Morning
April 16 2001
5 am
*Hmmmmphgh*
Things have to start somewhere.
Bai Xue woke up feeling hungry. He stared at the ceiling a bit before getting up and going to bath. He loved bathing.
"Let's camp in front of his dorm."
He got dressed, equipped a mask and left the dorm.
Cafeteria will open at 6:30 am in the morning and there was time for that.
Till then I can do some more of the side stuff.
Personally speaking, this world had a lot of freedom and competition in the market such that anyone with skills and wisdom could come on top.
That had however created the problem known as saturation for there were too many people and too many businesses and everyone is good and everyone wants to thrive but every one wants to thrive more than the others.
This problem is especially revelatious in the smaller businesses and as a result of this, it's hard for someone like Bai Xue, someone with no actual knowledge, skills or experience, to have any chance of success because the smaller businesses would eat him before he could try to enter their market share.
Unfortunate it was but he would be gangbanged by everyone if he dared to so much as set his footing into a space where he has no way of surviving. That's the law of the Business. Market share is for whoever to take if they can keep it.
On the other hand, the Big Giants seem to have no care or desire for the little scraps that existed. They did whatever they felt like and most of the times, made it valuable just on the sheer basis or their name or branding.
This, in a sense, along with their resources and wealth, also allowed them to take bigger risks without having the problem of restarting from scratch, aka bankruptcy since their projects can never make enough loses that it could bankrupt them without them putting a stop to it.
In between these two, Bai Xue was like the droplet of water floating between the Heaven and the Earth.
On one hand, he was said that nothing is stopping him from reaching the heavens.
On the other hand, The Earth wasn't letting him go from its bound. The sheer gravity of it locking him in place, neither here, not there. Just in the middle, in between what he had to achieve and what he would have to face for that.
His biggest challenge however was to start the company so he could apply for the loan and take the actual third step towards his success. Otherwise, everything would just be empty words with no substance.
Anyone with voice can do that. Empty promises and beautiful lies. He wasn't planning to be like them.
....
"When is he coming?"
Bai Xue stopped his game creation and stretched his body. It was 9 am and there was no sight of You Weixi.
"I can't even go to eat in case he came and left during that time."
Half an hour later. No sight of You Weixi.
"I can't take this anymore."
Reluctantly, Bai Xue ordered takeaway, paying what he could have eaten for two meals in the cafeteria for just a single serving and delivery charges.
Then three hours more passed as Bai Xue ate his order, got back to working on the game and then some rest and then resuming his work again when finally You Weixi came and he wasn't alone.
Bai Xue ignored the woman by his side and patiently waited for them to seperate so he could go talk to him and silicate him into the business.
They talked for another fifteen minutes before separating and Bai Xue went to meet You Weixi after waiting another ten minutes so as to not rouse any suspicions.
*Knock knock*
"Who's there?" [You Weixi]
You Weixi's voice came from the receiver
"Please listen to me first." [Bai Xue]
Bai Xue spoke.
"???" [You Weixi]
"Who?" [You Weixi]
"My name's Xu Bai Xue. I want you to work for me. The pay will be good." [Bai Xue]
With these speaking skills, it was no surprise as to how he lost all of Xu Bai Xue's friends circle.
"I do not want to be a model or such. Please leave before I call the authorities." [You Weixi]
"I want you to be a owner of my gaming company. The salary could be negotiated. We can even sign a legal contract and all." [Bai Xue]
"...You might have gotten the wrong person. I am in the theatre department, I don't know much regarding games." [You Weixi]
"You need to know nothing. You only need to act as a mascot for the company. You don't even need to show up at the job until I call for you but it will be like once or twice a month and I will inform you beforehand." [Bai Xue]
"You want me to act as the Puppet King? And then use my identity to do scams and such. You do realise that I could report you right now and you will be heavily punished." [You Weixi]
"Oi, I mean, you get the Puppet King part right but everything else was wrong." [Bai Xue]
"Why else can you not open the company on your own then? Why come to me?" [You Weixi]
"This... Can we talk inside or somewhere private?" [Bai Xue]
Bai Xue said. He was outside You Weixi's dorm room.
You Weixi was on the other side of the door and a door was between them while Bai Xue was standing in the middle of the hallway. If someone heard him, things would get out of hand real fast.
"No. Talk from there. I am alone here. And I don't see anyone except you outside as well. This is private enough." [You Weixi]
You Weixi resolutely refused a scene change.
"Okay. You know my situation. If I were to do anything and people get to know that I am involved in it, they are going to ruin it, I don't want that." [Bai Xue]
"..." [You Weixi]
"That's it?" [You Weixi]
"This is serious okay. I don't want my passionate projects to die down due to some haters and their fantasies." [Bai Xue]
"Passionate? Why did you come to me then?" [You Weixi]
"Because of your looks. You know it. So do I. You are handsome. There's no denying it. If I made you the owner and the forefront mascot, I can follow my dreams without my past actions smudging it any further. Can you please help me?" [Bai Xue]
The atmosphere turned silent.
"...How much is the salary by the way?" [You Weixi]
You Weixi broke a new conversation and asked. They was no harm to knowing it.
From what he knows, a general office employee of a 9-5 job earns about 120-160 Credits a month as their starting salary in this quadrant of the area.
If Bai Xue was going to hire him as mascot Owner, he should pay 150 Credits at the least.
Because even if You Weixi had to do nothing. He was hired as the Boss, he should be paid good.
"290 Credits a month." [Bai Xue]
Bai Xue said the price.
"Why not 300? Why is there 10 less?" [You Weixi]
He said, internally surprised at the salary.
"I checked the salary range and this is the normal salary amount in Tier 2 zones. You in?" [Bai Xue]
"I do not have to attend to anything." [You Weixi]
"Yes. Except for showing your face once or twice, you have to do nothing." [Bai Xue]
"My name won't be used for anything illegal or treacherous." [You Weixi]
"It won't. I can sign you a contract for that as well." [Bai Xue]
"Can you sign a contract of accountability? I don't want to bear any legal liabilities or responsibilities due to your company and how you run it. I can sign a contract that I won't interfere or try to takeover your company from you as well. Let's be clear on that." [You Weixi]
"I just want the money that you will gain from using my face and nothing else." [You Weixi]
"I can do that. To summarise, you don't want any legal trouble that will ever arise from the company. You do not want your name to be associated with any kinds of scams, shams and such that is run by the company and you want to be paid on time." [Bai Xue]
"Yes. But if you are doing something bad, then even if I am not involved in any way, I will report you to the authorities, so if you are ever planning onto something fishy, leave and never come again. Don't try this at someone else as well. I will make sure that the university will not tolerate that." [You Weixi]
"My passion isn't bigger than my desires. I promise you that if I ever did something bad, I will end myself and donate everything I have earned to the needy." [Bai Xue]
'That was cringe.'
"I see..." [You Weixi]
"When do we sign the agreement? Let me get my lawyer ready." [You Weixi]
"How about two hours later?" [Bai Xue]
"Doable." [You Weixi]
You Weixi said and opened the door to see Bai Xue make a sour face at his sight.
"You really do not like handsome people, do you?" [You Weixi]
"Just some bad memories." [Bai Xue]
"Good for you then. You won't be seeing me much so at least you don't have to make that sour face that many times." [You Weixi]
"I hope so as well." [Bai Xue]
"I am You Weixi. You already know that, don't you?" [You Weixi]
"Yeah. I am Xu Bai Xue." [Bai Xue]
"I know." [You Weixi]
"Who doesn't know." [Bai Xue]
"That's what you get for being infamous... Did you really–" [You Weixi]
"I didn't. I don't know which iteration of the rumours that you have heard of but it's false. I will wait for you at the Library council venue." [Bai Xue]
Bai Xue said and began to leave.
"Sorry if I said something hurtful." [You Weixi]
"Not your fault." [Bai Xue]
Bai Xue said without turning back and left the dorm building.
You Weixi looked at his leaving back and entered his dorm room.
{You are going to accept it?}
A voice came from his Telscreen. He was on a call.
"Yeah. It's free money for us and we were in need of it anyways."
{You should still be careful. We can find other ways.}
"Do not worry, that's bad for your health. I will be going with your father, he will inform me if it's a scam. He will, right?"
{Really?}
"Just a joke. Please don't be angry, Dear."