At night.
He reached home after 8.
Mom opened the door. "Why are you home so late?"
"Someone invited me to be a commercial spokesperson, so I was busy discussing." Zhang Ye said.
Dad lowered the television"s volume. "Spokesperson? For what commercial?"
Zhang Ye chuckled and said, "It’s a health supplement. It"s called Brain Gold. You will know about it in two days when it goes on TV. It will definitely be broadcasted before Chinese New Year."
Mom immediately became high-spirited. "How much are they paying?"
Zhang Ye said, "Around a million. It"s a year"s worth of endors.e.m.e.nt and advertising planning."
Mom said in an overjoyed manner, "That"s not a small amount. They will give you a million a year if you just need to come up with an idea, shoot the commercial, and ignore everything from then on? This amount of money sure is easily earned. It"s so much more than what you can earn working at the television station. You tire yourself endlessly for those television programs, but how much is your monthly salary and bonuses? It can"t even compare with the income you receive doing a commercial in one day. What"s the point? I think you might as well just focus on endors.e.m.e.nts. By being a spokesperson for a few products, wouldn"t the money just come rolling in? Hehe, that"s so lucrative!"
Dad said in a speechless manner, "Why are you only concerned with money?"
Zhang Ye also laughed. "Mom, you don"t understand. You may think the endors.e.m.e.nt fee for a commercial is a lot, and seems relaxing, but why would others pay so much money to be their product"s spokesperson? It is still the popularity I gained due to my novels, poems, television programs, etc. It"s because of my fame that others would even offer me so much money. If I did not produce programs or work, without the support of my popularity, who would want me to be a spokesperson?" He then used a different manner to explain. "Just like the Spring Festival Gala in a few days, everyone knows not a single cent is earned from it, and you might even up spending money because of it. One needs to pay for board and lodging, delaying one"s working schedule, canceling commercial performances, but even so, why do people try with all their might to appear on the Spring Festival Gala? It"s all due to popularity. No matter how rich a celebrity is, without popularity, they cannot even be considered a celebrity. Popularity is of the essence."
Mom said in an enlightened manner. "That"s true."
"Have you eaten, Son?" Dad asked.
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "I ate takeout, and I’m still quite full."
Mom said unhappily, "Why did you eat take out? I"ll make something good for you!"
"There"s no need, Mom. I"m already full. Let me take a warm bath. I"m a bit tired. By the way, someone gave me tea leaves. Try some of it with Dad. It should be pretty good tea." Zhang Ye returned to his room, taking off his coat and then wore his autumn wear to the bathroom. He then enjoyed a bath.
In the bedroom.
He lay comfortably in bed.
As Zhang Ye scratched his wet hair, he began to fiddle with his cellphone. After flipping through a few webpages of entertainment news. This year"s Spring Festival Gala"s lineup was mostly out. They were undergoing rehearsals now, and in the lineup, Zhang Ye saw Zhang Yuanqi"s name. The song"s name was "Wishing We Last Forever", which had its lyrics adapted from Zhang Ye"s "Shuidiao Getou". This song was not very appropriate for the Spring Festival Gala, but it was not too much a problem. As long as the words used were beautiful, everything would be alright. Furthermore, she was the Heavenly Queen Zhang Yuanqi. She was a regular on the Spring Festival Gala.
Spring Festival Gala.
Hai, when would he have the opportunity to be on it?
Let"s take it slow. He still was not popular enough, and it had to be slowly acc.u.mulated. There was no way to rush it. Next year, Zhang Ye could attempt, but now, he was still lacking in popularity. Furthermore, he was lacking in productions that could possibly go on the Spring Festival Gala. Recite a poem at the Spring Festival Gala? Or give a talk show? Talk about ‘Three Kingdoms’, ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’, or some ghost story? It would not be a wonder if people cursed him to death. There was no such precedent. Hence, it looked like he needed to expand in several directions this year. Either he produced a work that could vie for a spot on the Spring Festival Gala next year, or he would have to take on the route of being a professional host, so as to become the Spring Festival Gala"s host? The latter was a bit difficult.
Let"s not think about it. We can talk about it in the future.
Since a song with his lyrics and melody was going the Spring Festival Gala, it was also an honor. His popularity and game Reputation would also increase a bit as a result of this.
Reputation?
Right, let"s play the lottery!
The total Reputation points was already at 40 million!
A few days ago, Zhang Ye did not feel any need for it. He was also planning on leaving the Reputation points for his next step. Now, his Reputation was increasing by the day. Also, his inventory did not have many items, so it was time to substantiate it. Of course, he could not spend it all in one go. He still needed to leave it for future use. Well, let"s use 10 million and try our luck first. If he was lucky, he could carry on playing the lottery. In the past, 10 million Reputation points was an astronomical value to Zhang Ye, but now, this fellow was extremely wealthy. He no longer thought too much about it. As his fame grew, the amount of Reputation points also increased rapidly. He was now on a different plane. He could not be the same person from half a year ago, who felt distressed just spending 100,000 Reputation points for each draw at the lottery. That would be too much a loser!
This bro has all the Reputation in the world now!
As long as the items he drew were useful, he was not afraid of spending much!
Without any hesitation, Zhang Ye tapped open the lottery interface and bought a chance at the lottery. The needle began spinning. He was definitely going to buy Additional Stakes, but he wanted to observe the situation. He planned on buying Additional Stakes for Consumption Category items. After all, his inventory was nearly empty. He had used the Red String of Fate and Save, and the remaining items in his inventory was the two Difficulty Adjustment Dice. Zhang Ye did not dare to use these items. He had been horrified by the hijacking last time. So naturally, he needed to replenish his inventory, such as Lucky Bread? Or a Save? Or Cupid Sachets? Anything would do! With ten million Reputation points, he could buy 99 Additional Stakes. If he exchanged for a hundred of the same item, especially if he was lucky enough to obtain the Lucky Bread that was never enough, Zhang Ye was willing to spend all the 40 million Reputation points just for it, let alone 10 million. This was because the item was too amazing!
The needle started to slow down.
Slowly, it was about to stop!
With his keen eyes, Zhang Ye immediately tapped the Additional Stakes b.u.t.ton. He made the wheel stop and then looked at the needle"s momentum. It was already in the Consumption Category region, and had just entered it. According to the situation and the speed at which the needle slowed down, it was likely to stop in the Consumption Category. There was a very high chance.
He got whatever he wanted!
Was he able to get it all in one fell swoop?
Zhang Ye was pretty happy and planned on buying Additional Stakes!
How much should he add? A million or five million? Or should he add all the ten million? Thinking how he was like a nouveau riche now, he was not lacking in that part. If he really struck the Lucky Bread or something even better, wouldn"t he receive a windfall? If he only bought a few Additional Stakes, that would be too regretful. With enough courage and increasing capital, he also began to gamble at a larger scale. Hence, Zhang Ye directly tapped 99, throwing ten million Reputation points into it!
The spin continued!
The needle slowed down!
A bit...A bit...Just a bit more...
However, maybe it was due to not having played the lottery for quite some time, Zhang Ye"s sense of the wheel and needle"s speed had deteriorated. He watched the needle move forward, and just as it was about to stop in the Consumption Category region, it suddenly moved forward a bit, entering the next region.
Holy sh*t!
It was a Skills Category region!
Zhang Ye nearly cried out. His luck was too bad, wasn"t it? He did not get whatever he wanted!
However, the Skills Category prize had previously given Zhang Ye some pretty good skills. Even the Computer or the Lock-Picking Skillbooks he received had been put to good use. As such, he was also not that depressed. Treasure Chests appeared, flooding the ground. There were a total of hundred golden Treasure Chests (Small). As there was not enough s.p.a.ce in the room, the Treasure Chests stacked over each other, making it quite a spectacular sight. Zhang Ye reached out and opened the lid of one of the Treasure Chests.
[ Calligraphy Skill Experience Book ] 100!
Seeing the Calligraphy Skillbooks-laden chests, Zhang Ye was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. He had obtained these Skillbooks in the past. Be it his brush or pen writing, they were already more beautiful than in the past. And it only had that bit of use, and did not seem of much practical significance.
Why did I get it again!?
If it was Taiji Fist, how great would that have been!? If he had bought it, the Taiji Fist Skillbooks would cost a million Reputation points per book, but if it was obtained from the lottery, every book cost only 100,000. It was ten times cheaper! Skillbooks such as Taiji Fist were extremely valuable to Zhang Ye. If not, he would not have spent the ten million Reputation points to buy the Taiji Fist after earning it from the hijacking. This was a defensive skill. There was never too much of such a skill!
Calligraphy!?
Why did it have to be Calligraphy!?
Zhang Ye felt it was not something very useful. However, he had already received it, and there was no way to return it. His Save had already been used up, so there was no way to regret it anymore. He could only flip through the Calligraphy Skill Experience Books, and "consume experience".
1 book.....
10 books...
100 books...
He had finished consuming them!
All the information in the Calligraphy Skill Experience Books entered Zhang Ye"s brain!
Since he had a bad beginning, and made poor judgment, forget it. No more drawing today. We"ll talk about it in a few days!
Zhang Ye turned thirsty and drank some of the tea made from the tea leaves Wu Zeqing gave him. He narrowed his eyes in enjoyment. It was indeed good tea. Although he was not an expert at tea, he could tell the difference between this tea and the cheap tea he had bought in the past. The difference was too great. Only then did he return to his room, preparing to sleep. Others might not be able to sleep after drinking tea, but Zhang Ye was different. After drinking some hot tea, it might even help him sleep even more soundly.
Ring, ring, ring.
A phone call suddenly came in.
It was from Wu Mo. Zhang Ye did not know what it was about.
Zhang Ye picked it up. "h.e.l.lo, CEO Wu?"
"Have you slept yet, Teacher Zhang?" Wu Mo asked.
"Not yet." Zhang Ye said.
Wu Mo said, "It"s this. Tomorrow is my aunt"s birthday, so I decided to call you. My aunt asked me to invite you. It will be a party for industry insiders. There will be food and chatter amongst scholars. It"s at noon. I"ll send you the exact address later."
Zhang Ye blinked. "You aren"t going?"
"Why would I go? All of you are people in literature or calligraphy. I don"t share a common language with you. I"ll only suffer by being there. Furthermore, I need to monitor the advertis.e.m.e.nts." Wu Mo said.
Zhang Ye asked, "Then I"ll bring some gift?"
Wu Mo gave it some thought before saying, "I don"t think there"s a need? My aunt isn"t a particular person. Just showing up would do. If you really need to, writing some calligraphy would also do. My aunt really likes things like calligraphy. Oh, those people from the calligraphy world also seem to draw stuff on the spot. It won"t be too late to think over it when you are there. Anyway, I don"t know the details. I have never joined in such meals with scholars, so I"ll leave it to you."
He was completely ignorant.
Zhang Ye could only say, "Alright, I"ll definitely go."