With all spots taken, he had no choice but to reverse back around the lawn and park on another empty patch near the administrative building. Su Cen did not want his father to stand out in the sun wai...Chapter 49 Seeking Profit

The stubborn sunshine reappeared on the eastern horizon after each morning, and a thin layer of gold edges appeared on the city's sky like translucent clouds that resembled gossamer. These high-altitude clouds often indicated signs of clear weather ahead.

Another sunny day greeted the occupants of Room 602 as they woke up to find Su Cen sitting diagonally on a chair on the balcony, holding a financial book in his hands and making notes.

The morning sun was lively; white cotton-like particles danced around Su Cen, whose breath stirred dust when he took a sip of milk from a glass beside him.

This scene made Xiao Xu feel inferior. He knew that his six hundred and sixty-five score in college entrance exams directly contributed to his eight-hundred-degree glasses and the nickname "bookworm." However, compared to Su Cen, who often held books for morning reading every day after waking up, he could not match such dedication.

When asked when Su Cen woke up, it was usually around six o'clock. It was hard for Room 602's residents to imagine how Su Cen maintained a regular schedule even on weekends without naps.

Su Cen often brushed off these questions with a smile, saying that there were many different lifestyles in college, and he had already experienced the more decadent ones in his previous life. He cherished every moment of this era as both relaxed and invaluable; thus, he didn't want to waste it.

When Su Cen received a call from Lin Guangdong saying that he was coming to Shanghai, Su Cen felt relieved. Samples of the magazine had finally been published, and negotiations with various parties were almost concluded. The distribution channels opened smoothly, and in this era, any endeavor met little resistance. Now, they awaited the results of the magazine's release.

Although the sales figures for the early issues during the market cultivation period might not truly represent its potential strength, quickly establishing a foothold was crucial against fierce competition in Jiangsu-Zhejiang markets.

In general, magazines within China were divided into editing departments, advertising departments, and distribution departments. Su Cen had taken over the Shanghai official second-generation XIAO ZHAOXU's magazine, whose operational inefficiencies led to bankruptcy but found a benefactor in Su Cen. The distribution department was merged with Lin Guangdong’s magazine, opening up channels through Beijing-Tianjin.

Lin Guangdong hired Chen Kaier, who is well-known in the industry. Chen Kaier's English name is Carey, and everyone calls him Chen Kaier. As chief editor of this position, he recruited some talents from the industry and retrained employees transferred from Bolo Media. These staff members were undergoing strict training to learn various experiences and knowledge.

The first issue was published with this blend of experience and enthusiasm from the editorial team. Meanwhile, Jiang Ming's finance department prepared a risk analysis for Su Cen, an investor.

In many business plans, magazines usually do not provide detailed risk analyses to their investors or only mention "you invest so much in ten years, you will earn such profit." Otherwise, excessively alarming risk assessments could scare off the investors. Since Su Cen was a close associate of the company, Jiang Ming's department produced an actual and practical risk report for him.

Previously, when Su Cen was involved with enterprises, he had thought merely investing money would suffice. However, when Shushan Stationery needed to expand its market presence, he discovered the limitations of such thinking. Therefore, he transferred funds from other projects to support Shushan's expansion plans.

Su Cen, a failure in his previous life, was now navigating new waters with foresight. He chose Nan Da University’s management program for self-improvement and had made progress.

After facing the financial constraints of Shushan Stationery's market expansion, Su Cen studied some risk assessments sent by Mark Zuckerberg from Facebook in America. Consequently, he requested detailed cost reports from all his companies: Dunhuang Group, Shushan Stationery, and Bolo Media.

Su Cen meticulously planned what expenses were necessary and which weren't. This also allowed him to demonstrate his presence in these industries as he gradually moved from the background to the forefront. As businesses grew, internal conflicts among middle-to-high-level personnel would increase, making interpersonal relationships more complex.

To establish himself as an influential investor, Su Cen wanted to emphasize his value. By requiring all companies to present detailed financial reports and reviewing them personally, he ensured that these companies' management felt the presence of a higher-up boss while not undermining Wang Yu, Lin Guangdong, or Zhao Mingnong's authority as CEOs.

When Lin Guangdong's Audi car came off the Rong-Hu expressway, it was a completely different scene. The monotonous wasteland, grassland, farmhouses, and small towns along the highway were starkly contrasting to the modern metropolis that now stood before him.

He had first come to Shanghai five years ago when he was just an ordinary teacher at a key middle school. He had traveled there as part of a tour group; back then, the trip fee had been quite expensive for him. At that time, Lin Guangdong's perspective was limited to seeing only the disparity between Rongcheng and Shanghai, feeling unfamiliar with and cold towards this city.

Nowadays, however, Lin Guangdong felt he was here to conquer this metropolis; it was merely one of his many landing points. From Shanghai, he would radiate northward toward Beijing and Tianjin, and southward to cover Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

If SUC Magazine embodies a person's spirit, then Lin Guangdong felt that he himself carried this unique spirit with him as he inscribed his name into the memories of this city.

Those disdainful expressions from the Western Media Conference would soon change; it wouldn't be long before many knew who Lin Guangdong was and recognized the new rising star in the media world, a powerhouse on the rise like an iron fist.

Lin Guangdong reserved a room at a chain hotel on Nanjing East Road and then called Su Can. "I've arrived. When are you free I'll come over to your school." After hanging up, Lin Guangdong felt rather amused; if anyone found out that his largest boss was actually a student from Nankai University, they would surely be astonished.

However, in many dealings with others, Lin Guangdong had already grown accustomed to such things. For instance, some children of family enterprise executives start seeking potential employees and building their networks while still in college; this wasn't uncommon. At the Western Media Conference in Rongcheng, Lin Guangdong had met a female student from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics in her first year of graduate studies who was already running a media company as its general manager—a position that came with an annual salary of 200,000 yuan—and she had even flirted with him during the recruitment process.

Lin Guangdong felt somewhat dazed; he used to be merely a poor teacher just a few years ago but never imagined he would become someone well-known in the media circle of western China and catch the eye of a wealthy young woman from Shanghai's influential families.

He still declined such opportunities. If his life was absurd, then so be it; he wouldn't mind continuing to live this way, working for a behind-the-scenes boss who controlled substantial funds even though she was still in school.

Su Can and Lin Guangdong met at a Thai restaurant outside the campus.

This Thai restaurant usually saw many students come through its doors. Of course, ordinary students wouldn't choose to dine here because the food prices were much higher than those of the university cafeteria or nearby eateries. However, opening such a business near prestigious universities like Nankai didn’t pose financial risks since there was a significant number of well-off students.

A few people around them pointed and whispered about Su Can. Lin Guangdong smiled and said, "Haha, I see you've become quite famous."

Su Can looked around and recognized one person among those pointing at him. He recalled that it was a Nankai student who had appeared in the dinner party Du Dawei had organized before, someone who seemed to have good relationships with foreign exchange students.

With this, Su Can understood what they were discussing. That night, when he and Lin Luoran left early, Lin Luoran had turned off her phone after that. The next day, Zhang Xiaqiao called him over the matter, saying some things rather maliciously; according to Zhang Xiaqiao, it was said that Su Can had taken away Wei Dingding's female companion in the middle of the night.

The whole affair caused quite a stir, making both Wei Dingding and Du Dawei very unhappy.

Xu Haiqing also called him over this matter. Zhang Xiaqiao explained to Xu Haiqing that Su Can had returned with them afterward but found it rather annoying that others would suspect their friends so much without even considering what kind of people they were. Moreover, making such a big deal out of something made everyone think he and his roommate, Su Can, were some sort of troublemakers. Wei Dingding might not really have any special relationship with Lin Luoran.

Su Can himself felt fine about the situation but found it somewhat embarrassing how things spread outside. It was said that he had stayed out all night with a student from Shanghai International Studies University, escaping together for some private time during a gathering—implying an intimate relationship between them. This made Su Can laugh and sigh at the same time.

"Forget about them," said Su Can, bringing Lin Guangdong's attention back to their conversation. In fact, given Lin Guangdong’s current status, he would normally not pay much mind to these students' gazes; however, since it was his boss, Su Can, who was before him, he showed particular interest in everything that happened around Su Can. After all, this was an era where wealth could practically achieve any goal a common person might dream of.

Lin Guangdong found it hard to imagine how someone like Su Can, who had started his entrepreneurial journey during student days and accumulated vast wealth, could still calmly study in college, seeking academic credits and grades as if nothing else mattered.

This was something Lin Guangdong needed to learn from, always observing Su Can. In adventure films, when a group of people discover King Solomon’s treasure through a treasure map, the greed and awe on their faces are clearly evident.

For Su Can, the wealth he controlled far exceeded his age and experience and even surpassed responsibility; possessing such immense power could either lead to an arrogant attitude or extreme restlessness. Many of those wealthy individuals in society displayed this kind of behavior, but Su Can was different from them all.

Wealth actually has weight. It requires considerable resilience and composure to manage substantial wealth. Lin Guangdong was always curious about what kind of belief enabled Su Cen to possess a mindset and capability surpassing his peers.

But he couldn't see through it, only feeling that this young man truly stood out.

"This is the compiled financial plan," Lin Guangdong placed the documents from his briefcase in front of Su Cen. This single visit was also an exercise from the high-end media meeting at MIT. Overseas media operations only require a few people, sometimes just four or five can support a large system, truly one replacing hundreds. Therefore, this spirit should be applied to his Borro Media and current magazine.

The compiled financial plan included investment methods for Dunhuang Group, investment ratios, further funding methods, budget plans, profit plans, cost controls, and more aspects.

This business proposal was quite impressive, proving that Su Cen's trip to the US with Lin Guangdong and Jiang Ming wasn't in vain. They brought back many advanced concepts which were almost nonexistent domestically.

At times, limitations of time and space are like this. People believe no one has a lower IQ than Su Cen when it comes to doing something at present, but his foresight would make even the most intelligent people unable to think ahead.

This is why modern society places such importance on experience; experience is an integral part of intelligence.

"In foreign standardized magazine business plans, there are three-year asset-liability ratios, profit and loss statements, and cash flow statements. We have also calculated our first year's revenue and expenditure situation, which will be compiled in the following statistics. However, we initially estimate that it might take at least two years for the magazine to turn a profit and four years to recoup the investment."

A four-year return on investment was quite long for Su Cen. This meant that only after he graduated could Lin Guangdong's 'Fashion & Culture' start making money.

In this magazine, the publishing group used publication numbers and the equity of the editorial department, excluding some scattered shares; all capital in 'Fashion & Culture' were injected by Su Cen with an investment of nearly six million. Based on general estimates, after four years, there would be about ten million revenue per year for the first year, and considering later value-added development, it would likely increase further. Of course, what mattered most was influence—the market recognition and acceptance abroad, establishing brand culture.

Controlling such a magazine greatly facilitated his commercial layout publicity, bringing endless potential for implicit promotion effects. Subsequently, the core of this magazine shifted from profit to an important information channel, leading to continuous revenue growth.

Naturally, it wasn't time to think about this now; at the start-up stage, debts were inevitable. Turning losses into profits was currently the main objective and goal.

Su Cen had tasted too many sweet fruits—Dunhuang Mall itself also went through a debt period with market cultivation time, but it unexpectedly welcomed its sales spring, opening an unprecedented scene that made many people in the industry call it a miracle of retail in Rongcheng. Shushan Stationery, thanks to Su Cen's modern stationery trademark design, immediately formed strong influence and successfully entered the market without subsequent product stock issues, propelling it to rapid rise.

But now, such opportunities wouldn't appear consecutively again; after two chances relying on luck, they had to work hard from now on.

"In my opinion, a magazine's profit methods besides value-added branding are mainly subscription fees and advertising," Lin Guangdong analyzed. "A two-year publication without achieving 10% subscription rate is failure. Of course, we can't rely solely on subscriptions at this stage to reduce assets; thus, we must focus on advertisements. Attracting major influential advertisers benefits us in every way; imagine how many people would say the brand's second-half ads surprisingly went to our magazine, making it impressive and boosting others' confidence.

Su Cen smiled and tapped the documents on the table, "This might be the toughest thing, right Seeking major advertising clients is crucial. You really take on challenges head-on."

"In America, a renowned media figure taught me 'Duel Nine Swords,' nine methods of advertisement operation. The first one, spreading widely like seeds; we put single pages out or hire numerous temporary salespeople to call and fax potential clients until they contact us. But this isn't feasible for us yet. Second method: active confrontation where we personally meet these clients, counter their moves with ours—I'll do that myself."

"Major clients aren't easy to deal with," Su Cen admired Lin Guangdong's courage, "Have you contacted any major clients"

"I'm meeting the Chinese agent of SIS Cameras tomorrow. They're planning a five million yuan ad spend next year, one million for magazines. I arranged an afternoon two o'clock appointment with their Director Fan Zhi Liang."

Lin Guangdong was daring to take on SIS Camera's advertising business; although it was mid-to-high-end abroad, in China there was great market potential. Would they trust a newly transformed magazine despite the background support of Western Sichuan

The other side so readily agreed to meet Lin Guangdong Of course, Su Cen couldn't doubt his efforts; Lin Guangdong's work under Wang Bo's governance was evident, and his confidence made provincial newspapers allocate publication numbers for domestic magazines.

But Su Can felt uncomfortable with how easily Lin Guangdong accepted the invitation, giving him space to negotiate.

The next day, Lin Guangdong's Audi arrived promptly at the south gate of Nan University. Su Can, dressed in casual wear, got into the car. Seeing Su Can like this, Lin Guangdong was somewhat surprised.

However, upon further thought, despite his formal attire being meant to show respect, as the unseen boss, Su Can's age was still quite different from theirs. If he were to dress up too formally, in front of those who had been in business for many years with sharp eyesight, it would look out of place and even comical, making them think that Lin Guangdong merely brought a subordinate.

Su Can's casual appearance made him seem more natural. It seemed to imply that Lin Guangdong was lacking confidence, whereas the atmosphere was actually quite relaxed.

Lin Guangdong's Audi drove Su Can to Huaihai Middle Road, where there was an unassuming building on the outside but was in fact one of Shanghai’s top private clubs.

This club used to be a government office building that had been vacant after relocation. It was bought by Hong Kong Group and transformed into a modernist space with high-end clothing, artwork, mixologists, Persian carpets, and various antiques.

It reportedly had an impressive opening ceremony but later turned low-key, fitting the nature of mainstream Chinese businessmen who prefer to keep a low profile. It became a secret gathering place for those few people in Shanghai who were interested in club culture, where cigars and whisky could be enjoyed privately. Without being within certain circles, one would never get to know these hidden social systems deep inside Huaihai Road.

When Su Can stepped into this place, he knew his premonition was bad; it felt out of place.

The three-story white building gave him a sharp sense of rejection, perhaps because the style here clashed with those of Lin Guangdong and himself.

The interior had a retro feel, with carpets on the floor and black leather furniture arranged in space-efficient ways, making it seem cramped. There were groups of middle-aged men around thirty to forty years old gathered together.

A few women sat by the wall, giggling intentionally and speaking in an overly innocent tone, which made the surrounding men fidgety and occasionally glance over with a smile.

Su Can and Lin Guangdong’s combination was quite eye-catching. Guided by the manager through various hallways where people kept glancing at them, they ascended the old-style government office stairs to the second floor. Even on the way up, Lin Guangdong was still responding to a girl asking if she was a model for a certain magazine.

The manager knocked on the door of a room overlooking Huaihai Road on the second floor; the noisy sounds inside immediately quieted down as they entered.

In this room, three leather sofas in short-long-short arrangement surrounded a long table. Sitting around were four or five people aged between thirty and fifty, playing cards with several women's handbags placed on the table. More plainly put, there was an impressive pile of cash notes.

Fei Ziliang from Ceshe Camera saw Lin Guangdong come in and waved to him: "Little Lin, you're here Good timing. We just started; do you want to play a game" The others immediately made room for them.

Lin Guangdong exchanged glances with Su Can and nodded: "Let's play then."

Su Can naturally found an empty seat in the room, which was only around 3 p.m. It seemed they had just started their gathering; there would be some time before serious discussions began. Su Can noticed a familiar face.

It was someone from Du Dawei's side whose family held the general agency for Avril Group. He had curly hair, wearing Italian leather shoes and stepping on the carpet. When his gaze fell upon Su Can, he stood up, walked over, and extended his hand: "We met last time when we played together, right Zhang Zhi."

"You're that Dawei's friend," Su Can nodded while shaking hands with him. Zhang Zhi casually moved a chair to sit beside Su Can. He had come here several times with his mother and was familiar enough with the place to remember some of the pretty women he saw downstairs, but since elders were present, it wouldn't do to leave alone. Meeting Su Can at this moment gave him someone to chat with; he rubbed his gloves nervously and got close: "Brother, I support you. That Japanese exchange student's words really annoyed me last time. What you said then might not have been the best, but it was refreshing."

"And the best part is that your every sentence hit home. After you left, those students actually seemed to respect you; they even felt humiliated by being outwitted by you. I think these exchange students shouldn't be treated leniently. The more you accommodate them, the less they will respect you. If you argue with them based on reason, they'll see that as truly impressive."wardness between them in the past, it was natural for her to pretend not to know him now as a form of self-protection.Su Can understood her reasons. In the crowded elevator, he pretended not to recogn...