Chapter 54: Chapter 53: Gaming the Capital System

"Six thousand a month!?"

"Laosi, aren't you pushing it too far? That's too much, that's too much. Currently, our company only has one project. Wouldn't this be just freeloading?"

After hearing Gu Yu's proposed salaries, Yu Laoer and Qin Laosan kept rejecting the offer.

Gu Yu had actually said he would pay them a salary of six thousand yuan a month!

A freshly graduated software student, when looking for internship work at a slightly bigger company, would earn just about this amount!

Moreover, Ideal Paradise had just been established, and as entrepreneurs, it would be logical not to take a salary at all!

After all, the company had not started generating revenue yet...

"We have to pay! Not only pay, but the salary will increase in the future!"

But Gu Yu was still very firm in his decision.

Why not take advantage of the system's loopholes when you can?

And this was also mandated by the system: employees recruited must be paid a normal salary!

[Initial company funds: 100K yuan] S~eaʀᴄh the nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

[Number of employees allowed: 2 (currently 3)]

[Current system valuation: 100K yuan (next valuation/financing date: in 27 days)]

[Current available cash dividends: 0 yuan (if less than 100K, no distribution, proportion 10%)]

[Current available Check-in Points dividends: 0 points (each employee's normal check in and check out every day contributes 10 Check-in Points per day!)]

The company started with an initial capital of one hundred thousand yuan, which was intended for salaries and various company expenses.

Gu Yu originally wanted to pay each of his brothers ten thousand a month.

But just as he was thinking this, the system warned him!

[Prohibition against any unreasonable company expenditures! Severe violations will result in company retrieval!]

[According to a comprehensive assessment by the system: current employee salary expenditure range is 3000~6000 yuan/person (Salary payment date: 5th of each month)]

In conclusion, the system demanded that he operate the company within reasonable limits.

Should he seriously violate or breach any of the company's terms, the system would reclaim the paid salaries, causing the 180,000 Check-in Points he had spent to be wasted!

"Six thousand... that's really too much. Having money doesn't mean you can be reckless... I know you mean well for us brothers, but we know our own limits!"

Yu Shutong still disagreed with Gu Yu paying them so much.

From a monetary perspective, he wanted it, but from the perspective of brotherly affection, he could not accept it!

Everybody knows starting a business is tough, especially in the early stages, when you're trying so hard to make every penny count!

He could not accept this salary!

"Right! If you insist on paying, eight hundred to a thousand a month as living expenses is enough for us! We don't deserve six thousand!"

Qin Shan also agreed wholeheartedly, feeling that Laosi was too focused on sentiment and was being impulsive!

Seeing both men act as if they would quit over too much money, Gu Yu was anxious!

Unbelievable! How did these two suddenly become so serious!?

The problem was that he couldn't not pay them! Even if he paid only eight hundred to a thousand, far below the system's set salary standard, he would still be violating the rules!

The minimum was three thousand!

No way! He had to make Laoer and Laosan accept it!

"No, no, no! Laoer, Laosan! You deserve it! You're top-notch, unbeatable! Tell you what! I'll give you a discount! Three thousand! I'll give you a base salary of three thousand a month! It can't be any less!"

"As the saying goes, clear accounts make good friends. If you keep refusing, it's like you're not treating me as a brother!"

Gu Yu continued to earnestly persuade them.

"Three thousand... alright then! But don't increase it anymore!"

Yu Laoer and Laosan thought it over, looked into Gu Yu's sincere eyes, and finally nodded in agreement.

Seeing that the two had finally agreed, Gu Yu secretly chuckled.

He had just played a little trick by mentioning a base salary of three thousand.

When it was time to pay the salaries next month, and he added things like performance bonuses, wouldn't their pay increase?

Exploiting the system was really fun!

Unfortunately, he couldn't pay himself a salary, and that was a bit frustrating.

Once the three were unanimously agreed, Gu Yu also informed Boss Pu through a message, and after some debate, matters regarding salary and benefits were duly arranged.

And since everyone had not yet graduated, the company also could not manage to provide benefits like social security.

The system's loopholes were slightly less exploited this time.

"Let's settle the salary issue like this, Laoer and Laosan. Don't feel bad about it. This is what you deserve. Besides, from the employee's perspective, even if you aren't given tasks, just the fact that the company has recruited you and you occupy a position means you should be paid, right?"

"Everyone is brainwashed by capital. When capitalists recruit you into a company, they are buying your time and productivity. Even if they don't have you produce anything, they should still pay you the corresponding wage for your time!"

Gu Yu said cheerfully. After enlightening them with sentiment and reasoning, Yu Shutong and Qin Shan finally saw his point!

"Got it! What you said really isn't wrong."

"When I worked summer jobs before, there were times when I felt embarrassed to take the money because the workload was light; now that I think about it, that was kind of silly. Although I wasn't assigned tasks, I was selling my time!"

Yu Laoer and Qin Laosan nodded repeatedly.

Looking at it from another perspective, it truly was the case!

"Alright! Since you both understand now! Come! It's already five o'clock, let's clock out!"

Discover secrets at m-vlem|p-yr

Seeing that they understood his point, Gu Yu grinned and then opened his drawer, taking out a ten-centimeter cube-shaped black device and placing it on the table.

"??? Clocking out?"

Yu Shutong was confused, and so was Qin Shan.

"Yes, clocking out! Although our company is still small! But we must have standardized management! From nine to five, five o'clock sharp for going off work! How could we not clock in and out!?"

Gu Yu spoke with all seriousness, his hand pressing on the fingerprint recognition area of the Clocking Machine.

Immediately the screen lit up, beeped, and displayed a bright line:

"Beep——"

[Gu Yu clocks out successfully! Clock-out time 17:00:06, very punctual, deserves encouragement!]

"Wow! It's pretty ceremonial!"

Yu Laoer, suddenly interested, also pressed his finger on it, but the Clocking Machine showed no reaction.

"Laosi, your clocking machine is broken! I didn't do anything!"

Yu Laoer quickly withdrew his hand, complaining.

Gu Yu made a speechless expression and shrugged: "How can you clock in or out if your fingerprint isn't recorded?"

After speaking, Gu Yu, following the system's instructions, entered their fingerprints and information.

Yu Laoer pressed his finger down again, and this time the Clocking Machine finally responded.

"Beep——"

[Yu Shutong clocks out successfully! Clock-out time 17:03:37, running late 3 minutes, 3 yuan deducted from salary!]

"What? Deducting salary for being late off work? 1 yuan per minute?"

Yu Laoer was shocked; he had only heard about salary deductions for leaving early, but never about deductions for working overtime!

Laosi's company is really too laid-back, isn't it?

"Yes! Our company adheres to the standard of working nine to five, five days a week; we reject 996 and start from Ideal Paradise!"

Gu Yu nodded fiercely, smiling on the outside, but he was cursing the system inside.

It was agreed that every time an employee successfully clocks out, he would earn ten Check-in Points!

Instead, 3 points were deducted!

3 points! For one employee, that's 3 points, for ten it's 30 points!

What if the company grows bigger and there are a thousand employees!

Isn't he going to lose three thousand Check-in Points in one go!?

Damned capitalist system!

[Beep! Employee Yu Shutong clocks out successfully, running late 3 minutes, 3 Check-in Points deducted, 7 points actually given!]

Damn! Doesn't that mean if you're ten minutes late off work, there's no reward for Check-in Points?

Laosan hasn't clocked out yet, Gu Yu checked the time, another three minutes had passed! That's 2 points less!

Qin Shan was still studying the principle of the Clocking Machine, when Gu Yu suddenly grabbed his hand, bent his index finger, and pressed it onto the fingerprint recognition.

[Qin Shan clocks out successfully! Clock-out time 17:07:37, running late 7 minutes, 7 yuan deducted from salary!]

"Damn! Deducted again!"

Seeing the information on the Clocking Machine, and only having 3 Check-in Points credited, Gu Yu felt like crying but had no tears.

He definitely needed to supervise his employees to leave work on time in the future!

Qin Shan thought Laosi was feeling sorry for his money, so he patted his shoulder and comforted him: "It's okay, it's just seven yuan."

Gu Yu nodded like a deflated eggplant, putting the Clocking Machine back in the drawer.

Just as the three were about to go to the cafeteria for dinner, Gu Yu's phone vibrated.

He thought it was Lin Xinyue messaging him, but when he opened it, he discovered it was from Mr. Chen Tian.

Sir Chen: "Yu, remember the auction I mentioned before that we had agreed to attend together? It's tonight! Can you join me?"

Gu Yu looked at the message from Old Mr. Chen, hesitated for a moment, but then replied: "No problem, I'll come to you right now."

Sir Chen: "No need to come here, I'll send someone to pick you up, Haidong University, right?"

Gu Yu thought for a moment: "Yes, just come to the West Gate, can I bring someone? My girlfriend."

After arranging with Old Mr. Chen to meet him at the West Gate, Gu Yu greeted Laoer and Laosan, and didn't bother to have dinner.

He headed straight for the West Gate while sending a message to Lin Xinyue to meet him at the West Gate.