Chapter 122: Probing (4/4)

When asked point-blank if she had a million dollars, the woman actually nodded.

Her movements were direct and without a hint of hesitation; in all likelihood, she truly possessed that kind of capital. Su Mu had been hit by "manna from heaven" before, but his gut told him this wasn't one of those times. People often said the business world was like a battlefield, and because he was unfamiliar with this particular "front," he made his decisions with extreme caution, terrified of falling into a trap laid by someone else.

Recalling that he had just seen this Latina woman outside Mr. Rivers' office, he figured it must have something to do with the blank agency contract in his hand. She wouldn't just approach him to do business for no reason. He guessed she was likely in the same position as him—trying to secure a partnership with IBM. Since she had sought him out, it meant her own negotiations with IBM hadn't gone smoothly. Su Mu had a rough idea of what this young woman wanted to discuss.

Whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, he wasn't sure yet, but Penguin Company’s account didn't have enough funds, so he didn't mind hearing how she proposed to collaborate.

"Hello, my name is Marianne. One million dollars is a huge sum, but my company can scrape that much together."

Seeing that Su Mu remained silent, she tentatively asked, "I am terribly sorry, but I heard earlier that you obtained the agency rights to sell IBM personal computers. May I ask if you are..."

"Leon Su. Just call me Leon. I had a bit of luck, and yes, I did secure the agency rights."

Su Mu extended a hand and continued, "I just started a small company called Penguin. We specialize in selling computers. That’s the gist of it. Let’s skip the pleasantries—tell me, what kind of business do you want to do with me?"

With those few words, he cut straight to the point. Seeing the guarded look in Su Mu’s eyes, Marianne realized that this young man wouldn't be easy to fool. She had gone to such great lengths to get those agency rights, only to have them snatched up by a boy who looked like he hadn't even reached adulthood. She felt quite bitter, maliciously speculating if he had some sort of connection to IBM.

Having never heard of a company called Penguin, she collected her thoughts and said, "My company specializes in coffee beans, importing them from Brazil to sell in the United States. I’ve recently become very optimistic about the personal computer retail industry. You have the agency rights, and I have the capital to cover your security deposit. How about we cooperate? Or, sell me your agency rights. Give me a price—perhaps I’ll acquire your company, mainly for the rights. Actually, if I spent some time perfecting my retail channels, I could secure the rights myself, but I don't want to wait that long."

The subtext was clear: she wanted to imply she could do it on her own, hoping Su Mu wouldn't open his mouth and demand an exorbitant price. Having heard that Penguin was newly established, Marianne figured it was worth at most two or three hundred thousand dollars. If she could get the agency rights, she was confident she could earn that money back—with interest!

Penguin Company didn't manufacture anything, held no patents, and had no reputation. If she took the sales team, she could "stage a comeback" immediately at a new firm.

As for Su Mu, after weighing his options, he realized he could just start a new company if he had to. Once he achieved results, he could negotiate agency rights with IBM again under a new name. After thinking it over, he quoted a price he deemed quite reasonable:

"Four million dollars. My company, Penguin, generates a daily profit of around ten thousand dollars. If we secure the agency rights, the earnings will certainly be even higher. Changing companies is too much of a hassle and would waste half a year of my time. If you’re genuinely interested in talking... let’s call it making a friend, and I might be able to lower the price slightly."

As he said this, Su Mu thought to himself, "Nothing makes money faster than starting a company!"

Just over a month after opening, someone was already knocking on his door to talk acquisition. He didn't hesitate for a second. People are flexible, companies are not. If he gave himself half a month, he could open another firm, and he’d have four million—or at least over three million—in his pocket. Only a fool would turn down such an offer. In that brief moment, he had already decided where to buy a house: as a Los Angeles native, naturally, it would be in the ultra-wealthy Beverly Hills!

Upon hearing the figure, Marianne nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. She was wealthy, yes, but her net worth barely exceeded ten million dollars, much of which was tied up in fixed assets. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so anxious about the agency rights; she would have simply thrown money at the problem to build a qualified sales channel.

"Are you joking with me? Isn't this a newly established company? It profits ten thousand dollars a day?!"

Su Mu continued his sales pitch, explaining, "It is. Just over a month old, and the registration papers are right here on me. Growing this fast in such a short time—you’re a business person; you can see how promising my company is, right?"

"...That is indeed impressive."

Marianne couldn't spot a single flaw. Recalling how easily Penguin had obtained the agency rights, she thought it might actually be true. However, the price was too high, and she couldn't come up with that much cash. If she pulled funds from her coffee business, the risk would be immense. She wasn't prepared to abandon the coffee trade to focus entirely on personal computer sales; she lacked the resolve to make such a drastic cut.

She shut up about the acquisition and didn't mention buying a stake either. She wasn't willing to be a subordinate, especially not in business with a kid this young.

Marianne changed the subject: "Then, what if I lend your company one million dollars, using your company shares and the PC agency rights as collateral? In exchange, allow my company to use your name to purchase computers in bulk at the factory price. Essentially, I’m just borrowing your agency rights. How does that sound for a partnership?"

Su Mu understood. She had pegged him as unable to afford the security deposit. It was a decent offer; Penguin wouldn't lose a cent in the process, but it wouldn't make any money either, and he’d be doing all the heavy lifting for nothing. If he borrowed a million, he’d have to pay it back, and he didn't think he could just end the procurement agreement once the debt was settled. It would create a mountain of unnecessary trouble.

After weighing the pros and cons, he replied indifferently, "That’s not fair. I could easily wait a month or so, earn enough money, and pay the deposit myself. Thanks, but no thanks. I’m not in a hurry, and I happen to be busy with final exams lately; I don't have the time to manage the company."

She thought Su Mu was desperate for cash and would agree to her terms, but Su Mu also knew Marianne was desperate for the agency rights. This was a battle of bluffs. If the talks failed, Penguin could indeed wait. At the current rate of profit, they would have a million dollars in the company account very soon. At worst, he could issue "employee bonds," hold back their dividends, pay interest, and use that money to secure the rights first. He trusted that some of his employees would understand.

The staff knew full well whether the company was making money—the current performance was excellent. Besides, it was just a security deposit; the money wasn't being squandered, it was sitting right there at IBM.

Hitting a wall, Marianne thought bitterly, "What is wrong with young people these days? It's terrifying!"

As she saw Su Mu walking away, she asked anxiously, "Then what do you think is fair?"

A second later, she heard Su Mu’s voice:

"Lend me one million dollars, plus a twenty-thousand-dollar agency usage fee! I’ll pay you interest at the government bond rate, and I’ll pay it back within three months at the latest. I don't like owing money, so we can draw up a contract. Besides that, I’ll charge you an additional twenty-five dollars per computer for my trouble—it’s an absolute rock-bottom price. If there are shipping costs, those will be calculated separately..."