Chapter 14 of 100

Chapter 14

16 min read3,876 words

After the three-day Spring Festival holiday, Zhang Donghu took an additional day off and, together with Zhang Chengyuan, went to Logosfilm Advertising Agency to sign a formal artist management contract with Park Byung-yeol, who had just returned from his hometown for the New Year. The terms of the contract were largely unchanged, with only one additional clause: if the company failed to actively seek business opportunities for the artist, the artist could look for work on their own and even terminate the contract unconditionally.

Park Byung-yeol thought for a moment and, believing that this situation would never occur, nodded in agreement. To him, Zhang Chengyuan was a cash cow, and he would be eager to keep Zhang Chengyuan fully booked to maximize profits. How could he let Zhang Chengyuan sit idle? Of course, being fully booked every day was impossible, as the contract stipulated that Zhang Chengyuan would have an average of one month of vacation each year. During this time, Zhang Chengyuan could freely arrange his life, as long as it did not damage his image and affect the company's interests.

To celebrate the signing of the contract, Park Byung-yeol treated Zhang Donghu and his son to a hearty meal at a Chinese restaurant near the company. Afterward, Park Byung-yeol personally drove them home. Seeing Park Byung-yeol's dedication, Zhang Donghu realized that Park Byung-yeol truly valued Zhang Chengyuan, and he felt more at ease. The next day, he left the country again, leaving Zhang Chengyuan to enjoy his newfound freedom.

Before the formal signing, Park Byung-yeol fulfilled his promise by having the agency's staff take Zhang Chengyuan to various advertising and film sets for on-site observation and training. They explained the shooting processes in detail and answered his questions, even letting him play minor roles. This combination of theory and practice, with a focus on practical experience, allowed Zhang Chengyuan to quickly grasp the essentials. After more than a month of training, he had become a seasoned advertising newcomer.

After the formal signing, Park Byung-yeol did not rush to have Zhang Chengyuan start shooting ads. Instead, he had Zhang Chengyuan continue to play minor roles at various production companies and shoot cover photos for small magazines while searching for an advertising role that would suit Zhang Chengyuan's image. Park Byung-yeol planned to make Zhang Chengyuan a household name through a memorable ad. From these actions, Zhang Chengyuan saw the deep connections of Logosfilm and Park Byung-yeol's strategic patience, and he settled down to wait for the right opportunity.

Because he had to undergo advertising training, Zhang Chengyuan resigned from his part-time job in early January. Although he received some compensation from the company, his income dropped significantly, forcing him to control his food intake, which slowed his physical development. Over the two-month winter break, his height only reached 180 cm. However, Zhang Chengyuan remained calm and focused, not minding the situation. He worked hard to improve himself, leaving little time for other activities, even declining several invitations from Lee Hyori and the others.

In March, at the birthday celebrations of Sung Yuri, Yoo Ju-hyun, and Lee Jin, Zhang Chengyuan briefly attended, gave his gifts and blessings, and then left. He was later scolded over the phone by Lee Hyori, but when she and the others learned the reason, they did not blame him and instead promised to celebrate his success when he became an advertising star.

Time passed quietly, and before he knew it, a month of the new semester had gone by. Thanks to his remarkable performance in the second half of the previous year, Zhang Chengyuan had become a well-known figure at school. His distinctive black-rimmed glasses and his strong, aloof figure had become his unique and unmistakable trademark.

At school, Zhang Chengyuan remained a solitary figure. In the past, no one wanted to approach him, but now, although many people wanted to get close, they were all deterred by his coldness. The only student who had ever interacted with him, Kim Yoo-gi, had graduated in February and was said to be working for a gangster in a nightclub, never to return to the school. As a result, Zhang Chengyuan became even more silent, speaking only to answer teachers' questions or greet them, earning him the nickname "Miracle Iceberg."

The only people who could still talk to Zhang Chengyuan were his homeroom teacher, Song Yoo-sun, and the school's academic affairs director, Jeong Jae-deok. This was because Zhang Chengyuan considered that he would often need to take leave for advertising shoots in the future. If he could build a good relationship with them now, he would receive their support later. Therefore, he always excelled in academics, sports, and discipline to win their favor.

Initially, Zhang Chengyuan was reluctant to flatter his teachers, but under Park Byung-yeol's strong urging and considering the future benefits, he put aside his pride and adapted to the situation.

This change had the desired effect. Whenever he took leave, Academic Affairs Director Jeong Jae-deok and Homeroom Teacher Song Yoo-sun, although repeatedly advising him to focus more on his studies, always approved his leave unconditionally. This was partly because Zhang Chengyuan consistently maintained top academic performance.

At the end of April, Zhang Chengyuan, who had been patiently waiting for his big break, finally received a rare and valuable opportunity. That day, Park Byung-yeol excitedly showed him an advertising script and told him that the ad was being produced by Nongshim, Korea's largest food company, for its flagship product, Nongshim Shin Ramyun. Although the investment was not huge, Nongshim Shin Ramyun had the highest market share in Korea, far surpassing other similar products. If Zhang Chengyuan could seize this opportunity and present a healthy image in the ad, he could become famous overnight.

Originally, such a large company's ad would not have been open to models from Park Byung-yeol's Logosfilm. However, through his extensive connections, Park Byung-yeol managed to secure an audition opportunity for Zhang Chengyuan, submitting his portfolio to the director, Park Myeong-cheol. When Director Park Myeong-cheol saw Zhang Chengyuan's photos, he was immediately impressed and decided to have Zhang Chengyuan audition.

Holding the thin script, Zhang Chengyuan quickly read through it and asked, "President Park, there are two roles in this script. Am I preparing for the supporting role?"

Park Byung-yeol replied, "Of course. A major company like this would naturally hire a top-tier, popular star for the lead role. I've used all my resources to secure you an audition for the supporting role. Although it's a supporting role, the screen time is almost as much as the lead. If you perform well in the audition and impress the director, you might even get more screen time. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. First, we need to secure the role. The company has done its part; the rest is up to you. I hope for a good outcome tomorrow."

Although he said this, Park Byung-yeol was already confident that Zhang Chengyuan would get the opportunity. First, Zhang Chengyuan's appearance and aura were exceptional. Second, over the past three months, his acting had improved dramatically, from being raw and inexperienced to being skilled and profound. He was now capable of handling any advertising shoot. All the agency's staff were genuinely impressed and believed that Zhang Chengyuan needed only the right opportunity to become a star.

Zhang Chengyuan nodded and said, "I will do my best." After studying the script for a while, he suddenly looked up at Park Byung-yeol and said, "President Park, to be thorough, could you find an experienced actor to practice with me? This will help me identify areas that need improvement."

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