Chapter 135: The Capitalist’s Maneuver

Stepping out of the show’s production site, Lin Yu declined the offer of a chauffeured van back to his hotel. He chose to walk alone, intending to wander around for a while.

Though he had appeared calm during the recording, he had actually been quite tense; he simply managed his emotions well enough that no one noticed anything amiss.

Just a short walk from the studio building were several commercial districts. The shops on the ground floor were running promotions, attracting crowds of onlookers. Human nature being inherently curious, he couldn't help but step forward to see what the commotion was about, only to flush crimson.

"Good grief... why are they promoting lingerie right here on the main street?!" He had honestly thought it was a food or drink promotion!

A beautiful woman in a bikini stood at the shop entrance, holding a sign advertising discounts, smiling gracefully at the crowd and the constant barrage of camera flashes. Beside her, the host, dressed in a tasteful blazer and a short skirt paired with black stockings, introduced their featured products in a sweet voice. A mannequin dressed in a bunny girl outfit was pushed to the front, triggering whistles and cheers from the crowd; even a plastic model was enough to strike a chord with some people’s tastes.

Lin Yu couldn't help but glance at the bunny girl model with a look of disdain. Her figure wasn't even half as good as Ji Ya’s!

*Ugh! What on earth is he thinking?!*

*Could it be that he is... no way!!* A heart free of women is the path to divine power! He was only in his twenties with a boundless future ahead of him; he must not sink into the trap of lust and lose his infinite potential!

The hostess, skilled at managing the atmosphere, noticed the many couples in the crowd and said with a mischievous smile: "Dear brothers and sisters, wearing our clothes will make your passion flow like a river and stand firm as a spear! Buy one of our pieces and enjoy the ultimate, perfect union!"

Lin Yu nearly spat out the milk tea he was drinking. What kind of speech was that? Was this really the kind of advertising a pure, innocent young man like him should be hearing?!

Goodness...

Seeing the atmosphere heat up as more couples walked hand-in-hand into the store, the host became even more outrageous. She even handed out illustrated pamphlets of sexual positions to every visitor, regardless of whether they bought anything.

It was... just absurd!

"Do you have a girlfriend, brother? It’s okay if you don't buy anything~ everyone who visits gets a gift! If you don't have a girlfriend right now, you can practice beforehand with your own five fingers~"

Lin Yu stood stunned, looking at the bikini-clad beauty smiling as she handed him a booklet. But... a man can never admit he’s incapable!

Accepting the booklet and opening to a page filled with blushing-worthy promotional images, he wondered, aren't they afraid of being reported and having the whole lot of them dragged off to the anti-vice squad for questioning?!

...

Of course, one couldn't study such things on the spot!

Lin Yu snuck the booklet into his pocket and headed back to the hotel to study it carefully. Within half an hour, he had mastered all the theory and was even preparing to put it into practice!

As the saying goes, theory is no substitute for experience...

"What are you doing? Why haven't you opened the door for so long?"

Su Xiaolin entered with a room key, arms crossed, staring at Lin Yu, who was just about to head into the bathroom to "get to work." She looked at him like a cat that had caught someone stealing a snack, a trace of skepticism on her face before she burst into a giggle.

"Don't tell me you were..."

Lin Yu was speechless. "Don't slander me! I wasn't!"

"Excuses are just cover-ups, and cover-ups are just facts..."

Lin Yu: "..."

He couldn't be bothered to argue. He *had* been planning to, but he hadn't actually taken action yet, so she was absolutely slandering him!

"After some friendly communication, the production team decided to increase the pay for you, since you took first place."

Hearing about the pay raise, Lin Yu didn't react much. He had known in his previous life that the entertainment industry was the most lucrative field. As long as you had talent and backing from an agency like Ji Fei, becoming famous wasn't difficult.

Of course, there were also those who used unconventional methods—revealing skin, being provocative, or standing out in bizarre ways. As long as they could get famous and make money, there were plenty who would stop at nothing. If you don't earn the money, someone else will.

The influencer world was the same. In later years, the internet became the most profitable industry, filled with streamers dancing provocatively and people using their phones to stir up trouble under the guise of "justice." All sorts of out-of-context topics and bizarre trends emerged; some even hired professional actors to perform fake controversies just to gain clout.

Not long ago, a family whose daughter went missing at the beach didn't seem anxious at all, opting instead to post videos to gain traffic. Then there was the mother of a child bitten by a dog who raised millions in charity funds under false pretenses, only returning the money when the pressure became too much to bear.

In the face of profit, conscience and the pursuit of truth seemed to have become mere decorations.

A flight attendant whose child was run over by a teacher's car was cyberbullied for wearing makeup to the scene, eventually succumbing to the pain and committing suicide. The people behind the scenes pulling the strings gained the traffic, the keyboard warriors watching the show vented their frustrations, but rarely would anyone apologize after realizing their mistake. Instead, they would hide back in the depths of the internet, waiting for the next victim.

Lin Yu was clear-headed. In his past life, he never took sides in any trending topic. He knew full well that any sudden viral sensation inevitably had secrets hidden behind the scenes. Reversals were the norm, and justice was hard to come by.

He was equally clear-headed about the sudden pay raise, knowing it was inextricably linked to capital. If capital invested one part, they would certainly look to extract three or even ten times the profit from him. Of course, he could also reap significant benefits from it; it just depended on whether he could afford the price he would have to pay.

His pay still wouldn't match that of a top-tier star like Si Shaozhe, even though he had beaten him.

"Did they say what they need me to do?"

Su Xiaolin was surprised by his level-headedness. Anyone else would have agreed immediately, given that it was nearly a fifty percent raise. Many newcomers started to lose their footing and forget their original intentions the moment they saw such money, but Lin Yu remained calm, as if he had everything under control.

Su Xiaolin laughed at him, "You're too tense. Nobody is asking you to sell your soul, don't worry!"

"Actually, this whole thing was just the production team messing around for their own gain. Everyone was caught off guard, so they’re just providing appropriate compensation."

With Su Xiaolin’s explanation, Lin Yu felt relieved. Who cares who else got what—as long as he got his share, it was a real win.

But Lin Yu didn't know that the compensation had indeed been given to him alone. Besides giving face to Ji Fei, it was also a recognition of his own genuine talent. Among newcomers, his pay was rising the fastest, and unless a more formidable singer-songwriter appeared, that would remain the case. And judging by the current state of the industry, that wasn't likely to happen in the next four or five years.

The director hadn't lost out either; the millions in viewership were enough to crush any previous talent show. Whether another show could achieve such a terrifying surge in ratings within a week in the future was anyone's guess.