1RomanceEB Chapter 106 Conspiring for a Grand Plan
Chapter 106 Conspiring for a Grand Plan
Chapter 106 Conspiring for a Grand Plan
Rewind five hours, to 4 PM, in Xicheng, Beijing.
The private teahouse was hidden deep in a hutong, with an unassuming facade and only an inconspicuous wooden plaque hanging on the door.
Pushing open the door reveals a completely different world. The courtyard is paved with bluestone slabs, and in the corner grow two old plum trees, which are in full bloom. Their pale pink blossoms stand out elegantly against the gray winter sky.
When Jiang Yu and Chen Jingming arrived, Liu Qiangdong was already there.
The founder of JD.com was sitting in a tea room by the window, staring at a financial statement in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up, his face immediately breaking into a smile, and stood up to greet them.
"President Jiang, President Chen, welcome, welcome."
shake hands.
Liu Qiangdong's hands were strong, his palms rough, the hands of a pragmatist.
Today he wore a dark blue jacket over a simple striped shirt, looking more down-to-earth than the spirited image Jiang Yu had on the cover of a financial magazine in his previous life.
"Mr. Liu, you've been waiting a long time." Jiang Yu took off his coat and handed it to the waiter before sitting down across from him at the tea table.
"No, no, I just arrived too." Liu Qiangdong gestured to the tea master to start brewing tea. "This Pu'er tea is quite good. It's ancient tree tea that we acquired from an old village in Yunnan last year. Have a taste."
The tea master was a young woman in her early twenties. Her technique was skillful; she scalded the cups, rinsed the tea, and brewed the tea all in one smooth motion.
The orange-red tea liquor is poured into a white porcelain cup, steaming and carrying the unique woody aroma of aged Pu'er tea.
Jiang Yu picked up the teacup, smelled it first, and then took a small sip.
The tea soup is mellow and has a long-lasting sweet aftertaste; it is indeed a good tea.
"How is it?" Liu Qiangdong asked.
"Good tea." Jiang Yu put down his teacup. "But Mr. Liu didn't invite us here today just for tea, did he?"
Liu Qiangdong smiled, a smile tinged with weariness and relief: "President Jiang is so straightforward. Well then, I won't beat around the bush. Today, I mainly wanted to thank you in person."
He paused, took a document from his briefcase, and pushed it in front of Jiang Yu: "This is JD.com's financial report for the fourth quarter of 2008, which hasn't been released to the public yet. Revenue increased by 78% year-on-year, and active users exceeded 8 million. If it weren't for the $40 million investment from Zhuiguang last September, these numbers—might not exist."
Jiang Yu opened the financial report.
The numbers are impressive, especially considering the economic downturn of 2008; it's nothing short of a miracle.
He knew what Liu Qiangdong hadn't said, how much this man had sacrificed for this achievement.
"I remember last September, when Mr. Liu came to see me, he had met with more than 1 investment institutions," Chen Jingming interjected, his tone gentle. "At that time, JD.com only had less than a month's worth of cash flow left, right?"
Liu Qiangdong smiled wryly: "Thirty-seven companies. Some saw me off immediately after listening, some said e-commerce had no future, and others said, 'Mr. Liu, you're too stubborn and difficult to work with.' The most frustrating thing was meeting with my old investors; they said I was burning through cash too quickly and they didn't dare to continue."
As he said this, his fingers unconsciously rubbed the rim of the teacup.
It was an unconscious little gesture, but it revealed a great deal of pressure.
"Then you found us," Jiang Yu said.
"Yes." Liu Qiangdong looked up, his eyes serious. "Actually, I didn't have high hopes at the time. Light Chaser's main business is film and television technology, so investing in JD.com was a cross-industry move. President Chen only listened to my report for twenty minutes before asking one question: What do you think is the core competitiveness of e-commerce?"
Chen Jingming remembers that day, Liu Qiangdong brought two vice presidents, the PPT was simple and even a bit rough, but when he talked about JD.com's business model, his eyes were burning with passion.
"I said it's genuine, low-priced, and with fast shipping," Liu Qiangdong continued. "Then, Mr. Jiang, what are your plans for the logistics?"
"You said you wanted to build it yourself," Chen Jingming replied.
"Yes. Everyone says I'm crazy, that an asset-light model is the only way out for internet companies, that I'm dragging JD.com into a quagmire of heavy assets." Liu Qiangdong took a deep breath. "But Mr. Chen, I agree with what you said. Logistics isn't a cost, it's a moat."
The tea room was quiet for a few seconds, with only the faint hum of the kettle.
"That sentence," Liu Qiangdong's voice lowered, "let me know that I've found the right person."
When the second brew of tea was served, the conversation got down to business.
Liu Qiangdong took out a map of China and spread it on the tea table.
The above lists more than a dozen cities in red: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Wuhan ———
"This is JD.com's current warehousing layout." He pointed to the red dots with his finger. "It's not enough. What I want is delivery to any major city in China within 24 hours of ordering. For third-tier cities, 48 hours. This requires building more warehousing centers, and more importantly, building our own delivery team."
Chen Jingming adjusted his glasses: "Mr. Liu, if I may be frank, have you calculated how much money this will cost?"
"I've calculated it." Liu Qiangdong pulled out another budget sheet from his briefcase. "The preliminary estimate is that at least 15 billion RMB will be needed over the next three years. This doesn't include technology systems, vehicles, equipment, or personnel training."
"15 billion." Chen Jingming repeated, looking at Jiang Yu.
Jiang Yu didn't speak, he just looked at the map.
Those red dots connected in his eyes, forming lines and then a network, which represents the backbone of China's e-commerce logistics for the next decade.
He knew better than anyone that Liu Qiangdong's seemingly crazy decision would become JD.com's weapon to crush its competitors later on.
"A lot of people must be against it, right?" Jiang Yu asked.
"Within the company, among the investors, even my girlfriend," Liu Qiangdong said with a wry smile, "they all say I'm too aggressive, that surviving is the most important thing right now, and I shouldn't think that far ahead. But Mr. Jiang, do you know what I fear most?"
He paused, his voice turning serious: "What I fear most is not not surviving now, but surviving only to find that my path has been blocked. Taobao is building a logistics platform, and SF Express is trying out e-commerce. If JD.com doesn't take control of its logistics now, it will be like a fish on a chopping board in the future."
These words were quite harsh, and the tea room fell silent again, with only the sound of the wind outside the window.
Jiang Yu picked up his teacup and looked at his reflection in the tea.
He recalled his past life, in 2009 JD.com almost broke its cash flow due to excessive investment in logistics, and Liu Qiangdong's hair turned white overnight.
After surviving that, JD Logistics became a tough nut to crack for Alibaba for ten years.
"I agree," he said.
Liu Qiangdong's eyes lit up.
"But just agreeing with me isn't enough." Jiang Yu put down his teacup. "You need money, lots of money. JD.com is preparing for its Series B+ funding round this year, right?"
"Yes." Liu Qiangdong nodded. "The plan is to raise $2 million, mainly for warehouse expansion and logistics system development. The current capital market—the financial crisis is not over yet, and many institutions are contracting."
"Chasing Light can lead the investment," Jiang Yu said calmly.
Chen Jingming gently touched his leg under the table, a secret signal between them that meant "think about it some more."
Light Chaser already holds a 28% stake in JD.com. If it leads the Series B+ round of funding, its stake could exceed 40%, approaching the controlling stake threshold, which is a sensitive figure in the investment world.
Liu Qiangdong's expression also subtly changed.
The surprise was real, but so was the caution.
He rubbed his hands together, carefully choosing his words: "President Jiang, Light Chaser has already done JD.com a huge favor. Wouldn't it be too much to let you lead the investment again—"
"Too what? Too aggressive?" Jiang Yu laughed. "President Liu, I said I would lead the investment, but I didn't say how much I would increase my shareholding."
Light Chaser Animation can lead a $60 million investment; we can discuss the shareholding percentage.
This number stunned Liu Qiangdong.
The $50 million is more than a quarter of JD.com's total planned funding round.
If they can actually get this money, JD Logistics' construction speed can be doubled.
"Mr. Jiang," his voice was a little dry, "may I ask why? After all, Light Chaser's main business isn't e-commerce, so why invest so much money in JD.com—"
"Because I trust you," Jiang Yu said directly, "and I also trust the blueprint you've drawn up."
He pointed to the map: "The war in Chinese e-commerce was about traffic in the first half, and logistics in the second half. Whoever can deliver goods the fastest..."
Whoever delivers the goods to users in the safest and cheapest way wins. Mr. Liu, if you want to do this, I'm willing to take the gamble.
Liu Qiangdong remained silent for a long time.
The tea had gone cold, so the tea master quietly came over and brewed a fresh batch.
Hot water was poured into the purple clay teapot, and the rising steam blurred the faces of the three people.
"President Jiang," Liu Qiangdong finally spoke, "if Zhuiguang leads the investment, the shares will be diluted among existing shareholders, including yourself."
"I understand," Jiang Yu nodded. "So my suggestion is that Light Chaser Investment lead the investment, but don't increase its stake too much. We can stipulate in the agreement that voting rights will remain unchanged and that we won't interfere with JD.com's daily operations. What we want is financial returns, not control."
These words relieved Liu Qiangdong.
What he fears most is investors interfering, especially knowledgeable investors; because they are knowledgeable, they are even more eager to get involved.
"So, Mr. Jiang, do you have any suggestions for JD.com's development?" he asked, his tone much more sincere this time.
By the third infusion of tea, the conversation had delved into specific details.
Jiang Yu took a notebook out of his bag; it wasn't a computer, but a real paper notebook.
He opened it, and inside were pages of notes written in pen, the handwriting strong and vigorous.
"Mr. Liu, besides logistics, I have a few more ideas," he said. "They may not be right, but you can listen to them."
Liu Qiangdong immediately sat up straight.
He had witnessed Jiang Yu's keen eye; several of the judgments made during their phone conversation after Jiang Yu invested in JD.com last year were now coming true one by one.
"First, we need to expand our product categories," Jiang Yu said. "JD.com started with 3C products, which is both an advantage and a limitation. The next step is to expand into home appliances, books, and daily necessities. Books, in particular, are a powerful tool for attracting customers. They have low profit margins but high repurchase rates, which helps retain users."
Liu Qiangdong quickly took notes: "Dangdang.com has already done a very mature job in the book sector."
"So we have to wage a price war," Jiang Yu said calmly. "JD.com has just entered the book market. Don't think about making money; think about grabbing users. If others sell at 20% off, you sell at 40% off. If others offer a discount of 10 yuan off for every 100 yuan spent, you offer a discount of 15 yuan off for every 50 yuan spent. Make up for the losses from the profits of 3C products and home appliances."
Chen Jingming took a deep breath. This fighting style was too fierce; it was a classic case of injuring the enemy a thousand while losing eight hundred of his own.
But Liu Qiangdong's eyes lit up; that was exactly the kind of person he was.
"Secondly, investment in technology." Jiang Yu turned to the next page. "Logistics is not just about warehouses and couriers, but also about data. When users place orders, what time they prefer to receive their goods, and what the reasons for returns are—accumulating this data can optimize the entire supply chain. JD.com should establish a dedicated data team and start doing so now."
"It's already underway," Liu Qiangdong said, "but not on a large scale yet."
"Increase investment." Jiang Yu drew a circle on the paper with his pen. "The future competition in e-commerce will superficially be about price and logistics, but fundamentally it will be about data and algorithms. Whoever understands users better will win."
"Third," he paused, "payment."
Liu Qiangdong frowned: "Payment? Alipay already holds 80% of the market, and Tencent is also developing Tenpay. Isn't it too late for us to enter the market now?"
"It's not too late." Jiang Yu shook his head. "Precisely because Alibaba and Tencent are doing it, JD.com needs to do it even more. Payment is not a tool for making money, but the key to a closed loop. From browsing to placing an order to payment, the user completes the entire process within the JD.com system, creating a complete experience."
If you use Alipay, your user data will end up in Alibaba's hands.
He looked at Liu Qiangdong and asked, "Mr. Liu, would you be willing to give JD.com's user data to Taobao?"
"Of course not," Liu Qiangdong said immediately.
"So we need to develop our own payment system. It doesn't have to be better than Alipay, but it must exist." Jiang Yu wrote "JD Pay" in his notebook. "We'll start within JD.com, subsidizing users and cultivating their habits. Once we have a large user base, we'll open it up to the public."
Liu Qiangdong fell into deep thought. This suggestion was very risky; payment licenses were hard to obtain, system development costs were high, and they would also have to face the overwhelming dominance of Alipay and Tenpay.
Jiang Yu is right. Without a closed-loop payment system, JD.com will always be at the mercy of others.
"One last thing," Jiang Yu said, closing his laptop. "Talent. JD.com is expanding too fast; isn't its middle management struggling to keep up?"
Liu Qiangdong smiled wryly: "President Jiang really knows everything. Indeed, what we lack most right now is someone who can lead a team. Many directors were promoted from sales positions. They have no problem managing three to five people, but they fall apart when managing thirty to fifty."
"Recruit," Jiang Yu said. "Recruit from foreign companies, recruit from state-owned enterprises, recruit from our competitors. Offer them generous salaries and stock options. Especially supply chain talent with multinational company experience—we need as many as we can."
"The cost will be very high."
"The high prices now are so that they won't be high later." Jiang Yu looked at him. "President Liu, JD.com is currently at war. In war, we can't be stingy with ammunition."
The tea room fell silent again.
It was already dark outside the window when the tea master quietly came in and turned on the lights.
The warm yellow light shone down, casting long shadows of the three people on the wall.
Liu Qiangdong leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath.
He looked a little tired, and the fire in his eyes burned even brighter.
"Mr. Jiang," he said, "sometimes I really feel that you understand where JD.com should go better than I do."
Jiang Yu laughed: "It's just that bystanders see things more clearly."
"Not a bystander," Liu Qiangdong shook his head, "but a kindred spirit."
This word carries a lot of weight.
Having navigated the business world for so many years, Liu Qiangdong rarely uses this word to describe investors.
Investors want returns, and they want JD.com to survive and grow. Most of the time, these two things are contradictory.
Jiang Yu seems different. He also cares about returns, but he cares even more about whether JD.com can grow into the company it should be.
"Regarding the Series B+ round," Liu Qiangdong sat up straight, "I'll get the team to come up with a plan as soon as possible. With Light Chaser International leading the $60 million investment, we'll offer the most favorable valuation. But Mr. Jiang, I still stand by what I said: voting rights—"
"You retain your voting rights," Jiang Yu replied. "Chasing Light only needs one board seat and will not participate in day-to-day decision-making. We trust you, and we will trust you to the end."
Liu Qiangdong extended his hand, and this time the handshake was firmer and longer than before.
Dinner was booked at a private restaurant next to the tea house.
The shop is small, with only four tables. The owner and chef is a middle-aged man in his fifties from Beijing, who speaks with a strong Beijing accent.
"Mr. Liu booked this room two weeks in advance, and we specially reserved it for him today," the owner said as he led the way. "It's braised pork that's been stewing for five hours. Try it; it's a family recipe."
The private room was warm and cozy, with a traditional Chinese ink painting of lotus flowers hanging on the wall, and the tables and chairs were made of old elm wood, polished to a shine.
The three sat down, and the owner personally served the dishes: braised pork, steamed sea bass, water spinach with garlic, pork rib and lotus root soup, plus a dish of Old BJ pickles.
.
"Just something simple to eat, don't be picky." Liu Qiangdong served Jiang Yu soup. "I come to this place often, the taste is authentic."
That's right.
The braised pork belly is fatty but not greasy, melting in your mouth; the sea bass is fresh and tender, cooked to perfection; even the simplest water spinach is stir-fried until it is bright green and refreshing.
Chen Jingming took a couple of bites and couldn't help but ask, "Boss, how do you stir-fry this water spinach? I tried at home, and it always releases water."
The boss chuckled: "High heat, hot oil, and it has to be out of the pan in ten seconds. The key is to use lard; you can't get this aroma from vegetable oil."
"Mr. Chen, did you hear that?" Jiang Yu said to Chen Jingming, "Go home and practice."
Chen Jingming smiled wryly: "President Jiang, I don't have time to cook. It's good enough if I can eat on time."
That's true. Light Chaser is expanding too fast, and the executives are all extremely busy.
Wang Jian slept in his office for half a month last month, and his wife almost filed for divorce.
Jiang Xuerou was even more ruthless. In order to finish filming "Love Like a Bouquet", she stayed up for three consecutive nights and was eventually forced by Jiang Yu to rest for three days.
"Speaking of which," Liu Qiangdong put down his chopsticks, "JD.com is in the same situation now. The executives are under too much pressure, and I'm afraid they might quit one day."
"We need to find them helpers," Jiang Yu said. "Just because one person can do the work of three doesn't mean we should make them do the work of three. If they collapse from exhaustion, the losses will be even greater."
"Recruiting is not easy," Liu Qiangdong sighed. "Those with ability ask for high salaries, and those who ask for low salaries are not capable. I have to personally interview vice presidents now, meeting three or four a day. It's a headache."
"I can recommend someone to you," Jiang Yu said after a moment's thought. "He used to work in Lenovo's supply chain; his name is Yu Rui. He's in his early thirties, very capable, and driven. Would you like to meet him?"
Liu Qiangdong immediately took out his phone and wrote down the name: "The person recommended by General Manager Jiang can't be wrong. I'll have HR contact him."
The meal was easy and relaxing.
After setting aside business topics, the three started chatting about everyday things.
Liu Qiangdong mentioned that his girlfriend has recently been learning flower arranging, saying that he doesn't understand at all what's so interesting about arranging those flowers and plants;
Chen Jingming talked about how his daughter was entering junior high school this year and how he helped her with her homework until midnight every day; Jiang Yu talked about it—he didn't say anything about his personal life, he just listened and smiled occasionally.
"Mr. Jiang is so young, isn't your family pressuring you to get married?" Liu Qiangdong asked half-jokingly.
Jiang Yu paused, his hand still holding the food in his chopsticks. "Hurry up. But this can't be rushed."
"That's true." Liu Qiangdong nodded. "People like us are so busy that we can't even take care of ourselves, let alone our families. My girlfriend often says that she married JD.com."
There was a sense of helplessness, but also pride in those words.
As Jiang Yu listened, he suddenly thought of Liu Yifei.
Dinner was eaten at 9:30.
The owner brought over a plate of watermelon and a serving of donkey rolls, saying they were complimentary.
The three chatted for a while longer before getting up to say goodbye.
There were no streetlights in the alley, only light coming from the windows of the houses on both sides.
The winter night in Beijing was bitterly cold; your breath instantly turned into white mist.
"I'll take you there," Liu Qiangdong said.
"No need, the driver is waiting at the alley entrance." Jiang Yu shook hands with him. "Contact me as soon as the B+ round proposal is ready."
"Definitely." Liu Qiangdong shook hands firmly. "President Jiang, thank you so much for today."
The word "thank you" has many meanings.
Thank you for the $4000 million life-saving money, thank you for your understanding and support tonight, and thank you for those insightful suggestions.
Jiang Yu nodded without saying anything and walked out of the alley side by side with Chen Jingming.
The driver was indeed waiting; the black Audi looked like a quiet beast in the night.
After getting on the bus, the warm air hit him, and Jiang Yu realized that his fingers were a little numb from the cold.
"Mr. Jiang," Chen Jingming fastened his seatbelt and looked at him in the rearview mirror, "Are we really going to invest $60 million in JD.com's Series B+ round?"
"What do you think?" Jiang Yu asked in return.
Chen Jingming carefully chose his words: "From an investment perspective, JD.com certainly has potential. From a risk control perspective, our position in JD.com is already too large. What if—"
"If JD.com goes bankrupt, Light Chaser will suffer heavy losses," Jiang Yu replied. "I know."
"Then why add more bets?"
Jiang Yu looked out the car window.
The streets of Beijing were quiet on a winter night, with only the occasional car passing by. Most of the shops were closed, except for the 24-hour convenience stores, which were still lit up.
"Old Chen," he said, "what do you think is the biggest problem facing Light Chaser Animation right now?"
Chen Jingming thought for a moment: "It's too fast. Reaching this scale in three years means the foundation is not solid."
"Yes." Jiang Yu nodded. "There's another problem: we rely too much on the single track of film and television. Light and Shadow Cloud, Light and Shadow Video, Light Chaser Pictures, cinemas—it seems like we have many sectors, but they're all tied to the entertainment industry. When the economy is good, the entertainment industry prospers; when the economy is bad, the entertainment industry is the first to be impacted."
Chen Jingming fell silent. He understood Jiang Yu's meaning: pursuing the light required diversifying risks.
"JD.com is different," Jiang Yu continued. "E-commerce is a basic necessity; no matter how bad the economy is, people still need to buy things. Moreover, JD.com operates a B2C self-operated model, which is healthier than Taobao's C2C model. Investing in JD.com is not just a financial investment, but also a strategic move."
"Then there's no need to vote—"
"We must invest." Jiang Yu's tone was firm. "Since we've identified a promising opportunity, we should bet big. An investment that's like boiling a frog in lukewarm water is better left undone."
The car drove onto Chang'an Avenue.
Tiananmen Gate stands majestic and solemn in the night, with red lanterns hanging high.
Looking out the window, Chen Jingming suddenly recalled a sentence Jiang Yu had said three years ago when Light Chaser was first established: "What we are doing is not business, but the times."
At the time, he thought the young man was too arrogant.
Looking at it now, it seems—it wasn't entirely madness.
"Furthermore," Jiang Yu added, "investing 60 million, but not increasing voting rights, is to reassure Liu Qiangdong. The less you compete with him for power, the more he trusts you. Trust is sometimes more valuable than shares."
Chen Jingming smiled wryly: "President Jiang, sometimes I really feel that you are older than me mentally."
Jiang Yu smiled but didn't reply.
He can't very well say that in his past life he lived to his forties, witnessed too many companies rise and fall, and knew what to fight for and what to let go of.
Jiang Yu leaned back in the back seat and closed his eyes to rest.
The car's heater was on full blast, and combined with the few cups of tea I'd just had, I was starting to feel drowsy.
His mind was still racing, thinking about JD.com's logistics layout, Guangying Cloud's data center, and Liu Yifei's upcoming project, "President Jiang." Chen Jingming suddenly said, "Ms. Liu seemed to have said something about relationships during her recording of a program today."
Jiang Yu opened his eyes: "What did you say?"
"I don't know the specifics yet. My assistant just messaged me saying that it's already being discussed online," Chen Jingming said cautiously. "Should we make some preparations in advance?"
Jiang Yu thought for a moment: "No need. Let her say whatever she wants, no need to suppress her."
"But what if the media writes something wrong—"
"As long as it's not a personal attack, you can write whatever you want," Jiang Yu said.
That's what he said, but he still took out his phone and searched.
Sure enough, "the person Liu Yifei likes" has already made it onto Baidu's entertainment hot list.
He clicked on it, and the most popular post was a video clip of the scene recorded by a fan.
In the video, Liu Yifei is wearing a pink dress, her face is flushed, her eyes are bright, and she says, "I have someone I like."
The comments below have already exceeded ten thousand: "Oh my god, the fairy sister has someone she likes!!!"
"Who is it? Who is it? Please find out!"
"I'm guessing it's a male actor I've worked with before?"
"I think she might be from outside the industry; the type she described doesn't seem like someone from inside the industry."
Whoever it is, best wishes!
Jiang Yu looked at the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar girl in the video. In front of the camera, she always maintained a perfect distance, being polite, proper, and aloof.
At that moment, the expression on her face was genuine; the shyness and sweetness she couldn't hide could be felt even through the screen.
He saved the video and then exited Baidu.
The car drove into the Yintai Centre where he lived.
The security guard recognized the license plate, saluted, and let the car pass.
"Regarding tomorrow morning's schedule," Chen Jingming confirmed finally, "you really aren't going to that meeting at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology?"
"Let Wang Jian go." Jiang Yu got out of the car. "He understands the technical details better than I do."
"Okay. Then you should get some rest."
Jiang Yu nodded, picked up his briefcase, and headed towards the elevator.
When I got home, the house was pitch black.
He turned on the light, and the heater started automatically, emitting a slight hum.
On the coffee table in the living room was an open book, left behind by Liu Yifei during her last visit: Haruki Murakami's "Norwegian Wood," with the bookmark on page 127.
Jiang Yu took off his coat and went to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water.
There was a sticky note on the refrigerator, written in Liu Yifei's handwriting: "Remember to eat dinner, don't forget again because you're busy." An angry face was drawn at the end.
He smiled, tore off the note, and put it in his wallet.
It was almost eleven o'clock when I finished washing up and went to bed.
My phone lit up; it was a goodnight message from Liu Yifei: "I'm going to sleep. I have to get up early tomorrow. You should go to sleep early too, and don't stay up late."
"Okay, goodnight," he replied.
Put down your phone and turn off the desk lamp.
The bedroom was plunged into darkness, with only a sliver of light from the streetlamp filtering through the gaps in the curtains.
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