Chapter 108 The Twelve Round Tables and a Kunpeng Bird
. Perhaps it's nearby Philips High School, maybe Harvard in Boston, or Yale in Connecticut. We should go to more places. We'll visit MIT and Stanford, we’ll go to Pennsylvania." We want to conquer and...Chapter 108: The Round Table of Twelve and a Ku鵬 (Peng)
Su Can received a call from Lin Zouwu on his way to Merlo Tower. Upon seeing the incoming call, he was reminded of the encounter with Lin Luoran yesterday and started to feel anxious when connecting it with what had happened recently. "Su Can, are you currently attending school or running your business Recently, every time I log onto Feb (Facebook), I can’t help but associate it with you because none of my friends would believe that the founder of this social network is one of my buddies. No one would take it seriously, but I’m certain about this. It’s a strange feeling and very frustrating." Su Can chuckled and replied, "Both are not interfering with each other. Compared to Mark Zuckerberg in America, I have more leisure time. However, Zuck also said that if Feb were to disappear someday, he could still return to Harvard. And similarly, at least I can still be at Nan University. Both career and studies complement each other; they never conflict." "You’re right. Recently, I often think about it. You might not just come to Nan University for a simple college education. Life here is sometimes tough, unlike how I report good news but never mention anything bad... Last time in town, two platoons of soldiers started fighting each other, and my butt was kicked hard by someone. F*ck, next time when I meet the guy who kicked me, I’ll take off my shoe and stuff it down his throat..." Lin Zouwu talked about his life at school, with a mixture of bitterness and sweetness. He then sighed and said, "Sometimes, when I return to our dormitory, I feel particularly meaningless. You’re different from us, Su Can. From the very beginning, I knew that…" Su Can was taken aback and asked, "How am I different" Lin Zouwu on the other end of the line continued, "Take me for example. Without Luoran’s grades, my family isn’t as open-minded as Wang Weiwei’s. My dad inherited Grandpa’s bad temper… When I was in middle school, on the playground, I told my father that I wouldn’t go to military academy and wouldn't take that path, but he slapped me down right there and then, saying that even if I didn’t choose this road, I still needed to straighten up my attitude. Back when I was at Jing Shan Middle School, with so many people watching on the playground, I didn’t cry a single time; my dad even wanted to use military leather whip on me. Luoran threw herself onto me and took several hits for me. Later, she showed me her back where there was a red mark that swelled up for an entire week, but she still smiled and told me it was fine. She had tears in her eyes though. So, Su Can, I only have this one younger sister in my life; you must treat her well while she’s in Shanghai." Lin Zouwu sounded solemn as he usually did with his playful demeanor, prompting Su Can to nod in agreement but then wondering why the last sentence felt odd.
"Afterwards, my dad no longer forced me, but joining military academy was a voluntary decision. From other people's perspective, I should have been pretty privileged and fortunate, right But I don’t know what I want to do either; thinking about the future leaves me feeling lost. In Xihaikou, Wang Weiwei and I liked being with you because we couldn't compete with you… Why would we compete You’re always better than us in everything, but if we used our backgrounds against you, that would be too unfair for both of us and bring shame to our parents. Instead, we prefer the feeling of hanging out with several brothers. Some people my age have gone abroad or gained some minor fame, while we've already faded from Beijing’s small mainstream circle’s view. In Beijing, some princes and princesses might achieve great careers in the future, but others may fade into obscurity with the tide of time. From many people's perspective, we're destined to never rise to prominence, so even Ye Weishang could later act superior before Wang Weiwei…" Who decided that the children of princes and princesses must be as adept at political maneuvering as their parents Who decreed they had to be worldly-wise and experience life’s ups and downs I just want to live an ordinary life, occasionally drinking with a few close friends, eating late-night snacks, chatting about yesterday's game or some TV show, brewing tea, and admiring the beautiful women who are out of my reach… Don't laugh, but this is my ideal: On a day when the sky is clear and the clouds roll by gently, I’d like to spend time with friends on a beach under sunshades, watching the clouds gather and disperse, enjoying an easy-going life…" Everyone has their own insights. In Lin Zouwu’s case, although his family background might be enviable from others’ perspectives or traditional viewpoints as part of the privileged generation, they also have different living conditions and simple wishes.
"I especially remember what you said back at No. 27 Middle School: ‘Keep busy with life or death.’" Lin Zouwu smiled and said, “Back then, even if we called it decadence or sorrow, we enjoyed our small barbecues at night and occasionally skipped classes to go to internet cafes for games or went out for drinks; we never thought about what tomorrow would bring. We were willing to fall into decadence again when everyone else was pursuing their bright futures; we wanted everyone to forget us and continue this wandering lifestyle…” Su Can smiled and replied, "You guys have typical petty-bourgeois thinking… According to your logic, living a life like mine is considered decadent" He then thought back to those days in Xihaikou when these newcomers would cause excitement among the male patrons of internet cafes just by showing up with Lin Luoran; they could even get free skewers at barbecue stalls if the boss caught sight of her paying. Wang and Lin's presence made many establishments quiet, but their lifestyle was considered decadent. He chuckled and said, “I really did think you were trash back then when I first met you, but you crushed our spirits… We couldn’t understand why we weren't as good as you in things we thought we excelled at… How could a small-town guy like you be better than us But despite your superior ways, what can I say The reason Wang Weiwei and I liked being with you so much is because the lessons and knowledge we gained from you are something we couldn’t learn by ourselves or in Beijing, following our parents’ footsteps.”
"So… Su Can," Lin Zouwu paused and then said, "Following you isn't a bad deal at all. Knowing you doesn’t feel like it’s wasted...” Su Can was stunned for a moment, feeling touched by his words.
It seemed he saw Lin Zouwu's chubby figure standing under the fading sunlight in that city again, wearing darkened Nike sneakers and loose pants with a goofy yet somewhat scheming smile as he stared at him, Su Can. "If you called me today just to say such sentimental things… Alright, I admit, you succeeded." Su Can said, “But you wouldn’t have another point...” Lin Zouwu laughed again and replied, “Actually, I want to tell you that I’ve always hoped you’d become my brother-in-law; we could then be one big family. In the future, when I ‘torment’ you there won't be any psychological barriers…”
Su Can: "..."
"Haha, just kidding." Lin Zouwu quickly added to prevent Su Can from getting angry, “Li Pengyu is leaving school soon; his family in Nanjing wants him to serve as a guard under an army commander in Beihai. But I suggested he follow you because you can offer him more opportunities. Besides, at military academy, he’s part of the information technology division and has great interest in Feb. He's my old friend; I should provide him with broad development space and platforms…” "Can you accommodate this Ku鵬 (Peng)"
Su Cen entered the elevator to go up to the headquarters of Facebook Chinese in Merro Tower, still thinking about Li Pengyu.
This summer during a trip to Rongcheng when they met, and again on Xiling Snow Mountain where he witnessed Li Pengyu's confrontation with Yi Lihuan and others, Su Cen saw firsthand why Li Pengyu lived up to his nickname "Kunpeng" (referring to the mythical bird). Standing at 1.88 meters tall with a robust and imposing figure, his aura was truly intimidating. Ironically enough, Li Pengyu's major in the PLA Engineering University is Information Science and Technology, which falls under the category of engineering studies.
This makes him somewhat akin to Zhang Fei, the warrior from Yan who was also an intellectual general. If Li Pengyu were to join Facebook Chinese, it would be a good thing for Su Cen because a company that lacks dynamic appeal and fails to attract talents wouldn't be considered part of any significant corporate group. With even Li Pengyu being attracted to Facebook Chinese, this indicates the site's success, which is a path every great company must walk through. Despite his rough exterior, Li Pengyu has subtlety in him; physically speaking, he surpasses Lin Zhouda and everyone else Su Cen had ever seen of the same age, while intellectually, there’s no dullness in him due to his large frame. With such a capable person joining soon, Su Cen feels that Facebook Chinese, with its dense scholarly atmosphere, is finally going to add a taste of strong liquor.
Today, Su Cen entered the headquarters of Facebook Chinese for a teleconference concerning the acquisition of Blizzard's World of Warcraft equity by Facebook from America. This meeting would decide on Facebook's next round of fundraising plans and was destined to be recorded in history.
The CEO of Facebook Chinese, Qiao Shuxin, COO Mu Guotaoyu, CMO Zhao Yifan, CFO Kate, along with high-level executives from legal and PR departments were all present.
CFO Kate was seconded from Facebook USA and is in her forties, dressed entirely in black, accentuating a face of elegant charm. Despite being a woman, she has experience as the CFO of a publicly listed company, having previously served as the CFO of a NASDAQ-listed Chinese company that successfully sold 20% of its shares to Google for $100 million before the Internet bubble burst. She is well-versed in regulations both in China and the US and was brought over to Facebook China by Qiao Shuxin after leaving her previous position.
Today, the interior of Facebook China was spotless; as early as yesterday, when the headquarters heard about a meeting of senior management scheduled for the next day, internal affairs officials immediately gathered thirty employees for a thorough cleaning. Although their boss tolerates an open working environment and relatively free and casual work methods, this does not mean he likes things to be messy or disorganized.
In addition to Kate and Qiao Shuxin, each person in the internal meeting room had a computer in front of them. The video conference was scheduled for 9:30 AM, which coincided with the time Mark Zuckerberg woke up, put on his socks and slippers after sleeping.
The senior management team at Facebook China who were waiting for the video call signal to connect all felt a bit nervous and pressured. They had the ability and qualifications to be seated in their positions and receive an offer from Facebook China, and even meeting Su Cen didn't phase them. However, the impending face-to-face interaction with Mark Zuckerberg, one of the highest-ranking leaders at the US end of February (note: "feb" is likely a typo or abbreviation for Facebook), still made them feel pressure and tension.
This was because it was said that Mark Zuckerberg was rumored to be very strict and stern.
He is first and foremost a conspiracy theorist, and recently on Facebook in the US, he let a vice president leave due to disagreements over strategic issues. If anyone disagrees with him, they will have a very difficult time at the company. Some people know that he can be extremely tough to deal with; if you make a mistake, even if everything is fine one day, it could instantly turn into a situation where you are unwelcome in his eyes the next day.
The twelve Knights of Facebook's Chinese round table managed to contain this tension and ultimately looked towards their King Arthur.
Su Cun still had that deferential expression on his face. The Twelve Knights suddenly wondered what kind of turbulent emotions lay beneath the calm exterior of a founder who could co-create Facebook with Mark Zuckerberg.
Today's update has been delivered. I am working hard to produce high-quality content. At the beginning of the month, the battle for monthly votes is very intense; I need my brothers and sisters to give me some monthly recommendation votes.
The outline for later parts is quite richly structured. I hope everyone can vote to stimulate more exciting developments; otherwise, the thrilling plot won't emerge. (To be continued)g, the captain of the baseball team. They got out of the car laughing and chatting with some girls nearby, but when their eyes caught sight of Su Can, their smiles seemed a bit forced.Among them, Fan...