Chapter 123: Feel the Terror of the Demanding Client
Half an hour later...
In the Office, a Designer sat in front of the Computer, waiting for a group of Naughty children to brainstorm ideas.
"Should we think about Animals?" Mitsuhiko realized this Commission wasn't so easy, frowning as he pondered, "Kittens, Puppies, Hamsters are also very cute..."
"I think Dolphins are cute!" Genta said.
Ayumi recalled, "I think Giant pandas are the cutest..."
"Right," Mitsuhiko's Eyes lit up, "Giant pandas are the cutest!"
Chi Feichei sat aside reading a Book and casually snatched a pack of Dried Small Fish from Hassashi, "No."
Hassashi looked up resentfully: "..."
A Master with nothing to do is terrifying, even snatching a Snake's Things!
"Why?" Genta asked, puzzled.
"Because that's a symbol of China," Haibara Ai explained, feeling a bit helpless, "Japan's Giant pandas are still rented. While they're cute, using them isn't appropriate..."
Chi Feichei watched the show from the side and casually picked up a Draft, "We don't need to specify what Animal it is, something like this with a round Face, big Head, short arms, and short legs..."
The Draft was a sketch of Pikachu, uncolored, but he'd drawn it to be extra cute, sitting on the Ground with its Head tilted, its Tail's lightning bolt standing straight up.
"So cute!"
"Can't we just use this?"
The Designer over there also had his Eyes light up. He thought letting these Child design it wasn't very reliable anyway.
Haibara Ai was a little surprised, "Did you draw this? I think we can just use this."
"No." Chi Feichei put away the Draft.
"Why?" Haibara Ai couldn't help but ask.
"Because this is a Commission." Chi Feichei started reading a Book again.
Haibara Ai: "...!"
Just wait!
An hour later...
Chi Feichei glanced at the Computer, "It's alright, but the Face is too ugly."
"..."
Two hours later...
"No, it's too similar to other Mascot, lacking unique characteristics."
Three hours...
"No, it doesn't have the Shinchi Group's characteristics."
Four hours...
Chi Feichei asked Da Shan Mi to buy Lunch. While everyone was wolfing it down, he glanced at the Computer.
"This one should be okay, right?" Mitsuhiko said, "We think Bunnies are cuter, and the Head is also round..."
Genta: "Short arms and short legs..."
Ayumi: "And big Eyes..."
"No." Chi Feichei averted his gaze.
"Why?"
"I don't like Animals I've dissected, like Rabbits."
"..."
Five hours...
"How about this one?" Mitsuhiko tried to cheer himself up, "Shinchi means Water, right? Let's use Dolphins!"
Haibara Ai looked at Chi Feichei with a faint gaze, "Still, they're relatively cute Dolphins. You haven't dissected them, have you?"
Chi Feichei ignored Haibara Ai's slightly darkened Face, "No, I don't like Dolphins."
"!"
Six hours...
"A Little Water Drop turned into a Doll! How about that?"
"No, too ugly." Chi Feichei switched to a Medical book.
Seven hours...
"What about this one?" Haibara Ai stared at Chi Feichei, mentally calculating her odds of beating him.
Chi Feichei glanced at it. The drawing was good, round Head, big Eyes, and it looked like it was wearing a Christmas hat on the back of its Head, but the tip was upturned. At first glance, it looked like a Water Drop, but much cuter than a Water Drop shape overall, and there was also a Blue bead.
Overall, it actually looks a bit like... Little water dragon?
Round Eyes, two short eyebrows above the Eyes, round Hands and Feet, and a proud but polite smile.
But there are too many Colors...
"This image is pretty good..."
The three Child all breathed a sigh of relief.
Even Haibara Ai felt a lot more relieved. "We can add the Shinchi Group Logo on the back, three wave-like Lines plus a Circle, it won't look too strange. We can add the Serpent Symbol on the belly to represent the Hospital, or other Logo to represent the Branches of industry..."
Chi Feichei nodded, "The image is settled then, but... the Colors are too flashy."
Haibara Ai and the three Child: "..."
They felt the terror of the Demanding Client!
Eight hours...
Pairs of Eyes stared at Chi Feichei.
Chi Feichei looked it over. The overall colors were light blue and white, the bead on the Head and the Shinchi Group Logo were dark blue. It did look much fresher. "Alright."
"Huh?" Mitsuhiko was stunned for a moment, still a little slow to react. "C-Can it be done?"
Seeing Chi Feichei nod, Genta almost cried with joy.
"There's also the Field Group Mascot." Chi Feichei checked the Time. "I have something to do tonight. I'll take you out for Dinner in an hour. If we can't finish it, we'll continue tomorrow."
Haibara Ai: "..."
Just thinking about having to watch Chi Feichei say 'no', 'I don't like it', 'revise it again' with a cold Face, she felt like... she was going crazy!
Another half hour...
Chi Feichei looked at the Draft. The overall image was similar, just changing the Colors to orange and red, and the bead tip at the back of the Head was changed to a Star.
The Designer smiled sheepishly, "The Child really couldn't endure it anymore..."
"Shinchi Group and Field Group are sister Corporations, right?" Ayumi asked weakly.
"Then that's it." Chi Feichei finally nodded and looked at the Designer. "Please refine it and give it to Da Shan."
"Okay!" The Designer nodded.
The group of Child immediately slumped onto the Sofa. Haibara Ai also leaned back, completely losing her composure.
The Designer comforted them with a smile, "You're all very imaginative. Otherwise, I might have been struggling with this for days!"
To Cooperate with imaginative Child, you just need to correct the unreliable suggestions, and with someone suppressing objections, it's indeed easy...
"Really?" Mitsuhiko recovered a bit of Mental State.
Just now Chi Feichei hadn't praised them at all, and they felt really frustrated...
The Designer nodded, "You've been a big help, and Chi Advisor's requirements actually weren't that high..."
Chi Feichei got up, went to the Drawer of the Office desk and took out a Bank card. "I didn't even ask for a rainbow of black."
The three Child and Haibara Ai suddenly had Expressions like they'd seen a ghost.
A rainbow of black?!
"This is your Commission Fee." Chi Feichei put the Bank card on the table.
The three Little Head immediately crowded around, completely forgetting their previous bad Mood.
"How much Money will there be?"
"Is it enough for me to buy ten servings of Eel Rice?"
"Five hundred thousand Japanese Yen." Chi Feichei said.
The calmness on Haibara Ai's Face faltered slightly. "Isn't that a bit much?"
"After all, you worked hard all day."
Chi Feichei went to pick up Hassashi again, getting ready to leave work.
It's just over thirty thousand Chinese Yuan.
Not even thinking about how much Money Doctor Agasa spends when these naughty Child eat out, or how much Money it costs for a casual Camping trip...
This little bit of Money probably won't last for more than a few times.
However, Child don't usually handle much Money, so they're a bit too overjoyed when faced with a large sum of Money.
"Five hundred thousand?!"
"Awesome!"
"I want to eat Eel Rice!"
"If there's no adult to lead them, Child can't withdraw this Money from the Bank on their own." Haibara Ai saw through Chi Feichei's intention and calmed down. Even if these naughty Child have Money, they might not be able to waste it. "It's better to give it to Doctor Agasa for safekeeping. If you need to buy Gift or go out to play, use this Money."
However, even if someone poured cold water on them, it couldn't extinguish the Flames of excitement in the hearts of the Child.
"Then let's treat Doctor Agasa to a meal tomorrow!"
"How about going out for high-end Sushi?"
"They'll have Eel Rice too, right?"
"Hey, you guys..." Haibara Ai was speechless. Child really can't handle Money.
"It's good that they know how to repay kindness." Chi Feichei said softly.
Haibara Ai was speechless and nodded. She suddenly felt that Chi Feichei was really good to Child, not just in a doting way, but also guiding them to earn Money through their own work and repay others...
"Once Doctor Agasa is happy, he might just pay for it himself, so they won't have to spend any Money at all. Even if Doctor Agasa doesn't pay, he'll be gratified and happy, and there will be plenty of Feasts in the future," Chi Feichei analyzed. "You're guaranteed to profit."
Haibara Ai: "..."
Had she been overthinking things? Was this whole 'guiding growth' thing just wishful thinking?
(End of Chapter)