Chapter 390 - 203: The Duties of a Personal Secretary (Part 2)

"However, due to upfront costs like talent development, the company has spent a total of 121 million. Not only have we not turned a profit, we’ve actually lost 76 million."

"Fortunately, our revenue and table turnover rate are both very impressive."

"Although we’ve delayed payments to our suppliers, they haven’t complained. It’s just that our cash flow is extremely tight."

"Currently, Sequoia has offered a valuation of 5 billion US dollars. The only other firm to follow suit is Black Ant Capital; other VCs are still on the sidelines."

Yuan Li reported earnestly.

"No rush. Our branches in the first-tier cities haven’t even opened yet. Once they do and our performance numbers are impressive, we won’t have to worry about investors. They’ll be fighting over us."

Qi Sheng, however, was quite patient.

A satisfied smile spread across his face when he saw that Spicy King’s table turnover rate had climbed to 4.2.

"This turnover rate is excellent. Keep it up."

When Qi Sheng saw the 70-million-plus deficit on the books, he simply smiled knowingly.

’The system’s accounting is truly flawless!’

’Every entry, every transaction, was perfectly, unimpeachably logical.’

"Boss, could you perhaps lend the company more money? Or we could pursue another round of funding."

Yuan Li was getting desperate. The company’s cash flow was stretched to its limit.

She was terrified that the funding would dry up at any moment.

"Alright. I’ll loan the company another 200 million, interest-free. You can pay it back once Spicy King is profitable."

Qi Sheng couldn’t bear to see Yuan Li so worried, and besides, his own funds were more than sufficient.

Loaning some money to Spicy King to tide them over wasn’t an issue.

"Thank you, Boss!"

Yuan Li was thrilled. She hadn’t expected to secure the funding so easily.

"No need to thank me. Even though Spicy King is raising funds independently, it’s still a company I control. I can’t just ignore it."

Qi Sheng smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "This 200 million is just an appetizer. I have a VC firm under my name that will be fundraising soon."

"Going forward, that firm will act as Spicy King’s cornerstone investor and participate in its subsequent funding rounds."

"That’s wonderful!"

Yuan Li’s face lit up with excitement.

She was well aware of the importance of a cornerstone investor.

Virtually every company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange hopes to secure the backing of a few cornerstone investors.

It boosts market confidence and ensures the stock price rises steadily.

Typically, only giants on the scale of Tencent and Sequoia are qualified to be cornerstone investors.

It wasn’t just a matter of making empty promises.

It required putting up hundreds of millions of US dollars in hard cash.

"Boss, what’s your firm called? Is it an RMB fund or a US dollar fund?"

Yuan Li asked, her curiosity piqued.

Given her boss’s deep pockets, she figured it wouldn’t be some obscure, small-time VC firm.

"Jinshi Capital. It was just established. I’ll be injecting an initial 1 billion and then raising another 4 billion externally."

That’s what Qi Sheng said, anyway.

But he wasn’t entirely confident he could raise the full amount.

After all, it was a brand-new VC firm.

With no track record of successful investments, fundraising would likely be very difficult.

"Uh..."

Yuan Li was dumbfounded. She asked, speechless,

"Boss, can a brand-new venture capital firm really act as Spicy King’s cornerstone investor?"

Based on her projections for Spicy King, it was destined to become a super-unicorn with a market valuation starting in the tens of billions of US dollars.

For a company of Spicy King’s magnitude, becoming a cornerstone investor would be unthinkable without several hundred million US dollars.

For a brand-new VC firm...

to raise several hundred million US dollars in just two or three years...

It was completely unrealistic!

"Don’t worry. Before Spicy King goes public, Jinshi Capital will be a star in the venture capital world. It will absolutely be Spicy King’s most resolute cornerstone investor!"

’As a reincarnated ’cheater,’ how could he not know which companies had potential?’

’He just had to bet on a few winning horses, and Jinshi Capital’s DPI would be enough to make countless investors’ jaws drop.’

"Alright then. I’ll look forward to seeing Jinshi Capital’s big moves!"

Yuan Li didn’t want to dampen her boss’s enthusiasm.

Besides, she had already gotten the 200 million she needed.

「...」

A short while after Yuan Li left, there was a knock on the office door.

"Boss, President Lu from Jinshi Capital would like to see you."

His secretary, Liu Shiwen’s, voice came from outside the door.

"Yes, let her in."

Qi Sheng’s voice was perfectly steady as he reached down to pat Tang Qian under his large executive desk.

Tang Qian gave him a seductive look in return, her legs, clad in black stockings, kneeling on a cushion.

She then resumed her duties as his "personal assistant."

"Boss."

The woman Liu Shiwen led in was none other than Lu Fang, the CEO of Jinshi Capital whom Qi Sheng had recently recruited.

"President Lu, have a seat."

Qi Sheng smiled, gesturing to the chair opposite his desk.

"Boss, I recently met with the heads of several funds of funds, as well as a few high-net-worth individuals."

"They’re all very interested in our terms, but they’d prefer to speak with you personally."

Lu Fang concisely summarized the situation and waited for Qi Sheng’s instructions.

"Talk to me?"

Qi Sheng waved his hand. "The terms we’ve offered are already more than generous. If they want to invest, they can invest. If not, we can manage on our own."

"Ahem... Boss, I really think you should meet them. A 20% GP commitment is unheard of among domestic venture capital firms."

Lu Fang hadn’t expected Qi Sheng to be so uncompromising and patiently tried to persuade her boss.

This, however, made things difficult for Tang Qian.

She had to be exceedingly careful, terrified of making the slightest noise.

But Qi Sheng was adamant, and Lu Fang had to spend half an hour persuading him.

Only then did he finally agree to meet with the heads of a few of the more interested funds of funds.

Satisfied, Lu Fang couldn’t resist glancing at the large desk before she left the office.

Although it was a solid, floor-standing desk with no gaps underneath...

...she still heard the faint sound of someone swallowing.

’Thank goodness she was in her thirties and had the system’s psychological suggestion to rely on.’

’Otherwise, she would never dare to work for a boss like this.’

"You bad boss, now I have to rinse my mouth out again."

Tang Qian crawled out from under the desk and, her legs feeling a bit weak, tumbled into Qi Sheng’s arms, whining coquettishly.

"Then hurry along. Oral hygiene is important, after all."

Qi Sheng let Tang Qian recover for a moment, then patted her on her form-fitting skirt.

"I know."

Swaying her slender hips, Tang Qian left the office.

Liu Shiwen, who was just returning from escorting Lu Fang out, ran right into Tang Qian.

"President Lu heard everything. You really have no shame."

Liu Shiwen rolled her eyes at Tang Qian.

’Her friend had gone completely down the wrong path, and there was no pulling her back.’

’All she did all day was scheme about how to please Qi Sheng, without the slightest concept of shame.’

"So what if she did?"

Tang Qian smugly exhaled in Liu Shiwen’s direction.

The familiar scent made Liu Shiwen recoil.

"Ugh, Qianqian, go rinse your mouth out, that’s so gross!"

Liu Shiwen covered her nose and waved her hand in disgust.

"As if you’ve never had a taste."

Her prank a success, Tang Qian sashayed off to the restroom to rinse her mouth.

’I don’t like that stuff at all.’

Liu Shiwen rolled her eyes, knocked on the door, and then walked into the office.

"Honey, President Lu has left."

"Mm, pour me a glass of water."

Qi Sheng didn’t look up, his eyes still casually scanning some documents.

Anything that reached his desk was, by definition, extremely urgent.

The sums of money involved were in the hundreds of millions.

Liu Shiwen poured a glass of warm water and walked over, her high heels clicking on the floor.

The sound was especially crisp in the otherwise silent office.

But Qi Sheng loved that sound.

To indulge him, Liu Shiwen and Tang Qian had both bought a great many pairs of high heels.

"Honey, you should have some water first."

Liu Shiwen would never dare address Qi Sheng so intimately in front of others.

But now that it was just the two of them, it didn’t matter.

"Mm. We’ll leave together in a bit. We’re going to buy Qianqian a car."

Qi Sheng drained the glass, pulled Liu Shiwen into his lap, and went back to reading the documents.

"Oh, good! Qianqian will be ecstatic!"

Liu Shiwen was happy for her friend. She began to gently massage Qi Sheng’s temples.

And so they remained, one focused on the massage, the other on his work.

As for Tang Qian, she didn’t come in to interrupt.

Her mouth was still numb, after all.

And with Liu Shiwen in the office, there was no need for her to join the party.

Sitting at the secretary’s desk, Tang Qian casually played on her phone.

In the entire company, the two of them were in a league of their own.

They only needed to serve Qi Sheng well; no one else had the authority to manage them.

But the two of them were also smart.

They never dared to put on airs around the talented people Qi Sheng valued.

’They knew where they stood.’

’In the ranking of people in Qi Sheng’s heart, the two of them wouldn’t even make the top five.’

’If they truly angered Qi Sheng and got thrown out, that would be a catastrophic loss.’