The second day after New Year's Day.
Jiang Yuxin went to work, and Li Chonglou followed her to the company.
Wu Hao saw him arrive and his eyes widened, "When did you get back? Why didn't you say anything?"
A few days ago, he had received a call from Lin Weiwei, cooperating with the company's promotion at the auction.
He knew Li Chonglou was in Yong'an, but he didn't expect him to return as soon as the auction ended.
"Seeing that you didn't have a holiday yesterday for New Year's Day and the lights were on, I didn't have the heart to disturb you," Li Chonglou said sincerely, putting his arm around Wu Hao's shoulder. "I didn't expect you to be so energetic at work, day and night, working overtime."
"Compared to you, I'm just a loafer."
"Then how dare you show up now?" Wu Hao burst into laughter.
Seeing Li Chonglou again, he felt that he was different from before. The heavy aura around him had lessened considerably.
He had become more vibrant, yet also more profound.
In the past few months, he had dealt with all sorts of people while managing the company, his discernment improving by more than a hundredfold. Yet, he found Li Chonglou increasingly inscrutable.
"You should know that I am now the president of the Qin Prefecture Antique Association. Although I don't have much real power, this title can be used well, at least to elevate the company's standing," Li Chonglou smiled.
He came today primarily to see Wu Hao, but he also had matters to discuss.
There were still more than twenty days until the New Year, and he couldn't just stay home idly every day.
Lu Weishen, that guy, had malicious intentions. Under pressure from Wu Zhengjiang, he handed over the Antique Association to Li Chonglou, but he had left a hidden trap. If Li Chonglou hadn't resolved it in time, things would likely be in a complete mess now.
"What comes around goes around." Using the Antique Association he had established, why not enhance the visibility of Wu Hao's company?
"There's something I haven't told you, and it's good that you're here," Wu Hao invited Li Chonglou into his office, looking guilty. "I changed our company's name. The old name wasn't very conducive to internet dissemination."
"So we discussed it and changed it to Tiantian Dabaojian. You won't blame me, will you?"
As he spoke, he furtively glanced at Li Chonglou, wanting to gauge his reaction.
Li Chonglou's expression was unreadable.
A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes. Wu Hao, when did this kid learn such cunning?
He himself was a bit of a literary enthusiast, and the name he had chosen before was indeed not down-to-earth.
The name he changed to was very much in line with the spirit of the internet, which was quite good. But why the guilty expression and the shifty look?
As the helmsman of a company, decisiveness and autonomy were essential. Glancing at someone's face like this was not a good sign.
He no longer held any shares in this company; it was now owned by Wu Hao, Lü Yunxu, and Jiang Yuxin.
In future financing or stock listings, ownership would become even more fragmented.
There was no need for this.
He was not knowledgeable about business and could not distract himself with such matters.
However, Li Chonglou decided to tease him, hence his unreadable expression.
After several dozen seconds of silence, he saw beads of sweat forming on Wu Hao's forehead before he relaxed his expression and chuckled, "Haozi, you're afraid I'll overthink things?"
"Damn it, you scared me to death! Are you a mind reader?" Wu Hao breathed a sigh of relief. "If I didn't want to add to your sorrow, would I still be considering your feelings?"
"Fine, it was my overthinking!"
A while ago, he had gone to pay respects to Xu Lie.
He naturally knew the relationship between Li Chonglou and Xu Lie, and he also knew Li Chonglou's personality.
Therefore, he had a vague idea of what Li Chonglou was going to do in Yong'an, but he couldn't help in any way. He felt extremely guilty and self-reproachful.
As a brother, he could only watch helplessly, unable to help Li Chonglou resolve his issues.
He hadn't slept well for days, yet he didn't dare to call or text, fearing he would reopen Li Chonglou's wounds.
Finally, he understood that only by doing well in the company and accumulating resources could he offer support when something happened.
So, he took it upon himself to change the company name and collaborated with Tian Lingli to invest in live streaming promotions.
Lü Yunxu and Jiang Yuxin were aware of these two matters and had unanimously approved them.
The reason for his guilt was not the name change itself, but the fear that Li Chonglou would think he had acted presumptuously and changed the name without his consent, leading to any resentment.
It wasn't a lack of trust in Li Chonglou; rather, it was because he cared too much, and concern made him flustered.
But upon seeing Li Chonglou's playful smile, he instantly understood that he had been overthinking.
What Li Chonglou cared about was definitely not these trivial matters.
From that moment on, the heavy weight on his heart was lifted.
"Let's talk business. I plan to use the Antique Association to help you expand your scale!" Li Chonglou said, filled with gratification. Wu Hao had grown.
In just a few months, his growth was visibly apparent.
He surmised that this process must have involved considerable hardship and tribulation, and the company had faced constant troubles during its early stages, which he simply hadn't shared.
"Great, I couldn't ask for anything more!" Wu Hao's eyes widened, unable to conceal his joy. "To be honest, I'm currently collaborating with Tian Lingli. She now has nearly five million followers, and the company's app has seen a significant increase in traffic under her promotion."
"Market matters are no longer urgent. What we lack is professionalism."
"The appraisal team you introduced through President Zhou barely managed for online services, and offline events were impossible to organize. With the help of the Antique Association, it would be like adding wings to a tiger!"
This matter had been a persistent concern for Wu Hao for a long time.
For an internet company to scale up, the key wasn't the office location but the personnel.
His goal was to go public, and currently, it was at best a third-rate company.
Manpower was a significant issue.
Especially in a field like antique appraisal that required professional expertise.
Li Chonglou's suggestion was exactly what he needed.
"Since you agree, let's take advantage of the period before the New Year to hold a joint appraisal competition," Li Chonglou proposed his plan. "Your current appraisal team will go head-to-head with the members of the Antique Association, with live broadcasting."
"Although Qin Prefecture is small, it has a long and rich cultural heritage, making it an ancient city."
"In terms of antiques, while it cannot compare to the deep heritage of Shangjing, it is stronger than most first-tier cities today."
"If we can make a splash, it will undoubtedly be a huge boost for the company."
He had already made some plans before coming.
He wanted this competition to ignite the flames of the New Year and serve as a warning to Lu Weishen.
The time had come to settle the score.
"Ah? Our chances of winning against the Antique Association are not high, are they?" Wu Hao was dumbfounded.
He hadn't even dared to imagine such a scenario.
"Don't worry, I will be your representative, and the representative of the Antique Association will be Lu Weishen!" Li Chonglou's eyes gleamed.
It was time to deal with that old fox.
If he was unconvinced, they would have a fair fight. He wanted to show the entire nation clearly.
How Lu Weishen, a renowned master, would be trampled under his feet!
He wanted all members of the Antique Association to submit willingly and completely!
Only then could he, after the New Year, go to Shangjing with peace of mind to attend to his own affairs.
Without a stable rear, everything else was in vain.
It was imperative!