Chapter 61: How About This Reward?

"Honey, control yourself! Weren’t you the one who didn’t want to attend the New Year's Eve Gala?"
Yu Zhile looked at his wife in astonishment as she shed her top with lightning speed...

Qin Haiyu replied, "Are you stupid, darling? This is fifteen million yuan! A few hours of singing and we can earn that much for baby formula—only a fool would refuse!"

Yu Zhile, at a loss for words, grumbled, "Fine, I’ll reply to them and say you’ve agreed!"

"Hurry up! Reply now, before they change their minds!" Qin Haiyu urged as she got dressed.

Yu Zhile typed back to Yang Bing: "For the sake of all this baby formula money, my wife agrees to participate!"

Yang Bing replied, "Alright, I’ll figure out how to explain to the leadership."

Yu Zhile responded, "That’s not easy to explain. Fifteen million yuan is the bottom line—even if the leaders accept it, they’ll think you lack negotiation skills.
Here’s an idea: tell them my wife’s new song, to be released on New Year’s Day, will debut at your gala!
Aside from singing the theme song 'Sweet and Sour Is Me,' she’ll also perform 'Small Luck,' 'Cherry Blossom Grass,' and 'Afterwards.' Five songs in total, averaging three million per song. This way, they can grit their teeth and accept it, and you won’t take too much heat."

"Alright, I’ll report it that way!"
Yang Bing was moved—what a good friend, what a good classmate!
Since graduation, this was the first time he’d felt genuine concern and anxiety from someone outside his family.
He hurried off to report to Director Zhang, saying, "Director Zhang, I’ve offered Qin Haiyu fifteen million yuan as an appearance fee."

"What!"
Director Zhang was dumbfounded. "Fifteen million?"

Yang Bing, somewhat nervous, explained, "Yes, I started at ten million, then thirteen million, and she refused both—she truly didn’t want to perform at the New Year’s Gala. Finally, I offered fifteen million, played the alma mater and alumni cards, and only then did she agree."

Director Zhang gave him a look of utter exasperation. "As long as she’s agreed! Now get out!"

Yang Bing quickly added, "Director Zhang, I’ve negotiated the terms!"

Director Zhang, a bit flustered, asked, "What terms?"

Yang Bing replied, "Her new song, set for release on New Year’s Day, will debut at our gala. Besides the mandatory theme song for Mengniu Brand, she’ll sing 'Small Luck,' 'Cherry Blossom Grass,' and 'Afterwards.'"

Director Zhang’s angry, gloomy expression finally eased. He asked, "She agreed?"

Yang Bing nodded, "She did! Otherwise I wouldn’t have gone so high with the fee—I was worried you’d blame me for not handling things well, for having to offer the maximum price."

Director Zhang nodded, "That’s not bad. If we paid fifteen million and all she did was sing the sponsor’s theme song, it’d be far too expensive!"

Yang Bing breathed a sigh of relief. "Director Zhang, I’ll go report to Mr. Chen from Mengniu Group, and arrange for someone to meet with Qin Haiyu and sign the contract?"

Director Zhang waved him off, "Go ahead! In these days, focus on the gala planning. Young people should take their work seriously—that’s how you’ll have a limitless future!"

"I will. I’ll get to it, no more interruptions!"
Yang Bing left, finally able to send Yu Zhile a message to share the good news.

...

At home, Yu Zhile skipped his afternoon nap. He watched Qin Haiyu, now dressed and brushing her hair, and said, "Honey, it’s settled! You’ll sing five songs in total—three million per song!"

Qin Haiyu glanced back, asking, "Can I sing two more and earn a few million extra?"

Yu Zhile laughed, "Honey, you’re beautiful, but your thinking is just as pretty!"

Qin Haiyu stuck out her tongue mischievously. Sitting at her vanity, she brushed her hair, beaming, "Fifteen million! My appearance fee matches those top-tier stars!"

Yu Zhile said, "If you measure by song popularity, the ones I prepared for you already crush the new releases from the biggest stars. That’s why Eastern TV is willing to offer fifteen million—they know it too!"

Qin Haiyu suddenly asked gently, "Darling, are you saying they’re paying fifteen million for the songs?"

Yu Zhile walked over, took the comb from her hand, and helped with her hair, explaining with strong survival instinct, "Of course not! Popular songs are one thing, but most importantly, it’s because my wife is beautiful! For that beauty alone, fifteen million is too little!"

Qin Haiyu was amused by his quick-witted flattery. The smile in the mirror was sweet as honey.

She smiled knowingly, watching herself and her husband in the mirror, and said, "Since you’re honest, I’ll spare you this time! Little Yu, hurry and prepare my makeup!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"
Yu Zhile played along, dropping to one knee as he continued combing her slightly messy hair.

Soon, he asked in a falsetto, "Your Highness, shall I tie a single ponytail or double?"

Qin Haiyu burst out laughing at her husband’s eunuch-like tone, then coughed and continued, "A single ponytail will do!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"
Yu Zhile kept up the act, and suddenly a lyric popped into his mind, along with its familiar melody.
I should play along with your performance and pretend not to see...
Hmm... best not to sing this one. If I do, people might think we’re heading for divorce!

Yu Zhile quickly finished tying her ponytail. "Your Highness, is this ponytail satisfactory?"

Qin Haiyu turned her head to check in the mirror, nodding approvingly, "Not bad, you’re getting better!"

Yu Zhile stroked her shiny black ponytail, asking, "Shouldn’t I get a reward for this?"

Just then, Xu Ling arrived and the doorbell rang.

Qin Haiyu stood up, dropped the act, and happily rose up on her toes to kiss Yu Zhile’s cheek as a reward. "How’s that for a reward?"

Yu Zhile shook his head, "Not enough!"

Qin Haiyu gave him a quick kiss on the lips, then walked out of the room, glancing back with a playful wink, whispering, "Darling, when I come back, you can have whatever reward you want~~"

"You said it yourself!"
Yu Zhile followed her out. Qin Haiyu was putting on her shoes, and he went to open the door for Xu Ling.

As soon as the door opened, Xu Ling asked, "What’s going on? I just left, and now you’ve agreed to perform at Eastern TV’s New Year’s Gala?"

Qin Haiyu replied happily, "Lingling, guess how much they offered for my appearance fee?"

Xu Ling guessed, "Five million?"

Qin Haiyu prompted, "Multiply by three!"

Xu Ling was stunned, "Five million times three? Qin Haiyu, are you sleepwalking or am I?"

Yu Zhile confirmed, "It’s true—fifteen million! You’ll find out why when you sign the contract."

Xu Ling exclaimed, "Yu Zhile! What did you do? Eastern TV is offering fifteen million—are they out of their minds?"

Yu Zhile shrugged, "I didn’t do anything!"

Qin Haiyu finished putting on her shoes, grabbed her purse, and pulled Xu Ling out the door, boasting, "What’s so strange about it? My appearance fee is worth that much! Let’s go, let’s go! Hurry, before they change their minds and our baby formula money flies away!"

Yu Zhile watched his wife rush out with Xu Ling and smiled, "Read the contract carefully and be safe!"

Qin Haiyu blew him a kiss, "Got it! Bye, darling!"

Yu Zhile watched her get into Xu Ling’s car and drive off, then closed the door, murmuring to himself, "Eastern TV really pulled it off! I thought with Mengniu’s sponsorship, they’d go up to ten million, but didn’t expect fifteen million! Old Yang deserves credit—it was worth it, giving him these opportunities for promotion!"

...

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