Resumen, trama, sinopsis de No Pain No Gain

Sinopsis de No Pain No Gain

Pei Qian, an overworked employee at a large corporation who, after being unexpectedly laid off, receives a mysterious offer from an enigmatic tycoon to start a company with the unusual goal of incurring losses. To achieve this, Pei deliberately assembles a motley crew of incompetent employees, goes to great lengths to increase salaries, extend holidays, and provide generous benefits, and invests in a series of bizarre projects. However, to his dismay, each endeavor inadvertently turns profitable. Despite his frustrations, Pei becomes known among his employees as a conscientious boss and is hailed by the industry as a business prodigy. Forced to navigate these unintended successes, he ultimately leads the company against all odds to become the top conglomerate in the region.

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Pei Qian sits aboard a private plane, listening to news reports about his conglomerate, the Tengda Group. The broadcast details his latest venture: the acquisition of a 1. 3-hectare vineyard in Burgundy, France. Media outlets describe Pei Qian as a legendary, low-key figure whose unpredictable business maneuvers are impossible to replicate. To Pei Qian, however, this vast empire feels like a dream—one that began with a very different intention eight years ago.

In 2022, Pei Qian was a struggling employee at Fuhui. His career there ended abruptly when his "Fuhui Job-Security Survival Manual"—a list of grievances against the firm—was discovered. His manager, unimpressed by his "active thinking," fired him without severance pay. While contemplating his future over a meal, Pei Qian witnessed a customer bullying a small black cat. He intervened, rescued the creature, and named it Yintang.

Unbeknownst to him, Pei Qian was being observed by Mr. Sima, the chairman of the powerful Jinghong Group. Seeing potential in Pei Qian’s unconventional mindset, Mr. Sima sent his special assistant, Xin Hailu, to recruit him. Pei Qian was invited onto a private jet where Mr. Sima offered him a bizarre investment: Pei Qian would start a company with one million yuan in capital.

If the company turned a profit, Pei Qian would receive only a modest base salary of 5,000 yuan. However, if the company lost money, the exact amount of that loss would be paid to Pei Qian as a personal bonus. Suspecting a scam, Pei Qian called the police, but they confirmed that Mr. Sima and Xin Hailu were legitimate. Realizing he had everything to gain from failure, Pei Qian signed the confidential agreement.

He decided to focus on the gaming industry, reasoning that failed games result in worthless code and total financial loss. Xin Hailu was assigned to the new company, Tengda, as his special assistant to monitor his moves. Pei Qian immediately hired his best friend, Ma Yang, a perpetual underachiever who had recently failed at running a relative's fruit stall by "rounding down" a customer's bill far too generously.

Ma Yang convinced himself that Pei Qian was a "rich kid" who had finally stopped pretending to be poor and eagerly joined as General Manager. To ensure the company’s failure, Pei Qian selected an office in the Shenhua International tower with a reputation for ruining previous tenants. He insisted on paying the full asking price and ordered the most expensive equipment available—executive chairs, sit-stand desks, and computers with high-end RTX 4090 graphics cards—to burn through his capital.

While he tried to give Ma Yang a 50,000 yuan monthly salary, Xin Hailu intervened, and they eventually settled on 10,000 yuan. Pei Qian’s next recruit was Bao Xu, a legendary "net cafe camper" who hadn't left his gaming seat since graduation. Bao Xu joined the team as a game tester. At the company’s opening, Pei Qian insisted on a yellow ribbon for the cutting ceremony, secretly hoping the color symbolized the company "going bust" as quickly as possible.

A month later, a prominent game reviewer named Teacher Qiao stumbled upon Tengda’s first release, "The Lonely Road", priced at only one yuan. The game appeared incredibly lazy; the first level consisted of nothing but holding down a key to drive in a straight line through static scenery. However, the second level proved to be a psychological nightmare, featuring illogical turns and no brakes. Fuelled by spite, Teacher Qiao and his assistant spent eight grueling hours mastering the mechanics.

When they finally cleared the level, a message flashed on the screen: "Congratulations, you've wasted eight precious hours of your life." Furious at the mockery, Teacher Qiao noted the creator: Tengda Games.

Pei Qian dreams of a life of immense wealth, imagining himself moving his parents into the prestigious Mingri Apartments in Jinchuan. In the dream, he tells them his riches came from a single profitable project and sends a final message to Ma Yang and Bao Xu, announcing that Tengda is closing and granting them severance pay ten times their usual salary.

However, the fantasy ends abruptly when he is woken by a call from a real estate agent named Manager Mei. The agent asks if he is ready to pay the deposit for the apartment he previously viewed, forcing a cash-strapped Pei Qian to tell him to wait a little longer. Reality proves to be even more stressful than his financial situation. Pei Qian discovers Ma Yang playing a game, only to realize it is their own production, "The Lonely Road".

Ma Yang explains that the game has gone viral thanks to a video by a popular influencer named Mr. Qiao. Despite the game’s minimalist graphics and repetitive bends, it has triggered a rebellious streak in gamers. Mr. Qiao’s video, which received over 520,000 likes, bashed the game for wasting eight hours of his life, but his rant only made more people want to experience the "torture" for themselves.

Pei Qian is horrified; he had deliberately chosen a rejected project and written a lazily brief introduction—"Driving on a road"—specifically hoping it would fail. Instead, his attempt at failure has become a massive commercial success. The profits from the game flood the company’s accounts, much to Pei Qian's dismay. Xin Hailu informs him that the investor, Mr. Sima, is very impressed and looks forward to seeing how Pei Qian will invest these profits into his next creative venture.

When Pei Qian desperately tries to take the game down, Xin Hailu reminds him of the contract: profitable projects cannot be removed without a valid reason. She dismisses his argument that the game is a hazard to mental health, noting that the influencer who complained about it has actually gained more fans. Realizing he cannot stop the money from coming in, Pei Qian decides to spend it all.

He insists on giving Ma Yang and Bao Xu large bonuses and announces a massive hiring campaign with the highest possible salaries and benefits. Pei Qian begins by hiring twin sisters, Wu Sheng and Wu Xi, as receptionists. Xin Hailu is confused, noting that they were previously salesgirls in a clothing store and have no administrative experience. Furthermore, Pei Qian offers them a monthly salary of 10,000 yuan along with comprehensive medical and accident insurance.

When questioned, Pei Qian makes up an excuse about the reception desk being "badly designed" and "dangerous" for their toes, arguing that since programmers have insurance, everyone should be treated equally. He even justifies hiring both sisters by claiming their "symmetrical" presence is a double blessing for the office. News of the company’s incredible benefits, including reimbursement for travel and interview outfits, brings in a swarm of applicants, ranging from retirees to primary school students.

Bao Xu watches the crowd in disbelief, worried that Pei Qian is intentionally hiring "slackers." Among the applicants is Huang Sibo, who runs into his former boss, Niu. While Niu is a high-level talent with an impressive resume, the receptionists inform him that he failed the screening. They explain that Pei Qian only hires people who fit his specific "vibe." During the interviews, Pei Qian continues his unorthodox hiring.

He meets Lv Mingliang, whose resume is a collection of absurdities, such as claiming to have "purchasing experience in billion-dollar projects" which turned out to be buying lottery tickets. Pei Qian hires him simply because Lv Mingliang cares deeply about not working overtime. He also hires Li Yada, a programmer who spent most of the interview grilling Pei Qian about the nutritional content of the office cat’s food. Finally, he hires Hao Qiong for a finance position.

Despite being rejected by ten other companies because her name sounds like "so poor," Pei Qian finds the discrimination against her name unfair and welcomes her aboard. Ma Yang is skeptical, pointing out that these people are essentially the "leftovers" of the industry. Huang Sibo, for instance, spent six years in one position without a single promotion.

Pei Qian argues that this was due to the jealousy of his superiors and that Tengda should be a place where "lost youths" can shine. He offers Huang Sibo a staggering salary of 35,000 yuan, leaving the young man shocked and questioning if the company is even legal. Pei Qian reassures him that there is no probation period and that they are now permanent employees. Pei Qian eventually holds a meeting to establish the company’s unique culture.

He mandates four hours of gym or entertainment time per week and bans overtime entirely. He even implements a system where public holidays falling on weekends are replaced by weekdays, but weekend makeup workdays are abolished. When 5:00 PM strikes, Lv Mingliang is the first to leave. Instead of being angry, Pei Qian praises him as a role model for work-life balance.

Huang Sibo, who is used to a toxic overtime culture, finds it impossible to relax and tries to work secretly, but Pei Qian catches him and insists he go home immediately. While the office clears out, Pei Qian consults Ma Yang on why their first game was so successful. Ma Yang suggests that modern gamers have a rebellious psychological need to be challenged or even "tortured." Pei Qian decides to weaponize this logic for their next project: a card game.

To ensure it loses money, he decides to charge only a ten-yuan lifetime fee and give players 100 free card draws every day. Ma Yang, confused by the lack of monetization, proposes a theme based on a distorted version of Greek mythology he read in a web novel. He describes a bizarre world where Achilles carries a box, Pandora is a "dragon-slaying lolita" whose weakness is her heel, and the sun god is named "Apineapple." Pei Qian is delighted by these nonsensical ideas and puts Ma Yang in charge of the project, officially naming it "Divine General Pact".

Ma Yang introduces Ruan Guangjian, a concept artist with severe nearsightedness who must zoom in 500% to see his own work. Although Ruan’s portfolio consists of cute, Q-version characters that clash with the dark theme of Divine General Pact, Pei Qian is delighted by the mismatch, believing the inconsistent style will guarantee the game's failure.

Pei Qian triples Ruan’s fee to 3,000 yuan per character to show "respect for creators" and promises to approve his work on the very first draft without revisions. Huang Sibo is left skeptical, believing anyone could produce such simple art with a bit of practice. At the Tengda office, the staff enjoys an unusually relaxed environment, spending time on snacks, exercise, or leaving early to pick up their children.

This frustrates Hao Qiong, who is concerned about the company’s high personnel expenses and project budgets. Pei Qian tries to burn more funds by having Xin Hailu reimburse personal items like screwdrivers, but she refuses. When Pei Qian suggests an expensive team-building trip, Xin Hailu reminds him it violates regulations. To bypass this, Pei Qian rebrands the trip as a "study tour" to visit other industry leaders, allowing the company to spend lavishly while ostensibly working.

At Sky Fire, CEO Zhou Muyan reviews a list of interns to be dismissed. He spots Lin Wan on the list and orders her name removed because her father, Mr. Lin, owns the building Sky Fire occupies. Lin Wan is an idealist who is frustrated by the industry's focus on marketing and cloning successful titles rather than innovation.

When Sky Fire receives Tengda’s request for a paid visit, Zhou assumes the startup is simply trying to show investors how they are spending money. He agrees to the visit and assigns Lin Wan to host them, hoping the task will keep her away from the planning department. The Tengda team arrives at a luxury hotel in Xinyang, where they are joined by Lin Wan.

Xin Hailu announces that Divine General Pact has secured its license and will launch on the 29th. Huang Sibo is anxious about the tight deadline and wants to refine the game, but Pei Qian strictly forbids any work, insisting that everyone "lie flat" and enjoy the vacation. However, the staff’s dedication proves too strong. Huang Sibo fakes a "water-soil disagreement" (stomach issues) to stay in his room and secretly optimize the product.

Moved by his dedication, Bao Xu stays behind to help test the demo. Even the programmer Lv Mingliang ends up exhausted and nodding off during the day after staying up all night helping the others with coding. Unaware of the secret labor, Lin Wan is impressed by how harmoniously the team gets along. During a celebratory event called Tengda Night, Pei Qian gets drunk and tries to fish for information from Xin Hailu about the mysterious Mr. Sima’s true intentions.

Amidst the festivities, Huang Sibo sends a message asking Pei Qian to review the final version of the game. Due to a poor connection and his drunken state, Pei Qian doesn't open the file and simply tells them to launch it. Meanwhile, Zhou Muyan reveals that Lin Wan’s father had called him to look after her, hoping that the harsh realities of the industry would eventually make her give up and return home.

Zhou plans to "show her the truth of the world" by demonstrating that idealism fails without profit. The next day, the Tengda team visits Sky Fire’s headquarters. Pei Qian is relieved when Zhou Muyan fails to recognize him from his previous internship at the parent company, Fuhui. As they tour the facility, Ma Yang and the others are unimpressed by the prestigious company, noting the cramped workstations and limited snacks.

They are particularly critical of the "9-9-6" schedule, where employees work on Saturdays without overtime pay. During a formal meeting, a Sky Fire employee named Wei Dongli gives a tedious presentation filled with corporate jargon. Pei Qian finds the speech incredibly boring and is stuck in the front row on an uncomfortable chair. To conclude, VP Zhao Xuming opens a real-time data monitor to boast about Sky Fire's popularity. However, the room falls silent when the rankings appear, showing that the newly launched Divine General Pact has unexpectedly surged to the top of the charts.

Pei Qian is left in a state of shock at the Sky Fire headquarters when he realizes that his game, "Divine General Pact", has unexpectedly climbed to the top of the rankings. He soon discovers the reason for its success: various game bloggers are praising it for its "sincerity." Unlike competitors, the game’s only monetization is a ten-yuan lifetime pass.

With a daily hundred-draw bonus and an anti-addiction feature that puts all players on a level playing field, it has become a sensation among those tired of pay-to-win mechanics. When Sky Fire's manager, Zhao Xuming, invites him to the stage to discuss the game, a panicked Pei Qian flees the scene. Back at Tengda, Pei Qian confronts Huang Sibo, demanding to know how the project launched so successfully.

Huang Sibo explains that the team worked tirelessly to refine the game's details right before the deadline. He reminds a confused Pei Qian that the final version was sent to him during their team-building dinner, and Pei Qian had given the green light to go live. Pei Qian has a realization: in his drunken state that night, he had approved the launch just to get the staff to stop working and join the party.

Meanwhile, even the Sky Fire employees are obsessed with the game. Wei Dongli and Zhao Xuming are caught playing "Divine General Pact" in their office, celebrating their luck in pulling rare SSR cards, only to scatter when Zhou Muyan appears. Later, Lin Wan approaches Pei Qian to ask about his business philosophy. Still mourning his accidental profit, Pei Qian tells her that his primary goal isn't money, but ensuring players find joy.

When she asks about the company's culture, he admits that his biggest "headache" is his employees’ refusal to stop working. Despite his orders to go home on time, they keep sneaking back to work, forcing him to pay out massive amounts of overtime. Lin Wan is deeply moved, interpreting his frustration as the mark of a truly selfless leader. After the talk, Lin Wan visits Zhou Muyan to resign.

Zhou argues that a woman of her wealthy background should focus on leveraging resources, but Lin Wan counters that to truly grow, she needs to be at Tengda. At the office, Xin Hailu distributes a new round of overtime pay. She notes that Pei Qian was aware of Huang Sibo and Bao Xu’s secret late-night sessions and decided to reward them even more. Huang Sibo is stunned, as he has never received actual overtime pay in his career.

Xin then informs Pei Qian of Lin Wan’s application, mentioning she is a wealthy heiress willing to work for free. Pei Qian’s eyes light up; he views a rich girl with no experience as the perfect "money-losing talent." He orders Xin to hire her immediately and sets her salary at six times his own. Tengda holds a welcoming party for Lin Wan, granting the staff a half-day off. While the team cheers, Pei Qian sits alone in a corner.

To the others, he looks like a lonely visionary burdened by the company’s future, but in reality, he is simply upset about making money. Lin Wan calls her mother to check in, mentioning she has moved into her father’s property in Jinchaun and finds her new boss to be the perfect mentor. Meanwhile, Sky Fire is doubling down on "Bullet Mark", a high-budget first-person shooter they hope will dominate the market.

In a new attempt to lose money, Pei Qian announces that Tengda’s next project will be built using "big data." He instructs the team to copy whatever is currently popular, hoping a lack of original core will lead to failure. Lin Wan is secretly disappointed, as this trend-following style was exactly what she hated about Sky Fire. Huang Sibo eventually presents a plan that is a blatant "reskin" of popular FPS elements.

To Pei Qian’s delight, the game seems generic and uninspired. He gives it a clunky name, "Island Gun King", insists it be a client-based game, and demands it launch on the same day as Sky Fire’s "Bullet Mark"—all while strictly forbidding overtime. As the launch date nears, Sky Fire is in a crisis. Their playtest feedback for "Bullet Mark" is poor because the game lacks a unique soul.

Zhou Muyan orders his team to work 24 hours a day to polish the graphics, hoping to win through production value. Over at Tengda, the team finishes "Island Gun King" ahead of schedule without any overtime. During a test play, Pei Qian finds himself in a "Happy Mode" where "Justice Messengers" fight a villainous organization on a mysterious island.

The game is riddled with bugs; Pei Qian gets stuck in the spawn point and hits invisible walls on unfinished parts of the map. However, he discovers that his character takes no damage from mines or gunfire. Huang Sibo explains that according to their data, dying too quickly ruins the player experience, so they made the health bar virtually bottomless. Pei Qian starts laughing, genuinely convinced he has finally created a truly mediocre failure.

Pei Qian reviews his latest project, "Deserted Island Sharpshooter", secretly hoping its mediocrity will finally lead to a financial loss. When Huang Sibo suggests hiring gaming influencers for marketing, Pei Qian insists on using Teacher Qiao. He frames it as an act of gratitude because Teacher Qiao’s previous videos—both the criticism of "The Lonely Desert Road" and the praise for "God-Level General"—brought in significant traffic.

Pei Qian tells Sibo to spend the rest of the ample budget on influencers in unrelated fields, such as beauty and food bloggers, to ensure the marketing is as disjointed as possible. Sibo meets with Teacher Qiao, who is initially insulted by the humiliatingly sycophantic script Pei Qian provided. However, seeing the staggering payment offered, Teacher Qiao quickly agrees to the deal, claiming he can memorize the script in ten minutes.

On the day of the launch, "Deserted Island Sharpshooter" goes head-to-head with "Bullet Mark", a blockbuster from Sky Fire Studio. Thanks to Pei Qian’s cringeworthy script—which has Teacher Qiao praising the game’s loading screen as being worth three thousand yuan—the streamer is ridiculed by his audience. Meanwhile, a critical bug appears: the game lags uncontrollably whenever a player attempts to fire.

Sibo is devastated and takes full responsibility, unaware that Pei Qian secretly ordered the bug's insertion into the game's most vital mechanic to guarantee its failure. In the office, the staff hears strange noises from Pei Qian’s room and assumes he is crying in despair. In reality, Pei Qian is overjoyed. He treats the dejected team to a lavish meal and insists that everyone receives their full bonuses and takes the afternoon off.

The staff is deeply moved, interpreting his behavior as a heroic effort to hide his own heartbreak. Determined to save the project, Sibo, Bao Xu, and Lin Wan decide to fix the game in secret. Since Pei Qian forbids overtime at the office, Lin Wan invites them to her surprisingly luxurious mansion to work.

Inspired by Bao Xu playing "Tile-matching" to relieve stress, Sibo hits upon a radical idea: instead of just fixing the lag, they will turn it into a unique battle mechanism. They hire an outsourcing team to implement a mini-game system. Now, whenever the game lags during a shootout, players must compete in a round of "Tile-matching", "Match-3", "Snake", or "Gomoku" to determine the winner of the duel.

While Pei Qian dreams of losing enough money to finally buy a luxury apartment, he wakes up to find the game’s reputation has completely reversed. The bizarre addition has become a viral sensation, and Teacher Qiao’s nonsensical commentary has trended in the "Guichu" video section. Frustrated by his unintentional success, Pei Qian meets with Sima and threatens to terminate their contract. Sima suggests that if gaming comes too easily to him, he should try a different industry.

This gives Pei Qian a new idea: he will pivot to a physical business to incur even larger losses. He tasks his loyal friend, Ma Yang, with opening a high-end internet cafe as a first step toward "corporatization." Pei Qian chooses a massive, remote warehouse near the university city specifically because it is hard to find. He hires Zhang Yuan to manage the place, discovering the man is a jack-of-all-trades who can assemble computers, sing, and bartend.

Pei Qian happily pays him three salaries to handle all roles, further inflating expenses. He names the venture "Fish-Catching (Mo Yu) Internet Cafe" and outlines a "C in the morning, A at night" model, serving expensive coffee and cocktails alongside high-end meals priced 30% above market rate. The success of Tengda begins to worry its competitors. Zhou Muyan of Sky Fire complains to Li Shi, the son of the Fu Hui Group’s chairman, that Pei Qian is stealing their users.

Li Shi decides to investigate the new Fish-Catching Internet Cafe. On opening day, Pei Qian ensures failure by forbidding any discounts or flyers, claiming that a high-end brand should rely on customers discovering it "by surprise." The cafe remains empty as the staff stands awkwardly at the door. When a rare potential customer finally walks in and hears that the price is a staggering 20 yuan per hour for a standard seat, he immediately leaves in disbelief. Li Shi watches from afar, convinced the entire project is a ridiculous blunder.

Following the unexpected commercial success of his latest projects, Pei Qian decides to distribute fifty percent of the net profits from "The Lonely Road", "Divine General Pact", and "Deserted Island Sharpshooter" as bonuses to the entire Tengda staff. Many employees are shocked by the substantial sums, as some have never even received a bonus in their careers.

Pei Qian, however, has a secret motive; he views the high-performers as "toxic" elements responsible for the company's profitability and intends to distance them from daily operations. To implement his plan, Pei Qian organizes the first Tengda Best Employee Award based on anonymous voting. Huang Sibo wins first place and is granted a one-million-yuan "Dream Fund" to pursue any project of his choosing.

Deeply moved, Huang Sibo thanks Pei Qian and vows to never let him down, much to Pei Qian's secret dismay. The second-place winner is Bao Xu. Knowing that the introverted gamer hates leaving his room, Pei Qian "rewards" him with a month of paid leave and a mandatory VIP travel package, insisting that he needs to see the world to find inspiration.

With his top producers now focused on personal ventures and vacations, Pei Qian considers his "first elimination" strategy a complete success. In the wake of these departures, Pei Qian promotes Lv Mingliang to project manager. Lv Mingliang, a dedicated programmer who prefers slacking off to leadership, is overwhelmed by the responsibility.

He confides in Lin Wan at the company’s gaming cafe, admitting he only helped Huang Sibo with bugs to stop the former manager from bothering him, and now he feels trapped by his own helpfulness. Lin Wan encourages him, noting that Pei Qian’s decision to avoid game updates and focus on new, innovative projects is what makes Tengda unique. Meanwhile, Ma Yang has struggled to attract customers to the remote gaming cafe.

After a chance encounter with a passerby named Chen Lei, who complained about Ma Yang’s terrible singing, the cafe finds its new resident performer. A month later, Pei Qian is alarmed by a persistent feeling of impending profit. He visits the gaming cafe and is horrified to find it transformed into a bustling live house and seaside-style food stall. Ma Yang proudly reports that the business will officially become profitable by the following afternoon.

Angered that his plan for a high-end, "quiet" brand image has been ruined by success, Pei Qian orders Ma Yang to restore the original cold, deserted atmosphere. To remove the main attraction, he has a heart-to-heart with Chen Lei. Learning that the singer has never left Jinchuan, Pei Qian encourages him to find his "true self" by participating in the "Dream Voice" talent show.

He offers to sponsor Chen Lei’s journey and promises him a fallback position at Tengda if things don't work out. Chen Lei is touched and bids a tearful farewell to his fans at the cafe. As the Lunar New Year approaches, Pei Qian returns home to find his parents embroiled in a neighborhood dispute. A first-floor neighbor, Mr. Ge, has reneged on an agreement to install an elevator, demanding exorbitant compensation and mocking the other residents.

In the heat of the argument, Pei Qian's father, Pei Youjun, brags that his son has already bought them a luxury flat at Mingri Apartments in Jinchuan. Feeling the weight of his father’s pride, Pei Qian calls a real estate agent, Ms. Mei, and commits to signing the contract for the expensive property after the holiday. During New Year's Eve, Lin Wan dines with her wealthy parents, explaining her decision to stay at Tengda.

She describes Pei Qian as a visionary who lives modestly—riding shared bikes and working in a simple office—while providing his employees with high office standards and creative freedom. Meanwhile, Pei Qian watches the "Dream Voice" competition on TV with his family. To his shock, Chen Lei has become a massive hit, and his mother has become a devoted fan.

Realizing that his attempt to lose money by sponsoring the singer might result in even more fame for the company, Pei Qian distracts himself by sending out generous red envelopes to his employees via WeChat. As the staff celebrates the holiday, a miserable Bao Xu is seen wandering through a remote forest, struggling with a total lack of phone signal on his forced vacation.

Following Chen Lei’s departure, business at the M&Y Internet Cafe took a sharp downturn. Observing from the sidelines, Li Shi remained wary of Pei Qian’s next move, suspecting that the decision to fund Chen Lei’s musical dreams was part of a deeper strategy. While his associate Zhou Muyan believed Pei Qian was out of options, Li Shi prepared for a potential confrontation, though he maintained that his preference was to turn rivals into friends.

In the office, Xin Hailu informed Pei Qian that Lishi Capital, led by Li Shi, was interested in acquiring the struggling cafe. Pei Qian, who was focused on maintaining his loss-making ventures, rejected the buyout without a second thought. Li Shi later visited the cafe to pressure Ma Yang, warning that they were merely burning through cash. Ma Yang remained defiantly loyal to Pei Qian, mockingly offering Li Shi a "Moscow Mule" cocktail before sending him away.

The situation changed when Chen Lei was crowned the grand champion of a televised talent show. In an emotional victory speech, Chen Lei thanked his "big brother" and life mentor—the owner of M&Y Internet Cafe—for teaching him to find his true self. He publicly vowed to return and help his mentor now that the cafe was in trouble. Pei Qian rushed to the cafe, only to find Li Shi already there, executing a hostile takeover.

Li Shi revealed he had signed a new contract with the landlord at three times the rent and paid the penalty to evict Pei Qian’s team. As Li Shi ordered workers to dismantle the cafe's decorations, Pei Qian’s staff desperately tried to protect their hard work. Pei Qian even offered to pay a hundred times the amount to stay, but Li Shi was intent on forcing him out.

However, the arrival of Lin Zhengnan and Shen Hua, the founders of the Shenhua Group, turned the tables. They revealed that the property actually belonged to their company and condemned Li Shi’s predatory tactics. Impressed by Pei Qian’s protective attitude toward his employees, they granted him the right to use the space indefinitely for free. Pei Qian was stunned to discover that his employee, Lin Wan, was actually the daughter of these industry giants.

Her parents explained that she was a headstrong woman who refused to use family resources, but they were happy she had found a place at Tengda. They asked Pei Qian to keep their visit a secret and continue mentoring her. Realizing that Lin Wan’s background was inadvertently saving him money and gaining him assets, Pei Qian decided he had to make her want to quit.

He assigned her a massive task: summarizing every failed game from the past decade, granting her the exclusive "privilege" of unlimited overtime in hopes of exhausting her. To find new ways to drain the company's funds, Pei Qian looked for a way to circumvent the 150-yuan-per-person limit on employee meals. He decided to open a high-end private restaurant in a remote, signal-free location at Mingyun Villa.

When a real estate agent named Cui informed him that the property could only be purchased rather than rented, Pei Qian immediately bought it. Meanwhile, Bao Xu returned from his forced vacation looking tanned and miserable, complaining that the hectic travel schedule Pei Qian designed had used up his entire year’s energy. Pei Qian eventually brought the staff to the newly purchased villa for a gathering.

The employees were baffled by the isolated location and the fact that they had to harvest their own vegetables and catch fish for their meal. Pei Qian explained his "enlightened" business model: that wealthy people enjoy "seeking hardship" to find meaning, and his restaurant would sell "craftsmanship" rather than just food. During the meal, he also spoke with Huang Sibo, who wanted to start a web novel venture.

Seeing another chance to lose money, Pei Qian immediately pledged a one-million-yuan investment. Despite the heavy workload, Lin Wan finished her research much faster than expected, prompting Pei Qian to order another decade of summaries. He tried to convince her that she was wasting her life on overtime and should go home, but Lin Wan misinterpreted his words as a call to step out of her comfort zone and work even harder.

News of the remote restaurant soon reached Li Shi, who felt Pei Qian was directly challenging his own niche in the private dining market. Refusing to be sidelined, Li Shi decided to personally visit the villa to see what Pei Qian was planning.

Li Shi finally reaches the remote Mingyun Villas to scout the Tenda private restaurant, only to find the place completely deserted. Exhausted from the trek, he asks for a simple glass of water, but the staff adheres to Pei Qian’s bizarre rules. Chef Lin and the waitress, Zhen, explain that everything requires an advance reservation—customers must even pre-order seeds for vegetables or fish fry for the pond to ensure a fresh harvest.

Refusing to provide plain water, Chef Lin serves an iced Americano and charges an exorbitant 180 RMB. To gain leverage, Li Shi strikes up a conversation with Zhen, complimenting the "South American" decor and adding her on WeChat under the guise of making future bookings. When Pei Qian learns that an investor is trying to bribe his staff for information, he is shocked that anyone would be interested in such a desolate, money-losing venture.

Chef Lin and Zhen report the bribery attempts, proving their loyalty, which Pei Qian rewards with a 2,000 RMB bonus for each employee. After identifying the culprit as Li Shi from a photograph, Pei Qian decides to turn the situation to his advantage. Rather than hiding his secrets, he instructs the staff to sell as much information as possible to Li Shi, encouraging them to drive the price up until the investor is drained of his resources.

Meanwhile, Lin Wan finishes a marathon session of overtime and notices Pei Qian still working late. She assumes he is a tireless leader, unaware that he is actually calculating his recent financial losses with delight. Lin Wan presents her findings on decades of failed games, noting that she has gained significant insight into why certain projects collapse.

Fearing her growing expertise might lead to a successful game, Pei Qian buries her in even more work, asking her to expand her research back to the previous century. The losses from the private restaurant eventually translate into a system bonus for Pei Qian, which he uses as a down payment on a new flat at Tomorrow’s Garden. He brings his parents to the show unit, where they meet the designer, Liang Qingfan.

While his parents are proud and advocate for a practical home, Pei Qian initially demands the highest standards. However, realizing he lacks the funds for a luxury renovation without risking a mortgage default, he makes a sudden pivot. He tells a stunned Liang Qingfan to only install the plumbing, electricity, doors, and windows, leaving the rest of the unit as a concrete shell. The frustrated designer eventually quits the project.

Pei Qian moves into the unfinished flat and sets up a tent in the middle of the room, calling it "minimalist art." When Ma Yang visits, he is horrified to find Pei Qian living in a dusty, doorless concrete shell and decides he no longer wants to live next door. Sensing that his team is becoming too successful, Pei Qian implements a "multi-front loss" strategy. He applies reverse management—placing people in roles they are entirely unsuited for.

He forces the veteran gamer Bao Xu to go on another unwanted international vacation and tells Ma Yang to hand over the internet cafe to Zhang Yuan so he can move on to a "bigger stage." Pei Qian establishes "DreamForge Capital" (Yuanmeng Investment) and puts Ma Yang in charge. He explains that the goal is not to make money, but to "fulfill dreams" by investing in people other investors would ignore.

Simultaneously, he rents the office space next door—left vacant by a bankrupt company—for Huang Sibo to launch Zhongdian Web Fiction. The new web novel platform is designed with anti-trope rules. Pei Qian demands that they reject all "instant gratification" elements like "gold fingers" (cheat powers) or domineering CEOs. Instead, he pushes for "frustration fiction" where the protagonist remains miserable.

To ensure the platform loses money, authors receive base salaries, six insurances, and a housing fund, but are strictly limited in productivity. If an author writes more than a thousand words, they are forced to rest; if they write fewer than five00 words, they are rewarded for "carefully polishing" their work. For the games division, Pei Qian tasks Lin Wan with creating a "Soulslike" game—the genre she likes the least.

He insists on a mechanic that integrates classical poetry into combat, believing it will make the game too difficult for the mass market. As Ma Yang begins interviewing candidates for DreamForge Capital, he encounters eccentric dreamers, including a grilled cold noodles vendor and a persistent bit actor named Shi Huo, who is desperate to finally show his face on screen after five years of playing background roles. Pei Qian finds the actor's struggles intriguing and begins to see the potential in these unconventional, "unprofitable" investments.

Pei Qian continues to live in a tent within his unfinished apartment, maintaining his facade of success while avoiding the pressure of a real renovation. During a video call with his parents, his mother mentions that their neighbors, Uncle Ge and Aunt Zhang, have been mocking them about when they will finally move into the new luxury house.

Though his father’s blood pressure spiked from the annoyance, he tells Pei Qian not to worry and claims he enjoys the exercise of climbing the stairs in their old building. Pei Qian reassures them that the "massive project" takes time but promises they will move in as soon as possible. At DreamForge Capital, Ma Yang recruits a group of juniors from their college who were struggling to find jobs, acting on a request from their former counselor.

Pei Qian arrives to find them playing games with Ma Yang early in the morning. Rather than being angry, Pei Qian labels their gaming as "work-related injuries" and rewards them with game skins as an enrollment bonus. Among the recruits is Tang Yishu, a girl legendary for her bad luck, having lost her graduation certificate and her exam permits on the most critical days of her life.

Viewing her as the perfect "guardian spirit" to help his company lose money, Pei Qian immediately hires her and orders a full body checkup for her. Meanwhile, Lin Wan presents her progress on their new soulslike game. Inspired by the failed game cases Pei Qian had her study, she proposes a mechanic where players must recite ancient poetry during an attack's anticipation period to trigger moves.

Pei Qian embraces the idea but pushes the difficulty to "Hell Mode," aiming to eliminate 99. 9999% of players. He insists on an interactive mocking system that ruthlessly insults players upon failure and demands the longest possible refund period—complete with built-in reminders so players won't forget to get their money back. He titles the game "Returning to Shore". At Zhongdian Web Fiction, Huang Sibo feels immense guilt over the site’s lack of traffic.

To test Pei Qian’s "counter-trend" philosophy, he writes a novel himself under the pseudonym "Ma Dubiao." While the general public ignores it, he finds one dedicated reader using the name "Niu Yanben," who turns out to be a struggling ghostwriter encouraged by Huang’s unconventional style. Feeling a kindred spirit, Huang decides to recruit this author to the platform to provide a "shield" for grassroots writers.

Pei Qian and Ma Yang meet with an inventor named Zhang Wang, who proposes converting abandoned public telephone booths into vending machines. The project is expensive, nostalgic, and seemingly doomed to fail. Pei Qian is delighted and immediately invests 200,000 yuan, signing a strategic agreement to ensure he gets the first right of refusal on all of Zhang Wang’s future "talented" ideas.

To combat the "Rainier effect"—satisfying emotional needs to retain talent—and to prevent secret overtime, Pei Qian organizes a one-day matchmaking event for the staff of Tengda and Zhongdian. He hopes romance will distract them from work. However, the employees mostly end up playing games or discussing technical business. Pei Qian finds himself sitting awkwardly with Lin Wan in the matchmaking area until he has to rescue her from a persistent author who tries to woo her with mediocre poetry.

During the event, Huang Sibo notices a young woman, Hu Yue, sitting alone and reading. She admits she only signed up because she thought it was compulsory. As they share a meal, they realize they are each other's secret readers: Hu Yue is "Niu Yanben" and Huang Sibo is "Ma Dubiao." Later, Pei Qian observes the first telephone booth vending machine on the street.

Pedestrians scoff at the high price of 20 yuan for ten minutes of access, calling it an "IQ tax." Pleased with the financial loss, Pei Qian turns to upgrading his company transportation. He tries to buy a flashy sports car, but Xin Hailu refuses, arguing it damages the image of a mature businessman and threatening to block the purchase entirely. Pei Qian is forced to settle for a high-end business van sold by a salesman named Tian Mo.

Returning to the office late at night, Pei Qian finds Lin Wan still working and orders her to leave. He mandates that she use the company-sponsored gym membership every day as proof of rest. However, Lin Wan informs him that the gym, Starbird Fitness, has gone bankrupt because the local work culture is too "competitive" (involution) for people to have time for fitness. Pei Qian visits the site to confirm and finds a row of struggling fitness centers.

There, he spots Tian Mo, who was fired from the car dealership for poor sales after only selling one car all year. Recognizing Tian Mo’s "talent" for failing to sell, Pei Qian immediately offers him a new job.

Pei Qian encountered Tian Mo distributing flyers, recognizing her as the diligent salesperson who had sold him a car previously. He learned that she had been fired for failing to meet sales targets, having only managed to sell a single car in the entire year. Seizing the opportunity, Pei Qian promptly offered her a new job. Soon after, Tian Mo became the new manager of Xingniao Gym, a venture Pei Qian had recently acquired and invested in.

She met Li Yaling, a personal trainer at the gym, who expressed considerable skepticism about Mr. Pei's serious intent to run the business. Li Yaling explained that many branches of the Xingniao Gym chain had already closed down. She was particularly perplexed by Mr. Pei's insistence on replacing all the existing, high-quality gym equipment with new ones and his decision to transfer all current members to other branches, even paying compensation for breach of contract.

Li Yaling pointed out the immense operating costs, including high rent in the CBD, the expense of new equipment amounting to more than a million yuan, and the constant maintenance of an underutilized pool, emphasizing that personal trainers in the industry were primarily salespersons. She felt that Mr. Pei's vision was entirely contrary to the normal operations of a gym. Tian Mo, finding herself once again in a sales-oriented role, felt a pang of frustration.

Li Yaling, similarly disillusioned, announced her intention to resign and leave the fitness industry altogether. However, Tian Mo quickly relayed Pei Qian's counter-offer: Li Yaling would receive triple her current salary with no sales requirements if she stayed. This generous proposal instantly changed Li Yaling's mind, convincing her that she could indeed continue working in the industry. She then asked Tian Mo about Pei Qian's specific plans for the gym.

Tian Mo explained that the gym, which would eventually be renamed "Sloth Gym," would operate without traditional memberships; customers would pay per visit. The philosophy was to encourage an "enjoyable life without competition," meaning members could relax or even lie down if they wished. Furthermore, the gym would not provide personal trainer services, and customers were free to eat and drink whatever they desired, without any dietary restrictions.

Li Yaling was stunned by these radical ideas, arguing that they completely contradicted the goals of fitness and the expectations of customers who sought muscle gain and fat loss through disciplined training. Tian Mo, however, suggested that Pei Qian might be attempting to revolutionize the industry. To staff the newly acquired gym, Pei Qian reassigned his idle employees from DreamForge Capital, his investment company, to work as "coaches" at the gym.

When Ma Yang visited DreamForge Capital, he was surprised to find the office deserted and learned that everyone had been moved to the gym for manpower. He agreed that the shared phone booth project was now settled, and the gym required more focus, commenting on Pei Qian's seemingly "lunatic" decisions. Meanwhile, at the gym, Li Yaling suggested distributing flyers to attract customers, given the slow business.

Tian Mo, however, explained that Pei Qian had explicitly forbidden any active promotion, instructing them to simply wait for customers to arrive. Li Yaling scoffed at this, arguing that if they blindly trusted the boss, the gym would inevitably close down again. Just then, Pei Qian arrived and, after overhearing the conversation, unveiled the gym's new name: "Sloth Gym."

He then met the owner of the rival "Steady Fitness Club" from across the street and, to everyone's astonishment, proceeded to enthusiastically distribute flyers for the competing gym, declaring that his own "Sloth Gym" would aim to be defeated.

Later, Pei Qian, reviewing a budget, revealed his true intention, stating that "with Sloth Gym by my side, my plan to lose money is now fortified," and instructed his designer to further inflate renovation costs, even adding a sunroom for his cat. Huang Sibo approached Pei Qian to discuss Zhongdian Web Fiction. He suggested that hiring a scholarly celebrity for endorsement would be prohibitively expensive and offer a poor cost-performance ratio.

Instead, he proposed recruiting popular webnovel authors to enhance content and reputation. Pei Qian, however, dismissed Huang Sibo's focus, stating that the primary goal was to generate "popularity" and that content and reputation were secondary concerns for a later phase. He unequivocally declared there was "no cap on the budget" and ordered Huang Sibo to find a celebrity with immense popularity. Following this directive, Huang Sibo secured a high-paying endorsement deal with popular celebrity Lu Zhiyao and his agent, Mandy.

Mandy initially indicated that Lu Zhiyao typically only endorsed luxury brands but agreed to the collaboration due to his scholarly image, which they wished to promote. During their meeting, when Huang Sibo inquired about Lu Zhiyao's favorite books for promotional activities, the celebrity struggled to name any, prompting his agent to quickly intervene and move the conversation towards finalizing the contract, citing a busy schedule with a "Hollywood project."

Reflecting on the deal later, Huang Sibo admitted that the substantial endorsement fee had not significantly boosted the website's traffic, as Lu Zhiyao's fans were mainly interested in his personal content rather than the web novels. Bao Xu finally returned from his extended travels, where Pei Qian had assigned him to tour attractions and interact with locals, forcing him to constantly record videos and endure poor signal abroad, leaving him feeling disconnected and stressed.

His colleagues welcomed him back, joking about his newfound fitness and mentioning the new "Sloth Gym." Lin Wan informed him about the upcoming test release of "Return to Shore," their new Soulslike game, and invited him to test it. Bao Xu eagerly accepted, confident in his ability to tackle challenging games. As he began playing, he discovered a unique and frustrating mechanic: to unleash an ultimate attack, players had to vocally recite an ancient poem, including its dynasty and author.

When Bao Xu attempted to use a simple children's poem, the game's "taunting system," another of Pei Qian's requirements, mercilessly mocked his limited literary knowledge, stating such basic poems wouldn't work. Despite his colleagues' attempts to help him recall more complex verses, they repeatedly failed, facing increasingly sarcastic taunts from the game. Bao Xu, exasperated, declared he'd rather travel.

It was only when Huang Sibo arrived, demonstrating his extensive knowledge of ancient Chinese poetry by accurately reciting several intricate poems, that they were able to successfully clear levels and execute ultimate attacks. Impressed, his colleagues urged Huang Sibo to create a strategy guide, but he attributed the game's unique design to Pei Qian. Lin Wan then presented the game to Pei Qian for his test play.

However, even Pei Qian struggled to advance, repeatedly failing and triggering the game's mocking system, which sardonically labeled his attempts "Free Dying mode." Lin Wan suggested reducing the game's difficulty, but Pei Qian adamantly refused, insisting the current challenging level was perfect and even encouraging them to "keep increasing the boss's power." He expressed feigned surprise that his seemingly absurd requests had been fully implemented.

Later, Mr. Qiao discussed issues with the game's balance, noting that some equipment had been "nerfed" and the difficulty of later bosses increased, contrary to his previous suggestions. Pei Qian, however, offered a convoluted explanation, claiming that by weakening some elements, others were implicitly "improved," and by making later bosses harder, earlier ones seemed "easier," all aligning with his "theory of relativity."

He also argued that the taunting system was less harsh due to the inclusion of puns, providing a "buffer" for players. As a direct consequence of the game's extreme and peculiar difficulty, employees across Tengda, including those from other departments, were observed diligently memorizing ancient poems, even during their commute or in the restroom, in a collective effort to master the game.

Zhou Muyan spoke with Li Shi about Pei Qian's recent unconventional business decisions, musing if he intended to expand into the literary or even film industries, perhaps developing intellectual property from literature into entertainment. Zhou Muyan characterized Pei Qian's methods as "unorthodox" and driven by an "unknown and ruthless reason," noting his ambition in all ventures. Li Shi, however, offered a more profound interpretation, believing Pei Qian to be a "far-sighted man" whose actions, though seemingly strange, held deep significance.

He speculated that Pei Qian was patiently awaiting someone who could truly comprehend his grand vision, quoting a proverb about friendship forming quickly between understanding souls. Pei Qian found Lin Wan secretly working overtime to refine the game, having just ended a phone call with her mother who was pressuring her about returning home. Lin Wan expressed her dedication to the new game and her desire to remain at Tengda.

Pei Qian, pretending to be a benevolent boss, offered her candy and even alcoholic chocolate. He feigned concern, telling her he wasn't a good boss for making her work late and that her parents, with their successful business background, "knew a lot better" than either of them. He strongly advised her to discuss her future with them and to "listen to them," secretly hoping they would persuade her to leave Tengda.

Lin Wan, misinterpreting his intent, agreed to speak with her parents, planning to explain her reasons for staying at Tengda, which left Pei Qian visibly dismayed. Following Pei Qian's instructions, Mr. Qiao proceeded with the game's marketing. " Return to Shore" launched to an immediate and overwhelming wave of negative feedback online.

News outlets reported widespread criticism, with players denouncing the game as "stupid," "lousy," and "crazy" due to its forced poem recitation and merciless taunting system, questioning if they were "playing a game or going to an exam." Lin Wan and her team rushed to inform Pei Qian about the online backlash, noting that many comments appeared to be from "troll accounts" due to their rapid posting in a short timeframe.

Pei Qian acknowledged that while some feedback might be genuine, they were clearly under attack. His staff's investigation confirmed that the negative campaign was orchestrated by Zhou Muyan's rival company. Despite the clear sabotage, Pei Qian remained unfazed, declaring that "time will prove everything" and that engaging in arguments would be "against Tengda's values." Meanwhile, Zhou Muyan observed the game's disastrous launch with satisfaction and, proud of his team's efforts, granted them the entire weekend off.

Xin Hailu reported to Pei Qian that several of his new projects, including DreamForge Capital, the Shared Phone Booth, Sloth Gym, and Zhongdian Web Fiction, were all incurring losses. She also confirmed that "Return to Shore" had generated a substantial loss due to its high production costs. Consequently, she informed him that he was projected to receive a significant personal bonus at the end of the month.

Elated by this news, Pei Qian announced to his bewildered employees that he was "very satisfied" with their "hard work" and the "results" they had achieved, declaring it a "good day." He invited them all to a celebratory lunch at his private restaurant, the private kitchen at Mingyun Villa, and granted them the rest of the day off.

His employees, however, were utterly confused by his inexplicable happiness, wondering what "results" he was referring to, if he was in shock, or even if he was sarcastically criticizing them. Their appetites diminished, they questioned if they had actually made any money. Pei Qian, undeterred, encouraged them to eat heartily, even asking Chef Lin to prepare more dishes. As the celebration was underway, a large crowd of celebrity Lu Zhiyao's fans unexpectedly descended upon the private kitchen.

Having tracked him there, they mistakenly referred to it as "Yao's farm" and overwhelmed the staff, storming into the restaurant in a chaotic rush to find their idol, much to Pei Qian's dismay.

Many people flocked to the private restaurant, overwhelming the chef and leaving Pei Qian feeling quite dejected. The restaurant's unexpected popularity had even become a trending topic, remaining on the hot search list for several days. It turned out that Huang Sibo, inspired by an idea, had discussed with Lu Zhiyao and asked him to post photos of himself dining at the private restaurant.

Although Lu Zhiyao hadn't generated much attention for web novels, his photos attracted a large number of his fans, creating a massive buzz. Lin Wan, realizing this, finally understood why Pei Qian hadn't seemed discouraged earlier. Witnessing the success of what they initially perceived as a loss-making private restaurant, everyone felt motivated to work even harder.

Discussing the phenomenon with Zhou Muyan, Li Shi expressed his admiration for Pei Qian, believing him to be a visionary whose ventures strategically paved the way for each other, a concept Li Shi himself hadn't considered. Li Shi later sought out Pei Qian, eager to understand the secret behind his success. Pei Qian advised him not to follow his example, insisting that his achievements were purely a matter of luck. Li Shi, however, dismissed this as excessive humility.

Pei Qian then added Li Shi on WeChat, promising to bring people to support Li Shi's private restaurant once it opened. Soon after, Ma Yang informed Pei Qian that someone had copied their private restaurant model. Pei Qian called Li Shi, confirming that it was indeed Li Shi who had opened the new establishment. Pei Qian subsequently brought a group of people to Li Shi's new private restaurant. Li Shi, initially startled, mistakenly thought they were there to cause trouble.

To his surprise, Pei Qian had flowers delivered and presented a large red envelope. Li Shi was deeply shocked. He recalled how Pei Qian had acquired his struggling gym, providing crucial assistance when he needed it most. Now, Pei Qian was even bringing customers to his new venture. Li Shi concluded that Pei Qian harbored no animosity towards him whatsoever. Pei Qian attempted to explain to Ma Yang that there was no special connection between him and Li Shi.

However, Ma Yang was already resolute, declaring he would immediately draft an investment plan, determined not to be outdone by Li Shi. Meanwhile, a news report on TV highlighted the unexpected popularity of the phone booths. Pei Qian, stunned, hurried to investigate the situation. He discovered that the areas around the phone booths were now bustling with snack stalls, long queues of people, and even scalpers selling tickets.

Puzzled by this development, Pei Qian learned that another phone booth was under construction and went to check it out. There, he found Ruan Guangjian drawing original artwork for a Soulslike game. When Pei Qian questioned him, Ruan Guangjian explained that Lin Wan had authorized him to integrate these various industries to cross-promote and drive traffic to one another.

Ruan Guangjian then clarified how the phone booths had gained such traction: during a torrential downpour, a working girl unable to find a taxi sought refuge in a phone booth. Coincidentally, it was her birthday, and the phone booth, equipped with various snacks, allowed her to celebrate it pleasantly. Since these phone booths were strategically located in prime, expensive areas, they had become invaluable temporary resting places for many workers, leading to their widespread popularity.

Coincidentally, the gym also became incredibly popular. After a full day of work, most people lacked the energy for strenuous exercise. The gym's approach, which didn't demand intense workouts and instead allowed patrons to relax, perfectly met their needs—fulfilling a desire for fitness while providing a comfortable space to unwind. Pei Qian later discovered that the phone booths even had an agent. Upon investigation, he confirmed it was Li Shi.

When Pei Qian confronted him, Li Shi readily admitted his investment and expressed a desire to collaborate with Pei Qian in business. Li Shi confidently asserted that he understood Pei Qian and that they could achieve mutual benefit. Pei Qian tried to reiterate that his success was genuinely due to luck, but Li Shi remained unconvinced. Pei Qian then visited Huang Sibo, whose overall operations were still running at a loss.

However, one "domineering CEOs" novel had surprisingly climbed to second place. Pei Qian immediately instructed him to take it down. To Pei Qian's further astonishment, he learned that Huang Sibo had also written a fan fiction for a game, which had soared to the top spot.

Lin Wan organized the "Returning to Shore Cup Poetry Contest," an event that quickly became widely popular. Contestants, including Mr. Qian and Mrs. Wang Mingxia, enthusiastically recited classical poems such as He Zhizhang's "Ode to the Willow" and Du Fu's "On Hearing That the Imperial Army Has Recovered Henan and Hebei." Mr. Qian, the current record holder, was assured by the event organizers that the "Returning to Shore" system featured a dialect recognition function.

Prizes included lifetime membership cards to Tengda's Sloth Gym. News reports highlighted how the contest, held in various parks and communities, linked to the "Returning to Shore" game, which uniquely integrated poetry elements. In a TV interview, Bao Xu affirmed Tengda's commitment to creating educational and meaningful games, mentioning the development of a "Poetry Contest Mini Program" and an online "Top Ranking Contest," alongside numerous offline activities to engage a broader audience beyond gamers.

Lin Wan and her team were delighted by the overwhelming public interest and numerous requests for event authorizations, anticipating rapid growth for the mini program. Pei Qian, however, was far from pleased with the game's success. He convened a meeting, questioning the team about the project's unexpected positive outcome.

Lv Mingliang reported that the game's traffic, though largely concentrated among students, communities, and the elderly, was still projected to merely break even by month-end, a far cry from previous hits like Divine General Pact and Lonely Island Shooter. Pei Qian was dismayed to hear it would even break even, to which Lv Mingliang attributed the success to Pei Qian’s strategic decision to increase the publicity budget, leading to widespread promotional activities and a lucky draw in Jinchuan.

Lv Mingliang also clarified that he hadn't worked overtime but simply completed his tasks efficiently. Ruan Guangjian then arrived, apologizing for his "perfunctory" artwork on Divine General Pact, admitting he had initially mistaken Pei Qian for a "common business owner." He expressed gratitude that Pei Qian had approved his first draft and paid generously, inspiring him to pour his heart into "Returning to Shore."

He also praised Lin Wan's chosen ink-wash style, which perfectly aligned with poetry, sparking a wealth of inspiration for him. Ruan Guangjian proudly mentioned that he had undergone LASIK surgery, improving his vision and drawing speed, thanks to the profits he earned. Pei Qian was baffled how a challenging soul-like game, combined with classical poetry, could become so popular. Lin Wan explained that the game had ignited a national craze for learning classical poetry, positively influencing public opinion.

Pei Qian, frustrated by the lack of prior warning about the skyrocketing backend data, was told by his team that they assumed he was already aware. Later, Ma Yang found Pei Qian's gestures to be indicative of celebration, but Pei Qian quickly denied it, trying to conceal his genuine dismay. Lin Wan then proposed developing an English version of "Returning to Shore" for international release.

Pei Qian strongly objected, urging her to return home and spend time with her parents, emphasizing that she had already achieved remarkable success and needed "room for growth." Lin Wan initially agreed to go home to consult her parents for ideas on the game, but Pei Qian insisted she leave "immediately." Lin Wan then revealed that her parents were currently in Jinchuan visiting her.

Sometime later, Lin Wan approached Pei Qian again, presenting a preliminary plan for a new MMORPG called "Divine Mountains and Seas." Pei Qian dismissed her, stating that since Tengda had developed four consecutive successful games, they should instead reflect on whether they truly possessed the capability to create blockbusters, implying they might not deserve such success. Despite Pei Qian's discouraging words, Lin Wan's team, including Bao Xu and Lv Mingliang, encouraged her, expressing their interest in the game.

Even Lv Mingliang, who usually avoids overtime, showed interest in contributing. Feeling increasingly desperate about his failing loss-making strategy, Pei Qian received a notification about an upcoming property management fee, deepening his financial woes. Meanwhile, Ma Yang called, wanting to celebrate their recent string of successful projects at Pei Qian's favorite private restaurant, but Pei Qian refused to attend. Pei Qian then learned about a 20-million-yuan investment in Sloth Gym.

Ma Yang explained that an unnamed business owner had signed a 20-million-yuan franchise agreement, leading Pei Qian to immediately suspect Li Shi. Li Shi later arranged a dinner with Pei Qian at Pei Qian's own private restaurant, as Pei Qian had repeatedly avoided his invitations to other lavish venues.

During the meal, Pei Qian complained about his financial struggles, claiming he was at a "low point in life" and on the verge of defaulting on his mortgage, lamenting that the meal itself cost him several months' worth of expenses. Li Shi, believing Pei Qian was being refreshingly honest and treating him as a true friend, offered the 20 million yuan franchise fee to help Pei Qian "resolve his crisis."

Pei Qian realized the 20 million yuan came directly from Li Shi, who confirmed his investment, reiterating his desire for a "win-win situation" and subtly pressing Pei Qian for his next investment move. Desperate to lose money, Pei Qian asked Li Shi about any "trashy investment projects" in Jinchuan, specifically those that were "at the bottom of Jinchuan's investment chain" and guaranteed to fail, thereby wiping out the 20 million yuan.

Li Shi, misinterpreting this as Pei Qian seeking a "huge comeback," recalled a suitable project. An agent showed Pei Qian an isolated building, originally intended for "garden apartments," but lacking any surrounding facilities. The agent's glowing descriptions of "convenient traffic" (a mere dirt road), "elevated highways extending in all directions" (with no actual connections), and "outstanding infrastructure" (in an empty, desolate area) only reinforced Pei Qian's conviction that the project was doomed to fail.

Seeing the raw, unfinished state of the interior, Pei Qian decided to purchase the entire building, naming it "Four Wall Apartments," confident it would be a significant loss. During discussions with designer Liang Qingfan, Pei Qian clarified that this project was for the company's employees, distinct from his personal Mingri Apartments, and he needed to establish the company apartment before renovating his own.

Pei Qian then enlisted designer Liang Qingfan, who presented several conventional design proposals like "creamy Instagram-style," "minimalist," "Splendor of Success," and "Chinese-style light classical." Pei Qian rejected them all, outlining an unconventional vision: the apartments should feature extravagant "soft furnishings" (100-inch 4K TVs, professional audio systems, projectors, gaming consoles, smart home appliances, and an AI human body sensing system) but with stark, "raw and unpolished" concrete walls and floors, creating a "ruins and rubble style" contrast.

He emphasized the goal was "not for the best, but for the most expensive" in terms of amenities, while maintaining minimal hard furnishings and strictly prohibiting tenants from making their own renovations. Pei Qian also decreed that the apartments would be for rent only, requiring a 10-year lease paid upfront, with no subletting or short-term rentals. He assigned the management to Cui Manager, promising 24-hour housekeeping and butler services, including regular appliance updates.

Despite the designer's assurance that eco-friendly materials were used and the apartments had undergone multiple professional formaldehyde removal treatments, Pei Qian insisted on extended "airing" periods, citing the need to meet "maternal and infant safety standards." The designer, though perplexed, affirmed that the unique design, especially with the "Meteoric Rise" voice command for the smart home system, perfectly matched Pei Qian's vision. To ensure his plans unfolded as intended, Pei Qian covertly summoned Tang Yishu.

Adopting an exaggerated secret agent persona, he praised her quiet, dependable nature, entrusting her with a "top secret" "important mission" and handing her a bag containing "action plans." As part of her management trainee program, Tang Yishu was to intern across various departments, "fully engaging in the work of every department and every individual," as per Pei Qian's instructions.

Her "internship" began at the gaming department, where Bao Xu asked her to test games on his "top-tier PC," despite Lv Mingliang's reluctance for her help with coding. Tang Yishu, misunderstanding, attempted to fold the non-foldable screen, accidentally breaking it. At Sloth Gym, Tang Yishu "assisted" Ma Yang by giving him unsolicited health advice, diagnosing his dry eyes and lips as "kidney damage," and constantly interrupting his workout to remind him to drink water.

Later, at Zhongdian Web Fiction, tasked with encouraging disheartened authors, Tang Yishu advised a struggling writer to "just give up" if their work was unpopular and making them unhappy, instead suggesting they explore vlogging and self-media. This unconventional advice, unexpectedly, inspired the writer to consider vlogging. Finally, Tang Yishu called Pei Qian, concerned that everyone was avoiding her due to her peculiar "assistance."

Pei Qian, however, commended her for doing "great" and announced that the Four Wall Apartments were officially ready for occupancy. He then brought his employees to move in. Pei Qian mused privately that "Four Wall Apartments" was his "last bet" against the "back-to-back betrayals" of his employees, recognizing the need for a department (the management trainee program) to curb their accidental successes.

He found satisfaction in the prospect of the apartments' financial failure, which he hoped would fund the renovation of his own Mingri Apartments. Upon arrival, Ma Yang and the other employees were astonished by the spacious, well-equipped units, featuring 100-inch TVs, and were deeply touched by Pei Qian's supposed generosity, wondering where else they could find such a thoughtful boss. As they entered, the smart home system’s cheerful voice greeted them: "Welcome home!"

Ma Yang approached Pei Qian to discuss the Four Wall Apartments, expressing his concern that the renovation style was too peculiar. Pei Qian suggested they talk outside, but just then, Li Shi arrived. Li Shi announced that he knew about Pei Qian's apartment building and had rented a unit there for ten years, moving in to live among Tengda's employees.

Ma Yang was exasperated, arguing that it was an internal apartment for Tengda staff and had nothing to do with Li Shi. Li Shi countered that there was no rule preventing him from renting. Pei Qian eventually allowed both men inside, but Li Shi and Ma Yang immediately started bickering, much to Pei Qian's annoyance. Li Shi explained that he had already encouraged his friends to rent units in the building, primarily because he wanted to learn from Pei Qian.

Pei Qian urged him to stop, questioning how Li Shi, who had studied management, couldn't see how unreliable this project was. Li Shi, however, praised Pei Qian's "practical" investment methods, which he found impressive, and said he and his friends were eager to follow Pei Qian to explore potential investment projects. Their argument about their relationship with Pei Qian escalated, with Ma Yang calling Li Shi an "idling turtle" and questioning his authority as a "Vice CEO in name only."

Lin Wan, who lived downstairs, was kept awake by their incessant arguing and planned to sleep in her car the next day to compensate for the lost rest. The following morning, as Pei Qian and Ma Yang prepared to take Tengda's exclusive company bus to work, Li Shi attempted to board with them. Ma Yang vehemently blocked him, insisting the bus was only for Tengda employees.

Li Shi claimed spiritual affiliation with Tengda and offered to buy a ticket, but Ma Yang refused. Frustrated, Pei Qian told both Li Shi and Ma Yang to get off the bus, and the driver promptly departed, leaving them behind. Later, while playing a game with Ma Yang, Pei Qian asked him about his future plans if Tengda were no longer around.

Ma Yang, confused, reiterated his intention to work at Tengda indefinitely, believing the company was thriving and would never cease to exist. Xin Hailu congratulated Pei Qian, informing him that his investment in Four Wall Apartments was a wise decision and that he was on track to achieve financial freedom the following week, based on the settlement rules. Pei Qian, maintaining a calm demeanor, expressed that he had learned not to celebrate prematurely.

He stated that, according to his agreement with Mr. Sima, he had the right to withdraw at any time. He explained that the accumulated funds were sufficient to cover his housing loan and renovation expenses, and he no longer intended to continue. He then requested that the Four Wall Apartments remain accessible to employees as a form of compensation. Xin Hailu remarked that Pei Qian continued to impress her.

Pei Qian then spoke with various employees, who were all enthusiastically engaged in their work. Ma Yang suddenly informed Pei Qian that a large crowd had gathered downstairs, fearing they might be troublemakers. Pei Qian went to investigate and discovered that a self-media account was featuring the Four Wall Apartments. The video highlighted a widespread issue of hazardous substances, particularly formaldehyde, in many newly renovated apartments.

It then praised the Four Wall Apartments for their minimalist, pure-cement design, which resulted in excellent environmental test results and zero formaldehyde. The video also emphasized the unique offering of ten-year long-term leases, providing stability for tenants. This exposure had drawn a large crowd of people eager to rent units, some even writing thank-you letters to Pei Qian. Pei Qian was utterly dismayed by this unexpected success.

Everyone gathered for a celebration, where Huang Sibo introduced Hu Yue as the person behind the viral video and subtly revealed their relationship. Hu Yue explained she was a former author from Zhongdian Web Fiction named "Niu Yanben" who had struggled, and it was Tang who suggested she try WeMedia. Meanwhile, Pei Qian received a message from his mother, who had seen the news about Four Wall Apartments and praised his "boss" for being kind and discerning.

Pei Qian then visited his private restaurant, hoping for a moment of peace, but found it bustling with activity. Zhen informed him that the restaurant had become incredibly popular after a production team chose it as the filming location for a variety show called "Beautiful Villa," starring Lu Zhiyao. Li Shi had also invested in the area for a "cultural travel project," contributing to the overall chaotic atmosphere.

Feeling completely cornered, Pei Qian confronted Mr. Sima, accusing him of orchestrating all these successes as a trap. He believed that all the projects that inexplicably turned profitable were manipulated and that even his "betraying" employees and Li Shi were hired actors, describing his life as "The Truman Show." Declaring that he would no longer participate in this charade, Pei Qian announced his resignation.

Mr. Sima reminded him that he could not take his company car or house keys, to which Pei Qian, in resignation, agreed. Pei Qian attempted to find new employment, but after circulating his resume, he struggled to secure a job. During one interview, the interviewer noted the impossibility of verifying his employment at Tengda because his information was purportedly internal.

Pei Qian's attempts to pivot from game development to fashion were met with skepticism, and another interview with a media company ended with the interviewer stating her company was about to go out of business. With his housing loan payment looming, Pei Qian called Ma Yang, claiming his funds were tied up and inaccessible. He asked Ma Yang for a loan to cover the month's payment.

Ma Yang, surprised but trusting, readily agreed to transfer the money without expecting immediate repayment. Later, Pei Qian consulted with a headhunter named Wu Bin, who was particularly interested in Pei Qian's past experience at Tengda, a company renowned for its rapid development and cohesive workforce, noting that Pei Qian was the only employee to have left in years. Dismissing Tengda, Pei Qian reiterated his need for a new job.

Wu Bin then suggested Sky Fire, a gaming company that was actively seeking talent from Tengda and offered high pay, despite requiring relocation from Jinchuan to Xinyang. Wu Bin considered Sky Fire to be Pei Qian's best option.

At Sky Fire Studio, Zhou Muyan reviewed a research report on the game "Returning to Shore". With headquarters dissatisfied with their previous project, "Bullet Mark", Zhou pressured Manager Zhao Xuming to deliver immediate results by "learning the essence" of Tengda’s success—essentially reskinning their work. During the meeting, Zhao revealed a shocking development: Pei Qian, the head of Tengda, had applied for an experienced planner position through a headhunting firm.

Though skeptical of Pei Qian's motives, Zhou decided to hire him on probation to uncover Tengda’s secrets and see what he was plotting. Meanwhile, at Tengda, Ma Yang was in a panic because Pei Qian had disappeared, ignoring messages and only calling once to borrow money. He confronted Xin Hailu, even offering to pay a "ransom" if she was hiding him.

To maintain order, Xin Hailu announced that Pei Qian was away working on a massive project and could not be disturbed. This news deeply inspired Lin Wan, who felt she needed to work even harder to match her leader's dedication. Pei Qian arrived at Sky Fire in casual clothes, insisting he was no longer a CEO but a simple planner in need of a salary. Zhou accepted him but warned that Tengda's "bad habits" would not be tolerated.

Pei Qian requested that his employment be kept secret from the public. Zhao Xuming assigned Pei Qian a desk right next to his own, claiming it was for better communication, though Pei Qian realized it was for constant surveillance. During introductions, a senior employee named Wei Dongli recognized Pei Qian from a previous visit, but Pei Qian quickly claimed they just happened to look alike. The bureaucracy at Sky Fire proved exhausting.

When Zhou wanted to see Pei Qian, the request had to be routed through a long chain of secretaries and managers, even though Pei Qian was standing right outside the office. Zhou demanded an analysis titled "The Strengths and Weaknesses of Tengda Games." Pei Qian was brutally honest in his report, calling "The Lonely Road" a rough project that only succeeded because players had "heavy tastes."

Zhou was dissatisfied, feeling Pei Qian was being insincere, especially since Zhou himself was a fan of the fair membership model in "Divine General Pact". Seeking to improve his presentations, Pei Qian consulted Wei Dongli. Wei criticized his slides as too plain and told him to buy a "VIP template." Pei Qian was horrified to realize he had to pay for a membership just to do his job, essentially paying the company to work.

Meanwhile, Wei Dongli became convinced Pei Qian was secretly planning a hostile takeover of Sky Fire and begged Pei Qian not to fire him when it happened, citing his age and thinning hair. For his next presentation, Pei Qian used business jargon like "bottom-layer logic" and "IP matrices" to impress Zhou. Zhou was pleased and tasked him with creating a proposal for a brand-new game.

Pei Qian struggled with whether to design a game to lose money (as he had at Tengda) or to profit. He began to wonder if Tengda’s success wasn't just luck, but a result of his own talent. To be safe, he prepared two versions: the aggressive "Plan A" and the conservative "Plan B." Zhou found Plan B too generic and urged Pei Qian to bring in his old team from Tengda to help.

One night, the Tengda team visited a bar and spotted a woman with pink hair and heavy Egyptian-style makeup who looked exactly like Xin Hailu. Assuming she was just enjoying her private time, Lin Wan told the others not to bother her. During the outing, a headhunter called Lin Wan, offering to double her salary if she moved to Sky Fire. Lin Wan was unimpressed, listing Tengda’s perks: a private kitchen, free gym memberships, and long vacations.

When the headhunter saw her actual monthly salary, he realized Sky Fire’s "double" offer was actually below the industry average and asked if Tengda was hiring instead. Back at Sky Fire, Zhao reported that the attempt to poach Tengda’s staff had failed, blaming Pei Qian's interference. Since they already had Tengda's marketing strategies, Zhou decided to get rid of Pei Qian before his probation ended.

Zhao began strictly enforcing petty rules, docking half a day's pay for being one minute late, forgetting a badge, or spending over ten minutes in the restroom. Pei Qian’s fines quickly began to exceed his earnings. Instead of being invited to the meeting for the new project, "Eternal Reincarnation", Pei Qian was sent on a complicated coffee run for the whole team. While out, he ran into Lin Wan.

He vented about Sky Fire’s "invisible overtime" and the ridiculous fines for forgetting his badge. Lin Wan suggested he buy multiple badges and pin one to every set of clothes he owned. Realizing he hadn't explained why he was working as a delivery boy for a rival company, Pei Qian hurried away before Lin Wan could ask more questions.

At the Four Wall Apartments, the Tengda team remains puzzled over Pei Qian’s secretive employment at Sky Fire. While some speculate he is acting as a mole to steal trade secrets, others argue that Sky Fire has nothing worth taking, as they are usually the ones stealing from others. Lin Wan and the team eventually decide to trust that their boss is working hard in silence to surprise everyone, choosing to wait patiently for his return.

At the Sky Fire office, the atmosphere is far less optimistic. Pei Qian arrives to find Wei Dongli slumped in his chair, looking so exhausted that Pei Qian briefly fears for his life. Wei Dongli explains that he has been working since a 5 AM meeting and only had a few hours before needing to clock in again.

When Pei Qian offers to help with his reports, Wei Dongli reveals that the management has strictly forbidden anyone from giving Pei Qian any work. Realizing he is being frozen out just days before his probation ends, Pei Qian confronts Zhou Muyan. Zhou challenges him to playtest their new game, "Eternal Reincarnation", with the condition that he must complete it within twenty-four hours to pass his probation. The playtest proves to be a grueling ordeal. "

Eternal Reincarnation" is a blatant "soulslike" knockoff of Tengda's "Returning to Shore", but with a frustrating twist: players must recite complex tongue-twisters to execute moves. As Pei Qian struggles through the night in a dusty room, he suffers from nightmares where Zhou Muyan berates his work attitude and questions his value to the company.

Despite the sheer difficulty of the game, which seems designed to eliminate nearly every player, Pei Qian manages to beat the final boss just as the sun rises. Exhausted but successful, Pei Qian heads to the executive office only to witness Manager Zhao and Zhou Muyan firing Wei Dongli. Using the "Last-place Elimination System" as a pretext, they cite minor lateness and poor report quality as grounds for dismissal without severance.

Wei Dongli desperately pleads for his job, explaining that his father recently had heart surgery, his mother just suffered a stroke, his wife is busy assisting family dialysis, and his child has a fever. He points to his history of working until dawn, but Manager Zhao dismisses his life struggles as mere excuses. When the HR representative flatly denies him N+1 compensation, Pei Qian intervenes. Pei Qian records the entire conversation on his phone.

Having studied the Labor Contract Law after his own past experiences with unfair dismissal, he methodically recites the legal provisions regarding non-fault-based termination. He points out that Sky Fire must provide N+1 compensation, including notice pay, or face labor arbitration. Intimidated by the recording and Pei Qian’s legal expertise, Zhou Muyan reluctantly agrees to pay.

He then informs Pei Qian that he has failed his probation, but Pei Qian simply quits on the spot, leaving with a mocking tongue-twister wishing them "success" in their own way. As the duo leaves the building, the other employees break into applause, proud of them for standing up to the corporate machine. Following his departure, Pei Qian is directed by Xin Hailu to meet Mr. Sima at an old high-rise apartment.

To Pei Qian's surprise, the building has no elevator, forcing him to climb the stairs to the top. Despite his wealth, Mr. Sima refuses to leave the place where he grew up, believing that living among the common people is the only way to understand the world. After their meeting, Pei Qian finally returns to Tengda, where he receives a hero's welcome.

He introduces Wei Dongli, now nicknamed "Mr. Goji" for his love of the berries, as a new member of the family. Pei Qian is shocked to find his office completely renovated by Ma Yang and the others, who felt his previous environment was too pathetic. Back in his element, Pei Qian encourages his team to keep making their own decisions, trusting the capabilities they showed while he was away.

Huang Sibo suggests adapting a "sweet love" novel into a television drama to keep the profits within the company. Pei Qian agrees to the venture, naming the new studio Feihuang Pictures. However, Pei Qian’s attempt to earn extra money as a "slash youth" by driving an e-hailing car and selling snacks to passengers is cut short.

Xin Hailu catches him using the company car for personal gain and sternly warns him that she will confiscate the vehicle if it happens again. Soon after, Sky Fire releases a high-budget trailer for "Eternal Reincarnation". The game is a high-quality production, but the core gameplay is a clear imitation of Tengda’s work, simply swapping poetry for tongue-twisters. The comment section is flooded with bot accounts praising Sky Fire as the "god of domestic games" while disparaging Tengda.

When the team alerts Pei Qian to the blatant plagiarism and the coordinated smear campaign, he remains strangely calm. He sends back an abstract, Zen-like message about karma and slandering the "Triple Gem," advising his team to ignore the noise and focus on their own work to avoid their own "eternal damnation." His employees are left wondering if his time at Sky Fire has made him lose his mind or reach a new level of enlightenment.

As the workday at Tengda comes to an end, Lin Wan stays late to continue her work. Bao Xu stops by her desk to say goodbye, mentioning that he is heading out for a massage to relieve his stiff neck and advising her not to stay too long. Shortly after, Xin Hailu finds Lin Wan still at her computer.

Lin Wan explains that she is feeling the pressure because "The Divine Mountains and Seas" is finally moving forward, and she feels the need to prove Tengda hasn’t run out of ideas despite rumors spread by Sky Fire. Hailu comforts her, telling her that even if the sky falls, there is someone taller to hold it up. She insists that life begins after work and takes Lin Wan out to a club to relax.

At the bar, the two women chat over sugar-free drinks. Lin Wan admits she was surprised to see Hailu’s private side, having previously assumed she was a purely work-driven person who never made mistakes. Hailu explains that she eventually realized work is for others, but life is personal. Lin Wan shares a story about a headhunter who was so impressed by Tengda that he decided to join the company himself.

Hailu asks if Lin Wan really loves Tengda, to which Lin Wan enthusiastically replies that she does. Hailu then cryptically advises her not to take things too seriously, as people—including Pei Qian—can be different from what they seem. Lin Wan, however, considers it impossible for Pei Qian to change. Meanwhile, Pei Qian is looking for new ways to earn money since he can no longer operate his "special car" service.

He decides to work for CC Designated Driving, spending his nights waiting for customers outside bars. While working, his phone rings constantly with updates from his staff. Ma Yang calls about finding a new investment blue ocean; Huang Sibo discusses hiring a top-tier crew for their upcoming film; and Lin Wan asks for approval on the character PV for the new game.

Distracted and preoccupied with his driving, Pei Qian dismisses everyone with a repetitive "Sure, OK, no problem," giving his approval without listening to any details. Back at Tengda, Lin Wan and Ruan Guangjian conduct a play test with Bao Xu. Bao Xu is annoyed to find that a character called the "Wayfarer" is clearly based on him.

The character is a powerful mage with a passive skill called "The Unwilling Wayfarer"; he regenerates health and mana rapidly while standing still but loses health while moving. Ruan Guangjian also reveals his own character, the "Literati of the Wind," a romantic swordsman who uses a giant calligraphy brush to summon fierce winds. Finally, they reveal a tank character named the "Guardian of Justice."

Based on Pei Qian, this character gains defense when attacked and has an active skill where he throws gold coins to damage enemies. Huang Sibo meets with the sisters Wu Sheng and Wu Xi, the authors behind the pen name "Chit & Chat." He discovers that their sweet love story was written based on the perceived chemistry between Pei Qian and Lin Wan, whom they dubbed "Qianyan Wanyu."

When Huang Sibo asks them to adapt the novel into a screenplay, they refuse, explaining that the stress of screenwriting is too high. They suggest that Huang Sibo write it himself, given his previous experience as a web novelist under a pen name. They grant him the rights as long as the lead couple's name remains unchanged. Pei Qian eventually arrives at a meeting with Huang Sibo and Director Zhuang Dace, though he is late because of his driving gig.

Zhuang Dace immediately critiques the original project, claiming that simple sweet love stories are uncompetitive. Influenced by his childhood love for the book "UFO Fantasies", he suggests turning the show into a grand sci-fi epic titled "AI CEO: With You to the End of the Universe". He demands an S+ production tier with three seasons shot back-to-back.

Huang Sibo is skeptical, but when he looks to Pei Qian for guidance, Pei Qian—who is only drinking tea because he has to drive later—simply grants the director full creative freedom. The casting process proves to be a nightmare for Huang Sibo. Only Lu Zhiyao is interested, and only for the high salary. Lu Zhiyao and his agents, Tian and Mandy, demand that the script be rewritten from the CEO's perspective, suggesting he should govern the universe.

They reference Jude Law’s performance in "A. I. Artificial Intelligence" as a model. During the meeting, Huang Sibo notices Mandy giving a different director the exact same scripted critiques on the phone. Lu Zhiyao eventually suggests a mysterious fantasy setting similar to "Game of Thrones". Huang Sibo spends several nights exhausting himself to revise the script into various genre-bending versions, but Mandy eventually calls to decline the role, explaining that Lu Zhiyao is focusing on movies now.

Exhausted, Huang Sibo tells Pei Qian that they might have to hire an unknown newcomer. Ma Yang recommends Shi Huo, a persistent young man who once tried to pitch himself at DreamForge Capital. During the audition, Shi Huo performs a series of abstract mimes, including pretending to lead a horse and watching ten thousand soldiers depart. While Huang Sibo and Ma Yang are confused, Director Zhuang Dace is thrilled, declaring Shi Huo the next big star.

When Huang Sibo calls Pei Qian to report the successful casting, Pei Qian mistakes the call for a designated driving customer and tells him he will arrive in 500 meters, leaving Huang Sibo completely bewildered.

Huang Sibo and his colleagues at Tengda are left in a state of utter disbelief when they confirm that Pei Qian is working as a designated driver. While the others are baffled, Huang is convinced that this is not a random whim but a profound strategy. He believes that the school of "trying to understand Mr. Pei" is simply entering a more advanced and mysterious phase.

Lin Wan eventually places an order through the CC Designated Driver platform and is surprised to see Pei Qian arrive as her driver, using the alias "Driver P." Pei Qian remains strictly professional, reciting the mandatory arrival script for the recording system and greeting her formally. When Lin Wan questions his motives, he simply claims he is "experiencing life" and scoffs at the suggestion that he might actually be short on cash.

As they walk together afterward, Lin Wan mentions that the company is buzzing with theories about his potential plan to disrupt a new industry. Pei Qian insists they are overcomplicating things and shifts the conversation to the development of "Divine Mountains and Seas". Lin Wan confides that while production is smooth, she feels the game's content lacks a certain "soul."

Pei Qian provides guidance, explaining that while gameplay and data can be copied, true emotion is unique and impossible to replicate. He asks why she makes games, and she describes them as a sanctuary or utopia for those burdened by the harshness of reality. Pei Qian encourages her, noting that to move an audience, a creator must first be moved by their own work. Before leaving for his next order, he returns her electric scooter from his car.

Determined to keep him accessible, Lin Wan tells Huang Sibo and Bao Xu that she has negotiated a deal with the driving company to book Pei Qian’s services for the entire month, allowing the team to consult him while he drives. Meanwhile, Huang Sibo prepares for the upcoming film production. The team notices that Lu Zhiyao is trending for negative reasons; he has been labeled a "box office bomb" after a video caught him mistreating an assistant and throwing coffee.

Having been dropped from a major production, Lu is desperate. His manager contacts Huang Sibo, framing his departure as a choice and offering Tengda the "chance" to work with him again. Huang explains that the role of the Wizard is already cast, but the role of the Demon King is available. During the meeting, Lu Zhiyao uses specific hand signals—right for the bathroom and left for thinking—while his manager speaks for him.

Lu claims he doesn’t care about top billing but insists his character needs more "soul" and "spotlight." He begins aggressively editing the script, deleting scenes from other roles to balance them with his own. Eventually, he demands a "double male lead" structure and suggests changing the original male lead into a female character to create a complex love triangle, which he describes as "entangled fates" that will ensure the project goes viral.

The situation becomes more chaotic when Shi Huo arrives on set with a massive entourage. Thanks to viral short videos, Shi Huo has become a "lucky star" with tens of millions of fans. Ma Yang reveals that he has become Shi Huo’s manager and invested in him through DreamForge Capital. A heated rivalry breaks out between Lu Zhiyao and Shi Huo.

While Lu tries to maintain an air of seniority, Shi Huo mocks his arrogance and demands his own script changes. Huang Sibo feels trapped between the two difficult actors and later drinks with Ma Yang, lamenting the stress of the film industry, though he reaffirms his commitment to the project because of the value Pei Qian saw in him. As Ma Yang’s birthday approaches, Pei Qian realizes the gift his friend wants is far too expensive.

Despite his work as a driver, his savings are depleted after paying his mortgage. He visits Ma Yang at DreamForge Capital, where he is introduced to a new project called "Dreams Fulfilled Immediately." Ma Yang has been fulfilling the requests of strangers by sending them money from his own salary, gaining 300,000 fans after a live stream with an anti-scam account proved his legitimacy.

Frustrated that Ma Yang has so much excess money while he is struggling, Pei Qian decides that Tengda should fund the project instead. Secretly, Pei Qian uses a sub-account to request money from the project to buy Ma Yang’s birthday gift. Even the critic Qiao Laoshi tries to leech off the project using a sub-account to get a professional microphone; though Ma Yang catches him, he transfers the money anyway to ensure the critic continues to support Tengda’s games.

Lin Wan later meets with Pei Qian to discuss game updates. Pei Qian grants her full authority over budgets and the freedom to update old games at her discretion. However, he asks her to cancel the month-long hiring arrangement. He admits that a debt-related harassment call—actually regarding his mortgage—reminded him that he needs to take his "experience of life" seriously by working more orders and earning money the hard way.

Lin Wan is deeply moved by his commitment to fully immersing himself in the role of a common worker. Later that night, Zhou Muyan meets with Li Shi to celebrate the completion of "Eternal Reincarnation", boasting that his new game will finally crush Tengda. While Li Shi remains diplomatic, Zhou is obsessed with victory. When they call for a designated driver, Pei Qian accepts the order.

Realizing who his passengers are, Pei Qian puts on a mask to hide his face. Inside the car, Zhou rants to Li Shi about wanting to destroy Pei Qian, warning that if they don't stop him, they will all end up as his drivers. Distracted by the insults, Pei Qian nearly crashes. A furious Zhou rips off the driver's mask, only to find himself staring at Pei Qian. Shocked and embarrassed, Pei Qian immediately leaps out of the car and flees on foot, with Zhou and Li Shi chasing him into the night.

Following the recent driving incident, Zhou Muyan reported Pei Qian to the authorities, leading to a police mediation. In the station, Zhou Muyan vehemently accused Pei Qian of attempted murder, claiming he had intentionally endangered his life. However, Pei Qian calmly presented his extensive record as a professional designated driver, highlighting his consistent five-star ratings and a regular monthly client. He argued that the traffic police had already reviewed the dashcam footage and concluded it was merely a driving error.

While Zhou Muyan refused to believe a CEO would spend his time as a driver, Pei Qian insisted he was simply experiencing life and trying to earn extra money to pay off his mortgage. As they left the station, Zhou Muyan remained resentful, warning Pei Qian that their conflict would only escalate once his new game launched.

Meanwhile, Li Shi expressed genuine admiration for Pei Qian’s "dedication," mistakenly believing Pei Qian had spent months as a driver specifically to infiltrate Zhou Muyan’s circle and gather intelligence. Xin Hailu, however, was less impressed. She reminded Pei Qian that she had only ignored his side jobs because she knew he had financial pressures, but she warned him not to neglect his responsibilities at the office or land in a police station again.

Back at Tengda, the staff speculated on the true motive behind Pei Qian’s driving. While Lin Wan initially questioned how Pei Qian could have known he would run into Zhou Muyan—since Sky Fire isn't based in Jinchuan—others pointed out that Sky Fire is a subsidiary of Fuhui, which is headquartered locally. They concluded that Pei Qian must have used inside information to wait for Zhou Muyan’s business trip. This only solidified his reputation among the staff as a brilliant strategist.

Pei Qian, however, was mostly annoyed that Zhou Muyan had ruined his side hustle, as his account was banned by the platform following the complaint. Unable to continue as a driver, Pei Qian turned his attention to cleaning. He convinced the company's janitor to let him take over the cleaning duties, once again under the guise of "experiencing the real world."

When the Tengda employees arrived at the office the next morning, they were stunned to find their workspaces immaculately organized, complete with thoughtful gifts like neck patches and goji berry tea. Xin Hailu informed the surprised team that Pei Qian was responsible for the transformation. Touched by his efforts, the employees decided they shouldn't let their boss worry about such small matters and organized a thorough cleaning of their own to maintain the new standard.

Meanwhile, Sky Fire launched its highly anticipated game, "Eternal Reincarnation". Zhou Muyan was confident that their massive investment would easily overshadow Tengda’s titles. However, the launch was immediately met with a wave of plagiarism accusations on social media, with players noting its striking resemblance to Tengda’s "Repentance is Salvation".

Zhou Muyan ordered a manager to contact Meng Chang to suppress the negative reviews, but the situation worsened as players criticized the game for being a rushed, poor-quality product that didn't live up to its misleading trailers. At Fuhui’s headquarters, Chairman Li began to worry that Sky Fire’s obsession with marketing over quality would damage the parent company’s reputation, leading the legal department to prepare a "risk separation" statement. Inside Sky Fire, the atmosphere became toxic.

Zhou Muyan forced his team into a state of "war readiness," requiring them to work overtime for forty-five consecutive days. The exhaustion finally took its toll when a veteran employee named Chen collapsed in the office. Instead of showing concern, Zhou Muyan scolded the staff for stopping work.

He gave a harsh speech, claiming he suffered just as much in his office and that the employees should be "grateful" for their jobs, telling them they would starve in the current market if they left. Unbeknownst to Zhou Muyan, his outburst was filmed and leaked online, sparking widespread outrage over the company's lack of employee dignity. As the video trended at number one, Meng Chang realized the situation was unsalvageable and cut ties with Sky Fire.

Fuhui’s stock price plummeted, forcing Chairman Li to intervene. Fuhui issued a public apology, distancing itself from the management failures at Sky Fire. Recognizing the studio was now a liability, Chairman Li's son suggested a plan to his father to resolve the crisis. Li Shi and Pei Qian eventually met with Zhou Muyan to negotiate an acquisition. With Sky Fire in ruins and Fuhui withdrawing support, Pei Qian offered to acquire the studio.

Although Zhou Muyan was initially defensive, he eventually agreed when he was offered a top-tier salary as a professional manager. Tengda took over the studio and renamed it "Late Departure", signaling a shift toward a slower, healthier work pace. While some employees stayed in their original city to work remotely, those who moved to Jinchuan were provided with full relocation benefits and high-quality dormitories. However, the transition proved difficult for the former Sky Fire staff.

Conditioned by years of "rat race" culture, they felt uncomfortable leaving work on time. They began faking overtime on social media, sharing photos of workspace dinners and coffee to impress their new bosses. They even suspected that Lin Wan’s encouragement to go home was a "fishing" tactic designed to test their loyalty. Lin Wan reported these observations to Pei Qian, describing the new hires as being like programmed bots.

Pei Qian understood that the institutional management they had endured was deeply damaging, and he resolved to find a way to break through the mental barriers left behind by their time at Sky Fire.

Pei Qian breaks the "mental barrier" of the former Sky Fire employees by showing them surveillance footage to prove he is aware they have been faking overtime. He reassures them that Tengda will never tolerate the toxic internal friction and exhaustion they previously endured. However, Pei Qian has a different plan for Zhou Muyan and Zhao Xuming. To give them a taste of their own medicine, he has Wei Dongli implement a rigid management style specifically for them.

Wei Dongli waits up all night to ensure they are the only ones required to clock in, marking them late at 8:01 AM. He even monitors their bathroom breaks, reminding a frustrated Zhou Muyan that the ten-minute limit was a rule Zhou himself had originally created. Pei Qian further tightens the leash by installing a dedicated surveillance camera for Zhou, demanding daily work logs and forbidding personal mobile phone use during work hours.

Per Pei Qian's orders, Zhou Muyan gives a presentation to the staff analyzing the failure of the game "Eternal Reincarnation". When he tries to hide behind corporate platitudes, Wei Dongli demands the truth. Zhou Muyan then drops his facade, accusing Pei Qian of being unethical and infiltrating Sky Fire to steal trade secrets.

However, the former Sky Fire employees defend Pei Qian, arguing that their previous company failed because it mindlessly copied Tengda’s "Returning to Shore" without understanding its cultural spirit. They criticize Zhou and Zhao for being more interested in "downward regulation and upward management" than actually making good games. Feeling humiliated by this defiance, Zhao Xuming convinces Zhou Muyan to quit on the spot.

Although this means they forfeit their full compensation, Pei Qian finds the "revenge" surprisingly tasteless, noting that there are many more people like Zhou Muyan in the business world. Following the resignations, Xin Hailu presents the settlement for the Sky Fire acquisition. To Pei Qian's delight, while other Tengda projects are thriving, the acquisition itself resulted in a loss.

Under their agreement, Pei Qian converts these losses into personal bonuses, allowing him to pay back Ma Yang and celebrate the reinstatement of his designated driver account. Meanwhile, Xin Hailu expresses concern to Mr. Sima that Pei Qian seems to be "lying flat" by focusing on menial tasks like cleaning and driving.

Mr. Sima compares the situation to a game of checkers, explaining that once a game has begun and enough "bridges" are built, the momentum will inevitably carry the player toward the goal, whether they want to stop or not. The scene shifts to Fingle, where the new leader Eric—whose father is a long-time friend of Zhou Muyan—recruits Zhou to lead their transition from game publishing to self-development.

Their first project, "Infinite Imagination", is set to launch at the same time as Tengda’s new massive multiplayer online game, "The Divine Mountains and Seas". Back at Tengda, the team prepares for a closed beta. Huang Sibo returns to help, and Wei Dongli even takes a break from his scriptwriting to participate.

During the test, the team is so immersed in the vibrant world—featuring unique combat mechanics and a casual "dragon egg hatching" mode—that they mistake the cold draft on their necks for a "4D" glacier dungeon effect, only to realize Pei Qian is standing behind them, staring ominously. Pei Qian is deeply disturbed by how high-quality the game is, fearing its success will bring him unavoidable profit. Later, Lin Wan invites him to dinner to thank him for his support.

She notices his lack of joy and incorrectly assumes he is a tormented perfectionist who is never satisfied with success. Unable to explain his true motives, an exhausted Pei Qian falls asleep on her sofa. The next morning, a panicked Ma Yang calls the police after finding Pei Qian missing. The officers track him to Lin Wan’s apartment, leading to an awkward encounter when the two emerge together.

A month later, "The Divine Mountains and Seas" officially launches, but the celebration at the M&Y Internet Cafe is quickly dampened. Fingle has launched "Infinite Imagination" simultaneously and initiated a targeted smear campaign. Viral videos accuse Tengda of poaching Wei Dongli, a "core member" from Sky Fire, and mock Lin Wan as a wealthy heiress with average abilities. The campaign labels Tengda’s new game a boring copycat and questions where the company’s budget is actually going. As public sentiment turns hostile, Pei Qian watches the unfolding chaos, aware that he is once again caught in a fierce commercial battle.

In the Tengda conference room, the team was incensed by a smear video targeting their new game, "The Divine Mountains and Seas". Suspecting Zhou Muyan of Fingle was behind it, some employees wanted to physically confront him, while others suggested retaliating by circulating old footage of him mistreating staff at Sky Fire. Lin Wan remained calm, drawing strength from the team’s unity.

Observing from his office, Pei Qian struggled with his desire to fail for financial gain versus his reluctance to betray his hardworking team. He eventually entered the meeting and authorized a full-scale counter-offensive, declaring that he would not let sincere efforts be wasted. To the team's delight, he and Xin Hailu announced that the budget for the game would have no upper limit. Reinvigorated, Sibo (Zhou Sibo) pledged to develop hundreds of marketing strategies.

However, the campaign hit an immediate snag. Sibo reported that major content creators and video platforms were refusing their commissions, as Zhou Muyan had effectively initiated a digital blockade. Undeterred, Pei Qian suggested bypassing the online platforms by utilizing Tengda’s physical storefronts.

This offline push gained traction: Qiao Liang released a supportive video, M&Y Internet Cafe hosted high-stakes competitions, and other Tengda businesses offered perks like rent discounts or free meals at the nameless private restaurant for players who reached certain levels. During this time, Li Shi (Mr. Li Jr. ) faced pressure from his father, who warned that supporting Tengda against a Dayake-backed company like Fingle was bad for business.

Li Shi stood his ground, arguing that the goal should be to grow the entire industry "cake" rather than letting one player monopolize it. As Tengda’s numbers climbed, Zhou Muyan resorted to dirtier tactics. He coordinated with the search engine Chacha Net to redirect searches for "The Divine Mountains and Seas" to his own game, "Infinite Imagination". Sibo also discovered that traffic was being limited across all social and short-video platforms.

While the team wanted to pay double to break the blockade, Pei Qian intervened. He noticed the staff was trapped in a cycle of toxic overtime and realized they had lost sight of their original goal: creating a "utopia" where players could find happiness. He urged them to stop focusing on defeating Zhou Muyan and instead focus on surpassing themselves. Following this shift, the team redirected their energy into optimizing the game.

They simplified the tedious newbie tasks and introduced "dimension-breaking" features, such as allowing players to order real-world takeout or read web novels directly within the game. They also linked an in-game wishing pool to Ma Yang’s "Immediately Fulfill Dreams" social media account to grant player requests. Celebrity cameos from Lu Zhiyao and Shi Huo, who provided autographs as rewards, further boosted the game’s popularity.

Eventually, the platforms that had blocked Tengda relented, signing new strategic cooperation agreements as the game surged to the top of the charts. Fingle’s aggressive tactics ultimately backfired. Eric confronted Zhou Muyan, revealing that the government was investigating Fingle for malicious marketing, spreading falsehoods, and inciting online abuse. To protect the company, Zhou Muyan took personal responsibility for the misconduct, effectively ending his career.

As he left, his assistant Xu Ming dismissed Pei Qian’s success as "dumb luck," but Zhou remained contemplative. His final stop was outside the Tengda building, where he saw Pei Qian exit. His initial anger faded as he watched the Tengda staff swarm around Pei Qian, laughing together like a family. Witnessing this genuine camaraderie, Zhou Muyan realized what he had truly lost. He walked away into the shadows as news reports announced a new crackdown on malicious online competition to maintain a "clean and harmonious" internet environment.

Two years after Tengda’s major victory over its rivals, the company celebrates its anniversary with a grand banquet. The progress reports highlight remarkable growth: M&Y Internet Cafe has reached nearly 110,000 members; Four Wall Apartments has overtaken the Zhujia Group to lead the long-term rental market; and Sloth Gym now operates over 300 locations. Additionally, the partnership between Nameless Private Kitchen, Sloth Gym, and Against Wind Delivery has expanded to thirteen cities beyond Jinchuan.

In the gaming sector, "Divine Mountains and Seas" sees nearly 47% of its revenue coming from overseas, while new VR titles and the Yuanmeng investment brand—now boasting 30 million fans—continue to thrive. Despite these triumphs, Pei Qian maintains a humble, almost self-deprecating private life.

While his employees enjoy their success, he views himself as a "drowning dog" behind the scenes, still wearing his original outfit from opening day and working as a designated driver just to cover his monthly mortgage payments. The evening’s lucky draw brings mixed emotions. Lv Mingliang and Hao Qiong win significant cash prizes, with Hao Qiong joking that she hasn't been poor since joining Tengda.

Huang Sibo, who finally finalized his script for "Northern Continent" after 649 revisions, also wins a large sum. The grand prize—a ten-day worldwide trip for two—is won by Bao Xu three times in a row. Claiming he has traveled enough, Bao Xu gifts the prize to Tang Yishu, who is moved to tears as she has never won anything in her life. Pei Qian concludes the night by gifting every employee a golf club membership.

After the event, Pei Qian picks up a driving order at Shenhua Tiandi and finds a heavily intoxicated Lin Wan. Though the 46-kilometer trip is a loss for him—requiring at least three battery swaps for his electric bike—he refuses to leave her in her vulnerable state. During the ride, Lin Wan expresses her deep gratitude, reflecting on how useless she felt during her time at Fuhui and thanking Pei Qian for his unwavering support.

When they arrive at her home, Pei Qian meets Lin Wan’s parents. To hide his side job, he claims his driver’s uniform is a cosplay from the banquet. Lin Wan’s father, a high-ranking official at the Shenhua Group, admits he was wrong about Tengda and even asks Pei Qian for tips on a difficult dungeon in "Divine Mountains and Seas".

Her mother is equally impressed, noting how rare it is for a successful businessman to remain completely sober during a celebration. The status quo is soon disrupted by the arrival of Lawrence, also known as Sima Fu, the son of the influential investor Mr. Sima. Lawrence first appears at an awards ceremony to present Tengda Games with the "Company of the Year" award before arriving at the office to act as a co-manager.

Claiming his father sent him to "polish" the company, Lawrence takes over Pei Qian’s office and insists on a new "e-marketing" direction. He demands that staff use English names to seem more international: Ma Yang becomes "Ocean," while Pei Qian chooses the name "Loss." Lawrence’s first move is pushing Ma Yang into the world of live streaming. Dressed in eccentric outfits, Ma Yang is tasked with selling beauty products, specifically a lip glaze, to a female audience.

Lawrence then decides to visit the film set of Feihuang Pictures. He sends a list of nearly 400 forbidden foods and demands specific water and room temperatures for his arrival. The visit turns into a spectacle as Lawrence and Ma Yang arrive via helicopter, the rotor wash nearly blowing away the welcoming banner held by the struggling film crew.

Pei Qian officially introduced Huang Sibo and Ma Yang to Lawrence at the filming location, where Director Zhuang Dace was also present. Ma Yang was in no condition to socialize, as he was severely airsick from the helicopter ride and spent his time vomiting. Lawrence referred to them by English names, calling Huang Sibo "Yellow" and Ma Yang "Ocean." Meanwhile, the production's lead actor, Lu Zhiyao, was initially furious that Lawrence had commandeered his private makeup artist, causing a delay.

However, his attitude shifted instantly once he learned of Lawrence's high-profile background, and he began showering Lawrence with praise. As the production launched, Lawrence, acting as the producer, delivered a speech announcing a staggering eighty-three sponsors, ranging from Qishenghua skincare to Zhiguang lighting. Pei Qian realized Lawrence was focused on cramming as many new brands as possible into the show as product placement. This forced Huang Sibo to revise the script to accommodate the overwhelming advertisements, leaving him frustrated.

The actors, including Lu Zhiyao and Shi Huo, criticized the nonsensical new dialogue, questioning the screenwriter's artistic principles. Back at the office, the situation was equally stressful. Lin Wan called Pei Qian to complain that Lawrence was tormenting the staff with endless demands. Despite being at the film set, Lawrence assigned a mountain of advertising integration work for the game, causing Lv Mingliang to faint from sleep deprivation.

To help the team cope, Pei Qian shared a manual he had previously used to deal with difficult superiors, which the team renamed the "Anti-Law Work Guide." Following its principles of being respectful but slow, Lin Wan and the others used corporate buzzwords like "resource integration" and "product empowerment" to stall Lawrence during video meetings. Lawrence, surprisingly, found this jargon professional and accepted their vague three-month timeline. Lawrence also targeted the company’s mascot, a black cat named Yintang.

Claiming he was allergic and that a black cat was a bad omen, he demanded its removal. Pei Qian stood his ground, explaining that Yintang was a symbol of Tenda’s prosperity. Lawrence eventually conceded on the condition that the cat create value by joining the "Tenda content matrix" to boost its IP value. Meanwhile, Lawrence pushed Ma Yang into livestreaming to sell various products.

When Pei Qian saw the broadcast, he found Ma Yang dressed ridiculously and selling low-quality "Winter Fairy" yoga pants. Pei Qian interrupted the stream and suggested a new strategy: absolute honesty. Ma Yang began "destroying" the products live, turning off beauty filters to show the poor quality of the yoga pants and exposing "Black Sesame Divine Pills" as high-fat supplements that would only cause weight gain. This honest approach gained Ma Yang a massive following of fans called "Aima."

When several brands offered "sponsorship" money to avoid being mentioned on air, Ma Yang treated it as "protection money" and exposed their private messages. Lawrence was outraged, screaming about astronomical penalties, but Pei Qian pointed out that many products involved false advertising, meaning the brands were the ones in breach. Pei Qian also refused to reimburse Lawrence’s personal expenses, like helicopter fees, telling him to bill his father instead.

As Lawrence prepared to leave the country, Pei Qian coincidentally picked him up as a designated driver. After dropping Lawrence at the airport, Pei Qian immediately received another order for the same car. To his dismay, the new passengers were Lawrence’s brothers, Sima Tu and Sima Sui, who had also been sent by Mr. Sima to gain experience at Tenda.

Pei Qian tried to contact Mr. Sima to complain, but Xin Hailu explained the chairman was abroad on an unreachable "important plan." The two brothers proved to be a chaotic addition, as their management styles were completely contradictory. Sima Sui advocated for focusing entirely on the gaming sector, specifically "The Divine Mountains and Seas", while Sima Tu insisted on balanced development across all sectors. Their disagreement paralyzed decision-making regarding the game's version 2. 0 release.

They even created separate WeChat groups, excluding each other to issue conflicting orders. They also attempted to replace the artist Ruan Guangjian, but Pei Qian defended him, advising them to check Ruan's massive social media following first. When they scheduled separate meetings for 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM, Pei Qian stepped in, stating that Tenda employees do not start work that early. In response, the brothers decided to replace the meetings with mandatory daytime "talks" and nighttime "training," imposing an even more exhausting schedule on the staff.

Sima Tu and Sima Sui began their tenure by imposing a strict new regime at Tengda, sending out messages that the era of lax work habits was over and new schedules must be followed. Sima Tu initiated individual meetings with key employees to undermine their loyalty to Pei Qian through manipulation. He praised Lv Mingliang as the company's backbone, only to suggest it was unfair that resources were being diverted to Lin Wan.

Mingliang was not easily swayed and asked for a clearer explanation of these divisive comments. Sima Tu tried a similar approach with Lin Wan, questioning her contributions compared to her peers and claiming her talent far surpassed Mingliang's, but she bluntly asked if he was simply trying to instigate office politics.

Even Huang Sibo was targeted; Sima Tu offered him '82 vintage wine and spoke poorly of Sima Sui’s maturity, urging Huang to exercise his own judgment and choose the right person to follow within the company. Meanwhile, Sima Sui focused on physical "heart-power" training, forcing the staff to carry heavy logs and flip truck tires to build endurance. Unbeknownst to him, Pei Qian had spent the night replacing the equipment with foam props from a film set.

The employees found the exercises surprisingly easy but pretended to struggle to maintain the ruse. When Sima Sui pressured a terrified Huang Sibo to overcome his fear of heights by jumping from a platform, the team intervened to support him. The training session was eventually cut short when a representative informed Sima Sui that Li Shi had booked every available training ground in Jinchuan, leaving them with nowhere to practice.

Realizing the employees were too united under Pei Qian, the Sima brothers decided that the only way to gain control was to break the team apart. Despite Pei Qian’s formal objections that arbitrary reassignments would paralyze operations and violate labor rights, Sima Tu and Sima Sui used their two-to-one majority as shareholders to force a company-wide random department rotation.

Pei Qian sent a message to his staff, asking them to bear with the situation for now and offering full compensation to anyone who felt they had to leave, promising they would be welcomed back later. Amidst the confusion, Ma Yang speculated to the group that Pei Qian was a wealthy heir and the Sima brothers were his siblings embroiled in a tangled inheritance battle, even wondering if Pei Qian was the "fifth brother" of the Sima family.

The resulting rotation was chaotic: private kitchen staff struggled to write game code, fitness instructors were forced into singing roles, and Bao Xu found himself delivering food on an electric scooter, even getting into an accident while trying to complete an order for Qiao Liang. Two months passed as Pei Qian fruitlessly searched for Mr. Sima at various international addresses provided by Xin Hailu, finding only abandoned and moldy properties.

When he finally returned to the office, he found Xin Hailu working as a weary receptionist. She presented him with a disastrous financial report showing that Tengda was facing massive losses across nearly all sectors. Enraged, Pei Qian confronted Sima Tu and Sima Sui, demanding to know how they would justify the damage to their father. The brothers fled the scene in a car, and Pei Qian gave chase on a scooter.

The pursuit ended in a traffic accident that left Pei Qian hospitalized. While recovering, a frustrated Pei Qian demanded that Mr. Sima be brought before him. To his shock, he discovered that Mr. Sima had been in the same hospital all along, recovering from major surgery and currently in a coma. He had never been abroad; he simply wanted to hide his illness from everyone.

Xin Hailu warned Pei Qian that if Mr. Sima never woke up, it would be considered a force majeure, rendering their original agreement void and stripping Pei Qian of all promised benefits. Desperate to protect his interests, Pei Qian begged the doctors to save him, appearing to onlookers as a remarkably devoted son. With the Sima brothers having fled and Pei Qian sidelined, the employees took the initiative to save the company.

They halted the rotation and returned to their original posts to fix the mess. The developers worked at full speed to optimize the new version of The Divine Mountains and Seas, incorporating innovative ideas the chefs had brainstormed while stationed in the gaming department. Ma Yang suggested using the Yuanbao AI tool to help write scripts, which finally satisfied the demanding Lu Zhiyao.

Additionally, the streaming team at Ponytail Live successfully turned a profit by pivoting to broadcasts where they destroyed low-quality, unverified products. By the time Pei Qian could see the new reports, the team’s hard work had already begun turning the company's massive losses back into profits.

Six months earlier, a dying Mr. Sima gathered his four sons to reveal his will. He emphasized that if they wanted to save their family conglomerate, Jinghong, they had to understand and manage Tengda, which he believed was the key to bringing their empire back from the brink of ruin. While his sons seemed more concerned with the inheritance than their father's health, Mr. Sima remained convinced that Tengda represented the only future for their capital empire.

In the present day, Pei Qian visited the still-comatose Mr. Sima at an outpatient clinic. Reflecting on his journey, Pei Qian recounted the story of how an ordinary man like himself had been offered a bizarre deal by a tycoon: he would personally profit only if his company lost money, but if it succeeded, he would be restricted to a meager monthly salary of 5,000 yuan.

Despite his best efforts to fail, every project had turned a profit, leaving him burdened by a heavy mortgage and working as a rideshare driver to make ends meet while his employees lived well. It was then that he met Sima Wan, the tycoon's son.

Sima Wan revealed that the "confidential" agreement Pei Qian signed was hardly unique; the tycoon’s private jet was a revolving door for many such investors, and Pei Qian was simply the only one who had succeeded. Sima Wan had studied Pei Qian’s methods, realizing that his desperate attempts to inflate costs—by treating employees exceptionally well and pursuing unconventional ideas—had inadvertently created a culture of innovation and fanatical loyalty.

Pei Qian was shocked to learn he was merely a "lab rat" in a massive experiment to see if a company like Tengda could save the decaying Jinghong. Sima Wan proposed a new deal to prove his father’s theories wrong by destroying Tengda. He pointed out that while Pei Qian’s employees were happy, Pei Qian himself was exhausted and trapped. Sima Wan suggested that Pei Qian should be the one to shut down the company.

In exchange, Sima Wan promised that once Tengda declared bankruptcy, all the remaining funds would be transferred directly to Pei Qian, finally granting him financial freedom. A month later, Pei Qian returned to the office to find the staff in high spirits. The "cross-training" experiment forced upon them by the other Sima brothers had concluded, and everyone had returned to their original roles, successfully cleaning up the mess and restoring the business.

Lin Wan and the others proudly showed off their progress on "Divine Mountains and Seas 2. 0", urging Pei Qian to go home and rest. They even joked that he should return to his rideshare driving if he enjoyed the "experience of life" so much, unaware of the decision weighing on him.

Pei Qian sought out Xin Hailu, who confirmed she had gathered the data on the candidates, but it was Mr. Sima who chose Pei Qian for his ordinary background and his willingness to challenge authority. Realizing he had been a pawn on a chessboard he couldn't see, Pei Qian finally called Sima Wan and agreed to help him "flip the board." Shortly after, Pei Qian gathered the entire staff for a final meeting.

To their absolute shock, he announced his decision to shut down all of Tengda's businesses immediately. When the confused employees pressed him for a reason, Pei Qian put on a cold front, claiming he was never the role model they thought he was.

He told them he had deliberately placed them in roles they were ill-suited for—like forcing the gamer Bao Xu to travel, making the inexperienced Ma Yang a venture capitalist, or forcing Lin Wan to work on soulslike games—specifically hoping they would fail. He even claimed he never wanted their games to launch and that he wanted all their hard work to amount to nothing.

Despite his harsh words, Pei Qian ensured that every employee would receive full compensation according to labor laws. One by one, the staff packed their belongings. Lv Mingliang, who was usually the first to leave the office, found himself unable to walk away from his desk. Ma Yang remained at the office as Wu Sheng confirmed that the internet cafes were being cleared out and the livestreaming settlements were complete.

The vibrant ecosystem Pei Qian had built vanished almost overnight; the Four Wall Apartments were vacated, the Sloth Gyms closed, and the private restaurant ceased operations. As the news hit the internet, loyal players were outraged, unable to understand why a thriving company would suddenly disappear. Sima Wan called Pei Qian to congratulate him, noting that while Pei Qian may have lacked the resolve to fail before, he had finally shown the courage to tear it all down.

Huang Sibo’s transition to a new company has been far from smooth. His new boss frequently belittles his work, mockingly questioning if his previous experience at Tengda was as impressive as it seemed. The employer goes as far as to suggest that Tengda’s recent collapse was inevitable given the mediocre quality of its staff. Meanwhile, Ma Yang has opened a fruit shop where several former Tengda employees have found refuge.

Despite the change in industry, Ma Yang insists on maintaining the company spirit, leading the group in morning exercises and prioritizing their health over sales performance. Even when Hao Qiong struggles to balance the books for the new stores—finding it far more complex than her previous role where she simply processed outgoing payments—Ma Yang encourages her not to worry, emphasizing that their happiness is more important than the accounts. Pei Qian keeps track of his former team through social media.

He sees Lv Mingliang sharing photos of a grueling hike and Huang Sibo expressing his frustration with his disrespectful new workplace. Bao Xu is back at the internet cafe, spending his days gaming, while Li Shi has been keeping a close eye on Pei Qian's situation. Seeing how much everyone has changed since the shutdown, Pei Qian returns to his office and manages to log into the game to access a dungeon containing unreleased content.

Inside the game, Pei Qian discovers a hidden dungeon containing a video message recorded by his staff during the period they were forced to swap positions. In the video, the team reveals they knew about the management trainee program all along but played along because of the genuine friendships they had formed.

They express their deep gratitude, with some thanking him for rescuing them from former toxic workplaces and others, like the socially awkward Lin Wan, calling him their shelter from the storm and their personal utopia. They promise to stand by him and protect Tengda to the end. Deeply moved by their loyalty, Pei Qian finds himself in tears.

Before logging out, he activates a new character, the Guardian of Light, a hero designed to heal wounded hearts and guide teammates through the darkness. Driven by a new sense of purpose, Pei Qian meets with Sima Wan. Although Sima Wan believes their deal to dismantle Tengda is nearly complete, Pei Qian abruptly terminates the contract unilaterally.

He informs Sima Wan that they have never been, and will never be, the same kind of people, choosing to pay the penalty rather than continue their cooperation. Pei Qian then tracks down Xin Hailu, who is working as a designated driver at a bar. He asks her to return to Tengda, and despite her skepticism regarding the company's lack of funds, he assures her he has a plan to fix everything.

To raise the necessary capital, Pei Qian decides to sell his house. Li Shi, who had been waiting for this moment, steps in to buy it at a price well above market value. Li Shi explains that he is only holding the property temporarily to help Pei Qian through this difficult period and promises to return it exactly as it was, down to the last piece of office equipment, once Tengda is back on its feet.

With the funding secured, Pei Qian calls Ruan Guangjian to ask for new promotional art for the game’s relaunch. Though Ruan Guangjian is initially hurt and hangs up on him multiple times, Pei Qian eventually offers a sincere apology for his past mistakes, and Ruan Guangjian agrees to give him one last chance. Pei Qian begins personally visiting his old team. He finds Bao Xu at the internet cafe and convinces him to return.

He then visits Huang Sibo just as the latter is desperately searching for a workplace that respects its employees. When Pei Qian offers him his old job back, Huang Sibo is overwhelmed with emotion, admitting that he hasn't been able to find his footing anywhere else.

At the fruit shop, Ma Yang initially pretends to be angry, teasing Pei Qian about misnaming characters in a bootleg book of mythology—confusing Apollo with "Pineapple" and Achilles with Pandora—but he quickly admits he has been waiting for this moment for a long time. The rest of the staff eagerly follows suit, ready to rejoin the company. The final person to recruit is Lin Wan, who has been isolating herself at her parents' home.

Although her parents try to encourage her by mentioning the new game update, she insists she is finished with gaming. She goes as far as blocking Pei Qian’s messages and turning off her phone to avoid his calls. Pei Qian eventually waits outside her building, and when shouting her name fails, he spots her going for a midday run. He tries to chase her on an electric scooter, but the battery dies, forcing him to pursue her on foot.

Exhausted and barely able to keep up with her intense pace, he finally catches her and apologizes for his previous lack of commitment. He admits that while he once treated the company like a mere game, he now understands the importance of seeing it through to the end together. Tired from her run and moved by his sincerity, Lin Wan tells him to go get her car, signaling her agreement to return to the team.

The members of the Tengda team return to their office, overcome with nostalgia. Lv Mingliang and Huang Sibo realize they are sitting in the exact same spots where they first met on their first day at the company. Pei Qian arrives and offers a sincere apology for his previous mistakes. He asks the team if they are willing to follow him once more to "clear the Tengda instance," and the group enthusiastically toasts to their renewed journey.

Business resumes with incredible momentum. The 2. 0 update for "The Divine Mountains and Seas" is a success, featuring a new "Guardian of Light" character and a Mid-Autumn Festival event that includes virtual lantern riddles and escape rooms. The Fish-Catching Internet Cafe reopens its doors, and customers are thrilled to learn that Chen Lei is returning for a comeback performance.

Meanwhile, Tian Mo and Li Yaling work together to get Sloth Gym back in operation, welcoming back members who missed its unique philosophy. To compensate the residents of the Four Wall Apartments for earlier troubles, the company restores their long-term leases and grants them a full year of free rent. On the film set, production finally wraps; despite previous conflicts over funding and leading roles, Road Zhiyao and Shi Huo exchange contact information as friends.

A mysterious elderly visitor arrives at the office, prompting curiosity. Xin Hailu explains he is Pei Qian’s friend. The visitor is Sima Ming, who reveals he left the hospital some time ago and stayed hidden to observe Tengda’s evolution. He notes that while his own Jinghong Group has been declining, Tengda has flourished.

Sima Ming declares that Pei Qian has passed his final test and proposes a new agreement: Tengda will now be a profit-making venture where Pei Qian is the primary beneficiary. He also mentions he has sent his sons abroad to prevent them from interfering. Pei Qian realizes that to Sima Ming, everyone—including his own family—has merely been a pawn on a chessboard. Pei Qian’s personal life also sees a resolution.

His father calls to report that their neighbor, Mr. Ge, finally agreed to the installation of an elevator in their old building after Pei Qian arranged a job at Tengda for Mr. Ge’s son-in-law. Although Pei Qian regrets losing their luxury apartment, his parents reassure him that they are happy in their old home as long as the family is together and healthy. They encourage him to pursue whatever work makes him happy.

Resolved to define his own future, Pei Qian meets Sima Ming at the apartments to set his own conditions. He insists that Tengda must operate as an independent entity to ensure it never loses its integrity or turns into another version of Jinghong. After the meeting, he asks Xin Hailu to notify the staff that he is taking a long vacation.

The business landscape shifts as Sima Ming announces his retirement, leaving his four sons—Sima Wan, Tu, Sui, and Fu—as joint CEOs of Jinghong. Tengda becomes independent, with Pei Qian holding a 51% stake and the employees holding the remaining 49%. The company moves into a massive new headquarters in an industrial park and opens branches in numerous cities.

Each department thrives; the gaming division continues to break records, and Huang Sibo’s film division produces several successful projects, with Huang even considering directing an animated film about Nezha. After traveling for a long time, Pei Qian finally returns. Ma Yang and the others greet him warmly, joking about his extended absence.

Ma Yang reminds him of their early days in a small rental house when Pei Qian first asked him to join the business, jokingly offering him a job as a security guard. Pei Qian decides to keep his original office vacant, instructing the agent to maintain the lease despite the prime location. He places a photo from their original opening on the desk and decides to begin a new chapter by writing a novel based on his experience of building Tengda.