2012 is the end of the world

After leaving, Young Master Cao also began to reflect.

This father-in-law of his...

Always speaks in such roundabout ways.

Why not just say it outright—tell Young Master Cao to invest in semiconductors, technology, cars, phones, computers, chips... and be done with it?

Pour money into R&D!

To put it bluntly, he just looks down on cosmetics, luxury goods, and the entertainment industry like filmmaking!

Single-minded focus~

And he doesn’t even care for the paltry profits from finance.

Well, it’s understandable.

Their positions are different, so their perspectives vary.

But,

Young Master Cao won’t blindly follow his father-in-law’s advice—after all, he’s a cheat with his own plans.

R&D is necessary.

But for now, soft power takes priority.

To put it simply:

When a household has smart fridges, smart washing machines, smart robot vacuums, smart home control systems, and even lights, curtains, and beds that can be remotely controlled...

What else does this home need?

It needs the soft power of culture.

Otherwise, you’d be lying at home, enjoying the convenience of high-tech, only to find no exciting movies, no memorable TV shows, no uplifting music—then you’d realize how miserable that feels.

The future in his dreams is the same.

Everything in this home is advancing rapidly, with many industries leaping to first place, and the rest catching up.

But looking back, they’d realize culture hasn’t kept pace.

That’s also why, over a decade later, when that game about the monkey was released, so many people were exhilarated.

There’s just too much tied up in this.

It’s not like there’s no groundwork being laid now.

At this point, no one could imagine that a domestic film would one day gross five, six, or even seven billion...

People just don’t have that ambition yet.

But Young Master Cao is different. Knowing a bit of the future, he’s determined to develop everything comprehensively.

Truth be told,

His father-in-law’s concerns are more big-picture, overlooking many details.

Young Master Cao will fill in those gaps.

Starting with cosmetics.

Actually, he’s already laid the groundwork.

......

Also,

It’s not like he’s ignoring hard technology.

On one hand, he’s already been investing in it.

On the other, even without Young Master Cao, hard tech would still take off—it’d just take a few more years.

Plus, the treasure chests haven’t yielded much tech—the only one so far is drones!

This has left Young Master Cao a bit exasperated.

Damn it.

Weren’t the treasure chests supposed to be "all-encompassing"?

Not asking for a lithography machine, but at least some decent industrial machinery or future car production lines... cough.

Sigh!

Guess he’ll just have to keep drawing.

Feels like this is even more troublesome than the elixir of immortality.

Rather than waiting for tech from treasure chests, he might as well take advantage of the European debt crisis to snag some tech from Europe.

There’s a real chance to acquire industrial machinery and even unlock lithography tech.

But he can’t rush it.

Stealth is key—no loud noises.

......

Before leaving the capital, Young Master Cao also dropped by Little Hanyun’s school.

After all, she’s his artist.

Since he was in the capital, he might as well swing by, make his presence known, and pamper this future little goldmine.

She’s learned a lot, and her demeanor has transformed completely compared to a year ago.

More confident.

And slimmer.

Though a bit more affected too.

When she saw Young Master Cao, she called him "Brother," then clutched her clothes, lowered her head, and put on an unbearably shy act.

Damn.

You came here to learn acting, and now you’re using it on me?

Well played—that shy, lovestruck act is spot-on.

Later, he took her out for a meal, asked about her life and studies, and told her not to rush into the industry—keep learning, master the basics.

The girl was moved to tears again.

......

The next day.

Returning to Zhonghai from the capital.

Some bastard leaked Young Master Cao’s itinerary, and he ended up getting ambushed by reporters at the airport.

For the first time, he experienced the treatment of a pop idol.

Surrounded on all sides... way too popular.

For a moment, he even considered becoming a celebrity—getting mobbed by girls screaming "hubby" every day.

"Alright, alright."

"Step aside, don’t block other passengers."

"I know you all want autographs, but let’s not inconvenience others, okay?" Cao Cheng shamelessly declared.

Meanwhile, he was still wondering:

Who the hell leaked his schedule?

This is dangerous.

What if hostile forces got wind of his movements in advance? Well... they still couldn’t kill him.

Never mind then.

......

Oh.

Young Master Cao remembered—he leaked it himself.

On the plane, the first-class flight attendant was way too enthusiastic, even pulling out a brand-new iPhone for a pre-takeoff selfie. She’d asked if she could post it, and he’d said sure—it’s not like he’s a celebrity.

And then...

This happened.

With the crowd shuffling to one side of the terminal, security stepped in to help maintain order.

Even some officers showed up.

After all, Young Master Cao isn’t a star—he’s a tycoon.

Any incident would be a headache.

"Alright, a few quick questions, then everyone disperses. You first." Cao Cheng randomly pointed at one reporter.

A bespectacled, round-faced, bearded journalist.

He asked, "Young Master Cao, I’m from XX Entertainment News..."

"My question is—what’s your relationship with Ms. Lin Ling? Are you two really dating, as rumors suggest?"

As soon as he finished,

A male voice from the crowd suddenly shouted, "Cao, how many goddesses are you hiding from us?!"

"......"

Dead silence.

Then uproarious laughter.

This meme had already spread—most people here knew it.

Cao Cheng chuckled too, yelling back over the crowd, "None of your damn business."

"HAHAHA—"

His down-to-earth response didn’t offend anyone—it just made the whole scene more lively.

A billionaire trading barbs with a regular guy? Now that’s entertainment.

Once the laughter died down,

Young Master Cao answered seriously, "Not sure if you’ve seen my interview with CCTV, hosted by Beining."

"He asked why I entered the entertainment industry. I said it’s because my grandmother was an old-school artist in this circle—a musician. My sister and my younger sister both studied music..."

"You know who ‘Lao Si’ is, right?" Cao Cheng asked.

"YES!" A chorus of male voices roared back.

"Lao Si is my sister, and the ‘younger sister’ I mentioned is Ling Ling~~~"

"OHH—"

A wave of realization.

The reporter pressed, "Just how many sisters do you have?"

"Not your concern. Next question."

"......"

A female reporter was picked next. "About the cosmetics issue—first, I’m asking as a consumer, not a journalist. Young Master Cao, why can’t Miracle produce more?"

"Even though everyone knows the raw materials are being hoarded, causing shortages and forcing us to limit supply... is there really no other way?"

"O'Lai isn't imposing any limits."

That comment hit a nerve.

Cao Cheng gritted his teeth. "You don’t need to ask—I’ll settle this myself. O'Lai is finished."

Many assumed this was just empty bravado.

Someone shouted, "O'Lai even sponsored 'The Voice.' Didn’t you two make up?"

"Make up? Bullshit. I’ve got my own plans. Just wait and see."

"Pfft, talk is cheap. You’re just scared."

"Who said that? Step forward, you little—I see you!" Young Master Cao pretended to be furious.

The crowd erupted in noise.

Finally, Cao Cheng turned serious. "Everyone, rest assured. I’ll make this promise today: next year, Miracle Cosmetics will secure more raw materials, expand our product line, and slash prices."

"I won’t claim everyone can afford the most luxurious items, but our basic sets? Even if you’re working as a waiter, I’ll make sure they’re within your reach—no financial burden."

"That’s my pledge. If I fail by next year, feel free to drag me online…"

Young Master Cao scanned the crowd with a smug look. "Assuming you can out-roast me, that is."

"..."

The shamelessness was unreal.

The audience could only laugh wryly.

Still,

this interview only boosted Young Master Cao’s fame.

Being down-to-earth always wins people over.

Especially now, when most 'tycoons' hadn’t even started crafting their public personas.

The real golden age of eccentric billionaire quotes was yet to come!

Take, for instance:

"I don’t even know if my wife is pretty" – Liu Qiangdong.

"I didn’t know my dad was rich" – Wang Sicong.

"Peking University? Eh, it’s alright" – Sa Beining.

"A small target—just earn a billion first" – Wang Jianlin.

"Just an ordinary family" – Ma Huateng.

"My biggest regret? Founding Alibaba" – Jack Ma.

Compared to these legendary humblebrags, even Young Master Cao felt secondhand embarrassment.

...

"President Wang! President Wang!!"

"Wow, hubby~~~"

"Hello, everyone, hello."

The man at the airport wasn’t just anyone—it was Wang Haodong.

This guy’s nose for publicity had grown sharper lately.

Young Master Cao hadn’t invited him.

No heads-up, either.

He’d probably seen the news, figured out Cao’s flight time, smelled the opportunity for clout, and dropped everything to rush to the airport.

Classic Wang.

His instincts were uncanny.

Maybe diving into the entertainment industry had rewired him—now he chased headlines like a paparazzo.

Wang Haodong stepped out of the car, waved theatrically, then pulled Young Master Cao into a staged bro-hug.

Cao Cheng was speechless.

What kind of monster had he created?

The guy had more social savvy than before.

Unacceptable.

Couldn’t let him hog the spotlight like this. Time to toss him into some influencer scandals—tarnish that reputation a bit.

...

After farewells, the two boarded a business van.

The butler greeted them respectfully. "Fifth Young Master."

Cao Cheng nodded, then cut to the chase. "How’s that Balala Entertainment Company of yours?"

Wang Haodong’s eyes lit up. "Followed your advice—hired a top trainer from Korea, paid a fortune. Even copied their idol training system."

"We’re focusing on girl groups now. Mostly teens, drilling them in singing and dancing."

"Honestly? Give them a year or two, and they’ll be ready to debut."

Cao Cheng nodded.

Timing checked out.

"Remember," he said gravely, "you must debut a group by 2012—trio, quintet, even nine members. But it has to happen. Know why?"

Wang Haodong matched his solemn tone, pondering deeply.

Then, triumphantly: "I get it. Because December 2012 is the apocalypse? Gotta debut before the world ends."

"..." Cao Cheng stared, dumbfounded.

"..." The butler facepalmed.

Young Master.

Never change.

Wang Haodong beamed, chest puffed out, as if he’d cracked the universe’s greatest mystery.