Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 208 The Beauty of First Love

Beiping Chang'an Club is a top-tier private club that integrates high-end business, social interaction, and leisure.

Since its opening in 1996, it has been known for its elegant palatial decor, exquisite cuisine, and impeccable service.

It has become the preferred gathering and exchange venue for well-known entrepreneurs, elites from all walks of life, and international friends in Beijing and even across the country.

Around 5 p.m., as the city lights began to twinkle, the entire city of Beiping was enveloped in a scattering of neon lights.

Song Ci wore a simple and comfortable black short-sleeved T-shirt, with an upright posture and a calm demeanor.

He walked hand in hand with Liu Shishi, who was dressed in white and blue, her figure swaying gracefully, into the Chang'an Club.

The club was brightly lit, with interwoven halos of light, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.

A delicate sandalwood scent wafts through the air, gently permeating the lungs and instantly calming any restlessness, bringing a sense of tranquility and peace.

A sharp-eyed waiter in uniform at the door quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly, and his face was full of respect and enthusiasm.

After gently inquiring about their purpose, he led the way, guiding Song Ci and Liu Shishi through a series of exquisite corridors until they reached the highly respected "Sanyuan" VIP room.

Liu Shishi and her boyfriend walked side by side, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she curiously surveyed the club's upscale and exquisite interior decoration, classic lighting and furniture, which possessed a unique charm and elevated the grandeur and elegance of the atmosphere to the extreme.

Miss Liu murmured softly, her tone filled with curiosity: "This is my first time here. I had only heard of its reputation before, but seeing it today, it truly lives up to its name. The environment here is indeed very nice."

Song Ci smiled gently: "I am a member of the club. The dishes at the 'Qingzun Hongzhu' Chinese restaurant here are absolutely delicious. You can come and try it with your friends in your spare time. Just use my membership."

Liu Shishi nodded slightly, but in her heart she still felt that this place was too business-like. A small gathering with friends would not be as carefree as a hot pot or a barbecue.

Upon arriving at the door of the "Sanyuan" private room, the waiter gently pulled the door open, the hinges turning silently, and bowed politely, saying, "Sir/Madam, please come in!"

Song Ci and Liu Shishi stepped in gracefully, and upon looking up, they saw that Liu Xiangdong, as the host, had already arrived earlier.

Dressed casually, he stood by the window, gazing at the cityscape outside while chatting and laughing with a woman of outstanding temperament.

Upon seeing Song Ci appear, Liu Xiangdong and the lady beside him immediately came forward, warmly extending their hands and laughing heartily: "Brother Song is here! Welcome, welcome!"

After speaking, he turned his gaze to Liu Shishi and praised her repeatedly: "This must be your sister-in-law. She is so beautiful. Standing with you, she and your brother look like a perfect couple, making everyone envious."

Song Ci shook hands with Liu Xiangdong and smiled, saying, "Brother Dong, you're too kind. You've gone to so much trouble today."

He then turned slightly to the side and introduced him to his girlfriend: "Shishi, this is Liu Xiangdong, the chairman of JD.com. You can call him Brother Dong, just like I do. No need to be so formal."

Liu Shishi moved with graceful steps, her figure elegant yet dignified, like a lady stepping out of an ancient painting. Her lips parted slightly, revealing a gentle smile, and her voice was soft: "Brother Dong."

At the same time, he observed carefully without making a sound. The person in front of him had thick eyebrows, big eyes, a high nose bridge, and bright eyes, giving people a sense of uprightness, dignity, and magnanimity.

Liu Xiangdong laughed heartily, then affectionately pulled the woman beside him over and introduced her with a smile:

"Come on, brother and sister-in-law, let me introduce you. This is my girlfriend, Gong Xiaojin. She's a thoughtful and interesting person. You girls can chat with her more."

Upon hearing this, Gong Xiaojin, with a graceful demeanor and a polite smile, greeted them softly: "Mr. Song, Ms. Liu, I have long admired your names. Xiangdong has mentioned them often. Today I am finally able to meet you in person. You are indeed exceptionally charming."

The people exchanged pleasantries and polite greetings, each word carefully chosen, demonstrating both courtesy and warmth.

After a lively exchange, everyone sat around an elegant round table.

The two men were relaxed and began to chat, from interesting business stories to current affairs, one topic after another, with laughter rising and falling.

The two ladies, however, sat gracefully to the side, their posture elegant. They rarely spoke, simply listening quietly to their lovers' eloquent discourse.

Occasionally, she would turn her eyes slightly and look at the person beside her, her eyes seemingly holding a pool of autumn water, full of tender love, as if the world's hustle and bustle had nothing to do with them, and the voice of their lover was the most beautiful sound in the world.

Just as everyone was chatting happily, the door to the private room opened again, and Lei Jun and his wife Zhang Tong arrived.

Lei Jun, dressed in simple casual wear, could not hide her extraordinary temperament, while Zhang Tong wore a plain long dress, exuding gentleness and elegance.

The appearance of the two immediately attracted the attention of Song Ci and the other three. Song Ci and Liu Xiangdong quickly got up to greet them.

A hint of flattery flashed in Lei Jun's slender eyes. A humble and gentle smile appeared on his face as he greeted everyone with a modest attitude: "I'm sorry I'm a little late and have kept you all waiting."

His voice was deep and magnetic, carrying a hint of apology that instantly dispelled any awkwardness that might have arisen from his lateness, making him seem kind and approachable.

"Then you'll have to drink a few more cups, Brother Jun!" Song Ci raised an eyebrow and teased with a smile.

He and Lei Jun were neighbors and often bumped into each other. Sometimes they would even exercise together in Jingyuan early in the morning. Over time, they developed a very good relationship.

Lei Jun couldn't help but chuckle and nodded in agreement: "Okay, okay, I accept the punishment."

Song Ci acted as an intermediary, introducing Lei Jun and Liu Xiangdong to each other. After some pleasantries, everyone took their seats and the meal began.

Soon the table was filled with a variety of dishes, steaming hot and fragrant, and red wine was poured into the wine glasses in front of them, making the atmosphere in the private room harmonious and pleasant.

With a face full of excitement, Liu Xiangdong stood up abruptly, steadily raised his wine glass, and said with great enthusiasm, "Thank you all for giving me, Liu, face today. I'll drink this first as a sign of respect!"

After saying that, he tilted his head back and downed the glass of red wine in one gulp, his movements swift and decisive, displaying his bold and unrestrained style.

Seeing this, everyone raised their glasses in response, and for a moment, the clinking of glasses produced a crisp and pleasant sound.

The three men present were all business leaders, either executives of a company or renowned investors, so the conversation at the dinner table naturally revolved around the changing landscape of business development.

Song Ci took a small sip of red wine, savoring its smooth and mellow flavor on her tongue. After a moment's hesitation, she slowly began to speak:
"Now, affected by the US subprime mortgage crisis, the overall economic environment is becoming increasingly severe. This financial crisis came on strong and I'm afraid it won't be easy to get through. Countless companies are at risk of going bankrupt." "Yes, it feels like this crisis will be difficult to overcome." Liu Xiangdong nodded in agreement, his smile fading slightly, and his expression becoming serious.

He has a deep understanding of this financial crisis. A few days ago, he went to Donghai to meet with several VCs seeking financing, but without exception, he returned empty-handed.

So as soon as he returned to Beiping, he couldn't wait to meet with Song Ci and Lei Jun to discuss JD.com's financing in order to solve the immediate problem.

After all, JD.com's cash flow is about to run out, time is of the essence, and there is no time to waste.

Lei Jun picked up the thread, his eyes gleaming with thoughtful consideration: "However, risks and opportunities always go hand in hand. The strong survive the financial crisis, and those companies that can weather it will surely usher in new development opportunities."

As I said this, the hardships I faced when I started my business involuntarily came to mind, and I was filled with emotion.

Before attending the banquet, he spoke with Song Ci on the phone and learned that Liu Xiangdong's purpose in hosting the banquet was to invite him to invest in JD.com to help it weather this difficult period.

At this moment, looking at Liu Xiangdong, who was full of ambition yet unable to hide his anxiety, Lei Jun felt as if he were seeing his former self.

JD.com and Joyo.com back then are so similar; both were focused on building their logistics infrastructure and were facing a life-or-death crisis.

Sensing Liu Xiangdong's eagerness, Song Ci followed Lei Jun's words and smiled:
"Yes, as long as we can pull through, there will be a bright future. Brother Jun, JD.com is also at a critical turning point. I wonder if you would be willing to lend a hand?"

Lei Jun's gaze was deep, as if he were reminiscing about the past. He calmly examined Liu Xiangdong, his voice gentle yet incredibly firm:

"The e-commerce industry has developed rapidly in recent years. However, from its initial emergence to its current prosperity, every step has been the result of the hard work and sweat of countless entrepreneurs. The difficulty is unimaginable to outsiders."

He paused slightly at this point, a fleeting, almost imperceptible hint of melancholy flashing in his eyes, before quickly regaining his composure:

"Perhaps I still feel resentful. The failure of Joyo.com back then left me with a bitter taste in my mouth, which I still remember vividly. Therefore, I am willing to invest in JD.com in principle, and I don't want to repeat the same regret."

Zhang Tong held Lei Jun's hand tightly. She knew that Joyo.com was a source of eternal pain for her husband. The company he had poured countless efforts into collapsed before dawn, and the resentment and anger in his heart were unimaginable.

Over the years, her husband had deliberately avoided contact with his former colleagues who had worked alongside him during the early days of Joyo.com. She understood that Lei Jun was forcing himself to emotionally sever ties with the past, but how could such a deep-seated obsession be severed so easily?
Lei Jun felt the warmth from his palm, and his tense face gradually relaxed, a hint of warmth appearing in his eyes.

The lighting in the private room was soft. Liu Xiangdong was extremely nervous, fearing that Lei Jun would also reject him like the other VCs.

But when he heard that Lei Jun was willing to invest in JD.com, he felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders and was overjoyed.

Without saying a word, he suddenly picked up his glass and downed it in one gulp, as if only such a hearty drink could release the surging emotions in his heart.

However, perhaps because he drank the alcohol too quickly, he choked and started coughing incessantly.

Gong Xiaojin looked on with heartache and quickly patted her boyfriend's back gently to help him catch his breath, her voice soft and gentle: "Xiangdong, drink slowly!"

Liu Xiangdong gently pounded his chest to catch his breath. His face was still flushed. He waved his hand and said, "Xiao Jin, please fill my glass again and join me in toasting President Lei and his wife."

Lei Jun, however, felt a little embarrassed by the commotion and suggested, "Let's all have a drink together, no need to be so formal."

Song Ci quickly tried to smooth things over, saying that although red wine is not as strong as white wine, it has a strong aftereffect, and one should not drink it in large glasses like that.

Liu Xiangdong is a clever person, and he took advantage of the situation, only taking a small sip of the toast.

The core issue of this gathering was agreed upon. Once the shareholding agreement is reached, the three men present will be a community of shared interests, thus making the atmosphere at the table even more harmonious.

The three of them exchanged opinions on the development of e-commerce, discussing everything from market trends and user experience to supply chain management and technological innovation.

With a warm smile, Zhang Tong, along with her husband and Song Ci, nimbly switched seats, sitting next to Liu Shishi and Gong Xiaojin.

"That's how men are; they can talk endlessly about their careers. They talk about their grand ambitions, while we talk about our everyday family matters."

"I've rarely seen him talk so eloquently. At home, he rarely speaks so much except when he's talking to me," Liu Shishi said softly, her gaze gentle as water, quietly falling on Song Ci.

Seeing her boyfriend's confident and eloquent demeanor, she was filled with joy and couldn't help but think to herself: Yiyi, this is your social skills, so dazzling!
"Is President Song usually very quiet?" Gong Xiaojin glanced at Song Ci, who was arguing fiercely with Liu Xiangdong, after hearing Liu Shishi's words, and couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle: "He doesn't seem like it!"

Her boyfriend is usually very eloquent, but when he argued with Song Ci, he actually lost the argument and was rendered speechless by Song Ci's rebuttal. His face turned red, and he looked unconvinced, which was quite amusing.

Liu Shishi tilted her head, thought about Mr. Song's usual personality in front of her, and smiled, "He's probably only quiet in front of me."

Zhang Tong, adopting the demeanor of a caring older sister, looked at Ms. Liu, whose heart and eyes were completely filled with her boyfriend, and said with a slight smile, full of meaning:
"Silly girl, you and he were childhood sweethearts and each other's first love. He has reserved his gentlest side for you."

As she spoke, her gaze unconsciously drifted towards Lei Jun, her thoughts wandering. She and her husband Lei Jun had also gone from first love to marriage.

They have been happily married for many years. Looking at Liu Shishi now, it's as if I'm seeing myself back then, having gone through thick and thin with Lei Jun.

So from the first time they met, she liked Liu Shishi very much and sincerely befriended the young girl, hoping that she and Song Ci could have a happy ending.

Hearing this, Gong Xiaojin couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Shishi and President Song are each other's first love?"

She had assumed that someone as handsome as Song Ci would have a constant stream of women around him, but judging from Zhang Tong's words, it seemed that he had only ever dated Liu Shishi.

Liu Shishi, being intelligent and perceptive, quickly guessed the reason for the other person's surprise and asked with a smile, "Sister and Brother Dong were also each other's first love?"

Gong Xiaojin blushed and nodded shyly. She and her boyfriend met during their youthful days in college and have supported each other all the way to where they are today. Only she knows the sweetness and hardships they have gone through.

Seeing this, Liu Shishi clapped her hands and chuckled: "Oh, how interesting! Sister Zhang and President Lei are also each other's first love. It's such a wonderful coincidence that all three of us are each other's first love."

Zhang Tong was slightly surprised, but casually revealed a happy smile. She had already achieved her goal and had a happy family. At this moment, she silently wished that the two girls in front of her would also find a good ending like herself.

(End of this chapter)