boyutpedia Chapter 444 Official Investment
Chapter 444 Official Investment
Lu Ran contacted Zhou Deming that afternoon.
He got Wang Jianguo's phone number and glanced at it a couple of times when he saved it in his contacts.
The number was a private mobile number, not an office landline, which suggests that Zhou Deming either doesn't care much about appearances or that it was a private channel specially provided by Wang Jianguo.
I answered the phone after it rang twice.
"Who is this?" The voice on the other end sounded to be around fifty years old, with a slight northern accent. The speaker spoke at a moderate pace, as if he were someone who had been doing coordination work for many years and had already rehearsed his words in his mind before speaking.
"Director Zhou, this is Lu Ran. Director Wang Jianguo gave me your phone number."
"Oh, Lu Ran. Lao Wang already told me. When are you free? I'm currently on a business trip in Shanghai, and I'm free tomorrow afternoon."
Lu Ran was stunned for a moment.
Before he could even say what it was about, the other party arranged to meet.
This shows that Wang Jianguo not only made a phone call, but also gave prior notice.
Moreover, Zhou Deming happened to be in Shanghai at that time, which seemed like a preordained coincidence.
"I'm free anytime tomorrow afternoon. Where are you? I'll come find you."
Zhou Deming gave the hotel name and room number. It was an old hotel near Jing'an Temple, not a high-end five-star hotel, but it had a good location and a quiet environment.
Lu Ran wrote it down and said he would arrive at 2 PM tomorrow. The other party said okay and hung up.
The next afternoon, Lu Ran hesitated for a while before leaving home about what to bring.
It's inappropriate to go to meet a leader of this rank empty-handed, and it's even more inappropriate to bring something too valuable.
After thinking for a long time, he finally bought a bag of cherries and a box of kiwis from the fruit shop at the entrance of the community.
The cherries are large, deep red, and look very fresh. The kiwis are also imported; they're soft to the touch, which means they're ripe and ready to eat when we get home.
The two items together cost less than 300 yuan, which is neither stingy nor ostentatious.
He took a taxi to the hotel with the fruit in his arms.
The hotel lobby is small and decorated in a Chinese style, with mahogany furniture and light gray carpets. There are a few potted plants in the corner, and a receptionist in uniform is looking down at her computer.
Lu Ran went to the front desk and gave Zhou Deming's name and room number. The front desk made a phone call to confirm and then told him to go directly to the sixth floor.
Lu Ran took the elevator to the sixth floor. The corridor was covered with dark carpet, and there was hardly any sound when you stepped on it.
He stopped at the door of room 608, took a deep breath, and rang the doorbell. The door opened, and standing in the doorway was a man around sixty years old, with gray hair that was neatly combed, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt with the cuffs rolled up to his forearms.
He wasn't very tall, probably just over 1.7 meters, but he stood very straight and looked directly at people without flinching.
"Lu Ran? Come in, come in." Zhou Deming stepped aside to let him pass, his tone as familiar as if they had known each other for a long time. He glanced at the bag of fruit in Lu Ran's hand. "Why did you bring this? I can't even finish eating all the apples from Old Wang's orchard."
Lu Ran changed her shoes and went into the room.
The room wasn't large; it was a standard executive suite. There was a reception area outside with a sofa and coffee table, and inside was the bedroom. The door was open, and you could see that the blankets on the bed were neatly folded.
Several documents were spread out on the coffee table, and next to them was a cup of tea that hadn't been finished. The tea had gone cold and looked like it had been brewed that morning.
Lu Ran placed the fruit on the floor next to the coffee table and sat down on the sofa.
Zhou Deming sat down opposite him, gathered the documents aside, poured himself another cup of hot water, and asked Lu Ran what he wanted to drink.
Lu Ran said plain water would be fine, so Zhou Deming poured him a glass and placed it in front of him.
"Old Wang told me you made a few games, and they're pretty good." Zhou Deming leaned back on the sofa, his hands crossed on his knees. "I've played League of Legends a few times, but I'm not good at it; I always get killed. My son, however, plays it every day and says your games are great, much better than those from overseas."
Lu Ran smiled and said, "Your son is too kind."
"It's not an overstatement. He never praises people, and there aren't many things he can say he likes." Zhou Deming picked up his teacup, took a sip, and his expression became more serious. "You told Lao Wang yesterday that you wanted to take the game to Europe?"
"Yes." Lu Ran sat up straighter. "TuTu Technology currently has three products: League of Legends, Minecraft, and CrossFire, all of which are doing quite well in the domestic market. But the domestic market, no matter how big, has its limits, and I want to expand overseas. The policies in Europe are relatively favorable, and the player base and spending power are also suitable."
After listening, Zhou Deming nodded but didn't immediately respond. He picked up his cup, took another sip of water, put it down, and then asked a question that surprised Lu Ran: "These games of yours, do you know that they all have a common characteristic?"
Lu Ran thought for a moment: "Did I make all of these myself?"
Zhou Deming chuckled and waved his hand: "That's not it. I meant the content. The heroes in *League of Legends*, which you designed, have a large proportion of Chinese cultural background. The mods in *Minecraft*, the Forbidden City, the magnificent landscapes—they're all from China. Even though *CrossFire* is a shooting game, your maps, like Dust 2 and Transport Ship, also have Chinese influences in their design. You might not realize it yourself, but you've been doing something unconsciously—you're telling the story of China through games."
Lu Ran was taken aback by what he said.
He really hadn't thought of that angle.
When he was making League of Legends, he was thinking about MOBA gameplay and balance. The heroes' backstories were brought from a previous life, but localized to this world.
When he was making Minecraft, he was thinking about the freedom of the sandbox and the fun of building. Those Chinese-style mods were what he felt should be added because Chinese players would feel a sense of familiarity with them.
When he was making CrossFire, he didn't think much about it; he just felt that an FPS should look like an FPS.
But after Zhou Deming said that, he looked back at the games and found that it was indeed true.
Those things he thought he made casually, when put together, unexpectedly formed a complete framework for cultural export.
"Director Zhou, you're absolutely right," Lu Ran said.
"I've dedicated my life to international cultural exchange. I might not be good at other things, but I certainly have a keen eye for these things." Zhou Deming leaned back on the sofa, shifting his position. "You've come to me with your game's overseas expansion project. I can help you with the paperwork. Content review, data compliance, rating standards—I'm familiar with these processes, and I know the people in each department. But let me make this clear: I'm helping you not because of our friendship with Lao Wang, but because what you're doing aligns with the country's direction."
He paused, his voice lowering, but his tone becoming more forceful: "China has done a lot over the years—its economy has improved, its infrastructure has improved, but it hasn't exported enough culture. We're selling products, not culture. Foreigners use phones made in China, but they don't know China's stories. They watch Chinese TV dramas, but they don't understand the emotions of the Chinese people. Your game is different. Your game contains elements of China, not deliberately, not forced, but players can feel it. This feeling is more effective than writing a hundred propaganda articles."
Hearing this, Lu Ran felt reassured. He knew that since Zhou Deming had said all this, the matter was basically settled.
But Zhou Deming changed the subject: "However, this doesn't mean I'm letting you take advantage of me for nothing. I can help you smooth things over, but there's one condition."
"You said."
Zhou Deming took out a thin document from under the coffee table; it was only two or three pages long.
He pushed the document over, and Lu Ran took it and glanced at it.
The cover reads: "Several Support Measures for the Overseas Development of Cultural Enterprises".
He continued flipping through the pages, and on the second page he saw the key information.
The government invests in the form of funds and technology, holding a 10% stake. It does not participate in the company's daily operations and decision-making, nor does it interfere with product direction and content. It only has the right to make suggestions when it comes to matters involving foreign cultural exchanges and major policy risks.
After reading it, Lu Ran closed the document and placed it on the coffee table without saying a word.
He quickly went through the pros and cons of the matter in his mind.
The government's investment might sound like it would lead to stricter control, but this 10% stake means the government only holds shares and doesn't interfere with operations, which dispels most of the concerns.
Not participating in decision-making means that Lu Ran's control over the company will not change, and there will be no situation where a game is stopped halfway through.
He can also accept the suggestion clause.
The other party doesn't forcefully stop you, but only offers suggestions. Ultimately, the decision to listen or not is in your own hands.
Moreover, there are too many benefits to having official endorsement.
Game review, license application, server setup, and data compliance—issues that usually give game companies headaches—are no longer problems with official connections.
There will no longer be situations where a department delays your approval for months, nor will projects be canceled due to sudden policy changes.
Lu Ran had already agreed in her heart.
What he lacks most right now is someone who can pave the way for him.
He has no shortage of technology, creativity, or products; what he lacks is someone who can help him solve problems beyond technology.
With the government acquiring a 10% stake, they received the green light all the way – a profitable deal indeed.
"Director Zhou, I accept this condition," Lu Ran said.
Zhou Deming glanced at him, a slight smile playing on his lips—a smile that seemed to convey relief. "Aren't you going to reconsider? I had prepared a set of arguments, thinking about how to persuade you if you hesitated."
"No need to consider it. Ten percent, with no involvement in management—that's already a very generous offer. If I hesitate any longer, I'd be ungrateful."
Zhou Deming smiled, reached out and took the document back, then took a pen from the coffee table drawer and wrote a line on the blank space of the last page.
After finishing writing, he pushed the document back. Lu Ran glanced at it; the line read—"Preliminary agreements were reached during a business trip to Shanghai; the Ministry of Culture's Department of International Relations will handle the follow-up implementation."
Zhou Deming signed his name and the date below.
"I'll arrange for someone to follow up on this when I get back. You prepare some company information and a detailed project introduction; send them to the person in charge. The process shouldn't take too long, maybe a month or two." Zhou Deming stood up, extended his hand, and Lu Ran shook it. "Lu Ran, do a good job. What you're doing is more important than you think."
Lu Ran felt a lump in her throat from this sudden remark.
He nodded, said "Thank you, Director Zhou," and then released his grip.
When I came out of the hotel, the sun was still very bright.
Even at four o'clock in the afternoon, the summer sun in Shanghai is still scorching hot, making the asphalt roads feel soft.
Lu Ran stood on the steps at the hotel entrance, squinted at the sky, and thought about what Zhou Deming had said.
He didn't think that making games was anything special.
He just enjoys doing it, and he's pretty good at it.
But the feeling of being recognized is really nice.
Moreover, it is officially recognized.
...