Chapter 32: This Boss is Truly Carefree

Half an hour later, they arrived at Yongfeng Building.

"Our company is on the 16th floor. The office environment is a bit minimalist for now, but we'll improve it gradually," Lu Liang warned them in advance. The company consisted only of the three of them, some capital, and a workspace. Beyond that, there was nothing else.

Tang Caidie offered a faint smile, having clearly anticipated this situation and braced herself for it. Chen Jinchun, however, looked stunned, her mouth agape; she was already having second thoughts. Her professors had repeatedly emphasized the importance of their status as fresh graduates, warning that if they squandered it, finding future employment would be difficult.

As the three stepped out of the elevator, Meng Changkun’s voice echoed from the end of the hallway: "Yes, yes, that’s it! Move it a bit to the side."

The office space, spanning just over two hundred square meters, was bustling with a dozen people helping to set things up. Some were hanging signs, others were laying carpets, and some were arranging flower baskets. It looked quite professional.

"Brother Kun, what is all this?" Lu Liang asked as he approached. He recognized the young men helping out. Some worked on the same floor, others downstairs; they were all from companies Meng Changkun had invested in.

"Brother Lu, you're back so soon! I wanted to give you a surprise," Meng Changkun laughed. "I wish you a prosperous business, abundant wealth, and great success in building this company into something truly remarkable."

Since Lu Liang was renting his office space and was a friend, Meng wanted to show his support on opening day. Once he had sent the flower baskets and arrived in person, the companies he invested in had rushed over to help as well. Consequently, the crowd had grown, and the number of flower baskets lining the entrance had multiplied.

"Brother Kun, you are too kind. I truly don't know how to thank you."

"We’re friends. Don't mention thanks for such a small thing."

Lu Liang stopped being overly modest and bowed to the helpers. "Thank you all very much for your assistance. I'm afraid I wasn't fully prepared today, but I will certainly pay a visit to each of your offices to return the favor."

"Mr. Lu, you’re too kind. We’re neighbors now; just say the word if you need anything."

The group smiled and handed over their business cards, hoping to foster future cooperation. They didn't know Lu Liang personally, but the fact that he was a friend valued by Meng Changkun was enough.

After a few more exchanges, Lu Liang stood at the entrance, watching them leave.

"Have we met before?" Meng Changkun asked, looking at Tang Caidie with a puzzled expression, as if she were familiar.

Tang Caidie smiled lightly. "Mr. Meng, four years ago, at Thunder Technology."

"Ah! You're the Miss Tang from Sequoia Capital. It’s been a long time. Forgive my memory," Meng realized, recalling a fundraising gala for Thunder Technology he had attended years ago where he had met her.

"Mr. Meng, it's perfectly normal for a busy person like you to forget," Tang Caidie replied graciously.

After seeing the guests off, Lu Liang returned and asked curiously, "Brother Kun, you know each other?"

"We've crossed paths a few times. Miss Tang was working at Sequoia back then—that’s the top venture capital firm in the country," Meng said, not sparing any praise, though he was clearly admiring Sequoia's prestige rather than Tang specifically.

"Mr. Meng, that was all in the past. I resigned from Sequoia several years ago," Tang Caidie noted, aware that without Sequoia, she was merely an experienced financial professional.

"A wise bird chooses the tree it perches on. I'm sure it was a smart decision, Miss Tang." Meng Changkun patted Lu Liang on the shoulder. "Brother, I'll be off then. Come up for tea when you have time."

"Take care, Brother Kun."

The excitement faded as quickly as it had arrived. Lu Liang hadn't placed much importance on the spectacle to begin with, so he felt no sense of letdown.

Once Meng was gone, he brought the two women into the office. It was clean and tidy, with a seven-inch Pixiu statue on a desk—undoubtedly a gift from Meng.

"This is our company." The space was small enough to walk through in a few steps.

Lu Liang took out the business registration documents and a copy of the license. "Miss Tang, if you're ready, you can start today. Please handle the hiring procedures for yourself and Xiao Chen. Take care of the social insurance and housing provident fund registrations."

Chen Jinchun’s eyes widened. It was her first time seeing a new hire handle their own onboarding process, and her urge to quit grew stronger.

Tang Caidie sensed her hesitation, gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and turned to Lu Liang. "Understood, Mr. Lu."

Lu Liang was satisfied with Tang Caidie's attitude. He produced a company sub-card. "There is 100,000 yuan on this. We currently lack computers, printers, telephones, and network equipment."

"See what we need, make a procurement list for me, and then take Xiao Chen out to buy them. Keep receipts for all meals and taxi fares. If the money isn't enough, just let me know." Lu Liang preferred not to deal with petty trifles; a Ph.D. from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics was worth the trust of 100,000 yuan.

"Oh, and buy some fruit and tea tomorrow. We need to visit the companies that sent flowers today to return the gesture."

As they spoke, Lu Liang’s phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number: *Uncle Lu, is that you? It’s Xiaoguai.*

An image of a cute, doll-like little girl popped into his mind: Zhang Qian’s daughter, Zhang Yun, also known as Zhang Xiaoguai.

He replied, "It's me. What's wrong?"

*Uncle Lu, do you have time now? The teacher just called Mom, but she didn't pick up.*

A faint smile touched Lu Liang's lips. He stepped to the doorway and dialed the number. "Xiaoguai, did you get into trouble at school?"

"Uncle Lu, I didn't! Zhao Jiaqi bullied me first, so I hit him."

The background on the other end of the line was chaotic, and a woman could be heard shouting in the distance.

"Wait for me. I'm coming over right now."

Lu Liang looked startled. He hurried back inside and said, "I have an emergency and have to go. Call me if you need anything."

He dashed out like a gust of wind, grabbing his car keys and leaving the two women staring at each other in bewilderment.

Even with her experience, Tang Caidie couldn't help but offer a wry smile as she stared at the bank card. "Mr. Lu is certainly... bold."

Yet, she quickly shifted into work mode, taking out paper and pen to record the items they needed to purchase and the tasks that needed to be done.

Chen Jinchun looked embarrassed. "Sister Tang, why don't you tell Mr. Lu tomorrow that I won't be coming back?" The building and the location were fine, exactly as expected, but the company and the boss seemed unreliable.

"Xiao Chen, you should think it over. I believe this company has a lot of potential," Tang Caidie said with a soft smile. She understood how the girl felt. She explained that Meng Changkun was a famous figure in the Shanghai venture capital scene, with assets totaling no less than 3 billion yuan. The fact that Lu Liang was his friend, and that their interaction had been one of equals—unlike the sycophantic behavior of the others who came to help—spoke volumes about Lu Liang’s own standing.

Chen Jinchun was stunned; she hadn't realized the chubby middle-aged man was so powerful. "Thank you, Sister Tang."

Feeling a bit ashamed, she decided to stay, at least for a few days, to see how things unfolded.

"Don't mention it. I recall there's a telecom office downstairs. Why don't you go ask about the rates for a business broadband connection?" Tang Caidie said kindly, giving Chen Jinchun tasks to help her integrate quickly. She felt the company was a good fit; the boss was capable, and being in the startup stage meant there wouldn't be an overwhelming workload, giving her the space she needed to find her footing again.