spaceship."

The women thought he was joking and playfully scolded him for bragging. Only Hua Shier knew that it was the absolute truth. In his storage space, there was indeed a spaceship from another world lying quietly.

After enjoying their trip, the group finally returned to the mainland. With the end of the semester approaching, Hua Shier and Ruan Wan still needed to go back to school to take their final exams.

Upon returning to Beijing University of Science and Technology, Hua Shier and Ruan Wan immediately went to their class teacher to report back from their absence.

They took more than a week's leave this time, so they need to give an explanation.

In the office, Hua Shier explained with a 'sincere' expression: "Teacher, I'm so sorry, I encountered some unexpected business matters in Hong Kong Island that I had to handle personally, so I was delayed."

The homeroom teacher was a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing black-rimmed glasses. He looked at him with a half-smile, without saying a word, but slowly took a newspaper out of his drawer and gently patted it on the table.

Hua Shier and Ruan Wan looked down and immediately felt a little embarrassed.

That was a well-known entertainment newspaper in Hong Kong, and the headline on the front page read in large, eye-catching letters:

Mysterious mainland tycoon spends over 100 million yuan to buy luxury mansion and yacht, and goes on a sea party with his girlfriend, attracting attention.

The accompanying picture shows Hua Shier wearing sunglasses, confidently piloting a yacht. In the background, Fang Hui, Lin Jiamo, Shi Jie, and Ruan Wan are wearing sexy swimsuits, lying on deck chairs, sunbathing, with bright smiles.

Ruan Wan's face instantly turned bright red, like a ripe apple, and she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Hua Twelve coughed twice, reacted extremely quickly, and immediately said in a righteous and indignant tone:

"Teacher, I think some of the experimental equipment and measuring tools in our department are indeed outdated. In order for students to learn and practice better, I have decided to donate one million to purchase a batch of new equipment for the department!"

The homeroom teacher's face immediately lit up with a smile, and she feigned reluctance, saying:

"Oh dear, I can't accept that. I didn't force you."

"Completely voluntary!"

"Alright, let's go back. But..."

The homeroom teacher's smile vanished, replaced by a stern expression. "If you don't do well on the final exams, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

However, the homeroom teacher was clearly not fully aware of the situation. As soon as he finished speaking, the office door was pushed open.

The principal and dean, having received the news, walked in with beaming smiles.

"Hua Shier is back? Great! You've really brought honor to our Jingnan University of Science and Technology!"

The principal warmly shook hands with Hua Shier: "We've all seen the photos of you ringing the gong at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange! You are an outstanding talent cultivated by the school, and a calling card for our Jingnan University of Science and Technology!"

The dean also laughed from the side:
"The principal specially prepared some newly harvested pre-Qingming Longjing tea. Come on, let's go to the principal's office and have a good chat!"

Hua Shier was both amused and exasperated, knowing that this was another case of 'spending money to avoid disaster'.

Sure enough, after drinking a few cups of premium Longjing tea in the principal's office, he 'voluntarily' donated one million yuan to the school to improve teaching facilities, and only then was he able to leave.

His return to the classroom caused an even greater sensation.

Zhang Kai, Xu Kaiyang, Zheng Wei, Li Weijuan, and others gathered around and started to cheer.

"Brother Twelf (Hua Zong) has become a billionaire, he must treat us to a meal!"

"Yes! I want a big meal! I'll rip you off!"

Hua Shier looked at this group of familiar friends, laughed heartily, and waved his hand:
"No problem! Let's make some hand-pulled noodles, and the side dishes are all you can eat!"

"whispering sound--!"

Everyone booed in unison, then burst into laughter, creating a lively atmosphere.

Hua Shier then laughed and said, "Just kidding! Tonight at the Jinling Hotel, we'll drink until we drop!"

At the banquet, the atmosphere was lively, and the old story of Hua Shier was brought up again, formally inviting everyone to join Jingnan Group after graduation.

As minority shareholders who had invested capital, Xu Kaiyang and Zhang Kai naturally had an unshirkable responsibility.

Zheng Wei is lively and interested in e-commerce, while Zhu Xiaobei is hardworking and down-to-earth, so they both agreed.

Li Weijuan's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly expressed her willingness. However, whenever her eyes met Hua Shier's, she would always inadvertently give him a flirtatious wink.

Hua Shier knew perfectly well that this girl's goal had always been to marry into a wealthy family. Now that he, a ready-made super-rich man, was right in front of her, it would be strange if she wasn't tempted.

However, he had no such feelings for Li Weijuan, treating her only as an ordinary classmate and friend, and ignoring all her hints.

Hua Shier then looked at Zhu Xiaobei and said:

"Xiao Bei, tell your sister that I want to let her take over the canteen at the Jingnan Mall Jinling headquarters. If she can manage, she can also take over the canteen at the logistics park."

Contracting out the canteens of large companies is basically a guaranteed profit, a business that's always profitable and won't lose money, much better than running a small steamed bun shop.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xiaobei immediately agreed on behalf of her sister and thanked her repeatedly.

Time flies, and a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

In this year, Hua Twelve's business empire continued its rapid expansion.

After a round of financing, Weibo's valuation has reached a new high, and the company has officially started its IPO process.

With its superior self-built logistics experience and reputation for genuine products, Jingnan Mall has rapidly grown into a leader in China's B2C e-commerce sector.

In contrast, Dong Ge's side is currently in the difficult transition phase of transforming from offline physical stores to online, and the B2C business is operating poorly.

Just as Hua Shier was busy with his career, Fatty came to visit again.

She told Hua Shier that she had listened to advice and given birth to the child, a son. Now that the child is growing up, the expenses are increasing day by day. She wants to ask Chen Xun for child support and hopes that Hua Shier can help her again.

Hua Shier keeps his word; I absolutely have to help him with this!

He immediately arranged for the company's legal team to provide Pang Niu with comprehensive legal assistance free of charge, accompanying her throughout her trip to Beijing, determined to secure the child's due rights.

Chen Xun: I freaking thank you!

It is said that Chen Xun turned green when he saw the lawyer's letter and the child's birth certificate, but the evidence was irrefutable, and he could only grit his teeth and swallow the bitter fruit he had sown. After all, the blood relationship could not be denied.

After the matter was resolved smoothly, Fatty called Hua Twelve to express her gratitude. Hua Twelve was in a good mood and even made a mischievous call to Chen Xun himself.

"Chen Xun, congratulations on the birth of your son! I've seen the child, and he looks exactly like you!"

Hua Shier's voice was filled with undisguised, sincere congratulations.

Chen Xun on the other end of the phone was so angry he almost vomited blood. He was about to curse, but when he thought of Hua Shier's current status, he swallowed the curses that were on the tip of his tongue. He couldn't afford to offend Hua Shier when he was still rich, let alone now that Hua Shier was a billionaire.

After holding it in for a long time, Chen Xun finally managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth: "...Thank you."

Upon hearing the "thank you," Hua Shier suddenly felt utterly dejected.

If the opponent doesn't even have the courage to fight back, what's the point of bullying them?
He hung up the phone immediately, and in his mind, this little friction with Chen Xun was finally over.

Meanwhile, over the past year, Pony Ma has been strictly following the "secret plan" provided by Hua Twelve to build Tencent Group.

First, they developed and launched two games, "Audition Online" and "Street Basketball," successfully outmaneuvering Korean game companies. Both games became hits, sparking a market frenzy.

Following that, they independently developed "Penguin Racer," which was also a great success.

The launch of a series of blockbuster games has caused Tencent's stock price to soar and its market value to reach new highs.

Hua Shier's net worth naturally increased as well.

According to the latest Hurun Rich List, his net worth has exceeded 5 billion RMB, surpassing Li Yanhong of Baidu, ranking 17th in China. At this time, the top spot is held by Huang Guangyu, whose net worth is 14 billion RMB.

As 2006 approached, Hua Shier was already a senior student, nearing graduation.

That year, Weibo successfully went public on NASDAQ, and its market value once exceeded 10 billion US dollars.

As the founder and largest shareholder, Hua Shier's net worth unsurprisingly exceeded 10 billion RMB, officially joining the ranks of China's top billionaires and making him famous throughout the world.

Zhang Kai, Xu Kaiyang, Ruan Wan, Zheng Wei, and others have all started their internships at Jingnan Group and are beginning to show their talents in their respective positions.

Zhu Xiaobei, who had always excelled academically, stood at a crossroads in her life: should she stay in China to intern at the promising Jingnan Group, or apply for a study abroad opportunity at a prestigious overseas university? She was caught in a happy dilemma.

Thanks to 08a, Little Tiger of the Demon Realm, and Brother Li Meng of the God of Death for their donations, and thanks to the brothers who voted for monthly tickets and recommendations. Thank you so much!