After the Divorce, I Could Hear the Voice of the Future-Chapter 369 - 366: Aloof Status

Chapter 369 -366: Aloof Status

An hour later, the office next door.

Lu Liang had arranged a meeting with Zhou Li from Modu Municipal Office to reserve twenty invitations for tonight’s reception.

“Director Zhou, I’ve been very grateful for your care over the years. However, Mr. Wilson and his team are visiting China only to subscribe to private equity funds, and their willingness to invest is probably not very high.”

Doing good deeds should be known. Lu Liang could help create a venue for conversation, but he had to speak plainly beforehand: the probability of them making an investment was very low, so one shouldn’t have too many expectations.

“This is natural, Mr. Lu. Just helping to connect us is already commendable, I wouldn’t dare trouble you further.”

Zhou Li’s smile was brilliant, like flowers blooming in spring, and he continued with a smile, “Mr. Lu, aren’t twenty spots a bit too few?”

“Director Zhou, I won’t hide from you; due to sudden developments, business leaders from over thirty companies, including Xiao Mi Lei, Mr. Shen of Redwood, and Mr. Zhu of Golden Sand River, will also attend.”

The welcome reception was meant as a favor. Lu Liang treated Mr. Wilson and others as favors to be given away, not to mention the industry giants who showed up uninvited.

It was possible to include more people, but it wasn’t necessary. Rarity adds value—providing too many invitations would devalue them, and favors would become cheap.

“Mr. Lu, Mr. Lei and Mr. Shen are attending too?” Zhou Li’s eyes widened, his excitement clearly overflowing.

Lei Jun, Shen Peng, and Zhu Hu, well-known investors from home and abroad, would be under one roof, adding another tier of prestige.

He no longer bothered to ask Lu Liang for more invitations, exchanged a few words, quickly said his goodbyes, and left in a hurry.

The reception would start at seven, and there were still over two hours to go. The twenty invitations required careful selection.

Fifteen would be for nurturing new businesses within Modu, and five would be given as favors.

At night, at the Hilton Hotel on Huashan Road, patrol cars suddenly increased on the street.

In the hotel lobby, media journalists with keen senses gathered early.

“Why do I have to join you playing doorman?”

Little Wang was reluctant as he stood with Lu Liang at the entrance of the banquet hall on the eighth floor.

“It’s you playing doorman, not me. I’m giving you an opportunity, don’t fail to recognize kindness.”

Lu Liang glanced at him, pulled up a chair to sit down, and smiled, “Believe it or not, just say the word, and founders willing to play doorman could line up from here to Beijing.”

Little Wang was momentarily at a loss for words. He understood the principle, but Lu Liang, being only two and a half years older, made him feel as if he had acknowledged a godfather.

Next to him, Long Fei couldn’t help but laugh. If Lu Liang were willing to treat him this way, he wouldn’t hesitate to kneel and acknowledge a godfather.

But since Little Wang was the boss, to spare him any embarrassment, Long Fei swiftly changed the topic, “Mr. Lu, I had a talk with Cruick this afternoon. He also thinks it’s a good thing for Panda to go for an IPO sooner and get listed early.”

There was word from Beijing that short video platforms like Douyin and Kuai Shou, after observing for half a year, were starting a new round of financing targeting livestream sales.

Panda still had a bit of a head start, but it must seize the opportunity while it still had the advantage, and push for an early IPO before Douyin and Kuai Shou majorly stepped in, otherwise next year’s revenue figures might look grim.

Long Fei explained, they planned to launch the IPO roadshow in the middle of the next month, one event in Modu and one in New York.

The listing would value the company at 3.8 billion US dollars, planning to issue 20% of the equity as public stocks, a total equity of 1.92 billion shares.

The issuing price would be 1.98 US dollars per share, a total of 384 million shares issued, with Modu and New York offering 192 million shares each for subscription.

Finally, they planned to reserve 5% of the equity for the company’s equity incentive pool, available for their top streamers and executives to subscribe.

In the final round, a total of 25% equity would be up for financing—if successful, they would raise 950 million US dollars.

This money would be invested in livestream sales; Douyin had Dou Shop, and Kuai Shou had Kuai Shop; Panda would also have Cat Shop in the future.

“Two roadshows, if you need help, just say the word, and you’re free to command.”

Lu Liang pondered for a moment. He still held 10.98% of Panda’s equity, which would dilute to 8.235% post-listing, totaling 158 million shares valued at 312 million US dollars.

His shares were original stocks that couldn’t be traded within six months of listing. However, Tianxing Private Equity had the money and could acquire shares eligible for secondary market trading by winning subscriptions.

Investment funds far away in Tokyo could also gain enough market-manipulating chips by winning subscriptions.

With his current ambiguous relationship with Wall Street institutions, they would likely be very willing to let Lu Liang enter the fray and give him a taste of success.

As long as he successfully aided Panda’s listing in the US, Lu Liang would also have secured a firm footing on Wall Street. If he had a chance to assist Cheng Wei in Clearing the King’s Side, plans would proceed even more smoothly.

“I’d hardly dare command, Mr. Lu. If you could make an appearance, that would be ideal,” said Long Fei, his face breaking into a broad, blooming smile.

He was Panda’s general manager, tirelessly working day and night for the company. Even after several rounds of fund dilutions, he still held 1.225% of the equity.

If Panda successfully listed at a valuation of 3.8 billion US dollars and saw even a slight increase later, next year, he could also enter the hundred-million-dollar club.

The ultimate dream of listing a company is not only to gain recognition of its value but also to create a batch of millionaires.

“Listing…”

Little Wang muttered to himself, his expression dazed.

For over two years since founding Panda, it had sequentially faced purification operations and a broken capital chain, leaving Wanda deeply trapped.

During this time, he thought more than once about giving up and letting it go, but each time, Lu Liang forcefully pulled him back.

It wasn’t until they stumbled upon live streaming product sales, a golden path, that Panda once again entered the fast lane of development.

“Ah, Liang~”

Little Wang suddenly showed his true feelings, and Lu Liang said with a smile, “Are you moved? How about you kowtow to me?”

The corners of his mouth uplifted in a smile, he stood tall and proud,

His palms rested on his knees, ready to accept the gesture.

Little Wang’s face instantly darkened, “I kowtow to your grandpa.”

Right at that moment, crisp laughter rang out.

Liu Qing stood at the door with a smile, “Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang, you two seem to have a great relationship, truly enviable.”

“Ms. Liu, long time no see. How has Old Liu been recently?” Lu Liang greeted with a smile, standing up to receive her. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

“Thanks to Mr. Lu’s blessings, my father is healthy and free from worries.”

While conversing, Liu Qing suddenly brought up, that some days ago, she seemed to have seen Lu Liang talking with Cheng Wei.

“That day, I intended to visit DiDi to ask Ms. Liu for some tea, but didn’t expect Ms. Liu to be away.”

Lu Liang’s face still wore a smile, having already thought of a good excuse.

Because Liu Qing was not in Beijing at the time, that’s why he openly met with Cheng Wei.

Both parties also considered investment cooperation; sneaking around only makes it more suspicious, better to be upfront about it.

“Sorry, I was a bit busy those days.”

Liu Qing didn’t think too much about it and instead asked, “Mr. Lu, your relationship with De Mei seems quite good?”

That afternoon at Lu Liang’s private equity firm, she saw that Cruick from De Mei was having an animated chat with Little Wang.

However, JPMorgan had a more comprehensive strength, weighing the two, she chose to talk with Mr. Wilson.

How capable Little Wang was, she knew very clearly, it was definitely thanks to Lu Liang that he could talk with Cruick.

Chinese concept stocks aiming for a listing in the U.S. cannot bypass the three market institutions of Interactive Brokers, De Mei, and IGH Securities.

Tonight, she came mainly to talk with Cruick from De Mei to see if there was a way to help DiDi go public.

Lu Liang, with a smile at the corner of his mouth, said nonchalantly, “It’s alright, just a few conversations, and we get along quite well.”

“Mr. Lu, you’re being too modest.”

Liu Qing complimented with a forced smile and suddenly brought up, that recently DiDi’s IPO had faced many difficulties.

According to her research, De Mei set up an investment firm in Xiangjiang, holding 40%, with the remaining 60% held by Interactive Brokers and IGH, each holding 30%.

This company injected as much as 250 million US Dollars, but currently had only one business, which was investing in Tianxing Private Equity.

In essence, Lu Liang had bundled all three major Wall Street institutions dealing with Chinese concept stocks into his personal network.

This connection was bound to spread soon, and in the future, any enterprise wanting to list in the U.S. would inevitably seek Lu Liang’s help.

After tonight, Lu Liang’s status inside the country would probably rise another level, being regarded as transcendent wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Lu Liang wondered, “Given DiDi’s scale, listing in the U.S. is about winning honor for the country, how could it fail the audit.”

Hearing about “winning honor for the country,” Liu Qing suddenly felt like she had a fishbone stuck in her throat and sighed helplessly, “Maybe some people are just too sensitive.”

“Maybe it’s a lack of confidence.”

Lu Liang mused, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes, suddenly having an idea, “Since DiDi has invested in Tianxing Technology, we are all friends here. Let me know how I can help you.”

He only knew that Liu Qing was backed by Goldman Sachs, but which foreign capital Old Liu was backed by, he was not yet aware.

If Liu Qing gave up on Goldman Sachs, or no longer depended solely on it, Goldman Sachs would definitely feel discontent.

After all, constantly asking for his help, then suddenly seeking others, there’s a saying, ‘Don’t serve two masters’. Anyone would be displeased.

When that time comes, the connections introduced by Lu Liang, if suddenly backstabbed, the plan would surely proceed much smoother.

As the saying goes, when sleepiness comes, a pillow appears. This interaction was Liu Qing walking right into his hands, Lu Liang couldn’t be blamed.