In March, the new semester at Rong City University began.

A classmate appearing at the school attracted the attention of countless people—it was the senior from the Design Department, Xie Yunfan, who had continuously won awards during the winter vacation and completely filled his presence on the school’s [Good News] board.

What did he come back for? Wasn’t his graduation project already approved? There were no classes in the second semester of senior year either, right?

The students discussed it in a flurry.

Ultimately, they arrived at the truth of the matter—he came back to take makeup exams.

Xie Yunfan had worked hard on makeup exams last semester, finishing the vast majority of the subjects he had previously failed, with two still remaining. The makeup exam times arranged by the school were March 13th and 15th, so he returned to take the exams according to the regulations.

In the examination hall, there were quite a few students participating in the graduation clearance exams.

In the past, these classmates paid no attention to Xie Yunfan. Today, however, they changed their previous attitudes and very enthusiastically ran over to exchange pleasantries with him.

“Yunfan, long time no see!”

“You’re so formidable, actually taking two grand awards in a row at the Game Gala.”

“Has your studio finished recruiting people?”

Someone even said in a joking tone: “Is your studio still lacking people? I’ll come do miscellaneous chores for you!”

Xie Yunfan said politely: “Currently the positions are all full, I’m sorry.”

He had previously always not wanted to expose his alternate identity (vest) precisely because he worried about this kind of situation appearing.

Sigh, hurry up and run away after finishing the exams!

Xie Yunfan handed in his paper for this exam extremely fast, finishing the questions and leaving in just 45 minutes.

He arrived at the office of the Dean of the Design College. Dean Qi excitedly shook his hand: “Yunfan, you returning to school this time is just to take the exams, right? You’ll go back to the studio after you finish?”

“Yes, Dean. Exams on the 13th and 15th. There are no classes in senior year, so I’ll stay at the studio during other times, and then directly come to attend the graduation ceremony when the time comes.” Xie Yunfan paused and said, “Right, regarding what I said previously about making Yangfan Studio an internship base for the Design Department of Rong City University, how have you considered it?”

Dean Qi hurriedly said: “This depends on your requirements, the school will cooperate with your arrangements.”

Xie Yunfan said: “I’ll be relatively busy in the first half of the year, so I won’t have time to take care of the junior brothers and sisters. Starting from September, let the next batch of seniors come to my company for internships. I’ll provide 10 spots, and the school can comprehensively evaluate and select them to send over.”

“Also, next summer my studio will come to the school to do campus recruitment. Outstanding students can get onboarding offers, so when the time comes, please ask the Dean to help promote it a bit.”

Dean Qi’s mood was beyond excited.

Normal large companies would only go to key universities for campus recruitment and wouldn’t come to an ordinary school like Rong City University. Xie Yunfan was giving face to his alma mater by being willing to come recruit inside Rong City University. Regardless of how many people he could ultimately recruit, he was already considered extremely benevolent and dutiful towards this school.

Moreover, students who performed outstandingly during the internship period might be able to directly become full-time employees and stay at Yangfan Studio. In the future, the students of Rong City University’s Design Department would have an extra way out for employment.

Having an alumnus like Xie Yunfan was truly finding a treasure!

Dean Qi made up his mind that a spot on the “Alumni Honor Wall” in the school’s memorial hall would immediately be reserved for Xie Yunfan. From now on, Yangfan Studio would be Rong City University’s signboard.

…

The conversation with Dean Qi was very pleasant. The Dean had a good temper, was cordial and kind, didn’t put on any leadership airs at all, and was extremely polite to Xie Yunfan. The cooperation with the school was quickly settled.

On the 15th, after Xie Yunfan returned to school and finished his last exam, he was subsequently picked up by a car.

The one driving the car to pick up Xie Yunfan was precisely his older brother Xie Xinghe.

The R&D for Qihang’s Fighting Master was already in its concluding stages. Xie Xinghe was worried about his younger brother, so he asked Luo Hang for a leave of absence to return, not expecting that Yangfan Studio’s recruitment had already entirely ended.

Xie Xinghe felt somewhat lost inside. He always felt that his younger brother had grown up and didn’t need him at all anymore.

Xie Yunfan saw his mood and smiled slightly: “Brother, let’s go to the park to take a look.”

Xie Xinghe turned the steering wheel, reversed direction, and drove towards the south of the city.

Building A, Nanyang Park, 18th floor.

As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, they saw the massive signboard LOGO of “Yangfan Studio.” A small white sailboat floating on a blue ocean; the three-dimensional LOGO design was exquisite and eye-catching.

Walking through the automatic glass doors, Xie Xinghe’s eyes couldn’t help but light up.

The warm-colored sofas in the rest area put people in a joyful mood. A tea bar machine, a coffee machine, and various beverages were all fully equipped. The snack cabinet was filled with assorted foods. Walking further in, beside the large floor-to-ceiling windows, the green plants placed every few meters were pleasing to the eye.

Further ahead were individual partitioned offices. The office doors hung signs like “Programming Group” and “Copywriting Group,” and at the doorways were magnetic nameplates with all the staff’s nameplate cards neatly arranged on them.

The desks and chairs inside the rooms were arranged extremely neatly. One computer after another was undergoing boot tests.

Tao Hui and a few people from the logistics department were currently tidying things up in the company.

Xie Yunfan stepped forward and said: “Sister Hui, you’ve worked hard.”

Sister Hui was richly experienced, and the entire office space was managed by her to be clean, tidy, and orderly. After more than ten days of busy work, the company now already looked the part, just waiting for the employees to come to work.

He introduced: “This is our Logistics Minister, Tao Hui. This is President Xie, my older brother.”

Tao Hui greeted: “Hello President Xie!”

Xie Xinghe was stunned for a moment, then smiled and nodded at her.

Xie Yunfan said: “Brother, go to the 21st floor to take a look at your office.”

The two took the elevator together to the 21st floor. Looking at the spacious office his younger brother had prepared for him, Xie Xinghe’s eye rims reddened with emotion: “I thought your company didn’t need me anymore.”

Xie Yunfan explained: “Weren’t you busy with Fighting Master recently? So I didn’t seek you out. After Fighting Master is launched, you can come back to work.”

Opening his own company while letting his older brother stay at Qihang “living under someone else’s roof” would definitely attract criticism.

Although Xie Xinghe wasn’t material for making games, his perceptiveness was very high. Having played games since childhood, he had collected a massive pile of game figures and merchandise at home.

After thinking it over repeatedly, Xie Yunfan decided to let his older brother be in charge of the marketing department, as well as departments like logistics, HR, and networks. From now on, he would concentrate on making games, while his older brother would go make merchandise and websites.

This way, Xie Xinghe had things to do, and Xie Yunfan could also alleviate a lot of pressure. After all, the company’s scale would become larger and larger; he couldn’t manage it all by himself, so someone had to share the burden.

The departments Xie Xinghe managed wouldn’t affect the decision-making of the production groups. If the marketing department’s merchandise was done well, it could also bring immense revenue to the company.

Dividing the labor and cooperating, the best of both worlds.

Xie Yunfan said: “Brother, from now on, I am in charge of making games. You are in charge of these departments like marketing, networks, and logistics, acting as my strong backing, how about it?”

Xie Xinghe beamed with joy: “No problem! That you’re willing to let me come help, I am truly very happy!”

Xie Yunfan said: “It just so happens the Minister of the Marketing Department won’t be in place until three months later. After Fighting Master is finished, you can come back and do merchandise R&D together with him. The architecture of the websites also needs time. When the time comes, our official website and merchandise mall can go online together.”

Xie Xinghe nodded excitedly: “Okay, everything will follow your arrangements!”

…

March 20th was the day the new batch of employees at Yangfan Studio officially reported for duty.

Many people arrived at the company early in the morning. Looking at the spacious and bright offices, everyone was very excited inside. Some people tried sitting in the chairs and found that these ergonomic chairs were indeed comfortable. Moreover, everyone had an independent desk, a top-specification computer, and an ultra-large screen monitor…

This office environment truly left nothing to be desired!

Downstairs was a wetland park. Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could see lush green trees and a beautiful artificial lake; the scenery was particularly fantastic.

The boss also gave everyone 3000 yuan to purchase keyboards and mice. Many people who were normally reluctant to buy overly expensive keyboards ruthlessly made up their minds this time to buy a highly usable one—anyway, the company reimbursed it!

They had truly encountered a conscientious boss.

Working in such an office building was way too happy, right?

Especially those who had resigned from other companies to come here. Seeing Yangfan Studio’s office environment, and then thinking about their previous companies’ broken computers, broken chairs, and cramped offices, they instantly felt refreshed and clear-headed.

…

At 9:00 AM, everyone arrived punctually at the 21st floor.

There was a very large conference room here, sufficient to accommodate several hundred people, similar to a hotel’s conference center. After entering, everyone found their nameplates and sat down respectively.

Hot tea was placed on the tables, along with notebooks and pens for taking meeting minutes. The notebooks had the “Yangfan Studio” LOGO printed on them, which was very thoughtful.

The logistics group had handled the details extremely well.

Shi Xiaoyu was beyond excited, secretly taking out her phone to snap a few photos to keep. In the front row, a boy suddenly turned his head back and smiled: “Hi, what a coincidence! You were hired too?”

It was precisely the socially extroverted copywriter bro she had met on the day of the interviews.

Shi Xiaoyu greeted: “Yeah, hello.”

Ye Xiang said: “That older brother was hired too, see him?”

Following Ye Xiang’s gaze, Shi Xiaoyu looked over, and sure enough, she saw the older brother with the haggard face carrying luggage who had rushed over two hours early to prepare on the day of the interviews.

Truly happy for him!

Meeting their gazes, Huo Minghui smiled amicably.

It was truly a destined affinity; they would be colleagues from now on.

A moment later, a tall and beautiful woman walked into the conference room—Logistics Minister Liu Muyao. Everyone had dealt with her quite a lot these past few days and were very familiar with her. She was a highly enthusiastic young lady who had helped them solve many problems, even helping arrange accommodation for out-of-town colleagues.

Liu Muyao said: “Colleagues, the meeting is about to begin, please set your phones to silent mode. Please welcome the boss of Yangfan Studio, Xie Yunfan, to give everyone a speech.”

Xie Yunfan walked into the office punctually. He was dressed very casually today, a simple beige sweater paired with coffee-colored casual trousers, looking sunny, handsome, and full of vitality.

Our boss is truly young…

Below the stage, aside from a few of his classmates, everyone else was older than him. However, he had produced three explosive hit games consecutively, so everyone still admired him very much inside.

A talented genius player, one had to yield.

As soon as Xie Yunfan made his appearance, thunderous applause instantly erupted in the room. Especially those who had assumed their interviews were hopeless; they were all very grateful to Xie Yunfan for the opportunity he had given them.

Walking to the center, Xie Yunfan picked up the microphone, smiled, and said: “Welcome everyone to join Yangfan Studio. I am very happy to be able to become colleagues with everyone and work together.”

“Our Yangfan Studio advocates a free and relaxed work environment. I hope you will bring a joyful mood to produce games, rather than feeling that going to work is painful every day. If that’s the case, the games you produce… players will also feel painful playing them, right?”

A burst of laughter rang out below the stage.

Xie Yunfan continued: “The company’s work hours are nine to six, with weekends off. In principle, there is no overtime. If you are forced by circumstances to work overtime, overtime pay will also be given to everyone according to regulations.”

Everyone exchanged glances in disbelief. No overtime? Must be joking! Where was there a game company that didn’t work overtime?

“I believe everyone has also heard the news of programmers at certain companies dying suddenly from staying up late to work overtime.”

In his previous life, he had definitely been in such societal news as well. Xie Yunfan himself had died suddenly at his post after staying up late working overtime for several days on the eve of a game’s launch. What use was earning more money? The person was gone, and it couldn’t be brought into the coffin anyway!

Living again once more, Xie Yunfan had long since looked past it. Money wasn’t important to him; he only wanted to make fun games, and his requirements for revenue and profit weren’t that high. He couldn’t control how other companies were. But for his company, he would try his best to provide his colleagues with a good work environment.

“I know the toxic competition in the gaming industry is very severe, and overtime is the norm. However, I still worry about everyone’s health. We work to earn money, not to play with our lives. The company strictly abides by the two-day weekend system.”

“Of course, if you want weekends off, you must complete your own work during the Monday to Friday work hours. Making games is like building a machine; different gears are connected and turning together. If one gets stuck, it will cause the entire process to be slowed down.”

“I hope every group can complete their tasks according to the stipulated times and elevate work efficiency. Concentrate your energy while at work, don’t slack off and fish in troubled waters (loaf on the job). After getting off work, go play to your heart’s content, go accompany your family.”

“Only with everyone working with a united purpose will the project’s progress be smooth.”

Listening to his clear voice, the people below the stage had complex mixed feelings inside. Actually, Xie Yunfan’s words were correct; if everyone could complete their tasks on time, then was there still a need for overtime?

But many times, the leadership’s plans were always changed back and forth… What you spent a week making gets rejected, and you have to start over. Seeing the time getting tighter and tighter, wouldn’t everyone have to frantically work overtime?

For a team, whether it could smoothly cooperate in coordination critically depended on the leader. If the big leader had courage and resolution and could make swift decisions, the people below could easily keep up with the rhythm.

Everyone felt somewhat apprehensive inside, not actually believing the “try not to work overtime” that Xie Yunfan spoke of. Some who had worked for many years even believed he was drawing a big flatbread (making empty promises), and just listening to it was enough…

With a boss’s words, if you take them seriously, you lose.

“Next, let me introduce the group leaders of each group to everyone. Everyone, recognize your own group leaders. In the future, the tasks for each group will be assigned to everyone by the group leader.”

“HR Manager Liu Muyao, Financial Director Ling Xiao, Logistics Minister Tao Hui.”

Every time he read a person’s name, the one called out would stand up to get acquainted with everyone.

“Art Group Leader Ning Sha; Copywriting Group Leader Ye Xiang; Network Group Leader Yu Baichuan; Testing Group Leader Huo Minghui.”

“Level Design Group Leader Zhang Su; Programming Group Leader Xu Jianshan; Data Group Leader Meng Yu; Modeling Group Leader Qiao Jingmo.”

The group leaders of the several departments stood up in sequence and greeted everyone.

The “little soldiers” below the stage who hadn’t been assigned official titles were all applauding enthusiastically.

Yangfan Studio had quite a few big shots!

At such a young age, could Xie Yunfan manage this many people?

“The Marketing Department Manager is temporarily vacant. The company also has a Vice President on a business trip in the Imperial Capital, who will return to join the management team in 3 months. The Marketing Department will temporarily be managed by me as an acting capacity.”

“Regarding salary and benefits, the HR Department has discussed them with everyone. The probationary period is two months, taking 80% salary. After the probationary period ends, you become a full-time employee and take full salary. The company also has year-end bonuses. If everyone works hard, as long as our next game can earn money, the year-end bonuses given to everyone will absolutely not be small.”

Fervent applause rang out below the stage.

At this meeting today, Xie Yunfan had drawn quite a few big flatbreads (empty promises) for everyone.

Nine to six with no overtime, weekends off, year-end bonuses… many people didn’t believe it.

Xie Yunfan also knew they didn’t believe it. After all, there were too many leaders who could brag and draw flatbreads; many people in the workplace had developed immunity to bosses’ words.

However, he was a down-to-earth person and never drew big flatbreads.

When the year-end bonuses reached their hands, everyone would believe it.

“I will say this much for now. Everyone, go to your respective offices to familiarize yourselves with the work environment and get to know each other. The company has internal office software; turn on your computers, register, and log in. Every group leader is responsible for creating a work group chat, and HR here will create an all-staff large group chat for sending notifications.”

“At 2:30 PM today, the programming, level design, data, modeling, art, and copywriting groups, come to the Production Group conference room on the 18th floor for a meeting to discuss the production plan for the next game.”

“Alright, meeting adjourned!”

They hadn’t expected the general assembly to end this quickly.

A group of people were all somewhat blank. Following their respective group leaders back to the offices, everyone added each other as friends, turned on their computers to familiarize themselves with the office software, and joined the group chats, busying themselves with unadulterated joy.

Returning to his office, Xie Yunfan suddenly received a phone call: “Hello, is this Mr. Xie Yunfan? You have an intra-city fresh flower express delivery. Should I bring it straight up, or leave it at the guardhouse for you to come down and get yourself?”

Fresh flowers?

Xie Yunfan was slightly taken aback and said: “Please deliver it to the office on the 21st floor.”

A moment later, a knock rang on the door outside.

Opening the door to take a look, he saw the express delivery courier carrying a large bouquet of brightly colored fresh flowers. These newly picked flowers had a massive amount of vigorously youthful sunflowers, as well as roses and lilies, looking extremely festive.

Xie Yunfan accepted the flower bouquet, extremely puzzled inside. Today wasn’t any sort of holiday either, who would send him flowers? Lowering his head to look, he saw an exquisite greeting card placed on top.

“Wishing Yangfan Studio great fortune on commencing work — Luo Hang.”

So it was Luo Hang, truly thoughtful.

The corners of Xie Yunfan’s mouth rose slightly, and he sent a message to Luo Hang: “Received the blessings, thank you.”

Luo Hang said: “I also heard it from your brother. Has the studio officially commenced work? Congratulations.”

Xie Yunfan said: “Mhm, the people recruited are a bit numerous, everyone still has to adapt slowly. This afternoon I will hold a meeting to tell them the plan for the next game.”

Luo Hang: “Still making mobile games?”

Xie Yunfan: “That’s right, our current level also can’t produce holographics. The first game, consider it as breaking in the team. This time the game is relatively large, and the gameplay is also more complex.”

Luo Hang asked curiously: “Is it convenient to talk about what genre of game it is?”

Qihang only made holographic games, and their current key project was Fighting Master.

Luo Hang was asking in his capacity as a friend, and Xie Yunfan also had no need to hide it from him. Sending a smiling face over, he said straightforwardly: “This time’s game is very interesting. Our protagonist is a monkey.”

“The name of the game is Journey to the West.”

Volume 3: Journey to the West