Since we are both reborn, of course I would choose the rich woman!

Chapter 370 The Actor (6k views, please subscribe)

Although Lei is not in Rong Nianqing's core circle, he is considered a partner in the Lü Yao-Rong Nianqing framework due to his deep cooperation with Lü Yao.

And it's quite in-depth.

The ranking of suppliers is more in-depth than that of many home appliances.

There's no way around it; Xiaomi's social networking app MiTalk, its mobile phone supply chain, and its marketing positioning are all tied to Lü Yao's side. With such a deep connection, whether Lei Jun wants it or not, he's already on this boat.

Just like how Xiaomi phones use so many core foreign components, whether they want to or not, they will inevitably be associated with some negative and dishonorable public opinion.

This is actually a manifestation of "thinking diode".

How can someone who's out there doing business always be so aloof? We're all businessmen; making money is our duty. If we can uphold our principles beyond making money and do things that benefit the public, that's already quite remarkable.

Moreover, once a business grows large, many things become beyond one's control.

Being coveted and courted by many, it's already remarkable that she can maintain her true self while being in the thick of it all. To expect her to be as holy and pure as a saint is pure nonsense.

Therefore, even though Mr. Lei's background was somewhat complicated, Rong Nianqing and Lü Yao didn't care much. They still sent an invitation to Mr. Lei for the annual gala hosted by "Huasheng Holdings".

……

January 1, 2017, Shangnan Zhuofeng Garden.

This is the location chosen by Rong Nianqing for Huasheng Holdings to host its annual "Corporate Strategic Partners' Gathering Gala".

Zhuofeng Garden is a garden scenic spot in Shangnan. It was once the villa of a non-royal prince who was a meritorious official in the founding of the Ming Dynasty. After changing hands several times, it eventually fell into the hands of others. It was restored and flourished again in the late Qing Dynasty, and held many "elegant gatherings" of celebrities. However, it was later destroyed in the war.

This place was listed as a cultural relic protection unit a long time ago, but it was not until ten years ago that Shangnan restarted the protection and renewal work of Zhuofeng Garden. Then, in 2011, it began to repair and restore the site. It was not until May 2016, half a year ago, that Zhuofeng Garden was repaired and restored to its thirty-two scenic spots.

The restored Zhuofeng Garden has maintained the original structure, historical features, and spatial scale of the courtyard, and has made every effort to restore the original historical appearance.

This place will become the workplace of the Cultural Relics Restoration Association in the future, and some of the garden landscapes will also be open to the public to generate cultural tourism revenue and maintain the daily operation of Zhuofeng Garden.

Zhuofeng Garden is divided into an outer garden, an inner garden, and a "working area" that is not open to the public.

Some areas were specifically designated for receiving "VIPs".

For example, a benefactor like "Rong Nianqing".

Zhuofeng Garden has only recently completed its renovations and many aspects are still under inspection, but Rong Nianqing had already decided on it two months ago as the venue for Huasheng Holdings' annual gala.

Rong Nianqing's choice of this location was certainly not simply for showing off. In fact, behind any grand gesture in the business world lies a simple logic—to demonstrate strength.

Zhuofeng Garden, a venue for hosting galas that cannot be bought with money alone, is the best way to demonstrate strength.

Upon witnessing such a lavish and top-tier gala, the invited "partners" would naturally feel a sense of "admiration" and "submission" in their hearts. This is actually the kind of "cognitive breakthrough" strategy that Lü Yao had witnessed before.

Many entrepreneurs who have amassed wealth will encounter a powerful and influential figure at some point. This figure will want to collaborate with you, invite you over, but will not discuss any collaboration. Instead, he will show you the world of glitz and glamour, introduce you to various celebrities, and then send you back home, without ever discussing any collaboration with you.

But after going back from the game, the people who were taken on the game become anxious and eager to spend their money.

This tactic is really common, but it always works!

When Lü Yao was studying abroad, he had seen and experienced all sorts of people, from those with a net worth of a few million to those with a net worth of over a billion, who were all easily tricked by this scheme. Lü Yao had personally come into contact with at least four such people.

Rong Nianqing used the same tactic this time.

After this gala, the "partners" who might have had some difficulty coordinating the cooperation will likely give "Huashang Holdings" the green light for related matters in the future.

They would think—

"Boss Rong is incredibly powerful. Cooperating with us is a huge favor. We've landed a tremendous opportunity. So what if the payment is a little late? So what if the requirements are a little high? If I don't do it, there are plenty of others who will!"

Rong Nianqing's actions were, of course, quite necessary.

Rong Nianqing certainly doesn't lack money, but as the group's business continues to expand, Rong Nianqing has also adopted the "acceptance bill" settlement method. The cycle is neither too long nor too short, usually between 45 and 70 days, and the acceptance can be carried out.

This is considered a relatively mainstream and reasonable approach at present.

The difference lies in the fact that Rong Nianqing's acceptance amount is huge, and she has always adhered to high requirements, high standards and high efficiency in cooperating with her partners. Therefore, the pressure on her partners to cooperate with Huasheng Holdings is relatively high.

This is not ten years from now.

After a decade of intense competition, profits in many domestic industries have been squeezed to their limits. Many companies are accepting orders not to make a profit, but only to avoid losses. Later, some companies even started to try not to lose too much money and planned to rely on their own capital reserves to get through this stage.

Back then, let alone having high demands, many factories were willing to accept your bills of exchange if you could shorten the acceptance period.

However, during the transition from the old to the new in 2016 and 2017, a large amount of hot money began to flow into various industries in China, and everything began to develop rapidly in a booming direction. In this process, many source manufacturers did not have to worry about orders at all and were selective in what they did.

Which orders were selected?

Those are naturally jobs that are easy, pay well, and have low standards.

They make that stuff in no time, then move on to the next shop, making money like they're printing money.

Therefore, there aren't many companies on the market that would accept Rong Nianqing's orders and be willing to continue taking them. So this was a special move by Rong Nianqing to win people over and use a strategy of overwhelming force.

Lü Yao arrived at the venue early at 7:30 p.m.

The event was held in an area of ​​Zhuofeng Garden that is not open to the public. The original appearance of Zhuofeng Garden was preserved and restored, and the overall effect was very good.

The party was held in a place called "Xiaolinyuan".

Xiaolinyuan covers an area of ​​nearly 1,000 square meters. After passing through the round archway and walking along the quiet path built by bamboo and plum trees, a right turn after a few dozen meters reveals a vast and distant woodland landscape that was originally hidden by dense bamboo and plum trees.

It evokes the feeling of the man from Wuling in Tao Yuanming's "Peach Blossom Spring" when he passed through the tunnel and saw the Peach Blossom Spring.

The trees here appear to be scattered, but in fact, the spacing between them is carefully designed.

The well-arranged and appropriately spaced forest scenery, under the carefully arranged lighting and backdrops, looks very stylish, with modern and ancient styles intertwined to create a unique charm.

The performers and service staff who roam around this garden are all of exceptionally high caliber.

Lu Yao didn't see any beauties under 1.7 meters tall.

Lu Yao was casually strolling around the venue to kill time when a greeting with a heavy accent sounded from behind him: "President Lu."

Lu Yao turned around and saw President Lei, dressed in formal attire, walking towards him. Lu Yao turned around to greet him and raised his hand to shake President Lei's hand: "President Lei, you're here so early. You look very smart and neat today."

Lei Jun is actually a man of great taste.

The image Lei Jun presented in front of the camera in the past was merely to fit the "Xiaomi" label of extreme cost-effectiveness, so his previous attire was a bit too down-to-earth.

Lei Jun is often seen in front of the camera dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans. Because this image has appeared so often, this overly down-to-earth image has become so deeply ingrained in people's minds that it has made Xiaomi's later transformation difficult.

In the future world of Lu Yao's study abroad, Lei Jun actually began to gradually change his image after the Xiaomi Mix.

After the Xiaomi Suqi car was released, Lei Jun, who had been in seclusion for three years to develop cars, reappeared. He was even more fashionable. When he attended meetings with other CEOs of similar age, the other CEOs were there to attend meetings, but Lei Jun looked like he was there to meet with fans.

Now, with Lü Yao's involvement, Xiaomi has elevated its image with its "geek phone" concept, and in its future development plans, the "geek phone" image may be further enhanced.

Xiaomi's path to transforming into a mid-to-high-end brand seems to have been paved considerably, so Lei Jun has also begun to change his image in accordance with the company's strategic transformation.

He appeared here in a carefully designed and dressed-up image so that Lü Yao and Rong Nianqing could give him some inspiration beforehand.

Well, while Mr. Lei's taste is indeed on point, it still can't compare to that of Lü Yao and Rong Nianqing.

Lu Yao is very handsome. At several press conferences, he always wore a simple white shirt and suit pants, without a tie. Before going on stage, he would take off his suit jacket, roll up his sleeves, and get right to work.

Standing over 1.8 meters tall, coupled with a simple and neat outfit, rolled-up sleeves, and clearly defined long legs, Lü Yao exudes a powerful aura despite his somewhat unconventional demeanor. His youthful vigor almost pierces the camera lens.

The unedited photos and memes of Lü Yao taking off his coat and rolling up his sleeves before going on stage have already gone viral online.

The captions accompanying these unedited photos of rolled-up sleeves are usually:
"You wait, I'm coming to do you right now."

"Let's see who's so arrogant!"

"Want to be my rival? Interesting."

Because of these imaginative captions and emojis, Lü Yao embarked on the "path to immortality on the internet" in another way, just like Lei Jun's "ruok".

What about Rong Nianqing?

She always wore black, but her heroic face and calm aura, combined with her presence, gave her a unique kind of imposing presence.

They all have a very fitting image and are all highly educated elites.

In contrast, Lei Jun is now beginning to re-evaluate his image and positioning.

So when Mr. Lei heard Lu Yao's praise of his image, he rubbed his hands together and said somewhat shyly, "Oh, Mr. Lu, please don't joke with me. I've been thinking about a new image anchor point lately, but I'm not very good at this. Could you give me some advice?"

Lu Yao had guessed it, so he took two steps back, tilted his head to look at President Lei a few times, and then stroked his chin, saying, "Hmm."

Mr. Lei nervously picked at his fingers. Lu Yao began to comment: "Actually, Mr. Lei, your greatest advantage is the sincerity you present. Your outfit today is indeed smart, neat and formal, but it covers up your original sincerity."

Mr. Lei listened, his brow furrowed in thought.

Lü Yao continued, "And Mr. Lei, I think you should strengthen your health management."

Mr. Lei was taken aback: "Huh? Do I look that bad in body?"

Lü Yao smiled and said, "No, not at all."

Lei Jun's physique is considered quite robust by today's standards, and he still looks quite youthful. He has a slight belly, but it's not very noticeable. However, his large head and face are magnified on camera, making him appear less lean and slender.

So Lu Yao said, "But if you lose a little more weight and then manage your image, you will definitely stand out even more."

Mr. Lei is a competent businessman.

He is capable of making efforts beyond what most people can imagine, as long as it benefits his career.

In Lü Yao's memory of studying abroad, Lei Jun was able to go to Shilla Samsung several times, humbly begging for a chance in order to secure a screen panel supply.

They can also appear on television programs and be attacked and ridiculed by various bigwigs.

In order to cultivate a persona of "sincerity," they can genuinely share their entrepreneurial experiences online so that others can learn from their mistakes.

If losing weight can help him establish his "image anchor point," then he won't hesitate to put in the effort.

So Lei asked almost without hesitation, "President Lü, when will the press conference that you and President Rong planned after the New Year be held? It doesn't need to be too specific, just around the same time is fine."

Lü Yao smiled and said, "It will probably be a little over two months."

Mr. Lei nodded: "Is twenty pounds enough for two months?"

Lü Yao nodded seriously: "That's enough."

Mr. Lei nodded and said, "Then let's aim for at least 20 kilograms, and see results in two months."

Losing weight can be simple or difficult, depending on how you look at it. Of course, it would be quite interesting if you could make a movie about weight loss and rake in 3 billion yuan at the box office.

Well, if Mr. Lei is willing to do this, Xiaomi Interactive Entertainment could easily fund a documentary called "Hot and Stylish" to record his weight loss journey.

Thinking of some fun things, Lü Yao couldn't help but smile.

While they were chatting, Rong Nianqing, who had finished some things, came over to Lü Yao and President Lei. Rong Nianqing first greeted President Lei, the "guest," and after the two shook hands and exchanged pleasantries, Rong Nianqing casually asked Lü Yao like a close friend, "What are you two talking about?"

Lü Yao laughed and said, "We're talking about losing weight."

Rong Nianqing raised an eyebrow in surprise: "You want to lose even more weight? I think you've already lost a bit more weight recently. You should take care of your health."

Lü Yao laughed and said, "It's not me, it's President Lei."

Rong Nianqing then looked at President Lei and said with an embarrassed smile, "Ah, President Lei, why did you suddenly want to lose weight? I think you look very dashing right now."

Mr. Lei laughed and said, "You still need to lose a little more weight to better fit the current brand image."

Because of the initial positioning and marketing, as well as Lei Jun's usual hands-on approach, the most core asset of the entire Xiaomi Group is none other than Lei Jun himself. The advantage of this situation is that outsiders cannot easily separate the Xiaomi Group from Lei Jun.

If Lei Jun announces his departure from Xiaomi today, Xiaomi's position in the investment market will plummet tomorrow.

Then countless hot money will flow into Lei Jun personally, and countless investors will look forward to Lei Jun's "second entrepreneurial venture".

The disadvantages are also obvious.

Every move Lei Jun makes will profoundly affect the situation of Xiaomi Group.

Therefore, he must ensure that his every word and action is correct, especially in today's internet age, where the attention of countless netizens becomes a "magnifying glass" on the internet.

Many so-called "internet celebrities" have failed to withstand the scrutiny of netizens, and many have suffered disgrace as a result.

As for who they are...

There are building collapses every year; there are too many to count.

But as soon as Mr. Lei opened his mouth, Rong Nianqing understood and stopped dwelling on the issue.

After chatting for a while, Rong Nianqing suddenly perked up and politely interrupted the conversation, saying, "Sister Jian and Sister Shu are here."

Following Rong Nianqing's gaze, Lü Yao saw Wang Shu and Jian Xiaojie accompanying an elegantly dressed, composed elderly woman exuding an air of high intellectualism as they entered the venue.

For tonight's banquet, Wang Shu wore a champagne gold fishtail dress paired with a loose fur coat, which not only cleverly concealed her pregnant figure but also accentuated her increasingly beautiful appearance.

Jian Xiaojie wore a simple wide-leg pantsuit, paired with a Cuban collar shirt underneath, which immediately concealed her usual plump and charming figure and made her look exceptionally capable.

The two women stood on either side of the old woman, as if they were the couple.

this.
It must have been Jian Xiaojie who did this on purpose.

Lu Yao's eyes gradually became somewhat deep, a subtle change that even the observant Rong Nianqing failed to notice.

Rong Nianqing greeted him with a smile, "President Lei, let me introduce you to some important partners as well."

Mr. Lei laughed and said, "That's great."

But when Rong Nianqing took a step in that direction, she found that Lü Yao hadn't followed. Rong Nianqing looked back, smiled, turned around and grabbed Lü Yao's hand: "Let's go."

Lü Yao: "..."

He understood that Rong Nianqing was trying to raise his social standing.

When they arrived at Wang Shu and Jian Xiaojie's place, Rong Nianqing greeted Wang Shu's mother warmly: "Hello, Auntie, I am Wang Shu's good friend, Rong Nianqing. You can just call me Nianqing."

The elderly woman was dressed in a simple yet elegant outfit, with a pearl necklace around her neck. She exuded a peaceful and noble aura, clearly someone who paid great attention to health and well-being.

Wang Shu's mother is actually not very old; she will only be sixty next year.

She takes good care of herself, so she looks quite young.

But she had quite a presence. Upon seeing Rong Nianqing, she greeted her with a smile: "So you are Miss Rong! Seeing is believing. You are truly an outstanding person, with remarkable bearing."

Although she lives overseas most of the year, Wang Shu's mother still speaks Mandarin very well.

Rong Nianqing smiled and said, "Auntie, you're so good at praising people. Also, you can just call me Nianqing."

Wang Shu's mother said, "Then I'll accept it. From now on, you can call me Aunt Gao, it'll sound more intimate."

Rong Nianqing smiled sweetly and said, "Okay, by the way, let me introduce you to two outstanding individuals. This is Lei Jun, the CEO of Xiaomi Group. He is a genius-level figure who started his business while still in school. In the 1990s, he was already a hot figure in the domestic startup circle, and now he is among the top ten figures in China's Internet technology companies."

Aunt Gao shook hands with President Lei with neither humility nor arrogance: "It's a pleasure to meet you. I have often heard of your great name overseas. Meeting you today, I can see that you are indeed profound and magnificent."

Wang Shu's mother is very good at praising people, whether it's because she's been living overseas for many years and doesn't communicate with people in China or what.

Mr. Lei once again flashed his signature shy yet sincere smile: "You flatter me too much. It is my honor to get to know you all."

Rong Nianqing then introduced Lü Yao: "This is Lü Yao, my capable partner. Lü Yao has helped me a lot in making my work what it is today."

Aunt Gao looked at Lü Yao again and exclaimed, "Truly, heroes emerge from among the young! I never expected that young President Lü would achieve such great things at such a young age. He's amazing!"

Lü Yao smiled and said, "You flatter me."

After he finished speaking in a humble yet assertive manner, he didn't say anything more and quietly stepped aside to become a background figure, barely even exchanging glances with Wang Shu.

It's actually quite easy to sense how one person treats another. Even if someone is a very good actor, if they don't like someone, it will definitely show in subtle ways.

The height of an eyebrow raised, the focus of the gaze, the degree of body tilt, subtle changes in tone of voice, and so on... all these things can reveal a person's attitude towards another. With the experience and added advantage of studying abroad, Lü Yao is quite adept at judging people.

Moreover, this Aunt Gao is not a good actress; her acting skills are quite average.

When Wang Shu's mother was exchanging pleasantries with Lü Yao earlier, Lü Yao sensed something—

This "Aunt Gao" doesn't like me.

When Aunt Gao looked at President Lei, her eyes were genuinely shining. It was clear that she truly admired him; the kind of look one gets when looking at someone else's child was all too easy to discern.

However, when she looked at Lü Yao, Aunt Gao's eyes dimmed instantly. Although her words were indeed flattering, her tone was completely different from the pleasantries she had exchanged with President Lei.

Come to think of it...

Wang Shu's mother must have known about Lü Yao's rise to power beforehand, and perhaps even had some guesses about his relationship with her daughter.

However, given the current situation, she did not reveal it.

(End of this chapter)