"The school holds thirty percent of the shares, Jing Mingqiu gets twenty-one percent, and the two of you combined have reached fifty-one percent. That gives you complete control!"
"Guo Hao Group was founded by me personally. I absolutely will not allow it to fall into anyone else's hands..."
Facing the agitated Jing Guohao, Jing Mingqiu's advisor remained calm. "You can certainly refuse, but we can always find another manufacturer. I believe with classmate Jing Mingqiu's technology and our academy's background, many manufacturers will be eager to sign this contract."
Seeing that his bluster was not working, Jing Guohao sat back down. His anger subsided, and he put on a placating smile. "My apologies! I got a little emotional earlier and made a spectacle of myself. However, your terms are indeed a bit harsh. How about this: a little less, just a little. Thirty percent for the school, and nineteen percent for classmate Jing Mingqiu..."
"That won't do. However," the advisor said, picking up his teacup and taking a gentle sip, "we can add a clause to the contract stating that we will not participate in the company's operations unless absolutely necessary, allowing you to continue to control the company."
A nostalgic expression appeared on Jing Guohao's face. "Two teachers, Guo Hao Group grew from a small workshop to its current scale. I poured countless efforts into it. It's like my child. Selling him off like this… it pains me!"
"Why call it selling?" The advisor put down his teacup, a gentle smile on his face. "We call this joining hands and growing together. It's like sending your child to school; would you say you sold your child to the school?"
The three engaged in a battle of wits for over two hours. From feigned anger to playing the victim, from making unreasonable demands to offering sincere apologies, Jing Guohao employed every tactic imaginable. The two advisors, however, met each move with a counter-move, accepting all his arguments. By six in the evening, the three, parched and weary, finally signed their names on the final version of the tripartite contract.
Jing Guohao slumped into his chair, took out his phone, and sent a message to Jing Rou, telling her she could bring Jing Mingqiu and the others down. While they were on their way down, Jing Guohao managed to lift his head and cast a weary glance at the two advisors. "Two teachers, what is your relationship with Jing Mingqiu? You're fighting so hard for him!"
One of the older advisors gazed at the ceiling, his face etched with reminiscence. "I don't know him at all. It's just that he reminds me so much of a former disciple. He encountered a similar situation back then, but at the time, I was too proud to help him, and in the end..." He let out a sigh, completely cutting off Jing Guohao's opportunity to probe further. He could only change the subject and offer comfort to the teacher.
After changing back into his clothes and coming downstairs, Jing Mingqiu picked up the contract from the table. He didn't even bother to glance at it, flipping directly to the end and signing his name. Jing Rou was startled by Jing Mingqiu's decisive action. "Hey! Jing Mingqiu, why did you sign it so quickly? Didn't you read what it says inside? Be careful you don't get sold."
"No need," Jing Mingqiu waved his hand dismissively. "My advisor wouldn't harm me, and your father wouldn't dare."
Jing Rou quietly leaned closer, whispering into Jing Mingqiu's ear, her voice low. "That's not necessarily true. You can never be too careful. My father isn't exactly a good person, and university teachers are people too. They might harm you for their own benefit!"
Seeing Jing Rou practically disown her father, Jing Mingqiu almost burst out laughing. He knew the logic Jing Rou was spouting was sound, but he also knew that he represented a greater interest, and they wouldn't offend him over such a minor matter. However, these were things Jing Mingqiu couldn't conveniently explain to Jing Rou, so he simply chuckled to brush it off. "It's not that bad. I think those two teachers look quite kind; they shouldn't harm me."
Seeing Jing Mingqiu's apparent naivete, Jing Rou's expression grew even more anxious. "You can't judge a book by its cover. You've heard that saying before, right? People who look honest and kind can be devious behind your back. I've seen plenty of those types at my father's company!"
"Thank you for your concern. I understand. I'll be careful next time." After quietly expressing his gratitude to Jing Rou, Jing Mingqiu, to prevent her from worrying further, glanced at the contract and forcibly changed the subject.
"You're wiring twenty million upfront just for signing! Boss Jing is so generous! Xue'er, we're rich! What gift do you want? Just name it!" Mo Ruixue quietly nudged Jing Rou aside, then hugged Jing Mingqiu's arm, before starting to list things on her fingers. "I don't lack food or drinks. I have plenty of clothes from home that I haven't finished wearing, so I don't need to buy any for now. My sister gave me a full set of cosmetics, so I don't need to change them for the time being. Come to think of it, there's nothing I particularly need."
"How about this?" Mo Ruixue looked up at Jing Mingqiu, her eyes sparkling. "A' Qiu, I want to keep a small pet in the dorm, but the dorm manager doesn't allow it. Could you make me a small mechanical pet?"
Jing Mingqiu said confidently, "That's easy. Do you want a kitten? A puppy? Or a little rabbit?"
"Those are too common," Mo Ruixue shook her head slightly. "And A' Qiu, yours are too realistic. I'm worried the dorm manager might mistake me if I bring them to the dorm..."
Jing Mingqiu scanned the system panel, his confidence undiminished. "That's easily handled. I'll make an uncommon little pet."
After resolving his girlfriend's small gift request, Jing Mingqiu turned to Jing Guohao. "Boss Jing, I'll sort out the production method for the new mechanical pets when I get back. Have someone come over tomorrow, and I'll give you the information."
"No rush, no rush!" Jing Guohao waved his hands repeatedly. "I still need some time for the preliminary work. You can give it to me whenever you're free."
Jing Mingqiu was unfazed. "It's just a mechanical doll; it won't take much effort. Have someone pick it up tomorrow morning."
After setting the delivery time, Jing Mingqiu turned to the two advisors. "Teachers, thank you for your trouble this time. Let's have dinner together tonight."
"How can we let classmate Jing treat us? My treat! My treat!" Jing Guohao rushed to pay, leading Jing Mingqiu and his party to a five-star hotel for a lavish meal.
After toasting and feasting, Jing Mingqiu first sent Mo Ruixue and Jing Rou back to their dormitory. Then, slightly tipsy, he went to the laboratory, took out pliers, a screwdriver, and a bunch of parts, and began assembling the small gift for Mo Ruixue. After working for over half an hour, Jing Mingqiu contentedly put the finished toy into a box, preparing to give it to Mo Ruixue as a gift at the end of the stage play performance.
The night passed without incident. The next day, Jing Mingqiu first went to the laboratory, transferred the new mechanical doll production tutorial exported from the system onto a USB drive, and handed it to Jing Rou, who had been waiting for a long time. He also brought the box containing the small gift to the auditorium. With the official performance scheduled for the afternoon, most people were anxiously reviewing their scripts and making final preparations. Upon arriving at the auditorium, Jing Mingqiu carefully navigated through the crowd and slipped into the backstage.