to play cards; she probably doesn’t know how to play them. Li Luomei thinks that since Junhao Yue initiated this challenge, she can't back down from it. Moreover, the other side is clearly showing no...Chapter 50 Defeat

"Zhi Zhang is quite enthusiastic towards Cui Su, this man contrasts sharply with the mysterious air others give when introducing him. Though dressed in expensive brands like Chao Wu Zheng Wang, he speaks and acts frequently, often rubbing his hands or patting his pants, displaying a very expressive face; he's quite talkative.

Su Cun’s gaze alternates between Zhang Zhi and the window outside, focusing on Huaihai Road where long豐 bicycles are parked under tropical trees. In reality, Su Cun’s ears and attention were focused behind him on Lin Guangdong and a group of Shanghai businessmen. There were eight people in total at the scene: aside from Zhang Zhi and a young woman sitting on the sofa with an middle-aged man, Su Cun was the youngest.

Though they were playing cards and the atmosphere was rather amiable, Su Cun could feel that he had already been discreetly observed by several people. These observations were subtle—perhaps just a quick glance—but their eyes lingered on Su Cun’s expressions while talking to Zhang Zhi, his attire, even his shoes.

It wouldn’t be so bad if only Lin Guangdong was here; he might have been seen as an assistant or subordinate of Lin's. However, being acquainted with Zhang Zhi, the son of Everie’s boss, made him a subject of scrutiny. Nevertheless, Su Cun’s youthful appearance still didn't garner much attention.

"Last time I played cards, I met two young fellows around the age of the recent college graduates we hired. However, they were quite adept at playing; their proficiency on the table was evident just by listening to them talk. You wouldn’t believe how young they are," a real estate tycoon with prominent cheekbones mused as he dealt his cards and commented indifferently.

Continuing to deal cards, someone opposite him took their turn and laid down a card. Fan Zhilian ran his fingers over the cards in his hand, glanced at Lin Guangdong from half-closed eyes, and said, "Young people nowadays are different; many of them are arrogant and have lofty aspirations. We built our careers brick by brick, but today’s youth can get management training courses with empty heads. The more books they read, the more ideas fill their minds, thinking they can handle everything in this world. They’re sharp-tongued, but when it comes to real challenges or big scenes, they might not be able to carry the load. Some of my company’s managers were once like that; now they say I’m a model for them."

"Old Fan is right," another man said, "Mr. Wang, you should let your son train more before taking over; but this Zhang Zhi seems capable. He can handle big deals even in college. Well done, Zhang Zhi! You’re destined to do great things. I often tell my daughter Min to learn from her Zhang Zhi brother. Mr. Wang, with his eloquence and capability, your son will surely carry on your legacy if you nurture him properly; however, it’s best he learns about private equity operations, as Old Li here can help."

A bespectacled man in his forties commented; known for his influence in the Zhejiang private investment scene and his ability to mobilize millions, Li Jiyang was a key figure among the independent players.

"Absolutely," someone laughed. "Xiao Zhang, I think your Uncle Li wants you to join them rather than just socializing with their daughter."

The group burst into laughter.

Zhang Zhi looked modest and humble.

His mother, around forty and slightly overweight, sipped her tea and glanced at the crowd. Clearly accustomed to the praise directed towards Zhang Zhi, she wore a faint expression of pride; it was understandable given that many children in their circle were undisciplined while hers was an example for proper upbringing. "We’re delighted that Li Uncle sees potential in him and wants to teach him something. His disciples are all talented individuals. My view is, Zhang Zhi should focus on his studies now; when he graduates, we won’t intervene much anymore. He’ll either succeed or fail based on his own efforts."

After taking a sip from their cups, the round of cards was nearly over and Lin Guangdong emerged victorious but not by much—after winning close to eighty thousand earlier, it was mostly offset now with only about five thousand in profit. This impressed the others present, who viewed him as an up-and-coming figure; although wins and losses are commonplace among gamblers, his ability to win from this group of seasoned players warranted respect.

A tall female server entered with tea for everyone before clearing away the card table. The group moved to a dark leather chair area for conversation.

The walls featured Monet’s oil paintings and glass cases held several Tang Tri-color artifacts; with good ventilation, even as cigars were lit, there was no smoky haze.

Su Cun focused his mind on how the others would proceed.

"Little Lin," Fan Zhilian smiled and introduced him to everyone. "This is Lin Guangdong of Polo Media; Little Lin runs a magazine. We have advertising targets this year, so he’s discussing ad cooperation with me. Tell us more about your magazine."

Everyone responded politely: "Pleasure," or simply nodded their heads while mentally noting that there were only a few people in the room who carried significant weight—like the real estate tycoon, who regularly dealt with high-stakes deals and had extensive connections within Shanghai’s middle to upper echelons.

Another heavyweight figure is someone like Li Jiyng, who engages in money lending and private equity investments, dealing with people from all walks of life. In the age where cash rules, he commands millions in cash and is quite famous in the folk financing circles in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces; these are the influential figures.

As for those who work on magazines, they inevitably come off as pretentious in front of such "rugged" people. Moreover, how much money can you really make from a magazine

Lín Guāndōng knew it was time to get down to business and gave a brief introduction about the current situation at Boluo Media. He also briefly mentioned that there is provincial-level support behind their fashion magazines. Some of those present showed interest, but Fàn Zhīliáng smiled and gestured for him to continue, displaying shrewdness.

"Many magazines on the market solely rely on customer feedback forms to gather opinions, but let's be honest: do you really take the time to fill out these forms when you receive a magazine Do you then spend 80 cents on postage to send it back While 80 cents may not seem like much, this entire process can dampen people's enthusiasm for providing feedback. Therefore, we have launched our website alongside the magazine to create forums and feedback sections where readers can easily provide their opinions and suggestions. This also aligns with Sain Company's target audience."

Fàn Zhīliáng smiled and said, "Little Lín, you don't know that our Sain Camera has fixed advertisers as well. We also have channels for magazines. I'm not saying your magazine is bad; I know you've done a good job promoting it and invested quite a lot of money in it. But since your magazine is new, we haven't seen any sales figures from you, so it's risky to invest our advertising budget without a reference point. Do you think my decision would be rash"

"The magazines that Mr. Fàn is currently advertising have already experienced declining sales due to sticking to old methods. Everything needs experimentation; we can provide sample copies for your reference, and you can personally evaluate the quality and value of our magazine. Of course, if after publication you find that our magazine doesn't reach a broad enough audience or doesn’t contribute significantly to Sain Camera's sales, we do have an exit mechanism in place..."

Everyone watching Lín Guāndōng became visibly interested as he spoke at length.

Sū Càn observed the expressions and reactions of these people. He had gathered their identities earlier when playing cards, knowing that Fàn Zhīliáng had brought them to meet with Lín Guāndōng.

If things go according to plan, these individuals would all have advertising needs. Unlike in the future where various advertising agencies and companies flood the market like bees seeking nectar, there were only a few dozen major companies vying for CCTV's program advertisements, and dozens of advertising firms for regular newspapers.

Currently, many companies are actively seeking advertising channels. It’s likely that these individuals have some interest based on Lín Guāndōng's presentation.

"With our advertising channel promotion, we can predict the effects it will generate; we also believe we can establish a foothold in the market within one to two years."

After Lín Guāndōng finished speaking, Fàn Zhīliáng stroked his chin and smiled. "It's probably not as simple as what you've said, little Lin. I've heard of this magazine before, but compared to many established magazines that are already deeply rooted in the market, your influence is still relatively small. Your core competitiveness may fall short."

Fàn Zhīliáng then looked at everyone and asked, "What are your thoughts"

Given his status among them, Fàn Zhīliáng's words prompted some consideration; they glanced at each other before shaking their heads.

Sū Càn’s prediction was correct. These people also had the intention to invest in advertisements, but upon hearing Fàn Zhīliáng’s ambiguous response, they withdrew their interest. While investing in a magazine is one thing, it's another when there's no guarantee of return on investment. Their hard-earned money would be better off being spent on magazines or advertising channels that can at least maintain sales.

Seeing this group’s reaction, Lín Guāndōng glanced at Sū Càn; he had spoken a lot today and was now feeling somewhat defeated by the situation.

A bunch of seasoned veterans.

"And who is that person over there" one individual asked Sū Càn about Lín Guāndōng. While talking to Wáng Zhǒng’s son, Zhang Zhi, and occasionally exchanging glances with Lín Guāndōng, their subtle eye contact didn't go unnoticed by these seasoned business figures.

Lín Guāndōng had planned to introduce Sū Càn today. However, seeing how this group valued hierarchy and looked down upon the younger generation like him, he was unsure if revealing Sū Càn's true identity would lead to ridicule or an unusual reaction from them toward their magazine.

Su Cen stood up and smiled, "I am the chairman of Pineapple Media and also the largest shareholder investor in our magazine. I understand that you all may not be interested or have doubts about our magazine. However, what I hope to clarify is that the future prospects for our brand magazine are limitless, and now is a good time to launch it. Firstly, as China's economy develops, traditional wealth lady magazines haven't successfully transformed yet. Secondly, entering the Chinese market is extremely difficult for international famous publications; they have not established their first front-line fortress here. This is precisely the best opportunity for fashion brand magazines to rise. Mr. Lin Guangdong has just mentioned how we will operate the magazine, and I know that your companies are increasingly in need of a clear definition of media that cannot be as chaotic as before."

Everyone present was initially stunned by Su Cen's young title as "chairman," but what he said temporarily salvaged the situation and prevented them from showing disrespect.

Lin Guangdong roughly introduced Su Cen, trying to use the name "our General Manager" to eliminate people's habitual perception of his age.

The urgency of the scene was already evident; everyone's mood was agitated.

Zhang Zhi, who had been chatting enthusiastically with Su Cen just a moment ago, now stood dumbfounded. His mother, General Manager Wang, looked at him uncertainly. She took pride in her son and thought he was an exemplary figure among her friends' children, but the young man that suddenly appeared was even younger than Zhang Zhi—was this guy also someone from business circles

Was there some mistake

Su Cen disregarded people's agitated state of mind and continued, "China joining the WTO is inevitable, almost something to be completed this year. After entering the WTO, competition in electronics consumption, finance, manufacturing, etc., will become even more intense, and future demand for advertising will be stronger. Advertising will shift from outdoor displays to print media. I believe that this magazine will attract your choices."

The people present, seasoned veterans, could not help but say lightly, "General Manager Su, do you mean we all would choose your magazine"

Someone's face puffed up with laughter and said sarcastically, "General Manager Su is underestimating Shanghai. There are so many print media here; we have plenty of choices available. Can your magazine stand out Can it make a name for itself If that's the case, then we'll consider placing advertisements with you. Otherwise, let's talk again next year after your magazine has an issue."

This seemed to be the limit everyone was willing to accept; Lin Guangdong felt his ears burning.

Total defeat.

This was the only feeling he had today. Confronting these aloof old foxes, it was difficult to pry out benefits from them. "Difficult."

Indeed, these cunning elders looked askance at him; Lin Guangdong and Su Cen lacked any background or influence in Shanghai. It was unlikely that they would capture their attention.

In the end, it seemed rather dramatic to everyone: a company chairman of such a young age with no social experience did not match up with these seasoned business players who had weathered ups and downs; how could he talk about cooperation for profit

Fan Ziliang was also surprised at this dramatic turn of events. As an old veteran, even if you might have a prominent family backing you, it's regrettable that for business discussions, one should approach your parents or those who support you.

Like Fan Ziliang, these people's life experiences made them unwilling to trust easily.

Fan Ziliang thought for a moment and shook his head, gesturing to everyone, "Let’s finish here today. We’ll meet somewhere else later for afternoon tea."

Su Cen knew that unless he made the final move, he would truly be defeated; he stood up and walked towards the door before turning back confidently. His youthful appearance earned him attention as he was so composed in front of these powerful middle-aged men: "I think we don't need to wait until next year. In just a month, I believe this magazine will make its mark."

The crowd's excitement showed on their faces; one general manager said, "Strange, really strange," marveling at Su Cen’s audacity.

Fan Zhiqui laughed heartily, his tone as arrogant as Su Cang's. "Mr. Su, let’s agree on this: if your magazine becomes famous a month from now, I'll give you a two million yuan advertising contract for our Saisi camera next year. You have my phone number; bring me the report after a month so we can see how many copies of your magazine were sold and what its influence is. I always keep my word in business."

When Su Cang and Lin Guangdong got up to leave, Zhang Zhi walked them out. At the entrance of the building where they met, feeling the sun shining on their faces, Su Cang and Lin Guangdong paused briefly for a temporary rest. The battle they had started in this building hit a brick wall.

Zhang Zhi offered a cigarette to both Lin Guangdong and Su Cang. Su Cang waved it away; Zhang Zhi then lit one himself and said doubtfully, "I’m impatient and curious: how did you manage to launch your magazine within a month"

"Do you believe me" Su Cang smiled at Zhang Zhi.

"Why wouldn’t I Unlike some people who are rigid and think that young entrepreneurs like us are reckless, naive, and overconfident, I took on a big challenge myself. Even my parents didn't believe in me; they thought I was too innocent to sign such a contract easily. Yet I managed to pull it off, dealing with an experienced Hong Kong boss who has seen it all before... Therefore, I don’t think you can’t achieve what you said. You are after all a high-achiever from Nankai University and someone who left foreign exchange students speechless."

Su Cang couldn't help but smile bitterly at Zhang Zhi, "It's just a temporary measure; we need to do things the way we did before, step by step. There’s no grand strategy involved—only confidence in our team and hope that our magazine sales won’t be too bad next month when the second issue is released."

Zhang Zhi looked at Su Cang meaningfully but knew that even if he had something to share, Su Cang wouldn't reveal it to him. This wasn't a big deal.

However, Zhang Zhi was impressed by Su Cang’s background and influence. He hadn’t expected Su Cang to have such connections while running a company. To Zhang Zhi, he had many friends but none like Su Cang who started business activities so early. In his social circle, there were very few people doing serious business; most engaged in trivial matters without the capital or courage.

This made him feel somewhat isolated.

Therefore, Zhang Zhi usually acted aloof in his circles not only to attract admiration from girls but also because of his unique status.

"Leave your contact information; I’ll talk to my mother and see if Avril can use your media." Zhang Zhi exhaled smoke and casually lifted his head. His wavy hair fell loosely at the back, giving him a literary appearance.

Su Cang was taken aback for a moment. Zhang Zhi added, "However, it’s uncertain; I’ll do my best."

This wasn’t a total loss but provided some consolation.

Su Cang nodded and asked Lin Guangdong to give him his business card.

Zhang Zhi took the card. Lin Guangdong came over with the car, and Su Cang patted Zhang Zhi's shoulder lightly before leaving. Zhang Zhi hesitated for a moment then said, "You know that the Arts Institute’s flower is currently being pursued by Wei Dingding Lin Luoran has quite a background, her family reportedly very influential..."

In Zhang Zhi’s eyes, their circles were different fields. He had only recently heard rumors about Lin Zhanyan and was aware of stories about some of her friends that seemed out of reach for ordinary people.

He rarely got more information as the city was big with many people, and there wasn’t anyone who knew everything. Although the internet made things easier to find out, it only scratched the surface; there were deeper issues in this city like a dense forest that weren't easy to penetrate.

Zhang Zhi was frank, just as he used to be diligent during high school worrying about homework and exams. After university, he realized how precious his former worries were because they represented an upgrade in maturity. Each stage of life brought new perspectives when encountering different things.

"Oh, Lin Luoran and I are just ordinary friends." Su Cang glanced at Zhang Zhi, unsure what else he was implying. time with his friends here and gradually got into a heated conversation with a bar hostess. Since there were no toilets in the KTV rooms at this time, after drinking several cups, he felt like urinat...