Chapter 401: Strange Buffs Added!

Megan Price belonged to that category of salty duck eggs.

On the surface, it looks white, but once poked open, the inside is all yellow.

Ethan Cole seldom admired anyone.

But he was sincerely impressed with Megan Price.

She could truly be called a ‘Cardcaptor Sakura’.

“Hehe.” Seeing Ethan Cole’s speechless expression, Megan Price laughed happily, “I’m going back to help Mom wash the dishes. Remember to come to my room tonight and massage my legs for your sister.”

Having said that, without waiting for Ethan Cole to respond, she turned and bounced back to her room.

Ethan Cole shook his head helplessly.

After the dishes were washed, Karen Cole and Robert Cole went out to play mahjong.

Megan Price at least had some awareness and watched TV in the living room. Taking this opportunity, Ethan Cole pulled Grace Bennett into the study. And closed the door.

On the wall, there was a chart that came with the car last time.

It was about how to drive a car correctly.

Before getting into the car, check the exterior, tires, headlights, and the like. After getting in, honk the horn quietly to see if it works and whether the interior is dirty.

Once these things are fine, start the engine and let it warm up for a few minutes.

If it’s a taxi, there’s no need to warm up the car. Just start it and go.

But for a private car, especially those high-end ones, one still needs to take good care of it.

After the oil temperature rises, then gradually give it gas, slowly accelerating. In this way, it doesn’t harm the car and allows it to perform to its fullest potential.

The next day, bright and early, the family had breakfast and got ready to head back to the hometown.

Megan Price stayed behind.

Ethan Cole’s hometown was also in Kingsport.

Only, it was in a very remote place, close to the mountains.

There were many mountains around, and the roads were full of twists and turns, with basically no potential for development.

They left at seven o’clock in the morning, and only arrived at the hometown at half-past twelve.

Ethan Cole’s hometown was halfway up the mountain.

There weren’t many residents, just twenty or thirty households.

However, it was still very lively during the New Year.

The arrival of Ethan Cole and his group caused a small uproar in the tiny mountain village.

Especially the young villagers who had gone out to work, they all ran out.

“Holy moly, that’s a Rolls-Royce.”

“And a Bentley!”

“Could it be Ethan Cole’s family?”

“Definitely them!”

The villagers had long known that Ethan Cole’s household had become wealthy.

In fact, many who had no prior interactions shamelessly wanted to get into Ethan Cole’s company.

If they were competent, it would have been fine.

But those without abilities still wanted high-paying jobs, and of course, Ethan Cole wouldn’t agree.

Ethan Cole was the first to get out of the car.

When the villagers saw it was truly Ethan Cole, they all became excited.

They wanted to rush over but were held back by the bodyguards.

Ethan Cole smiled and waved his hand to sign.

Even though he returned to his hometown, he still had the bodyguards fend off these people.

Better safe than sorry.

After all, in his previous life, Gordon Cole was assassinated in broad daylight. When Ethan Cole saw the news, his first reaction was that the assassin was young and ignorant.

It was unnecessary to keep holding on to them; just lock them up for a couple of years and pay some compensation, then they could be released.

The family got out of the vehicle.

The male villagers, upon seeing Grace Bennett’s unparalleled beauty, all quieted down.

Besides admiration, they had no other emotions.

Ethan Cole had the bodyguards give out red packets to everyone in the village.

Not much, a thousand dollars each.

It’s not that I can’t afford to give more, it’s just that there’s no need.

Being willing to give a thousand dollars is all because of mom and dad.

After all, I don’t have much of a sentimental attachment to this village, and I didn’t spend much time here in my childhood.

And it’s not something I’ll do every year.

If I don’t give one year, the people in the village will definitely hold a grudge.

Grace Bennett curiously observed the environment of the village.

Basically, it’s either wooden houses or earthen houses.

A very primitive appearance.

But the air is truly good.

The elderly in the village live very long, with many in their eighties and nineties.

There are even a few who are over a hundred years old.

His paternal uncle was named Gordon Cole, and his aunt was named Deborah Cole.

Ethan Cole’s family doesn’t have their own old house here.

Robert Cole said that when the family split up, Ethan Cole’s grandmother thought that Robert Cole’s family was better off.

The uncle’s family was worse off, so all the houses were given to the uncle’s family.

It was for this reason that Robert Cole and Karen Cole had to leave their hometown and venture out.

But even though the uncle’s family received all the properties, they didn’t treat Ethan Cole’s grandmother very well.

Only Piper Cole is somewhat okay; both uncle and aunt don’t really care.

“Ah, you’re back.”

“Come inside and take a seat quickly.”

Gordon Cole, Deborah Cole, and Piper Cole came out of the house when they heard the noise.

Gordon Cole and Deborah Cole were very hospitable.

Ethan Cole could tell.

Their warmth wasn’t due to kinship, but purely because of money.

He guesses he must look like a shining gold coin in their eyes right now.

“Uncle, aunt, cousin, happy New Year,” Ethan Cole greeted them proactively.

Grace Bennett also followed suit with greetings.

Ethan Cole indeed held grudges against these two in the past.

But now he’s standing at such a high latitude.

To put it bluntly, there’s no need to quibble so much with these little ants.

It’s just to please his parents, after all.

Ethan Cole looked around, “What about my cousin? Didn’t he come home this year?”

The uncle has one son and one daughter; the son reportedly dropped out of junior high and went out to work.

He’s quite selfish and barely sends money home, and he doesn’t have much rapport with Ethan Cole either.

Oh, he stayed up late last night and is still sleeping,” Deborah Cole said enthusiastically, “Let’s go inside first.”

After entering the house, Deborah Cole asked everyone to sit down and then wished Ethan Cole a happy new year.

The implication was she was expecting a red envelope.

Ethan Cole smiled and took out the red envelopes he had prepared in advance.

For the four people in the uncle’s family, one big red envelope each, fifty thousand dollars.

In the state of Ashwood, such a big red envelope is definitely considered explosive.

But after the uncle and aunt received it, their smiles disappeared in an instant.

For them, who place money above all else,

You can tell how much money is in the red envelope as soon as you squeeze it.

Cough cough.” Deborah Cole coughed and looked at Ethan Cole with a smile, “I heard from Piper that you’re doing major business, earning billions a year huh?” ’

The unsaid message was, with you being so wealthy, do you dare to give only fifty thousand for a relative’s red envelope?

Ethan Cole laughed without continuing the topic.

The red envelopes are just that much, not a penny more.

Piper Cole felt quite embarrassed.

Knowing her parents’ character, she didn’t say anything.

Of course, even if she had said something, it wouldn’t have made any difference.

She quickly changed the subject, “I’m hungry; it’s time to eat. I’ll go call grandma over.”

“There’s no hurry to eat,” Gordon Cole also spoke up.

His eyes burning with intensity, he looked at Ethan Cole, “Your cousin is also not young; it’s time for him to settle down.

But he doesn’t have a house yet, can you help out and arrange something in a big city?

No need for it to be too spacious, just 500 square meters in the city center will do.”

Chapter 402: Unprecedentedly Shameless!

Quoting an old saying,

“I have never seen such shameless rascality before.”

Even though house prices have not yet reached their peak.

In the city center, the price for one square meter starts at fifty thousand.

For a 500 square meter apartment, you won’t be able to get it for less than thirty million.

This old thing really dares to ask for the moon.

However, Ethan Cole didn’t get angry; he still had a smile on his face, “That’s fine, I know plenty of people at the banks.

I’ll strive to get a suitable interest rate for my cousin at that time.”

Deborah Cole was astonished, “What interest rate?”

Ethan Cole, “The interest rate for a loan, of course. A 500 square meter place in the city center will cost at least thirty million.

I can get my cousin a lower interest rate, so the monthly payments can be a bit more manageable.”

“What monthly payment, you’re really joking.” Deborah Cole waved her hand dismissively, “It’s only thirty million.

For a big boss like you, that’s like an ordinary person taking out three cents from their pocket.

We’re all family here, you should just cover it for your cousin.

Also, get your cousin a car while you’re at it.

Nothing too expensive, something around two million will do.”

Karen Cole couldn’t hold back anymore, “Sister-in-law, what kind of joke is this?

Nobody’s money is picked up from the whirlwind.

Besides, Cole Yang doesn’t even have a job right now, he can’t even afford the gas for a two million car.”

“What you’re saying is not right, Karen Cole,” Gordon Cole took a puff of his cigarette and said, “Now that your family has money, billions in assets.

As the eldest brother’s family, if you appear too poor, what would others say about you?

They would definitely accuse you of being immoral, without conscience, becoming successful without helping your family.

We didn’t want to ask this of you; we’re doing it for your own good.”

Ethan Cole almost laughed out loud.

This uncle of his was quite something.

A low-budget version of Boss Ferris.

He could argue that black is white.

“Exactly, exactly,” Deborah Cole echoed from the side.

The husband and wife tag-teamed, giving off the impression that if Ethan Cole didn’t fork over the money, he would be committing some sort of sin.

Grace Bennett had been quietly listening this whole time.

This was Ethan Cole’s family matter, and she had not yet married into the family, so she didn’t have the right to interject.

At this point, Ethan Cole was getting annoyed.

If it weren’t for his parents’ sake, he would have walked out by now.

Robert Cole was also getting angry.

His eldest brother was not only greedy but also utterly lacking in perception.

He had already arranged a very decent job for his daughter.

Yet, they were still not satisfied and wanted more.

He could hardly stop himself from speaking out.

Just then, Piper Cole came in supporting her grandmother.

“Mom-”

“Grandma, hello-”

Ethan Cole and the rest stood up to greet her.

Even if they didn’t like it, the respect due to an elder was still necessary.

“Hmm,” Eleanor Cole looked at Ethan Cole and his family, nodding slightly without much expression, “You’re here.”

But when she saw his uncle and aunt, her face was full of tenderness, “Hehe, let’s eat.”

Grace Bennett couldn’t help but look towards Ethan Cole.

This blatant favoritism was outrageous.

Ethan Cole just shrugged; he didn’t feel much about it.

After all, he hadn’t felt much in the way of familial affection from his grandmother since he was little.

It didn’t matter to him.

At that moment, Cousin Cole Yang was called out as well.

He was bleary-eyed and his hair was a mess.

He didn’t look too well and was clearly someone who stayed up late often.

“My dear grandson, you stayed up late again last night, didn’t you?” Eleanor Cole looked at him fondly, reaching out to touch Cole Yang’s face.

But Cole Yang slapped her hand away, a look of impatience on his face.

“Brother.” Ethan Cole called out.

“Hello, big brother.” Grace Bennett followed suit with her greeting.

It was only then that Cole Yang noticed Grace Bennett.

He didn’t pay much attention to Ethan Cole, but the moment he saw Grace Bennett, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

“Who are you?” Cole Yang asked, quite excitedly.

“My girlfriend.” Ethan Cole answered indifferently.

Instantly, Cole Yang felt very annoyed, and a strong tide of jealousy surged within him.

Why is it that at a similar age, I’m still single, while you’ve managed to find such an outstanding girlfriend in every aspect?

Karen Cole called everyone to sit down.

Seeing the dishes on the table, Ethan Cole’s irritation increased a few notches.

It’s the festive season, and it’s not like I expected you to prepare a lavish meal.

But at the very least, you should have the basic chicken, duck, fish, and meat, right?

And what’s on the table?

A dish of mapo tofu, a dish of stir-fried dried bean curd with garlic.

Two plates of greens, a seaweed soup, and two plates of pork.

All the dishes on the table combined might not even add up to 100 dollars.

Sometimes, to see how important you are to someone, just look at what they serve you, and it becomes clear.

If you hold a place of importance in their heart, even if they don’t have much money, they would try their best to prepare nice things to entertain you.

In this instance, Uncle’s family showcased stinginess and frugality to the utmost.

Even putting it a bit harshly…

They simply didn’t consider our family important at all, not willing to spend any money on us.

Deborah Cole said embarrassingly, “We don’t have much at home, I hope everyone doesn’t mind.”

Piper Cole widened her eyes, giving Deborah Cole a questioning look: Mom, what’s going on?

Just last night, on New Year’s Eve, our house had a variety of rich dishes.

How come today, it has turned into this?

Deborah Cole returned a look: They’ve tasted every delicacy there is, they should eat more of these vegetarian dishes, it’s good for the health.

Piper Cole was speechless.

She knew what kind of person Deborah Cole was.

No matter how nicely she puts it, she’s just stingy.

Piper Cole awkwardly lowered her head.

When she had come home for the New Year, she had given Deborah Cole several hundred thousand, their home was not short of money at all.

But Deborah Cole’s actions made it impossible for Piper Cole to lift her head.

She felt even more embarrassed to face Ethan Cole.

Even Grace Bennett, who had the best temperament present, had her face slightly change for the worse.

Wasn’t this just pure bullying?

“What are you waiting for? Let’s eat,” Eleanor Cole announced.

Then she picked up her chopsticks and kept serving Cole Yang dish after dish.

There wasn’t much meat on the table to begin with, and most of it went to Cole Yang.

Such obvious favoritism.

Under the table, Grace Bennett quietly held Ethan Cole’s hand.

She felt aggrieved on behalf of Ethan Cole.

All were grandsons, how could they be treated so differently?

Ethan Cole smiled at her.

He didn’t think it mattered at all.

“Mom, do you have something you want to say?” Gordon Cole gave Eleanor Cole a look.

“Oh, right.” Eleanor Cole nodded her head, turning to Ethan Cole, “In our family’s generation, we don’t have many siblings, just these few of us.

Since you’ve made it, naturally you should help out.

How about this, give your male cousin and your female cousin 10 billion in cash each.

Also, arrange a stable job for your male cousin, and that should be about it.”

Chapter 403: This woman is quite playful!

Eleanor Cole spoke with a tone that brooked no argument.

As if, in her eyes, Ethan Cole taking out ten billion was as easy as taking out ten dollars.

If it weren’t for Ethan Cole still considering some etiquette and morality, he would have already cursed.

The smile on his face also disappeared as he said, “Grandma, although my company is quite large, there are also many places where the money needs to go-

I definitely can’t produce ten billion, at most, I can give my cousin five million.”

There was something Ethan Cole did not say out loud.

That five million was to sever all future familial ties with his uncle, aunt, and cousin.

“Five million, are you trying to brush off a beggar?” Cole Yang slammed the table, clearly displeased, “I’m your brother, and you’re being so stingy with me. You really have no vision at all.”

“Exactly, exactly,” Deborah Cole joined in, “Ethan Cole, you’re so rich anyway, there’s no need to be so stingy.”

Gordon Cole spoke in a heavy tone, “Brothers and sisters should support each other.”

“Mom, Dad, that’s enough!” Piper Cole couldn’t hold back anymore, “Even if my cousin is rich, that’s money he earned with his own abilities.

Moreover, he has arranged a high-paying, promising job for me.

You can’t be too greedy; otherwise, you’ll face retribution.”

“Slap!”

As soon as she finished speaking, Deborah Cole stood up and slapped her across the face.

“You little brat, is it your place to speak here?”

Piper Cole covered her face and cried.

Ethan Cole shook his head, stopping Robert Cole and Karen Cole, who wanted to explode in anger.

He took out a blank cheque from his pocket.

He wrote down five million and placed it in front of Cole Yang.

Then he took out a red envelope for Eleanor Cole.

He stood up, expressionless, and said, “Take this five million if you want. Furthermore, after taking this money, from today onwards, our two families will be strangers to each other.

Grace, Mom, Dad, let’s go.”

After speaking, he turned and left.

“How presumptuous, what are you saying!” Eleanor Cole became furious, banging the table hard, “Unfilial! You dare to say such unfilial things.

You re blatantly flouting the law and showing no respect for your ancestors!

You don’t even regard me, your grandmother!”

“Ha,” Ethan Cole laughed, “Grandma? Do you deserve that?”

Eleanor Cole: “What did you say?”

“I said, do you deserve to be called my grandma?” Ethan Cole was also provoked, laughing as he said,

Ever since I was a child, did you ever love me or hug me even once?

Ever since I can remember, your heart has always been with Cole Yang. Anything tasty or drinkable, he’s the first one you think of.

And me, even if I fell down and was bleeding all over, you wouldn’t spare me a second glance.

It’s as if I’m not even your biological grandson.

You treat me like I’m nothing, yet you expect respect from me?

What are you worth, you old thing!”

Exhilarating!

Ethan Cole felt an immense sense of relief.

After speaking, he did not care about Eleanor Cole trembling with anger, and took Grace Bennett and left.

Robert Cole and Karen Cole were also utterly disappointed.

Robert Cole looked disdainfully at his extended family and chuckled, “After so many years, they haven’t changed one bit.”

Picking up the cheque on the table, Cole Yang’s face was flush with excitement.

As for the things Ethan Cole had just said, he didn’t take them seriously at all.

You say we should cut off ties? Just like that?

Blood relations are there.

When the money runs out, just go back to his house and ask for more.

If he doesn’t give it, I’ll smear his name in the village and morally blackmail him.

Ethan Cole’s family got into the car.

Robert Cole slapped his thigh, “I can’t believe that after all these years, they still behave exactly the same.”

Karen Cole’s face darkened as he remained silent.

Ethan Cole consoled, “Forget it, Dad, it’s not worth getting angry over these kinds of people, just avoid any further contact with them in the future.”

“Ah,” sighed Robert Cole, “it’s just unfair to Piper.

Being born into such a family, she was destined to be treated as someone to bleed dry.”

Ethan Cole’s gaze flickered.

Piper Cole would have to take action to help herself.

During her time at the company, she had performed very well, and she also had a talent for management.

Ethan Cole planned to make heavy use of her in the future.

But before that, she had to extricate herself from the predicaments of her natal family.

Not staying any longer, the group left.

Piper Cole called to apologize profusely.

Ethan Cole said, “Cousin, you know better than I do what your family members are like.

If you want to achieve something in your career, then some decisions need to be made now.”

Piper Cole’s voice choked, “Cousin… are you suggesting that I cut off relations with my family?”

Ethan Cole: “Not exactly, I have a suggestion.

Give your family a sum of money every month, but keep it under ten thousand. Then be firm and say that no matter how rich you become in the future, you’ll only give that much each month.

Otherwise, no matter how much you earn, it’ll all be squandered by your brother and parents.

And you’ll find yourself in an abyss you’ll never be able to climb out of.”

After a brief silence, Piper Cole said, “I understand, I’ll seriously consider it.

Please apologize to Little Uncle and the others for me.”

Ethan Cole: “Sure, don’t worry about it.”

The fleet descended the mountain quickly.

Because of that family’s shenanigans, they hadn’t even eaten lunch at midday.

They found a farm still open during the New Year on the road.

Better to fill their stomachs before going back.

While waiting for the dishes, Chloe Winters sent a New Year’s greeting MMS.

This woman knew how to have fun.

She was dressed up as the God of Wealth, even wearing pantyhose.

After viewing, Ethan Cole deleted it.

Speaking of which, it was already February 2011.

a rival messaging app had been launched on January 21, 2011.

a rival messaging app, just launched, didn’t have many users yet.

In the realm of social media, PingMe still dominated.

Ethan Cole had given up on creating a rival messaging app, but he could still make money from it.

After the New Year, he planned to visit Rosemont City.

To find Marshall Doone and discuss cooperation.

With few users currently on a rival messaging app,

Ethan Cole could secure future public account promotional traffic and the best in-app positions at a low price.

And he could also sign long-term contracts.

To exchange the minimum cost for massive future benefits.

Take public accounts for example,

Before the appearance of a certain PulseClip Group, a top public account could make a net profit of over a hundred million in one year.

a rival messaging app itself was a huge pool of traffic.

When a rival messaging app took off, the software under Ethan Cole’s name would also experience a qualitative leap.

For a long time, he wouldn’t need to worry about traffic.

The dishes were served quickly.

With Grace Bennett’s persuasion, Karen Cole and Robert Cole were no longer upset about the previous incident.

Midway through the meal, Ethan Cole’s phone rang.

It was a number he didn’t recognize.

Upon answering, he instinctively sat up straight, his expression turning serious.

Chapter 404: The CPU Is Smoking!

Concord City, Central Television headquarters.

Yang Ping was pacing in distress.

He was the chief director of this year’s Lantern Festival gala.

Originally, all the programs had been arranged properly.

But who would have thought, the singer scheduled to close the show was found guilty of serious crimes.

Moreover, the new song prepared especially for this Lantern Festival was also found to have subtly improper guidance.

This left Yang Ping completely dumbfounded.

The most important singer and song had both run into trouble.

With just over ten days left until the Lantern Festival.

Yang Ping had no choice but to activate all his connections to find a suitable singer and new song.

If he messed up this Lantern Festival gala, he might as well resign and leave. “What is all this rubbish?”

Yang Ping had reviewed all the submitted songs.

If the melody wasn’t the problem, then the lyrics were lousy.

After reviewing them, Yang Ping felt even more dejected.

A strong sense of urgency grew in his heart.

“Director Yang, I do have a candidate in mind, would you like to give it a try?” Just as Yang Ping was in a state of extreme anxiety, his assistant spoke up. Yang Ping’s spirits lifted: “Who?”

“Ethan Cole!” said the assistant. “He is a freshman at Meridian University and also the ambassador of Empire City.

I got to know about him by chance.

This guy has a talent for business and is very creative.

He has composed many popular and positive songs.

Perhaps he has a solution. Why don’t you try to get in touch with him?”

Yang Ping nodded: “Give me his contact information.”

When Ethan Cole received the call from Yang Ping, and after the latter explained the purpose of his call, Ethan Cole involuntarily sat up straight, his expression serious.

If the song he “created” could be performed at the Lantern Festival gala, it would be beneficial not only for Ethan Cole himself but also for his company. He inquired in detail about Yang Ping’s requirements, since the Lantern Festival gala was for a nationwide audience.

The song had to be meaningful enough, touching enough, and it had to be positive.

Ideally, it would also carry some educational and informative elements.

After hearing Yang Ping’s requirements, a song immediately came to mind for

Ethan Cole.

That song should indeed meet the requirements.

So Ethan Cole accepted the task, promising that by tomorrow morning at the latest, he would have a sample for him to review.

“Hahaha, I’m looking forward to it,” Yang Ping laughed heartily.

After chatting with Ethan Cole for a few more sentences, he hung up the call.

The smile on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by the same worried look.

The assistant nearby asked, “Director Yang, didn’t Ethan Cole already agree?

Why do you still seem unhappy?”

“Alas,” Yang Ping shook his head. “It seems this Ethan Cole you mentioned is all show and no substance.

With all the requirements I stated, and he claims he can produce a sample in less than a day, isn’t that nonsense?

Even for a gold-medal lyricist and composer, unless there’s a sudden burst of inspiration,

it’s impossible to complete the lyrics, composition, and record a sample all within one day.”

The assistant was rendered speechless.

“Forget it,” Yang Ping stood up. “To make absolutely sure, I will have to swallow my pride.

Let’s see if I can get Master Kane out of retirement to lend a hand.”

The assistant’s pupils dilated: “You mean that top lyricist and composer, the one who has won countless awards and written hundreds of quality songs, Master Kane?”

“Yes,” Yang Ping nodded. “But Master Kane is already in his eighties, and he may not agree to come out of retirement. I’ll give it my best shot anyway.”

When Ethan Cole told his family about the matter,

they were all very happy.

That was a super grand stage, second only to the New Year’s Eve broadcast.

If he could perform on that stage,

he would certainly become nationally famous.

Karen Cole and Robert Cole were then provided with another bragging right among relatives and friends.

They both exhorted Ethan Cole to work hard.

To come up with a song that would dazzle the national audience and make them proud.

Grace Bennett, on the other hand, was full of confidence.

She believed that with Ethan Cole’s ability, there certainly wouldn’t be a problem.

After the meal, Ethan Cole parted ways with them.

He headed directly to the Concord City.

Grace Bennett had no complaints.

She stayed at home in Ethan Cole’s stead, keeping his parents company.

Taking the nearest flight.

Once on the plane, Ethan Cole asked a flight attendant for pen and paper.

First, he wrote down the lyrics and melody.

At a little past 7 PM, he arrived at the Concord City airport on time.

As soon as he got off the plane, Ethan Cole received a call from his uncle.

“Ethan Cole, your brother Cole Yang has been arrested for gambling. Think of a way to save him.”

Ethan Cole’s mind raced, and he said, “Okay, I know.”

His uncle was deeply touched, “It’s good to have family. I apologize for the past issues.”

Ethan Cole smiled, “It’s okay, we’re family after all. I’ll have someone handle it now.”

After hanging up, Ethan Cole called Harold Briggs, “My cousin’s been arrested for gambling. Take care of it.”

Harold Briggs immediately responded, “Sure boss, we’ll get him out as soon as possible.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Ethan Cole’s tone was slightly cold, “You go and gather more evidence of his illegal activities, find him the best lawyer, and ensure he stays inside as long as possible.”

Harold Briggs felt like his head was about to smoke.

He quickly came to his senses and hurriedly agreed.

Then, escorted by several bodyguards, Ethan Cole went to a record company owned by his family’s conglomerate.

Only one-twentieth of the staff remained over the New Year’s.

On the way there, Ethan Cole had already arranged for the necessary equipment to be set up by the company in advance.

Upon reaching the recording studio, he went straight to recording.

This song was quite challenging.

Thus, Ethan Cole put in a lot of effort.

It wasn’t until after 3 AM that he finally produced the desired result.

He listened to it several times.

Despite some imperfections, it was good enough for use.

With over ten days left until the Lantern Festival Gala, there was time to practice slowly.

It was too late, so he decided to rest there for the night.

The next morning, a little after 9 AM, Ethan Cole went to meet Yang Ping, escorted by his bodyguards.

“Director Yang, hello.”

“Hello, hello, you must be Ethan Cole, a true young talent,” Yang Ping said.

The two greeted each other with polite formalities.

It was Ethan Cole’s first time meeting such an esteemed director.

Yang Ping’s status in the entertainment industry was unparalleled.

Many celebrities considered it an honor to take a photo with him or have a meal together.

Collaborating with him was an even more impressive feat.

Yang Ping said, “Sorry to trouble you, please wait in the reception room for a bit, I have an important guest to meet.”

Ethan Cole nodded, “Okay.”

Having shown Ethan Cole to the reception room with his assistant, Yang Ping personally went to the entrance.

Thanks to his efforts the night before, he finally managed to invite the retired grand master composer, Old Kane.

There was also good news.

Old Kane had created a song a few years back that hadn’t been released yet.

The crisis, in Yang Ping’s view, was already resolved.

As for Ethan Cole…

He was no longer needed.

Yang Ping planned to personally invite him for a meal to apologize, and the matter would be settled.

“Old Kane, you’ve arrived!”

Yang Ping quickly went to greet him and invite him into his office.

After some pleasantries, Yang Ping asked to see the work.

Accompanying Old Kane was his granddaughter.

She handed over a manuscript to Yang Ping with both hands.

Yang Ping looked solemn.

Taking it, he began to read carefully.

After more than ten minutes…

Yang Ping slapped his thigh after finishing, his eyes glittering as he looked at

Old Kane and exclaimed, “You’re truly an undisputed treasure; this song perfectly meets my requirements. Thank you so much.”

Having seen Old Kane off, Yang Ping went to the reception room in high spirits.

Just as he was about to knock on the door…

He heard his assistant inside, exclaiming loudly, “Incredible! Did you really create this song?”

Chapter 405: Caught Sneaking Photos, Socially Dead on the Spot!

Yang Ping, standing at the entrance to the reception room, felt quite surprised upon hearing his assistant’s voice.

His assistant was usually calm and stable; it was rare to see such an excited demeanor.

Yang Ping couldn’t help but become a bit intrigued.

After knocking on the door, he walked in.

“Director Yang, you’re here,’1 his assistant hurriedly approached, speaking rapidly, “the song Mr. Cole composed is absolutely amazing, you must listen to it!”

Yang Ping had originally planned to tell Ethan Cole that his song hadn’t been selected.

But seeing his assistant so wholeheartedly endorsing it, he swallowed the words he was about to say.

Though he had already decided to use Mr. Whitman’s composition, he thought he should at least listen to this one.

As the prelude started, Yang Ping’s eyes lit up ever so slightly.

It had quality.

[With a turn of water sleeves in the opera, singing of joy and sorrow, of partings and reunions, unrelated to me…]

“Operatic singing!” Yang Ping couldn’t help but sit up straighter, taking another look at Ethan Cole.

Such a singing style, appearing in a youngster.

With each line sung, Yang Ping’s expression turned very serious, utterly focused.

[Amid the chaos like drifting duckweed, I endure the sight of beacon fires burning across rivers and mountains, of lowly rank yet I dare not forget the worries of the nation, even if no one knows me…]

And by the time the climax came, Yang Ping had goosebumps all over his body.

The core of “The Red Opera Singer” was that line: ‘Of lowly rank yet I dare not forget the worries of the nation, even if no one knows me’.

It expressed the deepest, most unadorned love that tens of thousands of people had for their country.

For the sake of this country, willing to give oneself unconditionally.

As the song concluded, Yang Ping’s eyes were reddened.

He looked at Ethan Cole in disbelief, “Did you really produce this song?”

Such a profound song coming from a young man not yet twenty, the thought of it was incredible.

Ethan Cole smiled and nodded.

“The Red Opera Singer” was published in 2018.

With Ethan Cole’s current financial situation, he wasn’t willing to exploit the original creator without compensation.

He would send someone to find the original author and through the proper channels, offer the author several million.

Ethan Cole said, “Director Yang, do you think this song meets the requirements?”

“It does, it more than meets them,” Yang Ping nodded vigorously, excited like a 180-pound child, “I can assure you, once this song is broadcast, it will definitely create a huge sensation!”

After that, Yang Ping directly signed a contract with Ethan Cole.

With time being tight, Ethan Cole had to come in for rehearsals every day until the Lantern Festival gala.

After signing the contract, Yang Ping invited Ethan Cole to have dinner together in the evening.

Then he personally went to Mr. Whitman’s home.

“What is it, is there a problem with the lyrics or music?” Mr. Whitman, curious, looked at Yang Ping who had suddenly visited.

“Mr. Whitman, I am truly sorry,” Yang Ping bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle to Mr. Whitman, “Regarding the song for the Lantern Festival gala… there’s a composition that is more suitable than your piece…”

After finishing his words, Yang Ping’s forehead was dripping with sweat.

Anxious that Mr. Whitman might be angry.

“Oh?” Mr. Whitman wasn’t angry but quite curious, “What kind of song is it? May I listen to it?”

“Certainly.”

Yang Ping brought the recording.

After listening to it once, Mr. Whitman excitedly stood up.

Clapping and laughing exuberantly, “What a line, ’Of lowly rank yet I dare not forget the worries of the nation’; this young man has a fervent patriotic heart.

Yang Ping, you made the right choice.

This song is superior to the one I provided you.”

Yang Ping let out a sigh of relief.

It was good that Mr. Whitman wasn’t angry.

“However,” Mr. Whitman’s tone shifted, causing Yang Ping’s heart to lift once again.

He said, “Could you introduce me? I would like to meet this young man.”

Mr. Whitman’s granddaughter, who was by his side, was also curious about Ethan Cole.

She had heard of Ethan Cole’s fame but had never seen him in person.

In the evening, inside a private room of a restaurant.

Ethan Cole met with Winston Kane, a towering figure in the music industry.

A very kind and approachable old man, he was also quite talkative.

His granddaughter accompanied him as well, named Paisley Kane, about the same age as Ethan Cole.

Upon seeing Ethan Cole, Paisley Kane suddenly felt shy.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t seen men more handsome than Ethan Cole.

But Ethan Cole gave her a different vibe from other guys.

Steady, imposing, profound, with depth in his gaze, and a demeanor rare for his age.

All-in-all, the impact he made on Paisley Kane was tremendous.

It was the first time she experienced what was called a flutter of the heart.

But her expression soon turned downcast.

She remembered that Ethan Cole had a girlfriend and was also the national college entrance exams top scorer last year.

Both parties took their seats.

Ethan Cole had great respect for Winston Kane.

And indeed, the elder’s capability was immensely strong.

The network behind him was even more frighteningly powerful.

If he could forge a connection with him, it would only benefit the future development of Ethan Cole’s company, with no drawbacks.

Winston Kane, with a chuckle, looked at Ethan Cole, “I’m a bit older, so I’ll call you Ethan, if you don’t mind?”

His first impression of Ethan Cole was very favorable.

Neither humble nor arrogant, solid and grand, clearly someone who could be a pillar of society.

He was always accurate in his judgement of people.

Ethan Cole smiled and said, “Of course, it’s my honor.”

Yang Ping was busy pouring tea for Winston Kane on the side, secretly amazed.

He rarely saw Winston Kane show such appreciation towards a young person.

“By the way,” Winston Kane asked, “does your song have a backstory?”

“It does,” Ethan Cole nodded.

The story behind “The Red Opera Singer” could move countless compatriots to tears.

He narrated the tale.

After listening, the mood among those present turned somber.

Paisley Kane’s eyes were particularly filled with tears, going in circles.

It was as if she was transported back to that era when the entire nation was engulfed in war and collective mourning.

“Good, this is really good,” Winston Kane couldn’t help but clap in praise. “It’s a great fortune for our younger generation to remember what our ancestors have done.”

His look towards Ethan Cole was filled with even more admiration.

Ethan Cole modestly said it was nothing.

After all, it wasn’t his original creation.

But indeed, the original author of the song was remarkable.

One song, “The Red Opera Singer,” had awakened the patriotic spirit of many citizens, as well as bringing attention to a painful part of history.

At that moment, Yang Ping approached Winston Kane with a phone in hand, “Please have a listen, these songs were all composed by Ethan Cole too.”

He had specifically looked up how many songs Ethan Cole had ‘created’ after listening to “The Red Opera Singer” the day before.

Having listened to them, Yang Ping was astounded by Ethan Cole’s talent.

He downloaded all the songs.

In the private room, only the sound of music played.

Winston Kane listened, nodding continuously.

Meanwhile, Paisley Kane’s admiration and fondness for Ethan Cole were almost spilling out of her eyes.

She sneakily glanced at Ethan Cole.

She took out her phone, turned on the camera, aimed at Ethan Cole, and attempted to take a secret photo.

With a ‘click,’ the flash went off.

The private room was suddenly plunged into an awkward silence.

Chapter 406: A Surprising Harvest!

“Ah… I… um… sorry…”

At this moment, Paisley Kane was extremely embarrassed, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Being caught taking candid photos of someone, there was nothing more socially mortifying than this.

Grandpa Kane could tell from his granddaughter’s expression that she must have taken a fancy to him.

He didn’t follow entertainment news, so he didn’t know about Ethan Cole’s situation.

Seeing his granddaughter smitten, he took the initiative to say to Ethan Cole, “My granddaughter is now studying at the Concord City Music College, a freshman this year.

You’re all young people, you could exchange contact information, get to know each other, maybe there will be opportunities for collaboration in the future.” “Sure,” Ethan Cole nodded, straightforwardly asking Paisley Kane for her PingMe number.

This girl, Ethan Cole had seen her many times on TV in his previous life.

She was called the sweetheart darling by netizens.

She sang many sweet songs, and her personal commercial value was around five hundred million a year.

This was a gem yet to be explored, or rather, not yet noticed by too many people.

Now that he had encountered her, it was only natural to get acquainted. Perhaps he could even coax Paisley Kane into joining his record company.

At the moment, Ethan Cole’s record company didn’t have anyone who could really carry the torch.

The original ones had all been lured away by Douglas Grant with high offers. Paisley Kane’s face reddened alarmingly as she stuttered out her PingMe.number. She inwardly reproached herself.

There she was, a veritable goddess in her school, sought after by countless boys.

She was already used to big events.

So why did she feel so flustered in front of Ethan Cole?

“Eh… this song…” When Grandpa Kane heard “When Farewell Blooms,” his expression changed.

Seeing Grandpa Kane’s expression, Ethan Cole knew he had thought of something.

In his previous life, this song was known as the song of the state.

‘When farewell blooms, sprouting new growing branches’…

The lyric perfectly matched the current situation of the state.

Grandpa Kane had a good eye and instantly understood the deeper meaning of the lyrics of the song.

Yang Ping hadn’t paid special attention before.

Now, under Grandpa Kane’s guidance, he also realized it.

His eyes shone as he looked at Ethan Cole: “Sing this song with us when the time comes!

I will even apply to the higher-ups to make both these songs ‘red songs’!”

Ethan Cole was moved!

If he could indeed apply successfully, then Ethan Cole would have earned an extra talisman for himself.

As long as he didn’t do anything foolish, just these few songs could keep him well-off for life.

Coming to dinner tonight was not in vain; it was quite a fruitful visit.

Grandpa Kane was also very pleased, breaking his usual rule by having a drink.

Before leaving, he reminded Paisley Kane to interact more with Ethan Cole and learn from him.

Paisley Kane shyly agreed.

Even though she knew Ethan Cole already had a girlfriend, deep down in her heart, she still harbored some unrealistic fantasies.

In the following few days, Ethan Cole was constantly rehearsing.

To ensure nothing went wrong, he even hired a teacher to help train his singing skills.

Paisley Kane, having added him as a friend, often sent messages to Ethan Cole. The young girl was quite reserved.

However, Ethan Cole still sensed the slowly budding emotions in her messages.

So, Ethan Cole often mentioned Grace Bennett during their chats.

He also sent her many photos of him with Grace Bennett, under the guise of asking for her critique, hinting that they weren’t possible.

Paisley Kane was no fool; after a few hints, she understood what Ethan Cole meant.

Although heartbroken, she didn’t pursue it further.

She thought Ethan Cole was truly the best man in the world.

Grace Bennett being able to have such a boyfriend was indeed her greatest honor.

After spending some time together, Paisley Kane had found her place.

It was the eighth day of the first lunar month.

Most people had also started working again.

Chloe Winters also learned that Ethan Cole would be performing at the Lantern Festival gala.

She called to ask if she could perform as well.

Ethan Cole said, “What the hell are you thinking?”

Although Chloe Winters was quite popular now, she didn’t have the qualifications or the seniority to perform on that stage.

Ethan Cole told her not to think about these frivolous things and focus on her filming.

After the Lantern Festival, QuickRead was going to go public.

“Alright, that’s enough rehearsal for today.”

Yang Ping shouted, and all the rehearsing staff heaved a sigh of relief.

Then Yang Ping walked over to Ethan Cole, smiling, and said, “I have some good news for you: ‘The Red Opera Singer’ and ‘When Farewell Blooms’ have both been approved.”

Ethan Cole was overjoyed, “Thanks, Director Yang, for taking the trouble.” “Hahaha, not at all, it’s my honor too,” Yang Ping was also in high spirits. “However,” Ethan Cole said, “I hope Director Yang can help me keep this news under wraps for now, don’t announce it yet.”

Although Yang Ping didn’t quite understand why Ethan Cole didn’t want to announce such good news right away,

he didn’t ask any further and nodded in agreement.

It was already past nine o’clock in the evening.

Ethan Cole left the Central Television building.

Just as he got into the car, Grace Bennett called him.

The two hadn’t seen each other for a week now.

Every day, they would alleviate their yearning through texting and phone calls.

Originally, Ethan Cole wanted her to come over, but Grace Bennett said no.

Since it was the New Year, and Ethan Cole wasn’t home to accompany his parents, she had to take on this responsibility in his stead.

Moreover, she needed to spend a few days with her own parents as well.

She would be able to come over on the twelfth day of the first lunar month.

After arriving at the residence he bought in the Concord City, Ethan Cole took a shower and then opened his laptop.

Harold Briggs had sent him an email.

It was about the progress of the investigation into the incident involving Grace Bennett.

The case was extremely tricky.

The person behind it was very cautious, hardly leaving any traces.

Harold Briggs had found some clues.

But the person behind it was very sharp and cut off the clue before Harold Briggs could investigate further.

The Blossom Society and others didn’t make much progress in their investigations either.

But Ethan Cole absolutely would not let the matter rest.

No matter how much time and effort it took, he was determined to find the culprit.

And he absolutely wouldn’t let them off with their life.

After dealing with some tasks at hand, Ethan Cole continued writing his novel.

The word count of his current book was about to break one million.

The planned total word count was over five million.

Though he had rehearsed all day, Ethan Cole still felt full of energy at night.

It was only when he was with Grace Bennett

that Ethan Cole felt as if no matter how much energy he had, or how strong his physical ability was, it was never enough.

Sometimes, Ethan Cole considered investing in the pharmaceutical field,

to develop medicines that could make people younger.

In this area, the foreign countries were far ahead.

Many rich people and celebrities in China were their customers.

Chapter 407: You Have a Physics Cheat, Bro Has a Reincarnation Cheat!

Of course, Ethan Cole was just thinldng about this for now.

The several major investment projects were all cash burners, leaving no spare funds to invest elsewhere.

Time quickly arrived at the evening of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Ethan Cole was making preparations backstage.

Grace Bennett was also there, acting as his assistant, helping him with all the preparatory work before going on stage.

Grace Bennett had tried to dress as plainly as possible.

But even so, backstage, she still attracted many attentive gazes.

Without any makeup, she had already surpassed those top female celebrities.

Not far away, the popular male singer Bi Tao was observing Ethan Cole with a cool detachment.

His assistant spoke rapidly, “Mr. Whitman has given the order. For this Lantern Festival performance, don’t bother with anyone else.

But you must overshadow Ethan Cole.

This is what Mr. Whitman told me to give you.”

After saying that, the assistant produced a microphone.

“What is this?” Bi Tao asked, puzzled.

The assistant explained, “Mr. Whitman got this from abroad. To put it simply, even someone tone-deaf can sing like an angel with this microphone. It’s very expensive, costing over twenty million.”

Bi Tao’s eyes lit up, “Is it really that amazing? But will the show’s producers allow me to use it?”

“They will.” The assistant nodded. “I’ve already gotten approval.

“That’s good,” Bi Tao said, looking at Ethan Cole, his eyes filled with intense light.

“Just wait and see how I cut him down!”

The work proceeded in an orderly fashion.

The Lantern Festival gala officially began.

Ethan Cole’s friends and family had learned early on that he would be performing this year.

So when the time came, they were punctually in front of the TV.

in the center of Empire City, in a certain villa, Douglas Grant sat squarely on

the sofa, watching the live broadcast of the Lantern Festival gala.

in front of him, a man and a woman were kneeling, busy with something.

Douglas Grant’s gaze was profound.

He was well-informed; a week earlier, he had learned that Ethan Cole would be performing at the Lantern Festival gala.

So he immediately made arrangements.

He absolutely could not let Ethan Cole make a splash at this Lantern Festival gala. Otherwise, when QuickRead Novel went public in a short while, its market value would also increase due to the performance of its boss, Ethan Cole.

in short, Douglas Grant was sparing no expense to obstruct Ethan Cole’s growth in all aspects.

Chloe Winters, Megan Price, Derek Hayes, and others were also in front of the

TV, holding their phones, waiting for Ethan Cole to appear.

Calling a spade a spade.

The current Lantern Festival gala was indeed very interesting, with many good works.

The audience was also enjoying it immensely.

Before you knew it, it was Bi Tao’s turn to go on stage.

As a popular male singer, his looks and physique were both impressive.

Bi Tao walked confidently toward the front of the stage.

As he passed by Ethan Cole, he stopped, sneered, and said, “Since you’re a businessman, you should stick to doing business. Singing is not your thing.” His words were thick with mockery, and his eyes were filled with hostility.

Ethan Cole laughed. “It’s you, the outsider.”

Bi Tao had originally been under his company’s banner.

Latterly, there were complaints that he privately took gigs and harassed company employees.

Ethan Cole reprimanded him and even suspended some of his appearances.

Later, he was poached by Douglas Grant.

Perhaps because he harbored resentment towards Ethan Cole, Bi Tao took several singers and employees with him when he left.

The nickname “outsider” made Bi Tao’s face instantly darken, and he huffed, “If you don’t want to humiliate yourself, you can get lost now.

You trash, what qualification do you have to compete with me?

Not to mention, performing after me. You must have bribed the director!”

With that, he quickly headed towards the front of the stage.

As soon as Bi Tao came on stage, he immediately received a burst of enthusiastic applause.

Ethan Cole took out a recording pen from the pocket of his jacket.

The light on the recording pen blinked on and off, indicating it was on. He smiled and shook his head, “Sorry, I recorded it.

This was a habit he had maintained for a long time.

Whenever he was at some important event, he would habitually turn on the recorder.

Just in case he encountered any trouble or other unexpected occurrences.

With a recording, he wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.

Playing with his brother, he wouldn’t let him off easily. Holding a microphone worth more than twenty million, Bi Tao began to sing with deep emotion.

As soon as he opened his mouth, an exclamation went up from the crowd.

His voice was pure and ethereal, it could be described as the sound of heaven.

Ethan Cole’s eyes narrowed.

Something was off.

He had heard Bi Tao sing live before.

Compared with the past, both the voice and technique had improved significantly.

The only explanation was that he was cheating.

Ethan Cole’s gaze fell on the microphone in Bi Tao’s hand.

His mind raced, and he guessed it must be Douglas Grant’s doing. That guy would take the opportunity to target him whenever he could.

But it didn’t matter.

You have your technological cheat; I have my reincarnation cheat.

Watching Bi Tao’s performance on the TV, Chloe Winters, and Megan Price couldn’t help but frown.

Chloe Winters said, somewhat worried, “This Bi Tao is really strong, could Ethan Cole be in ‘danger’?”

“Mhm,” Megan Price nodded, “Too bad, his performance is almost over, otherwise I would have hacked into their system…

“Miss, please don’t do anything reckless,” Chloe Winters’s face turned pale instantly.

That was the central television station.

If she really did that, not even Buddha could save her.

Megan Price, while picking at her fingernails, said, “Just kidding, why so nervous.”

Chloe Winters’s eyes lit up, “Ah, Ethan Cole is up!”

Megan Price quickly looked over.

After finishing his performance, Bi Tao walked off the stage with his head held high and chest puffed out.

This cheat was just too amazing.

He felt that in terms of singing, he could compete with the top vocal artists.

As he walked off the stage, he met Ethan Cole again.

He started to mock again, “I advise you not to go on stage, otherwise it will be utterly embarrassing.

Are you regretting how you targeted me in the past? Hahaha!”

Ethan Cole adjusted his clothes and then stepped towards the front stage.

As for Bi Tao?

Just a clown.

Spending another word on him would lower himself.

Bi Tao, being ignored, burned with rage in his heart, coldly watching Ethan Cole’s retreating figure, “I want to see what you’ll use to compete with me!

With my shining example before you, no matter how hard you try, you’ll only live in my shadow!”

As someone with a narrow mind, he couldn’t stand the slightest grievance. After Ethan Cole went on stage, all the spectators were stunned.

Because he was a replacement, his name wasn’t announced on the performance list.

It was a little Easter egg.

Not many in the audience knew Ethan Cole, only a small number of entrepreneurs did.

They were all quite surprised.

How was Ethan Cole invited to the Lantern Festival stage? Could it be that there was some unknown trend behind this?

Ethan Cole walked to the middle of the stage.

As the accompaniment started, Ethan Cole began to sing.

As soon as he sang, he immediately dazzled the entire audience!

Chapter 408: Sorry, On Fire Again!

“As the opera unfolds, the water sleeves rise and fall…”

With its unique cadence and singing method, the voice captivated many in the audience, both on-site and in front of televisions, in an instant.

Especially for the older generation, their love for opera was etched deep in their bones.

Nowadays, almost all the songs on the market are about love and romance.

The only songs the older generation enjoyed were those by the band Phoenix Legend.

All of a sudden, to hear a young person sing in the style of opera, they were visibly excited.

In terms of singing technique, Ethan Cole certainly couldn’t surpass Bi Tao.

But the content was solid enough to strike a chord, capturing the audience’s attention all at once.

Bi Tao’s complexion changed slightly as he sensed something ominous. [Accustomed to blending joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure into their makeup how does it matter if words ring hollow, when bones turn to ash, they are all’ mine…]

At this moment, behind Ethan Cole, the large screen began to display scene after scene.

It showed forebears fighting in blood-soaked battles, sacrificing their lives without hesitation.

One after another, familiar figures appeared.

They were all national heroes who had sacrificed themselves for the sake of the country.

Every viewer who saw this scene was deeply moved.

Some of the more emotional ones even began to tear up.

Paisley Kane was also there.

She couldn’t help but cover her mouth.

This song seemed to transport her back to those years of relentless warfare.

She keenly felt the helplessness, despair, and tragic bravery of that era.

[In chaotic times, the duckweed endures the sight of flames ravaging rivers and mountains. Though of lowly status, I dare not forget my country’s woes, even if no one knows me…]

When it reached the climax, it gave all the first-time listeners goosebumps.

The righteousness depicted in the lyrics made one’s scalp tingle, as if their souls were about to leave their bodies.

Yang Ping had been closely observing the audience’s reactions.

Seeing this scene, he immediately felt at ease.

The effect was unexpectedly good.

This Lantern Festival gala, as the chief director, he could consider it a resounding success.

As the song ended, a thunderous round of applause broke out at the venue.

Many were moved to tears.

In that moment, the patriotic feelings of the countrymen reached a new peak. The host hurried onto the stage and said excitedly, “Although I’ve heard it many times during rehearsals,

I was still moved to tears just now. Mr. Cole, under what circumstances did you decide to create such a song?”

Ethan Cole spoke gravely, “Although I am a businessman, I think there are too many love songs on the market right now.

I believe we should create more works that carry warnings and are filled with the sentiments of home and country,

to prevent our children’s hearts and minds from being too severely poisoned.” “Mr. Cole is truly noble!” the host exclaimed. “Could you share with us the story behind this song?”

Ethan Cole. This song actually tells a true story…”

After Ethan Cole finished telling the story, the audience, both on-site and those watching on television, were once again profoundly shaken.

Many felt an urge to search for more moving stories from those days.

“Applause! Applause! Applause!”

Once again, the venue resonated with fervent applause.

The host then announced loudly, “The Lantern Festival gala is coming to a close tonight.

Viewers at home can take out their mobile phones and send a text message to 100… to participate in our program voting.

The one with the most votes will receive the trophy of this evening’s gala and the honor of ‘Best Performance’.”

The trophy and title were quite prestigious.

If Ethan Cole were an artist, obtaining this would have directly elevated his status.

Ethan Cole stepped down from the stage.

And he saw Bi Tao with an extremely ugly look on his face.

He hadn’t expected Ethan Cole to play a winning hand right from the start, leaving him completely devastated.

No matter how good the singing, it was not enough in front of “The Red Opera Singer”.

Ethan Cole didn’t even glance at him and went straight towards Grace Bennett.

Grace Bennett ran up to meet him, handing him a bottle of mineral water.

Admiration filled her pretty face, “Ethan, you’re so amazing.”

Ethan Cole took the water, “You already knew how amazing I am, didn’t you?” “Ugh, I’m ignoring you now,” Grace Bennett said with a blushing face, turning her back on him.

Bi Tao pulled his assistant aside and whispered, “Get in touch with Mr. Whitman’s secretary. I must come in first place in the offsite votes!”

I have already made contact. Mr. Whitman’s side said they would make sure you get first place.”

“Good.”

Bi Tao felt relieved. With these words from Douglas Grant, he wouldn’t consider himself defeated.

The big screen was showing the real-time vote counts for all the evening’s performers.

Ethan Cole: 2386888.

Bi Tao: 1356268.

“Why is the gap so huge?” Bi Tao said irritably.

The assistant couldn’t help but wipe off some sweat.

Something seemed wrong.

The number of votes for Ethan Cole was increasing too fast; tens of thousands every second.

What they didn’t know was that many of the voters were from the older generation.

Unable to operate the system themselves, they asked their children and grandchildren to help.

The song “The Red Opera Singer” brought back memories of their youth.

Deep down, they all hoped Ethan Cole would come in first place.

A few minutes later, Ethan Cole’s votes had exceeded fifty million.

And Bi Tao’s had barely crossed five million.

Bi Tao’s assistant took a phone call.

After returning, his expression was not good, “That was Mr. Whitman’s secretary.

They said they’re not putting any more money in.

The momentum behind Ethan Cole is too strong; they would need to throw in at least three to five billion dollars for a chance to win.”

Douglas Grant, although wealthy, was also no fool.

He wouldn’t engage in such a wasteful act.

“Damn it!” Bi Tao punched the table fiercely, deforming it.

A staff member ran over and said emotionlessly, “You’ve damaged property, a fine of one thousand.”

Bi Tao:

“Alright, let’s welcome Mr. Cole back to the stage to accept his award!” the host’s excited voice rang out once more.

Ethan Cole went back on stage again.

The award acceptance process was straightforward.

After receiving the award, he delivered some words of gratitude and so on.

As the event drew to a close, the classic song that never missed an appearance year after year was up.

Everyone joined in for the grand chorus.

After the conclusion, many members of the audience rushed to Ethan Cole for photos and autographs.

As everyone knows, those who could be present at such an event were no ordinary people.

Ethan Cole didn’t want to offend them, accepting all comers.

Watching this scene made Bi Tao nearly explode with anger.

This was the sort of treatment that should have been his.

Fuming, he stormed away.

It was already the early morning by the time Ethan Cole left, holding Grace Bennett’s hand.

There was another banquet afterward, but Ethan Cole declined the invitation.

It was just a matter of eating and drinking.

It wasn’t as important as going to have a late-night meal with his girlfriend.

It had been a while since Ethan Cole had properly accompanied Grace Bennett, and even longer since he rode his bicycle.

Grace Bennett handed her phone to Ethan Cole, “Ethan, take a look at this.”

Chapter 409: The First Listed Company Under the Banner!

Ethan Cole took the phone and looked at it.

Online were all news and posts about him.

[Tears in my eyes, Ethan Cole has made even a 180-pound guy like me cry.]

[I am unilaterally declaring that this year’s song of the gods is Red Performer.] [If there were more patriotic businessmen like Ethan Cole in the country, that would be great.]

[Guys, I checked, Rift Legends is under Ethan Cole’s company, and I’ve already topped up a thousand dollars! ]

[I’m going to top up too, we should support such patriotic businessmen!]

Ethan Cole himself didn’t expect things would develop to this extent.

It could only be said that doing the right things at the right time could yield unexpected rewards.

After this Lantern Festival gala, Ethan Cole’s personal reputation had reached a peak.

They just found a nearby outdoor barbecue stall.

Grace Bennett was busy running around and asked Ethan Cole to not lift a finger.

She said that he had been working too hard recently and needed to rest more. Ethan Cole made faces at her, “So tonight, you take the lead?”

“Hey, you’re so annoying, so bad.” Grace Bennett punched Ethan Cole playfully, pouting her lips.

Ethan Cole laughed heartily.

He loved to see Grace Bennett looking embarrassed.

At this moment, the general manager of the gaming department called.

With an excited tone, he said, “Boss, our several games, in just over an hour, have increased by more than two billion in top-ups.

Just Rift Legends alone brought in over a billion.”

This feeling, where money just keeps rolling in while you’re lying at home, was truly marvelous and exhilarating.

Ethan Cole was astonished.

He hadn’t expected netizens would be so supportive either.

He immediately said, “Tell the brothers to work overtime, come up with several new skins, and discount all old skins by 20 percent.”

Taking advantage of this momentum, they should run a promotion to take sales to the next level.

Soon after, Nora Pierce also called.

She reported that QuickRead Fiction had also seen an extra twenty million in top- ups in that same hour.

This was the influencer effect.

Once you have fame, even if you’re lying still at home, wealth will find its way to you.

Chloe Winters, Megan Price, as well as Ethan Cole’s parents, Derek Hayes, and others, all called one after another.

From their tones, one could tell they were also happy for Ethan Cole, sharing in his glory.

Ethan Cole was very happy that evening, so he drank a few bottles of beer.

It was past three in the morning by the time he got home.

It was very late, and indeed, Ethan Cole was tired.

He had originally wanted to ride his bicycle but decided against it.

Your health is important, and the bike is always there whenever you feel like riding it.

The next afternoon, after having lunch, he set off back to Empire City.

After the Chinese New Year, both Ethan Cole and Grace Bennett needed to go to the company to give out red envelopes for the start of work.

Moreover, QuickRead Fiction was set to go public tomorrow, and Ethan Cole needed to be there personally in New York to ring the bell.

Ethan Cole had put a lot of effort and energy into the listing of QuickRead Fiction.

After all, it was the first company he founded, one he had brought to number one in the industry.

It was also the first of his companies about to go public.

The first shot had to be loud enough to not affect the ones to follow.

After returning to Empire City, Ethan Cole and Grace Bennett went their separate ways to their respective companies.

First, they handed out the late red envelopes.

Then, after dealing with some matters, Ethan Cole sent the outline for “God of the Son-in-law” to Nora Pierce.

He asked her to find someone who could mimic his writing style and had quick hands to write the follow-up plot.

The first hundred thousand or so words of essence would be personally crafted by Ethan Cole.

After that, they only needed to ensure the quality and that the plot direction didn’t go awry.

The next day, Ethan Cole brought Nora Pierce along with several staff members and bodyguards, as well as Grace Bennett, to New York.

Now, New York is still a place many people from the mainland aspire to.

It represents prosperity and opportunity.

In earlier years, countless people desperately squeezed their way here, fantasizing about making it big.

But Ethan Cole knew that in a few years, it wouldn’t be so appealing anymore. Whether it’s education, healthcare, employment opportunities, or the development of high-tech, New York was quickly going to be caught up with by the mainland, and even surpbaded rapidly.

Afterward, it would be the young people from New York flocking to Ironport City or Rosemont City every Saturday and Sunday.

Grace Bennett looked around New York with curiosity.

After all, the mainstream TV dramas on the mainland in the previous years were from this place.

The most distinctive feature here is the high and dense buildings.

After actually arriving, she realized it was just so-so.

Things like hotel accommodations had all been arranged.

Before the listing, there was still a lot of preparation work to be done.

In Douglas Grant’s office.

He had a cigar in his mouth, puffing clouds of smoke.

“Is everything ready?”

The secretary standing behind Douglas Grant nodded and said, “The funds are in place, and the troops ready to badmouth QuickRead Fiction and Ethan Cole himself are all arranged.

Once it goes public tomorrow, it will face our full-scale sniping.”

“Good,” Douglas Grant sneered, “I want Ethan Cole to know that the business world is cruel.

He can’t be this lucky all the time.”

After settling into the hotel, Ethan Cole was still busy.

There were many places that needed his attention.

After handling everything, he made calls to Derek Hayes, Frank Bennett, Megan Price, Chloe Winters, as well as Julia Monroe, Olivia Turner, and others.

He told them just one thing.

Be ready with your funds for the company’s listing tomorrow.

As for how much money each person should prepare, Ethan Cole did not specify.

It was up to them.

If they had enough trust in Ethan Cole, then they could make a killing this time.

Time quickly moved on to the next day.

After breakfast, Ethan Cole and his entourage headed to the stock exchange.

The news of QuickRead Fiction going public was already well known.

After all, it was still the peak period for investing in novels.

And it was the leading company in the industry, coupled with the top-name brand of Ethan Cole.

Even before the official listing, a large number of financial journalists had already appeared outside the stock exchange.

Many investors too had readied their funds,

just waiting to buy shares of QuickRead Fiction once it was listed.

Ethan Cole arrived at the entrance and was immediately surrounded by a throng of reporters.

He had to stop and answer some of their questions.

“Mr. Cole, do you think QuickRead Fiction’s share price will rise or fall after the listing?”

Ethan Cole smiled mysteriously, “You’ll see when the time comes.”

“Mr. Cole, how much do you think QuickRead Fiction’s market value can reach?”

“After the company goes public, will there be any new initiatives?”

“Mr. Cole, which will be the second company under your banner to go public?”

“Mr. Cole, it is said that your relationship with the actress Chloe Winters is extraordinary, is that true?”

After answering a few questions, Ethan Cole entered the stock exchange.

Following the procedure, he held the gavel and rang the stock exchange’s bell.

QuickRead Fiction was officially listed!

Chapter 410: This Name is Extremely Explosive!

[According to Finance Online, QuickRead Fiction, a leading company in the novel industry, officially listed on the stock market today with an initial share price of five dollars.]

When QuickRead Fiction went public, a massive number of investors who were already prepared surged in immediately, scrambling to buy shares.

Ethan Cole could not help but hug Grace Bennett tightly and spun her around on the spot.

The feeling of growing from a small workshop step by step to finally reaching the point of going public was truly indescribable.

Grace Bennett was also overjoyed.

After all, she had been with Ethan Cole from the very start of his venture.

After putting Grace Bennett down, Ethan Cole’s smile faded, “Let’s goback. It’s not time for the celebration banquet yet.”

“Mm-hm,” Grace Bennett nodded vigorously.

She knew there was still a tough battle ahead.

On the way back, Ethan Cole was also constantly monitoring the online trends concerning QuickRead Fiction.

The share price hit the upper limit within the first ten or so minutes of listing.

But it didn’t take long before a barrage of negative news and posts about QuickRead Fiction and Ethan Cole emerged online.

[Shocking Secrets, QuickRead Fiction Shortchanges Authors’ Royalties!]

[QuickRead Fiction Suspected of Tax Evasion! ]

[QuickRead Fiction’s Founder Ethan Cole Suspected of Infidelity! ]

[QuickRead Fiction’s Listing: A Fraudulent Scheme!]

Such news and posts were everywhere.

And under these posts, a horde of paid posters crazily set the pace.

Photos also appeared, many of them.

Ethan Cole knew at a glance that these photos were fake.

But the average netizen didn’t know that.

Seeing these messages and the army of paid posters crazily setting the pace, the share price plummeted.

Before long, it had hit the lower limit.

Ethan Cole had already warned his people in advance not to panic or do anything, just to wait quietly.

Let the bullets fly for a while.

At the same time, he prohibited anyone in the company from responding in any form.

This led outsiders to believe that all the rumors were true.

The overwhelming negative news seemed to be drowning QuickRead Fiction.

Meanwhile, as the biggest shareholder, Ethan Cole had already returned home in Empire City.

Upon opening the company’s internal email, he received an email from Megan Price.

It contained a piece of software, or rather, a virus would be more appropriate. Ethan Cole naturally would not let others slander him without fighting back.

This virus could trace the IP address of anyone who posted attacks against him or the company.

The virus was developed by Megan Price in collaboration with Elena Kwan.

Its effectiveness goes without saying.

After a simple installation, it was ready to run.

First, gather all the evidence.

Wait for the right moment to strike back hard.

Over the next three days, Ethan Cole still did not make an appearance.

The share price hit the lower limit for three consecutive days.

On paper, the market value had evaporated by more than five billion dollars.

And because of several days of being led by the nose, many ordinary netizens were also influenced, joining in the attacks against QuickRead Fiction and Ethan Cole.

It made it seem as if he had committed some monstrous crime, an unforgivable sin.

Today is already Friday.

School starts on Monday next week.

That evening, Derek Hayes, Natalie Brooks, Chloe Winters, and Megan Price all went to Ethan Cole’s house.

They got together for a barbecue.

Natalie Brooks’s belly was already very big.

A few girls were tending to the barbecue when Ethan Cole passed Derek Hayes a bottle of beer, “Do you know when the due date is?”

Derek Hayes gulped down a few mouthfuls, his face brimming with a blissful smile, “End of July to August. Heh, I’m gonna be a dad soon.

In this matter, I’m ahead of you.”

It wasn’t easy, but finally, there was something where he could surpass Ethan Cole.

Ethan Cole was also looking forward to the birth of Derek Hayes’s son and asked, “Have you thought of a name yet?”

“Mm.” Derek Hayes nodded, “Just want it to be Clara Hayes, Qing, as in pure and clean.”

“Huh?” Ethan Cole was dumbfounded on the spot and then said with a somber tone, “I think it’s better for you to change the name.

Naming him something so explosive, I’m afraid your son won’t even finish kindergarten before he gets beaten to death.”

This family and their naming, indeed a whole set of ‘fresh and refined’ names. Derek Hayes shook his head, “The name sounds good to me, I’m not changing it.

My dad also said it’s not bad.”

Ethan Cole: “Sigh.”

“Here, try the lamb kidneys I grilled.” JiangXiaoyanhanded Ethan Cole a skewer of charred things.

“…” Ethan Cole waved his hand, “Pass. I was naturally never fond of this.” “Hmph, you’re clearly just despising me.” Megan Price plopped down next to Ethan Cole and started gnawing on it herself.

Ethan Cole bared his teeth; she was resolute.

“QuickRead Fiction’s stock has almost bottomed out, right?” Megan Price changed the subject, “When do you plan on making a move?”

Upon these words, everyone’s gaze turned towards Ethan Cole.

“Monday,” Ethan Cole spoke lightly, “Wait for Monday’s opening, after another plunge limit, you guys can start entering the market.

Everyone here is not an outsider.

I’ll just say it straight, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that could make your assets skyrocket.

Try to put up as much money as you can and get in.”

Everyone silently nodded.

Ethan Cole had long proven his capabilities with one fact after another.

Following him was the right choice.

Chloe Winters’s gaze flickered, unsure what she was thinking.

The barbecue continued until past midnight, and friends began to leave one after another.

Ethan Cole also cuddled up to sleep with Grace Bennett.

Before sleep, Ethan Cole fed Grace Bennett some plain porridge.

Grace Bennett also fed Ethan Cole some salty soup.

Early the next morning, Chloe Winters found a large-scale lending company.

She slapped all her assets on the table, “Assess them, borrow as much as you can, quickly.”

She realized that QuickRead Fiction going public was a significant opportunity for her.

An opportunity to quickly narrow the gap between herself and Ethan Cole.

So she gritted her teeth and put all her assets up as collateral.

Then, she even asked friends in the industry one by one if they could lend her money.

In the end, adding her own money, the loan, and the borrowed funds from friends, the sum was astronomical.

Looking at the string of numbers on the bank card.

Chloe Winters clenched her fist quietly, “Whether I can go from C to D, it all hinges on this move!”

It wasn’t just her; Ethan Cole’s other friends were also raising funds through various means.

As for Douglas Grant, he was already preparing to celebrate.

Despite being very cautious in his affairs.

He did not believe that Ethan Cole had any chance of turning the tables, given the current situation.

Overjoyed, he called over a hundred celebrities from his entertainment company, both male and female, to throw a big party.

Yes, that kind of party that you’re thinking of.

Time flew, and Monday arrived.

Less than five minutes after the market opened, QuickRead Fiction once again hit the limit down.

And then, Ethan Cole launched his counterattack!

Chapter 411: How Will You Respond to This