Chapter 197: Chapter 197

"No way?!" Summer Spencer was truly stunned and couldn’t help but shout, "What are you still dissatisfied with? Just say it, and we will definitely meet your requirements!" Follow current novᴇls on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✦𝕟𝕖𝕥

Her voice was a bit loud, and everyone in the café looked over.

Fortunately, they were sitting in a relatively hidden spot, with a row of half-human-height indoor green plants blocking the view of others.

Kenneth Osborne gently coughed.

Summer quickly lowered her voice and said, "Mr. Osborne, we sincerely invite you to join us. We are one of the few companies in the country capable of investing in artificial intelligence."

"I can speak on behalf of our board of directors. Any conditions, feel free to propose, and I will immediately agree to whatever I can. If it’s beyond my authority, I will definitely seek my father’s approval. As long as he agrees, the board will have nothing to say!"

This time, Summer even mentioned her father, Cameron Spencer, the big boss of Spencer Group, as a backing.

Kenneth raised his hand, gesturing her to "calm down."

He slightly leaned forward and said politely, "Director Spencer, as I said, I believe in your sincerity. Your offer is indeed very attractive, unexpectedly so."

"Then why are you refusing?" Summer blurted out, "Are you crazy?"

"Hehe, just consider me crazy." Kenneth didn’t want to continue conversing with Summer.

Obviously, they were not on the same path, so why waste words?

He stood up, smiled, and said, "Spencer Group is very powerful. A company like yours wouldn’t have any issues acquiring top domestic AI scholars or foreign experts and patents. There’s no need to be so insistent on me."

"Mr. Osborne, don’t say that." Summer was a bit flustered, no longer having any romantic thoughts, just wanting to salvage her mistake.

She had already lost face in front of her father and couldn’t afford to have her image fall even further...

"... We are all from the same country, and we are willing to support our own nation’s scientists and technical talents. Are you really not going to reconsider?" Summer continued, "I can offer you 40% of the original shares of the new company. You should know that even our Spencer Group only holds 40%. Another 20% is open to private equity funds."

"I know you have run your own company and understand the capital investment required in this industry. Why can’t we work together and achieve a win-win situation?"

Summer looked at him eagerly, her face full of tension and panic.

Kenneth frowned almost imperceptibly, saying flatly, "Really, there’s no need. I’m very busy, and I’m sure Director Spencer is also very busy. Let’s not disturb each other in the future."

He nodded, turned around, and left.

Summer wanted to chase after him, but his steps, though unhurried, had a sizable stride, quickly leaving her far behind.

Summer took a few steps after him but couldn’t catch up, and she was too embarrassed to shout in the Yan University campus. She just huffed, got into her Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and said to the driver, "Let’s go back first. We’ll wait for my sister to return before discussing it."

The driver glanced at her expression, understanding that things hadn’t gone well, so he didn’t say much. He stepped on the gas, driving out of the Yan University campus swiftly.

They hadn’t been driving for long when a low-key silver-grey Cayenne, which had been waiting at the gate of Yan University, drove into the campus heading towards the graduate dormitory area.

Kenneth had just reached the entrance of his dormitory building.

As he was climbing the steps, he heard someone calling his name from behind.

"Excuse me, are you Kenneth Osborne?"

It was a young man’s voice, slightly high-pitched but with a rich and powerful tone, very imposing.

Kenneth stopped and turned, seeing a man in a khaki double-breasted trench coat standing by a silver-grey Cayenne, smiling at him.

Just by looking at his face, the man had a gentle and handsome demeanor, but with a buzz cut, which added a certain sharpness.

Wearing half-black-rimmed glasses, he nodded elegantly in Kenneth’s direction.

Kenneth was quite surprised. He walked down the steps and curiously asked, "I am Kenneth Osborne. May I ask who you are?"

The man handed over a business card, smiling, "I am the president of SSA Private Equity Fund. I would like to talk about your company."

It was just an ordinary business card, displaying only three printed black characters: Francis Johnson.

In the upper left corner of the card were three English letters, SSA, next to a six-sided chaotic hexagon icon resembling a honeycomb.

Kenneth suddenly felt a wave of excitement. This was the SSA Private Equity Fund, famous in the angel investment sector, existing only in legends!

It’s said that every high-tech pioneering company they’ve invested in has, without exception, achieved great development, leading other investment companies to follow in SSA’s footsteps.

Whenever SSA invests in a company, these big investment firms always want a piece of the action, reportedly without losing money.

But SSA rarely invests in companies, almost fading out of the investment market in the last two years.

Unexpectedly, it showed up today, and they wanted to talk about his company!

Kenneth was sure he hadn’t had a drink at lunch today, but he was still a bit light-headed and felt even more in awe.

His heart was pounding intensely, taking a while for him to regain composure.

Francis didn’t rush him, just quietly watched.

At this moment, Kenneth’s phone rang.

He jolted, finally coming back to his senses, and instinctively took out his phone to see that it was Lawrence Winters calling.

He glanced at Francis and said softly, "Please wait, I need to take this call."

Francis raised his hand slightly, "Go ahead."

Kenneth stepped aside for a few steps, quickly answered Lawrence’s call, and asked, "Nora, what’s up?"

Lawrence’s voice was a bit urgent on the other side, "Ken, are you okay?"

"No, why do you ask?" Kenneth was a bit puzzled, though he had just been so excited that he almost lost his composure. It was Lawrence’s call that snapped him out of it.

"I suddenly felt anxious just now, not knowing why, and just wanted to talk to you, so I did a divination," Lawrence said nervously, "To be honest, my fortune-telling is usually accurate, but this time, I can’t discern the direction of your readings."

Kenneth Osborne: "..."

Seriously, how could you be so spot on?

He turned his head and quickly glanced at Francis Johnson standing motionless beside him.

Francis Johnson had a tall, robust posture; if you didn’t know his identity, just by looking at his stance, he seemed even more impressive than their college military training instructor.

Kenneth withdrew his gaze and smiled, saying, "It’s nothing; you’re just worried and confused. Otherwise, why do people say fortune tellers shouldn’t read their own fortune?"

Lawrence Winters frowned, "That’s supposed to be about me! I haven’t predicted my own fortune."

"Are we really separating things between you and me? You read my fortune, it’s just like reading your own. That’s why you can’t see the direction clearly, which is normal. It’s just because you’re in the situation, isn’t it?"

Kenneth spun his tales effortlessly, his skills were indeed impressive.

Lawrence was unknowingly convinced by him and laughed, "That’s true, there’s no difference between us. As long as I know you’re okay, that’s good enough. If anything happens, you must tell me! I can help you! Trust me!"

"Yes, of course, I trust you, just like I trust myself." Kenneth said, then hung up the phone.

He turned back to face Francis, with a hint of sweet smile still lingering on his face.

Francis opened the car door to his vehicle, gesturing Kenneth to get inside, while smiling, "Was that your girlfriend on the phone?"

Kenneth walked over openly, smiling, "Yes, soon she will be."

He looked at Kenneth with surprise.

With such looks and abilities, he still has to chase after a woman?

He quietly returned to the driver’s side and smiled, saying, "In the future, let’s all go out for a meal together when there’s a chance. We’re all friends; no need to be so distant."

Kenneth felt that this President Zhao was really someone who could easily make friends.

Clearly also a head of a major corporation, yet his demeanor was so much better than Summer Spencer from the Spencer Group.

It’s really infuriating comparing people sometimes.

Kenneth sighed inwardly, noticing that Francis’s car had already exited the campus of Yanda.

"Where are we heading?"

"To my company office." Francis smiled, "It’s easier to talk there, without anyone eavesdropping."

He laughed, "You’re kidding; in this day and age, in public places, everyone is mindful of respecting others’ privacy."

Francis smiled, tapped open an app on his phone, and connected it to the car’s speakers.

Soon Summer Spencer’s voice came through the car’s sound system.

"Our group is genuinely very sincere in inviting you to join."

"This time, we’ll give you shares. You won’t be just an employee but a boss."

"Twenty percent of original shares in the new company, plus Spencer Group’s equity, all at executive level, half can be effective immediately, how about that?"

"Annual salary doubled, household registration immediately resolved, plus a fully-furnished three-bedroom apartment in a prime school district in the Capital City."

His expression changed, and he said coldly, "You actually eavesdrop on our conversation?! Is this normal business competition?!"

Francis smiled and said, "I didn’t eavesdrop; it was recorded by Director Spencer herself."

Kenneth was even more surprised, "She actually recorded it?!"

Francis found it even funnier, he glanced at Kenneth and smirked, "Didn’t you also record it?"

This time he finally understood he met a worthy opponent, a real master.

This person hacked both his and Summer Spencer’s phones.

Kenneth’s face looked quite unpleasant, "I really didn’t expect SSA Private Equity Fund to conduct business !"

"Don’t rush to label me; I have a few questions for you."

Francis held the steering wheel calmly and said, "Spencer Group offered you such good terms, why didn’t you accept?"

"Do I really have to answer? I can’t cooperate with someone conducting business illegally. Please stop the vehicle; I want to get out." Kenneth said resolutely.

Francis glanced at him again, confirmed he genuinely thought this, nodded, and smiled, "Great, you passed our first test."

This is the second update, the third update will be at seven in the evening.

Asking for everyone’s recommendation tickets, make sure to vote all tickets~~~

Today is Monday, recommendation tickets are very important!!!