Chapter 145: Zhou Jianhui: Everything I Have Today Is Due to My Own Efforts

"If you're going to say that, I might just call someone over."

Zhou Yi leisurely pulled his phone from his pocket. Sun Yanzi, who had been listless, instantly perked up. She approached as if trying to please him, patting the man's shoulders with both hands like a clapping seal, and grinned: "How is it, Master Zhou? Is this pressure comfortable?"

"Average."

Enjoying Sun Yanzi's clumsy massage technique, Zhou Yi leaned back against the sofa, shaking his head and closing his eyes as he said contentedly: "Barely passable."

Passable your head!

Sun Yanzi, whose inner self had already cursed Zhou Yi to high heaven, waved a fist toward the man with his eyes closed.

However, just as her fist was a mere step away from the man's nose, he happened to slightly lift his right eyelid—

The scene became awkward for a brief moment.

Caught red-handed, Sun Yanzi blinked her eyes rapidly, silently withdrew her left hand, and sat back on the sofa as if nothing had ever happened. She elegantly lifted a cup of... plain boiled water.

At the moment she lowered her head and pouted, she swept her short hair, which had fallen in front of her, backward, and blew a breath across the water surface that was by no means hot.

Those who knew she was drinking plain boiled water would know; those who didn't would think she was so formally drinking coffee.

Zhou Yi was actually amused by her harmless performance: "Do you want me to change it for a cup that's still steaming? That would at least make the effect more convincing."

"Yes, yes!"

"Yes your head."

The smile that had just bloomed on Sun Yanzi's face instantly vanished. Drooping her eyelids in a disappointed manner, she tried to bluff her way through, but he simply wouldn't fall for it.

Seeing Zhou Yi remain unmoved, she got tired of pretending. She tilted her head back, drank the water in the cup in one gulp, threw herself onto the sofa, and started playing the victim: "I've decided to take this leave of absence. No one can stop me."

Having finally found a chance to run away, she had to rest for a week or so before going back. She wasn't in a hurry about the album. What did it matter to her if Chen Zeshan was anxious? Anyway, there was still a "lazy dog" role model, Zhou Yi, in the company.

"Aren't you afraid Chen Zeshan will give the songs in your album to someone else to sing?"

"If he gives them, he gives them. There are plenty of songs being taken back. We haven't even decided which specific songs to include in the album yet." Sun Yanzi, talking about her new album, looked exactly like a dead pig that isn't afraid of boiling water.

Although she wrote songs herself, it was obvious her own output was far from enough to cover the entire record like Zhou Yi's.

"That doesn't make sense either. Since you're starting to prepare a new album, why hasn't Chen Zeshan asked me for songs?"

Zhou Yi was somewhat puzzled.

Although his fees in the industry were high and he also took copyright royalties, at least his work was a guaranteed, conscientious product.

If Xue Jiaxuan and Sun Yanzi were already singers who had blown up halfway across the sky before receiving his songs, then Formosa's Zhang Shaohan was now a solid golden brand.

"He actually wanted to ask, but I refused."

Changing her position, Sun Yanzi rolled over to lie on her side on the sofa, raised a hand, and yawned: "Aren't you writing your own graduation EP? Wait until you're done with that."

The timing was almost colliding; to avoid affecting Zhou Yi's state, she naturally wouldn't bring it up.

"I didn't realize you were quite considerate."

"Thank you for finally discovering this strength of mine."

Sun Yanzi, who had grown through struggle, was, in terms of sharp-tonguedness alone, worlds apart from last year. Scanned by Zhou Yi's contemptuous gaze with the philosophy of "learning from the barbarians to control the barbarians," she was about to speak when the phone in her hand suddenly rang—

Caller ID: Jackie Chan.

"Ah Yi, I heard you're going to play football with Ah Alan and the others? Pity I'm not in Hong Kong right now; otherwise, I'd really want to compete with you on the field."

The moment Zhou Yi pressed the answer button, Sun Yanzi, hearing Jackie Chan's voice, immediately stood up, made a gesture to Zhou Yi, and quietly slipped out the door.

Familiar as they were, Sun Yanzi still knew better than to intrude on this kind of call.

"If you're going to say that, then I usually won't hold back."

"So arrogant? Then when I get back, let's schedule a match when we have time."

Los Angeles, a certain hotel in the United States.

Wearing a bathrobe, Jackie Chan leaned against the balcony, sipping red wine and gazing at the crescent moon overhead, in a very good mood: "By the way, I have some good news. The internal screening of Rush Hour 2 got a very good response, and some people at companies have noticed your insert song."

As the work he had invested the most effort in this year, Jackie Chan had placed great hopes on this film.

He didn't understand English songs very well, but after the internal screening ended, he asked a knowledgeable friend about Zhou Yi's insert song. The friend's reply was that it had a strong rhythm, the lyrics were very easy to understand, and it possessed the characteristics of wide dissemination. If the singer's company operated properly, it was very likely to become a minor hit.

A minor hit depends on promotion; a major hit depends on fate. This is an iron rule of the entertainment industry.

To be honest, this evaluation was enough to shock Jackie Chan.

At first, he hadn't mentioned that the song was sung by a Chinese person. The friend, listening only to the singing style and pronunciation, hadn't even thought in the direction of a Chinese person.

In other words, if Zhou Yi's song was sung by an English-major singer, then this "Lazy Song" was undoubtedly a song of premium quality.

"Some companies noticed?"

"That's right. For example, Leon Cohen, the CEO of Island Def Jam, a label under Universal Music, has noticed you. His attitude toward Asians is relatively friendly, and he has an understanding of Asian music. For instance, there is a female singer in Japan named Utada Hikaru whom he also favors."

Regarding the matter of supporting fellow countrymen abroad, Jackie Chan had always spared no effort. Let alone the fact that Zhou Yi had absolutely no conflict of interest with him; he didn't mind helping Zhou Yi figure out which distribution companies in the US were interested in the soundtrack after simply watching the movie.

Meanwhile, in the Warner General Manager's office.

Zhou Jianhui, who was processing documents, also received a call from a superior—

"Spike Zhou? Yes, that's our singer. His Chinese name is Zhou Yi."

As the golden hand that discovered both Zhou Yi and Sun Yanzi, the current Zhou Jianhui had the position of Warner Greater China President almost firmly in his grasp; no one could shake him.

If not for the fact that Zhou Yi and Sun Yanzi's current performance wasn't quite top-tier yet, he would have aimed for the Asia President position.

Just...

"The production of the 'Lazy Song' single? I have already arranged that long ago..."

Hearing the statement from the other end of the phone, Zhou Jianhui's breathing suddenly became somewhat rapid. He nodded hurriedly: "OK, I understand. I will make the arrangements then."

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Jianhui could no longer suppress the joy in his heart. He punched the air three times to vent his unbearable excitement.

A Chinese person producing an English single that Warner Headquarters noticed was somewhat hard to believe. But considering this wave was riding the tailwind of Jackie Chan's new movie, it was unexpectedly reasonable.

"Where is Zhou Yi? Let Zhou Yi—never mind, I'll go find him myself."

Just as he was about to make a call, thinking of the fact that he was currently in the Treasure Island, Zhou Jianhui directly had his secretary book him a flight ticket to Hong Kong.

According to the inside track from Warner insiders, Jackie Chan's new movie was of very high quality. Regarding the music, Universal Music even believed that, aside from Michael Jackson's songs, Zhou Yi's song was the most outstanding.

Zhou Yi from the Greater China region had already been exceptionally outstanding on Zhou Jianhui's performance report last year; now, unexpectedly praised a few times by the CEO of a label under Universal, Warner's headquarters directly contacted Zhou Jianhui.

After all, self-praise within the company carries the suspicion of Wang Po selling melons, but praise from outsiders changes the nature entirely.

If Zhou Yi could take off on another track, he could truly lay claim to the position of Asia-Pacific President.

With a phone call from headquarters, Zhou Jianhui immediately fell into beautiful visions of the future.

I truly had the eye to recognize a gem back then!

PS: Tomorrow is the last day for IV drips; once finished, I won't update so late. Since I returned quite late tonight, there will be only one update.

Actually, I originally wanted to say something about tomorrow's update, but after thinking it over, I decided not to set a flag; I'll speak after I finish writing tomorrow.

(End of Chapter)