He knocked on the office door once more. This time, the voice that answered from inside wasn’t the familiar tone of Senior Wang Bin, but a deep and authoritative one.
“Come in.”
Mo Xiangwen exchanged a glance with the two girls. It looked like Elder Li was indeed in this time—they wouldn’t have made the trip for nothing.
He turned the handle and pushed the door open, stepping inside first. Su Mengli and Su Mengyao followed close behind.
The moment the door swung open, he spotted Senior Wang Bin and the unfamiliar senior sister from his previous visit, huddled together in quiet discussion.
In the next instant, his gaze was drawn to the elderly man seated behind the desk. The man’s hair was streaked with white, his face kind yet carrying an undercurrent of stern authority.
Though he appeared advanced in years, the eyes peering out from behind his glasses were sharp and alert.
This must be the Elder Li that Senior Wang Bin had mentioned, Mo Xiangwen thought.
Noticing the sound of the door, Wang Bin set down his pen. His eyes flicked over Mo Xiangwen with a slight nod of acknowledgment.
“Hello, Teacher Li,” Mo Xiangwen said, pausing for a moment before adding, “Hello, Senior Wang, Senior Sister.”
Elder Li pushed his glasses down slightly and narrowed his eyes at the three newcomers.
The young man leading the way looked sharp enough, but he’d seen plenty of types like that before.
The two girls trailing behind him, though—something about them felt oddly familiar.
“What can I do for you?”
Elder Li shifted his gaze back to Mo Xiangwen and asked in a measured tone.
Mo Xiangwen hesitated for a second. Rather than pulling out the two documents at the bottom of his folder right away, he chose the one on top.
He placed it on the desk and slid it gently toward Elder Li.
“Teacher Li, this is my startup application, along with the attached project proposal.”
Elder Li picked up the two documents. Only then did he notice that the proposal beneath the application form spanned several pages, neatly stapled together in the upper left corner.
This piqued his interest a bit—clearly, the student had put real effort in. He owed it to him to give it a proper look.
But the moment he glanced at the project description on the application form, Elder Li’s brow furrowed.
“Game development?”
Just those words alone brought back memories of past students who’d used game-making as an excuse to slack off in the office, graduating with nothing but a bunch of untouched new folders to show for it.
His enthusiasm waned in an instant.
Still, out of basic respect for the student—and that multipage proposal—he decided to muster a little more patience.
Two or three minutes passed before Elder Li looked up, realization dawning on his face.
“Have a seat, everyone. I need a bit more time… If there aren’t enough chairs, Xiao Wang, grab a couple more.”
“Got it, Teacher Li.”
Wang Bin responded with utmost respect, rising to his feet. He glanced at the three of them before stepping out of the office.
There were already two empty chairs in the office for visitors, so they were short just one.
Mo Xiangwen lowered his voice and murmured to the girls, “You two sit first. I’ll wait a moment.”
Su Mengli and Su Mengyao nodded slightly and took their seats.
A short while later, Wang Bin returned, somehow hauling in an extra chair and setting it down beside Mo Xiangwen.
“Thanks, Senior.”
“No problem.”
As Wang Bin passed by, he mouthed the word “game” at Mo Xiangwen. He’d been curious ever since seeing Elder Li pore over it for so long and wanted to confirm his suspicions.
Mo Xiangwen caught the gesture, thought for a second, and gave a small nod.
Wang Bin’s eyes widened in surprise at the confirmation.
This kid really doesn’t listen to advice. Still, it was the first time he’d seen Elder Li scrutinize a game development project for this long.
Doesn’t matter how long he looks at it—if the type doesn’t fit, it’s a non-starter.
Time ticked by slowly. In the agonizing wait that felt like every minute dragged on like an eternity, another five or six minutes elapsed before Elder Li finally raised his head amid everyone’s expectant stares.
“Not bad. Very detailed—especially the audience analysis and the operations and marketing sections.”
Elder Li handed the project proposal to Wang Bin offhandedly. “You can take a look too.”
“Yes, Teacher Li.”
Wang Bin took the proposal from Elder Li in astonishment. He’d been working under him for two years now, and it was rare to hear such praise for a student—let alone a freshman.
Even the standout seniors from the business department had only earned a nod or two when submitting their applications and proposals.
And those projects? Rock-solid and reliable, never once causing Elder Li any headaches.
Could this kid have actually swayed him?
Wang Bin shuddered at the mere thought of Elder Li chewing him out.
Whoa, show some respect. He’s the teacher—better not let his imagination run wild.
Su Mengyao and Su Mengli exchanged a glance, quietly thrilled for Mo Xiangwen.
Sure, it meant their backup plan was wasted, but if his proposal sailed through on its own merits, that was even better.
Mo Xiangwen wasn’t surprised at all. Those marketing tactics were ones that major companies would overuse in a few years’ time.
Pulling them out early like this made them seem fresh and innovative, especially to someone not in the front lines of promotions.
“Thanks for the praise, Teacher Li. I picked up most of it from stuff I found online.”
Elder Li shook his head. “Doesn’t matter if it’s from someone else. Marketing strategies like that? Once you’ve learned them, they’re yours. No such thing as plagiarism here.”
Even the senior sister, who’d been buried in her own paperwork, glanced up at him briefly before returning to her work.
That said, Elder Li still seemed lost in thought, as if weighing his next words.
Mo Xiangwen nodded with a simple “Yes” and waited patiently for him to continue.
After about half a minute, Elder Li spoke as if he’d made up his mind. “Your proposal is solid, but I still can’t approve your startup application.”
The others turned to Elder Li in unison, stunned—not understanding why he’d praised it first only to shoot it down.
“Don’t get upset yet. Let me explain,” Elder Li added calmly.
Mo Xiangwen took the rejection in stride, responding evenly with “Yes.”
“Teacher, I may not know games, but I can tell you put real thought into this,” Elder Li began with another compliment before pivoting sharply. “But what’s the biggest flaw in your plan? Do you know?”
“…Time,” Mo Xiangwen said with a soft sigh.
“Exactly—the same mistake your predecessors made.” Elder Li tapped the desk. “Three years. You’re saying this game will take three years.”
“Do you grasp what that means? By the time you’re done, you could be out interning already.”
“I might have given it a shot before, but with several seniors already failing at this, I’m not optimistic.”
“The school gives you funding, empty classrooms, all sorts of support.”
“How can I justify backing a three-year black hole with no results or progress in sight?” Elder Li pressed without mincing words. “Unless you can drastically shorten that timeline?”
