Loucheng too. In Xiangcheng, given her academic performance, she would surely enter the best school there, which was No.27 High School, fitting perfectly with her life trajectory.Now he himself was fo...Chapter 54: A Comeback Battle is to be Fought

In July of the year 2001, the college entrance examination was extremely hot with parents flooding the gates of Rongcheng No.27 High School. The school authorities had taken the initiative to hang sun umbrellas at the gate and set up drinking water points outside for the sweltering crowd. Some parents fainted due to heatstroke while others wept uncontrollably as their children entered the exam hall, stepping into a battlefield that would determine where they would struggle in their future.

At this time, Su Cen's scholarship had already been approved, so he could stay out of it. Although his best friends insisted they did not need him to accompany them during the exams, Su Cen still made his way around several examination centers to see where his friends were fighting their battles, feeling a bit melancholic inside.

Upon graduation, many shed tears at the gatherings while others smiled as they bid farewell. Those who passed the exam would either feel relieved or boast about their school and major; those who failed some entered society to fight for their lives, some enrolled in private universities just to get a degree, and others decided to stay back for another year of hard study to secure a bright future. During this period, a few people returned to campus for leisurely walks amidst the greenery.

Su Cen watched all these happenings unfold before him and felt that many things had changed yet some were no longer there.

In October of 2001, Su Cen finally felt that months ago he had undergone a transformation into an extraordinary life, a qualitative leap from quantitative change bringing about immense power. This freedom allowed him to break free from the constraints imposed by fate and society's rigid rules. The days of scorching heat and withering time were gone for good.

Recently, Lin Guangdong was free and visited Nan University. Wearing his Ray-Ban sunglasses, he parked outside in an open-air parking lot before strolling into the campus to relive those college days. In a traditional Sichuanese restaurant on campus, he ordered a serving of boiled fish and got two bottles of beer for both himself and Su Cen. He said, "I'm going back tomorrow but will fly over when I can, hoping everything goes smoothly. The news about our bet has been released by Fan Zilian's side, now many people know about it. If we are to fight this battle, we must make a name for ourselves."

Lin Guangdong poured himself a glass of beer but did not fill Su Cen’s cup, leaving him to take care of his own drink. This was something that Su Cen admired about Lin Jiangdong; he was efficient and decisive without being either servile or arrogant, making their interactions comfortable and effortless.

"Old Lin, in your view, what is investment"

Lin Guangdong finished his beer and placed the empty glass on the table with a clink. He glanced at Su Can before saying, "Britannica defines it as the process of converting income into assets to generate returns over a certain period. In other words, if you don't spend your income but instead use it to purchase products that will appreciate in value, then it's an investment. This can be complex or simple; essentially, most current financial activities can be described with this concept. You're not here just to test my knowledge about these things, right The company’s profits are set by Jiang Ming. I'm just doing my part as a media person, and my views on these matters will naturally differ from yours since you have an academic background in economics management. We can't compare, like how active-duty military personnel and reserve forces can't be compared; our theoretical foundations may be different but we both aim for the same goal."

"We need to win a short-term investment battle to establish ourselves here with the necessary resources." As Su Can's university life progressed, his economic 'ship' started navigating through Shanghai. Although it wasn't at the scale of an aircraft carrier fleet yet, this was merely the beginning. However, for this ship to solidly anchor itself in China’s commercial and economic hub, there are numerous unseen barriers that need to be removed.

Lin Guangdong pondered for a moment and frowned, "Su Can, what we're doing is quite risky, and it's such a massive undertaking. Are you really this confident" Lin Guangdong stared intently at Su Can; he found it increasingly difficult to understand the young tycoon hiding in plain sight.

Their strategies were indeed imaginative and somewhat abstract. Su Can wanted to emulate Zhuge Liang’s fire attack on Red Cliffs, but Lin Guangdong felt like Zhou Yu in a windless Jiangbei, unsure why Su Can was so confident about receiving favorable winds.

Recalling his meetings with this young man, when he was still teaching at No. 27 High School, he had encountered many prodigies. While Su Can wasn't the most outstanding among them, he managed to touch Lin Guangdong's heart with his writings and convinced him—despite being younger and less experienced—to join his team.

So began an extraordinary journey for Lin Guangdong. He became the boss of a media company which produced innovative media entertainment models that were subsequently recognized as new industry projects by the city government. Moreover, he knew there was an unusual rapport between Su Can and the city’s Secretary of the Party Committee. If not for his knowledge about Su Can, even Lin would suspect Su Can to be the illegitimate son of a high-ranking cadre.

Lin Guangdong didn't know how the tacit understanding between Su Can and Wang Bo was formed, but it reinforced his recognition of Su Can's capabilities. However, this did not mean they were assured winners in their current battle.

In Rongcheng, Wang Bo's jurisdiction is where Su Cen operates. Several media conferences were introduced by Wang Bo, allowing Bologi Media to develop smoothly. Now, however, they have moved to Shanghai, which is a different political landscape from Rongcheng. Without Wang Bo’s support and the city’s political resources in Shanghai, entering this new territory is quite challenging for Bologi Media. They might still be considered too inexperienced to compete with some well-established rivals in the area, as Jangjian businessman Sai Si's camera agent Fan Zhi Liang might put it.

"Any investment carries a risk of failure; I'm not Zhuge Liang either. The weather, terrain, and human relations are strategic factors for military victory. For us now, we understand the timing but lack the geographical advantage. As for human relations, there's still uncertainty. With many variables at play, whether or not we can make a comeback here is uncertain. I can only do my best, this is like a risky investment; it’s not guaranteed to succeed, but if there's any chance of winning, we should strive for it; otherwise, we'll have to withdraw from Shanghai."

Su Cen awkwardly laughed, understanding that broad strategic plans often involve the challenge of merely having the timing on their side. There were still many things he needed to爭取。

Towards the end of autumn, Lin Guangdong drove his Audi back to Rongcheng.

When Bologi Media's 'Fashion Culture' magazine officially hit the stands in Shanghai, it was issued according to expectations for its first run. Despite being well-crafted and content-rich, this magazine couldn’t escape the market cultivation period hurdle.

It wouldn't soar overnight; instead, it maintained a steady pace. In these times, perhaps magazines might stand out due to Su Cen’s involvement in some cover suggestions. Sales might be driven by people buying them with a "Let's see what it's about" mentality more than anything else. There were hardly any signs of subscription numbers.

At this time, within a private club in Shanghai, Fan Zhi Liang had the first issue of 'Fashion Culture' on his coffee table. Someone casually picked up the magazine and flipped through it before tossing it back onto the table without much interest, with a mocking tone saying, "Old Fan, is that the magazine the editor betted on Claiming to see market size in just two issues Unlikely. This little Su has quite an ambitious mouth, huh Must have some backing from his family, but doing business this way won’t work. You should warn them beforehand too; otherwise, these young people get too arrogant and think a few words can lead to a contract A company formed by just six individuals That’s kidding!"

Fan Zhi Liang held up his cup, wearing an emerald ring on the middle finger which gave him an air of confidence. His eyes also showed signs of displeasure, "Anyone making money isn't a fool, but there are plenty who think they know it all. This young man is still in diapers and dares to talk big in front of me."

When the door opened, four or five girls dressed very womanly walked in, their gaze filled with three parts shyness and seven parts curiosity as they looked around. The atmosphere immediately became lively.

Someone whispered, "Of course, old Fan, what kind of silly kid can outsmart your judgment Let's not talk about that naive youth anymore. With beautiful girls here, all are currently enrolled students from prestigious universities and know how to behave properly. Whether you want to take your time or have a quick affair, it's up to you. The key is having the right mindset. Here’s the card for a room upstairs. I’ve reserved them all, so enjoy yourselves."

Today's large-scale management lecture was being held in Building 3. The professor had received an award for outstanding contributions in management and had been honored by a Central Political Bureau Standing Committee member and Vice Premier of the State Council—another prestigious figure at Nan Da University, Professor Yu Ziming.

A considerable number of freshmen knew about this esteemed professor and thus looked up to him with admiration. The lecture hall was packed, and Tang Wu was seated in Group Three, Row Six on the left side. Since Su Cen arrived late, he ended up sitting at the back, but it didn't matter.

Recently, due to his arrangement with Tang Wu, Su Cen felt that this girl seemed to be avoiding him; whenever their eyes met, she quickly averted hers. This made Su Cen even more intrigued.

To Zhang Xiaqiao, the renowned Professor Yu was no stranger. In public, he always wore blue shirts and trousers, respected by everyone. Privately at home, however, he would wear tattered undershirts and enjoy drinking white liquor with peanuts on the dinner table.

Ever since Zhang Xiaqiao could remember, his father frequently brought him to visit Professor Yu's house for drinks, as Old Yu loved alcohol. Every time, Zhang’s father wouldn’t skimp on the quality of spirits—some premium 80-year-old Maotai or 60-degree Gujian liquor—which ended up in Old Yu’s private collection via Zhang Xiaqiao.

Despite his unassuming appearance, this old man was undoubtedly a significant figure at Nan Da University. His students had an extensive strategic depth and breadth; many were CEOs of heavyweight state-owned enterprises, while others were influential figures in provincial government offices who regarded him as their teacher. Hence, there were numerous people in Shanghai who wanted to establish connections with Professor Yu from various angles. Zhang’s father was visionary in having his son build this relationship. Naturally, during the lecture, Li Han and Xiao Xu listened to Zhang Xiaqiao recount stories of how he used to rummage through Old Yu's belongings as a child, causing him much trouble. Everyone stared at Zhang Xiaqiao with wide eyes, finding it hard to believe that he was so disrespectful.mester ends; next year will be our senior three."Tang Wu looked up and gave a light "Mm" in response."Senior three is coming," Su Cen stretched his body. "After graduation, many of the people we’re wi...