Chapter 22

After Veterans Day, the United States returned to its usual pace, and Harvard-Westlake Middle School also resumed its usual bustle. The undercurrent created by Ye Wei grew even stronger.

"Hey, Zhou, do you know what the BOSS is up to?"

"What?"

"Haha, looks like you don't know yet, but I've already joined, it's cool!"

"What? Tell me quickly, I want to join too. For God's sake, Li Ming, you're going to kill me with suspense!"

"I'll take you to the Dream Chasers Club, maybe you can meet the BOSS. In short, he's making a movie! Like this... like this..."

"Holy Jesus! My grandpa! Oh my God, this is too big, genius!! I want to join!!!"

On Wednesday morning during activity time, Lev was at the yoga club, Bade at the food club, Chen Nuo at the anime club, Li Ming at the math club, and Babu at the improv comedy club... spreading the news wider and wider...

More and more people rushed to the storage room, where there would be people all day long, using a relay system during X time.

It wasn't easy to meet VIY. Newcomers usually only saw "Sphinx's Nose" Lev, "Godzilla" Bade, or "Confucius" Chen Nuo, occasionally "Tesla" Colewin, or the supernova-like "Gumpbro" Babu.

Yes, their fame had spread together, like the twelve apostles of Jesus, like the twelve Playboy Playmates of the Month!

And every brother who joined the game felt like joining the Avengers, each one a superhero!

Although no outsiders knew, they considered themselves the coolest people in the school, proudly puffing out their chests, their faces full of glory!

Investment after investment was registered, the ledger filled with passion, enthusiasm, and hope, getting closer and closer to the goal...

By that evening, all investors received a text message from Ye Wei: "During tomorrow's activity time, the Dream Chasers Club will hold a meeting to discuss some important matters. You are welcome to attend! If you can't make it, please come to the storage room by tomorrow. — Ye Wei."

This message made everyone very excited, of course they would attend, this was VIY's command!

On Thursday, activity time arrived as scheduled. Many people were already prepared, especially those close to the core team like Li Ming and Babu. As soon as the bell rang, they sprinted like in a 100-meter dash to their Jerusalem: the storage room on the first floor of the academic center.

Faster, faster, a few steps slower and they might not fit in!

Li Ming and Babu had good luck; they smoothly entered the increasingly lively storage room and secured a seat. The storage room had changed a lot in recent days, with more space cleared out, a sofa and TV placed in the center facing the door.

Despite this, those who arrived a step late had to stand in the outer rows behind the seats, even spilling out into the corridor, craning their necks to look inside.

Five minutes before the meeting started.

"Brothers and friends, please welcome our leader—VIY!!"

With Lev's exaggerated and heartfelt shout, the crowded storage room erupted in applause and cheers. Inside and out, hundreds of people were excited, their bodies burning with a passion that surged from their bones, shouting: "VIY! VIY! VIY!"

"Thank you, thank you—" A tall figure with black hair stood up from the sofa at the front, smiling and waving his right hand.

He was wearing a particularly handsome red jacket, like a bright flame. The TV screen next to the sofa showed a roaring fire, and nearby, Colewin was holding a DV camera, recording the grand occasion.

The storage room fell silent, and everyone looked at Ye Wei with anticipation, waiting for him to speak.

"Guys, we don't have much time left."

Ye Wei scanned their youthful faces, his heart also filled with passion. They had gathered together for the same goal!

He continued with his prepared speech: "Yesterday, we were crying and noisy kids in kindergarten; today, we are called teenagers; tomorrow, we will be college students, adults... Time, like the Flash, passes before we even see what it looks like."

"Look at you." He paced back and forth, many emotions surging, deviating from his script:

"Among you, who has been called a freak, a bookworm, a fool, a loser, an idiot, a homosexual, trash... Who has liked a girl but never dared to confess, only watching her fall into someone else's arms in secret; who has mustered the courage to confess, only to be told 'go to hell'... Who has gotten A+ in every subject, making parents happy and teachers praise, everyone saying you're a good child, but you, you are not happy!"

The storage room fell silent, people's expressions changing. Some scratched their heads, some blushed, feeling uneasy, painful, and lost...

Everyone.

"If anyone was touched by what I just said, please respond to me."

"I..." "Brother Wei, I have." At first, one or two voices, then quickly spreading, everyone responded, some with choked voices.

Ye Wei sighed and continued: "We are all the same kind of people, confused about the future, confused about the present, we want to do something, but we don't know how! We can't really be like James Dean jumping off a cliff, we won't be like the characters in 'American Pie' messing around, and we certainly can't be like the colorful lives in 'Beverly Hills, 90210.' Our lives are rotten! We are trapped between reality and dreams, feeling uncomfortable!"

Everyone nodded, Bade wiped away tears from the corner of his eyes, Brother Wei spoke so well!

Their passion boiled under the pressure, yes, we are uncomfortable, we are confused, but VIY will give us the answer!

Ye Wei fell silent for a moment, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone, then he suddenly raised his voice: "I know many of you are waiting for me to give you an answer, 'BOSS, what should I do?' 'Brother Wei, how can I be a cool good child?' 'Save me, I don't want my youth to have regrets!'... I'm sorry! I can't give you the answer! Because, you are all fools."

What...!? The young faces changed, shocked by VIY's last words, their hearts stabbed, Lev and Chen Nuo were also stunned...

What did Brother Wei mean?

"You are all fools because others told you 'you are a fool,' and you believed it, and you became a fool, and finally, you lost your true self, forever a group of fools!" Ye Wei quickly said, his tone softening: "Brothers, the answer can only be given by you yourselves."

So, it's like this... Everyone's mood suddenly shifted, their passion erupted, their eyes red!

"I can't give you the answer, but I can give you an opportunity, an opportunity to find the answer!"

Ye Wei's voice rose again, even those in the corridor could hear clearly. They saw him raise his fist and say emphatically:

"Movie! We are going to make a movie! This is the opportunity, it's up to you. You can choose to turn around and leave this room, continue your old life, no problem, I'll tear your name out of the ledger and throw it in the trash; or you can choose to stay, do something big, do something right."

Before he finished, someone couldn't control their excitement and shouted: "I want to stay!!"

"Me too!!" "I'm not a fool, I want to stay too!!" "Let the boring life go to hell, I want to make a movie!" "I want to invest another thousand dollars!"...

Hundreds of people were all stirred up, those sitting stood up, those standing raised their fists, no one chose to leave, even the bookworms who had been bullied and kept quiet now opened their eyes wide!

To hell with it, now, as long as VIY said a word, they would strip naked and run together without hesitation!

Be the person you truly want to be, that's the answer!

Ye Wei watched them quietly for a while, letting them shout and cheer, then nodded with a smile, good, very good! Some things were starting to change, whether it was Lev, Bade, Chen Nuo, Colewin... everyone's life trajectory would be different from the dream.

"I'm glad to see that you have made your own choice, just this point alone makes you better and cooler than many of your peers!"

His words made everyone cheer even more, Lev shouted the loudest, even Colewin said to the DV: "See that? He's a hero."

Ye Wei raised his hand again, the storage room fell silent once more. He picked up a thick file from the sofa and said seriously: "This is the new company registration document I got from a film and entertainment lawyer yesterday. I will register a limited partnership company in Nevada, responsible for production."

"I chose Nevada because there is no state tax, other taxes are also low, the company owners don't need to live there, and the actual office doesn't need to be set up there. The setup is also fast and convenient... This company embodies our youth, blood, and dreams, and everyone here has the right to name it."

He paused, his eyes shining like silver stars, and asked: "So, what will our company be called?"

A name had already surfaced, this place, this club, without a doubt...!

"Dream Chasers!!!" Everyone shouted in unison, whether it was the veterans like Lev and Bade, or the newcomers like Li Ming and Babu, they all shouted together!

"This is also my will, Dream Chasers Films!"

Ye Wei raised the contract file high, his excitement almost bursting, "I believe our company will shine across America, illuminate the world! It will become a sanctuary in the hearts of countless movie fans, a legend!!!"

Everyone fell into a frenzy, tears streaming, cheering and raising their fists, no words or actions could express their feelings, only the burning of their hearts!

After a while, Ye Wei picked up another file from the sofa and said: "This is a sample investment contract, outlining the profit, responsibility, investment return, audit, and dividend agreements. Since I am the largest investor and have technical shares, I will hold 80% of the shares as a general partner; you will hold 20% as limited partners.

In addition to the invested funds, you don't need to bear any risks or responsibilities, and you have the right to buy more shares at a lower price in the future, depending on each person's performance.

I know 80% is a lot, but I can assure you, as long as I make money, I will never let you down. Remember, I will be the last to profit and the first to take a loss! If anyone doesn't trust me, you can still leave now."

"Brother Wei, I have a suggestion, I think you should take 90%!" Lev shouted, everyone nodded, no one left or questioned. Without VIY, there would be no Dream Chasers Films, and the most important thing wasn't about making or losing money, but doing something big together!

"90%, 90%, 90%!" They shouted in unison.

"Thank you for your trust, let's stick with 80% and 20%. I can only say, I, Ye Wei, will do my best not to let you down."

Looking at everyone, Ye Wei was deeply moved, even a bit afraid of disappointing them, and a bit guilty. Compared to their 100% emotional investment, he had many rational considerations, which seemed to taint this purity, but as the initiator, operator, and overall controller, he had to do it.

Amidst the applause, he continued loudly:

"Before school ends, you will each receive a copy of the investment contract to take home and read carefully, consult professionals, and then fill in the investment amount, name, date, etc... There is also a key point, the joint signature of the guardian as the responsible party, which we all need, unless you are 18.

So, you need to explain to your parents, they will have many questions, may not understand, and might strongly oppose. Remember what I said, don't get angry with them! We need to patiently explain why this investment is so important, convince them, communicate, not confront.

If anyone can't handle it, call me, and I'll talk to them. If everything goes smoothly, we will complete the accounting by next Wednesday. After the company is officially established, a regulated third-party escrow account will be set up, so you don't have to worry about me using the money to date girls."

"Ha ha!" Everyone laughed, Lev shouted, "Do you want us to say mushy things? We trust you!!" Bade also laughed, "Brother Wei, if you use it to date girls, we'll be happy too, just make sure it's a hot one!" "Ha ha, yeah!"...

"Brothers, keep the accounts clear and detailed, it's not about trust, it's about professionalism." Ye Wei smiled but was serious, "This isn't a joke, our current investment amount has reached over $370,000, enough to buy a big house."

Everyone had no objections, whatever VIY said was fine.

"That's all, finally, I want to say, I am proud of you, you cool guys!"

Ye Wei's sudden shout reignited everyone's passion, their radiant smiles as if they owned the world. Ye Wei looked at his watch and smiled, "There are still 10 precious minutes left before the activity time ends, let's enjoy something good."

Snap! He snapped his fingers, and Lev walked to the TV, skillfully changing the disc, a rabbit head logo faintly visible.

When the beautiful image appeared on the TV screen, everyone cheered...

Meanwhile, outside, the corridor was also bustling. The commotion from the storage room had attracted a lot of attention. Students passing by were all puzzled, what were they doing? What was Ye Wei up to?

Ms. Grace Esi, walking towards the storage room, was also puzzled. According to the feedback from various teachers, Ye Wei had become even less focused in class recently, not completing homework for several days, always busy with something, probably affected by his father's investment failure. So she came to the Dream Chasers Club to observe and guide him.

She didn't expect to see such a crowded scene, it seemed all his friends were there.

"Boys, what's going on here?" Ms. Esi was very surprised. The students, seeing her, panicked and shouted "Ms. Esi"...

When she made everyone part to form a path and came to the storage room door, she was even more shocked by the scene inside. What was going on? Why were they all gathered here?!

Everyone turned to look at her, smiling awkwardly, and Ye Wei, sitting on the sofa, held a TV remote, his smile a bit mysterious...

The TV was playing "Garfield":

"Whatever you do, don't tell them I did something good, it will ruin my image!"

Page AD starts

Page AD ends