Resumen del episodio 18 de No Pain No Gain
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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.
