Many of Boss Pei's remarks might seem to be contradictory on the surface, but they could achieve a state of unity on a higher level after digging deeper into it!
The keyword 'focus' here made Qiao Liang involuntarily think of the nearest Sloth Apartments and the Fully-Automated Bickering Machine.
Moreover, the poor made Qiao Liang think of 'Struggle'.
It seemed like there was a really a clue that connected everything together!
However, everything had to be smoothed out.
First, he had to start from a seemingly contradictory concept!
Qiao Liang took his computer excitedly and recorded all his thoughts down.
In his speech, Boss Pei hoped that these needy students would not spend their money on distracting and indulgent entertainment activities.
At the same time, however, Boss Pei was a game designer who designed many good games and invented the Fully-Automated Bickering Machine which seemed totally useless.
Wasn't this contradictory?
For those who did not play games and did not understand games, that was obviously contradictory because they would regard games as a waste of time and meaningless entertainment.
However, to an experienced game enthusiast like Qiao Liang, he did not think that games were meaningless.
The game had at least two beneficial aspects:
It could allow stressed people to relieve their pressure and obtain rest and comfort. It could soothe the soul like most entertainment activities.
From an artistic point of view, certain games themselves had connotations, to express certain contents, and were inspirational to the players.
These two aspects happened to be what Tengda Games was pursuing.
GOG was constantly pursuing the ultimate gameplay, entertaining yet allowing people to relax. However, games such as 'Game Designer', 'Repent and be Saved', 'Struggle', and the rest were constantly pursuing the ultimate artistry, inspiring and thought-provoking.
Under what circumstances were games harmful?
When players are dominated by negative emotions and spend too much time in some low-interest games... when the game is not regarded as a pastime but as a substitute for an escape from reality, it would be harmful.
Such negative-emotion-inciting games were precisely something that Tengda Games never touched.
Of course, good games could sometimes make people addicted, but one could not blame that the 'game was too fun' but rather themselves for not having self-control.
The crux of these people without self-control was that they didn't realize that their focus was their most precious wealth, and they squandered these precious things wantonly.
Even if there were no games, they would find some other things to squander their attention away.
Even if there was no entertainment in the world, they would not do meaningful things but in a daze.
In such a case, it would be beneficial to them if they could spare time to play a game like Struggle.
Other entertainments such as movies, TV series, novels, etc. had the same effect. If they could allow people to relax and get better at work after a break, then that—in itself—was meaningful.
It would be much better if it could give people a bit of inspiration.
Qiao Liang suddenly had clarity thinking of this.
He understood why Boss Pei told him not to comprehend Struggle with the Products of the Gods now!
That was because the thoughts expressed in 'Struggle' were not limited to the field of games. He naturally should not simply use the pure-game thought process from Products of the Gods to interpret it!
Just like what He An once said, 'Struggle' was actually a game that broke the dimension wall, and the game itself was actually connected!
Big Boss He An's design comprehended 'Struggle', but it was obviously not complete.
That was because he did not connect to reality.
For example, Big Boss He An wrote in the long Weibo post that Boss Pei encouraged everyone to curb consumerism, then what was the consumerism and IQ tax that Boss Pei meant? Was it the same that they had in mind?
They were obviously different.
Qiao Liang also finally understood why he would be able to find out what was lacking in the Thriller Hostel video if he gave up using the Products of the Gods to interpret Struggle.
All the contents were all referring to the same thing in the end.
Qiao Liang felt an explosion of inspiration with the support of the Sloth Apartments. He immediately began to write a new document file for the video.
The Silent Expresser, First Issue (Continued): Everything You Need to Understand Outside the Game 'Struggle'!
...
...
September 16th, Friday...
He An woke up early as usual, walked two rounds in the garden in his villa, sipped on his tea, and read the news.
GOG's international invitational tournament was now on the second day of the second round, but that did not have He An's attention.
He was getting on age so his attention was now more concentrated on the standalone games in the industry.
Suddenly, he realized that many people seemed to have privately messaged him on his Weibo last night.
The contents of these private messages were about the same. They were all to send him a link from Aili Island website to watch a certain video.
Such a situation did not happen often.
He opened the link to Aili Island with some curiosity.
"Everything You Need to Understand Outside the Game 'Struggle'?
"Hm?"
He An was a little surprised. The 'Struggle' mentioned here was obviously referring to the game 'Struggle'.
However, the meaning behind 'Struggle' should have been nailed onto the coffin after he posted that long Weibo text, right?
Could it be that this UP Master...
Stole his manuscript...
And made it into a video?
He nearly thought that his content was being stolen, but he realized that probably was not the case upon careful inspection of the summary. This video was not discussing the game itself.
That meant to say that it probably was not the same as He An's long Weibo post.
He then looked at the author; it was Teacher Qiao.
He An had an impression of this UP Master since the Products of the Gods was produced by Teacher Qiao.
He An was very clear that Teacher Qiao might not have professional knowledge, but he was one with more perspective among the players. He often tried to interpret Tengda's games.
However, Teacher Qiao had not posted his understanding of Struggle with the Products of the Gods, obviously because all the contents were interpreted by He An.
What was Teacher Qiao's purpose in uploading this video then?
Could he have found a new angle to explain Struggle?
He An instinctively did not believe it, but he still played the video out of curiosity.
...
"My dear daddies, greetings, I'm the same old Godfather of Games you guys know me as, Teacher Qiao.
"I'm sure many people are in doubt looking at this title.
"Why was the interpretation of 'Struggle' delayed? Why was 'Struggle' not part of the 'Products of the Gods' series, but in 'The Silent Expresser' series? Why is it a continuation of the first issue?"
"Please be patient... I'll reveal everything for you!"
"I have to clarify that this video is not an interpretation of the 'Struggle' game itself because Big Boss He An's long Weibo post has already done it justice.
"Those who have not read the long Weibo post, please click the link in the description below the video and read it first. This is very important because the entire content of this video has to be read and interpreted together with the long Weibo post!
"Those who have read it may want to pause this video and re-read the post again.
"Three, two, one.
"Alright, next, let me divulge into the topic outside 'Struggle'!
"Big Boss He An had said previously that 'Struggle' is a game that broke dimensional walls. 'Tomorrow is Beautiful', 'Struggle', and reality are three different worlds.
"However, because Big Boss He An does not stay in Jingzhou and had not been taking notice of Tengda's industries, he did not make links to reality.
"Therefore, his interpretation of 'Struggle' is lacking at least half of its contents!
"The purpose of this video is to supplement it so that it can break down 'Struggle's dimensional wall completely!"
...
He An could not help but be taken aback.
How dare you stay that my interpretation of 'Struggle' was not complete?
Impossible, my interpretation is all there is, isn't it?
Many other points were required for an explanation outside the game? They were even related to Tengda's industries?
He An really did not know much about those.
Until now, the physical industries of Tengda were basically congregated in Jingzhou and had expanded to Handong Province at most. They were nowhere near He An.
Moreover, He An was not living in Jingzhou so his knowledge of Fish-Catching Take-Out, Sloth Apartments, Deposit Fitness, and the rest were naturally close to nothing.
He An, therefore, continued reading seriously.
...
"Before I start explaining, I want to throw out an idea that seems alarming:
"Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Fish-Catching Take-Out, Sloth Apartments, Thriller Hostel, Fully-Automated Bickering Machine, Deposit Fitness, even the earlier ROF Computer-Installation, OTTO Cell phone, Upwind Logistics, etc... they are all extensions of the concept behind the game 'Struggle'!
"I know that it might seem hard to accept but please bear with my explanation.
"Big Boss He An asked one final question in the long Weibo post: there were three types of connection Boss Pei wanted to express between the rich and the poor. They were: 'Tomorrow is Beautiful', 'Struggle', and reality.
"The problems that Tomorrow is Beautiful and Struggle face had solutions in real life. This game allows us to realize that the things we are used to are actually a type of blessing in itself.
"This is why 'Struggle' broke the dimensional wall.
"However, some people are not in agreement. They feel that it is a stretch to compare reality with Tomorrow is Beautiful and Struggle.
Chapter 656: Consumerism and IQ Tax
"That can all be understood, actually.
"That's because Tomorrow is Beautiful is a movie, and Struggle is a game. Boss Pei has carefully crafted every detail so that every member of the audience or every gamer that sees it would be able to take away the same message to some extent.
"However, everyone is in a different situation in real life. The lessons that people learn from real life vary as well.
"Some are able to change their fates by striving while others aren't. Some have seen the warm side of this world, but others have only seen the cold.
"That explains the world of difference between their world views.
"What I want to emphasize is that Boss Pei has already expressed his own views of the real world. It's just that most people haven't noticed it.
"Why not? Look at my title: The Silent Expresser.
"He is expressing his views silently. Instead of making it clear as day, he forces you to depend on yourself to be enlightened.
"Alright, next, please click on the second link in the video description. Read what he said to the needy students in his alma mater.
"Three, two, one.
"Alright, all of you understand now. Boss Pei donated fifteen million yuan to those needy students and then delivered a speech to them, telling them to put that money to good use.
"That's right. Boss Pei did not tell them to be thrifty, but to focus well.
"Actually, that fits in with how Boss Pei views wealth. He doesn't agree with consumerism, but he doesn't necessarily agree that being stingy is good either.
"When faced with the issue of wealth, many people fall into the trap of taking either of two extremes:
"The first type assumes that immediate satisfaction is the key. They spend their salaries once they receive them, overspend on their credit cards, and purchase more than they can afford.
"The second type assumes that hoarding money is the key. They think of various ways and means to make tiny profits. They're wealthy, but they live like beggars and end up missing many opportunities.
"Obviously, both of those ways of thinking are wrong.
"Boss Pei's speech tells us that the most important thing that every person has is not money, but focus!
"As long as we can use our focus well, we will be able to earn much more money. Conversely, if we chase after small profits and waste our focus, we will lose out more.
"Now, some of you might ask what the speech has to do with Struggle, the theme of this episode.
"Of course, it has everything to do with it.
"The contents of the speech and all of Boss Pei's businesses fill in what was left unsaid in Struggle. They tell us what struggle really looks like in real life.
"Speaking of struggle, many people take two very different views of that word as well.
"One type of people thinks that struggling is meaningless and wouldn't be able to change anything. They prefer to take things as they come, enjoy whatever they have at the moment, and deal with tomorrow's problems tomorrow.
"The other type of people thinks that struggling as hard as they can would guarantee them the lives that they desire. However, they never ask if they are struggling for the right reasons.
"Both of those ways of thinking are wrong.
"Before I answer the question, let me say this: Big Boss He An has pointed out two main sources of the poor man's misery in Struggle: consumerism and IQ tax. The poor man managed to climb to an elusive position in the middle-class, but consumerism destroyed his riches and caused him to fall back into the poverty cycle.
"Consumerism is in control of the entire society in Struggle. That's why the poor man had no choice. However, in real life consumerism has not become widely accepted in society. As long as we fight it, our riches would not be destroyed, and we would be able to gather a certain amount of wealth.
"Many people would have questions about this as well... because Big Boss He did not clarify what exactly consumerism means.
"According to its ordinary definition, consumerism is the way the majority in society behaves: they chase superficial spending and crave unrestrained material enjoyment and recreation. Moreover, that becomes the meaning and goal of their lives.
"However, I believe that everyone has their own views of consumerism and IQ tax.
"Many times, we would find that the concepts of consumerism and IQ tax vary from person to person.
"Take this very simple example: two packets of tissue are sold for five yuan and twenty yuan each. Does the one sold for twenty yuan charge IQ tax?
"Many people think so. Both are tissue papers, but the one with the brand name stuck on it is priced four times higher. Isn't that an insult to others' intelligence?
"What if I told you that the latter was softer and more exquisite, required more complicated work, and felt better? Would you still think you're paying IQ tax?
"Similarly, ordinary people might think that branded bags that cost tens of thousands of yuan charge IQ tax. However, would multi-millionaires think the same?
"I think that most people haven't thought about this question.
"That's why some hate consumerism, but others don't think much of it. They think that, as long as they have enough wealth to support it, they can buy branded shoes, bags, and so on.
"At this point, I won't judge whether that behavior is right or wrong. I'll just talk about Boss Pei's views on the subject.
"Many people don't like Struggle because they think that it brings attention to a problem without offering much of a solution.
"To this, I want to say that the income gap will never go away. It will always haunt us, and there are no good solutions for it at the moment. It's impossible and impracticable to expect one person to come up with a satisfactory solution for all of us.
"Everyone should think about this independently and offer their own answers.
"However, Boss Pei has indeed offered a practicable solution. It's just that people haven't realized it yet.
"Let's go back to how Boss Pei described his view of wealth in his speech. The most valuable resource that humans have is their focus. How should one make good use of the money in his hands, then?
"We should use it to boost our focus.
"That's exactly what Boss Pei does.
"An analysis of Boss Li's interview and the photograph of Boss Pei should help everyone understand this. Boss Pei is someone who spends all of his spare time thinking. He has been putting this into practice: even as a multi-millionaire, his focus is the most valuable thing to him.
"What is Boss Pei's daily life like, then? We saw that he lives in Sloth Apartments and eats Fish-Catching Take-Out, but he wears branded suits and watches. Yet, the value of his suits and watches is limited. Compared to his net worth, it's still very far off.
"Now, some people might think that Boss Pei is contradicting himself.
"He emphasizes making good use of one's focus, but he develops games to distract everyone else.
"He emphasizes the harm of consumerism, but he wears branded suits and high-end watches.
"However, I would like to urge everyone to think carefully. Is this really considered a contradiction? If you can answer that question, you would have all the answers you need."
...
At that point, He An could not help but feel stunned.
He would not have expected Teacher Qiao to lead the discussion to this point!
To He An, Boss Pei had done nothing wrong by resisting consumerism. Yet, who could possibly remain completely unaffected by consumerism?
Even He An himself had bought a villa and a luxurious car after earning money. Strictly speaking, he had subscribed to consumerism as well.
If he could remain completely unaffected by consumerism, he would have re-invested his money into his company to generate more value or do more charity to help others.
Yet, he had failed to do so. Instead, he had spent a huge sum of money on his own enjoyment.
That was why He An hadn't explained the concept of consumerism in much detail in his long Weibo post.
Subconsciously, he knew that the concept of consumerism depended on one's income level.
If a poor person who earned three thousand yuan every month wanted to splurge on a luxurious sports car, he would be considered brainwashed by consumerism. On the other hand, if a multi-millionaire wanted to buy a luxurious sports car, his own daily life would not be affected.
Still, He An knew full well that this conclusion was contradicting. He would not be able to clarify himself well enough.
If he ended his post by saying 'poor people can't buy luxury cars, but rich people can', he would not be persuasive. People might even think that he was discriminating against the poor and saying that they were not fit to buy expensive products.
That would be perpetuating the concept of consumerism.
Thus, it was very dangerous for Teacher Qiao to talk about these things in his video. He had to tread very carefully. A small mistake could backfire at once.
Since he had already pointed out that Boss Pei bought branded suits and watches, how could he also persuade others to give those things up?
Feeling quite worried, He An continued watching the video.
...
"Obviously, this is not contradicting.
"I have been emphasizing this entire time that we should not fall into the trap of this false dichotomy.
"We do need to make good use of our focus, but can humans really guarantee control over every bit of their focus at every second of every day?
"Of course not.
"That's why I said that we should regulate our working hours to eight hours a day. Within those eight hours, we should work hard and study hard. After that, we can rest and relax.
"We must achieve a good work-play balance.
"Games help us to relax our bodies and minds. Whether the gameplay is unique or the game is particularly artistic or whether the game's content is funny or thought-provoking, games would still be meaningful to all of us."
Chapter 657: Boss Pei is on the Fifth Level
"So, games are neutral things. Do you use them to relax so that you can work better afterward? Or do you get so immersed in them that you escape from reality? That's up to you to decide.
"Tengda Corporation never prohibits employees from playing games, but are they encouraging employees to slack off? Obviously not. They're encouraging work-play balance among their employees.
"Rest is required to work better.
"If they feel tired after working, they can play games to relax and then work more efficiently once they're done. That would be a better use of their focus, wouldn't it?
"At the end of the day, the keyword is still 'focus'.
"That's why Boss Pei developed a game like Struggle. His games are not meant to suck people in or act as escapes from reality. Instead, they're meant to force people to face reality and accept it as much as possible.
"Boss Pei's view of consumerism is the same. He doesn't emphasize that some things cannot be bought or one would risk incurring IQ tax. Instead, he emphasizes that one should understand their true needs well.
"Boss Pei thinks that the most valuable thing one can own is focus. Having a reasonable view of wealth would drive one to invest their money into their own focus and do meaningful things to create even more value.
"The idea of resisting consumerism is based on the same principle as well. It doesn't mean that one incurs IQ tax and falls for the trap of consumerism just because they buy expensive things. The key question is what one's goal in spending money is.
"Boss Pei, as a boss, needs to have a certain image while negotiating business with other people. That's why he spends money on tuxedos and branded watches.
"However, if you take a closer look at those three world-famous paintings, you would find that Boss Pei only has those two suits and that one watch. All of them are of the lowest standard that he could possibly need.
"Similarly, Boss Pei can afford a bungalow but doesn't buy one. Instead, he stays in a Sloth Apartment, which is decorated extremely minimally to encourage better thinking.
"Boss Pei's actions are the best example of resisting consumerism. Every sum that he spends is an investment into his own focus that would help him to generate greater value.
"In summary, what is IQ tax?
"Everyone has a limited amount of money that they can spend. With that same amount of money, you could buy a branded bag; however, you would not have any left for investments or education.
"Thus, whether spending on an item would be considered paying 'IQ tax' or being brainwashed by consumerism depends significantly on what that item can bring to you.
"If you're intending to negotiate business with others but you don't even have a decent suit, then you would be unwittingly creating obstructions for yourself. Buying a suit under such circumstances would not be considered paying IQ tax.
"On the other hand... if you're a delivery man, wearing a suit would make work inconvenient, and the suit could even be dirtied while you're working. Under such circumstances, you would be paying IQ tax.
"So, we can understand what Boss Pei wants to express through Struggle by analyzing him alone.
"If you want to change your fate, you have to—first—accumulate wealth and resist consumerism, and second, work hard.
"At its core, resisting consumerism is not about spending less money, but about spending every cent on bettering oneself, generating more value, and investing in truly meaningful areas.
"At its core, working hard is not about repeating tasks day after day, being a workaholic and blindly striving to the end of the road. Instead, it's about making use of one's focus intelligently, thinking independently, and looking for the right direction.
"You can spend money on games and novels. As long as you don't become obsessed with them, but use them to regulate your emotions, work more efficiently, and even obtain some inspiration; it would still be meaningful.
"That's the message behind Boss Pei's Struggle. That's the message he is trying to convey to us in real life.
"Once you understand that, you would realize that all of Boss Pei's businesses are repeatedly expressing those same two points to us.
"Let's go back to the question at the beginning.
"Why did I say that Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Fish-Catching Take-Out, the Sloth Apartments, Thriller Hostel, the Fully-Automated Bickering Machines, Deposit Fitness, and even ROF, Otto Technologies, Upwind Logistics, and so on were all extensions of the concept behind Struggle?
"It's because all of those businesses incorporate both of those points.
"Those businesses' products look more expensive than those of their competitors in their respective industries, but they all provide better user experience. You might spend a bit more money, but what would you save?
"You would save attention and focus!
"Take Deposit Fitness, for example. Everyone knows that it's much more expensive than ordinary gyms, but in ordinary gyms, one would have to supervise themselves to train every day and keep to a reasonable diet. Sometimes, one would go to the gym and find it extremely crowded. There would be lines at machines that would waste time.
"On the other hand, Deposit Fitness organizes its customers' daily schedule and meals and guarantees that customers would be able to train immediately upon arrival. That way, customers would save a lot of attention, which they can spend on other areas of their lives.
"Fish-Catching Take-Out adopts a similar principle. It's more expensive—even more expensive than if one cooked at home, but can the freshness of the food served by other take-out companies even compare to Fish-Catching Take-Out? Would the former's food contain too much salt and oil? Even if you cooked on your own, you would have to go out and buy your own ingredients, prepare them, wash them, learn recipes, and cook the food. All in all, that could take you at least half an hour.
"On the other hand, if you choose to order from Fish-Catching Take-Out, you would be able to save some attention and focus and spend them on more important things.
"The Fully-Automated Bickering Machine and Sloth Apartments place the same emphasis on people's attention as well, forcing them to think seriously and carefully.
"As for Thriller Hostel...
"After posting my previous video, I've been forced to think about what it was missing.
"Now, I finally understand that my previous video lacked the expression of Boss Pei's mindset. That's why it didn't seem persuasive to many people.
"Now, I should add Thriller Hostel into the scope of the Tengda Life and think about its significance again carefully.
"The Tengda Life is the way of life that Boss Pei endorses. To Boss Pei, to be silent is to be minimalistic and learn to play with the Bickering Machine; to be active is to visit haunted houses, and take roller coasters and pendulum rides.
"People have reported before that Boss Pei loves extreme sports. He often invites his friends to take pendulum rides and roller coasters, go skydiving, and visit haunted houses.
"Why does Boss Pei love these activities so much? Is it purely out of personal interest? It doesn't seem like it.
"When he wants to think, he can think late into the night while staring at a mind map of his various businesses in Fish-Catching Internet Cafe.
"Yet, when he's done thinking and wants to rest, he can take part in extreme sports to relieve pressure and dispel exhaustion.
"That's why this episode should not only analyze Thriller Hostel or Struggle.
"Instead, it should analyze the various ways of thinking that Boss Pei is trying to convey to us through his games, the Tengda Life, and his businesses.
"Some say one thing and do another. They ask others to stick to certain rules but don't do the same in their personal lives.
"Yet, Boss Pei has been living out his theories all this time.
"That's the biggest way in which Struggle has broken the fourth wall! That's also something that Big Boss He An had left unspoken—the riddle that Boss Pei had left us in real life!
"Thus, when Boss Pei told me not to use Products of the Gods to analyze Struggle, I felt confused.
"However, I understand now. Struggle is not just a game, but a key to helping us a better understand the real world.
"That's the meaning behind the 'Silent Expresser' series as well!
"That's all for today's video. Please support me as much as you can, and I'll see you next time!"
...
After watching Teacher Qiao's video, He An fell silent.
Some points mentioned had shocked him as well.
Before this, when he had been analyzing Struggle, He An had not studied details like how to work hard and what 'consumerism' really meant closely enough.
Maybe he thought that he could not explain it clearly enough; maybe he thought that he could not say those things out loud.
Yet, now, He An had found out—to his shock—that Boss Pei had offered an answer for those questions as well!
The speech meant for needy students in his alma mater, the Sloth Apartments, and the Fully-Automated Bickering Machines were all explanations of Struggle's application to real life.
Tengda's physical stores—like Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Fish-Catching Take-Out, Deposit Fitness, and so on—were indeed expensive. However, not only were they of better quality and more assuring to use, but their greatest value also lay in helping customers to focus much better.
Customers could mindlessly choose this brand without having to worry about being cheated. The energy and focus that they save could be better channeled on other things.
He An originally looked down on UP Masters that deciphered games because he thought that the entire industry was filled with laymen. To him, any proper game developer would have been able to defeat all of them hands down.
Yet, now, He An no longer thought that way.
Obviously, his professional knowledge in developing games had become his stumbling block. He had only analyzed Struggle inside-out from a game developer's perspective but failed to understand that the game could be understood from a higher standpoint!
In other words, Struggle had extended to every area of one's real life, but even He An had not realized this.
It was only when Teacher Qiao pointed it out that a realization dawned on He An.
He had originally thought that Teacher Qiao was on the first level, he on the second, and Boss Pei on the third.
Now that Teacher Qiao had climbed to the fourth, he realized that Boss Pei was on the fifth!
He An humbly submitted to their power and quietly shared Teacher Qiao's video on his Weibo page, adding three thumbs-up emojis in the caption.
To make Struggle the best game that it could be, Boss Pei did not just capture all the actions in the game and perfect every little detail.
He also made all of his real-life businesses collaborate with the game and set a large-scale puzzle for gamers!
The game and reality were closely intertwined, thus surpassing He An's expectations.
At that moment, He An only felt one thing:
Complete awe!
Tengda was indeed the light of the local games industry!
Boss Pei was indeed a legendary thinker!
Chapter 658: A Load of Nonsense!
At 11 in the morning, Dawn of Prosperous City district...
Li Shi strolled to the butler's room on the first floor.
"Eh? Boss Li!" Song Kai greeted Li Shi passionately.
Boss Li was not only a Sloth Apartments' resident now.
He was also Boss Pei's good friend, partner, and the person who successfully answered the meaning of the Sloth Apartments and made it popular instantly!
Even Song Kai, the person-in-charge of this Sloth Apartments, did not expect Boss Pei's deep meaning to be something like this.
Therefore, Song Kai was now filled with respect for Boss Li; he treated him as Boss Pei's best friend.
"Boss Li, you seem to be in good spirits today?" Song Kai realized that Li Shi's face was ruddy and beaming.
Li Shi smiled and nodded. "Yes, by the way, how is the situation with Sloth Apartments recently?"
"You should have seen Teacher Qiao's video, too, right?"
"Of course, that video is going viral on the net now! It was uploaded late at night yesterday, but it is now on the first page of the Aili Island website. The popularity is truly scary," Song Kai replied happily.
"The Sloth Apartments is about to be fully rented out thanks to you and Teacher Qiao! The two blocks at Binhu District were now full of people. More than half of the residential-commercial buildings have been rented out. I would have never dreamt of these results previously!"
Li Shi smiled slightly. "This timing is right with heaven and earth. It is your luck if that were to happen!"
"Moreover, only 10% of Boss Pei's success is attributable to luck, the remaining 90% is the result of strategy."
Song Kai strongly believed.
In his opinion, the Sloth Apartments was originally a business model completely unacceptable to customers, but these three incidents have completely reversed the customers' views!
First, all major rental brands had reported that their formaldehyde levels were over the limit while the Sloth Apartments was conscientious of their renovations. It stood out amongst the many rental brands and built on its quality and reputation.
Song Kai originally prepared a video with Fei Huang Workspace to expose this matter as well, but they were one step slower.
It seemed like a coincidence on the surface, but in fact, it was inevitable. Clashes of topics between the UP Masters were a common occurrence; moreover, these rental housing brands had been expanding on a large scale during the past months. The problem with formaldehyde housing intensified so someone would come forward to expose it sooner or later.
However, that could also make the quality of the Sloth Apartments unanimously recognized by everyone. They still disagreed with its philosophy and business model.
Right on the heels of that, Boss Li's interview on his interpretation of the Sloth Apartments was aired, allowing everyone to understand the profound meaning behind the Sloth Apartments.
Renting this place was not only renting a living space... but a space for thinking.
That added extra value to the Sloth Apartments in a swoop!
Finally, Teacher Qiao even combined the content expressed in the game 'Struggle' with related industries of Tengda, further increasing the value of the Sloth Apartments!
What Boss Pei wanted to express was: everyone should spend money in places where they really needed it such as leveraging their attention to create even greater value; that was the real struggle.
Moreover, the Sloth Apartments fit that point perfectly. Therefore, it further stimulated everyone to rent it!
So far, only two types of people have come to rent the Sloth Apartments.
The first type was like Boss Li who was not short of money.
They did not intend to make the Sloth Apartments their only residence so they spent this money solely for the quiet and place to think.
To these people, the benefits of making the right decision may be far greater than the Sloth Apartment's whole year's rent.
The second category was the more creative occupations such as painter, writer, musicians, live streamers, UP Masters, architects, etc.
These people needed such an environment to calm down and think. At the same time, housekeeping, cleaning, and Fish-Catching Take-Out allowed them to live comfortably without the need to worry about basic life issues.
Some people, who did not live in Jingzhou, specially rented a unit in Sloth Apartments because they were attracted to the life in Jingzhou.
Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Fish-Catching Take-Out, Thriller Hostel, and GOG's regular events make some rich people feel that renting an additional house in Jingzhou seems to be a good choice when they want to take a rest.
Moreover, similar emerging careers such as live streamers and UP Masters also felt that Jingzhou was more livable.
The explanation that Boss Pei added for the Sloth Apartments also played a very important role, but it did not seem that prominent compared to the first three reasons.
Song Kai could not help but sigh. Boss Pei was amazing; this combination of attacks made the popularity of Sloth Apartments soar upon success!
The model that even Liang Qingfan did was not optimistic about was made successful forcibly by Boss Pei!
One had to know just how difficult it was to create a new model and make it successful in the physical industry.
However, Boss Pei was someone who could make anything successful!
Every project in the Tengda Life App was the condensed form of Boss Pei's wisdom.
Song Kai said with emotion, "Boss Li, I really don't know how to thank you. That interview really helped a lot."
Li Shi smiled. "There is no need to thank me; the rewards I received are much bigger than that of the Sloth Apartments."
Song Kai paused. "Huh?"
Boss Li received rewards?
Impossible, Boss Li did not invest in the Sloth Apartments, right?
"Do you know why the investors and I suddenly came to rent a unit in the Sloth Apartments? Actually, it is not just to show support to Boss Pei; neither was it on a whim." Li Shi smiled and explained.
"These investors were worried about Thriller Hostel!
"They have all invested a lot of money into the Thriller Hostel, but the Thriller Hostel by then was barely making enough to cover the operating expenses. It could not make much money at all and was very far from breaking even.
"They asked me what to do, but I couldn't help it because—in my opinion—the Thriller Hostel had done everything it could for its content and its publicity. The design of the three major projects had their own characteristics; even the shopping mall was made into the Golden Maze. How else could this be improved?"
"Therefore, I felt that only Boss Pei could make the Thriller Hostel advance to the next step!
"The way to make Boss Pei contribute is to support him. That was why I brought the investors over with me to rent the Sloth Apartments.
"I've finally received my reward!
"I asked Chen Kangtuo just now. He said that the number of people who pre-purchased the Thriller Hostel package this morning had skyrocketed!
"Obviously, the Thriller Hostel had also become part of Boss Pei's lifestyle. Those who come to Jingzhou for a tour must go to the Thriller Hostel to take a look no matter what!
"It is conceivable that the sales in the Golden Maze would surely skyrocket too since three projects of the Thriller Hostel are so popular.
"Therefore, the participating investors in the Thriller Hostel had also received our rewards!
"Of course, the most important gain we have obtained is the way of Boss Pei's thinking. We feel that our thinking has become more crisp and clear after living here for some time. It has helped us calm down and make better investment decisions.
"Therefore, there is no need to thank me. I have received enough rewards."
Song Kai realized now. "I see!"
It seemed like Boss Pei's big move created an AOE injury!
Not only did it set the Sloth Apartments on fire but also the bunch of industries in the Thriller Hostel and the Tengda Life App!
Li Shi smiled. "I also learned Boss Pei's method."
"Those who do not seek the overall situation cannot see a twist; those who do not seek general trends would not be able to seek the right moment.
"As a successful entrepreneur, you have to look at the overall situation, not just focus on a project.
"It's just like the industries in Tengda Life App; every single item isn't bad, but it is far from obtaining the current effect. They can exert a terrific cluster effect if they were all integrated!
"Boss Pei is really admirable!"
Song Kai could not help but nod. "Yes, he is indeed admirable."
The door to the lift opened; it was Pei Qian, about to go for some food in the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe.
He happened to run into the two chatting.
Song Kai and Li Shi did not know that Boss Pei just woke up. They thought that he was just done with his morning meditations.
Both of them showed smiles of admiration and nodded towards Boss Pei.
"Boss Pei, Good day to you!"
Pei Qian nodded subconsciously. "Oh, good afternoon."
He was about to walk out of the door after the greetings when he realized that something was not right.
The smile on their faces caused him the creeps...
He felt that there must be some meaning behind the smiles.
Pei Qian thought of writing an explanation on the main pages of the Sloth Apartments and Fully-Automated Bickering Machine after they went on fire due to Li Shi's interview.
It was useless!
Not only did they not believe it, but they were still going all-out to buy them!
Therefore, Pei Qian could only give up helplessly. He had been pondering on how to spend the sudden windfall while watching GOG's international tournament.
However, he felt a chill permeating his entire being today.
Pei Qian felt more unease. He sat down at the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe and took out his cell phone.
He suddenly found Teacher Qiao's video that was released late last night!
?
A question mark floated above Pei Qian's head.
Why did Teacher Qiao upload another video?
Pei Qian was even more baffled as he looked at the title.
Still harping on 'Struggle'?
Old Qiao, that was no longer trendy!
I might feel a little afraid if you were to upload this earlier. However, He An had already dug everything regarding this up. There was nothing more you could do.
Why are you still harping on 'Struggle'? Don't you know when to give up?
Don't you know that you should eat the food while it was hot?
Pei Qian's mouth could not help but twitch upwards.
However, Pei Qian still clicked on it and watched the video from start to end due to his respect for Teacher Qiao.
His expression quickly became dull; his eyes and mouth grew huge at alarming rates.
He was so shocked by what he saw that he also spat the coffee out.
"What the f*ck is this?!"
"A load of nonsense!!!"
Chapter 659: The Handbook of Tengda Spirit
Pei Qian was utterly dizzy after watching Teacher Qiao's video.
It was totally unfounded!
He thought that He An's long Weibo post was ridiculous enough; he never thought that there was something that could top that!
At least He An focused his energy on explaining the game Struggle, which was relatively acceptable to Pei Qian.
Struggle was an interactive movie game after all. The investment itself was huge, and the payback cycle was long. He would not be able to make a profit in this settlement cycle itself.
However, what did Teacher Qiao do now?
He linked Struggle with Tengda Games' other industries!
In other words, a phenomenon-level game like 'Struggle' was equivalent to advertising for other Tengda Industries!
It was true that many players did not purchase the game but chose to go through cloud clearance. However, these players were also paying attention to the interpretation of the game 'Struggle'.
Therefore, the video posted by Teacher Qiao on Aili Island became a great hit instantly overnight. So much so that it was ranked first in popularity ranking!
Therefore, the cloud players that did not want to purchase the game found a place to purchase it!
Some ordered a Fully-Automated Bickering Machine, some decided to order Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, some of them decided to sign up for Deposit Fitness, and some were going to book a train ticket to Jingzhou to experience the Thriller Hostel and the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe...
In short, all the industries in Tengda Life App had been affected!
The money that the game did not earn would soon come to Pei Qian in another way.
Pei Qian nearly fainted from anger on the spot.
Teacher Qiao, are you f*cking mad?!
How did you manage it so forcefully?
Moreover, something lacking from the 'Thriller Hostel' was really filled by Teacher Qiao!
It was just that the thing that Teacher Qiao used to fill it was Boss Pei...
The biggest problem now was that, in the future, the saying that 'Boss Pei likes haunted houses and extreme sports' will be spread more widely to the point where everyone would know.
That was too scary!
In particular, the phrase 'quiet led to minimalist philosophy; movement led to the haunted house and the pendulum rides'. It was simply a killer.
Pei Qian felt that he could not explain it anymore. He had no relation with the amusement park and the haunted houses in this lifetime anymore.
There would be countless people inviting Boss Pei to experience the pendulum rides when he had to show up in the amusement park.
It seemed like he could only shrink deeper into the darkness and not show up in public; otherwise, their lives would be in danger!
Pei Qian flipped through various comments at the bottom of the video and on the webpage, and he found that the popularity had spread to the other industries of Tengda thanks to the video of Teacher Qiao.
Even ROF Computer-Installations, OTTO cell phones, and shared phone booths—which had been silent for a long time—had been revived.
However, these departments did not give Pei Qian the good news.
Obviously, everyone was embarrassed to bother Boss Pei because of the good news.
In the eyes of the people-in-charge of the departments, the interpretation by Teacher Qiao was arranged by Boss Pei early in the morning!
Why bother to announce the good news if Boss Pei planned it all out? It would seem like they were asking for credit when it was obviously Boss Pei's contribution.
Therefore, the people-in-charge of the various departments were all busy entertaining a large number of new customers and did not trouble the Boss Pei because of this matter.
Everyone knew that Boss Pei was an avid thinker now.
He must be somewhere thinking if he did not appear in the company.
To interrupt Boss Pei at this time was to affect the interest of Tengda Corporation. Who would dare be that scapegoat?
Therefore, everyone would be more careful before they went to report to Boss Pei in the future. They would definitely not report trivial stuff to Boss Pei anymore.
Pei Qian felt melancholic.
He once again had the idea of hiring assassins to get rid of Teacher Qiao.
The system funds might not allow him to be reimbursed, but Pei Qian had some savings after all...
However, it was just a thought; he quickly dispelled that idea.
He could only sigh, ask the waiter to bring the laptop over, and start thinking in advance how to spend money during this cycle.
The waiter could not help but feel moved when he saw Boss Pei start working without even eating first.
It was like what Teacher Qiao said: Boss Pei was thinking all the time.
Teacher Qiao did not deceive us!
...
On the 16th floor of Shenhua View, at the HR department of Tengda Corporation...
"Finally done!"
Wu Bin and Cui Geng were celebrating excitedly.
Wu Bin suddenly realized his mission during the recruitment examinations for Tengda's recruitment drive more than four months ago: to make more explanations for the Tengda spirit!
There were now three major items to Tengda spirit:
Work efficiently; focus on innovation...
Obey the leader, maintain independent thinking...
Work-life balance, long-term goals!
However, obviously, it did not represent Boss Pei's true thinking since it was just a one-sided interpretation.
Moreover, it could only provide guidance to Tengda's employees.
Therefore, Wu Bin and Cui Geng had been following in Boss Pei's footsteps for more than four months; interviewing many people's views on Boss Pei; and carefully identifying, selecting, organizing them into a book for a comprehensive and detailed explanation of the Tengda spirit.
They interviewed Boss Li, Liang Qingfan, Qiao Liang, and Ruan Guangjian and saw four completely different images of Boss Pei from them.
In Boss Li's eyes, Boss Pei was a business genius who had both 'cold' and 'generous' characteristics.
As a strategist and business genius, Boss Pei had always remained calm and able to make the most correct decisions. He had always put Tengda's interests first and had never been emotional.
At the same time, Boss Pei was very good at cooperating with the other people. Boss Pei would be very generous with sharing profits as long as there was a partner who firmly followed Boss Pei.
In Boss Li's own words: 'Boss Pei is the perfect blend between the cunning of a sly old fox and the idealism of a young man'.
In Liang Qingfan's eyes, Boss Pei's pursuit of the ultimate art was endless. Boss Pei did not intend to compromise and would not give up his pursuit of the ultimate art even if it may lead to the failure of the Sloth Apartments.
In Teacher Qiao's eyes, Boss Pei was a broad-minded person who could even become close friends with the most eccentric collaborators. He could also see problems from a more detached perspective.
At the same time, Boss Pei was a unique expresser.
This point was made very clear in Teacher Qiao's new video.
In the eyes of Ruan Guangjian, Boss Pei was a very conscientious client. He broke the vicious cycle of mutual distrust and the zero-sum game between the client and the freelancer, allowing both parties to establish mutual trust.
Extending from this point, it could be seen that Boss Pei had broken this zero-sum game and established mutual trust in these three aspects:
Client and Freelancer...
Boss and Employees...
Producers and Consumers...
Obviously, it was now known that Liang Qingfan's judgment was wrong since not only did Boss Pei pay attention to the ultimate artistry of the Sloth Apartments, but he also foresaw its success. Like in the game 'Struggle', it achieved perfect unity with commercial interests.
The statements of Boss Li and Ruan Guangjian actually had some common points which could be viewed together.
Breaking the 'zero-sum game' did not only emphasize the attitude toward the partners, but also the dialectical relationship between immediate and long-term interests.
Therefore, Wu Bin added new explanations for the Tengda spirit other than the three major items:
He would also seek mutual benefit and win-win cooperation with other partners on the basis of safeguarding Tengda's interest.
The perfect unity of the artistry and commercial interest... it was necessary to maintain the pursuit of elegance while making profits...
Think about the problems from a helicopter perspective, have a broad mind, break the zero-sum game, and strive to find a win-win solution...
The first two points could be regarded as an attitude and direction, and the third point could be regarded as a methodology.
They could be condensed into six points if compared to the original three Tengda spirit and removing the repetitive content:
Work efficiently and focus more on innovation...
Obey the leadership but more importantly, think independently...
To work hard but also to combine work and rest...
To serve the customers while chasing artistic pursuits...
To thrive in business would require win-win situations...
To be in the present but also have long term visions...
The first three points could be regarded as the Tengda spirit that every employee must abide by and the latter three points could be regarded as the Tengda spirit for the entire company in the business world, society, partners, and customers.
These six points were all condensed with countless experiences; each one of them was taken out separately, and some cases could be explained.
Boss Pei had been using his actions to explain the Tengda spirit.
Moreover, this internal reading on the Tengda spirit has also explained the meaning and cited a case study behind each article, which could be used to better understand how Boss Pei and his Tengda Corporation did and to obtain a better understanding of the Tengda spirit.
For more than four months, Wu Bin and Cui Geng jointly wrote such a book.
It was just a small booklet, but every word in it was meticulously crafted—a thousand words of gold.
For some reason, Wu Bin suddenly had an idea. He wanted to give Boss Pei a title like in a fantasy novel.
Pei Qian, the Silent and Lonely Expresser, Pursuer of Art, Breaker of the Zero-Sum Game, Interpreter of the Tengda spirit, Pioneer of Healthy Living, Investor of Dreams, Advertiser in the Era of Peace, He who Truly Controlled Wealth, Light of Domestically-Produced and Standalone Games...
It might seem a little strange, but every title was appropriate!
Print it on the last page of the book as an Easter egg.
Wu Bin let out a sigh. It was finally done!
The Tengda spirit might continue to expand in the future, but this book had summarized things that Tengda employees would probably take a long time to learn.
"I have asked Ma Yiqun to urgently publish it. They should be on time. In the most optimistic case, they could be done within a week!
"The Zhongdian Chinese Network would pay for it. Every core staff employee would have one copy each so that everyone could better learn from the Tengda spirit!"
Wu Bin was very satisfied with his work.
Who said that the HR department was a lackey, henchman, or a lapdog?
I am also contributing to Tengda and to society at large!