I'm not a literary giant

Chapter 256 Survival and Fate

When Wang Zixu pushed open the door, the first thing he saw was Zuo Ziliang's signature bald head.

Compared to how I remember him, he had lost a lot of weight. His facial features had become sharp and angular, and the skin on his cheeks was loose and sagging, forming two deep "川" (river) shaped lines. He had a bit of the calmness and ruthlessness of Heisenberg in Breaking Bad.

"Long time no see," he said, his voice low.

“Why be so polite at a time like this?” Ye Lan plopped down on the sofa and put her briefcase aside. “I have nothing but bad news.”

“Coincidentally, I also have some major news,” Zuo Ziliang said calmly, “How about this, let’s align our granularity and exchange information first.”

"You go first." After Ye Lan finished speaking, she didn't forget to glance back at Wang Zixu, her eyes clearly reminding him not to forget the stance they had agreed on when they came.

Prince Xu returned a look that he considered to be clever, quick-witted, and opportunistic.

"Time is of the essence, so I'll keep it brief," Zuo Ziliang said. "I've received reliable information that Donghai City is accelerating the formulation of regulations for the speech therapy industry, and the relevant documents will be officially released within two months at the latest."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the two men's faces: "What I can confirm is that our business is 100% in violation of regulations, with no room for rectification. Once the regulations are implemented, all our business will be shut down immediately."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the last glimmer of hope in Prince Xu's heart. He no longer expected to make any money; he only hoped to extricate himself safely.

Zuo Ziliang looked at the two silent men and suddenly smiled: "But on the bright side, we have at most a two-month window of opportunity."

"A window of opportunity?" Ye Lan's mouth gaped open for a long time before she could close it. "Zuo Ziliang, you call this a window of opportunity? Are you planning to commit a crime against the wind, make a quick buck, and run away?"

"I believe this is the most reasonable solution at present," Zuo Ziliang said calmly.

"You're insane!" Ye Lan's words weren't an exclamation, but a statement. In her eyes, Zuo Ziliang was no different from a deranged fugitive who had lost his mind.

“Let me finish,” Zuo Ziliang gestured, “We’ve invested a lot of money in expanding our business in the early stages, and we’ve even competed with giants like Xunyi Galaxy. We haven’t even recouped our costs yet. If we give up now, the money we can get back will be very limited.”

"Is it still about money now?" Ye Lan slapped the sofa excitedly. "Now it's about potentially going to jail! Do you even know what our current user base is like?"

She pulled out her phone and slammed it on the table, swiping the screen to reveal a chat group:

“A large number of new users have been flooding into our star-rated user group since yesterday. They can generate 300 messages per minute, so I have no choice but to mute everyone!”

Do you know how I spent last night? I couldn't sleep!

“Our community management has not made any mistakes, but if even one user is angry with us, they can report us at any time. The chat logs they have are evidence!”

Ye Lan finished speaking, her chest still heaving. Zuo Ziliang pondered for a moment, then asked curiously, "What are they arguing about?"

"Firstly, there's the issue of account top-ups. Many users are worried that if the company goes bankrupt, we won't be able to refund their money," Ye Lan glanced at Wang Zixu next to her with annoyance. "Secondly, there's his matter as well."

"Me?" Prince Xu looked puzzled.

Ye Lan waved her hand: "That's not important. Zuo Ziliang, can you wake up? How many bosses have gone to jail over the years? Two months, what can you do in two months? Why gamble with everyone's fate? It's a joke!"

Zuo Ziliang closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly opened them, saying, "I know it's a gamble, but I only gamble because I'm confident I can turn things around."

"What...what kind of confidence do you have?!" Ye Lan's lips moved for a long time before she finally couldn't help but swear. Then she turned to Wang Zixu and said decisively, "Wang Zixu, say something! Try to persuade him!"

Prince Xu took a deep breath.

Wang Zixu had long regarded Zuo Ziliang not only as a business partner, but also as a friend. Now, he knew that this friend was going astray step by step, and if he made a wrong move, he would be crushed to pieces.

He had to find a way to persuade him, to calm his overheated mind, and to prevent him from doing something irreversible.

“I’ve also received reliable information that after the New Year, Xunyi Galaxy will announce its indefinite withdrawal from the speech therapy industry,” Wang Zixu said. “Once they withdraw, the pressure will fall on us. With them setting an example, will we be singled out again? Will the public criticize us harshly? These are huge risks.”

"And Ye Lan is right, two months is too short. Our monthly turnover was only around 100,000 before. Taking such a big risk to gamble on such a small amount of chips, I don't think you have a chance to win."

Ye Lan was very satisfied with his argument and nodded, saying, "Yes! It's completely not worth it! Now you either need to transform your business or find someone to take over. Let me make it clear beforehand, I will absolutely not take this risk with you!"

Zuo Ziliang pondered for a moment and said, "In my opinion, what you two said, from another perspective, is all beneficial."

Ye Lan slowly widened her eyes, and Zuo Ziliang spoke before she could scream:

"The requirement for joining the star-level user group is a purchase of over 1,000 yuan. The fact that so many people have flocked to us in such a short time shows that the TV station's exposure to us has brought us huge traffic, and these users have a strong willingness to pay; they are all high-quality customers."

“Xunyi Galaxy’s decisive withdrawal will leave a huge market gap, as well as a large number of users who have already been cultivated. We can take over both of these directly.”

After saying that, a glint of light flashed in his eyes: "This is not a sign of impending doom, but a golden opportunity."

Ye Lan held her breath and slowly shook her head: "You're crazy, you're really crazy!"

“My decision is,” Zuo Ziliang said, his voice drowning out hers, “if you join me, we’ll fight to the bitter end. If you don’t, I will buy out your shares at a friendly price of 0.2 yuan per share, and you will each receive…”

Ye Lan slowly widened her eyes, and before Zuo Ziliang could calculate it, she gritted her teeth and said:

"...I'll get 6 yuan, and Wang Zixu will take 5 yuan...Zuo Ziliang, are you trying to fob me off like a beggar?"

Prince Xu's heart sank.

In any case, this number was far below his expectations.

"Treat a beggar like this? Ye Lan, you should know the company's current situation."

He swept the fruit plate off the coffee table, turned around, took out a thick stack of documents from his briefcase, and slammed them heavily on the table.

"The company still has 450 million yuan of user prepaid value in its accounts and owes more than 40 yuan to external parties. The newly recruited hundreds of employees will require about 120 million yuan in severance pay alone... Even without considering possible administrative penalties, the debt is more than 600 million yuan."

“We have only 500 million yuan in cash in our account. Apart from an app, our remaining assets are just some office supplies, which are worth at most 10 yuan after we sell them. In total, our company has a debt of about 100 million yuan.”

With each word he spoke, Ye Lan's face paled a little more. Not because Zuo Ziliang was lying, but because she knew they were all true.

It is precisely because it is true that it is even harder to accept.

Wang Zixu stared at her expression, trying to discern the truthfulness of Zuo Ziliang's words, but the more he looked, the heavier his heart became.

Zuo Ziliang leaned back into the sofa and continued:
"In short, the company is currently a mess with a debt of 100 million. By paying to buy out your shares, I'm essentially taking all your debts and risks upon myself. This money is for your safe exit. If you're still not satisfied..."

He shook his head and didn't say anything more. After a brief silence, he straightened up and took out two documents from his briefcase.

“I have prepared the transfer agreement. If you have thought it through, you can sign it now.”

Ye Lan opened her mouth, her eyes vacant. She tried desperately to search her mind for any reason that could prove the company still had value, but to no avail.

Wang Zixu asked in a low voice, "Has the company's situation really come to this? It was doing so well just a while ago."

Zuo Ziliang looked at him and said expressionlessly, "Our company's core assets are our users, reputation, more than 3,000 voice chat operators, and a little prince. If we continue, these will be our core competitiveness; if we quit, they will be worthless. That's why I want to stay for another two months."

After saying that, he reached out and patted the folder on the table: "Here are the company's financial statements. You can look at them anytime, for as long as you want."

Wang Zixu did not reach out. He knew nothing about finance, and even if he looked at it, he wouldn't understand its intricacies.

Ye Lan gritted her teeth and said, "Zuo Ziliang, with such a huge following for the Little Prince, I don't believe the company is only worth this much!"

Zuo Ziliang smiled wryly: "You still don't want to face reality."

"Yes! I can't accept this!" Ye Lan's emotions suddenly erupted. "I'm a woman too, and I have my pride too! Do you know how much pressure I'm under doing this business? Do you really think I feel proud of it?"

"...I understand." Zuo Ziliang's tone remained calm.

“I’m exhausted, I’ve even given up on my dignity, and you’re telling me that my dignity, my efforts, my youth… are only worth 6 yuan? How am I supposed to feel about that?”

Zuo Ziliang remained expressionless: "That's how business is; there are wins and losses. If you lose, you have to accept it."

Ye Lan stared intently at him: "Then why won't you admit it?" "Because I believe I can turn defeat into victory and survive against all odds. It's just that you don't believe me."

Ye Lan sneered: "The company has a debt of 100 million. If the three of us share the burden, you will get 50, I will get 30, and Wang Zixu will get 20."

"If we can really survive as you say, then we need to earn a net profit of over 100 million within two months."

"But the company's average net profit over the past three months has only been 32 yuan, and the highest in history was only 45 yuan. What makes you think you can fill this hole in two months?"

Zuo Ziliang was silent for a moment, then turned his gaze to Wang Zixu: "Therefore, I hope Wang Zixu can stay."

Their eyes met in mid-air.

“I’m offering 5 to buy out your shares because I believe you absolutely cannot just walk away with 5. You will definitely stay and gamble with me one last time.”

Prince Xu looked directly at him: "Why do you think that?"

Zuo Ziliang looked him straight in the eye and said, word by word, "Because you are the 'Little Prince,' are you willing to sell this identity for a paltry 5 yuan?"

“I’m willing.” Wang Zixu answered without hesitation. “5 is not much, but I’m more afraid of going to jail. Where’s the contract? I’ll sign it.”

Ye Lan gazed at Prince Xu with an even more complicated expression.

Although she was the one who first suggested "taking a firm stance," his decisiveness startled her. Even she couldn't accept that he would leave with only 60,000.

Zuo Ziliang stared intently at Wang Zixu for a long time. Seeing that he remained unmoved, he finally seemed to give up, turned around, took out a thin contract from his briefcase, and pushed it in front of him.

"Sign it. Once the payment is received, the company will have nothing to do with you anymore, and the identity of 'Little Prince' will also be completely irrelevant to you."

Wang Zixu lowered his head and picked up the pen, but Ye Lan grabbed his arm.

"Hey, if you sign this contract, you'll only get 5 yuan, which isn't even as much as a month's bonus. Can you really accept that?"

Wang Zixu put down his pen and looked at her: "Didn't you tell me to stand firm in my stance?"

Ye Lan's expression was contorted in pain:

"Yes, that's what I said, but what I was thinking was being able to retire in style with over five million, achieving financial freedom from then on... or at the very least, over a million, right? This... this gap is just too big..."

Wang Zixu calmly said, "We shouldn't think like that. Instead, we should think like this: we're practically in jail right now, so we should consider things from the perspective of going to jail. Think about it, not only can we avoid going to jail, but we can also get tens of thousands of yuan. Isn't that a win?"

Ye Lan laughed in exasperation, and for a moment she became incoherent.

Zuo Ziliang said, "I know why you didn't even listen to my plan and wanted to quit right away."

Prince Xu said, "I don't need to hear it."

It's not that he doesn't need to listen, but that he's afraid to listen.

He was afraid that if he listened, he would change his mind, give up his promising future, and accompany Zuo Ziliang in one last crazy gamble.

He also has "Fire in the Stone," though his chances of winning an award are slim; he has just established connections in literary circles, even though everyone is against him; but at least there, he can stand openly in front of people.

He knew that deep down he possessed a ruthless streak mixed with the smell of blood, a trait that was his thanatos, his death instinct, and the root of what made him the 'Little Prince'.

At the same time, he knew Zuo Ziliang too well. Once this man had an idea, he could always express it in a very charming and alluring way.

So he was afraid. Afraid that he would be persuaded by Zuo Ziliang. Afraid that he wouldn't be as resolute as he was now.

Wang Zixu picked up the pen again. He longed to sign his name with such elegance, like in the movies, without even looking at the paper. But his cautious nature prevented him from being so graceful.

He picked up the contract and began to carefully read through it, page by page.

Just as he was reviewing the contract, Zuo Ziliang, leaning back on the sofa, suddenly spoke:

"I remember the first time I met you."

Prince Xu didn't even look up: "Are you trying to play the emotional card?"

Zuo Ziliang seemed not to hear his sarcasm and continued speaking to himself:

"Back then, you were wearing a cheap gray suit, and there was a kind of pretentious self-esteem in your eyes, beneath which lay a deeper insecurity. You could tell at a glance that you were someone working within the system."

The prince asked humbly, "Are you humiliating me, or humiliating everyone within the system?"

A mocking smile appeared on Zuo Ziliang's lips:

“I didn’t insult anyone; I was just stating my observations. I’ve met many people within the system, from the grassroots to the middle levels, and everyone has a similar look in their eyes, including you.”

Wang Zixu finally looked up at him: "What kind of look is that?"

“A very complex look in my eyes,” Zuo Ziliang said. “I often wondered what created this contradictory look in my eyes? Later I realized it was my identity.”

Prince Xu remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"You people with government jobs have a different survival logic than those of us who struggle in the underworld. Whether you perform well or poorly, your salary will not be reduced by a penny. You have reason to be proud of that, and indeed, you are a level above those who are struggling to make a living."

“But you also know in your hearts that these are given to you by your identity. If you were to take off this skin and be thrown naked into society, you might have no ability to make a living. So subconsciously, you are all afraid.”

After a pause, Zuo Ziliang said, "The first time I met you, I could tell you were scared, so I praised your writing skills to the skies. If I hadn't raved about you to the skies, you might have gone back and thought it over, worried about the impact on your work within the system, and given up on this job."

Wang Zixu put down the contract: "Why bring this up all of a sudden?"

Zuo Ziliang stared directly at him: "You're not afraid now, but you've gone to the other extreme, living in a vacuum, oblivious to the real world. You seem to think that as long as you have a skill, as long as you have your writing talent, you can be popular anywhere."

The prince subtly clenched his fist: "Isn't that so?"

Zuo Ziliang's expression gradually turned pained: "I'm telling you, it's not like that."

"I used to think, like you, that as long as you have talent, you'll have countless opportunities and can fall down and start over countless times. But that's not true. I've fallen too many times, and this is the only chance I've had."

"You think you're the only one with dreams? You think you're the only one with talent? I have them too. Without me, would there be a Little Prince? The Little Prince's success isn't just yours alone; it's the result of perfect timing, favorable circumstances, and a confluence of various factors. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Once you take off the Little Prince costume, there's no turning back. You can never put it back on. You've lost that identity forever. Do you think you can replicate that success as long as you can still write? Impossible. You'll never find such a platform, such users, or such partners again."

"This 5 yuan is not the 'midpoint,' but the 'end.' Game over. This is your reward for completing the game, and young hero, there is no chance to start over."

After finishing his long speech, Zuo Ziliang finally caught his breath, leaned back on the sofa, picked up the lemonade from the coffee table, and drank it all in one gulp.

Ye Lan grabbed Wang Zixu's arm again: "Why don't you... reconsider?"

Prince Xu turned to look at her: "Aren't you afraid of going to jail?"

Ye Lan said in a low voice, "Afraid? Who isn't? But to be honest, I really need money right now..."

Who doesn't need money? No matter how much money one already has, people always need more.

Wang Zixu looked at the contract in his hand, and An Younan's words echoed in his ears again:

"Geckos can shed their tails because there is no soul residing in their tails."

Can you really abandon the other half of your soul?

After a long while, Wang Zixu slowly raised his head and looked at Zuo Ziliang.

"How about... you explain your plan in detail?"

(End of this chapter)