Huayu: A master director who debuted as a singer

After finishing their business, Li Zongming glanced at his watch and said, "Let's exchange contact information. I can't accept commercial performances, but I can't let you waste your time. I have to go and secure a few big deals, so I'll need to contact you frequently."

Zheng Hui took his phone out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

The Nokia 5110 has a black body with a short, thick antenna at the top and a green monochrome screen.

In 1998, this was an absolute must-have. But Zheng Hui, used to smartphones, couldn't stand this brick-like device. However, in an era when pagers had to be found on public phones, mobile phones were an indispensable tool.

"I just bought it a couple of days ago. I'll write down the number for you."

Zheng Hui picked up the pen on the table, wrote a string of numbers on a napkin, and handed it to Li Zongming.

Li Zongming took the note, tucked it into his notebook, and also left his pager number and mobile phone number.

Li Zongming stood up: "Okay, I'll be going now. Wait for my news at home these next few days."

"Any progress?" Zheng Hui asked casually.

Li Zongming picked up his briefcase and said confidently, "I have a few. I'll talk to a local one for you first. There's a local business that's currently looking for a spokesperson for one of their products."

They originally wanted to hire celebrities from Hong Kong and Taiwan, but they were too expensive and not very cooperative, so they were still hesitant. Now that you've appeared, it's perfect.

I've seen their products, and they overlap a great deal with your target audience.

"What product?"

Li Zongming kept everyone in suspense: "It's for students. I'll negotiate the specifics first, and then I'll tell you the details once we have a general idea. Trust me, if we get this endorsement, the price won't be low."

Your current reputation among students is practically a living advertisement tailor-made for them.

Seeing his confidence, Zheng Hui stopped asking questions.

"Alright, then I'll wait for good news."

The two walked out of the teahouse, and the streets of Guangzhou were still bustling in the night.

Li Zongming hailed a red taxi, and before getting in, he turned back to Zheng Hui and said, "Remember, don't take on any side jobs during this time. Keep your market value stable."

Zheng Hui waved and watched the taxi merge into the traffic.

He stood by the roadside, looking at the neon-lit street, and took a deep breath of the damp air.

The Nokia in his pocket felt heavy. He touched the antenna and pondered what the days ahead would be like.

Once CCTV airs the music video, the fire will be completely ignited. As for the criticism?

Zheng Hui smiled, turned and walked into the night.

……

For the next few days, Zheng Hui's life was routine and monotonous.

He spent most of his time in his rented apartment, or went to the tape factory to check on the production progress and grab a few meals there; the food in the tape factory canteen was surprisingly delicious.

The factory manager told Zheng Hui that this was due to his order. With such a large order, the factory had income, and because they had to work three shifts, they couldn't skimp on the workers' meals. They had specially hired an experienced chef to cook for them these past few days.

As for the outside world, with songs like "Stubborn" being played in record stores throughout Guangdong, the reactions have become increasingly polarized.

Those who like him, especially students, practically idolize Zheng Hui. The radio stations of several middle schools in Guangzhou practically monopolize Zheng Hui's songs during lunch breaks.

Some students copied the lyrics into their notebooks and pasted them on the corners of their desks as their motto. At dismissal time, students could always be seen running around the school, loudly singing Zheng Hui's songs.

Those who disliked him hurled increasingly harsh insults. Zheng Hui sensed that the person in question would soon personally intervene, since they probably assumed he was a pushover because he hadn't responded.

That afternoon, Zheng Hui was sitting in his rented apartment, thinking about what book to write to secure the copyright in advance, such as "Those Years." He was also considering how to change some plot points that didn't fit his identity.

The Nokia phone on the bedside table rang, its monotonous and jarring electronic ringtone sounding particularly jarring in the quiet room.

Zheng Hui put down his guitar, picked up his phone, and saw an unfamiliar landline number displayed on the screen.

"Hello, who is this?"

"It's me, Li Zongming," came Li Zongming's excited voice from the receiver.

"Brother Li, how's it going?"

"It's done! Where are you? I'm coming to find you now, we can talk in detail when we meet."

"I'm in apartment 1505 of xx apartment."

"Okay, I'll be there in half an hour."

The phone hangs up.

Zheng Hui watched his phone screen go dark, a sense of curiosity creeping into his heart. What kind of endorsement could make Li Zongming so excited?

Less than half an hour later, there was a knock on the door.

Li Zongming walked in looking travel-worn. As soon as he entered, he pulled a document and several colorful boxes from his bag and threw them on the table.

"Look, this is the product you're going to endorse."

Zheng Hui looked closely and saw that the packaging boxes had several large characters printed on them – “BBK Repeater”.

Zheng Hui was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

No wonder Li Zongming said it was sold to students, no wonder he said it was tailor-made.

In 1998, tape recorders were definitely a hot commodity among students. Under the guise of learning English, they actually became a must-have for students to listen to tapes.

"This company has only been in business for a few years. The boss's surname is Duan, and he is a very decisive person. They had been looking for a spokesperson for the tape recorder. Originally, they had their eyes on Richie Jen, who sang 'Too Softhearted,' or Zhao Zhetian, who had just become popular for his role in 'Princess Pearl.'"

"But?" Zheng Hui picked up a tape recorder box and looked through it.

"But Richie Jen is too expensive, and Zhao Zhetian's schedule is too full. Moreover, Boss Duan feels that although they are popular, they are still lacking in the concept of learning."

Li Zongming pointed at Zheng Hui.

"I took your cassette tape and gave it to Boss Duan along with those newspaper comments praising your focus on self-growth, which were better than moral education textbooks, and the news that CCTV Sports Channel had sent a letter requesting the song."

Who is Boss Duan? He is known for his generosity in spending money on CCTV. In 1996, he spent more than 100 million yuan. He is better informed than anyone else.

He immediately had someone verify CCTV's findings, confirming that your song had indeed been selected, and his attitude improved accordingly.

"I struck while the iron was hot and told him: Your songs are all inspirational hits, designed to encourage students; you have a sunny image, no dyed hair, no pierced ears, and are clean and tidy, making you a natural-born good student in the eyes of parents."

"Having you endorse a language repeater will reassure parents and make them buy with confidence, and students will genuinely admire you—it's a match made in heaven."

Zheng Hui had to admire Li Zongming's insightful approach and ability to leverage existing resources.

He turned the criticisms of his preachy style into a core competitive advantage for securing endorsements; and by leveraging CCTV's influence, he directly increased his market value.

"After listening to 'Believe in Yourself' and 'Proud Youth,' especially those climaxes, Boss Duan made the decision on the spot."

Li Zongming kept everyone in suspense: "Want to guess how much the endorsement fee is?"

"Three hundred thousand?" Zheng Hui tentatively quoted a number. For a newcomer who had just debuted, this price was already considered top-tier in 1998.

Li Zongming shook his head: "One and a half million, for two years."

One and a half million! In Guangzhou in 1998, that amount of money was enough to buy six decent large apartments in the core area of ​​Tianhe District. Boss Duan truly lived up to his reputation as the bidding king; his spending was indeed bold.