Chapter 11

Before long, it was winter break. Without the burden of schoolwork, Zhang Chengyuan spent more time working part-time. As for cultivation, due to the lack of spiritual energy, his cultivation had stagnated, and he had no choice but to stop intense practice. Every day, he only meditated for two hours before bed and practiced martial arts for two hours in the morning to maintain his current realm.

The extra time was spent either reading news reports or various miscellaneous books, or wandering around the streets of Seoul. Besides further understanding the local customs and the new appearance of the modern city, he would also occasionally reminisce about the scenes he had seen when his soul traveled across the Chinese mainland in his previous life.

Every time he woke up in the middle of the night, he would always think of the bits and pieces of his homeland. If it weren't for the lack of money, he would have long flown back to his homeland.

One evening, Zhang Chengyuan went to the Han River Park on Yeouido Island to clear his mind. Looking at the Han River water flowing westward, he couldn't help but sigh, much like Confucius' lament, "Time flies like this river." Between his past and present lives, over a thousand years had passed in the blink of an eye, and the world had changed so much that it was truly remarkable.

Moved by his thoughts, Zhang Chengyuan's demeanor, which had been cultivated through Daoist practice, became even more ethereal. Coupled with his handsome and extraordinary appearance and his almost perfect, tall and straight figure, he appeared especially dazzling and captivating in the warm winter sunlight. People strolling by the river couldn't help but look at him, and some bold young girls even stopped to stare at him from a distance.

Sensing the attention, Zhang Chengyuan turned around and saw so many people staring at him. He frowned in confusion and felt somewhat uncomfortable. He then took out the thick-framed glasses he usually wore at school from his pocket, put them on, and covered half of his face, thereby concealing most of his charm. Soon, the crowd gradually dispersed, and Zhang Chengyuan also started to walk along the Han River.

After a few steps, a middle-aged man in a suit and tie approached him. The man, who looked to be around forty, had a kind and honest face. He walked up to Zhang Chengyuan and said gently, "Student, what's your name?"

If it were his previous life, Zhang Chengyuan would have found the man's manner too impolite. However, in the hierarchical society of South Korea, such a greeting was quite common.

Firstly, the middle-aged man was much older than Zhang Chengyuan. In Korea, even a one-year age difference could significantly affect seniority, and this man was undoubtedly a senior to Zhang Chengyuan. Secondly, in terms of status, the man clearly looked like a successful white-collar worker, while Zhang Chengyuan was just a student, with a significant gap in status. Lastly, the man's tone was already quite gentle, much softer than that of the school's disciplinary head. Therefore, Zhang Chengyuan did not walk away but politely asked, "Do you have something to ask?"

The middle-aged man said, "Oh, yes. I'm Park Byung-ryeol from Logosfilm Advertising Agency. Here's my business card."

Zhang Chengyuan took the card and quickly glanced at it, learning that the man was a representative of an advertising company. He thought, "Could he be here to ask me to model for an advertisement?"

Park Byung-ryeol continued, "I've been observing you for a while, and I think you have an excellent image, very suitable for being an advertising model. Are you interested in trying it out?"

Zhang Chengyuan thought for a moment and asked, "How much can I earn from modeling?"

Park Byung-ryeol smiled and said, "It varies. Some people only earn enough for travel expenses, while others can earn up to 100 million won per advertisement. But you can rest assured, with your image, you can at least earn enough to live on, and I guarantee that within one or two years, you'll become very popular and start earning a lot of money. You might even become a TV star or a movie star, and then earning hundreds of millions won won't be a problem."

Zhang Chengyuan thought, "This man is talking so confidently. Could he be a fraud? I worked hard for four months to earn five million won. How easy is it to earn hundreds of millions? I should teach him a lesson." But then he thought, "If I beat up an older man in public, it might cause a scandal. Besides, I haven't lost anything, so I'll let him off this time."

With this in mind, Zhang Chengyuan said, "I have something to do, I'll be going now!" and tried to leave.

Park Byung-ryeol, seeing a potential gold mine, was not about to let go easily. He grabbed Zhang Chengyuan's hand and said, "Student, I'm not a talent scout who deceives people with sweet talk. You might be inexperienced and think what I said is too unrealistic, but it's all true. Although it might sound hard to believe, in South Korea, top-tier celebrities do indeed earn unimaginable amounts from advertising endorsements."

Although Park Byung-ryeol held Zhang Chengyuan's left hand tightly, he couldn't stop him from moving. However, his efforts were not in vain, and Zhang Chengyuan stopped after hearing his explanation.

Zhang Chengyuan asked, "Why should I believe you?"

Park Byung-ryeol pondered and said, "To gain your trust, I promise that I will never charge you any fees, and all expenses related to your work will be covered by the company until you start earning money from advertisements. Moreover, our company will provide you with acting training and assign you a dedicated agent. We'll handle all the trivial matters as well. Is that satisfactory?"

Zhang Chengyuan said, "Is it really that good? What do I need to do, and what shouldn't I do?" He knew that with benefits came responsibilities, a lesson he had learned from his part-time work.

Park Byung-ryeol said, "It's hard to explain everything at once. Why don't we find a coffee shop and talk it over?"

Zhang Chengyuan shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, I have to go to work at a fried chicken shop."

Park Byung-ryeol said, "Then, please make time to come to my office tomorrow. Anytime between 10 AM and 8 PM, I'll be waiting for you."

Zhang Chengyuan said, "No need for that. Tomorrow at 2 PM, I'll come to your office at the address on the card. I'll be on time, and I hope you'll be there."

Park Byung-ryeol said happily, "It's a deal. See you tomorrow. Ah, wait, I don't know your name yet?"

Zhang Chengyuan said, "I'm Zhang Chengyuan. Goodbye!"

Park Byung-ryeol read aloud, "Zhang Chengyuan? That's a good name, it can be used as an artist name." He looked up to see Zhang Chengyuan walking away and waved, shouting, "Chengyuan, you must come tomorrow!"

Zhang Chengyuan quickly left, thinking, "If I can really earn more money from advertisements, that would be great. Not only will I have more leisure time, but I can also buy a plane ticket to return to China. Great Song, my homeland, you are now called China. I swear, I will return."

As Zhang Chengyuan left, three girls around fifteen or sixteen years old were sitting on a nearby patch of grass. One of them, a very beautiful girl, heard Park Byung-ryeol's final shout of "Chengyuan" and exclaimed, "It really is him. I didn't expect him to be so handsome without his glasses."

These three girls had come to the Han River Park earlier than Zhang Chengyuan and had noticed his extraordinary appearance without his glasses. They were so captivated by him that even after he put on his glasses, they couldn't take their eyes off him. Young girls are often easily enchanted by the fantasy of a prince charming.

When the beautiful girl spoke, the other two girls immediately asked, "Who is he? Do you know him? Tell us!"

The beautiful girl replied, "He's a first-year student at Jangnok High School in Jangnok District. His name is Zhang Chengyuan, known as the 'Four-Eyed Miracle.' He's a person who wears ugly black-framed glasses all day but has risen miraculously.

I heard that last semester, he was a short, average student who was often bullied by delinquents. But now, he is the top student in his grade, scoring full marks in all subjects in the final exams, and even excelling in sports. He won several events, including high jump, long jump, and sprint, at the inter-school sports meet held in Jangnok District this year, breaking two national high school records. He is now the most popular student at Jangnok High School.

I also heard that Kim Yoo-ki, the leader of Jangnok High School who used to bully him, now avoids him. Many people speculate that Kim Yoo-ki might be afraid of Zhang Chengyuan."

One of the girls said disbelievingly, "Really? I heard Kim Yoo-ki is the most fearsome high school student in the southwestern part of the capital, even unafraid of gangsters. How could he be afraid of Zhang Chengyuan? He looks so gentle, it must be a rumor."

Another girl said, "Hye-bin, how do you know so much? Are you interested in him? It's normal, such an excellent and handsome guy would make any girl fantasize."

Hye-bin thought, "I'm not as infatuated as you, but I can't forget his dazzling appearance without his glasses these past few days."