Chapter 31
At 6 o’clock in the evening, Zhou Chao finally received a call back from Ma Huateng. It turned out that Ma Huateng had attended a symposium organized by the Shenzhen government, and his phone was held by his secretary, causing a slight delay.
The two arranged to meet at 10 o’clock the next morning at Tencent Group’s headquarters. After a simple dinner at the hotel, Zhou Chao retired to his room to rest.
The next day, Zhou Chao woke up early, freshened up, and headed out. Tencent Group was located in Nanshan District, and his hotel was conveniently nearby, so he didn’t rush and had breakfast at the hotel.
Tencent left two strong impressions on Zhou Chao. First was gaming. He had played games published by Tencent before. The second was Tencent’s legal department, humorously dubbed the “Nanshan Pizza Hut” by netizens, claiming to be the second largest legal department in the eastern hemisphere.
His interest in the legal department was sparked by a past incident, the notorious “Lao Gan Ma” event. Many people mistook the legal department for the Lao Gan Ma chili sauce company and joked that they served Lao Gan Ma with white rice every day.
When Zhou Chao arrived at Tencent’s headquarters, it was already 9:30 AM, still relatively early since the regular working hours at Tencent were usually at 10 AM. As a non-executive director, Zhou Chao accepted the position that Uncle Teng mentioned during their phone conversation the previous night. He didn’t have to do any actual work, just a nominal role.
Entering the tech building, he scanned his face, and the turnstile beeped open. Zhou Chao calmly walked in, and as it was still work hours, there were many people waiting for the elevator. He joined the queue and waited along with the crowd.
The elevator arrived soon, and people entered the elevator orderly, pressing buttons for their respective floors. Zhou Chao found himself standing closer to the inside of the elevator this time, so he politely asked, “Excuse me, could someone please press the 39th floor? Thank you.” His refined and gentle voice caught everyone’s attention. The 39th floor was where the company’s top executives, including President Ma, worked, and it was off-limits to most employees.
Someone promptly pressed the button for the 39th floor. Zhou Chao sensed a bit more space around him, knowing why the others made way for him, but he didn’t make a big deal out of it, simply smiling at those around him.
Arriving at the 39th floor, Zhou Chao stepped out of the elevator, not bothering to see the expressions of the remaining passengers. He was met by Ma Huateng himself, who personally came out to greet him. They shook hands warmly, and Ma Huateng led him into his office.
“Uncle Teng, shouldn’t I be paid a salary too?” Zhou Chao sat on the sofa, holding a freshly brewed cup of tea brought by Ma Huateng’s secretary, and teasingly asked.
Ma Huateng, with a background in programming and wearing glasses, exuded a scholarly demeanor that made him appear quite young and without many signs of aging.
Thinking about the money he spent on games and contributing to Tencent’s revenue, Zhou Chao couldn’t help feeling a bit annoyed. But he knew it was his own love for gaming that led to it.
The two chatted over tea and visited the company’s office spaces, leisure areas, and various snacks and facilities available for employees.
“Uncle Teng, can I try the company’s staff meal at noon? I’ve always been curious about it, and I’ve heard that the options and tastes in big companies are amazing. Today, can my wish be fulfilled?” Zhou Chao asked, eyes shining with anticipation.
Ma Huateng readily agreed, and accompanied by several executives, he took Zhou Chao to the company’s cafeteria. The scene surprised many employees there. The company’s executives and even President Ma personally accompanying a young man, chatting and laughing together, seemed like a remarkable status. Even during past visits by government officials, they were only accompanied by some executives. Today, this young man appeared to have a close relationship with the top brass, and employees couldn’t help but sneakily take photos with their phones.
After finishing lunch, they returned to the office, and the secretary brought in a few cups of tea. The group started chatting again. “Zhou, I heard that a few days ago in Hang City, you played mahjong with Ma Yun and Old Guo, and you managed to win all three of them. It even forced Ma Yun to cheat at Go. Is that true?”
Zhou Chao chuckled, taking a sip of tea. “Where did you hear that? Ma Yun and the others were just being too modest with me. I can’t possibly beat Ma Yun in Go at my age. Don’t overestimate my chess skills.”
“Hahaha, you’re quite the talker. Ma Yun personally called me to praise your chess and card skills, saying how excellent they are. He was just trying to provoke me and see me make a fool of myself, but I won’t fall for it. We should play cards together sometime.”
“If you guys keep talking like this, how can I maintain a low profile in the future?”
“With your young age, you want to act like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. You’re not an ordinary guy, huh?”
Laughter filled the office as they continued their banter. Soon, it was almost 2 PM, and Zhou Chao took his leave. He knew they had work to do, and he didn’t want to keep them from it.
“Uncle Teng, I’ll be in Shen City for the next few days. If you want to play mahjong or Go, just give me a call,” Zhou Chao said to Ma Huateng as he prepared to leave.
“You said it, then don’t stand me up when the time comes,” Ma Huateng replied with a smile, escorting Zhou Chao to the elevator.
“Of course not, Uncle Teng. Alright, I’ll be heading out now.” As the elevator arrived on the 39th floor, Zhou Chao stepped in and turned back to bid farewell to Ma Huateng.
Leaving Tencent’s headquarters and looking back at the towering tech building, he clapped his hands. “Oh, I forgot to ask about my salary! That cunning Uncle Teng must have deliberately distracted me. I’ll have to beat him in mahjong next time.”
With that, Zhou Chao hailed a taxi by the roadside and returned to his hotel. Lying on the bed, he began researching more about Shenzhen, looking for scenic spots and delicious food to explore and experience.
After searching online for a while, he felt that the only place he could visit was the “Window of the World”, which claims to let you “check-in” all around the world without leaving the country. As for food, there weren’t many representative delicacies, but he planned to visit the Dongmen Pedestrian Street for some local snacks.
Having lived through two lives, Zhou Chao had never traveled abroad. He often saw his friends posting pictures of their trips to various places and going on shopping sprees. He also yearned to visit different places, witness the beauty of his homeland, and taste diverse cuisines.
Now that he had the means and opportunity to fulfill his desires, he planned to start his long-awaited travel itinerary after his good friend’s wedding. He wanted to visit the scenic wonders of China, witness historical landmarks, and savor delicacies from different regions. These were dreams he had kept hidden in his heart for a long time, and now he could finally realize them one by one.