99 is a sign that good fortune is approaching.

The Fatty talked a lot, and when the conversation turned to the web series, Zhang Pa asked cautiously, “Are you guys no longer interested in filming it?”

Fatty replied, “No, it’s just that Wang Kun is funding it now. As long as you want to shoot, we’ll shoot.”

Zhang Pa chuckled, “According to what you said, you all have a new business now. Where’s the time to film a web series?”

“There’s always time if you make room for it,” Fatty responded.

Zhang Pa said, “Just like many things you’ve done before—start something and never finish it, right?”

Fatty said no.

Zhang Pa asked, “Then what is it?”

“Nothing at all,” Fatty replied. “Why won’t you reconcile with Wang Kun? Wouldn’t it be better if we all made money and chased girls together?”

Zhang Pa thought for a moment and said, “Alright, tell me, what exactly do you want to do?”

Fatty said, “You don’t know what we’re doing yet, so don’t rush to decide.”

Zhang Pa said, “I don’t want to know; just tell me the outcome.”

Fatty said there is no outcome yet, then added, “Come or not, it’s up to you. We’ve decided to work together.”

Zhang Pa said, “Fine, got it.”

“What exactly do you know?” Fatty snapped angrily.

Zhang Pa said, “I know the web series isn’t happening, the animation’s off the table, and you guys are focusing on some big business.”

Fatty was silent for a while before saying, “You could say that.” Then he explained further, “It’s not that we won’t shoot; it’s just temporarily on hold. We’ll start filming next summer. By then, we’ll have the money and people—we’ll be able to shoot anything.”

Zhang Pa smiled, “Got it.”

Fatty cursed, “Damn, you say you got it, but you don’t know a damn thing. You have no idea what we’re really up to.”

Zhang Pa said, “I don’t know, but does it matter?”

Fatty, realizing he couldn’t convince Zhang Pa, angrily said goodbye and ended the call.

Putting down the phone, Zhang Pa didn’t feel like typing anymore. Originally, it was because the effeminate guy, Fatty, and the others egged him on to write the script and shoot a web series. To get those guys to do something worthwhile, he even wrote the script himself and offered two thousand yuan for rent.

But those fools always changed course quickly. Once wealthy Wang Kun came back, they immediately abandoned the web series.

Zhang Pa gave a bitter laugh, checked the time, and called Liu Xiaomei. “Dear, you don’t need to write the theme song anymore.”

Liu Xiaomei asked what was wrong.

Zhang Pa said, “We’re not doing it.”

“What do you mean not doing it? Did something happen?” she asked.

Zhang Pa laughed and apologized, promising to take her out to dinner tomorrow.

Liu Xiaomei said, “Tomorrow’s Friday. You better keep your word.”

Zhang Pa laughed heartily, then asked, “What are you doing?”

“I’m singing. Want to listen?” Liu Xiaomei said.

Zhang Pa asked how — over the phone?

Liu Xiaomei said, “I’m recording. You’re such a pig.”

Zhang Pa responded with a grunt, “Don’t bully the pig.”

Liu Xiaomei laughed softly, then suddenly said, “Don’t be sad, don’t be sad. Auntie’s here to hug you.”

Zhang Pa was amused. “I’m not sad.”

“If not sad, then you’re possessed,” she teased. “It doesn’t matter what happens, remember I’m behind you.”

Zhang Pa smiled and thanked her, then said goodbye and ended the call.

But not long after hanging up, Fatty called again. “I have to tell you what we’re doing.”

Zhang Pa asked, “Why do I have to know?”

Fatty said, “We’re going to use the place, redecorate it. Wang Kun is funding it.”

Zhang Pa asked, “What do you mean?”

Fatty said, “You know about online live streaming? Wang Kun wants to start a company, sign with a streaming platform, then hire some girls to be streamers. The other night, we weren’t just out having fun—we were interviewing.”

Zhang Pa was curious. “Interviewing girls? Are you guys really running a brothel?”

“You don’t get it, but in a way, you’re not far off,” Fatty said. “We’re setting up a company specifically to sign white-skinned, beautiful busty girls. They don’t need talent, though a little is good, but mainly it’s about selling smiles. They sit in front of the camera, play music, act coquettish, and viewers send money and gifts. The company splits the earnings with the contracted performers.”

“Contracted performers?” Zhang Pa laughed. “The bar for being an artist sure keeps dropping.”

“Trust me, you don’t understand. There’s a whole group of girls online selling their looks to attract wealthy patrons who send gifts. If they send enough gifts, they can add the girl on WeChat... The rest is as you can imagine,” Fatty didn’t want to be too explicit.

Zhang Pa asked, “The rest, you mean rich guys showering gifts, then maybe if they come to the provincial capital, they rent a room with your contracted girls?”

“Something like that. Some women want easy money. It’s risky to sell themselves on the street, but online is safer. They put on makeup, wear nice clothes, and just chat with the rich guys,” Fatty said. “Makes sense, right?”

Zhang Pa asked skeptically, “A woman just sitting in front of a camera, and rich guys throw money at her? That’s not logical. They’d be better off watching Japanese adult films.”

“People have different pursuits. You don’t get it,” Fatty said. “But the money’s real.”

Zhang Pa said, “Because the money’s there, you put those girls online?”

“Money’s money,” Fatty said. “I’m being frank with you now. To the outside world, we’re a legitimate entertainment media company, mainly focused on online entertainment. We train our signed artists strictly. Whatever line of work, discipline and rules are essential for growth.”

Zhang Pa smiled, “Wang Kun told you that?”

Fatty was confused. “What?”

Zhang Pa said, “That whole spiel you just gave me—Wang Kun told you that?”

“Yeah,” Fatty said. “Anyway, it’s promising. You don’t know how crazy rich people are. If they like a girl, they’ll throw thousands of yuan at her without hesitation. To get closer, they have to spend even more, tens of thousands... I never understood it. That money could fill the Mingyue Palace, so why waste it online?” He paused. “Oh, right—one national heartthrob threw over 200,000 yuan at a Korean girl, and she cried from excitement. The money comes in faster than the wind blows.”

Zhang Pa said, “So you’re packaging these girls online to attract wealthy sponsors, who then spend even more to develop offline relationships?”

“More or less. But it can’t be just beautiful streamers; we need talent streamers to fill the stage. We’re still in the early stages...” He stopped, thought for a moment, then added, “Wang Kun wants to rent a floor in an office building for the company—offices and streaming rooms—and also a big villa to house the girls who stream. Before that, we have to clear out the place, repaint, install floors, and set up equipment. You have to be a big shot to attract beautiful girls and viewers. Wang Kun just called Da Zhuang, and he said we’re in charge. So tomorrow we start the simple renovation and buy computers and gear... You get it?”

Zhang Pa said, “Got it. I need to move out and leave the place for you guys.”

Fatty apologized, saying it wasn’t his idea. Wang Kun said to make money, you have to make full use of every convenient resource.

Zhang Pa laughed, “You’ve been brainwashed by Wang Kun.” Then added, “I’ll come get my stuff tomorrow.”

“No need. Just take the things you use regularly. The rest can go to storage,” Fatty said.

Zhang Pa agreed, said he’d see them tomorrow, and hung up.

If the first call from Fatty brought him disappointment, this one left him feeling utterly betrayed. He had worked himself to exhaustion writing scripts that ultimately went unused. These bastards only cared about making money and chasing girls—they had no staying power!

After the call, he shut down his computer and went to bed, suddenly feeling everything was pointless.

The next day, he went to school for class. After teaching his Chinese lesson, he played truant and went to the garden with Xing Yuan.

Because of his foul mood, his eighteenth-grade students had a rough day. Zhang Pa actually laid hands on two misbehaving students in the classroom and beat them until they vomited.

Usually gentle and nurturing, today he was thunderous. The students finally saw the wild side of Teacher Zhang.

He even threatened, “If anyone dares skip class, pray you don’t run into me.”

Leaving behind an atmosphere thick with menace, Zhang Pa went to the new apartment he hadn’t lived in long.

Many people were there—Wang Kun, several decorators. Wang Kun led the workers through each room, giving renovation suggestions.

Simple renovations: all walls must be repainted, floors replaced. Then various furnishings, like turning rooms into girls’ boudoirs, big rooms with nice beds, small rooms with sofas...

These weren’t urgent. The immediate tasks were clearing out, painting, and flooring.

Seeing Zhang Pa arrive, Fatty said, “Turtle’s car is outside. Whatever you want to move, we’ll help.”

Zhang Pa thanked him and looked around the room. He didn’t have much—mostly books and a huge pile of stuff left behind by two girls who had moved out from the neighboring apartment.

After a moment’s thought, he said to Fatty, “Move everything.”

“Everything? We have storage here,” Fatty said.

Zhang Pa repeated, “Everything.”

So they started moving. However it had come in, now it had to go back.

One small van wasn’t enough, so they found a truck and hauled a large amount back to the Happiness neighborhood.

During the ride, Fatty kept talking to Zhang Pa. “You don’t understand... Let me put it this way: I can pretend to be a rich guy. Wang Kun said he’d top up a few accounts for us every month. We can send gifts to whoever we want.”

Zhang Pa smiled but said nothing.

Fatty asked, “What’s wrong? Don’t believe in us?”

“No, I just think it’s pretty pointless. From one perspective, what you’re doing isn’t so different from what Old Wu San does,” Zhang Pa said.

Fatty was stunned, silent for a long moment before saying, “It’s different, it’s different. We’re a company. We provide performers a chance to showcase themselves. Artists need an audience and financial support...”

Zhang Pa said, “If it really is about giving people a platform, why not recruit talent performers? Instead, you go for as many pretty girls as possible.”

Fatty said, “Most things in this world can be summed up with the word ‘money.’ We set up a company to make money, so we do whatever makes money.”

And with that, the conversation trailed off.