Chapter 225 Boss Pei’s Attitude

"Boss Pei just opened this place?" Lin Wan was shocked.

Assistant Xin nodded and said, "Yes. Our meal today is Ming Yun Private Kitchen's very first."

She pointed at the dishes on the table. They didn't look particularly showy; if it was an ordinary person, they probably wouldn't have been able to guess how expensive the dishes were.

"Around seventy percent of the dishes here had to be preordered and cannot be found in Jingzhou. They had to be ordered and sent over using special logistical arrangements. In order to have a meal like this, two or three days of preparation is required."

Lin Wan thought about it, "Boss Pei is intending to use this place as a high-end entertaining venue for business partners?"

After all, Tengda's development was extremely rapid now; it was unavoidable that there would be a need to talk things over with other big companies' bosses.

Lin Wan felt that perhaps normal entertaining banquets no longer met Boss Pei's requirements, and so he had decided to open up his own restaurant. Assistant Xin shook her head. 'Who knows? At present, Boss Pei doesn't seem to have plans to have banquets to entertain clients here frequently. However, all future company gatherings would be organized here."

Lin Wan couldn't help it but feel stunned.

Could this private kitchen's priority objective be to serve as a venue for company gatherings?

In her opinion, this was the poshest restaurant in the entire Jingzhou City. Not only were the dishes delicious, but the atmosphere and service were impeccable as well. It was extremely suited to be used as a place for private banquets and dining to entertain some esteemed clients and bosses.

To use such a place for the company's internal gatherings?

It was a little too much!

Furthermore, Boss Pei forked out from his own pocket for each gathering. It was hard to imagine exactly how much Boss Pei was spending on employee benefits and welfare.

However, wasn't this precisely Boss Pei's character and mannerisms?

Lin Wan sighed emotively; Boss Pei was really someone that held onto his original beliefs.

Although he already treated his employees exceedingly well, surpassing the standards of a majority of companies; he still wasn't satisfied and had not stopped trying to improve their welfare!

At this moment, Lin Wan had a burning desire to want to help Boss Pei to share his burdens.

Lin Wan knew very well how tired being a boss could be.

Of course, every boss was different. Some were born with a silver spoon and had inherited fortunes from a young age. Every decision they made, they had professionals to provide advice and guidance. Their family status and connections also provided them with unlimited financing and investment opportunities.

This type of boss wasn't the tired kind.

However, Boss Pei wasn't this type of boss. He was an ordinary one that had created this company from the ground-up.

For new companies like Tengda, they naturally had greater pressures on churning out revenue and profits. While it was more manageable because of its size, that also meant that its ability to withstand hardships was weaker. Once a mistake was made, that might spell the end of these companies.

Under these circumstances, many bosses of such companies were all very careful and mindful of spending, constantly thinking of ways to reduce costs.

Of course, reducing costs was the right thing to do. However, some bosses used that as a pretext and scrimped on their employees with some even going so far as to exploit legal loopholes in doing so. This was a fatal mistake.

Compared to these people, Boss Pei could be considered to be a role model!

Lin Wan wanted to help Boss Pei very much. That was why she had called her second brother Lin Zhou that time to reduce Tengda's Shenhua View rental rates.

However, Lin Wan couldn't seem to think of any way to help Boss Pei off the top of her head.

After all, Tengda was still a small company now, and its projects didn't have much contact or dealings with Shenhua Corporation.

Furthermore, when Boss Pei had arranged for her to go to Shang Yang Games, he had also expressed his desire for her to use her own abilities to handle things instead of always relying on her family.

Hence, Lin Wan thought for a long time and gave up this notion for the moment.

I'll wait for a suitable opportunity in the future to help Boss Pei! Perhaps… I could help Boss Pei using my own abilities! Lin Wan resolved in her heart.

The banquet was still ongoing, and everyone was having a blast.

Ma Yiqun, Lu Mingliang, Bao Xu, Li Yada, and company were discussing Repent and be Saved.

As Bao Xu was going to leave once his visa application was approved, he seized upon this opportunity to explain his understanding of Repent and be Saved to Li Yada and company.

Fortunately, the paid vacation would only last for one month. When Bao Xu rushed back mid-September, he could still participate in the late-stage developments for Repent and be Saved.

Lu Mingliang was completing his handover to Li Yada, telling him things he had to take note of as chief planner.

Zhu Xingan was present as well. Being the author of the online novel Repent and be Saved and the editor-in-chief of Zhongdian Chinese Network, he only occasionally participated in the discussion regarding the story's plot. Most of the time, he was listening intently, hearing Lu Mingliang, Ma Yiqun, and the others talk about the game development process.

Pei Qian held his glass as he walked about; he felt very satisfied.

Everyone was eating to their hearts' content; not bad!

It was a pity he couldn't have such gatherings often. The system definitely had some form of restrictions in place. Just like before, such high-class gatherings had to be reasonably justifiable; they also couldn't take place that frequently

However, Pei Qian got a good sense that compared to previous gatherings, this one was much classier and of standard.

That meant that as Tengda continued to grow and develop and its assets increased, the permissible miscellaneous expense limit the system would allow for would rise as well.

Is it time to think about buying a few cars? Renting a few parking spots in Shenhua View and buying a few cars for business use while hiring a few chauffeurs; would that be too much?

Pei Qian tested the system and realized that it actually wasn't as strict as before.

It only had some requirements for the car purchases: sports cars couldn't be bought without justifiable cause while he shouldn't even dream of buying some limited edition super sports cars. He was only permitted to buy those for commercial purposes. There were limits to prices and quantity of cars as well.

At present, he couldn't have more than six cars, and the total costs for them couldn't exceed four million. Furthermore, cars that exceeded one million would be just like Ming Yun Villas; they would be inputted into the system as Fixed Assets that would affect the settlement.

However, from another point of view, cars that cost less than one million wouldn't be keyed in as Fixed Assets; that was a piece of good news.

Pei Qian intended to have one seven-seater car and two ordinary ones. They weren't going to be that expensive and were within the thirtyto forty-thousand price range.

He was going to use around a million yuan first.

He still could have three cars that cost three million in total. Pei Qian planned to keep this aside for now and wait for the next settlement. If there was a need for a sudden splurge, he could immediately buy three cars worth nine hundred thousand apiece that would cost three million thereabouts.

Pei Qian thought about this as he continued to insist that everyone ate with more gusto and to not hold back. As for some employees that came from his businesses that were making losses, Boss Pei didn't forget to continuously encourage them, telling them not to worry about making profits and to prioritize the company's reputation first.

Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce had just finished speaking to Pei Qian as they then sat down to continue eating. Zhu Xiaoce was feeling a little vexed.

"This is strange. I feel that Boss Pei isn't as warm to us as the last time?"

When the documentary had made losses the last time, Boss Pei had spoken very warmly to the two of them; it was like relatives talking to each other. This time, Boss Pei had exchanged some pleasantries with them and had gone to look for other people to talk to.

Huang Sibo evidently didn't take this to heart as he ate his lobster, smiled confidently, and said, "This proves that we have chosen the right path."

Zhu Xiaoce was stunned. "What do you mean?" "Haven't you realized? Boss Pei is paying special attention to those that are not doing very well or those that are making huge losses," Huang Sibo explained. Zhu Xiaoce thought about it, and this seemed to make sense.

When Boss Pei had gone to talk to the employees of Zhongdian Chinese Network and Upwind Logistics, he had talked to them for a very long time; and he also looked rather eager.

Conversely, he didn't seem to pay that much attention to relatively more successful businesses such as Fei Huang Workspace and Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, etc. He had only said a few words and left.

Huang Sibo smiled slightly, "Boss Pei has always been like this. He would pay more attention to those that are temporarily struggling and facing difficulties, to put those in charge at ease. For the businesses that he was surer of and had the potential to succeed, Boss Pei naturally didn't need to spend too much time on them.

"This means that our current trajectory is the right one!

"Since Boss Pei had given his approval, what is there to worry about? As long as we gave it our all, we definitely can make a name for ourselves!"

Zhu Xiaoce took this in, nodded, and said, "I see! I understand now!"

Chapter 226 Meeting Boss Li Again

Once the meal was over, everyone left Ming Yun Private Kitchen and said their goodbyes to one another. Bao Xu's eyes were filled with worry. The thought of wandering around on his own outside for a month made him feel helpless.

After the meal, everyone else returned to their respective homes. They still had to return to work the next day and continue working hard. However, what frustrated Pei Qian was that whether their projects were incurring losses or making profits, the people in charge seemed to have become much more energetic after this meal.

Take Ma Yiqun, who was in charge of Zhongdian Chinese Network, for example. The website had been making a loss. However, after Boss Pei comforted him, his emotions seemed to have stabilized. It was understandable that he felt much more energetic now.

However, why did it seem like Huang Sibo had been greatly encouraged as well?

Pei Qian was quite frustrated indeed. I didn't even talk to them! Could it be the power of delicacies?

Very quickly and one by one, everyone left. Pei Qian looked at his watch. It was 8 PM. He had controlled the duration of the gathering quite well.

The waiters in Ming Yun Private Kitchen were keeping the cutlery and cleaning the restaurant. They looked to be quite busy. However, this would only be temporary. For a long time in the future, there would be no more customers in Ming Yun Private Kitchen.

Ming Yun Private Kitchen was located in a secluded, hidden place. Ordinary people would find it difficult to find their way here. Even if they did find their way here, they would probably not be able to afford the food.

Of course, Pei Qian would not be able to hide this news for long. After all, Boss Pei had so many employees under him. They had eaten so much good food tonight; most of them would probably go back and show off to their friends and family.

However, no matter what they said, this place was deserted and expensive. Most people would not be able to afford it with their own money.

Even if news about this restaurant spread so that a few ballers were drawn to this restaurant, it would not matter. As long as he could keep the number of customers low, Ming Yun Private Kitchen would still incur losses. Of course, Pei Qian had not forgotten that Ming Yun Private Kitchen's primary aims were to spend as much money as possible and satisfy the employees' meals.

Thus, Pei Qian made reservations for future gatherings way in advance.

According to the System's current rules, they were allowed one team-building gathering every two months or so. The frequency and quality of their gatherings seemed to depend on the company's current size and financial situation.

Of course, Pei Qian also needed a legitimate reason to gather his employees for meals.

To Pei Qian, it was easy to find a legitimate reason now. They could celebrate the publishing of a game, commend a certain department's performance, set up a new department, welcome new employees, and so on.

Thus, based on the quota of once every two months, Pei Qian reserved Ming Yun Private Kitchen for future gatherings.

He set the gathering date to be the 20th of every even-numbered month. It would be closer to the end of the month, which would give Pei Qian an additional opportunity to spend more money. Apart from this, Pei Qian booked the biggest private room in Ming Yun Private Kitchen for the first and third Sunday of every month. This would be in case he needed to entertain for business.

These reservations would be placed in the highest priority. What's more, before Pei Qian decided to change them, they would be effective.

This was to avoid any double-booking. If ballers really tried to make reservations and managed to reserve Ming Yun Private Kitchen for two to three weeks in a row while Pei Qian -as the boss—failed to make even a single reservation, that would be awkward.

Although Pei Qian doubted that Ming Yun Private Kitchen would ever be that popular, one could not be too careful. He had to be prepared for these things.

On top of that, if he suddenly needed to entertain for work, he could make reservations whenever he wanted to. However, that was provided there was space in the restaurant. What's more, the ingredients would have to be prepared two or three days in advance.

Lin Canrong walked to Pei Qian's side. "What do you think, Boss Pei? Are you satisfied with the food today?"

Pei Qian nodded. "Very good, I'm very satisfied!"

Actually, he could not confirm whether the food they ate today was worth that much or not. After all, he had never eaten these things in other restaurants. It would be hard to make comparisons.

However, he did notice Lin Wan and Assistant Xin's expressions. He guessed from there that the food was extraordinary.

Pei Qian had very simple requests for Lin Canrong. As long as he was a good chef and promised that he could always serve such good food when they gathered for meals, Pei Qian would be satisfied.

It would be best if Chef Lin was clueless about things like holding promotions, running publicity, and the like.

"This situation is good. Maintain it. Remember this: your primary aim is to provide good food and service to our customers. Do not worry about anything else. It'll be just like when you were at Fish-Catching Internet Cafe."

Pei Qian decided to drop a hint. After all, when Lin Canrong was a branch manager at Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, he achieved nothing. Pei Qian hoped that he would keep it up.

Lin Canrong did not catch the hidden meaning in Pei Qian's words and thought that the latter was just giving advice like he normally did. Nodding excitedly, he said, "Alright, Boss Pei. I'll do my job well. I promise that I will give our customers the best dining experience!"

Now that they had enough to eat and drink, Pei Qian and Ma Yang strolled out of Ming Yun Private Kitchen and towards Fish-Catching Internet Cafe nearby.

The surroundings were quiet, and the weather was not too cold. It was perfect for them to walk and digest their dinner.

As they walked, they passed by Upwind Courier stations and the nearby bar.

When they walked past the entrance of the bar, a couple of enthusiastic young men and women pulled them inside. They seemed to be overly enthusiastic.

Pei Qian and Ma Yang expended a lot of effort rejecting them and getting away.

They had just come out from Ming Yun Private Kitchen. Their stomachs were still full of good food and good wine. Why would they want to drink cheap alcohol at a place like this?

All Pei Qian wanted to do now was to take a seat at Fish-Catching Internet Cafe and then go home and have a good night's sleep. He was not in the least bit interested in crowded, noisy places like that.

However, as he passed by, Pei Qian peeked inside. The situation inside did not look too optimistic. Although they had opening promotions, there were still no customers around.

The resident singer was trying hard to sing well in order to liven up the atmosphere, but he still did not look that into it.

It was no wonder that the waiters were all outside, trying to drag people into the bar.

For some reason, Pei Qian felt sorry for Boss Li.

Ever since he found out that the chain internet cafe had accepted investments from Fu Hui Investments, Pei Qian had a feeling that Boss Li was responsible for all the shops being opened nearby. Pei Qian was touched that Boss Li had lit himself on fire for others' benefit, but if things continued in this manner, Boss Li would probably lose a lot of money.

Boss Li, of all people, why did you have to blindly mingle with me?

Pei Qian and Ma Yang arrived at the entrance of Fish-Catching Internet Cafe and pushed the door to enter. In the corner, they saw a familiar figure drinking. Pei Qian paused.

Isn't that Boss Li? How coincidental! I was just talking about you in my head when we passed by your bar.

Li Shi saw Pei Qian and instinctively jumped as well. Pei Qian had not visited Fish-Catching Internet Cafe for quite a while. Li Shi had only come to drink some alcohol. He had not expected Pei Qian to be here as well. Since they bumped into each other coincidentally, things became slightly awkward.

However, Pei Qian did not seem to mind. Boss Li was one of his few close friends anyway!

Pei Qian sat down opposite Li Shi, smiled slightly, and said, "Boss Li, did you come all the way here to spy on your enemies?"

Pei Qian had said this jokingly, but Li Shi seemed to have understood his words very differently.

In his heart, he thought, 'Indeed, Boss Pei knows that I'm responsible for the nearby Xing Le Internet Cafe and the other shops. Hmm, that's to be expected. He is Boss Pei after all…'

From what happened with Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's flagship store, Li Shi understood Pei Qian a bit better. Naturally, he did not dare to underestimate him anymore.

Now, Boss Pei was talking about these things in the open. Of course, Li Shi felt awkward. After all, Li Shi had invested in Xing Le Internet Cafe and the other shops in Ming Yun Villas. It was obvious that he was targeting Fish-Catching Internet Cafe.

Li Shi believed that Pei Qian did not have any proof and that the latter was just guessing. However, he recognized that they were both intelligent individuals. There was no point in denying it and acting dumb.

Li Shi smiled and answered, "Don't mind me, Boss Pei. This is normal business behavior. What's more, I did not do it to target your Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Boss Pei. I purely appreciate your judgment and want to make some money for myself."

Chapter 227 Invite Zhang Zuting to Jingzhou

Hearing these words from Li Shi, a realization dawned on Pei Qian. Indeed, the person who had tried to bribe Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's employees was Boss Li.

Pei Qian had hoodwinked Li Shi with the fake information that he released earlier on.

This time, Li Shi was not here to pressure Fish-Catching Internet Cafe and try to invest in it. Instead, Li Shi was betting on Pei Qian's investments becoming popular. He was just trying to profit from it as well.

After Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's flagship store became popular, more customers visited that street. Although the surrounding shops were not as popular as Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, they still profited from the entire episode.

After that, even Boss Li made some profit. However, he had not earned much.

Considering the fact that Boss Li could earn much more money by investing in other regions, that episode was a loss for him.

Although Boss Li had made some investments in the surrounding shops by helping them with their promotional events, he had not invested much to begin with. The promotions had not cost much. Since Boss Li had high expectations, he had obviously not been satisfied.

This situation was not much different.

There were too few customers near Ming Yun Villas. That was why nobody wanted to rent shops in the area. That meant Boss Li didn't have to invest too much for capital.

If Ming Yun Villas really became popular as Boss Pei had said, these few shops would become like money trees. No matter whose hands they were in, they would be profitable. Even if Boss Li sold them immediately, he would be able to profit.

When that time came, would the profit Boss Li made still be called 'small'?

However, all of this depended on whether the Ming Yun Villas region became popular or not.

Pei Qian could not help but feel emotional.

Boss Li, Boss Li… your logic is perfect, and your execution is flawless. However… you missed out on an important fact. Of course, I cannot blame you, Boss Li. Who would have thought that a system existed in this world, which allowed you to profit by incurring losses?

At that moment, Pei Qian felt a hint of compassion. If this were someone else, Boss Pei would not have shown mercy. However, this passionate Boss Li had already been cheated by Pei Qian once before.

He could not possibly seize a sheep and rough shear it. What if it went bald?

Thus, Pei Qian decided to drop a hint to Boss Li so he would not invest too much in the area.

Until now, Boss Li had already invested in a chain internet cafe, a bar, a cafe, and a board games cafe. He had already been a considerable help to Pei Qian.

What if Boss Li had more ideas and continued to invest more money?

In fact, Pei Qian was already getting worried. If he sheared Boss Li bald now, their relationship would not be able to develop anymore in the future.

If he could reduce the losses that Boss Li incurred, he would already be considered extremely benevolent.

At that thought, Pei Qian decided to give Boss Li a slight hint.

He took a sip of his cocktail and said as sincerely as he could, "Boss Li, I will tell you the truth.

"Luck was part of the reason why Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's flagship store became famous earlier on. It would be almost impossible for this branch in Ming Yun Villas to emulate the flagship store's success.

"The chances of this region becoming popular are not high. I'm just trying things out…"

Pei Qian was already hinting as much as he could.

Li Shi smiled, his expression seeming to say, 'I understand'. "Boss Pei, you're too humble.

"You always say that luck played a part in your success. This is normal. Yet, mediocre people would only wait for luck while true talents will create their own good fortune. To me, Boss Pei is undoubtedly a man who can create his own good fortune.

"Based on what I know, Boss Pei has invested significantly in this area.

"Apart from this internet cafe, Boss Pei has also opened an Upwind Courier station. What's more-some time ago, Boss Ma seemed to have surveyed the surrounding business environment as well.

"If you really think this place has no potential, you would not persist until now.

"Boss Pei, I understand your good intentions. However, you might have underestimated me. There are risks to any investment. I've been in the investment industry for a long time; I still have a sense of awareness."

Fine, I wasted my breath.

Pei Qian could not help but feel sorrowful. Alright, Boss Li, since you understand what you are doing, I will not waste my breath. I wish you good luck.

It was a good thing that Boss Li did not know Pei Qian bought a villa nearby to open a private kitchen. Otherwise, he might hold onto his beliefs more firmly.

Pei Qian raised his hand to get the attention of a nearby waiter. "When Boss Li visits in the future, serve him for free."

Boss Li, Boss Li. You've helped me so much, and yet I cannot do anything in return. All I can do is treat you to a few more drinks.

Li Shi's heart felt warm. Of course, Li Shi did not mind paying a bit more money for alcohol. However, the fact that Pei Qian was writing off Li Shi's future bills proved his sincerity!

This friendship was priceless.

Li Shi secretly praised Pei Qian in his heart. Boss Pei was young, but he was bright in his work.

Li Shi raised his glass and said, "Thank you, Boss Pei. I hope that we will both stand to gain in the future and earn a lot of money!"

Pei Qian touched Li Shi's glass with his own, smiling as he received Li Shi's curse, and keeping a ton of vulgarities buried in his heart.

August 11th…

At Shang Yang Games…

"Director Lin, so… we're going to choose him?" Ye Zhizhou sounded very uncertain.

"Yes, let's choose him." Lin Wan answered hesitantly as well, but she had no other choice.

After receiving the advertising plan from Boss Pei a while ago, Shang Yang Games worked according to the latter's suggestions. They contacted a few Hong Kong celebrities. Whether they were popular or outdated, Shang Yang Games contacted them all.

However, they found it hard to decide on a final price.

The more popular Hong Kong celebrities requested at least five million yuan a year. Even the cheaper ones insisted on two to three million yuan.

One had to understand that the cost of producing Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version was only about five million yuan.

Boss Pei's budget for marketing was about three million yuan. At first, Ye Zhizhou and Wang Xiaobin had thought that they would never be able to spend all that money even if they were unrestricted. Ultimately, after asking a couple of Hong Kong celebrities to be their spokesperson, they realized they had been far too young and inexperienced.

They had marketed Bloody Battle Song before, too. However, they did not hire this type of celebrities. They spent a maximum of hundreds of thousands of yuan on advertising fees.

Putting these two amounts side by side, Ye Zhizhou felt like they were spending too much this time!

Lin Wan was also unhappy with the celebrities' asking price.

Primarily, she felt that the quality-price ratio was low. Advertising a game correctly could do wonders for sales. However, during Lin Wan's time at Tengda Games, she saw games become popular even without a single cent spent on marketing

Spending millions of yuan on hiring a Hong Kong celebrity to be a game's spokesperson? What use would that be?

That was why Lin Wan felt the quality-price ratio was low.

However, Boss Pei's publicity plan was right in front of them. They had to hire a celebrity, no matter what. The three of them narrowed down their options and finally picked out one celebrity whose quality-price ratio was passable.

vas

Zhang Zuting was 41 years old this year. Although he was quite outdated and he did quite badly in most of his recent films, he had been popular when he was younger. He had starred in a significant number of television series, and he was quite influential among middle-aged people.

He agreed to be the game's spokesperson for about two million yuan. Lin Wan still thought this was quite expensive, but the price was much lower than what other celebrities were asking for.

This way, they could spend the remaining money on buying advertising spaces on various websites.

Everyone in Shang Yang Games thought about every aspect of this time and again before finally deciding unanimously to hire him!

The next thing to do would be to invite Zhang Zuting to Jingzhou to sign the contract and film the advertisement.

Of course, they did not have to film the advertisement in Jingzhou. However, everyone thought that since they had already paid him a large sum as remuneration, they should take the opportunity to observe him doing the job.

Even if he was an outdated star, they could take a picture with him and ask for his autograph. It would still be worth showing off to their friends.

"It's decided, then. We'll invite Zhang Zuting to Jingzhou!"

Chapter 228 Once You Take a Photo, the Taste will Change

"So… who is Zhang Zuting?"

Pei Qian's first reaction upon reading Lin Wan's message was confusion.

I have never heard of this person.

It was only after he ran a search on Qiandu that he found out that Zhang Zuting was an outdated Hong Kong celebrity.

Lin Wan sent another message. "Boss Pei, we chose a few other Hong Kong celebrities as well. Some of them have slightly higher asking prices—more than five million yuan. I don't think their price-quality ratios are that great. That's mainly why I invited Zhang Zuting. Although he is not as popular as he used to be, we can hire him for about two million yuan."

Pei Qian was now not happy.

He had taught her time and time again; why was she still saving this two to three million yuan for him?

If it cost five million yuan, so be it!

However, on second thought, he let it go. After all, the higher the asking price, the more popular the celebrity probably was. They would have their own following. If they really invited a batch of new players to the game, Pei Qian might incur fewer losses. That would be to his disadvantage as well.

So be it if Zhang Zuting cost two million yuan. He would think of another way to spend the remaining money.

Lin Wan sent yet another message. "Boss Pei, Zhang Zuting will arrive in Jingzhou the day after tomorrow. Will you be present in watching the filming of the advertisement?"

Pei Qian immediately replied, "Yes, I'll take a look. It's said that this man is a veteran actor, and he once won the title of 'movie king'. I'd like to observe his acting close-up.

"Wait, how're the preparations to receive him?"

Lin Wan replied, "Don't worry, Boss Pei. Everything has been taken care of. The private business car will drive him and his manager around. They will be staying in a five-star hotel. We will not treat them badly."

"How about their meals?" Pei Qian asked.

Lin Wan replied, "Er… we're planning to let them have their meals at the hotel. We've also ordered high-standard meals for them while they're filming."

"That's too shabby. He's a guest from far away. Although we only have a normal working relationship, we still have to treat him as courteously as we can. How about this: I'll give you the number of Ming Yun Private Kitchen's Manager Lin. Make a reservation. When Zhang Zuting arrives, we'll bring him to Ming Yun Private Kitchen to have a welcome meal. Then, we'll talk about filming."

To Pei Qian, receiving a working partner was a legitimate reason to have a meal at Ming Yun Private Kitchen. That wasn't too overboard, right?

Of course, if he brought all business partners to Ming Yun Private Kitchen, there might be some risk. For example, he might… expose how good the restaurant was.

However, Pei Qian had already thought about a way to mitigate this risk.

Lin Wan replied, "Ah, alright, Boss Pei. I didn't think this through properly. I'll make a reservation now!"

August 14th, Saturday…

Zhang Zuting alighted from his airplane and stepped onto Jingzhou City soil for the first time.

As a second-tier city, Jingzhou City did not have a strong presence. There were also many things that Zhang Zuting did not yet know about Jingzhou City.

However, since he could earn two million yuan from this trip alone, it was far from troublesome for him.

Zhang Zuting was over forty years old. Although he had been a young, handsome spokesperson when he was younger; he could not fight the passing of time. Now, he was focusing on his acting skills and growing into a middle-aged, veteran actor.

Of course, huge changes were taking place in the film industry. Thus, his batch of film actors was fast losing their popularity. They could not do anything as they became more and more outdated.

Now, Zhang Zuting found it hard to turn down this chance to earn money.

Zhang Zuting was not likened to fresh meat and currently popular celebrities who had large crowds following them the moment they left their houses. He was more low-key. This time, he only brought an assistant with him.

After all, the other party had said that the advertisement could be filmed in a single day. He arrived in Jingzhou on the 14th. Then, he would rest for a night and finish filming by noon the next day. By afternoon, he should be able to board a flight out of the city.

Zhang Zuting did not have too many expectations for his trip to Jingzhou this time.

After all, how big could a games company in Jingzhou be?

Filming the advertisement would probably just be a formality this time, too.

"Mr. Zhang, please get onto the car. Our Boss Pei has already prepared a feast to welcome

you."

Lin Wan smiled and said this as she stood by the business car.

At Ming Yun Private Kitchen…

As he stepped out of the car, Zhang Zuting looked confused.

What is the meaning of this? Where is this

place?

In front of him was a regular-looking villa. Although Zhang Zuting noted that the villa was huge and very extravagantly renovated, he also knew that such villas were a common sight in this place. Nothing was surprising about the boss of a game company being able to afford a house like that.

However, the question was why Boss Pei was hosting him here?

Was Boss Pei inviting Zhang Zuting to his own house?

Zhang Zuting still had a lot of questions in his head when Lin Wan led him into a private room with the best view. The private room was on the third floor of the villa. It had a huge full-length window, through which he could enjoy the sunset.

As the sun set, its golden rays lit up the infinity pool beside the villa, causing the pool to reflect a faint golden glow.

There were dense trees in the hills around them. One could take in all of Ming Yun Villas which were hidden behind the trees. It made one feel like everything was much smaller than it really was.

In the middle of the private room was a huge dining table. It was not the kind that could accommodate more than ten people, but it could accommodate four.

The room was obviously meticulously decorated. Everything blended well with one another, from the tables and chairs to the decorations in the room, to the napkins and bouquet on the table.

This was what the service staff in Ming Yun Private Kitchen spent their time and effort taking care of once the reservation was made.

A realization dawned on Zhang Zuting. This was not a private villa; it was a unique, high-end restaurant!

Pei Qian stood up to welcome Zhang Zuting by shaking his hand. "Mr. Zhang, you have traveled a long way. Welcome, welcome! Jingzhou is a small place. There's nowhere special to go. I had no choice but to bring Mr. Zhang here to have a simple meal. Please, take a seat."

Zhang Zuting responded warmly before taking a seat with his manager.

Pei Qian, Lin Wan, Zhang Zuting, and his manager sat at the table. Waiters were also walking in and out of the room. According to a set time and order, they served the group dishes.

Pei Qian had thought about asking a few more people along so they could have more food. However, having too many people would confuse things. What's more, it could make Zhang Zuting feel like he was being pressured. Thus, after some thought, Pei Qian decided to settle for fewer people. This way, Zhang Zuting would be able to enjoy the delicacies without feeling stressed.

As the group ate, they chatted about random things.

Pei Qian knew nothing about Zhang Zuting. He did not even know a single show in which the latter acted. However, this did not matter. Zhang Zuting did not know what games Pei Qian had produced either. Both of them took the opportunity to boast about their achievements at work without being too offended.

The good thing was that Lin Wan had done her homework. She casually brought up Zhang Zuting's achievements from his younger days. This boosted his mood.

After a few bites, Zhang Zuting realized that the food being served was sumptuous. He had been invited to many banquets before. Whether they were his friends or his business partners, all of them treated him to pretty good food.

However, he rarely tasted food as delicious as this!

Of course, the delicious taste of this food was not a result of various condiments and additives. Instead, it was a result of the ingredients themselves. Only the highest-quality food products could achieve results like that.

The more Zhang Zuting ate, the more surprised he became. He did not expect such a secretive restaurant to be hidden in a place like Jingzhou City.

This Boss Pei is treating me to such expensive delicacies; he is obviously very sincere!

Zhang Zuting was not the kind of celebrity to act in a cocky manner. He had been widely known as being amicable and approachable. Now, he was enjoying himself eating with and talking to Pei Qian.

The first few dishes they had were light but exquisite. Once they were finished, the waiters immediately cleared their plates and served the next course. Although everything was delicious, he still did not feel satisfied.

However, soon, a great course was served!

After the group had tasted the first few exquisite appetizers, the waiters served a huge King Crab. From the size of its head, Zhang Zuting guessed that it was at least five kilograms. The cost of the ingredients in this dish alone was probably six to seven thousand yuan!

Zhang Zuting was doing well; he had seen enough of the world after all. However, his assistant had obviously never seen something as rich as that. His eyes were glazing over, and he looked like he wanted badly to grab his cell phone and take a picture. Yet, this would be highly inappropriate.

Pei Qian smiled subtly and said, "Pay attention to the taste of the food; that would help you taste every single one of its complex flavors. Once you take a photo, the taste will change."

Chapter 229 Hello, Everyone! I am Zha Zhuti.

The manager was just reaching out for his cell phone, but he quickly retracted his hand.

The atmosphere in the restaurant was great, and the dishes were so well-presented. Not being able to take photos and show off to his friends was torture! If he did not take a picture to keep records, how could he share his experience of eating such exquisite delicacies with others?

How painful.

However, what Boss Pei said seemed to make sense.

Good food like that should be tasted not just with one's tongue but with one's heart and soul.

If he ate the food while thinking solely about showing off to others, he would not be able to pay attention to the flavors. The food would taste much worse than it really was.

It was just like appreciating a fine piece of art. Some people would focus fully on the art piece. Only by doing so would they be able to appreciate its moving beauty.

However, others would whip out their cameras and take a crazy number of photos. All they could think about were lighting and composition. Naturally, they would neglect the feelings the art piece itself could invoke in them at that moment.

That was why he had to focus his attention on tasting these delicacies.

If he only thought about taking photos of them, he would become distracted. Then, he would not be able to taste the various flavors in the dishes.

Based on this consideration, Boss Pei was absolutely right!

The manager quietly kept his phone, dispelling all thoughts about taking photos.

The waiter beside him handled the huge King Crab in a very serious manner. With a pair of fine scissors, he split the crab's legs and dug the flesh out from within. Then, he scooped out the golden roe from inside the crab's shell, carefully placing it on top of the flesh. Finally, he distributed a portion to each person at the table and waited for them to taste it.

He had only distributed the best parts of the crab. After that, he would take the remaining parts—such as the huge pincers—back into the kitchen.

There, chefs would retrieve all the flesh out from various parts of the crab before serving the dish to the table once again.

Pei Qian raised his hand and said, "Mr. Zhang, please."

Zhang Zuting and his manager looked at the fragrant and succulent flesh and roe in front of them. Immediately, they felt their appetites being whetted.

Zhang Zuting's manager, especially, felt that he had hugely benefited from this trip to Jingzhou!

Zhang Zuting had indeed been paid two million yuan to be this game's spokesperson, but his manager had not been offered a single cent.

This manager had thought that this trip to Jingzhou would be an ordinary one, part of his job scope. He did not have much expectation. He would never have thought that he would be able to taste such delicacies while on this trip!

Other things aside, taking an airplane to Jingzhou just to eat this rare King Crab was worth it!

As Zhang Zuting ate the crab, he could not help but feel moved. He felt highly regarded by Boss Pei!

Although he did not have to film much the next day, he told himself that he had to take it seriously. He had to put 120% of his acting skills into the job and make the advertisement perfect!

Noon the next day, in the film studio…

Zhang Zuting was all dressed. He looked very intimidating. He was dressed in silvery-red battle armor, which had a golden dragon head on each of the shoulders. They were very precisely carved in and looked full of character.

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This costume had been custom-made for him and was modeled after the top-notch costumes in Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version.

Apart from this, he also had a golden sword, which measured almost as long as a human. It shone and glittered under the reflection of the light.

Of course, his battle armor and sword were not really made of gold; they were not that heavy. Even if Zhang Zuting were to dance around in them, he would not be exhausted.

However, looking at the way he was dressed, Zhang Zuting felt lifeless.

Who am I?

Where am I?

What am I doing?

After dinner the night before, Zhang Zuting decided to put 120% of his acting skills into filming, in order to repay Boss Pei for the King Crab that they ate. Yet, when he arrived at the film studio today, he discovered that everything was not as he expected.

What the hell is happening?

What is up with the exaggerated costume and props?

Zhang Zuting had filmed set in ancient times before, but he had never seen such exaggerated battle armor or weapons. Sword in hand, Zhang Zuting could almost feel the '-1's floating above his head. It was almost as if his IQ was dropping before his very eyes.

He looked at Boss Pei, his eyes filled with confusion. However, all Boss Pei did was hold up his thumb. He looked extremely satisfied with the set-up.

"This is the script. Take a look-it's quite simple. It only contains a couple of sentences." One of the staff around him handed the script over to him.

There was only one piece of paper. What's more, the words were written in huge font as if they were afraid that Zhang Zuting would not be able to read it.

Zhang Zuting took it confidently.

Memorizing lines was a piece of cake.

He was not like the inexperienced people who dubbed over voices at a later stage and who only knew how to shout '1, 2, 3, 4'. He was confident that he would be able to memorize the script after reading it a couple of times.

Often, he needed people to dub over his voice because of his Hong Kong accent. However, at the very least, Zhang Zuting was able to match the mouth shape of the words.

He looked at the script.

"Hello, everyone! I am Zhang Zuting. I have acted in many shows, but in terms of games, I have only played Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version. It's a fair game, which would allow everyone to feel like a baller. It will be to your advantage to play this game. I will be your brother on the battlefield tonight!

"Zhang Zuting is rooting for Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version! This game is very fun. If you miss it, you'll have to wait another 120 years for something similar!

"This is the newest update that you have never played before. In just three minutes, you will love this game as much as I do!"

That was all to the script. There were less than ten sentences, and a single page was enough to accommodate all the lines.

Zhang Zuting looked confused.

Where's the plot?

I am a movie king after all. I might be past my prime, but I have been training non-stop. My acting skills are becoming much better! I was already prepared to give an explosive acting performance this time, and yet… what is this?

What kind of script is this? It's obviously an extremely roughly-done script for the advertisement! What kind of acting skills can I bring to the table?

I'm not even talking about whether these few lines were worth the two million yuan. It would be a waste even for the expensive and elaborate costume and props alone!

Zhang Zuting turned to look at Pei Qian once again, and yet he only saw Boss Pei's encouraging and proud expression.

Zhang Zuting took in a deep breath and scanned the lines, memorizing it immediately.

Pei Qian was standing right next to the director. He said, "Don't worry, just film Trust Mr. Zhang's professionalism!"

Pei Qian did not care whether Zhang Zuting's acting was good or not. In any case, he just needed the latter to say those lines to the camera.

The moment he heard the word 'action', Zhang Zuting entered the zone.

Pei Qian had to admit that Zhang Zuting was a veteran actor indeed. There was no way his professionalism could be compromised.

He immediately looked high on emotions. His expression showed his full commitment and high excitement as he said, "Hello, everyone! I am Zha Zhuti. I have acted in many shows…"

When Pei Qian heard Zhang Zuting's accent, he nearly burst into laughter.

That was a bit of the right feeling!

However, the only thing that went off from the original script was the amount of emotion Zhang Zuting was putting into the advertisement. At once, he brilliantly displayed the acting skills of a movie king. Even with the strong Hong Kong accent, the advertisement did not sound lame enough.

At first, when Zhang Jiahui[1] was filming commercials, he felt tired and unfocused. That was how he became famous for the scene where he introduced himself with a heavy Hong Kong accent.

However, Zhang Zuting had eaten a King Crab the day before. He also had a good night's rest. Now, he was full of energy. What's more, he was grateful for the way Boss Pei had treated him. That was why he was performing so excitedly.

Now, everything was fine except for that small defect.

"Dis is the newest update dat you haf never played before. In just swee minutes, you will luf this gam as much as I do!"

He said his final line. After the director yelled 'Cut!', Zhang Zuting looked at Pei Qian once more.

Boss Pei raised up his big thumb, praising Zhang Zuting.

Zhang Zuting felt nervous. Was that alright?

He felt terribly awkward while saying his lines. If not for his many years of acting experience and his professionalism, he would not have been able to carry on.

Was Boss Pei really satisfied with that performance?

That can't be! There must be room for improvement!

Indeed, the staff was not dismissed. Pei Qian walked to Zhang Zuting and gave a few pointers.

"Mr. Zhang, you performed very well! However… there is still a tiny bit of room for improvement. You should know that we're not filming a serious movie – we're just filming an advertisement.

"In this advertisement, you're acting as an avid gamer. It'll be great if you could act more languid and casual. This would make you appear warmer to your viewers.

"Be more casual; don't stand so upright. Clear your mind and say your lines as casually as you can."

When Zhang Zuting saw Pei Qian walking over, he had thought that the latter would give him pointers on his acting skills or change the harsher lines to something else.

Instead, Boss Pei asked him to tone down his acting?

He was to act more languid and casual?

Zhang Zuting looked confused, but since Boss Pei had already made his requests, he could only try his best.

Once again, they were rolling.

"Hello, everyone! I am Zha Zhuti. I have acted in many shows…"

This time, Zhang Zuting was acting in a much more 'accurate' manner. Of course, he toned down his acting skills without any question. He also looked more awkward.

Pei Qian nodded, satisfied.

Alright, there's the right feeling now!

Although they had not done everything perfectly and Zhang Zuting's good acting skills dragged the plan down, the fact that he could produce an advertisement like that really satisfied Pei Qian.

He finished reading all the lines, and the director finally yelled, "Cut!"

Zhang Zuting looked uncomfortable. He felt like he looked more awkward this time than the last. In fact, his awkwardness was through the roof! As a movie king, Zhang Zuting had not felt the helplessness of not being able to take charge of his own acting in a long time.

At that very moment, he felt like a calefare who knew next to nothing about acting-he was confused and helpless.

"Boss Pei, I'm sorry, I wasn't in my best form. Wait for me to find myself again, and then we can film it once more."

Zhang Zuting planned to relax for a while, so that he could repeat the lines over and over again until he knew best how to say them.

However, Pei Qian shook his head profusely. "There's no need! You're already done. It was perfect! We don't have to film again! Filming is complete. You can go back to your hotel to rest. I'll arrange for someone to send you to the airport in the afternoon.

"It has been a pleasure working with you!"

Zhang Zuting was stunned.

They were done filming?

He looked at his watch. He rushed here at 9 AM and spent half an hour doing make-up. Then, he spent another ten minutes putting the costume and props on. Finally, he spent ten minutes memorizing his script before they filmed twice.

Now, it was not even 10 AM, and yet they were done?

Zhang Zuting's expression was twisted. "Wait, Boss Pei! I did not do very well earlier on. It might negatively affect the advertisement. We should not stop until it's perfect…

"What's more, I did not speak Mandarin accurately. You must remember to dub my voice…"

Pei Qian smiled. "Don't worry. We'll act according to your wishes and consider cutting out some footage or looking for a professional to dub over your voice."

The hidden meaning in these words was: If there is no need, we will not cut footage or dub over your voice.

Zhang Zuting did not catch this underlying meaning. After hearing that Boss Pei would 'hire someone to dub over his voice', he felt relieved.

He was still conflicted about his own performance.

However, since Boss Pei—the payer-was already satisfied and the staff was already preparing to leave, it did not seem to make sense for Zhang Zuting to insist on re-filming the advertisement.

What's more, even if they filmed again, Zhang Zuting was not confident in reading the few lines well…

Thus, Zhang Zuting left worriedly.

He was not sad that he had not performed well. Instead, he felt sorry that he could not repay Boss Pei fully for the huge crab that he had been treated to the night before.

"Thanks for working hard today. Go back to your hotel and have a good rest. You're welcome to visit Jingzhou any time!"

Pei Qian walked Zhang Zuting out happily. He was in a great mood.

The advertisement was complete. This meant that Bloody Battle Song: The Powerful Version was well on its way to incurring losses!

The advertisement would turn players who were naturally averse to traditional web-based games away.

The lack of purchase options in the game would turn ballers who loved traditional web-based games away.

It was a two-prong approach, and it would surely prove to be effective!

[1] This is a famous Hong Kong movie actor.