47: Chapter 47 Rejecting the Long Family's Investment to Their Face (Part 1)

Inside the Magic City International Convention Center, the high dome and crystal chandeliers illuminated the entire hall as bright as day.

Today, the Long Corporation Technology Conference was being held here, an event known as the "Mount Hua Sword Debate" of the domestic tech world. Dignitaries, scholars, capital giants, industry elites... anyone holding an invitation had a net worth of at least nine figures.

Chen Fan and Lin Hao stood at the entrance, watching the scene of elegant dresses, fragrant shadows, and clinking wine glasses.

"Tsk, what a grand display." Lin Hao smacked his lips and adjusted his newly bought suit—Chen Fan had practically dragged him to get it; otherwise, the tech geek might have just shown up in casual wear.

Chen Fan was quite calm today. He wore a well-tailored dark gray suit without a tie, his collar slightly open, appearing casual yet possessing a strong presence.

Compared to the elites around them who looked like they wanted to write "I'm very expensive" on their faces, his outfit could only be considered standard.

Chen Fan pushed up the seemingly ordinary rimless glasses on his nose, and a waterfall of blue data instantly flashed across the lenses.

[Environment scan complete]

[Number of attendees: 387]

[17 hidden recording/camera devices detected]

These [Consonance Tactical Eyepieces] were the result of an Amplification he performed before the conference. They could perform real-time facial recognition, data retrieval, and vital sign monitoring. Most importantly, they maintained an encrypted connection with Xiao Zhi via bone conduction earphones, synchronizing any intelligence instantly.

Although the names "Fanxing Technology" and "Stardust-S1" had become famous in the Magic City tech circles over the past two months—crushing the Li Group, securing military orders, and leaving competitors in the dust with their R&D speed—these feats had long since made them recognized as both "dark horses" and "omens of disaster" in the industry.

However, this was the first time Lin Hao and Chen Fan had attended such a conference. Their faces were fresh, and many attendees did not recognize them.

"President Chen, you've come as well?" A balding middle-aged man approached from the back right, holding a wine glass and wearing a beaming smile.

[Feichuang Materials, Wang Xuhai. Has purchased alloy products from Panshi Foundation. Company lost twenty million last quarter.]

Wang Xuhai's basic information appeared in the glasses.

"Hello, President Wang. I'm just here to see the excitement," Chen Fan nodded politely, but his gaze swept past the man to scan the entire hall.

"Boss, at nine o'clock, Long Zaitian's team has entered the main hall," Xiao Zhi's voice rang directly in his ear, calm and steady. "He brought six people: Chief Technology Officer Zhou Ming, a legal director, two bodyguards, and two others... identities unknown, no matching records in the database."

Chen Fan shifted his gaze slightly.

Long Zaitian was approaching, surrounded by a crowd. He wore a navy blue custom suit, his hair slicked back meticulously, with a standard social smile on his face.

The glasses displayed the data:

[Target: Long Zaitian, 29 years old, the youngest Third Young Master of the Long Group, in charge of new materials and frontier technology investment, recognized as the 'Crown Prince' of the circle.]

[Heart Rate: 72bpm, Body Temperature: 36.4°C]

[Micro-expression Analysis: Formulaic smile, insufficient zygomaticus muscle activity. True emotions: Disdain and evaluation.]

[Pupils slightly constricted to 3mm—high concentration of attention.]

Chen Fan and Lin Hao watched Long Zaitian walking toward them. "Stop looking, don't let him see us observing them," Chen Fan immediately warned Lin Hao.

At that moment, with a smile on his lips, Long Zaitian extended his hand in an elegantly flawless gesture.

"President Lin and President Chen, I presume? I am Long Zaitian of the Long family." His features were handsome, but his slightly upturned eyes always carried a sense of condescending scrutiny and the innate arrogance of a wealthy scion.

"I've long heard that you two are young and promising. Meeting you today, your reputation is indeed well-deserved." Long Zaitian praised them continuously. "The data for Stardust-S1 made our entire technical team cry out in disbelief."

"Just good luck," Chen Fan replied perfunctorily.

Lin Hao also shook hands, but was internally complaining: This hand is freezing cold, looks like a sign of kidney deficiency... bah, I mean, he's just used to a pampered life and has poor circulation.

"Luck?" Long Zaitian laughed. "President Chen is too modest. For a mature industrial chain, how could technological innovation and progress be achieved by luck alone?"

He paused, then suddenly lowered his voice: "It's too crowded and noisy here. Why don't we... find a quiet place to chat? I cherish talent, and I have endless things to discuss with talented people."

Chen Fan and Lin Hao exchanged a glance.

Chen Fan sneered inwardly, but remained composed on the surface: "Sure."

---

On the top floor of the convention center, in a highly private VIP lounge.

As soon as Chen Fan entered, his glasses completed a comprehensive scan:

[Room area: 48 square meters]

[4 hidden microphones detected (positions marked)]

[Air composition normal, no harmful substances]

[Windows are bulletproof glass. Escape route: Emergency door on the left]

The heavy mahogany door closed, shutting out the noise from outside. Inside the hall were only Chen Fan, Lin Hao, Long Zaitian, and a middle-aged man brought by Long Zaitian who wore gold-rimmed glasses and held a tablet—likely his advisor or lawyer.

"President Chen, President Lin, please sit." Long Zaitian sat in the main seat, his posture relaxed as if this were his own living room.

Chen Fan and Lin Hao sat opposite him.

"Tea or coffee?" Long Zaitian asked.

"No need to bother, Young Master Long, please speak plainly." Chen Fan didn't feel like beating around the bush.

Long Zaitian raised an eyebrow, seemingly slightly surprised by Chen Fan's "rudeness"—no big shots in the industry had ever spoken to him like this—but he quickly regained his refined smile.

"Good, President Chen is a straightforward person, so I won't mince words." He leaned forward slightly, hands folded on the table. "On behalf of the Long Group, I officially propose an acquisition offer for Fanxing Technology."

Lin Hao's eyelid twitched, but he said nothing, looking instead at Chen Fan.

Chen Fan remained unfazed: "Oh? And what are the terms of this acquisition?"

Long Zaitian gestured to the man in glasses beside him.

The man immediately opened the tablet, pulled up a pre-prepared proposal, and pushed it toward Chen Fan.

"The Long Group will inject 500 million in cash to acquire 80% of Fanxing Technology's equity." Long Zaitian's voice was steady but carried an unquestionable dominance. "After the acquisition, you two can continue your R&D work at Fanxing Technology. We'll set your annual salary at... ten million."

He paused and added: "Furthermore, all subsequent development costs for the Stardust series materials will be borne by the Long Corporation. The patents will belong to the Long Corporation, but the R&D team can retain 2% of the naming rights and dividend rights. These terms... are sincere enough, right?"

Eyepiece data analysis:

[Target's heart rate rose to 78bpm, breathing slightly quickened—anticipating a reaction]

[Micro-expression: Eyebrows slightly raised—confidence and pressure]

Five billion! A ten-million-dollar annual salary!

Any startup founder hearing such terms would likely experience a racing heart and shortness of breath.

Even Lin Hao couldn't help but swallow hard.

But Chen Fan's expression was calm, unchanging from start to finish.

He didn't even spare a glance at the proposal.

Long Zaitian smiled: "President Chen, five billion in cash is enough for financial freedom, and with the backing of a giant like the Long Corporation, stardust materials can be quickly pushed to the global market. It's a win-win."

"Win-win?" Chen Fan smiled. "Young Master Long, I don't understand the capital markets, so don't lie to me. But Fanxing is a child I raised myself; I can't bear to sell it just like that."

Long Zaitian's smile faded slightly: "President Chen, what is entrepreneurship for? Isn't it for wealth and status? The Long Corporation can give you those in advance..."

"Young Master Long," Chen Fan interrupted him, leaning back into the sofa with a posture even more relaxed than Long Zaitian's, "you might have misunderstood something."

He looked up, his gaze calm yet sharp as he stared at Long Zaitian:

"I didn't start a company just to work for someone else."

"..."

The VIP lounge instantly fell silent.

Even the man in glasses looked up, glancing at Chen Fan in surprise—he had truly never seen anyone dare to speak to the Third Young Master of the Long family like that.

Long Zaitian's face darkened at a visible rate.

"President Chen," his voice grew a few degrees colder, "I suggest you consider this carefully. Five billion is not a small sum. The resources and channels of the Long Corporation are not something just anyone can access."

"I've considered it very clearly." Chen Fan stood up and straightened the cuffs of his suit. "Fanxing Technology is not for sale. The equity will not be divided."

He looked at Long Zaitian and said word by word:

"You want control? You want the patents? Sorry, that's impossible."

"..."

There was another important reason why Chen Fan was so resolute: three days ago, he had Xiao Zhi investigate the background of the Long Group...