Chapter 322: I am the Founder of Zhihu, Jiang Qin

September 16, Chinese lunar July 28. Suitable for renovations, paving, offerings, bridge repairs. Avoid moving, entering a house, installing doors, adding beams.

After some time of fermentation, Jiang Qin’s initial promotional plan caused widespread discussion in the Linchuan business community. A classic phrase emerged: “Do you want to capture the national college student market?”

This demonstrates the importance of enticing prospects. Zhihu had only launched six or seven sites, yet they were already using the national university city market as a bargaining chip. It’s incredibly crafty.

Obviously, where there’s a promise, there’s someone who wants to bite. Yet, many still harbored doubts about the terms and conditions.

Jiang Qin found explaining each point too cumbersome and hindering work progress, so he decided to host a live Q&A and signing event at Longkai International Hotel.

After hearing about the meeting, the leaders of Linchuan’s municipal government fully supported it and dispatched a coordination team.

Why?

Because it marks the first formal business meeting since the founding of the Linchuan Business Group.

It also represents a significant leap for the Linchuan business community to band together and step beyond Linchuan, potentially a milestone.

How could such an event occur without the government’s involvement?

Jiang Qin understood this and delegated the organization and hosting of the meeting to the coordination team while he prepared the materials needed for the signing event.

Early in the morning, Jiang Qin, dressed sharply, arrived at the entrance to the Longkai Hotel with Wei Lanlan and Dong Wenhao.

Once the real marketing activities began, engagement and communication took up a large part of the work; Jiang Qin couldn’t handle everything personally, so he brought people ahead to make a pre-appearance.

What he hadn’t expected was the scale of the signing event.

As soon as they entered the lobby, the area behind the seats was filled with media reporters, cameras, SLRs set up and waiting or being adjusted.

It seems the Linchuan Municipal Government really wanted to use this opportunity to extensively promote their industrial upgrade. This was actually a good thing, as Zhihu had been creating a buzz lately, and now with media cooperation, the effect was doubled.

Jiang Qin looked around and suddenly saw two familiar faces in the media area.

One was Gu Chunlei, the director of Guang Education Center from Linchuan University, and the other was Chu Siqi, the current deputy director of the Guang Education Center’s press station.

Jiang Qin was slightly surprised, thinking Linchuan University had also sent representatives; no need to ask, it surely was President Zhang’s idea. President Zhang was never afraid of pitfalls, just of not being famous.

“Those bosses over there are important partners of Zhihu, let me introduce you.”

“Okay, boss.”

Jiang Qin was about to step forward when he suddenly turned and stared at Wei Lanlan for a while, then reached out and unbuttoned the top button of her shirt.

Feeling her collar loosen, Wei Lanlan’s nerves tightened, thinking what are you doing all of a sudden, boss, particularly before all Linchuan’s media.

Dong Wenhao, the chief steward, immediately turned his head, acting as if no one was around him, even taking a step forward to block their actions.

But Jiang Qin just unfastened her one button and then, as if nothing had happened, strode towards the local bosses.

“President Liu, President Wang, President Zhao, let me introduce you to our marketing director Wei Lanlan. She is also my part-time secretary. Much of the marketing work later will be under her.”

“Hello, presidents,” Wei Lanlan bowed slightly.

Liu Xiliang couldn’t help scrutinizing her: “Director? So young?”

“Yes, I like to use young people. In the Internet industry, young people are more sensitive.”

Jiang Qin turned to Wei Lanlan with a start. “You girl, your buttons are undone.”

Wei Lanlan: “?”

The next second, Jiang Qin fixed Wei Lanlan’s button in front of the bosses and even smoothed her collar, leaving her feeling all tingly.

Seeing all this, Linchuan’s bosses immediately withdrew their somewhat condescending gazes, pulled out business cards from their pockets, and started shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with Wei Lanlan.

Wei Lanlan had run business side-by-side with Jiang Qin for a long while, appearing poised and elegant in every move. Excluding the initial nerves, her casual conversations seemed effortless.

Jiang Qin smiled with a hint of pride and then went with Dong Wenhao to familiarize themselves with the speech manuscript by the stage.

During this time, many bosses came to greet him. They called out “President Jiang” and were either laughing heartily or whispering secrets in each other’s ears, sometimes winking or patting shoulders.

Seeing this, Chu Siqi pursed her lips, her expression fluctuating between light and dark.

Ever since the college entrance examination ended, she had been watching him rise from the ground, hosting guests and friends without empty seats, especially now, seeing him dressed sharply and mingling with affluent businessmen, she regretfully realized her mistake.

【I have to thank you too】

Suddenly, Chu Siqi remembered what Feng Nanshu had told him during the model shoot.

Is your thankfulness because you have gained such a man?

“…”

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Linchuan Business Group First Station Marketing Plan Q&A and Live Signing Event hosted by the Linchuan Municipal Government. Next, please welcome Jiang Qin, a young entrepreneur from Linchuan and a representative of the Linchuan Business Group, to the stage to speak.”

Jiang Qin walked up, those few steps almost divine, truly graceful.

At this moment, he no longer imagined himself as Daniel Wu or Leslie Cheung. He was just Jiang Qin.

“I thank the Linchuan Municipal Government and all representatives of Linchuan businesses, as well as all media present here for taking time from your busy schedules to attend this meeting. I am Jiang Qin, the founder of Zhihu.”

“Next, I will detail this marketing campaign’s plan and the relevance of its contract clauses, followed by a Q&A session.”

“…”

The first station marketing Q&A and signing event lasted about three hours. That afternoon, news began airing across various Linchuan TV channel programs.

Of course, for those unrelated to this event, the news was no different from the usual chaotic broadcasts, barely glanced at before being forgotten.

However, for some, this news was worth paying attention to.

For instance, Ye Ziqing, who had just changed her outfit planning to attend a social gathering that evening, was drawn by the voices on TV, a light flickering in her eyes.

Similarly, Linchuan University’s vice president Zhang Boqing and entrepreneurship base director Professor Yan all showed a gratified smile.

In the evening, as dusk fell, groups of chattering girls emerged from the finance faculty female dormitory.

The new batch of finance class two gathered in a restaurant, enthusiastically discussing plans to dine out and sing after military training. The group of over twenty was having a blast.

However, their conversation soon shifted to the student council, then to seniors, and finally landed on the renowned first male god of the Finance Faculty, Jiang Qin.

What else could freshmen possibly talk about if not the few memorable things from their first days?

But when Guan Wensi talks about Jiang Qin, she gets a bit carried away detailing what she saw and heard at the milk tea shop that day.

“Xitian is his? And an Audi A6 too? Is that for real? My dad dreams of owning one, but he can’t afford it.”

“Yeah, it’s true! Qi Qi knows. We were there together, right Qi Qi?”

Qi Qi nodded, “Wensi’s right. He does drive an Audi, and the Xitian server also said Jiang Qin is their boss.”

As she finished, exclamations of “Damn, damn”, filled with awe, echoed around.

Goodness, we’re all university students, just one grade apart. He owns a milk tea shop and drives an Audi… Is life’s disparity truly this stark?

“Oh right, Qi Qi, didn’t you add him on QQ? How’s that going?” Guan Wensi suddenly asked.

After hearing this, Qi Qi’s face changed, but she quickly smiled, “It’s going well! The senior seemed quite impressed with me—it took only one sentence for him to remember who I am.”

“Darn, flaunting your good looks again. Men truly never forget a beautiful girl.”

“Not really, I’m just stating facts.”

Sun Na couldn’t resist joining in, “Qi Qi, do you fancy senior Jiang?”

Qi Qi pursed her lips in a smile, “Just getting to know him for now. If we click, of course, we could take it further.”

“Oh my, getting to know each other means you’ve got him. With your beauty, which guy could forget you?”

“That’s not necessarily true. Maybe senior Jiang won’t like me.”

Guan Wensi glanced at Qi Qi, “How could that be? Even though he’s a rich second generation, rich guys love beautiful girls. You’re totally his match.”

Sun Na also chimed in, “I don’t think senior Jiang is that wealthy. Qi Qi, you’re gorgeous, totally his match. There’s no saying a campus beauty can’t match a milk tea shop owner!”

“I agree. Go for it, Qi Qi. Soon, we might be riding in senior Jiang’s Audi.”

“Most importantly, we could drink milk tea for free!”

While they were talking, the cafeteria TV suddenly switched channels from a soap opera to a conference, where a name was mentioned, and Class Finance 2 students were shocked, then turned to look.

On screen, Jiang Qin stood in a black suit and bow tie, his posture upright, his gaze piercing.

“Thank you Linchuan Municipal Government, thank you representatives from various Linchuan businesses, thank you Linchuan media for taking time to attend this meeting. I am Zhihu’s founder, Jiang Qin.”

“…”

“…”

The cafeteria was bustling, but at this moment, many laughs and chatter ceased, including those from Class Finance 2.

Silence fell for a few minutes, and as the news continued with more specialized topics which many couldn’t understand, people returned to their previous activities.

Class Finance 2, however, remained silent, then involuntarily their gazes fell on Qi Qi.

Turns out senior Jiang is not only the boss of Xitian but also Zhihu.

Since their arrival at this university, apart from daily military training, their time was spent browsing Zhihu in bed.

Zhihu is so much fun – one can indulge in scoops, savor sweet moments, watch people showing off in all kinds of ways, or catch up on news. Some even saved up to buy laptops just to watch Zhihu’s short videos.

That a platform used by so many students was developed by a fellow student—this revelation felt almost magical.

Initially, their impression of this senior was ordinary, even a bit low. If it wasn’t for his Audi, their current astonishment would be even more explosive.

“The internet is a major opportunity, symbolizing the transformation of an era and new developmental visions. I hope to work closely with Linchuan, forge sincere collaborations, and create better industrial models to stimulate the economic cycle and provide more jobs for society.”

On screen, Jiang Qin slowly raised his head, his gaze profound and clear. Not discussing looks, this moment his charm exceeded even that of movie stars.