CHAPTER 523: CHAPTER 304: PULLING ADVERTISEMENTS

For someone at Zhang Yang’s level, he’s not exactly financially free, but he’s definitely not short on money.

The bonus that landed in his hands wasn’t intended to fatten his private pocket; rather, he planned to pool it with the money from gifts received via his account.

Zhang Yang hadn’t forgotten about the boast he made of donating to an elementary school, it still lingered on his mind.

Ever since he started his media account and broadcasts, the total rewards received on Zhang Yang’s live account have recently neared a million, plus this time’s contest bonus of over fifty thousand, breaking the million mark should be certain, so he should be able to accomplish something with that figure.

Just as Zhang Yang was distracted, contemplating donating to build an elementary school, Wang Yan called out to him from the side.

"Boss, hey, what are you thinking about?"

"Ah? Nothing, just thinking over some stuff. Where are you guys with the conversation?" Zhang Yang lifted his head to glance at him.

"We’ve discussed the main business, and now it’s all personal stuff. Anyway, tonight let’s invite some familiar friends over, have a meal and celebrate a bit?" Wang Yan asked.

"Absolutely!" Zhang Yang nodded without hesitation.

"Invite YOYO too! You know what I mean!" Wang Yan mentioned the goddess YOYO with a mischievous grin, gleaming slyly.

"Oh, is this something that requires my permission? It’s just an extra pair of chopsticks! You go ahead and contact her, and if you can’t manage it, then I’ll call her!"

"Haha, deal! I’ll make the call now, before it gets late and she leaves with her team!" Wang Yan eagerly pulled out his phone to make contact.

A phone call was made, and quickly a result came back; YOYO heard about Zhang Yang’s team inviting her to the celebratory dinner, and she readily agreed.

"Done!"

Wang Yan clenched his fist in mid-air, gesturing with an excited arm swing — success assured!

"Look at your state! Be a little more calm when you meet the lady, don’t act like a pure-hearted little virgin!" Zhang Yang grumbled a bit with annoyance, lightly teasing his friend’s behavior.

"Hehe, hehe! Everyone lend me a hand tonight, alright? My entire future depends on you guys!" Wang Yan revealed a sincere, foolish smile.

...

After settling the arrangements for the evening dinner, Zhang Yang had the team assistant reach out to a circle of new friends and old friends.

People like Wei Song, an old friend, and Boss Ma, a new acquaintance, plus the lady host YOYO, several leaders from the local fishing association, referees, and others were all contacted.

At this stage, the consideration without being as simply driven by brotherly affection has matured.

Old sayings confirm that relationships are the primary force of productivity; it’s better to cultivate good connections routinely than to scramble for help in times of crisis. Using a celebration dinner as a non-sensitive excuse to host friends is a very smart move.

Whether the team achieved a great result or the team’s fame carries decent influence, among those invited, not a single one declined after receiving the call; even Boss Ma and Beautiful readily agreed.

The team took thirty-plus thousand from the contest earnings, and the evening’s celebratory dinner had high standards, choosing a place called Taihe Small Residence as the private dining venue.

Though it’s not Michelin-certified or anything of that sorts, the private dishes are very on point, excluding drinks, the average meal cost was over a thousand per person, which is quite high for a non-business event.

The details of the evening’s celebratory dinner aren’t worth elaborating—just a group of people eating and drinking, each bringing their own requirements and aims, sifting through potential ’friends’ of a similar status with a discerning eye.

While Zhang Yang and the others were meeting new friends and drinking heartily, in another private room at the same hotel, Feige’s team partners along with a few friends were also holding a celebratory dinner.

Xu Wenjie, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, unexpectedly bumped into Boss Ma from another room while going to the toilet.

Little Xu recognized Boss Ma but didn’t greet him; after finishing in the bathroom he consciously stood in the hallway for a few seconds, noted which room Boss Ma entered, and who he could see from the crack of the door, before quickly returning to his room.

"Feige, I just saw Boss Ma! Both Boss Ma and Beautiful are in room 306! Along with Zhang Yang and Chief Judge Lao Cao..." Little Xu began to diligently report upon entering.

"Really? Did you get a clear look?" Ma Yafei frowned upon hearing this news, and a heavy expression briefly flashed across his face.

Xu Wenjie said indignantly: "There’s no mistaking, I brushed past Boss Ma just as I went to the bathroom, and I stood in the hallway briefly, saw it clearly! It’s them, can’t be wrong!

You see, Boss Ma and his wife are indeed snobbish; we asked them around for the dinner today before afternoon, saying they were unavailable, turns out they joined Zhang Yang’s event!"

No wonder Xu Wenjie grumbled; having secured a pickup truck today, Ma Yafei genuinely invited Boss Ma and his wife to the evening’s celebratory dinner, but they were firmly refused, now it turned awkward encountering them at the restaurant.

Ma Yafei’s slender eyebrows furrowed for about three seconds before relaxing, his face re-covered with a composed smile: "Well, if we ran into them, we ran into them! Maybe they were invited earlier, it’s unpredictable stuff! Let’s just eat our share as if we don’t know!"

"Why don’t you take some of the brothers over and toast them a drink!" Xu Wenjie continued to ask.

Don’t be swayed by Little Xu’s thick eyebrows and honest appearance, his thoughts are anything but simple, especially as he keenly understands the temperament of his captain Ma Yafei.