The biggest reason is the sky-high cost and the low utilization rate of the vehicles.
And like dockless bikes, they share the same chronic illness.
The moment investors smell profit, they swarm in.
So many brands pop up that competition turns bloody.
Users are the other headache.
Besides illegal parking, a brand-new car can be trashed on its first trip.
Some people even park the car inside their own housing estate or garage, turning it into their private ride.
After a month that car has been used only a handful of times, so the operator can't even recover the cost.
In short, the car-sharing fad flared for a couple of years and then flat-lined.
Zheng Zhigang: "Hong Kong Island did roll out plenty of shared bikes last year, but the project is controversial back home; I looked into it—performance is poor."
Zheng Zhigang: "Mainly because illegal parking keeps clashing with city management. I wonder if you guys face the same headache."
Wang Zheng: "@Jiang Cheng."
Qin Fen: "Bro Cheng, when are you coming to Shanghai?"
Jiang Cheng: "Forget it. Shared cars? Even a dog wouldn't invest."
Bai Xiaoxiao curled up in the bathtub, hot water wrapping her feverish body.
Through the rising steam her gaze settled on the row of exquisite shower-gel bottles.
Bvlgari Rose, Bluebell, Hermès Eau d'Orange Verte… every bottle caught the warm light and glittered like luxury incarnate.
Looking at the gels, her face scrunched in dilemma.
"How much does one bottle cost…?" Her fingers brushed the rose-scented one, tracing the embossed logo.
She had seen the brand at a high-end counter in a Shanghai mall.
She had window-shopped, but never stepped inside.
Her family wasn't bad off compared with ordinary folks,
yet they would never buy this brand for something as mundane as shower gel.
Even though she now pulled in twenty or thirty thousand yuan a month,
and sometimes forty or fifty when luck smiled,
frankly, that still wasn't enough in Shanghai to let her splurge on luxuries.
After rent and transport, she could only afford a few extra pretty dresses.
Food and drink offered a few more choices than the average office drone.
And yes, she now cleared twenty or thirty thousand a month, occasionally forty or fifty,
but in Shanghai that still didn't equal carefree luxury shopping.
Minus rent and transport, she could just buy a couple more skirts.
Dining options were only slightly wider than the average commuter's.
Looking at the fancy gels, she thought of the discount supermarket bottle in her rented flat, the one she used down to the last drop and then diluted with water.
Here, these pricey toiletries were strewn about as casually as everyday items.
She recalled a random ornament she had glimpsed in the villa—
probably worth a year of her rent.
Bai Xiaoxiao gave a wry smile.
"Really… a different world."
She chose the rose scent with solemn care,
poured a little into her palm,
and the silky texture felt unreal.
Only then did it hit her: she was truly Jiang Cheng's woman now,
no longer a fantasy on a live-stream screen.
The rose fragrance curled around her nose.
It smelled only a touch richer than ordinary rose,
yet the price tag made it feel utterly different.
At that moment she understood why so many Girls flocked to Jiang Cheng.
Being pampered by money was addictive.
After rinsing, she gingerly touched the red marks on her skin.
"That's just excessive…" she muttered to the mirror.
But her mind replayed the scene in the car.
Before, she had only seen a white blur under pixelation.
Seeing it live for the first time—honestly, not a pretty sight.
She couldn't help wondering how on earth something that big fit inside.
"Ahh! What am I thinking!" She slapped her cheeks.
The motion tugged her sore muscles and she winced.
Just as Jiang Cheng was staring at his phone, mouth twitching,
the bathroom lock clicked.
Bai Xiaoxiao poked half her head out, hair dripping, wrapped in a robe.
Seeing Jiang Cheng on the bed, her face flamed anew.
Still, she feigned calm and walked over with an ingratiating smile.
"Onii-chan, I-I'm done…"
Jiang Cheng set the phone aside and opened his arms toward the bathroom. "Come here."
Bai Xiaoxiao had one virtue:
before the line was crossed she hesitated,
but once the barrier was "breached" she turned utterly frank.
With what she thought was a seductive stride she reached him and perched on his lap.
Arms around his neck, she lowered her head for a fragrant kiss.
"Still sore?" he asked softly, fingers combing her damp hair.
She felt she could be wild in front of Jiang Cheng,
yet she shook her head, then nodded.
Finally she buried her face in the crook of his neck in surrender.
"Onii-chan, sorry… I feel so useless…"
Jiang Cheng chuckled, the vibration passing into her body.
"Silly Girl, everyone's like that the first time." He tweaked her nose. "You'll be fine soon."
"Soon?" She jerked her head up, eyes wide.
"What?" He raised an eyebrow. "Service not satisfactory?"
Her face exploded in crimson.
"Not that—I just… are you really good to go again?"
Jiang Cheng burst out laughing.
"I'm eighteen, not eighty."
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
She had thought a few kisses and cuddles would end with a polite good-night,
giving her seven or eight hours to recover.
Seeing her tearful face, Jiang Cheng was about to tease more when the group chat pinged with fresh @s.
She had already seen the messages.
With an understanding look she tried to stand up from his lap,
but her legs buckled and she almost fell.
"Careful!" Jiang Cheng caught her in time.
He immediately pulled Bai Xiaoxiao over, pressed her down, and signaled that she didn't need to leave.
Wang Congcong: "@Jiang Cheng, what do you mean by that??"
Qin Fen: "Since Brother Cheng says so, I'll pass."
Chen Hao: "@Wang Zheng, Old Wang, are you in or not? If you are, just say the word."
Wang Zheng: "Damn, @Jiang Cheng, Brother Cheng, you're absolutely toxic."
Qi Yuan: "@Old Wang, whether you invest or not is one thing, but we really do want to hear you say it."
If this bunch hadn't tagged him…
Let them invest; let them lose.
Jiang Cheng wouldn't have said a word more.
As the saying goes, a great kindness can feel like a great hatred.
Jiang Cheng had a god's-eye view, but these guys didn't.
Although he'd been the one who led them to this money,
they were already in his debt.
If they stumbled out there, it had nothing to do with him—it only made his earlier reliability shine brighter.
Exactly: Jiang Cheng was that self-serving.
He'd taken them along before because the system's business intel let him cash in and expand his network.
They had indeed ended up getting along pretty well,
but that didn't mean Jiang Cheng wanted to share everything he knew.
Since they'd asked, though, he didn't mind tossing out a few more lines.
Jiang Cheng: "Do you know a shared car's average daily utilization? Under 30%. Know how high the maintenance costs are? Know how many end up being used as private cars?"
The group chat went dead for several seconds.
Wang Zheng sent a pitiful sticker: "Brother Cheng, the investor already told me that—those problems can be avoided…"
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes.
He'd heard this pitch so often in his last life his ears had calluses.
Those so-called investors just saw the Second-generation rich kids as easy marks.
Jiang Cheng: "If you're really curious, toss in a hundred or two hundred grand first and test the water. Don't fling millions around right away."
He knew these rich kids too well.
The more you blocked them, the hotter they got; better let them take a small hit and learn.
Wang Zheng: "Brother Cheng's right! I'll try 500 k first!"
Qi Yuan popped up: "Old Wang, if you lose money, remember to shout in the group! We're all waiting."
Qin Fen: "Hahahaha +1"
Wang Congcong: "+1"
Seeing Jiang Cheng didn't hide his phone from her, Bai Xiaoxiao couldn't help smiling.
She clearly loved this gesture.
Women are such hypocrites.
On stream she constantly bashed guys who kept their phones from Girls.
Yet now that Jiang Cheng was scrolling right in front of her, she didn't dare peek.
To show how understanding she was, she even tried to get up and leave.
So, guys—sometimes it's not that women are domineering or possessive.
It just depends on which man they're facing.
Harsh, but that's reality.
After reading the messages, Jiang Cheng muted his phone and tossed it aside.
He turned to Bai Xiaoxiao in his arms.
A wicked grin flashed across his face: "Where were we? Right—"
Bai Xiaoxiao jumped, grabbing a pillow to shield herself.
"Wait! I—I just remembered my stream starts now!"
Jiang Cheng advanced slowly.
He plucked the pillow away and threw it aside.
"Screw the stream—call in sick."
Seeing there was no escape, Bai Xiaoxiao stopped resisting.
She reached out and placed her hand on Jiang Cheng's chest.
Sliding it upward slowly, she asked, "Onii-chan, can I ask you something?"
Seeing her cute yet serious look, Jiang Cheng looked unruffled.
"Besides Qiao Yinyin, are there many other women around you?"
Jiang Cheng nodded straightaway.
The answer seemed to be what she'd expected.
"Then, Onii-chan, what exactly are we now?"
He'd answered that question countless times.
With practiced ease he said, "Whatever relationship you say we are, we are."
Bai Xiaoxiao pouted: "In our company, apart from Qiao Yinyin, are Peng Shiqi and Liu Siyao also…?"
Jiang Cheng recalled the minor Internet Celebrity Girls he'd poached.
He still hadn't even met them face-to-face.
He wondered whether their real-life charm and figures were far off from what you saw online.
Thinking that, he figured he should find time to hold a company meeting and show his face.
At the same time, he thanked his lucky star for the professional manager the system had assigned.
Otherwise, with his current temperament,
even if he ran a company it would probably be riddled with parasites,
or he'd be sidelined by someone.
After all, apart from occasionally glancing at reports and investment progress, he ignored everything else.
He not only ignored it—he rarely even showed up at the office.
Some might wonder: nowadays big clans mostly hire professional managers.
Yet undeniable fact is, successful enterprises are run hands-on by the boss.
Take Rice's CEO, AC's Ms. Dong, and Richest Man Wang.
They all clock in regularly, control decision-making, and keep senior execs on notice.
Because they know every operation, management doesn't dare to fudge things.
Contrast that with the earlier Wang Congcong.
Under his half-baked leadership, Fierce Cat's shares were quietly diluted.
Even management was pushed out, leaving him voiceless in his own firm.
A big reason was that, like Jiang Cheng now,
he ran the company too casually and showed zero tact to senior staff.
Top brass had no faith in him, so after bringing in financing from 360 and others,
the company was completely reshuffled and he was booted from management.
Jiang Cheng shook his head and said solemnly, "I started a media company to make money, not to pick up Girls, okay?"
Bai Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes inwardly.
Since she couldn't get the answer she wanted,
she shifted position.
Her hands brazenly teased Jiang Cheng.
Rephrasing, she asked, "Then besides Qiao Yinyin, which Girl at the company did you meet first and talk to the most?"
Jiang Cheng finally saw exactly what Bai Xiaoxiao was digging for.