Relying on trading gold for money was clearly unsustainable. Eventually, people would start questioning the origin of his wealth. He couldn't afford to be investigated, or if the country took notice of him, he'd be forced to flee to the other side of the planet.
The best plan was to start a company, and he already had the name in mind: FutureMan Technologies! He would take all the "junk" from the post-apocalyptic world and turn it into cutting-edge, world-changing technology.
Forget Apple, Microsoft, Samsung... those were nothing. Could they produce tech from 200 years in the future? Holographic computers, anyone?
This was just the start. From electronics to gaming, home appliances, cars, and even military tech... even space exploration.
Ahem, he was getting carried away, but it was still worth dreaming about.
Why Xia Shiyu? Well, there was no special reason. He just couldn't think of anyone else, and he trusted her abilities. Despite their past, Jiang Chen found he didn't bear a grudge against her like he thought he would. Maybe it was because her nature wasn't bad. Or maybe, it was because he could empathize with the hardships she had faced, realizing they shared similar struggles.
Seeing her in such a fallen state, he reached out to help her and, naturally, to recruit her.
"Interested?" Jiang Chen asked, as Xia Shiyu paused, confused.
"You'd be working at my company," Jiang Chen said with a shrug, "You've got a debt to repay, and you're unemployed. I'm just helping you out."
"Your company?" Xia Shiyu raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
"Didn't I say I'm in business? Look at you, not believing me again," Jiang Chen said with a helpless grin.
"Oh? So, does that mean I'd be your employee?" Xia Shiyu teased, looking at Jiang Chen with a smirk.
"What, is that a problem? I'm looking forward to seeing my former boss work hard for me," Jiang Chen replied with a playful grin, though his eyes remained serious.
Xia Shiyu paused, eyes narrowing in thought.
This offer was tempting. For someone like her, who had lost her source of income, she couldn't find a good reason to refuse.
"I'll accept," she said.
"Great!" Jiang Chen laughed, standing up and extending his hand. "Welcome aboard, Manager Xia! You're officially hired by FutureMan Technologies! Your monthly salary is 10,000."
10,000 a month—this salary was almost the same as her previous job. Xia Shiyu's expression was complex. It had been a long time since they'd met, and now this former subordinate had grown so much.
As she shook his hand, the warmth and roughness of his hand made her shiver slightly.
"Such a high salary? Just to be clear, I don't accept any... side deals," Xia Shiyu joked, surprising even herself.
Jiang Chen froze. He had never expected Xia Shiyu, the icy beauty, to crack such a risqué joke.
"Haha, don't worry. But our company doesn't prohibit... tempting the CEO," Jiang Chen joked back, but when Xia Shiyu heard "tempting the CEO," she blushed with anger.
To her surprise, in her anger, she felt... embarrassed?
"Can I learn more about the company I'll be joining?" Xia Shiyu asked, quickly shifting back to her professional side. "FutureMan Technologies... It sounds like a high-tech company. Will I be in charge of sales, or research and development? I'm not experienced in R&D management, but I'm confident I can catch up within a month and..."
"Wait, wait, stop," Jiang Chen raised his hand, signaling for her to hold off. "To put it simply, you're the CEO. You can handle everything."
He didn't have time to micromanage people. His dream was to be the kind of boss who just got to enjoy the fruits of success.
Xia Shiyu's expression immediately turned strange. She had been wondering why she hadn't heard of this FutureMan Technologies... surely the company...
"Well, it's still in the concept phase," Jiang Chen said casually, as if reading her thoughts. "Doesn't that excite you? You'll be China's Steve Ballmer, and I'll be China's Bill Gates!"
Jiang Chen couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement as he finally said the line he'd been holding in for so long.
"..."
"Hey? What are you doing with your phone?"
"Booking you a hospital bed," she said, her eyes conveying exactly which type of bed she was referring to.
Jiang Chen had finally managed to wrest the phone from Xia Shiyu's hands, desperately trying to convince her to let him finish speaking.
He took a deep breath.
"Trust me, if you don't join us now, you'll regret it in five years! Just like how no one believed in Jack Ma back then… Wait, wait, don't pull out your phone, let me finish," Jiang Chen chuckled awkwardly, quickly trying to calm down the furious Xia Shiyu, whose face had turned cold with barely contained anger. Jiang Chen wasn't much of a talker and didn't know how to hype things up. He originally thought about using the same tactics that micro-business owners often posted on their social media, but it ended up making him look even more suspicious. Better just to speak plainly.
"Ahem, let me put it simply. You'll be the CEO, but since the company doesn't have too many operations right now, you'll also take on the role of General Manager. At this stage, I'll pay you a monthly salary of 10,000 RMB. Don't worry about paying me back right away—I really don't need that little money. You might even make more than that per month in the future. Don't look at me like that, I'm not joking. To put it simply, your task is to take this 500,000 RMB and use it to register the company. After that, you won't need to worry too much, just sit tight for about two months, and you'll have plenty to do."
Xia Shiyu stared at Jiang Chen, her expression flat.
"Are you not worried I'll run off with the money?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.
"You're not that kind of person," Jiang Chen shook his head, "and spending 500,000 to figure someone out isn't a loss, considering what this company's future worth could be."
Xia Shiyu paused for a moment, then nodded silently. She had no job at the moment and was deep in debt. She figured there was no harm in giving it a try.
Years later, when Xia Shiyu reflected on that day, she couldn't help but marvel at the turn of events. When asked by the media how she felt about almost turning Jiang Chen down back then, she could only sigh and say this:
"Sometimes, the difference between being worth billions and being broke is just a single decision."
"It's getting late, I should be going." In fact, it was almost 1 AM.
"Mm..." Xia Shiyu stood up wordlessly, escorting Jiang Chen to the door.
"Don't forget to send me your bank account number later. I'll transfer your salary for July in advance, and after that, we'll stick to monthly payments. Also, you should find a safer place to live. It's not safe for a girl to live in a place like this, especially a beauty like you," Jiang Chen teased, shrugging with a grin. They'd already exchanged phone numbers and QQ accounts, but the formal contract would have to wait until the company was officially set up. Jiang Chen wasn't too concerned about the contract; after all, trust was key. He trusted Xia Shiyu's character.
When Jiang Chen called her a "beauty," Xia Shiyu's face flushed slightly. Though many people had called her that before, she still felt a flutter in her chest. However, she quickly regained her composure and nodded coldly, not revealing any signs of vulnerability.
"I understand."
"Well, that's all for now. I have to leave in a few days for a trip, so you might not be able to contact me for a while," Jiang Chen said with a smile, turning to leave the shabby apartment.
"Wait…"
"Hm?" Jiang Chen turned back in confusion.
"…Thank you… and, um, you were really impressive back then."
Caught off guard by her words, Jiang Chen blinked in surprise as Xia Shiyu quickly slammed the door, the sound of the door clicking shut echoing in his ears.
This girl… could she have a thing for me? Jiang Chen thought, feeling a little smug, and scratched his nose with a grin.
But, then again, it might just have been simple gratitude.
He didn't think too much about it, heading down the stairs.
Behind the door, Xia Shiyu leaned against it, breathing heavily. Slowly, she sank to the floor, her cool skin touching the cold tiles, calming the chaos in her heart.
What just happened? How did I say something so embarrassing…
She covered her face, trying to hide the heat she felt in her hands, her lips trembling slightly.
So humiliating… I just want to die… Ahh!
With a look of utter humiliation, she curled up, hugging her knees tightly, letting out an almost strangled sound of distress.