Chapter 153: A Summer Blown by the Wind

Facing Zhou Yi's dead-fish eyes, Sun Yanzi grinned without a shred of guilt, chuckled twice, then scrambled away from him like a spider, all limbs flailing, before plopping back onto her original spot on the sofa.

The shoes she had kicked off lay scattered crookedly on the room's carpet. Sun Yanzi hummed a cheerful little tune as if nothing had happened, her pale, tender feet instantly covered by fuzzy slippers—

After hopping in place twice, Sun Yanzi winked at Zhou Yi, raised her right hand, and made a gesture meaning "call you later": "Then I'll leave this to you. I'm heading out first."

"?"

Perplexed, Qian Jiang watched the cheerful Sun Yanzi skip happily out of the room, utterly baffled: "What secret did you two discuss?"

"Chen Zeshan is urging her to return to select songs and prepare for her new album. She wants to rest a bit more."

Zhou Yi, acting utterly at ease, kicked away the resistance band on the floor that he had been using to relax and loosen his arms and shoulders, saying indifferently: "Are the conditions offered by Sina and Sohu that good?"

【7】 "I suppose so, though it's my first time dealing with mainland internet companies."

"You could say so, though it is my first time dealing with an internet company from the mainland."

Qian Jiang, now speaking of serious matters, frowned slightly: "Both Sohu and Sina are currently offering three million for five years. They mainly want to establish an exclusive news cooperation with you and, incidentally, hire you as a promotional brand ambassador. It seems your fans' unprecedented performance on the internet this time caught their attention."

Exclusive news reports are something more common in traditional media channels.

However, Qian Jiang had not encountered many emerging internet media outlets before; his familiar connections were mostly in traditional channels. In those traditional channels, the price for so-called exclusive news was nowhere near what Sohu and Sina were offering.

If not for his reason, Qian Jiang would have almost agreed on Zhou Yi's behalf.

Just posting some first-hand exclusive news, doing a few interviews and taking some photos each year, and attending an event at year-end could earn so much money. This treatment was far too generous compared to exclusives in traditional channels.

Aren't internet companies supposed to be in a winter slump? How can they still be so willing to throw money around?

"Not enough."

Zhou Yi understood the obsession internet companies had with traffic all too well. Unlike Qian Jiang's confusion, he directly rejected this round of offers: "Three million for five years isn't enough to sign. It hasn't even reached their bottom line yet."

As portal websites that make their living on news traffic, it didn't surprise Zhou Yi that Sohu and Sina would target him. Once signed, the first round of interviews would likely be about his feud with Chow Yun-fat.

Wang Zhidong and Zhang Chaoyang wouldn't care about Chow Yun-fat's status in the entertainment industry. Attracting more high-quality incremental clients to boost their various revenues and ensure the company could survive this winter was the true way forward.

"I understand."

Qian Jiang nodded: "Also, do you have any requirements regarding clothing brand endorsements?"

"Clothing endorsements?"

"Yes. The brand Baleno, which you mentioned last time, is currently looking for a spokesperson on the market. We just received news that after your stunt in Hong Kong, where you stepped over Chow Yun-fat, you've entered their consideration range."

Qian Jiang was quite pleased with this unexpected result.

That was Baleno, a branded product.

They focused on high-end taste; a simple T-shirt could sell for one or two hundred yuan. Their endorsed products were always taken by superstar-level figures.

Zhou Yi's expression suddenly became somewhat strange.

Thinking Zhou Yi was equally shocked, Qian Jiang added: "You might not know, but Chow Yun-fat once endorsed the Baleno brand as well.

"In a sense, you are securing this endorsement by stepping on Chow Yun-fat's star power this time."

"... How much is the endorsement fee?"

"We haven't made formal contact yet; we've only heard of their intention to investigate. Besides Baleno, clothing brands such as Semir, Bosideng, and Metersbonwe are also considering hiring you as a spokesperson. There's likely room for negotiation."

Although these brands couldn't match Baleno in terms of class, that wouldn't stop Qian Jiang from using his skills to mediate among them and secure the maximum endorsement benefits for Zhou Yi.

Only with competition can benefits be maximized.

"Also, Chen Daoming and Zhang Guoli from the mainland want to arrange a meeting with you..."

…………………………………………………………

"What did you say? The mainland has explicitly decided to boycott me?"

Chow Yun-fat's home, bedroom.

Chow Yun-fat, with a pile of newspapers and magazines on his bedside table, looked slightly weary. Upon hearing his wife's account of her busy day, his brows immediately knitted tight: "Just because of Zhou Yi?"

"To be precise, it's not a boycott, given the overall tone here."

Chen Chen Huilian also had a headache: "But the problem is that the Hong Kong entertainment industry previously treated mainland artists quite excessively, accumulating many grievances. This time, your clash with Zhou Yi has become so huge that Chen Daoming and others have seized the opportunity.

"They aren't officials, but their influence in the mainland entertainment industry is profound. Many companies and directors in the mainland entertainment circle, under their intimidation, will temporarily not consider using you.

"At the very least, it will take a few years until the heat dies down and things loosen up."

Disappearing from the mainland big screen for a few years wasn't the most fatal blow for Chow Yun-fat; the most fatal was his home base in Hong Kong itself—

"Additionally, Jackie Chan's new movie 'Rush Hour 2' achieved a dominant performance after its North American premiere. Major companies have raised their global box office expectation for this film to over three hundred million US dollars."

Chen Chen Huilian looked up at her husband, her face filled with worry: "Under these circumstances, no one wants to offend Jackie Chan, and you happen to have offended him."

"..."

Damn it!

Chow Yun-fat's face turned completely black as a pot bottom.

His wife's words were quite clear. According to the nature of the Hong Kong entertainment industry, if he wanted to act in local Hong Kong films afterward, he would have to deliver a standout performance like Jackie Chan to dispel everyone's reluctance to anger Jackie Chan. Otherwise...

"Back to Hollywood, damn it!"

With Zhou Yi ahead, Jackie Chan behind, and Li Lianjie sandwiched in between, how could Chow Yun-fat, who was just riding high on the success of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', tolerate this humiliation?

"Isn't it just action movies? I'll take them too. Based on my performance in 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', landing a leading action role isn't impossible.

"Since those foreigners only recognize action films, I'll make them too."

If Jackie Chan and Li Lianjie can make them, can't I, Chow Yun-fat?

"Oh, right, there's one more thing. Several brands currently contacting you have all withdrawn their advertising offers."

Chen Chen Huilian gritted her teeth and delivered another piece of bad news to her husband: "Not only is the cumulative loss of thirteen million four hundred and seventy thousand yuan in endorsement fees, but Baleno, which previously cooperated with you, has now set its sights on Zhou Yi.

"Most importantly, they are all targeting Zhou Yi because of the vast mainland market behind him."

"..."

Is there anything more uncomfortable than losing an endorsement?

Of course there is—losing an endorsement only for it to turn around and go to someone you look down on.

Chow Yun-fat's mood now felt as unpleasant as swallowing a fly.

Two days later.

When Zhou Yi attended the Coca-Cola event in Hong Kong behind Qian Jiang, reporters who had gotten some inside scoop went straight to the point and asked Zhou Yi about this matter.

Zhou Yi was just about to open his mouth and say a few things for fun, but Qian Jiang was there this time and stopped him with a look, which left the reporters present somewhat disappointed.

Anyone could tell from Zhou Yi's eager expression that this was big news; interviews would have to wait until he was alone.

"Zhou Yi, Zhou Yi, when will your new EP be officially released? There are rumors that Sun Yanzi is preparing a new album. Will you be the producer this time, or will you write a song for her?"

"That's a company matter; you'll have to urge the company. Although I did promise Yanzi that I would write her a song."

Standing under the Coca-Cola sign, Zhou Yi held a large cluster of microphones and smiled as he passed the buck: "However, the second single in the EP, 'Those Years', will soon be presented to all our music fans. Please look forward to it."

"It is rumored that a director and investors want to invite you to act. Is this true? Some say the male lead of 'The Pink Ladies' was originally considered for you. Is that true?"

"Many dramas have invited me to be the lead, but I am a rather lazy person, and the matters regarding the album are already keeping me busy enough. As for the male lead of 'The Pink Ladies', that is pure rumor."

"What type of song do you plan to write for Yanzi? Is there already a finished product? Will you appear in the MV?"

"Uh, the song for Yanzi currently falls under the categories of not enough money, actors undecided, and lyrics and music temporarily unavailable."

Speaking of Sun Yanzi, a brilliant smile immediately appeared on Zhou Yi's face: "As everyone knows, my fees are very high. Even between close brothers, accounts must be settled clearly, right?"

"Then will you consider singing a duet? You know that the outside world is very much looking forward to the two of you releasing a duet, just like 'Happy Worship' and 'Have to Love' which you sang with Zhang Shaohan on your first album."

"I have considered it, but it is temporarily confidential."

Qian Jiang's eyelid unconsciously twitched on the side, while Sun Yanzi, who was pretending to work at the Warner (Hong Kong) building, suddenly sneezed—

"A-choo!"

Did she catch a cold from sleeping last night?

Sun Yanzi rubbed her nose, hummed a broken melody, and continued to bury her head in writing the unfinished song.

She also wanted to put her own written songs into an album like Zhou Yi, although she couldn't be as perverted as Zhou Yi.

And on her left side lay a sheet of music with Zhou Yi's name written on it—

'Summer Blown by the Wind'.

PS: The only good thing about working overtime is that you can eat late-night snacks at company expense. Eat your fill!

Eat over a hundred yuan worth of KFC to vent the hatred in my heart!

(End of this chapter)