Losing Money to Be a Tycoon c1-883

by Inebriation-seeking Blue Shirt, 青衫取醉

  Ten minutes later, the photographs were taken.

  Rui Yuchen led the journalist and the cameraman to the entrance.

  “This is the cleanest and most organized kitchen I have ever seen,” exclaimed the journalist as she held her thumb up.

  “That’s our job. That’s right. I have a gift for you.”

  Smiling, Rui Yuchen handed a brand new lunch box to the journalist.

  She reached out, looking confused. “This is an… insulated lunch box?”

  Rui Yuchen smiled and explained, “This is the new brand that Fish-Catching Take-Out has developed, and it’s called ‘Food Harmony’. It’s the product of the cross between a modern take-out business and traditional culture.

  “Food, as in ‘food is the most important to people’. Harmony, as in ‘gentlemen seek harmony, not uniformity’, and ‘man interacts harmoniously with nature’. At the same time, it sounds like ‘food box’, which was the ancient form of take-out in our country.

  “We have worked hard to mix the traditional ‘lunchbox’ culture within our modern Fish-Catching Take-Out business, to create this special lunchbox. At the same time, we perfected its aesthetic, convenience, and insulant characteristic and honored our gourmet culture.

  “I’m giving you this gift as goodwill from me to you.”

  Once again, the journalist looked pleasantly surprised. “Thank you! Thank you so much! This is valuable as memorabilia, and yet very practical as well! Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed by us!”

  Obviously, the journalist was moved as well. Once she confirmed with the cameraman that they had all the material they needed, she reluctantly left with her lunchbox.

  Rui Yuchen walked the journalist and the cameraman all the way out and watched them get onto their car before he finally heaved a sigh of relief and returned to the store.

  Phew, it’s a good thing I didn’t mess up in front of Boss Pei!

  One didn’t get many opportunities like that to star on television. Grasping it well would mean a valuable chance to get an instant fame boost and a surge in the brand’s value.

  Otherwise, it would all be in vain.

  The effect of the interview would have been greatly discounted if not for the clean and tidy kitchen and the newly-purchased microbial waste processor. Tonight, once the news aired, the effect and coverage would be better than that of any advertisement that they could afford to buy!

  “Boss Pei…

  “Eh? Where’s Boss Pei?”

  When Rui Yuchen returned from sending the journalist off, he discovered that Boss Pei was already gone.

  “Why did Boss Pei leave? Is he unhappy with my performance? He can’t be. I did quite well.

  “Hmm… he finished his food. I guess he should be quite happy with my performance. Perhaps he left quietly because he can completely trust me now. After all, Boss Pei has always been this free and easy.

  “It’s a good thing that I’ve been working on adopting Boss Pei’s spirit. I was well-prepared, so that I could answer the questions so perfectly.

  “Lucky me!”

  Rui Yuchen looked comforted and elated.

  …

  …

  August 12th…

  At Fei Huang Workspace…

  Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce were working hard on editing the short film, ‘New Life’.

  There were two layers of meaning: an old building was given a new lease of life through renovations, and one would start a new life once they moved in. Both of those were included in the publicity video for the Sloth Apartments.

  The videographer who had done the filming was very experienced and professional. He had accumulated a lot of rough footage, including everything necessary.

  However, to reduce it all to a five-minute clip was no easy feat.

  That was because five minutes was too short. Not only would they have to retain the meaning in each raw clip and ensure that each transition was natural and not abrupt, but they also had to ensure that the contrast between the old buildings and the new buildings was etched deeply in the viewers’ minds to bring across the idea of a ‘new life’.

  That called for a lot of skill.

  Luckily, everyone at Fei Huang Workspace was very experienced. They had even edited a movie before. Editing a short film was challenging, but not impossible.

  As Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce discussed the meaning behind each scene, they repeatedly adjusted various factors and strived to achieve the best effect. Just when they were frowning deeply and struggling with ideas, they heard a celebratory shout from the office area.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Brother Huang! Director Zhu! Look who’s here!”

  Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce looked up, their eyes widening in disbelief.

  It was a familiar face.

  Chen Lei!

  Chapter 613 - How are the Lunchboxes in the News Sold?

  Huang Sibo quickly stood up to receive him. “Chen Lei? When did you arrive in Jingzhou?”

  Chen Lei grinned. “Late last night. It was too late, and so I didn’t tell any of you. I intentionally came to look for all of you today. I went to Fish-Catching Internet Cafe’s flagship store first, but I didn’t see Boss Pei or Boss Zhang there. That’s why I came over here.”

  To Chen Lei, apart from Boss Pei and Zhang Yuan, the staff at Fei Huang Workspace were the closest to him out of everyone in Tengda Corporation.

  That’s because they had happened to be in Shanghai filming a documentary when Chen Lei left Jingzhou for Shanghai to chase his dreams. They had taken care of his meals, accommodation, and all other problems there… so they were exceptionally close.

  Emotional, Huang Sibo said, “You’re a huge celebrity now, and you haven’t been back in Jingzhou for a while. That’s probably why you’re unsure of what Tengda is like now.

  “Boss Pei, Boss Zhang, and Boss Ma no longer go to Fish-Catching Internet Cafe’s flagship store!

  “Boss Ma is now in charge of an investment company. I heard that he had invested in IOI before and earned two hundred million yuan for Boss Pei.

  “Boss Zhang was put in charge of the Fish-Catching Internet Cafes, and he started a computer-installation business. Then, he won the Best Employee award and stepped down. Now, he’s in charge of an esports club.

  “As for Boss Pei, he’s getting busier and busier. However, he still hangs out at Fish-Catching Internet Cafe’s Handong University branch now and then. If you’re lucky, you might be able to catch him there.”

  Chen Lei sounded moved. “You guys have changed a lot, too. In the blink of an eye, you’ve won an award at Cannes. I went to watch Tomorrow is Beautiful. It’s very well-made. I keep boasting to my friends, saying that my buddies produced that film.

  “So much has changed in the past year. Who would have imagined?”

  Huang Sibo laughed. “That’s right. How are things for you? I heard that your career has really taken off over the past year and that you’re even preparing for your own concert.”

  Chen Lei nodded. “Yes, it’s pretty good, but I still miss being in Jingzhou. I especially miss those days singing in the internet cafe.

  “I intend to tour around the Fish-Catching Internet Cafes to sing over the next few days, just to reminisce and increase Boss Pei’s sales. To a certain extent, one could say that I would be reliving the good old days.”

  Huang Sibo fell silent. “Tour around and sing…

  “How many days are you back for?”

  Chen Lei thought for a while. “About two weeks. I’ve been running around all year and feeling quite tired. The last time I came back, I only stayed for a day before I left again. I didn’t even have time to see all of you. This time, I want to stay in Jingzhou for a bit longer to recharge.”

  After some consideration, Huang Sibo said, “We wanted you to sing the theme song for the film that we produced in Shanghai, but we didn’t manage to work with you because time was tight.

  “Now, we have another film for Boss P
ei’s project. Do you think you would be able to sing for it?”

  Chen Lei nodded. “Of course, I can! Since it’s Boss Pei’s film, I can’t say no!

  “What’s it about?”

  Huang Sibo quickly scrolled through the rough edit of the film. “These are rented apartments, but Boss Pei has given them a special meaning. He turned these unassuming and deserted old buildings into this, and so we’re naming the film ‘New Life’…

  “You’re good at writing folk songs. Don’t bother incorporating this meaning into your song, as long as the style of the song fits. I’m not sure what you can write about, but feel free to express your creativity.”

  Chen Lei nodded. “Don’t worry. Count on me!”

  …

  In the evening…

  Pei Qian lazed on his couch, switched on his television, switched to Jingzhou’s channel, and watched the night-time news. He would not be able to dodge the attack this time.

  Rui Yuchen had spoken so well and done a series of things earlier to bluff the journalist. Now, Pei Qian had no idea what kind of effect the news report would have.

  The Tengda Life app was done, and so was the interview. Pei Qian’s hands were tied. All he could do was hope that the news report would be as short as possible and that few people would be watching it.

  “Recently, Handong Province has embarked on a garbage sorting and standardized disposal plan. The results have been promising.

  “Garbage sorting is a social issue that is relevant to everyone’s livelihood and sustainable development. Improving garbage sorting would be an important step towards protecting the environment. To build a civilized society and further improve the quality of our urban life, Jingzhou City has made a breakthrough in carrying out garbage sorting and disposal works.”

  “…”

  “However, it should also be noted that, during the current implementation of garbage sorting strategies, the food and beverage industry has been experiencing many problems. Many restaurants have failed to carry out their garbage sorting obligations, disposed of food waste in violation of regulations, and failed to discharge waste as required.

  “Incomplete statistics show that Jingzhou generated 14.2 tons of waste from take-out every day. Close to 2.4 million people buy take-out each day, resulting in a mixture of disposable chopsticks, plastic lunch boxes, plastic bags, and food waste. That has created huge problems in terms of garbage sorting.

  “Yet, one take-out company in Jingzhou has been actively leading the way in healthy, sustainable, and exquisite principles; thus being the first to achieve the goal of generating ‘zero pollution’. Its cutlery is recyclable, and its food waste can be turned into treasure. It’s the perfect role model for all other companies in the food and beverage industry!”

  The image on the screen switched to the interview that had taken place in front of Fish-Catching Take-Out Store Number One. Enthusiastic customers were seated in front of the camera, saying that they would actively support garbage sorting efforts by supporting Fish-Catching Take-Out.

  Rui Yuchen, the person-in-charge of Fish-Catching Take-Out, expressed himself freely in front of the camera—introducing Fish-Catching Take-Out’s past life, Food Harmony’s current progress, and the business’ perseverance along the way.

  Pei Qian even caught a glimpse of himself on screen. There was a flash of his back when the camera panned around the premises.

  After that, footage of the clean and tidy back kitchen—as well as the microbial waste processor—was shown.

  There was a brief introduction to the other businesses on the Tengda Life app, which had the same principles as Fish-Catching Take-Out. The core ideals of the ‘Tengda life’ stood out.

  Finally, Rui Yuchen presented an exquisite lunch box to the camera. The reporter praised the bold innovation of ‘Food Harmony’, which integrated traditional culture with modern lifestyle. It also gave Fish-Catching Take-Out the highest praise for all its efforts towards environmental protection thus far.

  “The branch manager of Fish-Catching Take-Out, Rui Yuchen, says that ‘Food Harmony’ means that food is the most important to people and that gentlemen should seek harmony instead of uniformity. In other words, man should interact harmoniously with nature.

  “We hope that all food and beverage and take-out companies can learn from Fish-Catching Take-Out’s spirit. We also hope that more people would show their support to the local food and beverage brand, Fish-Catching Take-Out, and do their part to contribute to a beautiful and sustainable Jingzhou!”

  That was where the news ended.

  Pei Qian slumped on his sofa, feeling extremely sad.

  Finished!

  That news piece was not short at all!

  He had thought that the minor piece of news would take two minutes at most. He had not expected that it would take five whole minutes. Not only had Rui Yuchen and the lunch box made a strong appearance, but the last part of the news piece also encouraged everyone to support Fish-Catching Take-Out!

  That was terrifying!

  Many old men and women in Jingzhou loved watching the news. They could have hated take-out at first but completely changed their minds because the news had given a take-out brand such high praise!

  Of course, they would not order take-out frequently. Still, they could tell their children that take-out was unhealthy and they shouldn’t eat it, but even if they did have to eat it, they should order from Fish-Catching Take-Out!

  On top of that, the news piece mentioned the Tengda Life App and the high-end brand, Food Harmony. Surely, it would spread.

  With all the businesses combined, customers of various businesses would interact more and more. That would also lead to an extremely complicated chain reaction…

  Pei Qian only had to imagine the consequences for a short while to conclude that the situation was hopeless. He downloaded the Tengda Life App on his cell phone and accessed the discussion page.

  The discussion page belonged to Deposit Fitness at first, but it was now a mini forum where one could post stickies, reply to others, and share every detail of their lives. The original fitness content was now just a small section on the page.

  The new posts were particularly eye-catching.

  “I’m stumped by the new update. How are there so many new things now? This is an entirely different application!”

  “This is great! As a loyal customer of Tengda, I no longer have to switch between multiple different applications. I can settle everything that I need in one place.”

  “Fish-Catching Take-Out is on the news!”

  “It went on for quite a long while now. It was praised for being a company excelling in garbage sorting!”

  “I didn’t browse TPDb frequently before, and so I’m only finding out now that Tengda has so many businesses. Does it even have a gym? Who knows how effective it is? I might go and try it out one day!”

  “Deposit Fitness? Its effects are immediate and more obvious than any other gym!”

  “Tengda has rented apartments? Sloth Apartments? Why don’t I see many recommendations, though? Who knows how those apartments are?”

  “A Tengda Mall will be released in the future? I can’t wait!”

  “You can close your eyes and buy any product from Tengda, and still, you wouldn’t go wrong!”

  As Pei Qian read those posts, he fell into a trance.

  Can all of you think independently?

  Don’t assume these things are good just because other people say so. Try it for yourself and look for its flaws!

  Still, Pei Qian had to admit that the opinions expressed by the stickies were very common. After this series of blows, Pei Qian could no longer think of a reason why Fish-Catching Take-Out would continue to incur losses.

  “Even the Sloth Apartments have been exposed. It’s a good thing that no one knows the truth behind this project yet, though.

  “Does this mean ‘Food Harmony’ won’t keep incurring losses either?”

  Pei Qian continued
to read through the posts aimlessly. All of a sudden, his hand paused. He had just read a new post.

  “Who knows where I can buy the lunchbox?”

  “It seems like you can buy it directly from the stores. There are brand new ones in all sorts of colors, which are different from those that come with your take-out. They’re going for 49 yuan—that’s pretty cheap.”

  “What do you want them for?”

  “Insulated takeaway boxes! They look nice, and the compartments were very scientifically-based. They can hold meat, vegetables, soup, and the like. It’s well-sealed as well, so that you won’t have to worry about spilling.”

  “That makes sense! My mom might need one. I’ll make an order now!”

  Pei Qian was stunned by the discussion. They wanted to buy the lunchboxes as insulated takeaway boxes? They think it’s beautiful and unique?

  Moreover, 49 yuan is cheap?!

  Pei Qian was taken aback. Even if the earlier discussions had been expected, this one was completely beyond his expectations! How could ‘Food Harmony’ generate revenue this way?!

  Pei Qian was beginning to feel like he had been ruthlessly taken for a ride…

  Chapter 614 - Boss Pei was Personally Endorsing Fish-Catching Take-Out!

  August 13th, Saturday…

  Pei Qian crawled out of bed and yawned. There was a Management Trainee meeting today.

  The examination period had passed, and Pei Qian had been plagued with too much work. Although he could symbolically study a little—on the whole, he had to give up getting better.

  Yet, he did not feel worried. He only worried that his own teachers would kill a couple of brain cells, trying to think of ways to let him pass.

  As for the Management Trainees’ examinations, Pei Qian didn’t feel worried. They were outstanding students to begin with, and Pei Qian had given them time to study before the examinations. Of course, they would do well.

  The days without the Management Trainees were very difficult for Pei Qian. They had only done away with one meeting, but the DGE Club and ‘Top Student Come Quick’ had already dealt killer moves. In addition, IOI and Fish-Catching Take-Out had exploded due to uncontrollable reasons. Pei Qian was filled with worries.