Chapter 905
In the end, they were not on the same path.
The weather has been nice these past few days, with rare clear skies.
The garden of the Lu residence in Pengcheng is bathed in the rare warm sunshine of early winter.
The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, swept across the meticulously manicured lawn, rustling the broad leaves of several tropical plants.
Lu Yang lay half-reclined on a large rattan lounge chair, his posture languid, as if he were one with the tranquil morning light. He squinted, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight dancing on his eyelids. His slender fingers were slowly peeling a crystal-clear grape, its flesh plump and juicy. He casually tossed it into his mouth, and a hint of sweetness melted between his lips and teeth.
This rare moment of tranquility was shattered by a series of hurried and slightly flustered footsteps.
"Brother Lu Yang! Something terrible has happened! Quick, check the news!"
Before the people arrive, the sound comes first.
Lu Nini, Lu Dajun's younger sister and Lu Yang's younger cousin, is also the secretary in the chairman's office of Century Group. At this moment, she has completely lost the professional competence she usually displays at the company.
She jogged through the garden path, her fair cheeks flushed with excitement as she ran, clutching a newspaper still smelling of ink tightly in her hand, her chest rising and falling slightly.
Lu Yang's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but his hands didn't stop moving as he picked up another grape.
He didn't even lift his eyelids, his voice carrying a hint of languidness warmed by the sun, yet also a subtle reproach: "What's wrong? Why are you in such a panic? What kind of behavior is this?"
He slowly put the grape into his mouth before slowly opening his eyes and looking at Lu Nini's anxious face. "Is that a newspaper in your hand? Let me see what earth-shattering event has happened that could make you, the chief secretary of the group chairman, lose even your basic composure?"
His tone carried the tolerance of an elder towards a younger person, but it also pointed out her loss of composure.
Lu Nini is smart and quick-witted in every way, and she is meticulous in her work, but she just can't seem to get rid of her bad habit of not being calm enough when things happen.
They are still young and haven't experienced enough trials and tribulations.
Compared to the original Siqi, this one doesn't feel as convenient to use.
Lu Yang's thoughts drifted away for a moment.
Thinking of Shanghai, and that stubborn yet intelligent figure, a complex feeling swept through Lu Yang's heart.
Since she moved there with her daughter, the two have only exchanged greetings over the phone and haven't seen each other in real life for a long time.
I've really been stretched thin lately. Things are turbulent in Hong Kong, and then there's BBK... wait, BBK?
Lu Yang's thoughts were pulled back, a sharp glint flashed in the depths of his eyes, but was then covered by his usual calm.
Of course, there might be a reason why he didn't go to Shanghai, which was because of that woman who was also in Shanghai and made him inexplicably unhappy whenever he thought about her... He subconsciously shook his head to dispel this irrelevant thought.
Lu Nini was swept over by Lu Yang's calm gaze and immediately realized that she had lost her composure. She quickly stuck out her tongue, tried to calm her breathing, and carefully handed the slightly crumpled newspaper in her hands to Lu Yang.
"Chairman, look at this..." Her voice was lowered, tinged with obvious nervousness.
Lu Yang then put down the grapes in his hand, casually wiped his hands on the damp towel next to him, and slowly took the newspaper.
He adjusted the angle of the recliner to make himself more comfortable, and then, in the bright sunlight, squinted his eyes and gazed at the front page headline that smelled of ink.
Just one glance.
The lazy, carefree look on Lu Yang's face, brought on by the sunlight, vanished instantly like the receding tide.
His eyes, which had been half-closed, suddenly opened, and his pupils seemed to be filled with ice, sharp enough to pierce through paper.
The fingers gripping the edge of the newspaper were so tight that the knuckles turned slightly white.
The front page of the newspaper featured a shocking headline in bold, striking black type:
[BBK's alliance with Hong Kong and foreign capital: Is this the first crack in the Century Group?]
[Yingke Digital and Intel invest heavily; Duan Yongping sets his sights on the MP3 market!]
[Is the era of Century Netac's exclusive enjoyment of flash memory dividends over? A price war is imminent!]
The report is extremely detailed, revealing not only the core content of the strategic investment agreement signed between BBK Electronics, PCCW Digital (owned by Hong Kong businessman Li Zekai), and international semiconductor giant Intel Corporation—with PCCW Digital and Intel each investing US$20 million to acquire 2000% of BBK Electronics' equity after the capital increase—but also emphasizing that Intel will supply BBK Electronics with urgently needed flash memory chips on a long-term, stable basis at prices "significantly lower than international market prices (approximately 25%)."
The article's analysis goes straight to the heart of the matter: This cooperation marks the first shot fired by BBK, led by Duan Yongping, in its open "defection" from Lu Yang's "Century Group" empire! With the support of capital and core technology from Hong Kong and international giants, BBK will quickly break free from its dependence on the Century Group's supply chain and directly enter the market currently dominated by "Waterdrop" MP3 players.
The article even quoted predictions from "industry observers," asserting that a bloody price war sweeping the domestic MP3 market is inevitable.
Lu Yang's gaze swept over the key data and words repeatedly: "20% equity", "2000 million US dollars", "Intel flash memory supply", "25% below market price", "price war"... Each word was like a cold needle, piercing his heart that had just been warmed by the sunshine.
a long time.
He slowly, extremely slowly, shook his head, his face expressionless, but his deep, pool-like eyes churned with complex emotions: the disappointment he had long anticipated, the coldness of betrayal, and a hint of almost ruthless understanding that his judgment had been confirmed.
"Heh..." A very soft chuckle escaped from Lu Yang's nostrils, carrying a heavy sense of irony and a weary understanding of everything. "President Duan, oh President Duan, your wolfish ambitions can't be hidden after all. Unwilling to be subordinate to others? I should have known."
Lu Yang closed his eyes, and his mind flashed back to every detail of BBK's rise to prominence.
The Red and White Learning Machine was all the rage, the VCD war was fierce... In those years, as an early angel investor in BBK and the helmsman of the Century Group, how could he ever mistreat BBK? He treated the first and second generations of the domestically produced decoding chips that the group had devoted its efforts to developing fairly, allocating valuable production capacity and resources equitably to all affiliated companies, including BBK.
Otherwise, how could BBK have broken into the top three in sales in the fiercely competitive VCD market?
And this time, it's all because of flash memory!
Century Netac is the inventor of the USB flash drive and a core holder of flash memory technology. Its "Waterdrop" MP3 player exploded in the market as soon as it was launched. Its core advantage lies in the cost and performance barriers brought about by its self-developed flash memory.
Langke's own production capacity was stretched thin, and even with the production lines running day and night, it couldn't meet the order demand from "Waterdrop". Even the two sister companies, Xiaoshentong and Xiaotiancai, which were like family members within the group, applied several times to get a share of the pie and enter the MP3 market, but Lu Yang rejected them all on the grounds that "the time is not right" and "resources need to be prioritized for core products".
On what basis does Duan Yongping think he deserves special treatment?
Just because he's senior?
Just because his name is Duan Yongping? Just because he refused to give him the flash memory supply immediately, and only asked him to wait three months—these three months were the biggest concession that Lu Yang managed to get by overcoming Deng Guoshun and Cheng Xiaohua's food-protecting instincts, considering their past relationship and the fact that Duan Yongping had personally come to him!
In Duan Yongping's view, it had become a humiliation and an obstacle?
Lu Yang opened his eyes, and the last trace of emotion in them subsided, leaving only a bottomless calm.
He casually handed the newspaper containing the news of the betrayal back to Lu Nini, who was standing to the side, barely daring to breathe.
"That's enough." His voice was calm and even, as if he were talking about something trivial that had nothing to do with him. "Dragons don't live with snakes, and tigers don't walk with dogs. In the end... we're not on the same path."
“Brother Lu Yang… Chairman…” Lu Nini took the newspaper, feeling as if the thin paper was a ton of weight. She swallowed nervously. “What… what should we do now?” She looked at Lu Yang’s frighteningly calm face and felt even more uneasy.
Lu Yang leaned back in the recliner, crossed his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes again, as if to embrace the disturbed sunlight once more.
His voice remained languid, yet it carried an air of indifference as if he controlled the entire situation:
"Cold salad".
"Huh?" Lu Nini didn't react for a moment.
Lu Yang's lips curled into a faint, almost cold smile. "Let the bullets fly for a while."
His tone was as casual as if he were discussing the weather, yet his words carried an iron-fisted resolve:
"I want to see how much trouble our ambitious 'Emperor Duan' and that 'Little Superman' from Hong Kong can stir up this time."
He paused slightly, as if calculating something, then continued issuing instructions, each word clear and cold:
"Notify the Luzhou wafer fab that, effective immediately, all planned supplies of 'Second Generation Century Chip' decoding chips to BBK Electronics are to be cut off. Not a single chip is to be sent over!"
“The excess production capacity.” He paused, his tone completely flat, “is evenly distributed among the group’s two companies, Little Genius and Little Prodigy. Tell them that the MP3 project they applied for earlier… can begin preliminary preparations.”
Lu Nini was shocked!
Chip supply cut off!
This is tantamount to directly severing the lifeline of BBK's core products, such as VCD players and learning machines, on which it currently relies for survival!
Moreover, transferring resources to child prodigies and allowing them to prepare MP3 players... this is clearly an attempt to foster new competitors before BBK has fully developed, launching a simultaneous internal and external attack! The chairman is... about to completely break with BBK!
"Oh...oh, okay! I'll go inform them right away!" Lu Nini nodded quickly, noting down this crucial instruction.
"Go ahead." Lu Yang waved his hand, basking back in the warm sunshine, as if his words, which had shaken the business world, were just a casual instruction to "add another dish at noon."
Lu Nini dared not disturb her any longer, and carefully turned around to leave.
However, just as she took a few steps, Lu Yang's calm, unwavering voice, carrying the air of final judgment, came from behind her again:
"Also, inform Sister Wei Su that two more production lines will be added to the 'Waterdrop' MP3 production plan. Ensure supply at all costs and make sure we firmly establish a foothold in the market as quickly as possible!"
"Yes, Chairman!" Lu Nini paused, then immediately responded, her heart filled with trepidation.
The chairman is using swift and decisive measures to build an impregnable moat by leveraging the first-mover advantage of "Waterdrop" and the Century Group's formidable channel penetration capabilities before BBK's new products, which utilize Intel's flash memory technology, are launched! At the same time, he is cutting off BBK's supplies, supporting new enemies, and waiting for the situation to change... This series of deadly moves is ruthless and efficient.
Lu Yang has already shown his attitude through his actions: selling his 15% stake in BBK after dilution and completely breaking with Duan Yongping is a done deal. In Lu Yang's dictionary, in the business world, it's either friend or foe, there is no middle ground.
Indecisiveness and playing both sides? That's a path to certain death!
really.
As night fell and the study in the villa was brightly lit, Duan Yongping's phone call came as expected.
On the other end of the phone, Duan Yongping's voice sounded as steady as ever, even tinged with sincerity: "President Lu, you must have seen today's news. I must explain to you that this cooperation with Yingke and Intel is purely for the company's development and to seize opportunities, and has absolutely no intention of betraying the Century Group! You will always be BBK's most valued investor! If you feel that the shareholding structure needs to change and require further coordination from me, I am personally willing to relinquish a portion of my shares to ensure your position as the second largest shareholder of Century Group..."
Duan Yongping tried to explain, tried to appease, and tried to use the pretext of "giving up shares" to maintain a superficial harmony and buy time.
Unfortunately, he was facing Lu Yang.
Lu Yang, who saw Li Zekai sign an agreement with Intel the moment he saw him, understood all their intentions and did not hesitate to wield the broken blade.
"No need." Lu Yang's voice came through the receiver, cold and calm, without a trace of emotion, directly interrupting Duan Yongping's carefully prepared "sincere" speech. "President Duan is very busy. BBK is now backed by Hong Kong and foreign capital, with a noble lineage and unlimited prospects. My small shareholding would be out of place if I stayed, and would only add to the embarrassment."
He paused, his tone as calm as if stating an objective fact:
"Since that's the case, let's part ways amicably since it's all business."
"President Lu! Please let me explain! It's not like that..." Duan Yongping's urgent voice came through the microphone, carrying a hint of barely perceptible panic.
"Snapped."
Lu Yang didn't give him any chance to continue his act or try to confuse him, and hung up the phone decisively.
All that came through the receiver was a cold, busy tone.
The study was completely silent.
Lu Yang stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the dazzling night view of Repulse Bay. His deep eyes reflected the lights of thousands of homes, as well as the ruthlessness and coldness of the business world.
Duan Yongping was wrong.
Big mistakes.
He thought that Lu Yang cutting off BBK's chip supply was just a warning under the guise of thunderous anger, a means to force him to negotiate and compromise.
Little did he know that the word "warning" did not exist in Lu Yang's dictionary.
That decisive stroke of the blade signified a complete severance, a declaration of rupture, and the beginning of war. (End of Chapter)