17: Chapter 17 Top-Tier Manipulation Skills: Qin Tiankuo's Ambitious Plans

"Beep—beep—beep—" The sound of the call disconnecting echoed in the quiet conference room.

Wang Xing held his phone, stunned in place for a dozen seconds.

There was no embarrassment on his face from having been slighted.

Instead, as the busy signal played in the receiver, his nerves, which had been taut for three days and nights, finally relaxed.

"Mr. Wang, what did Mr. Shen say?" an executive nearby asked nervously.

Everyone knew that investors who aggressively injected capital usually loved to parachute in executives and sideline the founders.

They had been on edge for the past few days.

Wang Xing put down his phone and let out a long breath, a gleam of light appearing in his bloodshot eyes.

"Mr. Shen refused. He has delegated all executive and decision-making powers entirely to us."

Wang Xing looked around at the astonished core team in the conference room, his tone firm:

"This is true top-tier capital. If you employ someone, trust them; if you don't trust them, don't employ them. It is well-deserved of the heritage that comes with an international background. This kind of vision—not fighting for power or coveting credit—is something the firms outside, which only know how to calculate shares, cannot compare to."

At this moment, the founding team's awe of the investor was pushed to its peak by this act of delegating power.

Meanwhile, Shen Du was sitting on the sofa in the hotel's presidential suite, sipping the coffee in his cup.

Shen Du knew exactly what he was doing.

To actually manage a giant that would one day command millions of riders and thousands of technical staff—given his current means and energy, it wasn't worth it, nor could he do it well.

His core advantage did not lie in tedious daily management, but in his ability to predict the trajectory of the industry's development.

Rather than personally handling every detail at the company and exposing the shortcomings in his specific operational skills, it was better to simply provide the "version answer" and choose to delegate. This both hid his lack of expertise and won over this group of smart people.

Now, Meituan's foundation was secured, and the route was corrected. With that strategic blueprint, Wang Xing could build that local services empire for him.

Shen Du felt at ease. He placed the coffee cup on the coffee table.

He turned his head to look at Xu Hao, who had yet to recover from the phone call just now, and issued an order:

"Xu Hao, prepare to book tickets; it's time for us to go back."

"Alright, Brother Shen, I'll arrange the next available flight immediately."

Xu Hao snapped out of it and took out his phone to check the schedule.

Shen Du stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. His gaze pierced through the thin mist of Beijing's early winter, looking toward the south.

The layout for Meituan was complete; it was time to go and harvest the fruits in Shanghai.

He calculated the time in his mind. The Red Phoenix in Shanghai, having tasted the sweetness, should also be returning to the nest with sincerity.

In late autumn at Huahai University of Finance and Economics, the phoenix tree leaves covered the ground.

On an outdoor bench downstairs in the male dormitory area, Wei Ziang leaned against the backrest. His gaze was fixed blankly on the tree-lined path ahead.

In the past, his black Land Rover with the sequential license plate would have already been roaring. He would have been tearing through this dormitory area, showing off.

But for the past few days, that Land Rover had been parked obediently in his designated spot, without moving an inch.

Wei Ziang now felt that nothing was interesting.

That scene at the party was like a barbed nail stuck in his throat. The image of Shen Du expressionlessly smashing one hundred thousand yuan in cash at his feet had shattered his face and crushed the confidence he usually prided himself on.

But what truly made him give up was the phone call yesterday.

The day after the party ended, Sister Hong called, returned the deposit, and left a warning:

"Young Master Wei, I won't take your money this time. But from now on, we will not help Young Master Wei investigate any news about this person again. I've said all I need to say; take care of yourself."

Although Wei Ziang was arrogant, he wasn't a fool. His family made their fortune in coal mining, so he understood the survival rules of the nouveau riche. He knew who could be stepped on and who he didn't even have the qualifications to look directly at.

Even someone like Sister Hong, who had connections everywhere, avoided this name like the plague. He finally understood. That Shen Du, who usually kept a low profile, was simply not someone he could shake.

Being pressed down by this kind of power, that sense of unwillingness and helplessness made Wei Ziang completely lose interest in throwing his weight around on this campus.

Just as Wei Ziang was feeling secretly frustrated, a sound of footsteps treading on the late autumn leaves came from behind him to the side.

Wei Ziang turned his head. Qin Tiankuo, who lived in the same independent dormitory building, was walking slowly along the tree-lined path with one hand in his pocket.

Qin Tiankuo was tall and thin, with fair skin and gold-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. There were no brand logos on any of his clothes; there wasn't even a label.

But Wei Ziang, who had frequented high-end venues for years, had a sharp eye. He recognized at a glance that it was top-tier, expensive, handmade haute couture.

Qin Tiankuo walked to the bench and pushed up the glasses on his nose. He sat down beside Wei Ziang, his tone teasing:

"Yo, Brother Ziang, you haven't even driven your car these past two days? Sitting here enjoying the view?"

Wei Ziang looked at the man beside him, who exuded a sense of calm confidence from head to toe, and his face showed bitterness:

"Brother Qin, don't tease me. I'm just a nouveau riche from a coal mining family; what kind of view am I supposed to be enjoying?"

To be able to make the usually arrogant and domineering Wei Ziang voluntarily lower his head and admit he was a "nouveau riche," Qin Tiankuo knew for sure that this young master from Shanxi had definitely kicked an iron plate.

He crossed his legs, his posture relaxed, and he slowly cast his bait:

"It seems Brother Ziang has suffered quite a few grievances lately. What's wrong? Did you accidentally offend those three Young Masters of Shanghai?"

He turned his head, his gaze behind the gold-rimmed glasses revealing a touch of familiarity:

"If it's not some major matter of principle, I could step in and put in a good word for you. We all grew up in the same circle, so they should give the Qin Family some face."

Hearing the name "The Three Young Masters of Shanghai," Wei Ziang acted as if his tail had been stepped on and shook his head like a rattle-drum:

"How could that be!" He waved his hands repeatedly with lingering fear and lowered his voice: "Brother Qin, you overestimate me. Even if I had the guts of a bear and the courage of a leopard, I wouldn't dare to provoke those three."

Qin Tiankuo watched his reaction. He knew Wei Ziang's worth, so he certainly knew it wasn't those young masters who had made a move.

With his own calculations in mind, Qin Tiankuo feigned surprise and continued to guide him:

"Since it wasn't them, who else in this Huahai University of Finance and Economics could make Brother Ziang feel so aggrieved?" "We are all under the same roof; if you have any trouble, why not tell me about it?"

Wei Ziang, who was currently in a state of grievance and self-doubt, heard these words and thought of Qin Tiankuo's background.

Although the Qin Family did not belong to the top-tier core circle, they still stood firmly on the edge of the first-tier circle. Qin Tiankuo himself had a good relationship with those three Young Masters of Shanghai.

In Wei Ziang's view, this was the most powerful person he could reach.

Having found a vent, Wei Ziang poured it all out without reservation:

"It's that Shen Du!"

"The National Day holiday had just ended, and I threw a welcome party outside. That kid, I don't know what kind of madness he was in, but right in front of everyone, he directly smashed my party with one hundred thousand yuan in cash!"

"The weirdest thing is, the people I sent through channels to probe him not only failed to dig up any background on him, but they even returned the deposit and warned me not to court death!"

Listening to Wei Ziang's gritted-teeth complaint, Qin Tiankuo pushed up the glasses on his nose, his face still wearing a gentle smile. But in his heart, he was completely clear.

Hearing the name "Shen Du," he wasn't surprised at all. In the past few days, the news that "Shen Overseas Capital has invested heavily in Meituan's angel round" had already quietly spread within the circle.

Qin Tiankuo naturally knew who had caused Wei Ziang's grievances.

He had specifically walked over today and guided him patiently, naturally not to listen to this coal boss's son pour out his bitterness.

This vicious dog, suppressed to the point where it didn't dare to bite, was just perfect to serve as his excellent pathfinder to test the true strength of that "Young Master Shen" next.