Chapter 912
Continues to cash out, plans to reduce holdings in the child prodigy.
Pengcheng, Lu Residence.
The afternoon sun streamed through the large French windows, casting warm dappled light on the floor.
A faint scent of sandalwood and the milky aroma unique to children filled the air. In the center of the living room, on a soft carpet, Lu Yang sat cross-legged, his expression as focused as if he were handling a multi-billion dollar merger and acquisition deal.
Before him, a complex "city of the future" built from colorful building blocks was beginning to take shape.
Three-year-old Lu Fan, dressed in an adorable onesie, his little face rosy, was carefully holding an arched building block, trying to place it on the tallest tower in the center of the "city".
"Daddy, here, here, make sure it's stable!" Little Lu Fan instructed in his childish voice, his big eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of nervousness.
“Okay, watch Daddy.” Lu Yang’s voice was unusually gentle. He held his breath and adjusted the angle steadily and lightly, firmly embedding the key piece of building block.
Little Lu Fan immediately cheered and clapped his hands: "Dad is awesome!"
However, this precious moment of parent-child bonding was abruptly interrupted by a series of hurried and heavy footsteps.
"Brother! Brother!!"
Mu Qizhong's signature loud voice boomed like thunder in the entryway. His voice arrived before he did, carrying an uncontrollable, soaring rage.
Immediately afterward, Xiao Jun's face, filled with irritability and anxiety, appeared at the door. The two practically burst through the half-closed hall door and rushed in.
"Brother, I've fucking figured it all out!" Mu Qizhong rushed into the living room, not even bothering to change his shoes. His shiny leather shoes left shallow marks on the soft carpet. His chest heaved violently, and his eyes were wide open, as if they were about to spit fire.
"It's that damned second young master Li from the Li family in Hong Kong! Damn it! That Li guy is like a ghost, he's a real pain in the neck! I haven't even had a chance to deal with him yet, and he's already tripped me up! He made my Sina share drop to the lowest possible level, I lost several tens of thousands of yuan! Damn it, I can't swallow this!"
The "several Ws" he mentioned were not tens of thousands of yuan, but potential losses in the hundreds of millions.
Of course, that might be a bit of an exaggeration.
"Damn it! Same here!" Xiao Jun followed closely behind, his face equally grim. He scratched his hair in frustration, his carefully styled hair instantly becoming a mess. "That little bastard is clearly trying to sabotage us! He can't afford to mess with you, Boss Lu, so he's targeting me and Old Mu, thinking we're easy targets!"
As he spoke, he walked straight toward Lu Yang without stopping, as if he wanted to get some kind of response or support from him immediately.
Seeing that Lu Yang was still looking down, seemingly completely absorbed in building blocks with his son and oblivious to the two men's raging anger, Xiao Jun became even more anxious.
He went directly behind Lu Yang, reached out, and with a hint of urging and dissatisfaction, pushed Lu Yang's back forcefully.
"Hey! Give me an answer, buddy!" Xiao Jun's voice rose a few decibels. "We're in this together when it comes to dealing with that little bastard from the Li family! We can't just swallow this bitter pill and let it go, can we?"
Xiao Jun's anxiety was not entirely unfounded.
His current wealth is almost entirely bet on the seemingly unsinkable behemoth that is the internet.
Apart from serving as president of Lu Yang's Little Prodigy Technology Company, where he only holds a pitiful 10% stake, all of his remaining working capital and company dividends from the past two years have been poured into Sina's pre-IPO financing.
With Sina's IPO in the US imminent, Wall Street is obsessed with the concept of Chinese portals, and the Nasdaq index is soaring, like a gold mine with no end in sight.
He dreamed of biting into the fattest piece of meat, but he never expected that Li Zekai would suddenly appear out of nowhere and snatch the meat away from his mouth in such a domineering way!
How can I swallow this insult?
When Lu Yang was pushed like that, his hand jerked violently, and the small building block that Xiao Fanfan had just treasured and was about to place on the spire fell to the edge of the "city" with a "thud," almost knocking down a group of "buildings" next to it.
Little Lu Fan exclaimed "Ouch!" and his little mouth immediately pursed.
Lu Yang suddenly turned his head, his gaze piercing Xiao Jun like an ice pick. The sternness in his eyes and the sudden surge of anger made Xiao Jun subconsciously take a step back.
"Almost!" Lu Yang's voice was deep and menacing, carrying the oppressive feeling of an impending storm. "I spent almost three hours painstakingly building this block tower with my son, and you almost destroyed it! Do you believe I'll never forgive you?"
Xiao Jun felt a chill run down his spine from the glare, and awkwardly raised his hands in surrender, taking two steps back.
Although the man in front of him was his brother-in-law, he was also a powerful and ruthless business tycoon.
When Lu Yang was truly enraged, Young Master Xiao didn't dare to talk back.
He pursed his lips, his voice lowered, and he sounded a little aggrieved: "I...I was just anxious and stressed! Look at my lips, they're all blistered!" He pointed to his obviously red and swollen lips.
Lu Yang snorted irritably, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Jun's disheveled appearance: "You're so hot-tempered, don't you know how to cool yourself down? When have you, Young Master Xiao, ever lacked a woman to cool you down? Such a grown man, yet so clumsy and impulsive, you're not steady at all. I don't think you've made any progress as a little prodigy CEO!"
Xiao Jun's face turned red and white as he choked on his words. His lips twitched a few times, but he didn't dare to retort. He could only curse inwardly.
Lu Yang then turned his gaze to Mu Qizhong, who was equally angry but at least still standing still, and softened his tone slightly: "Brother Mu, please wait a moment. My son's building blocks will be finished soon, just the last bit of finishing touches."
He pointed upstairs and said, "Take this kid to my study first, and I'll have someone lead you up. I'll be up in a bit."
He raised his voice and called out, "Aunt Liu!"
A neatly dressed middle-aged nanny quickly walked from the direction of the restaurant in response.
"Serve tea to the two guests..." Lu Yang paused, his gaze sweeping over Mu Qizhong and Xiao Jun's bloodshot and exhausted faces again, before changing his words: "Well, forget the tea, make them each a cup of coffee to perk them up. On the top shelf of the bookshelf in the study, there's that can of premium Blue Mountain coffee that General Manager Li from Xianke Electronics gave us last time, let's make that."
“Yes, sir.” Aunt Liu replied, and respectfully gestured for Mou Mou and the other person to enter.
Mu Qizhong took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger. Knowing that arguing at this moment would be pointless, he nodded to Lu Yang, then glared fiercely at Xiao Jun, signaling him to follow.
Helpless, Xiao Jun could only hang his head and follow Mu Qizhong, led by Liu Ma, upstairs, looking back every few steps.
The heavy mahogany door to the study closed gently, shutting out the sounds from downstairs.
Lu Yang then squatted down again, his face instantly regaining the gentle patience he showed when facing his son. He picked up the fallen tower-top block and handed it to Xiao Fanfan: "Here, baby, Daddy will hold it for you. You put it on top yourself, make sure it's stable, okay?"
"Okay!" Xiao Fanfan immediately forgot her previous unpleasantness, her little face lit up with a smile again, and she focused on completing the final "capping".
A whimsical "city of future building blocks" has finally been completed.
"Wow! That's awesome!" Xiao Fanfan clapped his hands and jumped up.
Lu Yang smiled and ruffled his son's hair: "Amazing! This is a big city that Fanfan and his dad built together!"
After admiring their masterpieces with his son for a while, Lu Yang stood up and said gently, "Son, Dad is going upstairs to chat with those two uncles. You can play here by yourself for a while, or Grandma Liu can watch cartoons with you, okay?"
"Mmm!" Little Fanfan nodded sensibly, his attention quickly drawn back to his "city".
The warmth on Lu Yang's face quickly vanished, and he turned and walked towards the stairs with steady and powerful steps.
When he pushed open the study door, his face was as calm as a deep pool, showing no ripples whatsoever.
The study was filled with the rich aroma of premium Blue Mountain coffee.
Mu Qizhong and Xiao Jun each held an exquisite bone china cup, but neither had the heart to taste them; they simply sat restlessly on the sofa. Seeing Lu Yang enter, they were about to speak almost simultaneously.
Lu Yang raised his hand, making a gesture to calm down, and walked to sit down behind the large desk.
He didn't touch the cup of coffee that Aunt Liu had just brought him, and his gaze calmly swept over the two of them.
“I already know why you’ve come.” Lu Yang’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a strange soothing power, or rather, an undeniable sense of control. “Young Master Li, the Li family of Hong Kong. Their methods aren’t particularly sophisticated, but they’re direct, effective, and disgusting enough.”
Mu Qizhong immediately chimed in, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked: "It's more than disgusting! It's like they're shitting on my neck! Brother, this can't just be left like this! We have to let them know that the mainland isn't a place where the Li family can run wild!"
Xiao Jun eagerly chimed in, "Exactly! This is clearly aimed at you! They're using us as a scapegoat to embarrass you! We have to join forces and teach them a lesson!"
Lu Yang listened quietly to their venting, his face expressionless. After a brief pause, he slowly spoke, his tone as calm as if stating a fact unrelated to himself: "The matter is settled. The contract for Sina and Sohu's final round of financing has been signed, the money has been received, and the equity transfer is in progress. What's done is done." "Then... so we just accept it?!" Xiao Jun's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Admit it?" A faint smile seemed to appear at the corner of Lu Yang's mouth, carrying an elusive meaning. "Of course not. But anger won't solve the problem, and recklessness is more likely to lead you into someone else's trap."
He changed the subject, his gaze becoming profound as he looked at the two men: "Besides, Brother Mu, Xiao Jun, I have to say, from another perspective, this matter may not necessarily be all bad for you."
"what?!"
"This isn't a bad thing?! Then what is?!"
Mu Qizhong and Xiao Jun exclaimed almost simultaneously, their faces filled with disbelief.
Xiao Jun was so excited he almost stood up: "Brother! Are you kidding me? What time is it now? The internet economy is booming! Especially our Chinese portal concept, it's the darling of Wall Street! Capital is waving money around, rushing in like crazy! If Sina and Sohu can successfully IPO and list on Nasdaq this time, I guarantee their stock prices will skyrocket! A few times the initial investment is a conservative estimate!"
Mu Qizhong nodded vigorously, his voice booming: "That's right! That index, I don't really understand it, but I've heard about it. It changes every day, it's rising every day! The index is like a ladder to heaven, hot money from all over the world is pouring in! This fat meat that was about to be in our mouths has flown away, can you still say it's not a bad thing?"
Lu Yang listened quietly as they described the magnificent scene of "a raging fire and blooming flowers," but a trace of barely perceptible pity flashed deep in his eyes.
He slowly shook his head, his voice not loud, but like a bucket of cold water poured on their hearts: "You only saw its boundless glory, saw the ladder to heaven, but have you ever thought that beneath the framework supporting this ladder might be an abyss? What if... I mean, what if, one day this ladder collapses?"
"what?"
"It...it collapsed?"
Mu Qizhong and Xiao Jun were both stunned. The anger and excitement on their faces froze instantly, replaced by a sense of bewilderment and disbelief.
They never thought about the problem from this perspective.
In their eyes, the wave of the internet has only just reached its peak, and it seems that the tide is far from receding.
An abyss? Where did this abyss come from?
Seeing their astonished expressions, Lu Yang sighed softly, seemingly somewhat disheartened: "Forget it, you probably wouldn't understand even if I told you." He stopped dwelling on the topic, as if his earlier warning about the "abyss" was just a casual remark.
His gaze shifted to Xiao Jun, his eyes becoming serious and sharp: "Xiao Jun, you're the CEO of Little Prodigy. Perfect timing, there's something here that needs your attention." He opened a desk drawer, took out a thin document, and pushed it in front of Xiao Jun.
On the cover of the document, several bold black characters stood out: "Draft Plan for Share Reduction by Major Shareholders of Xiaoshentong Technology Co., Ltd."
Xiao Jun picked up the document with a puzzled look, and after flipping through only the first page, his expression changed instantly.
"Wh...what?" He suddenly looked up, his voice trembling with disbelief. "Selling shares? At this time?!"
Mu Qizhong, who was standing next to him, also came over to take a look and looked equally astonished: "Brother, this... Little Prodigy's stock price is soaring right now! Although it's a hardware company, it's benefited from the 'technology' label and has been soaring along with internet concept stocks in recent months, even hitting record highs! Is this the time to reduce holdings?"
Lu Yang leaned back in his wide leather chair, crossed his arms in front of him, and a faint, slightly amused smile appeared on his face: "Isn't this normal? You all said it yourself, right now is the peak of the internet economy and the most frenzied time for the capital market. Our little prodigy, although its core business is hardware like learning machines and VCD-DCDs, which have nothing to do with the pure internet, still carries the name of a 'Chinese technology company.' The stock price has been rising for several months now, firmly standing at its historical high. Market sentiment is high, and liquidity is abundant..."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Jun and Mu Qizhong's bewildered faces, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable decisiveness: "Isn't this... the perfect time to cash out at a high price?"
"Then... how many are you planning to take?" Xiao Jun's voice was a little dry, and his hand holding the document trembled slightly.
His biggest concern is that Lu Yang will reduce his holdings on a large scale, or even give up his position as the largest shareholder.
In that case, his position as a prodigy CEO, which he rose to power entirely through the other party's support, would probably be very precarious.
After all, he only had a very small number of shares.
Lu Yang tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, as if calculating: "The initial plan is to reduce the total share capital by about 5%. But the specific implementation will depend on the market reaction." His eyes deepened, "If the market has strong absorption capacity and the stock price fluctuates relatively little... I may consider further reductions."
His tone was calm and even, as if he were talking about an ordinary business decision.
However, only he himself knew that behind this reduction plan was the cold-blooded judgment of a reborn individual with foresight: the bursting of the internet bubble was imminent, followed by a long winter that would sweep across global tech stocks! Although the little prodigy was not an internet company, it was by no means immune to the spread of market panic.
If not now, when will we ever get around to cashing out and leaving at the peak of this false prosperity?
Are we supposed to wait until the stock price is halved, halved, or even halved before cutting our losses?
Mu Qizhong fell silent, his brows furrowed.
He knew Lu Yang well, and was well aware of how accurate and... "strange" this younger brother's vision and judgment were.
Lu Yang's insistence on reducing his holdings and cashing out when the company's situation is so good must have a deeper meaning behind it.
Recalling the warning about the "abyss" he had just heard, Mu Qizhong's heart sank.
Could it be... that Lu Yang really saw a huge risk that they couldn't see?
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.
Xiao Jun, on the other hand, had a completely sour face.
He instinctively wanted to persuade Lu Yang: "Brother, reconsider? If you reduce your holdings now, won't the market interpret it as you not being optimistic about the company's prospects? And..." But seeing Lu Yang's calm yet unfathomable eyes, and that unquestionable aura of decisiveness, Xiao Jun's words of persuasion stuck in his throat.
He knew that once the person in front of him made a decision, it was almost impossible to change it, especially when it involved major financial transactions.
"Okay... alright." Xiao Jun could only respond helplessly and weakly, clutching the heavy share reduction plan tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white.
A brief silence fell over the study, filled only by the aroma of coffee and an invisible sense of oppression.
Mu Qizhong took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.
He raised his head, glanced at Lu Yang with a complicated look, then turned to Xiao Jun, who looked dejected, and said in a deep voice, "Xiao Jun, since Brother Lu has decided to reduce his holdings, then... I may also need to reduce some of my Little Prodigy shares. You should make the necessary preparations and contingency plans."
"What?! Old Mou, you too..." Xiao Jun was completely dumbfounded, feeling like his vision was going black.
Lu Yang's reduction of holdings is already a headache for him. If Mu Qizhong, a heavyweight shareholder, also follows suit and reduces his holdings, the impact on Xiaoshentong's stock price is unimaginable!
The pressure on him as CEO will increase dramatically!
Mu Qizhong sighed, offering no further explanation. He had always trusted Lu Yang's judgment to the point of superstition. Lu Yang's resolute decision to cash out at a high price intensified his unease.
He did indeed have a new project that required a lot of funding, and this was a good opportunity to cash in and solve his immediate problem, while also avoiding the potential "abyss" risk that this brat mentioned.
As for the short-term fluctuations in the stock price of Little Prodigy?
Compared to the potentially huge risks, this is nothing.
Xiao Jun, however, felt like he was being roasted over a fire, watching the two big shots in front of him casually decide the flow of Little Prodigy's shares.
Lu Yang is the founder and the largest shareholder. If he wants to reduce his holdings, no one can stop him.
Mu Qizhong is an important strategic investor, and he has his reasons for reducing his holdings.
Only Xiao Jun, sitting on the position of CEO of Little Prodigy, would never voluntarily reduce his already pitifully small number of company shares as long as he wanted to hold onto this position, to exert his influence on this platform, and to enjoy the power that comes with being a CEO!
The reason is simple: he already has very little leverage, and if he reduces his holdings further, his influence on the board of directors will be even weaker, and it may even shake the foundation of his position as president!
At that moment, Xiao Jun felt as if his mouth was filled with bitter herbs, and he felt extremely bitter.
Before he could vent his anger toward Li Zekai, new and more realistic anxieties overwhelmed him like a cold tide.
He looked at Lu Yang, whose face was calm and deep, then at Mu Qizhong, whose face was resolute, and then at the share reduction plan in his hand, which seemed to weigh a ton. He felt that the road ahead was bleak.
"No, I have to talk to my sister. At the very least, I need to persuade her to whisper in his ear. We can't let this kid really reduce all the major shareholders to minor shareholders and ruin him." (End of Chapter)