If everyone is reborn, who will work for capital?

Chapter 34: The straightforward approach is correct.

Seeing that Li Haipeng still looked confused, Geng Zhi decided to lay everything out in detail.

"Brother Peng, to be honest, we just won first prize in the entrepreneurship project at Jiaotong University, and received unanimous praise from the Vice President of Jiaotong University, the Vice Dean of the School of Economics and Management, and Zhu Xiaohu of Jinshajiang Venture Capital, among other big names."

As he spoke, he once again brought out the "all-purpose photo" that had won an award at the roadshow, pointing it out to Li Haipeng while introducing the bigwigs who were judges in the photo.

He secretly felt that the frequency of this photo's appearance and its usefulness were comparable to an imperial edict.

"Our startup project is called 'Jiaotong University Matchmaker,' backed by the Jiaotong University brand. We have only one goal: to enable outstanding people to be outstanding without being alone."

As he spoke frankly, he pointed at Li Haipeng and said, "For example, someone as outstanding as you."

Wasn't you preparing for the postgraduate entrance exam? How come you've started a business??

Li Haipeng smacked his lips, seemed about to say something but then swallowed it back, his expression somewhat complicated.

"Brother Peng, to be honest, when I enrolled in New Oriental's classes, half of it was to prepare for the postgraduate entrance exam, and the other half was because of you." Geng Zhi began to "open his heart."

"What we at Jiaotong University Matchmakers do is essentially to solve the dating anxiety of high-quality single young people. This is exactly the same underlying logic as what you are doing now: solving the postgraduate entrance examination anxiety of highly educated people and providing solutions for passing the exam. They are both about accurately targeting pain points and providing solutions."

Upon hearing this, Li Haipeng lowered his head and pondered for a few seconds before looking up again and tentatively asking, "Are you aiming to create something like Baihe.com?"

"Have you ever used Baihe.com?" Geng Zhi asked with a smile.

"I've used it..." Li Haipeng said somewhat awkwardly, "The experience wasn't great. They just kept trying to trick me into spending money, and later I found out that several of the people I was chatting with were bots."

"That's right!" Geng Zhi slammed his hand on the table. "We're targeting the pain points of established websites like Baihe.com, Century Home, and Zhenai.com. We want to create a different, truly reliable product."

Next, he explained the core gameplay of the "Jiaotong University Matchmaker" offline event to Li Haipeng in the simplest terms.

"Brother Peng, think about it. In Shanghai alone, there are millions of highly educated, high-quality single white-collar workers. This market is currently leaderless, and traditional websites offer a terrible user experience—you've already experienced these problems yourself. Isn't this a golden opportunity to enter the market?"

Li Haipeng pondered for two minutes before raising a question: "I think it can work in Shanghai. But what about other cities? Are we going to send people to each city one by one, like we did with New Oriental when we expanded our branch schools? The costs would be enormous, and we couldn't afford that."

"Shanghai is our model city. We will definitely expand into places like Shenzhen, Beijing, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Lin'an, and Wuhan in the future. But before large-scale ground expansion, we will first play a game of going against the trend."

"Going against the tide?"

"Yes! Just like you said, being purely offline is too cumbersome. So we need to leverage the reputation and trust we've built in Shanghai to quickly transition online and create a high-quality community. Using internet thinking and products, we'll recreate a top-tier social circle that's highly educated, healthy, and positive," Geng Zhi described the blueprint.

Li Haipeng fell into deep thought again.

He understood the offline model, but he was a bit confused by Geng Zhi's "online community" and "internet thinking".

However, seeing how straightforward and logically sound the other person was, and considering that the other person was a prospective graduate student in computer science at National Chiao Tung University, I didn't have much doubt.

"I would like to formally invite you to join us as a co-founder." Geng looked him straight in the eye, his tone sincere. "Together, let's go from 0 to 1, then from 1 to 100, to 1000, and build an empire that truly belongs to us."

Upon hearing this, Li Haipeng abruptly raised his head, his mouth slightly agape, as if stunned by this unexpected and weighty suggestion.

The skewers in his hand froze in mid-air, the rim of his beer glass pressed against his lower lip, his eyes filled with disbelief and a rapidly churning concentration.

A 20-year-old college student invites a 4-year veteran (who has been working for four years) to start a business together and become the boss?

Geng Zhi knew that when dealing with a pragmatist like Li Haipeng, it was necessary to make grand promises, but the economic calculations had to be done very clearly.

He immediately switched channels and started uploading hardcore data.

"In the early stages of starting a business, your cash income will certainly not be as stable as New Oriental's. But we have the cost advantage of being on campus, and our offline activities have a healthy cash flow, which will definitely cover your basic living expenses."

"Based on what you just said, even if you work your way up to city manager at New Oriental for three to five years, with a base salary, performance bonus, and various benefits, your annual salary ceiling is at most 200,000 yuan, right?"

Li Haipeng nodded silently.

His boss's boss was the city manager, whose annual salary was only around 170,000 to 180,000 yuan.

"If you come to 'Jiaotong University Matchmaker', I can give you 15% equity. It may be worthless now, but once we reach 100,000 users, with an average annual spending of 500 yuan per person, that's 50 million yuan in revenue."

"Based on the typical 10x PS (price-to-sales ratio) valuation for internet companies, the company is worth 500 million. Your 15% stake would theoretically be worth 75 million."

"100,000 users? Just in Shanghai and Beijing, we could probably achieve that with a little effort, right? Not to mention there are so many other cities waiting in the wings."

"You are a shareholder of the company, so the company belongs to you. You are creating wealth with your own hands, instead of waiting for someone to give you a position. This 15% equity is your first-class ticket to future financial freedom."

As a series of numbers came crashing down on him, Li Haipeng's mind began to race.

Although he didn't quite understand what "Photoshop" was, he believed in honesty and trusted the judgment of the judges in the photos.

This calculation, at least on paper, made his heart race.

Geng Zhi didn't give him a chance to calm down and think things through; he went all out and kept escalating the situation.

"Brother Peng, I'm not looking for an ordinary salesperson, but a core partner who understands the psychology of highly educated people and can build a growth engine from offline to online. Among the people I know in Shanghai, you are currently the only one with this kind of ability."

"Our model has already gained initial recognition from the venture capital community. The window of opportunity is only one or two years. Once those giants react, the first-mover advantage will be gone. Join now, and you'll be a founding member. Join next year, and you might just be a high-level employee."

Geng Zhi is cleverly creating a sense of scarcity and urgency: the opportunity is unique, but it won't last.

This tactic worked. Li Haipeng felt the suppressed flame in his heart suddenly ignite and begin to beat restlessly.

What Geng Zhi needs to do is add fuel to the fire and make it burn completely.

"Brother Peng, at New Oriental, you fulfilled Yu Minhong's ideal. At 'Jiaotong University Matchmaker,' you fulfilled your own ideal—to establish a career and start a family."

"Think about it, when we have hundreds of thousands of high-quality female users on our platform, you'll have the advantage of being close to them. You can then select the one who's most suitable for you, achieving success in both your career and love life. Wouldn't that be great?" Geng Zhi gave a knowing smile.

"You're twenty-six or twenty-seven now. Do you choose to continue running on a known, long, and gentle track, or do you choose a shorter, steeper path, hoping for a faster chance to reach the summit and enjoy the view?"

"I'm not here to give you a job today, Peng. I'm here to give you the right to redefine your career, and even your life."

He finished speaking slowly and deliberately in one breath, then looked calmly at Li Haipeng.

Li Haipeng fell into a deep silence, only his slightly heaving chest and flickering eyes betraying the turmoil within him.

He could clearly sense that Geng Zhi's decision to start this business was not a spur-of-the-moment thing, but rather the result of careful consideration and thorough preparation.

Geng Zhi recruited him based on his deep understanding of Geng Zhi's abilities.

What Geng Zhi was presented with at this moment was not just a startup project, but a historic opportunity that could potentially change the course of his life.

"New Oriental's postgraduate entrance exam business is now in its off-season, and the performance in the next few months will definitely be poor... Why not take this opportunity to gamble?" A voice cried out in his heart.

"Even if I fail, I'll have gained valuable entrepreneurial experience. With my abilities and this experience, it shouldn't be too difficult for me to return to New Oriental or a similar institution, right?" Another more pragmatic voice was also considering this.

But he didn't want to make a decision right away; it was too important.

"Mr. Geng... Mr. Geng," his way of addressing Geng Zhi had unconsciously changed, "This is a major decision. I need some time to think it over carefully."

"Brother Peng, I completely understand." Geng Zhi seemed very reasonable. "I was originally going to suggest that you participate as an advisor first, experience the potential of our team firsthand, and then decide whether to join."

He then changed the subject: "But we are currently registering a company urgently and need to fill in shareholder information. If you miss this opportunity, not only will your equity be diluted when subsequent financing comes in, but there may also be no suitable shareholder position left for you."

As he spoke, he picked up his phone, pulled out the chat history with the company's registration agent, and showed it to Li Haipeng to prove that what he said was true.

"Mr. Geng, how much time can you give me to consider?" Li Haipeng asked, his voice somewhat hoarse.

"By 8 PM tomorrow," Geng Zhi gave a short deadline, "The company registration is urgent, and the business needs to get started as soon as possible. Besides, if you decide to come here, you'll need time to hand over your responsibilities after leaving New Oriental, right?"

"Yes...yes, I also have to be responsible for the students who enrolled in my class and make sure to hand them over properly." Li Haipeng nodded.

The atmosphere at the next dinner was noticeably different.

Li Haipeng drank less alcohol and ate the barbecue absentmindedly. He often held his wine glass, his eyes vacant, lost in deep thought.

As they were parting, Li Haipeng asked curiously, "President Geng, aren't you... still preparing for the postgraduate entrance exam? And now you're starting a business, this...?"

"No conflict! You can juggle love and career, and I can juggle my studies and career!" Geng Zhi laughed.

"That's true..."

Looking at the student in front of him, who was several years younger than him but appeared unusually calm and experienced, Li Haipeng couldn't help but ask again, "You're only a senior, how do you know so much and think so clearly?"

"Steve Jobs founded Apple at 21, and Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Michael Dell were all 19 when they founded Facebook, Microsoft, and Dell." He spoke frankly and calmly, "I'm already 20."

Li Haipeng paused for a moment, then shook his head with a wry smile: "...I'm already twenty-seven years old."

……

Meanwhile, in the capital city, in a private room of a time-honored hot pot restaurant.

Zhu Xiaohu picked up a piece of freshly sliced ​​mutton with his chopsticks, skillfully dipped it in the boiling broth, and casually asked, "Old Mu, how are the user and revenue figures for Baihe.com in the third quarter?"

"The number of registered users is approaching 1600 million, and the quarterly revenue... is around 500 million US dollars. We'll have to wait for the quarterly report for the exact figures," Mu Yan said, picking up a piece of tripe as he answered.

"Only close to 1600 million?" Zhu Xiaohu paused. "The gap with Century Home Network is widening. And it hasn't really pulled ahead of True Love Network either, has it?" His tone was clearly surprised and a little dissatisfied.

"It's not just Baihe.com," Mu Yan shrugged, a helpless look on his face, "the entire industry's user growth is almost at its ceiling. Right now, revenue is entirely dependent on existing users. Acquiring new users is incredibly difficult."

"What makes Century Home so successful? I heard they've already surpassed 2000 million users, right?" Zhu Xiaohu pressed, his eyes blazing.

"President Zhu, Xu Xiaoping, an investor in Century Family, is willing to throw money into it!" Mu Yan said half-jokingly and half-complainingly, glancing at his shareholder.

Seeing that Zhu Xiaohu was just chewing silently, Mu Yan continued, "Their advertising campaign this year was too aggressive. CCTV, major satellite TV stations, and subways were all plastered with ads for 'Finding a Partner, Family Connections from the Last Century.' They also used their founder's inspirational story, which significantly increased the brand's reach."

"Are you referring to the inspiring story of Gong Haiyan, the female master's student from Fudan University who dropped out to start her own business?"

"That's right!" Mu Yan spread his hands, making a helpless expression. "President Zhu, I graduated from Tsinghua University through the proper channels, I never dropped out of school, I couldn't make up this story even if I wanted to!"

The two looked at each other and shook their heads and laughed, but the meaning behind their smiles was different for each of them.

"Is the 'mind matching' model that you guys were promoting this year only so-so?" Zhu Xiaohu put down his cup and changed the subject.

"It didn't meet expectations." Mu Yan shook his head, picked up a piece of frozen tofu, and said, "We're doing an internal review, and we haven't fully figured out where the problem lies yet."

"Online growth is sluggish, so... have you considered trying offline?" Zhu Xiaohu suddenly remembered Geng Zhi's previous suggestion.

"Offline??" Mu Yan was clearly taken aback, then chuckled. "President Zhu, you must be joking. How would you do it offline? Are you going to rent a storefront, partition it into small cubicles, and let men and women go in for one-on-one dates? That cost, that efficiency..."

"It doesn't have to be one-on-one. You can also organize many-to-many offline activities, interest groups, and so on. Communication efficiency is higher, and there's a better social atmosphere. Maybe that can open up a new chapter and attract a wave of new users."

Zhu Xiaohu recalled the straightforward matchmaking model of Jiaotong University.

"Mr. Zhu, this is really a multi-person matchmaking scheme! Everyone who hits on someone is quickly finding a partner..." Mu Yan's smile faded. "Who's going to come back and renew their subscription to my platform? I'm just turning this into a one-time deal, cutting off my own source of income!"

Zhu Xiaohu was speechless for a moment, then after thinking for a while, he had no choice but to nod: "...That's true."

A silence followed.

"Mr. Zhu, hurry up and eat, the meat is overcooked." Mu Yan said, looking at Zhu Xiaohu who was still in a daze.

"Wait a minute, I suddenly realized that my straightforward thinking was right!" Zhu Xiaohu slapped his thigh.

"Who? Who is Geng Zhi?" Mu Yan frowned.

"A college student."

"No, Mr. Zhu, is it really necessary to make such a fuss over a college student?"

"I'm going to call him now and ask him what's going on!" Zhu Xiaohu said, quickly getting up and walking out of the private room.