Chapter 16

Today's series of changes shattered Gu Hongzhou's hopes for a renaissance at Shengshi. In the afternoon, he found a random excuse to go home and sulk. As for the Dove commercial... let the Meng people handle it.

During dinner, with his mood already bad, he was nagged by his wife a few times. In a fit of anger, he slammed the door and went to the company to seek peace and quiet.

When he arrived at the design department, he saw all the employees gathered behind Mai Xiaoyu, with two female employees diligently sharpening pencils and passing manuscript paper for him, while the others watched Mai Xiaoyu draw sketches without blinking.

What's going on?

Is today's work all done?

Is tomorrow's preparation all set?

Not planning to go home?

Cough!

Gu Hongzhou coughed to get their attention, but the employees glanced at him and continued to surround Mai Xiaoyu.

A designer surnamed Wang, holding an empty coffee cup, tiptoed over: "President Gu is here."

"What are you all looking at?"

"Mai Laoshi's sketches, they're amazing."

Mai Laoshi?

Gu Hongzhou almost choked on his own saliva.

Wang, a designer, was one of Shengshi's top advertising designers, with a solid foundation from a professional school. He currently lacked experience and refinement, but with time, he would surely have a bright future.

Now he was calling a rough person "teacher"...

Indeed, in Gu Hongzhou's eyes, Mai Xiaoyu was just a rough person. Regardless of who was right or wrong today, hitting someone was wrong. Which cultured person would roll up their sleeves and start fighting?

"President Gu, this way."

Seeing the confusion in Gu Hongzhou's eyes, Wang led him to a large worktable nearby. The table was very clean, with over thirty sketches lined up, almost as if they were being worshipped.

What detailed and vivid sketches!

Gu Hongzhou secretly praised them. As he browsed through them from start to finish, his eyes lit up with a different light—these were the storyboards for the Dove commercial!

It's not like we're making a movie, just a forty-five-second commercial. Is it really necessary to be so detailed?

"President Gu." A female employee held a newly finished sketch and placed it on the table in order, "Mai Laoshi is so amazing."

Is he amazing?

Of course, he is!

Sketching is one of the basic skills for advertising designers, helping to train their ability to create three-dimensional shapes on a flat surface and to observe visually. It also develops the brain's understanding of three-dimensional spatial structures and their representation on a two-dimensional plane, enhancing the designer's imagination.

The employees in Shengshi's design department all had a solid foundation in sketching and had a professional eye for good and bad sketches.

More importantly, Mai Xiaoyu only needed five minutes for each sketch, just five minutes!

He didn't need to think before he started, didn't need to draw a structure diagram, and could start sketching directly with a pencil, drawing at an incredible speed. Even the most complex sketches took no more than five minutes.

Gu Hongzhou, being professionally trained, naturally understood the power of Mai Xiaoyu's sketches, but... would it help with the commercial?

The answer was yes.

The next day, the Dove Chocolate window commercial officially began shooting, with Mai Xiaoyu personally overseeing the process, holding a big stick in one hand and a sketch in the other—follow this!

No way!

I'm the director, I'm the expert, and I'm in charge of my territory!

Successful directors have their own pursuits and never bow to reality!

If you keep messing up, I'll dock your pay!

Whatever, two thousand yuan for the job, I don't care!

Xiang Xiaoxing usually doesn't act foolishly, but when he does, it's not ordinary. He wouldn't back down, vowing to defend the dignity and authority of the director.

With no other choice, Mai Xiaoyu had to pull out his big move—change the director!

No, no, don't change the director, you win, I'll shoot it.

Xiang Xiaoxing held out for the whole morning but finally gave in.

It took another two and a half days to get everything in sync. Three days later, Xiang Xiaoxing was finally able to shoot the commercial according to the plan, capturing the style in Mai Xiaoyu's mind.

There was no need to worry about Zhang Xiaoquan. An eight-year veteran assistant photographer, his skills were so good that Gu Hongzhou even had the intention of recruiting him. As soon as the shooting started, Zhang Xiaoquan proposed to help Shengshi shoot another commercial.

Liu Tao didn't need to be worried about either. Her tears washed away her makeup, revealing her strong character, and she cherished the hard-won opportunity. During shooting, she worked hard, and in her free time, she continuously practiced and refined every expression, action, and smile.

Zhang Xiaoquan had said more than once that she had a good image and excellent temperament, making her very photogenic, far surpassing many other actresses.

With everything in order, Mai Xiaoyu could leave the production team and deal with Liu Lei.

Don't mess with a con man, they're not to be trifled with. Mai Xiaoyu's dictionary had no words for forgiveness or magnanimity.

To deal with external threats, one must first secure the internal. Liu Lei had obtained all the member contact information, which meant there was a mole in Mengren Film!

That afternoon, Mai Xiaoyu gathered six business personnel in the office and handed out six bulging red envelopes: "Everyone has worked hard recently. I want to express my sincere gratitude on behalf of the company."

"President Mai, you're too kind."

"This is what we should do."

"Wow, a thousand yuan!"

"Thank you, President Mai!"

"Long live President Mai!"

These days, the average monthly salary in Beijing was just over three thousand yuan, so a thousand-yuan red envelope was quite substantial.

The employees were excited and enthusiastic, holding the red envelopes and expressing their determination.

Mai Xiaoyu waved his hand, signaling for everyone to quiet down: "Not long ago, someone slandered us as a scam company and incited members to cause trouble. Everyone remembers, right? Who leaked the company's member information, step forward."

"Ah? Someone betrayed the company?"

"How shameless, how can someone be like that!"

"President Mai is the best boss I've ever seen, has his conscience been eaten by a dog?"

"If our company is a scam, then which company isn't a scam?"

The employees were indignant, cursing and looking at each other, but no one admitted it.

"Scared to take responsibility? I'll say it one last time, step forward now, and I'll forgive you. Otherwise, don't blame me for being harsh!"

Three minutes later, no one admitted it.

Mai Xiaoyu walked in front of everyone, his sharp gaze scanning each person, as if piercing through their disguises and straight into their hearts. Each employee showed an innocent expression and a determined look, proving their innocence.

One, two, three... Mai Xiaoyu walked past each person until he stopped in front of Deng Chao.

Is it him?

No way!

If not him, then who? President Mai wouldn't be wrong.

Truly, one can know a person's face but not their heart. It's him!

Deng Chao frantically waved his hands: "It wasn't me, President Mai, really, it wasn't me."

"I know who it is!"

Before he finished speaking, Mai Xiaoyu threw a punch.

Deng Chao felt wronged and didn't dodge, closing his eyes as the wind from the punch passed by his face.

Bang!

The male employee next to Deng Chao, Yao Dong, flew out.

Never challenge a professional con man's judgment, especially one who knows martial arts and is studying psychology.

When Mai Xiaoyu stopped in front of Deng Chao, as if identifying him as the mole, the other employees showed various reactions—some were contemptuous, some were angry, some were regretful, but only Yao Dong showed relief. Mai Xiaoyu saw every change.

"President Mai, I was wrong..." Yao Dong clung to Mai Xiaoyu's raised leg, tears streaming down his face, "I was foolish and listened to Liu Lei's lies. I shouldn't have been tempted by his few hundred yuan... sob..."

Mai Xiaoyu's abnormal fighting skills on the day of the member unrest left a deep impression on everyone.

Mai Xiaoyu didn't hit him again, patting Deng Chao's shoulder: "Sorry, I made you suffer. You are the company's oldest employee and a hero. I trust you the most. From today, you are the company's business manager. When I and Director Xiang are not around, you will be in charge of the company's business."