Chapter 149: Success Makes Even Farts Smell Sweet!

Chapter 149: Success Makes Even Farts Smell Sweet!

The call came from Chu Heng, the producer of "The Greatest Brain" (Chapter 76).

After wrapping up the filming of "The Greatest Brain: Bamboo Forest Maze," Chu Heng and his team left, and he hadn’t expected a call from him today.

Zhang Lin answered the phone with a smile, "Mr. Chu, it’s been a while. I didn’t expect to hear from you!"

Chu Heng laughed, "Calling Mr. Zhang is never without reason. We want to run an ad for 'The Greatest Brain' on your farm’s social media channel, but your operations team said the farm doesn’t accept ads. So, I had to call you directly."

"Is the ad for 'The Greatest Brain'?" Zhang Lin guessed.

Indeed, the decision for Liyuan Farm’s social media account not to accept ads was his. It was natural for Lin Shijie to decline.

Nowadays, many people create social media content to gain followers, and the primary motivation is money. With more followers, even just accepting ads can be lucrative.

For example, a channel with 10 million followers can earn 500,000 to 1,000,000 yuan per ad. At the lower end, one ad can earn 500,000 yuan, and two ads can earn 1,000,000 yuan. Some top influencers receive dozens of ads a month, raking in millions.

However, these influencers who accept ads indiscriminately often fall the fastest. If a product they endorse has issues, their reputation can be ruined. Therefore, many influencers are cautious about the ads they accept.

Some influencers rush to monetize for simple reasons, like the currently popular influencer Yucai, who tried several monetization methods but found them unsatisfactory. The reason is straightforward: many suddenly popular influencers lack the skills to match their newfound status, leading to a quick decline in popularity.

For example, Yucai’s popularity has already dropped significantly since the peak, so it’s better to earn as much as possible before the decline.

Due to the unpredictable nature of the internet, Zhang Lin never intended for Liyuan Farm’s social media to accept ads, fearing a sudden scandal that could tarnish the farm’s reputation. He knew what was truly important.

However, an ad for a show like "The Greatest Brain" was different. He could give them a favor.

After all, the Bamboo Forest Maze segment was filmed at Liyuan Farm, which was essentially free advertising.

So, he said into the phone, "Mr. Chu, I’ll give a heads-up to the operations team, and someone will contact you to sign the contract."

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang," Chu Heng said, clearly pleased. "How about we pay the farm 1,000,000 yuan for the ad?"

"Agreed," Zhang Lin replied with a smile.

1,000,000 yuan was the highest market rate, typically reserved for niche accounts. For a show like "The Greatest Brain: Bamboo Forest Maze," it was a fair price.

After hanging up, Zhang Lin called Lin Muxue and said, "Sister Lin, 'The Greatest Brain' wants to run an ad on our farm’s social media. Please handle the negotiations with them."

Lin Muxue replied, "Mr. Zhang, I was just about to discuss this with you. While our farm’s account doesn’t accept ads, this one shouldn’t cause any issues. There’s no reason to turn down the money."

Zhang Lin smiled, "Then I’ll leave it to you, Sister Lin."

After hanging up, Zhang Lin went home. Upon arriving, he finished dinner and checked his phone. He immediately saw the ad for "The Greatest Brain" on Liyuan Farm’s social media account. This showed that Sister Lin had already signed the contract with them.

This efficiency was a testament to the speed of the internet, something that often outpaces real-world processes.

Zhang Lin also watched the ad for "The Greatest Brain."

Speaking of variety shows, "The Greatest Brain" was in a bit of a niche. It lacked the entertainment value of more popular shows, yet it had a dedicated fan base. This was why, despite running for over a dozen seasons, many people hadn’t watched it.

This time, the "Bamboo Forest Maze" segment was Chu Heng’s attempt to change that. The maze at Liyuan Farm fit the show’s theme, and the interactive elements with visitors added more entertainment value.

Just from the ad video, it was clear that the show featured talented contestants like He Rou (Chapter 71), who confidently believed she could win a prize. Her ability to solve the puzzles was truly impressive.

However, the final reward was snatched away by a lucky tourist, and it wasn't because the tourist was more skilled than He Rou. It was purely a matter of luck.

This result left He Rou, who had been demonstrating her skills for half a day, completely stunned. The show's editors even added a petrified visual effect, making the segment highly entertaining and successfully blending the show's intellectual challenges with entertainment.

If the entire episode had this kind of effect, the "Brainiest—Bamboo Forest Maze Edition" would likely become a hit. The show's producers would probably focus on this side story, pushing it to the forefront, while the main "Brainiest" series might become a neglected stepchild.

In an era where profit is king, this outcome is almost inevitable.

...

The next morning, Zhang Lin woke up early and checked the game interface in his mind. He purchased the necessary items from the in-game market and then reviewed his character's attributes.

Level: 4

Requirements for Level Up:

1. Hire 652 workers (652/200)!

2. Earn 30 million in profit (32,545,627/30,000,000)!

3. Develop 10,000 acres of agricultural land (8,295/10,000)!

4. Achieve 1 agricultural honor (0/1)



Bank Card: 62122614

Balance: 32,545,627.15 yuan

Agricultural Land: 47,000 acres!

Game Constructions: Prefabricated buildings, warehouse, service center, bamboo forest maze, bamboo culture garden, office center, camping site.

After paying the workers' wages and repaying the first 10 million yuan of the initial investment, the farm's funds had once again surpassed 30 million yuan. The rapid growth of the sweet potato and watermelon peach trees had significantly increased the farm's developed area, which had now surpassed 8,000 acres. It would soon reach 10,000 acres, and he would earn another milestone reward.

After eating breakfast made by his mother, Zhang Lin headed to the farm. As soon as he arrived at the office, Zhong Miaoying was already there with a contract for him to sign. "Mr. Zhang, this contract came from Sister Meng Yao this morning. She said it's needed for today."

The contract was for the mountain spring water project, which had been arranged for the personnel department to sign with Cheng Dahao yesterday.

Zhang Lin signed it immediately and had Zhong Miaoying deliver it to the personnel department. He then took out his special medicinal wine, poured himself a cup, and rode his scooter to the watermelon peach tree planting area, where he began his routine of digging holes, planting trees, and filling the holes.

As the effects of the medicinal wine began to wear off, he was about to put down his hoe when he noticed Lin Muxue standing nearby, filming him with her phone.

"Senior Sister, what brings you here?" Zhang Lin asked, surprised.

Lin Muxue explained, "As the project manager of the farm, I naturally need to check on all the projects. This is the watermelon peach planting area, so I came to take some photos."

This was a professional duty; otherwise, as the project director, it would be embarrassing not to know what projects the farm was undertaking.

However, when she tried to check the area surrounded by a fence, the security guards stopped her, even though she was the farm director.

This made her very curious, and she wanted to ask Zhang Lin about it, but she decided against it. If the security guards were stopping her, it must have been Zhang Lin's arrangement. Whatever was inside would be revealed to her when the time was right.

What she didn't expect was that she would come to the watermelon peach planting area and see Zhang Lin planting the trees, and he seemed very skilled at it.

This surprised her, and it might explain another reason for the success of Lishan Farm.

Besides Zhang Lin's abilities, his hands-on approach and dedication were also key factors.

So, she took many photos and videos of him while he worked.

"It seems I made the right decision in bringing Senior Sister on board," Zhang Lin smiled, handing his hoe to a nearby farm worker.

Lin Muxue waved her small camera, "Mr. Zhang, I've taken some photos of you sweating while planting peach trees. When you become famous and successful, you can look back on these photos to remember the hard times."

"Like how the big boss of Ma Company always keeps a photo of himself working at a computer, showing everyone the tough times he had when he pretended to be a girl to attract clients. Another big boss also has a photo of a dozen people crammed into a small office, highlighting the early struggles."

"Mr. Zhang, these photos might have the same effect in the future!"

"Let's hope so," Zhang Lin shook his head.

To be honest, Ma Company's boss pretending to be a girl to attract clients isn't much different from today's female customer service representatives. And a dozen people crammed into a small office is a common sight.

But when these common scenes are associated with someone like the big bosses, they take on extraordinary significance. People talk about them with admiration, and even a single photo can be viewed with a sense of reverence: "Look, this is where the super boss started!"

Perhaps this is the truth—that once you're successful, even your flatulence is fragrant.

Zhang Lin didn’t want to disturb Lin Muxue, who was still filming, so he rode his scooter back to the office center. As soon as he arrived, the phone rang.

The caller ID showed it was Mr. Liu from the car dealership.

Sure enough, it must be about the five Great Wall Cannon pickups he had ordered.

Sure enough, when he answered, Mr. Liu's voice came through: "Mr. Zhang, the five Great Wall Cannon pickups you ordered have arrived. We've already started the paperwork at the dealership. Are you free now, or would you like to schedule a time to handle the registration?"

"Sure, I can head over to the DMV right now!" Zhang Lin replied, as he had nothing pressing to do.

Mr. Liu, getting his answer, immediately said, "Great! I'll have someone bring the cars to the DMV. Once the paperwork is done, we'll deliver them to the farm!"

Zhang Lin hung up and was about to call Lin Mengyao to come over. The five Great Wall Cannon pickups were purchased under the farm's name and needed to be registered with the company, so the HR department needed to be involved to complete the necessary procedures, which would then be handed over to the finance department.

Before he could make the call, Lin Mengyao appeared at the office door with a contract in hand. "Mr. Zhang, we've signed the contract with Cheng Dahao for the mountain spring water project."

Zhang Lin took the contract, glanced over it, and nodded. "Good timing. Come with me to the DMV; the farm has ordered a few vehicles!"

"Sure, Mr. Zhang!" Lin Mengyao agreed.

The two left the office center, got into the Mercedes S-Class, and headed straight to the DMV.

Mr. Liu and his team were already there, and the five Great Wall Cannon pickups lined up attractively. Though the vehicles cost only a few hundred thousand yuan each, their imposing appearance and the fact that they were being bought in bulk by someone clearly important drew a lot of attention.

When the Mercedes S-Class pulled up, those watching understood that in a small county like Youcheng, not many could afford to drive a Mercedes S-Class.

"Mr. Zhang, you're here," Mr. Liu greeted warmly, handing over the documents for the five vehicles. "Here are the documents; you just need to sign them."

Since the vehicles were being purchased as company cars, the procedures and documents were different. Zhang Lin needed to sign first, followed by the department heads.

After signing, he passed the documents to Lin Mengyao.

"Mr. Zhang, since you're providing company cars, maybe you could consider our female colleagues, like Sister Jingjing. She's been running to the bank for the panda project and has been taking taxis. Besides, it's a bit odd for a woman to drive a big pickup truck," Lin Mengyao said with a smile, advocating for herself and her colleagues.

In the past, she wouldn't have brought this up, but knowing that Mr. Zhang was willing to provide company cars, it was worth asking for some additional benefits.

Zhang Lin laughed. It was common for employees to ask for benefits, and most companies, except the stingy ones, didn't mind providing some basic perks.

After all, the value created by the employees far outweighed the cost of a few perks.

So, he turned to Mr. Liu and asked, "Mr. Liu, the payment for the five Great Wall Cannon pickups will be processed by the finance department. Could you also help me order five Volkswagen Lavida sedans?"

Both vehicles cost around the same, and the Volkswagen was a good choice. This way, HR, finance, and operations would each get a car, with the remaining two for general use.

These departments could use these cars for their business trips, saving the need to take taxis.

The Great Wall Cannon pickups would be used by Liu De and Ye Ling.

Mr. Liu was thrilled to hear this. "Rest assured, Mr. Zhang, I'll handle it as quickly as possible!"

This was the benefit of having a powerful ally. Normally, selling even a single car for a few hundred thousand yuan required a lot of effort, with some customers taking 7 or 8 visits to sign the contract.

But with Mr. Zhang, it was a bulk purchase of either five Great Wall Cannon pickups or five Volkswagen sedans, without any hesitation.

He sincerely hoped that Mr. Zhang's business would flourish, so he could continue to benefit from this relationship.

Of course, he was also grateful to Huang Tao for introducing him to Mr. Zhang.

After all the procedures were completed, he immediately had the five Great Wall Cannon pickups sent to Liyuan Farm.

Zhang Lin and Lin Mengyao returned to Linyuan Farm together. Lin Mengyao was already sharing in a farm group chat about Mr. Zhang's wise and generous decision to provide cars for all departments.

While driving the Mercedes S-Class, Zhang Lin noticed a red exclamation mark on the game map in his mind, indicating a new event.

Curious, he focused his mind and read the event prompt, a smile spreading across his face.

Finally, a batch of this stuff had matured!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end