E-Ladies: Navigating the Wired World
Chapter 138 Is Selling the Website a Big Issue 1

Chapter 138: Chapter 138 Is Selling the Website a Big Issue 1

"After further consideration..." Zhou Xueyin politely smiled at Zhang Rui for a moment, then turned to leave.

"Miss Zhou, I, too, didn’t offer this price for no reason. Your forum’s traffic and the number of simultaneous online users are indeed considerable, but compared to the likes of Little Sky Blue, Little Pink, and other such places, it’s far too little... Do you know their asking price?" Zhang Rui provocatively said.

There was a sense that if you don’t sell your website for 5 million to me now, your website won’t even sell for 2 million in the future.

"I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. We’re not the same type of social network. Please, Mr. Zhang, don’t view us with the same perspective!" Zhou Xueyin put away her smile and glanced at Zhang Rui.

"You might not want to listen, but I have to say it, at least weigh your own level! Their websites are quoted at no more than 8 million? Does Miss Zhou really think her small female forum can sell for 10 million?" Zhang Rui employed his usual pressuring negotiation tactics, since the other party was unsatisfied with the price, he felt it necessary to shame her by comparison.

"Oh! Yes! We are just a small female website! I have no intention of selling or being acquired anyway. Thanks to you, I now know my own worth. Goodbye!" Zhou Xueyin wasn’t angered by Zhang Rui’s words; instead, she gracefully smiled and politely bid him farewell.

"Yinyin? Where did you go? I’ve been looking for you..." Seeing Zhou Xueyin approach with a gloomy face, Li Jixiang hurriedly went to greet her, "What’s with that sour face?

"I’ll tell you when we get back. How did things go for you here? Did you make any gains?" Zhou Xueyin rubbed her face and put on a smile again.

"I exchanged business cards with people from several groups; some of them are quite interested in our female-oriented forum." Li Jixiang handed the business cards to Zhou Xueyin.

"Efficient enough!" Zhou Xueyin praised.

"Hey, they were just chatting together, and I joined in, listened for a bit, and then chatted with them before we exchanged business cards," Li Jixiang said nonchalantly.

"Very good, much more efficient than me!" Zhou Xueyin looked around the venue, "Well, there’s nothing else, shall we go back?"

"Yeah, let’s head out. I’ll go say goodbye." Li Jixiang winked.

Just by that gesture, Zhou Xueyin could tell that Jixiang must have spotted a handsome guy. Zhou Xueyin smiled helplessly, watching Li Jixiang go and say farewell to the people.

Sure enough, not just any handsome guy but a foreign one, a foreign guy? Li Jixiang hadn’t exchanged business cards with him too, had she?

Zhou Xueyin quickly looked through the stack of business cards Li Jixiang had given her, and there indeed was someone from a multinational corporation.

Representative of Canadanet Broadcasting Corporation (CBIS) in China: William Lee.

Wow, this combination of Chinese and English names felt quite approachable.

"Okay, let’s go!" Li Jixiang returned satisfied, and she left the venue arm in arm with Zhou Xueyin.

"Not bad, snagging a foreigner? You’re impressive, Jixiang, truly worthy of you!" Zhou Xueyin looked at Li Jixiang with admiration.

"Snagging? He’s already married! Besides, I’ve got my own Mr. Li at home!" Li Jixiang slapped Zhou Xueyin’s head lightly, telling her not to tease, "But seriously, this William, he’s come to China for our Internet conference with a mission to acquire several companies with potential."

"Well, well, that’s quite a determined goal! But if we really got acquired by a multinational corporation, would we instantly go from a private enterprise to a foreign one? Sounds pretty impressive!" Zhou Xueyin couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement at the thought, and any displeasure she had felt instantly dissipated.

"What’s the matter, you were just scowling a moment ago? What happened?" Li Jiniang, persistent as ever, kept digging for information.

"Don’t even mention it, some CEO from Kurei Computer Network wanted to buy us out for 500W. Is that a joke or what? Our revenue in ’06 alone exceeded 800W. What’s he thinking with 500W? It’s not even enough to fill a cavity!" Zhou Xueyin said, clearly annoyed.

"My oh my! My little Yinyin, are you getting too big for your britches? Turning up your nose at 500W?" Li Jiniang teased half-jokingly.

"No, I mean, let’s say... we really sold for 500W, and it was all cash, how would we divide it? 100W for the company staff, and then 100W for each of the four of us? After three years of hard work, we’ve only earned 100W each? Can’t even buy the house next to the company outright? What a waste of effort!" The best way to measure income was to compare it to housing prices, which was quite telling.

"True, but with 100W, you can probably get a place by the Third Ring, right? That’s not too shabby..." Li Jiniang was the epitome of contentment in life.

"A place by the Third Ring? At most, you could get a sunless, 40-square-meter one-bedroom. Can’t even afford a two-bedroom!" Zhou Xueyin compared it to the housing prices in her neighborhood.

"Forget it, let’s drop it. It’s just too much of a loss..." Li Jiniang quickly shook her head, not wanting to hear any more about housing prices.

"Anyway, if the website is to be sold, we need to consider nothing below 800W. Everything else is out of the question!" Zhou Xueyin finally shared her bottom line with Li Jiniang.

"And preferably a direct cash purchase, not even considering stocks, right? Hahaha..." Li Jiniang added.

The two of them were dreaming, imagining if one day some big, clueless company did buy them out, they would really hit it big.

Unexpectedly, that clueless big company made contact with Zhou Xueyin right after the National Day. And this company was none other than the Canadanet Broadcasting Corporation, CBIS.

"Hello, Miss Jixiang, Miss Zhou, we meet again!" On a day in mid-October, William Lee arrived at 51buy for the first round of due diligence and, seeing two familiar faces, felt especially cordial.

"You’re very welcome..." Zhou Xueyin, Li Jiniang, Kang Siyin, and Yao Shanshan, the four founders, stood at the door to greet William Lee from CBIS, "Allow me to introduce them: these two are the other co-founders, Kang Siyin, who is in charge of forum technology, and Yao Shanshan, who handles the artwork."

"Wow! Hello, you are all so beautiful!" William Lee said, complimenting them.

"Hello, hello..." Yao Shanshan politely shook his hand.

"You, hello..." Kang Siyin was quite nervous, her palms sweaty; she wiped them on her clothes before extending her trembling hand to swiftly shake with William Lee.

"Let me give you a tour around the company..." Zhou Xueyin quickly changed the subject, trying to draw William Lee’s attention away before Kang Siyin could faint from the excitement.

"I’ve heard that all the employees in your company are women?" William Lee inquired, sounding puzzled.

"Yes! The idea was to create a workplace where female employees could feel safe and secure, which is why we didn’t hire men!" Zhou Xueyin answered his question while introducing the company culture and various benefits.

"However, if you were to join our group, there would definitely be men around. Are you sure that wouldn’t be a problem?" William Lee brought up his own concern.