Losing Money to Be a Tycoon

ting and playing; productivity would often be low.
However, productivity would increase in an office or school.
That was the power of one’s environment.

It would be hard to tell how disciplined full-time writers—who constantly wrote new chapters—were in other aspects of their lives, but they obviously had a high level of discipline when it came to work.

Thus, after much thought, Ma Yiqun finally made up his mind.

Zhongdian Chinese Network would start a class!

It would not be a philosophical-type class, but a practical class that would provide security, provide career development plans and guidance, and nurture healthy lifestyles for mid-tier writers!

This was Ma Yiqun’s initial plan: writers would be allowed to register, and the website’s editors would shortlist thirty suitable candidates from the group of mid-tier writers at Zhongdian Chinese Network.

That would be the first batch of guinea pigs, and Ma Yiqun would observe the effects of the class.

The writers would be allowed to claim their expenses.
Once they arrived in Jingzhou, their food and lodging would have been arranged.
In any case, they could eat Fish-Catching Take-Out, and rent would not cost that much.

The writers would also get a basic salary of three thousand yuan, and insurance and funds suitable for that amount.

Ma Yiqun would also find an office building near their accommodations, and rent thirty cheap workspaces.
They would be required to clock in and out of work every day, according to Tengda’s stipulated working hours.

Apart from that, Ma Yiqun would organize regular discussions and sharing, where more successful writers could share their experience and learning points.

Each time a writer wanted to start on a new book or became stuck at a point in the plot, they could discuss with the other writers and gather a variety of opinions.
Under such circumstances, the writers would see each other more as friends and classmates than colleagues.

Of course, not all writers would be interested in a practical class like that.

Many writers—the older and more experienced ones in particular-would not be interested in drawing a low salary, moving to Jingzhou, having meals and lodging provided, and clocking in and out of work like other writers.

Writing online literature was a form of freelance work, and a benefit of freelance work was that one did not have to leave their houses.
Wouldn’t it defeat the purpose if they had to go to Jingzhou to write?

Of course, Zhongdian Chinese Network would not force such writers to attend the practical class.

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Thus, the class would be targeted at the younger writers who did not have families yet.
Those writers tended to have a lot of drive and potential, and they could improve quickly.
Yet, they also had poor self-management skills and a set of expectations of society and their careers.

To test waters and observe results, the first practical class would last a month.

If it did not prove effective, Ma Yiqun would increase the scale and extend the length in the future.

After sending Ma Yiqun off, Pei Qian went back to studying.
Less than half an hour later…

Ding! He received a message on his cell phone.

Pei Qian picked it up and saw that it was a message from Chef Lin.

“Boss Pei, a new high-end restaurant has opened in the city.
It looks like it’s competing with Ming Yun Private Kitchen.
It’s called Ming House, and it’s targeting high-class customers as well!

“I think it only opened two days ago.
Ming Yun Private Kitchen has been seeing significantly fewer reservations.
What should we do?”

Pei Qian was stunned after reading the message.

Ming House?

A high-end restaurant seeking to compete with Ming Yun Private Kitchen?

Could it be the restaurant that Boss Li and the others had invested in?

Pei Qian recalled Boss Li mentioning this when they had met last month.
Boss Li had said that he, Xue Zhebin, and Wang Peng had felt miserable because they had not been able to reserve a place at Ming Yun Private Kitchen.

Thus, they had proposed working together with Pei Qian to turn the nameless restaurant into a franchise.
However, Pei Qian had rejected them.

The three of them had had no choice but to start a restaurant on their own.

Based on Pei Qian’s calculations, Li Shi must have started preparations for the restaurant before proposing the idea to Pei Qian.
That was why it could open for business two days ago.

Pei Qian replied to Chef Lin’s message with ‘noted’ and then called Li Shi.

“Boss Li, is Ming House high-end restaurant that you started?”

Li Shi smiled and said, “That’s right, Boss Pei.
What’s the matter? You said you didn’t care for it, but have you been paying attention to its progress in secret?”

Pei Qian was speechless.

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Like h*11, I’ve been paying attention to it.
If Chef Lin had not sent me the message, I would not have found out that your high-end restaurant is already open for business.

Pei Qian didn’t bother to say more; he would only complicate matters if he did.
Thus, he cut straight to the chase.
“Boss Li, didn’t I say that I’ll have a meal at your restaurant once it opens for business? Why didn’t you let me know?”

Li Shi cleared his throat.
“Hehe, Boss Pei, I’m really sorry.
I’ve been very busy recently, and once I get busy, I become forgetful.
What’s more, I thought you were just being polite.

“It was my mistake.
How about this? Whenever you choose to come for a meal, I’ll give you a thirty percent discount! That’ll make it up to you.”

A thirty-percent discount? He isn’t going to waive the bill?

Boss Li was stingy indeed.

However, on further thought, Pei Qian realized that he could not accept a free meal even if Boss Li had offered.

Since he offered a thirty-percent discount, then so be it.

“Alright, let’s not waste any time and make it today! Make a reservation for tonight on my behalf-I’ll book the entire restaurant.” Pei Qian sounded quite nonchalant.
“Book… the entire restaurant? Tonight?” Li Shi was obviously at a loss for words.
“It’ll be a bit difficult to let you have the whole place tonight.
Many people have already made reservations for 7 PM.

“I won’t eat after 7 PM.
I’ll arrive at 4 PM and be done by 6 PM.
There’ll be time for you to clean up and receive your next batch of customers.
I won’t hold you up.

“Do you have enough ingredients?”

Pei Qian glanced at his watch.
It was now 3:40 PM.

Ming House was not far from here.
He could reach the place in about twenty minutes.

Li Shi remained silent for a while and then said, “We might run out of certain ingredients, but we have enough for the most part.
Alright, Boss Pei! Of course, if you can come right now, it’ll be great.
We welcome you.”

Pei Qian, “Alright, see you soon.”

He hung up, jumped to his feet, and kept his notes.

He couldn’t study anymore; it was time to eat!

They would arrive at 4 PM and eat until past 5 PM.
That would be just right; everyone could rest once the workday ended.