Chapter 159: President Pei Is Very Angry
Chapter 159: President Pei Is Very Angry
There were a lot of people in front of the Moyu Internet Café. Inside, Ma Yang and Zhang Yuan were busy running around, completely unaware that Pei Qian was already standing outside.
Pei Qian, accompanied by Assistant Xin, silently observed everything.
A waiter recognized President Pei and was about to inform Ma Yang, but Pei Qian quickly pulled him back and made a “shhh” gesture.
The waiter immediately understood.
“President Pei, you’re planning to surprise Manager Ma? Got it!”
The waiter pretended he hadn’t seen anything and went back to work.
Pei Qian felt like he was on the verge of a heart attack and silently walked around the café’s exterior.
The open area at the entrance had been completely filled with tables, chairs, and sun umbrellas. From the look of them, they weren’t cheap—they were even kind of classy.
Clearly, in Ma Yang’s eyes, this setup was meant to emulate a European seaside town.
But in Pei Qian’s eyes, with all this noise and bustle… was this still his Moyu Internet Café?
It was downright heartbreaking!
Just as he was about to head inside, guitar music came through the outdoor speakers.
The performer had started singing.
The crowd outside was a bit more subdued—mostly just casual passersby who weren’t too crazy.
But inside the café, especially in the bar area, there was an immediate burst of cheers and applause—the atmosphere was electric!
If someone didn’t know better, they’d think this was a live concert.
Pei Qian and Assistant Xin blended into the crowd and made their way in, only to find the bar seats completely packed, with lots of people even standing.
Several customers walked straight to the bar counter. Pei Qian watched as they handed over two red bills, only took one drink, and didn’t even ask for change.
Then he looked at the stage.
Chen Lei, guitar in hand, was singing folk songs. He looked a bit red in the face, possibly from shyness, but didn’t seem nervous at all.
Maybe once he started singing, he entered a “zone” and forgot to be nervous.
On a nearby, inconspicuous wall, there was a sleek screen showing a scrolling list of recent drink orders, how much of the drink’s price went to Chen Lei, and little personalized messages from the customers.
Line after line of warm messages scrolled by, amplifying the already lively atmosphere.
Pei Qian’s face twitched hard.
He had never met Chen Lei, but seeing all this, it was obvious that this guy was the café’s new live performer.
However, all the other stuff going on… Pei Qian simply couldn’t accept it.
Of course, being a smart man, it only took a few seconds of thinking for Pei Qian to figure out the general cause and effect.
‘A perfectly good Moyu Internet Café… and you turned it into Moyu TV?’
‘These drink gifts—how are they any different from streaming platform tips or rocket launches?’
‘If I had come just a few days later, wouldn’t this place already be turning a profit?!’
Looking at the scrolling numbers on the screen, Pei Qian felt his heart clench. He even saw someone buy ten cocktails at once, triggering a fancy screen-flooding effect, essentially tipping 500 yuan.
Pei Qian didn’t think it was just some rich fool wasting money. He knew—better than anyone—that the future of livestreaming would only get more insane. What he was seeing now? This was nothing.
Not to mention, Chen Lei really could sing. The guy’s voice was worth every cent.
What Pei Qian wanted to know now was:
‘Who found this gem of a singer? WHO?!’
His chest tight, Pei Qian also felt a twinge of relief.
‘Thank goodness I’ve been dreaming about this place making money and felt unsettled these past few days—otherwise I might’ve forgotten all about it.’
'If I had kept calculating Moyu Internet Café’s losses as 300,000 yuan per month right up until settlement day, I’d have coughed up blood on the spot!’
What was worse, such a big event was happening, and no one had reported it to him!
Meanwhile, Assistant Xin was quietly observing and feeling a bit impressed.
‘Not bad. Just a week ago, this place was so empty, and now it’s bustling with life.’
‘At this rate, even nearby businesses might benefit from the foot traffic. That could trigger a positive cycle of growth!’
And the weirdest part was… the singer was just quietly singing, not hyping up the crowd like at a typical bar, but people were still tipping generously. The revenue from drinks tonight would definitely be impressive.
Had President Pei already anticipated this, and that’s why he was so chill about the café’s losses before?
Assistant Xin quietly followed behind Pei Qian without asking anything—after all, she was already used to this kind of thing.
Pei Qian squeezed through the crowd toward a corner where Ma Yang was loudly chatting away.
…
Ma Yang and Zhang Yuan were enthusiastically discussing future plans.
“I think this flagship store still has room for improvement!”
“Right now, the glass curtain wall can’t be opened, which is kind of a shame. I’m thinking of hiring a construction crew to renovate it. Ideally, people outside should also be able to feel the vibe from inside…”
Ma Yang was absolutely brimming with confidence, convinced his business genius had never shone brighter.
Zhang Yuan was listening attentively—until he suddenly noticed a figure behind Ma Yang. Under the dim lights, half of his face hidden in shadow…
“President Pei! What brings you here?” Zhang Yuan greeted immediately.
Ma Yang turned around, only to see a pale-faced Pei Qian.
“Eh? Brother Qian?”
“Too bad, I wanted to give you a surprise—but I guess you found out.”
Pei Qian’s mouth twitched. So it is Ma Yang causing all this trouble!
“So many changes to the café, and you didn’t say a word to me?” Pei Qian felt betrayed, like he’d been backstabbed by his closest brother. It was emotionally exhausting.
Ma Yang was stunned:
“Brother Qian, I was just trying to only report the good news, not the bad! I figured the ‘good’ wasn’t big enough to bother you yet!”
Pei Qian: “…”
‘Only reporting good news, huh? If all my employees did that, I’d be dead by now!’
But Pei Qian couldn’t bring himself to scold Ma Yang too harshly. After all, his intentions were good—he genuinely wanted the café to succeed.
To scold him for “ruining the classy vibe of the café” would seem… heartless.
No matter what, Old Ma had poured his whole heart (and pig brain) into making him money.
So why did Pei Qian feel like his chest hurt?
‘Is my most loyal right-hand man… about to abandon me too?’
Zhang Yuan chimed in with a smile:
“Now that President Pei is here, maybe you could give us some guidance. Is there anything about the café you think we should improve?”
Pei Qian’s expression twitched:
“Everything’s… fine.”
“But… there is some room for improvement.”
He pointed to the large screen nearby:
“This screen? A bit tacky. I know your intention was good—you wanted everyone to see their own tips and be able to add little messages. It feeds people’s need to show off.”
“But the constant scrolling ruins the atmosphere, and it encourages competitive spending, which doesn’t match our café’s vibe at all.”
“I think it’s best to just cancel it. Customers coming here to drink is already the best kind of support—there’s no need for them to compete.”
Pei Qian spoke with the poise of a wise visionary.
Ma Yang glanced at Zhang Yuan. After a brief moment of thought, Zhang Yuan said:
“Yes, President Pei is absolutely right! I always felt the screen was a bit off, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Now I get it—it really clashes with our intended vibe.”
Ma Yang hesitated, clearly reluctant:
“Well… okay, let’s remove it.”
Pei Qian finally felt a bit relieved.
‘Without that screen, maybe the tipping craze will cool down a bit… maybe.’
“And the outdoor tables and chairs… too crowded. It feels tacky. You could remove a few.”
Ma Yang nodded:
“Hmm… yeah, that makes sense.”
Pei Qian then said, in a heartfelt tone:
“Old Ma, I’m really moved by your efforts to turn Moyu Internet Café profitable.”
“But you have to remember—profitability is never our top priority. Our number one goal is to shape Tenda’s public image!”
Ma Yang nodded like a drumstick:
“Got it, Brother Qian! You can count on me—our minds are in sync. No need to say more, I understand everything!”
‘Heh… you understand nothing, you idiot…’ Pei Qian muttered internally, walking away with a mix of resentment and resignation.
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