Zhou Yi had spent the past two days buried in interviews at Huanyu, barely finding ti to catch his breath. By the ti Saturday evening rolled around, the first wave of auditions finally drew to a close.
This round left them with just over fifty candidates—a relatively modest cull compared to what they'd anticipated.
Despite the initial selection, there remained a flood of interest online from hopeful applicants. After consulting with Jiang Ruolan, Zhou Yi decided to push forward with another recruitnt drive.
As Huanyu's primary focus was now investnt-related ventures, most current roles revolved around financial projects. However, Zhou Yi harbored plans for sothing different: he wanted to assemble a team dedicated solely to developing a short-video platform.
Given that the company was still in its infancy, he saw no point in establishing a separate studio. Instead, he opted to create a new software developnt division within Huanyu itself.
Jiang Ruolan listened intently, her eyes widening at this novel concept.
"Short videos?" she asked, curiosity piqued.
"Yes," Zhou Yi replied confidently. "Trust —this platform will explode onto the scene in the near future."
His unwavering certainty was enough to convince Jiang Ruolan, who simply nodded. Mr. Zhou always seed to have an uncanny knack for spotting trends; all she needed to do was follow through on his vision.
With renewed determination, Jiang Ruolan reopened the recruitnt process. This ti, the number of resus tripled compared to the previous round.
anwhile, she presented Zhou Yi with several promising project proposals she'd co across during her research.
Zhou Yi skimd through them briefly. Most pertained to finance—a field he knew little about—so he responded succinctly:
"These areas are your forte. If you believe they're worth pursuing, go ahead and invest. As for , I plan to channel our resources primarily into the entertainnt sector: films, TV dramas, and web series."
Jiang Ruolan felt a swell of gratitude at his trust in her judgnt, which only deepened her loyalty to him. Still, one question lingered in her mind.
"Mr. Zhou," she ventured hesitantly, "what exactly are web series?"
Zhou Yi paused, considering how best to explain. In this world, the concept of web series didn't yet exist—but it would soon beco a lucrative frontier. Rather than delve into specifics, he offered a vague but reassuring response:
"It's part of the company's long-term strategy. When I have more ti, I'll walk you through the details. For now, keep an eye out for any upcoming film projects seeking funding. Have them bring their scripts to directly."
"Understood, Mr. Zhou," Jiang Ruolan replied with a nod.
She couldn't help but admire Zhou Yi's ambition. He wasn't soone who blindly followed trends or chased quick profits. No, he aid to carve out entirely new paths in uncharted territory. She believed wholeheartedly that Huanyu's future would shine brightly under his leadership.
---
Monday arrived, and Zhou Yi returned to school. The whirlwind of activity over the weekend had made him sothing of a campus celebrity. Almost everyone at Huaihai University now recognized his na.
As soon as he stepped into the classroom, heads turned once again in his direction. Zhang Wu wasted no ti pulling out his phone to show Zhou Yi the logs of his recent anti-hate campaign efforts.
"Bro, take a look! I've officially earned my stripes as a die-hard fan. They're calling crazy for supporting you!" he exclaid proudly.
Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, taking the phone and scrolling through the chaotic thread of argunts Zhang Wu had sparked. Despite himself, he chuckled at so of the exchanges.
"Not bad," he remarked dryly.
Those trying to antagonize Zhang Wu had labeled him nothing more than a brainless fanatic, yet Zhang Wu seed to revel in the insult. What kind of opponent enjoyed being called nas while simultaneously winning? Their punches landed, only for him to laugh in their faces.
Zhang Wu's unflappable deanor infuriated the trolls even further, sparking a flurry of heated back-and-forth banter. Before long, he'd beco a minor legend among Zhou Yi's fanbase. Many mistook him for a girl and hailed him as one of Zhou Yi's top defenders, showering him with praise.
For Zhang Wu, basking in such adoration from countless admirers was a completely new experience—and he loved every second of it.
"I'm going to make history fighting for you, bro!" he declared dramatically.
Lately, Zhang Wu had taken to addressing Zhou Yi as "Bro" at every opportunity, a stark contrast to his earlier attitude. This sudden shift hadn't gone unnoticed by their classmates, who began whispering behind closed doors.
Curious murmurs floated through the air during lunchti.
"Do you think Zhang Wu has a crush on Zhou Yi? Look at how giddy he gets around him—it's almost like he likes him."
"Yeah, and the way he keeps calling him 'Bro.' Zhang Wu used to be so proud, but now he's practically groveling."
"Didn't he hate Zhou Yi before?"
"Oh, Xiao Lan, you don't get it. So people bully the ones they secretly admire. Maybe he's been harboring feelings all along, and now that Zhou Yi's excelling, he's changing tactics."
"Do you think Zhou Yi knows?"
Zhou Yi, halfway through chewing his food, choked mid-bite. Sitting right behind him were a group of classmates known for their penchant for shipping fictional couples.
The students sharing lunch with Zhou Yi burst into laughter. These were peers he'd t during the provincial math competition—friends who'd co to cheer him on ahead of the upcoming national modeling contest.
"God Yi, the honor of Huaihai University rests on your shoulders," one teased good-naturedly.
"Absolutely. Winning at nationals won't be a problem for you," another chid in.
"Right. Ignore the haters—they're just jealous frogs stuck in a well. Show them what you're made of!"
Zhou Yi smiled, touched by their support. "Thanks for believing in . I won't let you down."
After all, he had a system guiding him. There wasn't a problem he couldn't solve.
Just then, soone leaned in to share so inside information.
"Bro, I heard that most of the judges at this year's nationals are from A University. Do you think they'll favor their own participants?"
"Probably. Most provinces send competitors from various schools, but in ours, nine out of ten entrants are from A University. It's likely they'll stick together."
Each province sent ten representatives, and A University alone accounted for nine of them. With the majority of judges also affiliated with A University, the outco felt uncertain. Bias wasn't out of the question.
But in a discipline like mathematics, where solutions were black-and-white, manipulation would require outright tampering with results. And Zhou Yi wasn't worried.
"It doesn't matter," he said calmly. "Absolute skill trumps bias every ti."
He intended to score full marks regardless.
Zhou Yi's participation in the modeling competition had drawn widespread attention. His recent surge in popularity online had amplified interest in his academic achievents. While many cheered him on, others—professional trolls included—sought to tear him down.
Huanyu's success had begun disrupting other companies, leaving employees dissatisfied with their stagnant workplaces. So secretly submitted resus to Huanyu, while others handed in resignation letters citing a move to Zhou Yi's firm.
Wang Can, CEO of Longcan Company, found himself at the center of this storm.
"What?! Another resignation? Did they also jump ship to Huanyu?" he snapped.
"Yes, Mr. Wang. Maybe we should adjust our policies—let them leave earlier? Morale's hit rock bottom lately."
"No way! Companies like Huanyu are here to disrupt the market. We can't give in to employee demands. Otherwise, they'll start clamoring for change daily, and I'll lose everything. How will the company survive then?"
"But... Mr. Wang, overti hours are skyrocketing, and there's no extra pay—"
"Overti increasing? Don't make things up. It's always been like this. Running a business isn't easy. Maybe they should reflect on themselves. Salaries haven't risen because productivity hasn't improved. Honestly, I'm at my wit's end."
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