enjoyebooks Chapter 96 Gu Wanning: Poison Pill Clause
Chapter 96 Gu Wanning: Poison Pill Clause
Chapter 96 Gu Wanning: The Poison Pill Clause (4k)
Qin Hongfang took her niece Gu Wanning's hand and sat down on the sofa, her face beaming with smiles.
"Wan Ning, come, sit down. Your aunt just watched a show, 'If You Are the One' on Jiangsu TV, it's really interesting! You should watch it when you have time!"
"Oh? Aunt, what program made you recommend it so much?" Gu Wanning asked with a smile, taking the tangerine that her aunt handed her.
"A dating show! Twenty-four female guests stand there, and male guests come out one by one—oh my, if you went up there, you would definitely outshine them all!" Qin Hongfang said with great enthusiasm.
Upon hearing this, Gu Wanning pretended to be angry and put the tangerine back on the coffee table: "Auntie~ are you trying to urge me again in another roundabout way?"
"This isn't urging, it's concern!" Qin Hongfang patted the back of her hand, speaking earnestly, "You're already thirty, you need to hurry up and settle down! Like your uncle and me, we were considered late to get married back then, your cousin was already born when we were twenty-six!"
"Aunt! I'm not thirty! I'm only twenty-nine! Twenty-nine!" Gu Wanning corrected him, both amused and exasperated.
"Not yet of age (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning) ————"
Upon hearing his wife talking about her age, Gou Yougan, who was standing next to him, quickly coughed and gave him a "stop" look.
Ding-dong—
Just as the three were chatting, the doorbell rang as if to save the day.
"Here he comes! It must be Xiao Geng." Gou Youqian's eyes lit up, and he quickly walked towards the door.
"Hello, Professor Gou!" Geng Zhi greeted him respectfully from outside the door, carrying two bags of fruit.
"Oh, Xiao Geng! Come in quickly! Why did you buy so much fruit, kid?" Gou Yougan warmly welcomed him into the house, took the fruit from him, and said with genuine joy.
"This is my first visit to you and Professor Qin, just a small token of my appreciation." He changed into slippers with a straightforward and humble demeanor.
"Teacher Qin, this is Lao Qi's prized student, Xiao Geng," Gou Youqian introduced.
"Hello, Professor Qin!" Geng Zhi greeted him politely.
Qin Hongfang had already stood up, beaming as she greeted him: "Oh, this is Xiao Geng! Old Gou has praised you so much! Come, sit down! Have a sweet tangerine!"
She looked Geng Zhi up and down, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration—tall, handsome, and well-mannered, he made a perfect first impression.
Geng Zhi was a little embarrassed by this enthusiasm and quickly said, "Professors, you flatter me. I really don't deserve such praise."
As they were exchanging pleasantries, Gu Wanning came out of the kitchen carrying a glass of freshly cut lemonade.
"Wan Ning, come here and introduce yourself. This is Xiao Geng, a student of Professor Qi, your uncle's friend," Qin Hongfang said, pulling her niece over to introduce her.
Gu Wanning looked up: "Zhao Geng—?"
Geng Zhi spoke up at the same time: "A house—?"
Their eyes met, and both of them showed obvious surprise at the same time.
Gu Wanning's surprise was slightly less.
She already knew that her uncle was a judge in the Gengzhi Entrepreneurship Competition, but she didn't expect him to invite his students to his home, which was quite unusual for him.
Geng Zhi's surprise was much greater.
He knew Gu Wanning was a lawyer and a landlady, but he never expected that she was actually Professor Gou's niece!
This relationship—several thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.
The first thought that popped into his head was: Could we save on the nearly one million yuan in legal fees? But the next second he dismissed the idea that the undercover agent's identity absolutely could not be exposed.
The hidden plot wouldn't work, but could the lawyer's fee for the "upright" main plot be waived? This thought made his heart skip a beat.
"Xiao Geng, Wan Ning, you two—know each other?" Gou Youqian keenly sensed the unusual atmosphere between the two.
Geng Zhi quickly recovered and explained with a smile, "Professor Gou, what a coincidence. She's my landlady." He paused, then added, "I'm very comfortable living in the house, and I've always maintained it very well!"
"Landlord?" Gou Youqian and Qin Hongfang exchanged a glance, which made them both laugh at the same time.
"What a coincidence!" Qin Hongfang smiled and looked Geng Zhi over again, her eyes showing even more warmth. She turned to her husband and said, "Old Gou, why don't you take Xiao Geng to the study to discuss serious matters? I'll wash some fruit and bring it in for you."
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"Alright, Xiao Geng, this way please." Gou Youqian led Geng Zhi toward the study.
In the living room, Qin Hongfang pulled Gu Wanning, who had sat down again, and said with a smile, "Wanning, I heard from your uncle that this Xiao Geng is really good at starting a business. He has a lot of ideas, strong execution, and a limitless future."
Gu Wanning picked up the tangerine and responded casually, "Oh."
Qin Hongfang leaned closer and tentatively asked, "What do you think of this young man?"
Gu Wanning turned her head abruptly, her face full of surprise: "Auntie! He's just a college student who's barely turned twenty!"
"A woman three years older than you is considered lucky!" Qin Hongfang said dismissively. "These days, young people don't care about age differences. Maturity is the key!"
"Aunt! I'm twenty-nine!" Gu Wanning emphasized again, sounding a little frantic.
"Then it's just right to hold three gold bricks! That's even more secure!" Qin Hongfang's logic was impeccable.
"Aunt! If you keep this up, I'm really leaving!" Gu Wanning pouted, pretending to get up, her face flushed.
"Oh, okay, okay, I'm not kidding anymore." Qin Hongfang quickly stopped her. "Your aunt just thinks you two are quite compatible, I was just teasing you."
"Aunt, you have no idea how cunning this Gengzhi is. When he rented my house—he even bargained, reducing the rent from three months' rent upfront and one month's deposit to one month's rent upfront and one month's deposit—I was completely fooled by him!" Gu Wanning said deliberately, pouting.
Gu Wanning spoke through gritted teeth, but Qin Hongfang laughed heartily, nodding repeatedly: "This shows that she's quick-witted, has a business mind, and is destined for great things!"
The more her aunt praised Geng Zhi, the more speechless Gu Wan Ning became, staring at the ceiling and rolling her eyes silently.
On the other side, Gou Youqian and Geng Zhi also started asking and answering questions, with Gou Youqian nodding and taking notes from time to time.
"Xiao Geng, that's excellent! I was very optimistic about your model during the roadshow, but I didn't expect the actual results to far exceed my expectations," Gou Youqian praised.
"Thanks to Professor Gou's question about the moat during the roadshow, which suddenly enlightened me and gave me the idea to register the trademark. It was also because of this advance planning that we were able to achieve the cooperation with Jiangsu TV. I am very grateful for Professor Gou's guidance."
Hearing these words, Gou Youqian felt incredibly pleased, as if he himself had played an indispensable role in the success of "Jiaotong University Matchmaker".
His smile deepened, and he found Geng Zhi even more pleasing to the eye.
The two talked for more than an hour.
After a straightforward and systematic review and explanation, Gou Youqian suddenly understood some of the vague details in his previous case studies, and his thinking was completely opened up, putting him in a great mood.
After discussing academic matters, Gou Youqian naturally became interested in the actual development of the project.
"Xiao Geng, you guys are on a roll right now. Do you have any plans to contact venture capital firms?" he asked.
"Yes, Professor Gou. He's currently in communication with a Hong Kong-based investment firm. Also, Mr. Zhu Xiaohu, CEO of Jinshajiang Venture Capital, will be coming to Shanghai in the next few days, and we've arranged to meet to discuss things in detail," Geng Zhi told the truth.
"Excellent!" Gou Youqian nodded repeatedly, his tone sincere. "If you encounter any difficulties or need any help later, please feel free to tell Professor Gou. Don't be shy! I sincerely hope that your project can grow bigger and stronger."
Gou Youqian wasn't just saying that for show; he genuinely meant it. After all, he had indeed provided some guidance on this project.
Upon hearing this, Geng Zhi's heart stirred.
Since Attorney Gu is still here, I can consult him here and avoid paying legal fees.
"Professor Gou," he immediately adopted a humble yet slightly troubled expression, "Now that you mention it, I do have a problem that I've been pondering for a long time, and I don't know how to deal with it. I would like to ask you for some guidance."
"Oh? You can go ahead and say it, Xiao Geng."
"Here's the thing, I've finished my postgraduate entrance exam. Professor Qi hopes I can focus on my studies in the future, so I want to transfer my shares."
Before he could finish speaking, Gou Yougan frowned and slapped his hand lightly on the table: "Old Qi is confused! Your project is so good, it's on the verge of taking off, how can you just give it up like that? Isn't that ruining your future?!"
"That old pedant, all he thinks about is research, research, research. He'll have to face reality after graduation in three years, won't he? I'll talk to him and let him continue his entrepreneurial endeavors. At worst, you can transfer directly to our School of Economics and Management, and I'll mentor you!"
Seeing Professor Gou getting more and more excited as he spoke, Geng Zhi felt both touched and embarrassed.
It's fine to "pass the buck" to the supervisor outside, but if Professor Gou were to actually confront Professor Qi—just thinking about that scene makes my scalp tingle.
It's nice to audit classes at the School of Economics and Management, or even get a double degree, but to completely abandon computer science and switch here?
That won't do.
Professor Qi's lab has a whole bunch of senior and junior students, who are all valuable "resources" and connections that haven't even been developed and utilized yet!
"Thank you, Professor Gou! Thank you for thinking of me!" Geng Zhi quickly explained, "Actually—I didn't plan to transfer the whole thing. I was just thinking of transferring a portion first to balance things out."
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"Oh? I see—" Gou Youqian calmed down a bit, took a sip of tea, and said, "So, what exactly were you referring to with the question you just mentioned?"
"I'm currently the project's main person in charge and also the largest shareholder. I'm worried that transferring a large amount of equity will affect investors' confidence and lead to a failure in fundraising. So I don't know how to strike a balance between the two," Geng Zhi asked.
"Hmm—" Gou Youqian stroked his chin, lost in thought.
This was indeed a professional and practical problem. He pondered for a while, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper, realizing that this balancing act was not easy to master.
"This issue involves specific corporate legal matters and investment terms, which is quite technical," Gou Youqian finally admitted. "Wan Ning is a lawyer who specializes in this area, so she probably knows more about it. Wait a minute, I'll call her over and ask her."
Before Geng Zhi could respond, Gou Youqian had already gotten up, opened the study door, and called out to the living room, "Wan Ning, come here for a moment, your uncle has a professional question he'd like to ask you!"
Gu Wanning, who was feeling a bit overwhelmed by her aunt's "care," was taken aback by what she heard.
Can you help me? Is it a professional question?
Subconsciously, her gaze drifted towards the study, and a thought popped into her mind: Could it be that it's that straightforward guy trying to take advantage of her again?
She glanced at her aunt with a complicated look that said, "Here we go again," before standing up, composing herself, and heading towards the study.
"Xiao Geng, repeat your question to Wan Ning again," Gou Youqian said.
Gu Wanning felt a chill in her heart.
As expected! I knew it!
Despite feeling disheartened, I couldn't ignore my uncle's feelings.
Gu Wanning sat down on the single sofa in the study, regaining her composure as a professional lawyer.
Geng Zhi recounted his problems and background in detail, and also mentioned that the Ma family wanted shares and had the capital to invest millions.
Gou Youqian, standing nearby, was a little stunned: "Huh? When Xiao Geng asked me just now, he didn't mention the Ma family, nor did he mention the specific amount of financing? This kid—"
Gu Wanning listened attentively the whole time. After Geng Zhi finished speaking, she paused for a moment before slowly saying, "Your demands are quite numerous, and there are some contradictions between them. This issue is indeed rather complicated."
Geng Zhi's heart sank slightly.
"But there is a solution, though we need to slightly change the transfer (harvesting) strategy," Gu Wanning added.
"Please advise me, Attorney Gu!" Geng Zhi immediately sat up straight and said earnestly.
Gu Wanning looked at him, then suddenly stretched out her hand, palm up, a slightly mocking professional smile on her face: "My legal consultation fees are charged by the hour, and they're quite expensive. Pay first, then we'll have the consultation."
upright:"----"
Gou Youqian: "————Wan Ning!"
Seeing Geng Zhi freeze instantly and Gou Youqian look helpless, Gu Wanning felt she had finally won back a point and couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Then, for your uncle's sake, we'll let you pay on credit first."
"————Okay, okay, thank you, Attorney Gu————" Geng Zhi touched his nose, looking a little embarrassed.
Seeing this, Gou Youqian shook his head and smiled, and the atmosphere relaxed.
Gu Wanning's smile faded, and she reverted to her professional demeanor: "Let's get back to the point. You might be able to transfer a large amount of equity to strategic investors, but transferring it to professional investors is almost impossible. As you're worried, it would severely damage investor confidence."
He nodded straightforwardly, but in his heart he thought: It doesn't matter, I still have Arctic Capital as a front that I can use.
"So you need to change your thinking," Gu Wanning continued. "If a transfer is necessary, the priority should be your original shareholders, the Ma family you mentioned. This is an internal equity restructuring, and the impact on external investors will be relatively small."
"I understand. But how exactly can we complete the transfer without arousing the investors' suspicion? Please enlighten me, Attorney Gu." Geng Zhi humbly sought advice.
Gu Wanning did not answer immediately, but turned her head and looked calmly at her uncle, Gou Youqian, staring at him.
Gou Yougan was a little confused by the look in her eyes: "Wan Ning? What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
A few seconds later, he suddenly realized what was happening, and said with a mix of laughter and tears, "Wait a minute—you don't mean—you want me to avoid this, do you??"
"Uncle," Gu Wanning offered a slightly apologetic smile, "it's industry practice that confidentiality is required when clients inquire about specific details of a solution. Now, Geng Zhi is considered my client. Please forgive me, Uncle?"
Gou Youqian opened his mouth, looked at his niece with a businesslike expression, and shook his head with a helpless smile: "Alright, alright, I'll avoid it, I'll avoid it. You two talk."
He left his study reluctantly, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.
With only the two of them left in the study, the atmosphere seemed to have subtly changed.
Gu Wanning relaxed her posture slightly, but her tone remained professional as she said, "Geng, find a way to sign an 'Equity Option Purchase and Preemptive Right Agreement' with the Ma family. The key to the agreement is that it must be extremely tempting to the Ma family, but in its legal design—leave some flexibility that is in your favor."
Once external financing is secured, the poison pill clause will be activated, depending on the circumstances.
Geng Zhi's eyes lit up slightly: "So, what Attorney Gu means is that as long as I can—"
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