After recovering from his momentary shock, Pei Qian regained his composure and decided to act as if he had not seen them! He could not allow pre-decided things to affect him and his train of thought now!
Although there were less than two weeks to settlement, the situation was looking sufficiently positive already.
Pei Qian waved his hand at the waiter, and the latter immediately understood what he wanted. He brought Pei Qian his personal laptop.
Pei Qian liked to ponder about life at this branch especially. Thus, he had left his laptop here so that he could work whenever he wanted.
Of course, he called it 'work', but he was only recording simple notes in a document.
It was often nothing urgent. In fact, he would normally delete the document once he had organized his thoughts. That saved him from worrying about his secrets being leaked.
Pei Qian opened the laptop, created a new document, and began to write his thoughts out.
Although the next cycle would only start in April, it was never too early for Pei Qian to prepare for rainy days. Coming up with a new plan now would save him from being flustered come April.
At the moment, he had several avenues to spend money: Distributing prizes to top players of GOG four times a year...
Distributing bonuses to employees based on their projects' ratings on TPDb, according to the normal rules. On top of that, he could provide various benefits like paying different types of allowances and arranging for physical examinations...
Holding regular celebration parties so that employees could help spend a portion of his money...
Lastly, investing huge amounts of money into Thriller Hostel...
After thinking for a long time, Pei Qian still felt that this was not enough.
Although it was more or less sufficient for now, they were less than two weeks from settlement. What's more, Glory of Gods' client-side game would be released soon. That would generate even more revenue, which Pei Qian had to account for as soon as possible.
Thus, Pei Qian added another avenue.
Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, ROF Computer-Installation, Fish-Catching Take-Out, Zhongdian Chinese Network, and Upwind Logistics... he could burn a week's worth of money for all of those businesses!
He could distribute allowances, whether people helped him with incurring losses or not.
Take Zhongdian Chinese Network for instance. He could give readers a subsidy for reading books and give writers an additional allowance. That would be achieving double the happiness at a single go! All of his money would disappear in no time!
This would be viewed as publicity efforts by the System. It would be allowed.
Of course, while doing this would increase his chances of incurring losses during this cycle, it would make his life much harder at the beginning of the next cycle.
Thus, Pei Qian had to think of ways to eliminate all hidden threats! He would have to employ new measures from the next cycle onwards!
Pei Qian started a new line in his document and then continued brainstorming. The first-place-elimination system could not hold the fort any longer.
However, Pei Qian had no intention of getting rid of it. The system could help him eliminate some hidden threats after all. Without it, Tengda Games would probably earn even more money than it was earning now.
What he had to do was supplement and perfect the system.
Pei Qian wrote the words 'Cyclical Shock Therapy' on the document.
He had many businesses to take care of now. There was no way he could take care of them all.
Even if he handed them to others, he would have no time or effort to check in on things. Everything could easily go haywire.
Thus, Pei Qian decided to use Cyclical Shock Therapy on the businesses!
In every cycle, one portion of Tengda's businesses would be operating while the rest undergo shock therapy.
Of course, the System prohibited employees from remaining passive or slacking at work. They had to release new products every once in a while.
So... Pei Qian decided to negotiate with the System. According to his understanding of the System, there was room for negotiation.
"System, if a certain company has made outstanding contributions to the development of the entire group of companies, it would be perfectly reasonable to give that company a few months off so that employees can upgrade their skills, right? Not only would their knowledge improve, but they would also be able to contribute more to the group of companies in the future."
Soon, Pei Qian got a positive answer.
However, there were limitations. Only one company could take a few months off during each cycle. What's more, while he had to continue paying the necessary expenses for the company, he could not make any investments.
In other words, he could pay the employees their salaries, but he could not invest in any projects.
Pei Qian was extremely satisfied. He could do that!
There was no need for any more discussion. Fei Huang Workspace would go into shock therapy first! Judging by their current speed, they could produce three or four films each year. If each film earned tens of millions of yuan, wouldn't the income be incredible?
On top of that, Pei Qian had learned one thing. The first-place-elimination system was effective, but there were still shortcomings. For example, it could encourage employees to work even harder.
Thus, Pei Qian had to offer consolation to what he thought were 'outstanding companies', the companies that incurred sustained losses.
He would supplement the 'first-place-elimination system' with a "last-place-reward system'!
Pei Qian had already thought about whom to give this reward.
Upwind Logistics...
Ever since it had been established, Upwind Logistics had been steadily incurring losses for Boss Pei. Lu Mingliang had not turned the losses into profits, and he had thus gained Boss Pei's deep trust.
Pei Qian had even thought about what the reward would be.
It would be called the 'Tengda Cornerstone Award'.
He could forcibly explain the award by saying that Upwind Logistics had fought hard to serve the other companies and was thus the 'cornerstone' for Tengda Corporation's rapid growth.
Of course, they would be rewarded solely because they had been incurring the most losses.
Through this award, Pei Qian hoped to hint something to the other companies: even if you're incurring losses, you would be rewarded instead of punished!
He could not delay this. Pei Qian would award Upwind Logistics with the 'Cornerstone Award' before the end of this cycle.
Lastly, Pei Qian would spend more money on the companies and departments that had worked together with Tengda. All along, Tengda had been working with many other companies. Those companies helped to provide the game departments with art resources, the internet cafe with equipment, the restaurant with ingredients, the cell phone department with a supply chain, Thriller Hostel with decorations and props, and the like.
Modern society emphasized the need for specialization and division of labor. Tengda had had to work closely with various other companies to produce good products.
In accordance with the well-known Tengda spirit, Tengda had always insisted on paying the best price to obtain the best results when working with those other companies. All the expenses in those areas had been maximized.
Yet, that was precisely why Pei Qian had to think out of the box to continue throwing money in their direction!
Take the purchasing of ingredients for instance.
Pei Qian could add ten percent to the highest market price and request for the other party to supply ingredients of the highest standard exclusively to Tengda. Of course, the other party would only be able to pick the best ingredients from among their good ingredients. The difference in taste would not be huge, and most customers would not even be able to detect the difference once the ingredients had been cooked.
Yet, more money would be spent on purchasing those ingredients.
The same could be done for the other businesses. All in all, Pei Qian could try to throw more money at Tengda's partners by creating an illusion of a 'Tengda standard' above the highest standards in the market!
After writing everything down, Pei Qian read the document from beginning to end and then nodded in satisfaction.
Yes, I feel much better now!
At once, he sent the document to Assistant Xin and instructed her to send the plan to the various companies so that they could make the necessary preparations.
After that, Pei Qian deleted the document from his laptop and handed the laptop back to the waiter who then put it away safely.
As he stood up and prepared to leave, Pei Qian saw Ruan Guangjian and the others walking across the street, smiling. They pushed open the door to the internet cafe and entered.
When they saw Pei Qian, their eyes lit up. "Boss Pei!"
Ruan Guangjian was smiling as well. "My workspace has moved across the road. Boss Pei, visit us regularly if you can! If you have any work for us, just say the word. You can rest assured and leave all of your concept art to our workspace!"
Pei Qian sniggered. "Of course. I have no doubt about your capabilities..."
The fresh blood flowing out from the wounds on my back is the best evidence...
"Alright, I have work to do. I'll make a move first. Take care of Brother Guangjian for me, all of you."
Pei Qian said this as he looked at Lin Wan, Chen Kangtuo, and the others. "I'll arrange for a gathering at Ming Yun Private Kitchen tomorrow. Remember to bring Brother Guangjian along. We'll ask the restaurant to set up more tables to welcome them."
Although he did not like Ruan Guangjian that much, Pei Qian still invited him along. After all, an additional person was an additional mouth to feed, and each additional dish would cost Pei Qian more money.
How could Pei Qian afford to be petty when he was trying to spend as much money as possible?
Boss Pei was a magnanimous person after all.
After he had finished giving instructions, Pei Qian said goodbye to the group and left. He did not even have to think to know what they were going to discuss.
Of course, they were going to talk about how successful GOG and Be Quiet were. Even the shared phone booths that Ruan Guangjian had personally designed had become sacred spending grounds for all of Jingzhou...
If Pei Qian did not leave then, he would surely be kicked while he was already down.
Ruan Guangjian could not help but feel disappointed as he watched Boss Pei's back view. He had been looking forward to enjoying a drink with Boss Pei, so that they could catch up.
Yet, Boss Pei had left in such a hurry. Lin Wan felt sorry, too. However, she still gestured for everyone to sit in the coffee area. They each ordered a coffee or a soft drink and then began to catch up with one another.
At that moment, Lin Wan's cell phone vibrated. It was a message from Assistant Xin. She quickly opened it and saw a document written by Boss Pei himself. It contained a series of requirements for her work in the future.
It also set out details of rewards that would make any employee from another company drool in envy. However, none of them were surprising to Lin Wan because they were characteristic of Boss Pei.
That was until she read the last line.
"When working with upstream firms or outsourcing work to other companies, add an additional ten to twenty percent to our current purchasing prices, so that they would provide the best goods and services to Tengda Corporation."
Lin Wan was stunned when she read this.
After reading the entire document from beginning to end once more, Lin Wan took a screenshot of that last line and then handed her cell phone to Ruan Guangjian.
"Eh?" Ruan Guangjian took the cell phone, evidently confused.
His eyes widened upon reading it. "This..."Lin Wan nodded. "I think this was specifically added for you, Big Boss Ruan."
Everyone knew that Tengda always picked the best companies to purchase art resources and other things from. Their purchasing prices could not be much higher to begin with.
Yet, Boss Pei was now insisting on a ten to twenty percent increase in purchasing prices, in exchange for a negligible increase in quality.
Why was Boss Pei setting this policy, then? Of course, improvement was a part of the reason. That was in line with the Tengda spirit. However, it was intriguing that Boss Pei had set policies like that at a critical juncture when Big Boss Ruan moved his workspace to Jingzhou.
Obviously, Boss Pei was worried about Halo Workspace now that it had moved to Jingzhou. This was a foreign land, and Halo Workspace's employees had undergone a major change. Of course, the beginning of a new life would be tough. That explained the advantageous policy. Boss Pei was offering help and support to Ruan Guangjian's Halo Workspace in a very subtle way!
That was... a deep friendship! Everyone could not help but grin. Boss Pei was busy at work, and he had no time to eat with Big Boss Ruan. However, he obviously had not forgotten about his old friend. In fact, he was expressing his genuine concern in such a subtle and humble manner.
Ruan Guangjian grinned. The disappointment he had felt earlier had dissipated. Now, he was grateful and moved instead.
"I understand. I'll urge everyone in my workspace to keep improving so that we don't let Boss Pei down! Next time, we'll deliver even more outstanding artwork to Boss Pei!"
Chapter 461 That Just So Happens to be Our Country's Retirement Age
March 20th, Sunday...
At Ming Yun Private Kitchen...
The weather was slowly turning warm, and today was a bright, sunny day. The sun shone brightly in the afternoon. In the yard of Ming Yun Private Kitchen, tables and chairs had been set up. There were also umbrellas attached to the tables. Altogether, there were more than ten additional seats compared to before, and the restaurant could accommodate more people.
The sky was clear, and there was a cool breeze. The atmosphere outside was entirely different.
At that moment, the core members of Tengda's various departments were gathered. They drank heartily and caught up happily while the waiters kept serving dishes and pouring wine for them. The restaurant was filled with joy and laughter.
The heads of the various departments warmly welcomed Ruan Guangjian and made everyone from Halo Workspace feel at home.
Many department heads also took this opportunity to thank other department heads. Take Chang You of Otto Technologies for example.
Otto Ei's success had to be attributed to the various departments' support and investment. It was true-Director Lin had been the one who obtained those things. It had all been a part of Tengda Corporation's development strategy, and Otto Technologies would compensate them with the profits generated by the cell phones.
However, Chang You still refused to take their support for granted. He thanked the other departments on behalf of all the other core members of Otto Technologies, to set a firm foundation for deep cooperation in the future.
Huang Sibo of Fei Huang Workspace was another example.
The creative advertisements and logos in the film had been completed with the combined help of all the other departments. Although the other departments had all more or less benefited from the success of the movie, Huang Sibo still wanted to thank everyone for their support.
On top of that, everyone warmly welcomed several new faces.
For instance, they welcomed the three new heads of Tengda Games: Hu Xianbin, Min Jingchao, and Zhang Nan.
After taking over from Li Yada and Bao Xu, the three of them had performed exceptionally well. The mobile version of GOG became very popular, and all of their skills became widely recognized throughout the company.
A few old friends also took this chance to catch up with one another and share how work had been going.
As for Pei Qian... he did not attend the gathering. Obviously, Pei Qian had predicted how the celebration would go. If he forced himself to attend this feast, there would only be one possible outcome:
He would have salt rubbed in his wounds!
Just the thought of being caught in an awkward situation, where all the department heads toasted him and said that they would not have succeeded if not for Boss Pei's wise advice, made Pei Qian's heart ache.
Thus, he decided not to turn up altogether.
As the saying went... out of sight, out of mind. There would be many opportunities to feast at Ming Yun Private Kitchen in the future. There was no need for him to have this particular meal.
All the department heads knew about this from the start, but the other core members who attended the gathering did not.
That was why many people asked questions not long after the celebration began.
"Eh? Director Lin, why isn't Boss Pei here?"
"That's right. Boss Pei has always attended gatherings." "Is Boss Pei busy today?" "Tss... today is Sunday. Could Boss Pei still be working? He keeps instructing us not to work overtime, and yet he's doing work for the company during the weekend?".
Many people looked worried and guilty. They were worried because they were not sure if Boss Pei's body would collapse under the immense work pressure. They were guilty because they found it inappropriate to be feasting and celebrating in the restaurant while Boss Pei was working so hard.
Lin Wan raised her glass of red wine and smiled as she said, "Don't worry, everyone! Boss Pei isn't here today, but I don't think it's entirely because of work. There are other considerations."
The noisy crowd quieted down considerably as everyone turned their attention to Lin Wan and asked, "Director Lin, do you have insider information?"
Lin Wan shook her head. "I don't, but I can guess! I think Boss Pei isn't here today for two main reasons and motivations."
Everyone listened intently.
"Firstly, Boss Pei hopes to give all of us enough personal space.
"Perhaps he thinks that, as a boss, his presence at this celebration would cause all of us to be tense. We might maintain a serious expression if our boss is around, and the atmosphere might be more somber.
"Thus, Boss Pei stayed away on purposes, so that all of us can celebrate naturally and without stress. That would allow us to experience full relaxation and joy after our success."
Everyone nodded one by one, thinking that it made sense.
Boss Pei was approachable, and he never put on airs. However, a boss was still a boss at the end of the day.
What's more, Boss Pei had great foresight and was a meticulous planner. All the department heads could almost see a halo above his head. Naturally, it was almost impossible for everyone to see him as an ordinary person.
Given that, Boss Pei's presence would surely alter the atmosphere slightly.
Boss Dei had purposely stayed away from this particular gathering for another purpose: to ensure that all of them completely relaxed as they feasted and connected with one another!
Lin Wan smiled and continued speaking. "Additionally, Boss Pei is undoubtedly working, but I think his work is different from what everyone is thinking.
"It's been so long. Haven't you all noticed something extraordinary? Boss Pei is always the busiest once all the projects have been completed!"
Everyone recalled the past and realized that it was true.
At the beginning of each project, Boss Pei would only give a general direction. After that, the departments would be allowed to freely express their creativity while Boss Pei sat back.
During research and development, Boss Pei would ask the occasional question. However, he would not rush the process nor alter any details. Instead, he would strictly punish those who went against the Tengda Spirit by blindly rushing work or working overtime.
On the other hand, once the projects achieved success and everyone began relaxing, Boss Pei would get busier. He would often go into hiding, but no one would know what he was up to.
What's more, Boss Pei would always look very worried and troubled at this stage. He always seemed to be deep in thought.
"Why's that?" Someone asked.
Lin Wan sipped her red wine and said emotionally, "How can we enjoy peace for so long? It's because someone is always defending the frontlines for us.
"As the saying goes, he who gives no thought to far-flung problems soon finds suffering nearby. Do you think it was purely coincidental that all our projects succeeded?"
The question stumped everyone.
Why had their projects succeeded? Was it because they had all worked hard? Of course, that was part of the reason. However, many other companies worked hard, and yet not every company succeeded. As for Tengda-every time they worked hard, their chances of succeeding increased. In fact, they were much higher than all the other companies! Take this cycle for example. They had produced two games, a cell phone, a film, shared phone booths, and 'Top Student, Come Quick'. The projects that they had worried about at first had achieved success. This could not be simply explained by 'hard work' or 'good luck'.
Lin Wan continued speaking. "All of you should have realized that the projects succeeded because we got the right directions. All the businesses and departments also helped one another out along the way, thus increasing our chances of success.
"If we had invested in a film or tried to develop a cell phone last year, our chances of success would be much lower because of the lack of help from other departments!
"Obviously, Boss Pei had already planned these things in great detail from the beginning. He has thought hard about which projects can and cannot be done.
"Why is he always the busiest once we complete our projects? That's because he would have to start planning the projects for the next stage.
"Think about it, everyone. He has to set a good direction for the projects and the effect of the various departments cooperating. There are a plethora of things to tackle and complications to account for, and the work cannot be done in just one or two days.
"What's more, Boss Pei is always giving us a perfect plan to execute within the first one or two weeks. He can even give us a slight push when assigning the work to us. One can only imagine how difficult it would be to achieve this!
"Boss Pei is so young, and yet he can plan so meticulously and achieve so much. His outstanding capabilities can be attributed to his raw talent, but we must also give him credit for his hard work.
"In every second of every day, Boss Pei is thinking about what we would never have thought of, in areas that we cannot even see. "I think we can all learn something from Boss Pei. We shouldn't just be celebrating after our projects succeed. Instead, we should think about our plans for the future. That would help us to significantly upgrade our skills!"
Everyone nodded, deeply agreeing.
"That's right! That must be it!"
"It's no wonder that Boss Pei always looks to be in deep thought in good times!"
Lin Wan spoke again, "Of course, I think we all don't have to worry about Boss Pei's health as well.
"As the founder of the Tengda spirit, Boss Pei knows how to balance work, rest, and health better than any of us. He instructs us time and time again to rest more and have more fun. He understands the importance of taking care of his body and his health better than any of us. "Rest assured, everyone. Given Boss Pei's current situation, he can probably continue to lead us for forty more years! That just so happens to be our country's retirement age!"
Everyone looked very blissful.
"Alright!"
Someone in the crowd shouted, and everyone began clapping
That's right. Boss Pei was only twenty this year. Many well-known businessmen continued to do business actively, even at seventy or eighty years old.
Even if Boss Pei felt satisfied with his impressive achievements in the future that he wanted to retire, he would still have to wait until he was sixty, right?
There were still forty more years to go!
The company had already achieved so many great things under Boss Pei's leadership over the past two years. What could become of Tengda in forty more years? What could become of everyone's careers?Just thinking about it made everyone tremble!
Under a boss like Boss Pei, everyone would be willing to fight for the rest of their lives, much less for forty more years!
As people trembled in awe, the atmosphere in the restaurant became even livelier.
Boss Pei had been catching up on sleep after working so hard on GOG. All of a sudden, he jolted awake to see the blazing, afternoon sun. Then, he quickly calmed down.
"Why am I having nightmares in broad daylight? "That's terrifying. I dreamt that, even after working hard all my life, I failed to incur losses and become a tycoon. At sixty years old, I was still being backstabbed at work by countless employees!
"What a failure! If that really happens, I'll kill myself by crushing a tofu into my head!
"That's alright... dreams are always the opposite of reality. It's impossible..."
Pei Qian yawned, turned around, and went back to sleep.
Chapter 462 It was Supposed to be a Good Day
March 21st, Monday...
Pei Qian woke up at noon sharp, ate his lunch, and then headed to the office. He was about to enter the elevator when he realized that GOG's client-side game was supposed to be released today.
Thus, he did not click '16'. Instead, he decided to head to the 17th level to walk around and ask how GOG's client-side game was doing.
Based on the time, the client-side game should have been released two or three hours ago. The initial figures should have been out. It would be enough to paint a rough picture for Pei Qian.
"GOG's client-side game would definitely not be as popular as the mobile game.
"After all, GOG's mobile version only became popular because the development of mobile games was lagging behind. Most other mobile games could not compete with GOG, thus posing little threat.
"Things would be different for the client-side game. MMORPGs and FPS games were of a higher tier, and players of those games were extremely loyal. The old Gods Rising and the up and coming IOI were on the same tier as GOG, and many other games that were commonly considered to be of a lower tier had many merits as well.
"GOG's client-side game is a newcomer in the market. Its starting situation cannot be that good in the face of such stiff competition."
With that, Pei Qian arrived on the 17th floor. The moment he entered the office, Hu Xianbin caught him.
"Boss Pei, you're here!" Hu Xianbin looked very excited. At once, Pei Qian had a bad feeling in his gut. "What's the matter? You guessed that I would visit?"
Hu Xianbin smiled. "I just guessed. After all, GOG's client-side game is doing very well. You must have expected this. I thought there would be a high chance that you would come and take a look."
Pei Qian, "?"
Doing very well?! I don't think we have the same definition of 'well'!
Forget the fact that the mobile game did well. Now, the same thing is happening for the client-side game? "Take a look, Boss Pei!"
Hu Xianbin gestured towards the monitor. Pei Qian looked at the computer that Hu Xianbin was pointing at. It displayed various initial statistics for GOG's client-side game. It was changing in real time.
Holy sh*t! It's doing so well?!
Pei Qian nearly shouted this out loud.
He had seen similar figures once GOG's mobile game was released, but that had been a mobile game after all. It had no other competitor, and it was only natural that its figures had been good. However, why were the client-side game's figures now better than the mobile game's figures back then?
That was impossible!
Pei Qian subconsciously turned to Hu Xianbin.
Hu Xianbin smiled, obviously pleased with himself. "Boss Pei, I knew you would test me. I've given it serious thought, and I've summarized the reasons for this!
"Firstly, competition among client-side games has been very stiff, but the overall market size is still bigger than that for mobile games. There are many more heavy gamers as well!
"Secondly, Tengda Games has been plowing deep into the client-side game market for two years. With standalone games like Ocean Stronghold as its predecessors, GOG'S client-side game became very well-received from the moment it was released!
"Lastly and most importantly, GOG's mobile game, its competition, and its rewards have caused enthusiasm for the client-side game to build up even before it was released.
"Since the client-side game and mobile games are integrated, many mobile game users downloaded the client-side game as soon as they could to experience it.
"Many people had even started waiting in advance at internet cafes, to fight for the competition prizes. The moment the server was opened, they entered and worked hard to rise through the ranks. Every second mattered!
"That's why GOG's client-side game has achieved such impressive results at the start!
"According to the figures from Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Gods Rising, IOI's international server, and GOG's test server had been vying for first place. However, ever since GOG's client was released, the balance was broken.
"GOG's client quickly defeated the other two games and caught all the gamers' attention!
"Although it's still too soon to celebrate our victory, it evidently paid off to release GOG's mobile game before the client!
"Boss Pei, this is all thanks to your wise guidance!"
Pei Qian looked confused. "...I never told you to create a mobile version of GOG."
Hu Xianbin nodded. "That's right, you're not wrong. Big Sister Li was the one who requested us to create a mobile version of the game and link both of the accounts.
"However, Big Sister Li said that she had learned to displace the competition from you. The series of classic moves that you undertook for publicity gave Big Sister Li inspiration and changed her line of thinking. That was why she was able to think of such a method to advertise GOG's client-side game!"
Pei Qian, "..."
Was this what it felt like to be stabbed in the back from afar? Li Yada was still on holiday, but she had remembered to leave a thorn behind before leaving.
Pei Qian's head began to hurt, and he suddenly had an ominous feeling. From the looks of the current situation, things would turn dire if IOI still put off releasing a local server...
No way. IOI had to have a local server by the next cycle.
Otherwise, the plot would develop completely differently from what Pei Qian had imagined. The situation would spiral out of control!
Pei Qian turned to leave.
By now, Hu Xianbin had become used to Boss Pei's swift and decisive reactions. "Take care, Boss Pei! You're welcome here anytime! We'll always be ready for your inspection!"
Once Boss Pei left, Hu Xianbin looked at the figures on the screen and fell into deep thought.
"I have to admit that Boss Pei's decision to develop mobile games in the face of difficulty was extremely effective.
"Many people could tell that, with the rise of smartphones, mobile games were going to be in trend. However, their lack of understanding of the game industry prevented them from taking the right action.
"Although they knew that mobile games were going to be in trend, they mistakenly focused on creating light and relaxing games. "Boss Pei was different. He had a deep understanding of both cell phones and the game industry. That allowed him to bring heavy games like Bloody Battle Song and GOG to cell phones.
"Er... he was not the one who made the decision, but Director Lin and Big Sister Li had obviously been influenced by his train of thought.
"Shouldn't we stick to developing mobile games in the face of difficulty, then? As far as we can, we should create a mobile version of any game that we develop in the future, right?
"Yes... that seems like a good idea. Ocean Stronghold's PvP mode can be converted into a mobile game as well. Hmm, I'll note that down. It's a bold conjecture, but I'll be careful to seek confirmation..."
March 22nd, Tuesday...
At Fei Huang Workspace... "Boss Pei, I still think it's a loss if we don't screen Tomorrow is Beautiful for one more month. Given the quality of our film and the ticket sales, it seems basic to screen it in the theaters for one more month.
"Although we won't generate much more revenue, we would still be able to earn another ten or twenty million yuan, no matter how low the row piece rate gets." After nagging at Boss Pei, Zhu Xiaoce sipped his tea. Pei Qian was not considering Zhu Xiaoce's suggestion at all. Instead, he sipped at his tea and smiled subtly.
This was a good day for Pei Qian.
Tomorrow is Beautiful was going to stop screening in theaters!
Pei Qian had been living a nightmare for the past month. He had thought February 22nd would be an auspicious date, and that the film would fail from the day of its premiere. However, after a month, the film had generated a total of 248.62 million yuan in revenue.
Flying Star Journey had offered some help at the last stage. While Tomorrow is Beautiful had approached the end of its prime, Flying Star Journey gave it a sudden additional burst of life. Just prior to its demise, the film stubbornly made another twenty million yuan more than Gou Yan had predicted.
Based on his calculations, Pei Qian guessed that the production team would get about 83 million yuan.
The total investment they had made into the film was thirty million yuan. Thus, Pei Qian had resolutely objected when Zhu Xiaoce and Huang Sibo suggested continuing to screen the movie for one more month. In fact, he had been agitated that they had dared to suggest that Pei Qian should continue earning a month's worth of revenue from ticket sales.
All in all, today was the final day of Tomorrow is Beautiful's screening.
Director Zhu Xiaoce was obviously feeling sorry about it.
Although screening the movie for an additional month would not generate that much revenue
– ten million yuan at most, out of which they would only take about five or six million, it would be free money after all.
Pei Qian sipped his tea quietly, scoffing inwardly at how little Zhu Xiaoce knew.
Screening the movie for one more month meant delaying their collection of profits for another month. The next cycle would probably last another five months or so. At the rate things were going, the earliest that they would be allowed to collect their profits from the box office would be a month after the movie stopped screening. If they collected the cash in March, Pei Qian would be able to invest the money into another project immediately.
If they collected it in April, and then invested it into another project, the timeline for that project would be extremely tight. It would likely not be completed on time.
Thus, Pei Qian could not delay it any longer!
Since both of them had different views, they could not hold a conversation.
At that moment, Huang Sibo hung up a call, walked over, and sat down in the empty seat. "Director Zhu, Boss Pei's decision is apparently correct. Indeed, we shouldn't screen the movie for a month longer."
Zhu Xiaoce was stunned. "Huh?"
Huang Sibo grinned. "Aili Island's staff just contacted me. They want to be our exclusive partners for Tomorrow is Beautiful!" Zhu Xiaoce, "?"
Pei Qian, "?"
Both of them had strange expressions: one was surprised, and the other was shocked.
After recovering from the initial surprise, Zhu Xiaoce smacked his thigh and shouted, "That's right! I understand now!
"Extending screening of the movie by a month could cause the audience's demand for the movie to fall. Then, Aili Island would offer a lower price to us when negotiating a partnership
"Now, Tomorrow is Beautiful is being taken out of theaters while it's still popular. Negotiating a partnership with Aili Island – and an exclusive one, at that-could earn us very advantageous terms!"
Huang Sibo smiled. "That's not all. A highly-anticipated online series would be premiering in April. Then, many of the resources would be distributed.
"We're now at the end of March. Coincidentally, there aren't many popular online series on the website. If Tomorrow is Beautiful enters an exclusive partnership with Aili Island now, the film could still get very good recommendations by the website in April!"
A realization dawned on Zhu Xiaoce. "I see... impressive. Taking the movie out of theaters at the right time could maintain the film's popularity and get us more advantageous terms with video websites.
"However, can video websites really offer us more than five million yuan?"
Huang Sibo glanced at the document on his cell phone. "At the moment, Aili Island offers two types of exclusive partnership models.
"First, they could buy the movie out. Until now, Aili Island has offered ten to fifty million yuan for films that have generated over a hundred million yuan in revenue at the box office and that starred famous actors. "Our film has generated over two hundred million yuan in the box office, and it's still very popular. Aili Island is offering us 18 million yuan. "Second, they could split the revenue with us -"
Zhu Xiaoce smacked his thigh again. "The buyout, of course!"
Pei Qian, "Split revenue!"
Both of them spoke at the same time, causing the atmosphere to turn awkward.
Zhu Xiaoce's thinking was simple. Even if they sold broadcasting rights to the video website, no matter how many views it got, how long would it take them to earn 18 million yuan after splitting the revenue?
Of course, selling the movie and earning 18 million yuan at one go was more profitable. Then, they would not need to worry about the movie's revenue in the future.
On the other hand, nobody could guess Pei Qian's considerations.
Are you trying to kill me by collecting 18 million yuan at one go?
It took me so much time so spend all the additional money in our bank accounts for now. Settlement is right around the corner. If we earn another 18 million yuan now, where am I supposed to put it?!
Do you expect me to bathe in Lafitte every single day? I... oh, that would help me spend all the money, but the System would never allow
Thus, Boss Pei resolutely rejected the proposal!
Huang Sibo cleared his throat. "Heh, how about you let me finish?"If we split the revenue, we would get paid 2.5 yuan for every effective view by members. Each member would have to view our film for more than six minutes before it would count as an effective view, and we would be paid every month for six months.
"After six months, the film would become free for all to view, but Aili Island would continue to pay us according to the incentive plan and based on the film's views and popularity. "If we prioritize stability, we should go with the buyout. If we're extremely confident in the movie, then we can go for the split revenue option."
Pei Qian was determined. "Split the revenue!"
He did not care how many views the film would be able to get on Aili Island. He only cared about one thing: no matter how much Aili Island was going to pay him, he did not want the money now!
He could deal with anything—no matter how huge it was-during the next cycle!
Seeing how resolute Boss Pei was, Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce exchanged a knowing look and then nodded. "Alright, we'll go with the split revenue option. We're very confident in Tomorrow is Beautiful as well. We'll probably earn more money if we go with this!"
Pei Qian sighed inwardly, feeling melancholic.
Today... was supposed to be a good day, because it was the last day of the film's screening. Yet, what was happening now...?
Chapter 463 Boss Pei was Testing You!
March 23rd, Wednesday... Thriller Hostel's construction was in full swing.
Chen Kangtuo and Hao Qiong were there at the site. Apart from supervising the construction each day, they also gathered material from horror novels, videos, and films and brainstormed about how to make the various projects in Thriller Hostel better.
They had various subordinates in charge of various work in the haunted house, but there weren't many of them to begin with. When the haunted house was almost done, they planned to recruit a large group of employees to sell tickets, act, and maintain cleanliness.
However, all three projects of the haunted house would probably only be completed in at least three more months.
Just like before, Chen Kangtuo stared at the design diagram on his computer screen and seriously considered various details. All of a sudden, his cell phone vibrated. It was a message.
Chen Kangtuo jumped and then gestured for Hao Qiong to come over.
"Quick, be prepared! Boss Pei is coming!"
Hao Qiong had been engrossed in something on his cell phone. It was the latest horror novel on Zhongdian Chinese Network, which had achieved pretty good results.
However, upon hearing Chen Kangtuo's words, he quickly asked, "When?"
Chen Kangtuo was already on his feet, organizing various documents. "He'll be here in ten minutes!"
Both of them quickly cleaned up all the trash lying around.
CON
They were in a temporary office set up in the corner of the factory, which had been done up strictly according to the Tengda spirit. There were large office desks, a sofa, and a refrigerator. All in all, the office environment was very cozy.
However, it was also usually messy at the same
time.
There were random items like empty soda bottles, horror novels, and horror concept art scattered across the sofa and office desk. Chen Kangtuo feared that it would leave a bad impression in Boss Pei's mind if he saw the scene.
Thus, both of them quickly packed up the entire office and restored it to its original clean state.
Not long after they were done, Boss Pei arrived. With a folder in hand, Chen Kangtuo welcomed him. "Hello, Boss Pei! Please, come in!"
The folder contained information on Thriller Hostel's various projects including floor plans, design details for each project, renderings, sources of inspiration, project costs, contracts signed with various partners, and the like.
Chen Kangtuo was sure that Boss Pei had come to ask about Thriller Hostel's progress and several other details. Thus, he prepared as much as he could in the limited time.
Although he knew many things by heart, he could not go wrong with having the documents ready for Boss Pei's inspection at any time.
Chen Kangtuo invited Boss Pei to sit on the sofa and then prepared himself to report Thriller Hostel's progress.
"Boss Pei, let me update you on the construction of Thriller Hostel first," said Chen Kangtuo once Hao Qiong had served Boss Pei a cup of tea. Boss Pei took the cup of tea and sipped it. After hearing Chen Kangtuo's words, he shook his head and said, "There's no need for that. I have something important for you."
Chen Kangtuo could not help but feel nervous when he saw Boss Pei's somber expression. What important thing did Boss Pei want to tell them about? Judging by Boss Pei's somber expression, the task was probably extremely complicated and difficult!
Chen Kangtuo and Hao Qiong dared not ask any questions. Instead, they listened intently.
Pei Qian sipped his tea again and asked, "Based on how things have been going, how long more would the haunted house take?"
Chen Kangtuo answered, "At best, it would be three months. If everything goes according to our original plan, it would take four months."
Pei Qian nodded. Four months was acceptable.
"I'll give you another forty million yuan. I want to spend it all on Thriller Hostel. If you foresee any difficulties, let me know now."
Chen Kangtuo waited for a moment and then realized that Boss Pei was done speaking. It was then that he asked, "Er... Boss Pei, is there anything else?"
Pei Qian answered, "There's nothing else."
Chen Kangtuo: "...the important thing you were talking about was spending money?" Pei Qian nodded. "That's right."
Confusion was written all over Chen Kangtuo's face. However, a few seconds later, a realization dawned on him. "Oh! I understand now! Boss Pei, is this forty million yuan meant for building the surrounding facilities? I've thought about it!"
Chen Kangtuo had thought that the previous budget had been sufficient to construct all of Thriller Hostel, but there would not be a single surrounding facility!
There would be no shops, no hotels, and no restaurants. People would not be able to eat, shop, or find a place to stay. Transport was even worse. Trains aside, even public buses didn't come here.
How could the haunted house attract tourists?! Were tourists expected to drive over and stand around while waiting for their turn to enter the haunted house?
That would be inappropriate. Now that Boss Pei was adding another forty million yuan to the project, they could finally start working on the surrounding facilities!
Pei Qian shook his head, speechless. "You're wrong. The forty million yuan was set aside purely for Thriller Hostel.
"Spend it all on the projects, and don't spend a single cent on the surrounding facilities. What's more, you shouldn't delay the completion of the project. I'm going to emphasize this again: this is very important, and you have to do a good job, understand?" Chen Kangtuo was confused.
Sh*t, I've guessed wrongly...
Boss Pei was indeed Boss Pei. Nobody could guess his train of thought.
They were supposed to spend all forty million yuan on Thriller Hostel and not delay the completion of the project. That meant they could not add any more new segments. They could only improve the details of the existing projects.
Still... this seemed very excessive! The price-quality ratio of building surrounding facilities would be much better! Could Boss Pei have deeper intentions? Chen Kangtuo instinctively found this a waste of the money, but he dared not ask too many questions. Instead, he decided to obediently follow Boss Pei's instructions. "Alright, Boss Pei! i'll do that!"
Pei Qian nodded, satisfied. Then, he stood up and said, "Go ahead and go back to work. A group of people will come and survey the area soon. I'll be bringing them around. Don't bother about us at all. Even if you see anything strange, don't ask any questions, understand?"
Chen Kangtuo and Hao Qiong nodded. "Yes!"
Pei Qian happily left the office, boarded his car, and waited.
Boss Li had said that he would lead a group of investors to invest in this project. He was going to survey the area today, and Pei Qian was supposed to host them.
Pei Qian could have left the hosting to Chen Kangtuo, but he could not relax.
What if Chen Kangtuo wasn't careful and inadvertently revealed something? Boss Li and the others might find out that Pei Qian had invested a huge sum of money into this project. Then, their desire to have a 'slice of the pie' would just intensify.
After that, Pei Qian would have difficulty shaking them off.
Pei Qian had made up his mind. Once Boss Li and the others arrived, he would bring them around the deserted and old industrial zones so they could see just how desolate this area was!
It would be best if they changed their minds on the spot.
Otherwise, Pei Qian would have to come up with something else.
Less than half an hour later, several high-end commercial cars stopped at the entrance of the old industrial zone.
Pei Qian immediately went to warmly welcome Boss Li and the other investors.
"Boss Pei! I'm sorry to make you wait. We weren't familiar with the surroundings, and so it took us a bit longer to get here. I'm really sorry about that."
Li Shi alighted from his car and expressed his sincere apologies to Pei Qian first.
The other investors alighted one by one and greeted Boss Pei as well. Some drove here on their own while others were chauffeured here. However, all the chauffeurs remained in their cars and did not follow the group.
Obviously, Boss Li had not been giving excuses. He had been stating facts. Of course, everyone would be unfamiliar with the surroundings here!
Two investors frowned the moment they alighted from their cars. This was more deserted than they had expected.
Everyone had heard about Jingzhou's old industrial zones, but none of them had actually visited this place. Since there had not been any business to be done here, there had simply been no point.
Now that they were here, they were extremely disappointed. The situation was much worse than they had imagined!
Li Shi had indeed said that Boss Pei was building a haunted house in a deserted and desolate industrial zone. At the time, they had thought that Boss Li was exaggerating. Now, they knew that he was not!
Saying that this place was deserted and desolate was an understatement! All in all, everyone was crestfallen. What's more, it showed on their faces.
Pei Qian noticed this and celebrated inwardly.
That's great! That's the expression I was hoping for! I already told you that this is a deserted place, and it won't succeed, but none of you believed me! Do you believe me now?
Of course, only two people looked obviously displeased. Pei Qian knew he had to work harder.
He would lead the group of investors around the old industrial zone, so that they could properly survey the environment and situation. Then, they would know that only the entrance could be described as 'quite desolate and deserted'.
The further they got, the worse the situation would become!
I've told you the truth, but you refused to back off. Now, I'll show you the truth, and see if you would finally learn your lesson.
"Come with me, everyone. I'll briefly show you the state of the old industrial zone and how Thriller Hostel looks like now."
With that, Pei Qian led the group of investors further into the industrial zone.
Thirty minutes later, everyone walked out from the deepest corners of the industrial zone and then stopped outside one of the factory buildings that was being renovated for Thriller Hostel.
Two slightly older investors were already panting from all the walking. Li Shi, too, rubbed his legs as beads of sweat dripped down his face.
Pei Qian was only twenty years old. This little bit of walking was nothing to him. However, this group of investors had obviously lived a pampered life. Half an hour of walking around had caused them to feel weak.
Even then, Pei Qian was surprised that all of them could keep up and that none of them had given up and left in anger.
Still, everyone did not look very happy.
After walking around the industrial zone, they realized that they had been imagining things when they had thought the industrial zone was deserted and desolate earlier. Having seen the inner parts of the industrial zone, they finally understood how deserted and desolate the place really was!
The entrance was deserted, but at least the floor was clean. As they walked further in, they discovered piles of rubbish, vandalism on the walls, and patches of tall weeds. All of those things pointed to one single fact. The deserted entrance was the most presentable part of the entire industrial zone.
Pei Qian smiled, feeling like he had accomplished half of his goal. He only needed to show everyone how bad the industrial zone really looked so they could imagine what would become of their money if they invested in this project.
Pei Qian was sure that some of them would change their minds on the spot!
He cleared his throat. "Everyone, let me emphasize this again. This investment will cause you loss."
He tried to look as sincere and genuine as possible. He could tell that two or three investors would back out soon.
They had been interested in investing because they had seen how successful Boss Pei's previous projects were. However, after seeing the industrial zone's true state, they suddenly realized that Boss Pei's previous achievements were meaningless, no matter how impressive they were.
Making this place popular would be as difficult as turning stone into gold!
Still, everyone was too embarrassed to say that they were not interested in investing in the project anymore. Instead, they looked at one another, waiting for someone to speak up. Pei Qian was not in a hurry; he waited patiently. He was sure that someone would speak up after weighing the amount of money they had.
However, Li Shi seemed to have caught on. He decisively took a step forward, and then scanned the group. "What's the matter? We talked about this before. Is someone really going to back out?!".
His voice sounded firm and determined.
Pei Qian, "...?"
He looked at Li Shi, evidently confused.
Li Shi gave Pei Qian a firm nod and thend back to the other investors. "That's silly! Boss Pei was testing how determined you are!
"Before this, all of you were saying that you wouldn't invest in any other project but Boss Pei's. Now, after walking a little and seeing superficial things, you've changed your mind? You're so easily swayed!
"Just think about the investors who didn't trust Boss Pei when we invested in "Top Student, Come Quick' back then. What has happened to them?!
"Do you want to part ways with a promising project, just like them?"
On hearing Li Shi's words, those who had looked like they wanted to back out earlier became determined once again. They exchanged meaningful looks and fell into deep thought.
Then, Li Shi turned to Pei Qian and grinned. It was almost as if he was saying, "Don't worry, nobody will back out with me around!"
Pei Qian, "..."
He was exhausted.
Chapter 464 Kind Warnings Wasted on Those who Deserved to Die
Pei Qian felt like he had run into a pack of wild dogs on the streets. He had narrowly escaped their lethal fangs by scaring them into retreating, and then some prankster decided to throw a bone at him.
Obviously, Boss Li was the prankster. As the saying went, one had to see it to believe it. Many investors had thought about backing out when they saw how desolate and deserted the place was. Yet, Boss Li's words turned them around!
A few investors exchanged looks as if infected by Boss Li's determined tone. For some reason, they thought that he was making sense.
Before this, everyone had agreed to invest money into this project. That was one way of putting it. It's just that, to businessmen only concerned about profit, oral promises were not promises until they were written on paper.
However, what really bought them over had been Boss Li's last few sentences.
Boss Pei was testing how determined they were!
Just think about 'Top Student, Come Quick'! Everyone recalled that the same thing had happened with 'Top Student, Come Quick' back then. Boss Pei kept persuading them to back off, causing many investors to be shaken.
Yet, what happened in the end? They almost dropped dead from the poison!
All the investors present had remained in the 'Top Student, Come Quick' project. In fact, some of them had even invested more funds into it. In the end, they all reaped huge profits.
At a time like that, investors were having a hard time! Ordinary investments did not lead to such high payouts, and risky investments could cause them to lose everything by fraud.
Yet, investing in Boss Pei's project had given all of them a taste of the good life!
Thus, everyone became doubtful because of Boss Pei's attempt at dissuading them and the subtle smile on his face. Boss Pei seemed to be playing hard to get!
Obviously, he wanted to filter out the best of this group of investors as well. Only those who absolutely trusted him and insisted on investing in him would share his profits!
The easily swayed investors giving up halfway would forever be excluded.
Just look at the investors who had not chosen to invest in 'Top Student, Come Quick'; none of them were here, right?
It was not that they had not wanted to come. In fact, they could hardly wait to invest everything they had into Boss Pei's projects now. However, that didn't mean anything. They couldn't do so anymore!
Everyone had only been roped into Boss Pei's projects thanks to their connection with Boss Li. If they backed out now and bailed on Boss Li, would Boss Li continue to rope them in for profitable projects in the future?
Many people were queuing to do business with Boss Pei. Would they miss one or two investors?
Thus, after hearing Boss Li's words, many of them understood.
Before this, all of them had earned a considerable sum from Boss Pei's project. Even if they incurred losses this time, they would have hopes of making a comeback as long as they kept following Boss Pei.
On the other hand, if they chose not to invest, they would never get to do business with Boss Pei again whether this project succeeded or not!
Wasn't the choice clear?
Soon, an investor—who had clearly shown his desire to back out earlier-somberly said, "Boss Li, what are you talking about? Are we the type to leave you in the lurch?" Another investor chimed in. "That's right! Boss Li, you're underestimating us. We already said we would invest in the project together. Whoever dares to eat their words would never get to do business with us again!"
The rest of the investors began to nod and mumble in approval. "Yeah, who isn't happy with this project? It's obviously very promising! Even if all of you disperse, I'll invest in it for sure!
"Boss Pei, rest assured. We don't have any intention of dispersing! To prove my determination, I'll invest another one million
yuan!"
Everyone began to act like they were on the same page. Even the investors, who thought little of this project, tried hard to control their expressions and emotions-just to act confident and nonchalant.
Pei Qian, "..."
What's going on?! I was so close to success. Yet, a single speech from Boss Li made a mess of everything!
Pei Qian refused to give up. He turned to the weakest-looking investor. "Brother, don't listen to them! They're trying to cheat you!"
The investor was visibly shocked. At once, he looked self-righteous and indignant. "Don't worry, Boss Pei! I won't be affected by them! I'm genuinely confident in your project!"
Pei Qian turned to another weak-looking investor. However, before he could say anything, the man soberly said, "Boss Pei, my investment has nothing to do with them either. I'm purely making a negligible contribution to the development of Jingzhou's economy!"
To express their loyalty, the rest of the investors also said things like 'we just want to reciprocate the goodwill', 'it doesn't matter if we incur losses', and 'we trust Boss Pei'.
It seemed better when Pei Qian had kept quiet. Each time he asked a question, it looked more like he was testing them.
Everyone patted their chests in confidence. The only thing lacking was their solemn oaths.
Pei Qian was completely speechless by now.
Finished!
Anything he said now would be a waste of effort. It was almost as if everyone could understand what Boss Pei was saying, but nobody could understand his true intentions.
Pei Qian could not help but heave a long sigh. My kind warnings are wasted on those who deserved to die!
Since you're sure that you want to incur losses with me, I have no other choice.
Pei Qian reluctantly nodded. "Alright.
"You've already seen the deserted industrial zone anyway. If you want to make ducks and drakes of your money with me, I won't stop you. Do whatever you want to do. If you're busy, you can go ahead. I'm leaving."
Pei Qian turned around and started to walk back towards his car.
"Ai, Boss Pei, hold on!"
The group of investors, led by Boss Li, quickly stopped Boss Pei. In front of everyone, Li Shi cleared his throat. "Hehe, Boss Pei, everyone knows that you're very busy.
"However...
"You've been in charge of the planning for Thriller Hostel. Don't you think you should tell us what you have planned for this haunted house?
"We don't understand this project very well. There are so many of us, and each of us has a different idea. What if one ends up building one type of hostel while another ends up building another type of restaurant? Everything will look like a mess in the end."
Everyone nodded. "Yes, Boss Li is right!"
"That's what we think, too."
"Boss Pei, please take a few minutes of your time to tell us about the project!" Everyone obviously knew that, even though Boss Pei was here, they could not mindlessly invest money into the project. Furthermore, this was a large-scale entertainment project, and everyone was investing a huge sum of money. Of course, they needed to plan things carefully!
On top of that, none of the investors could afford to make this desolate place lively. All of them were counting on Boss Pei.
Boss Pei had to give them a clear plan, so that they could relax and invest! Of course, they could not directly say this either. Even though it was true, they could not afford to look like they were just trying to cozy up to him because he was powerful.
Thus, Boss Li found an excuse and hid this concern under the guise of 'working together'. That way, not only would they be allowed to invest in Boss Pei's promising project, but everyone would also look good in front of Boss Pei. Boss Li killed two birds with one stone.
Pei Qian turned around and shook his head profusely. "No, I cannot interfere with this project at all!"
Pei Qian had realized that every time he sat back to observe, everything would change. Normally, things went well when he did not come up with a plan. However, whenever he thought of something, he would strangely bring life into any project.
Thus, Pei Qian had decided that, no matter how well this group praised him, he could not afford to offer any advice. He would let them struggle and fight and let the project turn out however it was meant to. He would not interfere with the project at all!
The investors stared at him, confused.
Hasn't Boss Pei already accepted our investment? If so, why is he still so reluctant? Can't he just give us a bit of information?
as
Li Shi's expression did not change. He had now become used to Boss Pei's confusing and perplexing behavior. Even though Boss Pei was not explaining himself, Li Shi was sure that there was a deeper reason behind what he was doing
He cleared his throat and said, "Boss Pei, everyone, why don't we find a compromise?
"We know you're busy, Boss Pei. The Thriller Hostel is just one of the many projects that you have on hand. Of course, you won't be able to pour too much time and effort into it.
"Everyone has already seen it-it's half done. Obviously, Boss Pei has briefed your subordinates on the general direction of the project.
"How about this, Boss Pei? Why don't you ask the employees in charge of this project to introduce it to us? That'll save us from having to go to the trouble of doing all the research on our own.
"Of course, if you really cannot spare the manpower to brief us on this, it's alright as well. We'll look for a professional to do a survey and give us their opinion so we can learn more about how we should spend our money. It's just as well that we know many friends who are professionals that have worked in amusement parks in Shanghai and Beijing..." Pei Qian waved his hand. "Come with me."
Those words from Li Shi had sounded too threatening to Pei Qian even though the former likely had no ill-intent.
However, if given a choice, Pei Qian would much rather let Chen Kangtuo explain the situation briefly to the investors. Pei Qian was very sure that the investors would be able to find a professional to give them a good plan for an amusement park, given their connections.
Thus, he could only choose the lesser of the two evils.
As he walked, Pei Qian retrieved his cell phone and sent a message to Chen Kangtuo secretly."Just explain the current situation for the project. Do not say anything more." Soon, a line of people walked into Chen Kangtuo's temporary office. Someone took charge of hosting them and serving tea while everyone took their own seats. Pei Qian looked at Chen Kangtuo who immediately signaled that he had gotten the message by subtly nodding his head.
Pei Qian visibly relaxed. He cleared his throat and said to the investors, "This is the man in charge of Thriller Hostel. His name is Chen Kangtuo, and he used to work in Tengda Games."
Pei Qian hinted to the investors that the man in charge used to work in Tengda Games because he wanted them to know that he was not a professional in haunted houses. If they wanted to change their minds about the investment, it was not too late!
However, after hearing Pei Qian's introduction, the investors immediately sat upright and appeared more respectful.
"A talent from the games department! What an honor to meet you!" "I knew that Tengda Games was the essence of Tengda Corporation. It has high standards for its employees, and you can be sure that all of them are giants among men. Today, I can finally say that I've seen it for myself!"
"With Brother Chen taking charge of the project on behalf of Boss Pei, everything is in order! I can fully relax now!"
Pei Qian, "..."
I'm done for. It backfired.