Chapter 282: Avoidance
Persuading someone to start a business with her was truly not an easy task. After all, people are afraid of risks. No one is certain whether this investment will yield a return. Although Zendaya was also a rich second generation, it didn’t mean she would treat money like waste paper.
Ye Zhiyun had dared to spend money when she was young, buying lottery tickets with tens of thousands of yuan without batting an eye even when it all went down the drain. But Zendaya was different. She would rationally use her money for investments.
Persuading her was truly not a simple matter.
“You should rest well here. Spend these few days walking around Malaysia. I’m going back to the United States in a few days. You can come with me then.”
Zendaya had arranged for her to stay in a hotel. She wanted to have a good time with this old friend she hadn’t seen in several years. Ever since Ye Zhiyun had returned to her home country to start her own business, she rarely came to the United States to find her. This time, she was on a business trip in Malaysia, and unexpectedly, Ye Zhiyun had come over. Zendaya thought that since she was here for work anyway, she might as well arrange a place for her to stay. There were still many places to play in Malaysia.
“Zendaya, how’s your dad’s company?”
Ye Zhiyun no longer talked about cooperation with her, but instead chatted about family matters. Zendaya thought this person had finally given up on that unrealistic idea.
“It’s pretty good. The stock market is also very stable. My dad wants to open a branch in Japan, and he intends for me to take over the Japanese branch. To be honest, I’m already thinking about dropping out of school. I don’t want to study anymore. I want to go out and make a name for myself.”
“Oh? Didn’t you say before that studying was the most important thing?”
“Please, what era is it now? This world is not a world where graduates from prestigious schools can do whatever they want. A degree is certainly important, but a dream only has one chance. You can make up for your studies later, but if you miss your dream, there won’t be a second chance.”
“So you think studying is useless?”
“nonono, I didn’t say that. I mean… in certain specific situations, studying can be put aside for a while, and career should be the priority. Look at Bill Gates. He was the former richest man in the world. Although, not everyone is suited to walk his path.”
“Since you think that in the face of a dream, studying can be temporarily put aside, then why don’t you think about it? The opportunity to cooperate with me might only come once in a lifetime.”
“…I feel like I’ve fallen into your trap again.”
Zendaya even spoke in English.
Ye Zhiyun smiled and started communicating with her in English.
“You might think I’m talking nonsense, but Zendaya, my friend, I’m serious. I want to create a miracle with my own hands. Didn’t we say before, if a person has no dream, what’s the difference between them and a salted fish?”
She communicated with her in fluent English. Zendaya, who hadn’t communicated with Zhiyun in English for a long time, sighed, as if she had returned to the age of fourteen.
“Are you sure? With this amount of money, you might become a pauper.”
“I’m losing all my money, but I’m not losing. My dad will support me.”
“I think the greatest luck for both of us is that we have a good father.”
Zendaya smiled.
Rich second generations are not to be trifled with…
Although there was progress in the negotiation, Zendaya had not agreed to cooperate with her. After all, she didn’t dare to take the risk. Although it was just a gamble, no one wanted to do meaningless things. If you’re going to do it, do it big.
“Zhiyun, maybe you have other partners.”
Zendaya ordered a pizza. The two of them ate pizza and chatted in the hotel. At first, they were chatting about family matters, then they talked about their respective universities. After that, the topics were all about starting a business and cooperation.
The word Ye Zhiyun mentioned the most was “dream.”
Everyone has a dream, a pursuit, but not everyone can become the ideal self.
“What does that sentence mean?”
“I mean, Henry, you still remember him, right? That little shota. He’s a top student at Stanford now. If you want to find someone to cooperate with, why not try to find him? He’s a talented and capable person. I believe that with his qualifications, he will become your best companion.”
“That’s a good idea too. Zendaya, in a few days we’ll go to the United States. By the way, I want to see him.”
“That’s good.”
“I’m not done yet, my dear Zendaya. I also want to see your parents. I haven’t seen them in several years. I don’t know how they’re doing.”
“…Let me say this first. My parents will not agree to me starting a business with you.”
Zendaya felt very frustrated. She had wanted to refuse her, but as they talked, she was being led by the nose. This was too frustrating.
But in any case, Ye Zhiyun’s first step had been taken. She hadn’t thought about the specific operation of the company yet. Perhaps she still needed to find Dai Wenqian, her mischievous friend. Starting a big company, she felt that she was also going crazy, but fortunately, this was not an impossible thing.
…
In China, as the end of the month approached, the old year was about to pass, and a new year was about to begin. A lot had happened this year. Just take Yu Linna for example. She had had a fruitful year, writing two novels, both of which were highly acclaimed. And she had written the scripts for two web series, which received rave reviews upon broadcast. More onlookers came to know this talented author. And she had also taken on the character design for a mobile game, which would be officially launched next year. This year, Yu Linna’s harvest could be said to be full.
In this year’s list of the most popular celebrities on Weibo, Shion would definitely be on the list. Although she was just a novelist, her popularity was no less than that of a popular celebrity.
As the premiere of Ballad of the Enchantress approached, her editor, Chen Xi, had looked for her and asked if she wanted to participate in the animation’s promotion. She had very decisively refused, which was also expected. And she only agreed to promote it on Weibo. She refused all promotional activities that required a public appearance.
“Actually, I don’t understand, Shion-sensei,” Chen Xi said when she was on the phone with her.
“You don’t have any enemies, you’re not ugly, and you don’t need to hide your family background. Why are you unwilling to appear in public? You have no need to hide.”
What Chen Xi said was reasonable. Why did she still have to hide her identity? It was no longer necessary.
“I’m used to it, I guess,” was Yu Linna’s only answer.
In the beginning, she just wanted to prove that she was not a “vase.” She wanted to tell people that she was a writer who spoke with her strength, not a writer who lived off her looks. But as time went on, everyone knew that she was a talented writer, and she had also successfully proven her ability to people. The reason she was still unwilling to show her face now was simply because she was used to it. Plus, she didn’t like to appear in public. Over time, it just became like this.
She had also thought about whether to participate in activities to increase the exposure of her works, but every time she saw her packed schedule, she gave up. She was too busy and really didn’t want to find time to come out.
And now there were also many film and television companies looking for her, asking her to write scripts, mostly for web series. This was all thanks to The Smile of the Rose.
Yu Linna was also hesitating whether to accept. Chen Xi had always told her not to be too greedy, not to want everything. But she couldn’t seem to control herself. She just wanted to take on more work and earn more money. It was as if only an endless amount of money could calm her heart.
“Alright, Shion-sensei. Are you free? Do you want to come to the editorial department? It’s like this, we’d like to talk to you in person about matters related to your short story.”
Yu Linna had also agreed to write a short story for Wenqing. Previously, Yu Linna had only written long novels and had not yet tried short stories. Short stories were different from long novels. They tested an author’s writing skills and foundation. How to tell a complete story in a limited space was a challenge for an author.
“Okay. I don’t have class in the afternoon. I’ll be there.”
“That’s good. By the way, there are a few new staff members in the editorial department. They want your autograph. You know.”
“Got it.”
She was already used to being a celebrity. As for autographs, she knew what to do. After all, there was a little fan in her dorm.
The Wenqing editorial department was in Guangnan City, accessible by subway. When Yu Linna arrived downstairs, Chen Xi personally came to pick her up and take her upstairs. The new receptionist girl didn’t know what was going on. Why was the great editor Sister Chen so nice to a little blonde loli? Could she be a relative?
“Shion-sensei, we’ve talked about it before. Your short story, I hear you want to use a childhood friend theme to write it?”
“Yes. Just write a story about two people who had a good relationship since childhood, who grew up together as time went by, and then had to go to different schools, thus losing contact, and only meeting again in university.”
“That’s your style.”
Chen Xi silently roasted her.
This little loli, it was basically impossible to expect her to write a popcorn-style feel-good novel.
Actually, the creation of this short story didn’t require Yu Linna to come in person. Chen Xi had asked her to come over, on the one hand, to talk about work, and on the other hand, to ask her to promote the animated and manga versions of Ballad of the Enchantress. The manga had been serialized on Wenqing’s official website a month ago, with a pay-to-view model. Once there was enough content, a physical book would be published. Chen Xi hoped that Yu Linna would come to the editorial department to discuss the promotion of the manga. In addition, Zixuan and the Paper Airplane was also about to be adapted into a manga, and she wanted to discuss this matter with her.
She habitually signed autographs for the new staff members and then shook hands with them, politely refusing their requests for a photo. Then she followed Chen Xi into the office for a detailed discussion. After an afternoon, the matter was settled. Yu Linna agreed to hand over the manga copyright of Zixuan and the Paper Airplane to Wenqing to handle. Wenqing would find the artist themselves, and Shion, the original author, only needed to be credited. This matter was considered closed.
“Shion-sensei, there’s another private matter I’d like to talk to you about.”
“What is it?”
“You know, she… Nangong, that big star, is back in Guangnan for promotions. I think she’ll come looking for you. I suggest, should you go on a business trip?”
It was only when she said it that Yu Linna remembered that Nangong Ying’s new movie was about to be released. She would surely be traveling all over the country for promotions. It was only natural for her to come to Guangnan.
With that person’s personality, it was really possible that she would shamelessly come back to find her.
“I think it’s necessary,” she said faintly. She wanted to hide from her for a while.
