Jiang Cheng finally agreed to the endorsement, and Tangren was very satisfied with the contract, especially since it was worth ten million! According to the initial agreement with Jiang Cheng, half of that amount was to be credited to Tangren's account. The more Jiang Cheng earned, the more they would receive.
Although he had to give up half of his earnings for no apparent reason, it was an inevitable situation for a newcomer. He thought that he would endure it for now, and once he made a name for himself, he wouldn't need to sign with a company anymore. Then, he could be his own boss and wouldn't have to be exploited by anyone else. This was why Jiang Cheng insisted on not signing long-term contracts; it was a way to minimize exploitation.
After disembarking the plane, Jiang Cheng boarded a bus to Beijing city. Just then, his phone rang; it was an unknown number.
"Hello, I'm Jiang Cheng, who is this?" Jiang Cheng answered the call.
"Jiang Cheng, it's Zhang Ji!" A middle-aged man's voice came through the phone.
"Oh, it's Manager Zhang!" Jiang Cheng responded with a smile. Zhang Ji was the PR Manager of Wahaha Group, and he was responsible for coordinating the communication between Jiang Cheng and Wahaha in Beijing. "Is there something you need, Manager Zhang?"
"Yes, have you arrived in Beijing?" Zhang Ji asked.
"Just got off the plane, I'm on the bus to the city now," Jiang Cheng replied.
"Alright, then hurry over here," Zhang Ji said.
Jiang Cheng frowned, "What's the matter? Isn't the advertisement shoot scheduled for the day after tomorrow?"
"Yes, but I've arranged a meeting with Director Li Wei Ran and the female lead of the advertisement. I thought it would be good for everyone to meet and get to know each other. Also, to welcome you and the female lead who specially came back from the United States," Zhang Ji explained.
"Are the others already there?" Jiang Cheng didn't expect the key members to arrive so quickly.
"Yes, we're just waiting for you!" Zhang Ji said with a laugh, implying that they were accommodating Jiang Cheng, who was the biggest star among them.
Embarrassed, Jiang Cheng smiled. He was still not used to making others wait for him and felt a bit guilty. He had been busy in Shanghai recently and had to stay a few extra days, which is why he was rushing now.
Suddenly, he remembered the female lead mentioned by Zhang Ji, "From the United States? Is she American?" he wondered if Wahaha was aiming for an international collaboration.
"No, she's a Chinese-American," Zhang Ji clarified from the other end of the phone. Jiang Cheng was momentarily taken aback. He knew several male actors in the Chinese entertainment industry who were Chinese-American, like Daniel Wu and Wang Lee Hom, but he wasn't very familiar with any female actresses.
"She's a young girl, even younger than you!" Zhang Ji added.
Jiang Cheng couldn't help but feel frustrated, a younger girl? What were they thinking, two minors in an advertisement? Were they not planning to shoot a trendy advertisement to attract young consumers but rather a motivational children's film inspired by youthful fashion idols? It seemed plausible, considering how Wahaha became successful.
"Where are we meeting?" Jiang Cheng asked.
"At Dong Lai Shun in Wangfujing," Zhang Ji said. "You're not familiar with Beijing, right? Do you need someone to pick you up?"
"No need, I know Wangfujing," Jiang Cheng replied, smiling. Although he didn't know what Dong Lai Shun was, he knew Wangfujing well. Wangfujing Street is one of the most famous commercial areas in Beijing, stretching from East Chang'an Avenue to the China Art Museum. To Jiang Cheng, Wangfujing was like the Eiffel Tower and Champs-Elysées of Paris, a must-visit place in Beijing. Among the many restaurants in Wangfujing, Jiang Cheng only knew about Beijing's Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to taste authentic Beijing duck, either in his previous life due to financial constraints or in this life due to lack of time.
Although Jiang Cheng wasn't a Beijing local and didn't know how to get to Wangfujing or what Dong Lai Shun was, he could simply tell a taxi driver the destination.
As he approached Wangfujing, the traffic became more congested. When he finally reached Wangfujing around 4 p.m., he had to get off the taxi and walk. He learned that Dong Lai Shun was quite famous for its lamb hotpot, and it was hard to find a table without a reservation.
Inside the private room, a middle-aged man in a black suit, presumably Zhang Ji, and a casually dressed, slightly overweight young man around twenty-five or twenty-six were chatting. The middle-aged man was Zhang Ji, Wahaha's PR Manager, and the young man was unfamiliar to Jiang Cheng.
Upon seeing Jiang Cheng, Zhang Ji came up to introduce him, "Jiang Cheng, you're here, let me introduce you!"
Pointing to Jiang Cheng, he said, "Wei Ran, this is your male lead for the advertisement, Jiang Cheng!" Then, pointing to the young man, he added, "Jiang Cheng, this is the director of the advertisement, Li Wei Ran. Don't be fooled by his age; he's already won many international awards and is considered the top among the new generation of advertisement directors. We put a lot of effort into getting him!"
Li Wei Ran, a little embarrassed by the praise, wasn't the smooth and seasoned professional he would later become when he opened a well-known advertising company. He was still a young man with sharp edges.
"Sorry, I'm late," Jiang Cheng apologized, but Zhang Ji brushed it off, saying they had just arrived themselves.
Zhang Ji handed a new script to Jiang Cheng, "This is the new advertisement script Director Li just brought. Do you see any issues?"
A new script? Jiang Cheng was confused as they had already given him a script. The previous script was about Jiang Cheng's character visiting his girlfriend's father, who was initially unimpressed with him, but a bottle of cola saved the day. Though Jiang Cheng was young, makeup could make him look older, and his mental age was nearly thirty, making him suitable for the role.
Jiang Cheng found the new script felt like a prequel to the previous one, detailing the high school days of the protagonists, where the male lead tirelessly pursued the female lead, eventually winning her over with a bottle of cola. If the previous script was about meeting the father-in-law, this one was about the early stages of their romance.
"Didn't we already have a script? Why the sudden change?" Jiang Cheng asked.
Zhang Ji looked helpless and explained that the decision was made by the board two days ago, and today's meeting was not only to welcome the female lead but also to discuss the new script.
Jiang Cheng frowned; the new script seemed too cliché and rushed. "I don't agree with this script," he declared.
It was odd that Wahaha's executives decided to change the script at this time, but Jiang Cheng, as an artist, couldn't influence their decisions. He felt that a boring script was unacceptable to his professional ethics as a screenwriter and didn't want to produce a subpar advertisement.
Zhang Ji and Li Wei Ran's faces fell upon hearing Jiang Cheng's disapproval. The script was written by Li Wei Ran, who had worked overnight on it.
"Can you explain why?" Zhang Ji asked, keen to understand Jiang Cheng's reasoning.
Jiang Cheng calmly stated, "The plot is too cliché and uninspired. It looks hastily made and lacks novelty. What do young people want? Fashion, individuality, self-expression, and most importantly, coolness. But what does this have?"
Jiang Cheng's blunt critique highlighted the script's flaws. Although he spoke the truth, Zhang Ji and Li Wei Ran found his directness a bit harsh.
Feeling Jiang Cheng was being disrespectful, but knowing they couldn't offend him as he was the main star of the ad, Zhang Ji was about to persuade him to accept the script when Li Wei Ran interjected, "Then how do you think it should be changed? Let's hear your ideas."
Zhang Ji worried that Jiang Cheng might walk away in anger, but Jiang Cheng wasn't so petty.
Raising an eyebrow at Li Wei Ran's aggressive tone, Jiang Cheng realized the script was probably his work and understood his reaction. If his own script were criticized like this, he would react similarly.
Trying to smooth things over, Jiang Cheng suggested, "Actually, it's simple to change. We don't need a complete overhaul, just add elements that appeal to teenagers. For example, the male lead is the captain of the school basketball team. During a crucial game, he's not performing well and the team is losing. The female lead, the cheerleading captain, gives him a bottle of cola and encourages him. Energized, he leads the team to victory. After the game, he boldly confesses his feelings to her in front of everyone. She happily accepts, and they become a couple. Finally, everyone celebrates with cola. How about this idea?"
Zhang Ji and Li Wei Ran were stunned by the suggestion. It sounded much more appealing than the original script, incorporating basketball and a more inspirational tone that would likely resonate with young people.
Li Wei Ran excitedly agreed, "That sounds great! You're really talented, Jiang Cheng. No wonder your books sell so well. You're amazing at crafting stories!"
Jiang Cheng modestly replied, "I'm just a young person who knows what the youth are interested in."
Zhang Ji nodded in approval, "This modification isn't too big. We can handle it. Jiang Cheng, do you play basketball?"
Jiang Cheng nodded, "Yes, I used to play a lot in high school."
"Great, then Director Li, please revise the script according to Jiang Cheng's suggestions. We'll proceed with the original shooting plan," Zhang Ji instructed Li Wei Ran, relieved that the issue was resolved. He thought to himself that Jiang Cheng was indeed a valuable asset and was glad they had signed a three-year contract with him. With such a talent on board, he was confident the advertisement would boost product sales.
The trio discussed the script's details, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
"We're sorry for being late!" Suddenly, a deep voice of a middle-aged man echoed from outside the door, and the room door was pushed open.