Chapter 124: Chen Qi's Ambition

Hearing Chen Qi’s words, Ma Qianli was utterly stunned.

“Are you interested in opening your own law firm?”

Of course he was! He dreamed of it, day and night! To be frank, owning his own law firm was his ultimate goal. The only uncertainty was whether he’d ever be able to achieve it in this lifetime.

He stared blankly at Chen Qi, unable to fathom why he was asking such a question. Wasn’t this like asking an actor whether they wanted to win an Oscar?

Seeing Chen Qi still waiting for his answer, he hesitated for a moment, then nodded slowly.

Seeing him nod, Chen Qi smiled and said, “How about we open a law firm together?”

“???” Ma Qianli’s eyes widened in disbelief.

He wondered if Chen Qi misunderstood his situation. His current income barely covered meals and the occasional fruit or drink, so how could he possibly be in a position to start a law firm? Besides, opening a law firm was hardly that simple. Setting aside all the necessary connections, the most crucial thing—clients—he simply didn’t have! He had no reputation in the industry; no one would come to him for legal representation because of his name. A law firm without clients couldn’t survive.

“I’ll provide the capital, you provide the effort.” Knowing Ma Qianli well, Chen Qi instantly saw through his thoughts and laid out his plan.

This law firm would be fully funded by Chen Qi; Ma Qianli wouldn’t need to contribute a single cent. Simply put, Chen Qi would invest in establishing the firm and hire Ma Qianli to manage and operate it. The firm would be registered under Chen Qi’s name, with him as the legal representative.

As compensation, Ma Qianli would receive a 5% share, on the condition that he couldn’t resign within ten years. Naturally, he would be paid during those ten years, with his salary set at 20% above his current level, and future raises based on performance. After ten years, Chen Qi would consider awarding him an additional 5-10% share, depending on the firm’s success.

But that wasn’t the main point—the main point was that the firm wouldn’t need to worry about profitability for now. Their current objective was to build a name.

No clients? No problem—they’d go out and find them. Starting with the internet!

For example, the hot topic of consumer rights protection. It was a widely acknowledged fact that defending consumer rights was difficult; many consumers, even when their interests were harmed, chose to endure losses rather than fight, due to the high cost of seeking justice. Counterfeit goods, poor after-sales service, negligent property management—these were all targets for their “services.”

Chen Qi wanted Ma Qianli to find people in need of help and represent them in court for free.

Yes, for free! All expenses during this period would be borne by the law firm, meaning by Chen Qi himself.

Upon hearing Chen Qi’s plan, Ma Qianli was dumbfounded!

He was truly shocked. He seriously suspected that Chen Qi had been traumatized by the recent incident at the auto dealership.

What was he doing? Had he gone mad? Was he the mythical “generous fool with money to burn”?

What was the point?

After a long pause, he finally asked, “What’s your motive?”

Chen Qi was silent for a few seconds, then asked earnestly, “Would you believe me if I said it was for justice?”

“No,” Ma Qianli replied bluntly.

For justice? Whoever believed that was an idiot!

Chen Qi’s mouth twitched slightly, and he gave an awkward smile, saying, “Honestly, I’m just bored, and I want to shake things up a bit.”

Ma Qianli looked at him, utterly bewildered. He understood the desire to shake up the world, but being bored—what kind of reason was that?

On further thought, Chen Qi really did seem bored; otherwise, who would bother with such a thankless matter as the auto dealership incident?

Chen Qi said, “That’s the direction. If you’re interested, we can talk further; if not, let’s just eat.”

Ma Qianli stared at him, his mind a blank slate.

His worldview felt upended! Other famous lawyers struggled to find investors to open their own firms, but here he was, with a pie falling straight into his lap!

And he didn’t have to spend a single penny! Just for having the right qualifications, he could get 5% of the shares? And potentially at least another 5% later?

This wasn’t just a pie from the sky—it was money raining down!

Was he interested? Of course he was!

With this partnership, his income, status, and job would all be transformed. He’d have shares in the firm and could truly say he was working for himself.

With such terms, he’d sign for ten years—hell, he’d consider twenty!

Given his current career trajectory, he couldn’t guarantee he’d be able to open his own law firm in ten years.

More importantly, the firm wouldn’t need to focus on profit in the short term.

If they provided free legal representation, there’d never be a shortage of cases. With a steady stream of clients, the experience he could accumulate would far surpass what he could gain in his current job.

“I’m interested! I’m extremely interested!” Ma Qianli said, visibly excited.

Now he finally understood why Chen Qi insisted on meeting him. Just days ago, he’d envied Zhao Wu and the others for finding benefactors and getting their big break; now, it was his turn!

“Alright, let’s talk as we eat,” Chen Qi motioned for him to begin the meal.

He hadn’t had lunch yet, and he was indeed hungry.

As they ate, Chen Qi continued sharing his ideas.

Ma Qianli was quite a character; though he had been pressed for time, after landing this great opportunity, he immediately took leave from his company.

After lunch, the two found a quieter spot and talked through the entire afternoon, covering every detail and possible scenario.

Soon, their partnership was essentially settled.

Chen Qi would invest a million upfront.

This would cover company registration, equipment purchases, and the first year of operational expenses.

He wouldn’t bother with the day-to-day management; as long as the firm followed his intended direction, that was enough.

As for how large the firm might grow in the next ten years, that depended entirely on Ma Qianli’s abilities—after all, the bigger the firm, the more valuable his shares would become.

Of course, Chen Qi would set an annual cap on operational expenses based on actual needs.

The first year’s cap was set at five hundred thousand.

To ensure proper management, the firm would need a finance department, even if Ma Qianli was the only employee.

Ma Qianli had no objection to these requirements. His thinking was simple: Chen Qi was the boss, so he’d do whatever was asked!

He was already excitedly imagining how to make the law firm bigger and stronger.

His first suggestion to Chen Qi was to recruit some younger alumni from their alma mater for internships, since student interns were cheap and practical...

Chen Qi simply played the hands-off boss.

He didn’t care.

Management was Ma Qianli’s business—as long as he didn’t overspend, he could do as he pleased.

He had only one request: don’t stick to the old rules. Be bold!