Chapter 93: The Decision Is Made

“Yes, five percent. I’ll set up a company this week, and we can settle the equity later. Right now, we’re short one adult, since none of us is old enough to register a company.”

Su Mu understood that after this, Daniel would probably not take part in running the business. The boy’s temperament was never suited to management; his emotional intelligence was simply too low.

Su Mu had not originally intended to bring Daniel into business. But after realizing that he would need to rely on Daniel’s father, he felt uneasy and suggested giving Daniel a small share. Five percent was not much, and Daniel did not press for anything either. Two underage boys, each making a concession, and just like that the matter was settled.

As for the supermarket, Su Mu was not yet an adult, so he could neither assume nor even spare the time to serve as chairman.

Under American law, minors could not take part in a company’s specific management. Su Mu contributed his ideas and capital, while Boss Han contributed funds and handled the management, taking fifty-one percent of the shares.

A lawyer had drawn up an authorization agreement for Su Mu, requiring his parents, as guardians, to sign their consent for him to invest, but Su Mu had not yet had them sign that document.

Whenever his parents signed, it would take effect; that made little difference to Su Mu, but it did affect Boss Han somewhat, because Su Mu could, by invoking his status as a minor, render the original investment void.

He knew the law very well. After the idea of becoming a lawyer had arisen in his mind, he had read many related books, mainly because he feared Boss Han might cheat him or misappropriate the funds. So he had left himself a way out, to recover the money if anything went wrong.

Boss Han was little better than a legal illiterate; how could he possibly know such things?

Since he did not raise the issue, Su Mu would not be foolish enough to mention it. Perhaps because Boss Han was embarrassed to compete with a child, the shares were set at forty-nine and fifty-one percent. Before reaching adulthood, Su Mu would relinquish management rights, and an additional clause was drafted stating that so long as there were no serious problems in management, the other shareholders had no right to force him to resign.

The reason for this arrangement was largely that Su Mu was looking to the future from a long-term perspective, whereas Boss Han and Daniel were both focused only on the present. They felt the company was small enough already and there was no need to fight over such a tiny difference in shares.

“Can’t we?” Daniel, still walking up the stairs, went on, “What if we use my cousin’s name? We register the company first and then transfer the shares to us. Wouldn’t that work?”

Su Mu told him, “That would work. Tomorrow we’ll find someone to handle the registration for us. Once all the shares have been transferred to us, as long as we ask an adult to help manage the company, everything will be legal. But hiring someone to manage it would be too expensive. It’s best to have only a nominal person in charge, while we still handle the actual work ourselves. We don’t need to find a professional manager; a symbolic payment will do. I don’t know anyone here. Do you have someone suitable?”

Daniel was a little lacking in emotional intelligence, but fortunately he was quite sharp. Born into such a wealthy family, and having grown up amid constant exposure to business matters, he understood Su Mu’s meaning to some extent.

He said, “Let me think... My parents definitely won’t do. They still want to make a bit of pocket money for themselves. If they find out about the company’s accounts, that pocket money might be gone.”

At that moment, Aunt Joscia’s voice came from the kitchen. “Su! How long should the roast duck be heated? I forgot to ask just now, and I’m worried I’ll ruin the flavor! Hello, are you still there?”

Su Mu and Daniel both stopped at once and looked at each other. They had just been thinking about a chief executive, and one had suddenly appeared on his own...

The next day, Monday, classes went on as usual.

Last night, Su Mu had bought ACT prep materials—a thick book for ninety-nine dollars, practically highway robbery. In the United States, once an author wrote a best-selling book, their net worth could easily exceed a million dollars, and piracy was pursued very strictly.

During the day, he kept busy studying. He had already spoken with the teachers, who knew he should not waste time repeating material he had already mastered. They did not interfere with him; occasionally they would ask a question just to make sure he had truly learned it.

Li Ping’an had not come to school. When he left home, he had taken some money, enough to make do with lunch somewhere on his own. At his age, he was not about to starve just because no one looked after him. Su Mu did not need to worry about that.

When the bell for math class rang, there were only five minutes for the break. They had to change classrooms to study modern world history. The teacher covered part of the material in class, but the students were mainly expected to teach themselves.

High school was, in a sense, the beginning of the hard life for American students, and college was even busier. The so-called rumor that studying in America was easy applied only to younger students below ninth grade and could not be taken seriously.

If someone did not study like Li Ping’an, then life would be easy in any country. But if one wanted to get into college, especially a top university, it was anything but easy.

Su Mu carried his book and followed the other students toward the next classroom when he suddenly heard someone say, “Good morning, Principal Batistuta.”

He had been planning to visit the principal during the noon break. At that moment he turned back and saw the bald old principal walking over with Daniel, who was grinning and winking beside him.

Su Mu instantly guessed something and felt his pulse quicken. Daniel stopped and introduced them. “This is my partner. Sir, you can discuss the computers with him. I still have class to attend.”

The old principal, named Batistuta, was clearly very familiar with Daniel. Smiling, he patted Daniel on the shoulder. “Go on, then. I’ll talk price with your partner.”

He deliberately emphasized the word partner, perhaps finding it amusing. Private high schools did not encourage students to bury themselves in study alone; they also placed great value on social practice and other such matters. The old principal said to Su Mu, “Come with me.”

“To be this young and already know how to do business, and business with our school at that, very impressive. I hear you already found out that the school is planning to buy computers, is that right?”

This was the first time Su Mu had spoken with the principal, and he could not quite read the man’s intentions. He answered, “Yes. I think computer skills are very useful for students, and I also heard the school was preparing to purchase computers. I happened to be planning to do business in this area during my spare time, so...”

“No need to be nervous. Do I look that fierce? A strong young man your age could knock me out with one hand. Our era is over.”

The old principal laughed at himself first, then said, “I had originally thought you were just a Chinese student with excellent grades, but now it seems you’re far more capable than I imagined. You’re the sort suited to being a businessman, or perhaps a politician.”

“Thank you for the compliment, sir.”

“To think you brought Daniel into your team, and his father is willing to donate seventy computers to our school as a result. No one ends up unhappy in the process. Very clever. So hurry up and get us those computers. I have to hire teachers in this area soon. I wish you success in your venture.”

“His father is donating them? I’m sorry, sir, I wasn’t aware of that. Is this batch of computers being paid for by his father?”

Su Mu was a little stunned. He had intended to earn some money, but the original price he had planned did not seem appropriate anymore. No wonder the principal had been so agreeable, not even asking about the price before telling him to deliver the computers. So Daniel’s father was paying...