Capítulo 1090: Chapter 685: Shen Qingning Goes to a Concert
The recent winds have been quite tumultuous.
Everyone in the capital market feels they’re about to witness the rise of a new power in the internet company sector!
The third financing round for [Youuqu] has thus begun.
After much consideration, Cheng Zhu ultimately chose to let Tencent participate in this round.
However, he did not choose to let Tencent lead the investnt.
He needs this backing now.
Yes, just for now.
The lead investor for this round is Red Mountain Capital of the [Fence-sitting].
Red Mountain invested in Kuai Shou quite early on.
After Cheng Zhu launched Youuqu, it also invested in Youuqu as a significant backer of Youu Tea.
What can I say, this is Red Mountain’s norm—betting on both sides.
Moreover, the final result is usually that both sides profit.
As the top venture capital firm in the country, Red Mountain indeed has a unique insight.
However, in the financing round before the last for Kuai Shou, Red Mountain did not increase its stake as before, only maintaining the existing shareholding ratio.
From the investnt amount perspective, it seems sowhat… restrained?
The reason is simple; there are too many top-tier investors at Red Mountain.
Their intuition is extrely sharp, and the information they can gather is comprehensive.
Red Mountain values the potential of Youuqu!
Many data points, others can’t see.
As a backer, they naturally can.
By comparing the data of Youuqu and Kuai Shou, Red Mountain clearly understood which platform has greater potential, higher user stickiness, and faster growth!
What’s more, this financing round also includes Tencent’s participation.
The reason Cheng Zhu let Red Mountain Capital lead is actually to intentionally force Red Mountain to make a choice.
“I don’t bla you for being fence-sitting.”
“After all, you already invested in Kuai Shou.”
“Once, Red Mountain greatly valued the Kuai Shou project.”
“They were like a loving couple, always following with investnts, whereas I… I was an intruder!”
“But what of it?”
The dog man: “The unloved one is the third party!”
His attitude is straightforward.
Between Youuqu and Kuai Shou, Red Mountain, you must make a choice!
Will you side with or with him in the future!
A similar situation unfolded between TikTok and Kuai Shou in the past life.
At that ti, Kuai Shou relied on Tencent, but Red Mountain still chose TikTok.
After negotiations, Red Mountain actively withdrew from the Kuai Shou board.
Now, Kuai Shou even lost Tencent as a backing, and the situation is naturally clearer!
The expected amount for Youuqu’s financing in the capital market was around 1.5 billion US Dollars.
Yet the announced numbers revealed an astonishing 2 billion US Dollars!
When this news ca out, the entire capital market was in uproar!
“2 billion? How did it suddenly leap to 2 billion!”
“With so much money lying on the account, it seems there’s going to be so excitent in the coming year!”
“When did the short video industry beco so explosive?”
“Actually, it’s understandable, after all, their comrcialization is done very well.”
Many investors know the ropes.
Although Kuai Shou’s live-stream segnt is pretty good, but… can’t Youuqu learn to do live streaming in the future?
Of course, they can!
But if you want to do advertising like Youuqu, can you surpass Youuqu relying on the [Algorithm]?
Their automatic advertising distribution model is sky-high aweso!
Your strengths can be replicated by others.
Others’ strengths, you can’t possess.
This is very lethal!
And will Cheng Zhu launch a live-stream model in the future?
Cheng Zhu: Isn’t that obvious!
In his past life, he made a fortune through live-stream comrce, and he definitely plans to do so in this life as well.
This also lends itself to the later launch of [Youqu Mall].
By that ti, his direct competitor will not be Kuai Shou, but Alibaba!
With 2 billion US Dollars lying on the company’s books, Cheng Zhu squinted slightly.
“It’s also ti to implent the overseas strategy.”
“Now, the competition between us and Kuai Shou has entered an intensified stage, and I guess he’ll find a way to stir up so public opinion against .”
“Speed needs to pick up!” he thought.
…
…
The situation evolved as Cheng Zhu anticipated.
Youuqu is now posing a threat to the competitors in the entire short video industry, and soone is bound to try to pit him.
The rumors about Youuqu copying the overseas [Musical.ly] are rampant.
Many opinions started to erge.
“From the interface and functionality, the UI design of both is very similar.”
“Even the initial user positioning was the sa.”
“Check out these comparison pictures I have; I can only say that those who understand, understand.”
Actually, the Youuqu that Cheng Zhu created is different from the initial TikTok, more like a mature TikTok.
The initial TikTok was not the sa as what everyone saw and perceived later on.
At that stage, TikTok was indeed similar to Musical.ly.
Even the initial target group was young girls in big cities.
Youuqu and Musical.ly can only be said to be sowhat similar.
However, dostic public opinion has one peculiar point.
Once you say that dostic platforms are copying foreign ones, a bunch of people will jump out without distinguishing right from wrong, and just start criticizing.
They’re best at praising foreign and belittling dostic.
“Hilarious, copying foreign again.”
“People in China just can’t co up with good stuff!”
“I used to think Youuqu was interesting and innovative, but it’s also copied, huh.”
“Not only copied, but did a bad job, it’s embarrassing!”
“Who even knows Musical.ly! I just think Musical.ly is much better!”
“This is just the typical behavior of people in China!”
“Which successful dostic company isn’t copied from overseas?”
Many Know-it-alls are ranting all over, and even start creating opposition.
So ill-intentioned crowd also jumps in at tis like this.
Many comnts even made Cheng Zhu laugh.
“No, why the hell are you guys praising foreigners so much? Musical.ly was also made by Chinese, right? It was developed in China, right?”
“This really cracks up.” Cheng Zhu gave a disdainful look, as if watching a bunch of clowns.
“These people, you could shoot their brains ten tis and still not hit their mind.”
“How damned shriveled must they be?”
In the end, Youuqu copying Musical.ly even made it to the sixth spot on Weibo’s hot search list.
And thus, the battle of public opinion has thoroughly begun!
But in reality, this would only hurt Youuqu’s reputation.
It wouldn’t affect user usage.
After all, Youuqu is one of a kind across the internet, with no replacent.
Even so, a group of competitor companies felt a sneaky pleasure.
“Even if it doesn’t cause substantial harm, disgusting them once makes feel good!”
As it turned out, just a few days later, a major news broke out!
Youuqu spent a whole 800 million US Dollars to acquire Musical.ly!
Musical.ly will be revamped to align with dostic Youuqu, and then beco Youuqu’s overseas version!
As soon as this news was released, it caused an imdiate sensation.
Actually, if everyone used both apps, they’d notice the differences are still significant.
“Youuqu is actually better than Musical.ly, with more complete functions.”
“What copying, wait until Musical.ly is revamped, then look at how big the difference is.”
“You idiots really crack up, still talking about Chinese copying foreigners, it was all made by Chinese, right?”
“Tsk tsk tsk, when so people speak, you can tell they have complicated motives.”
On that day, Cheng Zhu also gave an interview.
Faced with reporters’ allegations of copying, Cheng Zhu responded.
“Youuqu and Musical.ly, I can only say our philosophies are consistent, which is why we could rge so smoothly.”
“But to say it’s copying, I completely disagree.”
“There are similar parts, but that’s only a small portion of Youuqu.”
“If everyone insists on saying we copied Musical.ly…”
Cheng Zhu paused, then made a shocking statent:
“Everyone might as well see if, after Musical.ly is fully ‘Youuqu-ed,’ it achieves better results overseas.”
His underlying ssage was simple: What I made is just better, and after it’s revamped, it definitely can soar overseas!
Facts speak louder than words.
Let’s wait and see!
….
….
Youuqu is still very busy, while on the other side, Youu Tea isn’t as busy as last year.
According to Cheng Zhu’s instructions, Youu Tea will halt expansion this year.
Now, Youu Tea has over a thousand stores nationwide, and each one is not small.
High-end milk tea differs from those franchise chain milk teas.
Those little milk tea shops might just be one or two rooms, with very small stores.
High-end internet-famous milk tea is different, the stores are much larger, and the decor is more refined and upscale.
Cheng Zhu is well aware that this year, Youu Tea must stop burning money, and start making big profits.
The spring of expensive fresh fruit tea is about to end.
If they keep burning money for a few more years, it really won’t be worthwhile.
This has left Youu Tea’s second-in-command, Shen Qingning, a bit unaccustod after the New Year.
Last year, Ningning dealt with that freeloading man, and it was incredibly busy.
This year, with no crazy expansion, there’s a lot less to do.
Suddenly having so free ti, she feels sowhat unaccustod.
The most interesting thing is that those around her are busier than ever.
[Bo Te] also went through a new round of financing early this year, and its blind box business is getting bigger and bigger.
The wave of blind boxes has spread nationwide.
More and more young people are starting to like pulling blind boxes.
So popular products are even being speculated to high prices in the secondary market!
This has kept Jiang Wanzhou and Lin Lu extrely busy recently.
As for Shen Minglang, he’s still being sent abroad by Cheng Zhu.
Though Youu Tea has stopped expanding, to prepare for future consur downgrading, Cheng Zhu is planning to launch the “CHAGEE Mode,” so he’s been having Shen find suitable suppliers and so automated machinery manufacturers.
This has made Ningning increasingly bored lately, until she saw the news about Zhou Jielun’s concert tour this year.
“Buy myself a ticket and watch a concert.” thought Shen Qingning.
She had already figured it out before.
Watching a concert alone is a way to put an end to that previously unclear relationship.
…
(ps: Taking a day off tomorrow to organize the storyline.
Due to so special reasons that are inconvenient to talk about, recently it’s like “dancing with shackles,” I need to think about how to dance beautifully with the shackles on…
If this book can land smoothly, it would be a blessing for … Hehehe…)
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