Losing Money to Be a Tycoon

February 2nd, Chinese New Year Eve…

Pei Qian lay on the sofa, playing his cell phone like a cripple.

His parents were also staring at their cell phone screens. They were grabbing red packets and sending voice messages to wish others Happy New Year.

The technology of cell phones had improved at a vast rate in this world. It was much more advanced than what Pei Qian thought. They were still calling and sending messages a few years back, but they had all advanced to using their phones to send red packets over the past two years.

Red packets of the older generations were usually a few yuan or cents. They were seldom over 50 yuan, sending just a 'good intention'.

Pei Qian's parents did grow suspicious about the new clothes and computer that he had brought home. However, he had already prepared his reasoning.

It might not be perfect, but he had paved the way. They knew Pei Qian was working at Fei Huang Workspace previously. Fei Huang Workspace was developing at a good pace recently so he managed to muddle over.

Most people brag about their position and income anyway. They would not think that Pei Qian would have any reason to do the opposite.

Therefore, they were not too caught up about money but rather… the house.

Pei Qian had repeatedly stressed that the house was bought for them, but they obviously did not have such thinking. They wanted it to be their son's new wed house.

Pei Qian, therefore, did not say anymore. Let them say what they want.

It seemed like it wasn't enough for him to buy one house. He had to buy another one for them to stay in it with ease…

Look at how things had turned out…

Forget it, I'll do my best to lose more money in this cycle then!

Pei Qian started to play his cell phone with this thought in mind. He watched the New Year program on and off.

Pei Qian had forgotten what programs were on during the 2011 Chinese New Year program. However, he was sure that he had never seen these programs before after watching a few of them.

The programs had changed… the celebrities had changed; however, the boredom persisted!

As expected, everyone was grumbling that the New Year program was boring again.

Pei Qian did not express much emotion. He knew that the New Year programs would get worse as the years pass by…

He was swiping his cell phone with boredom when he suddenly received a message from Chang You of Otto Technologies.

"Boss Pei, thank you for your continued support during the previous year. I hope that Tengda will achieve great success during the New Year and earn as much as possible!

"I hope that Otto Technologies's cell phone would be able to sell in large quantities and surpass Shenhua's cell phones and buy over Pineapple!"

Pei Qian's face darkened when he saw this message.

What is the meaning of this? This Chang You, cursing me during Chinese New Year?

However, he heard a 'beep' from his cell phone right on the heels of the message.

Red packet!

Pei Qian's eyes lit up and clicked on it to receive it.

One thousand yuan!

"Vice-President Chang's such a sport! It was the right decision to poach Vice-President Chang then!"

Pei Qian was very happy. He immediately forgot the unhappiness he felt just now and quickly replied, "Happy Chinese New Year, Vice-President Chang!"

All sorts of red packet sounds came after he replied Chang You.

"Boss Pei, Happy New Year!"

"I hope that Boss Pei will become more handsome in the New Year!"

"Happy New Year, hope all your wishes come true!"

"Wishing fair winds in Boss Pei's business and to earn big money!"

Some blessings made him happy, and some made him not so happy. However, Boss Pei was not someone petty and would not base the performance of an employee by their wishes.

He would definitely judge them based on their red packets!

Pei Qian realized that the older employees were better after all. Chang You, Zhang Yuan, Wu Bin, and the like gave him a minimum of 500 yuan to 1,000 yuan.

The younger employees like Lu Mingliang and Ma Yiqun generally gave 188 yuan[1.'188' in Mandarin could be read as easy to prosper.] as an auspicious sign for the New Year.

Perhaps they felt that Boss Pei would not care about how much they give anyway…

He was most pissed-off about Huang Sibo's message: "Boss Pei is not in need of money so I won't be old-fashioned to give you a red packet! I'll definitely work hard next year to bring glory to Tengda!"

Pei Qian nearly wanted to fire Huang Sibo on the spot for the message.

Was this something a human would say?! He said things like 'Boss Pei is not in need of money' and 'work hard next year'!

Challenge! This was a blatant challenge!

However, he decided to forgive him after thinking about it. It was New Year! He was just drafting a reply when new greetings came in.

Lin Wan, "Thank you for all you have done for us, Boss Pei! The progress for the game and cell phones are not going too well, but rest assured, Boss Pei. We'll do our best to complete the mission! I hope to continue working under Boss Pei's wise guidance in the New Year!"

Beep! 8,888 yuan was sent to him.

Lin Chang's message came immediately after.

Lin Chang's message was much simpler compared to Lin Wan's. "Boss Pei, loose change!"

Beep! 18,888 yuan.

Pei Qian's mouth nearly couldn't close from laughing. What was brotherhood? What was a friend?

This was!

Boss Lin was amazing!

Pei Qian did not feel like letting Lin Wan go that instant. Would Lin Wan give such red packets during festivals if she were to return?

However, his thoughts changed. No, Lin Chang sent him more.

Pei Qian received all the red packets in no time and replied.

To Lin Wan: "Happy New Year! You've worked too hard last year. You have to rest more next year; don't be so tired! I'm giving you another 10 days of paid leave; you've to use them all!"

To Lin Chang: "Lin Chang, don't worry. I'll arrange for that to happen after New Year!"

Send red packets back?

Impossible?

Red packets were heartfelt feelings. 'You send me, and I send you' back was something aunties of the older generation would do. Was it something the younger generation did?

Moreover, Boss Pei had been giving all sorts of benefits and bonuses to them. Getting a few hundred or thousand in a red packet now wasn't something unreasonable, right?

Of course, it was because the system did not approve of expenses like red packets…

Boss Pei would have been bankrupted just by giving a few people red packets if he were to follow Lin Chang's style based on his pitiful Personal Wealth.

Giving just a few hundred yuan did not fit Boss Pei's status as well.

Therefore, he would rather not give any!

However, no one would feel anything wrong about Boss Pei.

The other people's messages arrived in no time.

Assistant Xin, "Wishing Boss Pei a harmonious family that's always happy and safe. I hope that the Tengda spirit will spread to every department in the new year!" (Red packet 666 yuan)

Tang Yishu, "Senior, wishing that you will be able to eat all sorts of delicious food. Hoping that you will not forget all the good dreams you had, wishing that you always feel like it's Friday afternoon and that you will forever be as pure as a child!" (Red packet 99.9 yuan)

Pei Qian was delighted.

Look at Assistant Xin's understanding!

He knew that I'm most interested in whether everyone could better understand the Tengda spirit or not, not if Tengda could earn more money!

This 666 yuan red packet was very nice as well.

Little Tang's blessings were pretty neat as well. This 99.9 yuan was a huge token from her considering her situation.

Pei Qian did an exception and returned Little Tang a 999 yuan red packet. "Thank you! A small token; use it for your family!"

Pei Qian was very busy accepting all the red packets. He was elastic and moved. He did not dote on his employees for nothing!

They remembered Boss Pei's good during the New Year after being so nice to them in normal times!

Boss Pei had given so many benefits; it was finally time to see some returns!

Many others also sent their red packets like Ma Yang, Ruan Guangjian, Teacher Qiao, Zhu Xiaoce, Lin Canrong… Li Shi…

There were too many of them. The amount in the red packets also varied.

The one with the largest face value was Boss Li. He gave 10,000 yuan in one shot. Others gave tens of yuan and hundreds of yuan.

However, Boss Pei did not mind. Whoever gave him the red package were good comrades!

He calculated the red packets he received and realized that he received more than 60,000 yuan.

He managed to reply to all of them only after ten in the evening. He rubbed his slightly sore shoulders while he could not help but sigh. If only Assistant Xin could help him to reply to all these messages now!

He turned around to his parents who were still snatching red packets.

"Hurry up! Second Uncle sent me a 200 yuan red packet; I grabbed five yuan!"

"I'm sending a 50 yuan one. Watch and grab it, I'm sending it now!"

"I snatched 1.5 yuan!"

"Your luck is really bad!"

"1.5 yuan is also money, alright."

Pei Qian shook his head. Sigh, the aged had their fun as well.

Pei Qian lazed around on the sofa after he collected all the red packets. He opened the Zhongdian Chinese Network app, wanting to find a random book to read so that he could kill time.

He looked around and saw Cui Geng's message to his reader after ending the book a few hours ago.

"Eh? Isn't this the 'teachable's book? Great, it should end!"

Pei Qian was delighted.

This Cui Geng gave notice that he was going to end his book after he experienced the Tengda spirit. He did end his book after one week.

In fact, this book only had 800,000 characters.

He might have been hesitating at first, but he ended it decisively after he accepted the 'special observer' appointment!

Look, how bold!

Pei Qian looked at the comments below the note.

"This lazy bum is acting up again! Ain't you a lousy author if you end the book at 800,000 words?"

"To be precise it's 830,000 words."

"It's probably 400,000 words tops if you take away all the fillers!"

"I think it's still alright. The holes are roughly all filled up. The story is rather complete."

"The one on top, it's because of readers like you who are easily pleased that there are so many authors. Trash is trash, rubbish is rubbish! I suggest boycotting this lazy bum and his new book!"

"That is, what's that new book called? 'The Butterfly Game'? Never going to read it!"

New book?

Pei Qian immediately became cautious. There was indeed a prelude to a new book in the notes after careful reading!

It's called 'The Butterfly Game', set in an urban city.

However, not many of the readers were paying attention to the new book. They were all criticizing Cui Geng.

That was normal. Cui Geng had been writing the Xuanhuan novel so his readers were all fans of Xuanhuan. They had no interest in urban themes.

Not only did that not attract the old readers, but many of them even went to the comments section of the new book to dissuade the readers from reading. They said that the author was not reliable and cautioned everyone against falling into a trap.

Pei Qian was worried at first, but he immediately felt assured after reading the criticism.

"Maybe I'm overthinking it.

"A leopard never changes its spots. Teachable had been a well-known lazy bum in Zhongdian Chinese Network. Would he continue writing his book with stable earnings and benefits from a job?

"Impossible!

"I'll be able to lose a lot of money and become a tycoon if he could really write a book seriously!"