This person is more cunning than a lotus root

Zhao Peng grinned, no longer caring about the old customers who had been reluctant to let him smoke.

"I'd definitely go to the one with the most girls! It'd be so much more fun playing games next to them, and if I happen to hit it off, I could even ask for their QQ numbers... Hey, this internet fee would be worth it."

Ye Chen gestured to him with his cup.

"Okay, you can keep your internet fee. If a couple comes together, the girl can drink milk tea and watch dramas while the boy plays games next to her. Our 60-square-meter bar will also be occupied."

Ma Xiaodong flipped through the draft, wrote "No Smoking Throughout," and then added "Fire Safety and Customer Groups" and circled them.

After seven or eight years in the internet cafe business, most of the drafts in his hand were about the number of computer slots and the recharge bonus. This time, the 60 square meters of space that Teng gave to the water bar was also noted down next to it.

When he wrote about the no-smoking policy in the private rooms, he didn't stop writing, and he even included the rooms upstairs.

Zhao Peng gulped down half a cup of tea, and before he could even put the cup down properly, he laughed.

"Chenzi, you even included my desire to add you on QQ! You used all your brainpower for getting into Jiaotong University on this... You're more cunning than a lotus root!"

Ye Chen smiled and waved his hand, refusing the compliment.

The steaming hot braised pork was served. Ye Chen picked up a piece and put it in his bowl. After the waiter had arranged the braised duck, he gestured to the draft.

"Brother Ma, write down the prices too. The same poster is posted at the front desk. Regular hall booths are 4 yuan per hour for non-members and 3.5 yuan for members. Second-floor private rooms are 5.5 yuan for non-members and 5 yuan for members."

Ma Xiaodong moved the paper aside, avoiding the soup under the plate, and continued writing down the price quote.

Ye Chen waited for him to finish writing before finalizing the overnight stay and price, so that the front desk wouldn't have to charge extra after the customers had already sat down on opening day.

From 10 PM to 7 AM, the price is 20 for regular members and 25 for non-members.

After writing down both sets of prices, Ma Xiaodong crossed them out with a pen. When it came to the payment for the regular area, he turned the pen back.

"The lobby is more than a dollar more expensive than the surrounding area. Although there are free trials and top-up bonuses to keep it going, once the opening hype dies down, they'll start charging the same price again..."

Ye Chen swallowed the braised pork in his bowl, his expression resolute.

"Let's set the price here. We've invested so much money in the environment and facilities, so from the beginning we weren't competing with those smoky little internet cafes on the street corner for the same customers. A slightly higher price is a barrier in itself, which helps us filter out the high-end customers who truly appreciate the environment and are willing to spend the money—they want cleanliness, quietness, and prestige. They're paying an extra dollar or two for comfort."

Ma Xiaodong glanced at the quote, didn't change it, and looked up to wait for him to continue.

"Next month, we'll use the name of Sky Dome Internet Cafe to organize a CrossFire competition with the University City Esports Club. We'll hold the competition at the cafe, with a prize of 10,000 yuan in cash. Participating players can practice here and get a 20% discount on their gaming time. The winning team will go to the provincial competition, and we'll sponsor their travel expenses."

The ballpoint pen stopped after 10,000. Ma Xiaodong looked up briefly, then looked down again to make up the difference in cash.

After Ye Chen finished writing that line, he separately explained the matter of qualifying for the Hundred Cities League qualifiers, instructing him to contact the organizers, obtain confirmation, and then print the promotional materials.

The margin was then marked "Pending Confirmation," with a blank space in front of it.

Zhao Peng reached his chopsticks to the edge of the plate, paused for a while before picking up a piece of braised duck. As he chewed, he leaned over to look at his draft.

Ten thousand yuan, five people form a team to compete for it.

Upstairs, those five-seat booths, which had empty main console seats this morning, now have two teams set up in front of them, allowing them to play matches across the aisle, and they also get a discount on practice time.

Ma Xiaodong jotted it down on the edge of the paper and turned the draft around.

The front of the page shows the budget for purchasing items such as "top up 50 and get 30 free", "top up 100 and get 80 free", and free drinks. The back of the page lists everything from "free 1.5 hours" to "no smoking in the whole venue", followed by the member prices for different zones. The prize money of 10,000 yuan for the competition is squeezed to the edge of the page.

The draft, which had been folded into four sections when it arrived, was now completely flattened out, even using the empty spaces along the creases.

Zhao Peng leaned over and checked the price list, then moved his hand away from the free trial section and clicked on the competition prize money.

"Ten thousand yuan... If those CrossFire players find out, they'll be running upstairs to our building!"

Ye Chen ate a couple of bites of food, and only after the two of them looked away from the draft did he pick up his barley tea.

"Brother Ma, print out the recharge rules, free trial information, and event promotion materials tonight. As for the flyers, don't be silly and try to hand them out at the school gates. The security guards are strict, and students will just throw them away after taking them." Ye Chen paused, tapping his knuckles lightly on the table twice. "Go to the university town forum or the work-study groups of each university to recruit part-time workers. Find students from each university to distribute them. Find two or three from each university, pay them by the hour or by the number of flyers, and have them go directly to the cafeteria entrance and the boys' dormitories to canvass for students. Students can distribute them to their classmates; the dorm supervisors won't stop them. If they distribute them precisely, the effect will be ten times better than us starving outside the school gates."

Zhao Peng's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh: "That's a great idea! Those who know the way can just knock on the dorm door and slip it in; the gamers will definitely see it!"

Ma Xiaodong understood and quickly jotted down "printing factory expedited" and "recruiting college students for part-time door-to-door sales" on the corner of the paper. He added the recharge system and free time rules that he needed to review before opening on Sunday to the back, and then tapped the pen cap twice before putting it on.

"I'll oversee the printing and student recruitment for a while. Once the flyers arrive tomorrow, I'll have them distributed them at each school. I'll personally review the timekeeping and top-up system at the front desk before we open on Sunday."

Zhao Peng also raised his cup, his arm reaching across the table, almost hitting the teapot.

"Count me in at the front desk. I'm definitely going to be the gatekeeper on Sunday. Whoever takes out a cigarette, I'll go over and make sure they take it back!"

Ye Chen smiled and handed the cup over.

"I won't be coming to the store tomorrow. Call me if you need anything. I'll come back on Sunday morning at eight o'clock."

The teacups clinked together, making a crisp sound.

Ma Xiaodong took a sip and put it down. Before the waiter brought in the braised pork and bamboo shoot soup, he folded the draft full of plans along the old creases and put it back into his pocket.