Chapter 38 - 33: Tainted Socializing

Chen Jue was honestly shocked by the efficiency!

But on second thought, for a rich man like Zhu Hongbin, who had more than enough money, it was all about building a good reputation.

The International Darts Club hadn’t been well-known in Hang City before, but after this wave of exposure, it was sure to attract a new batch of members.

For Zhu Hongbin, the club’s owner, this was naturally a good thing that would bring both fame and fortune.

Just as the saying goes: no one gets up early if there’s no profit in it!

Chen Jue had still underestimated the impact of this incident.

He opened his phone and scrolled for a bit; several trending topics were related to the dog biting the little boy.

The dog lovers who usually came out in full force on the internet were collectively silent this time. Even the dog owner’s personal information had been dug up online, and they had become a target for public outrage.

Seeing such refreshing news first thing in the morning put Chen Jue in a great mood.

He went downstairs to get his package. When he opened it, he found it was the ancient Face Armor he had ordered online.

Thinking it might be useful for the morning interview, Chen Jue grabbed it and drove to the Darts club.

「...」

Because an interview was scheduled for the day, the club’s staff had been up since dawn cleaning the place from top to bottom.

The Dali marble floors were so polished you could see your reflection in them.

As soon as Chen Jue arrived, he saw Zhu Hongbin on site, directing employees on how to fix some minor details.

The honorary medals weren’t displayed prominently enough, the trophies weren’t arranged neatly, and the potted plants were obstructing the view and needed to be moved.

Seeing how nitpicky the man was, Chen Jue’s impression of this big shot immediately soured a little.

It was just like back in school when a superintendent was coming for an inspection, and the teacher would make the entire class stay after school for a deep clean.

The superintendent got to save face, the school got the glory, and the teachers got the good ratings and bonuses.

And the students?

After all their hard work doing the janitor’s job, all they got was a verbal "Good work," or maybe a "Model Classroom" banner to hang by the classroom door.

In short, the boss just had to say the word, and the employees would work themselves to the bone.

However, to avoid making things awkward, Chen Jue didn’t call him out on it. He just walked up and greeted him in a calm tone.

When Zhu Hongbin saw Chen Jue arrive, he immediately put on a show of enthusiasm, calling him "Brother Chen Jue" and "our outstanding member" as he led him to the club’s reception room.

Quite a few people were already in the reception room. Besides several television crew members, there were two robust young men in jackets.

Both had large logos on their clothes. A single glance told him they were the two professional players and club coaches featured on the promotional board at the entrance.

In addition, a sophisticated, well-dressed woman was sitting in the chairman’s office to the side.

"Brother Chen Jue, let me introduce you."

"This is Liu Li from Golden Culture Media Company, President Liu." Zhu Hongbin invited Chen Jue to sit on the sofa.

He first introduced the sophisticated woman before him, then changed the subject and began to explain.

It turned out that the "Golden Eye" program was backed by a large MCN company. Anyone they reported on had a high chance of going viral and becoming the next big influencer.

And what do influencers rely on to make a living these days?

Naturally, it’s live-stream shopping—monetizing their traffic.

And for an ordinary person to get famous, the support and promotion from these MCN companies are indispensable.

Quite a few influencers had gotten their start through "Golden Eye" in recent years. First, they get on the trending topics to attract a wave of fans, then they debut on shows, and finally, they do live-stream shopping.

A program that originally focused on current events had, in the blink of an eye, turned into a star-making factory. It had been completely played by capital.

But when he saw the interview agreement President Liu pushed over, along with a subsequent letter of intent for online streamer training, Chen Jue’s brow furrowed and his expression darkened. "Chairman Zhu, this isn’t what we discussed on the phone, is it?"

"Don’t misunderstand, Mr. Chen Jue! This is just a letter of intent. It’s standard practice in the industry. If you don’t want to sign, then the interview won’t proceed."

"Besides, you weren’t the main hero who saved that little boy. You’re just riding on the coattails of the incident," Liu Li said, crossing her legs on the opposite sofa.

She had already been sizing Chen Jue up. His looks were average, his face unremarkable, and he lacked the unique aura of a Darts master. She was already feeling a bit disdainful.

Now that she saw his expression fall, President Liu didn’t hold back with her words.

Zhu Hongbin, at his side, tried to coax him. "My friend! You have to seize this opportunity from President Liu!"

"These days, if an ordinary person wants to get famous, it’s seventy percent looks and thirty percent luck. Hard work is completely useless."

"You’ve hit the jackpot. Ride this wave of media hype, and what’s stopping you from becoming a Darts influencer with millions, or even tens of millions of fans? It’d be a piece of cake!"

"Then, you can sign a professional contract with our club. The club will sponsor you to compete abroad, and you can win a gold medal and bring glory to our country."

"By then, you’ll be a huge sports star! Forget a net worth of over a hundred million; making a few million, or even tens of millions, will be like child’s play!"

Zhu Hongbin was being very direct, practically laying a life-changing fortune right at Chen Jue’s feet.

As long as he signed, he could transform into Hang City’s newest influencer. Living in a luxury flat, driving a fancy car, and living a life above others—wouldn’t it be easy?

If an ordinary person encountered such an opportunity, they would probably sign their name without a second thought.

But what was Chen Jue’s profession?

He came from a background in financial risk control. When faced with high-profit propositions, his first instinct was to spot the risks that were unfavorable to him.

When he saw the terms on the agreements—contract lengths of 10 or even 20 years, clauses requiring absolute obedience to company arrangements, and prohibitions against taking private gigs, commercial appearances, or competitions on his own—Chen Jue knew this kind of handed-down fortune was not for him.

"Chairman Zhu, thank you for your kind intentions!"

"But I really can’t sign these agreements."

"I apologize for taking up your valuable time! I have something else to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now. Goodbye!" Chen Jue didn’t say much more. He gave a slight cupped-fist salute, stood up from the sofa, and prepared to leave.

Zhu Hongbin’s expression darkened. He tried his best to make him stay, saying, "My friend, won’t you reconsider?"

"You’d better think this through. Once you walk out that door, it won’t be so easy to become a professional player in the future!"

Hearing the veiled threat in his words, Chen Jue paused and glanced back at Zhu Hongbin.

He felt that this ugly expression was all too familiar!

His mind raced, and he was suddenly reminded of the similar scene he had faced with Zhou Yong in the general manager’s office at Taisheng Finance.

’I guess I was too naive,’ Chen Jue sighed to himself.

He felt his previous thoughts had been too simple and childish.

What kind of status did Zhu Hongbin have?

How could a big shot like him possibly empathize with an ordinary person like himself?

The only reason Zhu Hongbin had backed him up that night was probably that he’d been drinking, influenced by the alcohol, and had taken a fancy to his Darts talent.

In the eyes of big shots like them, there was no room for pleasantries or false sincerity—only straightforward interests.

At this thought, any good impression Chen Jue had of Zhu Hongbin vanished completely.

He didn’t spout any harsh words like, "If this place doesn’t want me, another one will." Instead, he gave the man a subtle smile, pushed open the door, and left.

He left behind a sullen-faced Zhu Hongbin and Liu Li, who was already touching up her makeup with a compact.

"President Zhu, since the main attraction has left, let’s just find someone else for the interview! I think Coach Wang from your club has a pretty suitable image..."