"As long as there is effort, there should be a reward. They have put in sweat and hard work, so they deserve praise and recognition. They shouldn't have to share the fruits that rightfully belong to them with those who contribute nothing." Wen Yibo raised his right index finger, pointing it at his temple. "I, Wen Yibo, have never liked this approach. It's unfair to heroes and unfair to workers."
"In my dictionary, more work means more reward, and no work means no reward. I'm not denying the importance of a team here." Wen Yibo continued. "I have my own team, and I fully understand what a team means. But what is a team? A team is a group that works together. If only a few people put in the effort while the rest sit back and enjoy the benefits, they're parasites! If a team has parasites, no matter how expensive it is, I don't want it! Because it's not worth it! My team, Wen Yibo's team, has no room for parasites."
"Speaking of which, you might not know who I am yet. I rarely appear in mainstream domestic media. It's not that I lack fame, but my focus isn't on the entertainment industry." Wen Yibo continued.
A wave of good-natured laughter rippled through the crowd.
"I'm mainly in investments. In other words, the venture capital firms you've heard of mostly come to me. I may not have much else, but I have money." Wen Yibo said with a light chuckle. "Except for one bastard who's richer than me, there are only a few people in this world on my level."
"So, I place great importance on the power of a team. Unfortunately, I didn't see what I was looking for today. You disappointed me." Wen Yibo's peach-blossom eyes swept across the room, finally settling on Shen Qi. "But among you, someone gave me hope. Through her actions, she showed me that this team still has potential, still has a chance to be saved. That's why I gave you this grand banquet as a team reward. And now, I want to give my personal score to the six individuals who have contributed to the team."
"Some of you might not agree, and that's fine. We still have time. Your preliminary competition activities have just begun. I'll keep watching your performance, and I hope to see you in the finals." Wen Yibo turned and opened a tray held by a waiter, revealing gleaming score cards that were dazzlingly bright.
"Congratulations to Shen Qi, Liu Yi, and the other basketball players. You've earned an extra five points." After saying this, Wen Yibo began clapping for them.
The onlookers joined in the applause.
These five points were well-deserved, and they accepted it willingly.
Shen Qi and Liu Yi both looked at Wen Yibo.
This wasn't Shen Qi's first interaction with Wen Yibo, but it was the first time she'd heard him speak so passionately and rationally.
Indeed, these young masters stood at the top for a reason.
Their perspective on things was always uniquely insightful.
Liu Yi smirked and said to Shen Qi, "Who would've thought? That effeminate guy actually has a convincing side."
Effeminate guy...
That label for Wen Yibo oddly fit.
The five basketball players and Shen Qi each received a five-point card.
They exchanged glances, seeing a complex mix of emotions in each other's eyes.
Perhaps, having lived at the bottom of society for so long, they were used to being exploited. Suddenly, someone appeared and told them that their labor and effort deserved rewards.
That they had no obligation to give freely for others' enjoyment.
That they should gain the benefits they deserved for their contributions.
This overturned their understanding.
A sense of being respected welled up from deep within.
One man said with a bitter smile, "If he were a company boss, I think his employees would be happy to work for him, right?"
"A boss who knows how to reward and punish is naturally likable. If I make it to the end, I'd be willing to work at his company," another replied.
Hearing their exchange, the people around fell into silence.
Wen Yibo's words had indeed struck a chord in their hearts.
Shen Qi looked at Wen Yibo with a smile in her eyes.
As if sensing her gaze, Wen Yibo turned back and gave her a gentle smile.
The banquet ended, and everyone returned together.
After everyone had left, Wen Yibo unbuttoned his shirt and sat down beside He Yining. "Yining, you were right! Those people were really moved."
"Offering help in times of need is better than adding flowers to brocade," He Yining replied casually. "The people we deal with are different. We face seasoned veterans, and a pep talk would just make them think you're slick. But these people at the bottom have pure emotions. What they need is respect. Once you meet that need, they'll be loyal to you."
Wen Yibo sat up straight and looked at He Yining. "Is that how you run your company?"
He Yining's lips curled slightly. "I have people who handle that. Why would I need to do it myself? I just serve up some motivational talk to the middle management."
Wen Yibo was speechless for a moment, staring at He Yining for a long time before saying, "No wonder Fan Sheng and Fan Li both say you're the biggest shark among sharks."
He Yining laughed heartily, not denying it.
Wen Yibo stretched and said, "Well, this day is finally over! What are you planning to do tomorrow?"
He Yining looked up at the moonlight, his phoenix eyes soft, his tone calm: "We'll deal with tomorrow when it comes. Anyway, I've already spotted a few good prospects. Regardless of how this competition ends, I'm taking them."
"By the way, what has Feng Manlun been up to these past few days? I haven't seen him," Wen Yibo changed the subject.
"Him? Probably busy with his own affairs," He Yining answered nonchalantly. "The Feng family wants to poach people, but that depends on whether I agree. I'll let them have the leftovers after I've picked the best!"
Wen Yibo silently gave a thumbs-up. He had nothing to say to this beast.
Shen Qi and Liu Yi returned to their hotel, both in high spirits.
They were the biggest winners of the day.
In just one day, they had earned fifteen points.
Something they wouldn't have dared to imagine in the morning.
The surprise came so suddenly, leaving them defenseless.
While Shen Qi and Liu Yi were overjoyed, Cui Yuelan was having a meltdown in her room.
Jiang Xiaojiao was so scared she fled to someone else's room to vent.
Cui Yuelan smashed everything she could get her hands on again.
She had money, so she didn't care about the damages.
Even if her phone and computer were confiscated, she still had her credit cards.
She could just pay for it.
Cui Yuelan's bad temper was exposed by Jiang Xiaojiao.
The next morning, as all the contestants were having breakfast, they looked up to see Cui Yuelan striding arrogantly into the dining hall.
As soon as she entered, she sensed something was off.
Why were everyone's eyes so strange?
As if they were looking at some kind of freak.
Cui Yuelan turned around, and Jiang Xiaojiao immediately shrank back, forcing a calm expression. "Miss Cui, they're probably just jealous of your beauty, right?"
Cui Yuelan lifted her chin and continued to get her breakfast.
Just then, someone muttered, "What's she so proud of? Acting like some rich heiress? There are plenty of wealthy people here, and none of them throw such tantrums."
"Yeah, I heard she trashed her room!"
"She can afford to pay for it, so what if she trashes a room? She could burn down the whole hotel and still cover it!"
"Which family's daughter is she? Such a temper! No one provoked her, so why is she smashing things?"
"Who knows? Maybe she's bitter that Team Five got the prize last night while Team Three got nothing?"
"Oh, we didn't win either, but we didn't smash things! Such a princess complex and fragile ego!"
...
Cui Yuelan's hands trembled as she gripped her tray.
She wanted to smash it right into their faces!
She had never endured such humiliation abroad!
In front of her adoptive parents, she was always the proud little princess. Everyone around her fawned over her!
But since returning home...
First, that old hag from the He family made her copy scriptures on the mountain for a month!
Now, she had to endure the ridicule of these lowlifes!
And put up with that shameless bitch Shen Qi watching her!
Shen Qi?
Yes, no one else knew about her bad temper except Shen Qi!
It must have been Shen Qi who spread the word!
Hmph, she was just retaliating because she stole Yining Gege away!
Shameless old woman!
Cui Yuelan turned and stormed toward Shen Qi, raising her breakfast tray to slam it down on Shen Qi's head.
But Liu Yi was quicker, reaching out to block it.
Smack—
The tray hit Cui Yuelan square in the face!
The onlookers burst into laughter.
Hearing the mockery, Cui Yuelan was even more convinced that Shen Qi was behind it.
"Shen Qi, look what you've done!" Cui Yuelan gritted her teeth. "You set me up!"
Shen Qi looked baffled. "Cui Yuelan, do you have a persecution complex? When did I ever set you up?"
"It has to be you! Who else would spread rumors about me? I just took Yining Gege away from you, and now you're holding a grudge, spreading lies about me! Shen Qi, you're malicious!" Cui Yuelan pointed at Shen Qi furiously. "I'll tell Yining Gege about this! Mom and Dad won't let you off either!"
Shen Qi was even more speechless.
What was this all about?
She had no idea what was going on, and now she was being blamed for something she didn't do!
Who knew what Cui Yuelan was even talking about?