How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 500 Stealing from the Home
Zhang Wen hung up the phone, the smile on his lips gradually fading.

He knew that Gao Yue had a wide network of connections, but the people she knew were all big names in the industry, and they might not be interested in a part-time job that cost 700 yuan per session, not to mention having to accommodate the time spent teaching in the evenings and on weekends.

Instead of waiting passively, it's better to take the initiative and go out.

He suddenly remembered the smug look on Li Lehua's face when he met him in the underground parking lot, and a sly glint flashed in his eyes.

If Jia Hua can poach his people, why can't he poach Jia Hua's people?

A class fee of 700 yuan per lesson is not low in the art exam training industry. If calculated based on 30 lessons per month, a salary of more than 20,000 yuan is definitely considered to be above average in the same industry.

As for why He Yang, Han Wanling, and Zhou Min's hourly rates reach 1,500 and 1,000 respectively, it's because Xingxiang Performance Training Class has outstanding art exam results. The three of them have already made a name for themselves in this circle and are considered famous teachers. Naturally, their hourly rates are not comparable to those of ordinary teachers.

Just do it!

He got up and left the office, driving to Jia Hua Art Examination Training Center. If he couldn't find anyone at Jia Hua, he could go to Huan Ya. If he couldn't find anyone at Huan Ya, he could go to Xin Ling. In any case, as long as they were acting teachers, it didn't matter what their abilities were; they were definitely not as capable as him.

Twenty minutes later, Zhang Wen stood outside the gate of Jia Hua Art Examination Center.

He put on a hat and a mask and walked straight in.

"Hello, welcome to Jia Hua Art Examination Training Center. Are you here for a consultation or to register?" the receptionist asked with a smile, her smile radiating warmth.

"I'd like to learn about acting training classes. My sister is planning to take the art college entrance exam this year, but she doesn't have time to come, so she asked me to help her check things out." Zhang Wen started talking nonsense with a straight face.

Upon hearing this, the receptionist's smile became even more enthusiastic, and she immediately picked up a thin brochure from the table and handed it to him. "Sir, Jia Hua is one of the top five art exam preparation institutions in Beijing. This year, many students in our performance training class passed the final exams for Huaxi Opera, Beijing Film Academy, and Shanghai Opera. Our teaching staff is renowned for its quality."

At this point, the receptionist leaned forward and lowered her voice, saying, "Moreover, we just poached their top acting teacher from Xingxiang Art Examination Training Center. This year, more than sixty of their students passed the final exams for Huaxi Opera, Beijing Film Academy, and Shanghai Opera. Jiahua is definitely the best choice for your sister's art exam training."

Zhang Wen was slightly taken aback. They had just recruited the person that morning, and they were already promoting him that afternoon?
It seems that Jia Hua is not only trying to poach his teachers, but also his students.

tough enough.

Zhang Wen took the brochure and quickly scanned the list of acting teachers. As expected of one of the top five art exam preparation institutions in Beijing, there were more than a dozen acting teachers alone. In addition to the teachers' photos, there were also brief introductions, such as how many years of teaching experience they had and what their specialties were, which were very detailed.

He deliberately frowned and hesitated before asking, "My sister's foundation is not good. She has only studied piano before and has no experience in performance. I can't tell much from the introduction. Could you let me meet these teachers and talk about teaching methods so I can choose for myself? If there is a suitable one, I will enroll her today."

Hearing that you could register today, the receptionist nodded happily. "No problem. The teachers from the performance training class just finished a meeting and are preparing lessons in their office. I'll take you to meet them now."

"Thank you, then I'll have to trouble you." Zhang Wen said apologetically, and then explained, "I only have one younger sister, and she insists on studying acting. There's nothing the family can do. Since she's already made up her mind, I, as her older brother, can only try my best to find a teacher who is suitable for her."

As the receptionist led the way, she said, "I understand. Many parents who come to Jia Hua for consultation are doing so for their children's dreams. I really envy your sister for having such a good brother like you."

Zhang Wen followed the receptionist upstairs. The walls on both sides of the corridor were covered with Jia Hua's past achievement reports, but most of them were vague, unlike Xing Xiang, which listed all the schools on the list.

Soon, the receptionist stopped outside the door of an office with the words "Acting Teaching and Research Group" written on it.

The office door was open, but she knocked before going in.

"Dear teachers," the receptionist said, pointing to Zhang Wen, "this gentleman would like to discuss acting instruction with you before registering."

"Okay, I understand." A middle-aged man looked up and said. Art exam preparation institutions are also in the service industry, so it's normal for them to be picked over. They're used to it.

The receptionist looked at Zhang Wen and said with a smile, "Sir, I'll go down now. You can come find me on the first floor after you've made your decision."

"Yes, thank you." Zhang Wen nodded.

The receptionist turned and walked out of the office. Zhang Wen looked around and started asking questions from the first female teacher by the door.

"Hello, Teacher Chen."

"Do you know me?" Chen Xiwen asked curiously.

"I've seen your picture in the brochure, but you're much prettier than in the brochure. It's a real shame you're not an actress," Zhang Wen praised with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiwen was overjoyed. She got up, moved a chair from the side, and brought a bottle of mineral water. "Parent, please sit down and have some water. What would you like to ask?"

Zhang Wen took the water, sat down, and looked at the other person, asking, "My sister has only learned piano and occasionally participates in some arts activities organized by the school. She has never studied formal performance. What do you think we should teach a student with zero experience like this?"

Chen Xiwen was clearly asked this question often, so she answered immediately, "At Jia Hua, we have a special basic acting training class for students with zero acting experience. I think that for these students, the teaching should be gradual, starting with liberating their natural instincts and practicing pronunciation..."

Once she starts talking, she can't stop, her eyes filled with enthusiasm for teaching.

Zhang Wen listened patiently, nodding in response as he listened. He thought to himself that Jia Hua was indeed a long-established art exam training institution in Beijing; any teacher he asked had a set of answers.

"Teacher Chen, you taught so well." Zhang Wen praised her generously after she finished speaking, then looked hesitant and asked in a low voice, "Teacher Chen, I didn't mean to offend you, but I just saw in the brochure that there was very little information about you. Is it because your teaching level is not as good as others?"

Chen Xiwen was initially quite happy to hear the praise, but when she heard the second half of the sentence, her smile instantly froze on her face.

However, she naturally disagreed with this statement and explained seriously: "No, sir. I used to be an actress, but I gave up acting to become a teacher. I have only been at Jia Hua for a short time, only four years, so my introduction is relatively short, but my teaching ability is still evident to all."

Zhang Wen understood immediately, took out his phone and asked, "Teacher Chen, can we add each other on WeChat? It will be easier to communicate in the future, and if my sister has any questions, she can ask you for advice promptly."

Chen Xiwen naturally wouldn't refuse and took out her phone to add each other as friends.

Zhang Wen stood up, carried a chair to a teacher next to him, looked down at the brochure in his hand, then looked up at the female teacher in front of him and asked in confusion, "Are you Teacher Wang Xiyue?"

“It’s me.” Wang Xiyue nodded, glancing at the brochure, not understanding why this parent had that expression.

"Is it really you? You're much prettier in person than in the photos. I wouldn't believe it if you didn't admit it," Zhang Wen said with a look of surprise.

Wang Xiyue's face flushed red instantly.

Chen Xiwen, standing to the side: "..."

That sounds so familiar; it seems like I just said the same thing to her.

Does this parent often flirt with women like this?
Zhang Wen sat down, looked at Wang Xiyue, and said, "Teacher Wang, my sister has no foundation at all, I'm worried she won't be able to keep up..."

The same question, phrased differently, was asked again.

Wang Xiyue had a good impression of the "older brother" in front of her, and not wanting to cause students to leave because of her, she answered in great detail. As a teacher with eight years of experience teaching performance entrance exams, she naturally had her own set of teaching methods.

A few minutes later, Zhang Wen had a general understanding of this teacher, Wang Xiyue, and then moved his chair to the next teacher.

So he asked all the acting teachers in the office and added them as friends. Just as he was about to say goodbye, he suddenly remembered something and asked, pretending to be puzzled, "Huh, where are Ms. Han Wanling and Ms. Zhou Min?"

The expressions of everyone in the room froze. They had heard some rumors about Principal Zhou poaching two acting teachers from Xingxiang, but they felt a little uncomfortable about it.

Doesn't poaching teachers from other art exam training institutions mean that their existing teachers are not up to par?
Moreover, the number of students in Jia Hua Performance Training Class has plummeted since last year, decreasing by one-third. This has led to a decrease in students in each class and a drop in wages.

Now that two more teachers have arrived, it's inevitable that some people will be marginalized or even dismissed.

Who would be happy about that?

Zhang Wen's gaze swept across the teachers' faces, quickly understanding their meaning. However, he pretended not to know anything and continued, "I heard from the receptionist that Jia Hua poached two top acting teachers from Xing Xiang. Aren't they here?"

“They…haven’t arrived yet,” Chen Xiwen said in a dry voice.

"Oh," Zhang Wen responded. He had just reached the door when he suddenly stopped, turned around, and asked, "When I went upstairs just now, I overheard people talking about how teachers Han Wanling and Zhou Min charge 1,000 yuan per class. But when I looked at the brochure, it listed the total cost for the basic class, advanced class, and full course. Why is there an extra charge for each class? Is there some other fee besides the total cost?"

Upon hearing these words, everyone in the office turned pale.

Parents may not know what "tuition fee" means, but how could they not understand?

The hourly rate is the fee paid to a part-time teacher for teaching a single class.

Full-time teachers like them are paid based on a base salary plus commission. If a class has more than 10 students, they will receive an additional 10 to 20 yuan for each extra student. In total, they earn less than 400 yuan per class per month, even during peak season. In the off-season, their salary will be even lower.

They earn less than 400 yuan per class, while the newcomers earn 1000 yuan per class. Who can be happy about that?

Even the director of the performance teaching and research office only earns an average of 900 per class.

“The tuition fee is the teacher’s service fee and has nothing to do with the students,” a middle-aged man in his forties said. “The total cost of the training course includes all expenses, and Jia Hua will not overcharge.”

"Oh, then I'm relieved." Zhang Wen looked enlightened and walked out the door.

The office fell silent again.

If the previous quiet was because everyone was preparing lessons, then the current quiet is because everyone is feeling unbalanced and has no motivation to work.

Why?
Why are new teachers' fees so high? Even if they are top teachers poached from other training institutions, the fees are outrageously high.
Of course, some people felt uneasy, fearing that they would be laid off.

When Zhang Wen arrived on the first floor, the receptionist immediately greeted him.

"Sir, have you finished asking your questions? How did it go?" the young woman asked, her eyes full of anticipation, practically screaming, "Come and sign up!"
"I've finished asking, and it went pretty well, but I want to wait until Teacher Han Wanling and Teacher Zhou Min arrive before making a decision," Zhang Wen said casually.

"Oh, shall we exchange contact information? I'll contact you again when Ms. Han Wanling and Ms. Zhou Min arrive," the receptionist asked, not wanting to miss any potential victims.

Zhang Wen thought the other party's service attitude was good, so he nodded and said, "Okay, I'll wait for your news. By the way, how much do you earn here a month?"

"Huh?" The receptionist was taken aback. Wasn't she here to inquire about courses? Why was she asking about salary?
"Don't get me wrong, I'm just curious," Zhang Wen said with a smile. "A pretty young lady like you with such good service, even as a receptionist, would easily earn at least ten thousand a month, right?"

The young woman looked embarrassed. The receptionist job doesn't require any technical skills, so the salary isn't high. It's a base salary plus commission and bonuses, and the most she's ever earned in a month is nine thousand, but that's during summer and winter vacations. On weekdays, it's only around six or seven thousand.

As for ten thousand... I wouldn't even dare to dream of it.

After adding the WeChat contacts, Zhang Wen prepared to leave. Just as he stepped out of Jia Hua's gate, he saw several familiar figures.

It was Zhou Maoquan, the principal of Jiahua, along with Han Wanling and Zhou Min.

Zhang Wen wanted to pretend he didn't see anything. Since it was a raid, it had to be done secretly.

However, he underestimated his own charm; even with a hat and mask on, his deep eyes and extraordinary temperament betrayed him.

"You surnamed Zhang?" Zhou Maoquan stopped in his tracks, his brows furrowing tightly, his eyes filled with vigilance. "What are you doing at Jia Hua?"

Zhang Wen didn't expect the other party to have such a deep impression of him, even though he was covered up so well, they could still recognize him. So he simply took off his hat and mask and said, "I need to see Han Wanling and Zhou Min. I didn't see them at the company, so I thought they would be here, so I came to look for them."

Han Wanling and Zhou Min, who were standing nearby, were taken aback. Hadn't they already made things clear? Why were they being asked to do something else?

Besides, isn't there a phone number? We can contact them by phone.

Zhou Maoquan stood directly in front of Han Wanling and Zhou Min, and said coldly, "What do you want to do? Let me tell you, Teacher Han and Teacher Zhou are now teachers of Jia Hua. Don't even think about having any improper thoughts about them."

"Don't misunderstand." Zhang Wen waved his hand and said in a friendly manner, "I've hired a few more acting teachers from the training department to work part-time at Xingxiang. I hope that Teacher Han and Teacher Zhou can share some of their teaching experience with them when they have free time."

Han Wanling and Zhou Min already felt sorry for Principal Zhang, so they naturally wouldn't refuse after hearing what he said.

However, before the two could speak, Zhou Maoquan spoke up for them.

"No way! How can you just casually pass on something as important as teaching experience? Teacher Han and Teacher Zhou are now teachers at Jia Hua. Their teaching experience is Jia Hua's asset. Principal Zhang, don't forget that Jia Hua and Xing Xiang are competitors. I know you are the deputy director of the training department, but I hope you will stop bothering Teacher Han and Teacher Zhou in the future." Zhou Maoquan said righteously and sternly.

Han Wanling raised her eyebrows slightly. How could she say that she was just working part-time at Jia Hua, but it sounded like she had been sold to Jia Hua?

Zhou Min was already annoyed by President Li's threat, and now seeing Principal Zhou's arrogant attitude, she secretly reached out and made an "OK" gesture to Principal Zhang, indicating that she would teach him.

“Principal Zhou, why are you so angry?” Zhang Wen said slowly and deliberately, “You should be happy that you’ve poached two of Xingxiang’s best acting teachers. I hope you won’t let them down in the future and stop finding excuses to deduct their salaries.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Maoquan immediately laughed and said smugly, "Don't worry, Teacher Han and Teacher Zhou are now Jia Hua's top teachers. I will treat them with respect, so you don't need to worry about them."

"Then I'm relieved." Zhang Wen smiled and turned to walk towards the Maybach parked by the roadside.

Zhou Maoquan watched his competitor's retreating figure and sneered.

I thought to myself: Laugh, let you laugh, but this time next year I'll make you cry!

……

(End of this chapter)