Chapter 53: CH 50

Chapter 50: This friend named NianNianYouYu

Yu Nian couldn’t bear to close his eyes. Instead, he leaned against the wall and looked up, revealing a hint of fragility in the curve of his neck. Looking at the galaxy composed of countless tiny crystals, Yu Nian took a while before whispering, “Xie You, I miss my grandmother so much.”

His gaze seemed unfocused. “When my grandmother passed away, she held my hand and told me not to be afraid of loneliness. She said she would become a star and always be with me… I’m not a child anymore, but I still choose to believe those words.”

Xie You’s voice came through the phone, sounding much gentler than usual. “Hmm, as long as we don’t forget, they live on in our memories.”

“Exactly,” Yu Nian curved his eyes, and after a few seconds, he smiled and said, “Can I ask how many stars are there in front of me?”

Xie You paused for a moment before softly replying, “Nine hundred and ninety-nine.”

Nine hundred and ninety-nine?

Something in his mind was touched, and the smile in Yu Nian’s eyes seemed about to overflow. He asked Xie You, “Do you have an account on Qinghai Live?”

Xie You quickly denied, “I don’t.”

“Really? You don’t?”

“…I do.”

Yu Nian smiled lightly with his hands in his pockets. He continued in a relaxed tone, “Well, can I know your username on Qinghai then?”

Xie You took a while before saying, “…I cannot answer that question.”

“Alright, alright. If you can’t answer, then I won’t ask.” Yu Nian didn’t press further. He blinked, and with a smiling voice, he said, “But I think I probably know.”

Xie You remained silent.

It was as if the clouds had parted, and Yu Nian’s mood suddenly became sunny.

Shi Rou noticed that Yu Nian had been in a great mood for several days in a row. After reciting the schedule for the next two days, she curiously asked, “You seem to be in a very good mood these past couple of days, Nian Nian.”

Yu Nian held a thermos cup and took a sip of water. The smile on his lips spread, “Is it that obvious?”

“Yeah,” Shi Rou tried to describe it, “It’s that kind of… uncontrollable happiness that can’t be hidden.”

“Yeah, I’m really happy,” Yu Nian set down the thermos cup. “At 3 PM this afternoon, I’m going to sign the contract with Oumu, right?”

“Yes, this afternoon is mainly for that. Tomorrow, we’ll be meeting with the brand director of Funa Poetry Mineral Water. We have to arrive 20 minutes early because they are extremely punctual. Even being 30 seconds late is not acceptable.”

As she spoke, Shi Rou couldn’t help but complain, “By the way, I didn’t know until you accepted this endorsement, but mineral water can be so expensive! The frosted pattern on the glass bottle is made of crystals, and the bottle cap even has a small crown with embedded diamonds! My goodness, one bottle of 300 ml costs $100, which is equivalent to my one-month salary!”

Meng Yuan happened to enter the room just as he heard Shi Rou’s complaint and added, “That’s a limited edition, right? They only sell three thousand bottles per month. We don’t drink that; we drink the regular version. Otherwise, every sip would cost you ten bucks, and you’d definitely feel your heart bleeding.”

Shi Rou repeatedly waved her hand. “Bleeding? It should be ‘gushing blood.’ Besides, the regular edition has 61 bottles of 300 ml each. I can’t afford it, can’t afford it.”

Meng Yuan approached and placed the documents on the desk. He said to Yu Nian, “It’s done. Oumu agreed to my offer. We’ll sign the contract this afternoon, and once the contract is signed, the money will start flowing in. Moreover, according to what they said, if the endorsement is successful, not only the Galaxy Watch series from Oumu but also the Silver Axis series might be offered to you for endorsement. So, young man, work hard!”

After reading the contract with some modifications, Yu Nian looked up and smiled. “Thank you for your hard work, Brother Meng.”

“No hard work at all. It’s just a matter of talking. There is also Ri Yao’s mobile phone; you’re going to be busy lately. The photo shoots for all three brands are scheduled close to each other.”

“No problem. I can handle it. But do I have to use the phone and watch for the endorsements as well?”

“Yes, you should use all of them. When you post on Weibo, make sure to use the endorsed phone.” Meng Yuan frowned and said, “And honestly, it’s not to discourage you, but it’s about time you changed your phone. Even Xiao Ruo uses a better phone than yours. Even the lowest-tier celebrities in the industry don’t use such a cheap brand like yours.”

But then, thinking about how Yu Nian was always short on money, Meng Yuan couldn’t help but console him. “Anyway, let’s not talk about you anymore. Poor thing. Brother Meng will help you get more endorsements and improve your quality of life.”

Yu Nian smiled, his eyes narrowed. “Thank you in advance, Brother Meng.”

For the next half month, Yu Nian had a tight schedule. He had to pay attention to the post-production of his EP, write songs, and also shoot advertising posters in the studio, often working until early in the morning. But every time he returned home and looked up, he saw a sky full of stars, which made him feel rejuvenated.

On the late night of February 7th, Yu Qing called. “Nian Nian, do you have enough money?”

Yu Nian had just arrived home and sat on the couch, rubbing his temples without hiding his exhaustion. “Yes, it’s almost enough. Brother Meng helped me secure three endorsements in one go, and they were very generous with the endorsement fees. After the company’s share, I still have a significant amount left, and the association just paid me a copyright fee.”

“That’s good. Today, the news was confirmed. The auction will take place in five days in Ye City. Arrange your schedule in advance, and book your flight tickets as well.”

“Okay, got it. After finishing up these few days, I’ll have some free time.” Yu Nian took a sip of warm water, moistening his throat, and looked at the calendar. Suddenly, he remembered something. “It’s almost Chinese New Year. How do you plan to celebrate this year, sister?”

“What else can I do? I’ll celebrate on the set since the shooting schedule is packed. And besides, my dad has a new lover on each arm. I saw it in the news a couple of days ago. She’s a model two years younger than me. It’s like an old bull eating tender grass. I just feel like punching someone when I see that. To maintain my ladylike image, I won’t go back home.”

Yu Qing spoke without a good temper and asked Yu Nian, “What about you? Are you going back to our ancestral home?”

“I suppose so. I’ll see how it goes.”

“Alright,” Yu Qing said with an acknowledging tone. “If you feel lonely, come to the set and celebrate the New Year with me. I’ll cover your round-trip airfare!”

Yu Nian smiled. “Sounds good!”

On February 13th, Yu Nian adjusted his schedule with Meng Yuan and took the early morning flight, arriving in Ye City in the afternoon.

It was raining in Ye City, with rain and mist everywhere. It was damp and cold. Yu Nian wore a black down jacket, a duckbill cap, and a mask, making him less conspicuous.

Upon arriving at the auction venue, after the receptionist checked his invitation, he was escorted to the inner hall.

As soon as he entered, he received a phone call from Gu Yiyan.

“Grandpa Gu?”

Gu Yiyan chuckled, “You’ve arrived at the venue?”

Standing in a secluded corner, Yu Nian smiled as he replied, “How did you know I was here?”

“How could I not know? You were at the Yunfu Songhe Bottle Auction last time, and ‘Drunken Horse Roaming in Spring’ Painting is going to be auctioned. How could you not be here?” Gu Yiyan sighed, “Mr. Xiuning made an oath to bring these treasures back to the country, but unfortunately, he couldn’t fulfill his wish. Fortunately, he has a good grandson like you!”

Yu Nian felt a little embarrassed, “Grandpa Gu, you’re giving me too much credit.”

“I’m not exaggerating. By the way, my memory isn’t what it used to be. I called to tell you to go and find Director Gan.”

“Do you mean Director Gan from the Ningcheng Museum? Has he also arrived?”

“Yes, that’s him. It’s still early, so go and have a chat with him.”

Following the room number provided by Gu Yiyuan, Yu Nian knocked on the door. A middle-aged man wearing glasses opened the door and politely asked, “Are you Yu Nian?”

Yu Nian politely nodded, “Yes, it was Grandpa Gu who asked me to visit.”

Entering the room, a middle-aged man dressed in a traditional Chinese robe with crossed collars and Chinese-style buttons smiled, “Are you Yu Nian?” He appeared slightly thin, with a gentle gaze that instantly created a favorable impression.

As Yuren approached, he shook hands politely, “Hello, I apologize for the intrusion.”

“No intrusion at all, please have a seat.” Once Yu Nian was seated, Ganzhou attentively brewed a cup of tea and handed it to him.

After finishing their tea without engaging in any formalities, Director Gan spoke up, “I’ll be straightforward. In this auction, there’s a bronze artifact that will be up for bidding. You should be familiar with it, a significant piece among ceremonial utensils.”

Yu Nian’s eyes widened slightly, “Is it the one with cloud and thunder patterns on the background and kuiwen as the prominent theme pattern on the outer surface?”

Director Gan smiled and nodded, “You indeed know. Yes, that’s the one.”

Yu Nian poured a cup of tea for Director Gan and said, “My grandfather mentioned it to me, but I never expected it to appear in an auction.”

“Yes,” Director Gan took a sip of the tea, sighed, and continued, “In the past, I had the privilege of discussing this bronze ceremonial vessel with Mr. Xiuning. He also commented that it is the nation’s greatest treasure, yet it drifted overseas and couldn’t return home.”

Director Gan gazed at the faint smoke rising from the incense burner, his tone growing somber. “This artifact holds great significance for us, but it was sold by antique dealers over a hundred years ago and ended up overseas, changing hands multiple times. This auction may be the only opportunity in fifty years for this vessel to be auctioned. If we fail to acquire it, we will miss the chance once again.”

Yu Nian clenched his fingers and asked, “Do you have a good chance of winning it?”

“I’m 80% confident. We have raised a considerable sum of money from various sources, so we should be able to secure it successfully,” Director Gan looked into Yu Nian’s eyes. “However, this means we won’t have any remaining funds to participate in the bidding for ‘Drunken Horse Roaming in Spring’.”

Yu Nian understood Director Gan’s meaning. “You mean someone else might compete for it?”

“Yes, a collector from France has indicated his determination to acquire ‘Drunken Horse Roaming in Spring.’ Of course, we cannot confirm the authenticity of this information, but you should be prepared.”

“Alright,” Yu Nian nodded firmly. “Rest assured, I will do my best.”

Director Gan patted Yu Nian’s shoulder without saying a word.

After returning to his own private room, Yu Nian pondered for a moment and decided to send a message to Yu Qing. “The auction might not go smoothly. If the price gets too high, can you lend me some money, sister?”

Yu Qing replied quickly, “Feel free to go all out. If you run out of money, let me know.”

Yu Nian took a deep breath and replied, “Alright, thank you, sister.”

Just as Director Gan had predicted, “Drunken Horse Roaming in Spring” did not have a smooth auction. It was only put up for bidding after more than half of the auction had passed, starting at a price of 8.11 million. In just two rounds of bidding, it reached the tens of millions mark.

After four rounds of bidding, only Yu Nian and a French collector remained.

Yu Nian took a sip of the clear tea, feeling a slight bitter and astringent taste on his tongue. His expression remained calm as he raised his signboard after the opponent’s bid, but instead of adding one million, he directly increased the bid by three million.

This time, after two hammer strikes, the opponent bid again, adding two million.

A myriad of numbers floated through Yu Nian’s mind, and he thought to himself, “I’ve made it through this time, but I probably won’t be able to afford meat for a long time.”

However, without hesitation, he raised his signboard once again and added another three million.

Finally, after three hammer strikes, the bidding came to an end. He had won.

Yu Nian sat in his chair and let out a gentle sigh of relief.

The bronze ceremonial vessel with cloud, thunder, and kui designs was the last item to be auctioned, serving as the grand finale. It started with a bid of 80 million. After a long and intense bidding process, it was finally sold for a staggering price of 140 million. Yu Nian’s heart found solace when he discovered that it was Director Gan who had won the bid.

After the auction ended, Yu Nian went to Director Gan’s private room. Director Gan, unable to conceal his emotions, tremblingly picked up a cup of tea, took a sip of the cold beverage, and his eyes turned slightly red with uncontainable excitement. “We bought it!”

Yu Nian smiled and replied, “Yes, we bought it.”

Despite their nearly thirty-year age difference, the two of them shared a smile at that moment.

On the way back, Yu Nian called Yu Qing. Hearing the relaxed tone in his voice, Yu Qing teasingly asked, “You owe such a huge sum of money, and yet you’re laughing so happily?”

“Yes, I’m feeling really good.” Yu Nian looked at the rain outside the window, adjusted his thick coat, and spoke in a relaxed tone. “I’ll go back and pack up. I’ll ask Uncle Rong to sell a few things that can be sold and then work hard to find a job, so I can repay the money I owe you as soon as possible.”

“Okay, but don’t overwork yourself. For your sister, this money is just a matter of buying two fewer sports cars. There’s no rush,” Yu Qing replied.

“Yes, I understand. Don’t worry, sister.” Yu Nian knew deep down that emotions should not be consumed by money, and Yu Qing’s money didn’t come from nowhere.

“Okay, be safe on your way back. I’ll stop here. It’s my turn to bid,” Yu Qing said.

The next day, Yu Nian went to the company and informed Meng Yuan that everything had been taken care of. Meng Yuan didn’t ask many questions but noticed that he didn’t look well. Concerned, she said, “Didn’t sleep well? Do you want to take a nap on the couch?”

“No need,” Yu Nian rubbed his eyes. “I’m feeling fine, not sleepy at all.”

Last night, he placed “Intoxicated Horse Roaming in Spring” in the secure storage facility. Unable to sleep, he had gotten up in the middle of the night and took out paper and a pen to inventory his belongings.

In the end, he selected seven items and silently repeated in his mind, “I’m sorry to my ancestors. I have to sell the two inkstones you used and the five sets of ancient books you collected.”

After saying this three times, he contacted Rong Yue and arranged a time for the appraisal.

Meng Yuan nodded. “Okay, but don’t forget, you have a live stream in the afternoon. Just chat with your fans for about ten minutes.”

Yu Nian nodded in agreement. “No problem.”

At three o’clock in the afternoon, Yu Nian went live in the nanny car. The number of viewers on the channel was almost twice as many as last time, and the number in the bottom left corner kept increasing.

He didn’t pay much attention to the other details and greeted the camera with a smile. “Good afternoon, everyone. I’m on my way to a photoshoot for a poster.”

Seeing some viewers in the chat asking about the poster, Yu Nian remembered that it had already been officially announced, so he replied, “It’s for Funa Poetry’s mineral water. As for the style of the poster, it’s currently confidential. You’ll be able to see it once the advertising is released.” He turned the camera towards the window and then back to himself. “By the way, the weather hasn’t been good lately, and it’s gotten quite cold. Remember to wear warm clothes.”

At that moment, the screen of his phone darkened again, and soon a line of colorful text appeared on the screen, ‘User NianNianYouYu sent 100 diamonds to host Yu Nian,’ followed by several more consecutive jumps.

[Damn, who is this immortal tycoon? They come to make their presence known in every livestream! My knees are weak; I’m kneeling again!]

[Aaaaahh, another 999 diamonds! Aaahhh, I’m going crazy!]

“[We’re all star chasers, why are you so extravagant?! Big boss, do you think my kneeling posture is correct?]

Yu Nian remembered what Xie You had said over the phone, “I can’t answer that question,” and a smile naturally appeared at the corners of his mouth and in his eyes. “This friend named NianNianYouYu, it’s been getting colder lately, so take care of yourself and don’t get sick.”