Losing Money to Be a Tycoon

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That was two hundred thousand yuan in remuneration after all. There was also a hundred thousand yuan for props. To Lin Chang, this wasn't a huge sum. However, Pei Qian still had to make something out of it.

Pei Qian knew very well that this project was bound to fail. Yet, it did not matter. As long as Pei Qian showed that he did not really need the money and that he was just playing around, Lin Chang would not grow suspicious. That would take care of things.

Lin Chang called this remuneration, but Pei Qian had no intention to produce short videos or short films.

It was simple: he did not have enough capital.

Pei Qian wanted to earn the remuneration and just leave a hundred thousand yuan for props. However, this much money was not enough to pay the director, supporting actors, and salaries, much less to pay for video equipment and whatnot.

Fei Huang Workspace had these available, but Pei Qian did not want to involve Fei Huang Workspace in any way.

After all, Huang Sibo and the others might question why Boss Pei wanted to film short videos on his own. He would not be able to answer them.

Thus, Pei Qian decided to do everything on his own and try his best not to let anyone apart from Lin Chang find out what he was up to.

He would use his own cell phone to film. He did not know how to do complicated editing, but he would just cut out additional scenes and piece the other pieces together.

He would try his best to fill everything in a single shot. Whether the product was good or bad, he would upload it onto Aili Island once he was done.

As for whether people would see it or not…

It would be best if no one did.

What's more, Pei Qian had no intention to reveal his face. He would either cover his entire face or half of it. In case the video became popular, he could not allow his employees to recognize him.

His only aim in filming this short video was earning that two hundred thousand yuan.

If Lin Chang really asked about how the three hundred thousand yuan was spent, at least Pei Qian could produce videos to show him. He would prove that he really did work hard at filming something.

As for whether his productions would become popular or not…

He could not do much; just as horses stumbled, humans made mistakes. Boss Pei's performance art was too deep, and society was too shallow. Even if nobody caught on, Boss Pei could not be blamed.

Lin Chang would not look too deeply into it, and he would not grow suspicious either.

At that thought, Pei Qian packed up his things and collected the delivery which he received that day. Then, he left the office and returned to his rented apartment.

He would have to produce the first episode tonight!

Although he was not given a deadline, Pei Qian had to produce twenty episodes. Even if he started now and produced two episodes a week, it would take him more than two months to finish everything. That meant he had to start as soon as possible.

The earlier he finished, the more relieved he would feel spending that two hundred thousand yuan!

…

Pei Qian set up his cell phone and then placed the package on his table.

This was a cell phone that had only been released over a month ago overseas. It was Pineapple 4, and it was selling for 4,999 yuan. It fell nicely within his five thousand yuan budget.

The most popular domestically-produced cell phone model at the moment was Shenhua's annual flagship product. However, that was a second-tier at best. Only Pineapple phones could be considered high-end and first-tier. Based on Pei Qian's recollection, they had almost the same status as Apple phones would be in the future—or perhaps just slightly worse.

All in all, this cell phone hit a high volume of sales and was quite well-received. It would be fitting to work on this cell phone in his first episode.

Pei Qian had thought about it before. In fact, it did not matter what content he filled his short videos with. It also did not matter whether they succeeded or not. The most important thing was to allow Lin Chang to think that this entire project fitted Boss Pei's character.

Before this, Pei Qian had told Lin Chang that he wanted to use this sum of money to conduct a test. That meant that this test had to be unique.

He had to do things his own way!

Take when Pei Qian played the role of 'Boss Pei' for example. Although he was playing himself, he still had to follow a script. It was only natural that he should receive remuneration.

This time was no different.

Pei Qian planned to act as a 'professional' reviewer of digital products. First, he took out a sheet of paper. On it, he wrote a brief plan for the episode. Then, he began filming.

In order to keep his face hidden, Pei Qian took a sheet of paper and wrote the words 'Hardcore Reviews' on it.

He retrieved a spectacle frame—which he bought with his own money—and put it on with the piece of paper. Thus, he successfully created a mask out of it.

After that, Pei Qian changed into more ordinary-looking clothes. After pondering for a couple of minutes, he wrote the plan for the beginning of the video.

"Hardcore Reviews…

"Day One of non-independent reviewing…

"Hardcore Reviews is a non-independent reviewer. The outcome of the review depends on how much manufacturers pay. Any reviewed product featured in the videos was probably paid for by the manufacturer. Please close this video immediately. If any manufacturers are interested in working with me, please contact me in private."

He would create a scene filled with pure words and place it at the beginning of the video. This would dissuade a good number of people from watching it.

Once Pei Qian finished preparing, he accessed the camera on his cell phone and began recording.

"Welcome to the country's strictest and most professional unboxing review show. I am a professional reviewer of digital products, Wa-Oh.

"The product that I'll be reviewing for you today is called Pineapple 4. Let us open this box very carefully."

Pei Qian was careful to speak emotionlessly so that nobody would recognize his voice.

After that, he grabbed a table knife next to him and cut a few holes in the package. Finally, he reached into the box and grabbed the cell phone.

He tore the film off in a callous manner and purposely rolled it up into a ball and tossed it aside. Then, he closed the box—which contained the charging cable, the head plug, and the stack of unnecessary instructions—and pushed it aside as well.

"The first thing we'll do is a water-resistance test."

He already had a small pail of water ready next to him. Pei Qian switched the Pineapple cell phone on and then tossed it into the pail.

A few minutes later, he took it out. It was quite water-resistant; no water managed to seep through the outer casing.

"The second thing to do is a crashproof test."

Pei Qian held his own cell phone in his left hand while he picked up the Pineapple 4 with his right. Then, he began to drop the Pineapple 4 onto the ground from different heights and angles.

He started off by dropping it with the corner facing the ground, then he dropped it with the back of the phone facing the ground… then he dropped it with the screen facing the ground. He repeated the same movements from heights of one, two, and three meters.

Once he was done, he moved the camera closer to film a close-up of the cell phone.

After dropping the phone from a height of three meters, the entire cell phone looked damaged. Although it could still be switched on and operated, the screen was completely shattered, the corner looked dented, and paint had been scratched off the back cover.

"The third thing to do is a shockproof test."

Pei Qian grabbed his table knife and stabbed the back cover several times.

At first, he started with little energy. Nothing much happened. However, as he stabbed at the cover with more energy, obvious cracks began to appear. What's more, these cracks became increasingly defined.

"The fourth thing to do is to disassemble it.

"Everyone knows that disassembling the cell phone is the best way to tell if the internal structure and make-up of a cell phone was done by good-hearted manufacturers. Let us disassemble this cell phone in an extremely professional way."

Pei Qian grabbed a #1 screwdriver, stuck it through a crack on the back cover, and pulled the entire cover off. Then, he successively removed the battery, camera, and motherboard from within.

By the time he was done removing everything from inside the phone, the cell phone looked unrecognizable.

"Alright. This is Pineapple 4's internal structure. Everyone, take a look at the handiwork and material. I'm sure all of you are familiar with the various parts. I won't have to introduce them to you.

"Next, let us re-assemble it."

Pei Qian did not do this. In any case, when the time came, he would just rewind the video.

Finally, he had to record his conclusion.

"That was a review of the Pineapple 4 cell phone. I'm going to remind Pineapple 4 to transfer the payment to my personal bank account.

"This has been Hardcore Reviews. See you in the next episode!"

Once he finished filming everything, Pei Qian downloaded a random editing software. He used it to cut some raw footage out and then added the introduction at the start of the video. Finally, he added the rewound footage.

Pei Qian rendered the video and watched it once through.

There was a very big problem with it. Boss Pei was very happy.

Pei Qian logged onto Aili Island and registered for a new account named 'Hardcore Reviews'. Then, he uploaded the video.

"Alright, pack up!"

Pei Qian put the piece of paper and spectacles away neatly so he could use them for the next recording.

There were still nineteen episodes to go. He would unbox a digital product for each episode and do exactly what he did for the first episode. The twenty episodes would be easily completed. Finally, he would be able to relax and spend the two hundred thousand yuan!