Chapter 49

After hyping up the girl, Wei Sheng thought about it and decided to explain the situation to He Yaru.

“My grandma always told me that she regretted making a mistake back then. She and my grandpa shouldn’t have supported my mom so unconditionally. If they had simply let my mom and dad go through a few tough years, allowing her to see my dad’s true colors sooner, she wouldn’t have hesitated so much about getting a divorce and wouldn’t have suffered for so many years,” Wei Sheng said with a wry smile.

At the end of the day, why do love-struck people recklessly throw themselves into ‘love’? Isn’t it because they have family backing them up?

On the contrary, girls from impoverished backgrounds, who can’t rely on their families, rarely become hopeless romantics.

Because they have no safety net, their first consideration in a relationship is material security.

“Maybe I overstepped, but when I saw your sister, I couldn’t help but think of my mom when she was young. If someone had stopped her from marrying my dad and helped her find a more suitable match, maybe she wouldn’t be alone now.”

He Yaru was silent for a moment before looking at Wei Sheng with gratitude. “You handled this better than we did. A short, sharp pain is better than prolonged suffering. It’s better for Yani to experience a big setback while she’s young and still has family support to fall back on. If she were to be entangled with Ding Chengcai for half her life, that would truly ruin her.”

“As long as you don’t blame me for meddling,” Wei Sheng secretly sighed in relief.

He also felt that he had acted a bit impulsively, but what was done was done. If his interference could save a girl from going down the wrong path, that would be a good deed, wouldn’t it?

More than just a good deed!

Very soon, He Yaru taught Wei Sheng a lesson: when you give someone a rose, the fragrance lingers on your hand.

Doing good sometimes brings good rewards!

To persuade the conservative board of directors, He Yaru played a documentary of Wei Sheng’s poverty alleviation efforts in Houzhai Village at a senior management meeting.

Unexpectedly, after watching the documentary, the board members immediately tried to poach him!

“I think this young man is great! Artists should be more like Wei Sheng—upright, with a strong sense of service to the people!”

“Exactly! This kid is both down-to-earth and passionate. Look at him! He even bends down to talk to the elderly and doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty helping villagers in the fields.”

“Not bad, not bad! He reminds me of our time in the countryside. Back then, I was just like young Wei! Whenever I saw a pile of cow dung, I’d scoop it up, dry it out to use as fuel, and later, spread the ashes in the fields as fertilizer…”

After reminiscing about the hardships of their youth, the elderly board members made a decision:

A young man this outstanding shouldn’t just be the face of a sub-brand!

Wei Sheng should be the full-fledged spokesperson for He Group’s entire youth and vitality product line!

So that those spoiled, disrespectful young people could see what a truly valuable young person looked like!

He Yaru: “…”

I asked you to evaluate him, not recruit him as a judge!

—

Zhou Mingxing had been experiencing both pain and joy recently.

The rookie he just signed was exceeding expectations. He didn’t even need to find resources for him—opportunities were coming to them in droves. They were practically spoiled for choice.

Typically, a newcomer like Wei Sheng, without a financial backer, would need at least two to three years to prove their marketability and commercial value—if they were lucky.

But Wei Sheng? His first drama wasn’t even finished filming, and endorsements were already knocking on his door.

Of course, Zhou Mingxing was happy that sponsors saw potential in Wei Sheng.

The problem was… Wei Sheng’s endorsement fee was way too low! And He Group wanted to lock him into a three-year deal!

Are they kidding?! In three years, Wei Sheng would be a star! He wouldn’t be worth the same as he is now!

Zhou Mingxing politely declined the sponsor’s request, suggesting they sign a one-year or half-year contract first to test the waters…

But He Group wouldn’t budge. They were willing to increase the endorsement fee slightly but preferred a long-term contract. After all, they had high hopes for Wei Sheng’s future.

Backed by a TV station and holding an official position, Wei Sheng’s biggest selling point in the Chinese entertainment industry was that he was “unlikely to have a scandal.” That alone made him incredibly valuable!

The brand’s marketing director, who was negotiating with Zhou Mingxing, felt equally frustrated.

In the past, when they approached celebrities’ agents, those agents would jump at the chance to sign long-term contracts with He Group.

Why?

Because He Group was wealthy and the leading luxury hotel brand in China. Landing an endorsement with them wasn’t just about money—it was about prestige!

A long-term contract with He Group also sent a strong signal to other business partners: This celebrity’s risk level is low.

Didn’t see? He Group, an old-money corporate giant, signed them for a long-term deal! So other brands, hurry up and collaborate with them too!

It was the same logic as brands advertising on national TV. The key wasn’t how many viewers bought the product after seeing the ad—it was about establishing trust.

Yet now, Zhou Mingxing was turning down this golden opportunity?!

After much back and forth, they finally reached a compromise:

The endorsement contract would last one year at He Group’s proposed rate. However, an additional clause was added—when the contract expired, He Group would have the right of first refusal for similar business deals at equal pricing.

—

Lately, Wei Sheng’s fans were absolutely thrilled.

First, Mountain Path officially announced that Wei Sheng would play a key role in the drama, reportedly with screen time comparable to the second male lead.

Then, Asia’s top-tier luxury resort brand, He Group, announced that Wei Sheng would be the full-line spokesperson for their youth and vitality product range.

I heard that the shareholders of the He Group are very impressed with Wei Sheng and have already decided to invite a well-known domestic director—none other than Director Li Lei, who is also the He family’s eldest son-in-law—to personally take charge of filming an advertisement for Wei Sheng!

Holy crap! This is even bigger than the He Group signing Wei Sheng as their brand ambassador!

That’s the legendary Director Li! The top domestic director in realistic-themed films, whose works win awards as soon as they’re released!

If they remember correctly, the last time Li Lei directed a commercial was ten years ago.

And now, he’s actually coming down from the heavens to film an ad for a rookie like Wei Sheng?

While fans were still spreading the news and celebrating their favorite newcomer finally making it big, haters also sprang into action, convinced they had finally caught some dirt on Wei Sheng.

“LOL~ And he still claims he didn’t get in through connections?”

“Without capital backing him, how could a rookie possibly get Li Lei to direct a commercial for him?”

“Resource hogs, get out of the entertainment industry!!!”

“Fans, stop covering for him. Saying Wei Sheng comes from an ordinary family? You clearly don’t understand the power of rich women.”

When it came to stories about rich women and young men, the gossip-hungry public was very interested!

Many people who had never even heard of Wei Sheng before immediately searched for his photos and videos.

At first glance, Wei Sheng wasn’t a chiseled, hormone-exuding muscle hunk, nor did he have an ethereal beauty that could let him play the most handsome man across all realms. But somehow, he had a naturally likable face.

Especially among the mother-in-law demographic—as soon as they saw him, they felt he was the perfect son-in-law!

A while ago, there was a trend online called the “Marriable Look.” If there were a male equivalent, Wei Sheng would definitely be the face of the “Easily Married Look.”

Good looks, a great personality, and—most importantly—high emotional intelligence. What mother-in-law wouldn’t like him?

So, when people thought about it again, was it really that surprising that a rich woman with sharp taste would take a liking to him?

Then, a secretly recorded video started spreading wildly online.

In the video, Wei Sheng, wearing a blue-and-white tracksuit, was chatting animatedly with a middle-aged woman who had delicate makeup and an obviously elegant, wealthy air. As they talked, the rich woman suddenly looked sad, took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, and even reached out to pat Wei Sheng on the shoulder!

Wei Sheng’s reaction was unusual too—he didn’t dodge. Instead, he leaned in closer, as if comforting her. However, since the video was taken from a distance, their conversation wasn’t recorded.

“Holy crap! Is this solid proof that Wei Sheng is being kept by a rich woman?!”

“Can someone who can read lips please translate? Don’t make me get on my knees and beg!”

“Didn’t I say so? A total nobody—without a few rich backers—how could he have a top celebrity running errands for him? How could he get into Li Lei’s film crew?”

“Not sure if I should say this, but… could it be that Director Li is already wearing a green hat?” (T/N: “Wearing a green hat” implies being cheated on.)

“Wait a minute! The rich woman with Wei Sheng… she looks like the He family’s eldest daughter!”

“The He family’s eldest daughter? Isn’t that Director Li’s wife?! HOLY—”

This gossip was insane, instantly attracting countless onlookers.

Soon, entertainment news accounts looking to capitalize on the buzz started spreading this explosive rumor like wildfire.

After all, whether it was the He family’s eldest daughter or Director Li Lei, both were guaranteed traffic drivers!

The juiciest part? If the rumor was true, then the He family’s eldest daughter had secretly taken in young Wei Sheng as a boy toy. And when she saw he wanted to enter the entertainment industry, she actually pulled strings to boost his value—by stuffing him into her own husband’s film crew to give him credentials?!

Was this really how rich women played these days?!

And, more importantly—did Li Lei know that Wei Sheng was putting a green hat on him?

If he did know, did that mean all the public displays of affection between him and his wife over the years were just for show? That behind the scenes, they were both doing their own thing?

If he didn’t know, then damn, this was about to become a next-level drama!

In no time, the entire internet was buzzing about this age-gap love triangle!

Wei Sheng, completely dumbfounded, stared at his Weibo follower count, watching it skyrocket from just over two million to nearly double in a single day!

Considering how much attention Zhou Mingxing had been paying to him, the company had actually flagged the situation the moment the rumors started spreading online.

Wei Sheng had wanted to step forward and clear things up, but Zhou Mingxing and Li Lei both stopped him.

Even He Yaru, the person directly involved, told him not to rush into denying anything.

“This is free publicity falling right into our laps—why not use it?” Zhou Mingxing said.

“We were already planning to use your endorsement deal to connect He Group’s youth-targeted products with the country’s rural revitalization efforts. By replicating the Huangjiapu model, we can help revive more of China’s ‘hollow villages.’”

“We were still debating how to organize a press conference to officially announce this initiative. But now? Someone’s hand-delivered the perfect opportunity to us! We don’t even need to pay for media invitations anymore!” He Yaru added with a bright smile.

Even Li Lei found his “green hat” perfectly timed!

“Some officials were worried that your acting skills wouldn’t be strong enough to carry the role of Yang Fan. Well, this is the perfect chance to release some behind-the-scenes footage and ride the wave of attention.”

Li Lei really was the perfect match for He Yaru—the way he calculated benefits was so sharp that Wei Sheng could hear the gears turning all the way from Houzhai Village.

That’s right. Right now, they were all discussing this in a group chat Zhou Mingxing had quickly set up.

And the reason was simple—Wei Sheng had just finished filming part of his scenes and had taken a short leave from the crew to return to his job, filming the variety show Back to Hometown with My Bros.

He had just returned, and boom—he was already trending for a scandal.

But since Zhou Mingxing said he’d handle everything, Wei Sheng decided to stay out of it.

He was just a rookie. Did he really think he could outmaneuver a veteran like Zhou Mingxing in the entertainment industry?

Better to listen to the expert and reap the benefits.

Then, acting as if nothing had happened, he cheerfully ran off to Houzhai Village to help organize the village’s first-ever online New Year Goods Festival.

This idea actually came from a hardcore fan of their show.

Ever since Wang Qun realized the wisdom of netizens, he’d stopped bothering to think for himself.

Now, he had two people specifically assigned to manage the show’s official Weibo and video accounts, monitor audience feedback, and record the most upvoted viewer suggestions.

And so, the lazy Wang Qun picked out the theme of an “online New Year Goods Festival” from this pile of audience opinions.

“It’s the end of the year! Rural areas are busy slaughtering pigs, making glutinous rice cakes, and preparing for the New Year. This is the perfect time for us to host an online festival to help villagers sell their New Year goods,” Wang Qun said excitedly.

“But there’s still more than a month until the New Year! Isn’t it too early to start preparing?” Zhang Zexuan asked, puzzled.

His family members were all government employees, so their usual New Year shopping routine involved a frantic spree just a few days before the holiday.

That said, they didn’t need to buy much themselves since their workplaces would hand out various New Year supplies—rice, flour, oil, milk, beverages, fruits, cured meats, dried snacks, and even Spring Festival couplets, lucky character posters, and red envelopes for gifting.

The only things they really had to purchase were fresh meat and vegetables for the New Year’s Eve dinner and some decorative flowers for the holiday.

But Wei Sheng knew the answer to this one!

“Brother Zhang, you don’t understand—buying New Year goods more than a month in advance is way cheaper than waiting until the last few days.”

“Also, for things like home-raised pork, free-range chickens, and ducks, they tend to lose weight in winter. If you keep them too long, they slim down. That’s why farmers usually slaughter them while they’re still plump, freeze the meat, and keep it ready for guests. That way, it’s convenient to cook and there’s more meat to go around.”

Wei Sheng was all too familiar with this!

Ever since he started middle school, he had accompanied his mom and grandmother to rural markets every year before the New Year to buy supplies.

As his grandmother put it: “If you don’t go to a rural market for New Year shopping, it just doesn’t feel like the holidays!”

The festive atmosphere in these markets started more than a month before the actual holiday.

There were stalls selling freshly slaughtered beef and lamb, fish from winter fishing seasons, free-range pork, chickens, ducks, and geese, along with all sorts of cured meats, salted duck eggs, smoked fish, smoked rabbit, homemade canola and peanut oil, handmade rice cakes, glutinous rice cakes, sweet potato noodles, soybean paste, broad bean paste, pickles, and fermented vegetables…

Besides the food, there were also stalls where calligraphers wrote Spring Festival couplets on the spot, vendors selling local snacks and specialties, and even people offering tooth repairs, haircuts, and shoe repairs—there was everything!

For many people, visiting these markets wasn’t just about shopping for New Year goods; it was about reliving a festive atmosphere that had all but disappeared in cities.

Wei Sheng absolutely loved going to these markets. Every time, he and his mom and grandmother would take the earliest bus there just so he could queue up for a super deluxe, five-egg jianbing guozi.

It was only during these market trips that he could get away with adding five eggs to his pancake without his mom yanking his ear for it.

They wouldn’t rush home at noon, either. They’d store their purchases temporarily, find an outdoor food stall, order a few dishes, and sit under a makeshift tent while watching the chef stir-fry over an open flame. There were no industrial shortcuts here—everything the chef added was visible to the customers.

His grandmother especially loved a food stall run by a couple from Shaanxi because even their vegetables were homegrown—fresh and delicious!

Now that they were planning an online New Year Goods Festival in Houzhai Village, Wei Sheng suggested to director Wang Qun that they shouldn’t just pile everything into a livestream room.

“I think we should set up a small marketplace in the open space in front of the village committee office.”

“Let the villagers set up their own stalls and shout out their own deals while we, the hosts, walk around with our audience, showing them the goods and letting them buy in real-time. This way, it’s like an immersive market experience!”

“You know how that ‘internet foot proxy’ trend was super popular recently? The one where people hired others to visit tourist attractions and take photos for them during the pandemic? We can do something similar—turn our livestream into an online rural market and let viewers experience the shopping firsthand!”

Wang Qun was absolutely in love with this kid!

Seriously, how did Wei Sheng’s brain work?

Everyone was just thinking about selling New Year goods, and here he was coming up with such creative new ideas!

———————

—Jianbing Guozi (煎饼馃子) is a classic Tianjin street food made of a thin, crispy crepe (jianbing) wrapped around a fried dough stick (guozi/youtiao). It’s filled with sauces, scallions, and sometimes an egg, offering a crispy, chewy, and savory flavor.