Generation Z Artists

Chapter 248 A wave of obesity

Intel's efficiency is terrifying; they signed a letter of intent and immediately made headlines.

Unbelievable! Star River rejects a 2000 million yuan soybean endorsement offer!

The first wave of actions was solely intended to generate impact and discussion.

The news report detailed the entire process of Fang Xinghe's acceptance of the invitation to refuse the endorsement, but did not explain the reasons clearly, leaving room for discussion and allowing readers to argue and guess.

As expected, the American public responded very enthusiastically.

"Has the commercial value of Jesus Star River reached this level?"

"Is this for real? Tom Cruise's endorsement fee doesn't even reach $2000 million!"

"No, no, no, they're different. Soybeans are a futures contract. Star River, I think it has a nickname: the financial bomb?"

"how to say?"

“Every company he endorses performs exceptionally well in the stock market. Now there’s something on Wall Street called ‘Star River concept stocks’.”

"But isn't this a product endorsement?"

"Perhaps it's because soybean companies are expanding into Asia?"

"Anyway, I don't think he's worth that much money."

“Me too. Who’s worth $2000 million right now? Tiger, Britney, Jennifer? It shouldn’t be someone with Asian skin.”

"Stop your foolish speculation. The reality is, companies have already offered him exorbitant prices, and he hasn't agreed!"

"Praise Star Real, he's awesome!"

"When will these yellow-skinned monkeys get out of America? They're taking our money!"

"Shut up, Mr. Cow Dung! You should show respect to our idol!"

There was a lot of debate in the United States; $2000 million in 2002 was really as valuable as gold.

In contrast, Japan and South Korea did not argue, but instead expressed admiration and praise.

"Truly worthy of being Prince Fang Xinghe... He can stir up a storm wherever he goes!"

"Glory!"

"The Holy Leader of the Empire is embarking on his glorious conquest, and even his American daddy is no match for him!"

"It is the noble bloodline of our Republic of Korea!"

"That's awesome! I can hold my head high now because of him!"

"Damn it, companies in our Republic of Korea need to catch up too! How can their current endorsement fees be worthy of Fang Xinghe?"

"They don't even restock when the products are sold out, and with such good sales, they don't even think about raising the endorsement fee. What a shameful bunch of greedy capitalists!"

"You upstairs brat, the capitalists you're talking about might not even be as rich as Fang Xinghe!"

"That's what Fang Shen deserves! He'd be the richest man in the world without any problem! He's worthy!"

"Yes, he should make a killing!"

"Even if Americans make a lot of money, it's something to be applauded!"

See, South Koreans don't always shout "Daddy America!" online. They might complain occasionally, but their comments are mostly supportive and praising.

However, the situation is quite different in the country.

If we only consider the intensity of the discussions, no place in the world can surpass China.

"2000 million? US dollars? Holy crap, how does he manage to earn so much?"

The haters have breached our defenses.

Fang Xinghe spent so much money on education, but the number of haters continued to grow.

One of the main reasons is his personal style.

Well, when it comes to attracting a lot of criticism, Brother Fang is absolutely unparalleled. Every single thing he does has hit a nerve with a large number of people.

If it weren't for their solid achievements, the fan base would have been destroyed by the haters long ago.

Furthermore, the more fans you have, the more haters you will inevitably have; this is also a theorem.

The fanatical fans in the Starry Sky are incredibly powerful. They have long since formed lifelong hatreds with a large number of haters in numerous battles, and on average, each of them can bring Fang Ge 10 times more haters.

Millions of die-hard fans and tens of millions of lifelong enemies—that's no exaggeration.

Seeing that Fang Xinghe was going to make a lot of money again, these people were extremely upset.

"2000 million? US dollars? Holy crap, why wouldn't he take it?"

This was the loudest voice in the country, a mixture of shock and bewilderment that then turned into indignation.

"If we earned this money back in China, wouldn't we have enough to fund education in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan? That's so selfish!"

The person who said this was none other than Zhang Xiaogang, an "artist" born in Yunnan and currently residing in Shanghai.

Criticizing Fang Xinghe for being selfish is nothing new, but this time the angle is particularly novel.

How novel is it?
While his remarks received a lot of praise, Yunyun was so frightened that she immediately posted an article in their provincial newspaper, which had an astonishingly low circulation, to make an urgent statement: "I didn't say that, I'm not in a hurry, I respect all of Mr. Fang Xinghe's decisions!"

"Furthermore, Mr. Zhang, who has already moved away, only represents himself and cannot represent any Yunnan citizen..."

There are plenty of people who love to use moral blackmail; you can find them everywhere these days.

However, it seems that this is the only instance in many years of history where someone tried to use moral blackmail and was immediately slapped in the face by their hometown.

Seriously, the people from Yunnan panicked, while the people from Northeast China almost burst out laughing...

With the first wave of news generating immense buzz, Intel seized the opportunity and released a second wave of information.

Breaking News! Star River Rejects Another Sky-High Endorsement Offer from Levi's and Lee, and the Reason Is Surprisingly Here!

Don't be surprised, the US had its own sensationalist media, and they did it earlier than we did.

The second wave of hype still originated in the United States, but the main focus shifted to China.

The specific details are too numerous to describe, but the gist is that Fang Xinghe believes that low-end manufacturing industries such as shirts, jeans, soybeans, canned goods, and agricultural product processing are in conflict with China's development, so he is unwilling to accept similar international endorsements.

This has drawn considerable criticism from the United States.

Some criticized him for being narrow-minded, some criticized him for making money in the US and spending it domestically, and some criticized him for being greedy for money but lacking professional ethics...

In short, they poured buckets of dirty water on Fang Xinghe, making him look extremely filthy.

But the biggest impact will inevitably be domestic. In an instant, those public intellectuals who jumped high were dumbfounded again.

"No, just because of this?!"

"Fuck your grandpa! How could this be?!"

Selfish people can't understand it, but simple-minded Chinese people suddenly got excited again.

"Damn! I'm taking back all my disrespect for the other god. That's awesome! It really boosts the morale of the Chinese people!"

"Fang Xinghe may be a bit arrogant, but he's absolutely patriotic."

"I've gone from hating him to liking him, Brother Fang is so generous!"

"My god, they lost tens of millions? That's really stupid... But they're also truly admirable. I'm not going to criticize them anymore, I'm impressed!"

"Waaaaah, I'm so touched I want to cry!"

People these days are adorably naive. A little incitement from public intellectuals and they get angry; a little hype from Fang Xinghe and they get excited again, like grass in the wind.

However, you can't blame them. This news isn't some hype-filled press release from the entertainment industry; it has solid, reliable sources.

In the US, the media uncovered everything: when a certain company went to Fang Xinghe's hotel, how long they talked, what price they offered, and how Fang Xinghe refused.

The companies involved did not deny the allegations and expressed regret when speaking to the media. As for why the media was so accurate... don't ask me, ask Intel. If Intel doesn't admit it, then go ask Charlie Wang.

Anyway, after this wave of hype, Fang Xinghe suddenly became a representative of national industry in China.

Heavens help him, he hasn't even landed many domestic endorsements yet...

All in all, there's only one company that got a great deal: Jeanswest, and another that tried to give away shares but didn't.

The haters used this incident to interrogate Fang Xinghe, but Mantianxing argued vehemently: "International superstars should of course accept international endorsements. Domestic companies can't afford the price, so are you expecting Fang Fang to lower her own value?"

That sounds strange at first glance.

If you're going to take on international endorsements, why are you still trying to cultivate a patriotic persona?

"There's no conflict between them!"

The starry sky continued to argue vehemently.

"Is there a problem with Fang Fang only accepting endorsements that don't conflict with products sold in China?"

No problem, no problem. You've said all the nice things and the mean things. You have a lot of people, that's great!

In any case, Fang Xinghe's persona is firmly established, and no one can stop him.

During his recent trip to the United States, he once again became a hot topic, generating immense buzz, yet he did not accept any endorsements, which is an undeniable fact.

Once the hype died down and people lost interest in the topic, Intel finally dropped a bombshell – officially announcing the signing of the contract.

Nearly 100 media outlets attended the signing ceremony and press conference.

Although the number may seem small, media outlets from major countries around the world actually participated, not for any other reason than to hear the messages released by Intel.

This is the most expensive personal endorsement ever made in the world!

$1.2 million over 5 years, with very few additional terms, a solid $2400 million per year!
Such an astronomical price quickly caused a global sensation.

Intel's CEO attended in person, a high-ranking official from the US Ministry of Commerce was present, and China and the US were accompanied by equivalent officials.

Is this a contract signing?
This is a high-profile show for the whole world!

The reporters went crazy, wanting nothing more than to strip everyone on stage naked.

As the host, McDonald didn't even dare to mention the names of foreign media outlets, for fear that they might ask some strange questions.

Of course, the local gangs were very polite; they were the ones who had prepared their scripts in advance.

"What was Intel's reason for offering such an exorbitant price for Star River?"

"Because Star Real's image and temperament are a perfect match for Intel. We share the same relentless pursuit of excellence, the same overflowing and radiant talent, and the same true self that doesn't follow the crowd..."

Our collaboration is not merely a product-to-product partnership, but a mutual appreciation, respect, and trust between brands. Each brand endorses the other, declaring to clients across different sectors: This is a truly exceptional collaboration!

The audience erupted in cheers.

Intel's stance is clear—from now on, Intel will be closely tied to Fang Xinghe.

The price is 2400 million per year, which is higher than the current level.

"Mr. President, what makes you think you can recoup this huge investment?"

"We never considered whether we could make it back."

Barrett happily showed off.

"We simply gave Star River the treatment he deserved and grew alongside him, that's all."

Good, good, that's high-class enough.

Of course, Brother Fang wasn't lagging behind either.

When pressed by reporters about why he endorsed Intel, he shared his thoughts in public for the first time.

"Many people think I am an extremely narrow-minded nationalist, but no, that's not the case."

China is an open and inclusive country, and I am also an open and inclusive person. I am willing to cooperate with people of any skin color, background, and personality to work together for the same goal. The flag hanging high above the MCI Center can prove this.

But I have my principles. I believe that China's weak manufacturing industry needs support and encouragement, not sanctions and crackdowns.

The United States has such advanced modern agriculture that you can produce large quantities of agricultural products at a lower cost and export them to earn foreign exchange. There is nothing wrong with that.

However, our country cannot withstand such an impact. Our small-scale agricultural economy is very fragile. If the high-quality American soybeans that I endorse become the main raw material for domestic oil extraction, it will be a huge blow to the vast rural areas of Northeast China.

You can do whatever it takes to get American soybeans into China, but not through me.

I will not use my influence to do anything for this matter. On the contrary, I will represent all the folks in my hometown of that small county and seriously oppose this matter.

Right now, sitting in front of you is not a celebrity, but a child born in a rural area of ​​Northeast China. I have to do what I believe is right.

So, whether it's soybeans, shirts, or Levi's, the world's best jeans brand, I regret to inform you that I cannot accept your endorsement offers.

This has nothing to do with money; it's simply because I love my country.

But endorsing Intel is a different matter—this is an ultra-cutting high-tech product that our country cannot produce for decades, and I am very honored to be able to work with Intel to shape a life attitude of pursuing the ultimate excellence.

Intel represents the pinnacle of American excellence, and this collaboration, based on quality and high standards, can bring more convenience, more opportunities, and more impetus for development to my country.

So, even if it's not $2400 million, but only half, I would still be willing, and still feel honored..."

Fang Ge's extreme emotional delivery perfectly captured the essence of hypocrisy, achieving a score of 99.9999.

When he has the opportunity to profit from foreign investors, he never hesitates to use deceptive tactics and engage in some trickery.

Moreover, the United States is different from Japan and South Korea. Japan and South Korea are too close and share the same origin, so they have to be strict. The United States is so far away, but for the time being, they are good partners in a honeymoon period, so they can be appeased for now.

If it's not time to turn against someone, why not make some money while having fun?

In addition, there is a huge extra benefit to fooling Americans—Americans are extremely confident, and if you flatter them, they will actually believe it.

Once the public believes in it, it will greatly reduce the resistance the government faces in actual implementation.

Looking back, every concession the Western world, led by the United States, makes to the great Eastern power will greatly contribute to the growth of this dragon.

Fang Xinghe didn't think he could do anything particularly remarkable. It was just a matter of swallowing a little pride and imitating Director Zhang of the Strategic Deception Bureau. It was a cost-effective thing, so why not do it?

When the power shifts and I no longer need to pretend, then you'll see my true colors!
The heartless and corrupt Gen Z online troll leader put on a good show.

The American media present were so moved they almost cried.

"What a fine young man! Such steadfast patriotism, never forgetting his family and roots, and regarding money as dirt—his spirit should be praised!"

"Yes, and they were very friendly and respectful to us..."

“It was the right thing to refuse those companies; SR is very responsible.”

Look, even the CEO of Levi's is smiling so much you can see the cavity in the back of his tooth. What other people could possibly have an opinion?
"Hahaha, that's right! Levi's is the best jeans in the world, it's a pity we can't collaborate with the world's best idol..."

Washington Post reporters started writing their articles on the spot.

"Star River possesses noble qualities, not just in one aspect, but in every way. When nobility meets nobility, that is the fundamental reason why the whole of America loves him..."

Fang Ge has always presented himself as a big critic, but when he suddenly admitted the superiority of America, the media instantly went wild.

Countless press releases were issued, and the astronomical price of 2400 million, accompanied by the word "noble," struck a nerve with the American people's confidence and sense of honor.

Of course, when the news got back to China, Fang Ge was criticized again and again...

What do you mean by "we can't produce this domestically for decades"?!

Fang Xinghe, you have no faith in your country, you are a traitor!
The traitor Fang ignored the inevitable noise from within the country. After he magnanimously siphoned off 1.2 million from Intel, many products and companies that would not have opened their doors to him before suddenly flocked to him.

Rejecting large quantities of low-priced consumer goods is not a bad thing, because the rich guys who love this story are genuinely willing to spend money.

In just one week, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces were overjoyed and eagerly anticipating the new year, and even the remote Northwest and impoverished central plains began to dream.

The reason is simple—our Brother Fang has been reporting a series of good news and has gained a lot of weight!
(End of this chapter)