39: Chapter 39 The Battle of Television Stations

On the day AmeriMotor's stock price rose to 15 dollars, Lin Feng squatted in front of the old shop for the whole afternoon.

It wasn't because he was happy.

He was waiting for someone.

The old man asked, "Waiting for whom?"

Lin Feng said, "Waiting for the people who are scolding me."

The old man paused in surprise, "Who is scolding you?"

Lin Feng pointed to the news headlines on his phone screen— [Chinese kid saves Detroit? The truth behind it is worrying] [Is the "Happy Factory" a gimmick or a threat? Expert: This is eroding the American spirit] [Wall Street is panicking? This is what they are even more afraid of]

After reading them, the old man was silent for three seconds.

Then he said, "You've gone viral."

Lin Feng nodded, "Viral enough that some people can't sleep."

Sure enough, the next day, Lin Feng's face started appearing on TV.

It wasn't the kind of coverage that praised him.

It was a program called "American Truth."

The host was a white man in his fifties named Richard, looking righteous and speaking in a serious tone:

"Recently, a young Chinese man named Lin Feng acquired the AmeriMotor car factory in Detroit using a so-called 'Happy Factory' model. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? But what is the truth?"

The screen cut to a "specialist" from Wall Street:

"He is using money to buy people's hearts. He is eroding the fighting spirit of American workers. He is spreading a dangerous concept—that work doesn't have to be painful, and happiness can be eaten as a meal."

Cutting back to Richard:

"This is not the American Dream. This is a sugar-coated bullet from a red capitalist."

Lin Feng stared at the TV, biting his straw until it was flat.

Frank leaned over from the side: "Boss, they are scolding you."

Lin Feng nodded, "I see."

Frank asked, "Aren't you angry?"

Lin Feng thought for a moment and said seriously:

"What's the use of being angry? They won't invite me on the show anyway."

The next day, Lin Feng really did appear on a show.

It wasn't "American Truth."

It was another program called "Morning America," which had higher ratings and a more relaxed style.

The host was a blonde woman in her thirties named Kelly, who had a beautiful smile.

She asked Lin Feng, "Mr. Lin, there has been a lot of controversy about you recently. What is your take on it?"

Lin Feng thought for a moment and said:

"I don't watch TV."

Kelly paused in surprise, "What?"

Lin Feng said earnestly, "I squat in front of the shop every day, looking across the street. I don't watch TV."

Kelly laughed, "Then do you know what they are saying about you?"

Lin Feng nodded, "I know. Some say I am a red capitalist, some say I am eroding the American spirit."

Kelly asked, "How do you respond?"

Lin Feng looked at her and said seriously:

"I want to ask those who talk about me one question—"

He paused:

"Have you been to AmeriMotor? Have you seen those three thousand workers? Have you asked them if they are happy?"

Kelly was silent.

Lin Feng continued, "I didn't erode them. I just told them that they don't need to worry about layoffs, don't need to work overtime, and can work with a smile. Then they decided for themselves whether to smile."

He looked into the camera, enunciating every word:

"You call this erosion? Then why are the people who were 'eroded' smiling so happily?"

After the program aired, the comment section exploded.

"He's right, have those people who scold him ever been to the factory?"

"Whether three thousand workers are smiling or not counts for more than what one hundred experts say."

"I checked, AmeriMotor really doesn't lay people off now, and they even share profits with the workers."

"What is there to scold about? I want a boss like that too."

But there were also those scolding him:

"He's just buying people's hearts! This is communist infiltration!"

"The American spirit is about hard work and endurance; he is destroying tradition!"

"Just wait, his true colors will be revealed sooner or later."

Lin Feng scrolled through the comments, reading them one by one.

Alex asked from the side, "Boss, doesn't it bother you to read those?"

Lin Feng shook his head, "It doesn't bother me."

Alex asked, "Why?"

Lin Feng pointed to the comments scolding him:

"The more fiercely they scold me, the more afraid they are."

Alex was stunned.

Lin Feng laughed:

"Afraid of what? Afraid that more people will start smiling."

A week later, the ratings for the show that scolded him, "American Truth," dropped by 30%.

The host, Richard, couldn't sit still.

He made another episode with the title:

[Lin Feng responded? We continue to pursue the truth]

This time he invited a "mysterious guest"—supposedly a former executive of AmeriMotor.

The guest said to the camera:

"This man, Lin Feng, is very dangerous. He started some kind of 'paid crazy time' in the factory, letting workers make art with scrap parts. This is wasting company resources and disrupting production order!"

Richard nodded, "That does sound outrageous."

The guest continued, "He even shares profits with the workers; he is engaging in socialism!"

Richard asked again, "Then why would he do that?"

The guest sneered, "To buy people's hearts. To become an internet celebrity. To..."

Before he could finish, the TV screen suddenly cut away.

It cut to the entrance of the AmeriMotor factory.

Three thousand workers were standing there, holding signs.

The signs read:

[We are happy, none of your business]

The camera zoomed in, with James standing at the very front.

He said to the camera:

"That so-called former executive was fired three years ago for corruption. Your production team invited someone like that to scold our boss?"

All the workers were laughing.

James continued, "Boss Lin didn't make us work overtime, didn't lay us off, and even shared money with us. If you think this is dangerous, then come to the factory and see for yourselves, see if we are smiling or not."

The screen cut back to the studio.

Richard's expression was like he had eaten a fly.

After that episode aired, "American Truth" was completely finished.

The ratings dropped to an all-time low.

When Richard was interviewed later and asked about his opinion of Lin Feng, he was silent for a long time, then said:

"I don't know what kind of person he is. But I know that three thousand people are willing to stand up for him and shut my mouth."

The reporter asked, "Then do you still think he is dangerous now?"

Richard gave a bitter smile:

"We are the dangerous ones. Because when we tell the truth, nobody believes us anymore."

Lin Feng scrolled to this interview and laughed so hard he squatted on the ground, unable to get up.

The old man asked from the side, "What are you laughing about now?"

Lin Feng handed him the phone.

After reading it, the old man laughed too.

"Lin Feng."

Lin Feng looked up.

The old man pointed to that Richard on the phone screen:

"You made him shut up."

Lin Feng shook his head and said seriously:

"It wasn't me. It was those three thousand workers who opened their mouths themselves."

That night, Lin Feng received a phone call.

An unknown number.

He picked it up, and the person on the other end said:

"Mr. Lin, I am a producer from FOX News. We would like to invite you to host a program."

Lin Feng was stunned, "What kind of program?"

The person on the other end said, "Once a week, half an hour, you can say whatever you want. The title would be—"

He paused:

"America Through Lin Feng's Eyes."

Lin Feng was silent for three seconds.

Then he smiled.

"Let me think about it."

After hanging up, he squatted in front of the shop, looking at the stars.

The old man asked, "Who was that?"

Lin Feng said, "A TV station. They want me to host a program."

The old man paused, "Did you agree?"

Lin Feng shook his head, "No. I'm thinking about whether to start my own."

The old man didn't understand.

Lin Feng continued, "They invited me to speak in their pot. If I'm going to start one, I'll start my own pot."

He looked across the street and said slowly:

"I want to buy a TV station."

The old man was stunned.

Then he laughed.

"Lin Feng, you really are a lunatic."

Lin Feng nodded, "I know."

[Chapter 39 End]