Huayu: From "Good Fortune Across the Sky" to becoming a top star

The next day, when the sun was high in the sky, Jiang Xun slowly woke up.

He had put his phone on silent before going to bed last night, and this morning he vaguely heard a few knocks on the door, but he covered his ears and pretended not to hear them.

When I checked my phone, sure enough, Xiaotian had sent several messages, and the missed calls were all from her.

"I'm awake, Oda."

"You can really sleep... I'm coming to find you!"

Jiang Xun had just pulled his pants on when there was a loud knocking on the door.

The door opened, and Xiaotian stood there, looking very energetic.

Good morning, Oda.

Xiaotian was about to say something when her gaze inadvertently fell on Jiang Xun's well-defined abs. She paused for a moment, and a blush rose on her face.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Your tummy looks nice—" Xiaotian joked casually, "Your skin is so fair, it feels like it's a shade lighter than mine."

"I don't believe you." Jiang Xun ignored her and went to get dressed and wash up on his own.

Xiao Tian followed behind like a shadow: "Didn't you get a call from General Manager Zhang? The short film was incredibly effective!"

Jiang Xun brushed his teeth and mumbled, "I didn't see it. I only saw your messages, and they were all urging me to get up."

"Hmph, you're so young, how can you sleep for so long? Wasting time is wasting life!" Xiao Tian pretended to be heartbroken, then took out her phone to share the battle report with him, "From last night until now, the short film 'Jiang Xun and Xin Long' has surpassed 800 million views! Over 10 billion exposures across the internet! ...Gibberish..."

"General Manager Zhang said you're the pride of Xinlong! The governor even called you, but couldn't get through, so he called General Manager Zhang, who then called me—basically, he's praising you!"

Jiang Xun nodded, spat out the mouthwash, and asked Xiao Tian, ​​"Anything more substantial? Like a bonus of several hundred thousand?"

"That's too narrow-minded. Your perspective is too limited." Xiao Tian thought for a moment, then said seriously, "Based on my prediction, your path from now on will definitely be smooth sailing!"

"You're definitely more experienced than me; you see things much more clearly. But I'm broke right now, all I want is money." Jiang Xun gave her a thumbs up. "Want to go check out the company?"

"Walk!"

The sun is shining brightly today, and it feels warm and cozy on my skin.

However, the ultraviolet radiation is strong in the high-altitude area. Jiang Xun is used to it and doesn't mind, but Xiao Tian's skin is delicate, so he specially brought her an umbrella in case she gets sunburned, which would really hurt.

The streets are busier than yesterday.

There are countless more construction vehicles now. Yesterday, they were repairing section by section, but today everything in sight is surrounded by green metal sheets, with several construction vehicles parked every so often, making a clattering sound.

Upon arriving at the company, everyone eagerly awaited Jiang Xun's arrival.

"Why are you so late?" General Manager Zhang grabbed his hand and led him into the conference room.

Jiang Xun thought to himself, "Luckily I didn't become a civil servant, otherwise would I still be free?"

"I've been too tired and stressed lately."

Upon hearing the word "pressure," Mr. Zhang couldn't bring himself to say it. Traffic is a double-edged sword. Jiang Xun has endured far too much for his age for the sake of his hometown, yet he can't help him at all.

He patted Jiang Xun on the shoulder: "Several media outlets want to interview you, some online, and a reporter from Oriental Horizon has come in person. They're in the conference room right now. I trust you to speak, just be mindful of your words."

Jiang Xun nodded. "Oriental Horizon" is a long-established news program on CCTV, so he was somewhat surprised that it was able to be featured on CCTV so quickly.

A man and a woman were sitting in the conference room. The camera was already set up, and the female reporter was holding a microphone with the words "Oriental Times" printed on it.

"Hello, Jiang Xun." The female reporter smiled and extended her hand.

Jiang Xun reached out and shook hands, then sat down in front of the camera: "Hello, thank you for coming all this way."

"Of course. Mr. Zhang has already told you, right? Shall we begin the interview now?"

"Can."

The camera was turned on and recording began. Jiang Xun and General Manager Zhang sat side by side, both wearing the smiles typical of people in the system.

"Jiang Xun, how much has this sudden surge in popularity affected you? What do you think is the most important thing?"

Without a second thought, Jiang Xun blurted out, "It's quite unexpected, and I'm very happy. I don't know much about the internet, but I'm happy to be able to promote my hometown. Although many people criticize me, it's nothing compared to my hometown."

The female reporter was somewhat moved by his answer. It was simple and sincere, just like what a boy of that age should be like.

The local government, sigh.

Mr. Zhang nodded secretly to himself, knowing that Jiang Xun knew what to say.

"What do you want to say about the negative comments about you online?"

"No. Whatever I say, everyone will think I'm just making excuses, so let's wait and see."

The female reporter nodded and didn't press further. The Oriental Times is a reputable news media outlet; they wouldn't use such issues to grab attention. They'd stick to serious business.

"Could you talk about the specific changes you've brought to your hometown?"

Jiang Xun's heart skipped a beat.

What specific changes? No wonder Xiaotian explained it to him in such detail just now. But he'll probably just let that detailed data go in one ear and out the other; who can remember that?

"I feel like the whole city is thriving right now, and I believe it will be completely transformed soon."

Mr. Zhang nodded and smiled as he continued, "Let me add some specific data. Since the release of the short film 'Jiang Xun and Xinlong' yesterday, searches for Xinlong have surged by 650%, which is four times the usual peak tourist season. Hotel bookings in Guangzhou have increased by 90%, and orders at Kangding and Yading airports have increased by nearly 20% year-on-year, with daily bookings increasing by 90%."

After presenting the specific data, Mr. Zhang paused, then added a few more points: "We believe that Xinlong will transform from a place along National Highway 318 into a core tourist destination. This will greatly promote employment, tourism, transportation, and many other aspects of Xinlong."

……

"Then we won't bother you any longer. We hope Xinlong will do better and better." The female reporter said to the two with a smile after the interview.

"Stay and have a meal with us, try our local cuisine," Mr. Zhang urged.

"Thank you, maybe next time. We need to get back and organize this footage as soon as possible so we can broadcast it quickly."

"Of course, of course," Mr. Zhang nodded repeatedly. "Then I'll see you off. You'll definitely come to Xinlong to visit sometime."

After seeing the person off, General Manager Zhang put his arm around Jiang Xun's shoulder and comforted him, "Don't take things online to heart. Netizens have short memories; they'll forget about it in a couple of days."

Jiang Xun nodded.

Seeing that Jiang Xun seemed to be in a low mood, President Zhang moved closer to Jiang Xun, almost to the point of holding his hand and whispering.

"We are working to secure some good resources for you to ensure just the right amount of exposure—not too much, but not too little either."

These words piqued Jiang Xun's interest.

"What resources?"

"It's not finalized yet, but for a newcomer like you, it's a pretty good start. I'll let you know the details after we've discussed it further, so you don't get all excited for nothing."

Mr. Zhang didn't say it directly, and Jiang Xun didn't press him for details.

"Once the tourism investment fund has more money, could it invest some more in producing films and television shows that can promote our local area?"

"Absolutely! Film and television works are the best means of promotion. I expect our tourism investment company to make a considerable profit this year," said General Manager Zhang with confidence and a beaming smile.

"Oh, by the way, remember to write an application to join the Party, and I'll admit you into the Party."

Jiang Xun's eyes immediately hardened.