Chapter 28: Save the Empty Bottle for Me

Yang Fan and Lin Ruo returned. Seeing that Ai Xiaomei seemed utterly unconcerned about them, Yang Fan gave her a light tap on the head.
“Aren’t you worried your brother will be snatched away by Lin Ruo? How can you still eat so calmly?”

“Yang Fan, Wang Xin wants a female secretary.”

“That’s easy to arrange. Zhang Meng would be perfect. By the way, your girlfriend Zhang Meng could come as well, couldn’t she? Isn’t she studying accounting?” Yang Fan said.

“Yes, let Zhang Meng supervise you. You still dare think about hiring a female secretary? Outrageous!” Qin Jun scolded with a smile.

Around the table, everyone was picturing their future.

“We’re heading to Four Seasons Ode in a bit. Go pick up your girlfriend, it’s a good chance for us to meet her.”

“I’ll really go, then!”

“Go ahead, we’ll meet you at the entrance of Four Seasons Ode,” Yang Fan waved his hand.

“I’ll go home too and bring my wife along. My mother-in-law is visiting today, she can look after the child.”

“That’s how it should be. It’s about time you took your wife out!” Yang Fan encouraged.

The two left, brimming with happiness. Yang Fan glanced at Ye Xiao.

“Old Ye, we’ll find someone even better for you in the future.”

“Yeah, don’t be too down, Old Ye.”

“It’s fine, I’m in no rush,” Ye Xiao replied calmly.

“All right, once we’re done eating, let’s get going!”

Ai Xiaomei was still eating, but Yang Fan dragged her away. She’d been eating non-stop since they came in, as if she’d never get full.

A group of them, in three cars, arrived at Four Seasons Ode, which was even livelier than before. Liu Mingfeng had been there the whole time, and several important contracts were finalized that day. With these contracts in hand, they now had a considerable sum of money secured.

The plaza outside Four Seasons Ode was as bustling as ever tonight. Because Xu Zihan had become an overnight sensation, and after a day of growing momentum, her fan count had soared to twenty million—a staggering number.

No other celebrity could achieve such a feat, only Xu Zihan, only Superpower Girl, whose updates about Xu Zihan never ceased.

Moreover, Xu Zihan’s magical singing had truly astonished the world.

If one set aside her supernatural abilities, it was impossible to imagine how Xu Zihan could multitask so flawlessly, excelling in both magic and singing—each requiring complete concentration.

In the magic world, Xu Zihan’s performances had left many grandmasters in awe and confusion.

In the music world, Four Seasons Ode sounded ethereal, as if it came from another realm.

It was a double honor, and more than that—people noticed that Xu Zihan was also the lyricist and composer for Four Seasons Ode.

This meant she wasn’t just a magician and singer, but also a songwriter—a true polymath.

With all this attention, people began to dig into her past, discovering that beyond these accolades, Xu Zihan could also host events and was an actress.

Her song Four Seasons Ode remained at the top of the charts, bolstered by praise from major platforms and top celebrities. Though Xu Zihan was just at the qualifying line for top-tier stardom, she was already touching that threshold.

The plaza was filled with people, and Xu Zihan felt moved, for these fans had all come for her.

Ai Xiaomei, excited by the crowds, darted happily ahead. In the plaza, at last, everyone saw Xu Zihan.

“Sister Zihan, can I have your autograph?”

“Sister Zihan!”

…

Xu Zihan was soon surrounded by the crowd. Yang Fan finally understood why celebrities were so valuable—this massive fanbase was truly an asset.

Yang Fan and the others found a stone platform to sit on, watching the surging crowds.

“Everyone, please listen to me!” Xu Zihan finally spoke.

The noisy plaza fell briefly silent.

“Everyone, please listen. Tonight, I’m truly moved. I know you’ve all been waiting here for a long time. But I want to say, I only wish to be a star among the people. There’s no need for such a spectacle wherever I go. Let’s treat each other as friends. After all, celebrities are people too, just like everyone else—one nose, two mouths, no different. In my view, a celebrity should set an example. Young people should study hard, those in their prime should strive forward, and those in their middle years should shelter their families from hardship.”

“Well said!”

Applause broke out across the plaza. Yes, celebrities may seem distant to the masses, but tonight Xu Zihan had truly defined what a star should be.

“As for everyone’s affection for me, I’m grateful. But really, there’s no need to wait here just to see me. Of course, to satisfy everyone’s wishes, I’ll be here every Thursday night at eight to spend time with you—but let’s agree, no one is allowed to arrive before me!” Xu Zihan smiled.

“All right, Sister Zihan, we’ll do that!”

…

“As for autographs, if you’re from Tianning, you can collect them at Four Seasons Ode. If you’re from outside Tianning City, there’s no need to travel from afar—just leave your address online, and I’ll mail you my most beautiful photo.” Xu Zihan smiled gently into the camera.

The moment was forever captured…

“Sister Zihan, please sign for me!”

“Sister Zihan, here’s a song I wrote. Would you consider using it?”

…

The plaza was filled with Xu Zihan interacting with her fans, even singing a few impromptu songs.

Qin Jun and Wang Xin arrived with their wives, while Yang Fan and his group sat forlornly on the stone platform, unnoticed.

“It’s really Xu Zihan!”

“Wow, it’s actually Xu Zihan!”

Zhang Meng and Li Jingyi were stunned. Qin Jun and Wang Xin led their wives over, the plaza ablaze with camera flashes.

As the crowd gradually dispersed, both inside and outside Four Seasons Ode remained lively. The Star-Maker Project would begin officially in two weeks, and the special zones were being refurbished. Even another KTV owned by the Liu family was being renovated to fit the project’s style.

Currently, only the private rooms were open.

They booked a large private room. Yang Fan glanced at Zhang Meng and Li Jingyi, who still hadn’t calmed down.

“So, Wang Xin, have you talked to your girlfriend about joining us?”

“Not yet,” Wang Xin confessed sheepishly.

“Then hurry up! You really want a female secretary, do you? And Sister-in-law Jingyi, if you want to come, join our finance department. With all of us men around, we just need someone to handle the money.”

Zhang Meng and Li Jingyi were jittery. After all, both Qin Jun and Wang Xin had just received over half a million yuan each, and the empty wine bottle hadn’t even been sold yet.

For ordinary families, fifty thousand alone would take years of hard work to earn. With such a lucrative opportunity, was there any reason to hesitate?

With both partners working, life would only get better.

“So, do we start tomorrow?”

“Yes, work starts tomorrow!”

“All right, I’ll come. My mom can watch the child,” Li Jingyi said.

“I’ll come too!” Zhang Meng decided. With an opportunity like this, what was there to consider? She was at home with nothing pressing anyway…

“All right, the bigger office on the eighth floor will do. Tomorrow we’ll set up some desks and computers, and we can officially begin. Haoyu, I’ll leave these two ladies in your care.”

Just as Liu Haoyu was about to nod, Ai Xiaomei piped up again.

“Brother, your family tree is a mess!”

“What’s it got to do with you? Eat your fruit and be quiet!”

“And you two, hurry up and sell that empty wine bottle and buy a car. You can’t expect your wives to walk here every day.”

“She’s right, hurry up and sell it—and put ours up too, for one and a half million apiece!”

Indeed, they’d found quite a collection of rare empty bottles in that basement.

“Haoyu, bring out that bottle worth several million for us to drink.”

“I was planning to sell it!” Liu Haoyu replied gloomily.

“Just give it to them—one bottle won’t make a difference to us,” Yang Fan said.

Reluctantly, Liu Haoyu fetched the bottle.

“But leave me the empty bottle, all right?”