With Li Honghong's permission, the price was quickly relayed to Yan Ruyu.
She never expected that when Zhang Tianxing refused to sell, the other party would directly increase the price from ten million to twenty million.
What was this internet company doing? Did they have so much money they didn't know where to spend it?
Even if that internet café assistant made money, how much could it possibly earn, considering the user base was fixed.
The income would soon reach a plateau, and to expect it to increase further was simply impossible with a wave of a hand.
However, Yan Ruyu did not speak this time, and directly said to the intermediary.
"How about this, I see you are very sincere. However, let your boss and our boss discuss this matter. Let's not get involved in this. It's better to have the two bosses meet and talk."
Hearing Yan Ruyu's words, the intermediary could only nod in agreement. However, this meant that the commission he could extract from this deal would be much less.
"I'm a bit curious, why are you so insistent on not selling? President Li's offer is not low."
"You can discuss that with my boss. I am currently in charge of the crayfish and hot pot aspects of the business."
"Let me ask you a personal question, it seems like Miss Yan is fighting a battle of no retreat this time, choosing to join forces with a university student rather than bow to your family. Aren't you afraid of your career being suppressed by your family?"
Yan Ruyu merely smiled and said no more. What was the use of talking so much? One had to be strong to get anywhere. As long as she was good enough, others would have to break a few teeth if they wanted to swallow her.
Li Honghong, the head of Baidu, heard that Zhang Tianxing wanted to meet him and couldn't help but laugh: "Even the most cunning fox cannot escape a good hunter. Let's see what conditions Zhang Tianxing can propose this time. A university student actually wants to negotiate terms with me."
"Exactly, it was his great fortune to be acquired by Boss for his crappy company."
Li Honghong waved his hand: "Alright, stop saying these useless things. The fact that I'm here to acquire his project means he has some extraordinary qualities. But he wants to sell it at an exorbitant price, I need to see if his capabilities are worthy of such a price."
Damn it, these young people are getting greedier by the day. If this continues, the angel investors' money will soon be depleted. It seems Baidu will have to undergo another round of financing and share expansion.
This Zhang Tianxing from Zhonghai University seems to be a tough opponent. However, this time he has encountered Li Honghong. Zhang Tianxing, you can't blame anyone else, you can only blame yourself for being too young. Perhaps after you graduate from university, I will look at you with a different eye.
But now, you are just a university student, and it is too easy for me to bully you.
Originally, I didn't want to exert pressure on you through connections, but I didn't expect you to simply refuse to sell. This put me in a passive position.
However, I am someone who likes to support younger generations the most. As long as you are willing to sell, I will give you a reasonable price, but don't go too far.
At this moment, Li Honghong was full of ambition. After graduating from university, he gave up the opportunity to pursue a doctorate and spent several years in Silicon Valley, acquiring excellent skills. With venture capital money, he came to Shengjing and began his expansion.
From a team of only a few people at the beginning, he has grown to a team of several hundred people, gaining a certain reputation and status in the internet industry.
Compared to Zhang Tianxing, Li Honghong was a junior among juniors.
Especially since Zhang Tianxing's major was materials science, with no relation to computer science at all.
The internet giants were actually very displeased that Zhang Tianxing, with a mere internet café assistant, managed to enter the internet industry.
Who would have thought that a freshman studying materials science could start an internet company? This was an insult to the internet industry, a disrespect to us.
Were our entry barriers that low? It wasn't that just anyone could succeed by simply being brought in.
However, Zhang Tianxing had always kept a low profile, so these internet giants had no opportunity to teach him a lesson.
This time, Li Honghong was partly motivated by the acquisition of Tianxing Network Company. Li Honghong had analyzed it carefully: the patents held by Tianxing Company now severely threatened his very survival.
If he couldn't acquire it, then everything Li Honghong had done before would be in vain.
Who would have thought that the mighty Li Honghong would have to negotiate with a freshman? It seemed the younger generation was indeed formidable.
Both parties agreed to meet at the Zhonghai Tea House.
Zhang Tianxing, as the host, arrived a bit early. Li Honghong was a well-known internet mogul. It seemed he needed to keep a low profile later.
After all, those who could become moguls were no ordinary people. He should be humble in front of a mogul, as he was only a freshman and a young junior.
This was Zhang Tianxing's first time meeting Li Honghong. Li Honghong looked very refined and amiable. Zhang Tianxing stood up.
"President Li, I've heard of your great reputation for a long time. It's finally a pleasure to meet you in person."
Li Honghong carefully examined Zhang Tianxing. To found the Crayfish Association at such a young age, and to establish Tianxing Network Company and make it profitable during his freshman year, this Zhang Tianxing was no ordinary person.
Regardless of how others viewed Zhang Tianxing, Li Honghong saw him as a strong opponent. If Zhang Tianxing wasn't outstanding, there would be no point for him to be here.
Li Honghong got straight to the point: "I want to know your true intentions. Will you sell the search engine patent or your company? If you are willing, then we have a basis for further discussion. If not, then there's no need for us to talk."
Zhang Tianxing smiled, "Senior, if I understand correctly, are you saying it's either become your friend or your enemy?"
He did not expect Zhang Tianxing to state Li Honghong's intention so directly. Li Honghong nodded.
"That's right. Because of your patent and products, one of us will be severely wounded in this battle. It's better for us to acquire it. The price can be discussed." Li Honghong decided to give Zhang Tianxing another chance. Talented young people should be treated with favor.
Hearing Li Honghong's words, Zhang Tianxing fell into thought. If he guessed correctly, Li Honghong was currently preparing to unify the search engine industry. Coincidentally, Zhang Tianxing's company had previously applied for a search engine patent.
If Li Honghong's company could not overcome this technological hurdle, their research would be very difficult.
So, Li Honghong now had only two options: either buy it with money, or defeat Tianxing Network Company, or be defeated by Tianxing Network Company.
Although Baidu was strong, the current internet profit models were still being explored. Baidu spent a lot of money each year.
It was no exaggeration to say that there was no unified profit model in the current internet industry, and those that were profitable were few and far between.