As he spoke, Varian's face gradually turned red.
He held the coffee cup in one hand, enduring the pain.
Until I heard the two people beside me say nonchalantly—
Wow, they dug all the stuff out of the computer?
"The boss is so clever; he already left a backdoor in his computer. This blockhead only thinks about the law; he's as stupid as a dead pig."
"That's alright, the things he did during his tenure are definitely still there. We won't lose out even if he leaves."
"Not only did we break even, we even found two new original drawings! Guess what? This guy secretly used the company computer during his lunch break to draw, and he didn't hand them in. But the drawings are pretty good; the new team leader said he'd be suitable to be a boss—"
"Bang!"
Varian finally lost his temper, stood up, slammed his fist on the table, and growled in a low voice, "Enough! I made that during my break time, and I still own the copyright! You have no right to use it!"
My former colleague laughed and said, "You think you can just call it rest time? It's obvious you weren't paying attention at work and were secretly slacking off. The company has security cameras recording it. Besides, you used company resources to draw it—"
Varian was furious and said, "These are chibi-style character designs based on my wife and me. I would never make them during work hours, much less leave them for you! I never intended to use them for commercial purposes! This is blatant copyright infringement!"
"Gentlemen, that's enough," Mingyan said calmly. "This is a public place."
The two colleagues seemed to only then notice Mingyan's presence, saying, "This has nothing to do with you."
Mingyan twirled the pen in his hand and said, "But I am Varian's new employer and also his friend. For both public and private reasons, I cannot allow you to tarnish Varian's reputation."
"Oh, you've found a new partner so quickly?" one of them said. "Looking for a gigolo to keep you, desperate and reckless?"
Mingyan smiled and said, "Even if Blue Star Studio isn't great, it's not a complete mess."
He was comparing Varian's former company to a quagmire.
But the two men's expressions changed, and they were too surprised to refute it.
Blue Star Studios is currently enjoying its most famous period. Because it is still a local company, at least eight out of ten players on this planet can immediately name "Minecraft".
At least for this month, trying to compete with Blue Star Studio in terms of reputation is like throwing an egg against a rock.
Varian was kicked out of his old company and was practically a stray dog. How could he possibly get on board with the hottest dark horse in such a short time?
They couldn't understand it.
"It's just... just a newly established studio..." someone muttered unconvinced.
Mingyan turned the pen cap off and said, "If you two want to continue, let's discuss it in court."
Their expressions changed completely. They said, "Why? Just because we shared a seat and chatted?"
“Based on what you just said,” Ming said, “this is a recording device, which I will hand over to the professional legal team. If I were you, I would immediately go back and discuss with the ‘boss’ how to deal with the upcoming infringement lawsuit.”
"You...you actually recorded me!"
Mingyan shrugged and said playfully, "That's right!"
One of them was about to say something when the other quickly covered his mouth.
Knowing that saying more would only lead to more trouble, the two quickly glared at Varian and got up to walk out of the cafe.
The atmosphere was awkward for the two who remained.
Varian hesitated, his gaze fixed on Mingyan's pen.
"Don't worry, I always carry this pen with me, it's not targeting you at all," Mingyan explained. "It's because I've been wanting to record some musical inspiration lately. You know, those feelings are fleeting. So I carry a voice recorder with me, and I hum whatever comes to mind, at least I can write it down."
Varian's tense expression visibly eased, and after a while, he sighed with a wry smile.
"I'm afraid of everything, what a coward," he said self-deprecatingly.
☆ Game Project Establishment
After finishing a cup of coffee.
Mingyan also learned some things about Varian.
Those two sarcastic former colleagues were actually new recruits Varian had mentored.
The supervisor's instruction at the time was to train the newcomers, and Varian's personality also meant that he wasn't very good at communication, so he did share some responsibilities with the two of them.
“They’re all within my job responsibilities, and I can definitely finish them within an eight-hour workday,” Varian said with a wry smile. “They’re all talented, and I thought I could develop them into key members of the team, but later…”
"They actually became the supervisor's confidants?" Ming said.
Varian paused for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, they've moved to management positions."
That's when the grudge started.
Mingyan sighed, saying that a purely technical talent like Varian is easily manipulated in a complex human environment.
The atmosphere was somewhat somber. Varian held his empty coffee cup, head bowed and silent.
"What are you going to do with those two chibi-style portraits?" Mingyan asked. "Are you just going to let them infringe on your copyright?"
“I’ll sue them and ruin their reputation! I have the recording now!” Varian said, looking up.
Mingyan shook his head; he understood the tactics of this kind of company.
He stated explicitly, "They won't go that far; at most, they'll settle out of court. What if they use your copyright first, and then use a portion of their profits to settle with you?"