"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Ren. I don't think e-commerce is for me," Gao Yue responded with a good-natured smile. Ren Hong saw the confidence in that humble and beautiful woman. She was also neither panicky nor flustered at being the youngest candidate.
The other two candidates witnessed how Ren Hong presented himself and were stunned. The meaning of his words between the lines was like how a magnate scrutinized an issue. They were shocked that this young man actually possessed such a quality.
Likewise, they also couldn't help but take a second look at the woman when they heard Ren Hong's words. They never imagined that the person they considered most non-threatening would be, in fact, the most threatening opponent.
However, it was worth mentioning that the two men didn't notice the slight difference that arose from her gaze the moment Ren Hong's and her eyes met. It was as if they were old acquaintances and she hid her subtle reaction perfectly.
When it came to Gao Yue's resume—Google, Tencent, etc.—which of them weren't internet giants worth hundreds of billions of dollars? The two men thought that they had served in some so-called large companies, but compared to her experience, theirs weren't worth mentioning at all. And although Gao Yue didn't have a resume of formal employment, her resume was exceptionally dazzling.
Ren Hong knew neither what was going through their minds, nor did he need to know. He looked at them with a smile, his gaze finally landing on Gao Yue. Then, he joked, "I have two questions." The group gazed at him without saying a word. They knew that this was the start of the interview and waited earnestly for his next words. Ren Hong muttered to himself for a moment and asked, "What do you think is XlouS's valuation?"
He smiled at the three of them.
XlouS's valuation?
The three of them were apparently surprised.
"XlouS's Real-time Online Translator is a product with huge potential, and in that regard, I think XlouS has a market capitalization of no less than 50 billion RMB," the 42-year-old man responded.
Soon, the other man also spoke up, "I think with a market cap of 20 billion USD, the potential for Real-time Online Translator is much more than 50 billion RMB!"
Ren Hong nodded at his words, before looking at Gao Yue, "So what do you think, Miss Gao?"
Gao Yue contemplated and returned to her senses after hearing Ren Hong's voice. She lowered her head again and remained silent for a moment, before gazing at him and saying, "I'm sorry, I can't figure it out for now. I'm not a professional analyst. I can't answer you quickly on this question."
Ren Hong smiled and continued looking at her. Soon after, he shifted his gaze around everyone, "One last question." He said, "My initial valuation of XlouS is 30 trillion USD. Do you all agree with my valuation?"
He smiled at the three of them.
30 trillion? And in USD?!
The three of them widened their mouths, not knowing how to respond. The two men looked at each other, apparently baffled.
Why was this young man's question so ridiculous?
Gao Yue nodded thoughtfully; none of them answered quickly. Ren Hong waited quietly without any sense of urgency.
After a moment, Gao Yue suddenly spoke up. "I agree!"
The two men froze for a moment and looked at Gao Yue who sat quietly and confidently.
30 trillion USD? You must be joking. The Middle East oil company, Saudi Aramco, which is the current number one company in the world by market capitalization, is only 2.5 trillion USD. And yet, you have the audacity to agree with 30 trillion USD for XlouS? Are you trying to suck up to him?
The two men were speechless.
All of a sudden, Ren Hong focused his gaze only on Gao Yue. He slowly got up and said to Gao Yue with a smile, "Miss Gao, I hereby formally invite you to serve as the CEO of this company in the name of the founder and director of XlouS!" He extended his right hand.
The two men stared blankly as soon as they heard his words.
Gao Yue was taken aback. She revealed a beautiful smile, stood up from her seat, and shook hands with Ren Hong, saying, "Thank you!"
"Congratulations! Miss Gao!" Ren Hong chuckled, before turning his gaze to the two men. The two men saw his gaze, smiled awkwardly, and shifted their gaze to Gao Yue, "Even though it's a shame for us, I would still like to congratulate you, Miss Gao!" He looked at Ren Hong, "Congratulations to Mr. Ren as well. In that case, I'll take my leave!"
Ren Hong gave a polite greeting and watched the two of them leave.
It was apparent that Ren Hong's two questions were meant to assess the candidates. Although the two questions sounded ridiculous, he had his own considerations, as a matter of fact.
The first question—an excellent CEO should be down-to-earth, pragmatic, and one who recognized fundamental issues, rather than catering to the pursuit of shareholders' requirements and making rash decisions. It was apparent that the valuation of a company needed all aspects of consideration and a lot of data, rather than just a few minutes. To Ren Hong, the two men who reported the figures weren't down-to-earth and realistic, which he ruled them out. They didn't even consider this possibility. They thought of how to answer Ren Hong, and didn't see the fundamental problem. On the other hand, Gao Yue's answer was satisfying. It was the embodiment of a good CEO, or at least what Ren Hong wanted.
The second question—this one was indeed too ridiculous. When Gao Yue gave her answer, Ren Hong had already decided that she would become the CEO of XlouS Company. Ren Hong was a man who desired strong control, so he didn't need a CEO who wouldn't act according to his demands. Even if the CEO were outstanding, what he needed was a CEO who could execute his requests perfectly, and the answers from Gao Yue to the two questions left him very satisfied.
The first question that Gao Yue answered proved that she was an excellent company executive, and the second proved that she would strictly carry out all tasks given by the directors, even if they weren't the best decisions. That was the kind of CEO Ren Hong wanted.
The two of them remained in the compartment. After a brief moment of silence, Ren Hong spoke up again. "So, what are your requirements for benefits?"
"I'm not concerned about the benefits. I trust you, Boss!" Gao Yue revealed a charming smile.
Ren Hong pondered, before showing a smile, "6.5 million a year—USD! After three years you will receive 0.5% of the original shares of XlouS. And if the joint-stock company is sold you will receive a right of first refusal at a premium of 45%."
"You're the most generous boss I've ever met!" Gao Yue was elated to hear that she was receiving such a high salary, one that perhaps was among the highest in the world. What she didn't know was that in the near future, 0.5% of the shares would make her the highest paid CEO in the world.
Although Ren Hong was a man with strong desires to control, he knew very well that for a company to develop well, knowing how to share was especially important. In that case, giving 1% of shares to each person in the initial team of the company was part of sharing. A founder and company that didn't know how to share would neither last long nor develop well.
However, as the two men left, the atmosphere changed abruptly.
"Sister Gao! I can't believe it's you. What a surprise!" Ren Hong exclaimed. If those two men knew about this situation they would probably spew out a mouthful of blood.
However, Ren Hong didn't give them that chance. Although there was a certain extent of bias, this was not a sufficient reason. As long as the candidate possessed what he needed, the rest didn't matter. It was apparent that those two men weren't the CEO that Ren Hong wanted.
After the end of this rather dramatic interview, Ren Hong and Gao Yue chatted casually. The two of them had known each other for almost two years. They first encountered in the library because back then; he often soaked in the library and became famous among a few of his friends. Coincidentally, Gao Yue also happened to do the same. Both of them knew each other and come to think of it, she was considered Ren Hong's senior too. Ren Hong had a certain understanding of her. Having superb computer skills to help Microsoft find vulnerabilities, there was no doubt about his ability to research one's background. One fine day, with a hint of interest through 'improper' means, he learned more about Gao Yue, and finally came to a conclusion—she had a strong background!
"By the way, Sister Gao! Now that you're my CEO, when will you go out on a date with me?" Ren Hong said with a playful smile.
"It's been over a year since we last met; I thought you'd already be attached. Seems like you're a devoted man, huh? I'm almost convinced by you!" Gao Yue chuckled with a smile.
"By the sound of your voice, it looks like you still have a lot of work to do!" Ren Hong muttered to himself with an 'upset' expression.
"But there is a crucial problem!" Gao Yue suddenly exclaimed. "Being a superior and subordinate is one thing, while being friends is another. One size fits all. And now you are my boss, so do you understand what I mean?"
"Understood~~" Ren Hong put on a helpless look. Gao Yue couldn't help but purse up her lips and laugh.
What an interesting junior and boss.