Chapter Fourteen: I'm Not Ready to Offer My Behind Just Yet

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Capital City Airport.
Xu Ming, fully armed, stepped out and immediately spotted another figure bundled up tightly.
Their appearances coincidentally clashed.
“Brother Shenyang?” Xu Ming tentatively asked.
“Oh my, I almost didn’t recognize you, little brother,” Xiao Shenyang exclaimed, slinging an arm over Xu Ming’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s take a ride in the new car I just bought.”
Xu Ming followed alongside, bursting with unspoken complaints.
What’s your status, dressing like that? Are you afraid people will recognize you, or afraid they won’t?
As for himself, he had suffered a painful lesson.
The day he saw off the folks from Sohu Entertainment, he left the tea house without his sunglasses and was recognized.
The whole street was blocked off tight.
Taxis and passengers all stopped to watch the commotion…
This time, coming to the capital, besides securing contact with Teng Huatao for a meeting, and preparing for the first stop of his tour,
he planned to arrive quietly alone—he didn’t even want the assistant the media assigned.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Shenyang got the message and insisted on hosting a welcome party, resulting in today’s scene.
Arriving at the garage, a brand-new Mercedes-Benz was parked there.
Xiao Shenyang led Xu Ming into the car, proudly saying, “How is it? Spacious enough?”
“What model is it? How much did it cost?”
“Mercedes-Benz E280, not much, just seventy grand.”
“Not bad. Nowadays, a ‘ten thousand’ is no longer just ten thousand. By any measure, you’ve put half your fortune into this ride, haven’t you?” Xu Ming chuckled. “Did your wife okay this?”
He thought after several days past since the Capital City Spring Festival Gala, the other party’s mindset might have calmed.
But it only seemed to soar higher.
After all, unlike him, a lone bachelor, Xiao Shenyang had a family—married to Shen Chunyang since 2005, with a daughter born the following year.
Only now making some money, and already spending lavishly.
Mentioning this, Xiao Shenyang’s expression darkened slightly: “What does she know? She thinks this is Liaoning Province. This is the capital, you gotta drive a fancy car, or people won’t even take you seriously.”

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“That’s true; to keep up appearances, a luxury car is necessary.”
Xu Ming followed along, speaking frankly; he had no intention of being an annoying do-gooder.
“Anyway, brother, you know I respect you. By the way, the song you wrote for me is really good—I plan to record it soon.”
Xiao Shenyang pulled a solid envelope from the storage box. “I don’t know the going rate, but here’s fifty thousand. If it’s too much, just consider it a gift from me; if it’s too little, I’ll make it up to you later.”
Fifty thousand for a song—back in 2009, or even ten years later, that’s no small sum.
He had sold the song from the billion-selling “Guangdong Love Story” for only five thousand.
Xu Ming touched the thick envelope and said: “Brother Shenyang, the media arranged for me to work with Liaoning TV on a variety show. Ten teams will compete; you should lead one.”
Just moments ago, he had considered giving up on him, letting him spiral downward.
But after receiving the envelope, he decided to give Xiao Shenyang another chance.
No matter how arrogant he got, at least he still treated him like a brother.
“Me lead a team? My master’s about to kick me out, and with you around, there’s no chance for me anyway,” Xiao Shenyang laughed, fully aware of the situation.
“You know your master well. If you just lowered your head and showed some humility, would he really reject you?”
“As for the variety show, I don’t have the time, and it would be a waste of resources. That exposure should go to my senior brothers. If you lead, the championship’s guaranteed,” Xu Ming said.
With his own status, appearing on the show would just be bullying the youngsters—at most a guest spot for a few episodes.
“I’ll think about it.”
After that, silence filled the car as they drove to the address Xu Ming gave.
Arriving at the destination, just before getting out, Xu Ming suddenly said, “Brother Shenyang, I sold ‘Loser Gentleman 2’ for one and a half million. A few days ago, someone offered eighty thousand from the commercial performance side, but I turned it down.”
“I’m telling you this not to brag, but because many people are impressive—we have to aim higher. Also, that song is a gift from me; discussing money would ruin the sentiment.”
He placed the envelope on the passenger seat, closed the door, and headed toward a traditional courtyard house.
The sale of “Loser Gentleman 2” would eventually leak out; he didn’t mind telling him first.
As for the commercial price, he wasn’t exaggerating—the offer of eighty thousand was real, but it was for a bar performance in Gansu Province.
Far from the capital, he didn’t dare go.
Now, his commercial performance fee was stable at fifty-five thousand per show; even his master only got fifty thousand.
Among folk art stars, he held the top spot for commercial performance fees.

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The point of sharing all this was simple: to calm Xiao Shenyang’s inflated ego. Whether he listened was up to him.
Pushing open the courtyard gate, he announced his name.
The person inside visibly paused upon seeing Xu Ming’s face, then politely said, “Mr. Xu, this way, please.”
This was a clubhouse—not just any clubhouse, but a serious place for business discussions.
He had arranged to meet Teng Huatao to discuss “Love Is Not Blind,” at a location specified by the latter.
Once following the attendant into the private room, he realized he wasn’t alone with Teng Huatao.
A bespectacled, refined middle-aged man sat there, accompanied by a glamorous female companion.
Xu Ming didn’t recognize the man, but the woman was familiar.
It was Huo Siyian.
Someone accompanying her like that could only be either Wang Zhongjun or Wang Zhonglei from Huayi Brothers.
Still, on the surface, Xu Ming pretended ignorance and asked, “And these two gentlemen are…”
“This is Mr. Wang Zhongjun, Chairman of Huayi Brothers Media, and this beauty is Huo Siyian, a famous actress,” Teng Huatao introduced.
“I’m no star. Compared to Mr. Xu’s popularity, I’m nothing,” Huo Siyian smiled gracefully, exuding a subtle fragrance.
“Hello Chairman Wang, hello Teacher Huo,” Xu Ming stepped forward confidently, shaking their hands, then smiled, “It’s just a small-budget film project—how did it manage to attract such a big shot like Chairman Wang?”
Today, Xu Ming came as the project leader for “Love Is Not Blind,” so he naturally had to show some grace.
“There’s a rumor going around that the framework for the sketch ‘No Money Worries’ was created by you. At first, I didn’t believe it, but after Teng Director praised the screenplay you sent, I realized I underestimated you,” Wang Zhongjun said with a smile.
“Are you interested in developing your career at Huayi? I’ll talk to your master about it.”
It was clear they were trying to poach him, but Xu Ming remained composed. “I’m honored by your consideration, but my master has worked hard to nurture me—I cannot be disloyal.”
Anyone who believed his words might end up being betrayed and counting someone else’s money.
Had he accepted today, he’d be caught between two fires.
If Huayi was really such a great place, how could Wang Jinghua have taken so many artists away?
Moreover, the internal resource struggles were well known in the industry.
He had no intention of selling out.