Chapter 157: How Much Short?

In terms of professionalism, who could be more professional than the investment managers at his venture capital company?

Zhang Yang was only doing this to test the system and see if it would generate a task.

With so many reasonable suggestions appearing, the system should at least adopt one or two of them.

Ding!

Hearing the notification, Zhang Yang was immediately delighted and quickly checked the new task.

The system accepted the reasonable suggestion.

“What a coincidence.” Zhang Yang let out a long breath.

The task wasn’t difficult. He only needed to independently lead an investment of more than ten million. The system placed no requirements on the type of project.

But the reward was extremely important to him.

The first reward-experience points-needed no explanation.

The second reward-one hundred million annually for Nimbus Capital’s operations-was even more valuable.

The venture capital company currently had no income. All operating costs, including employee salaries and daily expenses, were being paid by him.

An operating fund of one hundred million would easily cover all expenses and even allow him to further expand the company’s scale.

A venture capital company essentially revolved around fundraising, investment, management, and exit strategies.

Zhang Yang knew his limits. From the beginning, he only intended Nimbus Capital to be a small VC firm-a company that served him personally.

The source of the funds would be himself, and for now he had no intention of raising funds from outside investors.

It was equivalent to investing his own money through his own VC company, letting professionals manage it, and enjoying the returns himself. After all, if he entrusted money to other private funds, they would take a two percent management fee and twenty percent of the profits.

“The system really is like my father.” Zhang Yang sighed.

With the system providing one hundred million in operating funds, Nimbus Capital no longer needed to worry about profits or losses. All salaries and operating costs were covered within that hundred million.

Each year, he only needed to focus on investing the three hundred million provided by the system.

“This is really great.”

Zhang Yang casually browsed through the employee profiles, looking at their education and work experience.

Holding an annual operating fund of one hundred million, while the current staff expenses only consumed a small portion of it, Zhang Yang suddenly had a bold thought-perhaps he could raise the overall level of the staff’s qualifications.

As long as the salaries were high enough, requiring graduates from top universities with experience at major investment banks, top law firms, or leading accounting firms wouldn’t be impossible.

This would be upgrading from a rifle to a cannon.

“Better finish the task first.” Zhang Yang snapped back to reality and muttered to himself.

An investment of more than ten million, and it had to be completed independently. That meant he couldn’t use projects already under evaluation inside Nimbus Capital.

While he was thinking about where to invest, a new friend request suddenly appeared on his WeChat.

“Huh?”

Zhang Yang looked at the verification message.

It was Xiang Xiaotian.

“Why is she adding me?”

Well, they were in the same group after all. It wasn’t unusual for someone to add him.

Zhang Yang didn’t think too much about it and accepted the request.

Zhang Yang: “What’s up?”

Xiang Xiaotian: “Brother Zhang, um… are you free right now? I want to meet you. I have something to discuss.”

Zhang Yang blinked.

It wasn’t that he wanted to overthink things.

But when a girl suddenly added him and asked to meet him alone, it was hard not to think in that direction.

Zhang Yang: “I do have time. Tell me what it’s about first.”

Xiang Xiaotian: “It’s hard to explain in a few sentences. It would be better to talk face to face.”

Alright then.

Zhang Yang wasn’t someone who insisted on digging for answers, so he agreed.

They arranged to meet at Xiang Xiaotian’s café.

Soon after, Zhang Yang left the company, went downstairs to get his car, and drove to meet her.

In the afternoon, inside the café by the floor-to-ceiling window.

Xiang Xiaotian held her coffee and seemed hesitant to speak. After all, she wasn’t that familiar with Zhang Yang.

“Brother Zhang, I’ll go make you a cup of Geisha coffee.” She suddenly stood up.

Zhang Yang found it a bit amusing.

She had invited him over but was stammering the entire time, unable to say what she wanted.

“No rush. You asked me to come here. Just say what you want.”

“Brother Zhang, I want to, but it’s hard to say.” Xiang Xiaotian said awkwardly.

“How about this-first tell me whether it’s a business matter or a personal matter.” Zhang Yang asked with a smile.

“Business… personal?” Hearing that, Xiang Xiaotian looked up at the handsome face close to her and immediately blushed.

“It’s a business matter.”

“Business?” Zhang Yang nodded, glanced at his watch, and became a little more serious. “Then you’d better get to the point. I still have things to do.”

“Oh.” Xiang Xiaotian looked at how Zhang Yang instantly switched to a businesslike attitude and muttered to herself before speaking. “Alright, I’ll just say it, even if it’s a bit presumptuous.”

Zhang Yang made a sound to show he was listening.

“Recently I’ve been thinking about starting a project. It might sound ridiculous, but I want to open a high-end private club.” Xiang Xiaotian carefully organized her words.

“A private club? That’s quite ambitious. The investment could easily reach tens of millions or even over a hundred million. What, are you trying to bring me in as a partner?” Zhang Yang asked with a smile.

“It does sound a bit absurd.” Xiang Xiaotian’s face flushed with embarrassment. Sometimes when she thought about it herself, she felt the idea was too grand. “But we did calculate internally. Everyone… everyone confirmed their investment amounts.”

“So how much did you gather?” Zhang Yang asked casually.

“We gathered… less than twenty million.” Xiang Xiaotian answered timidly, watching Zhang Yang’s expression.

She thought Zhang Yang might laugh at her for being unrealistic.

“Forget it. The gap is still too big. Brother Zhang, just pretend I never said anything.” Xiang Xiaotian’s face turned red, and she spoke before Zhang Yang could respond.

“Wait.” Zhang Yang said.

“Huh?” Xiang Xiaotian froze.

“How much total investment do you plan for this club? Do you have a concrete plan?” Zhang Yang asked.

“Well… actually it could be less. I’m not insisting on a hundred-million private club. If we gather tens of millions, we could make it smaller.” Xiang Xiaotian said softly.

“If you do it halfway like that, it’s better not to do it at all.” Zhang Yang said with amusement.

“Brother Zhang, you mean…” Xiang Xiaotian stared at him in disbelief as an incredible thought suddenly formed in her mind.

“How about this-keep the total investment under one hundred million. Make a detailed proposal. Whatever amount you’re short, I’ll invest.” Zhang Yang said.

The idea of a private club was actually quite good.

For example, the famous Kee Club in Shanghai was a membership-based private club with history, taste, and prestige. Its members were basically all wealthy or influential.

For a private club to reach that level was the ultimate benchmark.

The club Xiang Xiaotian proposed obviously wouldn’t reach that level, but with an investment of over one hundred million, owning a stylish high-end private club in Shanghai would carry symbolic meaning beyond practical profit.

For hosting friends or business meetings, they wouldn’t need to go elsewhere-they could simply use the club they had invested in.

Not only would it be high-end, it would also reflect taste and status.

Over time, relying on such a platform would allow them to expand from small circles to larger networks and meet more influential people.

“What?” Xiang Xiaotian’s heart suddenly raced.

The surprise had come too quickly.

Was it really that simple?

As expected of Brother Zhang. Tens of millions, even nearly a hundred million-he didn’t even blink.

“Don’t get too excited yet. Right now you only have an idea. Tens of millions is not something you can get just by relying on your looks. Bring me a concrete proposal.” Zhang Yang said half-jokingly.

The kind of people who could obtain tens or hundreds of millions based only on an idea were real big shots.

People like them had strong reputations. Once they spoke, investors rushed forward with money.

For example, someone like Lei Jun.

Xiang Xiaotian obviously didn’t qualify.

Honestly, if it weren’t for the system task, Zhang Yang might not even have given her this opportunity.

“Don’t worry, Young Master Zhang. I’ll definitely give you a satisfactory proposal. My family is in the hotel industry, so I’m not completely inexperienced in this field. I do have some confidence and direction before proposing this idea.” Xiang Xiaotian quickly said.

“I’ll look forward to it.” Zhang Yang stood up.

“Young Master Zhang, how about I treat you to dinner tonight?” Xiang Xiaotian stood as well and looked at him with courage.

“Dinner? No need. I already have plans.” Zhang Yang smiled.

“Alright then. It must be a very beautiful girl, right? Like Liu Duoduo or Zhong Ling from that night.” Xiang Xiaotian joked softly. “Their figures are really good.”

As a genuine rich beauty, she would never show up in a bikini and let loose the way Liu Duoduo and the others had done.

What she really wanted to say was that her figure was no worse than anyone else’s.

“You’re actually envying them.” Zhang Yang didn’t hide the appreciation in his gaze.

Someone like Xiang Xiaotian might dress conservatively and elegantly, but she definitely had a great figure.

Feeling Zhang Yang’s direct gaze on her without any attempt to hide it, Xiang Xiaotian didn’t feel angry.

Instead, she felt strangely pleased.

She pursed her lips in a smile and looked straight at Zhang Yang.

“Brother Zhang, I’ll walk you out.”

Outside the café, Xiang Xiaotian accompanied him all the way, escorting Zhang Yang to his Cullinan and watching as he drove away.

When the car disappeared down the road, she couldn’t help clenching her fists lightly, cheering herself on with delight.

“Xiaotian, you were amazing!”

Back inside the café, she immediately took out her laptop and began concentrating on the proposal for the private club.

Beside her, messages kept arriving on her phone.

Su Shiqi: “Did you talk to Brother Zhang? What did he say?”

Jin Yanchao had also sent a message.

“Xiaotian, did Brother Zhang agree? If the money’s still not enough, I can try to gather more. If it really comes to it, I’ll ask my dad for it.”

Xiang Xiaotian stopped what she was doing and looked at the phone.

She understood why Jin Yanchao was so enthusiastic.

He had always had feelings for her.

The fact that he was willing to support her with so much money this time made her quite grateful, even a little touched.

But…

She recalled what Zhang Yang had said earlier-those tens of millions were just a casual remark to him, that overwhelming financial strength and decisiveness…

What was a male god?

From childhood to adulthood, given the circles she had grown up in and her standards, she had always scoffed at words like “male god.”

Only ordinary girls talked about male gods.

In circles like theirs, how exceptional would someone have to be to deserve that title?

But today, she admitted she had been wrong.

It wasn’t that male gods didn’t exist.

She simply hadn’t met one before.

For example, Zhang Yang.

He was practically perfect.

Compared with such a male god, Young Master Jin seemed a bit like the light of a grain of rice trying to compete with the brilliance of the moon.

After thinking about it, she didn’t reply. Instead, she closed her laptop and stood up, preparing to go out.

The car club occasionally gathered at a particular club.

Just now, she had seen in the group chat that quite a few people were there.

Some things had to be explained to everyone in person-like the private club project. Now that Zhang Yang had spoken, all the problems were solved, and those friends who had previously agreed to invest needed to know.

Near evening.

Outside Xiangyage, a purely Chinese-style club.

Xiang Xiaotian parked her car, walked past pavilions and corridors, rockeries and flowing water, and entered deeper into the club.

Inside a hall, several young people were scattered around chatting in small groups.

“Huh? Xiaotian, you’re here?”

Jin Yanchao looked up and happened to see Xiang Xiaotian in a mid-length summer dress. His eyes immediately lit up.

“Hello, everyone.” Xiang Xiaotian nodded to the group.

“Xiaotian, did you meet Brother Zhang? We invited him to dinner tonight earlier, but he said he wasn’t free.” Su Jiajun walked over and asked. “By the way, about that matter…”

He didn’t need to say more; everyone knew what he meant.

The private club investment.

“I was just about to discuss it with everyone.” Xiang Xiaotian organized her words. “I talked to Young Master Zhang about it, and he said…”

“What did he say?”

“With Brother Zhang’s financial strength, he would definitely support it. The only question is how to cover the remaining funds.”

Immediately, everyone’s attention turned toward her, accompanied by overlapping discussions.

“Brother Zhang? How much did he promise to invest? Ten million?” Jin Yanchao looked at Xiang Xiaotian nervously and asked cautiously.

He was afraid she might say a number that would completely crush his confidence.

Could it really be ten million?

“No.” Xiang Xiaotian shook her head. “Brother Zhang said that if the total investment is under one hundred million, whatever amount I’m short, he’ll invest.”

“What?”

“Did Brother Zhang really say that?”

“I’m kneeling already-everyone kneel!”