C19 Financial

Zhang Yang led Lee Shengfeng into a small cubicle, tidying up as he spoke, "The company is just starting out, so I ask for your understanding."

"No problem at all. Shall we get started?" Lee Shengfeng was eager to put this ordeal behind him, yet he couldn't help but hold on to a sliver of hope.

"Our Excellent app will start charging next month, and we're looking for someone with financial expertise to manage it. Since you're here, I think you might be a good fit. I'm quite pleased with you. Do you have any conditions or requests?"

Zhang Yang took a moment to assess Lee Shengfeng, noting his composure and discretion—ideal qualities for someone to handle the finances.

"May I ask, are you truly the developers behind Excellent? Forgive my bluntness, but it's quite astonishing. Just the two of you, and there's talk that Excellent is written in a groundbreaking computer language. It's hard for me to believe."

Lee Shengfeng's candor impressed Zhang Yang. He would have been wary if Lee Shengfeng had agreed too readily.

"Absolutely, I am the creator of the Dragon Language, and as of now, I'm the only one proficient in it."

Zhang Yang pulled out his laptop and logged into the backend of Excellent, demonstrating a few operations. Lee Shengfeng's hope was reignited; his own background in computer science and coding, albeit limited, told him that this language was unlike anything he'd seen before.

"Director Zhang, I'm in. I've even quit my job to pursue this venture. I hope you'll have me on board."

Lee Shengfeng didn't waver. Now that he was convinced he was joining the parent company of Excellent, there was no reason to hesitate.

"Great, let's get the contract signed. As this is the company's first venture and you'll be overseeing the finances, I'm inclined to draft a more stringent contract. I trust you'll be amenable to that."

Zhang Yang knew the importance of caution, especially when entrusting someone with the company's finances.

Lee Shengfeng agreed without a second thought. The company's policies were still evolving, and a stricter contract could be beneficial for now. They could always revise it later, once the company was more established.

Both individuals were the epitome of efficiency, wrapping up all their tasks in just half a day.

"Currently, the company's funds are quite limited, so you'll have some downtime. You'll be staying with us at the company's premises, which are somewhat spartan. But next month, we'll be ready for takeoff. Hang in there, Lee," said Director Zhang.

Lee Shengfeng was ecstatic to hear this. Founding members of startups often receive shares because they've weathered the tough times alongside the major shareholders. Without shared hardships, who would willingly give away their shares?

"What are you saying, Director Zhang? I didn't come here for comfort. The struggles of a startup phase are always worthwhile," Lee Shengfeng replied confidently.

Once Lee Shengfeng was settled in, the company, still short on funds, couldn't expand its team just yet. They had to wait patiently until Excellent started generating revenue.

Zhang Yang had also made it clear to Sunn Pang that the Dragon language must remain confidential, not even to be shared with Lee Shengfeng. After all, he was new to the team, and if he turned out to be a corporate spy, it would be a significant setback. They might crack the code eventually, but the longer it took, the better, giving them ample time to secure their first major profits.

As time flew by, Zhang Yang and his colleagues continuously refined the Excellent app, aiming for one last update before implementing the charging system.

"Fatty, today's the big day for the charging system launch. Is everything set on your end?" Zhang Yang asked, his voice tinged with excitement. The first group of Excellent app users would soon reach the end of their trial period at midnight. It was a make-or-break moment, and despite his confidence in the app, Zhang Yang couldn't shake off a sense of unease.

"Don't worry, I'm monitoring everything closely. Our server may be rented, but it's more than capable. Now, it's all about the market's reception," assured Sunn Pang, feeling the weight of the moment that could determine the company's fate.

Sensing the tension, Lee Shengfeng lightened the mood with a joke, "Come on, I have unwavering faith in Excellent. What's there to be nervous about?"

Over the past month, the trio had grown quite close. Zhang Yang no longer felt the need for formalities with Lee Shengfeng. "Oh come on, Old Lee, are you telling me you're not the slightest bit anxious? If today doesn't go well, you'll be the one with the most to lose. You came here with big dreams, only to potentially leave empty-handed."

Lee Shengfeng chuckled and remarked, "Director Zhang, you're not giving yourself enough credit. Even if we don't gain a single paying customer today, I'm not the least bit concerned. The reality is, once someone has experienced the Excellent app, it's incredibly hard for them to go without it. I doubt you could uninstall Excellent and then go back to using your phone as usual."

Zhang Yang pondered this and realized it made sense. Many people were heavy smartphone users, and the Excellent app was a mere 100 yuan annually. But prolonged use of a phone could significantly degrade the experience.

Switching to a new phone could easily cost thousands of yuan, so sticking with the Excellent app was by far the most economical choice.

Setting these thoughts aside, Zhang Yang opened the Excellent app forum and started perusing the user discussions.

"Has Dingtian Company lost its mind? Nowadays, everyone's pushing free services and making money off ads. How dare they charge a fee? Uninstall, uninstall."

"Ha, the person above, remember that using the internet consumes data, which costs money. Maybe you should just stop using the internet altogether."

"A phone starts to slow down and experience various issues after about six months, severely impacting the user experience. Should I then get a new phone? My phone, a Samsung S13, cost me 5,000 yuan and I've only had it for half a year. If I were to replace it, it would cost another 5,000 yuan. But with that money, I could pay for a 50-year subscription to Excellent. It's a no-brainer; of course, the Excellent membership is the better deal."

"What's there to fight about? If you want a flawless mobile experience, just sign up for the membership. If you prefer the old ways, then don't. It's that simple. No one is forcing you to use it. They have the right to charge for their software however they wish."

"Let's put an end to this thread. Look at companies like Kingsoft, Kaspersky, Microsoft, and others—they all charge for their services. It's the same principle. You have the freedom to choose whether or not to use their products, and Dingtian has the right to decide whether to offer their services for free."

After browsing the forum, Zhang Yang noted that there was still a significant number of users in favor of the fee.

Major internet companies were in a frenzy. Ding Yang Technology had initiated a paid subscription model, yet no one could locate their team. The addresses provided at registration were long abandoned.

Clear Water City was swarming with internet company employees, all on a mission to uncover the elusive Ding Yang Technology.

By the afternoon, the numbers were in. Paid subscriptions were skyrocketing, with the annual fee option attracting over a million users. Monthly payments were far less common.

"Even though it's not quite what I had in mind, a million subscribers means our company's net profit on the first day exceeded 100 million. Let's go celebrate; a hundred million in one day is a resounding success," Zhang Yang said, reassured by the still-climbing figures. With just a million paying users now, he envisioned the staggering cash flow once the numbers reached tens or even hundreds of millions.

"Come on, let's head to the most opulent restaurant in Clear Water City, the Five States Hotel, and really let loose."

Sunn Pang was beside himself with excitement. They had hit the 100 million mark on the very first day of launching their payment system—a true internet startup miracle.

Zhang Yang decided to invite Bai Ling along. She had been calling him daily, but his busy schedule left no time for socializing.

"Ling, what are you up to? I want to treat you to dinner tonight at the Five States Hotel, are you in?"

"Zhang Yang, you have the nerve to call me? I'm furious! You ignored all my calls and vanished for a whole month. I'm so done with you!"

"Okay, okay, calm down. I'll make it up to you tonight. I'll call you when we arrive."

He quickly ended the call, knowing Ling could be unpredictable. The trio hailed a taxi and reached the Five States Hotel, the driver eyeing them curiously.

"What's with that look? Underestimating us? Tomorrow, each of us will be driving our own Mercedes. We're flush with cash now, enough to afford three company cars, one for each of us."

Zhang Yang was livid, cursing up a storm. What was the big deal about taking a taxi to the Five Province Hotel? Who had he possibly upset?

"Exactly, it's like they're looking down on us. Mr. Yang, let's just go. We've wanted to visit the Five Province Hotel for the longest time, but we've been too broke to even consider stepping foot inside!"

Sunn Pang struck a scholarly pose, hand elegantly placed behind his back, trying to emulate a big boss. Despite his size, his attire gave away his underdog status.

"Do you have any private rooms available? I need one."

The trio made a beeline for the front desk upon entering the hotel, requesting a private room. The manager, a middle-aged man, could only sense a hint of sophistication in Lee Shengfeng; the other two were clad in bargain-basement fashion. Concerned about making a misstep, he presented the menu.

"Gentlemen, please order your dishes here first. Have a look and let me know what you would like."

The manager was clever in his approach. If they were out of their element, the prices would send them packing. But if they were genuine diners, no offense would be taken.

Zhang Yang caught on to the manager's tact. The man was a true professional, handling the situation with great care.

"Alright then, serve us up a feast until the table's full."

Recognizing the manager's astuteness, and considering it was their celebration banquet, Zhang Yang saw no reason to pinch pennies.

To the manager's surprise, the one giving orders was not the distinguished-looking Lee Shengfeng but a nondescript young man who was ordering with abandon. Not wanting to drop the ball, he promptly escorted them to a private room.

"Today, we three have shared the highs and lows, working tirelessly for a month to achieve these results. I'm not one for empty words. Sunn Pang, I'm giving you 10% of the shares, and Lee, you're getting 5%. Moving forward, we need to continue collaborating and building our future together."

Zhang Yang shared his well-thought-out plans with them. Now that his business was taking off, it was only fair to offer Sunn Pang a stake, especially since he would be the company's chief technician, spearheading the development of new products.