Poor Peng Guoqing.
The hot broadcast of Alleyway Folks was the only respite in Peng Guoqing’s miserable study life.
Mrs Peng said the drama was good, Old Master Peng said the drama was good, and these two had long since promoted it for Peng Guoqing among the family’s relatives and friends. After the episodes officially aired, the word of mouth was indeed strong, leaving Mrs Peng quite smug.
Peng Guoqing had not originally felt that the high acclaim for Alleyway Folks had anything to do with him, after all, he had put in no effort when it was being produced. But with his mother encouraging and acknowledging him every day, Peng Guoqing started to feel a bit light-headed.
He really was a shareholder in Ji Xin!
With 10 per cent of the shares, that still made him a shareholder. If Xie Qian had not been short of money back then, Peng Guoqing would not have been able to invest even with the funds in hand.
Getting 10 per cent for 5 million, thinking about it now, it was such a bargain!
If he had known Ji Xin would turn around so quickly thanks to Alleyway Folks, he should have bought more shares back then!
I should have asked Dad for 10 million, no no, 10 million is too little, 20 million would be about right.
Peng Guoqing spoke with righteous indignation.
Having been brainwashed by his dear mother for years, Peng Guoqing firmly believed that his father earned money to spend on the family, and if the family did not spend it, someone else would eagerly do so in their place.
Brainwashing was brainwashing, but in the past, Peng Guoqing had at most demanded pocket money with such conviction. Now, casually asking for tens of millions was all because there was a successful example right beside him. Compared to Xie Qian demanding two hundred million from Xie Jinghu to buy land, Little Peng felt he was already being quite restrained with just 20 million!
Mrs Peng never discouraged her son, even if his ideas were wildly fanciful. She encouraged him all the same, 20 million is no problem, but it is too late to buy more shares now. Adding flowers to brocade is never as good as sending charcoal in snow. Alright, Mum will set this money aside for you, use it whenever you feel the need. Do not fix your gaze only on Xie Qian’s business, look at those friends in Chengdu. Which of them lacks money? You could partner with them or lend them the funds.
Silly Qingqing.
He even thought the investment in Ji Xin Film and Television back then was too small.
He did not consider whether Xie Qian would agree if he had invested more.
10 per cent was a very appropriate stake, too little would be pointless, but more might make Xie Qian feel threatened.
Xie Qian’s land purchase in the Magic City had yielded demolition compensation, reportedly more than doubling in value. Everyone in the know praised Xie Qian’s sharp eye.
With Qingqing holding 10 per cent of Ji Xin, that counted as a deep connection to Xie Qian. In the future, when Xie Qian feasted on meat, Qingqing could at least sip some soup.
Mrs Peng encouraged her son to shift his investment gaze away from Xie Qian and see if Wen Ying and the others had any funding needs.
Having received his mother’s approval, Peng Guoqing felt his time to spread his wings had arrived.
Little did he expect that, upon entering Xie Qian’s house that Saturday morning, he would be stunned by two sets of practice papers from Xie Qian.
Two sets.
Not two sheets.
One set of papers included individual subjects for Chinese, maths, and English, plus the comprehensive sciences paper.
Two sets… Oh heavens, give him a quick end!
Suddenly saddled with so many papers, Peng the slacker’s sky turned utterly dark.
Even worse, when Xie Qian assigned papers to the slackers, he marked each one on the spot after they finished, leaving no time for the slackers to hide their shame.
No matter how high the ratings for Alleyway Folks, they could not lift Peng Guoqing’s grades. He was still the worst performer in the trio of slackers.
Looking at his scores on the papers, Peng Guoqing hung his head in shame.
Xie Qian’s brows were tightly furrowed.
Wen Ying could not bear it and tried to help, The scores have improved!
Xie Qian’s brows did not relax, but thanks to Wen Ying’s interruption, the direction of his words softened somewhat, With the college entrance exam just two months away, this bit of progress… probably gets you into an ordinary tier-one university.
An ordinary tier-one was clearly beneath Xie Qian’s notice.
But it was good enough for Peng Guoqing!
The darkened sky brightened once more, and he exclaimed in shock and delight, Xie Qian, you think my level can get me into a tier-one university now?
Between an ordinary tier-one and a Magic City 211, rounding it off, there was hardly any difference.
Xie Qian could not comprehend Peng Guoqing’s wild joy.
With the teaching quality of a key provincial high school in Chengdu, an ordinary tier-one is just the passing line.
What was so exciting about a passing grade?
Peng Guoqing was utterly undeterred, Because I used to fail!
Still talking back.
Xie Qian decided to assign Peng Guoqing another set to take home and do slowly.
Peng Guoqing: …?!
What had happened?
Why so sudden?
Even a top student could not finish three sets in a day!
Peng Guoqing looked around in bewilderment, but Wen Ying avoided his pleading gaze. This was self-inflicted misery, and she could not rescue him a second time.
Li Mengjiao dared not chime in either.
Xie Qian reflected on himself for a few seconds, feeling he was not magnanimous enough. He had said on his lips that he could forgo shortcuts, but the unexpected DNA results had disrupted his plans, leaving him a bit irritable.
Of course, reflection was one thing, but when dealing with the slackers, Xie Qian showed no mercy. Peng Guoqing had not only been strutting about today but had also secretly asked Wen Ying and Li Mengjiao if they needed money, acting more flashy than even the coal boss Jin Zong. Xie Qian wanted to use the papers to sober him up.
Wen Ying and Li Mengjiao did not lack money.
Friendships were not built on money anyway.
Xie Qian did not want Peng Guoqing to disrupt the harmony of their little group.
…
Xie Qian thought the DNA test results were wrong, but far away in Beijing, Xie Jinghu thought the ratings for Alleyway Folks were wrong too.
This man had previously paid no attention to Ji Xin Film and Television, but because of the wager agreement with Xie Qian, he was now paying attention to it.
If Xie Qian managed Ji Xin well, then upon turning eighteen, he could exercise shareholder rights and meddle in the daily affairs of Jin Hu. Xie Jinghu would face a pincer attack from mother and son!
What are the ratings for Alleyway Folks?
Faced with Xie Jinghu’s questioning, Assistant Qi answered cautiously, The premiere ratings are 4.93 per cent.
This was the first day’s rating; by the third day, it had risen to 5.61 per cent.
But Xie Jinghu did not ask for details, and Assistant Qi, this double agent, selectively withheld the information.
Even so, Xie Jinghu was still unhappy.
Afraid of being fooled by Xie Qian, Xie Jinghu had specifically paid attention to the film and television market he had previously ignored and learned some basics. A premiere rating of 4.93 per cent was considered quite good for any genre of drama.
High ratings meant high copyright revenue.
If Ji Xin produced another drama like Alleyway Folks… then would Xie Qian not win the wager agreement?
Xie Jinghu asked Assistant Qi very seriously, Is there a way to make a drama stop airing midway?
Assistant Qi’s heart pounded.
It was over, was Mr Xie about to act unscrupulously again?!
Assistant Qi shook his head stiffly, I am sorry, I have no experience in that area. If you give me some time…
Xie Jinghu waved his hand, Forget it, no need for you.
Assistant Qi did not know that Xie Jinghu just wanted to ask Zhao Dong.
Zhao Dong was also following the ratings for Alleyway Folks and, more dutifully than Assistant Qi, provided Xie Jinghu with detailed data. Upon hearing that the third-day ratings for Alleyway Folks had reached 5.61 per cent, Xie Jinghu issued the order without a second thought:
Think of a way to make Alleyway Folks stop airing, the sooner the better.
What kind of method could make a hot drama stop midway?
It was just that Xie Jinghu did not pay attention to the entertainment circle. Zhao Dong almost immediately replied, There was a drama last year called Love’s Cruise, I do not know if Mr Xie has heard of it? If not, it does not matter. It was a big hit last year, but because the male lead was embroiled in a major scandal, it stopped airing halfway through…
