Taking Liu Yifei back to Northeast China for the Chinese New Year has sent the entire internet into

A storm is brewing online.

Starry Entertainment, CEO's Office.

Mr. Zhang leaned back in his boss's chair, holding a thermos of goji berries in his hand, staring at the official article on his computer screen, looking completely calm and composed.

Sister Wang sat opposite, clutching a stack of documents in her hand.

The more she looked, the more her brows furrowed.

"Mr. Zhang, something feels off to me."

Mr. Zhang took a sip of water and slowly raised his eyelids.

"What's wrong with this?"

"Official praise, what a huge honor! The propaganda department must be going to set off firecrackers."

"We've got the prestige, but the money's gone!"

Sister Wang put the documents on the table, her heart aching as if it were bleeding.

"With Fang Yu spending those two hundred yuan, several international high-end luxury brands that our Ministry of Commerce had recently been in contact with have all gone silent."

"Others sell bags that cost tens of thousands of yuan, but he conveys the message that you can be happy all day with just two hundred yuan."

"Their brand philosophies are so conflicting, it's like Mars colliding with Earth!"

Mr. Zhang listened quietly as she finished venting her frustrations.

Then, he put down the thermos, stretched out his finger, and gently tapped the blue V logo on the screen.

"Xiao Wang, when doing business, you can't just focus on the price right in front of you."

"With every gain comes a loss."

"Luxury goods bring about a boost in business."

"It could be officially recognized and commended, setting a positive example for the marriage and love views of young people in the new era..."

Mr. Zhang paused for a moment.

"This kind of trust cannot be bought with any amount of money."

Sister Wang opened her mouth.

Of course she understood this principle.

With official recognition and public goodwill, the projects Fang Yu can get involved in in the future will be more stable than a few high-end luxury endorsements.

But reason is reason.

The thought of those contracts that might slip away still makes her feel a pang of heartache.

That's all real gold and silver!

Fang Yu spent two hundred yuan on a relationship, but somehow managed to generate tens of millions of yuan in business opportunities.

Looking across the entire Chinese entertainment industry, you can't find another one like it.

……

the other side.

Huace Media, the office of top agents.

Sister Hong stared at the various data on the tablet and let out a long sigh.

The assistant stood beside him and handed him the freshly brewed coffee.

"Sister Hong, LV originally said that they would proceed with the process of selecting Yifei as their global brand ambassador next week."

"But this morning I suddenly received an email saying that the artist's public image and brand image need to be reassessed."

Sister Hong took the coffee but didn't drink it right away.

It would be a lie to say I don't feel sorry for you.

Being a global ambassador for international high-end luxury brands brings both income and status in the fashion industry.

Countless artists would go to great lengths to even get close to that threshold.

But after glancing at the lengthy official article on the screen, she quickly made a decision.

"Reassess? Let them take their time."

The assistant was stunned, his face full of astonishment.

Sister Hong threw the tablet onto the table.

"High-end luxury brand endorsements do bring in money quickly and also give you prestige."

"But the fact that the state media named and praised it is a genuine endorsement from the people."

"This kind of confidence is no less than that of a high-end luxury poster."

She picked up her coffee and took a sip.

"Go tell the Ministry of Commerce."

"We will make appropriate adjustments to Yifei's business direction going forward."

"While ensuring brand quality, we should engage with more national brands and projects that can build a long-term reputation."

The assistant nodded.

"What about LV...?"

Sister Hong raised her eyes.

"Communicate normally, without rushing or adopting a humble approach to explain."

"If you're willing to cooperate, let's continue the discussion."

"If you don't want to, I won't force you."

Her tone was calm, but without the slightest hesitation.

"It has official recognition and is loved by audiences nationwide."

"We don't really need another foreign brand."

……

a few days later.

In early summer in Beijing, the afternoon sun shines through the treetops, casting patches of light on the asphalt road.

A black van was driving smoothly on the East Fourth Ring Road.

The car windows were covered with dark privacy film, keeping out the noise from outside.

Fang Yu was wearing a simple black T-shirt and gray cargo pants, with his head resting on a headrest and his eyes closed, trying to relax.

Sitting next to her was Liu Yifei, who was wearing a beige linen shirt and had her hair tied in a low ponytail. She was flipping through a printed and bound booklet in her hand.

The cover has five large characters printed on it.

The Legend of Sword and Fairy.

Liu Yifei flipped through two pages and turned to look at Fang Yu.

"You don't look like you're going to discuss a project worth hundreds of millions."

Fang Yu didn't even open his eyes.

"What does that look like it's for?"

"Like going down to the alleyway for some barbecue skewers."

Liu Yifei closed the script and burst out laughing.

Fang Yu then opened his eyes and sat up straight.

"I've drunk with Lao Zhou and Lao He a few times already, so we all know each other's backgrounds."

"If I actually wore a bespoke suit there, they would think I was being pretentious."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed at the script in Liu Yifei's hand.

"Besides, this is what you rely on to do business."

"Even if you're holding a winning hand and walk in wearing slippers, they'll still pour you tea first."

"If you don't have any goods, no matter how well you dress, you're still just a wage earner who smiles and begs for favors."

……

Twenty minutes later.

The van turned into a quiet alley near the North Second Ring Road.

Several old locust trees stretched over the gray wall, cutting the sunlight into fragmented light and shadow.

The car eventually stopped in front of an inconspicuous courtyard house.

There was no sign at the entrance.

There are only two polished bluestone door piers.

A waitress dressed in a plain-colored cheongsam was already waiting by the door.

This is a private restaurant that rarely opens to the public, only catering to regular customers.

Fang Yu and Liu Yifei put on baseball caps and masks, got out of the car and went inside.

Pass through the screen wall and around the central courtyard corridor.

The courtyard was quiet; the only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind.

The waiter stopped in front of a wooden door and gently pushed it open.

Inside the private room, He Zheng was sitting in front of a purple clay teapot, sleeves rolled up, fiddling with the tea set.

Zhou Yuanshan sat in the main seat, wearing a traditional Chinese Tang suit with a front opening, and holding two walnuts in his hands.

Hearing the door open, the two looked up at the same time.

"Oh, the main character has finally arrived!"

He Zheng put down his tea tongs and laughed heartily.

"Fang Yu, if you're ten minutes late, this pot of premium Da Hong Pao tea will have been finished by Lao Zhou and me!"

Zhou Yuanshan also put away the walnuts, stood up and nodded.

"Fang Yu, Yi Fei, please sit down."

"There are no outsiders here today, let's chat while we drink tea."

"President Zhou, Director He, we've kept you waiting."

Liu Yifei took off her mask and greeted everyone in a natural and generous manner.

Fang Yu pulled out a chair, put Liu Yifei's bag down first, and then sat down with an air of nonchalance.

He picked up the freshly poured tea in front of him and took a sip.

"The traffic was a bit congested, my apologies."

"Director He, next time remember to save me half a pot of this good tea in advance, otherwise I'll be anxious the whole way."

He Zheng pointed at him and laughed and scolded.

"Don't give me that!"

"You're drinking my tea, yet you're planning to reserve a quota for yourself?"

Zhou Yuanshan sat in the main seat, twirling the walnuts in his hands while smiling and trying to smooth things over.

"Old He, your vision is too narrow."

"If Fang Yu can really make this business a success, let alone half a pot of Da Hong Pao tea, he'll probably take all your treasured mother tree tea leaves."

He Zheng burst into laughter upon hearing this.

"That depends on what he brings out today; whether it's worth my good tea!"

The atmosphere became lively after a few jokes, and the casual conversation was just right.

Zhou Yuanshan then took out a document from his briefcase.

He placed the document on the turntable and gently spun it in front of Fang Yu.

"He Zheng has already explained the script to me."

"I personally reviewed the story structure, world-building, and character arcs."

His fingers pressed against the document cover.

"There are no truly successful fantasy-themed works in China yet, so there's a huge market gap and a large potential audience."

"We've partnered with several investors and conducted a preliminary assessment; this project has the potential to be scaled up."

Fang Yu did not immediately look at the documents.

He leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.

The aroma of tea in the private room was very faint.

But the atmosphere gradually became more solemn.

Fang Yu raised his head and looked at Zhou Yuanshan and He Zheng.

"President Zhou, Director He."

"Since there's nothing wrong with the script..."

"Then let's lay out the rules clearly today."