Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 508 The Fish is Hooked

On the 9th, the sky over Hangzhou was clear and bright as a Gulfstream G650 private jet landed smoothly at Xiaoshan International Airport.

Song Ci did not immediately rush to Hengdian to visit Liu Shishi on set, but instead drove to the outskirts of Hangzhou.

Inside the car, Tang Yue turned around from the front seat and respectfully reported, "Boss, the investigation you requested has yielded results."

After leaving Alibaba in 2008, Sun Tongyu founded an educational software company called 'Bocas'. It was a small company, and its business was barely breaking even.

Later, he divorced Penglei.

In recent years, both his career and family life have suffered setbacks, causing him considerable distress. Lately, he has been living a secluded life, becoming hopelessly addicted to fishing.

Upon hearing this, Song Ci couldn't help but chuckle softly, his tone ambiguous, whether it was a sigh or amusement.

"This 'father of Taobao' is quite a man of character. I can't wait to meet this true veteran of Alibaba."

After driving for a long time, the city's high-rise buildings outside the window were gradually replaced by lush greenery, and finally they arrived at a wide-open suburb.

In the distance, rolling hills rise and fall, and before you lies a vast fishing ground, with dozens of acres of water shimmering in the sunlight, surrounded by lush vegetation.

A few anglers were scattered along the lakeside, each guarding their own little corner, with only the sound of the wind and the gentle lapping of the water against the shore.

Once the vehicle came to a stop, the bodyguard got out first, and after a vigilant and professional look around, he opened the car door for Song Ci.

Tang Yue quickly followed, giving a wink to his young subordinate, A-Jie.

Ah Jie understood and jogged away. Before long, he returned with a dark-skinned, lean, middle-aged man dressed in simple aquatic clothing.

"Boss, this is the contractor of this fish farm."

The fish farm owner was clearly worldly-wise, yet knew how to maintain decorum. He glanced discreetly at the several luxury cars in the distance, then swept his gaze over the group of well-dressed people.

The person in the middle, in particular, had an imposing presence despite wearing sunglasses that obscured his face, and the people around him treated him with utmost respect.

He immediately bowed slightly, a cautious and polite smile plastered on his face: "Gentlemen, it's an honor to have you here. Please feel free to ask if there's anything you need."

Tang Yue stepped forward, maintaining a polite demeanor but with a sense of distance: "Boss, I'm sorry to bother you."

We're here to see Mr. Sun, a man who often fishes here. Our chairman wants to discuss something with him. Don't worry, it won't cause you any trouble.

After saying that, he took out two hundred-yuan bills from his suit pocket and handed them over.

The fish farm owner quickly waved his hand: "Oh dear, no! I know Mr. Sun, he's a regular customer. Please come this way, he prefers to fish in that quiet spot across the lake."

He pointed to the opposite bank and then lowered his voice to chuckle, "This Mr. Sun started fishing here two years ago. He comes about two or three times a week, rain or shine, without fail."

The equipment was incredibly complete and professional, but their skills and luck were always lacking; seven or eight out of ten times, they were outmaneuvered.

Upon hearing this, Song Ci couldn't help but smile, a hint of interest appearing in her eyes behind her sunglasses.

Led by the fish farm owner, the group strolled slowly along the lakeside path.

About ten minutes later, the shopkeeper stopped, pointed to a lone figure sitting on a fishing box a dozen meters away, and began to introduce the scene.

"That must be Mr. Sun. You gentlemen, please continue your conversation. I'll go over there and keep an eye on things. Please let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you," Song Ci replied calmly.

The boss couldn't help but glance at Song Ci again before turning to leave, thinking to himself: This demeanor is so different from those noisy, flashy tycoons; this is a true big shot.

Song Ci waved to his subordinates, signaling Tang Yue and his bodyguards to wait where they were. He then took off his sunglasses and walked slowly towards Sun Tongyu alone.

At this moment, the once-renowned "Father of Taobao" is intently watching the floating buoy.

His equipment was extremely luxurious: in his hand was a Japanese Kishu rod with multiple rods; at his feet was an Abu Garcia professional fishing box made in Sweden.

A multi-layered carbon fiber rod holder stands beside him, with various spare rods, ranging from harpoon rods to trout rods, resting on it.

Open toolboxes lay scattered on the ground, their imported lures, hooks, lines, and precision accessories gleaming in the sunlight.

This set of gear is enough to make any fishing enthusiast envious, forming a subtle contrast with his current "small-scale" career and life.

Sun Tongyu seemed completely absorbed, oblivious to the footsteps behind him, staring intently at the motionless float, as if engaging in a silent battle with the fish in the lake.

"It seems Mr. Sun hasn't made any progress today."

A cool yet magnetic voice suddenly broke the tranquil atmosphere by the lake.

Sun Tongyu was startled and turned around almost reflexively.

Backlit, the face of the person was not clearly visible at first glance, but a tall and slender figure stood behind them, the sunlight outlining a dazzling silhouette, exuding an imposing aura.

Squinting to adjust to the light, when he finally saw the other person clearly, his eyes widened in shock, his mouth slightly agape, and he stood there stunned for a good two or three seconds.

He scrambled to his feet from the fishing box, his voice rising in surprise: "You...you're Song Ci? Song Ci, the chairman of Tengda? What are you doing here?"

Song Ci did not answer immediately, but took two steps forward and stood side by side with Sun Tongyu, looking at the lake. His tone was so calm that it seemed as if they were having a casual chat.

"Fishing is indeed a good hobby; it can calm you down and relieve many worries."

Sun Tongyu was overwhelmed with emotions and didn't react for a moment.

Why would this top figure in the internet industry suddenly appear by this desolate fishpond and find himself so precisely?

However, remembering the other person's identity, he suppressed his surprise and cautiously probed along with the other person's words: "Ah...yes, it's really nice to play a couple of rounds now and then to relax."

Song Ci nodded slightly, her gaze still fixed on the water. She paused, then spoke in a calm yet inexplicably weighty voice: "Mr. Sun was born in 1970, right? He's forty-three this year."

At this age, experience, vision, and courage are at their peak; it's the golden period for a man to create a second spring in his career. He's wasting his precious time enjoying nature.

Before he finished speaking, he turned his head and looked directly at Sun Tongyu for the first time, his eyes shining brightly, "It's such a pity."

A breeze swept across the lake, bringing a touch of coolness. Sun Tongyu's fingers unconsciously tightened around the fishing rod. The richest man's words were like a pebble thrown into a long-dormant lake of his heart, stirring up ripples.

I have already realized that this encounter was no accident, and that the other party came prepared.

He turned his head as well, his gaze fixed on the profile of the young tycoon beside him with a complex expression. The face was handsome and young, yet it carried a composure beyond his years.

A gentle breeze blew, leaving only the shimmering light on the rippling water and a brief silence between the two.

After a while, Sun Tongyu glanced at the fishing float that was still floating motionless on the water, a bitter smile appeared on his face, and he sighed softly.

That sigh contained self-mockery, helplessness, and also a long-dormant resentment that had been stirred up.

"President Song is extremely busy, and he personally came to this desolate place to find a leisurely person like me. He certainly didn't come to see my 'Air Force'. Please speak frankly, I am all ears."

Song Ci nodded slightly, not surprised by Sun Tongyu's directness. Looking up at the vast lake, she chose to get straight to the point, her words clear and firm:
"I would like to invite Mr. Sun to come out of retirement and join hands with Tengda to create a brand new e-commerce platform."

These words struck Sun Tongyu like a thunderclap, and despite his premonition, they still resonated deeply within him.

Inviting the person in front of him to come out of retirement and engage in e-commerce was the result of Song Ci's careful consideration, and both of them were well aware of the strategic significance behind it.

Sun Tongyu was the true "father of Taobao," but he was ultimately exiled by Alibaba because his achievements threatened the company's dominance.

This past is known to everyone in the internet community; it's a story, but also a scar.

The fact that he is in charge of creating a brand-new e-commerce platform to directly confront and even challenge Taobao is itself a powerful and compelling declaration.

Upon hearing this, Sun Tongyu subconsciously shook his head, and that bitter smile reappeared, this time carrying a deeper sense of helplessness and the weight of reality.

"Chairman Song, I appreciate your high regard and kind intentions. However, in today's domestic e-commerce market, Taobao and JD.com dominate, the market structure is already solidified, and their competitive advantages are unshakeable."

Even with Tengda Group's vast capital and user base, forcibly entering the e-commerce market at this point would be incredibly difficult. Unless…

After a brief pause, he revealed the most direct and brutal survival strategy in the e-commerce industry.

"Unless you launch a sustained subsidy regardless of cost, burning money to create a market, even if you win, it will be a Pyrrhic victory and meaningless."

He knows Taobao too well—it knows its power, its barriers to entry, and every aspect of its operation.

I even think that even if he were given the same or more resources to start a new Taobao, he would have no chance of success in the current situation, since times have changed.

Song Ci did not directly refute, but gazed intently at the shimmering lake, as if his vision had already transcended the waters before him and extended to the broader landscape of China.

"Mr. Sun, listen to me!" The richest man's voice was steady and penetrating, echoing on the lake with the breeze. "Taobao is a miracle you created with your own hands. It has changed the way countless people live."

But has it strayed from its original purpose as it has come to this point?
It has become increasingly large and centralized, with ever-increasing barriers to entry. How many of the early small and medium-sized sellers can still easily survive today?

He turned his head again, staring intently at Sun Tongyu: "Look at JD.com and Taobao now, what is their strategic focus?"
Everyone is pursuing consumption upgrades and striving to "move up" to create a more glamorous and sophisticated image.

Taobao has invested massive resources in combating counterfeits, but with little success.

JD.com, on the other hand, is investing heavily in building its own logistics network, pursuing an exceptional customer experience. Both are striving to provide the best possible service to those who can afford to buy.

At this point, Song Ci abruptly changed the subject, her voice becoming forceful: "However, they all ignored, or rather, deliberately abandoned, the broadest and most grassroots market in China."

That vast number of third- and fourth-tier cities, tens of thousands of towns and rural villages, and that extremely price-sensitive consumer group!

His voice rose slightly, filled with an exhilarating confidence that revealed the market's future prospects: "This market is larger than you can imagine!"
Now, with the widespread adoption of smartphones and the penetration of mobile internet into lower-tier cities, this market is being fully awakened.

This is a vast, untapped market, a blue ocean beyond the sights of e-commerce giants.

The Song Ci paused for a moment, then added the most crucial line, softly yet powerfully:
"Mr. Sun, you must remember that this world is ultimately a world of ordinary people, a world of the 'poor.' Only those who win over the grassroots can win the world."

Sun Tongyu opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he was momentarily speechless.

I was deeply moved. Song Ci's keen insight into the e-commerce landscape, especially his judgment of the grassroots market, was frighteningly accurate.

This is nothing like a complete novice who has never been involved in e-commerce, but rather a strategist who has been lying in wait for a long time and has seen through all the secrets of the world.

Originally, it was thought that Tengda just wanted to copy Taobao, but Song Ci had already seen a completely different future.

Song lyrics seem to have fully entered their state, with an increasingly impassioned tone, outlining a magnificent and novel blueprint:

"So, I hope you come here, not to create another copy of Taobao. That would obviously be futile! What we want to create is a new e-commerce platform!"
A truly mobile internet-native e-commerce platform, leveraging Tenda's powerful social network, and genuinely benefiting every ordinary person!

"It's no longer a traditional 'search-based e-commerce,' but a 'social e-commerce' and a 'fun e-commerce'!" Song Ci gestured with his arm in the air, emphasizing the new platform's operating philosophy.

"Users come here not just to find things, but also to discover great items unexpectedly while interacting, playing, and sharing with friends, and then happily buying them. Affordable shopping is a form of entertainment in itself!"

"It shouldn't be a cold, orderly 'online mall,' but rather a lively, fun, and human-centered 'online super marketplace' full of high-value surprises!"

Sun Tongyu pursed his lips, but had to admit that the scene depicted by the richest man was full of everyday life and human warmth.

He secretly thought to himself, "Bosses really are all good at talking. When Boss Song talks about business, he is very knowledgeable and his words are very elegant. He is no less capable than Boss Ma, and even more persuasive."

“And this time, this idea can be realized!” Song Ci’s eyes gleamed with confidence, as if he held the trump card to win.

"Not only do we have dreams and visions, but we also have a 'nuclear weapon' that Taobao never had back then: WeChat, which connects everything!"

We can fully leverage WeChat's social sharing capabilities by using features like group buying and price slashing to acquire a massive user base at virtually zero cost!

This kind of ecosystem-based traffic advantage is something Alibaba dreams of but can never truly possess! They are isolated from our ecosystem!

Sun Tongyu listened quietly, his heart churning with emotions.

The blueprint unfolded by Song Ci (a form of classical Chinese poetry) is not only grand and innovative, but also highly feasible. The resources of the Tenda Group are perfectly matched, comprehensively covering all the needs of the new model.

Admittedly, the idea was extremely tempting, and even caused his long-dormant passion to begin to boil again.

A huge question then arose in my mind:

Since Tengda has everything in place and such a solid foundation, why would it bother looking for someone who is "outdated" and "failed"?
(End of this chapter)