Generation Z Artists

Chapter 176 Battlefield of Appearance

Another minor incident occurred during the college entrance examination.

On the 9th, the last exam, people came to see Fang Xinghe, crowding around the exam hall and making the small street completely congested.

Since he became famous, he has rarely made public appearances in his hometown. He spends most of the year traveling outside and the rest of the time living a secluded life.

When he was just a cultural icon, things were alright; his hometown folks were proud of him, but not to the point of excessive idolization.

Now that he has become a "national pride," there are so many people who want to see him.

The city police mobilized most of their force, but they could only barely maintain order.

When Fang Xinghe came out of the examination room, the crowd immediately became agitated.

"I see it! I see it! The God of Literature!"

"Fang Xinghe!"

"Quick, son, bow to him!"

People were taking pictures, waving, cheering, expressing their love, whistling... some were even doing supernatural things, pressing their son's head down and worshipping Fang Xinghe.

In those days, feudal superstition was at its peak, and Fang Xinghe's achievements were considered superhuman by many elderly people, to the point that a temple could be built for him.

It's a rare opportunity to see this, so praying to them won't hurt, and who knows, it might even work!
The examinees, who were originally scattered around Fang Xinghe and dared not get too close, only daring to peek at him, immediately kept their distance from him when they saw the chaotic scene outside, making him stand out in the crowd.

Fang Xinghe walked out of the school gate alone, followed by a group of students who stopped in their tracks, and in front of him were his enthusiastic hometown folks.

He hadn't expected things to unfold this way, and his pupils involuntarily contracted.

A few seconds later, he stopped in front of the road at the school gate and bowed deeply to the crowd.

thank you all.

Although this is not love, thank you for the honor you have given me.

Mika Ninagawa quickly adjusted the focus and used a wide-angle lens to capture the scene from the side.

With mountains in front and the sea behind, Fang Xinghe, dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt, bowed deeply as if taking a curtain call.

Click!

Photo freeze.

……

"Today, Fang Xinghe, a renowned sports and arts star in our province, successfully completed his three-day college entrance examination, taking a crucial step towards adulthood..."

The television was playing the evening news from Kyrgyzstan.

They're so bored, they have to spend three minutes on even the smallest thing.

Fang Xinghe was entertaining his elder brothers and leaders from the county's education, livelihood, and construction departments at his home. The county TV cameraman was huddled between the door and the wall with his equipment, trying his best to keep up with the provincial TV station.

"Xinghe, the county has no more honors to bestow upon you. Do you have any ideas? Feel free to suggest them!"

"No."

Fang Xinghe remained calm; he genuinely had no need for anything from the county—not even from the city.

But the older guys wouldn't stand for it. How could you not have it? You absolutely have to.

"The housing issue still needs to be addressed, right?"

The leader's seemingly gentle but actually forceful decision: "There are several planned residential areas in the county. You can pick a spot, and I'll have the developer reserve a few acres of land for you to build a large detached villa, so you won't have nowhere to live when you come back."

A villa on several acres of land?

Fang Xinghe had no concept of the unit "mu" (亩), but it sounded quite intimidating.

"No, it's not that bad..."

"Why not!"

The second brother didn't let him finish his refusal and waved his hand with great momentum.

"Given your contributions, it's reasonable to allocate a piece of land specifically for you. However, we know you're not the type to cause trouble for the county, so let the developer handle this. You just need to make your requests!"

The county government really took this matter seriously and considered all aspects before approaching them.

The construction bureau leader immediately chimed in: "The county is also following the national plan and is currently carrying out housing market reforms. Coincidentally, several developers are preparing to build commercial housing complexes. It's inconvenient for you to be crammed into one building with everyone else, so why not start a villa project as well..."

Liu Dashan immediately chimed in, "This is a legal and compliant matter. It's not the county that's paying for it; it's just that the developer is willing to provide convenience for you at cost price. Just give them a chance!"

Fang Xinghe realized that these people were afraid he wouldn't come back.

Actually, there's not much need for Nong'an to come back.

Aside from his friends, Fang Xinghe has very little emotional connection with this place. He not only lacks a sense of belonging but also has too many unpleasant memories.

However, the mother may not want to leave here.

After much consideration, Fang Xinghe finally agreed: "Let's pick a place near the cemetery. It doesn't need to be too big, just a nice environment."

"Okay, okay, don't worry!"

The county leaders were overjoyed and made all sorts of promises without hesitation.

"I know you're short on time, so you don't need to worry about site selection, construction, or decoration. I'll arrange everything perfectly for you!"

This is clearly an attempt to misuse public resources for private gain.

The developers are nobody; the government will definitely handle everything.

However, in this day and age, this is not only not against the rules, but is actually a sign of "being capable".

Generation Z may not fully grasp the significance of "attracting investment" in the current climate. To put it simply, in order to attract 2 million yuan in investment, the top official in a prefecture-level city might drink himself to death with investors.

If it attracts foreign investment... there are all sorts of outrageous things that could be written down and the site would be shut down immediately.

Fang Xinghe secured a $2500 million instant noodle production base for the county with just a few words, which caused a huge sensation nationwide.

To put it simply, there are only three production bases of the same level nationwide, with the other two located in Tianjin and Guangzhou.

Who do you think you are, Nong'an, to be ranked alongside us two brothers?

If it weren't for Fang Xinghe, the capital of Jilin Province wouldn't even be considered high-level. For Nongshim, going to Qingdao, Yantai, or Dalian is much more convenient than going to Jilin Province.

The situation is quite delicate. The CC municipal government is green with envy as its subordinates reap a huge reward for nothing, while the other brother counties in the province are not just envious, they are sharpening their knives.

Every day, colleagues come to "learn from advanced experience," but what the hell is there to learn? They just want to try and get some freebies from my father-in-law!
The county is fully aware of this, the province is fully aware of this, and even higher levels are fully aware of this.

Therefore, Fang Xinghe, after finishing the exam, immediately faced a new problem—begging for alms.

Everyone knew he had made a fortune this time, and everyone guessed he would continue to spend it, so Wang Charlie's phone was ringing off the hook like it was Chinese New Year.

The county is actually doing alright; once the decision to build villas was made, they felt basically at ease.

Elsewhere, they're really in a hurry, they can't wait.

Officials from various regions and departments sought donations from Fang Xinghe. Wang Chali received an average of hundreds of calls a day from government departments and enterprises. Hangzhou and Nanjing even inexplicably offered him houses and household registration.

But they are not the craziest; the craziest one has to be the Basketball Association.

—The supervisor personally visited and made three incredible "requests".

First, lead the U18 team, serve as the captain of the national youth team, and actively participate in international competitions.

Second, he entered the NBA as a Chinese basketball player.

Third, receive commendation from the Basketball Association.

Doesn't it look like it's going too far?

That's because the excessive points are hidden behind seemingly normal conditions.

Every word he said was about winning glory for the country, but in reality he was asking Fang Xinghe to accept the jurisdiction of the Basketball Association—you should give us a share of your achievements in the NBA, and also serve as our henchmen.

Wang Charlie immediately retorted, "What's the use of your commendations?"

Before the matter even reached Fang Xinghe, Wang Charlie had already dealt with it, taking advantage of his American status to give him a good beating.

"In America, even the NBA commissioner has to respect Fang Xinghe and schedule meetings well in advance. What level are you? Who do you think you are?" His originally fine Hubei accent had somehow turned into a Northeastern accent, but he was really good at cursing.

The basketball association officials returned in a sorry state, but this matter was clearly not over yet. They probably couldn't tolerate it, and Fang Baobao was even less likely to tolerate it.

You'll have to wait until I have the time.

Secondly, there is the university level.

Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan, and Shanghai Jiao Tong Universities all sent admissions officers, wanting to specially recruit him—and they weren't just sent; they've been stationed in Nong'an for over half a month.

Given Fang Xinghe's situation, there's no need to worry about his college entrance exam score; applying for either literature or sports special admissions would be very easy.

How anxious are these people?
They were already blocking the way outside before the county leaders even entered. At that time, Fang Xinghe was having dinner with his friends and ignored them.

As a result, they waited until the county leaders came and left, and then shamelessly squeezed into the courtyard.

Fang Xinghe had a very bad impression of Tsinghua and Peking Universities at this moment.

It's not entirely because of the abundance of public intellectuals; the main reason is a systemic lack of responsibility.

Looking back from 01, Tsinghua and Peking Universities had more than ten times the resources of the "Seven Sons of National Defense" (referring to the top universities in China). They had the best conditions and recruited the most outstanding graduates. Logically, they should have been the leaders in China's science, technology, culture, education, and even social atmosphere, and it would have been impossible for other universities to catch up with them for a hundred years.

But the reality is that Tsinghua and Peking Universities have produced the most officials, wealthy people, and international scholars, supporting half of the American scientific community, but they have failed to establish a lofty position in the hearts of the Chinese people.

They are still the best universities in the country, but not the most desirable schools for idealists.

We don't know what others think, but Fang Xinghe felt it shouldn't be done this way.

Having received the most resources from the country, they should shoulder the greatest public responsibility; this is the most basic demand of the people.

Failure to do so is not only dereliction of duty, but also a disgrace.

Unfortunately, they themselves are not ashamed, and instead always act like they are in the top position.

Fang Xinghe didn't hold back and slapped him across the face: "We just discussed the issue of educational equity a while ago. Many teachers and students from your school spoke eloquently from a position of justice. Now you're trying to pull this stunt yourself?"

"That's different."

The people who came to recruit students were not only experienced but also shameless, applying double standards on the spot.

“Special admissions for others would affect educational fairness, but special admissions for you are for the country’s talent selection. With your talent, you can succeed in any major you study, and you certainly won’t waste the country’s resources!”

It was rare for Fang Xinghe to be cornered and unable to refute someone.

Their reasoning is flawed, but their logic is sound.

Most normal people can understand why someone would specially recruit them, and even a small number of die-hard haters wouldn't mind.

But why would I add such a random stain on myself?

He asked with a half-smile, "What if I don't have time to attend classes?"

They remained calm: "You can graduate once you've earned enough credits; attending classes isn't a necessity for geniuses."

Fang Xinghe asked again, "What is the school's attitude towards those professors who were chasing after me and scolding me before, since I plan to work with them for a few more years?"

The admissions director was finally drenched in sweat.

He earnestly advised, "Once you start school, your teachers will be your own family. Can't you just let things slide and compromise? Respect for teachers is still important, isn't it? You're almost an adult. Even if you don't care about their personal connections and influence, you should still be mindful of how your superiors perceive you..."

I'll let you have your horse.

Gao Xiaosong from Tsinghua University and Jiao Guobiao from Peking University, along with a group of public intellectuals from Tsinghua and Peking University, are people I would never allow to talk to me about respecting teachers.
Who acknowledges them as teachers?

Through this question, Fang Xinghe deeply understood their arrogance and how disgusting it was.

"Okay, please go back. I just want to make movies."

Fang Xinghe didn't get angry with them; he simply insisted on seeing them off.

They tried to persuade them again: "The entertainment industry is terrible! It doesn't deserve your current status..."

This reasoning is truly laughable. Is the entertainment industry worse than the academic clique? Worse than the financial system? Worse than the medical, sports, and political associations?
Fang Xinghe didn't mince words, speaking bluntly: "No matter how bad the entertainment industry is, at least I can speak my mind. I can criticize whomever I want, and no one dares to put a golden headband on me or use their superiors to pressure me. You guys are really clueless. Senior brother, show them out!"

A group of people were chased out of the courtyard, looking disheveled and embarrassed.

Before they even returned to school, Fang Xinghe was scolded again.

"Abandoning Tsinghua and Peking Universities for Beijing Film Academy, abandoning studies for fame and fortune—Fang Xinghe is setting off an extremely bad trend!"

Fang Xinghe's arrogance is outrageous; beware, arrogance always has its consequences!

The authors are old acquaintances who are indignant: Professor Dai from Peking University, Sun Liping from Tsinghua University, and 13 clowns chiming in.

However, the topic of "Fang Xinghe refusing special admission to Tsinghua and Peking Universities" didn't generate much buzz. Right now, he has too many news stories to cover, so this kind of trivial matter doesn't really matter.

It's estimated that it might trend on social media for a day or two after the scores are released.

Fang Xinghe didn't care at all and didn't respond.

The core logic of "the madman will be punished by heaven" is to act against the tide of history, and his madness is entirely based on a correct view of history. The more he is misunderstood now, the greater his benefits will be in twenty years. What is there to fear about divine retribution?
Unfortunately, the disgusting things are still not over.

Following universities, major charitable organizations also came knocking.

China Charity Federation, China Disabled Persons' Federation, China Youth Development Foundation, China Children and Teenagers' Foundation, Red Cross Society of China, Foundation for Righteous and Courageous Acts...

Fang Xinghe realized for the first time that there were so many charitable organizations in the country.

Among them, the China Charity Federation is directly managed by the Ministry of Civil Affairs; the China Disabled Persons' Federation is a social welfare organization supported by government finances; the China Youth Development Foundation is the leading organization of Project Hope; and the China Children's Foundation is a national-level public fundraising foundation managed by the All-China Women's Federation...

Fang Xinghe was happy to receive requests for help from these organizations, as they had made great contributions to the country in promoting people's livelihood and helping vulnerable groups. Fang himself had received help from the Women's Federation.

The main reason I felt unhappy was seeing the Red Cross involved.

But he still treated everyone fairly, giving 1000 million to any charity with government backing, ensuring that no one came for nothing.

Since the Red Cross is not currently facing any problems, it cannot be put on trial prematurely.

When they actually pull something crazy, you'll see how big a fuss I make and that's it.

After spending a total of 7000 million, Fang Xinghe loosened his grip and donated another 5000 million to the education sector in Jilin Province, bringing his total spending to 1 million on education assistance within the province.

This amount of money is basically enough for the province to maintain a relatively good standard for two or three years, making Heihei and Liaoliao green with envy.

Fang Xinghe was very happy to spend this kind of money.

He did not give any more media interviews, and after making the donation, he flew away to finish up the rest of his business activities in one go.

But before he left, the provincial leaders still made a special trip to meet with him.

This is normal. If he weren't too old, he would be a representative or committee member by now.

When we arrived at the provincial capital, there were no meetings; we just chatted in the office.

Fang Xinghe, relying on his young age and still being a minor, spoke frankly to the big boss: "Everywhere is difficult now, and misappropriation is the norm. As long as the money can be transferred back and its final implementation is guaranteed, I am willing to continue to do my best for the education of impoverished children in the province."

The implication is that there's no need to over-interpret it; those who need to understand will understand.

The leader solemnly replied, "The province will certainly not let Xiao Fang down."

He kept his word and soon established a special fund called the Fang Xinghe Poor Children's Education Assistance Fund, which was implemented down to the village primary school level, achieving full coverage within the province.

With all the messy things finally over, Fang Xinghe began the final promotion for his photo album.

The book contains 41 pages, symbolizing April 1st as a birthday, and is a full-color 16mo edition, released simultaneously worldwide.

Each photo is accompanied by simple text, so there are multiple language versions available.

Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and even Arabic—but actually, those less common languages ​​aren't aimed at selling many copies; just building a reputation is enough.

Europe, Central and Northern Asia, Africa, and South Asia are blank areas for Fang Xinghe's influence, which are difficult to explore with literary works, but photo albums are different.

Composition and color are the standard language.

Beauty is a joy that life instinctively brings.

The 99-point standard of beauty, which theoretically can unify human aesthetics, has finally arrived at the battlefield it has been longing for.

(End of this chapter)