Chapter 692: 1 Yuan for 3 Billion? What's Free Is Often the Most Expensive! 20 Billion to Build Cars

It wasn’t that Chen Yansen had no interest in car manufacturing. He just felt the market, production, and policy conditions weren’t mature enough.

Furthermore, the capital required to cultivate the market in the early stages was astronomical.

‘Let the competition go first!’

‘Let them clear the path first!’

Besides, he held the lifeblood of the new energy vehicle powertrain in his hands. Entering the market a year or two later would actually let him sidestep the industry’s initial chaos and the costs of trial and error.

Once the market was mature and consumer awareness was established, he could make a powerful entry leveraging his core technology advantages. This would save him the trouble of educating the market and allow him to capitalize on already-established demand.

He’d be scooping food right out of his competitors’ pot, saving him the trouble of even starting the fire.

“President Chen, I plan to invest 20 billion in the LeTV Car project. If you’re willing, you can purchase a 10% stake for one yuan.”

Jia Yaoting said nonchalantly.

Even though it pained him immensely, he maintained a breezy smile, projecting an air of magnanimity.

This nearly free stake was the chip he’d grudgingly offered up, gritting his teeth to lure Chen Yansen into the venture.

‘Just lend his name and get 2 billion for free?’

At his side, Ye Qiuping held her breath. Following Chen Yansen had truly shown her just how easy it was to make money.

‘The gap between people is just too vast.’

Master Ye let out a quiet sigh. She thought about how she spent her days making money for Chen Yansen at the company, and her nights trying new things, wearing all sorts of strange costumes to warm President Chen’s bed. After working herself to the bone, she only made a little over two million a year.

‘This money is so damn hard to earn!’

Ye Qiuping instinctively glanced at Chen Yansen, curious to see what he would choose.

Even though Chen Yansen’s net worth was in the hundreds of billions, two billion was still no small sum.

Chen Yansen just smiled at his words, thinking scornfully, ‘You say 20 billion, and I’m supposed to believe it’s 20 billion?’

‘Like hell I believe you!’

But it would be a waste not to take equity that was being handed to him.

Under his influence, China’s internet, manufacturing, and new energy vehicle industries had already changed dramatically.

‘What if Jia Yaoting actually succeeded?’

The thought flashed through Chen Yansen’s mind.

Although he had always been skeptical of Jia Yaoting’s methods and character, and was well aware of the man’s past—and future—track record of “hype,” no one could say for certain. With the industry landscape being reshaped, it wasn’t impossible that this master of fundraising could carve out a path to survival.

Chen Yansen shook his head.

Accountant Jia’s boldness and appetite for risk were certainly impressive. Regardless of whether the 20 billion investment would ever materialize, the mere offer of a free 10% stake was enough to make any investor’s heart race.

‘The bastard really dares to bet big!’

When Jia Yaoting saw Chen Yansen shake his head, the smile on his lips vanished instantly.

‘He can give up two billion without even hesitating?’

He opened his mouth, but his mind went blank.

His first thought was, ‘Could he think it’s not enough?’

Ye Qiuping looked equally confused, but that didn’t stop her from gazing at Chen Yansen with reverence.

‘The guy’s a bit of a scoundrel, but he’s not stupid in the least.’

‘Perhaps there was a trap hidden behind those two billion that she hadn’t seen.’

“Does President Chen think it’s too little?” Jia Yaoting asked gingerly.

Chen Yansen regarded him with an unreadable smile, and employing a sliver of his Spiritual Power, he asked softly, “Does President Jia truly want to build cars?”

“That’s right,” Jia Yaoting replied, his tone firm.

‘But the odds of LeTV succeeding were just too low.’

LeTV Network, LeTV Television, LeTV Phone, LeTV Sports, LeTV Interactive Entertainment, and its other ecosystems made the business seem enormous and powerful, but its profitability was abysmal.

The capital needed for expansion came entirely from shareholders and industry tycoons footing the bill.

Every step was a tightrope walk, playing things far too close to the edge. If the funding chain ever snapped, everything would be lost!

Even Chen Yansen, the man who “wasn’t interested in making money and only wanted to accumulate the Human Dao Fire,” would first ensure a new industry’s profit model was sustainable before he made his move.

Chen Yansen frowned. He could tell with certainty that Jia Yaoting wasn’t lying.

Old Jia watched him apprehensively. When Chen Yansen remained silent, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and raise his offer. “President Chen, 15%.”

‘Three billion?’

Ye Qiuping was secretly astonished.

Now, even she was starting to get suspicious.

‘This Jia Yaoting was probably up to no good. He likely needed to use Chen Yansen’s name just to get his hands on that 20 billion he was talking about.’

‘If he so much as hinted to other investors that Chen Yansen was taking a 15% stake, investment firms from home and abroad would come flocking.’

Ye Qiuping came to her own conclusion.

It was just like Magic Camera, which had used the same method to get Chen Yansen’s personal endorsement. It had then shot to the top of the download charts on all major app stores, gaining over a hundred million users.

And Jia Yaoting was playing the exact same game!

“It’s not about the equity.”

Chen Yansen’s tone was firm.

He had no desire to invest, nor could he be bothered to accept Accountant Jia’s free options.

‘Because he knew deep down that the things you get for free often end up costing you the most.’

Jia Yaoting’s expression stiffened. His right hand, holding a wine glass, froze in midair. He didn’t dare call out a price of 20%.

‘His foolproof plan… had actually failed!’

‘He could withstand the temptation of three billion and refuse so decisively?’

He was trying to hand Chen Yansen a fortune, and the man wouldn’t even take it!

The scene was surreal, but everyone present knew exactly what was going on. Jia Yaoting never wanted the loose change in Boss Chen’s pocket; he wanted to use Chen Yansen’s name as a stakeholder to bleed the entire investment world dry.

Jia Yaoting was up to no good, and Chen Yansen wasn’t about to fall for his tricks.

Partnering with LeTV would be a worse choice than working with manufacturers like Great Wall, BAIC, SAIC, or Jianghuai. At least they had some technical foundation and could guarantee production capacity.

What did Jia Yaoting have?

A PowerPoint presentation?

Besides, given Deep Blue Technology’s dominant position in the power battery sector, the moment Chen Yansen expressed interest, countless automobile manufacturers would be fighting for a chance to partner with him.

So, no matter how big a pie Jia Yaoting drew for him, Chen Yansen wasn’t interested.

President Chen was happy to sell you his products, but he was not happy when you tried to screw him over.

The atmosphere in the private room instantly grew tense. Jia Yaoting gave a dry laugh, quickly changing the subject back to their procurement partnership.

The two of them then finalized the procedures for their teams to follow up.

Chen Yansen lifted his wrist to glance at his watch. Jia Yaoting took the hint immediately and brought the dinner to a close.

On the way back, Ye Qiuping whispered a reminder, “Boss, I don’t think that Boss Jia’s intentions are good.”

“Are you afraid I can’t handle him?”

Chen Yansen rested his hand on Master Ye’s thigh and retorted with a smile.

‘As if the strong would fear the weak.’

“I’m not,” Ye Qiuping replied. Seeing his confident expression, she knew that with Chen Yansen’s shrewdness, there was no way he would be taken down by Jia Yaoting.

“But you were just questioning me. That shows a clear lack of faith in my abilities. You need to be punished,” Chen Yansen said with a grin.

“An extra half hour?”

“In your dreams! That’s a reward!”

Twenty minutes later, the two arrived back at a villa.

Chen Yansen first went to the walk-in closet and retrieved a Godzilla and an Ultraman cosplay costume, then headed straight for the master bedroom.

…

…

「The next day, October 19.」

A series of new Orange Technology products launched on the Kuai Pao Flash Sale Store, while long lines formed outside the physical Orange Intelligent Life Hall locations.

Weibo, Toutiao, and Douyin were flooded with review videos from tech bloggers.

In terms of performance, system stability, and smoothness, the Yaocheng X2 far surpassed the iPhone 5s, the Mountain Star Galaxy Note 3, and the Sony Xperia Z1.

And with 472,000 units sold on its first day, it firmly cemented its foothold in the high-end market.