This question stumped Pei Qian.
Indeed, what if GOG mindlessly followed suit?
Pei Qian realized that he had previously fallen into a small thinking trap because Tenda’s previous opponents were all other companies, and when it came to burning money, basically none could outspend Tenda.
After all, other companies were burning either the boss’s money or investors’ money. Unless the boss truly didn’t care about money like Pei Qian, they couldn’t possibly spend so extravagantly.
Therefore, Tenda always emerged victorious in money-burning battles.
But now, GOG was also Tenda’s game, and it had a money-burning quota too!
However, Pei Qian quickly calmed down. This was merely a numerical issue.
What if he just ensured that IOI’s funds were always more than GOG’s?
In a spending war, whichever side had more ammunition would certainly have the advantage!
Besides, both sides burning money would be a tremendous blessing for him!
He had been worried about not having enough places to spend money.
With this in mind, Pei Qian smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll ensure you always have more money than GOG.”
Limiting GOG’s funds was impossible, as Pei Qian had just proposed the “freely allocate 50% of income” policy not long ago and couldn’t change orders so soon.
He wasn’t concerned about anything else—he mainly feared causing misunderstandings.
What if everyone started to overthink, wondering about Mr. Pei’s deeper meaning? Was he hinting that they shouldn’t spend recklessly anymore?
That would be counterproductive.
So Pei Qian considered that GOG should continue burning money as planned, but he just needed to ensure that IOI’s Chinese server always had more money than GOG.
Surely this wouldn’t allow GOG to make a comeback, right?
Everyone’s eyes regained their spirit.
Indeed, worthy of being Mr. Pei!
With one move, the problem was solved!
Although the money-burning plan wasn’t difficult to conceive, being able to spend so decisively, so cleanly, so recklessly—not everyone had such courage.
And making the promise that “IOI would always have more money than GOG” was something only Mr. Pei could achieve.
Ye Zhizhou was excited: “Alright, Mr. Pei, we’ll arrange it immediately and make a comeback!”
…
After leaving the Shangyang Games, Pei Qian felt relaxed.
Looking at his watch, it was just after three in the afternoon. Going home to lie on the living room sofa and comfortably bask in the sunshine seemed like a good choice.
Just then, his phone rang.
It was Li Shi calling.
Pei Qian: “?”
He was instantly on high alert.
Could there be an issue with Startling Inn? Or was it about the Golden Maze?
Or was it about Dream Realization Venture Capital, with Li Shi wanting to co-invest?
No, Li Shi wouldn’t want to co-invest in the automatic counter-argument machine, would he? He hadn’t drunk any mind-altering potion, and he couldn’t have lost his senses, right?
Pei Qian instinctively panicked at seeing “Li Shi” on the screen, fearing that Li Shi would, without further discussion, invest alongside him again and turn his secretly loss-making projects into profitable ones.
But not answering wasn’t an option either; an ostrich mentality wouldn’t help him avoid getting stabbed in the back.
There was no choice but to answer.
“Hello? Mr. Li, is something the matter?”
Li Shi’s voice came from the other end: “Mr. Pei, nothing particularly special. Just that a friend of mine wants to meet with you to discuss something. Do you have time?”
“You should have heard of this friend of mine, and may have even met him. His name is Wang Peng, one of the co-founders of Review For All.”
“Wang Peng, Xue Zhebin, and I are partners who opened Ming Fu Family Banquet together. Remember?”
Pei Qian suddenly understood.
Remember? He remembered all too well.
This person was still on his little black list!
Although his position was relatively low on the list, Pei Qian would not forget him.
Back then, it was this Wang Peng and Xue Zhebin who went to Mingyun Private Kitchen for a meal, then purposely marked it on the Review For All app and wrote a long review. Finally, they arranged for a programmer to create a blank name.
As a result, Mingyun Private Kitchen had turned from a loss to a profit.
This grudge was irreconcilable!
He still had the nerve to meet me?
Pei Qian initially wanted to use the excuse of being busy with work to decline, but on second thought, he felt he should meet after all.
What if this person was secretly brewing some new plot?
If he didn’t meet with him, wouldn’t he continue to be kept in the dark?
Pei Qian thought for a moment: “I have time now and tomorrow, let Mr. Wang arrange it.”
Li Shi was very pleased: “That’s great, then, so one hour later, let’s meet at Slackin’ Internet Café at Handong University?”
Pei Qian: “Fine, but… what’s this about specifically?”
Li Shi chuckled: “Mr. Pei, you’ll know when you get there. It definitely won’t waste your precious time!”
Pei Qian: “…”
Why did he feel more afraid the more he heard?
…
Slackin’ Internet Café, Handong University branch.
Pei Qian had just arrived a short while ago when Li Shi and Wang Peng also arrived one after another.
“Mr. Pei!”
“Mr. Li, Mr. Wang.”
After exchanging perfunctory pleasantries with the two men, they all took their seats.
Seeing Wang Peng’s face seemingly radiating with smiles, Pei Qian instinctively felt something wasn’t right.
What was making him so happy?
“What specific matter did Mr. Wang want to see me about?” Pei Qian asked, quite concerned.
He had a sense that when someone came to find him with a beaming face, it rarely meant anything good!
Wang Peng smiled slightly but didn’t answer directly, instead looking at Li Shi: “I’ve long heard from Mr. Li that you, Mr. Pei, have the constitution of a koi fish. No matter who it is, just by getting close to you, good fortune will occur!”
“And if they happen to show some goodwill, they’ll even reap extremely rich rewards.”
“After the Ming Fu Family Banquet incident, I was still half-believing, half-doubting.”
“But this time, I completely believe it!”
Pei Qian looked bewildered, remaining silent for a moment before a question mark floated above his head.
?
What was he trying to say?
I have the constitution of a koi fish? How have I never felt that?
Your good fortune is my misfortune!
Seeing that Mr. Pei remained unmoved, Li Shi smiled and said to Wang Peng: “Mr. Wang, just speak directly. Mr. Pei doesn’t like people playing games with him.”
“Besides, Mr. Pei is usually very busy with work and has so many things to handle. He might not even know about this matter.”
Pei Qian opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but stopped himself.
Although there was something off about Mr. Li’s two sentences, he couldn’t pick out any major errors…
Wang Peng nodded: “Alright, I’ll speak directly then. Mr. Pei, do you know that the Nameless Restaurant has become popular on foreign websites because of a well-known food blogger?”
Pei Qian: “??”
I don’t know!
Seeing Mr. Pei’s unmoved expression, Li Shi chuckled: “See, I told you Mr. Pei is busy with work. How could such a trivial matter possibly alarm him?”
“Most likely, Manager Lin arranged it himself. If he told Mr. Pei about everything, wouldn’t Manager Lin be useless?”
Seeing that Pei Qian didn’t know about this, Wang Peng became even more enthusiastic.
“Mr. Pei still doesn’t know? That’s perfect then! Let me tell you the whole story in detail!”
“Due to my profession, I follow some famous foreign food bloggers, many of whom are food connoisseurs who frequently fly around the world to eat at Michelin three-star restaurants.”
“Tuesday night, I discovered that a food blogger I’ve been following, who has several million followers, had updated content that was being reposted multiple times.”
“Excitedly clicking in, I found that there were no images, just a long article.”
“I was puzzled at the time because, due to time differences, this blogger likes to ‘poison’ people late at night, often flying around the world, taking photos of classic foods, and then adding her reviews.”
“Unlike other more amateur food bloggers, she has excellent appreciation abilities while also understanding how to meet ordinary people’s expectations, making her food reviews seem grounded, which is why she has many followers abroad.”
“But as far as I can remember, she rarely posts purely text blogs.”
“Then, looking carefully, I realized this was talking about your Nameless Restaurant, Mr. Pei!”
“No wonder there were no pictures—because the Nameless Restaurant doesn’t allow photography, haha!”
Pei Qian’s hand holding the coffee froze in mid-air.
He suddenly understood why Mingyun Private Kitchen had recently had a large number of foreign reservations.
This food blogger was behind it!
Fortunately, he had been mentally prepared, so Pei Qian maintained his composure on the surface while repeatedly telling himself internally: “Don’t panic, even if Mingyun Private Kitchen becomes more popular, it can’t earn me more money!”
After taking a sip of coffee, he said: “And then?”
Wang Peng couldn’t help but sigh in admiration: “Mr. Pei’s calm demeanor is truly worth learning from.”
“You should know, this is a blogger who has criticized Michelin restaurants, with extremely picky tastes. However, this time, she used a long article to praise the Nameless Restaurant comprehensively and from all angles!”
“Including service details, the flavors of various dishes, and especially the final two dishes, ‘verjus in egg’ and ‘Boiled Cabbage in Plain Water,’ she went into full detail and couldn’t stop praising them!”
“She particularly emphasized the point she was most satisfied with: no matter what questions were asked, the waitstaff could answer fluently, and Manager Lin had very thought-provoking insights about the food industry’s development, deepening her understanding of Chinese food culture!”
“Mr. Pei, such praise is rare.”
“The only regret is that the Michelin Guide hasn’t yet entered the mainland. Otherwise, once this blog post came out, Michelin reviewers would come for an undercover visit. If it could then get two or even three stars, that would be…”
Pei Qian listened with trepidation.
What on earth?
Did this food blogger have such influence?
Fortunately, that tire-making guide hadn’t entered the mainland, otherwise… the consequences would be unimaginable!
Pei Qian didn’t think Michelin was that formidable. After all, it was a Western-biased evaluation standard with little reference value for Chinese cuisine.
But Pei Qian was also very clear that many people recognized it!
If it got a Michelin three-star rating, Pei Qian would have to actively request its removal.
Otherwise, if crazy food enthusiasts from all over the world flocked there, wouldn’t everything be out of control?
Fortunately, the Michelin Guide hadn’t yet entered the mainland, and even if it did in a few years, it would start with major cities like Magic City and Imperial Capital. It probably wouldn’t reach Jingzhou.
Pei Qian couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
But on second thought, he felt something was still off.
Just for this matter, was it worth Wang Peng specifically coming to find him?
Although this food blogger was impressive, having praised Mingyun Private Kitchen and causing many foreign friends to come make reservations and dine, so what?
Still, as he had said, Mingyun Private Kitchen was already booked two months in advance. Even if it became more popular, it wouldn’t earn him more money.
What was there to fear?
Li Shi also nodded: “Missing the chance to get a Michelin three-star rating is indeed a pity. Although Michelin’s evaluation of Chinese cuisine isn’t reliable, having such recognition isn’t harmful.”
“To be honest, after entering the high-end catering industry myself, I admire Mr. Pei even more. In high-end dining, going from 30 points to 60 points is easy, but going from 90 points to 95 points is extremely difficult!”
“For Mr. Pei to make the Nameless Restaurant continue to improve after reaching 90 points, he must have put in tremendous effort in places we can’t see!”
Pei Qian: “…”
Before Pei Qian could speak, Wang Peng took over from Li Shi.
“It’s a pity, but there’s an old saying: ‘A blessing in disguise’!”
“Mr. Pei, Mr. Li, have you thought about a question?”
Currently, the Michelin Guide hasn’t entered the mainland, meaning foreigners can’t evaluate mainland restaurants based on Michelin. So, tell me, what do they rely on to enjoy mainland cuisine?”
Pei Qian’s heart skipped a beat: “Rely on… food bloggers’ recommendations?”
Wang Peng laughed heartily: “That’s right, Mr. Pei! Think about it, mainland restaurants haven’t been given Michelin stars, but the Nameless Restaurant has been highlighted by a famous food blogger who has criticized Michelin… Rounding up, isn’t that equivalent to the Nameless Restaurant being on the same level as a Michelin three-star restaurant?”
“It’s as if the Nameless Restaurant suddenly became highlighted on the food map!”
“Whether they’re foreigners or locals, everyone will want to try it!”
Pei Qian: ??
Wang Peng continued: “Besides, Mr. Pei, you’re only half right. They do rely on food bloggers’ recommendations to find food, but they also rely on our Review For All!”
“Mr. Pei, as your Nameless Restaurant becomes popular, Review For All benefits alongside it because Review For All was the first to discover the Nameless Restaurant and gave it its name. When it comes to reviews of the Nameless Restaurant, Review For All has the most and most comprehensive!”
“Those wanting to search for and read about the Nameless Restaurant will be directed to Review For All. Just this alone saves us so much promotional expense!”
“Therefore, we co-founders urgently convened a conference call and decided to take advantage of this opportunity to create a promotional feature, combining the Nameless Restaurant’s ultimate dining experience with our Review For All, while also riding on this food blogger’s popularity, directly making this matter viral!”
“Good marketing only needs a small spark to instantly explode!”
“That’s why I say, Mr. Pei, you truly have the constitution of a koi fish! Without doing anything, you’ve brought such a huge wave of traffic to our Review For All!”
“Of course, Mr. Pei, rest assured that our Review For All won’t forget your kindness.”
“To express our gratitude, we’ve decided to recommend all of Tenda Group’s physical businesses in this feature!”
Pei Qian was already feeling somewhat dazed, but considering that no matter how popular Mingyun Private Kitchen became, it couldn’t earn more money, he could still maintain composure.
However, upon hearing this statement, countless question marks instantly appeared above Pei Qian’s head.
???
Wang Peng didn’t notice Mr. Pei’s bewildered expression and continued excitedly: “Our feature is called ‘Beautiful Jingzhou.’ In this feature, we’ve inventoried all of Jingzhou’s famous attractions, historical sites, high-end dining, and so on. The highlight is the Nameless Restaurant, but we’ve also included Slackin’ Internet Café, Slackin’ Delivery, Shared Phone Booth, Tuoguan Fitness, and even Startling Inn!”
“After all, with Nameless Restaurant reservations being so difficult, it’s not easy for people to come to Jingzhou. These special projects must all be experienced.”
“In addition, we’ve decided to offer permanent preferential treatment for Tenda’s businesses. Including Slackin’ Internet Café, Tuoguan Fitness, and other enterprises, they’ll rank higher when searched on Review For All and will have special star selection badges, continuing to increase recommendation efforts!”
“This is called returning the favor—don’t you think so, Mr. Li?”
After Wang Peng finished speaking, he looked at Li Shi sitting beside him.
Li Shi’s face bore a smile as he nodded slightly, as if saying, “The student can be taught.”
This style of handling matters had been taught to him by Mr. Li.
Pei Qian, meanwhile, had fallen into a prolonged silence.
Wang Peng’s smile seemed to say: “I can’t control your Nameless Restaurant, but can’t I control your other businesses? Tenda has a vast empire. You can run, but your businesses can’t hide. If the Nameless Restaurant doesn’t earn money, then other businesses will. In short, there’s no escape for you! Come, make Mr. Pei earn money!”
Pei Qian had originally planned to investigate tomorrow why so many foreigners had come to Mingyun Private Kitchen, but now it seemed unnecessary.
It was too late!
Pei Qian was speechless. Are you all on adrenaline or something?
The loss manager only reported this to me at noon, and you’ve already arranged everything by the afternoon??