Document:

<PAGE>

                                                                     Exhibit 4.1

                                AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                      TO
                                 SOHU.COM INC.
             THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT

     THIS AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO SOHU.COM INC. THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTOR
RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "Amendment") is entered into as of November __, 2000, by
and among Sohu.com Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and the several
parties listed on the signature page hereof, amending the Sohu.com Inc. Third
Amended and Restated Investor Rights Agreement made and entered into as of
February 1, 2000 (as amended by Amendment No. 1, dated February 2, 2000, to
Third Amended and Restated Investor Rights Agreement, the "Investor Rights
Agreement"), by and among the Company and the Investors (as defined therein).

     WHEREAS, the Company and the several parties listed on the signature page
hereof desire to provide the former stockholders listed on Exhibit B to the
Investor Rights Agreement as amended by this Amendment (the "Former ChinaRen
Stockholders") of ChinaRen, Inc. ("ChinaRen"), with certain registration rights
with regard to the shares of Common Stock of the Company they received in
connection with the Company's acquisition of ChinaRen; and

     WHEREAS, the Company and the several parties listed on the signature page
hereof desire to amend the Investor Rights Agreement to provide for such; and

     NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and undertakings
contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and subject to and on the terms
and conditions herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

     1.   Addition of Former ChinaRen Stockholders. Each of the Former ChinaRen
          ----------------------------------------
Stockholders, by the execution and delivery of this Amendment, shall hereby
become, with respect to Section 2 of the Investor Rights Agreement only, a
signatory of and party to the Investor Rights Agreement, as amended hereby,
effective as of the date of such execution and delivery. Except as expressly
provided herein, the Former ChinaRen Stockholders shall not hold or enjoy any of
the other rights and privileges of the Investors under the Investors Rights
Agreement.

     2.   Amendment to Section 2.1(b). There is added to the end of the first
          ---------------------------
sentence of Section 2.1(b) of the Investor Rights Agreement, as a continuation
of the sentence, the following clause:

     ", (4) any shares of Common Stock of the Company held by any of the
individuals or entities listed on Exhibit B hereto received by such individuals
or entities as a result of the merger of Alpha Sub Inc. with and into ChinaRen,
Inc. pursuant to the Agreement and

                                      -1-
<PAGE>

Plan of Merger among Sohu.com Inc., Alpha Sub Inc. and ChinaRen, Inc. dated as
of September 13, 2000 (the "ChinaRen Merger Agreement"), and (5) any shares of
Common Stock of the Company issued as (or issuable upon the conversion or
exercise of any warrant, right or other security which is issued as) a dividend
or other distribution with respect to, or in exchange for or in replacement of,
any shares of Common Stock described in clause (4) of this subsection (b)."

     3.   Addition of Exhibit B. Exhibit B attached hereto is hereby added as
          ---------------------  ---------
Exhibit B to the Investor Rights Agreement.
---------

     4.   Lock-ups and Escrow. The registration rights of the Former ChinaRen
          -------------------
Stockholders granted pursuant to this Amendment are subject to suspension in
each instance during the applicable period of lock-up or escrow pursuant to
lock-up agreements and escrow arrangements executed and entered into in
connection with the ChinaRen Merger Agreement.

     5.   The Investor Rights Agreement, as amended hereby, shall remain in full
force and effect.

     6.   This Amendment shall be governed by and construed exclusively in
accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware as applied to
agreements among Delaware residents entered into and to be performed entirely
within Delaware, excluding that body of law relating to conflict of laws and
choice of law.

     7.   This Amendment may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.

                           [SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

                                      -2-
<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amendment is entered into as of the date and
year first above written.

                                                SOHU.COM, INC.

                                                By:
                                                   --------------------------
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

                                                MAXTECH ENTERPRISES LIMITED

                                                By:
                                                   --------------------------
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

                                                INTEL CORPORATION

                                                By:
                                                   --------------------------
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

                                                DOW JONES & COMPANY, INC.

                                                By:
                                                   --------------------------
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

                                                PTV-CHINA, INC.

                                                By:
                                                   --------------------------
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

                                                HIKARI TSUSHIN, INC.

                                                By:
                                                   --------------------------
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

                                      -3-
<PAGE>

                                AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                      TO
                                 SOHU.COM INC.
             THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                          (signature page continued)

                                                 FORMER CHINAREN STOCKHOLDERS:

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Joseph Chen (only with
                                                 respect to shares of Common
                                                 Stock issued in exchange
                                                 for shares of Series A
                                                 Preferred Stock of
                                                 ChinaRen)

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Yunfan Zhou (only with
                                                 respect to shares of Common
                                                 Stock issued in exchange
                                                 for shares of Series A
                                                 Preferred Stock of
                                                 ChinaRen)

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Nick Yang (only with
                                                 respect to shares of Common
                                                 Stock issued in exchange
                                                 for shares of Series A
                                                 Preferred Stock of
                                                 ChinaRen)

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Lee Styslinger III

                                      -4-
<PAGE>

                                AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                      TO
                                 SOHU.COM INC.
             THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                          (signature page continued)

                                               LAW & PARTNERS, ATTORNEYS AT
                                               LAW (F/K/A LAW & ARTHUR)

                                               By:
                                                  --------------------------
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                               -----------------------------
                                               George Lu

                                               -----------------------------
                                               Larry Rosenbaum

                                               -----------------------------
                                               Zhujun Wang

                                               -----------------------------
                                               Li Zhou

                                               -----------------------------
                                               Sherry Chen Lin

                                               -----------------------------
                                               Jian Liu

                                      -5-
<PAGE>

                                AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                      TO
                                 SOHU.COM INC.
             THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                          (signature page continued)

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Jeffrey Kenneth Lopez

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Damon Chua

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Herald Yun Chen

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Xiaoxin Chen

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Yang Dong Shao

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Vincent Kartili

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 William Pan

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Zhiyi Yu

                                      -6-
<PAGE>

                                AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                      TO
                                 SOHU.COM INC.
             THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                          (signature page continued)

                                                 THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP, INC.

                                                 By:
                                                    --------------------------
                                                 Name:
                                                 Title:

                                                 THE STONE STREET FUND 2000,
                                                 L.P.

                                                 By:
                                                    --------------------------
                                                 Name:
                                                 Title:

                                                 THE BRIDGE STREET SPECIAL
                                                 OPPORTUNITIES FUND 2000, L.P.

                                                 By:
                                                    --------------------------
                                                 Name:
                                                 Title:

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Scott Wilson, Jr.

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Jon Michael Bryant

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Guochun Zhao

                                      -7-
<PAGE>

                                AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                      TO
                                 SOHU.COM INC.
             THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                          (signature page continued)

                                              -----------------------------
                                              Bo Chen

                                              -----------------------------
                                              Larry Sun

                                              -----------------------------
                                              Xueping Zhou

                                              -----------------------------
                                              Robert Chang

                                              -----------------------------
                                              Julian Ha

                                               BENCOR LIMITED

                                               By:
                                                  --------------------------
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                               -----------------------------
                                               Doris Weinhausen-Nash

                                      -8-
<PAGE>

                                AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                      TO
                                 SOHU.COM INC.
             THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                          (signature page continued)

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 John Chiung Ting Tsai

                                                 AURORA INVESTMENT II, L.L.C.

                                                 By:
                                                    --------------------------
                                                 Name:
                                                 Title:

                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 Mao-yen Yen

                                                 JOHO PARTNERS, L.P.

                                                 By:
                                                    --------------------------
                                                 Name:
                                                 Title:

                                                 JOHO FUND, LTD.

                                                 By:
                                                    --------------------------
                                                 Name:
                                                 Title:

                                                 SURFMAX ESTAR FUND A LLC

                                                 By:
                                                    --------------------------
                                                 Name:
                                                 Title:

                                      -9-
<PAGE>

                                   Exhibit B
                                   ---------

                         Former ChinaRen Stockholders

Joseph Chen (only with respect to shares of Common Stock issued in exchange for
shares of Series A Preferred Stock of ChinaRen)
Yunfan Zhou (only with respect to shares of Common Stock issued in exchange for
shares of Series A Preferred Stock of ChinaRen)
Nick Yang (only with respect to shares of Common Stock issued in exchange for
shares of Series A Preferred Stock of ChinaRen)
Lee Styslinger III
Law & Partners, Attorneys at Law (f/k/a Law & Arthur)
George Lu
Larry Rosenbaum
Zhujun Wang
Li Zhou
Sherry Chen Lin
Jian Liu
Jeffrey Kenneth Lopez
Damon Chua
Herald Yun Chen
Xiaoxin Chen
Yang Dong Shao
Vincent Kartili
William Pan
Zhiyi Yu
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
The Stone Street Fund 2000, L.P.
The Bridge Street Special Opportunities Fund 2000, L.P.
Scott Wilson, Jr.
Jon Michael Bryant
Guochun Zhao
Bo Chen
Larry Sun
Xueping Zhou
Robert Chang
Julian Ha
Bencor Limited
Doris Weinhausen-Nash
John Chiung Ting Tsai
Aurora Investment II, L.L.C.
Mao-yen Yen
Joho Partners, L.P.
Joho Fund, Ltd.
Surfmax Estar Fund A LLC

                                      -10-<PAGE>

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
                              --------------------

     AGREEMENT made as of September 14, 2000, by and between New World Pasta
Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Stephen H. Vesce (the
"Executive").

     WHEREAS, the Company desires that Executive serve as the Vice President,
Marketing of the Company, and Executive desires to hold such positions under the
terms and conditions of this Agreement; and

     WHEREAS, the Company is authorized to enter into this Agreement with
Executive.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set
forth herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties agree as
follows:

     1. Employment. The Company hereby employs Executive, and Executive hereby
        ----------
accepts employment with the Company, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth herein.

     2. Term.
        ----

        (a) Subject to Section 9 hereof, the term of the employment by the
Company of Executive pursuant to this Agreement (as the same may be extended,
the "Term") shall commence on September 14, 2000 (the "Effective Date"), and
terminate on the second anniversary thereof.

        (b) Commencing on the first anniversary of the Effective Date and on
each subsequent anniversary thereof, the Term shall automatically be extended
for one (1) additional year unless, not later than ninety days (90) prior to any
such anniversary date, either party hereto shall have notified the other party
hereto in writing that such extension shall not take effect.

     3. Position. During the Term, Executive shall serve as the Vice President,
        --------
Marketing of the Company, supervising the marketing of the Company's products.

     4. Duties. During the Term, Executive shall devote his full time and
        ------
attention during normal business hours to the business and affairs of the
Company, except vacations in accordance with the Company's policies and for
illness or incapacity.
<PAGE>

     5. Salary and Bonus.
        ----------------

        (a) During the Term, the Company shall pay to Executive a base salary at
the rate of $175,000 per year (the "Base Salary"), subject to annual adjustments
as determined by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

        (b) For the Company's fiscal year ending December 31, 2000, and for each
fiscal year during the Term thereafter, Executive shall be eligible to receive
an annual cash bonus equal to up to fifty percent (50%) of his Base Salary
subject to the terms of the Annual Incentive Plan of the Company.

     6. Stock Option. Pursuant to the New World Pasta Company 1999 Stock Option
        ------------
Plan (the "Plan") and subject to the terms of the stock option agreement
governing the grant of such options, the Company shall grant Executive (i)
46,111 options, with an exercise price of $10 per share, and (ii) 24,823 options
with an exercise price of $73.50 per share.

     7. Vacation, Holidays and Sick Leave. During the Term, Executive shall be
        ---------------------------------
entitled to paid vacation, paid holidays, reimbursement of business expenses and
sick leave in accordance with the Company's standard policies for its senior
executive officers.

     8. Health, Welfare and Pension Benefits. During the Term, Executive and
        ------------------------------------
eligible members of his family shall be eligible to participate in the Company
provided (i) health and dental benefits and insurance programs; (ii) life and
short- and long-term disability benefits and insurance programs and (iii)
pension and retirement benefits.

     9. Termination of Agreement.
        -------------------------

        (a) The employment by the Company of Executive pursuant to this
Agreement shall not be terminated prior to the end of the Term, except (i) by
mutual consent, (ii) death, (iii) disability, (iv) by the Company for cause, (v)
by the Company without cause, (vi) by Executive for good reason, or (vii) by
Executive without good reason. In the event of the Executive's termination of
employment with the Company by mutual consent, death, disability, by the Company
for cause or by the Executive without good reason, the Company's obligation's
under this Agreement shall terminate as of the Executive's last day of
employment with the Company. The Executive shall be entitled to receive any
benefits or compensation to which he may be entitled under the benefit plans and
policies of the Company, as then in effect. In the event the Executive's
employment with the Company is terminated by the Company without cause or by the
Executive with good reason, the Executive shall be entitled to a payment equal
to twenty-six (26) weeks of the Executive's then current base salary, which
shall be paid in accordance with the terms of the Company's Severance Benefits
Plan. This payment shall be in lieu of any other obligation of the Company under
this Agreement.
<PAGE>

        (b) For purposes of this Agreement, the term "cause" shall mean the
determination, in good faith, by the Company that one or more of the following
events has occurred: (i) any act of gross negligence, fraud or willful
misconduct by Executive materially injuring the interest, business or reputation
of the Company, or any of its parents, subsidiaries or affiliates; (ii)
Executive's commission of any felony; (iii) any misappropriation or embezzlement
of the property of the Company, or any of its parents, subsidiaries or
affiliates; or (iv) any material breach by Executive of this Agreement, which
breach remains uncorrected for a period of thirty (30) days after receipt by
Executive of written notice from the Company setting forth such breach. The term
"good reason" shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events without
the prior consent of Executive: (i) removal of Executive from Executive's then
current position; (ii) material reduction by the Company of Executive's then
current duties, responsibilities or authority or the assignment to Executive of
duties materially inconsistent with his then current position; or (iii) material
breach by the Company of this Agreement, which breach remains uncured for a
period of thirty days after receipt by the Company of written notice from
Executive.

     10. Successors. This Agreement is a personal contract and the rights and
         ----------
interests of Executive hereunder may not be sold, transferred, assigned,
pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated by him, except as otherwise expressly
permitted by the provisions of this Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be enforceable by Executive and his personal or legal
representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees,
devisees and legatees.

     11. Confidentiality and Non-Competition Covenants.
         ---------------------------------------------

         (a) Executive will not, directly or indirectly, make known, disclose,
furnish, make available or utilize any of the Company's confidential
information, other than in the proper performance of the duties contemplated by
the Agreement, or as required by law. Executive will return all confidential
information, including all photocopies, extracts and summaries thereof, and any
such information stored electronically on tapes, computer disks or in any other
manner to the Company at any time upon request by the Company and, in any event,
promptly after the termination of his employment for any reason. Confidential
information does not include any information (i) available to or already in the
hands of the public, (ii) known to Executive prior to the date hereof, (iii)
disclosed to Executive by a third party who is not under a duty of
confidentiality with respect to such information, or (iv) independently
developed by Executive without the use of confidential information of the
Company.

        (b) Executive will not, during the Term and for any period during which
Executive is receiving payments from the Company pursuant to this
<PAGE>

Agreement, perform services for any entity that competes with the Company in the
dry pasta category.

     (c) Each party hereto acknowledges that money damages would be both
incalculable and an insufficient remedy for any breach of this section of the
Agreement and such party and that any such breach would cause the other parties,
irreparable harm. Accordingly, each party hereto also agrees that, in the event
of any breach or threatened breach of this provision of the Agreement by such
party, the other parties shall be entitled to equitable relief without the
requirement of posting a bond or other security, including in the form of
injunctions and orders for specific performance, in addition to all other
remedies available to such other parties at law or in equity.

     12. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains all the understandings
         ----------------
between the parties hereto pertaining to the matters referred to herein, and
supersedes any other undertakings and agreements, whether oral or in writing,
previously entered into by them with respect thereto.

     13. Amendment or Modification; Waiver. No provision of this Agreement may
         ---------------------------------
be amended or waived unless such amendment or waiver is agreed to in writing,
signed by Executive and by a duly authorized officer of the Company. No waiver
by any party hereto of any breach by another party hereto of any condition or
provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed
a waiver of a similar or dissimilar condition or provision at the same time, any
prior time or any subsequent time.

     14. Severability. If any provision or clause of this Agreement or the
         ------------
application of any such provision or clause to any party or circumstances shall
be determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid and
unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of this Agreement or the application
of such provision or clause to such person or circumstances other than those to
which it is so determined to be invalid and unenforceable, shall not be affected
thereby, and each provision or clause hereof shall be validated and shall be
enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.

     15. Survivorship. The respective rights and obligations of the parties
         ------------
hereunder shall survive any termination of this Agreement to the extent
necessary to the intended preservation of such rights and obligations.

     16. Governing Law; Arbitration.
         --------------------------

         (a) This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, without regard to it conflicts of
law principles.

<PAGE>

         (b) In the event a dispute arises out of or pertaining to this
Agreement, either party may, by written notice to the other party, require that
such dispute be submitted to binding arbitration pursuant to the rules of the
American Arbitration Association in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (including
reasonable discovery as determined by the arbitrator) and the order of such
arbitrator shall be conclusive, final and binding on all parties hereto and may
be entered as a judgment in any court having jurisdiction over the parties.

     17. Headings. All descriptive headings of sections and paragraphs in this
         --------
Agreement are intended solely for convenience, and no provision of this
Agreement is to be construed by reference to the heading of any section or
paragraph.

     18. Withholding. All payments to Executive under this Agreement shall be
         -----------
reduced by all applicable withholding required by federal, state or local law.

     19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of
         ------------
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed and delivered this
Employment Agreement as of the date first above written.

                                   NEW WORLD PASTA COMPANY

                                   By: /s/ John Denton
                                      ----------------------------------
                                      Name:  John Denton
                                      Title: CEO

                                                   EXECUTIVE

                                       /s/ Stephen H. Vesce
                                      ----------------------------------
                                                Stephen H. Vesce

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