Chapter 110: A Mind Slightly Unhinged (5)

“Mr. Zhao, I still don’t quite understand why you insist on having me act in the movie. Aren’t you afraid that my poor acting might cause your film to flop?”

“Of course not,” Zhao Liufang replied confidently. “You’re incredibly popular right now. Across the entire country, even the top-tier celebrities don’t have the kind of following you do. Just look at the major video platforms and apps—out of ten videos, at least eight feature you.”

“I know all about the traffic numbers, but I’ve seen online that some young, popular idols with huge followings have starred in movies and ended up tanking spectacularly.”

Zhao Liufang chuckled. “Mr. Yang, you’re overthinking it. Those so-called idols with massive followings don’t actually have real traffic. Their numbers are artificially boosted by people like us paying for views. Otherwise, why are they so widely criticized online? Only elementary school kids really like these idols.”

“They lack real-world experience and easily follow the crowd. Who in their right mind would genuinely support these idols? Because their numbers are fake, they can’t sustain box office success.”

“There are plenty of idols like that in my own company, all with decent traffic. But when compared to streamers with millions of fans, they’re barely comparable—some might not even have the same influence as those streamers.”

“But you’re different. You have genuine traffic! Since the internet boom, it’s rare to see someone with true influence like you—so rare, in fact, that you can count them on one hand. That’s why I’m confident you can add real value to this movie.”

“Besides, this film is a project my company has invested a lot of effort into. It features many veteran actors who will carry the film with their performances. So even if your acting isn’t perfect, it won’t affect the overall quality.”

“I see,” Yang Xiaofan finally understood.

This movie was a serious production, but the domestic film market had been somewhat sluggish compared to a couple of years ago. Zhao Liufang wanted to add a valuable asset to the project—that asset was Yang Xiaofan.

His presence could help push the box office to a high level, perhaps breaking some significant revenue milestones. This, in turn, would raise the company’s stock price and reputation—a classic capitalist move. Yang Xiaofan recalled his finance lessons and nodded.

“All right, come pick me up tomorrow. But I’m warning you, if my acting’s bad, don’t blame me.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t!” Zhao Liufang assured.

“Also, I’ll probably get married soon, maybe within the next month or two. So, you’ll need to help me get ready quickly.”

“No problem. I’ll handle it all tomorrow. You’ll start filming, and I’ll have someone take measurements of you and your fiancée for the wedding outfit. We’ll rush the tailoring overnight. As for all those scenic spots around the world, they’ll be waiting for your photo shoots. I’ll postpone anyone who’s booked ahead of you.”

“Thanks, Mr. Zhao. See you tomorrow.”

“See you.”

After hanging up, Yang Xiaofan got out of the car and turned to head inside. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure slowly walking along the cement road at the east edge of the village.

Since the houses were arranged east to west and the road ran north-south without obstruction, he could see clearly.

The figure moved strangely, almost as if floating, with no visible contact beneath their feet. The clothes were old-fashioned, worn by someone older—like the style his grandfather’s generation would wear. Though the figure appeared middle-aged, the attire was outdated and the fabric threadbare.

“Strange… is that someone from the village? Doesn’t quite look like it,” Yang Xiaofan thought, puzzled.

Before he could ponder more, the figure passed the first row of houses and disappeared from view.

He didn’t dwell on it. Since starting the God Creation Project, his body had undergone many changes—sometimes his mind felt foggy. After upgrading his chess skills and physique to the saint level recently, his senses—hearing, sight, smell—had improved dramatically, surpassing the master level and reaching grandmaster status.

However, these enhancements sometimes caused him to perceive strange things, hear odd sounds, and see unusual phenomena.

Shaking his head, Yang Xiaofan accessed the God Creation Project interface in his mind and invested ten million points to upgrade his acting skill to grandmaster level. With this, he was confident he could perform well tomorrow.

This level of skill should rival the veteran actors and seasoned award winners.

Done!

Time to go home and sleep.

Back upstairs, Qin Nuanyu was still awake. Yang Xiaofan coaxed her to drink a cup of milk tea, then held her in his arms for a comfortable night’s rest.

Early the next morning, Yang’s mother got up to prepare breakfast.

Before 7:30 a.m., several Maybachs pulled up outside. If they weren’t Zhao Liufang’s people, who else could it be?

Zhao Liufang himself arrived to personally escort Yang Xiaofan.

“Mr. Yang, how did you sleep last night?”

“Pretty well. But Mr. Zhao, you came early!”

“Not really. It’s just about an hour’s drive from the city to your place. I set out at six this morning and took an hour and a half because I didn’t want to disturb your rest.”

“You’re too kind. You’re making me feel embarrassed. Let’s go. I’ll bring some food for the road for me and my girlfriend.”

Yang Xiaoqing ran downstairs, mischievously eyeing Yang Xiaofan.

“Brother, where are you going?”

“What do you want?”

Yang Xiaofan asked warily.

Yang Xiaoqing grinned. “I want to go with you.”

“No way.”

Yang Xiaofan flatly refused. This little troublemaker was prone to causing chaos; he didn’t want her tagging along.

Seeing his refusal, Yang Xiaoqing ran over and hugged Qin Nuanyu’s belly, pouting. “Sister-in-law, look at my brother. He’s so stingy. I just want to have fun with you.”

Qin Nuanyu, pregnant and glowing with maternal warmth, softened instantly at the little girl’s plea.

“All right, then come with us. Invite Xiaoyun too. We’ll all go to the city and have some fun today.”