Chapter 1 The Situation

April 3rd, Sunday.

Mo Yu Internet Cafe, Handong University branch.

Pei Qian and Lin Chang silently drank their coffee, lost for words.

These past two days being the weekend, Pei Qian could finally relax without any psychological burden, leaving all his worries behind and enjoying a short period of blissful life.

But today, Lin Chang had come to Jingzhou, and he still had to meet him.

However, after the initial greetings, both fell into silence.

Thinking back to a few months ago when the two of them planned and strategized, thinking they were already halfway to success, but in the end, both the gaming phone and the game became huge hits, and Lin Wan also became unprecedentedly arrogant, even starting to taunt and provoke hatred in her own family group...

Both of them felt a bit of a headache.

But just sitting in silence like this didn't seem appropriate.

The problem still had to be solved!

After a moment of silence, Lin Chang spoke up with some helplessness: "President Pei, the game and the phone aren't going too well... Didn't we already make thorough plans?"

Pei Qian's mouth twitched slightly.

The thorough plans were mainly made by Pei Qian, and they had a bit of a "make a tiger-like plan, but end up earning like a dog" feel to them.

But Pei Qian wasn't convinced either. Lin Chang, how dare you say you didn't have any responsibility!

If you hadn't taken it upon yourself to promote *A Beautiful Tomorrow* for me, the movie wouldn't have been a hit, the advertisements wouldn't have been studied, and the Otto phone wouldn't have had such a good start...

In short, you definitely have some blame!

You can't just pass it all on to me!

Pei Qian sighed and said, "You promoted *A Beautiful Tomorrow* and arranged so many screenings, which established the Otto phone's high-end image in the minds of consumers even before it was released. That also disrupted my plans."

Lin Chang looked disbelieving: "How is that possible!"

"President Pei, didn't you write the script for this movie? You must have known about the Otto phone's advertisements in the movie. You know better than anyone that the movie is of high quality and has a rich spiritual message. Even without my promotion, wouldn't it still have been a hit? It would still have been a hit!"

"I would believe that other movies succeed because of promotion, but *A Beautiful Tomorrow*? Promotion is just icing on the cake!"

Lin Chang actually passed the blame back at lightning speed.

Pei Qian: "..."

He couldn't accept it at all in his heart, but after thinking about it carefully, it seemed difficult to refute.

Now, *A Beautiful Tomorrow* was regarded as a work of high quality and profound meaning, and the vast majority of people believed that while marketing contributed to the success of a good work, high quality was the key factor.

And the matter of high quality... Although Zhu Xiaoce was primarily responsible, Pei Qian seemed to have a little bit of responsibility as well.

Pei Qian even had a little bit of self-doubt.

According to Lin Chang's statement, could it be that all of this was predetermined?

The two fell into another brief silence.

Lin Chang looked suspicious and said softly, "President Pei, you wouldn't be doing this on purpose, would you?"

"On the surface, you let A Wan be in charge of these industries that seem like they will fail, but in reality, you already knew that both the game and the phone would be a great success? Otherwise, why would you use other industries to fully support them?"

"As far as I know, you personally handled the promotional activities for the game *BeQuiet*, and the phone's advertisements and various benefits also benefited from other industries."

"Could it be... that you actually don't want A Wan to leave?"

Pei Qian's face darkened: "Absolutely not!"

"Lin Wan is the director of two departments, and she is very familiar with the heads of other departments. She originally had the authority to ask for benefits from various departments and coordinate the overall situation."

"As for *BeQuiet*... that was an accident."

"President Lin, believe me, I want Lin Wan to go home as soon as possible more than anyone else."

Pei Qian's expression was extremely sincere.

Lin Chang looked at Pei Qian without speaking, but his eyes showed a hint of suspicion.

This was also normal. If someone patted you on the chest and promised you something, but repeatedly failed due to some "objective reasons" or "unexpected factors," you would also have such doubts...

However, Pei Qian was the most wronged person at this time.

But as things stood, explanations didn't seem to have any effect...

He could only continue to formulate the next stage of goals. This time, he must persuade Lin Wan to quit!

However, while Pei Qian was thinking about the next goal, Lin Chang's words were completely beyond his expectations.

Lin Chang sighed softly: "Okay, President Pei, I didn't come here to pass the blame this time. I have something else to discuss."

"To be honest, the situation has changed again."

"These past few days, Lin Wan has been showing off in our family group again, especially since the Otto phone successfully sold for 8,000 yuan, a price that even my eldest sister's flagship phone, which she is responsible for, has not achieved. Although the sales volume is vastly different, A Wan has only been making phones for a few months, while my eldest sister has been doing it for several years..."

"In short, the scene was once very chaotic."

Pei Qian thought for a while: "Then... can the old man let her jump around like that?"

Lin Chang gave a "hehe" expression: "President Pei really asked about the core of the problem in one sentence, which is also the key to this change in the situation."

"The old man is not only not angry but is also very happy."

"To tell you the truth, President Pei."

"Before, A Wan ran out to work in a fit of pique, and the old man was very unhappy because he knew very well what the state of most companies outside is now. He felt that A Wan was wasting her time, so he kept asking A Wan to go back and inherit the family business."

"Before, A Wan had been making games and hadn't made much of a name for herself. Although the mobile game made money, it was difficult to be seen as something truly significant, so the old man's attitude didn't change."

"But this time, A Wan said in the group that she had made an 8,000 yuan phone... The old man suddenly became interested!"

"So he asked someone to learn more about the Otto phone and Tengda Group. Guess what happened?"

Pei Qian's mouth twitched slightly, and a very bad premonition arose in his heart: "What happened?"

Lin Chang's expression was a bit complicated: "The old man thought about the process of this phone becoming popular and selling for 8,000 yuan and praised you, President Pei, to the skies!"

"Boldly using Chang You, establishing a high-end positioning from the beginning, subtly conducting brand promotion in movies, using Tengda's other businesses to protect the phone, and thus breaking through in the phone market where countless domestic brands have almost completely divided up every price range..."

"Any one of these steps going wrong could have led to the failure of the Otto phone!"

"Especially the press conference. Even the old man was very pleasantly surprised, because domestic manufacturers have never done this before. The old man said that this press conference alone saved the Otto phone at least hundreds of thousands in marketing expenses!"

"The old man knows that most of the credit here must be due to you, President Pei, and Chang You, but A Wan, as the director, will definitely gain a lot of growth even if she is only responsible for a small part of it."

"After that, the old man also briefly learned about other industries of Tengda Group, including Upwind Logistics, Mo Yu Internet Cafe, and so on..."

Pei Qian felt even more ominous: "Just tell me what happened in the end..."

Lin Chang paused and said, "The old man changed his mind."

Pei Qian: "?"

"Changed his mind?"

"Not letting Lin Wan go back?"

Lin Chang's expression was complicated: "Yes."

"The old man originally wanted to let A Wan go back because he felt that the companies outside were not reliable, and he felt that A Wan was wasting her time working in these companies."

"But after seeing the excellent results A Wan had achieved, the old man's prejudice against these companies disappeared... Oh, that doesn't seem accurate. It should be said that only his prejudice against Tengda disappeared."

"The old man even appreciates you very much, President Pei, and feels that A Wan will definitely learn a lot working under you. It seems not impossible to let her train here for a few more years before letting her go back to inherit the family business."

Pei Qian: "??"

Train here for a few more years before letting her go back?

This isn't "not impossible" at all. This is clearly "absolutely impossible"!

If she works as a director here for a few more years, who knows what my company will be ruined into!

What does this mean? Has the "Lin Wan Go Home United Front" been destroyed and collapsed because of a negligible success?

Old Man Lin, can you be more firm!

Pei Qian quickly asked, "Then what does Lin Yu say?"

Lin Chang spread his hands: "What can she say? The old man has already spoken, so of course, everyone has to listen to the old man."

"Now the old man's attitude is that since A Wan can learn something here, it doesn't hurt to stay for a while longer. And the old man also hinted that during this period, our siblings have to cooperate well and give her career a hand..."

Pei Qian: "???"

Brother, if Shenhua, this behemoth, wants to "give a hand," that's not a joke!

It might directly break my arm!

Think about the past.

Lin Yu helped promote the mobile version of *Hot-Blooded Battle Song* on the Shenhua App Store;

Lin Zhou gave Shenhua Haoging rent-free;

Lin Chang promoted *A Beautiful Tomorrow*.

Think about the future...

If you three, who are respectively responsible for phones, real estate, and entertainment, all work together, Lin Wan's career will indeed advance by leaps and bounds, and President Pei's grand cause of losing money will die on the spot!

Pei Qian immediately refused flatly: "No need!"

Lin Chang nodded: "Yes, that's what I told the old man too!"

Pei Qian: "Ah?"

Lin Chang had an expression of "I am President Pei's confidant": "I told the old man that you, President Pei, started from scratch, are exceptionally talented, and have always been very repulsed by this kind of help. Since every decision you make has long been planned and has enough chance of success, our meddling is just adding to the chaos, and it's really unnecessary."

Pei Qian nodded very happily: "That's right!"

As expected, President Lin knows me best. Your words make me feel so comfortable!

Although you have some problems with your understanding of "planning," as long as you don't mess things up, we can still be good friends!

Pei Qian thought for a while and then asked, "Then, President Lin, did the old man hint at when Lin Wan can go back?"

Lin Chang considered for a moment: "Judging from the old man's current attitude... A Wan should be able to go back when her ability is enough to stand on her own."

Pei Qian quickly said, "I think she is already capable of standing on her own now!"

Lin Chang shook his head: "The old man obviously doesn't think so. President Pei, from the old man's point of view, Tengda's size is obviously still a bit small. The current sales and profits of the Otto phone are not even as good as an ordinary OEM phone of Shenhua's mobile phone business sub-brand. With this achievement, it is still a bit far from 'standing on her own' in the old man's eyes."

"At least the business A Wan is responsible for has to be ranked very high in the same field to catch the old man's eye..."

Pei Qian's face darkened.

Ranked very high?

If the phone is to be "ranked very high," then the company's market value must be tens of billions!

Are you kidding me?

Pei Qian thought for a while: "What about other businesses? For example, is it considered if we rank among the world's top in a certain category in the gaming industry?"

Lin Chang thought for a while: "It should also be considered. The old man has no prejudice against the gaming industry, but mobile games like *Hot-Blooded Battle Song* are definitely not enough. In addition to profitability, there must also be enough influence."

Pei Qian nodded, understanding.

Just arrange for Lin Wan to be responsible for the national server of IOI, and that's it!

Also aiming to "let Lin Wan go back to inherit the family business," he used to work hard to make the project fail, but now he works hard to make the project a great success.

Of course, the great success of the project is contrary to President Pei's ultimate goal, but great success doesn't necessarily mean making a lot of money. It can also mean high popularity!

It just so happens that Pei Qian is still worried about who to hand over the IOI national server, a project that will succeed even if you lie down.

Now it's decided, just hand it over to Lin Wan and Shang Yang Games!

Doing so is at least killing three birds with one stone.

Avoid Shang Yang Games from making another single-player game that is both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. They have already proven their strength with *BeQuiet*;

In any case, the national server of IOI is likely to be a great success. Since this fact cannot be avoided, then throw Lin Wan in to gild her, and after the project is successful, quickly let the old man Lin come and pick her up;

Finally, the success of the IOI national server can also incidentally get rid of GOG, this confidant's trouble. Tengda Games and Shang Yang Games, two game departments of their own, fight each other, and the younger brother beats the elder brother. This scene must be very exciting.

Thinking of this, Pei Qian nodded: "Okay, I will strive to let the old man come and pick her up in half a year!"

If it comes to ensuring the project will inevitably fail, then President Pei really has no confidence.

But if it is to make the project successful, especially a reliable project like IOI... then President Pei still has some confidence.

Seeing President Pei's expression change so quickly, Lin Chang looked suspicious: "Uh... President Pei, looking at your planned appearance, it is obvious that you are confident and have planned it long ago."

"Then... what you said before about wanting to make A Wan fail was just bluffing me, right?"

"Could it be that you had already guessed that as long as A Wan's career is successful enough, the old man will change his mind?"

Pei Qian: "..."

"President Lin, if you continue to guess like this, you will lose my friendship sooner or later."