Who taught you to be a celebrity like this?

Chapter 162 Suffering a loss is not a blessing; it's the world of the rich.

Ding Yan spoke in Chinese, and Martin Sawyer only understood the last three words.

Even so, when he saw this cold woman smile, a sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

Chang You looked at Ding Yan with a slightly surprised expression.

What does it mean that Li Ye's popularity is comparable to Xiao Bo's?

They do look similar, but they've been top celebrities for five or six years, endorse luxury brands, have highly loyal fans, and are willing to spend money, proving their commercial value. How can they be the same?

The fact that Li Ye has few endorsements makes fans and casual observers curious about his condition, suggesting that he has market value far exceeding expectations—what kind of twisted logic is this?

Chang You also realized that this woman was no simpleton; her earlier subtle resistance was all a prelude to raising the price now.

Unfortunately, he couldn't really refute the bargaining chips the other party had proposed.

Chang You and Martin Sawyer whispered among themselves, while Ding Yan calmly sipped her coffee. Noticing the gaze directed at her from the side, she looked over calmly.

Li Ye quickly sat up straight and kept his eyes fixed straight ahead; it was the first time he had ever seen an aunt like this.

After listening to Chang You's explanation, Martin Sawyer couldn't help but look at Ding Yan, spreading his hands in admiration, as if facing something unreasonable.

Capitalist: "Madam, we have offered very generous terms. We sincerely hope to cooperate, and we hope you will show us respect in return."

Yu Yan put down her coffee cup and calmly said in Mandarin, "Mr. Sawyer, do you really have a complete plan?"

Before Martin Sawyer could choose his words carefully, Ding Yan continued, "First of all, Xiao Bo is already working on the extreme sports documentary you mentioned, which revolves around Li Ye."

Secondly, we should all be clear about whether this is to build a personal brand around Li Ye or to strengthen the brand image of Red Bull Austria. We should all know the answer to that.

So even if you use global media resources, are you primarily promoting your products, culture, or Li Ye?

If we are truly committed to cooperation, I think we don't need to argue about this too much.

"No, no, no."

Martin Sawyer seemed angry, shaking his head like a rattle-drum, and then said with a stern face, "What they do is different from what we do. Our media resources and brand value are also different. This is a win-win cooperation for both of us. I have to say, this is not a pleasant conversation, madam."

Chang You, after taking a sip of coffee, glanced at Li Ye, nodded apologetically, and spoke up: "Ms. Ding, if I may be frank, A Ye is not yet the so-called new male lead. This is still controversial online, isn't it?"

Ah Ye has indeed achieved phenomenal popularity in the past six months, but that's only for six months. What will happen to him in the future? What will happen to his new album? Even if...

Now that you're presenting this to us, without market validation, we can't predict the outcome.

As for your question about Xiao Bo also filming a documentary related to extreme sports with the help of Tiansi, we are also aware of that.

But as Sawyer said, we have global media resources and a top-notch team, which cannot be compared to each other.

While business is business, I hope we can be more open and honest with each other going forward.

The spacious reception room was instantly filled with tension, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

At this moment, Li Ye felt like a useless man, secretly hating himself for not being cut out for this. Apart from flipping the table and refusing to talk, he didn't know what else he could do, fearing that he would say something too much and disrupt his aunt's plans.

But the question is, does Auntie have any other ideas?

Ding Yan didn't rush to reply, but calmly looked directly at the two people opposite her.

It felt like half a century had passed before Ding Yan finally smiled and said, "Sorry, I forgot to mention something earlier. Li Ye doesn't need to rely on extreme sports to build his persona."

"His music, looks, physique, temperament... these are his best calling cards. Since this is a win-win cooperation, I hope you won't include things that should already be done in the allocation of resources to us." Ding Yan's smile gradually disappeared, until it became completely cold.

The conversation reached another stalemate. After a moment of silence, Martin Sawyer shook his head and smiled wryly: "Madam, you are a very capable negotiator, but we both need to calm down. Great cooperation can't be rushed."

"Of course, we are very optimistic about this cooperation." Ding Yan smiled again, not the kind of smile that made Martin Sawyer and Chang You feel uneasy, but a normal smile.

After standing up and shaking hands, Li Ye and Ding Yan politely escorted Martin Sawyer and the others to the door.

Before leaving, Martin Sawyer smiled and gave Li Ye a thumbs up: "YE, you have a very rational partner. I believe we will eventually be able to achieve this great cooperation."

"Mr. Sawyer, you are also a wise man with great vision." Li Ye gave a thumbs up with pride, feeling much better than being called the new male lead by others.

Back upstairs, Li Ye showered his aunt with compliments: "That's amazing, Auntie! This is the first time I've ever seen such a sharp and confrontational exchange, the kind you only see in TV dramas."

"You're the one who's impressive."

Clearly, Ding Yan wasn't trying to praise Li Ye, and went along with it, saying, "Negotiations are never about eloquence, but about what bargaining chips you have."

Li Ye suddenly realized: "I'm the biggest bargaining chip?"

Ding Yan pursed her lips and said irritably, "First of all, we need to understand why Austrian Red Bull needs to find a spokesperson. It's because the domestic market is huge, with annual sales reaching two to three hundred billion, but because of the existence of these two companies, they simply can't get in."

Just like how Thailand's TCP Group chose Xiao Bo as their spokesperson, it's because they simply couldn't compete with China's Red Bull.

Li Ye now completely understood. The one who should be anxious is Red Bull Austria. Why can't he go to the European and American music scene?

Moreover, it's not necessary to rely on extreme sports to gain popularity in Europe and America. If it's really impossible to reach an agreement, then let's take the legitimate path and win with our works.

Li Ye had great confidence in his Apocalypse and Dream Space.

Ding Yan picked up a document and handed it to Li Ye, saying, "Red Bull used to have a record label, but it went bankrupt the year before last. They still have a good music production team, but they obviously have no interest in promoting stars."

And don't take Martin Sawyer's claim of turning you into an international superstar seriously. If he really did, would he just walk away without even asking about the English songs you wrote?

I understand your demands. Whether you participate in the upcoming negotiations or not is up to you, but if you are present, don't rush to express your opinion. You can speak to me quietly in front of them if you have anything to say.

Be a little thick-skinned. Don't worry about feeling awkward if you stay silent or refuse others. Suffering a loss is not a blessing, and this will apply even when you go abroad.

Li Ye nodded solemnly: "I understand, Auntie."

Ding Yan looked at Li Ye, her expression becoming even more serious: "And that extreme sports documentary, if you're really going to film it, you're not allowed to risk your life."

Li Ye nodded repeatedly, then changed the subject: "I have to say, Aunt, you are really amazing. You have a perfect grasp of the tone and pace of the conversation. Even Sawyer is impressed by you."

Ding Yan sneered: "Admire me? Who knows, they're probably cursing me behind my back right now."

"Fuck! You, didn't you say Li Ye's operation was a family-run business, completely unprofessional from start to finish? Was this woman someone he specifically hired to deal with us?"

Inside the car, Martin Sawyer cursed loudly. He had thought he could reach an agreement with the spokesperson immediately, but now the deal was in a tug-of-war mode. He had come with high hopes but left disappointed.

Chang You said helplessly, "That woman is his aunt, and Wildfire is indeed a family-run workshop. It's probably their cautious attitude towards their work that led us to get the wrong information."

Martin Sawyer rubbed his temples and sighed helplessly, "She knows how desperate we are, but we have no idea what they want or how much we can cooperate with."

"Perhaps we could try contacting other artists?" Chang You suggested, feeling that Li Ye wasn't the only option.

After all, Li Ye is known for not liking to promote himself, so finding a top celebrity who is not a perfect match but has a good fan base is not a difficult task.

Martin Sawyer shook his head in disapproval, stating that the brand culture of Red Bull Austria was painstakingly built, without exaggeration.

They say it involved countless lives...

It's rare to find a spokesperson who fits the brand image so well, how could we possibly replace them so easily?

That cold-blooded woman had precisely targeted their weakness.

"Shall we continue tomorrow?" Chang You asked.

"No, I'm going back to the US tomorrow. You can continue to inquire about Li Ye's demands, but don't contact other artists."

Martin Sawyer made a decision: "What we need to do now is wait. The global spokesperson for T.C. will be officially announced soon. They are going all out to challenge Red Bull China, and the publicity resources will be substantial. When Li Ye realizes the benefits, his attitude will soften."

"Auntie, what's the connection between these three Red Bulls?" Li Ye asked incessantly, like a curious child, before he even left.

Ding Yan glanced at him, somewhat annoyed yet amused: "Go look it up online yourself. Aren't you going to Fanxing? Don't get in my way."

"Okay." Feeling that he would be scolded if he didn't leave, Li Ye turned around decisively.

As Li Ye reached the door, Ding Yan called him back: "Come home tonight, and we can go look at apartments tomorrow morning."

Li Ye replied "OK" and went downstairs to find Chen Hu.

After dragging this on for so long, we have no choice but to move.

Otherwise, after a while, it wouldn't be surprising if he saw a familiar paparazzi working as a security guard in his own or his uncle's neighborhood.

On the way to Fanxing, Li Ye saw a message from Lin Boran on his phone, saying that the ratings for Sunday night had broken this year's record.

Li Ye replied with a smile that he should thank Kong Lingxiao for igniting himself and illuminating others.

Although Kong Lingxiao has gained some public favor this time, it's hard to say whether that favor will be effective, since it's not very reliable.

Moreover, he lost a lot of money supporting his fans, and his relationship with the company became very strained, creating a rift between them.

To be honest, Li Ye really should treat Xiao Ge to a meal.

Because of this incident, "Wilderness" saw a surge of 300,000 copies sold in the past few days, successfully overtaking "New Generation" before gradually declining.

Li Ye thought for a moment, then opened his mobile banking app, glanced at his bank account balance, and was momentarily stunned.

Domestic music platforms settle digital album revenue monthly, and over 13 million yuan arrived in two months. With some scattered copyright income, Li Ye's cash savings reached an astonishing 39.5 million yuan.

He's already planned it all out. If the house is suitable tomorrow, he'll buy it, keep some as working capital, and invest the rest.

When Li Ye returned home that evening, he told his aunt about his plan. For some reason, he felt that there was something tense on his aunt's usually calm face.

The next day, when Li Ye saw the third house and asked the agent about the price with great satisfaction, he finally understood why his aunt's expression had been a little strange the night before.

"What? 130,000 per square meter?" Li Ye did the math in his head. This apartment was 230 square meters, which meant it would cost 30 million. He immediately exclaimed in surprise.

The real estate agent, a short-haired woman in her thirties with an intellectual air, added, "This apartment is in a great location, so the price will be higher. The owner is asking for thirty-five million."

Li Ye couldn't help but gasp in shock: "So expensive?"

What the hell? Where did all these people get their money from?

He thought he was making money easily enough.

The real estate agent didn't recognize Li Ye, who was wearing a mask, but showed no condescension whatsoever. He quickly added, "This is one of the most prestigious residential developments in Guangzhou. You can see the Canton Tower from the window, and it also boasts unobstructed river views, 24-hour security, and a private elevator..."

"Alright, alright, no need to say anymore." Li Ye waved his hand; if he said any more, he would really be tempted.

The house his aunt found for him originally met the requirements: close to home, good location, good view, and over 200 square meters.

Moreover, the house's decoration and layout perfectly match his aesthetic preferences.

According to the agent, this is an Italian minimalist style, and the original owner never lived in it after it was renovated. There are four bedrooms in total: one master bedroom, two secondary bedrooms, and a maid's room.

The living room, as well as the master bedroom and two secondary bedrooms, all have floor-to-ceiling windows, offering excellent views and natural light.

The living room and dining room are connected, and looking at it this way, Li Ye felt that it was two and a half times the size of his own living room.

As for the somewhat cramped kitchen... well, he doesn't cook much anyway.

Li Ye was very satisfied. As long as he bought some furniture and appliances and transformed the maid's room into a combined computer and music room, it would be ready for him to move in immediately.

The main reason is that it's very close to my uncle's house; it only takes about ten minutes to walk here if you walk fast.

"Xiran, what do you think of this place?" Li Ye took a deep breath and looked at his younger sister. He needed someone to help him make up his mind.

Ding Yan immediately said, "What do you mean, how about it? I wanted you to rent this place, and you can use the studio's account."

Li Xiran kept her mouth tightly shut, shaking her head vigorously. She also liked the house very much, but this was beyond her budget.

That's the scope of advice she can offer.

"Is this even possible?" Li Ye asked in surprise.

"Why not? You have an agency contract with the studio." Ding Yan didn't bring Li Ye to buy a house in the first place; it's not the right time to buy such an expensive house yet.

Hearing their conversation and scrutinizing Li Ye more closely, the real estate agent found him increasingly familiar. Covering his mouth, he exclaimed, "You, are you Li Ye?"

"Yes." Li Ye readily admitted, knowing that this agent, with his professionalism, would not go around spreading rumors.

"Oh? Really? Did you guys notice the several transparent acrylic brackets hanging on the inner wall just now?"

The agent hurriedly stretched out his hand to lead Li Ye and the others over: "Actually, the homeowner is also a young man in his twenties. He is a loyal fan of yours, and I have been in charge of his renovation. He plans to use these supports to install waveboard."

Li Ye's eyes lit up immediately. Could he ask his fans for a discount?

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