HDIEUMDBTSB ### Chapter 70: Nailed It
### Chapter 20: Nailed It
Chu Zhi’s aspirations weren’t modest—he aimed to surpass the influence of the four greatest modern Chinese painters. Don’t mistake this for drunken babbling.
The four great modern painters of Earth: Qi Baishi who painted shrimp, Xu Beihong who painted horses, Zhang Daqian who painted landscapes, and Jay Chou who painted promises. Jay Chou’s album delays had become intolerable even to non-fans, and this joke about the four great painters indirectly highlighted his influence. Chu Zhi set a small goal for himself—to surpass Jay Chou’s influence on Earth.
For now, these were just lofty ambitions, but Chu Zhi was good at setting such goals for himself. He had always given himself targets to strive for. For instance, when he first arrived in this parallel world with a rough start, he convinced himself, "Work hard to clear my name, and once I turn things around, I’ll live the good life, even casually accepting endorsements that pay well." Now that he had achieved that goal, he was setting new ones.
In summary, Chu Zhi seemed to enjoy the feeling of overcoming adversity and climbing to new heights.
Thirty-four out of thirty-seven companies had entered the withdrawal stage, leaving only three. This relieved a lot of pressure, and the remaining three brands were now feeling the heat. With this burden lifted, Chu Zhi felt the sky was clearer than ever. In high spirits, he headed to the headquarters of Sun Chuanhe, located in a cultural industry park in Chaoyang District. As he arrived at the building, four people came to greet him.
Chu Zhi only recognized the leader, the pot-bellied manager. The two men and one woman behind him were likely company artists.
“Senior, I’m Wang Jinji. I’m a musician and trying to create my own music. Please guide me when you have time; I really admire your work.” The speaker had neat short hair, but on closer inspection, his skin was bad with red pimples.
Wang Jinji, regardless of the length of time he had been with the company, age, or debut date, should be considered a senior. Yet, he called Chu Zhi “senior,” showing he was absolutely welcoming and had no intention of competing for the top spot.
Wang Jinji wasn’t embarrassed. He started humming right there in the lobby: “When the breeze carries the scent of harvest and blows against my face, I think of your gentle words...”
“Ahem.” Manager Du felt awkward and quickly interrupted, “If you want to sing, we can do it in the office, not in the lobby.”
“If you’re not embarrassed, Teacher Chu might be.” Manager Du said, looking at Chu Zhi.
Embarrassed? Not at all. Chu Zhi even complimented, “That sounded pretty good. I can tell Jinji has solid vocal skills.”
“See, it’s just you who’s embarrassed.” Wang Jinji had debuted in the variety show "The Voice of China" and struggled for four or five years before gaining some recognition. He was once jealous of Chu Zhi, who peaked upon debut, but now he admired him.
“Teacher Chu, I’m Liu Pei.” Another person introduced himself, his tone somewhat cold.
Liu Pei, originally the top artist of Sun Chuanhe, was thirty-one years old, primarily known for his roles in dramas and variety shows, although he had released some music. Fans dubbed him the "Ancient Costume God," and he had several IP dramas under his belt. He had a slightly square face and prominent cheekbones, but his large eyes and high nose bridge somewhat compensated for these features.
His position as the top artist was threatened. Even though their fields were different, the company's resources were limited. If Chu Zhi got more, Liu Pei would get less.
Despite not matching Chu Zhi in popularity, talent, or even looks, Liu Pei wouldn’t give up easily. At least he wouldn’t be as obsequious as Wang Jinji, who called him “senior” at first sight.
Bah, no backbone!
“I also like Teacher Liu’s work. I believe you’ve carefully polished your performances and can be considered a true talent,” Chu Zhi said, subtly sizing up the shorter Liu Pei.
“Ahem—” Liu Pei agreed with the term “true talent.” He had seriously studied acting, improved his dialogue, expressions, and physical management, but the public had failed to notice.
“I still have a lot to learn. When it comes to talent, Teacher Chu, who completed an entire album on his own, is the real talented creator.” Liu Pei’s words became more sincere.
In the welcoming group, the remaining woman was Niu Jiangxue. She stood quietly to the side, not introducing herself. Manager Du led the way, and the elevator, despite having eight spots, was quite crowded.
The company was on the 31st floor, with a good view overlooking Chaoyang District and its residents. Sun Chuanhe had leased the entire floor, which included a pantry and gym. The office environment was average.
“Two days ago, our company announced Chu Zhi’s signing. My favorite goddess is Little Fruit, and her birthday is tomorrow. If I can get a birthday blessing from him, my chances of a successful confession will definitely go up,” someone from the company's PR department chatted idly. Everyone knew today was Chu Zhi’s first day at the company.
"I’m different. I'm half a fan. Ninth Brother is so inspirational. The day before yesterday, I was in the company bathroom and ran out of toilet paper. Then I came across the live broadcast of 'Dream of the Red Chamber'. It made me realize that there’s no obstacle you can't overcome in life. So what if there's no paper? I just didn’t wipe! I confidently pulled up my pants and walked out of the bathroom. I’m telling you, I’ve never felt so confident in my twenty-five years!”
“...Thanks. Stay away from me.”
“Don’t worry, I washed up when I got home. I... Chu Zhi is here! Move aside.”
Not only the PR department, but also the planning and operations departments were watching. Logically, Sun Chuanhe’s employees should have been accustomed to seeing celebrities, but Chu Zhi's fame was overwhelming. His recent trending news added a legendary aura, making everyone too curious to slack off.
“Teacher Chu,” “Teacher Chu, can I have your autograph?” “Ninth Brother, I’m a fan, I’m a fan…”
The greetings came from company employees and resident artists alike, including a second-tier star who acted no different from an ordinary fan. Chu Zhi's mere presence became the focal point of the entire company, a direct testament to his popularity in the entertainment industry.
“That’s enough. If you want autographs, wait until Teacher Chu finishes his business.” Manager Du intervened, reminding Liu and Wang of their own tasks.
Before leaving, Wang Jinji invited Chu Zhi to dinner, which Chu Zhi politely declined, citing prior commitments.
Declining industry invitations twice; one more, and he would achieve the "Living on Earth, Aspiring to Immortality" milestone.
Directly heading to the conference room, Manager Du grabbed a black folder from his office on the way.
In the conference room, Artist Department Manager Du said, “Currently, the company has arranged four suitable candidates for Teacher Chu’s main agent. Here are their profiles. If none are satisfactory, we’ll find other suitable candidates.”
“Let’s have them come in one by one.” After saying this, Manager Du left the conference room.
“Thanks for the trouble.” Chu Zhi quickly browsed through the profiles.
The team included a main agent, an executive agent, a publicity agent, an assistant, a personal agent, a styling team (hair stylist, makeup artist, and stylist), and a photographer, totaling around twenty people.
Don't be surprised why there's a photographer. Do you think the street shots, airport photos, and daily pictures of celebrities on the internet are taken by random people? They’re all managed by a dedicated photographer.
“Other positions aren’t as crucial. The main and personal agents are the most important.”
The company provided detailed profiles, including which artists they had managed and their personal relationships with them. The candidates were Sister Li, Da Wan, Xiao Ma, and Niu Jiangxue.
“Based on the profiles, I prefer Da Wan. He has a keen eye and previously worked on personal branding for Li Xingwei before switching to Sun Chuanhe. He’s ambitious and well-connected.” Chu Zhi muttered. However, a final decision would require an interview.
A good main agent is like a godly support. A bad one is like starting with three deaths in a game, so Chu Zhi couldn’t be careless. He even set aside three days for the selection. It seemed the company had specifically cleared his schedule for reviewing profiles. Yet, after ten minutes, no one had arrived.
Chu Zhi put down the profiles and checked his phone. Oh, Liu Pei was an actor.
That's right, he didn't know him at all. A conversational trick: actors who rely on their looks always want to prove their talent to others and genuinely believe their skills match their fame. So, the way he chatted earlier was spot on.
Nailed it. These young ones are still too young.