Reborn in 1999: Starting as a black marketeer

In fact, besides the performance-based earn-out agreement, there was another inconspicuous clause written into the contract, but neither party paid attention to it.

That is, if IDG and PCCW want to transfer their shares, other shareholders of the company have priority under the same conditions!

This was a foreshadowing by Wang Feiyang for what would happen a year and a half later: MIH of South Africa would acquire the Tencent shares held by IDG and PCCW...

To be honest, Wang Feiyang himself wasn't sure whether or not to activate it at that time.

After all, Tencent next year will be completely different from what it is now, and South Africa's MIH spent tens of millions of US dollars to acquire more than 30% of the shares. If Wang Feiyang wants to get involved, he will also need tens of millions of US dollars.

Can he really make that much money selling counterfeit jeans from such a small company...?

…………

After things settled down with Tencent, Wang Feiyang devoted all his time and energy to his new company.

With only two or three days left of the short holiday, he was busy going out early and returning late every day, shuttling between his dormitory and the company.

The property management was quite efficient; they've already arranged everything according to Wang Feiyang's requirements, and the place looks completely refreshed, definitely resembling a proper company. Though small, it's fully equipped, with the boss's office, a small meeting room, a reception area, and other work areas...

The different areas are now separated by either frosted glass or potted plants, unlike before when the space was completely empty.

On January 7th, the last day of the holiday, Wang Feiyang began interviewing and hiring company employees.

According to his plan, he was to recruit three sales personnel, one of whom would be a sales supervisor and two of whom would be regular sales staff.

Of course, the job posting listed one "Business Director" and two "Business Managers".

The Business Director position requires several years of sales management experience, experience working in a branded apparel company, no age limit, and a presentable appearance...

The requirements for business managers are much lower, and there is no requirement for work experience. However, they are required to be under 24 years old, have outstanding temperament, regular facial features, and good posture... In short, they need to have a good figure and be beautiful!

When posting the job opening, Wang Feiyang didn't do what other bosses in the market do—posting in Chinese tabloids. Instead, he chose a well-known Russian newspaper and didn't require any Chinese proficiency, just like a legitimate Russian company.

There were quite a few people who called to inquire and submit their resumes. After phone communication and resume screening, only five people entered the interview stage. Wang Feiyang will select one supervisor and two sales representatives from among the five.

At this moment, five tall, slender, and elegant women were sitting in the company's reception area. Liu Yingying, acting as the company's administrator, brought them steaming hot and fragrant coffee.

The five candidates sized each other up, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones. They knew that those sitting there were all competitors, so they were secretly vying for dominance.

"Anna, please come with me to the general manager's office."

As Liu Yingying spoke, a woman in her thirties quickly stood up. She was wearing a lead-gray business suit, black stockings, and high-heeled shoes, which accentuated her graceful figure.

With fair, porcelain-like skin, a small, high-bridged nose, and bright blue eyes, she wore light makeup—a typical Russian career woman, perfectly meeting the requirements of the job posting.

I wonder if I'll still be able to maintain such a good figure when I'm in my forties or fifties...

After all, we've seen far too many Russian women with potbelly waists!

Led by Liu Yingying, Anna arrived at the general manager's office, where Wang Feiyang was sitting behind a large desk with a stack of resumes in front of him.

Anna was visibly taken aback when she saw how young Wang Feiyang was, but she quickly regained her composure and gracefully walked to the desk to greet him.

Wang Feiyang simply looked up at her, smiled and nodded, gesturing for her to sit down.

Perhaps seeing how calm and composed Wang Feiyang was, Anna, who was initially a little uneasy, gradually calmed down.

However, she secretly wondered if this very young and handsome general manager was Russian, since the young and beautiful female administrator's Russian was indeed not very good, such as saying "gei da ye ci," which is Chinese.

I guess this is a company owned by a Chinese boss, who is naturally Chinese as well. But when I spoke with the general manager on the phone yesterday, I couldn't tell he was a foreigner at all; his Russian was so fluent that it was indistinguishable from my own.

"I saw on your resume that you used to work in sales management at a clothing chain company, and at your peak you managed more than 20 counters and stores. Why didn't you continue working there?" Wang Feiyang asked, flipping through Anna's resume.

"The economic situation wasn't good a couple of years ago, so the company laid off a lot of people. There were several rounds of layoffs, and it was finally my turn before the new year..." Anna said slowly.

Wang Feiyang listened quietly until she finished speaking before saying, "With your qualifications and experience, finding a job at a large company shouldn't be difficult, so why are you interviewing at a small company like ours?"

Indeed, after reviewing Anna's resume, he felt that with her qualifications, she would be considered a top-tier professional in China, if not a high-earning one. How could she have fallen to the point of having to interview at a newly established small company in Moscow?

Anna gave a wry smile, looked at Wang Feiyang, and said sincerely, "To be honest, the only reason I came for this interview is because you offered a high salary!"

Wang Feiyang's lips curled slightly, and he continued to ask noncommittally, "How much was your salary when you were a department manager at that clothing chain company?"

"We were paid in rubles, and when the ruble was at a high exchange rate, it was considered a high salary. But as the ruble continued to depreciate, before I left the company, I only received about six thousand rubles a month, which is about two hundred US dollars," Anna said frankly.

More than two hundred US dollars...

Wang Feiyang felt it was too low, but there was nothing he could do. Moscow was so abnormal these days; on the one hand, the cost of living was very high, and on the other hand, most jobs paid very little.

Putting everything else aside, just look at their preparatory course teachers—and this is at Moscow State University, the most prestigious university in Russia—their salary is only $150 a month!

Even the professors who teach specialized courses only earn around three to five hundred US dollars a month.

The salary offered by Wang Feiyang clearly states that the base salary is $800, plus a monthly performance bonus with no upper limit!