We agreed not to date, so why are you crying now that I've become the richest man?

She stood at the door, glanced at Su Ya and Han Yue first, and finally fixed her gaze on Ye Chen.

"Mr. Ye, I apologize for disturbing you."

"sit."

Xia Meng pulled out a chair, sat down, and placed the folder on the desktop.

"This time I won't talk about five million, nor twelve million."

She opened the file.

Inside were pages of neatly organized tables.

"These are the overseas channel resources that EA can currently mobilize."

"App store featured placements in North America, Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia, media lists, GG platform partnerships, and the offline distribution teams we can coordinate are all here."

Ye Chen picked up the document and casually flipped through a few pages.

The preparations were very thorough.

User profiles, promotion cycles, recommended placements, and estimated coverage for different regions are all listed.

Compared to the previous low-price acquisition plan, this one does have some more features.

Ye Chen flipped to the middle without even raising his head.

What do you want?

"A collaboration opportunity."

Xia Meng stopped beating around the bush.

"The previous quote now seems like a joke."

She paused for a moment, then met Ye Chen's gaze with composure.

"I admit that."

"We underestimated your product, and we underestimated you as a person."

Su Ya, standing to the side, slightly raised her eyebrows.

The fact that the EA China regional manager admitted his mistake in person speaks volumes about the value of those words alone.

Xia Meng continued:

"So this time, I won't talk about revenue sharing or exclusivity first."

"I want you to verify EA's channel capabilities first. Let's demonstrate our resources with tangible results before we sit down and discuss formal cooperation."

Ye Chen turned to the last page and closed the file.

"Can."

Just as Xia Meng was about to speak, Ye Chen had already held up three fingers.

"But I have three conditions."

"you say."

"First, prove the recommendation slot is genuine and effective within seven days."

Ye Chen pushed the file back to the desktop.

"I need to see the specific location, coverage area, launch schedule, and actual data."

"Verbal promises are unnecessary; they're worthless."

Xia Meng nodded.

"Can."

"Second, come up with a solution for dealing with overseas counterfeit competing products."

Xia Meng paused for a moment, her hand pressing on the edge of the document.

Ye Chen continued:

"It's not about sending a lawyer's letter and taking a photo to get it over with."

"It should be clearly stated which platforms can push for removal, which media can cooperate to clarify, and what steps EA can take in the event of malicious ranking manipulation, plagiarism, and concentrated negative reviews."

Xia Meng frowned.

"This requires internal coordination."

"Then let's coordinate."

Ye Chen looked at her, his tone still calm.

"You brought this resource list today precisely to prove EA's coordination capabilities, didn't you?"

Xia Meng paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Okay, I'll go back and push for it."

Ye Chen withdrew his second finger, leaving only the last one.

"third."

"All user data must be controlled by Star Interactive."

Xia Meng's smile faded.

She did not answer immediately.

Suya, who was standing to the side, also looked up.

The first two items concern resources and protection.

The third item, however, revealed EA's true trump card.

"Including channel user data?" Xia Meng asked.

"Including registration, retention, payments, and GG data."

"EA can provide StarCenter Interactive with complete data reports."

"The report was prepared for me."

Ye Chen leaned back in his chair.

"What I need is raw, unprocessed data, and a real-time interface."

Xia Meng stared at him for a few seconds.

"Mr. Ye, you should be aware that these are no longer ordinary terms for cooperation."

Ye Chen smiled.

"Of course I know."

"Under normal conditions, it's not worth you making a second trip."

The meeting room fell silent.

Xia Meng finally understood.

Ye Chen's agreement to give EA a chance does not mean he is prepared to relinquish the initiative.

Quite the opposite.

He wants to use EA's channels to build roads, but he won't allow EA to touch the steering wheel.

Raw data and real-time interfaces are like the hand holding the steering wheel.

Xia Meng raised her eyes.

"President Ye, this involves headquarters' authority."

"That's why I listed it as a condition."

Ye Chen pushed the document back in front of her.

"Channel resources, service fees, and reasonable revenue sharing are all negotiable."

"But user data cannot be handed over, and the lifeline of the product cannot be handed over either."

The meeting room fell silent for a few seconds.

Xia Meng's fingers landed on the folder and tapped it lightly twice.

This time, she didn't bring an empty promise.

The recommended placements, media channels, and advertising resources for each region—North America, Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia—are all clearly listed.

In her opinion, this sincerity was already substantial enough.

When it comes to the real core issues, Ye Chen remains unyielding.

Eighteen years old.

Freshman.

Sitting at the negotiating table, she was more clear-headed than most of the entrepreneurs she had ever met.

Many entrepreneurs, upon encountering EA, immediately think of clinging to its coattails.

Ye Chen, however, only focused on one thing.

Will this leg step on his vital spot?

"What if headquarters doesn't agree?" Xia Meng asked.

Ye Chen leaned back in his chair, speaking casually.

"Then we won't cooperate."

There was no probing.

There was no deliberate price gouging.

It seems that the EA brand name can't really buy him any special privileges.

Xia Meng stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled.

"Mr. Ye, do you know?"

"Your third condition happens to hit right on EA's bottom line, which is that they are least willing to open up."

Ye Chen raised his eyes.

"Then why did you come?"

"Because I want to know if this bottom line is worth breaking for you."

Xia Meng put away the documents, got up, and walked towards the door.

The white suit accentuated her sharp waistline, and the high heels clicked crisply on the ground.

She stopped at the door and looked back at Ye Chen.

"I'll bring back the answer in a few days."

Ye Chen did not get up to see him off, but simply nodded.

"I hope that next time I will bring more than just the word 'sincerity'."

Xia Meng glanced at him, then pushed open the door and left.

The sound of high heels gradually faded into the distance.

Su Ya stared at the tightly closed conference room door and finally couldn't help but ask:

"Would she really say yes?"

Ye Chen picked up the water glass again.

Whether she agrees or not is not important.

"What's important?"

Ye Chen looked out the window.

The Zhangjiang Industrial Park is filled with tall buildings, and several commercial vehicles slowly drive along the park's roads.

"The first time they came, they brought an acquisition contract."

"This is my second visit; I brought a list of distribution channels."

Ye Chen took a sip of water.

"By the time they start discussing whether to make an exception for Starry Sky Interactive, the initiative has already shifted."

Suya didn't ask any more questions.

She looked down at the resource list on the table, but she knew more clearly than ever before.

EA is not here to acquire Starry Sky Interactive.

At least starting today, the two sides have sat down at the same negotiating table.

It's no longer a matter of who looks down on whom.

It wasn't EA that made the offer, and Star Interactive could only nod in agreement.

That evening, Ye Chen returned to school.

I had just climbed into bed after taking a shower when my phone screen lit up.