Chapter Eight: Legal Yet Unethical
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At Cocoon Tower, this time Lin Ke entered the conference room without hesitation. After confirming the monthly payday, she simply signed her name.
Today, Lin Ke deliberately wore the white blouse and pleated skirt she had bought for a school performance. She knew it wasn’t very formal, but that didn’t matter — it looked good.
She had spent two whole days lying around at home, as if she hadn’t allowed herself to be this lazy in a long time. No live streams, no short videos. Just sleeping and waking, drifting in a haze of indulgence.
On Monday morning, Lin Ke put on the outfit that had been packed away in her suitcase for a long time. Looking at her smooth, bare long legs in the mirror, she felt a little like an internet celebrity star.
Her appearance was her advantage — she had known this for a long time. If she wanted to succeed, she had to use her beauty rather than her talent, and she would not hold back.
“President Wang, I am the newly signed streamer, Lin Ke.”
Selina led Lin Ke through the secretary’s office into the CEO’s office, then quietly left, closing the door behind her.
Lin Ke’s heart rate began to spiral out of control.
She noticed the furtive glances and whispered gossip of the administrative staff along the way; she guessed it wouldn’t be anything good.
A female employee entering the CEO’s office on her first day — and the CEO looked vigorous and dashing. Such a scenario was straight out of a melodramatic novel.
Wang Tianxia removed his blue-light blocking glasses and shifted his gaze from the computer.
“Ke Ke, right? I remember you. Among this batch of 100 signed streamers, you’re my favorite.”
Lin Ke’s fingers unconsciously began to twist her skirt. What did that mean? Was there an implication?
Favorite her? In what sense? Was it because she was pretty, or young?
Wang Tianxia seemed completely unaware of Lin Ke’s nervousness, speaking to himself: “I watched your videos. They’re eye-catching and instantly attract attention, sparking endless imagination.
You have a natural charm that’s both simple and full of ambition. I told Selina right then: we must sign this streamer.”
“I... don’t have ambition.”
“Ambition is not a bad word! It’s the most primal driving force behind human progress and success. Without ambition, humans wouldn’t have moved from oceans to land, from trees to plains; wouldn’t have evolved from slaves to feudal lords, from capitalism to today.
It’s because humans are ambitious that we keep expanding and progressing to survive. It’s because I have ambition that I’ve led Cocoon from a small company of twenty people to where we are now.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be stronger! Those without drive don’t deserve to work at Cocoon.”
Wang Tianxia spoke passionately, leaving Lin Ke stunned.
Ambition... wasn’t it supposed to be a bad word?
She had been raised to be quiet and reserved as a girl. No matter how much she longed to strive, her family would say her parents didn’t need her achievements, and her boyfriend would say, “I can provide for you.”
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And these people were the closest to her — genuinely caring for her.
But today, a complete stranger — the very man she had just basely suspected — told her there was nothing wrong with wanting to grow stronger.
Wang Tianxia could sense Lin Ke’s mindset: “My name is Wang Tianxia. I changed it myself because I have the ambition to rule the world. I’m not ashamed of it! I want every one of my employees to have ambition, and I will help them achieve it, help them stand atop the gods!”
Lin Ke’s heart pounded wildly.
She had just doubted that such a leader harbored ill intentions toward her — she should be dragged out and beaten!
This was a real big company with the most modern ideas. Here, no one needed to hide their sharp edges.
“I’m willing.”
“Good!”
Wang Tianxia knew he had secured the young streamer. Then he began the second phase of his gentle persuasion:
“Why do I favor you? The social-emotional content niche has the largest audience among our tens of millions of users, spanning all ages, industries, and social classes, yet famous streamers in this niche are few.
It’s a delicate balance — too much feels preachy; too little feels fake. Too serious, and it’s stiff; too soft, and it’s vulgar. But you are a pure natural talent. Your emotional grasp is just right — no one else can imitate that.”
Being recognized by his direct superior made Lin Ke happy. “I’ve been making a series of short videos called ‘Dream Chaser.’ I’m a university graduate from the mountains — the first from my village.”
Wang Tianxia shook his finger. “Too cliché.”
He truly valued Lin Ke’s niche and really wanted to make her popular. But that wasn’t enough.
“A rural girl chasing dreams in the city — even on the women’s track, it’s overdone. Everyone has hardships; no one wants to hear your suffering and struggle. Instead...”
Tapping the table, Wang Tianxia thought quickly: “You should switch to... the phoenix woman breaking into the big city, abandoning husband and child to climb social ladders.”
“Ah?” Lin Ke was stunned.
Wang Tianxia didn’t stop: “Perfect. You’re from the mountains, you’ve seen backwardness. Bring out the raw, native spirit of a mountain girl tangled with your college intellect and morals.
Your character: married off by your parents to the village’s old bachelor, had a child at eighteen, escaped the mountain at nineteen. Your husband finds you in the city with your son, but no matter how much the child cries, you don’t look back — you get in your BMW and leave.”
Completely immersed in his own vision, Wang Tianxia already had an outline for how each department would stage the scenes.
Set it in the bustling city center — with a little push, it could trend on social media that very day. With some covert provocateurs stirring the waters, the account’s success was guaranteed.
“But... I’ve never been married. I’m still a child.”
“Standing here, you’re no longer a child. You’re a Cocoon employee, a seed streamer for the Hundred Butterflies Rising competition.”
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“But... isn’t that lying?”
“You don’t need to say a single lie. I’ll handle the acting, content, and algorithms. When the time comes, you just say it was a case of mistaken identity. I’ll have other streamers narrate the story from an observer’s perspective, presenting it as speculation.
You just keep making your short videos the same way you always have. The popularity will come naturally.”
“This popularity... is all just negative attention, isn’t it?”
Wang Tianxia was frustrated: “Bad fame is still fame! Ten thousand people cursing you daily generates enough heat to earn you a hundred thousand a month!
You don’t need to worry about your image. If you always fear every step forward and backward, then don’t bother planning anything!
When those other streamers made billions in sales overnight, did anyone remember how they started?
Besides, you never actually told a lie. What do you have to fear?”
Of course, Wang Tianxia didn’t mention that to really make it big, stirring up controversy with provocateurs was essential. The comment section would inevitably have people attacking and others defending.
That’s the truth of internet traffic.
Lin Ke knew she had no room to resist.
She had already signed the contract; the company’s arrangements were binding.
Moreover, the boss was right — there’s nothing wrong with wanting to become stronger!
The world mocks poverty but not prostitution!
She didn’t have to entertain guests, toe the line, or use her looks to serve others. As long as everything was legal, what was wrong with that?
“I understand, President Wang.”
Wang Tianxia was pleased.
He was good at reading people; her struggles and weaknesses were written all over her face.
“Good. I’ll have Xiao Zheng take you to the streaming area to get familiar with the environment. The content department will assist with future plans. Don’t worry about anything. If you face difficulties, just tell the company. From today on, we’re family.”
Looking at Wang Tianxia’s upright and righteous face, Lin Ke finally mustered the courage to say, “...President Wang, may I advance a month’s salary to pay my rent?”