novelraw Chapter 90 Zhou Jianhui begs Li Shuo to debut first...
Chapter 90 Zhou Jianhui begs Li Shuo to debut first...
When I went outside, it was indeed my neighbor, the painter Old Zhang, who was in his fifties and wore glasses.
Two real estate agents in suits stood nearby, pointing and gesturing with their notebooks.
Li Shuo pretended to come out to lend a hand.
"Oh, Uncle Zhang, I thought you were out helping out... What's wrong? Are you selling a house?"
Old Zhang saw Li Shuo, sighed, and walked over: "Li Shuo? You're really back, kid? Mingyao too... isn't this ruining your future?"
Then he thought about his own situation and grinned.
"Ugh, this is so worrying."
"My son is starting a business in Gaul, saying there are many opportunities there. I'm thinking of selling this house, 320 square meters... I asked for 325 million, but this stupid real estate agent only offered 290 million, saying that although the location is good, the renovation is outdated."
He looked indignant.
"If it weren't for my plans to develop my business in Gaul, I wouldn't sell this house for less than 400 million!"
He glanced at Li Shuo, then lowered his voice as if remembering something.
"Speaking of your grandparents, they were really something. You were sent abroad, and the future prospects there were so good. Why did they insist that you come back to study? What a pity."
Upon hearing this, Li Shuo pretended to agree with him and said, "Oh, if only my grandparents had your level of awareness... Oh well, I'll just have to accept my fate for now and find another opportunity to go abroad later."
It was as if he suddenly thought of something.
"Uncle Zhang, what a coincidence! My dad has always wanted to expand our yard. Since you're selling, give me your lowest acceptable price. If it's reasonable, I'll contact my dad right away. I'll help you with the sale."
Old Zhang's eyes lit up.
Li Shuo then pretended to be embarrassed and moved closer.
"By the way, Uncle Zhang, when I report this to my dad later, I might have to give him a little more information, so you'll have to cooperate."
Old Zhang stared at the fox-like expression on the boy's face for a second, then burst out laughing.
"You're alright, kid, but don't talk too much! Someone with your brain should go abroad and make a name for themselves there."
He thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth.
"Alright, Uncle won't ask for much more from you. My base price is 325 million, but I'll offer 328 million. You can take 3, but it has to be paid in full upfront. The house will be transferred to your name immediately!"
Li Shuo nodded hesitantly, then pulled out his phone with a fierce look on his face and pretended to dial his father Li Mingyao's number.
"Hey, Dad... um, I'm back... Oh, right, do you remember Uncle Zhang's yard next door?"
He turned around and nodded at Old Zhang, whose eyes were full of expectation.
"Uncle Zhang wants to sell... It's a bit bigger than ours... The price... It'll be 328 million... Hmm, I know it's a bit high... But haven't you always wanted to expand?... Dad, think about it... Our old neighbors know the situation... Okay, okay, don't rush it..."
He frowned, his tone pleading and explaining, alternating between "uh-huh" and "I understand, I understand," acting with remarkable skill.
After hanging up the phone, I deliberately let out a deep sigh.
Feeling relieved that he had accomplished his mission, he gave Lao Zhang a "V" sign.
Old Zhang asked in disbelief, "It's done?"
"It's done! My dad said it's a one-time payment, and he'll have someone come to handle the formalities tomorrow."
Old Zhang was overjoyed and patted Li Shuo on the shoulder.
"Good lad, if you ever have the chance to go abroad, to Gaul, Uncle Zhang will treat you to a trip!"
Li Shuo smiled, chatted with him for a while longer, arranged a time for the next day and what to prepare, then waved and returned to his own courtyard.
He closed the gate, leaned against it, thought about the 320-square-meter yard next door, and then looked at his own 300-square-meter yard.
Uncle Zhang... You probably don't know this, but your son's return twenty years later was on the news, wasn't it?
You did make money starting a business abroad, but the more than 9000 million your son earned in Gaul over half his life isn't even enough to buy back this yard of yours.
I went back to the kitchen, picked up the half-empty bottle of water, and drank it all in one gulp.
He quickly called Li Mingyao, who had just listened to his "stand-up comedy" in a daze, and explained the whole story and the specific situation.
Li Shuo had figured it out. After the transaction was completed tomorrow, he would leave... After thinking about it, he booked his plane ticket to Taiwan, China.
------
Two days later.
The plane landed at Songshan Airport on Taiwan.
When Li Shuo walked out of the passage, the Taipei sun was blazing in mid-June, and a wave of heat hit him. He looked refreshed.
Wearing an oversized white short-sleeved shirt, black jogger pants, and limited-edition sneakers, her unusually tall figure stood out in the crowd.
Why does it seem like you've grown a little taller...?
As we walked, we were constantly being stared at.
Just after passing through customs, a flight attendant in uniform walked past him, her long legs encased in stockings glistening in the sunlight.
Isn't this the sweet-talking young lady who served him in first class?
She glanced back deliberately, slowed her pace, and smiled at him: "Wow~ Brother Ge, what a coincidence! You're traveling to Taipei alone?"
Li Shuo pulled his hat brim down lower, thinking he'd just give a random reply and leave: "Ah~".
His voice changed tone...
The girl had already moved closer... and slipped a note into Li Shuo's pocket. She even squeezed it through his pocket as she pulled her hand back!
Touching his chest where he had just been bumped... he watched as the flight attendant smiled and gave him a "6" sign... before walking away in her high heels.
Is this Taiwanese flight attendant really that straightforward?
As we went outside, similar situations occurred several more times.
A girl who looked like a student came up with a map to ask for directions, a stylish office lady handed over her business card and said, "I can take you shopping," and there was even an uncle who looked like a talent scout who chased after him and asked if he was interested in making gay porn.
He dared not walk slowly... He quickly dragged his luggage across the arrival hall and saw Zhou Jianhui waving from afar.
Li Shuo walked over, and Zhou Jianhui saw him.
"Oh, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you like the stars and the moon!"
Upon arriving at the parking lot, Li Shuo glanced at the unassuming black Mazda behind him and smiled.
"Why did you come to pick me up alone, Mr. Zhou?"
Zhou Jianhui looked depressed.
"Keep a low profile. I recently took over Warner and started making adjustments, and I even suspect that my 'rivals' are spying on me!?"
The car got stuck in traffic as soon as it left the parking lot.
Li Shuo rolled down the car window and glanced outside.
The streets of Taipei are filled with a dense stream of motorcycles, like a racetrack in progress.
The sounds of engines rose and fell, and exhaust fumes rose in the sunlight, creating the most iconic urban soundscape of that era.
Motorcycles weave nimbly through traffic, with one occasionally cutting in from the side and whizzing past the car door.
Li Shuo leaned back in his seat, suddenly remembering a movie. He turned to look at Zhou Jianhui, his tone languid, mimicking Tony Leung Ka-fai's mannerisms in "Black Gold":
"Jay Chou, Warner Music isn't short of money, you should get a Mercedes or a Rolls-Royce. Driving a Mazda, no wonder there's traffic congestion."
Zhou Jianhui was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "You kid! You even know this joke?"
He chuckled as he swerved the steering wheel, dodging a motorcycle that was tailgating him: "Okay, okay, I'll get you a Mercedes later, and you can be my driver, alright?"
-
Warner's Taipei office is on Minsheng East Road, and you can see the Universal Music building across the street from the window. Zhou Jianhui pointed in that direction, his tone somewhat complicated: "See that? Universal, right next door."
Li Shuo didn't reply and sat down on the sofa.
Zhou Jianhui poured him a glass of water, then started flipping through the documents, his expression becoming more and more animated as he did so.
"Sammi Cheng's album has sold like hotcakes because of those three songs of yours. I've received three more orders." He looked up at Li Shuo. "You've got some talent, kid."
He continued scrolling down.
"As for Stefanie Sun... you've given her team several songs, all the songs from her first album? Even the theme song and opening track for her second album?" Zhou Jianhui looked up, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "You've planned out her next two years?"
Li Shuo took a sip of water: "Just doing it."
Zhou Jianhui flipped to another document and remained silent for a few seconds.
"The ten English songs you uploaded to Time Warner's 'Li Global Studio,' all by female singers with open licensing... I've looked at a few, and the quality is a bit alarming." He paused. "I also listened to the six songs by female singers from the Chinese-speaking region that you emailed me a couple of days ago."
He put the document down and took a deep breath.
"Every single one of them is a song that could launch a female singer's career."
Li Shuo remained silent.
Zhou Jianhui looked at him, then suddenly stood up, paced back and forth in the office twice, and then stopped in front of him.
"Li Shuo, I want to discuss something with you."
"explain."
"At your current stage, could you debut first?" Zhou Jianhui asked seriously. "Warner needs you right now."