empty fame and fleeting profit

page views:1 Publication date:2023-06-11 13:52:07

The renowned recluse Xiong Yi frequently used multiple pseudonyms to promote himself after gaining fame. While he was indifferent to fame and fortune, he couldn't bear the loneliness. However, he was genuinely nonchalant about his numerous works, once saying, "Let people steal if they want." He always felt he couldn't write good articles, which showed both his awareness of his shortcomings and his potential for improvement. In the words of his good friend Zhang Ziwu, "If you keep going like this, you'll never produce anything that satisfies you, no matter how many books you write in your life. Come on, stop being so hard on yourself!"

Xiong Yi didn't care. He feared one day he wouldn't be able to write anymore, so while he was young and energetic, he read and wrote voraciously.

With several major works published, he actively used pseudonyms, occasionally giving readers the illusion that he could be both worldly and otherworldly. He wasn't pedantic, but he certainly possessed a certain aloofness. During the book's publication period, he still shamelessly promoted it, saying, "I won't hide it from everyone, this book was purely written to earn some royalties; my motives are far from pure. However, even though poverty can stifle ambition, there's a code of honor among thieves, and the content is still worth reading."

A few days later, Lu Jinbo from the publishing house visited Zhang Ziwu's residence and saw the draft that Xiong Yi had given Zhang Ziwu some time ago. Lu Jinbo was moved by the content and, on a whim, took it without the owner's permission. What he found was astounding. He was completely captivated by the content, ignoring even Zhang Ziwu's invitation to dinner.

Zhang Ziwu had to go to the study to invite him down. Upon seeing him, Lu Jinbo eagerly asked who had written it, saying with a fervent tone that the book had a chance of publication, but with a slightly different title and some revisions, it would surely be a bestseller.

As a seasoned veteran in the business world, Lu Jinbo, with his keen business sense, knew he wouldn't do something that would lose money. So he immediately asked Zhang Ziwu to introduce him to the hermit.

Zhang Ziwu hurriedly said it was just an ordinary friend, someone he didn't know much about. Lu Jinbo clearly didn't believe him; he wasn't easily fooled. After a few rounds of persuasive questioning, Lu Jinbo, with his silver tongue, insisted on meeting the author. He kept praising the book, saying how amazing it was and that he didn't see any of the author's old-fashioned side in it. Zhang Ziwu said his friend was a hermit who generally didn't like to show his face. Lu Jinbo said it was alright; we were friends, so his friend was my friend too. If he insisted on being a stranger, he could easily persuade him. There's an old saying, "Friends are often made from strangers."

Zhang Ziwu could see that Lu Jinbo was reluctant to refuse, and to back down would be disrespectful, so he had no choice but to agree. So he took the initiative and said, "I'll try asking him tomorrow to see if he's also interested in publishing it."

Lu Jinbo was delighted, and his stomach started rumbling. Without any hesitation, he pulled Zhang Ziwu downstairs to eat, saying without a care, "Come on, eat quickly, don't wait for me, or you'll poop!"

Zhang Ziwu's family of four were waiting for him to eat, but Lu Jinbo's words were utterly disgusting, causing Zhang Ziwu's three-year-old son to ask Yuexia, "Mommy, how can this uncle talk like this while we're eating?"

The scene became quite awkward. Fortunately, Lu Jinbo had a knack for defusing awkward situations, and in a few words, he managed to smooth things over for himself and others.

That evening, Zhang Ziwu wanted to rest early. He didn't know if he could persuade Xiong Yi the next day. He knew Xiong Yi well; he didn't care about fame or fortune, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he considered them worthless. Xiong Yi had told Zhang Ziwu that his book was aimed at a niche audience. Would publishing it to a broad range of teenagers be disrespectful to him?

Zhang Ziwu tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. A few moments of this wouldn't have been a problem, but it eventually disturbed Yuexia. Yuexia turned to him and asked what was wrong, if something was on her mind. Zhang Ziwu explained why Lu Jinbo had asked him for help.

Yuexia told Zhang Ziwu not to overthink it, that things would work themselves out, and then she hugged him, asking him to be intimate.

Zhang Ziwu, who had been in a bad mood, now had an outlet. He looked at Yuexia and grinned foolishly. The two quickly stripped naked. Zhang Ziwu roughly kneaded Yuexia's breasts, leaving several red marks on her smooth, white skin. Yuexia frowned and said, "Don't be so rough, it hurts, you rascal!"

Zhang Ziwu's heart had already flown elsewhere. He thought of He Xiaoman, whom he had met a month or two ago. Just thinking of her, Zhang Ziwu seemed to smell her scent. He moved closer to Yuexia's body; it was a body temperature that evoked a deep sense of longing. He felt two soft, warm mounds pressing against his chest, and a surge of emotion welled up within him. He kissed Yuexia's chin, then sealed her lips with his own.

While kissing Yuexia's mouth, Zhang Ziwu kneaded her breasts with both hands. Her breasts changed shape constantly in Zhang Ziwu's hands.

Yuexia seemed to enjoy it. She extended her tongue and probed into her lover's mouth, two bright red, soft tongues swirling and licking inside, sometimes intertwining, sometimes fighting.

Soon, Zhang Ziwu's hands were no longer satisfied with Yuexia's breasts. One hand reached down to her genitals, while the other went around her back, kneading her buttocks wildly. Yuexia's moans grew louder.

Zhang Ziwu felt that Yuexia's vagina was wider than He Xiaoman's. A loose vagina has its advantages; after all, she had given birth, and besides, it was spacious enough for longer play. He could even accidentally slip his hand inside. But the most important thing wasn't that, but that Yuexia's movements were stronger and more powerful than He Xiaoman's.

Zhang Ziwu hadn't experienced such intense activity in a long time. Afterwards, he was completely exhausted, temporarily abandoning all thoughts, burying his head between her large breasts, placing his legs between hers, feeling as if he were lying on a sponge—very comfortable. Even more unexpectedly, his penis slowly slid out of her loose vagina. Zhang Ziwu had promised

Lu Jinbo he would go see Xiong Yi the next day, but Lu Jinbo arrived at his house that morning. Because of the intense activity the previous night, Zhang Ziwu had missed his alarm and overslept until Yuexia woke him up to say Lu Jinbo had arrived.

Zhang Ziwu got up, dressed, and without even brushing his teeth, Lu Jinbo rushed in, saying he couldn't sleep after reading the article last night. Afraid Zhang Ziwu would forget his promise, he came early to urge him to hurry.

Zhang Ziwu didn't dare make a guarantee, but repeated his words from the night before to Lu Jinbo, "I'll give it a try." Then, in front of Lu Jinbo, under his earnest gaze, he dialed Xiong Yi's number.

Lu Jinbo watched Zhang Ziwu say a few words on the phone, followed by "uh-huh," "oh," and "ah."

That afternoon, Zhang Ziwu arranged to meet Xiong Yi at their usual spot, telling him someone wanted to publish his masterpiece. Xiong Yi knew about his article, and after pressing him, it was indeed as he suspected, just as Lu Jinbo had said. Xiong Yi shook his head vehemently.

After a long pause, he finally said, "No matter how they change it, my book will still be very niche. My main concern is that they'll lose money." Zhang Ziwu said, "You don't need to worry about that. The other party is a famous bookseller. Back in the day, he was just like you, a writer and a literary youth. But he later realized that writing wasn't as lucrative as doing business. Besides, he wasn't as patient as you. So he went into business. Do you think a businessman would do something that loses money?"

"Alright then," Xiong Yi thought for a moment, then raised his head and answered firmly, "I'll listen to you." Zhang Ziwu said, "Okay, let me tell you what they want to say first. They have a request: they want to put your photo on the cover, using 'Contemporary Famous Hermit' as a gimmick. That will naturally increase your value, and since your writing is indeed excellent, people might be attracted by the cover first."

Xiong Yi opened his eyes wide, refusing no matter what. "You should know me. I'm most afraid of contact with strangers, especially not with my photo. You should know I'm a recluse. I only told you this because I trust you. I hope you won't insult me!" Zhang Ziwu said, "I understand your feelings, but didn't you publish several great works before you met me? This time it's a little different. Besides, you're good-looking. Whether readers like your photo or your writing, as long as people read your writing, isn't that what you want?"

Xiong Yi still shook his head. "Don't say anymore. The past is the past, and the present is the present. Don't confuse the two. I hope people like my writing, not because of my appearance. You won't understand no matter how much I say."

"How could I not understand?"

No matter how Zhang Ziwu tried to persuade him, Xiong Yi refused to meet Lu Jinbo, let alone post his photo. Zhang Ziwu thought to himself, if he didn't do it this way, he wouldn't be able to explain himself to Lu Jinbo, and he also wouldn't be able to make a breakthrough with Xiong Yi. For a while, Zhang Ziwu was in a dilemma. He regretted picking up this hot potato for money, knowing that Xiong Yi was notoriously stubborn.

He looked at Xiong Yi for a long time, and seeing that he was still angry, he had no choice but to ask the waiter to bring Xiong Yi's favorite braised beef brisket.

"Let's not talk about it now, we're all hungry. Here, here's your favorite beef brisket." Zhang Ziwu washed the dishes while picking up a piece of milk and handing it to Xiong Yi.

"Oh, I can do this." Xiong Yi said.

Zhang Ziwu took a bite. "Xiong Yi, the beef brisket here is still the best, but it seems like it's not cooked long enough today."

"Really?" Xiong Yi picked up a piece of beef brisket from his bowl and chewed it a few times. "It really is just like you said, not cooked long enough, the brisket isn't tender enough."

"That's why it's so hard to chew." Zhang Ziwu picked up another piece, but he didn't eat it. Instead, he stared at it, which prompted Xiong Yi to ask him if he was still going to eat it. It wasn't tender to begin with, and it would be even worse when it got cold.

“I understand even if you don’t say it, Xiong Yi. You know more about food than I do. Actually, you can’t rush braised beef brisket. If you rush it, the braised beef brisket will definitely be chewy. You should take more time to braise it, and it’s best to add a little rock sugar. That way, the braised beef brisket will taste really good.”

Xiong Yi laughed. “You know a lot about beef. You should switch careers and become a chef instead of a salesman. Or at the very least, you could work in a slaughterhouse butchering cattle and pigs.” Zhang Ziwu squinted at him, put the beef brisket on his chopsticks into his mouth, and said, “Your suggestion is very good.” Xiong Yi

put down his chopsticks at this moment. “I said, why are you still not giving up?”

“Isn’t it you who’s not giving up?” Zhang Ziwu retorted, repeatedly advising him not to be so foolish. Instead of actively promoting himself in the market, he was hiding in the forum looking for a sense of existence. Don’t you find that boring? Perhaps you are looking for a small group of admirers. Are you willing to spend your whole life here like this? Even if you are, is it fair to the general readers? "Xiong Yi, the world is like this, you don't need to make things difficult for your writing."

Xiong Yi replied that he didn't blame the world; he simply lived as a recluse, and most of his writing was for those who appreciated it, not to taint his inner peace for fame and fortune. Zhang Ziwu scolded him for being all show and no substance.

Xiong Yi, confused, asked, "How am I as bad as you make me out to be?" Zhang Ziwu picked up a cup of hot coffee, breathed on it, and slowly sipped it.

"It's not that I'm criticizing you, but although many people praise your writing, I don't deny that. I've read every one of your masterpieces carefully, and I admit I couldn't write like that. But they say you're a recluse, and I don't believe it."

Xiong Yi frowned and pressed, "Then tell me."

"It's simple. They've flattered you to death. They may not know, or perhaps they genuinely like you—someone who has never revealed a photo or real information online. So they think you're a recluse, someone who doesn't pursue fame or fortune. Ask yourself honestly, do you think you're that kind of person? Would a recluse write those attention-grabbing things on Weibo? Would a recluse teach others how to be a person? Would a recluse use numerous aliases to praise and criticize themselves?"

Xiong Yi let Zhang Ziwu's insults continue, he just smiled strangely. Zhang Ziwu saw that his words hadn't provoked Xiong Yi. Xiong Yi was also annoyed when he heard his good friend's honest words. After careful consideration, he realized there was some truth to it, but mainly he knew that Zhang Ziwu was doing this because he was determined to facilitate the cooperation. Therefore, he didn't argue, and Zhang Ziwu's series of actions were like hitting cotton – ineffective. However, Xiong Yi underestimated his patience.

Zhang Ziwu said, "Xiong Yi, listen to me. How many authors wouldn't want their fame to be known? You've been in this circle for so long, you should know that some people sell online trolls to create hype, some kneel down and beg for comments, and some even mock themselves to become famous! If you have any sense left, you should listen to me. Don't you understand how these celebrities become famous? Someone has to promote you! If you want someone to promote you, you first have to promote yourself. If you don't promote yourself, who will know you?"

Xiong Yi then spoke up: "I may not understand the outside world, but I still know shame. If I keep promoting myself like this, what will I do when I meet acquaintances in the future? Of course, not everyone in my real life will necessarily come to meet me, but I'm also active on forums, and I plan to write articles to gain exposure. If I agree to this, will I still have any face left?"

"I'm just asking you, do you want to be a celebrity?" Zhang Ziwu said. Xiong Yi found Zhang Ziwu's words somewhat interesting. He looked at Zhang Ziwu for a while and slowly said, "To say you don't want to be a celebrity would be a lie."

Zhang Ziwu laughed and said, "That's it! Do you know what a celebrity is? A celebrity is an illusion in the minds of strangers! You say you're afraid of seeing acquaintances, but you've forgotten one thing: everyone is busy, and no one cares about those fleeting moments. As for how you are perceived by your online circle of acquaintances, that's not important. What's important is your image in the minds of countless strangers. Celebrities exist because of the worship of numerous strangers; without these strangers, celebrities are worthless! So, if you want to be a celebrity, you don't need to care at all about what acquaintances think of you. Even if there's some discussion, that's normal. Fame brings profit! Without fame, your writing is just garbage; with fame, your writing is worth a fortune. That's all I wanted to say. Think about it carefully."

"Fame and fortune are fleeting!" Xiong Yi said fiercely.

Zhang Ziwu smiled and said, "You're right. With a false reputation comes fleeting profit. And while the profit may be fleeting, the real benefits are plentiful. I don't want to pretend to be a gentleman in front of you. Now, no matter what you say or do, you first need money. Just saying you're talented won't necessarily earn you respect. People don't care about your scholarship; they only care about your wealth. Only when your pockets are bulging will they admire your abilities. Otherwise, even if you have the ability to ascend to heaven, it's all in vain. You'll be penniless for life, ending your days in poverty, loneliness, and illness, committing suicide in solitude. No one will appreciate your writing; before you even reach the crematorium, they'll burn your hard work like waste paper."

Xiong Yi stopped smiling, shook his head, and sighed for a long time, saying, "I know I can't get past this by not agreeing."

“Just listen to me. You need to meet with Lu Jinbo first to discuss the cooperation. You need to understand, this isn't me begging you, it's doing you a favor. He suggested publishing your book, and if you need to get a corporate sponsorship, you'll have to ask him for help too.” Zhang Ziwu's expression became serious.

Xiong Yi said, “Okay, then I'll meet with him.” After agreeing on the terms, Zhang Ziwu took out his phone, dialed a number, and said “Come over” before hanging up.

“You—” Xiong Yi couldn't bring himself to say “So ruthless,” as if all the strength had been drained from his body. Zhang Ziwu stood up, patted his shoulder, and said, “Don't worry, I won't harm you, and there won't be any problems. You need to have confidence in yourself.” Then he left.

(The End)

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empty fame and fleeting profit

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