Chapter 73: Let’s Add Each Other as Friends
Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Let’s Add Each Other as Friends
The contract signing wasn’t the grand affair Gao Yuan had imagined.
There was no enormous conference room, nor were the two parties seated opposite each other in a formal standoff.
Lin Hongnian simply handed Gao Yuan a stack of contracts.
Gao Yuan immediately passed them to Ling Yue, who was standing behind him.
After receiving the contracts, Ling Yue nodded to Gao Yuan and sat down in the reception area to review them carefully.
A member of the Lin Group’s legal team also came over and sat in the reception area, ready to answer any questions Ling Yue might have about the clauses.
For this signing, the real work was being done by the Lin Group’s legal department and Ling Yue, whom Gao Yuan had brought along.
Meanwhile, the others resumed the conversation they had left unfinished.
Lin Hongnian had been observing Gao Yuan’s interactions with the other directors. The young man’s speaking pace and his expressions were simply flawless.
To have come into such wealth so suddenly yet remain so composed—not arrogant or impatient, but calm and deliberate—made him all the more curious about Gao Yuan’s true background.
’Now that the contract is about to be signed, there’s no point in digging any deeper,’ he thought. ’Instead, I’m looking forward to seeing what surprises Gao Yuan will bring in the future.’
Gao Yuan couldn’t help but marvel at how shrewd these people were. They had mastered the art of conversation.
Fortunately, he had attended numerous e-commerce conferences over the years and met his share of CEOs worth hundreds of millions. He wasn’t intimidated by them in the slightest. That, combined with his confident, commanding presence, ensured that no one dared to underestimate him.
In the reception area, the head of the Lin Group’s legal department watched Ling Yue diligently pore over the contract’s fine print. "Lawyer Ling," he said, "I’m surprised to see you handling this case personally!"
Ling Yue completely ignored his attempt at conversation, her eyes still fixed on every clause of the contract.
Seeing that Ling Yue wasn’t responding, the head of the legal department gave an awkward smile.
He was well aware of Ling Yue’s reputation within the legal community. She was renowned for her expertise in corporate mergers and acquisitions and wouldn’t touch an ordinary, small-time case.
He just never expected to run into her here today.
「Half an hour later.」
Ling Yue closed the last document. She neatened the contracts in her hands, separated them into two piles, and only then did she turn to the head of the Lin Group’s legal department next to her.
"The contract is well-drafted. Very thorough."
With that, Ling Yue took the contracts and walked over to Gao Yuan.
The head of the Lin Group’s legal department was unexpectedly overjoyed to hear her praise. He quickly stood up, straightened his attire, and followed her.
"Mr. Gao, I’ve reviewed both sets of contracts. There are no issues."
Hearing Ling Yue’s confirmation, Gao Yuan nodded, took the contracts from her, and handed one set to Lin Hongnian.
Then came the signing of the contracts.
Both parties signed, affixed their official seals, and added their thumbprints. The contracts were now officially in effect.
As noon approached, Gao Yuan, now a newly appointed director of the Lin Group, was naturally invited to a celebratory lunch with the other board members.
The lunch was split between two tables. Lin Hongnian, Gao Yuan, and a few other directors shared a private room, where the conversation inevitably turned to the topic of skincare.
Gao Yuan had already discussed this with Lin Hongnian beforehand. Since there were no outsiders present, he directly stated his intentions.
His future plans would continue to center on his own e-commerce company; he had no intention of getting involved in the Lin Group’s day-to-day operations.
Gao Yuan made his position clear, and the directors were naturally pleased to hear it. They had been worried he might want to get involved in the group’s internal management.
If that were the case, their own existing interests would inevitably suffer to some extent.
In the other room, Lin Wanyu and the others were having lunch with Ling Yue.
Gao Yuan had specifically asked Lin Wanyu to accompany Ling Yue for the meal.
It wasn’t because he was taken by Ling Yue’s beauty or had any improper thoughts.
It was because, right after signing the contracts, he had received a system quest.
[Ding! Charming Uncle - Entrepreneurship Quest 1.0 has been activated.]
[Quest]: Recruit at least 10 high-caliber talents to join Yuanfang Company.
[Quest Reward 1]: Employee Ability Enhancement Card.
[Quest Reward 2]: 20 EXP.
Gao Yuan was a bit perplexed by this new quest from the system.
When he first had the idea of starting a business, the system hadn’t issued any related quests. Yet, it chose to issue one now.
However, after he checked the quest rewards, he became much more invested in the idea.
[Employee Ability Enhancement Card]: Increases the personal abilities and work efficiency of officially hired employees by 30%.
This reward was incredibly potent.
For his new venture, it was like adding wings to a tiger—a massive boost.
The e-commerce industry had been developing for over a decade and had gradually formed a complete talent pipeline.
At the same time, the entire industry had entered a cutthroat era of intense internal competition.
If Gao Yuan wanted to make GY Skincare a viral sensation that broke through the niche market, it would be a test not only of the product itself but also of the marketing, promotion, and the entire team behind it.
Now that he was the second-largest shareholder of the Lin Group, he no longer had to worry about sourcing products, even if he didn’t have a massive fortune in hand just yet.
He could have the Lin Group handle production and supply, settling the accounts only after he made the sales.
This way, the three hundred thousand-plus yuan he had could be used to recruit his team.
Building a functional e-commerce team in a short time, combined with the effect of the Employee Ability Enhancement Card, would multiply his chances of success.
This was the real reason Gao Yuan had arranged for Ling Yue to stay.
The meal was a resounding success, with both hosts and guests thoroughly enjoying themselves.
The Lin Group had obtained the coveted skincare formula. Although it had cost them some shares, the group’s future potential was now limitless.
Gao Yuan had acquired a portion of the shares, giving him a stake in a tangible enterprise of his own.
Even though he still didn’t have much cash to his name, this didn’t stop him from having a calling card that granted him entry into the circle of the wealthy.
When the celebration was over, Gao Yuan smiled as he saw the various Lin Group shareholders off to their cars. Once they had left, he turned to face Ling Yue from Jindu Law Firm.
"Lawyer Ling, thank you again for coming today."
During lunch, Gao Yuan had heard the other directors mention the famous lawyer’s reputation. That, combined with the system’s new quest, had him already considering how to poach Ling Yue for his own company.
’Once GY Skincare is launched, there are bound to be all sorts of problems. Gao Yuan had complete faith in the system’s products, but legal and public relations matters were best left to the professionals. Besides, once the company starts to grow, it will need its own in-house legal team. Having someone exceptionally capable in that area would save him a lot of headaches.’
"You’re too kind, Mr. Gao. It was my pleasure to be of service."
Ling Yue was more than happy to accept the olive branch Gao Yuan was extending.
In her line of work, making friends with the wealthy was essential for achieving greater success and income.
Only the rich could provide the high-profile cases and revenue streams they needed.
As she spoke, Ling Yue took a document from her bag and handed it to Gao Yuan.
"Mr. Gao, this is your retainer agreement with Jindu Law Firm."
"Previously, Xiaoxin didn’t fully grasp the depth of your case, so he had you sign a standard agreement. I’ve taken the liberty of upgrading it to our premier ’Gold Medal’ agreement."
As Gao Yuan accepted the retainer agreement and looked it over, Ling Yue began to explain.
The agreement was essentially Jindu Law Firm’s pledge of confidentiality regarding the contract. They would conceal the details of the partnership from the public until the client authorized its disclosure.
"Thank you, Lawyer Ling. Let’s exchange contact information."