September 18th, Sunday...
Jingzhou Airport...
Huang Sibo and Bao Xu dragged their suitcases and finally got into a taxi.
Both of the freshly tanned people sat in the car, playing with their mobile phones, with an impulse to cry.
They finally returned to society!
Thinking back to how they survived in the Sahara Desert, Kilimanjaro, and the Great Rift Valley over the past month...
Really a life of isolation!
Bao Xu originally made the itinerary with the thoughts of dying with Huang Sibo, but that thought slowly changed in this long arduous month.
Thinking back to being far away in Africa, two lonely and helpless people could only support one another, rely on one another, and cheer each other on...
Strangely, it felt like the friendship between them had grown stronger.
Therefore, Bao Xu was no longer angry after coming back from Africa. He only felt that life in Jingzhou was really good and started using his mobile phone with joy.
Huang Sibo had the same attitude.
Both of them held their phones and swiped up and down before realizing that such a huge change had happened in their month of isolation!
"Today is the last day of the group stage for the GOG International invitational tournament. The top eight would be out after the game this afternoon."
"Teacher Qiao actually explained 'Struggle' again in a video? Eh? Why the word 'again'?"
"It seem like many people are spending their weekends in Jingzhou."
"As expected, a single Thriller Hostel is not enough for everyone to plan a trip to Jingzhou, but such a trip is worthwhile with so many fun things!"
"This is the group effect!"
The two of them watched it on their mobile phones and finally understood the general cause and effect.
One of the key reasons why the Thriller Hostel was not popular enough was that most people were not willing to visit Jingzhou just for the sake of a haunted house.
No amount of fun could change the fact that it was a haunted house.
However, there were many forms of entertainment if one was to come to Jingzhou now!
They could watch the GOG International invitational tournament. Of course, it was too late to buy tickets now, but there was still a large number of Fish-Catching Internet Cafe 3.0—which was the Live E-Sports Museum. There were also projections in Fish-Catching Internet Cafe 1.0 and 2.0 where one could get a good watching experience.
At the same time, Jingzhou had a series of industries such as the Thriller Hostel, the nameless restaurant, Fish-Catching Take-Out, and shared phone booths. The experience schedule related to Tengda alone could fill an entire weekend.
In such a case, a weekend trip to Jingzhou had become a cost-effective choice.
It became a natural thing to play the highly acclaimed 'Desperate Escape' or challenge "Ultimate Horror" since they were now in Jingzhou.
The various industries in Tengda Life App—no matter whether it was internet cafes, takeaways, rentals, or gym—were all worthwhile experiences for the local young in Jingzhou.
As for the game 'Struggle', it might still not be able to recover, but it had produced an excellent driving effect on the other industries. It was profitable for the Tengda Group on the whole.
Huang Sibo and Bao Xu could not help but sigh. Boss Pei's methods had become more and more sophisticated!
Who could have thought that there would be such big changes after one month in Africa?
They only had admiration for Boss Pei.
Huang Sibo flipped through the posts and suddenly his face became serious.
"Tsk... Old Bao, there seem to be many people on the internet curious about Boss Pei's identity!"
Bao Xu was stunned. "Really? Where?"
Huang Sibo gave him his cellphone and did a keyword search on 'Boss Pei'. A large number of posts were found discussing it.
Obviously, Boss Pei was now a popular internet sensation!
Why did he become an internet sensation then?
It was obvious seeing Boss Pei's identities on the internet.
A top game designer, the behind-the-scenes boss of Tengda Corporation, a philanthropist who donated 15 million yuan to his alma mater and gave a speech about wealth, a boss with a conscience, a unique entrepreneur...
Most importantly, Boss Pei's identity had always been an unsolved mystery.
However, those three 'world-famous paintings' pushed his existence to the netizens' limelight.
The netizens could no longer suppress their curiosity no matter how low-profile Boss Pei was!
Bao Xu could not help but show a serious expression on his tanned face.
That was a grave matter that could not be taken lightly!
Those who knew Boss Pei knew that Boss Pei was a very low-profile person who never wanted the limelight.
That was partly because of Boss Pei's personality; on the other hand, it was also because Boss Pei did not want the netizens to bind him to Tengda and worship him as an idol.
It was easy to breed extremist fans in that way. It would be difficult for consumers to view Tengda from an objective perspective. In the short term, that seemed to be a good thing, but in the long term, it would clearly do more harm than good.
Therefore, the entire Tengda Corporation had reached a consensus that the identity of Boss Pei must not be exposed. They had to cooperate closely to continue to hide his true identity!
Boss Pei's identity could be kept a secret until now partly because everyone who had met him had reached a tacit understanding and that the netizens were not so interested in the true identity of Boss Pei.
Who would then get to the bottom of who on earth the boss of a certain company was?
However, looking at the current situation, it seemed like they could no longer hide it.
Some netizens were even discussing how the young man in 'Boss Pei's Daily Life' was Boss Pei himself after comparing him with the back view and his clothes.
That short drama 'Boss Pei's Daily Life' which has lost its heat was dug up again!
However, many people felt that Boss Pei was busy with his work, and there was no time for him to play as himself. Therefore, it was all just a guess—no confirmation.
There were not too many images related to Boss Pei on the web. The netizens did not know the inside story so they could only guess.
However, the truth would come out sooner or later if they continue guessing like this.
Huang Sibo was as anxious as ants on fire.
"What to do? If this continues, someone will be able to come across Boss Pei's real identity soon.
"Not that it would have serious consequences, but Boss Pei would not be able to think quietly then!
"Boss Pei must not be disturbed as the head of the Tengda Corporation!
"Old Bao, do you have any way about it?"
Bao Xu fell into deep thoughts.
The situation now seemed to be a little disadvantaged. How would they be able to stop the people of the world since so many people were now paying attention to Boss Pei?
It seemed like an impossible task!
Bao Xu pondered for a moment. "Old Huang, do you remember the movie last year with a trick on 'stealing the beam to change the pillar'?"
Huang Sibo was taken aback.
"A movie last year about stealing a beam to change the pillar?
"I should have seen, but I'm not sure which one you are referring to."
"There is a line in it: 'sh*t, I've become a substitute'!" Bao Xu reminded him.
Huang Sibo's eyes widened slightly as if he realized something but did not know what to do with it.
"It's very simple, you can use the official account of Fei Huang Workspace to tell everyone that Boss Pei does not want attention and does not want to be disturbed," Bao Xu explained.
"If everyone cared about the image of Boss Pei so much, then we could regard the actor in Boss Pei's Daily Life as Boss Pei himself."
Huang Sibo was shocked. "Huh? But that was Boss Pei himself!"
Bao Xu smiled. "Who knows?
"Everyone in Tengda—including his friends, Boss Li, and Teacher Qiao—are definitely willing to help Boss Pei keep this secret. We agree that that is not Boss Pei but a special actor that looks similar to Boss Pei. Do you think the netizens will believe it if someone jumped out to say that Boss Pei and the person in the show are one and the same?
"What did it say in the movie—'I became a substitute? Repeated rumors become a fact. If everyone says that you are a substitute, then you will become a substitute.
"Similar concept, if we are to say that that is an actor—not the real Boss Pei, how would the netizens discern it?
"Moreover, this way, the netizens' curiosity about Boss Pei would be appeased, which would form a very strange situation. Everyone will regard Boss Pei as Boss Pei, but everyone would think that he is just an actor—not the real Boss Pei.
"Wouldn't we be able to conceal Boss Pei's identity if we muddle the water?"
"That's it! Old Bao, you are a f*cking genius! I will discuss this with the other people-in-charge, unify everyone, and prepare to record the video!" Huang Sibo said with realization.
"We cannot delay the matter to help Boss Pei conceal his identity!"
...
At the same time, Pei Qian was in his own room, playing games wordlessly.
He wanted to go to Fish-Catching Internet Cafe and then to watch the game, but he did not dare go now!
It was Sunday; many players and Tengda's fans were in Jingzhou. It was easy to meet people he knew no matter in the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe or in GOG international invitational tournaments.
Wouldn't his identity be completely exposed then?
That would be too scary!
Pei Qian felt that he was like a star, shivering with crazy fans and paparazzi cameras outside.
He couldn't possibly change his attire, wear sunglasses, and wrap a scarf around himself, right? That would be too ridiculous.
Pei Qian's attitude was the same as before; he did not want to reveal his identity because that would mean too much trouble!
Imagine, fans would come and ask for group photos when he walked into a school, drinking coffee in Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, or even just walking on the streets. Some seniors might come to him in hopes of applying for a job... some investors might come to him in hopes of investing in certain projects...
Wouldn't he have any private life left?
He wanted to continue to be a normal university student until he graduated!
Pei Qian was speechless, unable to do anything about the current situation.
The cell phone on his table rang.
Pei Qian picked it up; it was a message from Huang Sibo.
He had spoken to the people-in-charge of the other departments; everyone agreed with this plan so he sent to Boss Pei to allow Boss Pei to make the final decision.
Pei Qian was shocked after reading the proposal.
How the f*ck did this happen?
I become my own substitute? Use this method to confuse the netizens?
It seemed... like it could really work!
Pei Qian considered it for a while before replying. "Post the video immediately; do it this way!"
He could not help but sigh. This Huang Sibo finally did not stab me in the back but helped me out as soon as he was back.
Great!
Pei Qian knew very well that it was impossible to completely hide from the netizens.
Some netizens had already suspected that the Boss Pei in Boss Pei's Daily Life was Boss Pei himself. The situation would go out of control if anyone who knew Boss Pei testified to that publicly.
It would be difficult to play this trick then.
Therefore, he had to strike while the iron was hot!
Pei Qian could preemptively armor himself up through official statements.
First of all, he had to emphasize that Boss Pei did not wish to be disturbed; neither did he want to reveal his true identity in front of the public to ask the fans to not dig into his personal information.
However, at the same time, they provided him with a symbol as emotional sustenance, allowing them to regard the actor image in Boss Pei's Daily Life as the real Boss Pei.
This way, the netizens who came to Jingzhou would only regard Boss Pei as an actor—not the real Boss Pei.
Such a cunning move!
Pei Qian might still get attention, but to the people outside, his true identity would be 'the actor who played Boss Pei'. He would be taking photos with fans at the very most, which could reduce the trouble to a minimum.
Pei Qian himself was a little dizzy, but it did seem to be the best method, thinking about it now.
Let everyone know his true identity to help him cover up his identity. In that way, no one would believe it even if some people did manage to uncover the truth.
Deception by his soldiers...
How could the netizens distinguish between what was really true and what was not?
Chapter 661: Teacher Qiao Decided to Move!
Sloth Apartments, at night...
Qiao Liang saved the game progress, put down the handle, and landed on the sofa comfortably.
They were so comfortable!
He had lived in the Sloth Apartments for four days now. During this period, he completed a new video which caused an enthusiastic response.
Therefore, the haze that lingered in Qiao Liang's heart for more than a month was finally gone!
Therefore, Qiao Liang had been playing games in the Sloth Apartments for the entire day today.
He had to say that the Sloth Apartments was equipped with game consoles and the 3A masterpieces from various foreign manufacturers which made Qiao Liang really experience what it meant to be happy.
Of course, the TV in the Binhu District was not the limited-edition huge TV in the Dawn of Prosperous City.
On the one hand, it was because the renovation price of each specification and the grade of the house was different. On the other hand, it was also because it was a limited edition. It was good enough to use it in the units in Dawn of Prosperous City.
However, even so, the TVs in the Binhu District were carefully selected. Both the size and display effects were great; there was a sense of reality playing these console games.
Ding-Dong.
The doorbell rang. Qiao Liang went to open the door and found that the dinner he ordered had arrived.
The exquisite and high-end food box was filled with a balance of meat and vegetables, making people drool.
Qiao Liang had an idea while devouring his food.
Could he... probably just move to Jingzhou?
He was a UP Master, a freelancer. Was he an idiot to struggle with the high rents in Beijing?
Qiao Liang had come to Jingzhou twice. He had stayed here for two to three months if he were to add both trips together. It was not strange to say that this was his second home.
Qiao Liang found that Jingzhou was the best choice for him after a little comparison!
Actually, the reason why he chose to rent in Beijing was that he was studying at a university in Beijing. He had some small results making videos during university. He found a job after graduating but was dissatisfied with it. Therefore, he resigned and became a full-time UP Master in his rented apartment.
To put it bluntly, he was just used to it.
He had been in Beijing for his university for four years, found his first job in Beijing, and got used to living in that city. It was very difficult for him to think of moving across cities.
However, Qiao Liang suddenly realized that he did not need to stay in Beijing after staying in the Sloth Apartments for a few days!
Take his rent for example. That small apartment in Beijing in the fifth ring was actually even more expensive than the Sloth Apartment.
However, the living environment was totally different!
The one-bedroom apartment that Qiao Liang lived in was not renovated; the bathroom had not been repaired for a long time. He did not like to clean so his room was always chaotic.
On the other hand, the Sloth Apartments had cleaning facilities and a butler. The layout of the house was specially designed by the designer. It would always be pleasing to the eye as long as it was always kept in its original state.
The TV and the game units especially warmed Qiao Liang's heart!
Qiao Liang's rented apartment in Beijing did not have a TV or a game console. The reason was simple; he wanted to buy such, but he felt it wasn't necessary.
That was because he saved money to buy a high-end computer since it was required for editing movies and could also be used to play games. Therefore, it would be a waste to spend a few thousand yuan on system units and TV.
However, Qiao Liang discovered that playing console games on TV was really different from playing on the computer after staying in the Sloth Apartments for a while.
There were obvious big differences no matter whether it was comfort or immersion!
Looking at the meal aspects: Qiao Liang used to eat instant noodles when he was poor. However, he had upgraded to having the freedom to buy takeouts when he became more prosperous through making videos.
The takeouts in Beijing were also not cheap.
Of course, there were chicken chop and duck rice for a few dozen yuan, but it was hard to guarantee his health and hygiene if he were to eat that for the long rice. If someone like Qiao Liang had no economic pressure now, what was two or three yuan extra to eat Fish-Catching Take-Out?
Then, he looked at daily life and entertainment.
Beijing had concerts and large-scale performances such as ball games, dramas, etc., but it wasn't that bad in Jingzhou either. He could watch GOG matches live; there was the Deposit Fitness, Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Thriller Hostel, and a series of industries.
Qiao Liang suddenly realized that he could lead a much better life with the same amount of money!
Of course, as a super first-tier city, Beijing had many young people and plenty of work opportunities.
However, there were many young people in Jingzhou as well. There was an increasing trend, too. He also had many friends like Boss Pei and Tengda's employees.
Moreover, as UP Master who spent most of his time at home, the living environment was the most important to him.
The more Qiao Liang thought, the more he felt there was no need to continue living in Beijing. He should just move to Jingzhou.
Qiao Liang immediately decided to buy a ticket back to Beijing the day after tomorrow, begin to sell everything in the rental house, and return it. He had to come to Jingzhou to stay at his earliest convenience!
Qiao Liang had more energy to eat as he thought about this.
He scanned the updates on Aili Island while he planned for his move.
The latest issue of the video still had a large number of fans leaving messages. The video had reached the top of the home page of Aili Island after all. It could only be said that it had broken out of its circle. Not only was the audience in the game zone watching, but the audiences in other areas were watching, too. That gave him another wave of soaring fans.
Qiao Liang took the trouble to watch the audience's bootlicking and felt his appetite improve.
He suddenly saw new updates from Fei Huang Workspace!
Qiao Liang froze for a moment because he knew very well that Fei Huang Workspace should be preparing a video to expose the formaldehyde filled rooms recently.
However, he heard from Zhu Xiaoce that this video was not going to be released, right?
It was too fast if it was other videos, right?
It would not match the meticulously crafted style of the Fei Huang Workspace.
Qiao Liang opened the video with some confusion. Huang Sibo's face appeared.
Qiao Liang was a little surprised. "Eh? When did he get so tanned?"
In his impression, Huang Sibo had normal Chinese skin—not so fair but neither was he so tanned.
Yellow Sibo[1.'Huang' in Huang Sibo is the same character as Yellow.] has now become Hei Sibo[2.'Hei' is the same character as Black]. It looked a little strange.
"Was the lighting not done well?
"That wasn't right; the lighting was done deliberately."
Qiao Liang was baffled.
Hei Sibo smiled and introduced himself in the video.
"Fans of Fei Huang Workspace and Tengda Games, I'm Huang Sibo. I used to be the Executive Chief Planner of Tengda Games, but I'm now the person-in-charge of Fei Huang Workspace. I was involved in the development and shooting of projects such as Ocean Stronghold, Boss Pei's Daily Life, and Tomorrow is Beautiful.
"Recently, many fans have shown a lot of enthusiasm in speculating Boss Pei's true identity. Boss Pei hoped for me to convey some information to everyone.
"Boss Pei is a low profile person. He does not wish to become the focus of everyone; neither does he want his personal image to be associated with Tengda—let alone be worshiped like an idol.
"Borrowing the words of a gentleman: there is no need for everyone to love the hen that laid the delicious eggs.
"Of course, we also understand everyone's curiosity. You can regard the actor in 'Boss Pei's Daily Life' as Boss Pei himself.
"I would like to thank everyone for your continued support and love for Tengda on behalf of everyone in Tengda!"
The video ended. It only lasted two minutes.
Qiao Liang was shocked after he watched this video.
What was this about?
Everything before 'you can regard the actor in 'Boss Pei's Daily Life' as Boss Pei himself' was understandable.
Why 'regard as'? That was Boss Pei himself!
That itself was not a lie, but it would have a misleading effect on the audience.
Qiao Liang entered into deep thought.
Could this be some performance art by Boss Pei again?
Oh, I understand!
Qiao Liang instantly thought about the 'focus' theory that Boss Pei emphasized repeatedly before.
Boss Pei had been emphasizing repeatedly that focus was everyone's most precious wealth. Everyone listened carefully and expressed their enlightenment when they were listening to it, but they forgot all about it immediately.
Why did it matter who Boss Pei was and what he looked like?
That was out of pure curiosity. They devoted a huge amount of focus and attention to Boss Pei, wasting time to do such meaningless things. Obviously, Boss Pei did not want everyone to do this.
Qiao Liang could not help but sigh. Boss Pei had really walked the talk with good intentions!
He must cooperate as a friend of Boss Pei!
Qiao Liang immediately reposted the video: "Boss Pei called on everyone to focus on more meaningful things, but everyone forgot it in the blink of an eye?"
Qiao Liang's forward obviously played a very good role in guiding public opinion.
The original comments had a lot of questions, but these questions were overshadowed by understanding.
"Ashamed... I just forgot the knowledge I learned in the blink of an eye. Thank you, Boss Pei, for awakening me!"
"Alright, most people are just curious, or they just need an image or symbol of 'Boss Pei'. Just take this superb actor as the image of Boss Pei then!"
"I think it is a pretty good idea to keep Boss Pei's identity private, too."
"Well, let's use this image to replace Boss Pei. He might be handsome and has good acting skills, but he is obviously not even one-tenth of Boss Pei!"
"That's weird. Aren't the Tengda employees too tight-lipped? No one has come forward to reveal the true identity of Boss Pei?"
"Tengda is a company that is united in heart and mind. You cannot imagine how much Tengda employees listen to Boss Pei."
"Sigh, if only there was a website that could query company information!"
Qiao Liang flipped through everyone's messages and found that most people still realized the painstaking efforts of Boss Pei; only a few people still wanted to find the true identity of Boss Pei.
Their voices were impossible to gain traction if they were in the minority as the majority of the people would not be able to tell if they were telling the truth or not.
Chapter 662: Boss Pei is Always One Level Higher than Us!
September 19th, Monday...
Pei Qian arrived at the office as always. However, this time, no one bothered him all morning.
Clearly, nobody had any questions to ask Boss Pei.
That was a very upsetting thing because it meant that most of the businesses were generating profits!
Boss Pei quickly thought about his experience and concluded that this was the worst cycle that he had had thus far. All the new businesses—including Thriller Hostel, Sloth Apartments, and Deposit Fitness—had become popular. Even Fish-Catching Take-Out, which had been doing very well all this time, had become popular!
It was terrible.
Pei Qian did not dare to leave his house over the past two days. He had cooped himself up at home, keeping a close eye on the online discussions.
Luckily, after Teacher Qiao shared Fei Huang Workspace's video, the audience's attention had really been diverted.
Many people agreed with the 'focus theory' and felt the need to value their own abilities to focus more, given that Boss Pei had worked so hard for them to do so. They had no intention to cause more trouble for Boss Pei.
However, Pei Qian's image in the web series had received another boost!
Many people took screenshots of scenes in the online drama, Boss Pei's Daily Life, and then created stickers of his expressions. Now, more and more people were going to recognize Pei Qian's face.
Boss Pei's Daily Life had stopped being updated a year ago, and it had not been as popular as it used to be.
Most web series that stopped updating for such a long time would see sharp declines in popularity and quickly become outdated. That's because, in the age of the Internet, netizens' attention would always be focused on the hottest topic at the moment.
Yet, recently, Boss Pei's Daily Life became popular again!
Many people started watching it for the second or third time, causing the first episode to feature on the website's home page as well!
Although he felt weird, Pei Qian had to pick the lesser of two evils. Compared to becoming popular as his real self, it was more acceptable to become popular for a role that he had played in a web series.
What Pei Qian found unacceptable was the income that Boss Pei's Daily Life was generating again!
The short web series had entered an exclusive agreement with Aili Island back then, which had provided for a special incentive plan with Fei Huang Workspace. Every effective click that lasted for more than thirty seconds could have generated twenty cents of income!
However, there was no such thing now.
That was because they had signed the contract with Aili Island very early on. At the time, Aili Island was still a small website, in dire need of good resources to attract traffic to their website. That was why they had offered Tengda so much money back then.
Now, Aili Island was getting bigger and better, and there was an increasing number of users on the site. There was no way that the website would make such an attractive offer anymore.
Boss Pei's Daily Life was still receiving the same amount of remuneration because it had been signed off to Aili Island very early on!
That created an awkward situation. Aili Island probably had not expected a series that had stopped being updated more than a year ago to suddenly become so popular once again.
Yet, they probably weren't that affected as well. After all, Aili Island was now a big company that could afford that amount of money. Moreover, the more popular Boss Pei's Daily Life became, the more good publicity the website would get since it had exclusive rights over the video.
As Pei Qian thought more about it, he realized an awkward fact.
Aili Island was profiting, Fei Huang Workspace was profiting, and everyone else was profiting.
He, the main actor, was the only one losing out!
At the time, Pei Qian had agreed to fixed remuneration. He probably had not thought about the possibility of sharing the series' profits.
Obviously, Huang Sibo and the others would not have thought about any other payment structure for Boss Pei as well. To them, all money earned by the company would go to Boss Pei anyway. What would have been the point in increasing his personal remuneration?
Pei Qian also could not have hinted to them to increase his personal remuneration because it would not have made any sense. Other people might have been suspicious.
It was insufferable!
Pei Qian tried to regulate his emotions and finally considered the cycle's settlement calmly.
He had suffered successive 'attacks' during this cycle, but he was not giving up on the fight.
There was still time to turn things around.
Take the Sloth Apartments's model for example.
The Sloth Apartments had been bought over. Tens of millions of yuan had gone into it, and a huge amount of System Funds had been dealt with. All the apartments had been rented out, but it would take years for the company to recover its huge investment with that bit of rent.
Thus, the Sloth Apartments had become popular, but it was just the scale of it that was frightening. In actual fact, it was not generating that much profit.
Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Fish-Catching Take-Out, Deposit Fitness, and other physical shops were all rented. That was why they could generate steady profits. However, rent still had to be paid, and the more branches they set up, the more money Pei Qian could get rid of.
Thus, Pei Qian started to think about a way to spend a ton of money during this cycle.
Pei Qian did not have to worry about opening new branches for the internet cafe, take-out, or gyms because new branches were consistently being opened. As a traditionally excellent business arm, Upwind Logistics would continue to work hard. A portion of funds could go into more publicity for GOG's foreign version, but Pei Qian had to be cautious. If the game started generating huge income overseas, everything could backfire...
There was another important department: Otto Technologies.
Otto Technologies' project would drag until the next settlement this time. Pei Qian could easily invest more money into it, but its products had to be completed before the end of the next cycle.
At the moment, Otto Technologies was working on setting up a software laboratory that would focus on camera algorithms and software.
The software would be an upgrade and improvement of an earlier version, and so it would not be the project that the extension would be granted for. However, the image algorithm needed more work done on it and could only be completed during the next cycle.
Thus, Pei Qian thought that it was possible to channel more funds into it as long as it could be done before the next settlement date.
At the same time, he could start planning for various promotional events and sales.
After all, Boss Pei had become adept at drinking poison to quench his thirst. Now that he was used to it, he could not stop.
Once the plan was out, Pei Qian felt confident that he would be able to save the situation.
Now, he could only pray that the company would not generate more profits from strange places!
...
...
September 20th, Tuesday...
It was the day of the month that Ming Yun Private Kitchen was reserved for Tengda Corporation.
Pei Qian became conflicted thinking about who to invite for a meal.
None of his employees had been of any help to him this cycle. He did not want to treat any of them to the meal!
Since he had already invited DGE's team members and Deposit Fitness' coaches the previous time, Pei Qian decided to invite the butlers of Sloth Apartments and the people in charge of Upwind Logistics this time.
Those from Sloth Apartments included Liang Qingfan, his assistant (the Management Trainee), Song Kai, and a few butlers of the other buildings. Those from Upwind Logistics included Lu Mingliang and a few other core employees.
Liang Qingfan had only joined Tengda Corporation recently, and his extreme minimalism had perfectly met Pei Qian's requests. Both he and Song Kai were dependable and had not eaten at Ming Yun Private Kitchen before. Thus, Pei Qian felt the need to treat them to a meal this time.
Although the Sloth Apartments was popular now, they did not have a huge part to play in it. That was why Pei Qian did not think that he ought to get angry with them.
What's more, the Sloth Apartments was only earning rent for now. It was still tens of years away from recovering the amount of money Pei Qian had spent to purchase the buildings. There was no need to worry too much.
Everyone took their seats at the restaurant.
Pei Qian was too lazy to chat with them as well. In any case, no matter whom he invited for a meal here, his main aim was to spend money. He had only chosen these specific people because they caused him less frustration and irritation.
"Thank you for working hard, everyone! Sit back, relax, and eat to your heart's content!"
Pei Qian dug in first. He picked up a huge crab that had been placed in front of him.
Seeing the sumptuous feast before them, Liang Qingfan and Song Kai salivated as well.
They had never seen such good food!
They had heard how famous the nameless restaurant was in the country, but the queue was too terrifying. What's more, neither of them was willing to part with the money to have a meal here.
Now that Boss Pei was treating them to a meal here, they felt happier than they would have if they had won the lottery!
With Boss Pei taking the lead, everyone followed suit and dug in. The cling-clang of plates and cutlery knocking against one another filled the restaurant.
Midway through the meal, Liang Qingfan and Song Kai's eyes met.
"Can we tell Boss Pei about that matter now?"
"Yes! Since Boss Pei isn't thinking about anything now, we should tell him the good news."
Full of chemistry, the two men clinked their glasses and walked toward Boss Pei.
"Boss Pei, here's a toast to you! Sloth Apartments's success must be attributed to your excellent foresight and brilliant strategy! The entire Tengda Life is a sight to behold!"
Pei Qian lifted his glass slightly, the corners of his mouth twitching.
I'm eating. Can you talk about something more pleasant?!
However, upon recalling that Sloth Apartments was not generating that much profit, Pei Qian calmed down and lifted his glass higher.
"Alright. Let's not talk about the past anymore.
"Don't be so courteous. Finish the wine and eat as much as you can. Eat until you can't walk straight anymore; do you hear me?"
Liang Qingfan and Song Kai looked at each other and grinned, exclaiming inwardly how humble Boss Pei was. Not only did he not put on any airs, but he was also joking around with them.
He was a great boss!
When the three men finished their wine, Pei Qian sat back down and prepared to continue eating.
Thinking that the timing was perfect, Liang Qingfan quickly said, "Boss Pei, Sloth Apartments has good news for you!"
The hand that Pei Qian was using to hold his lobster halted in midair as his mind filled with question marks.
?
Good news?
Why are you still messing with me?
The Sloth Apartments were all rented out now, weren't they? Where else could they pull empty apartments out from?
Liang Qingfan smiled. "Boss Pei, I thought that the extreme minimalism of the Sloth Apartments was a personal preference, not a mature business model. I thought that art and business could not merge perfectly with each other.
"Yet, now, I know that I was wrong. The Sloth Apartments's business model is far better than I can imagine!
"After you talked about the 'focus theory', all the Sloth Apartments were snapped up and rented out. I thought that would be the limit, and that we would not be able to earn more than that.
"But I was wrong again!"
Pei Qian's heart fell when he heard that.
You were wrong again?
Then... aren't I wrong as well?
"And so?" Pei Qian tried his hardest to remain calm.
Lu Mingliang and the others, who were seated beside him, listened in on the conversation, wanting to know what new entrepreneurial techniques Boss Pei had come up with this time.
Liang Qingfan excitedly continued. "Over the last two days, Sloth Apartments has been getting an insane number of phone calls!
"A few clients suggested that we help them to design their houses in the same extreme minimalistic fashion as Sloth Apartments! They all offered high prices, according to the market rate for first-tier designers. On average, that's about a thousand yuan per square meter.
"One client wanted us to help design a five hundred square meter villa in the same manner as Sloth Apartments was designed. He offered five hundred thousand yuan!"
Pei Qian had been tense.
However, after hearing that figure, he instantly relaxed.
That's good, that's not too much money.
Moreover, designing a five-hundred-square-meter house was quite troublesome. There would probably not be many of those jobs.
"It's just one house, right?" Pei Qian asked.
Liang Qingfan nodded. "That's right! That's why I decided to reject it!"
Pei Qian's eyes lit up.
Liang Qingfan continued speaking. "That's a high price, but I have a limited amount of energy. I've already been put in charge of the Sloth Apartments. How can I find time to design other people's houses?
"That's why I thought of something else.
"I'll sell plans!
"I'll design living rooms, bedrooms, studies, and dining rooms in the same extreme minimalistic style of Sloth Apartments for more common types of apartments or houses. At the same time, I will specify the furniture brands and models that should come with the designs.
"That way, clients who want to design their home in an extreme minimalist fashion would just have to buy my plans and engage a passable architect to execute it. Then, they would be able to get the renovations that they want!"
Pei Qian's eyes dimmed once more. Now, he looked more cautious.
Sell plans?
How bold of you!
Even if Liang Qingfan managed to sell thousands or tens of thousands of plans at low prices, the company would still earn much more than if it had conducted those renovations!
That could not happen!
"Yes, that's a good idea. I think that you should sell the plans for one yuan each." Pei Qian quickly tried to do damage control on Liang Qingfan's rotten plan.
Liang Qingfan nodded. "Yes, Boss Pei that's what I thought as well!"
Pei Qian: "?"
Liang Qingfan grinned. "A good plan wouldn't be worth much, and we won't be able to stop clients from sharing it with other people after buying it. It wouldn't make sense to price it highly, and so I thought we would be better off semi-giving it away.
"However, this inspired me and made me realize how much value Sloth Apartments have!
"That's why I went to negotiate with the furniture shops and brands that we had purchased our furniture pieces from and got a discount! I specially selected those shops. They might be a little expensive, but they're of excellent quality.
"Our customers would be able to purchase the furniture and renovation material from these merchants at discounted prices. At the same time, those brands would split a portion of their profits with us.
"That would be a win-win situation for consumers, Sloth Apartments, and those brands alike!"
Pei Qian stared at them, dumbfounded and not knowing how to respond.
What the hell?
Song Kai added, "That's not all, Boss Pei! Many other property developers want to work with us to create similar apartments as well!
"A few property developers have also suggested a deeper partnership. Sloth Apartments would be invited to chip in and market those neighborhoods. To consumers, Sloth Apartments is no longer just a rented apartment business, but a spokesperson for quality living...
"Sloth Apartments's model is not just perfect for rented apartments—it could do so much more!"
Lu Mingliang, who had been silent by the side, suddenly understood what was happening.
So that was why!
Boss Pei had not merely created a rented apartments business arm... but a renovation one as well!
Apart from earning rent, Sloth Apartments could also generate income from other aspects.
Indeed, Boss Pei's way of thinking is always one level higher than ours!
Chapter 663: A Thank You Letter
Pei Qian's hand trembled as he picked up his glass of red wine and took a sip. Finally, he calmed himself down.
Yes, why did it feel like he had been expecting this...?
He had been a victim of sudden attacks like that at the dinner table more than once now. It was almost as if he had built immunity against it.
Still, a veteran like Boss Pei would not give up fighting just like that.
It was no big deal to Boss Pei. There was still time to turn things around!
Pei Qian put his glass of red wine back down on the table. "Are you sure you're going to work together with those furniture shops and property developers?
"Aren't you going to consider it further?
"I don't think that plan sounds complete."
As for what exactly they should consider, Pei Qian was not sure either. Regardless, his primary concern was how to earn less money or how to avoid earning any money at all. He just could not find a suitable excuse.
When Boss Pei was at a loss as to what to do, he would make use of his employees' knack for letting their imaginations run wild.
Song Kai remained silent for a moment and then nodded. "That's right, Boss Pei. Why not?
"Property developers are well-known for being rich!
"As for furniture businesses... there are different companies with varying levels of popularity, but they have huge profit margins. There's a lot of room for them to reduce their prices. If I can get our customers discounts and also get the company a share of the profits, why wouldn't I?"
Pei Qian's expression darkened.
Do you think I don't know that property developers are well-known for being rich?
Do you think I don't know that furniture shops have high-profit margins?
If you continue to emphasize these points, I would forbid your plan all the more!
Song Kai's expression filled with confusion as Liang Qingfan fell into deep thought as well.
Now, the atmosphere was awkward.
Pei Qian could not allow the silence to continue, and so he thought about inviting everyone to leave this problem aside, continue eating, and consider it slowly.
After all, the longer they took to consider the problem, the later the company would earn additional income.
However, at that moment, Lu Mingliang—who had been quietly listening to the conversation by the side—spoke up.
"You're both new to Tengda Corporation, and so the way that you do things doesn't necessarily conform to the Tengda Spirit. It's no wonder that you can't understand what the intentions behind Boss Pei's instructions are."
Song Kai and Liang Qingfan stared at him and then leaned in humbly to be taught. "Boss Lu, can you please give us a few tips?"
Pei Qian turned to Lu Mingliang as well, his mind filling with question marks.
?
I invited you for a meal here to make sure that I had enough numbers. Don't try to blindly interpret my words!
Oh, it's Lu Mingliang speaking. That's alright, then.
If it had been Lin Wan, Huang Sibo, Bao Xu, or someone similar; Pei Qian would have thought about interrupting them or changing the topic.
That was because those people's interpretations often led to trouble!
On the other hand, Boss Pei trusted Lu Mingliang significantly. Thus, he allowed the latter to say one or two sentences.
Lu Mingliang organized his thoughts and said, "When I heard about that profit-making model, I felt shocked as well. It was completely beyond my expectations.
"However, after some consideration, I noticed one problem. The profit-making model that you have thought of only forms a small part of the one that Boss Pei is thinking of.
Pei Qian: "..."
With newfound respect, Liang Qingfan and Song Kai immediately sat up straight and listened intently.
Lu Mingliang continued speaking. "Congratulations to the two of you for entering Boss Pei's sphere of thinking. You now possess the second most valuable thing in Tengda Corporation at the moment.
"Tengda has always prided itself in running its businesses honestly and without making anything up. That's how it built such a good reputation in the eyes of the customers. Thus, even when we enter new industries, customers would tend to trust us easily.
"Tengda's goods and services might be more expensive, and our quality-price ratio might be slightly poorer, but we would never take advantage of our customers. That's why our customers trust us so much, and that's the second most valuable resource that our company owns."
Song Kai slowly and cautiously raised his hand. "I'm sorry to interrupt you. What's our most valuable resource, then...?"
Lu Mingliang looked incredulous. Inside, he wondered why he had to explain this.
However, after realizing that Song Kai was not figuring it out, he helplessly answered, "Boss Pei's brain, of course."
A realization dawned on Song Kai, and he nodded profusely.
That's right. How come I couldn't answer such a simple question?!
Pei Qian: "..."
At that moment, he was at a loss for words.
Lu Mingliang continued speaking. "It's precisely because customers trust Tengda so much that Tengda has been able to achieve a measure of success in every industry. Thus, that trust is very valuable. Partnering Sloth Apartments with furniture brands and property developers would be akin to using the trust that our customers have in us to back other businesses.
"Ideally, this would be a win-win situation. As the middlemen, we would be the bridge between our customers and the manufacturers. The manufacturers would earn less, the profits would be shared, and consumers would enjoy discounted prices. We would also stand to benefit from this arrangement.
"However, the question is how you can ensure that your arrangement with those other businesses would remain under the ideal scenario. The manufacturers may start off well with you, but they might become greedy later given how easy it would be for them to earn more money. They might start compromising on the quality of their products to earn bigger profit margins, and customers are bound to discover this.
"How can we ensure that the businesses we partner with don't compromise on quality, then?
"Once something like that blows up, Tengda's resources would be contaminated, and the foundation on which the group of companies was built would become shaky as well. We would suffer unimaginable loss.
"Don't believe that those other businesses have as good a conscience as Tengda does. We just learned a lesson from Home Corporation's Safe Houses two days ago, didn't we?"
Liang Qingfan and Song Kai suddenly understood something.
That was indeed a huge hidden danger!
Actually, both of them had thought about this issue before, but they dismissed it for two reasons. First, they were still at the nascent stage of negotiating with other businesses and were far away from entering agreements. Second, they had not placed much weight on it because they thought too well of other businesses.
Now, hearing Lu Mingliang's words, both men felt adequately warned.
So that was what Boss Pei was worried about!
They could not help but turn to Boss Pei, only to find him sipping his wine and in deep thought. It was almost as if he was devising a plan that was way better than theirs.
At once, they sat up even straighter.
Yet, Pei Qian was busy thinking about something else.
When he had heard that the foundation on which the group of companies had been built could be shaken, he became slightly excited.
It sounded like such an easy way to incur losses!
Restricted by the System's regulations, Pei Qian could not resort to lying and cheating to take advantage of his own customers. However, if Tengda's partner companies did those things behind Pei Qian's back, the System would probably not be able to do anything.
In other words, there was a loophole...
Still, that thought only flashed past Pei Qian's mind before he quashed it completely.
I am only interested in incurring losses and not going against my own conscience.
How can I allow shoddy companies that produce rubbish to lie to and cheat others using my name? Of course not!
Get them as far away from me as possible!
Still after hearing Lu Mingliang's words, Pei Qian thought of a new idea.
Since Liang Qingfan and Song Kai wanted to increase the scope of the Sloth Apartments's business, Pei Qian had to get back at them!
It was just like what had happened with ROF back then. Zhang Yuan had intended to make use of the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's brand name back then to profit from assembling computers. However, Pei Qian made use of the business to establish 1024 Digital Day and spend as much money as possible.
Of course, what happened next went without saying.
At least, the strategy had worked back then!
Pei Qian could apply his creativity to the problem that Lu Mingliang had just raised.
According to the System's regulations, once a certain business arm had established a good reputation, the System would greatly expand its profit-generating requirements. That was what happened with Upwind Logistics.
At that thought, Pei Qian said, "We can consider partnering Sloth Apartments with other furniture brands or property developers, but there must be very strict regulations.
"Hire someone to conduct frequent inspections. Before working together, send someone to conduct deep research into the current state of those other companies. Get a good understanding of their financial positions and management situation.
"The inspecting teams should be put in charge of a different region at regular intervals to prevent corruption and cheating.
"We will cover all expenses incurred by inspecting teams when they conduct inspections, including clothes, food, lodging, and travel. On top of that, we must not reveal our identities.
"Even after the partnerships are established, the inspecting teams should conduct spot checks at regular intervals. Customer reports and feedback should also be encouraged. Once we find that the other companies are falling short, we should immediately terminate the contract and compensate our customers for all losses suffered.
"All of these conditions must be clearly and neatly written in our partnership contracts with the other companies. Companies that refuse to accept these conditions would not be allowed to work with Tengda.
"If any problems arise in the course of these partnerships, I will hold both of you responsible."
Liang Qingfan and Song Kai immediately looked somber. "Yes, Boss Pei!"
Obviously, with these conditions in place, few furniture brands and property developers would be willing to work with Tengda Corporation. In fact, less than ten percent of companies would likely be willing to.
Who would sign a contract with that many terms and conditions?
Those furniture brands and property developers were loaded to begin with. Of course, it would benefit them to have Sloth Apartments's brand on their side. However, they would not collapse without it either.
Now, Sloth Apartments was demanding regular inspections and compensation if any problems were detected, in exchange for allowing the companies to use its brand name. How could they?
Still, Liang Qingfan and Song Kai found Boss Pei's requests reasonable. If the other companies were not made to sign a contract with all terms and conditions clearly stipulated, how could Tengda guarantee that those companies would keep their words?
Companies like Tengda, which could ignore short-term gain for the sake of long-term profit, were few and far between in this world.
At the same time, it was what people found most respectable about the group of companies.
Lu Mingliang could not help but nod subtly. It was good. Those two people-in-charge were beginning to understand the true meaning of the Tengda Spirit!
Pei Qian sipped his wine to calm himself down. Never would he have expected that Sloth Apartments would get itself into so many problems.
He had thought that the project would be a failure for sure, but it now looked like he was lacking in imagination.
Or... the world's imagination far surpassed his own.
Therein lay the problem. Given how Sloth Apartments was doing, should Pei Qian open more of them?
From the looks of the current situation, Sloth Apartments could aid in burning money because each building cost a great deal. At least in the short-term, Pei Qian could forget about recovering all of it.
Yet, at the same time, Sloth Apartments's business model was risky. Take today for example. A certain business arm could expand abruptly, and a huge market that had been undiscovered before could appear and cause Boss Pei to rake in a ton of profits.
Pei Qian could not help but feel conflicted.
"Oh, that's right, Boss Pei. I have something to give to you." Song Kai suddenly recalled something. He retrieved a letter from inside his pocket and handed it to Pei Qian.
Pei Qian started and then took hold of it.
There were no stamps or signatures. It was a simple envelope with a thank you letter inside.
"Hello...
"I am a victim of the formaldehyde scandal. Long before Sloth Apartments appeared, I started battling with formaldehyde. I poured a huge amount of time and energy into it, but to no avail.
"I couldn't do anything about it because the voice of the ordinary man is too small.
"I am very thankful to all the kind people online who have spoken up about this. At the same time, I am grateful to Sloth Apartments for providing me with a simple solution that saves me unnecessary trouble and helps me to relax. I no longer have to wrangle and fight with Home Corporation. I just have to give up on them and choose Sloth Apartments instead.
"From the bottom of my heart, I hope that Sloth Apartments would expand out of Jingzhou one day and allow everyone around the country to rent an apartment with peace of mind!"
Since there was no signature, Pei Qian had no idea who wrote this.
After a moment of silence, he folded the letter and placed it back into its envelope. Finally, he handed it back to Song Kai.
"Keep this letter well, and do not lose it.
"Sloth Apartments has to work hard to allow every tenant to rent an apartment with peace of mind!"
Chapter 664: Recognizing Pei as Ma?
September 23rd, Friday...
Pei Qian felt that he had tided over the most trying period and could go out for normal activities from now.
Pei Qian had not dared to go to the streets after Huang Sibo posted the video last Sunday; neither did he go to Fish-Catching Internet Cafe. He had, instead, been paying attention to the changes online.
So far, people who knew the real Pei Qian were either Tengda's employees or 'friends' such as Qiao Liang, Ruan Guangjian, and Li Shi. They had all established a consensus which was to keep the secret for Boss Pei.
Most curious fans no longer delved into the true identity of Boss Pei but chose to regard the actor in Boss Pei's Daily Life as Boss Pei.
People's attention to the true identity of Boss Pei seemed to have been successfully transferred.
Of course, there would still be some trouble when Boss Pei heads out now. Most people would ask him for a group photo, thinking that he's an actor; but there would be no other troubles.
Therefore, Pei Qian felt that he could get up and about to welcome his 'new identity'.
He would first go to the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe at Handong University for a cup of coffee.
However, Pei Qian decided that it was better to arrive about three to four in the afternoon since there were likely to be more people during noon.
...
At the same time, Ruan Guangjian—who had just finished his Fish-Catching Take-Out—stretched... ready to walk around to digest his food, look at the greenery in the studio, and relax.
His work was only left with the design of concept art for GOG after 'Struggle' was launched. It was a lot easier, and he had more time to rest.
At the same time, he saw a middle-aged person in his forties walk into the Halo Workspace.
Ruan Guangjian was taken aback for a moment. It was really unusual for strangers to come to them.
Halo Workspace might have rented a shop diagonally across from the Tengda Games or the official ESRO games platform. The nature of this place was not a shop—but an office—so there usually would not be anyone visiting.
He looked at him again carefully and realized that this person was a little familiar, but he could not put where he had seen him before.
"Hello?" Ruan Guangjian greeted politely.
The middle-aged person smiled: "Hello, I am He An from Mengguo Games who just passed by here. I saw Halo Workspace's signboard and thought to come in to take a look.
Ruan Guangjian suddenly realized.
This was that Big Boss who comprehended 'Struggle'!
He An was a predecessor of domestic standalone games. Ruan Guangjian had definitely seen his photo before, but there was definitely a gap between photos and the real person. Moreover, his memory was a little fuzzy so he did not recognize him at first.
"Boss He is our senior! This way please. I'm the person-in-charge of Halo Workspace, Ruan Guangjian."
He An was a little surprised: "Are you the person-in-charge of Halo Workspace? The one who had been working with Boss Pei? What a fortune!"
He was a little surprised at Ruan Guangjian's youthfulness.
The two of them had heard about each other so they immediately hit off after a simple introduction.
Professionals often had the same strait—that was to respect other professionals.
Ruan Guangjian knew that He An was the pioneer of domestic standalone games. He An also knew that Ruan Guangjian was currently a top artist and concept designer. There were many contents that they could communicate about.
Ruan Guangjian got his staff to buy coffee from the opposite store, and they sat down in the studio and started talking.
"Is this the first time Big Boss He An is in Jingzhou?" Ruan Guangjian asked.
He An smiled slightly and shook his head. "No, I've been here many times."
"I had been giving lectures to Boss Ma of Tengda Corporation in a small cafe nearby recently. The course had ended, but the video from Teacher Qiao renewed my interest in Jingzhou. I suddenly wanted to come here to tour this weekend.
"I just wanted to walk around here. I didn't expect to see the Halo Workspace. I entered because I was a little curious."
Ruan Guangjian was a little confused. "Boss Ma of Tengda Corporation?"
He An nodded. "Yes, Boss Ma, Ma Yang from Dream Realization Ventures."
Ruan Guangjian tried his best to recall. He vaguely seemed to know that such a person existed. He knew that Boss Ma earned 500 million yuan for Tengda, but he had never seen him before.
However, why did Boss Ma want to take lessons from Big Boss He An?
Could he feel that investment was too easy, holding no joy for him, and wanted to make games instead?
If that was the case, why did he not receive lectures from Boss Pei instead?
Hmmm... perhaps Boss Pei was too busy with work and had no time to do so?
It was possible.
Ruan Guangjian did not think too much about it as he asked casually. "Has Boss He met Boss Pei? Boss Pei should know about Boss Ma asking you to lecture, right?"
"I did not have the good fortune of meeting Boss Pei. Boss Ma's tuition was paid by Boss Pei after he obtained the outstanding employee award so Boss Pei must know about it," He An said with some regret.
Ruan Guangjian frowned a little. "Then, it shouldn't be the case. Boss Pei has always been hospitable and treated all friends who came to Jingzhou very well. There is no reason for him not to meet an old senior like you."
He An was not too bothered about it. "Perhaps Boss Pei is too busy. Tengda had developed rapidly during this period after all. Boss Pei must have spent so much energy to develop 'Struggle'; it was normal for him to be unable to get away.
"However, I'm really curious about Boss Pei. You probably see Boss Pei often, right? Can you tell me about Boss Pei?"
Ruan Guangjian nodded. "Of course!
"Boss Pei treats his friends very sincerely. He is also a good game producer. He has a good grasp of the details of the game. The style of 'Struggle' was determined by him..."
Ruan Guangjian was fascinated when he spoke about that scene.
At the time, the first batch of original concept art of 'Struggle' had just been done. Ruan Guangjian handled them completely in accordance with the ultimate realistic style. Boss Pei was aware of their problems from the first time he saw the concept art and proposed to change them to be the same, highlighting the typical characteristics of the characters.
As expected, the style of the game was a huge success when it went online.
After which, Ruan Guangjian spoke about his experience of cooperating with Boss Pei in other games such as Ghost General and GOG.
He An nodded often, exclaiming in awe from time to time.
The cooperation between designers and artists had always been a difficult problem. Once the communication went south, then it was easy to drag each other down.
However, the cooperation between Boss Pei and Ruan Guangjian seemed to have no such problem at all. They could always cooperate seamlessly. That was truly amazing!
He An was filled with emotion. He spoke about the theories he had imparted to Boss Ma in Jingzhou, especially when he focused on Boss Pei's game as a case study, allowing Boss Ma to achieve the effect with half the effort.
The more they chatted, the more they felt like kindred spirits.
Ruan Guangjian was a friend of Boss Pei's, and He An was a friend of Boss Ma; Boss Pei and Boss Ma were friends. Rounding all these up, these two could also become very good friends!
Moreover, they were all well-known characters in the domestic game circle. There might be opportunities for cooperation in the future. It was even more necessary to get acquainted.
They were so engrossed that two hours slipped by without them realizing it.
He An looked at the time. "Aiya, I didn't notice the time. I must be disturbing your work?" he said.
Ruan Guangjian shook his head. "Not at all, my working time is very flexible. You are not disturbing at all."
He An still stood up. "I won't bother you anymore. How about this? Tomorrow is the weekend. I would like to treat you to a meal if you have the time. We'll chat again at the dining table. How about it?"
Ruan Guangjian also got up hurriedly. "No problem! However, I have to be the one to host since we are in Jingzhou."
He An smiled. "You don't have to be polite about this. Alright, I'll get going now. Let's keep in touch."
Ruan Guangjian sent He An out of Halo Workspace personally after they exchanged their contact details.
They saw a familiar figure approaching just when they were out of the door.
Ruan Guangjian's eyes shone. Speak of the devil!
Wasn't this too much of a coincidence?
"Boss Pei!" Ruan Guangjian was elated. "We were talking about you!"
Pei Qian was at the entrance of Fish-Catching Internet Cafe after plucking up his courage to get out of his apartment. He met Ruan Guangjian and He An exiting the Halo Workspace by chance.
Then, Pei Qian, who froze in place, witnessed He An's expression change from happiness to surprise then to being dazed and shocked.
Everything became awkward suddenly.
Numerous question marks floated above Pei Qian's head. He never thought this would happen!
Why was He An here?
Didn't he leave Jingzhou? When did he come back?
When did he get to know Ruan Guangjian?
How am I supposed to explain...?
The question mark above He An's head was no less than Pei Qian's.
He was very happy when he saw 'Boss Ma'; he felt that fate was extraordinary.
However, Ruan Guangjian's 'Boss Pei' made He An's smile freeze in place.
Boss Pei? Ruan Guangjian actually addressed Boss Ma as Boss Pei?
Recognizing Pei as Ma?
Oh, no, it should be recognizing Ma as Pei?
That didn't seem right as well.
Did Ruan Guangjian address him wrongly?
Impossible. Ruan Guangjian cooperated with Boss Pei so many times; he could not be wrong!
There must be a huge problem here!
Both of them stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
Ruan Guangjian looked at He An and then at Boss Pei and realized that neither of them spoke. He was still wondering what was going on.
However, he understood it immediately upon thinking about it. Both of them must be a little excited at a historical meeting like this; it was totally understandable!
Don't bother them; just let them enjoy this moment exclusively.
Ruan Guangjian smiled slightly when he thought about it. "You two must have a lot to talk about. I'll head back to work first. See you!"
Ruan Guangjian returned to Halo Workspace.
A gust of wind blew and rolled up a leaf on the ground; everything seemed to be still.
Pei Qian and He An faced each other with different expressions, both choking silently.