Return to 88: Starting from Marrying My Sister-in-law

"Mr. Lu, your valuable suggestions are really...timely! The name QQ, and the penguin icon, are simply a stroke of genius! The promotion strategy...uh...is also very...unique! We will definitely implement it as soon as possible!"

At the entrance of Tencent's somewhat rudimentary new office area, Ma Huateng, along with Zhang Zhi, Zeng Qing, and several other founders, bowed to see off Lu Yang and his group with extremely complex expressions on their faces.

The gratitude is genuine. The naming of QQ solved the core pain point of the brand, and the penguin image instantly became much clearer and cuter.

But when they thought about the "chatting while pretending to be a girl" promotional strategy and Lu Yang's undeniable and forceful decision just now, Ma Huateng and the others felt their cheeks burning and their toes digging into the ground, so embarrassed that they wished they could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Lu Yang remained calm, as if he had just assigned an ordinary task.

He patted Ma Huateng on the shoulder with a steady pat: "Yes, you guys need to handle the execution carefully. Remember, the core is user growth and retention, and the methods... serve the purpose."

He glanced at the other four founders beside him, each with a different expression, and nodded slightly: "Thank you all for your hard work. The future of Tencent is in your hands."

After saying that, he didn't say anything more. Holding his son, who was already a little sleepy, he turned around and walked towards the black car parked not far away, surrounded by Yin Mingyue and her entourage.

The car door closed, shutting out the outside world.

The car started smoothly and drove away from the bustling electronics distribution center of Huaqiangbei.

Only then did Lu Yang's tense lips relax abruptly, followed by an uncontrollable, extremely pleasant low laugh that resonated from his chest. The laughter grew louder and louder until it turned into a hearty laugh, with his shoulders shaking.

"Hahaha...hahaha...!"

Sitting next to him, Yin Mingyue was startled by his sudden burst of laughter, and even her daughter Lu Xin'er blinked curiously at her father.

"Honey! What are you doing? Laughing so loudly..." Yin Mingyue playfully slapped his arm, then, realizing something, her brows furrowed slightly. "You're not making fun of Boss Ma and the others, are you? They're the company's founders and CEOs, after all. To be made to... dress up as girls and chat in front of so many subordinates..."

She recalled Ma Huateng's handsome yet flushed face in the office earlier, and his frustrated expression, filled with deep shame yet unable to refute, and couldn't help but feel embarrassed for him.

"You even made them... strike while the iron is hot... test the effect right there... making them practically bury their face under the table! You're just too... too mean, aren't you?"

She rolled her eyes at Lu Yang, her expression reproachful, but her eyes also held a hint of helpless amusement.

Lu Yang finally managed to stop laughing, wiping away non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes, and feigned innocence: "What? What did I do? Wasn't I just doing this for the company's development? Providing strategies, supervising their implementation, what a responsible shareholder I am!"

"Nonsense!" Yin Mingyue snorted, moving aside with her daughter in her arms. "You act like you know a lot about this kind of... this kind of 'strategy'! So experienced, Mr. Lu?"

"Cough cough..." Lu Yang choked for a moment, then quickly cleared his throat and, to cover up, lifted his son from his lap, avoiding his wife's eyes that seemed to see right through him.

Of course, he wouldn't say that in another timeline, the "shameful" act of pretending to be a girl to chat didn't need Lu Yang's "coercion" at all. That guy with thick eyebrows and big eyes, with a righteous look, Ma Huateng and his founding team had already been working on it enthusiastically and spontaneously, without any instruction, in order to survive the internet winter and for that pitiful user growth!
In fact, Ma Huateng himself is one of the "backbone forces" among them!
Lu Yang's actions today were less about "guidance" and more about "revealing" and "institutionalizing" the issue ahead of time.

Originally, Tencent was facing a period of dot-com downturn.

In order to save costs and expand their user base, they resorted to all sorts of desperate measures.

Things are different now!

Because of Lu Yang's strong intervention, Tencent's valuation was raised from the original $500 million to $775 million!
The life-saving funds they secured through financing increased from $220 million to $300 million!
The timeline was also moved up by six months.

Would Xiao Ma, with his pockets bulging, still be willing to stoop to doing something so "undignified"?

Lu Yang was actually a little apprehensive.

That won't do!

This "dark history" is a precious topic of conversation for netizens to talk about in the early days, proving the arduous journey of the penguin. It is a vivid footnote full of life in the early days of the Internet. How can we let this "good story" disappear just because we, as a butterfly, flapped our wings?
Don't worry.

You're unwilling to take the initiative?

Then I'll help you take the initiative!
So, taking advantage of today's inspection, Lu Yang decisively pulled out this "brilliant plan" and made a firm decision without any room for doubt! He even had Ma Huateng "rehearse" it on the spot!
Thinking of Ma Huateng sitting in front of the computer with a flushed face, clumsily typing on the keyboard, trying to greet a newly registered QQ "new user" with "uh-huh" and "hello~", and even being teased by himself for "not having a literary enough username, it should be 'Light Dance and Flying'", Lu Yang couldn't help but burst out laughing again.

"You're still laughing!" Yin Mingyue glared at him, annoyed.

"Okay, okay, I won't laugh anymore." Lu Yang quickly composed himself, but the mischievousness in his eyes couldn't be hidden.

He lifted his son onto his other lap, leaned closer to his wife Yin Mingyue, and coaxed, "How about this, my dear wife, let's go back and register a QQ account too. Your username will be 'Lightly Dancing and Flying,' so artistic, it suits your temperament perfectly! As for me, I'll call myself 'Rogue Cai.' I'll have Xiao Ma get us the best QQ numbers, a couple's number, how about that?"

"Light Dance and Flying?" Yin Mingyue curled her lips in disdain. "This name... is too flamboyant and pretentious. I don't want it."

She pouted, looking unwilling.

Seeing that she wasn't interested in the joke, Lu Yang could only shrug helplessly.

Although "First Intimate Contact" has become a hit across mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, its key audience clearly does not include my wife, who doesn't go online or use BBS forums.

At this moment, the little princess Lu Xin'er, who had been listening quietly, suddenly raised her little hand and said through her lisping teeth, "Mommy, no, I want one! Daddy, Daddy! I want a QQ number like Uncle Ma's too! Can I?"

The little girl blinked her bright, expectant eyes.

Lu Yang's heart melted at the sight of his daughter's adorable appearance, and he was about to nod and agree with a smile.

"no!"

Yin Mingyue decisively interrupted the father and daughter's flirtatious exchange, put on a stern face, and adopted a motherly authority: "What are you doing playing QQ, you little kid? That's something adults do, you know? Right now, the most important thing for you is to eat well, sleep well, and go to school and listen to your teacher."

Lu Xin'er pouted, her big eyes instantly filled with grievance, and she looked at her father pitifully, seeking his support.

Looking at his daughter's aggrieved expression and then at his wife's serious face, Lu Yang could only helplessly spread his hands towards his daughter, making a "Daddy can't do anything about it" expression.

Seeing this, the little princess knew it was hopeless, so she could only nod sadly, shrink her head back, and mutter in a low voice with a lisp, "I know... if you won't let me, you won't..."

The car drove smoothly toward the airport, and the carriage returned to silence for a while. Only when Lu Yang occasionally thought of Ma Huateng's embarrassing situation would the corners of his mouth involuntarily curl up.

Just as Lu Yang and his family set off to return to Shenzhen, the sky over Shanghai also appeared somewhat gloomy.

The entrance to the Shanghai Intermediate People's Court was already packed with reporters from various media outlets who had rushed to the scene.

Long lenses and short lenses were pointed at the courthouse steps, flashes ready to go.

Today marks the first court hearing in Mingzhu Media's lawsuit against Sifei Media for unfair competition and copyright infringement. Unlike the previous case where Sifei Media was the plaintiff and Mingzhu Media was the defendant, this time the roles have reversed, with Yin Mingzhu taking the lead as the plaintiff, launching a fierce offensive.

Two very different luxury cars arrived almost at the same time.

The car door opened.

On one side, Yin Mingzhu, dressed in a sharp black suit and with an icy expression, walked down.

Her face was still pale with a hint of illness, but her eyes were sharp as knives, and her aura was so powerful that it seemed to freeze the surrounding air.

Assistant Yu Li followed closely behind, carefully protecting her from the side.

On the other side, Xu Siqi also stepped out of a sedan with softer, smoother lines.

Today she chose an elegant off-white business suit, with her long hair pulled back, making her look capable yet gentle.

The mother, Du Yuanyuan, the current CEO of Sifei Media, stood beside her daughter with a calm and composed demeanor, dressed in a dark blue business suit, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.

Two close friends who were inseparable on the Peking University campus and even shared a dormitory room have now run into each other outside the courthouse.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

Reporters swarmed forward like sharks smelling blood, flashing cameras and microphones practically shoving into the faces of the two men.

"Mr. Yin! How confident are you about this lawsuit?"

"Is there a motive behind this being an attempt at retaliation?"

"Mr. Xu! How will Sifei Media respond to Mingzhu Media's accusations? Does it admit to defamation? What are your thoughts on the court's ruling that plagiarism was not established?"

"You two female CEOs were once friends and classmates. Now that you're facing each other in court, what would you like to say to each other?"

"..."

A cacophony of questions came rushing in.

Yin Mingzhu and Xu Siqi's eyes briefly met above the noisy crowd.

That glance was indescribably complex.

There is a cold scrutiny, a deep-seated pain, an anger at betrayal, and perhaps a trace of old friendship that is not easily detected and has long been worn away by reality.

But all emotions were firmly covered by a layer of hard, cold armor.

Almost simultaneously, the two nodded very slightly in each other's direction with remarkable tacit understanding. The movement was so small as to be almost negligible, without any words or change in expression.

Like two generals meeting on a narrow battlefield, a perfunctory, cold greeting.

Then, the two of them simultaneously looked away, as if the other was just an insignificant passerby.

Protected by their respective bodyguards and staff, they ignored the noisy questions and glaring flashes of light around them, silently and resolutely parting the crowd and stepping onto the cold steps of the courthouse.

Company assistants and bodyguards formed a human wall to keep out the frenzied media.

Yin Mingzhu kept her eyes straight ahead, her steps never faltering. Her lips were tightly pursed, and her jawline displayed an almost stubborn firmness.

“Attorney Zhang,” Yin Mingzhu said, her eyes fixed straight ahead, her voice as cold as ice, just before she stepped into the courthouse. “Today’s case can only have one outcome, and we absolutely cannot lose.”

Following closely behind, Zhang Yan, a top lawyer from a well-known law firm in Shanghai, adjusted his glasses and said in a calm and confident voice, "Don't worry, Mr. Yin. The chain of evidence is complete, and the newly added key evidence is very strong. We can't lose this case."

On the other side, Xu Siqi, accompanied by her mother, also entered the dimly lit lobby of the courthouse.

Away from the clamor of flashing lights outside, she let out a soft breath, her forced composure fading slightly, revealing a hint of worry.

She turned to look at her mother, her voice extremely low:

"Mom... are we confident we can win this case? Mingzhu, Yin Mingzhu... she seems very well prepared this time. I can lose to anyone, but I don't want to lose to her. You can't be as unreliable as last time."

Du Yuanyuan stopped, took her daughter's hand, squeezed it tightly, and said with sharp and determined eyes, "My dear daughter, don't worry! Last time was last time. There were local protectionist factors that allowed them to take advantage of the situation. This time is different. We have already moved our company here. We are all local businesses, starting from the same point, and paying taxes and making contributions on the same basis."

Her tone was tinged with fierceness and resentment, "I, Du Yuanyuan, have been working in the media and television industry for so many years. If I lose to Mingzhu Media again this time, I will have nowhere to put my old face, and I will have no face to manage this company for you!"

She paused, looking at her daughter's still worried eyes, and added resolutely, "This time, we are definitely confident! We must win!"

Half an hour later, the mother and daughter walked out of the courthouse with long faces.

They lost the case.

The court ultimately ruled that Sifei Media had committed defamation and was required to issue a public apology to Mingzhu Media in court, publish the apology in the newspaper for fifteen days, and pay 50 yuan in damages for defamation.

This result stands in stark contrast to Du Yuanyuan's previous firm promise.

At the entrance of the Shanghai Intermediate People's Court, flashbulbs went off again.

Xu Siqi's eyes reddened as she struggled to hold back her tears, while Du Yuanyuan looked ashen-faced and had a vacant look in her eyes, tightly gripping her daughter's hand.

Reporters swarmed around.

"Ms. Xu, what is your response to the verdict?"

"Mr. Du, will you continue with the petition?"

Without uttering a word, the mother and daughter, under the strenuous protection of their bodyguards, awkwardly pushed their way through the crowd and staggered toward the waiting car.

The car door slammed shut, shutting out the noise from outside. (End of Chapter)