Generation Z Artists

Chapter 114 Grand Book Signing
After listening to the old man's story, Fang Xinghe couldn't help but stand in awe.

Thirty years later, there are no longer any eyewitnesses to that battle for the nation's destiny. Generation Z can only remember them through movies, and feel their heroism and iron blood hidden under the main theme of sadness.

What are they thinking?
Watching it through the screen, it always feels a little distorted, there is some gray area intertwined between flesh and blood and iron will. That is the gap where human instinct and lofty beliefs conflict, and it is also the most moving part after the integration.

Now, after seeing it with his own eyes and chatting with the other party in person, Fang Xinghe finally had a deeper feeling.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Fang Xinghe tried to be as plain as possible and used a lot of strength to hold the old man's bony hand.

He knew that this might cause pain to the other person, but he guessed that the other person might like this pain.

Sure enough, the old man was very happy. He clenched his hands like steel clamps and smiled widely.

"Why is it hard? It's not hard! Fighting is a very simple thing. You kids who are engaged in knowledge and culture are different. You are the main force in building the four modernizations. Work hard, Xiao Fang!"

As he spoke, the old hero emitted a glowing white light, which turned out to be his own light pink. This was really lucky.

It’s both light pink, but the meanings are completely different.

The child lightly painted the galaxy above, perhaps just on a whim. It is not difficult and has little significance.

As for those with a strong will who have been tempered in blood and fire, they no longer care about life or death. It must be that they have great recognition of the other party, Xinghe, which is why they can produce a light pink light.

There is no greater honor than this.

The old hero's surname was Zhou. Fang Xinghe solemnly signed and wrote an inscription on the book - he thought for a long time before he finally put pen to paper with difficulty.

……

Three thousand miles of barren hills are used to bury loyal bones, and the sun and moon have illuminated the Han souls for fifty years.

The 1.2 billion Chinese people are loyal and courageous, and their red hearts will be recorded in the history books forever.

The noble spirit lasts forever.

This poem was written by Fang Xinghe as a tribute to Mr. Zhou and all the predecessors on April 2000, 4, his 1th birthday.

……

Turning the page over to show Mr. Zhou, Fang Xinghe apologized, "I wrote this too hastily. I can only express my thoughts and it's hard to take care of the details. This is a small gift from me. I hope you like it."

"Okay, okay! I like it, I like it!"

Mr. Zhou couldn't let go of the dragon-like words on the title page. He carefully stroked the surrounding pages, as happy as a child.

"You are a good person, your handwriting is good, and your sentences are good! Xiao Fang, you are very good, really good!"

They were all two or three words of strong emotion, and it was obvious that Fang Xinghe really made him very satisfied.

That's right. Those of that generation who had been to the battlefield were all tough guys. They liked people like Fang Xinghe the most, who had a strong stance, a wild temperament and a tough character. There were many intellectuals who scolded Fang Xinghe for his nonsense of "running over the appendix and slaughtering Japan with blood", which affected diplomacy and shocked friendly countries. There should be many soldiers who liked his iron-bloodedness and radicalism.

It’s just that soldiers don’t read this kind of articles very much, while intellectuals keep an eye on Fang Xinghe every day, so they have the illusion that there are more criticisms than support.

In fact, we can see from the old heroes that Fang Xinghe's base of passers-by's favorability may be hidden in some corners.

At least he was not alone.

As time was running out, Fang Xinghe could no longer chat with the old hero, so, in the presence of the surrounding media, he exchanged gifts with him and took some precious photos side by side.

Mr. Zhou was very satisfied and didn't want to stay any longer. He rejected everyone's offer to see him off, waved his hand, and walked away in a cool and graceful manner.

And all his expectations for Fang Xinghe were condensed into that one sentence -

Defend our cultural front.

Fang Xinghe suddenly felt a heavy responsibility pressing on his heart, and his expression became very solemn for a moment.

Sister Hong took advantage of the last opportunity to interview him and wanted to summarize today's topic.

Her questions were always so precise.

"Fang Xinghe, seeing your expression, I guess you must be feeling a heavier and more solemn pressure?"

Fang Xinghe nodded: "Yes, the sense of responsibility and mission is very strong, but in fact they are not brought by the old hero Zhou alone..."

The boy raised the framed flyer in his hand and said, "It was passed down from history."

Sister Hong continued to ask: "So what are you going to do next? Continue to write some related works to promote self-reliance in the cultural field?"

This is what many people expect, but Fang Xinghe shook his head.

"I am not someone who will be crushed by responsibility, nor will I be someone who will be changed by responsibility."

"Ah?!" Sister Hong was stunned. "I don't quite understand..."

Fang Xinghe added: "I have my own rhythm and a complete understanding of the cultural front."

In the past, it was not until around 2024 that China basically ended its long strategic stalemate with the West and entered the stage of full-scale counterattack.

The counterattack in some cultural fields may come earlier, and later in others, but, in the final analysis, it is a driven force rather than the result of one individual's loud calls.

Economic development, military development, and mass mental development are superimposed on the situation of great turbulence in the world environment, thus launching a series of activities.

Tracing the origin of civilization, the authenticity of history, refuting the falsification of Western history, diplomatic transformation, trend reversal, and overseas expansion of entertainment...

Everything must be based on the theme of the times and the macro situation at that time.

Trying to accomplish everything on your own?
You must be crazy.

So he replied clearly: "Our most important task now is to develop and grow, both in the economic field and in the cultural field.

I am not the first person who wants to light a torch. I do have some small achievements, but they only illuminate a small space around me. There are still thousands of torches dormant in the darkness. What they need is not an intense stimulation, but a continuous and patient call.

I probably can't do this kind of delicate work, you know, I don't have that kind of patience.

So I won’t do anything deliberately. I will first live my life well and realize my most urgent wishes one by one. When I have spare energy, I will do something and shine a little. When I am in a bad mood, I might chase after someone and curse at them.

I hope my fans will do the same, don’t do it deliberately, and don’t say it deliberately, just understand yourself first, and then make a grand narrative. "

"Wow! Your thoughts are always so clear and profound."

Sister Hong is never stingy in praising Fang Xinghe, but her praise is never forced and she always finds the right moment to compliment him.

After a pause, she turned to face the camera, fully understanding Fang Xinghe's thoughts and supporting him from the bottom of her heart, and made the final summary for Fang Xinghe.

“I particularly agree with Fang Xinghe’s idea, so I think book signing sessions like today’s should be held more often.

On the one hand, it will boost the local economy, promote the development of the literary and cultural industries, and stimulate the vitality of the book publishing market. On the other hand, it can also allow more contacts with fans, allowing them to feel Fang Xinghe's personal charm and become better versions of themselves.

There are still many things Fang Xinghe can do in the battlefield of writing. I sincerely hope that when I interview him next time, he will have become even more dazzling and brilliant.

In that case, it will be an encouragement to all sectors of society.

Indeed, he really doesn't have to do anything deliberately. As long as he stays in the public eye, he can warm the kind, dazzle the ugly, make the confused reflect on themselves, and expose the despicable.

This is a blessing of the times, and also the inheritance of the national spirit across the long river of time to the new generation. Let us wish Fang Xinghe all the best, and wish him to get better and better, and fly higher and higher! "

The interview with Jishi ended, but Fang Xinghe’s suffering had just begun.

The mall cleared out all the available space on the first floor and set up a signing stand a little further back. Then the mall security and staff worked hard to clear the way and finally formed a long queue.

Because there were so many people, the mall only allowed 2000 people in, and only allowed more than 500 people to queue, and the rest had to squeeze in the corners.

When the ratio of staff to fans reached about 1:5, the chaos on the scene was finally under effective control. Fang Xinghe then walked out of the lounge and went straight to the autograph table.

Along the way, whenever he passed by women, he would inevitably cause bursts of exclamations.

"Wow! Fang Fang, you're so handsome!"

"Galaxy, Galaxy!"

"Master, please look at me, please!"

There were all kinds of shouts, but overall they were not as imaginative and bold as those in later generations, but the volume was terrifying.

Fang Xinghe maintained a cold and distant attitude, and under the protection of his senior brothers, he strode forward, only nodding to the people around him occasionally. This kind of occasion was not the time to be gentle and enthusiastic.

When he got on the stage, before he even picked up the microphone, the audience exploded again.

There were all kinds of shouting, but it was all so chaotic that I couldn't make any sound. I could only see the crowd moving subconsciously, and then crashing into the isolation wall formed by the security guards.

About twelve or thirteen media outlets arrived at the scene and captured the entire scene in their cameras.

There were some malicious cameras that almost always kept a lock on the young children in school uniforms.

"Everyone, be quiet and keep order."

After Fang Xinghe took over the microphone, the first thing he said was "control the situation."

He didn't try to keep a straight face, but he didn't smile either, displaying a cold aura that was more in line with the public's perception of him. This disappointed fans who expected him to be enthusiastic, and also gave fans who thought he should be high and mighty an orgasm.

Next, he performed an operation that simultaneously cooled down the atmosphere at the scene and warmed up the hearts of the fans.

"I will pay for everything you damage today, so you can go shopping without any worries, but I cannot take responsibility for any friends who are hurt today, so I hope you can exercise restraint. In my expectation, Fang fans should be a very well-educated group. Will you let me down?"

His naturally cold gaze slowly swept around the audience, and what was lacking in expression on his face was made up for by his eyes.

"Won't!"

The voices that finally came together shouted out these two words with a momentum of war and iron cavalry.

The fans were still restless, but they no longer moved around randomly, and some people began to consciously maintain order.

"very good."

Fang Xinghe nodded slightly, his expression softening a little: "Then let's start the book signing."

Handing the microphone to Charlie Wang, he turned around and sat down behind the autograph desk, rolled up his sleeves, and waited with a pen in hand.

The first fan to come on stage was a strong gangster who staggered a little. He was holding a brand new copy of "Better Days" and even seemed top-heavy when he opened his mouth.

"Brother Fang! I really want to be your little brother! Brother Fang, I have always admired you! Brother Fang, is the Thirteen Eagles planning to develop peripheral organizations? I am very useful in Tiexi!"

In fact, each person only had 5 seconds, and Fang Xinghe was very familiar with the reserved space. He turned the page and signed in one go. But with just these 5 seconds, the little brother almost unified the Northeast underworld.

"Find something serious to do and do it well."

After signing, Fang Xinghe finally raised his head and stared at his younger brother when he returned the book.

"The best age for men to fight is before the age of 14, and the second best age is before the age of 18. After the age of 18, the benefits of fighting become lower and lower. Do you know why I don't fight? Because I am over 14 years old, and I have to find a way to bring my brothers to shore."

A basin of cold water was poured over him, and the gangster stood there in a daze, feeling a little ashamed and angry, but also a little thoughtful.

The next fan was a middle-aged lady with a bright red light shining on her body. After she opened her mouth, she became more excited than the previous one.

"Xiao Fang, I finally see you, Xiao Fang, poor child, you are so cute. I brought you a gift, not worth much, it's a LV belt, Donkey Kong Weiden, have you heard of it? It's a big brand in Europe, it suits your temperament very well..."

In 5 seconds, she almost wanted Fang Xinghe to recognize her as her godmother.

She didn't have any bad intentions, but the combination of a nouveau riche and a very outgoing Northeastern lady made her a little hard to handle.

"Thank you auntie."

Fang Xinghe did not argue at all, but just listened carefully. Finally, he nodded and gave Wang Charlie a look while waiting for the security to ask the aunt to leave the stage.

Wang Charlie understood, followed with the gift bag, stuffed it back to the aunt, then raised his finger in front of his lips and made a hushing sound, signaling her to stop making noise and not disturb everyone.

The aunt glared at Wang Charlie and walked away angrily.

After this scene, the fans in the front rows all realized that their idol really does not accept gifts.

Why not state it in advance?

Because even the statement cannot stop the enthusiasm of those wealthy fans, they will buy it anyway, and they always feel that they might be the exception.

At the same time, those poor student fans will also feel anxious because of their idols' public statements.

Everyone else has bought gifts, what should I do?
Although Master Fang explicitly said he would not accept it, what if he was just being polite?

Don't overestimate young people's ability to withstand pressure in this regard. Once gift-giving becomes a trend, it will definitely create huge anxiety among grassroots fans.

Although Fang Xinghe is always thinking about torturing his fans, he also looks down on those blood-sucking methods.

The so-called blood-squeezing is a large-scale control method implemented from top to bottom by the agency team, where stars actively hint at it, or passively but indifferently ignore it. It usually stimulates the passion of fans by creating anxiety, selling dreams, and provoking confrontations.

Those who have the purchasing power will spend money, and young fans who don’t have the purchasing power will collect data. In short, every last drop of blood from fans must be squeezed out.

Those who are the most greedy in the domestic entertainment industry all end up doing pretty badly.

And the pioneers of this behavior are something most people would not imagine - it is the army of little lions created by Sugar Man.

When Tang Ren first sent out his water army to build momentum for Ju Jie, he was just thinking of sucking Fei Xian's blood. Later, the water army took the real little lion with them and started the first organized data work and external network warfare. Until Ju Jie reached her peak after that, too many people made a fortune from it.

But the group of little lions, which was not very large to begin with, was exhausted both physically and mentally. They were already on the verge of their limit long before the official announcement of their relationship, so the collapse was no surprise.

Insiders know that behind all the extremely powerful fan groups in the entertainment industry, there must be a brokerage company guiding them.

With Ju Jie's status, the little lion is actually invincible among all the female stars on the Internet. However, her first solo work "Sad Fairy Tale" only had a box office of 1147 million. There should not be many people who really believe in the "80 little lion army".

Whether Ju Jie herself knew about this or not, Fang Xinghe's judgment is that she knew about it but did not participate, and ignored it and left it to the agency team to deal with. She is a person who is very reluctant to show her true attitude. Her personality is not indifferent, but dull.

When Fang Xinghe was a sea soldier, he actually liked this type of client because they had a lot of business and were generous in paying.

However, now that he has become a top star, he immediately began to reject similar methods.

It's so low to squeeze the fans' blood.

Using good works to let fans spend money on you appropriately is a normal business behavior to establish emotional ties and create deep connections.

By creating anxiety, they force out the last big guy in their pocket. That is called black-hearted and cold-blooded, and has crossed the vague dividing line between good and evil.

Fang Xinghe was unwilling, not interested, and impossible to do so. Even in dealing with this matter, he chose the most subtle and silent way.

This scene was captured in its entirety by some media outlets, creating another wonderful news angle.

The value of this book signing event continues to increase.

Of course, what followed was an increase in Fang Xinghe’s pain and fatigue.

What does it feel like to sign 1000 books in a row?
My hands don't even belong to me anymore.

What about signing 2000 copies?

My brain is no longer my own.

Finally, after repeated reminders from his agency team and mall management, he officially ended the signing at 1 o'clock.

In fact, not many books were sold. At most, a few thousand people came to the scene, and each person had 5 books, which was not much. However, the star value made Brother Fang earn a lot of money.

When the little girls and big sisters saw Fang Xinghe face to face, their fan level skyrocketed. In just this morning, they gained more than 200 new fans. Can you believe it?
After all the hard work, the results were not as great as a single offline appearance.

However, Fang Xinghe also noticed that the fans who gained breakthroughs because of their looks had a half-red and half-purple glow on their bodies, which was not stable or pure. It seemed that it would take some time for it to settle.

But that's enough.

Moreover, the biggest gain was obviously not the starlight and fans, but the unexpected appearance of the old hero Zhou.

After the Jishi team returned, they immediately started editing the film frantically.

The evening news reports a brief report, the special program reports the entire process, and finally a copy is submitted to the superiors.

The still hot topic of the culture war was suddenly fueled by a crucial spoonful of oil, not only rekindling it, but also intensifying it.

Under such circumstances, Fang Xinghe’s new book "Young Me" was temporarily drowned in the chaos and temporarily ignored by the world.

However, when the winds and clouds are rising and the dark fog covers the sky, it is also the best stage for heroes to appear.

************
It seems like I really can’t take it anymore. I might have to take a day off tomorrow - just a possibility.

(End of this chapter)