As night fell, Venus Hotel reached its peak business hours. Through the glass windows from the street, the bustling scene inside was clearly visible. Rui Xiaodan approached the reception desk to ask for directions, then led Ding Yuanying to the second floor.
At that moment, Ouyang Xue was in her office on the phone. Hearing a knock, she called out, "Come in," not expecting to see Rui Xiaodan, and even less expecting Ding Yuanying to follow. She greeted them warmly with gestures and expressions while quickly ending her call.
Putting down the phone, Ouyang Xue walked over and enthusiastically shook Ding Yuanying's hand. "Mr. Ding, hello! I've been meaning to invite you for a drink to apologize, but Xiaodan never gave me the chance, and I didn't dare to be presumptuous."
Ding Yuanying smiled politely but remained silent, not being one for such social niceties.
Ouyang Xue continued, "Xiaodan and I are like sisters. We're family now. How should I address you? Let's drop the formalities. How about I call you Big Brother?"
Ding Yuanying said, "As you wish."
Ouyang Xue thought for a moment and said, "Big Brother, let me treat you to dinner at a new Miao restaurant on Chengnan Road. Consider it an apology."
Rui Xiaodan interjected, "Ouyang, Yuan Ying has something to discuss with you."
"Oh," Ouyang Xue's expression changed subtly at the mention of business. Since Rui Xiaodan had previously asked her for a loan and discussed future car ownership, she had been particularly sensitive to such matters. She sensed that Ding Yuanying's visit was not for something trivial and might be related to what Xiaodan had mentioned about involving him in a project concerning Wangmiao Village. Despite her unease, she maintained a natural demeanor and said, "Let's sit down in the small dining room and talk."
The small dining room next to the office was empty. Ouyang Xue instructed the waitress at the door to serve tea and informed the manager not to arrange other guests in the room. The three of them sat down.
Ding Yuanying began, "Xiaodan wants me to work on something, as you already know. Today, I'm here to ask for your help." He emphasized the word "I" to highlight his personal request.
Ouyang Xue smiled cautiously, "How can I help you, Big Brother?"
Ding Yuanying explained, "I've visited Wangmiao Village and had some contact with Feng Shijie and the others. I believe it's theoretically possible to stimulate Wangmiao Village's economy by using it as a production base while registering a company in Beijing to operate in the market."
At that moment, the waitress brought a pot of freshly brewed tea, cups, and a thermos. As she prepared to serve, Ouyang Xue gestured for her to leave. Rui Xiaodan poured two cups of tea, giving one each to Ouyang Xue and Ding Yuanying, but didn't pour one for herself.
With her concerns alleviated, Ouyang Xue's mood lightened. She asked Rui Xiaodan, "Aren't you drinking?"
Rui Xiaodan stood up, "You two talk. I'll get Yuan Ying something to eat." With that, she left the room. Both Ding Yuanying and Ouyang Xue understood she was giving them space to speak freely.
Ouyang Xue asked, "Is this about the money Xiaodan mentioned?"
Ding Yuanying shook his head, placing his tea cup down. "I need your name as a nominal shareholder to gain legal control. The conditions are that any profits go to you, any losses to me. I promise you won't incur any financial loss due to the company's actions, and you promise not to turn the agreement into something real. Also, the agreement must remain confidential."
Ouyang Xue hadn't expected such a straightforward request. She would only need to lend her name, without investment or risk, yet could still receive dividends. In another context or with another person, she wouldn't believe it. But facing Ding Yuanying, with his unique background and needs, she understood.
"Why me for such a good deal? Can't you use your own name?" she asked.
Ding Yuanying explained, "No, that would change the nature of the deal. A sense of entitlement could quickly ruin it, and I wouldn't be able to maintain balance. Therefore, Xiaodan and I can't have any economic interest in it. I'm asking you because you meet the three necessary conditions: cultural background, financial capability, and equal status."
Ouyang Xue smiled self-deprecatingly, "See, when it comes to real equality, everything comes out. But if this has nothing to do with Xiaodan, what's in it for you?"
Ding Yuanying said, "That's a realistic question, one I believe others will ask in the future, but one that's hard for me to answer. If I were practical, this wouldn't be happening. And with this happening, it's hard to answer that practical question."
Ouyang Xue said, "All this roundabout talk is exhausting. Just say it's for charity." She paused, realizing her own mistake. "That won't work either. Why would you, someone with no connection to the local government, help out Wangmiao Village? Who'd believe it?"
Ding Yuanying said, "There are many factors at play. Let's not delve into that."
Considering the request, Ouyang Xue saw it as simple and straightforward, a favor that could also be a good opportunity. After a moment of reflection, she said, "This isn't a bad thing. It's actually a good deed. Instead of you asking for my help, consider it you giving me an opportunity. I believe in you, but I can't take this as a hidden benefit. If I'm to do it, it has to be real. I don't know how much money is needed, but if I can't afford the loss, I won't proceed."
Ding Yuanying said, "Your capital plus interest will amount to no less than a million yuan, so regardless of real or nominal, your investment will be a million. Your funds will be available from the stock market next May, but the company needs operating funds sooner. Therefore, regardless of the form, you'll need to mortgage your stock and restaurant in Beijing to get financing, with me as the guarantor. The key is to ensure the legality, proving you're a genuine investor."
Ouyang Xue said, "I haven't considered how much the stock will yield. I'll take whatever it brings. The 500,000 yuan principal is real, though, and some of it is borrowed. That's my limit. I don't have any other skills; I can only run my restaurant. Whether this succeeds or not, I'll still run my restaurant. Can I ask how much Feng Shijie and the others are investing?"
"They might invest a bit, but it's negligible. Essentially, the capital side will need to cover their shares. If they had sufficient funds, they wouldn't need to invite you. At the peak of the company's operations, it might require 3 million yuan. At that point, we'd finance under the company's name, with the ultimate risk being company bankruptcy. Your absolute risk is your 1 million yuan and their possible investments, with their share covered by you representing their personal debt to you."
Ouyang Xue said, "If the total loss is 1 million yuan plus interest, I can bear it. Honestly, whether this is real or not, I'm genuinely investing. If it fails, I won't have a single complaint. Having someone like you help me manage my finances is a huge favor."
At this moment, the small dining room door opened, and a waitress entered, asking, "Manager, Miss Xiaodan has prepared the meal. Can we serve it now?"
Ouyang Xue looked at Ding Yuanying, then said, "Yes, please serve the meal."
The waitress left.
Ding Yuanying said, "This isn't a small matter. Think it over carefully. Give me your answer when you're sure."
Ouyang Xue replied, "There's nothing to think about. My only discomfort is that you're helping them while also guarding against them. It's confusing."
Ding Yuanying said, "It's a complex situation. Simply put, it's about developing Wangmiao Village's low-cost labor resources, stimulating its economy, and giving Ye Xiaoming, Feng Shijie, and Liu Bing a chance to succeed."
Ouyang Xue was stunned, exclaiming, "Liu Bing is involved too? This company is turning into an audiophile club!"
Shortly after, Rui Xiaodan returned, followed by a waitress carrying a large tray with a steaming bowl of stew and a bowl of white rice—clearly a meal for one. The waitress set the food down and left, and Rui Xiaodan placed chopsticks, a spoon, chili, and vinegar in front of Ding Yuanying.
Ouyang Xue looked at the simple meal and asked, "Is this all you're giving my brother?"
Rui Xiaodan said, "It's fine."
Ouyang Xue asked, "What about you?"
"I had some buns in the kitchen," Rui Xiaodan replied.
Ouyang Xue said, "The moment I saw Big Brother, I knew something was up and started feeling nervous."
Ding Yuanying picked up his chopsticks, "Nervous about what?"
Ouyang Xue smiled, "Big Brother isn't an ordinary person. You must have plans for Xiaodan's future. My biggest worry is her withdrawing from the restaurant. Even if we stay friends, everyone knows that would create distance. We were doing well, and now everything feels uncertain."
Ding Yuanying finally understood that Ouyang Xue's earlier unease was due to this concern. He realized he didn't fully grasp the depth of Ouyang Xue and Rui Xiaodan's relationship, making it difficult to understand her sensitivity. Economically, Rui Xiaodan withdrawing from the restaurant would benefit Ouyang Xue's income, and she had the funds to buy out Xiaodan's shares. Therefore, their bond must be based on friendship, mutual understanding, and trust.
This wasn't something to resolve quickly. Ding Yuanying smiled, "Xiaodan earns well here. Why would she withdraw? Regardless of my presence, she planned to study abroad, which means distancing herself."
Ouyang Xue said, "It's different. One is close yet far; the other is far yet close. It's not the same."
Rui Xiaodan said with a wry smile, "Sister, you're making me feel too important. That's not the case. You've taken care of me all these years; I'm grateful you didn't kick me out."
After dinner, Ding Yuanying said goodbye. Ouyang Xue insisted Rui Xiaodan drive him, handing her the car keys. She saw them off at the hotel entrance, watching as they drove away before returning inside.