Chapter 9

One month later, Zhang Ziyi was on her way to class when she suddenly noticed that people around her were looking at her strangely. Hu Jing stared at her hair and said, "Ziyi, I just noticed that you've been keeping your hair long and straight lately. It's so black and shiny, and when it flows in the wind, it's absolutely beautiful."

"What are you talking about? There's no shine; it's all split ends." Ever since someone touched her hair and left it greasy, she had been making a habit of washing her hair every day.

Yuan Quan sighed, "I also auditioned for that commercial, but unfortunately, I wasn't selected because I don't have long hair. I never thought a commercial could be so touching. When the final part of the Canon music played, it gave me goosebumps."

Qin Hailu added, "Yeah, it's the most impressive and touching commercial I've ever seen. It's like a movie, and I want to watch it over and over again."

"What are you guys talking about?"

Zhang Ziyi suddenly thought of a possibility and covered her mouth in surprise, "Could it be that the commercial I shot has been aired?"

"You didn't know? It's even gone viral online." Liu Ye suddenly chimed in, joining the girls' conversation.

The class bell rang, and Chang Li walked in. Her first words made everyone smile, "Today, I turned on the TV and saw a very beautiful commercial. The style is very nostalgic, and the editing and music are top-notch. It's about four minutes long and tells a very touching story. After watching it once, I suddenly noticed a familiar figure. Ziyi, the commercial was well done."

Even the teacher knew, and the classroom immediately became lively, with many envious glances cast at Zhang Ziyi. She felt excited but mostly confused, "This, this is all thanks to the director. It has nothing to do with me. The director, Chen Tian, a senior from the directing department, and Jingjing, you know him, oh (é). I also have to thank the teacher for recommending me for the audition."

"Are you giving an acceptance speech?" Liu Ye joked, causing a burst of laughter.

Yuan Quan pouted, "Teacher, you're biased. Why didn't you recommend us to try out?"

Chang Li laughed, "You're greedy. I already told you that you went to the audition yourself. They wanted someone with long, flowing hair who could play the violin, and you didn't meet the criteria. Well, let's move on. Stay humble and focus on your studies. Maybe one day you'll all become big stars."

The commercial's popularity was so high that it even surpassed the ratings of TV dramas, creating an awkward situation for the TV station. The commercial was so captivating that viewers were willing to wait for it to be replayed, watching it over and over again without getting tired.

Millions were moved by the deaf and mute girl's persistence in pursuing her musical dreams. Millions were excited by the fourfold variation of the violin Canon and the girl with the flowing hair.

Viewers no longer found the length of the commercial annoying because it was worth waiting for.

The commercial, featuring a disabled child learning music, the Canon, and classical music, was a shampoo advertisement for Rejoice titled "You Can." Procter & Gamble showed great courage by airing a four-minute commercial on TV, which was quite extravagant.

The commercial was more like a short film, standing out in a sea of unoriginal, mass-produced ads like a bomb dropped into a dead lake, creating a massive wave.

The impact of the commercial was unparalleled. The sales of Rejoice increased significantly, and Procter & Gamble had to redefine the brand's packaging, adding the "You Can" logo to align with the commercial.

The media also wrote unprecedented reviews for a commercial, "‘Because of the experience, we understand.’ Sometimes, hardship gives us the power to perceive life more deeply. The girl did not succumb to her congenital disability and the challenges of growing up; her experiences became the strength that allowed her to break free."

"The emotion is not from the hardship but from the persistence."

"Gratitude for life, for our imperfect selves, for the unpredictable world, and for the fact that we still feel grateful after experiencing all this. Music is the catalyst of emotion. The music in the commercial contains so much sentiment—freedom, passion, and a broad-minded spirit. This classic commercial, which is both artistically valuable and commercially successful, sets a new standard. If all the commercials on TV had this effect, they wouldn't be so annoying."

"According to some music school reports, the number of people enrolling in violin lessons has increased several times recently..."

Procter & Gamble has already started planning to release the commercial globally. The remaining half of the payment, which was originally planned to be delayed, was smoothly transferred to the Wushuang Film Company's account.

Zhang Ziyi never imagined that a commercial she shot just for the money would become so popular. Several brands approached her to shoot more commercials, earning her additional income. Her vanity made her keep her hair long, and she enjoyed the attention her black, straight hair brought. Once, while eating out, a little girl even recognized her and asked for an autograph, a first in her life.

In this era, becoming so famous because of a commercial, she was probably the first. Thinking about the senior who brought her this opportunity, "Should I treat him to a meal? What if others misunderstand and think I'm pursuing him..."

Xu Jinglei's role was also impressive, but since she played the antagonist, she didn't receive as much attention as the protagonist. She would graduate this year, and when she went out to find roles and write her resume, she could use this commercial as a highlight, which would only add to her credentials.

The previously unknown Wushuang Film Company was also sought after for the first time. Several major companies looking to shoot commercials for their new products extended invitations to them.

As for Chen Tian, his data usage had been refreshed at the end of last month. With the remaining 80M from last month, he now had a total of 380M, but it was still far from enough for a movie. Seeing the nearly 1GB file, he hesitated several times, "It's already April, the movie will be released next year, and filming won't start later than mid-year. Maybe it's too late. But the phone information shows that the director is still collecting scripts, which means the script hasn't been written yet. I still have a chance, I still have a chance..."

"Decide!" He clicked to download with determination.

Suddenly, a prompt box appeared on his phone, "This is your first time downloading a movie file over 300M. The system will give you one for free."

Stunned for two seconds, he suddenly shouted, "YES!"

Then he thought, "If the first movie download comes with a free one, what about the first TV series download?"

From then on, he stayed at home, rarely going out, not even to school.

The final year of college was mostly self-directed, with many students busy with their futures, and the school didn't interfere much. Since Chen Tian had recruited people for the commercial on campus, many classmates knew that the popular commercial was directed by Chen Tian from the directing department, making him a sensation at school. Even the head of the directing department, Professor Luo, called to ask if he was preparing for the department's graduation project.

But his mind was no longer on that.

"Back! I'm so thirsty. Lao Chen, Chen Doutu, where are you?" Kong Yiji shouted from the living room.

Huang Bo also drank some water, "He's probably still in his room, a real shut-in."

"Shut up, do you want to die?" Chen Tian pushed open the door, holding a stack of papers. He looked at Huang Bo and said, "Neck, is the song thing settled?"

Huang Bo nodded gloomily, "Mai Tian Music agreed and is willing to pay a high price. But they're more interested in you as the singer and want to meet you. In my opinion, selling the songs isn't a good deal. With four of your songs, you could easily make an album."

Chen Tian grinned, "I'm afraid I don't have the time... But let's meet them. Maybe there won't be another chance. You should give up on your singing dreams. My three songs aren't suitable for you. There are so many good singers out there, and none of them are clamoring to make albums. Even if you wanted to, we don't have the capability. Focus on your studies instead."

Huang Bo felt even more depressed, "Can we not talk about this? I've already signed up for a class."

"Done talking, my turn," Kong Yiji said.

Chen Tian waved his hand, "You don't need to say anything. Have you received any invitations for toothpaste or phone commercials? I can only shoot these two within a month. Any more, and I won't be able to manage."

Kong Yiji was secretly delighted, "That's enough. There's a toothpaste commercial invitation. If you can get it, I'll find you a phone commercial too."

...

The meeting with Gao Xiaosong and Song Ke took place in a coffee shop, just as Huang Bo had predicted. After seeing Chen Tian's image, they decided to produce an album for him. They could only include the four songs, no more. They suggested a mini-album, but there was no precedent for it in China. People preferred practicality, and with piracy rampant, a tape with only four songs would be a hard sell. They could only collaborate with others.

It didn't matter to him; his ambitions lay elsewhere.

After agreeing on the collaboration, they started modifying the arrangements to better suit Chen Tian's style. "I Believe," "Existence," "Spring," and "The Brightest Star in the Night Sky" were highly praised rock songs, the result of his 200M data usage.

He had never had such a great time in a KTV. With two professional musicians guiding him, what more could he ask for? Even if the songs weren't originally his, they could become his.

"You have a natural talent for singing. Without professional training, you can easily hit high notes. Why don't you forget about commercials and focus on singing? If you train with me, your future in the music industry will be bright," Gao Xiaosong tempted him.

Chen Tian could only smile bitterly, "I was just planning to sell the songs. I'm grateful that you two are producing an album for me. The future is uncertain, and I'm worried I might give up halfway. I appreciate your offer, but I'll take it one step at a time."

Gao Xiaosong shook his head regretfully.

...

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