Entertainment: 1990

Chapter 245 Internet
11 month 23 number.

Yuanmeng has nine singers (Sun and Jie are still participating in the competition), plus five contestants who were just eliminated in the semi-finals but have good skills and popularity.

The 14 people were divided into two teams, with experienced members mentoring newcomers, and kicked off their last commercial tour of the year.

As agreed, the newlywed Wang Jinghua was stationed in Tianjin, while Liu Weidong and Xu Zhenghui each led a team. Li Chunbo was the deputy leader of Liu Weidong's team, and Li Songqiang was the deputy leader of Xu Zhenghui's team.

With the addition of the accompanying assistants and security guards, the entire dream was quickly drained of its resources.

In the apartment building where the signed artists lived, only Cao Ying remained.

After the crew moved to Chengde, Chang Jihong stayed behind. However, since it was her first time managing artists, she was still in the exploratory stage and had not yet found any resources.

So Cao Ying would go to the TV station whenever he had free time to audition for "I Am a Singer," and he even became good friends with Zhang Fang.

When it came to the team PK stage, the production team was on track, and Zhang Yan, who had been busy for two months, gradually had some free time. He no longer needed to worry about any specific matters, and only needed to be present at the TV station during the recording period.

If it were last year, he might have tried to write something, but now, thinking about his millions in assets, he's too lazy to put pen to paper.

Besides flipping through books and reading newspapers every day, he spends his time at drinking parties dealing with all sorts of strange and shady characters—with the post-New Year leadership transition drawing ever closer, more and more people are trying to find him to get ahead of them.

While recording that morning, Zhang Yan suddenly received a call from the vice president of Tianjin University.

I initially thought it was another case of someone trying to pull strings or find connections, but it turned out the other party said a professor from Peking University wanted to meet him. Upon further inquiry, I learned that the professor was a computer scientist.

Zhang Yan immediately felt confident.

This must be because of that children's science fiction article again. As expected, gold always shines, even if it's covered in a thick layer of camouflage.

I had planned to meet him outside at noon, but the Peking University professor seemed quite impatient, as if he couldn't wait even a minute longer.

So Zhang Yan had no choice but to agree to meet at the TV station.

After hanging up the phone, he went to the bathroom to wash up quickly. While he was fixing his hair in the common area, he saw Zhang Fang and Cao Ying coming out of the restroom one after the other.

"Mr. Zhang~"

Cao Ying hurriedly bent down to greet him.

Zhang Yan waved to her and then said to Zhang Fang, "Director Ma just discussed with me that you will be hosting the Tianjin TV New Year's Eve Gala this year. Do you have any problems with that?"

There's definitely something wrong!

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fang hurriedly said, "I've already promised the school that I'll host this year's New Year's Eve party!"

"Uh~"

How can the New Year's Eve gala, the only one of its kind on a local TV station in China, be compared to a school's self-entertaining gala?

If someone else were struggling with this issue, Zhang Yan would definitely think they were an idiot, but when it came to his own sister, he felt that there was nothing wrong with her choice.

Students should prioritize their studies.

“Then I’ll talk to Director Ma and ask him to find someone more capable.”

As Zhang Yan spoke, he prepared to walk out.

"Wait a moment!"

Zhang Fang quickly grabbed him and pointed at Cao Ying: "Little Cao is actually quite talented. You can let her give it a try. At worst, she can work as an assistant for someone else first."

Cao Ying, upon hearing this, was not intimidated at all; on the contrary, he seemed eager to try.

"Does Xiao Cao have the potential to be a host?"

Zhang Yan had only heard that Cao Ying was currently doing Zhang Fang's styling, but she didn't expect that Cao Ying had crossed over into so many industries.

Zhang Fang said, "When we rehearse later, Cao Ying and I will do a short skit together. You'll see—we practiced it in private, and it turned out pretty well."

Seeing her so confident, Zhang Yan did not refuse.

If Cao Ying develops her hosting skills, she can produce and sell her own talent for future galas and similar events.

After Zhang Yan left, Cao Ying excitedly hugged Zhang Fang, saying, "Sister Fangfang, I want to be your slave!"

"Get out of here! Did you wash your hands?!"

…………

After returning to my office and waiting for about twenty minutes, the vice president of Tianjin University arrived with a professor from Peking University.

Like Zhang Shuxin before her, this Professor Li is also a woman.

After the guests and hosts were seated in the reception room, Zhang Yan couldn't help but remark, "I never imagined that the first people in China to see the potential of the internet would be two women." Professor Li, sitting opposite him, paused for a moment before asking, "Mr. Zhang, are you referring to the internet?"

"of course."

Zhang Yan nodded and said, "This word isn't very popular now, but I firmly believe that the next century will definitely be the era of the Internet."

"Uh~"

Professor Li exchanged a glance with the vice-principal beside him, and then said, "Actually, there are quite a few experts in China who are concerned about this area, and they are already actively promoting Southeast University's accession to the international Internet—but I am not here for these matters, but to discuss my son's situation with Mr. Zhang."

"Your son?"

Zhang Yan was a little confused. How did it suddenly turn from a science fiction film to an ethical drama?
"Yes, his name is Pu Shu—because his surname was wrong when he registered last year, so he should be called Pu Shu here."

Zhang Yan immediately recalled Park Shu's words: "I'll drop out of school when I go back."

That kid didn't actually drop out of school, did he?
Is there some problem with your son?

"Ah~"

Professor Li sighed with distress, "It's like this, my husband and I both teach at Peking University. He is a physics professor and I am a computer scientist. We thought that our child should also become a teacher, so we applied for him to the English Department of Beijing Normal University."

Everything was going smoothly until recently when the school contacted us and we learned that the child hadn't been to school for two months.

Later, we finally found him and discovered that he had rented a basement apartment and went to the park every day to play and sing with his guitar…

At this point, Professor Li looked at Zhang Yan and said, "We tried to persuade him to go back to school, but he said that he took the entrance exam for Beijing Normal University on our behalf. Now he wants to pursue his own musical dreams. He also said that Mr. Zhang, you have high hopes for his talent, so he will definitely make a name for himself in the music industry in the future."

uh~
I should have kept quiet back then.

But Zhang Yan never expected that his casual remark would cause Pu Shu to give up his bright future at Beijing Normal University.

He helplessly spread his hands and said, "I do recognize his talent, but I didn't say he should drop out of school—he can totally study and make music at the same time."

“We tried to persuade him in the same way, but he said that learning English would only stifle his creative passion…” Professor Li said, bowing to Zhang Yanwei, “Mr. Zhang, I came here today to ask you to help persuade him to at least go back to school.”

"This one……"

Zhang Yan hesitated for a moment, then suggested, "Since he's determined to pursue music, and I'm certain he has the potential, why not let him retake the exam and enroll in the vocal program at the Central Conservatory of Music or the National Conservatory of Music? Even if he doesn't become a big star in the end, becoming a music teacher would be a way of carrying on his father's legacy, wouldn't it?"

"This……"

Professor Li clearly hadn't considered this path, or rather, he didn't think being a music teacher was a good career choice.

But Zhang Yan's repeated affirmation of her son's musical talent made her waver a little.

"Mr. Zhang, are you sure he really has this potential?"

"Of course!"

Zhang Yan's answer was resolute; no one understood Park Shu's potential better than him.

The vice president of Tianjin University chimed in, "Mr. Zhang is a renowned talent scout in the music industry, and Yuanmeng Company is a leading force in the pop music scene. Since he has said so, it must be true."

Professor Li nodded, then bowed to Zhang Yan and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Zhang. I will go back and discuss it with my family."

After a pause, he asked again, "Is Mr. Zhang very interested in the Internet?"

"Uh~"

Zhang Yan chuckled and said, "I wouldn't say I'm particularly interested, but I did write a science fiction novel for young readers about the future of the internet."

The vice principal hurriedly explained, "Mr. Zhang is also a bestselling novelist and a top screenwriter. The famous crime drama 'Tianjin Wei' is his work."

"I see."

Professor Li nodded and said, "I will definitely read Mr. Zhang's work when I get back."

After seeing Professor Li off, Zhang Yan didn't think much of it.

He personally oversaw the rehearsal of the show with two hosts, and he must say, having two lively and playful girls on stage definitely enhanced the show's effect.

Moreover, Cao Ying is particularly suited to variety show stages; she's not stage-frightened at all, and she even acts a bit like a show-off.

So Zhang Yan discussed it with the main creators of the program and decisively decided to let her participate in the remaining episodes.

Just then, Zhang Yan suddenly received an invitation from Professor Li, inviting him to participate in a lecture on the 'International Internet' organized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

(End of this chapter)