Transmigrating Into the Beautiful CEO’s Doomed Substitute - Chapter 104

Qi Zheng and Li Yunshan brought more detailed materials to meet with the person in charge of contact at Lemon Foundation. The office was in New York, and the location looked relatively proper.

During this time, Lemon Foundation had successively sent email notifications to several entrepreneurs, wanting to further understand the feasibility of their projects. Qi Zheng and her partner were not the only lucky ones at B University, so she tried her best to prepare every detail thoroughly.

For her, this was a rare opportunity, and possibly the only one.

“I wasn’t this nervous even when I went for interviews during work,” Li Yunshan took a few deep breaths before entering the elevator. She had previously worked in a large advertising and marketing company in China and was considered well-versed.

Qi Zheng didn’t say much along the way, occasionally feeling nervous, but most of the time she was thinking about how to perfect every detail in the proposal. She simulated which questions the foundation’s person in charge might ask and how she should articulate her points to best present the project.

Seeing that Qi Zheng didn’t respond, Li Yunshan leaned over and whispered, “Qi Zheng, how were you chosen by CEO Shen back then? Was the interview one of those ‘three stages and six generals’ kind of challenges?”

Qi Zheng’s work experience had been clearly stated in the self-introduction at the beginning of the semester, but not everyone had the chance to ask for specific details.

Qi Zheng recalled, “She didn’t make things too difficult for me.”

Li Yunshan was used to Qi Zheng’s light and breezy manner, as if she took everything in stride. She rarely saw her exaggerate anything, except for the initial period of low spirits at the start of the semester.

At other times, Qi Zheng was in this calm and composed state, which was quite enviable.

Meeting the person in charge of the Lemon Foundation, they were surprised to find he was a Chinese American.

“Mr. Brown, hello, I am Qi Zheng, and this is my partner, Li Yunshan.”

The team introduction in the startup proposal already provided detailed information, so Qi Zheng did not elaborate further. The person seemed to have already read it and showed clear interest in their arrival.

“Miss Qi, Miss Li, I’m delighted to see your startup concept. We believe that although the target market is relatively small, it is worth in-depth exploration and operation, and has some room for development.”

Hearing him say this, Qi Zheng was naturally happy, but she didn’t show it too obviously.

“We invited you here this time to further understand your views on this project, especially how you plan to execute the early stages of the project.”

Mr. Brown’s questions revolved around the implementation of the project, seemingly not concerned about whether the project would be profitable.

“Because we ourselves are international students, we have experienced life crossing different cultural environments in a short period of time. The cultural, living, and educational models between the two countries have considerable differences, which are a challenge to one’s pressure tolerance and adaptability.”

As Qi Zheng spoke, Mr. Brown listened intently.

“Many people are forced to face it when they arrive in such an environment and then compel themselves to accept it, lacking appropriate transition time and methods. However, everyone’s personality and abilities are different, and forced adjustments are not suitable. Improper handling can actually lead to serious consequences. For example, psychological breakdown, emotional anxiety, or letting oneself go, indulging in life, and so on.”

These issues indeed appeared concentrated among some younger international students.

Mr. Brown had classmates like that, but he had no personal experience of living in a cross-cultural environment, so he couldn’t empathize as much as Qi Zheng.

“Then what is the biggest purpose of your choosing this project?”

To make money? Satisfaction? Self-challenge?

Qi Zheng thought for a moment and stated frankly, “Starting a business, of course, is hoping to achieve both career and economic success, but we also hope that our compatriots can have an easier and smoother journey studying and living overseas.”

Mr. Brown nodded occasionally and commented, “Starting a business indeed requires some emotional connection and vision. Without that, it is easy to give up halfway.”

Qi Zheng was not acting on impulse, determined to achieve a world-shattering accomplishment. She simply hoped to rely on her own abilities and build a piece of sky that belonged to her in a certain field, grounded in reality.

Mr. Brown carefully reviewed the materials they brought once more and asked the final question: “If this project can be realized, will you stay in the United States, or return to China after the project takes shape?”

“We will not go back until the project is fully mature and stable.”

Mr. Brown did not ask anything else, and had his secretary see them out, saying he needed to seriously research and consider it, and would give a reply soon.

Li Yunshan walked out of the building and exclaimed, “The atmosphere wasn’t even tense, but why was I so worried for you just now?”

Most of the time, it was Qi Zheng who was handling Mr. Brown’s questions. She had been thinking about this project whenever she had time. The key data was clear in her mind, and she could rattle it off without looking.

Li Yunshan’s familiarity was not comparable to Qi Zheng’s. Qi Zheng was the biological mother of the project, and Li Yunshan was at most the godmother.

“This is only the first hurdle. What we will face in the future is the questioning of the entire market.”

Qi Zheng was also nervous, but she knew very well that she had to take this step, and she had to walk it steadily.

She looked back at the tall building, unable to distinguish which window belonged to the Lemon Foundation, but she hoped she would have a chance to come again.

Fifty thousand USD in seed funding was enough for a small business like theirs to start up, and could even sustain operations for half a year without profit.

Qi Zheng was very practical. She selectively applied to funds that specifically supported small businesses; she didn’t bother with those related to technology or internet projects.

Neil Consulting sent Qi Zheng an interview notification, and Qi Zheng did not take it lightly just because she had met with the Lemon Foundation people. Like other applicants, she familiarized herself with the relevant materials many times.

Zhuang Muqing invited her to dinner, but instead saw someone self-simulating an interview conversation.

“You talking to yourself is a bit lacking. It would be more effective if I cooperate with you.”

Zhuang Muqing took the interview questions Qi Zheng had found online and engaged in a conversation with her using authentic and slightly fast-paced American English.

Qi Zheng was already able to adapt to the local linguistic environment, but conversing with a local still put pressure on her.

Zhuang Muqing noticed her nervousness and explained, “People in consulting companies generally speak very fast and use a lot of industry jargon. I’m not deliberately trying to pressure you, but you must adapt to this situation in advance.”

Qi Zheng understood that Zhuang Muqing was certainly not trying to show off her language skills, but there were indeed some areas that she herself struggled to grasp accurately.

The simulated interview took over half an hour.

A company like Neil Consulting would not give her this much time, so Qi Zheng needed to compress a good performance into ten minutes.

Zhuang Muqing handed the materials back to her. Qi Zheng saw that many places had been circled and marked, along with quite a few English annotations.

“I’ve marked the places where you hesitated in your response just now. Some problems are due to vocabulary, and for some others, I don’t know the specific reason, maybe it’s the cultural difference you mentioned?”

Zhuang Muqing and Qi Zheng both had yellow skin, black hair, and black eyes, but they grew up in completely different cultural environments, and their ways of thinking were also distinctly different.

Zhuang Muqing learned about many interesting differences between regions in China from Qi Zheng, and Qi Zheng gained a deeper understanding of American culture through Zhuang Muqing’s guidance.

Qi Zheng said gratefully, “Thank you for your guidance. You helped me identify all the issues immediately.”

With targeted focus, the efforts were naturally more effective.

“Then, can we go eat now?”

Qi Zheng packed up her things and cheerfully said, “This meal is on me today. If you still insist on being polite, then I won’t dare to do anything in front of you in the future.”

Zhuang Muqing also really liked that wonton shop. She had been there a few times and always found something new and delicious. In comparison, she wasn’t very willing to go to the place that required over an hour’s drive.

If there is a better choice, why go far and wide?

Shen Zhibing looked at the verified information gathered by Yun Fei, her expression displeased.

Yun Fei also felt quite helpless. When Eric sent these to her, he even used some strong language.

“CEO Shen, Lin Muyun suddenly establishing the Lemon Foundation has a clear intention.”

“How many times has Qi Zheng been in contact with the Lemon people?”

“At least twice, each time with a person named Brown coming forward. This person is an investor by background, but hasn’t had any substantial investments in the past two years, and doesn’t have many projects under his belt.”

Such a person was clearly for show. Shen Zhibing quickly scanned his profile and paid no further attention.

“Is the fund I asked you to set up ready?”

“It’s all ready. We’ve also bought a few small projects that haven’t been operating for long. No one should suspect anything.”

Yun Fei thought the CEO asked her to prepare this to compete with Lin Muyun’s Lemon Foundation, so she tried her best to make it look realistic.

“Stay put for now, and pay attention to Qi Zheng’s situation.”

Yun Fei had been keeping in touch with Qi Zheng recently and also learned some things from Anna.

“She’s going for her second interview at Neil Consulting next Monday. I heard that her first interview left a very good impression on the interviewer. Her proposal also entered the finals of B University’s entrepreneurship competition, but Anna said the probability of winning the first-place prize money is quite low.”

Shen Zhibing looked up: “Why?”

“Anna said it’s because her project mainly targets the Chinese international student population…” Yun Fei looked helpless, “It’s the issue of racial proportion. The school’s judging committee believes the final market size won’t be too large.”

Shen Zhibing scoffed with disdain: “Narrow-minded.”

**

Qi Zheng had been even busier lately. Even Li Yunshan was worried she wouldn’t be able to handle it, but then she was infected and driven by Qi Zheng, working energetically alongside her.

“I now truly understand how to live strongly with conviction,” Li Yunshan had just finished printing out the latest revised marketing plan.

Qi Zheng took it and looked through it carefully: “This is just the beginning. If we really succeed, we will definitely be busier in the future.”

Li Yunshan complained, but she showed no sign of fear of difficulty; on the contrary, she was full of expectation.

“Qi Zheng, do you think we’ll end up getting the fifty thousand from Lemon or the twenty thousand from the school?”

Qi Zheng inwardly preferred to get B University’s entrepreneurial encouragement fund. The first prize was twenty thousand, the second prize ten thousand, and the third prize eight thousand.

“The twenty thousand is probably not very hopeful.”

Li Yunshan was unconvinced: “They can’t deny the potential of our project just because of the prejudice of those people on the school board, can they?”

“There is indeed prejudice, but currently, we don’t have the ability to make them admit their mistake.” Qi Zheng had also been angry, but she knew clearly that to make those people change their prejudice or admit their misjudgment, she had to produce real results.

Nothing is more satisfying than you exceeding their expectations.

Qi Zheng thought for a moment: “Actually, our project can be launched with fifty thousand USD. Any one of those amounts would be good.”