Huang Hongyuan had once asked Qi Gu how much payment he wanted. Qi Gu had said he needed someone to help manage the temple and hoped Huang Hongyuan could recommend a suitable candidate with reasonable salary expectations, or offer some help with decision-making.
At the time, Huang Hongyuan had thought to himself that if Qi Gu cured his precious daughter, he would...
Qi Gu had only wanted Huang Hongyuan to recommend a manager with a little experience. He had not expected Huang Hongyuan to say, "I wonder what you think of me, Master Qi. Would I be qualified for the job?"
Huang Hongyuan was certainly very capable. Otherwise, he would not have risen to a position paying a million a year in just ten years, with quite a few headhunters offering high salaries to poach him.
So, when Qi Gu heard him volunteer, he immediately said honestly, "Our temple is very small, and I can't afford to pay a very high salary."
He disliked beating around the bush and said things as they were. Back in the entertainment industry, he had offended quite a few people because of it.
But Huang Hongyuan was very pleased with his frankness and said directly, "Actually, I've wanted to leave my job for a long time."
Although his current job paid well, it was simply too exhausting, with far too much to worry about.
He had also saved enough money to keep his family comfortably fed and clothed for the rest of their lives... He wanted to rest for a while, settle down with his family in a clean little city, and find some easier work to pass the time.
Qi Gu's temple looked like a good choice, and his noncompete agreement would not restrict him, either.
Qi Gu said, "Then, about the salary...?"
"Let's discuss that once the temple starts turning a profit." Huang Hongyuan was confident he could make Floating Mist Temple profitable quickly.
Besides, this job would be easy for him, something he could handle on the side. However large the temple grew, he would only be managing a dozen or so people. How could that compare to worrying about hundreds or thousands of people every day in his current job?
Moreover, if this allowed him to build a relationship with a master like Qi Gu, that would be a valuable connection he could only dream of.
With things having come this far, Qi Gu naturally had no reason to refuse again.
Having landed an outstanding employee without spending a penny, he was naturally in a good mood.
The two soon settled matters such as when Huang Hongyuan would move and report for work at Floating Mist Temple. Qi Gu also mentioned that Floating Mist Temple was currently being renovated. Huang Hongyuan promptly said he had some ideas as well, so Qi Gu had him add the renovation crew's contact information.
Huang Hongyuan was dumbfounded the moment he saw the renovation crew manager's WeChat name. Lücheng Real Estate xxx? Wasn't Lücheng a major local real estate company in Province Z? Why would they take on a small job like renovating a temple?
He immediately voiced his confusion.
Then he heard Qi Gu reply in a tone even more puzzled than his own, "So this renovation crew actually has such an impressive background? Vivian arranged all this for me."
Huang Hongyuan: ???
Vivian? Wasn't she that incredibly wealthy woman whose handbag alone cost as much as his annual salary?
"You... know Vivian?" Only after asking did Huang Hongyuan remember that Qi Gu had just filmed a variety show with Vivian.
But that show should only have taken a day to film. Had the two of them already become close enough for Vivian to send her own renovation crew over for Qi Gu to use?
"Yes, I just helped her with something yesterday," Qi Gu said.
Huang Hongyuan immediately grew even more respectful toward Qi Gu, feeling strongly that he might just find a second wind in his career at Floating Mist Temple.
"Ring, ring~" Huang Hongyuan's phone rang.
He answered it. On the other end was his newly hired secretary, Li Qianqian. He had stepped in to drink on her behalf several times and treated her as a junior, so she respected him greatly. They usually addressed each other as mentor and apprentice.
"Mentor, how is Xiao He?" Li Qianqian asked hesitantly, her voice worried.
"She's doing well. She's already out of the ICU, and she can go home once her fever comes down." Huang Hongyuan's voice carried a hearty laugh, like sunshine after rain.
Li Qianqian froze at his words.
"M-Mentor, have you been under too much strain? Is that why you're starting to talk nonsense?"
When she saw the trending video of Huang Hongyuan's family being deceived by Qi Gu, she had nearly gone frantic with worry, wishing she could rush straight to Huang Hongyuan's home and snap him out of it.
But considering Huang Hongyuan's current situation, she was afraid he would get too agitated. Li Qianqian had chosen to call first to feel him out, then decide how to persuade her mentor to report it to the police and recover his losses.
Instead, Huang Hongyuan had opened with that, leaving her completely at a loss.
"Li Qianqian, what nonsense are you talking about? Are you cursing your mentor?!" Huang Hongyuan's expression darkened, his tone stern and every bit that of an elder.
"Mentor, I'm just worried you've been scammed... You probably haven't been online these past few days, have you? I'll send you the link. Take a look for yourself first." As she spoke, Li Qianqian promptly sent him the video link.
Huang Hongyuan opened it and immediately flew into a rage.
What the hell was this? Not only had he secretly filmed his family, he was slandering his new boss, too?
Huang Hongyuan told Qi Gu about it, his voice full of anger. Qi Gu, however, remained calm and merely said, "I'm used to it. It's not the first time, anyway. Would you like a pudding? The complimentary caramel pudding here tastes quite good."
Huang Hongyuan could not help marveling inwardly once again that a master truly was a master. Just look at that ability to remain unruffled even if a mountain collapsed before him!
Now was precisely the time to demonstrate his abilities. Huang Hongyuan immediately said, "Master, I'll handle this right now. I guarantee I'll get it sorted out beautifully for you."
He had been pondering how to market Floating Mist Temple and attract more people to offer incense... This fellow called I Am Long Aotian really had delivered exactly what he needed, right when he needed it.
If he neatly put Long Aotian in his place, wouldn't the attention come pouring in?
Having made up his mind, Huang Hongyuan immediately contacted several media outlets he knew and asked them to help build publicity.
Eight that evening was the busiest time of day for online traffic.
Huang Hongyuan logged into his Weibo account, which was flooded with private messages, cleared them all with one click, then published a post.
Huang Hongyuan V: Thank you all for your concern for our family, but I must clear Master Qi's name here. He did not deceive anyone in our family. On the contrary, he gave us hope to keep living!
After this statement, Huang Hongyuan attached redacted critical condition notices issued by several hospitals stating that Huang He was suffering from multiple organ failure, along with the new diagnosis the hospital had issued that day.
His Weibo post was backed by sound reasoning and evidence, so it naturally soon drew a large amount of feedback from netizens.
[Wh-what does this mean? Are you saying that incense ash water really cured your daughter???]
[Must be fake. Looks like another shill hired by Qi Gu.]
[Wait, he already makes a million a year, and his field has nothing to do with the entertainment industry. Why would he need to act as a shill for Qi Gu?]
[Also... if you'd just look at the pictures, those critical condition notices he posted all came from some of the best hospitals in the country. Normally, you have to beg everyone you can just to get an appointment. The official seals look the same as the ones I've seen before, so they probably aren't forged.]
[So, you're saying one bowl of Qi Gu's incense ash water really took someone from organ failure to being completely fine???]
Only after seeing the attention build did Huang Hongyuan publish the second Weibo post he had prepared.
Huang Hongyuan V: @I Am Long Aotian, please apologize and compensate us for secretly filming my family and profiting by infringing on their rights to their likenesses and privacy as soon as possible. Otherwise, I will take legal action to protect my rights!
Before you continue