Full Level Bigshot Only Takes the Career Path

He looked towards the young people playing not far away and continued, “The esports industry is quite popular nowadays.”

“In this industry, young talents work hard, and it’s not easier than acting. I met a colleague who invested in and managed a team. He told me that these young talents train tirelessly, often pushing themselves for more than ten hours at a time.” Pei Mingzhan pondered for a moment and continued, “Nowadays, there is no industry that is truly easy. Some professions may seem glamorous, but in reality, they come with a lot of physical and mental strain, and it’s not easy at all.”

“These kids in the industry are living in their youth. It’s not as easy as filming. I met someone from the same industry who invested in a team. He said these kids train hard and often work for more than ten hours straight without rest.” Pei Mingzhan thought for a moment and said, “Nowadays, there’s hardly any industry that’s easy. Some professions may seem glamorous, but in reality, they come with a lot of accumulated injuries and health problems. It’s not easy for them either.”

“En,” Zhao Yao responded casually.

The filming was completed quickly, and the leader of the team came over to thank them.

The other members of the team had been watching the two of them, and one of them asked if the person they saw just now was the renowned actor Pei Mingzhan.

The team leader was surprised and said, “No way, how could Pei Mingzhan come to such a small place?”

As soon as the two passersby left, the atmosphere that was previously a bit lively suddenly turned cold.

One of the boys spoke up, “Brothers, I need to tell you something. My mom called me and asked me to go back to continue high school and study hard to get into a good university.”

The team captain said, “Isn’t that a good thing? Just study hard.”

The other kids exchanged glances and each spoke up.

“My mom called me too…”

“I might go back to my hometown and visit the internet cafe.”

“Studying is not a bad idea. Now that I think about it, its good to go back to study.

…

The boy who spoke first asked, “What about you, brother? What’s your plan?”

He still remembered that their team captain had been offered opportunities by several other teams, but he didn’t choose to leave.

Jiang Xiaoqi was the current captain of the XXD team. The team’s management was quite loose, and since their team’s sponsor withdrew funding, he had been handling most of the matters. He led a few kids to participate in offline competitions to earn some money. Even the team’s base they had previously rented was taken back due to the lease expiration, so they ended up moving their belongings to his home to play games.

In fact, what he said to the two friends just now was slightly exaggerated. Their XXD team had lost its name last year and couldn’t even be considered a bottom-tier team anymore. The talented players had been poached long ago, and only average seedlings remained. Jiang Xiaoqi struggled for a year, but the team’s performance kept declining. That’s why they resorted to filming a video as a final commemoration.

Jiang Xiaoqi knew that the kids were worried about him, so he said, “I don’t have any specific plans. I’ll play games when I have time, and if not, I’ll help my parents with their farmhouse business.”

-*

The weather was still good today. Not long after Zhao Yao and Pei Mingzhan left, Pei Mingzhan received a phone call.

The phone call was from Gu Sui. Pei Mingzhan didn’t avoid Zhao Yao and directly answered loudly, “Hey, old Pei.”

Pei Mingzhan paused slightly upon hearing Gu Sui’s voice and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Gu Sui said, “Are you in S city? Can you come over to discuss something?”

They were resting in a small pavilion outside the farmhouse. Gu Sui sounded energetic, it seems that the launch of the Zhajiang Mian platform wasn’t going too bad. Hearing Gu Sui’s words, Zhao Yao asked, “What’s going on?”

On the other end of the phone, Gu Sui heard Zhao Yao’s voice and responded, “Oh, Mr. Zhao is also there?”

Zhao Yao replied, “Yes, we came here with Pei Mingzhan to eat at the farmhouse.”

Gu Sui jealousy said, “Then you two eat well, while I’m stuck eating with boxed lunch over here.”

“Let’s talk directly on the phone. I can’t come over to your place today either,” Pei Mingzhan said, sitting beside Zhao Yao. “Didn’t you promise to take care of the platform?”

“I can’t make that promise just yet. Anyway, let’s talk about business.” Gu Sui said without beating around the bush. “We’ve been friends for so many years. You shouldn’t let outsiders take advantage.  I heard about the incident where you promoted a program on another platform during your live broadcast. You don’t really know how to attract viewers on our platform. ” 

Pei Mingzhan realized that Gu Sui was referring to the live stream of  Youxian. “The platform wasn’t launched back then, and promoting other businesses depends on the situation, right?”

As it was windy in the pavilion, they sat facing the wind.

Pei Mingzhan turned his body to the side and continued talking while looking at Zhao Yao, who was sitting in front of him.

Zhao Yao didn’t say anything, but his gaze scanned Pei Mingzhan up and down, finally lingering on Pei Mingzhan’s fingers, feeling a bit itchy.

He used to think Pei Mingzhan’s hands were good-looking, but now he couldn’t help but think about how it felt to hold those hands.

“Well, I can’t control that matter anymore. The results of your last broadcast were quite good. Whether you promote other platforms during your first-time live stream on our platform doesn’t matter. Since both you and Mr. Zhao are here, how about doing a live stream to attract popularity for our Zhajiang Mian platform?” Gu Sui suggested.

Gu Sui originally wanted to find a suitable day for Pei Mingzhan to do an indoor live broadcast, but upon hearing that Zhao Yao was with Pei Mingzhan, he changed his mind immediately. His team members were no strangers to entertainment industry matters, and they had collaborated with many companies for live streaming events.

One of the co-owners of the Zhajiang Mian platform was a popular topic in the media. It would be a waste not to use his fame for advertising. Besides, Gu Sui had heard that Zhao Yao also had a considerable number of fans online. If these two did an advertisement together, the platform could save a lot on endorsement fees.

Pei Mingzhan laughed and said, “You’ve thought it through.”

Gu Sui replied, “Of course.”

Zhao Yao listened to Pei Mingzhan and Gu Sui’s conversation throughout. Indeed, Pei Mingzhan had a significant online presence. Zhao Yao had heard that due to Pei Mingzhan, the viewership of Youxian doubled, attracting a large number of new audiences.

Considering Gu Sui’s current situation, their platform was in its initial stage and most vulnerable to competition. He needed to build his confidence and accumulate resources. Clearly, other platforms were pressuring him, which was why he called Pei Mingzhan for advice.

Gu Sui cheerfully said, “Is Mr. Zhao also there? How about you two collaborate for a live stream? It can be on our platform. Would half an hour be enough for the promotion?”

“Live stream?” Zhao Yao was suddenly intrigued and shifted his gaze from Pei Mingzhan’s hand. He simply said, “This place isn’t suitable for a live stream.”

Without stable equipment and a proper shooting environment, he and Pei Mingzhan hadn’t prepared in advance.

“Just a live stream with a mobile phone. I believe Old Pei’s phone has the software,” Gu Sui said with a smile. “Mr. Zhao, you should also have some confidence in our platform. Do you think I used all that money to buy servers made of plastic 1?”

Besides, Zhajiang Mian had spent years researching and developing their technology, hiring skilled professionals to build a stable live streaming platform.

“Want to give it a try?” Pei Mingzhan asked Zhao Yao.

Gu Sui continued, “What’s there to hesitate about?”

Zhao Yao frowned slightly. Gu Sui was quite shrewd. Zhajiang Mian Platform indeed had the capability to challenge the patience of online users.

In his previous life, Zhao Yao had seen data on live streaming platforms. Gu Sui’s capabilities went beyond what was known. Zhajiang Mian Platform had spent years researching and developing their technology and solutions. The most remarkable aspect was the platform’s stability. Generally, these impromptu outdoor live streams will face numerous technical problems, with the biggest issue of buffering. Zhao Yao wasn’t well-versed in technology, but he knew that Gu Sui’s team had tackled this problem in his previous life.

To be honest, Zhao Yao was curious about the current technological level of Zhajiang Mian Platform. Although he had learned about their progress from the data he saw earlier, it was somewhat obscure. He knew the general progress, but whether they could achieve the same level as the test environment in an actual situation was uncertain.

-*

In Pei Mingzhan’s studio, Brother Lao wasn’t keen on hanging out with Pei Mingzhan anymore. He had realized what kind of person Pei Mingzhan was.At first, he used to mock other celebrities in the entertainment industry for being so cautious about dating and afraid of losing popularity if their relationships went public. But now, Pei Mingzhan was doing the opposite. He used to hide his relationship, but now he couldn’t wait to show off their affection.

Pei Mingzhan first entered the industry to pursue his dreams, but now that he had acted in successful films and won awards, he wanted to focus on his career. While others were worried about getting exposed and losing fans, he could easily wrap up everything and gracefully exit the entertainment circle. Brother Lao was exhausted. If the main character acted this way, what was left for him to do?

Le Le said, “Lao Ge, Pei Ge just sent a message to report to you…”

“Didn’t he say it a few days ago? He’s going to a farmhouse with Mr. Zhao.” Brother Lao lounged on the couch and waved his hand. “Let them go…” There was no need to make any elaborate arrangements. The farmhouse would have fewer people, and everyone would be bundled up because of the cold weather, so it’s unlikely that anyone would recognize these two.

Even if they were recognized, it wouldn’t be a big deal. They could just say that Pei Mingzhan was accompanying a friend from outside the industry.

Yes, just an ordinary “friend from outside the industry.”

After all, Pei Mingzhan hadn’t officially announced a relationship yet. As long as there were no photos of him kissing a mysterious girl, everything would be fine.

Le Le was puzzled, “Outdoor live streaming doesn’t need to be reported?”

“Oh, it’s just…” Brother Lao shook his head and suddenly sat up straight from the couch. “Outdoor live streaming??? Is Pei Mingzhan going to ascend to the heavens?”

Going to a farmouse and doing an outdoor live stream? Was he addicted to live streaming like in Youxian with Mr. Zhao???

Today happens to be the weekend, and Pei Mingzhan’s fans are surfing Weibo when they suddenly notice a notification from a fan app saying that Pei Mingzhan is online. Immediately, they become alert. They knew that Pei Mingzhan rarely posted on Weibo. If he does, it’s usually to announce something important, either for business collaborations or to share a couple of daily life posts.

But, the former situation was more common.

Pei’s fans were already content. They knew Pei Mingzhan was semi-retired now. Even if it was just a commercial advertisement, it was still fresh material, better than nothing. It didn’t matter if there were no new projects. A commercial would provide new footage, and with some creative editing, it would still be like a new work.

So they waited eagerly, and finally, Pei Mingzhan posted a new Weibo.

It wasn’t an advertisement, nor was it a daily update. It was a link to a live stream.

Pei’s fans: ?!!

Author’s note: 

Brother Lao: Hello?

Gu Sui hung up the phone with a satisfied feeling: Don’t ask, Pei Mingzhan spent some money.