Why Can’t I Make Games C54
by MarineTLChapter 54: How Could He Be a Deadbeat1? (Part 1)
The already cramped little room became even more crowded with the arrival of the painter, Mendeleev.
Zhou Yang stared at Mendeleev.
Naturally, he recognized this world-class painter who enjoyed fame both at home and abroad.
The iconic messy hair and thick beard, combined with that obsessive gaze that seemed unlike an ordinary person’s, fulfilled every fantasy he had about what an artist should look like.
Artists were supposed to look like this.
In reality…
When the painter had come storming in, both Zhou Yang and his manager had been startled.
From the painter’s dialogue, Zhou Yang suddenly realized that Zhang Yang seemed to have swindled the man out of something, and it involved copyright infringement!
Hearing this…
Zhou Yang’s heart skipped a beat!
Fraud and infringement!
Matters like this could be big or small. For an ordinary person, it might end with a simple payment of compensation.
But when it involved an international-level painter, it wasn’t something that could be settled with just a check. If handled poorly, it could lead to international notoriety and even escalate to the level of damaging Huaxia’s national image.
That Zhang Yang!
He would be finished.
His manager, Li Ziwen, immediately showed him the sign for Zhang Yang’s company and some of the content Zhang Yang had posted on Tieba.
Broadly speaking, he understood!
Zhang Yang had tricked Mendeleev into writing things and drawing a logo, and then blatantly used Mendeleev’s work as his company’s storefront sign.
This was truly…
How could Zhang Yang do this? How could he be so foolish at such a critical moment!
Li Ziwen had realized this as well. Not long after Mendeleev rushed in with his lawyers, she pulled on Zhou Yang’s hand, signaling for him to leave immediately.
Once you were tainted by this kind of scandal, you would end up smelling like a sewer even if you had nothing to do with it.
No matter how well Zhang Yang wrote songs, it would all be meaningless!
If things went south, Zhang Yang might be blacklisted by the Huaxia Art Department and face a massive lawsuit…
In a situation like this…
Who wouldn’t stay as far away as possible?
However, Zhou Yang did not leave.
Instead, he tried to find a way to speak up for Zhang Yang.
He felt that Zhang Yang hadn’t done it on purpose; perhaps he was just a bit confused.
Someone who could write such lyrics could never intentionally commit copyright infringement. There had to be a misunderstanding.
He was so talented!
It was impossible that…
Those two songs were infringements as well, right?
“Sister Li, maybe you should contact a lawyer…”
“What!”
He pulled gently on Li Ziwen’s sleeve, even considering hiring a lawyer for Zhang Yang. He hoped to suppress the matter as much as possible.
At the very least…
He couldn’t let the situation escalate further…
Li Ziwen was stunned.
Even at a time like this, Zhou Yang dared to speak up for Zhang Yang? He even wanted to hire him a lawyer?
Was he out of his mind?
But!
Then…
When the two of them saw Zhang Yang and Mendeleev shaking hands and hugging…
They froze.
What was going on?
“What’s happening with them!”
…
The night of July 10th.
It was late.
Liu Weiping had been stuck in a bottleneck for a very long time.
Ever since he wrote the song “Prosperity” for Zhou Yang last year and it became a massive hit, Liu Weiping had been trapped in a predicament where he couldn’t find a new creative angle.
Starting from last month.
Zhou Yang’s manager, Li Ziwen, had been calling him almost every other day to request a song.
He knew Zhou Yang was releasing a new album and needed a lead single!
But he couldn’t write one.
Many things required inspiration.
He had written many, many things, but in the end, he had crumpled them all into balls and tossed them into the wastepaper basket as scrap.
What kind of garbage was he writing?
He even felt like vomiting at his own work.
Great writing is a gift from heaven, captured by a lucky hand2…
Many things cannot be forced.
That was the simple truth.
Just then, at eight o’clock in the evening…
By chance, he saw an antique appraisal program3 playing on the television!
His eyes suddenly lit up, and his inspiration began to flow like a spring. He immediately grabbed a pen and wrote a song in one breath.
After finishing, he looked at it for a long time, feeling extremely satisfied!
He suddenly felt that the future of Huaxia belonged to the “National Style4“!
If Zhou Yang sang this song, it would surely set off a wave of National Style fever, perhaps even establishing a new school of music.
He grew excited.
He sent the song to Li Ziwen’s email and immediately called her.
However, after making the call, he listened blankly to the apology on the other end of the line.
He was stunned.
“You already have a song?”
“What I wrote is National Style. It’s a trend. Zhou Yang is very suited for this genre. Some songs might look like they have nice lyrics, but they aren’t appropriate…”
“Ah, that one is National Style too?”
“…”
After hanging up the phone, Liu Weiping stared blankly at his mobile.
Just what kind of song had Zhou Yang obtained?
He desperately wanted to know!
But at the same time, a faint sense of indignation rose in his heart…
How could something he had spent so much time and effort on, finally finding inspiration for, be treated like this?
He remained silent for a long time, then dialed the number of the manager for another rising singer, Zhao Hailu…
…
The sun was setting in the west.
Sun Lili watched the sunset clouds outside the window, then looked at everyone who was packing up.
Some people were organizing files on their “big-head5” CRT monitors, copying all the important data onto hard drives to bring to the computers at the new company.
General Manager Zhao Hang was excitedly discussing the future with the newly joined recruits. They talked about plans, about compositions, and about how the company would venture into 3D games in the future. They would show those foreign game companies that Huaxia’s games could be just as dazzling.
Every one of them held an autograph from Zhou Yang.
Some were on paper, some on albums, and some were on their clothes…
Zhou Yang put on no airs; he had given an autograph to every single employee in the company.
She had gotten an autograph too, and even managed to get a photo with him.
What she never could have imagined in her wildest dreams was that she would even have the chance to show her face in Zhou Yang’s new album!
Even though…
It was only a single, brief line, for a fan of Zhou Yang like her, it was an immense honor!
Outside, the roar of heavy trucks echoed.
They were moving the company!
They were moving right now!
But…
She felt as if she were in a dream, everything around her shrouded in a sense of unreality.
What kind of company have I actually joined?
She shook her head vigorously, trying to confirm she wasn’t dreaming!
Just then…
“Our company is on the entertainment news!”
“Oh my god, our company made the entertainment news!”
“President Zhang is so handsome!”
“Good heavens!”
Someone pointed at the news on their computer screen and suddenly screamed with excitement.
Sun Lili instinctively looked over.
“Shocking: Zhou Yang actually visits such a small company!”
“Zhou Yang rejects Lianzhong Computer, chooses Bluebird instead; the reason behind it is actually because of him!”
“Mendeleev’s painting turns out to be…”
“…”
Following that, she saw news reports everywhere about Zhou Yang coming to their game company.
In addition to the news about Zhou Yang, there was information about Mendeleev’s new painting, “The Fallen Painter”…
There were even internal rumors that Mendeleev’s painting was also related to the “Universe Technology” game company!
Everyone looked as if they were on a high, shouting and cheering with excitement!
……………………….
Zhang Yang stared blankly at two contracts.
One was a contract for the free donation of computers and office furniture.
The other was the signing contract for Zhou Yang’s two new songs.
Then…
He heard the overwhelming sounds of excitement from outside.
However, he wasn’t particularly excited.
He simply let out a long sigh and leaned back in his chair, looking exhausted.
This fatigue seemed to come from deep within his soul!
After checking the balance in his bank account, he breathed a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
He had money!
He could finally pay off all his debts!
No one had ever seen him with such an expression.
The excitement continued outside.
Inside the office, he quietly took out his phone and sent a text message.
Then, from the pocket of another coat, he pulled out an account number.
He hesitated for a moment…
He prepared to transfer four hundred thousand to this account via online banking!
Just at that moment…
He suddenly received a call from an unknown number.
Then…
His expression changed drastically!
From the initial relief, he shifted in an instant to an unprecedented rage, before forcing himself to regain his composure through gritted teeth.
He clenched his fists, but did not let anything explode.
After completing the transfer, he pushed open the door…
A smile had returned to his face.
“Alright, that’s enough excitement for everyone. Let’s get to work on the game!”
“Let’s strive to get this game out to the world as soon as possible!”
“…”
……………………….
Liu Ruohan, who was preparing to return to the country, saw a message.
The entire company was resolutely opposed to investing in or acquiring “Universe Technology.”
When Liu Ruohan read the contents of the text…
She was stunned.
“How could this person be a deadbeat debtor?”
“He’s only just turned twenty!”
“How could he be…”
“A deadbeat?”
“…”
(End of Chapter)
Translator’s Notes
- Deadbeat: A translation of the Chinese term ‘laolai’ (老赖), which specifically refers to ‘dishonest judgment debtors.’ In China, this is a formal legal status for people who refuse to comply with court orders to pay debts despite having the means. Being labeled a ‘laolai’ results in being placed on a public blacklist and facing restrictions on ‘high-level consumption,’ such as traveling by high-speed rail or staying in luxury hotels. ↩
- Great writing is a gift from heaven, captured by a lucky hand: A famous couplet by the Song Dynasty poet Lu You (文章本天成，妙手偶得之). It suggests that great literature exists naturally in the universe and a skilled writer merely happens upon it by chance. It reflects the character’s belief in spontaneous inspiration over forced effort. ↩
- antique appraisal program: Refers to a popular genre of Chinese television shows, such as CCTV’s “Jian Bao,” where experts evaluate the authenticity and value of historical artifacts. These programs were highly influential in the early 2000s, sparking public interest in traditional Chinese culture and aesthetics. ↩
- National Style: Refers to “Guofeng” (国风), a music genre that blends traditional Chinese instruments, poetic lyrics, and cultural themes with modern pop, rock, or R&B. Popularized in the early 2000s by artists like Jay Chou, it represented a major cultural trend of fusing heritage with contemporary musical styles. ↩
- big-head: A literal translation of the Chinese slang “datou diannao” (大头电脑), referring to bulky CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors. The term was commonly used in the late 1990s and early 2000s to distinguish these older, deep-backed monitors from the then-emerging flat-screen LCD technology. ↩
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