"Yours are 32, you must have miscounted. I personally checked every table yesterday, and there were only 11!"
"How is that possible? Our verification codes are machine-generated, and the system records them automatically. It can't be wrong."
"It doesn't matter to me, 11 is 11. Many people don't take these things seriously and might not show up last minute. Hey, don't you all think it's 11?"
"Yes, yes!"
"I was hoping for more people yesterday, but there weren't that many!"
"Your results aren't that great!"
"..."
Yao Yuan scratched his head, looking helplessly at the other party, annoyed by the hassle. Why did they always have to be so unreasonable? Couldn't they just talk things through logically?
The other party, however, was full of confidence and didn't flinch at all, making it clear that there was nothing he could do about it. "Brother, come here, let's have a chat." He beckoned, drawing the boss to a corner, and said, "We agreed on two promotional periods, right?" "What about it?" "One for Christmas, one for New Year's. We did the Christmas promotion, but you unilaterally broke the contract, so the New Year's promotion is off." "Your stuff doesn't work. If I wanted publicity, I could post ads myself, and it would be better than this!" "At the same time, to compensate for our losses, we've decided to apologize to our users tonight, explain the situation, and state that your establishment, this 'treasure' of yours, oh, Fisherman's Kitchen... cuts corners! It's unhygienic! They use toilet water to raise fish and sell dead fish as live ones! Your waitstaff spit in the food!" Gasped! The boss's face turned red and then pale. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word! If any restaurant with fish in it were to claim they never sold dead fish as live ones, he'd call them a damn liar! He wanted to salvage the situation, but Yao Yuan waved his hand dismissively, not even bothered to deal with him. They were on the blacklist now. In the Era of the Roughs, no one was obligated to be merciful. ... After Christmas, there was still a week before New Year's Day. During this week, the cooperating restaurants steadily increased, reaching over a dozen, all waiting for the New Year's Eve package deal. Back then, it wasn't like later times when a meal cost 100-200 yuan. The average salary was only a little over a thousand yuan, so a 48-yuan set meal wasn't prohibitively expensive, but it wasn't something people ate casually either; it was a luxury for special occasions. After New Year's, the prices would have to come down, but that's a story for another time. Besides the newly opened revenue streams, the group messaging for horoscopes, fortune-telling, and greetings also continued. Liu Weiwei was constantly coming up with new phrases to prompt users to reply, and seeing the data that flooded the backend, she smiled like a rose all day. And aside from the two main pillars, the movie theaters and restaurants, the crosstalk, which was considered an add-on, had also seen some changes. On the 31st, at Guangde Building. After a crosstalk performance ended, Guo Degang led a few people out for a curtain call, and the audience applauded loudly. Old Guo's eyes welled up with tears! For the past few days, a lot of people suddenly started coming to the shows, and everyone was delighted, thinking their luck had turned, but it turned out they were all freeloaders. Well, they were used to it. Sometimes, while performing, they would drift off, wondering who was paying and who wasn't. Of course, there were positive effects too. Not long ago, there were less than 10 people per show, and the worst was only one audience member. Now it was different; it had at least doubled! They could consistently maintain an audience of 7-13 people. All thanks to that young man surnamed Yao! After the audience left, Guo Degang began to consider a matter: using the teahouse's phone to call Yu Qian. "The audience has been very stable lately. I recognize a few of them. They started coming without paying, but later they willingly paid... He helped us out, so I'm thinking about how to thank him?" "Treat him to a meal!" "A meal would be nice, but what's the pretext? And we're on a tight budget; we can't afford anything too expensive." Yu Qian thought for a moment and said, "Aren't you taking disciples? Invite him to join the fun. Eat at your own place. It'll save face and show respect." Old Guo thought this was feasible and quickly called Yao Yuan. Yao Yuan agreed readily but hung up after a few rushed sentences because he was also busy. The event was nearing its end, and everyone had to hold on until the last minute to settle accounts. Of course, more importantly, Boss Yao was finally going to pay his employees! Chapter 37: Small Goal Achieved Evening. Yu Jiajia monitored the backend data, occasionally sending out group replies or manually responding. Yao Yuan stood before a small blackboard, writing down the lessons he would give later. Truth be told, in this small, dilapidated warehouse, he suddenly felt a sense of entrepreneurial ancestors' spirits crossing space and time. When the tide comes, no matter how rudimentary the conditions, it can't stop a passionate heart. It was like this in the 1980s, the 1990s, the 2000s, and 2008... and then it stopped. After watching the backend for a while, Yu Jiajia got up to stretch, casually picked up a large box, and said, "Hey, I almost forgot. Take a look at this." "What is it?" Yao Yuan opened it and found stacks of business cards, all belonging to celebrities and minor figures in the entertainment industry. He was delighted: "This is great stuff!" "It is good stuff, but I've been wondering how to use it. Our monthly subscription is only 30 yuan at most. Unless they subscribe to multiple services, these people spend hundreds or thousands on phone bills monthly, so they don't care about a few small coins. How about we charge an advertising fee and help them promote things?" "Hmm..." Yao Yuan pondered for a moment, but couldn't come up with anything immediately. "Keep them for now. We'll research this thoroughly after the event is over." As they were talking, Han Tao and Liu Weiwei returned, having taken turns for dinner. The newspaper office had a cafeteria, serving four meals a day: three regular meals plus a late-night snack. Night shift workers were provided with transportation home, and taxi fares could be reimbursed... This was also why Yao Yuan had been determined to join the newspaper in his previous life: high salary, good benefits, and prestige. Once upon a time, reporters were known as uncrowned kings! Around 6 PM, the last night of 2001. A cold wind howled, causing the windows to rattle slightly. Most offices were empty, but the work in this small warehouse on the 13th floor was just beginning. They had officially become an SP for less than 20 days, but the four of them had already developed a good rapport. The youngest, Yao Yuan and Liu Weiwei, were both 21, Han Tao was 25, and Yu Jiajia was 30all young. The clicking of keyboards and mice, the rustling of pens on paper, and the occasional exchange of ideas... The surge of youthful energy and passion easily dispelled the lack of heating and air conditioning in the humble room. Of course, there were also three thermoses on the floor, filled every afternoon, solving the employees' hot water needs. It was just that some of the water dispensers at the newspaper office suddenly seemed to be consuming a lot of water. Time passed unnoticed, and it was soon 11 PM. Yao Yuan stretched his stiff neck and said, "Alright, no one can go eat now. Let's settle the accounts." "Yay!" Liu Weiwei cheered first, feeling that she had performed well during this period and had figured out the knack for tricking users into replying. "Let's go through it from the beginning, one by one!" "As of today, I've collected 180,000 mobile numbers. It's been too busy lately. Han Tao said he'll create a screening program to filter out duplicates. But the readers from the newspapers I contacted are mostly similar, so I estimate there are 20,000 to 30,000 duplicates." "So our current customers are still those 84,600 who haven't subscribed." "I've categorized the mass text messages and sent them out with intervals, along with content messages. In ten days, each person received an average of four messages, costing 33,840 yuan in communication fees. And the replies we received and charges... cough!" Liu Weiwei tactfully cleared her throat twice. "A total of 48,697 messages, revenue of 486,970 yuan. After deducting commissions and costs, the remaining balance is 385,160 yuan! Adding the previous 120,000 yuan earned, the total is 505,160 yuan!" Her expression was extremely proud, and she clenched her fist: "Commander Yao, we've reached our small goal, exceeding 500,000!" Hiss! The others were stunned. Although they knew their performance had been great lately, seeing the specific numbers still made them almost disbelieve it. What did 500,000 yuan mean in 2001? It could buy seven and a half pounds of gold, 1923 bottles of Maotai from that year, or book the most popular courtesan at Heaven on Earth for three hours! Yao Yuan remained calm and asked, "How many local members has the Club gained?" "Over 6,000, exceeding 10,000!" "How many replies were attracted by the movie tickets and set meals?" "Around 9,000 people, but many didn't consume. Only about two thousand verification codes were sent out for dining." "..." Yao Yuan suddenly fell silent. After a long pause, he said, "Comrades, I am very disappointed!" Huh? The cheerful atmosphere instantly froze, turning into awkwardness and uncertainty. "To see your meager ambitions! Han Tao, get off the table! Liu Weiwei, stop pouting! Are you satisfied with a mere 500,000? When we earn a million, or ten million in the future, will you start tearing down the roof out of excitement? Comrades! Pavel Korchagin taught us that life is only lived once, and when one looks back, one should not regret not having been valiant, nor be ashamed for celebrating 500,000. The ancient sages taught us to reflect on ourselves three times a day. Let us strive together!" Yao Yuan's expression was one of heartbroken disappointment, delivered with passion and eloquence. Pfft! The three of them rolled their eyes in unison. Yu Jiajia, in particular, was blunt: "You only have that sharp tongue. We want to celebrate, so why spoil the mood? I think you're like a frog with tattoos on its tadpoles..." "What did you say?" "You're full of crap!" "Hahaha, hah—uh—ah—uh!" Han Tao laughed like a donkey with asthma. "This is called being prepared for adversity and maintaining combat readiness. You don't understand anything." Yao Yuan shook his head, stepped forward, and tapped the blackboard. "Alright, come, let me tell you more. Tomorrow is 2002. From tomorrow until the Spring Festival, the work priorities are as follows!" "We will not engage in any more promotional activities; the focus will be on stable user growth." "The model of movie tickets and set meals, although small in proportion now, should be maintained. Don't aim for performance; just work on it when you have time. Once the number of merchants increases, we'll put it online." "We need to recruit new staff, at least one technician, one copywriter, and a proper accountant. Also, consider getting a larger office and adding more computers." "Furthermore, my internship period will end soon. I'll be waiting to graduate, and then I'll devote more energy to the company. So, I ask Han Tao and Liu Weiwei to seriously consider whether to join full-time or continue helping in a part-time capacity." "..." Hearing this, Han Tao hesitated briefly but quickly regained his composure, having already made up his mind. Liu Weiwei struggled more. She was a legitimate university student, and university students were quite valuable back then; finding a job wasn't difficult. However, she had to consider how the jobs she found would compare to this, or what the future prospects of this small company were. "Alright, the last item: distributing bonuses!" Seeing the atmosphere become somewhat solemn, Yao Yuan quickly pulled out a few red envelopes from his bag. "You've all worked hard during this period. Come, come!" "Oh, you're giving out money before even a month is up!" "Commander Yao is generous!" Liu Weiwei temporarily set her worries aside, squeezed the red envelope, feeling its fullness and weight, and was overjoyed. She quickly opened it to take a look. Good heavens! A large stack of yellowish-brown paper bills, featuring fellow Tibetans and Hui people on the front and the Yangtze River's Wu Gorge on the back – they were all five-yuan bills! "Commander Yao, this isn't fun anymore!" "Tch, I got excited for nothing!" "What do you mean, 'tch'? The money hasn't come in yet. What am I supposed to use to pay you?" "Don't you have the rebates?" "I have to keep some cash for emergencies. You guys count it first and see how much it is..." Yao Yuan, with his thick skin, waved his hand: "When the money comes, I'll give it to you again, with an extra zero." (Thanks to Qixing Meng, and...) Chapter 38: 2001 Passes "500,000 is not a small amount! If I write a hundred million in over 30 chapters, how will the book continue... Bah! How will it be written?" On the first day of 2002, Yao Yuan squatted by the entrance of the newspaper office, waiting for someone. Light snow began to fall, fluttering down. The city was bustling and busy, and he naturally thought of that song, "The First Snow of 2002." Dao Lang was probably still in the Northwest then, right? The song was about '02, but it was actually released in '04. The legitimate sales were 2.7 million copies, and pirated copies were countless. Then Yehelala Ying started rambling... Yao Yuan scratched his head, his thoughts drifting. Phoenix Legend was probably still struggling in Guangdong Province, huh? Oh, they should be called Cool Fire Combo now. Zeng Yi and Duàn Yìhóng really look alike! After squatting for a while, Han Tao appeared within his sight, happily munching on a scallion pancake. "Good morning, Commander Yao!" "Morning!" Yao Yuan looked at him: sneakers, jeans, down jacket, carrying a large bag... Then he looked at himself. Yep, they had the same vibe. "Let's go, we're going to look at apartments." Han Tao was off today and was roped in to accompany him. They weren't looking at offices but at a place to rent for himself. They weren't changing offices; they planned to rent a larger space in the newspaper building. But he needed a new place to live. Now that they had money, he wanted to find something closer. The two of them ambled into a real estate agency. When you hesitate to make a choice, there's usually only one reason: poverty! - Albert Einstein Yao Yuan had no such dilemma. He quickly found a place called Jǐnhú Yuán Apartment, right next to the newspaper office. It was completed last year, a high-rise with a large floor plan. "Newly built apartments are also for rent?" Han Tao asked casually. "They're not short on money; they bought them to rent out. In a few years, the price will surely skyrocket, and they'll make a profit." the boss said. "How high do you think it will go? Two thousand dollars?" "Two thousand dollars? That's the cost price. It'll start at four thousand dollars! Don't complain about the price; there are no discounts!" "Hehe!" The two of them exchanged a knowing glance from the movie "Big Shot," smiling with camaraderie. Yao Yuan snorted beside them, dreaming! If it were $4,000, wouldn't it be a frenzy? He pointed to a listing, a one-bedroom apartment, over 50 square meters. "This one, can we see it?" "Yes, right now." Han Tao looked it over and suddenly said, "Commander Yao, why don't we rent a two-bedroom?" "What do you mean?" "You know I often work overtime, sometimes all night. If you get a two-bedroom, I'll have a place to shower and rest." Seeing Yao Yuan's expression, Han Tao quickly added, "You asked us to consider yesterday. I don't need to consider. Just say the word, and I'll resign immediately and come work for you!" "Have you thought it through?" "No need to think. The newspaper doesn't value the Internet at all. You truly understand this field. Lord Guan said this is like a bird choosing its tree; it must perch on a good one. A minister choosing his lord must meet a wise ruler!" "..." Yao Yuan looked at him very seriously, then turned and said, "Change it to that two-bedroom." The boss seemed a bit stunned but then realized, "Oh, alright. This one is even better, moderately furnished, ready to move in, and we can see it now." So, they went to see it. The three of them left the agency and went to Jǐnhú Yuán Apartment, the 18th floor, a two-bedroom over 90 square meters. Calling it moderately furnished was an exaggeration; it was just painted white, had some furniture, a TV, and a water heater. The rent was 750 yuan a month, and Yao Yuan had no idea if it was expensive or cheap. "Can we contact the landlord? I want to sign today." "I'll make a call." The agent communicated for a bit and said they could meet the landlord at noon. So, the two busy bees ran off to surf the internet again. They came back at noon, chatted with the landlord, signed the contract smoothly, and then went shopping for daily necessities that afternoon. Men shopping together are incredibly efficient. After finishing their errands in the afternoon, they had a meal, and Han Tao went back home. He was also from out of town and rented a place to live. In the blink of an eye, night fell. Yao Yuan sat in the very spacious living room for a single person, absentmindedly watching TV, a sense of desolation washing over him. This feeling was very familiar. Because he had extensive experience renting apartments in his previous life, he would feel this way for the first few days after moving into a new place. He had also encountered many troubles, the most annoying being leaks, either from upstairs to his unit or from his unit to downstairs, causing endless problems. At his most difficult time, he rented a dilapidated room with a leaky balcony, and the landlord wouldn't fix it. He had to buy waterproofing material himself and climb up to apply it. When you've lived long enough, you experience things. And at this moment, it was New Year's Day, and his uncle wasn't in the capital. He truly felt a bit lonely, especially without the usual little things he fidgeted with, like prayer beads. "Ha!" Yao Yuan suddenly laughed. Why do middle-aged men love playing with hand strings, fishing, photography, or tending to plants? Because when they can't get it up anymore, they start focusing on those expensive but useless hobbies. Look at young guys, hard as iron, would they be doing this? He was speaking from experience; he knew his own capabilities. "But I'm 21, no, 22 years old now!" On this night, Yao Yuan's continuously busy mindset finally found long-awaited peace, and the powerful impulses of youth began to grow with passion. "Should I find a girlfriend?" ... The next evening. Yu Jiajia, Liu Weiwei, and Han Tao gathered at the new residence to help Yao Yuan warm the stove. Warming the stove, or 'liao guo di er', is when friends and family gather at a new home for a meal to bring good luck. None of the three knew how to cook, so Yao Yuan, having honed his skills working away from home in his previous life, could manage. He couldn't do complex dishes, but he could cook homestyle meals. He stewed a chicken, steamed a fish, made a few stir-fried dishes, and served white rice. "Cheers!" Yu Jiajia started the party as soon as they sat down, pouring wine for everyone. "It's okay to drink. If you get drunk, you can sleep here. We have two guys and two girls total." "What are you talking about?" Yao Yuan was startled. "It's perfect for you and Han Tao to share a room, and Weiwei and I can share one!" "Oh, you scared me to death!" Yao Yuan patted his chest vigorously. You can't call our company '91' and then actually start doing '91' business! "'Beautiful Colleagues Get Drunk at a Party'!" "But this apartment you rented is pretty good. It can serve as a base. It's inconvenient at the newspaper office for certain things." "Of course, it's great. Han Tao, this rascal, has already booked a bed." "Han Tao really works hard; we all see it. I'll toast you!" Yu Jiajia raised her glass and took a drink, finishing it without hesitation. Having someone like her at the dinner table is a blessing; it prevents the atmosphere from becoming awkward.