Haifeng poured a glass of wine and handed it to Li Li with a relaxed smile.
"Here's what I'm thinking. For the Qin Pro, I don't want it just buried under the Geely—or, rather, the Lichi—brand."
"You should build a new Dynasty Series. Use Lichi to cover the A-segment mini-car market, and let Dynasty sit above it—clean slate, better margin."
Li Li nodded, intrigued but quiet.
Haifeng continued, tone sharper now:
"And I want to go one step further."
"I'm proposing a joint venture between our companies to create a new car brand. Something built to compete head-on with Honda, Toyota, and Nissan."
Li Li sat up straight. The wine was forgotten in his hand.
"Yes—yes! Count me in. Just tell me how you want to do it."
Haifeng laid it out without hesitation:
"Audi Motors will provide all the tech support—platforms, R&D, drivetrain systems. Some capital, too. But I want 51% control."
"You'll have 49%. No decision power on paper, but I won't interfere operationally. I'll only step in on strategic matters to ensure we align with our ecosystem."
"Production will run on our new modular platform, and we'll build both an engine and transmission line from the ground up."
Li Li considered this carefully.
At first glance, the equity split didn't favor him.
But the real picture?
Audi Motors was providing all the tech and all the infrastructure. Lichi just needed to run the sales, after-sales, and funding.
No other partner in China could deliver this level of backend support.
Besides, if anyone else had this offer from Haifeng, they'd give up more than 49% in a heartbeat.
Li Li saw it.
This deal might never come around again.
He straightened up.
"Alright. Tell me what the investment needs to look like."
Haifeng didn't blink.
"Factory, platform integration, dealer buildout, production line... You're looking at ¥7 billion total."
"I'll put up ¥2 billion in capital and tech. You cover ¥4 billion. If we split any additional funds later, we will split them according to the share ratio."
Li Li flinched for a moment. ¥4 billion wasn't small change.
But his net worth was over ¥20 billion. It was manageable.
And more importantly, this wasn't just a risk but a generational opportunity.
"I'm in," he said, slapping the table. "Even if I have to sell off furniture."
He paused, then added:
"But can we tackle the Qin Pro development first? I don't want to lose momentum."
Haifeng nodded.
"That's fine. I'll have Tang San assign a team immediately. But you'll cover the R&D bill. We're not subsidizing a legacy brand."
"Of course," Li Li said. "You do the work—I foot the bill."
That night, Lichi transferred ¥500 million (~$68.8 million) to fund the Qin Pro's development.
"Use whatever you need," Li Li told him. "As long as you move fast, nothing else matters."
By the next morning, China Star's R&D floor was already humming.
Designers and engineers were sprinting.
The Qin Pro would be Lichi's comeback car, and the prototype would be ready in weeks, not months.
Li Li had left Piao City beaming.
His gamble had paid off.
Meanwhile, the smartphone war was heating up again outside the world of cars.
Huawei dropped its teaser for the P8. Release date: December 10.
Xiaomi answered immediately.
"Xiaomi Note. Snapdragon 815. Flagship performance. Coming December 10."
The battlefield was shifting again.
And Haifeng?
He was ready on every front.