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Chapter 686 Private Party 2 (Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Requesting double monthly votes!)

A black Mercedes slowly drove through the slightly congested streets of Chengdu in the afternoon.

"Huh? You haven't set off yet?"

"Um... okay, then I'll listen to Tang Song. I'll go and wait for you."

"Okay, bye-bye."

After hanging up the phone.

Meng Ran leaned back in the soft back seat and let out a long breath.

Soft background music was playing in the carriage, but her mind was still buzzing.

The shock of Tang Song's phone call yesterday afternoon kept echoing in her mind.

It was a shock that overturned all conventional wisdom.

Last night, she was so excited that she barely slept a wink until after 3 a.m.

According to her guess, Tang Song must have used his official connections, and they must have been provincial-level leaders.

Moreover, the relationship between Tang Song and this high-ranking leader must have been extraordinary.

Otherwise, it would be absolutely impossible for a single phone call to frighten the chairman of Zhongshu Group like that.

After all, Zhongshu Group is essentially a mixed-ownership group controlled by the local State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.

What it represents is the interests and face of the local government.

What could make such a behemoth bow down was definitely not money, but the combined force of power and influence.

This morning, she heard Xiaoyu mention it on the phone.

Zhongshu Group has already offered very attractive cooperation terms.

Not only did they proactively package and sell their "Coffee & Time" stores at extremely low prices.

It was also proposed to integrate supply chain resources and fully support Weiguang Coffee's expansion in Southwest China.

More importantly, there was the connection between the Tang and Song dynasties.

【Weiguang Coffee】will face no obstacles in the Southwest region and can develop with confidence and boldness.

The future is limitless.

A complex sense of awe welled up in Meng Ran's heart once again.

She was relieved.

I'm glad I chose Xie Shuyu when I knew absolutely nothing about the Tang and Song dynasties.

And decided to switch jobs and join [Weiguang].

That was out of friendship, not calculation.

In retrospect, this friendship has unexpectedly become the biggest investment of my life.

"Ms. Meng, you have arrived at your destination."

The driver's gentle reminder brought her back to reality.

"Oh, thank you."

The car was parked in the drop-off area of ​​the Jinjiang Hotel.

The doorman immediately stepped forward and politely opened the car door for her.

Meng Ran picked up her LV bag and gracefully got out of the car.

Looking up at the magnificent and solemn building, she took a deep breath.

Jinjiang Hotel.

As one of the most historically significant five-star hotels in Chengdu.

This place has always been a landmark venue for political and business activities in Southwest China.

Today, the "New Consumer Brand Closed-Door Private Sharing Session" spearheaded by CBN is being held right here.

She walked down the marble corridor into the hall.

Beneath the high dome, warm golden chandeliers shimmered in layers.

It possesses an elegant and modern style.

Guided by the waiter, we arrived at the third floor.

The decorations on site were simple yet stylish.

A giant LED screen continuously played the conference theme: "New Consumption, New Pattern: The Symbiotic Future of Capital and Brands".

At several reception desks, staff members, dressed in uniform, greeted each other with professional smiles.

Meng Ran presented her electronic invitation and passed through security.

He then signed his name in front of the sign-in wall.

The camera flashed, and she smiled gracefully before walking into the inner hall.

At this point, there was still more than an hour before the private event officially began.

However, many guests had already gathered in the banquet hall.

Soothing jazz music flowed through the air.

The guests gathered in small groups, holding champagne and chatting quietly.

The air was filled with the aroma of champagne and expensive perfumes.

Meng Ran glanced around and quickly spotted a familiar figure.

He walked over quickly, smiling as he greeted, "Mr. Zhang."

This time, her direct supervisor, Zhang Guangming, the vice president in charge of operations at Hema Fresh, came.

The two had a good personal relationship and both used to work at the Shanghai headquarters before being transferred to the Southwest region one after the other.

He could be considered one of her backers.

"Meng Ran, you've arrived." Zhang Guangming smiled warmly. "Let me introduce you. This is He Wenyue, the head of the Southwest Region of CBN. We were just talking about you."

"Hello, Mr. He."

Meng Ran smiled and extended her hand, her demeanor confident and poised.

With just a few words, he naturally blended into the small circle of people who were talking quietly.

She followed Zhang Guangming and exchanged pleasantries with the organizers and several familiar guests.

Champagne glasses clinked lightly, and laughter lingered.

Her speaking speed, tone, and expressions were all just right, showing excellent tact.

Those who arrive at this time are mostly ordinary guests or company representatives.

The real big shots and heavyweight guests always arrive late, which is both a symbol of their status and a social etiquette to "save face" for the organizers.

Every time they appear, it means that the organizers will send special personnel to receive them and the media's flashing lights will gather.

That's what you call impressive.

While entertaining the guests, Meng Ran subtly glanced around.

Among the guests, she also saw several familiar faces.

For example, the vice president of New Hope Dairy, and the founders of several well-known local chain restaurants.

Her original plan was to use Zhang Guangming and the Hema Fresh brand to introduce her best friend Xie Shuyu to several key supply chain resources.

Fortunately, we will be able to obtain the highest quality raw materials and prices in the future.

However, with the "promise" from [Zhongshu Group] now, these things don't seem so important anymore.

Of course, it's always good to make some connections.

Maintaining relationships means maintaining future possibilities.

This way, she will have more resources to draw upon after she starts working at [Weiguang Coffee].

With that thought in mind, she picked up her wine glass and walked over with ease.

They started chatting with light laughter.

However, her status was not high enough to warrant much attention.

I only received a few business cards.

This left her feeling somewhat helpless.

At this moment.

A refined voice sounded from behind: "Mr. Meng, hello."

Meng Ran turned around and saw Fang Zhiyuan walking towards her.

The founder and general manager of Linglian Technology.

She had met the other party before with Xie Shuyu and had a good impression of him.

"Mr. Fang, I didn't expect you to be here too." Meng Ran lightly clinked glasses with him and stepped out of the small circle.

Fang Zhiyuan shook his head with a wry smile: "There's nothing I can do. The company is short of money right now. No matter how busy I am, I have to come and try my luck in this kind of situation."

He paused, glanced around, and asked in a low voice, "Didn't President Xie come with you today?"

Meng Ran raised her slender eyebrows, picked up her wine glass, took a sip, and said slowly, "She will be a little late."

"Then... what about that mysterious investor of Weiguang Coffee?" Fang Zhiyuan lowered his voice even further, filled with anticipation.

"They should arrive together, right?" Meng Ran gave a cryptic smile. "What, Mr. Fang, are you impatient?"

Currently, [Weiguang Coffee] has reached a preliminary strategic cooperation agreement with [Linglian Technology].

As the incoming COO, she will inevitably have frequent contact with Mr. Fang in the future, so it's a good thing to build a good relationship with him now.

"Hehe... I really can't wait."

Fang Zhiyuan gave an awkward laugh.

This "New Consumption Closed-Door Private Meeting," hosted by CBN, is the highest-level industry event in Southwest China recently.

He came here today hoping to make contact with the mysterious investor behind Xie Shuyu again.

I also want to seize the opportunity to contact a few more investment institutions to see if there are any new financing possibilities.

Just as he was about to continue probing indirectly,

A small commotion suddenly arose at the entrance.

"It's Mr. Li from Jufeng Investment!"

Many guests glanced at them sideways.

Fang Zhiyuan's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly said "Excuse me" to Meng Ran, then picked up his wine glass and walked in that direction.

However, he returned just two minutes later, looking somewhat helpless.

"Sigh, there's not much of a chance. He's already surrounded by project representatives from all over the place." He shook his head with a wry smile. "Before I could even open my mouth, the PR manager stopped me and said that Mr. Li wasn't going to talk about projects today."

I heard what they said.

Zhang Guangming, who was not far away, turned around and stood next to Meng Ran, saying, "Jufeng Investment has been having some trouble with LP funding lately, and their capital pool is tightening. You can try to contact people from Hillhouse Capital and IDG. The people who came this time are all senior investment executives in the new consumption sector, and they have special funds on hand."

Meng Ran introduced, "This is Zhang Guangming, the vice president of Hema Fresh's Southwest Region, and also my boss."

"Hello Mr. Zhang, I'm Fang Zhiyuan from Linglian Technology." Fang Zhiyuan shook hands with him, handed over his business card, and then said, "To be honest, I've had contact with them before. But the performance-based agreements from these large institutions are all incredibly harsh, constantly demanding joint guarantees and buyback clauses. If we actually signed them, our company might be trapped before it even grows big enough."

“Indeed.” Meng Ran nodded, deeply agreeing.

After all, her best friend Xie Shuyu had gone through something similar.

Zhang Guangming smiled and said, "That's true. Right now, the entire venture capital circle is adopting a conservative wait-and-see approach, and institutions are holding onto their money tightly."

While the three of them were chatting.

New noises kept coming from the doorway.

Partner at Boyu Capital, Director of New Consumption at Penguin Investment, Senior Executive in Charge of the Consumer Sector at Sequoia Capital China, Project Manager at IDG…

Besides big names in the capital circle, there are also key figures from brands and the upstream of the industry chain.

For example, the general manager of Coca-Cola's Southwest region, the president of JD.com's New Consumption Business Unit, and even a co-founder of Heytea...

Of course, there were also some leaders from the Municipal Development and Reform Commission and the Bureau of Commerce.

The entire venue was bustling with noise and laughter.

It was filled with the glamorous and alluring atmosphere unique to top-tier social occasions.

Fang Zhiyuan, holding his business card, weaved through the crowd.

The smile on his face looked a little stiff.

Although he did make some progress by adding quite a few people on WeChat, through brief exchanges he could intuitively sense that no investors showed any real interest in Linglian Technology.

After all, their asset-heavy model requires huge capital investment and they are currently in the stage of burning money to expand and have not yet made a profit.

In the midst of a capital winter, almost no one dares to easily invest in this type of company.

This is why he placed his greatest hope on the mysterious investor behind Xie Shuyu.

He checked the time, then returned to Meng Ran's side, his face showing undisguised worry.
"President Meng, the private event is less than half an hour from starting. Why haven't President Xie and the others arrived yet? Could something have happened to them on the way? Why don't you give them a call to check on them?"

Meng Ran thought about it and also felt that something was wrong.

He took his phone out of his bag and dialed Xie Shuyu's number.

The phone rang twice before being answered.

"Hey? Xiaoyu, where are you?"

"Okay, no rush. I'm in the rest area in the southeast corner of the venue. See you later." After hanging up the phone, Meng Ran said to Fang Zhiyuan, who looked nervous, "Don't worry, they're already downstairs at the Jinjiang Hotel and will be up soon."

"That's good." Fang Zhiyuan was finally relieved.

However, before he could recover, an even more obvious commotion arose at the doorway.

A middle-aged man with a powerful aura, wearing silver-rimmed glasses, slowly walked in, personally escorted by the editor-in-chief of CBN and several government leaders.

"Hello, Mr. Zhao! It's been a long time!"

"Mr. Zhao!"

The crowd immediately parted to make way.

Enthusiastic laughter and respectful greetings rose and fell.

Meng Ran was slightly taken aback and asked in a low voice, "Who is this person? He seems to be someone important."

Fang Zhiyuan withdrew his gaze, his tone carrying a hint of awe: "Zhao Wen, Investment Director of Temasek Asia Pacific."

"I see." Meng Ran's eyes also showed a hint of respect. "Isn't President Fang going to say hello?"

Fang Zhiyuan shook his head self-deprecatingly: "It's no use going. People of Zhao Wen's caliber only care about companies that can go public. Our Linglian hasn't even passed the Series B funding round. Going there would only be for us to smile and have no chance to even speak to them."

Meng Ran remained silent.

Although she comes from an operations background, working for a giant like Alibaba, she naturally understands some of the rules of the capital market.

Temasek is a wholly-owned sovereign wealth fund of the Singapore government, and it can be considered a true "whale" even on the global capital market scale.

He is the "sugar daddy" that countless organizations dream of.

Even if he is just an investment director for the Asia-Pacific region, he would be an absolute top figure in this gathering dominated by entrepreneurs and investment institutions from the Southwest region.

Even executives from top-tier market-oriented VC/PE firms will treat them with respect.

The world of capital is so clearly divided and hierarchical.

Meng Ran looked at the figures who were surrounded by everyone like stars around the moon.

Temasek, IDG, Tencent, JD.com, Hillhouse Capital...

He then glanced at Fang Zhiyuan beside him.

I truly felt how insignificant I was as an individual in the face of the immense power of capital.

The aloof and composed figure of Tang and Song dynasties uncontrollably surfaced in her mind.

have no idea…

If it were him, what would the scene be like in such a situation?

"President Meng..." Fang Zhiyuan called softly, pulling her back to reality, "President Xie and the others should be arriving soon. Shall we go to the entrance to greet them?"

He wanted to show his utmost sincerity.

Today's occasion is, after all, a private event, not a roadshow or an investment meeting.

Xie Shuyu's investor remains the biggest opportunity he can seize.

Meng Ran pursed her lips and nodded, saying, "Okay, let's go together."

The two walked through the brightly lit banquet hall and headed towards the entrance to the outer hall.

After a short while, two figures slowly appeared from the end of the corridor.

By this time, almost all the guests had arrived, making their presence particularly eye-catching.

Upon seeing Xie Shuyu, Fang Zhiyuan was initially delighted, but then looked at the young man walking beside her in astonishment.

He was dressed in a standard suit, but without a tie, and the top button of his shirt was casually undone.

With a relaxed posture and deep gaze, he calmly surveyed his surroundings.

It possesses an elegant and powerful aura.

The usually decisive and outstanding CEO Xie appeared somewhat docile as he walked beside him.

This scene left Fang Zhiyuan momentarily disoriented.

This is completely different from the image of an "investor" he had imagined.

"Oh my, my two big bosses, you've finally arrived! You're really making a grand entrance!"

Meng Ran waved her hand and teased with a smile.

Xie Shuyu smiled apologetically: "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Meng Ran," Tang Song nodded in greeting.

Meng Ran subconsciously glanced at him a few more times.

Today's Tang and Song dynasties seem different from yesterday's.

In such a top-tier setting as the Jinjiang Hotel, he seemed to shine even brighter.

"Hello, Mr. Xie." Fang Zhiyuan finally came to his senses and looked at the two of them with eager eyes.

"Hello, Mr. Fang." Xie Shuyu nodded and introduced, "Tang Song, this is Fang Zhiyuan, the founder and general manager of Linglian Technology. He is the new cold chain strategic partner I mentioned to you."

Fang Zhiyuan immediately said warmly, "Hello, Mr. Tang! I've heard President Xie mention you before, but meeting you today is even more impressive than hearing about you. You've truly broadened my horizons!"

"Hello, Mr. Fang."

"Linglian Technology also has a very positive outlook on Weiguang Coffee. Mr. Xie's team is outstanding, and their product philosophy aligns perfectly with our innovation logic in the cold chain system. It would be an honor for us to collaborate with Mr. Tang and Mr. Xie in the future..."

"Then I wish us happy cooperation."

Tang Song nodded slightly, his tone gentle, but there was no unnecessary small talk.

That indifferent and aloof aura made Fang Zhiyuan's heart skip a beat.

There was a hint of embarrassment at being ignored, as well as some trepidation about the unknown.

Clearly, the other party didn't take him seriously, and was far less enthusiastic than Xie Shuyu had shown.

This young and handsome "individual investor" is probably a second-generation rich kid from an extraordinary background.

Was the investment in Weiguang Coffee made in connection with that Mr. Xie?
He has actually encountered quite a few people like this, and most of them are difficult to please and hard to deal with.

Xie Shuyu spoke up at the right moment: "The private meeting is about to start, let's go in and talk first."

"Okay." Fang Zhiyuan nodded, and the enthusiasm on his face faded considerably.

The group walked side by side into the main banquet hall.

Soft lighting illuminated the room, and the scents of champagne and perfume mingled.

Their appearance immediately attracted the attention of some people around them.

There was no way around it; Tang Song and Xie Shuyu were indeed outstanding in appearance, especially Tang Song at this moment.

In this setting dominated by middle-aged people, it was almost unique.

Meng Ran couldn't help but look at Tang Song again.

In her heart, the Tang and Song dynasties were like a fog, mysterious and powerful.

She was very curious about how he would behave when facing the group of real financial tycoons inside.

Will you try as hard as Fang Zhiyuan to socialize?
Will they continue to maintain this unfathomable distance?

Or should I join that glamorous circle?

She subconsciously turned her gaze to the circle of bigwigs at the very center of the banquet hall.

Then, he was stunned.

Because she saw that the people over there had also stopped talking and turned their attention to them.

Their expressions quickly shifted from initial confusion to surprise and shock, and then they began to whisper among themselves.

This reaction, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, quickly triggered a chain reaction.

More and more people have noticed the unusual situation here.

Inquisitive gazes converged from all directions.

Fang Zhiyuan clearly noticed this scene as well.

He looked at those once high and mighty big shots, who were now casting strange glances his way, and his expression was somewhat bewildered.

Then they saw those figures emerge from the inner circle and walk quickly toward them.

Walking at the very front was Zhao Wen, who had just been surrounded in the center by Temasek.

The originally crowded people automatically made way for them.

Zhao Wen took the lead, a bright and enthusiastic smile on his face: "Chairman Tang! It's been so long since we last met in Shanghai! I never expected to run into you here!"

As he spoke, he extended his hand.

Tang Song gently shook his hand, "Long time no see, President Zhao."

Seeing this incredible scene before them, Meng Ran and Fang Zhiyuan were stunned.

Fang Zhiyuan stood there, somewhat bewildered, staring blankly at the young figure who was chatting and laughing with Zhao Wen.

This... what is going on?
Immediately, the executive from Sequoia Capital China stepped forward, his tone tinged with admiration: "Chairman Tang, it's been a long time. Rongliu Capital's recent big moves have truly broadened our horizons!"

Then, the others stepped forward and surrounded them.

"Hello Chairman Tang, I have long admired Rongliu Capital. I never expected to meet you here."

……

Tang Song always wore a calm smile.

When the time for small talk is just right.

He naturally reached out and placed his hand on the female CEO's slender waist, gently pulling her to a position in front of him.

This subtle action transformed her from an "observer" into the new focus of attention in the industry.

"Everyone, let me introduce you." His voice wasn't loud, but it immediately silenced the surroundings as everyone listened attentively. "This is Xie Shuyu, the founder and CEO of [Weiguang Coffee], President Xie."

"Hello Mr. Xie, I am Pang Hanfei from IDG Investment..."

"Hello, Mr. Xie, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am..."

...

The sound of self-introductions rose and fell.

One by one, gold-embossed business cards were handed over.

After a brief moment of confusion, Xie Shuyu took a deep breath and quickly calmed herself down.

Despite her inner shock at the surreal scene before her.

But a flawless professional smile had returned to her face, and she began to handle the situation with composure.

Tang Song stayed by her side, exchanging pleasantries with everyone with ease.

In fact, Xie Shuyu had already sent him an electronic invitation and a list of guests before he came to this private event.

He also saw several familiar names on it.

They were all people I'd met briefly at the "Investors' Night" in Shanghai, like Zhao Wen. (Chapter 534)
Moreover, he was very clear about it.

Even with Secretary Kim and others deliberately concealing information and managing public opinion, his true identity is no secret in certain small financial circles.

He knew that as long as he chose to show his face here today, he would inevitably attract this kind of attention.

This was already within his calculations.

Feeling the female CEO's waist tremble slightly.

Looking at her beautiful face, which blushed involuntarily.

Tang Song wore a charming smile.

My dear female CEO, this is just the beginning.

...

Looking at Tang Song and Xie Shuyu, who had become the focus of the entire private event.

Meng Ran, standing behind the two, had a completely blank mind.

More and more guests gathered around.

She couldn't hear what they were talking about.

But from the barely suppressed conversations of those around her, she pieced together a suffocating map of information.

"Chairman of Rongliu Capital, a top private equity firm in Hong Kong..."

"...the fund size is close to $130 billion."

"...behind this is a fund of funds jointly funded by the Tang King Family Office and the Kate Trust..."

"...It is said that they were also deeply involved in the latest round of financing for [Tangyi Precision's] star project, [Xuanji Guangjie]."

Listening to these discussions about the Tang and Song dynasties, Meng Ran felt a sense of disorientation.

She suddenly remembered something.

After all, she works for an internet giant like Alibaba, so her network of friends and information channels are far more advanced than those of ordinary people.

A few months ago, her WeChat Moments and social circles were indeed flooded with a major news story about the "sudden emergence of a multi-billion dollar fund of funds".

The company's name seems to be Rongliu Capital.

However, since she herself is not a professional in the field, she only watched this kind of purely capital operation news for entertainment and did not delve any deeper into it.

But she never expected this...

The chairman of such a top-tier private equity firm, which is enough to shake the entire industry, is none other than Tang Song!

(End of this chapter)