115: Chapter 115 I'm going to the military base for a buffet!

The morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, spilling into the narrow rental apartment.

When Su Zhe woke up, the spot next to him in bed was already cold.

A note was pressed onto the nightstand, bearing Lin Qingxue's elegant handwriting.

[I've gone to an appearance. There are boiled eggs in the pot, remember to eat them. Also, even though you only have 251 yuan, I... I really like the Su Zhe from last night.]

Looking at the note, Su Zhe couldn't help but curl his lips upward.

"What's the use of liking someone? Can 'liking' put food on the table?"

He picked up his phone and glanced at the lonely 251.45 yuan in his Yu'e Bao balance.

He let out a sigh.

"I still need to make money."

...

Two months passed in a flash. Although Su Zhe had a constant schedule during this time, most were small appearances; the money earned barely covered the interest.

The movie "jiangshan" was officially released.

In this summer season, it was like a dark horse, frantically harvesting the box office.

It finally settled at 3.5 billion.

And Yu Huatian, played by Su Zhe, completely attained godhood thanks to the classic scene of "sewing buttons with flying needles" and the peerless qinggong of "standing on a mast with one foot."

The entire internet was shouting "Factory Flower."

Bilibili was full of his Kichiku videos and fan edits.

Because of this, he became the hottest top-tier star in the Chinese Entertainment Industry, and his market value doubled.

Company meeting room.

Sister Liu was in high spirits, slapping a thick stack of scripts onto the table so hard that the coffee cups jumped.

"Su Zhe! Look at these, they're all S-class major productions, and all for the male lead!"

Su Zhe's eyes lit up, and he quickly flipped one open.

"Secret History of the East Depot."

He flipped another.

"The Self-Cultivation of a Eunuch."

He flipped yet another.

"The Harem Life of the Nine-Thousand-Year-Old Lord."

Su Zhe's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Why are they all eunuchs? Isn't there a single complete character? It's finally occurred to me to play a man, is it really this hard?"

Sister Liu coughed awkwardly, "Who told you to act so convincingly that it's etched into people's hearts?

Now the investors think you are the ceiling of feminine aesthetics; playing anything else would be a waste of your face.

However..."

Sister Liu's eyes brightened as she pulled a contract entirely in English from the pile of documents and handed it to Su Zhe mysteriously, "Here is a heavyweight invitation from Hollywood!

'Star Trek 2046'!

A sci-fi blockbuster!

They're inviting you to play a mysterious villain from the East!"

"Hollywood? US Dollars?"

Su Zhe's eyes instantly turned into dollar signs.

He quickly took the contract and activated the [English Proficiency] he had specifically exchanged for earlier to save on subtitle membership fees for American TV shows.

He scanned ten lines at a glance.

And then.

*Thwack.*

He tossed the contract into the trash can, his movement as disgusted as if he were throwing away a used tissue.

"Scammers."

Sister Liu was shocked: "How is that possible? That's Hollywood! How many people would break their heads trying to get a chance to go there for prestige!"

Su Zhe sneered and pointed at the trash can: "The salary is only a hundred thousand dollars, and that's before taxes.

Airfare and accommodations are at my own expense.

The most ridiculous thing is, they actually hinted that I should 'bring my own funding to the production'?

Saying they'll give me global exposure?

Pah!

I'm sick of this kind of 'drawing a big pie' routine in China. They want to free-ride on my traffic and expect me to pay them for the privilege?

Not going! Even a dog wouldn't go!

"Am I the kind of person who lacks exposure?

I lack money!"

Just then.

Sister Liu's phone rang.

After answering, Sister Liu's expression instantly became incredibly respectful, and she even stood up to bow.

"Director Chen?

Oh my, what a rare guest!

Yes, Su Zhe is here.

A new movie?

'police story 2025'?

The male lead?!"

Hearing these keywords, Su Zhe's ears instantly perked up, locking on like a precision radar.

Director Chen!

The big boss of domestic action movies!

A famous fanatic for real-life filming!

His movies are a guarantee for the box office!

Most importantly, the salary for this kind of tough-guy movie is usually extremely high.

Sister Liu hung up the phone, her expression a bit complicated, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Su Zhe, the opportunity is here.

Director Chen wants you to play the male lead, a SWAT team captain.

The salary is twenty million, plus a tiered box office dividend."

"Take it!"

Su Zhe slammed the table and stood up, so excited he almost jumped onto it, saying repeatedly: "Sign the contract right now! I've had a dream of being a policeman since I was a kid! I love maintaining justice the most! But mostly I love the twenty million!"

"But..."

Sister Liu sighed, looked Su Zhe up and down, and said: "Director Chen has a concern.

He said after watching your 'jiangshan', he felt you were... too effeminate."

Su Zhe: "???"

He instinctively wanted to retort, but his hand unconsciously formed an Orchid Finger to adjust non-existent glasses.

"..."

Sister Liu pointed at his hand: "See, this is the aftereffect.

Director Chen said a policeman needs to have masculinity, blood, and that hormone-bursting feeling.

The way you are now, you look like someone who's lived long-term in the inner palace dealing with schemes.

Therefore, he has a condition."

Sister Liu took out a variety show invitation, "An S-class military reality show—'real men' Season 3, is currently recruiting guests.

It's recorded in a fully enclosed barracks, with devilish training and live ammunition.

Director Chen said that as long as you can go to this show to 'be reforged', persevere, and prove you're a tough guy...

Not only will he give you the movie role, but he'll also add five million as 'mental compensation'."

Su Zhe looked at the variety show contract.

He didn't agree immediately.

He was calculating, his brain spinning rapidly.

"Variety show appearance fee: 12 million (after-tax S-class price).

Movie salary: 20 million + 5 million (bonus) = 25 million.

Added together... thirty-seven million!

Even though this money has to be split with the company, I'll still get over eighteen million!

My god, how much interest can this pay off!

I can even pay off a large part of the principal and bring the debt down to around 130 million!"

And...

Su Zhe rubbed his chin, his gaze becoming deep.

"The military?

I heard the military food is famously hearty?

All the braised pork you can eat?

Steamed buns as big as washbasins?

And that... compressed biscuit thing?

Most importantly, with fully enclosed management, there's really nowhere to spend money!

There isn't even a canteen!

This is a perfect job with room and board included, a high salary, and I can even build up my body in the process!"

Take it!

Su Zhe's eyes were firm. He suddenly straightened his curled pinky finger, clenched his fist, and said: "Tell Director Chen.

I'm not going there for prestige.

I'm going there... to be the King of Soldiers.

I want him to see what a 'Wolf Warrior' looks like!"

Sister Liu looked at his expression, which was like a hungry wolf descending from a mountain.

She silently lit a candle in her heart for the military's cooking squad.

"Alright, then let's get ready to head out.

Don't bring pickles this time; the military doesn't allow them."

"Then it's okay if I bring a basin, right?"

Su Zhe pulled out a large stainless steel food basin with a diameter of 30 centimeters from under the table and continued: "I'm afraid the military's bowls are too small to hold my grand ambitions.

Also, help me buy a few pairs of those... military-grade insoles.

The thickest ones."

Sister Liu: "..."

And so.

Su Zhe, burdened with a massive debt of 160 million.

For the regret of missing out on half-price ribs, for the huge sum of over thirty million, and for that legendary all-you-can-eat braised pork.

He bid farewell to the glory of the "Factory Flower."

Carrying his stainless steel basin.

He embarked on the journey to the military camp...