Pei Qian pondered for a while and then added, “The bodies of all employees are the assets of the company. If you discover a problem, you cannot hide it. Understand?
“Apart from this, Assistant Xin, give each employee a one-year membership card for the gym. Every month, buy eight private training sessions for each employee as well. Everybody must go to the gym twice a week!”
In Jingzhou, one-year gym memberships cost about two thousand yuan; and each private training session cost about two hundred yuan. Eight private training sessions cost about 1,600 yuan in total. That would amount to twenty thousand yuan in a year.
However, he could not pay out this lump sum at one go. The System only allowed him to make one purchase each month. What’s more, the highest number of private training sessions he could purchase each month was ten.
Based on his calculations, this meant that he would be able to spend about two hundred thousand yuan more each month on the gym.
“There is also the problem of diet. Many of our employees suffer from gastrointestinal problems. This is mainly because of the food you eat. Ma Yang, hasn’t Fish-Catching Internet Cafe employed a good chef? Hire two more. Prepare good meals every afternoon and deliver them to the office. The company will take care of the meals!
“Each day, when you get to work, come together and decide what food you would like to eat for lunch. Of course, take note of nutrition as well. Ma Yang and Zhang Yuan will be in charge of this.”
Ma Yang quickly nodded. “Alright, Boss Pei!”
Ma Yang had been feeling depressed recently.
Game Designer was making money, and so was Boss Pei’s Daily Life. However, Fish-Catching Internet Cafe was still incurring a loss of about three hundred thousand yuan each month. How could he not be depressed?
He felt useless!
Now that there was a chance for him to perform, he was going to cherish it.
“There’s more. In order to ensure that every employee has good health, we have to recruit a nutritionist! Assistant Xin, take note of this. Go back and look for a suitable person to recruit.” As Pei Qian briefed the employees about these things, he kept an eye on the System’s response.
The System did not object to anything; that meant that everything was accepted. After making these arrangements, Pei Qian joyfully discovered that he had just spent about five hundred thousand yuan!
Of course, he was still a long way from incurring a loss…
However, he was taking things in his stride. Although he would get five thousand yuan less after conversion, there was a meaning behind it all!
He had already paved a new way of spending money under the System. He had fifty employees, and so he could spend five hundred thousand yuan. If he had five hundred employees, wouldn’t he be able to spend five million yuan? He was doing all of these to build a firm foundation for incurring losses in the future!
“Alright, that’s all for today. Be dismissed, everyone!” Pei Qian stood up and left the conference room, feeling satisfied with himself. Although the game was over for this week, his future was looking very bright!
The other people in the conference room were stunned into silence. They were moved! Where in the world would they find another boss who prioritized his employees’ health over anything else?! This was unbelievable!
Many people felt a newfound respect for Pei Qian as they watched him leave the room.
Boss Pei was a good boss indeed. He always sacrificed in silence, without showing off. He did not act like other rich men who said they took their employees as family and made a show of doing charity. Weren’t those people obviously doing it for the sake of their own reputation?
Boss Pei was entirely different. He was doing all of this purely out of love for his employees. He had no plans to tell the media about these things at all.
Was this the generosity of a big boss?
They could only describe their feelings in one way: they had the deepest admiration for a man with high morals!
Ma Yiqun silently made up his mind. He had already arranged for an interview with Hu Yue the next day. Although he could not expose Boss Pei’s true identity or the exact benefits he enjoyed while working for Tengda, there was still a lot more that he could say.
He had to do a good job of the interview this time, so that Tengda’s spirit would be known to the masses!
Chapter 130 - Interview!
April 20th…
After work, Ma Yiqun quietly went to the small cafe next to the office and met Hu Yue for the interview. Hu Yue took out the shorthand notes she made in the morning. They had already agreed beforehand not to expose any video material and not to expose Ma Yiqun’s true name and identity.
Although this would greatly discount the reliability of the interview, Hu Yue was very satisfied. This was because she could interview an employee of Tengda and catch a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg of this up-and-coming company.
Hu Yue even discovered that she was slightly nervous. After calming herself down, she recapped the important questions in her head. She had only decided on these questions late into last night after much thought.
The two reached a common understanding: First, they were not to reveal the true name and identity of the company’s boss. Second, Hu Yue could not ask about the exact benefits and remuneration the employees of the company got.
Thus, Hu Yue was prepared to avoid both of these points. “Don’t be nervous. I am a professional journalist. Please trust my professionalism.
“An outstanding journalist would surely be able to allow the conversation to develop smoothly and naturally. He would be so good that even the interviewee would not notice any break in the rhythm of the interview. All you have to do is to coordinate with me.”
Hu Yue sounded extremely confident.
Ma Yiqun nodded.
“Let us begin, then. First of all, I want to ask how long you have been with Tengda, and what your job scope is. “Don’t worry, I will not write your actual position in the manuscript. I just want to roughly understand what you’re in charge of in the company. That would make it easier for me to ask questions about the industry and work.”
Hu Yue picked up her notebook and prepared herself to take notes. Ma Yiqun pondered for a moment and answered truthfully, “I joined Tengda about a month ago. My main job scope is to learn.”
Hu Yue was in the midst of furiously writing notes, but she paused suddenly. His main job scope was… to learn?
“Could you tell me more?”
Ma Yiqun nodded. “Tengda Games is very different from other games companies. Here at Tengda Games, we do high-quality design work. New people have no right to assist or do work. We can only watch and learn! What’s more, this learning period would extend over a long time.
“I am under great pressure every day. I need to learn the initial thought process behind the game from Boss Pei and the way that the seniors contemplate and draw conjectures from this thought process. Speaking of this makes me feel guilty; until now, I am making very slow progress.
“Until now, I still cannot understand even a fraction of what Boss Pei does. I still need to ask my seniors before I can understand Boss Pei’s thought process.”
Hu Yue was shocked. She quickly recorded these answers down. Even employees who worked for half a year in other companies could only watch and learn in this company. One could only imagine how terrifying the standard in this company was!
Speaking of which, the boss in this company was recruiting employees and paying them a salary each month to watch and learn. Not every company had such power and abilities!
There was so much more to behold; this was only the beginning!
Calm down, I am a professional journalist!
Hu Yue calmed her own emotions and moved on to the next topic. “Let’s talk about Game Designer, the newest game that just became extremely hot. This game made use of performance art-style marketing. Was that a strategy that your company thought of from the beginning?”
Ma Yiqun shook his head. “No. Actually, all of us were kept in the dark. Up until the company gathering, all of us were still worrying about the game’s prospects.
“Boss Pei decided from the start that he would employ performance art-style marketing. He kept this from everyone in the office. When the sales of the game hit an all-time low and when we were all desperate, the sales suddenly picked up; and we achieved a great comeback!
“Speaking of it makes me guilty again. We did not do anything to help.”
Hu Yue’s eyes lit up.
This was one valuable company; he was one valuable boss!
“Can you tell me more about your Boss Pei?” Hu Yue was writing furiously in her notebook.
Ma Yiqun’s expression turned into one of deep admiration and respect. “Boss Pei is a talented designer. Sometimes, Boss Pei would give us several simple pointers and directions. Once we follow them, we would be able to produce excellent games. Ocean Stronghold is one example.
“Sometimes, Boss Pei would do the work on his own. He would have many requirements for the details, and he would polish the game with his own efforts until it became outstanding. That was what happened for Game Designer.
“What’s more, Boss Pei has a very unique and charming personality. Countless elites would be drawn to him, wanting to work with him.
“The great artist-Ruan Guangjian—and the top-class content creator-Teacher Qiaoare all good friends that Boss Pei has made. Their friendship is not contaminated by any selfish interest!
“Boss Pei is a lonely prodigy. His understanding surpasses our generation. That’s why he’s always misunderstood by people. However, Boss Pei does not mind this. Again and again, he exceeds himself.”
Hu Yue was taking all of this down as quickly as she could.
Although Ma Yiqun was singing beautiful praises of Boss Pei and one might think that he was sucking up to his boss, Hu Yue knew very well that this was highly unlikely.
This was because it was an anonymous interview!
From the start, both of them had already agreed that Hu Yue would not expose Ma Yiqun’s identity or position in the manuscript for the interview. Even if Ma Yiqun’s high praises of Boss Pei reached the latter’s ears, the latter would not know who he was.
There was no incentive.
Thus, all of these represented Ma Yiqun’s honest thoughts!
Hu Yue could not help but feel moved. She rarely met such a harmonious boss-and-employee duo.
“Out of a hundred points, how many points would you give your boss, Boss Pei?” Hu Yue asked.
Without any hesitation, Ma Yiqun answered, “Two hundred points! Perhaps some bosses in this world would be able to achieve ninety points by giving their employees good overtime pay, employee welfare, and the like.
“But Boss Pei can achieve two hundred points!
“Boss Pei is generous toward every employee. He cares for our health and does not hold back when spending on us. However, according to the seniors in the company, Boss Pei is very strict with himself. One might even say he is extremely thrifty!
“I can only say that before I came to Tengda —if someone had told me that a boss like Boss Pei exists, I would never believe him! Of course, if people tell me now that there is another boss like Boss Pei in this world, I would still not believe them!”
Hu Yue continued to take these answers down in her notebook. Just hearing these answers moved her. She was finding it hard to control his own emotions.
It was almost as if Ma Yiqun had infected her!
From Ma Yiqun’s words, Hu Yue could sense the immense admiration and gratefulness Tengda’s employees felt towards Boss Pei. She could also vaguely imagine Boss Pei’s noble and illuminating image…
Hu Yue looked down at the notes in her notebook and felt satisfaction at what she gained from this interview.
Once this interview was edited and published, it would be explosive for sure!
“Finally, let’s talk about Boss Pei.
“Game Designer has caused many people to think that this was Boss Pei’s personal experience. As a designer, did Boss Pei experience these setbacks as well? Was that why he could infuse such deep meaning and sentiment into the game?”
Chapter 131 - Entering the Mysterious Tengda Games
Hu Yue felt that now that the interview had entered this stage, it was time to raise the bar for one’s thinking and imagination!
For such a talented designer like Boss Pei, he must not have had it smooth-sailing all the time. If not, how could he have been able to so accurately describe a content creator’s predicament in Game Designer, resonating with so many?
However, Ma Yiqun scratched at the hairs on his head, “I don’t think so.”
“Ah?” Hu Yue was shocked.
Ma Yiqun said, “As far as I know, Boss Pei has not seemed to have experienced any setbacks; he has always been rather smooth-sailing…
“The Lonely Desert Road, Ghost General, Ocean Stronghold, and Game Designer… Boss Pei had only done these four games, and all of them have been a roaring success.
“So if you ask me if Boss Pei had actually managed to design this game because he resonated with it, I am actually not very sure. However, I am very sure that other designers and developers have experienced those trials and tribulations…
“While Boss Pei hasn’t.”
Hu Yue,”…”
Was this what a genius was like?
Just like those admirable and great reformers in history. Although they were in high positions and had smooth-going lives, they had actually managed to feel the pain and agony the lower strata of society felt.
This was a very powerful quality!
“One last question…
“The short video series Boss Pei’s Daily Life that had gained popularity on the internet; it seemed to have used some of Tengda Games’ material. Could I ask if Tengda had collaborated with this short video series on this?”
Ma Yiqun nodded. “En, actually all this could be found out if you investigated. Boss Pei’s Daily Life is a production of Fei Huang Workspace while Fei Huang Workspace is Tengda’s subsidiary.”
Hu Yue’s eyes lit up.
“No wonder! That means that one of the reasons why this short video series had gained in fame has to do with the fact that it adapts some of Boss Pei’s personal life experiences, right?”
Ma Yiqun hesitated, “I’m sorry; I can’t comment on this. I might actually divulge some information regarding Boss Pei.
“Boss Pei is a very low-profile person. He hopes that gamers could pay more attention to the games that he creates; he doesn’t want them to chase him like fans go after their idols. He doesn’t want them to lose objectivity regarding his games.”
Although she didn’t get the answer she wanted, Hu Yue wasn’t angry; she actually smiled. Although she did not have cold, hard statistics; this had all in all been a rather extraordinary interview!
Indeed, only with such special employees, such a special boss-could they have created such a special game, right?
Amusement Times, Jingzhou City division…
Although it was a games media company that the entire country knew about-as the Amusement Times’ Jingzhou City division was just a normal worksite, its set-up was rather normal. Only three journalists, two editors, and a chief editor were stationed here.
Even its office was in a co-working space. The editor looked at the draft Hu Yue had sent as he was stunned. “Little Hu, you are a veteran journalist; why is it you have submitted just a piece…?
“Without a source, without pictures and footage, without other supporting evidence. You also can’t even divulge a little about the target of the interview? We are not some road-side small media outlet. This piece… even if I gave the go-ahead, the chief editor wouldn’t…”
This editor was now nursing a headache. Hu Yue had just wanted to explain when the chief editor Brother Zhao had already rushed over. “Little Hu, are you done with the draft?”
The editor hurriedly handed the draft to the chief editor.
“Brother Zhao, this draft…”
She hadn’t even finished speaking when the chief editor slapped his thigh and said, “Good! Great job, Little Hu!”
The editor, “…”
Brother Zhao hurriedly read the news’ draft. “Little Hu, you are really good at adapting and striking the iron when it’s hot; you deserve commendation! All the domestic players in the country now are very curious about Tengda. Although this piece might not be that substantiated, I trust in Little Hu’s professional integrity; the reliability is rather high!
“Let’s get a move on this and release it to create a new hot topic. Who knows? We might be able to hold our heads high up to headquarters after this!
“Let’s release this as it is!”
Two days later, a news article appeared on Amusement Times’s official site. It soon was carried by all the established games media outlets!
Getting a closer look at the mysterious Tengda Games: the domestic games industry Utopia!
Hu Yue’s piece had not mentioned Ma Yiqun even once; she did not even state she had interviewed a Tengda employee. She had started her piece by referencing the very popular Game Designer and Boss Pei’s Daily Life before diving into all the content Ma Yiqun had provided her!
“Accompanying the game called The Lonely Desert Road, Tengda’s name had steadily become well-known among the domestic gaming community.
“In less than a year, Tengda Games had consecutively released four games. They were a standalone game, a card game, an FPS game, and a standalone metagame. Tengda Games had used a powerful and unconstrained imagination and a bold creative spirit to win the praises of official games platforms. It is now seen as the new standard-bearer for the domestic games industry!
“Today, Amusement Times will help everyone unveil the mysterious Tengda Games; to let everyone have a peek at this up-and-coming games company!”
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