WIIAD? ### Chapter 33: First Endorsement Deal!

 ### Chapter 33: First Endorsement Deal!


Just as Qi Lin feared, the movie "Qing Cheng" did not receive high ratings online. Most viewers gave it average reviews. The number of positive reviews was not significant and almost all were default good ratings. Genuine, detailed reviews were scarce, and most of them praised the lead actors rather than the movie itself. Comments like "Our Tian is so handsome" and "The female lead is so beautiful" made it seem as if the positive reviews were bought. 


Negative reviews were much more consistent, and even seemed coordinated:

"Female lead is blind, scriptwriter is brain-dead, no explanation needed!"

"Female lead is blind, scriptwriter is brain-dead, no explanation needed!"

"Female lead is blind, scriptwriter is brain-dead, no explanation needed!"


The scriptwriter nearly cried in frustration. "How is this my fault? I'm just following the director's vision. Why blame me? Go blame the director!"


Han Xue was equally frustrated after reading the reviews. She thought, "If viewers are already criticizing 'Qing Cheng' so harshly, what will they say about me when 'New Liang Zhu' is released?" Remembering Qi Lin's performance in "New Liang Zhu," she feared viewers would continue to berate her. She even considered quitting the film and asking the director to replace her.


Despite the mixed reviews of "Qing Cheng," Qi Lin officially debuted. He caught the attention of industry insiders and garnered some recognition from audiences, becoming a borderline C-list celebrity. He received numerous invitations to appear on reality shows as a guest star, with generous offers, but Wang Xiaohua declined them all.


Instead, she hired two more teachers for Qi Lin—one for acting and one for etiquette and posture—bringing in intensive training sessions. The training was expensive, motivating Qi Lin to make the most of every minute. For the first time, he deeply understood the saying "time is money."


After a week of training, Qi Lin headed back to Beijing at Hu Lai's invitation. A suit company, impressed by his performance in "Qing Cheng," wanted him to endorse one of their series in China. While not a world-renowned brand, they held a significant position in their home country and aimed to break into the Chinese market. They hired well-known stars for endorsements, and Qi Lin's series-specific endorsement came through Hu Lai's recommendation.


At the company's office, Wang Xiaohua negotiated the contract. The final offer was seven million yuan post-tax for two years. Qi Lin needed to provide three video ads and at least ten suit poster ads, with the company entitled to request three additional ad shoots.


These terms were acceptable to Qi Lin. Seven million yuan post-tax! Even after the company took its share, he'd still get 3.5 million yuan—more than his combined earnings from three movies. For a few ad shoots, it was an excellent deal.


In just five days, the ads were completed, and 3.5 million yuan was deposited into Qi Lin's account, leaving him feeling almost surreal. After less than six months in the entertainment industry, he was already on his way to becoming a millionaire. He started checking his bank balance frequently, enjoying the sight of his growing wealth.


Time flew by, and mid-October arrived. "Run Brother," the show Qi Lin participated in, premiered, causing a bigger stir than "Qing Cheng." The viewership gap between the two was vast. If "Qing Cheng" marked Qi Lin's official debut, making him a known actor, then "Run Brother" made him somewhat famous. The show introduced him to countless viewers, and his popularity surged, with a flood of offers for reality shows, TV dramas, web series, and movies. The sight of those long strings of zeros on the paychecks made Qi Lin want to accept every offer and stash all the earnings into his pocket.


However, Wang Xiaohua remained calm and experienced. She'd seen much bigger scenes, and these offers were trivial to her. After thorough review, she rejected 99% of them, leaving only two offers with very modest fees. One of them was a reality show from Mango TV, offering only 200,000 yuan, which puzzled Qi Lin.


Wang Xiaohua patiently explained, "You're facing a common situation for newcomers. When you first get famous, everyone wants to ride the wave, offering good money. Some newbies get greedy and try to cash in quickly, but that's not for you. Your future is bright! You can't let small, immediate gains hinder your long-term progress. I promise, in a year, you'll be truly popular. By then, these fees will seem insignificant compared to your endorsement deals."


Wang Xiaohua's confidence reassured Qi Lin, though he had to 'reluctantly' give up those offers. To help him understand, she pointed to the remaining two offers.


"Mango TV's reputation aside, it's the only network that can rival CCTV in ratings. What do you need most now? Exposure! Both 'Fang Shiyu' and 'New Liang Zhu' need time before release. If you don't keep up your exposure, your current heat will fade quickly. Mango TV's variety show is the perfect choice. The same logic applies to the other variety show. You need to keep showing your face and ensure viewers remember you! Our company is already preparing a web series tailored for you. By the time you're done with these variety shows, the series will be ready. Next year will be your breakout year. By then, you'll ignore these offers!"


Wang Xiaohua's tone was almost sacred, as if performing a crucial task. Qi Lin's expression shone with excitement, imagining countless winged banknotes flying into his pocket. Life was beautiful!


NEXT

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