Lin Wan nodded. "Okay, that's it! Let's buy this company once and for all. We'll keep all their copyrights and develop them slowly. It will be more cost-effective.
"The Multifaceted Man's image could be used to push since many foreigners are familiar with this character. We'll tie GOG and the Multifaceted Man firmly together. The effects might even be better than having celebrities.
"We'll inform Tengda Games to do their best to develop the hero that is the Multifaceted Man. We will then publicize on the international servers with this hero!"
...
In the evening...
The DGE Club, solo relaxation time...
Huang Wang packed his things, preparing to move.
He had no choice. He was too noisy when he did his live-stream and was being abandoned. Zhang Yuan prepared a room with good soundproofing upstairs for him especially for the live-stream.
Most of the others now know about Huang Wang's contract. They had different reactions to it.
Some of them were envious and wanted to try live-stream as well. As internet-addicted teenagers, the temptation of earning two million yuan a year was simply too great. They could also gain good reputations.
Some were not very interested. Take Jiang Huan, for example. He felt that he was well-taken care of by the club, and it would not matter if he had more or less money. His mind was all focused on the game.
However, everyone was still happy for him even though they complained that Huang Wang was too noisy and drove him upstairs.
They were all internet addicts when they first arrived. They ate, lived, and trained together and had developed a comradeship.
Huang Wang was akin to being the first person who tried crab. He found a way for everyone so that everyone would have more choices in the future. It was not a zero-sum game for the players. The value of all players increased after the DGE Club became famous.
Old Zhou surfed the web pages casually while waiting in line. He had Huang Wang's live-stream on Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform open at the same time.
Sure enough, Huang Wang was working in a fancy way and showing off his muscles again. However, his popularity soared again!
The platform resources he enjoyed before and after signing the contract were worlds apart. Huang Wang was popular before signing the contract. His popularity soared again with the platform behind him, with a little bit of fraud and popularity rating.
The live-stream platforms were meant to 'create celebrities' after all. These live-streamers would definitely be able to be promoted to popularity as long as they had enough topics and effects!
In addition, Old Zhou's keen eye also discovered that there were several official certified labels on Huang Wang's live-stream channel:
Captain of Team Two from the strongest DGE Club/Great Master Performer/Invincible in Offline Matches/There's fire where there is smoke...
There was even DGE Club's logo at the bottom, which was rather pretty and gave a lasting impression.
Obviously, Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform was working hard to connect Huang Wang and the DGE Club, creating an invincible image of the DGE Club in the minds of fans.
Previously, if they were to search the keyword 'DGE Club', they would basically not be able to find anything useful. The club did not make an official website because there was no need for it.
However, searching 'DGE Club' now would get them a long list of results immediately!
The first result would be the live-stream of Huang Wang. The second would be Wikipedia. After that would be posts on various platforms and forums as well as news from many websites.
"First Place Amongst GOG Club Is Unexpected?"
"Unveiling the Mysterious DGE Club"
"The Captain of Team Two From DGE Club Signs with Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform..."
"This Club Trashed H4 Club Previously, Pang Ling: In despair"
"DGE Club: GOG's Official Secret Weapon?"
"The Mysterious Training Method of DGE Club: Leaked"
"There are Rumors that Huang Wang was a Boxer who Transited to Esports, is It True?"
"Shocking! Local Whale Smashed Ten Rockets, the Live-Streamer actually Did This..."
Old Zhou knew immediately that it must be the work of Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform when he saw these results! It was necessary to maximize the commercial value since they had now signed Huang Wang up and sponsored the DGE Club.
Some of these contents were deliberately made by Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform to generate enough heat and discussions on the internet. Some contents shamelessly used marketing titles.
However, they had to admit that its effect was immediate. A mysterious and powerful image of the DGE Club was established in the hearts of the audience!
Moreover, it was difficult to distinguish between true and false information. Some true information was taken as false information.
Many people felt that GOG raised their own club that required them to work out every day? They even trashed H4? That was absolute nonsense!
It made no sense that they were so much stronger than the other clubs even if they were to raise a club! Unless it was by the official game!
There was also some false information regarded as true.
Some fans who were just watching the commotion photoshopped a boxer's credentials for Huang Wang. It put Huang Wang in the boxing ring. They photoshopped so realistically that many people couldn't say it's fake.
As a result, every time Huang Wang linked up in the game, audiences would ask him to show his muscles. Some even asked him to punch a few fists.
Huang Wang repeatedly emphasized that he was not a boxer, but he could not stop the bullet screen comments from deceiving people repeatedly.
In the end, Huang Wang could only give up on the treatment and simply change his live-stream room to 'Former Boxer who Tortured Professional God-like Players'.
As a result, more viewers got caught in the bait!
Sometimes, even Huang Wang felt that this world was simply too magical.
...
At the same time, ZZ Live-Stream headquarters in Guangzhou...
Vice President Liu Liang was furious. The heads of several departments stood with their heads bowed, not daring to breathe.
"Every one of you is useless! You can't even do shit! I told you a long time ago to pay more attention to the potential of live streamers from GOG, didn't I? What have you been doing?
"Didn't you realize that he was a good sapling when Huang Wang had already been in live-stream with Pang Ling for several days? If you had realized it earlier and signed him up, then what could Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform have done?
"Great, now, Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform obtained so much traffic because of this live-stream publicity. Are we passive now?
"I'm so pissed off!"
Liu Liang calmed down after scolding. "Have you found the contact details of the person-in-charge of the DGE Club?"
One of them nodded. "I've sent it to you."
Liu Liang waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, scram! I'll deal with it personally!"
The in-charges left in bad taste.
Liu Liang still felt like his anger had not been dissipated. Such a promising sapling was taken away by his competitor, Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform. It was his worst fear. How could he not be angry?
The key was that there was sufficient time to react. They should have realized his potential when Huang Wang and Pang Ling were in the live-stream. This gang of rice bugs only knew how to be passive and did not notice it at all.
Fortunately, there was a way to remedy it. Liu Liang decided to handle it himself.
He heard that Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform had sponsored the DGE Club and was frantically promoting the concept that 'the DGE Club is the strongest team'.
It would be amazing if this concept could really be hyped up.
Players adored the strong. There was a huge difference between the first line professional players and the super top professional players.
The most embarrassing thing was that Liu Liang realized that many of the eye-catching news broadcasted by Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform were actually true!
The DGE Club was really a team raised by Tengda and had actually trashed all the clubs in China. There really was a fitness training program amongst their training!
It really wasn't Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform bragging.
Liu Liang also realized many topics could be hyped up! Popularity was everything in live-streaming. The live-streaming platforms had to do everything permissible by law to attract the attention of audiences.
Ready-made popularity was served to them on a platter; what reason was there not to obtain it?
Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform had preemptively sponsored the DGE Club and tried to bundle the DGE Club with their live-streaming platform.
Fortunately, it was not an exclusive sponsorship. ZZ Live-Stream still had a chance.
Liu Liang looked at the time. It was a little late so it seemed to be impolite to call now, but the situation was urgent so he could not care so much.
The phone call was connected in no time.
"Hello, is this Manager Zhang of the DGE Club? I'm Liu Liang, the vice president of ZZ Live-Stream. I want to talk to you about sponsoring your club!" Liu Liang explained his intention with sincerity.
However, Zhang Yuan was silent for a moment at the end of the phone. "I'm sorry, Boss Liu, you are a step late."
Liu Liang's heart dropped. "What's the matter?"
"Our club has regulations. We can accept three sponsorships at most, and we can only accept one sponsorship from each industry. Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform has sponsored us for one year.
"If you want to sponsor us, you have to wait until this time next year," Zhang Yuan explained.
Liu Liang thought he was struck by lightning. Only three sponsors? And only one from each industry?
That's crazy! Who would not want more money?
The other clubs had never rejected advertisements. They did not hesitate to print everywhere on their uniforms. It was a good thing to be able to get more money with just the printing of a logo; why the hell not?
It turned out that they could not even sponsor the DGE club now!
He had never seen this situation in his life. Liu Liang was caught off-guard. He had another option, which was to sign with the other players of DGE since they were very strong as well.
However, it was obvious that none of the other players were able to produce such a good effect. They might not be able to bring about the intended popularity.
Moreover, they would not be able to rival Waiwai Live-Streaming Platform since they were not a sponsor of the DGE Club even if they did.
Liu Liang cursed at those idiotic and useless in-charges.
"Boss Liu, if there is nothing else, I'll hang up first. Let's keep in contact again in the future," Zhang Yuan said.
"Manager Zhang, please wait!" Liu Liang stopped him. He knew very well that there had to be some other way to keep the popularity up! If he were to give up without as much as a fight, then there was no need to think about all the popularity related to the DGE Club.
However, so to how to go about it...
Liu Liang suddenly had a eureka moment. He remembered a piece of information he learned when he was asking the in-charges of other clubs.
"Manager Zhang, as far as I know, the DGE Club is playing mock competitions with the other clubs right?"
"Yes," Zhang Yuan replied.
"We, ZZ Live-Stream, have decided to host an online game and are inviting all the clubs to participate!" Liu Liang continued after thinking. "It's called the ZZ Cup Performance Competition!"
Chapter 611: The Philosophy of Tengda Lifestyle Application
"The rules of the competition are very simple. Make a schedule according to the participating teams and try to win as much as possible. The winner could be scored by the spectators and a comprehensive 'performance index'. The higher the index, the more bonus there would be for the game!
"Of course, there would be nothing if they lost in performance.
"The minimum for a game is 50,000 yuan with the maximum as 100,000 yuan. The bonus will grow with higher scores. There would be six games a day for a total of 10 days. If there were still bonuses left, they would all be given to the team with the highest score.
"Would you be interested to participate?"
Zhang Yuan could not help but sigh on the other end of the phone. Live-streaming platforms were really creative with their ways!
Performance competition? It sounded f*cking interesting...
Zhang Yuan thought for a while. Why not participate in it? If winning would be able to win bonuses. It would not be bad for the players to improve their lives.
"Alright, both of our teams would be participating," Zhang Yuan replied after some thoughts.
Liu Liang was overjoyed. "Alright! Then, I will find other popular clubs and send you the schedule when it was arranged!"
Liu Liang could not help but feel happy after hanging up.
Success!
The sponsorship of DGE Club might be gone, but they could still bring traffic to ZZ Live-Stream through this method!
The previous GOG competition had proved that there were currently a group of GOG game spectators in China. The audiences of live-stream were also increasing. Everyone was looking forward to the competition since there was no such competition now.
In an entertainment competition, there would be traffic as long as they were entertaining.
The prize money of six million yuan might seem to be a lot, but ZZ Live-Stream would certainly not pay the entire amount. Such competition might be online, but it would definitely be able to attract advertisement sponsorship and share a huge part of the cost.
The more Liu Liang thought about it, the happier he became. He immediately ordered his staff to undertake it.
...
On DGE Club's end, Zhang Yuan told the players that ZZ Live-Stream was about to host a 'performance contest'. No one was very interested in it at first.
What ZZ Live-Stream Performance Competition which sounded very degrading?
We are professional players! GOG's highest standards!
We respect every game! Never look down on their opponents!
Asking us to perform, what did you think we were? Are we circus clowns?
However, Zhang Yuan said that 'every game could win up to 100,000 yuan according to their score. The club and the players would split half'. Everyone's expressions changed significantly.
100,000 yuan for one game?
If Team One and Team Two were to play a game a day and perform well, wouldn't everyone be able to get 10,000 yuan? If they were to play for 10 days, they would obtain 100,000 yuan each?
Moreover, they could obtain the remaining money if there were remaining bonuses? This quick money was too easy to obtain! Wouldn't they be idiots?
The team members quickly became energetic about it.
"No problem, isn't it just to perform as much as possible while guaranteeing that we'll win? Leave it to us!"
...
...
August 11th, Thursday...
Pei Qian came to Fish-Catching Take-Out Store Number One to check on the status of the microbial waste processor and to have lunch. After more than a week of preparation, the microbial waste processor machines ordered beforehand would be able to be put to use soon.
It was close to lunch. Pei Qian sighed silently as he watched the delivery guys outside Fish-Catching Take-Out Store Number One picking up and delivering food. He sighed silently.
So difficult!
It had been almost two weeks since garbage sorting. As a result, many people's living standards had changed. Many jokes appeared on the internet, such as 'what kind of garbage are you?'
Discussions would make it a trend, and trends would bring sales volume.
During this period, Fish-Catching Take-Out's orders had been increasing every day. The originally idle dishwashers were working non-stop. The delivery guys were all in good spirits since the more orders they delivered would mean that their commissions grew with it. Their incomes would rise sharply this month.
It was just that all these were not good news for Boss Pei. He could only silently hope that the waste processor and Gourmet Laboratory would be able to greatly increase the cost of Fish-Catching Take-Out so that they did not make too much money.
Pei Qian listened to Rui Yuchen explain the specific uses of the microbial waste processor while he observed this machine.
This thing was about two cubic meters in size. It had a stainless steel box which was a bit like a large washing machine or a freezer. It had a garbage input point and an operation panel.
He smelt it up close. It was very airtight so there was basically no smell.
However, Rui Yuchen deliberately placed it at the back door to prevent a small amount of smell from escaping. At the same time, it could facilitate the recycling of fertilizer within.
"Boss Pei, there are special microbes inside this machine. It can reduce up to 99% of kitchen waste; even the hard-to-digest garbage such as bones could be decomposed... though it would take a longer time.
"The gas discharged after filtering, plasma high-temperature sintering, UV photolysis, and other processes is colorless, odorless, and non-toxic. The remaining solid is a small amount of bacterial fertilizer which is organic.
"After being mixed with soil, it can be used as compost within a month or two to improve the soil condition of fields, vegetable gardens, and urban flower beds..."
Pei Qian nodded silently, not really listening attentively.
Alright, the money was spent anyway. The fertilizers they produced were so little that it was impossible to make much money. The waste decomposer machine was hidden behind the store so no one should notice it.
Pei Qian lost interest in no time. "Alright, let's equip all future Fish-Catching Take-Out stores with this machine."
Pei Qian went back to the store and took a seat. He had decided to have lunch here before leaving. The dishes were ready in no time.
Pei Qian took two bites, and his expression froze.
He saw two uninvited guests walking towards Fish-Catching Take-Out. One of them was holding a microphone, and the other was holding a camera!
Pei Qian looked at the journalist who came in through the front entrance and the bright camera lens. He looked at the food that he had just eaten and turned his back towards the journalist to prevent his face from being photographed.
It would be problematic if the journalist were to interview him as 'an enthusiastic citizen, Mr. Pei'.
Fortunately, there were other customers in the store. Pei Qian ate in silence and pretended to be an ordinary passerby.
As expected, the journalist interviewed a customer on his left.
"Hello, what do you think about Fish-Catching Take-Out's garbage sorting?" The journalist asked.
This guy happened to have his side facing the journalist. He swiped his phone while eating and did not notice the camera shooting.
"What do I think? I'm too lazy to sort the garbage! The food here is delicious and substantial. It is slightly more expensive, but I can eat worry-free since I don't need to do garbage sorting after my food..."
He realized that something was wrong when he was half-way through his comment. He turned, only to see a huge camera filming him.
The customer froze. "Are you filming? Interview? News program?"
The journalist nodded. "Yes."
The customer hurriedly turned around after placing his phone in his pocket. "Uh, garbage sorting is good! It is everyone's responsibility to protect the environment and save resources! I think Fish-Catching Take-Out has done a very good job in this area, in line with the concept of environmental protection. Therefore, I'll support it with my own actions!
"Please delete the part in front, thank you." The customer said in a small voice after he was done.
The journalist could not help but laugh. "Sure, don't worry."
Rui Yuchen also noticed the journalist and greeted him with a confused face. Obviously, he was totally unprepared for it so it was not prearranged.
"Hello, I am a journalist for the evening news section of Jingzhou TV Station. Are you the manager of this store?" The female journalist asked with a smile.
Rui Yuchen nodded. "I am the person-in-charge of Fish-Catching Take-Out Business Unit from Tengda Corporation and also the manager of Fish-Catching Take-Out Store Number One."
He glanced at Boss Pei and deduced that Boss Pei did not want to show his face based on his seating posture. He tacitly pretended not to know him.
Pei Qian was slightly relieved that Rui Yuchen did not mention him. Fortunately, he was more discreet.
The journalist was very happy. "The thing is... our evening news section wants to report on F&Bs[1] that are doing well in garbage sorting. Fish-Catching Take-Out seems to have done a great job in this regard.
"Could you please give us a brief introduction to the operating philosophy behind Fish-Catching Take-Out?"
Rui Yuchen nodded. He had stored a wealth of content previously. It would be great for him to take the opportunity to explain in detail.
"Fish-Catching Take-Out is an important part of Tengda Life App; it represents Tengda Corporation's healthy, environmentally-friendly, and exquisite life philosophy!
"Healthy refers to the fresh ingredients of Fish-Catching Take-Out. We use less oil and salt and make the dishes as close to home-cooked food as possible while taking nutrition and deliciousness into account.
"Environmentally-friendly here refers to the concept of using recyclables for Fish-Catching Take-Out. All tableware is recycled, cleaned, and disinfected in a unified manner to reduce the damage of plastic waste to the environment. A special microbial waste processor is used to treat food waste and turn it into fertilizer.
"Exquisite is referring to Fish-Catching Take-Out being committed to providing customers with a high-end dining experience. We cooperated with the nameless restaurants to launch the Food Harmony brand to get rid of the inherent impression that takeaways are inferior and cheap.
"In addition, we also have special muscle mass increasing meals, nutritious meals, and fat reducing meals..."
Rui Yuchen spoke with gusto in front of the camera. He was completely familiar with these contents. Fish-Catching Take-Out had contained many philosophical ideals from Boss Pei since its inception.
Rui Yuchen discussed these with content many times with Lin Canrong as the person-in-charge of Fish-Catching Take-Out. He had a deeper understanding of Boss Pei's philosophy when he provided fitness meals to Deposit Fitness gym.
Tengda Life App has integrated all these contents now, which could be introduced in front of the camera!
The chopsticks in Pei Qian's hand stopped moving as he listened. He might have his back on Rui Yuchen and the journalist, but a question mark still appeared slowly above his head.
Tengda Life App? What was that?
[1] This refers to Food and Beverage, generally a reference to industries dealing with food.
Chapter 612: Fish-Catching Take-Out's Past Life
"So what is the Tengda Life App?"
Before Pei Qian could ask anything, the journalist questioned him first.
Rui Yuchen was well-prepared. He retrieved his cell phone and said, "Tengda Life App is a new software that Tengda Corporation released after gathering all of its businesses. It includes many functions!
"For example, it includes the original Fish-Catching Take-Out application, as well as new and improved functions. One can get real-time updates on their delivery man's location, and they can make reservations on the menu in advance.
"On top of that, it has other functions like daily lessons, logistics delivery, reservations for the nameless restaurant, the map for Thriller Hostel, Deposit Fitness, rental of the Sloth Apartments, and so on. You could even use it to read novels on Zhongdian Chinese Network, look for all the Fish-Catching Internet Cafes, or download Tengda's mobile games.
"Moreover, we have fully linked TPDb websites' reviews with the application so that one can check TPDb ratings and comments on the app.
"In the future, we'll also be releasing powerful functions like Tengda Mall and the like!
"Of course, since we spent little time researching and developing it, many functions will still have to be improved later. However, combining the various aspects of a Tengda Life represents Tengda's expansion into more areas of our daily lives!
"The Tengda Life app will control many aspects of our lives. Fish-Catching Take-Out's lifelong principles of health, sustainability, and exquisiteness also represent the common standards of all the businesses in the Tengda Life app!
"Our mission is to bring a healthy, sustainable, and exquisite method of modern living to every single customer!"
The journalist looked pleasantly surprised. She had not expected to reap such a huge benefit.
Before this, she had only expected to conduct an interview with a food and beverage business that had been doing a good job of sorting garbage. Yet, she had also discovered that Fish-Catching Take-Out had been doing so many things in secret!
What's more, all of its principles had been summarized perfectly!
Its food has to be healthy so as not to damage the body; its materials have to be sustainable so as not to pollute the environment; and its products have to be exquisite so as not to deceive customers.
Fish-Catching Take-Out uses recyclable cutlery, dealt with its garbage by using microbial waste processors to turn rubbish into treasure, and had a special app to provide customers with a better experience. It was perfectly embodying the spirit of the country's current push toward garbage sorting!
That was not all—the rest of Tengda's businesses were also doing the same. Education, entertainment, fitness, internet cafes, logistics delivery... all of those came together in one app for customers' convenience.
The journalist instinctively asked a crucial question. "Where can one download the application?"
Rui Yuchen smiled. "You can download it from various major application stores, or you could just search for it on search engines.
"However, I think many people in Jingzhou already have the application in their cell phones because it used to be the 'Top Student, Come Quick' application! They wouldn't need to register again. Instead, they can just update the application to have the Tengda Life app at their fingertips!"
The journalist's expression filled with joy. "That's great! That's exactly the material I wanted!
"Branch Manager Rui, you have put it so well. The three principles, in particular, are really worth amplifying to set the bar for all food and beverage businesses! I can tell that you think a lot about these things in your daily life."
Rui Yuchen nodded. "That's right. Those concepts are etched deep in my heart. However, I was not enlightened on my own. I learned this from Boss Pei of Tengda Corporation.
"At this point, I have to mention Fish-Catching Take-Out's past life.
"In fact, Fish-Catching Take-Out was born more than a year ago. At the time, Boss Pei had already insisted that it had to be healthy, sustainable, and exquisite. That was why we operated the business based on those principles.
"However, until last month, Fish-Catching Take-Out had made no breakthrough and had been consistently incurring losses.
"The reason for this is simple. Compared to other take-outs in the market that are priced competitively, Fish-Catching Take-Out's sales model was incomprehensible. Most customers thought that Fish-Catching Take-Out was bland and scoffed at the idea of reclaiming cutlery. Thus, although we had a small proportion of loyal customers, our revenue was never able to cover the costs of reclaiming cutlery.
"Yet, even so, Boss Pei did not give up. He did not even think about changing Fish-Catching Take-Out's operation model. Instead, he continued to invest more money into Fish-Catching Take-Out.
"He set up more and more branches, established a Gourmet Laboratory to develop new dishes, and provided customers with better service.
"Obviously, he was determined to live out his own principles!
"At last, Fish-Catching Take-Out's principles shone through. As everyone learned more about health and the environment, Fish-Catching Take-Out became increasingly validated! As our losses turned into profit, Boss Pei only had one opposite thought in his mind:
"Where is Fish-Catching Take-Out falling short?
"We thought about the problem of pollution due to food waste. Thus, we purchased microbial waste processors that cost more than a hundred thousand yuan each, thereby maximizing our adherence to the principles of health and sustainability!
"So Fish-Catching Take-Out's success should not only be attributed to its business model, but also to its ideals and its determination!"
As the journalist listened to this, she became moved as well.
As a local of Jingzhou, she already knew of Fish-Catching Take-Out's existence early on. However, she never knew that the brand had endured through so many ups and downs; much less that such a hot-looking brand had been incurring losses all the way up to last month!
The fact that it could withstand the pressure, cling to its principles, and increase its investments just to normalize a 'healthy, sustainable, and exquisite' way of living...
It was really amazing!
The journalist asked, "Can I take pictures of the back kitchen and the microbial waste processor?"
Rui Yuchen nodded. "Anytime! Please, follow me."
Rui Yuchen had 120-percent confidence in Fish-Catching Take-Out's back kitchen. It was clean, tidy, and organized. One could say that it was a mini version of the nameless restaurant's back kitchen.
He had exchanged ideas and lessons on kitchen management with Lin Canrong many times before. Fish-Catching Take-Out Store Number One was the brand's benchmark store. Of course, Rui Yuchen had to hold it to much higher standards.
Ten minutes later, the photographs were taken.
Rui Yuchen led the journalist and the cameraman to the entrance.
"This is the cleanest and most organized kitchen I have ever seen," exclaimed the journalist as she held her thumb up.
"That's our job. That's right. I have a gift for you."
Smiling, Rui Yuchen handed a brand new lunch box to the journalist.
She reached out, looking confused. "This is an... insulated lunch box?"
Rui Yuchen smiled and explained, "This is the new brand that Fish-Catching Take-Out has developed, and it's called 'Food Harmony'. It's the product of the cross between a modern take-out business and traditional culture.
"Food, as in 'food is the most important to people'. Harmony, as in 'gentlemen seek harmony, not uniformity', and 'man interacts harmoniously with nature'. At the same time, it sounds like 'food box', which was the ancient form of take-out in our country.
"We have worked hard to mix the traditional 'lunchbox' culture within our modern Fish-Catching Take-Out business, to create this special lunchbox. At the same time, we perfected its aesthetic, convenience, and insulant characteristic and honored our gourmet culture.
"I'm giving you this gift as goodwill from me to you."
Once again, the journalist looked pleasantly surprised. "Thank you! Thank you so much! This is valuable as memorabilia, and yet very practical as well! Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed by us!"
Obviously, the journalist was moved as well. Once she confirmed with the cameraman that they had all the material they needed, she reluctantly left with her lunchbox.
Rui Yuchen walked the journalist and the cameraman all the way out and watched them get onto their car before he finally heaved a sigh of relief and returned to the store.
Phew, it's a good thing I didn't mess up in front of Boss Pei!
One didn't get many opportunities like that to star on television. Grasping it well would mean a valuable chance to get an instant fame boost and a surge in the brand's value.
Otherwise, it would all be in vain.
The effect of the interview would have been greatly discounted if not for the clean and tidy kitchen and the newly-purchased microbial waste processor. Tonight, once the news aired, the effect and coverage would be better than that of any advertisement that they could afford to buy!
"Boss Pei...
"Eh? Where's Boss Pei?"
When Rui Yuchen returned from sending the journalist off, he discovered that Boss Pei was already gone.
"Why did Boss Pei leave? Is he unhappy with my performance? He can't be. I did quite well.
"Hmm... he finished his food. I guess he should be quite happy with my performance. Perhaps he left quietly because he can completely trust me now. After all, Boss Pei has always been this free and easy.
"It's a good thing that I've been working on adopting Boss Pei's spirit. I was well-prepared, so that I could answer the questions so perfectly.
"Lucky me!"
Rui Yuchen looked comforted and elated.
...
...
August 12th...
At Fei Huang Workspace...
Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce were working hard on editing the short film, 'New Life'.
There were two layers of meaning: an old building was given a new lease of life through renovations, and one would start a new life once they moved in. Both of those were included in the publicity video for the Sloth Apartments.
The videographer who had done the filming was very experienced and professional. He had accumulated a lot of rough footage, including everything necessary.
However, to reduce it all to a five-minute clip was no easy feat.
That was because five minutes was too short. Not only would they have to retain the meaning in each raw clip and ensure that each transition was natural and not abrupt, but they also had to ensure that the contrast between the old buildings and the new buildings was etched deeply in the viewers' minds to bring across the idea of a 'new life'.
That called for a lot of skill.
Luckily, everyone at Fei Huang Workspace was very experienced. They had even edited a movie before. Editing a short film was challenging, but not impossible.
As Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce discussed the meaning behind each scene, they repeatedly adjusted various factors and strived to achieve the best effect. Just when they were frowning deeply and struggling with ideas, they heard a celebratory shout from the office area.
"What are you doing here?"
"Brother Huang! Director Zhu! Look who's here!"
Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce looked up, their eyes widening in disbelief.
It was a familiar face.
Chen Lei!
Chapter 613: How are the Lunchboxes in the News Sold?
Huang Sibo quickly stood up to receive him. "Chen Lei? When did you arrive in Jingzhou?"
Chen Lei grinned. "Late last night. It was too late, and so I didn't tell any of you. I intentionally came to look for all of you today. I went to Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's flagship store first, but I didn't see Boss Pei or Boss Zhang there. That's why I came over here."
To Chen Lei, apart from Boss Pei and Zhang Yuan, the staff at Fei Huang Workspace were the closest to him out of everyone in Tengda Corporation.
That's because they had happened to be in Shanghai filming a documentary when Chen Lei left Jingzhou for Shanghai to chase his dreams. They had taken care of his meals, accommodation, and all other problems there... so they were exceptionally close.
Emotional, Huang Sibo said, "You're a huge celebrity now, and you haven't been back in Jingzhou for a while. That's probably why you're unsure of what Tengda is like now.
"Boss Pei, Boss Zhang, and Boss Ma no longer go to Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's flagship store!
"Boss Ma is now in charge of an investment company. I heard that he had invested in IOI before and earned two hundred million yuan for Boss Pei.
"Boss Zhang was put in charge of the Fish-Catching Internet Cafes, and he started a computer-installation business. Then, he won the Best Employee award and stepped down. Now, he's in charge of an esports club.
"As for Boss Pei, he's getting busier and busier. However, he still hangs out at Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's Handong University branch now and then. If you're lucky, you might be able to catch him there."
Chen Lei sounded moved. "You guys have changed a lot, too. In the blink of an eye, you've won an award at Cannes. I went to watch Tomorrow is Beautiful. It's very well-made. I keep boasting to my friends, saying that my buddies produced that film.
"So much has changed in the past year. Who would have imagined?"
Huang Sibo laughed. "That's right. How are things for you? I heard that your career has really taken off over the past year and that you're even preparing for your own concert."
Chen Lei nodded. "Yes, it's pretty good, but I still miss being in Jingzhou. I especially miss those days singing in the internet cafe.
"I intend to tour around the Fish-Catching Internet Cafes to sing over the next few days, just to reminisce and increase Boss Pei's sales. To a certain extent, one could say that I would be reliving the good old days."
Huang Sibo fell silent. "Tour around and sing...
"How many days are you back for?"
Chen Lei thought for a while. "About two weeks. I've been running around all year and feeling quite tired. The last time I came back, I only stayed for a day before I left again. I didn't even have time to see all of you. This time, I want to stay in Jingzhou for a bit longer to recharge."
After some consideration, Huang Sibo said, "We wanted you to sing the theme song for the film that we produced in Shanghai, but we didn't manage to work with you because time was tight.
"Now, we have another film for Boss Pei's project. Do you think you would be able to sing for it?"
Chen Lei nodded. "Of course, I can! Since it's Boss Pei's film, I can't say no!
"What's it about?"
Huang Sibo quickly scrolled through the rough edit of the film. "These are rented apartments, but Boss Pei has given them a special meaning. He turned these unassuming and deserted old buildings into this, and so we're naming the film 'New Life'...
"You're good at writing folk songs. Don't bother incorporating this meaning into your song, as long as the style of the song fits. I'm not sure what you can write about, but feel free to express your creativity."
Chen Lei nodded. "Don't worry. Count on me!"
...
In the evening...
Pei Qian lazed on his couch, switched on his television, switched to Jingzhou's channel, and watched the night-time news. He would not be able to dodge the attack this time.
Rui Yuchen had spoken so well and done a series of things earlier to bluff the journalist. Now, Pei Qian had no idea what kind of effect the news report would have.
The Tengda Life app was done, and so was the interview. Pei Qian's hands were tied. All he could do was hope that the news report would be as short as possible and that few people would be watching it.
"Recently, Handong Province has embarked on a garbage sorting and standardized disposal plan. The results have been promising.
"Garbage sorting is a social issue that is relevant to everyone's livelihood and sustainable development. Improving garbage sorting would be an important step towards protecting the environment. To build a civilized society and further improve the quality of our urban life, Jingzhou City has made a breakthrough in carrying out garbage sorting and disposal works."
"..."
"However, it should also be noted that, during the current implementation of garbage sorting strategies, the food and beverage industry has been experiencing many problems. Many restaurants have failed to carry out their garbage sorting obligations, disposed of food waste in violation of regulations, and failed to discharge waste as required.
"Incomplete statistics show that Jingzhou generated 14.2 tons of waste from take-out every day. Close to 2.4 million people buy take-out each day, resulting in a mixture of disposable chopsticks, plastic lunch boxes, plastic bags, and food waste. That has created huge problems in terms of garbage sorting.
"Yet, one take-out company in Jingzhou has been actively leading the way in healthy, sustainable, and exquisite principles; thus being the first to achieve the goal of generating 'zero pollution'. Its cutlery is recyclable, and its food waste can be turned into treasure. It's the perfect role model for all other companies in the food and beverage industry!"
The image on the screen switched to the interview that had taken place in front of Fish-Catching Take-Out Store Number One. Enthusiastic customers were seated in front of the camera, saying that they would actively support garbage sorting efforts by supporting Fish-Catching Take-Out.
Rui Yuchen, the person-in-charge of Fish-Catching Take-Out, expressed himself freely in front of the camera—introducing Fish-Catching Take-Out's past life, Food Harmony's current progress, and the business' perseverance along the way.
Pei Qian even caught a glimpse of himself on screen. There was a flash of his back when the camera panned around the premises.
After that, footage of the clean and tidy back kitchen—as well as the microbial waste processor—was shown.
There was a brief introduction to the other businesses on the Tengda Life app, which had the same principles as Fish-Catching Take-Out. The core ideals of the 'Tengda life' stood out.
Finally, Rui Yuchen presented an exquisite lunch box to the camera. The reporter praised the bold innovation of 'Food Harmony', which integrated traditional culture with modern lifestyle. It also gave Fish-Catching Take-Out the highest praise for all its efforts towards environmental protection thus far.
"The branch manager of Fish-Catching Take-Out, Rui Yuchen, says that 'Food Harmony' means that food is the most important to people and that gentlemen should seek harmony instead of uniformity. In other words, man should interact harmoniously with nature.
"We hope that all food and beverage and take-out companies can learn from Fish-Catching Take-Out's spirit. We also hope that more people would show their support to the local food and beverage brand, Fish-Catching Take-Out, and do their part to contribute to a beautiful and sustainable Jingzhou!"
That was where the news ended.
Pei Qian slumped on his sofa, feeling extremely sad.
Finished!
That news piece was not short at all!
He had thought that the minor piece of news would take two minutes at most. He had not expected that it would take five whole minutes. Not only had Rui Yuchen and the lunch box made a strong appearance, but the last part of the news piece also encouraged everyone to support Fish-Catching Take-Out!
That was terrifying!
Many old men and women in Jingzhou loved watching the news. They could have hated take-out at first but completely changed their minds because the news had given a take-out brand such high praise!
Of course, they would not order take-out frequently. Still, they could tell their children that take-out was unhealthy and they shouldn't eat it, but even if they did have to eat it, they should order from Fish-Catching Take-Out!
On top of that, the news piece mentioned the Tengda Life App and the high-end brand, Food Harmony. Surely, it would spread.
With all the businesses combined, customers of various businesses would interact more and more. That would also lead to an extremely complicated chain reaction...
Pei Qian only had to imagine the consequences for a short while to conclude that the situation was hopeless. He downloaded the Tengda Life App on his cell phone and accessed the discussion page.
The discussion page belonged to Deposit Fitness at first, but it was now a mini forum where one could post stickies, reply to others, and share every detail of their lives. The original fitness content was now just a small section on the page.
The new posts were particularly eye-catching.
"I'm stumped by the new update. How are there so many new things now? This is an entirely different application!"
"This is great! As a loyal customer of Tengda, I no longer have to switch between multiple different applications. I can settle everything that I need in one place."
"Fish-Catching Take-Out is on the news!"
"It went on for quite a long while now. It was praised for being a company excelling in garbage sorting!"
"I didn't browse TPDb frequently before, and so I'm only finding out now that Tengda has so many businesses. Does it even have a gym? Who knows how effective it is? I might go and try it out one day!"
"Deposit Fitness? Its effects are immediate and more obvious than any other gym!"
"Tengda has rented apartments? Sloth Apartments? Why don't I see many recommendations, though? Who knows how those apartments are?"
"A Tengda Mall will be released in the future? I can't wait!"
"You can close your eyes and buy any product from Tengda, and still, you wouldn't go wrong!"
As Pei Qian read those posts, he fell into a trance.
Can all of you think independently?
Don't assume these things are good just because other people say so. Try it for yourself and look for its flaws!
Still, Pei Qian had to admit that the opinions expressed by the stickies were very common. After this series of blows, Pei Qian could no longer think of a reason why Fish-Catching Take-Out would continue to incur losses.
"Even the Sloth Apartments have been exposed. It's a good thing that no one knows the truth behind this project yet, though.
"Does this mean 'Food Harmony' won't keep incurring losses either?"
Pei Qian continued to read through the posts aimlessly. All of a sudden, his hand paused. He had just read a new post.
"Who knows where I can buy the lunchbox?"
"It seems like you can buy it directly from the stores. There are brand new ones in all sorts of colors, which are different from those that come with your take-out. They're going for 49 yuan—that's pretty cheap."
"What do you want them for?"
"Insulated takeaway boxes! They look nice, and the compartments were very scientifically-based. They can hold meat, vegetables, soup, and the like. It's well-sealed as well, so that you won't have to worry about spilling."
"That makes sense! My mom might need one. I'll make an order now!"
Pei Qian was stunned by the discussion. They wanted to buy the lunchboxes as insulated takeaway boxes? They think it's beautiful and unique?
Moreover, 49 yuan is cheap?!
Pei Qian was taken aback. Even if the earlier discussions had been expected, this one was completely beyond his expectations! How could 'Food Harmony' generate revenue this way?!
Pei Qian was beginning to feel like he had been ruthlessly taken for a ride...
Chapter 614: Boss Pei was Personally Endorsing Fish-Catching Take-Out!
August 13th, Saturday...
Pei Qian crawled out of bed and yawned. There was a Management Trainee meeting today.
The examination period had passed, and Pei Qian had been plagued with too much work. Although he could symbolically study a little—on the whole, he had to give up getting better.
Yet, he did not feel worried. He only worried that his own teachers would kill a couple of brain cells, trying to think of ways to let him pass.
As for the Management Trainees' examinations, Pei Qian didn't feel worried. They were outstanding students to begin with, and Pei Qian had given them time to study before the examinations. Of course, they would do well.
The days without the Management Trainees were very difficult for Pei Qian. They had only done away with one meeting, but the DGE Club and 'Top Student Come Quick' had already dealt killer moves. In addition, IOI and Fish-Catching Take-Out had exploded due to uncontrollable reasons. Pei Qian was filled with worries.
He also had to think about how many hidden dangers there were in the projects that had just exploded and just how many aftershocks he would have to endure.
Thus, the Management Trainee meetings had to resume!
Once he finished washing up, Pei Qian glanced at his watch. It was still early. He picked up his cell phone, wanting to read what everyone else thought about the Tengda Life App and Fish-Catching Take-Out.
The news piece aired last night. After a night of fermenting, new opinions had appeared online.
Someone said that, after their parents watched the news, they told him to only buy Fish-Catching Take-Out in the future.
Someone else said that his company had decided to only order from 'Food Harmony' for business conventions from now on.
Many people also said that they had bought lunchboxes for themselves. The most ridiculous post was by someone who said that they had bought a set of lunchboxes in every color, for no other reason than that they wanted to collect the lunchboxes because of how nice they looked!
Pei Qian was exhausted.
He could let the people in front go. In the age of garbage sorting, he could tolerate people who ordered from Fish-Catching Take-Out just to save themselves the trouble.
However, how could he tolerate the one who said that he had bought a lunch box in every color just to collect them?
What person in the right mind would collect these things?
Pei Qian could only say that the world was huge, and there were all sorts of people. He just could not understand why people would treat such unstable things as treasures.
All of a sudden, Pei Qian noticed a post on Weibo that had garnered a lot of attention!
"I almost laughed to death. Do you all remember the customer that appeared in Fish-Catching Take-Out's news piece last night? He looked so serious that I thought they had hired him. I didn't expect to see this complete version of what happened!"
A video was attached below.
The journalist arrived at Fish-Catching Take-Out and randomly interviewed a customer, whose head was lowered as he used his cell phone, completely unaware that he was being interviewed.
"What do I think? I can't be bothered to sort my garbage...
"You're recording? Is this an interview? The news?
"Er... garbage sorting is good. It protects the environment and saves resources—all of us should do it! I think Fish-Catching Take-Out is doing an exceptionally good job.
"Please cut the first part. Thank you."
The journalist suppressed her grin and said, "Alright, don't worry."
The video was going viral, and more and more comments were appearing below!
"Hahaha, that's hilarious. He was an ordinary citizen of Jingzhou in one second, but an outstanding youth in the next!"
"That's so true. I thought the interview was scripted beforehand, but it turned out to be a spring interview. This brother blurted the truth without noticing the camera at first!"
"That's an adorable citizen of Jingzhou. He claims not to care about sorting garbage because of the inconvenience it brings to his life, but he still does all he can to support it by changing his habits. He deserves praise for not secretly dumping his rubbish carelessly!"
" 'Please cut the first part, thank you' hahaha! The kind man had been taken for a ride by the journalist!"
"He was not. The journalist did cut it away, and she didn't broadcast it in the news. However, she didn't say that she wouldn't upload it onto Weibo! Hahahaha."
"Eh, I noticed a problem. Did the rest of you notice the customers at the start of the video? One of the backs looked particularly familiar. It's the wallpaper on my cell phone!"
Pei Qian: "?"
Back? How could you recognize someone's back?
As for whose back he was referring to... wasn't it obvious?
Pei Qian quickly traced the clues and found the Weibo profile of the person who had posted that comment. His newest post had also become viral and gotten thousands of shares!
"An earth-shaking revelation! Boss Pei was there when the journalist interviewed Fish-Catching Take-Out's person-in-charge! Look at both of these backs; they're 99% similar. The suits are the same, their body types are the same, and even their head shapes are identical!"
There were two images placed side by side for comparison below.
The former was a photograph taken by the journalist when Pei Qian had walked in the opposite direction of the crowd back in Fish-Catching Internet Cafe 3.0's Live Esports Museum back then. The latter was a screenshot from the journalist video of Fish-Catching Take-Out.
Indeed, they were extremely similar!
Before this, a few people had already set the first photo as their wallpapers. It was no wonder that they made the connection once they saw the same back in the video.
Not many noticed it at first, but once the photos were compared, everyone immediately recognized him!
Pei Qian's head hurt. He knew he should have changed suits!
Yet, what straight man like him would have different fancy suits to change into every single day?
He only had so many comfortable suits, and it was only natural that he would re-wear them often.
Never would he have imagined that his back would be so recognizable that netizens would be able to spot him!
The netizens began to analyze Boss Pei's behavior.
"World headlines: 'Boss Pei was at Fish-Catching Internet Cafe' and 'Boss Pei was at Fish-Catching Take-Out'."
"So, Boss Pei was overseeing the battle at the scenes? It's no wonder that the person-in-charge spoke so well. If he hadn't, perhaps he would have been gone the next day!"
"Boss Pei was at the scene, but he wasn't interviewed?"
"Isn't that to be expected? Boss Pei is such a low-profile person. He wouldn't chase after superficial glory like that. Hadn't he behaved in the same way back at Fish-Catching Internet Cafe?
"If the journalist had not captured his back, who would have known that Boss Pei had attended the opening ceremony of Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's Live Esports Museum?"
"For some reason, I sense a bit of desolation from his back view. Is this what it means to hide his face and name after achieving what he had come to do?"
"That's right. Boss Pei looks so calm that he seems to be saying 'go ahead and interview whoever you need; it has nothing to do with me'."
"Doesn't this show that Boss Pei often eats Fish-Catching Take-Out as well?"
"That's right. I heard from insiders that Boss Pei has Fish-Catching Take-Out for all three meals every day. He only goes to the nameless restaurant under exceptional circumstances."
"That's surprising! Is Boss Pei that thrifty and restrained? If I eat Fish-Catching Take-Out right now, would I be having the same meal as Boss Pei, then?"
"That makes sense! I'll go and find out which set Boss Pei was eating at the time, and then I'll order one for myself!"
"Boss Pei's set meal +1."
Pei Qian was completely dazed.
"World headlines?"
Netizens could be so ruthless with their teasing!
I only happened to pass by. Just take me as an innocent passer-by, alright? Don't try so hard to gather clues about me. Thank you! I just want to lead a regular life and be a transparent person!
What's more, what the hell is a 'Boss Pei set meal'? How did I accidentally endorse Fish-Catching Take-Out?!
Pei Qian continued scrolling through the comments and discovered that many people were saying the same thing!
Many people had not thought much of Fish-Catching Take-Out at first. Even with the policy for garbage sorting, they had been willing to cook or take-away their own food. However, after discovering this post, they changed their minds.
Boss Pei was eating it, and every day at that!
That meant that Fish-Catching Take-Out had to be as healthy as they said!
Many celebrities endorsed products that they wouldn't use and were thus not convincing at all. However, a big boss like Boss Pei was having Fish-Catching Take-Out every single day. That meant that the food was not bad in terms of health, nutritional value, and flavor!
How else could they have the same meal as Boss Pei for just twenty or thirty yuan?
It was the perfect advertisement. At once, everyone hopped onto the Fish-Catching Take-Out bandwagon!
Pei Qian let out a long sigh and silently shook his head. After that, he kept his cell phone, adamant not to read any more posts.
It was getting cold, and he had to move on to the next place.
A series of unfortunate events had taken place for Fish-Catching Take-Out. It was surely dead by now. Perhaps it would even become like the Fish-Catching Internet Cafes.
It would only continue to expand by opening new branches.
Pei Qian could forget about Handong Province. For every day that it insisted on sorting garbage, Fish-Catching Take-Out would continue to generate profit.
Although it wouldn't generate a lot of profit, and it would take some time for Pei Qian to recover the initial investment that he had poured into the business, it would only earn more and more in the long term.
Pei Qian could only open more branches in places without garbage sorting policies. If he did that fast enough—with the huge initial investment that each branch required, Pei Qian could only hope that the profits would not catch up to him.
Once again, he sighed inwardly and took a ride to the office to attend the Management Trainee meeting.
...
The Management Trainees had all gathered in the conference room.
Now that their examinations had ended, they all looked renewed with energy. It was almost as if they couldn't wait to jump back into work.
Pei Qian looked melancholic.
Do you know what I, your senior, have been through in the days that you were not around?!
Those who heard about it would feel hurt, and those who witnessed it would shed tears. It was not worth telling outsiders.
"Everyone, start reporting." Tang Yishu readied her notebook and prepared to take notes.
One by one, the Management Trainees started reporting updates for their department.
Since they had been busy with examinations, they collected information about everything that happened from the start of last month onwards. Pei Qian already knew about a lot of the updates and had even received some bad news.
Take the 'Top Student, Come Quick' app being turned into the Tengda Life app, for example.
Pei Qian quickly realized that Yu Pingan had slyly done this outside of earshot of the Management Trainees, and the app had been updated two days before the Management Trainee meeting was scheduled to take place. The timing was perfect.
Pei Qian didn't think that Yu Pingan had avoided his Management Trainee because he understood what special role the latter had. He could only attribute this to pure luck.
It was so frustrating.
Soon, the dangerous news that Pei Qian had no idea of started to surface, one by one!