Ma Yiqun was stunned, “How do you know I’m a Tengda employee?”
Hu Yue smiled slightly, “I have a classmate working in the hospital. She mentioned that Tengda employees were coming for a physical examination today, and I had rushed over.”
Amusement Times?
Ma Yiqun had some impression of this company. It was a relatively well-known games media company. Its written news and short video segments were both rather popular. If it was ordinary circumstances, Ma Yiqun would definitely accede to the request.
However, Tengda’s situation was anything but ordinary. Boss Pei had specifically instructed before not to divulge his name or personal details to outsiders and not to say anything about the company’s salary packages and benefit schemes!
This Journalist Hu Yue had originally called Tengda but had been rejected outright when she had mentioned wanting to conduct an interview. Although she could find where Tengda was located—since the company had already rejected her request, she couldn’t possibly barge in forcibly, right? That would be too rude.
Many other journalists had also been rejected like Hu Yue; they had all given up. However, Hu Yue refused to give up. Coincidentally, she had a friend working in this hospital who knew that Tengda employees were doing physical examinations here. Hu Yue had then rushed here speedily and had actually managed to find one such person.
Ma Yiqun decided to abide by Boss Pei’s rules as he rejected the request. “I’m sorry; our company has its rules. We cannot divulge anything regarding our boss; we also cannot say anything regarding our compensation and benefits. You’d better look for someone else.” Ma Yiqun spoke as he turned to leave.
“Wait a moment!” Hu Yue hurriedly shouted at Ma Yiqun to stop him from leaving. She had, after much difficulty, managed to get her hands on a Tengda employee; she wasn’t going to let him go like this!
Chapter 126 - Boss Pei’s Thoughtfulness and Farsightedness
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“You could not divulge anything regarding your boss; you also don’t need to talk about specifics regarding compensation. You could use a very vague way to respond! Don’t worry; this interview is completely anonymous, and I will speed-write everything down instead of using any recording devices or video footage.”
Hu Yue seemed to be well-prepared as she took out her notebook and emptied her pockets to indicate she did not have any recording devices on her.
Ma Yiqun was a little stunned. “You’re a little too into your job, don’t you think? As for Tengda? It is but a normal game company; why must you do this interview?”
“It’s not!” Hu Yue replied seriously, “I am interviewing for the sake of the domestic game industry’s health and development prospects!”
Ma Yiqun was a little confused. “Ah? What do you mean?”
Hu Yue’s eyes flashed as she said, “If this was an ordinary interview, I could just call it quits. However, Tengda is different! I want to interview Tengda not because of the royalties or remuneration; I hope to prove to the domestic game industry that this kind of good-hearted games company really does exist!”
“Before this, the domestic game industry had always been castigated by players for being rough and slipshod, that they are only thinking about making money via paywalls, lacking in creativity, etc. As a member of the games media, I am also distressed and disgusted by this but was powerless to do anything!
“However, Tengda’s appearance had made me discover a different type of company, one that is very particular about the quality of its games, bold in its creativity, not money-minded, and views games as art!
“I thought: the internal workings of Tengda must really be different from other companies as well! If I really could finish this interview, it would have a huge impact on the domestic games industry.
“I hope that Tengda could become a standard-bearer, a model that would guide the domestic games industry to a better tomorrow. I hope that all players who love domestically-produced games would continue to have faith in these games!”
Ma Yiqun grew silent. Originally, if Hu Yue had wanted to dig up some gossip and do a write-up with a sensational headline, Ma Yiqun would definitely reject her resolutely within hesitation. However, Hu Yue’s words had touched him.
If Tengda could become a model and on a certain level change the entire ethos of the domestic games industry, wouldn’t that be a good thing?
From this perspective, he should agree to this interview. However, Boss Pei had after all emphasized not to reveal his identity and anything regarding the company’s compensation packages.
He was in a dilemma.
Ma Yiqun thought for a moment, “How about this? You can leave me your contact details. Give me one day to think about this.”
“Alright.” Hu Yue knew that she could not rush this matter as she handed over her contact details to Ma Yiqun.
…
…
After thinking for a night, Ma Yiqun still could not make up his mind. He thought about it further and decided to ask for Bao Xu’s opinion when he reached the office. Although the interview was going to be anonymous, if this matter made Boss Pei unhappy, that would not be good; Ma Yiqun would feel guilty.
If he went to ask Boss Pei directly, that would be too abrupt. Bao Xu knew Boss Pei the best; asking for his opinion would be the right thing to do.
The morning of the next day, Ma Yiqun found Bao Xu and explained the matter to him simply. Bao Xu considered for a moment and said, “I think that you can agree to this interview.”
Ma Yiqun was a little hesitant. “However, hadn’t Boss Pei said expressively that we couldn’t divulge his identity or any details of the company’s compensation packages?”
Bao Xu shook his head, “Don’t be so block-headed; you have to try and understand Boss Pei’s true intentions.”
Ma Yiqun perked up. “Boss Pei’s… true intentions?”
Indeed, he had asked the right person! Only someone as high and mighty as Bao Xu would be able to understand Boss Pei’s intentions! If he did as Bao Xu said, he would not go wrong!
Bao Xu collected his thoughts as he analyzed, “Boss Pei doesn’t want us to divulge his identity and not to let others know about Tengda’s compensation packages. Regarding this, I had initially thought this to be strange and hard to understand. Who wouldn’t want to be famous? However, after slowly thinking about it, I finally understood.
“Why doesn’t Boss Pei want us to divulge his identity? That’s because Boss Pei is a low-profile person. He is a game designer with much charisma; if his identity was made known, perhaps gamers would focus their attention on him and not on the games.”
“Hence, Boss Pei actually wants people to focus on the games he creates and not on him as a person.
“He doesn’t want players to become idiotic fans who chase stars and idols. He hopes that everyone would be able to be removed from his personal charm and charisma to properly and objectively rate and review his games!”
Ma Yiqun suddenly saw the light. “I understand now! It’s just like what an author had said before. ‘If one ate an egg and felt it tasted good, why was there a need to recognize the mother hen who laid the egg?’ ”
Bao Xu nodded. “That’s right; that’s the logic. Yiqun, you are indeed a Chinese Language and Literature student!”
Ma Yiqun looked a little abashed as he said, “Brother Bao is too kind; I had but coincidentally thought about this. It seems as if the true masters are always so humble and prefer to keep a low-profile!
“And so… why doesn’t Boss Pei want us to divulge the company benefits and salary packages? Ma Yiqun continued to ask.
Bao Xu sighed and said, “I feel that Boss Pei is doing this taking into consideration the entire domestic game industry. We all know that Tengda’s existing benefits and salary packages are unrivaled. No other games company can come close to Tengda. If all these were made known, what would happen?
“The entire industry would be
shaken, right?”
Ma Yiqun was a little confused, “If that was the case, all the talented people would flock to Tengda; wouldn’t that be a good thing?”
Bao Xu shook his head. “You’re looking at this problem one-sided. If Tengda had broken the industry standards and gave employees such good benefits, wouldn’t that incur the animosity of other companies? Tengda might become the common target of censure. Although this possibility is not that high, we have to be wary of this.
“Furthermore, once this news is made public, it would have a negative impact on other up-and-coming start-ups and small companies! Although having good benefits is naturally a good thing; not every company’s boss is as good as Boss Pei!
“Companies that give employees lesser benefits might not all be black-hearted; they might indeed be struggling bitterly. Many newly established groups’ bosses are working overtime together with their employees, toughing it out together. Examples such as this are all around us.
“Once Tengda announces its benefits to everyone—if other companies that were actually doing okay suddenly broke apart because of this; would this be a good or bad thing?! The general culture and environment of the game industry have to be changed bit by bit. If Tengda set the industry standard so high all of a sudden, it might actually result in a backlash.”
Ma Yiqun understood. “Oh, I understand now; it is just like the story of Zi Gong Ransoming Someone1!”
Bao Xu was a little bewildered. It was indeed a little trying talking to a Chinese Language and Literature gifted person.
Chapter 127 - I’m Here to Report Good News!
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Ma Yiqun quickly explained, “This is the story in the Analects of Confucius. In summary, it says that if you take a moral standard that everyone would ordinarily be able to achieve and raise it to the extent that the majority of people would not be able to attain it, most people will become deterred from pursuing it.
“If Tengda Games increases its salary standards and benefits for its employees to such a high extent, the employees of other companies will become affected as well. Slowly, this would affect the environment in the entire game industry. Therefore, on one theory, this would backfire!”
Bao Xu nodded. “That’s right. Although I did not understand your story, that is exactly what it means. If we look at the bigger picture, the entire industry will slowly improve under Tengda’s influence in the future. However, it’s obviously still too early at the moment. We have to take things one bite at a time, one step at a time.
“Boss Pei must have thought about this as well. That was probably why he hoped to be more low-key about it all, and why he keeps repeating this to us.”
A realization dawned on Ma Yiqun. So, that was why! Boss Pei was not only being low-key for his own sake; instead, he was showing great foresight. He was considering the development of the entire industry!
“Well… should I turn down the interview?” Ma Yiqun asked.
Bao Xu, “No, you should accept it.”
“Huh?” Ma Yiqun was confused. “Wouldn’t I be acting completely against Boss Pei’s hopes and expectations?”
Bao Xu smiled. “As long as you do not expose Boss Pei’s identity or your exact remuneration and benefits, there would be no problem, would there? I feel that there is still a need to do the interview this time, so that we can fulfill Boss Pei’s requirements completely and make Tengda known!”
“However, we have to be in control of this situation. All in all, you cannot expose the actual terms in our contracts, but you can publicize our mindset and worldview.”
Ma Yiqun stared at Bao Xu, dazed. “Then… how should I do that?”
Bao Xu answered, “Boss Pei only said that we were not to expose Tengda’s salary structure or treatment of its employees. However, apart from these things, Tengda is commendable in many other aspects!
“If we can publicize these other aspects, not only would we be fulfilling Boss Pei’s requests to maintain low-key and not bring too much attention to ourselves, but we would also be getting good publicity for our company. That would be killing two birds with one stone!
“As a games company, we have to attract talent to join us by making a name for ourselves. I feel like Boss Pei would not frown upon this strategy.”
Ma Yiqun nodded profusely. “I understand, Brother Bao! I will take this interview and do a good job of it!”
…
In the office, Pei Qian summoned up the system.
Pei Qian read the words on the screen and heaved a long sigh.
According to the initial plan, he should be incurring huge losses by now. Pei Qian arranged for all employees to undergo a medical examination and increased their welfare benefits in order to incur this loss.
However, Game Designer suddenly reaped profits. Unexpectedly and strangely, Pei Qian had more than one million extra yuan flowing into his account. In just a short time, the loss turned into profit! What’s more, there was still a week to go before settlement. He estimated that there was still more than one million yuan to be earned.
In other words, the System Funds would have about three million yuan. According to the profit conversion ratio, after deducting the initial one million yuan from the System Funds, about two million yuan would remain for conversion.
“Three months, conversion of more than two million yuan. That’s akin to earning about seven thousand yuan per month on average…
“Alright, that’s not a small amount.” Pei Qian had no choice but to comfort himself in this way. Although the profit conversion ratio was 100:1, he would take as much as he could convert…
Just as he was thinking about these things, he heard a knock on the door. He looked up and saw Huang Sibo.
“Boss Pei. I’m here to report good news! The third episode of the third season of Boss Pei’s Daily Life has been posted on Aili Island. Each of the first three episodes had reached about a million views!
“We don’t know the viewership of the first two seasons across the internet. However, considering that only one company has the rights to broadcast our series, we are doing quite well in terms of popularity now!
“According to our agreement, Aili Island gave us about 530 thousand yuan for last week. The money just came into our account. After all ten episodes are out, I think this number might become three or four times greater!
“Boss Pei, I’ll transfer the money into Tengda’s account. Will you portion it?” There were pure excitement and joy on Huang Sibo’s face. He was showing such pride and joy in front of Boss Pei!
Although they still had not recovered the one million yuan they poured into the series, they had already made about five hundred thousand yuan thus far. It was more or less certain that they would soon reap in profits.
Thus, Huang Sibo could not wait to share this good news with Pei Qian.
He wanted to show Boss Pei’s Daily Life that he had not flushed the one million yuan in the Dream Fund down the drain. Now only had he created this top-class, short video series called Boss Pei’s Daily Life; but he even managed to reap in profits for it!
Pei Qian nodded. “En, not bad. Don’t be anxious about the money. We have to think about it properly…”
Pei Qian’s head was still hurting, thinking about the amount of money he had to spend. Now, there was more income. It felt like there was a hole in his roof, and he was going through a downpour lasting several days.
However, seeing the joy on Huang Sibo, he could not br
ing himself to frown and look gloomy. He could only try hard to smile encouragingly. Pei Qian quickly did the mental sums.
Last week, after publishing the third episode, they earned 530 thousand yuan. This week, they were publishing the fourth episode. He guessed they would earn about seven hundred thousand yuan. Three more episodes were yet to be published after settlement; Pei Qian cast them aside for now.
In other words, before settlement, Fei Huang would earn about 1.2 million yuan.
Fei Huang Workspace was a subsidiary of Tengda. Pei Qian had full freedom to allocate the money. If he transferred all the revenue into Tengda’s account, he would increase the amount of System Funds before settlement by about a million yuan.
That meant that after settlement, he would be able to transfer an additional ten thousand yuan or so into his Personal Wealth.
However, on second thought, he could not be so short-sighted. Ending up with a profit at the next settlement was almost certain. There was nothing much Pei Qian could do to change that. However, what about the next time?
Pei Qian was prepared to learn from all his lessons thus far and incur a loss the next time!
Now, there was a possibility he would earn ten thousand yuan more. However, that meant that he would have to spend about a million yuan of the System Funds each month for the following months. Wouldn’t that be adding more weight to his shoulders?
He could not do something so stupid!
When the time came and he found that he could not spend a single cent, he would only have himself to blame for making such a reckless decision at this point in time! Pei Qian pondered silently for a moment.
“Fei Huang Workspace’s profit will be split into four parts: 50% would be allocated to daily operations and future development. You and Zhu Xiaoce, the main leaders of the company, would each get 10% of the profits. The other core members will get 10% altogether. The remaining 20% will be handed in.”
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