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At 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Lan Qianyi arrived at Ningyuan Capital on time.

She was the first Jin Chen employee to officially join Ningyuan, and she truly dedicated herself to Suning.

"Hello! I am Lan Qianyi."

Xiao Wang, the receptionist, was a recent graduate. Upon seeing Lan Qianyi, she immediately stood up and said, "Hello! President Su instructed me to take you to the Human Resources Department."

"Thank you."

The office is decorated in a modern style, with an open-plan workspace, spacious workstations, and all new equipment.

After arriving at the Human Resources Department and completing a series of onboarding procedures, a specialist from the Human Resources Department led Lan Qianyi to her workstation.

Lan Qianyi's workstation is by the window, with good lighting. Her computer, stationery, and a potted plant are already laid out on the table.

"Here are your access card, email account, and internal communication account." The HR specialist patiently explained everything. "General Manager Su said you should go to his office at ten o'clock so he can show you around the company."

"Okay, thank you."

After the HR specialist left, Lan Qianyi sat down and turned on her computer.

I already have a welcome email in my inbox. The sender is "Human Resources Department," and the content is very formal...

Welcome to Ningyuan Capital. Attached are the employee handbook, company policies, benefits details, etc.

She opened the employee handbook, a thick volume, which contained detailed information on everything from attendance policies and reimbursement procedures to project investment processes and risk control regulations.

Moreover, it's not just empty rhetoric; it's a truly practical guide that you can actually use.

"So formal?" Lan Qianyi was somewhat surprised.

Lan Qianyi thought that startups were generally more casual, with incomplete systems and chaotic processes.

But Ningyuan Capital doesn't seem to be like that at all. From the moment she entered until now, everything has been in an orderly manner, like a mature company.

At ten o'clock, she went to Suning's office.

Su Ning was looking at documents when she saw her come in. She pointed to the sofa and said, "Sit down. How are you feeling?"

"It's more professional than I expected," Lan Qianyi said honestly. "The employee handbook is very well written, and the procedures are very clear. Did you put all of this together?"

“Chen Xi and Zhang Yuan are in charge,” Su Ning said. “They are professionals and have a knack for building systems.”

"Chen Xi and Zhang Yuan... I haven't met them yet."

"They're in a meeting. I'll introduce you to them in a bit." Su Ning picked up a folder. "Qianyi, now that you're here, I'll get straight to the work. Take a look at this project first."

He handed her a document, which Lan Qianyi opened; it was a preliminary analysis report of an AI education project.

“This project was selected by Chen Xi; it’s an AI-assisted personalized learning system,” Su Ning said. “You can familiarize yourself with it first. Chen Xi will have a meeting with you this afternoon to discuss it in detail. If you think it’s good, we’ll start due diligence.”

“Okay.” Lan Qianyi took the document. “My position is…”

“Senior Investment Manager,” Su Ning said. “Reports directly to Chen Xi. If you perform well later, you can be promoted to Director. Ningyuan Capital doesn’t follow seniority; we value ability.”

This arrangement is reasonable.

Although Lan Qianyi is capable, she has limited experience. Starting as an investment manager will allow her to utilize her strengths and have room for growth.

Lan Qianyi did not agree to become Suning's assistant. Deep down, she was very strong-willed and did not want others to gossip about her.

“In addition,” Suning added, “the company has a complete training system. Chen Xi will mentor you, Zhang Yuan will conduct compliance training, and I will occasionally share some experience. You need to get up to speed as soon as possible, because there will be many projects coming up.”

"clear."

Just as he was talking, someone knocked on the door.

A man and a woman, both in their thirties, entered. They were dressed in business attire and looked very capable.

"President Su, the meeting is over," the man said.

“Perfect timing, let me introduce you.” Su Ning stood up. “This is Chen Xi, Investment Director; this is Zhang Yuan, Risk Control Director. This is Lan Qianyi, the new Senior Investment Manager.”

Chen Xi shook hands with Lan Qianyi: "Manager Lan, welcome. I've reviewed your project analysis at Jinchen; it's very thorough. I look forward to working with you."

Zhang Yuan shook hands with him: "Welcome. I'll give you compliance training this afternoon, it'll take about an hour. The company's risk control requirements are quite strict, but they're all for the purpose of protecting the interests of the company and its investors."

Lan Qianyi was deeply impressed by the professionalism and presence of the two men.

She had assumed that executives at startups would be more casual, but Chen Xi and Zhang Yuan seemed more professional than the directors at Jin Chen.

"President Chen, President Zhang, please guide me in the future," Lan Qianyi said.

"Don't call me 'General Manager,' just call me by my name," Chen Xi laughed. "Ningyuan doesn't do that. We're all colleagues, let's communicate on equal terms."

“Yes,” Zhang Yuan said. “The company atmosphere is very open. You can speak your mind and ask questions directly. There’s no need for formalities.”

Lan Qianyi liked this. When she was in Jin Chen, what bothered her most was the strict hierarchy, and she had to be careful what she said.

"Alright, you guys go ahead and get busy," Su Ning said. "Qianyi, after you finish your meeting with Chen Xi this afternoon, come find me. There are some things I need to talk to you about privately."

"it is good."

After leaving Suning's office, Chen Xi took Lan Qianyi to the conference room.

“Let’s go over this AI education project first.” Chen Xi turned on the projector. “This is my preliminary analysis. Take a look and feel free to ask any questions.”

Over the next hour, Lan Qianyi experienced firsthand what professionalism truly meant.

Chen Xi's analysis of the project was very thorough, explaining each point clearly: market potential, competitive landscape, technological barriers, team background, and financial forecasts.

Moreover, he wasn't just reciting; he genuinely understood the material and could answer any detailed question.

“The biggest risk of this project is that user growth may fall short of expectations,” Chen Xi said. “Therefore, during due diligence, we need to focus on their user data, retention rate, and paid conversion rate. In addition, I will have experts conduct an evaluation of the technical aspects. You will be responsible for the business aspect: whether the business model is viable, whether the market truly needs it, and whether the team has the execution capability.”

"Understood." Lan Qianyi took notes.

"In addition, Ningyuan's investment process is very standardized." Chen Xi pulled out another document. "This is our investment decision-making process: project sourcing, preliminary screening, project initiation meeting, due diligence, investment decision meeting, signing and payment. Each step has clear standards and time limits. Familiarize yourself with it as soon as possible."

Lan Qianyi looked at the process and was even more surprised; it was even more complete than Jin Chen's process.

Although Jin Chen is a large company, many of its processes are merely formalities, and actual decisions are often made based on a single word from the leader.

The process in Ningyuan appears to be one that is actually going to be implemented.

In the afternoon, Zhang Yuan gave Lan Qianyi compliance training.

The training content is comprehensive, covering everything from information confidentiality to anti-commercial bribery, from conflict of interest avoidance to insider trading prevention, with specific case studies and operational guidelines for each topic.

“Although Ningyuan is new, compliance must be ensured from the very beginning,” Zhang Yuan said. “We don’t engage in any shady practices; all investments must be legal, compliant, and able to withstand scrutiny. You must remember this.”

“I understand,” Lan Qianyi nodded.

After the training, she went to see Su Ning again.

"How are you feeling?" Su Ning asked.

"It exceeded my expectations." Lan Qianyi said honestly, "Chen Xi and Zhang Yuan are so professional, and the process is very standardized. I originally thought that I would come to the startup to do odd jobs for you, but I didn't expect that I would be doing serious investment."

Su Ning laughed: "It's a serious investment from the start. Ning Yuan isn't just dabbling; he's going to make a name for himself."

"And I called you here to tell you something. Gao Yue will be joining the company next week as a partner, responsible for human resources and administration. Hao Shuai will also be here. The team will be more complete then."

"President Gao is here too?" Lan Qianyi was a little surprised. "Isn't she the HR director of Jin Chen?"

“She switched jobs.” Su Ning didn’t explain much; things at Jin Chen Capital were too complicated. “She felt Ning Yuan had a better future.”

"That's...good." Lan Qianyi had a good impression of Gao Yue; she was professional and capable.

"At the company, I hope you won't treat me like your boyfriend."

"I understand! I'm your employee here."

"I'm glad you understand." Su Ning breathed a sigh of relief. "Go to work! Do your best on your first project and make a difference."

"it is good."

After leaving the office, Lan Qianyi returned to her workstation, feeling somewhat conflicted.

Ningyuan Capital is more formal and professional than she imagined, which is a good thing.

However, Su Ning's emphasis just now still made Lan Qianyi feel a little uncomfortable.

However, she quickly adjusted her mindset.

The most important thing now is to do my job well and prove my abilities.

When it comes to relationships, let things take their natural course.

Lan Qianyi turned on her computer and began to delve into the AI ​​education project.

...Su Qing was very unhappy when she heard that her father had given Su Ning 1 billion yuan to start a business.

It's not that they're worried about the money. Jianguo Group is a large and powerful company. Although 1 billion yuan is a lot, it's not enough to cripple them.

But she just felt it was unfair.

Su Qing has worked hard in the drone company for so many years, starting from scratch and now becoming one of the top three in the industry, but her father has never given her a billion yuan.

She built her career up step by step through solid achievements.

And what about Suning? A cheap younger brother who came back halfway through his career, worked at Jin Chen for a little over a year, then packed his bags and left, and then asked for 1 billion yuan to start his own business.

Why?
However, Su Qing wasn't the type to make a scene; she knew her father's preference for sons over daughters...

Although he didn't say it aloud, he always felt in his heart that the family business should be passed on to his son.

She knew that arguing was pointless, since her parents felt they owed Su Ning too much, and their desire to compensate was hard to change.

So Su Qing simply stopped competing and focused on running her own company well.

But I still couldn't swallow my anger.

That afternoon, she happened to be meeting a client in Pudong. After the meeting, she remembered that Suning's company was nearby, so she went to take a look.

Ningyuan Capital's office is on the seventeenth floor of the office building.

As Su Qing walked in, Xiao Wang at the front desk immediately stood up: "Hello, who are you looking for?"

“I’m looking for Su Ning,” Su Qing said. “I’m his sister.”

"President Su's sister? Please wait a moment while I inform her."

Soon, Su Ning came out and was a little surprised to see Su Qing: "Sister? What brings you here?"

"Just passing by, taking a look around." Su Qing glanced around the office, then suddenly asked meaningfully, "The renovation is quite nice, it must have cost a lot of money, right?"

"It's alright!" Su Ning didn't pay attention to Su Qing's implied meaning, after all, the two siblings were just like that. "Come in and sit down?"

"Row."

Su Qing followed Su Ning into the company.

There were seven or eight people sitting in the open-plan office area, all engrossed in their work and looking very busy.

She noticed that the environment was very clean, the equipment was new, and the atmosphere was nice.

"We recruited people quite quickly," she said.

"We're just starting out, so we still need a lot of manpower." Su Ning led her into his office. "What would you like to drink? Tea or coffee?"

"No need, I'll leave after a while." Su Qing sat down on the sofa. "I heard Dad gave you a billion?"

“It’s an investment, not a gift,” Suning corrected. “We signed an agreement with performance-based clauses.”

"Invest?" Su Qing laughed. "Invest in your newly established company? When did Dad become so adventurous?"

Su Ning sensed the barb in those words, but she wasn't angry.

“Sister, I know you have a problem with me,” he said directly, “but Ningyuan Capital is a legitimate business, not just a hobby.”

"Really?" Su Qing leaned back on the sofa. "Then tell me, what does your company do? How do you do it? And what makes you think you can succeed?"

Su Ning poured her a glass of water and then sat down. "Ningyuan focuses on medical and high-tech investments. The first fund is 2 billion yuan, and it has already invested in one project. The second project is currently undergoing due diligence. As for the team, the investment director, Chen Xi, used to work at Goldman Sachs and a US dollar fund. The risk control director, Zhang Yuan, is a lawyer who graduated from Harvard Law School. There are also a few people we recruited from Jinchen who will join us next week."

He spoke very specifically and practically.

Su Qing listened, somewhat surprised...

She initially thought Suning was just throwing things together casually, but she didn't expect them to be so well-prepared.

"Two billion? You raised one billion yourself?" she asked.

"Correct."

"How were the funds raised?"

"Some were invested by friends, and some were from other channels," Suning said without going into details.

Su Qing stared at him for a few seconds, then said, "Okay, even if what you said is true. But the investment industry is very complex; it's not just about having money and a team. You need vision, judgment, and luck. Do you think you can do it?"

"How will you know if you don't try?" Su Ning said. "Sis, didn't you also build your drone company up step by step? In the beginning, some people thought you couldn't do it, right?"

These words startled Su Qing.

Indeed, in the early stages of her business, no one was optimistic about her...

A young woman working in high-tech manufacturing? It's like a joke.

But Su Qing persevered and made it to where she is today.

“Suning, you’re different from me. I’m genuinely making products and manufacturing. You’re just doing money-making business, which is all fluff.”

“Investment is also a form of real business,” Suning said. “We invest in medical and high-tech companies, which produce tangible products and services. We provide funding and support to help them grow. This is not just empty talk.”

Su Qing didn't speak; she had to admit that Su Ning was right.

She suddenly stood up, walked to the window and looked out: "Your office has a nice view."

"good."

“The employees seem quite capable.” Su Qing turned around. “But Su Ning, I have to remind you, Dad’s billion yuan didn’t come for nothing. He has high hopes for you. If you mess it up, you’ll not only lose money, but also the Su family’s reputation. You won’t be able to start your own business again in the future.”

"I know."

"Also, I heard that Li Shensi really likes you? And wants to set you up with Li Shiyan?" Su Qing paused.

"No, that's not true! It was just that when he and Li Shiyan visited the Su family last time, I was there and chatted with them for a few minutes."

"Alright! Don't try to hide anything from me about family matters, and you don't need to beat around the bush with me." Su Qing picked up her bag. "Work hard and don't let Dad down."

She said that last sentence a little awkwardly, but at least it was the truth.

"I will." Su Ning saw her to the door. "Sister, come often in the future."

"decide as things go."

Su Qing left, and Su Ning returned to her office, pondering what Su Qing had just said.

He could understand that his sister was prejudiced against him.

After all, she built her business on her own hard work and couldn't stand his entrepreneurship that relied on his family.

Moreover, they have hardly ever spent time together, so it's normal for them to consider each other strangers.

But it doesn't matter. I don't need to prove anything to anyone. I'm already so powerful that I'm incoherent.

Now it's just a matter of replicating my success and leaving my mark in this dungeon world.

Su Ning picked up the phone and called Chen Xi: "Chen Xi, how's the due diligence progress on that AI education project? Let's have a meeting this afternoon to discuss it."

"Yes, Mr. Su, the information is ready."

After hanging up the phone, Su Ning looked out at the city.

The older sister's doubts, the father's expectations, the industry's attention...

These are both pressures and motivations.

What he needs to do is turn this pressure into tangible results.

"Dong dong dong..."

"Please come in."

As Lan Qianyi walked in, she looked at Su Ning and asked, "Su Ning, I heard your sister just arrived?"

"Yes! Come and see where the billion yuan went."

"She doesn't approve of your starting a business?"

"The situation is a bit complicated! I'll explain it to you slowly when I have time later."

"Hmm, speaking of which! You haven't visited me in a long time."

"If you don't mind, I'll go every day."

"Hmph! Dream on."

...(End of chapter)