From Wage Slave to Tycoon

After Su Qingya contacted the game studio that had been cheated by Director Li, she and Wang Yue went to find the people involved and learn what happened.

Qin Nan and Zhao Ya had wanted to tag along for the excitement, but Wang Yue sent them back to the startup center to work on their promotional materials and figure out how to promote Hanfu culture on TikTok.

On their way back, the two of them were still discussing the Sichuan food they had eaten, debating which dish was the best.

Just as they reached the first floor of the University Student Startup Center, they ran into Director Li, who had clearly been waiting for some time.

Director Li’s eyes lit up when he saw them. With his hands clasped behind his back and a stern expression, he said, "Qin Nan, Zhao Ya, wait a moment!"

Ever since being thwarted at the Haitang Creek office, Director Li had only grown more resentful. He immediately used his university connections to investigate Su Qingya and her friends. Apart from Wang Yue, whose background was unclear, the other three all came from ordinary families.

As for Su Qingya claiming the investor was her brother, Director Li automatically assumed she meant a sugar daddy. After all, if she were truly the child of a wealthy family, why would she bother with a niche hobby like Hanfu?

All he could find out about Wang Yue was that she was a Shanghai local; there was nothing more.

Director Li ultimately couldn’t swallow his pride. He decided to make things difficult for Su Qingya and her friends to show them who was the real boss at the University Student Startup Center.

Qin Nan and Zhao Ya hadn’t expected to run into Director Li there. They exchanged a look, and the smiles on their faces instantly vanished.

"Is there something you need, Director Li?" Qin Nan was the one to ask.

They weren’t fond of the man, but since they hadn’t had a complete falling-out yet, there was no harm in exchanging a few words.

"From what I understand, both of you come from rather ordinary backgrounds. Your parents must have sacrificed a great deal for you to attend Shanghai University. You wouldn’t want to disappoint them, would you?"

"I just called your academic advisor to ask about your grades, and they’re quite good. From now on, you should focus on your studies and spend less time messing around with these... hobbies. Your education is your only way forward."

"Your time at university has only just begun. You wouldn’t want to fail your courses and be unable to graduate, would you?"

The sinister look on Director Li’s face was completely unconcealed, as if he were telling them outright, ’I have plenty of ways to deal with you.’

"Yes, Director Li. We’ll remember what you said. Thank you for your concern. We have other things to attend to, so we’ll be going now." With that, Qin Nan grabbed Zhao Ya’s hand and quickly walked into the startup center.

Watching their retreating figures, Director Li’s gaze turned grim. "Young and fearless, aren’t they? Hmph."

After another scoff, he turned and walked toward his office.

When Qin Nan and Zhao Ya returned to the Haitang Creek office space on the seventh floor, they both let out a heavy sigh of relief. Dealing with someone like Director Li was incredibly stressful, after all.

"Nannan, was Director Li just implying that if we say anything he doesn’t like, he’ll make us fail our classes and be held back a year?" Zhao Ya asked, her voice laced with worry.

She was only eighteen or nineteen, after all. What real-world experience could she have? Director Li’s words had sparked a genuine fear in her heart—the fear of not being able to graduate. She knew her family wasn’t wealthy; they had already spent so much just to send her to university.

Qin Nan patted Zhao Ya’s head and smiled. "Don’t you worry," she said. "That Director Li won’t be around to cause trouble for much longer."

"Besides, with Yuanyuan’s family background and the tiny glimpse we’ve seen of Qingya’s brother’s power, you have nothing to worry about. Even if Director Li could control everything at this university, the worst that could happen is we drop out. With friends like Yuanyuan and Qingya, do you really think you’d have trouble finding a good job?"

Zhao Ya thought about it for a moment and realized Qin Nan was right. She didn’t know the details of Wang Yue’s family background, but could someone whose outfits were worth millions be ordinary?

Then there was Qingya’s brother, who rode in a Rolls-Royce with a professional bodyguard for a driver. As long as she stayed close to those two, she wouldn’t have to worry about her future career.

Once she thought it through, the worry on Zhao Ya’s face was replaced by a smile.

"That’s not for us to worry about," Qin Nan said. "We should be thinking about how to shoot our first video, the Hanfu, and the promotional copy. That’s what’s most important for us right now!"

"Mm, got it!" Zhao Ya nodded emphatically.

................

Meanwhile, Su Qingya and Wang Yue had found the members of the game studio. It was only after questioning them in detail that they realized the situation was far more complicated than they had imagined.

Everyone was tight-lipped. No matter what they were asked, the answer was always "I don’t know," "I’m not sure," or "That never happened."

They questioned four members in a row with no results. A breakthrough only came with the final person, the leader of the game studio.

After their relentless pestering, he finally spoke up and revealed the truth of the situation.

Their game studio’s mini-game had indeed sold for 500,000, and it was sold under Director Li’s name. Of that amount, 400,000 went straight into Director Li’s pocket, while the remaining 100,000 was split among the five members of the studio.

At first, they tried reporting the matter to their academic advisor, but they never received a response. Instead, they received a "lecture" from Director Li, who threatened that if they continued to "make trouble," he would find a way to have them expelled.

After seeing the extent of Director Li’s influence at the university, the students, fearing they wouldn’t be able to graduate, had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill. They were even forced to sign a non-disclosure agreement, making them liable if they ever leaked the information.