On the other end of the phone, Liu Xingyun, after hanging up, pondered for a long time.
On one side is the company he worked hard to start, and on the other is a rising star offering great promises and opportunities. Liu Xingyun was still a little hesitant.
However, when Zhang Yang mentioned the word "business model" again, Liu Xingyun took note. He opened the Kuaishou app on his phone and patiently started studying it.
Unknowingly, it was late at night, yet the light in Liu Xingyun's study remained on for quite a while.
...
In the following days, Liu Xingyun frequently had secret meetings with headhunters, while also carefully negotiating the terms of his job switch.
Liu Xingyun decided to trust Zhang Yang this time. This young guy always gave him a sense of being unfathomable.
Three days later, a resignation letter was placed on Wang Henan's desk. Liu Xingyun officially resigned, and the shares in his company were sold to Wang Henan at a relatively fair price. They parted ways peacefully as he left the company.
On this day, Zhang Yang was live-streaming at the reservoir base with Meng Fan when his phone rang again.
It was another call from Liu Xingyun. Zhang Yang, who had some free time as the commentator, greeted the audience in the stream and quickly stepped out of the microphone's range.
"Hello? Any instructions, Minister Liu?"
"I've arrived in W City. The train will arrive in two hours. I'd like to catch a drink with you when I get there, if you're available!" Liu Xingyun's tone now had a hint of ease, sounding in good spirits.
"On a business trip to W City? You're welcome here, absolutely!"
Zhang Yang glanced at the time. The train would arrive by 12:50, and he could easily finish the livestream an hour early without missing anything.
"Not on a business trip. I resigned from Yinke and came to W City to relax. My main purpose is to meet you in person, and to enjoy some fishing and drinking!"
"Sure! I'll pick you up at the station!"
...
Two hours later, dressed casually, Liu Xingyun walked out from the station's exit, dialed the phone, and soon spotted Zhang Yang's Wuling van across the street.
Seeing Zhang Yang coming to pick him up in a Wuling van, Liu Xingyun was slightly taken aback and felt a bit uneasy.
It's not that he was particular about what vehicle would pick him up, but in his mind, Zhang Yang's virtual image should be that of a young and ambitious rising star.
Picking someone up in a van worth thousands is quite out of sync with the shrewd and far-sighted impression Zhang Yang gave over the phone.
"Over here!!" Zhang Yang waved across the street and greeted Liu Xingyun.
Seeing this, Liu Xingyun dragged his suitcase and briskly walked over.
"Welcome to W City! Haven't eaten yet, right? Get in the car, I'll take you to eat first!" Zhang Yang shook hands with Liu quickly and opened the side door of the van.
"Wow, that's low-key. Such a big internet celebrity driving a van?"
As he got in the van, Liu Xingyun looked around casually, his tone light, as if meeting a longtime friend rather than meeting someone offline for the first time.
"I always use this car for fishing trips! It's just a means of transportation, no need to fuss over it! What made you come to W City to relax?"
Zhang Yang fastened his seatbelt and started the car.
"I left the company and completed the connection with Kuaishou. Before officially starting, I have a week's break, so I thought I'd come see you in person!
I've watched your live streams; the fish at the reservoir look good. While I'm in W City these days, I'll be sticking around you!"
"No problem! Food, drinks, fun—I'll cover all the plans!"
With a press of the accelerator, Zhang Yang's car joined the swift traffic, zipping toward the restaurant like a happy fish.
In the next five days, Liu Xingyun temporarily settled in W City.
While in W City, Zhang Yang took him to tour his live-streaming base reservoir, his fishing gear company, bait production factory, and even his private research institute. He also went to Zhang Yang's fishing gear shop to get a set of reservoir fishing equipment.
At this point, Liu Xingyun was truly impressed.
This young guy, who seems to be of a modest age and drives a small van, not only owns a sizable fishing gear company but also has a matching bait factory, and unbelievably, a significant private aquatic attractant research institute.
Just from the industries Zhang Yang showed him, Liu Xingyun had gained a preliminary understanding of Zhang Yang's net worth.
Even with a conservative estimate, not considering the commercial value of personal accounts, Zhang Yang's real-world assets already exceed seven figures, steadily moving towards the multimillion level.
This young guy with so many ventures still manages to lead such a grounded daily life, making even the thirty-something-year-old Liu Xingyun feel somewhat humbled.
Over the days, the friendship between Liu Xingyun and Zhang Yang evolved from initial cautiousness to mutual admiration.
The two had no immediate interests entangling them, so their conversations were unbridled. Zhang Yang's various insights and views broadened the horizon of Liu Xingyun, a seasoned professional in the workplace.
After sending Liu Xingyun onto the high-speed train, Zhang Yang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Damn, to accommodate this future potential star, his streaming schedule had been disrupted for several days. Hopefully, he'll secure a stable position in the new company and grow to become a true powerhouse.
In the following days, Zhang Yang returned to the reservoir live-streaming base for on-site fishing activities.
Much said when there's much to say, and when there's little, it's concise. Unknowingly, more than ten days passed.
Nothing much worth mentioning except that over the past two days of broadcasts, Zhang Yang discovered the larger fish stocked in the reservoir have started opening their mouths.
Outside of streaming, when Meng Fan had some free time, he would find a secluded spot to bait and wait for big fish just for fun. Previously, all he caught were junior fish weighing about three to five kilos, and the first batch of Grass Carp and Black Carp over ten kilos, but nothing substantial.
That evening, in less than an hour, Meng Fan's bait spot encountered two big ones.
He managed to haul up a fish weighing over thirty kilos while the bigger one escaped after cutting the No. 6 leader line.
The news of the big fish opening their mouths quickly reached Zhang Yang, who had been yearning for this, and finally, there was some feedback.
Immediately, Zhang Yang posted the next day's live stream notification in the die-hard fan group, announcing a plan to bait heavily the night before and prepare a larger line set to target the super big ones released later.
Once the live stream notification was posted, the WeChat group exploded. Usually, a ten-pound fish thrills the audience beyond measure, so if they really catch the big ones, how exciting would that be!
...
Early the next morning, at seven o'clock sharp, Zhang Yang and Meng Fan began the live stream on time!
"Hello! Hello to all the brothers in the live room! I'm Zhang Yang, and on camera with me is my partner Meng Fan. Today, we'll continue our fishing live stream at the reservoir base!
However, it will be different from the past few days. Yesterday evening, while Meng Fan was casually fishing after the stream, he unexpectedly encountered two big ones. The one that got away had an unknown weight, and the one caught weighed over thirty kilos!
I baited heavily last night, so let's try our luck today during the stream!"
[The big fish have started biting? It's been half a month since they were released; they've finally adapted!]
[What fish are we targeting today? Wonder if we can catch that colossal one of over a hundred kilos!]
[Did you use any snails to bait the spot?]
[Saw the special clips of offline fish fights on the Hei Pit Jianghu's public account, and the host's Flying Kicking Carp move stunned me!]
Goodness, as soon as the stream started, the atmosphere in the live room was buzzing. The loyal fan base cultivated over continuous streaming showed strong adhesion, and Zhang Yang didn't need to frequently guide the public chat rhythm anymore.