5
Xu Yan realized his initial assessment of this little cousin was far too shallow.
He didn’t know much about the situation with the Xu family relatives, only hearing a few snippets from his mother occasionally. When she mentioned this daughter of the third uncle, words like naive, spoiled, and little princess were used.
Her sharp-tongued clapback earlier and calm, collected fire-fighting had already made him look at her differently. Now, hearing her ask this question so openly and naturally, the hint of mockery in his eyes vanished, replaced by keen interest.
Xu Zhaixing felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze and fiddled with her bangs, but her tone remained steady. “If you’re planning to stay abroad, just ignore me. But if you’re considering coming back to the country… you know the situation here is at a critical juncture of transition between old and new media, causing a huge impact on the industry. Plus, with the broad nature of media, while there are many job positions, starting late with a low entry point makes it very hard to stand out.”
She paused, the corners of her mouth curving up in a particularly well-behaved smile. “Instead of adapting to it, why not lead it? What do you think?”
Xu Yan’s smile deepened. “Go on.”
Xu Zhaixing’s understanding of this field came entirely from the information she had crammed over the past few days. If she really tried to discuss it professionally with her cousin, she’d probably give herself away quickly.
She got straight to the point. “I want to start an entertainment company with you. I’ll provide capital investment, you provide technical expertise. You’ll be in charge of operations while I’m in school. After I graduate, we’ll manage it together. Interested?”
Xu Yan raised an eyebrow in disbelief, seemingly not expecting this to be her ultimate goal. He chuckled. “You’ll provide capital? Where would you get the money?”
Xu Zhaixing stated righteously, “I don’t have money. But my father does.”
Xu Yan laughed. “Would Third Uncle feel comfortable handing his money over to a… not-yet-of-age kid like you?”
Xu Zhaixing looked at him earnestly. “That’s why I need to cooperate with you.”
Such a serious, sincere look made Xu Yan realize this little cousin wasn’t joking. He had thought this trip back would be unpleasant, but he hadn’t expected to encounter something so interesting.
Xu Yan’s future remarkable achievements were closely tied to his ability to see people without prejudice and seize every opportunity.
He sat down on the stone mill behind him, patted his pocket as if wanting a cigarette, then remembered the underage cousin before him. He stretched out his hand. “Any more of that chocolate you gave them? Give me one.”
Xu Zhaixing pulled the last piece of chocolate from her pocket and handed it to him.
Xu Yan peeled off the foil and took a bite. “I don’t partner with people easily. Tell me, what advantages do you have that make you worth my investment?”
Xu Zhaixing thought for a moment and asked an unrelated question. “Cousin, do you follow celebrities?”
Xu Yan shook his head. “No, I prefer football.”
“Barça or Real Madrid? Don’t tell me the national team?”
Xu Yan couldn’t help but laugh, tapping her forehead with a finger. “Talk about your own business. So, what if I did or didn’t?”
Xu Zhaixing returned to the main topic. “If you followed celebrities, you’d know that the Korean Wave is having a huge impact on the domestic entertainment industry right now. All the idols my classmates follow are Korean stars. The entertainment industry in South Korea is already very mature, and their methods of creating stars are also very powerful. The same goes for Japan. But the trainee system that’s currently big there is still rarely used by companies here.”
Xu Yan slowed his chewing.
Xu Zhaixing continued, “The term ‘traffic ‘ might seem unfamiliar to everyone now, but I believe in the next few years, it will definitely become the main force in the entertainment industry. And the idol model will certainly become popular domestically too. After all, we have just as many good-looking guys here as any other country.”
She emphasized, “Once this model becomes popular, the development of the entertainment industry is bound to reach another stage. Right now is a critical time for the rapid development of new media. New media is closely linked to the future entertainment industry. Whoever masters traffic and capital then will master the market.”
Xu Yan grasped her idea now. “So, you want to start a talent agency that creates stars.”
Xu Zhaixing corrected him, “Not just that! Not only creating stars, but variety shows, film and television, music, even novel IPs are all crucial.”
“Novel IP?”
She had accidentally blurted out a future buzzword. Xu Zhaixing tapped her mouth and said seriously, “Anyway, what I mean is, we must make it big and strong! Achieve even greater glory!”
Xu Yan almost lost his composure and laughed. After finishing the chocolate, he dusted his hands. “So, your advantage is?”
Evening was approaching, layers of orange clouds spreading across the sky, weighing down the treetops.
Xu Zhaixing glanced at the vast sky, memories from her past flashing through her mind like a revolving lantern. She looked back at him. “My foresight.”
My advantage is my foresight.
Xu Yan looked at his little cousin with an indescribable expression.
This trip back home was really…
Too full of surprises.
He fully understood where her advantage lay. For someone like him, already planning to enter the entertainment industry, he had done considerable research on this industry.
What she described was the real future, aligned with popular trends.
He didn’t know how this not-yet-adult cousin possessed such remarkable strategic vision and foresight, but that wasn’t important. What mattered was that she had approached him.
He had already made up his mind, but Xu Yan couldn’t resist teasing her a bit more. “Why me?”
The girl blinked, her bright-eyed, clear-skinned face finally showing a smile befitting her age. “Because Eldest Cousin, you’re the most awesome!” She made a fist, showing her loyalty. “I believe in you the most!”
Xu Yan gave a noncommittal smile.
Not far away, a relative ran over calling him, “Xu Yan, come look at the arrangements for tomorrow’s procession.”
He jumped down from the mill and stuffed the chocolate foil into Xu Zhaixing’s hand. “I’ll think about it. I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.”
Despite his words, Xu Zhaixing could already see the answer in his eyes.
She happily waved. “Goodbye, Cousin. Waiting for your good news!” After Xu Yan walked away, she watched his retreating figure and sighed wistfully, then clenched her fist again.
The key person was secured. The next steps would definitely go smoothly too.
Brother, wait for me. This time, I will protect you with everything I’ve got!
The funeral procedures were complicated, and there were relatives and friends to attend to. The adults were swamped. Having successfully completed the first step of her plan, Xu Zhaixing was in high spirits. She went back to her room and finished the remaining test papers.
After dinner, as she was about to go upstairs, she heard arguing from the main hall.
Realizing what it might be about, she quietly walked over and peeked inside through the window ledge.
It wasn’t so much arguing as the Xu family relatives’ one-sided verbal attacks and moral coercion against Xu Yan. Xu Yan sat on a chair without saying a word, a mocking expression on his face.
The one speaking was Fourth Aunt Xu: “When these two houses were built back then, if it weren’t for the help of us relatives from the hometown, how could your father have managed it alone? We took care of everything inside and out. A couple of years ago, the roof leaked, the wall almost collapsed. It was your aunt and uncle who brought people to put up a shed. Oh my, that scorching weather, your uncle got heatstroke as soon as he got back.”
Someone else chimed in, “Your father worked in the provincial city these past few years. Who do you think farmed the family’s fields and land? Back then, the old master said this land was for the eldest son of the Xu family. Xu Yan, not to be rude, but you’re only surnamed Xu now. You probably even look down on us poor relatives.”
In essence, they were saying he had long had nothing to do with the Xu family and had no right to touch anything belonging to them.
Actually, Xu Yan had no intention of fighting for it. He was abroad, and planned to develop in the capital city in the future. A few houses and plots of land thousands of miles away in his hometown held no interest for him.
But being surrounded by these people guarding against him like he was a thief stirred up anger beneath the mockery. He felt inclined not to give them what they wanted.
Only after they quieted down did he speak unhurriedly, “My father had no wife or other children. According to the law, I am the sole heir to his estate. The question isn’t whether it belongs to me, but whether I want it.”
Hearing this, the group thought he was after the inheritance and grew anxious.
The short-tempered ones directly shouted, “What belongs to you?! Your mother ran off with someone over twenty years ago! Nothing of the Xu family belongs to you!”
“Haven’t come back to see your father all these years. We’ve been the ones taking care of him this past half year when he was sick. Now you come back to fight for the inheritance? What gives you the right?! If you have any shame, get back to America where you came from!”
The words grew uglier, and Xu Yan’s expression darkened further. Just as he was about to retaliate, a crisp voice suddenly came from the window. “Why are you all arguing? If you can’t sort it out, just call the police. Police officers are the fairest, let them handle it.”
Everyone turned to look. Xu Zhaixing leaned half her body over the windowsill, her hands propped on the ledge, her face beaming with an excessively innocent smile.
Call the police? The police handled things according to the law. How could they snatch what didn’t belong to them then?
Xu Zhaixing deftly pulled out her slide phone from her pocket. “I’ll help you dial 110!”
That wouldn’t do. Everyone rushed to stop her. “Child! Why call the police? Family matters don’t need outsiders interfering!”
Xu Zhaixing looked at the speaker curiously. “Huh? Didn’t you just say Brother Xu Yan isn’t part of our Xu family? How is it a family matter again?”
The speaker’s face flushed, then paled. Fourth Aunt Xu quickly said, “Zhaixing, these are adult matters. Children shouldn’t meddle. Where are your parents? Go find them!”
If it were any other kid, they’d have been chased away long ago. But with Xu Zhaixing, the little princess had to be coaxed.
Mentioning her parents, her father arrived. Xu Zhaixing’s father had just returned from looking at the burial site with the geomancer. Seeing so many people gathered, he walked over curiously. “What’s going on?”
Xu Zhaixing answered first. “Dad, they said Brother Xu Yan isn’t part of the Xu family and told him to go back to America.”
Her father’s face immediately fell. Angrily, he said, “Eldest Brother isn’t even buried yet, and you’re ganging up to bully his only son? How shameful! All of you, get out of here! If anyone brings this up again, I’ll deal with them first!”
Xu Zhaixing’s father was the third son. Now that the eldest was gone, aside from the second brother, he was the eldest. Moreover, he had a big business. Over the years, which Xu family relative hadn’t received help from him? His prestige was strong.
Hearing his words, they didn’t dare say more and scattered.
Her father walked over and patted Xu Yan’s shoulder solemnly. “With your third uncle here, I won’t let you be wronged.”
Xu Yan smiled slightly. “It’s fine. Thank you, Third Uncle.”
Her father comforted him a few more words before turning and glaring at Xu Zhaixing, who was still perched on the windowsill. “You girl, everywhere there’s trouble! Aren’t you going back to your room? Your mom is looking everywhere for you!”
Xu Zhaixing stuck out her tongue, turned, and ran off.
The night passed without incident. The funeral proceeded normally the next day, only finishing completely in the afternoon. Xu Zhaixing had to hurry back for school, so her father booked her a flight for that evening.
While packing her bag in her room, Xu Yan knocked and entered.
Xu Zhaixing bounced over happily. “Brother!”
Xu Yan looked at her sideways. “You’re pushing your luck pretty fast.”
Xu Zhaixing: “Come on, we’re allies now. Being closer is good for maintaining our ally relationship.”
Xu Yan couldn’t help but laugh, thinking this little cousin was a real treasure. “Who’s your ally? I haven’t agreed yet.”
Xu Zhaixing looked pitifully at him, tugging his sleeve. “Don’t be like that, brother.”
Xu Yan kept a straight face. “The cooperation you mentioned is based on securing the funding. Without money, it’s all empty talk. This isn’t a small sum. What’s your plan that needs my cooperation? How do you get your father to come up with this money?”
Xu Zhaixing said happily, “That’s simple! You go borrow money from my dad, say you want to start a business!”
Xu Yan: “???”
After all that talk, you want me to go borrow money?
And you dare say you’ll provide capital investment?
**
Cen Feng: Who am I? Where am I?
Sorry, brother, you’ll make your appearance next chapter!