September 20th…
Pei Qian had booked Ming Yun Private Kitchen on the 20th of every month. Although Boss Pei was disappointed that Ming Yun Private Kitchen was now generating profits, he could not save on such expenses.
In fact, it was precisely because Ming Yun Private Kitchen was no longer incurring losses that he had to pull all stops. He had to channel his sorrow to his appetite and stuff himself with food from Ming Yun Private Kitchen, so that he could spend as much money as possible! Although Ming Yun Private Kitchen was his own restaurant, he had to pay for the food he ate. Take the King Crab that he ate the last time for example. Based on the price of the ingredients alone, each bite cost him thousands of yuan.
It would be a great help to Boss Pei if everyone ate all the expensive food to their heart's content!
Lin Canrong and the staff at Ming Yun Private Kitchen were already extremely busy. Apart from preparing the ingredients, Ming Yun Private Kitchen also had to prepare the decorations, the tables, the cutleries, and whatnot in the most high-class way possible. Pei Qian had nothing better to do that day. Thus, he decided to go to the restaurant early to have a cup of tea and watch the staff hustle and bustle around him.
They worked in a very organized manner, taking care of every detail as they moved tables, changed table cloths, and laid out the cutlery.
The waiters were all wearing a pair of white gloves. Coupled with the elegant dining environment, the place looked extremely impressive.
Pei Qian sipped his tea, feeling sorrowful. This beautiful place is no longer mine alone to enjoy. What a pity.
Lin Canrong gave the waiters a few simple instructions and then sat opposite Boss Pei to keep him company.
After hosting so many banquets, the waiters seemed to be running on auto-pilot. Each of them knew their own responsibilities well and did not need Lin Canrong to guide them every step of the way. "Boss Pei, let me tell you about the private kitchen's situation and revenue…" Lin Canrong looked very proud. Pei Qian quickly set his cup down and raised his hand to stop him. "There's no need!
"I trust that you'll take good care of this place. You don't have to report the results to me anymore! Remember, reputation should be prioritized over making a profit. As long as the restaurant's rating on TPDb remains good, you can relax."
Lin Canrong felt comforted as he nodded. "Alright, Boss Pei."
Ai, it's so rare for bosses to be like Boss Pei, who is so easy-going and has complete trust in his employees!
Pei Qian felt speechless.
D*mn it, Lin Canrong. I came here in a good mood, ready to have a good meal. Why are you trying to hurt me like that?
I'm in enough pain knowing that Ming Yun Private Kitchen has become popular. Now, you're rubbing salt in my wounds. Just wait. You'll be in my first-place-elimination system soon!
A while later, the employees of Shang Yang Games arrived.
When he saw Ye Zhizhou, Wang Xiaobin, and Lin Wan-his beloved generals-Boss Pei could not help but smile.
These are my good employees!
Ever since I bought Shang Yang Games, it has been burning money on my behalf. I even managed to burn over ten million yuan by producing Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version.
These results were outstanding to Boss Pei.
Everyone in Ming Yun Private Kitchen, Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, and Tengda is only interested in making money for me. All of them should learn from you guys!
Pei Qian stopped short of rewarding outstanding employees in Shang Yang Games and inviting employees of Tengda's group of companies to learn from them.
Pei Qian looked pleased as a punch-as he gestured for everyone to take their seats.
As the backbone of Shang Yang Games, Ye Zhizhou, Wang Xiaobin, and Lin Wan had been invited to Ming Yun Private Kitchen once before. However, this was the first time for many other employees of Shang Yang Games.
Pei Qian did not trust Shang Yang Games before; that was why he had not treated them like his own employees. He wanted to give himself some time to observe them.
Now, the observation period was almost over. Everyone in Shang Yang Games had successfully burned enough money to earn Boss Pei's appreciation and favor.
After this, Pei Qian planned to invest more money in the company so that he could happily incur losses!
Everyone took their seats.
The dining tables in the hall had already been changed. Before this, the hall was filled with tables for two, arranged far apart from one another. Now, there was a big, round table in the center of the hall which could seat more than twenty people. The other employees were sent into various private rooms.
The tables, chairs, and cutlery looked gorgeous, and they made everyone feel like they were having a feast in a European court. Even before the food was served, one of the employees began to salivate purely from looking at the beautiful plates and cutlery on the table.
"I'm glad I didn't eat lunch. I was waiting for this feast!" The slightly older employee next to him quickly nudged him. Boss Pei is still heremind your words!
He was sure that Boss Pei could hear his colleague from this distance.
Indeed, Boss Pei turned around. "Young man, what is your name?"
The young man who said he skipped lunch jumped. In his heart, he wondered if he said something wrong.
However, since Boss Pei was the one speaking to him, he did not dare to lie. He had no choice but to answer truthfully. "I… I am Hao Qiong(1)."
Pei Qian immediately sat upright. What a good name! From the name alone, I can tell that you're just the employee I need! "Everyone, learn from Little Hao, understand? "I won't lay down hard and fast rules for this meal, but come with an empty stomach next time-just like Little Hao!
"Of course, I'm not saying you should skip lunch. Just eat enough so that you wouldn't starve to death
"I've worked so hard to prepare the best food for you. Don't let it go to waste. Even if you want to puke after eating the food, at least it would have been in your system!
"Quick, the food is here! Everyone, eat as much as you can. If you leave any food untouched after tonight, you'll remain here and eat until tomorrow morning!" Everyone was reserved at first, but after hearing Boss Pei's speech, they all laughed.
"No problem, Boss Pei! Even if we puke, we'll make sure we finish every bit of food!"
"Aiya, I ate too much for lunch. I regret that now."
"If you really cannot finish the food, you'll have no choice but to work overtime. I'm sure you can finish all the food if you're given the entire night, right?"
"No way! We have to uphold Tengda's tradition of not working overtime! Work hard, everyone!"
The waiters had served the food. Everyone joked around with one another while stuffing their faces with food. The atmosphere was extremely harmonious.
When he saw how everyone in Shang Yang Games was acting, Pei Qian felt elated. He was beginning to like these employees more and more.
He loved the way they bummed around!
This was an excellent quality that Tengda's employees lacked!
Now, Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version's figures were a mess. It was a long way from recovering its capital. Any employee with the slightest sense of responsibility would not think about feasting at this moment. Instead, they would be preoccupied with how to bring the game back to life.
Even if they did not really care, they should at least act like they did and remain low-profile, right?
Yet, how were these employees acting? They looked completely elated. Nobody would have been able to tell that the game they just released was an absolute failure and that they were upset about it.
How could such slackers achieve anything for the company?
Pei Qian waved his hand, and a waiter served an opened bottle of red wine.
"Pour a glass for everyone. Drink less and eat more. The wine is not cheap, but it still fills your stomach. You must choose the most expensive food to enjoy!
"Ai, Little Hao, why aren't you using your chopsticks?"
Pei Qian was walking around the restaurant when he saw that Hao Qiong was not digging into the lobster and sashimi in front of him. Instead, he was staring at the kitchen as if waiting for something.
When he heard Boss Pei's question, Hao Qiong quickly explained, "Boss Pei, from a young age, I've eaten carbohydrates to pad my stomach before eating other food. Can I have a bowl of rice?"
Pei Qian could not help but frown. "What's wrong with you?"
Pei Qian had not ordered any carbohydrates when he planned the menu.
Although there were rice and noodles in the kitchen, Pei Qian could not bear to fill his employees' stomachs with such food. He scanned the food on the table and then placed a plate of caviar in front of Hao Qiong.
"You can take this as rice."
Hao Qiong looked confused. He had never seen anything like that. "Boss Pei, what is this?"
"Take this as black rice! Eat it with a bit of soya sauce or crab roe. Don't hesitate, just try it!"
Pei Qian patted Hao Qiong on the shoulder and then walked away. He believed that Hao Qiong would be able to overcome this minor psychological barrier. Indeed, after making his rounds, Pei Qian returned to find Hao Qiong gnawing at the huge lobster.
"Boss Pei, I saw online that some particularly awesome chefs can turn an entire watermelon into a flower. Can the chef here do that? I'm suddenly craving that!" An employee asked as he stuffed his face with Matsutake.
Pei Qian frowned. "How can a rotten watermelon be any good? How expensive can it get? Would the watermelon skin or seeds be made of gold? Stop thinking about all that cheap food. Finish these valuable dishes in front of you first.
"If you can finish these huge crabs, I'll reward you with a Watermelon Rose."
"Ai!" The employee felt motivated all of a sudden.
Pei Qian could not help but shake his head inwardly.
How could a crappy watermelon be that delicious?
Of course, the professional chefs in Ming Yun Private Kitchen could produce a Watermelon Rose. However, those were too cheap. Even if they were expensive, one would be paying for the chef's skills in carving the rose.
Pei Qian did not even consider ordering dishes that used cheap ingredients. One had to consume expensive ingredients in order to waste money. Just like that, Ming Yun Private Kitchen was filled with happiness and celebration.
Lin Wan and Ye Zhizhou exchanged a knowing look. Each of them understood what the other was thinking. The atmosphere was just right. It was about time to share the good news with Boss Pei.
They were thinking about how to deliver the news when Boss Pei turned around, holding his glass.
nev
Pei Qian was growing fonder of these two trusted generals of his.
This was especially true for Ye Zhizhou. Ever since Pei Qian promoted Ye Zhizhou to chief planner in order to fill in the gap left behind by Old Liu, Ye Zhizhou had not let Pei Qian down.
This young man had a bright future ahead of him!
However, both of them looked troubled.
That was expected. Pei Qian would have been worried if Lin Wan did not look troubled.
Pei Qian knew full well that Lin Wan was ambitious. She wanted the game to become popular. She probably could not even think about eating or drinking now. He could not kick her while she was already down and employ reverse psychology.
"It's not a big deal that Bloody Battle Song has failed. The key is to learn from your experience of failure. It doesn't matter as long as you succeed the next time.
"Friends, you have worked hard during this period. Have a good rest. I will invest another twenty million yuan in the company at the end of the year. Then, you can work hard to create a game that you like!"
Pei Qian was clearly emotional.
Ye Zhizhou nodded profusely and said, "Yes, Boss Pei!
"I wasn't confident enough before. Our recent success has greatly encouraged me. I believe that with twenty million yuan, we will be able to create an outstanding game!"
Pei Qian nodded, satisfied. "Hmm, that's the way… huh?"
He was about to praise Ye Zhizhou out of habit when he realized that something was amiss.
"Recent success?" Beads of perspiration began to form on Pei Qian's forehead.
Ye Zhizhou and Lin Wan exchanged a knowing look and grinned.
Lin Wan retrieved her phone, accessed Shenhua's application store, and said, "Boss Pei, look!"
Pei Qian took the phone and immediately froze.
Bloody Battle Song was first place on Shenhua's application store!
What's happening?! Isn't this an application store for mobile games?!
Pei Qian accessed the game's details page incredulously and read more about the game. That's right, it was Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version!
However, the web-based game was now a mobile game. What's more, it looked extremely popular! [1] This sounds like 'very poor' in Mandarin.
Chapter 266 This Game's not Making Much—Just Four to Five Million Yuan a Month
Pei Qian felt light-headed. "What happened?"
How did my loss-incurring mini-client turn into a mobile game?
The corners of Lin Wan's mouth curled upwards. She could not help but grin. "Boss Pei, didn't you give me the hint? I asked you when to expect a change in Bloody Battle Song's situation, and you replied 'at the right time'. "Mobile games are extremely popular at the moment. Isn't that the 'right time'?
"Weren't you hinting to me to keep up with the times and create a mobile game instead?"
Pei Qian fell silent for a moment. "…I think there must have been a misunderstanding."
Lin Wan's smile widened.
Boss Pei was modest and open-minded indeed.
"Boss Pei, I know that you're trying your best to give us the credit.
"Why did you hint to me to work with Shenhua's cell phone business then? Don't tell me that you didn't know Lin Yu is Shenhua's vice-president and happens to be in charge of the cell phone business.
"If not for your suggestion, Lin Yu would not have given me recommendation spots, and I would never have thought of advertising Bloody Battle Song on Shenhua's application store."
Pei Qian, "???"
I told Lin Yu to look for you just to give you an allowance of a hundred thousand yuan! Who told her to give you recommendation spots?!
If he had known that Lin Wan would offer Lin Wan recommendation spots in her application store, Pei Qian would have taken the hundred thousand yuan without another word!
Pei Qian looked at Ye Zhizhou, confused.
Ye Zhizhou looked elated as well. He raised up his thumb and said, "Boss Pei, I want to say that you have acute foresight indeed!
"Look at the comments on the game." Pei Qian frowned slightly and entered Bloody Battle Song's comments section. A whole bunch of good ratings and comments flooded his vision.
"At first, I swore that I would not play the rubbish game that Zha Zhuti advertised. In the end… hehe, I take back my words!"
"This was an extremely surprising game. I thought that the game would resort to cheating like other web-based games. Yet, it seems completely different! Other games fill their screen with payment options, but this game only allows you to purchase strength potions. Its creators are so good-hearted! It reminds me of when I first played Ghost General!"
"Indeed, Ghost General was a game with a heart, but mobile card games are tacky. Bloody Battle Song allows for a lot of interaction. Now, I'm waiting for wars every single day. It's so interesting!" "I've misunderstood this game. I'm giving it full marks for encouragement!"
"This game is more satisfying than any other game I've played recently. Its graphics are good, it's top-quality, and it is kind with payment options. What's more, the mobile and mini-client versions interoperate. The developer is a genius!"
"Zha Zhuti, I've misunderstood you! You said that this war game is fair, but I thought you were lying. I never would have expected that you were telling the truth the whole time!"
"Honest advertisements are hard to come by!"
"As a web-based gamer, I have never seen such a good-hearted game. I must give it full marks!"
"You won't be tortured by ballers in this game. Everyone is equal. It feels so good; I must buy as much as I can! I'm buying the maximum number of strength potions!" After reading all the good comments, Pei Qian fell into a state of shock. The intelligent Boss Pei suddenly realized what had happened.
Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version was converted from a mini-client to a mobile game. That was why everything changed! The game's biggest problem was the lack of players. However, after turning it into a mobile game, the problem was completely resolved!
Mobile games were becoming increasingly popular. From Qute Three Kingdoms to Ghost General, mobile games were becoming more and more complicated and serious. Games like Bloody Battle Song, which turned web-based operations into mobile-friendly ones, would become the norm in the future.
Under these circumstances, the first of such projects would surely earn the most praise and support. It might even pioneer changes in the industry!
The mobile version of Bloody Battle Song enjoyed almost guaranteed success. Different factors came together to ensure this.
Zhang Zuting's brainwashing advertisement had caught the attention of many potential players. Shenhua's application store's recommendations directed large numbers of excellent users to the game as well.
Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version was a game with a heart, just like Ghost General. Ordinary players were sure to praise it to no end.
The game was also top-quality. Although it could not compare to client-side games, they had spent five million yuan on art resources alone. This allowed the game to rise above other mobile games, crushing its competitors.
The 'Chosen One' system allowed ordinary players to have a pleasant gaming experience that was normally exclusive to ballers. Naturally, these players would enjoy Bloody Battle Song more than other web-based games.
All in all, once the game appeared in the mobile game industry, it immediately became a hit. News of it spread like wildfire!
Pei Qian was completely dumbfounded.
He had gotten rid of most purchase options in Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version, but how much revenue the game generated depended on the number of players! If there were too many players, even if they only sold strength potions, they could still make a profit. In fact, Pei Qian was thinking of an even more terrifying possibility.
Many guilds would want to boost their numbers. That meant players would likely have more than one account!
The 'Chosen One' system selected players based on chance. This meant that the more accounts one had, the higher their chances would be of being selected by the system.
Then, rich players could buy strength potions using their alternate accounts. After all, they did not cost much.
With that many players, a game could generate profits no matter how low its paywall was! A realization dawned on Pei Qian. "This game must be making a huge profit, right?"
Lin Wan quickly became modest. "It won't make too much money. Wang Xiaobin did his calculations. According to the rate at which players are joining the game, we would make four to five million yuan a month at most. It would probably not surpass Ocean Stronghold."
Pei Qian paused. "Four to five million yuan?!"
How could it earn that much?!
Pei Qian knew very well that this amount would not sound ridiculous for the mobile games industry in the future. However, the mobile games market was just not that big now!
What's more, Bloody Battle Song had very low paywalls. Even if it had many players and a good reputation, it seemed unlikely to be able to earn that much.
Lin Wan smiled subtly. "Shenhua's games platform is splitting the profit with us 10-90. We're taking 90%." Pei Qian, "…"
He felt a blood clot in his throat and nearly coughed it up.
They were just waiting!
It was no wonder they could earn that much money. The application store was only taking 10% of their revenue. What the h*ll, what difference is there between that and not taking any money at all?!
Is this the result of using one's network?
Is this how a biological daughter would be treated?
It's terrifying…
Lin Wan still felt sorry. "Actually, we could have earned much more.
"I can only say that game was too kindly made. The paywall is too low. If we stuck to Bloody Battle Song's old, scamming top-up system; we might earn more than ten million yuan a month.
"But don't worry, Boss Pei. We don't plan to do?that.
"We're keeping Tengda's vision in mind. We want to be number one in terms of reputation!
"This way, Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version will live a long life. We will not be phased out in three or four months like ordinary web-based games. Our game should be able to maintain this level of income for the next one or two years. In fact, it might generate even more!"
Pei Qian began to feel unwell.
It was ridiculous enough that the game would earn four or five million yuan a month!
Indeed, it could not compare to web-based games with more paywalls. After all, the ballers in those web-based games would top up tens of thousands of yuan at will. One baller alone was akin to millions of ordinary players.
However, it was terrifying that they would be able to earn that much from ordinary players alone!
Ocean Stronghold had many players; that meant the company spent a lot of money on bandwidth and server fees each month.
However, having that many players also meant that the game was vastly popular and would live a long life!
Bloody Battle Song was a war game. That meant there were high levels of interaction, which would breed loyalty in players.
Other war games had loyal players as well, who would stick with the game for a long time. However, the problem was that ballers would compete by making purchases in the game. If the system failed to control this, the game's war system could collapse. Thus, most web-based games ended up losing a lot of ordinary players after three or four months. They would have no choice but to struggle for survival by creating new servers.
Bloody Battle Song was a different story. It would be impossible for the war system to break down. The 'Chosen One' system would control the amount of power each side had. Also, ordinary players would be given the chance to experience playing like ballers. This would increase their loyalty to the game, thereby increasing the game's lifespan!
When he heard Lin Wan say the game 'should be able to maintain this level of income for the next one or two years', Pei Qian felt like the world's most evil curse was being put on him. At once, he felt nauseous.
This is not a money tree—it's a massive burden!
What's more, it was the kind that Pei Qian would not be able to shake off!
It was like riding a tiger-Boss Pei just could not get off. If he maintained the status quo, the game would continue to earn a stable income for a long time. The game's lifespan might shorten if he added more purchase options to ruin its reputation. However, in the short-term, ballers would vengefully buy as much as they could. The consequences would be dire.
Pei Qian was speechless; he had no idea what to say. As he watched the people around him stuff their faces, Pei Qian's heart began to hurt.
You wastrels! Stop eating!
Spit everything back out! I was still thinking about rewarding you earlier, and this is how you're repaying me?!
Pei Qian finally knew why everyone looked so relaxed, natural, and stress-free.
It was because the game was generating profit! It was doing well in terms of both reputation and income. Why would they be stressed?
Pei Qian quietly handed the cell phone back to Lin Wan. As he looked at her, his expression was complex.
It's finished.
This woman will not go back to inherit her family business.
Pei Qian could only imagine how much more confident Lin Wan felt now that the mobile version of Bloody Battle Song had achieved such success.
Lin Wan realized that Boss Pei was looking at her with a complicated expression, and she could not help but smile subtly.
Boss Pei looks so pleased. Is he feeling happy for me?
Indeed, I have worked on many projects in Sun Strike Studios and Tengda. Finally, I've grown into an outstanding designer, who can take charge of a project and resolve problems on her own!
Pei Qian remained silent for two more seconds, still not knowing what to say. He could only down the glass of red wine in his hand. He had only one thought now: to get plastered!
When he saw this, Ye Zhizhou thought that Boss Pei was drinking to celebrate. He quickly tipped his head back and downed his glass as well.
"Boss Pei, cheers!"
"Come, everyone! Raise your glasses! We will make merry tonight until we're drunk!"
Chapter 267 May It Become the Example for Other Web-Based Games to Learn From!
On the top floor of Ming Yun Private Kitchen…
The red wine had gone to his head. The light-headedness coupled with the gentle night breeze made Pei Qian feel slightly hazier.
He retrieved his cell phone and downloaded Shenhua's application store. Once again, he confirmed that Bloody Battle Song's mobile version was now first place on the chart.
Alright, everything that had happened earlier was real.
Pei Qian heaved a long sigh.
How upsetting…
When he heard the grievous news, he felt like gray clouds had suddenly blocked the sun from his life. All of a sudden, he was at a loss as to what to do.
The good thing was that he was already used to this feeling
After all, it was not the first or second time that everything was going awry. He had learned enough from his past.
Oh, no. To put it more accurately, he had learned how to adjust his own mood after things went awry. "It's alright to earn four or five million yuan more each month. We're still some time away from settlement. We can still create more Upwind Courier stations. I can still take it."
It was September 20th. Settlement would be on October 31st. There was still more than a month to go.
He could not have unannounced products a week before settlement. In other words, he had to release all new products before October 24th. He could still spend more money.
Take Fish-Catching Internet Cafe and Upwind Logistics for example.
He could rent available spaces and begin operations before October 24th, so that settlement would not be affected.
"I have to say that this group of people at Shang Yang Games caught me unprepared. However, on the bright side, they are quite efficient. If they only completed the mobile version of Bloody Battle Song next month, my hands would really be tied.
"At least I have a chance to make up for their wrongs now. As long as I can think of ways to spend the money, everything will be fine!"
Pei Qian was not quite reacting well in the face of an emergency; he had just been prepared in advance.
After all, things had gone awry many times before. He had to remember the lessons learned.
Ever since this week began, Pei Qian had been doubly prepared. The game incurring losses was the best-case scenario. If that did not happen, Pei Qian still had a trump card. The only businesses that Boss Pei could trust were Zhongdian Chinese Network, Fish-Catching Take-Out, Upwind Logistics, and Fish-Catching Internet Cafe. Among these, Pei Qian did not dare to touch Zhongdian Chinese Network.
It was true that he could burn money exceptionally quickly by working on online literature. For example, he could pour tens of millions of yuan into buying gods of online literature over from Infinite Chinese Network. Alternatively, he could also spend the same amount of money buying tens of ordinary writers.
However, the risks were too high!
What if Zhongdian Chinese Network ended up becoming popular? Wouldn't he be shooting himself in the foot?
Content was the most important thing in the online literature market. Good content would bring in more readers, more readers would lead to more subscriptions, and higher subscription fees would invite more authors.
All of these formed a virtuous cycle.
Pei Qian wanted to leave this option out because it was too unpredictable. He could easily be setting up hidden threats for his future self.
Fish-Catching Take-Out was not bad. It was still incurring losses, but it was still depending on Fish-Catching Internet Cafe.
If Pei Qian made it independent from Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, he would have to rent a place to act as a kitchen and a disinfecting location. That would be too troublesome.
What's more, while Fish-Catching Internet Cafe was incurring losses, it was not incurring that much loss. Dei Qian would not be able to spend enough money on this business.
After considering it for a long while, he finally decided that he would be able to spend more money at a much faster rate in physical businesses like Upwind Logistics and Fish-Catching Internet Cafe.
Pei Qian was slightly disappointed with Fish-Catching Internet Cafe. However, he would be able to increase spending on Fish-Catching Take-Out and test waters with Fish-Catching Internet Cafe 2.0.
He would make adjustments to save Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's loss-incurring model. For all he knew, he would be able to save things from going off the path.
Upwind Logistics was the most dependable to Pei Qian.
However, compared to Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Upwind Courier stations required less money to operate. Pei Qian had to pay for rent, renovations, computers, and the like in order to open a new Fish-Catching Internet Cafe branch. All of these would add up to at least three million yuan. On the other hand, he would only need about thirty thousand yuan to set up an Upwind Courier station.
That meant he had to open a hundred Upwind Courier stations in order to match up to opening a new Fish-Catching Internet Cafe branch. The rate at which he could spend money was different for each of those businesses.
Although he could set up an unlimited number of Upwind Courier stations, he had to select a location for each one. It was a lot of work to find a location, sign a contract, and interview staff.
It would be manageable if he was only looking to open one or two Upwind Courier stations, but if he was looking at a hundred, even Lu Mingliang and the others would not be able to handle the workload.
Thus, Pei Qian prepared two plans at the same time. He would open both a new Fish-Catching Internet Cafe branch and more Upwind Courier stations. This would allow him to spend as much money as he could.
As for locations and staff, Pei Qian did not have many requirements. His only requirement was that all the shops had to be opened before October 24th.
As long as he could spend all the money and not affect settlement, he would have succeeded.
At that thought, Pei Qian called Zhang Yuan and Lu Mingliang. Time was of the essence. The plan demanded immediate action, and he could not wait for even a second longer.
Standing at the head of the stairs to the top floor, Ye Zhizhou carefully stuck his head out and looked around.
"Boss Pei is so busy.
"He's still making work calls now."
Ye Zhizhou could not help but feel guilty.
Although they had successfully shared Boss Pei's burden with the mobile version of Bloody Battle Song this time, Tengda had way too many businesses still. The thought of himself eating while Boss Pei was working made Ye Zhizhou feel embarrassed.
However, on second thought, Boss Pei must always have been this hardworking. Otherwise, Tengda would not have become so successful.
Ye Zhizhou was just about to leave silently when Pei Qian hung up. He turned around and met Ye Zhizhou's gaze.
Ye Zhizhou cleared his throat and said, "Boss Pei, everyone noticed that you were missing for a long time. We thought you were feeling unwell because you drank too much, and so I came up here to take a look.
"I didn't expect to find you still working since it's already so late."
Pei Qian's anger had already dissipated, but when he heard Ye Zhizhou's words, he felt his blood begin to boil once again.
Why do you think I have to work at such a time?!
If you hadn't made a mess of everything all of a sudden, why the h*ll would I need to arrange for Zhang Yuan and Lu Mingliang to spend more money now?!
You stabbed me in the back, and you're still trying to rub salt in my wounds? Ridiculous!
Pei Qian was furious.
However, he could only keep these thoughts in his heart. He could not say them out loud.
Ye Zhizhou noticed that Pei Qian looked unwell. Thus, he asked in a concerned tone, "Boss Pei, are you alright?"
Pei Qian forced a smile. "It's nothing. I just met with some trouble at work."
Ye Zhizhou quickly nodded. "Yes, I understand. How can Boss Pei be defeated by small problems?"
Pei Qian was momentarily speechless.
He wanted to say something but quickly stopped himself.
There was no point.
Trying to explain things to Ye Zhizhou would be like a chicken trying to speak to a duck. No one could empathize with Pei Qian's sorrow.
Pei Qian could only suffer in silence. Was it true that he was destined to be misunderstood?
Forget it; calm down.
It's not worth getting angry over something like that. I should go back and eat good food.
Pei Qian had been so angry that he had lost his appetite. Now that his anger had dissipated, he was feeling hungry again. He walked back to his own seat, his heart heavy with sorrow. He was prepared to turn his sorrow into appetite and fill his stomach.
He had just sat down and deshelled a huge lobster when Lin Wan ran towards him excitedly.
"Boss Pei, look! The official platform is recommending our game, too! They're even doing that on their home page!"
"Pfft!"
Pei Qian had just taken a sip of red wine, but now he was spitting it all out. What the hell?!
The official platform was recommending even a game like Bloody Battle Song? Are you kidding me?
Pei Qian was completely confused. How can that be?!
The official platform had a clear direction for making recommendations! Ordinary profit-driven games could get a recommendation spot in the corner of the official games platform at most.
Only top-notch games that the official platform deemed had a healthy direction, were valuable, and would benefit the game industry could take up the recommendation spots on the homepage.
Game Designer was an example of such games.
However, Bloody Battle Song was a traditional web-based game. It was a war game that involved a lot of violence. How could it be validated by the official platform? How could it make it to the official platform's home page?
Could they be doing this on account of Tengda?
That was impossible. The game was not Tengda Games's-it was Shang Yang Games'
How could it receive such treatment?
Pei Qian was completely perplexed. He held onto the lobster, not knowing how to respond.
After a long time, he asked, "So… What did they say about the game?".
Lin Wan could not stop smiling. She read, "As a traditional web-based game, Bloody Battle Song has contributed important innovations in terms of gameplay. "By replacing the original top-up system with the 'Chosen One' system, this game changed the root of web-based game models, which typically encourage burning money and buying revenge. As a result, all players are able to enjoy the game calmly and peacefully. This game has served to greatly improve web-based gamers' values.
"For a long time, web-based games have been blindly imposing paywalls. These games left a bad taste in many players' mouths and were headed down an unhealthy path.
"Bloody Battle Song's exceptional game design, bold innovations, and top-notch quality have completely changed this impression in traditional web-based gamers. While keeping the fun elements of classic web-based games, the developers tweaked web-based gamers' bad spending habits. This move has greatly encouraged improvement in this industry.
"The most precious thing is Bloody Battle Song was once an ordinary game. Yet, the designers did not give the game up. They paid attention to detail and constantly made improvements to the game in order to inject new life into it.
"We hope that Bloody Battle Song will be the last of traditional web-based games, and that Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version will be the first of many web-based games using this new model.
"We also hope that Bloody Battle Song will prove to be the turning point in our domestic web-based games industry.
"For that reason, we are especially recommending this game. May it become the example for other web-based games to learn from.
"May players also put aside their prejudices and give the game a try. Perhaps you will be able to experience the true fun of web-based games."
After reading these words, Lin Wan looked up at Boss Pei, grinning.
Ye Zhizhou's eyes were welling up as he listened by the side.
The game had been recognized by the official platform!
This time, they had completely washed themselves clean of the 'rubbish game' reputation! They had achieved a complete turnaround in terms of income and reputation!
What's more, with the official platform's endorsement and recommendation, the game would surely be more widely discussed. More players would be encouraged to try the game, and they would generate more income!
Ye Zhizhou could not help but feel moved. Good news was coming one after another. It was truly a good day!
Was this how it felt to have the clouds finally parted and the moon shining bright?
Suddenly, he recalled what Director Lin had said before.
Boss Pei's hope for gamers was for them to stop being slaves to money. He wanted to alter their tastes, so that even if they do not top up money into games, they would be able to enjoy a gaming experience that used to be exclusive to ballers.
There was a high chance of failure associated with making such a heaven-defying move. However, Boss Pei's 'heaven-defying move' had proven successful now! What's more, he was being validated by the official platform!
This was an official endorsement-people would not doubt it!
Everyone who took part in the development of the game felt like they had just made history. After all, they all had a part to play in trying to change the web-based game industry together with Boss Pei!
Everyone's eyes filled with respect and gratefulness.
If not for Boss Pei, we would not have realized we could achieve this much!
Pei Qian's emotions were more complex than everyone else's. However, his emotions were on the other end of the spectrum.
Pei Qian looked down at the lobster in his hands and then quietly tossed it aside.
Forget it, I'm not eating anymore.
I've lost my appetite again!
Chapter 268 Our Priority is to Open for Business as soon as possible
September 21st…
In the morning, Pei Qian took a ride to Jingzhou City's biggest shopping mall, Huanyu Tianjie.
Pei Qian had been here several times before. The first time was to buy a suit; the subsequent times were to allow his employees to spend as much money as they could.
However, Pei Qian had always come as a consumer. Each time he came to this mall, he purchased, purchased, and purchased. This time was different. He was here as the boss of Fish-Catching Internet Cafe. He was playing a completely different character.
Of course, before he decided to open Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's new branch here, Pei Qian did his homework. He made sure that this shopping mall had nothing to do with Shenhua Real Estate.
Pei Qian did not want to receive a random call from a Boss Lin after opening the internet cafe, informing him that he no longer needed to pay rent for the shop space.
It was not a matter of how much money he had. The important thing was it would severely derail Boss Pei's plan.
Boss Pei hated having to alter his plan. After all, it was a world of difference to earn a million yuan and to lose a million yuan.
A single mistake could reduce Boss Pei to tears.
Ma Yang and Zhang Yuan selected a space on the third floor of Huanyu Tianjie. It measured about 800 square meters, and Pei Qian was quite happy with it.
If the shop was located on the first floor, anyone who entered the shopping mall would walk past it. There would be too much traffic.
What's more, the merchants on the first floor were all quite rich. Even if Pei Qian wanted to pay them to move out, it might not work. They could not find any empty spaces either.
On the other hand, there were a cinema and a few shops selling bubble tea on the topmost floor. Pei Qian could not neglect the possibility that young people would want to visit the internet cafe before or after a movie.
Thus, the third floor looked quite good to Pei Qian.
Apart from Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, there were various clothes shops on this floor. Most of them were international, high-end brands. The only dining shops were a high-end cafe and a shop selling bubble tea next to it.
All in all, this floor was relatively quiet. Most customers who came to this floor were girls who loved shopping. They probably would not enter an internet cafe for no reason.
The selected space was located on the southeast corner of the level. It looked like an independent area.
An international clothing brand once occupied this space. However, since business was poor, they decided to move out and transfer the space to someone else.
The clearance sale was over, and all the clothing and products had been swept off the shelves. The entire area looked empty apart from the shelves, which were going to be shipped away soon.
The decorations were quite well done. What's more, the general vibe was simple and subdued. It fit Pei Qian's requirements perfectly.
Ma Yang and Zhang Yuan were already waiting there when Pei Qian arrived. They could easily tell that Fish-Catching Internet Cafe 2.0 was a big deal to Boss Pei! When they were looking for suitable locations a few days ago, Boss Pei kept leaving them with instructions. He even called the night before to rush them. He rarely acted this way.
In fact, this really was a big deal to Pei Qian.
It was urgent!
He had to spend the additional cash he had as quickly as he could. There was not much time left to do this.
Ma Yang and Zhang Yuan led Pei Qian around the shop space.
"How do you like it, Brother Qian? It's not bad, right? Most importantly, there aren't many available shop spaces in Huanyu Tianjie. It wasn't easy for us to find this space. It might be average, but if we can make do with it, we should," said Ma Yang.
"The location is quite good. I'm very satisfied. Let's choose this, then!" Pei Qian decided on the spot.
Ma Yang was elated. "Alright! We can start renovating soon. Will we renovate this branch in the same way as we did the others?"
Sal
Pei Qian pondered for a while and said, "There's no need to stick strictly to Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's current style.
"This is Fish-Catching Internet Cafe 2.0 after all. Our motto is 'emphasizing the true nature of the business—the internet cafe'. As long as we can retain the vibe of Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, it would be sufficient. We don't have to be strictly uniform.
"Our priority is to open for business as soon as possible, understand?"
Although he could spend a huge sum on renovations, Pei Qian was most concerned about time.
If anything went wrong during renovations and they had to open the branch later as a result, it would still be a loss to Pei Qian.
He had to spend as much as he could within this cycle. It would not be enough to open just one branch for Fish-Catching Internet Cafe. He had to open a few more.
If it took two weeks to renovate the new branch and Pei Qian had to observe the situation for a week, he would have no time to open any more branches before settlement.
Thus, Pei Qian decided to go back to basics. He could simply renovate the new branch and quickly buy new tables and computers in order to finish everything within a week. Then, he would use the next week for observation.
If the branch incurred loss as he expected, he could invest more money into opening three or four more branches of Fish-Catching Internet Cafe 2.0 in other huge shopping malls. That way, he would be able to spend as much money as possible before settlement.
Although Ma Yang did not understand why Pei Qian was so anxious, he was used to not questioning the latter.
Zhang Yuan was the same. He decided to order a batch of hardware and set the computers up just like he did for Fish-Catching Internet Cafe before.
Of course, as the regional manager of Fish-Catching Internet Cafe in Jingzhou, he could not personally install all hundred-odd computers. He could now direct his subordinates to do these things.
Once he finished giving directions for Fish-Catching Internet Cafe 2.0, Pei Qian took the car back to Tengda. On the way, he used his cell phone to scan TPDb's website. There, he read gamers' reviews of Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version.
Before the mobile version was released, the game had an overall rating of 7.2. Paying gamers gave the game a 9.1 while general netizens gave it a 4.2.
After the mobile version was released, paying gamers' and netizens' ratings of the game showed signs of improvement. After the official platform posted its recommendation of the game, the two ratings increased even more. Now, the overall rating had risen to 8.4. Netizens gave it a 7.2, and some even left what Pei Qian saw as heart-wrenching comments.
"This was a game that was held back by its brain-washing advertisement!"
"This is an independent and unique web-based war game. I mindlessly gave the game a 1.0 earlier, but I've changed my mind."
"It's really quite interesting. It changed my bias against web-based games. I must say the designer of this game is something else."
Ai, my heart hurts.
The game's ratings were continuously increasing. The good news for Pei Qian was that he could distribute more bonuses to Shang Yang Games' employees. However, the bad news was that the ratings and reputation of the game were indications that it would continue to generate revenue.
Shenhua's application store was highly recommending the mobile version of the game.
At the same time, the official platform's recommendation was sending huge batches of players into the mini-client.
At first, Shang Yang Games had estimated that the game would earn about four to five million yuan a month. Pei Qian guessed that this had ballooned to at least six or seven million yuan by now.
Pei Qian really had mixed feelings about this…
Shang Yang Games had been doing perfectly fine; how did it become like that? Pei Qian could not understand.
Didn't I transfer Old Liu away?
Could Old Liu really have been the talent I needed?
He was helpless. Old Liu had slipped away so quickly. Before Pei Qian could discuss the acquisition with the then-boss of Shang Yang Games, Old Liu ran off.
All in all, Pei Qian hoped to find relief in these new physical shops and Repent and be Saved.
According to the progress of research and development, Repent and be Saved should be released on October 1st. Pei Qian did not dare to relax just yet. After all, his weak heart could not take another hard blow at the moment.
He heard another piece of bad news recently. Teacher Qiao managed to complete Repent and be Saved again.
He could only say that Teacher Qiao had more or less figured the gameplay out after completing it the first time. That was why he took much less time to complete it the second time around.
Now, Pei Qian had no choice but to let Teacher Qiao go.
There was not much time left until the game would be released. If Pei Qian increased the game's difficulty any further, he might not be able to complete it.
It had taken him long enough to complete the game using the Pudu. He did not want to suffer anymore.
What's more, Teacher Qiao was a very patient gamer with passable skills. He had also been playing the game eight hours a day, every day. It was expected that he would be able to complete it.
Ordinary players would not be as hardcore as him.
Thus, Pei Qian believed that the game would still repel ordinary players… even though Teacher Qiao managed to complete it.
In other words, even Teacher Qiao met with so much difficulty while playing this game. There was a low chance that ordinary gamers would be able to survive it.
Still, Pei Qian dared not be too confident. He was not even hoping for Repent and be Saved to be a complete failure; he only hoped that it would not earn that much.
Pei Qian would thank the heavens if the game only earned a little revenue, and he managed to open a few Fish-Catching Internet Cafe branches and a batch of Upwind Courier stations to spend all the additional money.
Pei Qian kept scanning the comments as he toyed with the idea of creating a mobile version of TPDb. It was not convenient for him to always browse a website using his cell phone.
As he closed the window on his cell phone browser, Pei Qian thought about something else.
A few netizens had found Tengda's other businesses through the website. Anyone could visit TPDb. At the same time, they could extract gamers' ratings from other media and websites. After entering the website, some gamers realized that there were businesses that were not yet popular, such as Zhongdian Chinese Network.
The entire website was called 'Tengda Project Database'. It was a hint that all the businesses on the site were related to Tengda. Many users expressed astonishment and shock that Fish-Catching Internet Cafe and Ming Yun Private Kitchen were related to Tengda.
However, these comments had not become the norm. They also did not invite any sort of reaction.
This was because TPDb was still quite small-scale, and most people would not refer to the ratings on it.
Ming Yun Private Kitchen, Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, and Upwind Logistics were also restricted to Jingzhou. They had not expanded to other districts. This limited TPDb's influence.
It was normal for a company like Tengda to invest in side businesses. Honestly, there was nothing to be shocked about.
Pei Qian closed his cell phone browser and prepared to get some rest. He would wait for Repent and be Saved to be published on October 1st.
After that, he might have to fight an ugly war.
He had just put down his phone and closed his eyes when he received another message. It was from Lin Chang. He had touched down in Jingzhou and wanted to meet Pei Qian for a chat.
Chapter 269 Phony Sibling Relationship
Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Handong University branch…
The waiter served three cups of coffee.
Apart from Lin Chang, another person was sitting opposite Pei Qian. She was a 27- to 28-year-old woman who looked similar to Lin Wan, except much more mature. She looked every bit the leader.
Lin Chang did not have to introduce her for Pei Qian to know that this was Lin Wan's older sister. She was Lin Yu, the one in charge of Shenhua's cell phone business.
One could only say that one's family background would determine the heights of one's career to a certain extent.
Assistant Xin was about as old as Lin Yu, but she did not come from such a noble background. No matter how hard she worked, she could only become the assistant to a company's president at best.
Lin Chang looked quite energetic and the same as before.
After they had introduced themselves to one another, Pei Qian and Lin Yu had exchanged a couple of pleasantries. Then, they took their seats.
"Boss Pei, it's been a long time."
Lin Chang smiled. "I heard from Ah Wan that Boss Pei owns a pretty good restaurant. It's very popular on Quanmin Reviews and has high ratings, too. It's now the most popular high-end restaurant in Jingzhou. I wonder if we will have the good fortune of trying it out soon. Boss Pei, don't worry. It'll be my treat."
Ming Yun Private Kitchen? Heh, don't even talk about it.
Pei Qian sipped his coffee sorrowfully. "I'm sorry, you have to wait until the 26th if you want to eat there. That's this Sunday. It's fully booked until then; even I cannot eat there whenever I want."
"Pfft—"
Lin Chang almost laughed out loud. "It's that popular? It's fully booked until Sunday?"
"No, I actually made a reservation in advance for this Sunday. To put it more accurately, the restaurant is fully booked until the middle of next month," replied Pei Qian, feeling even worse.
Lin Chang could not help but feel emotional. "You're amazing, Boss Pei.
"I remember that when we last met, you hadn't opened this restaurant. Only slightly over two months have passed, and yet the restaurant has already become this popular? Boss Pei, you are indeed something else."
Lin Chang was not sucking up to Pei Qian; he was genuinely impressed.
It was not enough to just pour money into a restaurant in order to make it in the food industry.
Lin Chang was surrounded by many bosses who opened restaurants with their spare cash, hoping to earn more money. However, most of them incurred losses from these ventures.
What's more, Pei Qian's was a high-end restaurant with such high prices. The chances of such restaurants incurring losses were much higher.
However, in just two months or so, Boss Pei managed to generate profits and get an influx of good reviews. His restaurant was even fully booked until next month. It was extremely impressive indeed.
However, Pei Qian could not help but feel disgust when he heard this. It was the same feeling he had when he read Teacher Qiao's encouragement on the epitaph. Lin Chang did not get upset after Boss Pei told him that they could not eat at the nameless restaurant that night. "Alright! When in Rome, do as the Romans do. What's a couple of days to wait in order to eat at such a high-end restaurant? I'll stay in Jingzhou for a couple of days and wait until Sunday."
Pei Qian nodded. "No problem. It'll be my treat."
Lin Chang quickly shook his head. "No, no, no! Boss Pei, it'll be my treat." Pei Qian was resolute. "It has to be my treat."
It was not a special treatment for Lin Chang. However, any treat would be paid for by the System Funds. Of course, Pei Qian would not give up any chance to spend a bit more money. Wouldn't Pei Qian profit if Lin Chang paid for the meal?
All in all, he would be losing double the amount. That was unacceptable!
Seeing how firm Boss Pei was, Lin Chang stopped insisting. It was just a meal; it probably would not cost much.
"What brought the two of you over to Jingzhou? Could it be about Lin Wan?" Pei Qian asked casually.
He knew very well that something important brought Lin Yu and Lin Chang over to Jingzhou. He guessed that it likely had to do with Lin Wan.
Lin Chang nodded. "That's right.
"Our father looks like he doesn't care, but he's actually very worried. He made my older sister and I come over here for the same reason as the last time.
"What's more, compared to the last time, the problem seems much more difficult to resolve…"
Pei Qian, "…"
It seems like it. The situation has worsened.
Before this, Pei Qian thought that sending Lin Wan over to Shang Yang Games and putting her in charge of Bloody Battle Song would be a guaranteed failure. That was why he invested a huge sum in the game.
He hoped that the money would be lost, the game would fail, and Lin Wan's confidence would take a hit. For all he knew, she would have given up her career in the game industry and gone back to inherit her immense family fortune.
Logically, the plan should have been perfect.
However, it had evidently gone off track now. The mobile version of Bloody Battle Song was a huge success, and Lin Wan was more confident than she had ever been. Even if Pei Qian chased her away, he probably would not succeed.
What should he do?
Pei Qian sipped his coffee quietly. How sad!
Lin Chang was obviously quite upset as well. "Lin Wan can probably hold her head up high now.
"My father and my older sister vehemently objected to her decision. My second brother, Lin Zhou, and I supported Ah Wan. However, we only mentally supported her decision to go out and gain experience. We did not think she would succeed in the game industry.
"After all, the game industry is very cruel, and Ah Wan tends to be too idealistic. Thus, although Lin Zhou and I offered her mental support, we also thought she would experience major setbacks. We wanted her to see for herself how tough the road would be and come back of her own accord."
Pei Qian nodded in silence.
Yes, that's what I thought, too!
However, didn't that mean that Lin Wan's entire family thought she was bound to fail?!
Lin Zhou and Lin Chang had offered Lin Wan support, but they only supported her in pursuing her dreams. They did not think she would succeed.
Lin Chang continued, "Thus, it came as a shock to us that the mobile version of Bloody Battle Song succeeded.
"We did not even think Shenhua would profit from offering her the recommendation spots on its application store.
"Lin Wan has sent a lot of information about Bloody Battle Song to our Lin Family group over the last couple of days. These include gamers' comments, the official platform's recommendation, financial information, and the like. She even specifically mentioned our older sister.
"Although Shenhua's application store only gets 10% of the profits, this money was earned through Ah Wan's hard work. She's very proud.
"Thus, our father is getting antsy. He's rushing me to find a solution."
Pei Qian, "…" Indeed, I'm getting antsy too. Pei Qian could imagine how arrogant Lin Wan would be in front of her own family.
Back then, nobody had thought that she would be able to make a name for herself in the game industry. She left Guangzhou and came to Jingzhou on her own and persevered for such a long time in silence.
Now, she had finally produced a hot game that was even being praised by the official platform. This was a testament to her ability!
Could she stop herself from showing off?
Obviously, Lin Wan would work harder in the game industry from now on. The chances of her returning home to inherit her family business had greatly lowered.
At that thought, Pei Qian became indignant.
He glanced at Lin Yu, who was seated opposite him. His heart filled with curses.
At the end of the day, you were the one who insisted on giving Lin Wan recommendation spots. If not for that, she would not have turned Bloody Battle Song into a mobile game. The game would not have become so popular.
Thus, you are 90% to blame for this mess!
Of course, Boss Pei could only think these things; he could not say them out loud. After all, everyone was a victim. They were all falling off the cliff together. No fleck of snow was innocent in an avalanche.
Strictly speaking, Boss Pei had made many mistakes as well.
At that thought, Pei Qian sighed. He had to quickly think of a way to make up for his mistakes!
Pei Qian tried asking, "So what do the two of you think?"
Lin Yu, who had not spoken the entire time, finally said something. "My thoughts haven't changed. I still hope Ah Wan can come back as soon as possible.
"Although she has proven herself this time, I think chance played a big part in this. I don't think Ah Wan recognizes how cruel the industry can be. I don't see the point in her continuing on this path."
Pei Qian nodded.
That's absolutely right! Chance played a big part in her success. That's what I think, too!
Lin Chang added, "The main problem is that Ah Wan is living a free and easy life on the outside. My father can't do anything to her, and so he's pushing me to put pressure on her. Boss Pei, I'm in a difficult position."
Pei Qian remained silent for a second and said, "I remember you saying you regretted not becoming the lead singer for a band. That's why you supported Lin Wan as she pursued her dreams."
Lin Chang nodded. "That's right. That was the case.
"However, Ah Wan has already pursued her dreams. She already created a successful game! I didn't even get the chance to live my dream before it was completely destroyed!
"That's why I'm suffering emotionally and turning against her!"
Pei Qian, "…"
Indeed, their phony sibling relationship was breaking down under the pressure from old Master Lin.
Lin Yu continued, "Of course, I know that Lin Wan is now your beloved general, Boss Pei. She's now the director of your newly-acquired Shang Yang Games. I can understand that you can't bear to see her
go…"
Can't bear to see her go? No, no, no. On this point, I'm on the exact same page as Old Master Lin. I want her to leave as soon as possible!
Pei Qian immediately raised his hand. "Boss Lin, you're too courteous.
"Lin Wan's potential will be better nurtured in Shenhua Corporation; I'm not that selfish!
"Please, take her as soon as you get the opportunity!"
Lin Yu was overjoyed. "Boss Pei, it's great that you think that way! "However, there's an existing problem. Ah Wan is way too stubborn. If we go too hard on her, it would backfire. I'm afraid we need you to think of a solution, Boss Pei."
Pei Qian sipped his coffee and remained silent. He could tell that Lin Yu and her father were at their wits' end with Lin Wan.
This problem stumps me as well! If I could persuade Lin Wan to go home and inherit her family business, I would have done so long ago! Would I have waited for both of you to come looking for me?
Pei Qian shook his head and said, "Honestly, I have no idea how to help you with this as well. I don't think I can offer any assistance."
Lin Chang quickly cut him off. "Don't worry! I believe a talented person like Boss Pei will be able to think of a solution. What's more, Ah Wan trusts you completely. You have a higher chance of success than we do.
"Boss Pei, don't worry. You're not in this alone. If you need anything, Shenhua Corporation will be behind you for sure!"
"Once you accomplish this, we will properly thank you!"
Huh? Properly thank me? Are you going to help me repel System Funds?
Looking at how sincere they both were, Pei Qian nodded reluctantly. "Since that's the case, let me think of something."