Chapter 86: To Hire Myself?

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

In the afternoon, Huang Sibo came to the company.

Although Pei Qian did not keep asking Huang Sibo for updates, Huang Sibo was rather sensible.

He knew that he couldn’t just do entirely what he wanted with this one million yuan; it was still better to test waters with Boss Pei for many things beforehand. He didn’t want to let Boss Pei down and ruin the trust Boss Pei had in him!

After catching up with everyone—especially Xiao Lu, Huang Sibo brought a very young, student-like person and entered the guest room.

“Boss Pei, this is the director that I have invited. He is a Year Four student studying directing at Handong University; his name is Zhu Xiaoce.” Huang Sibo introduced him warmly.

“Nice to meet you, Boss Pei!” Zhu Xiaoce looked rather confident and energetic. He did not look nervous or constrained; he was very warm.

Once Boss Pei heard that this was a Year Four student in university, he became very happy.

If it was a director that came from a science class or background, Pei Qian might still have to think about how he could reject such a person.

This was good. This person and although he specialized in directing in school, he was still worlds apart from the pros!

Being the director was a very complicated line of work. Many directors had to persevere until they were thirty or forty before they made it big. They were already the ‘young’ ones.

A mere Year Four student… what could he do?

“I heard that you guys are filming a short video; have you guys decided on a theme?” Pei Qian asked with a smile on his face.

Huang Sibo nodded, “We have, Boss Pei. We want to film you!”

Pei Qian almost thought he was hearing things.

“Me? What’s there to shoot about me?”

Huang Sibo grinned and said, “As for this, it was actually my idea. I feel that Boss Pei, you are a person who will be creating legends; you are a very good person to film! Of course, I do not know the specific contents. Director Zhu will be in charge of those. Director Zhu, please tell Boss Pei about your ideas.”

“Aye, alright.” Director Zhu Xiaoce picked up and continued, “I have heard from Brother Huang about your escapades; I feel that you are indeed worthy of shooting! I intend to film some interesting things in your daily work life.”

Pei Qian felt a little confused, “During working hours… do interesting things happen?”

He tried to recall in detail: what was interesting about his work?

Was skiving counted?

While a game took two whole months to develop, he had probably only come to the office a handful of times, right?

There was nothing interesting to film!

Why did Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce still want to do so? Could it be… they were trying to butter him up?

En… that was probably it…

Pei Qian actually didn’t feel resistant; who wouldn’t like being flattered?

As long as he could lose money doing so!

This theme was boring: that meant this short video would not do well in the end. It would not be able to clinch commercials, and it would not lead to joint collaborations with internet sites. Its chances of flopping were very high.

It sounded promising.

Zhu Xiaoce hurriedly said, “Boss Pei, don’t worry about the theme. The arts originate from our daily lives but surpass them as well. When I am filming, I will apply some artistic methods to fit with your image.”

“Of course, I might use some special settings or styles; this would be dependent on inspiration during filming.”

Zhu Xiaoce continued with a string of professional jargon; it sounded a little baseless and felt like it was a job habit of his to use these words.

Pei Qian’s brows furrowed slightly. It seemed as if something was a little strange, and he had a deja vu.

However, he couldn’t seem to recall where this deja vu had come from.

As for this theme, he didn’t have many views—as long as it didn’t bring in profits.

Pei Qian was mainly stressing about this. Based on this way of filming, could one million yuan be used up?

If the aim was to film him when he was at work daily, the setting had to be within his office. At that time, venue rental costs could be saved; and props and costumes, etc. would not be necessary. If the overhead costs were so long, even if a loss really occurred, it would not be much.

If the one million yuan could not be used up, that would be problematic!

“Based on this way of filming, could a million yuan be used up? You guys don’t have to be so concerned with the budget; if this amount is not enough, I can always put in more. The priority is to do a good job filming, understand?”

Pei Qian looked as if he was really concerned about this video.

Zhu Xiaoce smiled and said, “Rest assured, Boss Pei! Brother Huang and I had discussed, and we will give you and the other employees remuneration during the shoot. Although I know that you are not lacking in money, it is a small gesture nonetheless.

“As for the venue fees, we would pay them accordingly.

“We would also use some money to buy equipment and for late-stage editing. As for the remaining money, we will put that into advertising. I have calculated it; the budget would be just enough.”

“Remuneration and venue rental fees?” Pei Qian was a little surprised.

Zhu Xiaoce replied, “We are planning to base remuneration on the number of episodes. Every short film is only one minute long. Remuneration would be a thousand yuan for one episode for you, Boss Pei, while everyone else would get two hundred per episode.

“After all, you are the main character; and your scenes are plentiful.”

“We are planning on shooting three seasons, ten episodes per season. We aim for little investments and swift returns. In total, your remuneration would be thirty thousand yuan. As for venue rental fees, would fifty thousand yuan suffice? I know that this amount is not huge, and you don’t necessarily need it. Most importantly, this is a gesture from us; we can’t make everyone busier for nothing.”

Pei Qian’s eyes suddenly lit up.

Wait a minute.

To give me remuneration? That didn’t seem a little right.

Let’s regroup, let’s regroup.

I gave Huang Sibo a million yuan for him to invest in whatever he liked. As a result, Huang Sibo had taken this one million to invite me to become the protagonist of a short video; he also wanted to give me some remuneration. My own money had gone one circle and came back to my side; I was going to spend money to hire myself.

That’s crazy!

Aye?

No, wait.

This wasn’t the case!

Pei Qian suddenly realized that something was amiss.

He wasn’t spending money to hire himself.

He was converting the System Funds into his Personal Wealth!

That one million yuan had been part of the System Funds; I had used the Dream Fund as a pretext for Huang Sibo to invest that sum.

When Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce gave me remuneration, that would count as my Personal Wealth!

The system had only said that as a boss, I couldn’t use the company’s money in any way to give myself a salary.

However, if someone else gave me money—the system did not say that was not allowed!

Just like when Pei Qian’s family members gave him some money; the system had not cared!

Since the money had been given to Huang Sibo, it was equivalent to the System Funds already spending that money.

Furthermore, as an actor in the short film, it was reasonable for Pei Qian to get some remuneration. This was a normal earning from labor done; it was not a taboo according to the system!

Pei Qian perked up.

Who said he didn’t need the remuneration?

I needed it very much!

Pei Qian quietly asked in his heart: “System, can I receive this remuneration?”

A ‘yes’ word appeared on the system screen.

It’s a yes!

Pei Qian gestured wildly as he said, “There’s no need to pay rent; spend this money somewhere else. As for remuneration… as it is a gesture from you guys, I will take it gladly.”

“In that case… that’s good.” Zhu Xiaoce was very happy, and he said, “Many thanks, Boss Pei!”

Fifty thousand yuan in venue rental fees?

Pei Qian didn’t care about that.

The crux was… that money wasn’t ending up in his hands!

Venue rental fees would definitely belong to the company. Also, once it entered the company ledgers, it would turn into System Funds. Pei Qian could not circumvent the system to get this sum of money; the venue belonged to the company as an asset.

Conversely, as an actor, Pei Qian and Zhu Xiaoce had established an employer-employee relationship. It was an agreement with Zhu Xiaoce and the subsidiary that Huang Sibo had created.

This was independent from Tengda Corporation and didn’t need to enter the company ledgers. Furthermore, as the reasoning was sufficient and valid; the system didn’t care about this!

Just like if Pei Qian was willing and went to a restaurant to be a waiter and he earned wages from that, the system would not care about these monies. The premise was Pei Qian had not colluded with the restaurant to maliciously fleece the system.

What was considered fleecing the system?

For example, if Pei Qian talked things through with Ma Yang and gave the latter one million yuan to invest and open a restaurant. Ma Yang then took out three hundred thousand yuan to hire Pei Qian to wash dishes. That would be called fleecing the system.

First of all, the money Pei Qian received had to be commensurate with the effort he had put in. Second, this money could not have a direct relationship with the company ledgers. If Pei Qian directly used the company accounts to give himself a salary, he wouldn’t even get a single cent.

However, if it was through a subsidiary company and by a third party like this, as it did not have a direct relationship with the company accounts while a reasonable amount of labor had been put in; that was permissible.

Hence, the system had determined that Pei Qian receiving remuneration was not against the rules!

Pei Qian had previously exerted so much effort to convert only twenty thousand yuan.

This time, the short film was going to be one minute per episode; that was thirty thousand yuan for thirty episodes! It was very lucrative!

Why had I not thought about such a manipulation before?

Pei Qian was feeling really happy internally; this plan was feasible!

“Alright, Boss Pei, let’s sign the contract!”

Zhu Xiaoce took a contract from his school bag as he handed it to Pei Qian.

“I’ll confirm this again: this short film you guys are shooting is not called ‘Surprise’, right?” Pei Qian pretended to ask casually.

Zhu Xiaoce was a little confused, “No, it’s not.”

Pei Qian was relieved.