Chapter 4

As they walked out of the building, the sky had already begun to darken.

The two brothers left with a preliminary cooperation agreement in hand, walking with pride and satisfaction.

Chen Tiandu also heaved a huge sigh of relief. This was his first time relying on the power of his phone, and he had been unsure about it. He had been holding his breath throughout the process, boasting so much that it seemed like not choosing him would be a lifelong regret. He never expected such a significant effect, standing out among many elite advertising companies.

The prototype of this advertisement was the classic Thai Pantene motivational ad. He didn't know if this ad would really appear in the future, but now that he had borrowed it, it wouldn't happen again. The first pot of gold was about to be dug. The gloom from the previous N times of inviting the boss to drink without getting a single cent, drinking until his stomach perforated, being knocked down by a brick while walking, and lying in bed as a vegetable for a week, all vanished, "Let's go..."

"Big Tycoon?"

"You treat us."

"(#?′) Damn!"

The so-called "Big Tycoon" was just a dim little bar near the school.

Old disco music played inside, and sometimes they invited some homeless singers to perform a few songs. A few neon lights swept around, casting a dim light, and couples danced to the atmosphere. Outside the bar, barbecue stalls lined up, and the strong smell of cumin could be smelled from a distance. Those who drank here didn't call it bar food; it was all barbecue with beer.

"That guy, he's really smooth."

For these two brothers, the only time they would treat someone to a meal was when they were trying to get an investment from the boss. Even when treating the boss, they sometimes felt the pinch of money. What if the boss kept ordering abalone and lobster while the talks were clearly not going well?

"Forgetting the wallet," "Can't hold my liquor," "Escaping to the bathroom," or "Sincerely suggesting to split the bill," such tactics were countless.

They shook the contract, the large amount of a million yuan blurring their eyes, making them happier the more they looked. A ugly man on stage strummed a guitar and sang "Sailor," an old song. The two guys hugged each other and drank, clinking glasses, a few bottles of beer on the table.

It was still a bit chilly in March in the capital, the perfect season for hotpot. After a few bottles of beer, they were completely drunk. Kong Yiji, who had reverted to his usual silly self, grabbed a bottle and used it as a microphone, "Mr. Chen... Chen Tiandu, the great director, can we interview you for our newspaper?"

Chen Tiandu was nine-tenths drunk, but he was still good at playing chess. He said arrogantly, "You reporters are so annoying. I'm at least a great director who has defeated a boxing champion. You didn't even make an appointment for the interview. Do you think I would agree to it?"

"Of course, who doesn't know that your film was nominated for the Oscar for Best Director, attracting national attention, and the people of the country are waiting for your response. Mr. Chen, the great director, what about the box office of your... masterpiece..."

"Eighteen billion dollars in box office, in US dollars, eighteen billion US dollars!" Chen Tiandu shouted, drawing stares from the surrounding people.

This game of boasting was something they often played, especially after a shower while looking in the mirror. Even when drunk, Kong Yiji could still play along, "Eight... eighteen billion dollars for the film 'Past of a Floating City,' 18 billion, you're not afraid of being overfed..."

"Overfed my ass, floating city my ass! Remember, it's called 'Titanic.' Do you know how to interview, or should I get someone else?"

"Alright, alright, you say, since you're the great director." Kong Yiji smiled apologetically.

But the great director wasn't done showing off. Chen Tiandu became more and more arrogant, clearly getting into character. He continued, "How can you be a reporter and not know what movie I directed? Is your degree fake? How did you even get this job?"

Kong Yiji got angry and slapped the table, "Ouch, that hurts. Showing off, huh? Do you think I won't expose your underhanded dealings? I'm at least a famous reporter. Do you think I need to flatter you? I won't interview you, I won't."

Chen Tiandu quickly grabbed Kong Yiji's hand, his face changing faster than a June rain, and said with a smile, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't see that it was you, Mr. Kong, the great reporter. How could I refuse? Let's continue talking about my movie breaking global box office records and getting fourteen Oscar nominations, winning eleven awards."

Kong Yiji rolled his eyes, "(#?′) Damn, that many awards?"

"Of course!"

Chen Tiandu, with a red face and slurred speech, counted on his fingers, "Mr. Kong, let me count for you. Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Original Song, Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, Best Costume Design! Not more, not less, exactly eleven." He finished counting on his fingers and even used a bottle to make up the number.

Kong Yiji rolled his eyes, "Mr. Chen, the great director, since you've won so many awards, what would you say on the Oscar stage?"

"I'm the king of the world! I am the king of the world, hahaha..." Chen Tiandu, overly excited, jumped onto the table, holding a bottle and shouting loudly, looking very impressive.

The two silly youths were having a great time, and the bar manager had been watching them. If it weren't for the fact that they bought a lot of drinks, he would have kicked them out, "Those two are drunk. Go warn them not to disturb the other guests."

A moment later, the noise at their table got even louder. Unexpectedly, the two young men were even louder than the security guards, "What are you doing, what are you doing? We have money, and you won't let us drink? What a lousy bar. Do you know who I am? Do you know who I am? Do you think I can't burn your place down?" Chen Tiandu and Kong Yiji glared at the bald security guard.

"I know, one is the king of the world, and the other is a great reporter. Do you think I believe you can burn my place down? Ha, behave yourselves, or I'll throw you out." The bald security guard threatened.

Chen Tiandu and Kong Yiji immediately got angry and were about to roll up their sleeves to fight when someone interrupted, "Brother, brother, give me some face. These two are my friends. They're a bit drunk. Don't take it personally."

"Tell them to behave, or I'll throw them out. Pfft." The bald security guard grumbled and walked away.

The man smiled and approached, "Gentlemen, I accidentally overheard your conversation. It was truly impressive. Are you both in the entertainment industry?"

"Who are you?" Kong Yiji asked irritably, "Hey, aren't you that ugly singer? Do we know you?"

"Ugly... ugly singer?" Huang Bo's face twitched.

Chen Tiandu, being arrogant, interrupted, "Who cares who he is. A hero doesn't ask about his past. Brother, today I'm standing up for justice. You're a good man! Come, let's drink. From now on, we're brothers."

"Clank" A bottle of beer hit the table, making Huang Bo's eyes twitch.

These two are clearly drunk. Why am I even here? They might forget everything tomorrow. Well, for the sake of my dream of stardom, what's there to hesitate? Let's do it! He grabbed the bottle and drank it in one go.

"Drinking, huh? One shot, huh? No problem." Gulping, "Damn, that's refreshing."

Huang Bo finished his shot and "clank" put the bottle on the table, grabbing two skewers and stuffing them into his mouth. Looking up, he saw only one person sitting across from him, "Hey, where did the other one go? Don't fall under the table."

Kong Yiji patted his shoulder and put another bottle on the table, "Good drinking capacity. From now on, we're brothers. Let's drink again."

"Hey, not that. Brother, where did the other brother go?" He lifted the tablecloth, but no one was underneath.

"There he is." Kong Yiji, with slurred speech, pointed to the stage.

Huang Bo turned around and saw Chen Tiandu, the屌丝 world king and great director, staggering to the stage with his broken guitar.

"Oh shit, this is bad." He threw the bottle on the table and ran over, but it was too late. Chen Tiandu adjusted the microphone stand, and a series of guitar sounds filled the air. He started singing, and his first note stunned the entire audience.

"Hey?S~~oh~~ah~~"

His clear voice soared, filling the air. The guitar strings resonated on the stage, the bass drum pounded the beat, and the small cymbals added a crisp touch. The atmosphere in the bar was electrified, and this one note was enough to make everyone sit up.

Huang Bo stumbled, almost falling flat on his face, "Damn!"

"I want to fly up to the sky, shoulder to shoulder with the sun. The world is waiting for me to change. I want to chase my dreams, not afraid of what others think. Here, I can achieve anything. Laugh out loud, let's stand shoulder to shoulder. Where can't we find endless joy? Throw away your worries, take brave steps forward, I stand in the center of the stage!"

After the first verse, the crowd went wild. Chen Tiandu, in high spirits, started showing off his guitar skills on stage. He played with his guitar slung low, performing a fiery solo for a girl. He was much more handsome than Huang Bo, and such a close-up performance made the girl ecstatic. Her boyfriend, looking wary, ran over and glared at Chen Tiandu.

"Clang clang...!"

The guitar sound suddenly changed, and Chen Tiandu's posture shifted from relaxed to slightly bent forward, his eyes half-closed, as if he could unleash a powerful force. His voice grew higher and more intense, as if it could shatter the glasses, "I believe I am who I am, I believe in tomorrow, I believe youth has no horizon. On the beach at sunset, on the bustling street, they are all the most beautiful playgrounds in my heart!"

"I believe in freedom, I believe in hope, I believe I can touch the sky. With you by my side, life is refreshed, every moment is exciting! I-do-believe..."

He sang the song two or three times, each time with a higher pitch. The impact on the audience grew stronger, like a fierce storm at the horizon, waves crashing, but the surfer defies the challenge, standing tall at the peak, taking in the world's beauty!

The lyrics of the song were extremely inspiring. The bar was called "Big Tycoon," but those who frequented this small bar were not tycoons. Each person had their own struggles in the city. The lyrics resonated with everyone, making their hearts beat faster. They felt a powerful force in their chests, a feeling that they couldn't keep inside, and they couldn't sit still. They ran into the dance floor, moving to the rhythm.

"Wawooo~~ Handsome guy, one more, one more."

A middle-aged woman raised a bottle and shouted at the stage, throwing a handful of money. Huang Bo's eyes nearly popped out, "Damn, at least a thousand. What the hell is this song?"

The song was repeated two or three times, each time with a higher pitch. The impact on the audience grew stronger, like a fierce storm at the horizon, waves crashing, but the surfer defies the challenge, standing tall at the peak, taking in the world's beauty!