Movie/TV series: Starting with Ode to Joy, I opened my own private kitchen.

Page 99

Zheng Shuyi shook her head and said with a smile, "No, he's a teacher at Kyoto Chunfeng Middle School. He took his students to Shanghai for the math Olympiad these past few days. He must have been recommended by your classmate. And now I finally understand why the boss recommended you to be our game's amateur spokesperson. Has anyone ever told you that you look like a celebrity?"

A surge of joy welled up in Qiao Jingjing's heart, and her heart began to race involuntarily. She knew Zheng Shuyi was referring to Gao Wen, the celebrity she had always admired. A shy blush rose to her cheeks, and she softly replied, "You mean Gao Wen?"

Zheng Shuyi nodded and continued, "Yes, and our game's celebrity spokesperson this time is Gao Wen. So, will you accept our invitation? Our company's endorsement fee is very high, and you'll have the chance to become a big star in the future." Her eyes were full of anticipation and temptation.

Qiao Jingjing was conflicted. On the one hand, she was excited about the opportunity, but on the other hand, she didn't know if her parents would agree.

She bit her lip, thought for a moment, and then said, "I'm sorry, Manager Su, I can't give you an answer right now. I need to go back and discuss it with my parents."

Zheng Shuyi nodded understandingly and said, "No problem, it was my oversight. Such a big thing really needs to be discussed with your parents. How about we go home together after school?"

"Okay, no problem. Manager Su, I'll go back to class now." Qiao Jingjing nodded in agreement. After Zheng Shuyi nodded, she said goodbye to the principal and fled from the principal's office in room 727 like a startled rabbit.

As Qiao Jingjing walked, she pondered Zheng Shuyi's words. The Shanghai Math Olympiad, a recommendation from her classmate—that meant Yu Tu was the only one who fit the criteria. She wondered if Yu Tu had feelings for her too. Otherwise, why would he recommend her? She couldn't wait to ask Yu Tu.

When Qiao Jingjing returned to the classroom, class had already started. She immediately spotted Yu Tu sitting in his seat, but Yu Tu didn't even glance at her. Qiao Jingjing was now unsure if Yu Tu had feelings for her, so she kept spacing out during class.

Qiao Jingjing endured until the end of the second class, and finally walked up to Yu Tu and stood in front of him. Yu Tu looked at Qiao Jingjing with a puzzled expression, and asked, "What do you want?" His expression remained aloof and unchanged.

Qiao Jingjing's heart started racing. She took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice calm: "I...I want to ask you...did you recommend me to the boss of a game company?" Her voice trembled slightly, and her eyes were full of expectation.

Yu Tu was also confused after hearing this. He frowned, thought for a moment, and then shook his head: "No, what's wrong?" His voice was indifferent, as if to tell Qiao Jingjing that he knew nothing about the matter.

"Impossible. They said their boss is also a teacher at Kyoto Chunfeng Middle School. She led a team to participate in the Shanghai Mathematical Olympiad this time, and someone recommended me. So, there's no one else but you," Qiao Jingjing said with certainty, her eyes shining with determination, seemingly dissatisfied with Tu's answer.

Yu Tu then recalled the few days he spent at the Shanghai Mathematical Olympiad and realized that he hadn't had any contact with anyone from Chunfeng Middle School, let alone recommended Qiao Jingjing to anyone.

Chapter 187 The Follow-up Trouble

His brows furrowed even more, a hint of doubt in his eyes: "I have never met anyone from Chunfeng Middle School, much less recommended you. You've come to the wrong person." His tone was firm, without the slightest hesitation.

After Yu Tu finished speaking, he left, leaving Qiao Jingjing standing there alone, her eyes filled with disappointment and confusion. She didn't know who to believe. Zheng Shuyi had no reason to lie to her, and Yu Tu wouldn't lie to her either. So who had recommended her?

Qiao Jingjing was filled with questions, but what was even more embarrassing was that this meant she had been wrong. She had been deluding herself. Yu Tu didn't have feelings for her. Her joy vanished instantly.

Qiao Jingjing spent the whole day at school. When school ended in the afternoon, Qiao Jingjing walked out of the school in low spirits, and Zheng Shuyi hurriedly came to greet her.

"Qiao Jingjing, we meet again." Zheng Shuyi said with a smile. She keenly noticed that Qiao Jingjing was a little down, but still maintained a warm attitude.

When Qiao Jingjing saw that it was Zheng Shuyi, she forced a smile and said, "Manager Su, hello!" Her eyes were somewhat evasive, as if she was hiding something.

"Alright, get in the car. Let's go to your place first." Zheng Shuyi patted Qiao Jingjing's shoulder and pulled her hand toward a Mercedes parked on the side. Qiao Jingjing didn't refuse and silently followed Zheng Shuyi into the car.

The assistant drove to a villa and stopped in front of it, following the directions given by Qiao Jingjing. Zheng Shuyi immediately realized that Qiao Jingjing's family background was not simple. She was secretly amazed, but on the surface, she remained calm.

Zheng Shuyi had her assistant carry the gifts and follow behind, while she and Qiao Jingjing walked ahead. Entering the living room, Yan Qingyu was watching TV. Seeing Qiao Jingjing leading two strangers in, she frowned, immediately stood up, and asked with a puzzled look, "Jingjing, who are these two?"

Qiao Jingjing quickly introduced, "Mom, this is Ms. Zheng Shuyi, the general manager of Kyoto Longteng Games, and the other one is her assistant. They want to invite me to be the spokesperson for their company's new game."

Zheng Shuyi smiled and stepped forward, took out a business card from her bag and handed it over, saying, "Sister Yan, hello! I am Zheng Shuyi, the general manager of Kyoto Longteng Games. We greatly admire Qiao Jingjing's talent and image and hope she can be the spokesperson for our new game. However, she said she needs her parents' permission, so we took the liberty of coming to bother you."

Her tone was sincere and polite, and she gestured to her assistant to deliver the gift: "It's nice to meet you. This is just a small token of our appreciation. Please accept it."

Yan Qingyu took the business card, glanced at it, and a hint of surprise appeared on her face. She hadn't expected Qiao Jingjing to be chosen by a company in Kyoto, and she couldn't help but feel a little proud. However, she was also worried that this might affect Qiao Jingjing's studies, so she politely said, "Manager Su is truly young and promising. Please have a seat. However, regarding the endorsement, I still need to consider it. After all, Jingjing is still a student, and her studies are the most important thing."

Zheng Shuyi understood Yan Qingyu's concerns and quickly said, "Sister Yan, don't worry, we will arrange the time reasonably and try our best not to affect Qiao Jingjing's studies. Moreover, this endorsement is also a great opportunity for Qiao Jingjing. This time, our company has invited two spokespeople, the other one being the big star Gao Wen."

Qiao Jingjing listened from the side, feeling conflicted. She was very interested in the endorsement deal and also really liked Gao Wen, but she was worried about upsetting her mother. She secretly glanced at Zheng Shuyi, then at her mother, unsure of what to do.

Looking at Qiao Jingjing's expression, Yan Qingyu felt a pang of pity. She knew Qiao Jingjing had her own reasons. After thinking for a moment, she said, "How about this, I'll discuss it with Jingjing first, and then give you an answer."

Zheng Shuyi nodded and said, "Okay, Sister Yan. We won't bother you any longer, we'll wait for your news." She stood up and walked towards the door with her assistant.

Qiao Jingjing saw Zheng Shuyi and her assistant off. At the door, Zheng Shuyi held Qiao Jingjing's hand and said encouragingly, "Qiao Jingjing, I believe in you. If you have any ideas, feel free to contact me anytime."

Qiao Jingjing looked at Zheng Shuyi gratefully and said, "Thank you, Manager Su. I will think about it carefully."

After Zheng Shuyi left, Qiao Jingjing returned to the living room. Yan Qingyu waved to her, and Qiao Jingjing went over and sat down next to her mother.

Yan Qingyu looked at Qiao Jingjing with a puzzled expression, her brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of worry in her eyes. She gently patted Qiao Jingjing's hand and asked, "Jingjing, I remember you said before that you wanted to study astronomy at Tsinghua University, right? Why are you thinking of going into the entertainment industry now?"

Qiao Jingjing's eyes flickered slightly. She bit her lip, her hands unconsciously fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, muttering to herself, "Oh dear, why is Mom suddenly asking about this? Isn't it because of Yu Tu? And that beautiful, academically gifted Xia Qing who's eyeing me so intently..." She took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice calm, and explained, "Mom, you know my grades. I feel like getting into a 985 or 211 university is no problem, but getting into Tsinghua University is a bit unrealistic. Besides, I think I have a talent for acting. I'm as pretty as you, maybe I can make a name for myself in the entertainment industry."

Yan Qingyu's expression became even more serious. She sat up straight, looked at Qiao Jingjing earnestly, and said, "But... Jingjing, the entertainment industry is a job that relies on youth. No matter what, you still have to go to university. Although your family's conditions are not great, they are not bad either. Your father and I don't have high expectations for you, but you have to understand that all the knowledge you learn will be your foundation, and you will have more choices when you look for a boyfriend in the future."

Qiao Jingjing felt conflicted. She knew her mother meant well, but she really wanted to experience what it was like to be a star. Looking at her mother, her eyes shining with determination, she said, "Mom, I didn't say I wouldn't go to university. Haven't you seen so many child stars end up going to university? Wouldn't that give me more options in life?"

Yan Qingyu's expression softened slightly. She nodded and said, "Alright, it seems you're determined to be the spokesperson for this game. You'd better make it clear to Manager Su that it can't interfere with your studies, otherwise I won't agree."

Hearing her mother relent, Qiao Jingjing breathed a sigh of relief. She hugged Yan Qingyu's arm tightly and said coquettishly, "Mom, it's King of Glory, so don't worry. Besides, their boss is a teacher, right? He must be very good at leading teams to participate in the Olympiad. Maybe he can even give me some study advice."

Yan Qingyu looked at Qiao Jingjing with loving eyes. She gently stroked Qiao Jingjing's hair and said, "Okay, Mom believes in you. But you must promise Mom that you will study hard and not let yourself regret it."

Qiao Jingjing nodded vigorously and said, "I understand, Mom. I will definitely work hard!" Her face was filled with a confident smile, as if she could already see her future shining brightly in the entertainment industry.

Zheng Shuyi's progress was going relatively smoothly, but Bi Ruoshan encountered some trouble.

"Ms. Bi, Gao Wen's agency hung up the phone immediately as soon as they heard it was our company. I asked around in the industry, and it turns out it's because our boss has really messed up a lot of companies in Shanghai this time, so many people, including some government officials, are very dissatisfied with us. Now most companies in Shanghai are refusing to cooperate with us." Bi Ruoshan's assistant reported with a troubled expression, her brows furrowed and a layer of fine sweat on her forehead.

Hearing her assistant's words, Bi Ruoshan frowned even more, her eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and anxiety. Although she felt somewhat embarrassed, she still forced herself to speak, "Have you contacted Gao Wen herself? After all, this endorsement fee is not low, and there are rumors that Gao Wen and her agency don't have a good relationship."

The assistant lowered her head, not daring to look Bi Ruoshan in the eye, and answered softly, "No, there were rumors about her and Xiao Liang, the general manager of Tongling Jewelry, before. Now Gao Wen is rarely active in public, and it's difficult to contact her. Do you think we can choose to change the spokesperson?"

Bi Ruoshan looked at her assistant speechlessly, her eyes filled with disappointment and dissatisfaction. She waved her hand forcefully and said, "Then do you think anyone is more popular than Gao Wen right now? Why are we paying such a high endorsement fee? Isn't it to find the most popular star?"

The assistant, startled by Bi Ruoshan's words, fell silent and retreated to the side, watching Bi Ruoshan lean back in her chair, deep in thought. Bi Ruoshan's fingers tapped incessantly on the desk; her mind was filled with conflict and turmoil. She didn't know whether she should call Su Chang. After all, she was now the general manager; if she constantly sought the boss's help, wouldn't Su Chang think she was useless?

After hesitating for about ten minutes, Bi Ruoshan waved to her assistant and said, "You can go out now. I'll handle Gao Wen's matter."

"Yes, Mr. Bi." The assistant immediately left the office.

After her assistant left, Bi Ruoshan picked up her phone and dialed Su Chang's number.

Her heart pounded like a drum, as if it would burst from her chest. The moment the call connected, she blurted out, "President Su, this is Bi Ruoshan." Her voice trembled slightly, a genuine expression of her nervousness and unease.

Chapter 188 Tan Zongming's Phone Call

Su Chang had just safely escorted the students back to school and was planning to accompany Li Meng back to the Rose Garden Villa after school.

During this time, he had been worried about their safety and hadn't spent much time with her. Now that the matter was resolved, he naturally wanted to comfort them. However, Bi Ruoshan's sudden call stirred up a sense of doubt in his heart.

"Ruoshan, I have your number saved. Is there something you need?" Su Chang's tone was direct and straightforward.

"President Su, I've run into a bit of trouble and need your help." Bi Ruoshan spoke hesitantly, as if she was wondering what to do.

"Just say what's on your mind. There's no need to hide anything from me." Su Chang's voice carried a hint of firmness; he sensed the seriousness of the matter from Bi Ruoshan's tone.

Bi Ruoshan took a deep breath, as if to encourage herself, and then recounted in detail how most companies in Shanghai refused to cooperate and how Gao Wen's agency directly refused.

Upon hearing this, Su Chang frowned deeply. He had never expected that his act of self-defense would provoke so much discontent. He was simply trying to protect himself; was that wrong? He couldn't help but feel somewhat helpless.

Su Chang rubbed his temples, calming his inner turmoil. Then, he said firmly, "Ruoshan, put this matter aside for now. I'll figure out a way to handle Gao Wen's situation."

"Okay, President Su." Bi Ruoshan breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that Su Chang was willing to take on the task.

A relaxed smile appeared on her face, but she seemed afraid that Su Chang would change his mind, so she hung up the phone as soon as she finished speaking.

Su Chang held her phone, looked at the disconnected call, and shook her head helplessly.

Su Chang frowned slightly, and after a moment's thought, dialed Zheng Fangxiu's number directly.

"Big sister, now that this matter is over, isn't 727 starting to ostracize us in Shanghai?" Su Chang asked as soon as the call connected, her tone tinged with worry.

Upon hearing Su Chang's voice, Zheng Fangxiu's heart tightened. She didn't know where Su Chang had gotten the information and assumed he was there to reprimand her. She quickly said, "Young Master, we are handling it, and it may take some more time." Her voice was tense, and her hand unconsciously gripped her phone tightly.

Su Chang shook her head helplessly, muttering to herself, "Am I that scary? Bi Ruoshan is like this, and so is Zheng Fangxiu."

He tried to soften his tone and comforted her, "Little sister, don't be nervous. I just wanted to ask what the situation is like in Shanghai right now. Could you help me find Gao Wen's address? I wanted her to endorse the game 'Honor of Kings' for me, but her agency refused outright."

Hearing Su Chang's words, Zheng Fangxiu finally felt relieved. She breathed a sigh of relief and thought for a moment before saying, "Young Master, I can have Liang Dawei investigate Gao Wen's location immediately. I'll arrange for someone to go and talk to her. I believe that as long as we can afford it, Gao Wen can switch jobs to our company." A hint of confidence shone in her eyes.

“Okay, I’ll leave this to you. What’s the reaction from the Shanghai authorities? Should we consider moving to another city?” Su Chang continued, his expression turning serious as he tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

Zheng Fangxiu took a deep breath and explained in detail the attitude of the Shanghai authorities towards them. Her tone was calm, as if she were stating something perfectly ordinary.

There are currently three main factions. The first faction is the local faction, which has deep ties with the Li and Jiang families. They have contacted many local companies in Shanghai to squeeze out Su Chang's company.

The second faction is the younger generation led by the new mayor, who hope that Su Chang's company can increase its investment and construction in Shanghai, replace the Jiang and Li families, and become a new leading enterprise in Shanghai.

The third group consists of older people. Because Su Chang completely ruined the Jiang family, they don't have a very good impression of Su Chang, but they haven't taken many actions.

Su Chang fell silent after hearing this, his eyes becoming deep as if he were pondering something. He stopped tapping his fingers, crossed his arms over his chest, and fell into deep thought.

A few minutes later, Su Chang solemnly instructed, "Big sister, don't invest any more money in Shanghai for now. Recently, contact the governments of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Beijing to find out their attitudes and policies. This message doesn't need to be kept secret, and you can also probe the attitude of the Shanghai government."

Upon hearing Su Chang's instructions, Zheng Fangxiu replied without hesitation, "Yes, young master, I will arrange for someone to take care of it immediately." Her eyes were firm, revealing her seriousness and responsibility towards her work.

After hanging up the phone, Su Chang gently rubbed his slightly throbbing head, inwardly sighing: the complexity and intricacies of the business world far exceeded his imagination. Without Zheng Fangxiu and the others' assistance, he would definitely have chosen to simply give up. After all, with his current assets, it would be very difficult for him to spend them all unless he made reckless investments.

Just as he was lying in his office chair with his eyes closed, resting, his phone suddenly rang again. Su Chang's heart tightened, thinking that some company had encountered another emergency. He quickly opened his eyes, picked up his phone, and saw that it was Tan Zongming calling.

Su Chang answered the phone, her tone slightly puzzled: "Old Tan, what's up?"

Tan Zongming's voice sounded somewhat serious: "Do you have time? I'm in Kyoto right now, want to come out and talk?"

Su Chang didn't know what Tan Zongming wanted to see him about, but considering Tan Zongming's previous help and his background, he decided to agree.

"Sure, where shall we meet?" Su Chang's voice revealed a hint of doubt.

"Let's go to Brother Ding's club instead," Tan Zongming quickly replied.

Su Chang agreed and hung up the phone, shaking his head slightly as he pondered Tan Zongming's intentions. As he walked out the door, he instructed Ma Li, who was waiting outside, "Ma Li, you stay here and protect Li Meng. Tell Mengmeng later that I have something to do and that she and Taozi should have dinner first tonight. Don't wait for me; I'll be back tonight."

Ma Li immediately nodded in agreement, saying, "Okay, boss."

When Su Chang drove up to Ding Ge's club, his gaze was immediately drawn to the two people standing at the entrance. Tan Zongming was leading a middle-aged man, who had clearly been waiting for some time. Tan Zongming was slightly behind the middle-aged man by half a step, a detail that puzzled Su Chang. He wondered who this middle-aged man was, that Tan Zongming had to lag behind him by half a step.

Su Chang slowly parked the car in front of Tan Zongming, casually tossing the keys to the valet. His face beamed with a smile, like a flower blooming in spring, as he warmly greeted Tan Zongming: "Old Tan, why are you being so polite, waiting for me at the door?"

Tan Zongming smiled and shook his head, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes, and introduced the middle-aged man in front of him to Su Chang: "Su Chang, this is Tan Zongyi, the vice governor of Su Province in charge of the economy, and also my cousin. Today, my cousin mainly wants to talk to you."

Tan Zongyi proactively raised his hand and extended it to Su Chang, a gentle smile on his face. His voice revealed a sense of composure and confidence: "President Su, I've long heard Zongming say that you are a promising young man. Today I finally get to meet you in person."

A hint of surprise flashed in Su Chang's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, shook Tan Zongyi's hand, then let go, and put on a humble smile: "Not at all, Governor Tan, don't listen to old Tan's nonsense. I'm just messing around, I can't compare to old Tan."

Su Chang thought to himself, Tan Zongyi's intentions are obvious to everyone. This meal probably won't be very good, but having another option is not bad.

Tan Zongming seemed to see through Su Chang's thoughts. He laughed and teased, "You're just talking nonsense. You're much more famous than me in Shanghai now. You took down more than ten companies at once. I couldn't do that."

Su Chang knew Tan Zongming was joking. He rolled his eyes in annoyance, but a sense of helplessness welled up inside him: "Do you think I wanted this? I had no choice. Unlike you, do you think anyone would dare to touch Shengxuan? Would anyone dare to lay a hand on you? Only someone like me with no connections would be someone everyone would want to take a bite out of."

Seeing that the topic of conversation was getting a bit awkward, Tan Zongyi quickly interjected, "President Su, let's go inside first. It's tiring to keep talking like this at the door."

Su Chang nodded slightly, then gestured for Tan Zongyi to go first, while he and Tan Zongming followed closely behind.