Chapter 449: Why Not Try Another Approach

Noon.

Jiangzhou Grand Hotel.

When Xu Shaochen pushed open the door to the private room, the CEO of Shark Streaming Platform, Meng Chuan, was already waiting inside.

Apart from him, there was also a tall, attractive woman in a white dress.

“Chairman Xu is here! Quick, quick, Chairman Xu, please take the main seat.”

Seeing Xu Shaochen enter, Meng Chuan and the woman quickly stood up to welcome him, leading him to the main seat.

“Chairman Xu, let me introduce you. This is Zheng Yalan, the finance department manager of our company.”

Meng Chuan introduced the woman in the white dress.

“Chairman Xu is really young and successful. I truly admire you. Let me toast you with the first glass.”

Zheng Yalan sat beside Xu Shaochen, holding up a wine glass and looking at him with a sweet smile.

It was obvious that her role today was to accompany the drinking, and perhaps even to spend the night with Xu Shaochen.

People have to make sacrifices, right? Otherwise, how do you think she became the finance department manager at such a young age?

“Miss Zheng, you’re too kind.” Xu Shaochen raised his glass and clinked it with hers, then looked at Meng Chuan and asked, “President Meng, what kind of collaboration do you want to discuss with me?”

Even though he had already guessed, he couldn’t say it directly.

Meng Chuan was a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected Xu Shaochen to be so direct. They hadn’t even started on the appetizer.

But on second thought, it made sense. Everyone was asking him for cooperation, so he didn’t need to play any mind games. Meng Chuan carefully chose his words and then gave a signal to Zheng Yalan, saying to Xu Shaochen, “Chairman Xu, it’s like this. You’re young, so you must be familiar with live streaming. The live streaming industry has not yet reached its peak. I want to explore a collaboration with Shengdian Entertainment.”

Under Meng Chuan’s signal, Zheng Yalan took the initiative to serve Xu Shaochen food and drink, saying, “Chairman Xu, please eat first. We can talk about the collaboration slowly.”

“Do you know why no other entertainment companies are willing to cooperate with you?” Xu Shaochen asked as he looked at Meng Chuan.

Upon hearing this, Meng Chuan forced a bitter smile.

The companies willing to cooperate with him were all third-rate companies not worth mentioning. Of course, he wasn’t interested.

The entertainment industry as a whole resented the live streaming industry for taking money from entertainment, so the big companies naturally wouldn’t cooperate with him.

If a company collaborated with him, they would definitely face opposition from others.

“Chairman Xu, because I believe you won’t care about other companies targeting Shengdian, and they wouldn’t dare challenge Shengdian.”

Meng Chuan said as he looked at Xu Shaochen.

Xu Shaochen sneered, “President Meng, first: I don’t care about the small amount of money we’d make from a collaboration with you. Second: You’d benefit more from the partnership than I would, so why should I work with you?”

“Chairman Xu…”

Just as Zheng Yalan was about to speak, Xu Shaochen glanced at her, and she immediately turned pale, sitting silently in her chair.

“Do you not know when you should speak and when you shouldn’t? You’re a grown adult; can’t you distinguish the two?”

Xu Shaochen said calmly as he looked at Zheng Yalan.

His words weren’t harsh, but they scared Zheng Yalan enough to make her tremble, and she apologized repeatedly: “Yes, Chairman Xu, you’re right. I overstepped. I’ll remember.”

“That’s a good girl.” Xu Shaochen stroked her cheek before turning to Meng Chuan and asking, “What can you offer to convince me?”

For a moment, Meng Chuan was at a loss for words.

Because as Xu Shaochen said.

First, Xu Shaochen didn’t care about that little bit of money.

Second, a collaboration between the two would benefit Meng Chuan more.

So why would Xu Shaochen want to work with him?

“Chairman Xu, just say what you have in mind.” Meng Chuan gritted his teeth and said. Since Xu Shaochen agreed to meet him, the situation wouldn’t be so simple.

If he truly intended to refuse, he wouldn’t have agreed to this dinner last night.

“Smart man. I like smart people.”

Xu Shaochen smiled, raised his glass, and took a sip, “A partnership isn’t possible because a partnership is about a win-win, but you’d gain more than I would. How could I cooperate with you in such a situation?”

“So, why don’t we try another approach? Sell Shark Live to our Chen Yu. You can keep a portion of the shares and continue to serve as its chairman. I will inject a significant amount of capital to develop the Shark platform. What do you think?”

Meng Chuan felt dizzy. He didn’t expect that when he was ready for collaboration, Xu Shaochen proposed an acquisition.

“Sorry, Chairman Xu…” Meng Chuan, regaining his composure, declined.

Xu Shaochen interrupted him, “The live streaming industry may not have reached its peak yet, but your Shark platform has. Without strong capital to support it, Shark is bound to decline.”

After saying that, Xu Shaochen paused, leaned back in his chair, and smiled slightly, “You know who I am. If you agree, Shark will receive development funds beyond your imagination every year, and Xu Family’s resources will also be opened to you.”

Meng Chuan’s expression turned uncertain as he looked at Xu Shaochen and said, “Chairman Xu, what if I still refuse?”

“No problem. If you don’t agree today, you will definitely agree by tomorrow.”

Xu Shaochen spread his hands and said in a light tone.

Meng Chuan could sense the underlying threat in his words.

Meng Chuan sighed and smiled bitterly, “I shouldn’t have made that call last night. When it’s a collaboration between parties of unequal strength, the weaker one is eventually swallowed whole.”

“That’s because you have no way out.” Xu Shaochen replied.

“Chairman Xu, this isn’t how you do business.” Meng Chuan was somewhat unwilling. Shark was his life’s work.

Xu Shaochen shook his head and said, “Negotiations are needed when both sides are evenly matched. When one side can crush the other, do you think it’s necessary to waste time talking?”

“Do I have any other choice?” Meng Chuan could only accept.

“President Meng, happy cooperation. I’ll have my people coordinate with you as soon as possible.”

After he finished speaking, Xu Shaochen raised his wine glass and drained it before turning to leave the private room.

As Meng Chuan watched Xu Shaochen’s retreating figure, he felt utterly drained, collapsing into his chair.

This was outright hostile acquisition.

But he had no recourse. In fact, from the moment he rushed to Jiangzhou overnight, he had no way out.

Seeing this scene, Zheng Yalan dared not say a word.

“Ring, ring, ring…”

Suddenly, the phone placed on the table by Meng Chuan started ringing. He picked it up and saw it was from his son.

His frustration grew instantly.

Though his son wasn’t a good-for-nothing troublemaker, he had an overbearing, arrogant personality, always thinking he was the best.

This troubled Meng Chuan greatly. Every time he received a call from his son, he never knew what kind of ‘surprise’ awaited him.