Hearing Gu Chuan’s words, Ye Xuchen was convinced that he really was a student at Jin University. He felt a little embarrassed by the praise, but he still kept his guard up around strangers. Besides, judging by the way the other man was dressed, he didn’t seem very reliable.
Still, his internship wouldn’t start for another two months, and he really did need to find a job to tide him over in the meantime.
His advisor had recommended him for the internship. He would be trained to the standard of a core technical employee from the moment he joined. His start date was also different from everyone else’s: he would have to wait until the person mentoring him finished the project they were working on before they had time to train him.
His advisor had originally strongly recommended that he pursue a master’s degree, but at this stage, he really needed to work and earn money. His advisor was disappointed, but understood, and even recommended him for a job.
Ye Xuchen paused to think. “I do want to find a job to tide me over, but my internship starts in two months, so I can only work for two months at most!”
Gu Chuan nodded eagerly. “No problem! Two months is plenty of time to develop the website I have in mind. After that, whether you stay or leave is up to you!”
That was what Gu Chuan said, but inside he was thinking: Heh heh, I’ll get him in the door first. By then, I guarantee he won’t leave even if I try to kick him out!
“By the way, how much will your internship company pay you?”
Ye Xuchen thought for a moment. “Two thousand during the internship, then at least 3,500 once I’m officially hired!”
Sure enough, true talent was valued wherever it went.
After all, this was the early 2000s. In the northern second-tier city where he lived, the average salary was only around 1,500. Even though IT was a high-paying industry, mid-level programmers with three to five years of relevant experience in their city made roughly 3,000 to 5,000.
To earn that kind of salary right after graduating was definitely the treatment of a highly sought-after professional.
Gu Chuan said, “How about this? Come work for me. I’ll pay you 4,000 a month to start. After two months, if you want to keep working, we can discuss your salary again.”
Ye Xuchen was stunned. “F-four thousand?”
For someone like him, a college student taking a temporary job for only two months, getting a thousand a month from a job would be cause for celebration. And this guy had just offered him 4,000?
Now he was starting to wonder whether the other man was really planning to start a business or just messing with him.
He asked suspiciously, “What kind of website are you trying to develop?”
“It’s hard to explain in just a sentence or two. I’ll tell you more later. Let’s exchange contact information first. Then I’ll register the company and see if I can apply to the school for startup support!”
Watching Gu Chuan hurry away, Ye Xuchen couldn’t help thinking that he seemed completely unreliable.
So the guy had nothing at all right now—just an idea?
After saying goodbye to Ye Xuchen, Gu Chuan first went to a barbershop outside the school to get his Lion King-style hair cut.
He was sure that if he showed up to apply for startup support with that hairstyle, the school officials would tell him to get lost as soon as he opened his mouth.
After the haircut, he felt much more refreshed. On the way back, he also bought an ice cream. It cost two yuan for one, or fifty cents extra for two cones.
Gu Chuan decisively chose the luxurious 2.5-yuan option. He twisted the two cones apart in the middle and held one in each hand.
“The ice cream back in this era isn’t very rich in milk flavor!”
In his previous life, he had only been born a few years before this point, so he had never experienced the era’s distinctive treats. Now, it was a novel experience for him.
“You want to apply for startup support?”
In the principal’s office, the Principal sat behind his desk and looked at the student sitting before him, who showed no sign of nervousness. “You want to apply for startup support?”
Gu Chuan nodded. “That’s right, Principal. Doesn’t our school encourage students to start their own businesses? I plan to establish a technology company, and I’d like to apply for some support from the school during the early stages. Whether it’s funding, office space, or any other kind of support, I’m open to it. The school supports me, and once I achieve something, I’ll give back to my alma mater. Every year…”
The Principal raised a hand to cut Gu Chuan off. “All right, I understand. But coming directly to me doesn’t follow the approval process for support. Go back and submit your documents to your advisor, who will pass them up through the proper channels. Once they reach me, I’ll take a look.”
The Principal rubbed his brow, looking troubled.
This year, a wave of internet startups had taken off. The semester had only been underway for a week, yet he had already reviewed dozens of applications for support for internet technology ventures. Every one of them made grand promises. By now, he was numb to them. He had approved three projects that seemed relatively reliable and sent all the others back.
Some of them were simply too outrageous. Take that electronic girlfriend website project, for example. If he supported it, wouldn’t that ruin his reputation in his final years?
Ruining his reputation would be the least of it. He was afraid those students might end up getting themselves into trouble—and behind a sewing machine in prison.
Starting an internet business wasn’t that easy. The school had supported plenty of ventures before, and in the end, they had all fizzled out.
Gu Chuan said, “Principal, this is urgent! I’ve already put together my team and finished all the preliminary preparations. All that’s left is the school’s support. I’m burning money every day, and starting a business as a college student isn’t easy. Please make an exception for me. I’m not asking for much—just approve a space for us. I don’t even need startup capital!”
Waiting for the application process was out of the question. He had no idea how long it would take to go through all the levels, and there was a risk of getting rejected at any step.
Although the System had given him 500,000 in startup capital, that amount would disappear into the internet industry without even making a sound. He still had to budget carefully.
He had to make the most of whatever support he could get.
The Principal glared at him, his mustache bristling. “Forget about office space. You want funding too? What are you thinking? And you say you don’t need it? I never planned to give you any!”
Gu Chuan caught the implication behind his words: the funding was a no-go, but there might be a chance of getting office space!
He unscrewed the thermos the Principal had set aside and held it out to him.
“Principal, I know you’re worried that students will mess around and waste the school’s support slots. But don’t worry—this project isn’t something I came up with on a whim. I’ve given it a lot of thought.
You know Ye Xuchen from the computer science and technology department, right?
He’s the technical lead I hired. You’re worried I’ll mess around, but would he?
If my project had no potential, would he work with me?”
Now the Principal was genuinely a little surprised. Of course he knew Ye Xuchen; the student was even on record with him.
The Principal took the thermos and raised an eyebrow. “He’s involved in your project too?”
Gu Chuan nodded. “Not only is he involved, he’s the second-in-command after me. He’ll have full responsibility for all technical matters!”
The team currently has just two people. I’m the number one person in charge, and Ye Xuchen is number two. Nothing wrong with that!