A lawyer's letter?
I took the document and quickly scanned it. As expected, it was from my ex-girlfriend's company, accusing me of leaking trade secrets.
I let out a cold laugh. This accusation is really severe.
I took a deep breath and told myself not to panic. I'll face it head-on, deal with whatever comes. Right now, the most urgent issue is the funding problem with Li Dahai's company.
I took the proposal and ran to several banks in the city, but the result was the same—rejected everywhere.
The small scale of the company and its credit rating were like two massive stumbling blocks, preventing me from moving forward.
I sat dejectedly by the roadside, watching the bustling street, my mind in complete confusion. Could it be that I would just have to watch this opportunity slip through my fingers?
Suddenly, I thought of Bai Yao.
In this unfamiliar city, she was my only connection. Although she seemed distant and hard to approach, what if...?
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
I gritted my teeth and dialed her number.
"Bai Yao, it's me, Zhou Hao. I need you to help me with something." I tried to keep my tone calm, but my hand holding the phone trembled slightly.
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, then Bai Yao's cool voice came through: "What is it?"
I quickly explained the situation, emphasizing the potential of the project, and even boldly predicted the industry's future development in the coming years.
There was silence again on the other end. I could sense Bai Yao's hesitation.
"Zhou Hao," she finally spoke, "You know, small companies are very risky..."
"I know," I interrupted her, my voice firm, "but I believe in my judgment and in the potential of this project. I promise I'll do everything I can to ensure your investment will pay off."
I said all this in one breath, my heart pounding wildly, as if it might leap out of my chest.
The silence stretched on longer than I expected. Just as I was about to give up, she finally spoke: "Alright. Tomorrow at 9 AM, come to my office."
At that moment, the heavy weight pressing on my chest finally lifted.
The next morning, I arrived at Bai Yao's office on time.
She was dressed in a sharp professional suit, looking even colder than usual. I explained the details of the project to her and answered every question she asked.
During our conversation, I noticed her eyes seemed to change slightly—no longer cold, but even somewhat appreciative.
"Zhou Hao," she leaned back in her chair, her long fingers gently tapping the table, "You're more interesting than I thought."
"More interesting?" I froze for a moment, not sure how to react.
She gave a subtle smile but didn't elaborate further. I pushed down my confusion and focused on the task at hand.
With Bai Yao's help, I was introduced to several investors and successfully secured a small investment. While it wasn't much, it was enough to help Li Dahai's company survive for the time being.
"This time, I owe you, Bai Yao." I thanked her sincerely, but I noticed something complex in her expression.
Good times didn't last long.
"Zhou Hao, bad news! Old Wang's company is slashing prices maliciously, and our products aren't selling at all!"
Li Dahai rushed into my office, panting, his face full of panic, sweat rolling down his shiny skin.
"Calm down." I took a sip of tea, trying to appear composed.
Old Wang was a typical smiling tiger, who had once used this trick to ruin Li Dahai's business in the past. I had prepared for this.
"Follow this plan." I handed him a proposal I had already drafted.
"Scarcity marketing? Presales? Livestream selling?" Li Dahai stared at it, wide-eyed, "Can this really work?"
"Let's find out."
Soon, the plan was set into motion.
We released the pre-sale information online, creating a buzz with limited-time offers. I even personally took part in the livestream, using my "exaggerated" acting skills and precise understanding of the product to draw in a huge wave of traffic. The result was, as expected, the products sold out almost immediately.
Li Dahai looked at the soaring sales and smiled ear to ear, his gaze filled with admiration. "Zhou Hao, you're my lucky star!"
As the company began to stabilize, Bai Yao visited the office from time to time.
Each time she saw me, there seemed to be a more complex look in her eyes, but I dared not think too much about it.
It was at this moment that someone unexpected appeared—my ex-girlfriend Lin Wan'er.
She was dressed in a fine professional suit, standing at the door with an unreadable expression, her eyes shifting back and forth between me and Bai Yao. Her voice was soft: "Zhou Hao, long time no see."
Bai Yao glanced at her indifferently, her expression unchanged, but I noticed a subtle smile at the corner of her mouth.
"Can I help you?" I said coldly, not giving her any leeway.
Lin Wan'er's face stiffened, but she quickly returned to her delicate, pitiful look. "I just... wanted to see how you've been."
I scoffed inwardly. What a pretext. After all she had done to betray me in the past, she still had the nerve to show up?
"Not that it matters to you." I cut her off sharply.
Bai Yao stood quietly to the side, watching the scene with interest, her lips curling into a slight smile.
Lin Wan'er's face became somewhat tense, but she forced a smile and said, "Zhou Hao, I know you're still angry with me, but—"
"Stop pretending, Lin Wan'er. What do you really want?" I interrupted coldly, my eyes giving her a warning.
She bit her lip, her eyes darting nervously. Finally, she said nothing and turned to leave.
I watched her retreating figure, feeling a sense of unease settle in my chest.
Lin Wan'er's appearance wasn't for a simple reunion. She must have had some other purpose.
Moreover, Bai Yao's behavior today left me confused. She seemed quite interested in the past relationship between Lin Wan'er and me.
What was Bai Yao really thinking?
Just then, my phone vibrated. A message from an unknown number popped up:
"The real drama is just beginning..."
Looking at these words, my heart sank.