A strong youth makes a strong country, and I am that youth.

A reporter asked, "Mr. Cao, how do you feel about Let the Bullets Fly breaking the 700 million mark at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing domestic film?"

"Huh?"

Cao Cheng froze for a moment. "700 million? I didn’t know that. I haven’t been paying attention—everyone knows how busy I am."

"..."

"..."

Are you sure you’re not just flexing?

The surrounding reporters rolled their eyes in unison.

But no one dared to argue.

After all, he was the youngest self-made billionaire—not just wealthy, but also wildly famous.

In China, unless you lived under a rock or in some remote village, anyone in first- or second-tier cities knew who Cao Cheng was.

And he was ridiculously down-to-earth.

A nosy female reporter chimed in, "Mr. Cao, regarding your bet with Director Pao—will you settle it after the film’s run, or can you do it now? Since he’s already lost, do you have any words for him?"

The other reporters snickered, clearly here for the drama.

Cao Cheng raised an eyebrow, eyeing the bespectacled woman before deflecting. "I don’t have much to say to him, but I am curious about you."

"Me?" The reporter blinked.

Cao Cheng feigned seriousness. "You’re a grown woman—what exactly are you hoping for? I can see the eager anticipation in your eyes."

"HAHAHA—" The older reporters burst out laughing.

The young woman flushed, protesting, "I wasn’t!"

"Oh, you were," Cao Cheng teased. "But what puzzles me isn’t your excitement—curiosity’s natural, I get it. What does confuse me is why you’re so invested in Director Pao losing. If I had lost, sure, I’d understand the hype. But him? Have you never seen anything better?"

"HAHAHA—"

"PFFT!"

The crowd erupted again.

The reporter huffed, "I wasn’t! You’re making things up!"

After the laughter died down, Cao Cheng eased off—no need to overdo it and come off as obnoxious.

Shifting gears, he turned serious. "The 700 million box office was within my expectations. This isn’t just a win for Let the Bullets Fly—it’s a win for everyone in entertainment. Our industry isn’t easy..."

"But I believe that as our nation grows more prosperous and influential, our cultural soft power will gain even more recognition."

"Whether it’s films, TV shows, music, variety programs, or even animation—the achievements ahead will only get bigger. That’s the goal every dream-driven entertainer is working toward."

"I’m convinced that 700 million is just the starting point for domestic cinema."

"And Let the Bullets Fly will be a milestone in the rise of Chinese film."

"In the future, I’ll invest more time and capital into producing more great movies, series, variety shows, and beyond..."

"Also—"

"Since the mood’s right, I’ll say this: Lunar New Year’s around the corner, and Let the Bullets Fly is still in theaters. On New Year’s Day, I’m treating the whole country to a movie."

"I’ll work with the relevant parties to finalize the details."

"Anyone who watches Let the Bullets Fly will get 50% of their ticket reimbursed by me—plus a free bucket of popcorn."

"Stay tuned!"

The reporters gasped, then couldn’t help but applaud Cao Cheng’s generosity.

As Cao Cheng left the press and headed into the studio for rehearsals, the news of his announcement spread like wildfire.

The phrase "On Lunar New Year's Day, I'm treating the entire nation to a movie!" showcased Cao Cheng's generosity.

However,

there’s no shortage of envious haters anywhere.

So comments like "Didn’t he say he’d treat everyone? Why only half?" were plentiful.

At the same time, they provided an ample supply of emotional energy.

Cao Cheng struck gold again.

Positive and negative emotions were split 50-50!

That night,

Cao Cheng reached out to companies he had invested in, such as Wahaha Group, DJI, and Tencent, urging them to join the initiative.

He also coordinated with major theater chains and online ticketing platforms.

Anyone who bought a ticket for the movie "Bullet" on Lunar New Year’s Day would get 90% reimbursed—covered entirely by these companies.

Cao Cheng simply lent his name to the campaign,

helping these companies advertise.

Publicly, 50% of the credit went to him as a promotional fee.

Two days flew by.

Cao Cheng’s Weibo post

outlined the discount policy in detail,

followed by a list of the participating companies.

Promotions ran across major TV networks and websites.

"Brother-in-law is the GOAT."

"90% reimbursement… plus free popcorn! That’s basically a free ticket."

"Why not cover the full 100%? Is the richest man really pinching pennies over that last 10%?"

"Get the hell outta here. Is he your dad? Does he owe you something?"

"Don’t feed the trolls."

Cao Cheng hadn’t been idle these past few years.

Though many still envied his lavish lifestyle,

when push came to shove, most people stood by his side.

The previously sluggish box office began surging to new heights, breaking records left and right…

……

"Moonlight in the Dream"

The melody grew softer, gentler.

Cao Cheng rested his chin on one hand, quietly watching the girl in the white dress on stage.

She played with utmost focus.

Cao Cheng listened just as intently.

The rehearsal venue was chaotic, yet at this moment, an unusual silence fell—as if the music had transported everyone into a surreal space.

The lighting wasn’t ideal, but it felt as though a single spotlight illuminated the girl in white, making her the sole protagonist of that space.

As her fingers danced nimbly across the keys, the beautiful notes flowed like a babbling brook, soothing every heart.

This piece…

was breathtaking!

It seemed to narrate a young girl’s innermost thoughts.

Even those who knew nothing about the piano could sense the profound story woven into the music.

Yet,

there was no sorrow.

No one detected any sadness.

Naturally, they didn’t realize this was the girl’s expression of love.

Some in the audience closed their eyes, others leaned back slightly, and a few couldn’t help but smile.

This was the mastery of a piano virtuoso.

Many were puzzled—they’d heard rehearsals before, but it had never felt like this.

Had Goddess Lin Ling improved again?

Perhaps only a handful could guess: it was because Cao Cheng had arrived.

Ever since his presence graced the rehearsals, Lin Ling performed at 100% of her virtuoso potential every time,

radiating an aura

that effortlessly drew listeners in.

Pure magic.

Until…

the music faded unnoticed, jolting some awake.

Clap clap clap—

Applause started sporadically, then erupted into thunderous cheers.

Lin Ling, ever gracious,

didn’t dismiss the admiration and goodwill around her. As if this were the actual performance, she stood and gave a slight bow.

Then she hurried to the side.

"Brother, did you like it?"

"Incredible!"

"Really?"

"That must be true. If Grandma heard it live, she’d probably burst into tears," Cao Cheng exaggerated.

Lin Ling giggled. "It’s not that dramatic."

Just then, the head director arrived, clapping enthusiastically. "Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!"

"Thank you, Director," Lin Ling replied politely.

The director continued, "With each rehearsal, the performance keeps improving. Next time, let’s bring in the backup dancers for a full run-through. If everything goes smoothly, we’ll be all set."

Cao Cheng nodded. "We appreciate your hard work, Director."

"My pleasure!"

After a brief exchange, Cao Cheng pulled Lin Ling aside to sit and watch the other groups rehearse while taking a short break.

He twisted open a bottle cap and handed it to her. "By the way, if you come across any talented backup dancers, keep an eye out for me."

Lin Ling looked puzzled but nodded. "Sure, Brother. What are you planning?"

"The corporate campus will be ready soon, and I’m thinking of setting up… well, establishing a professional dance troupe, exclusively for the company."

"..."

Lin Ling didn’t catch the joke and took it seriously.

"Sounds great, Brother. I want to join too."

"Uh—"

Cao Cheng was tempted but shook his head. "You’re the ‘Piano Goddess.’ Wouldn’t joining a dance troupe be a bit…? Besides, you don’t even dance."

"I do, actually."

"Since when?"

"I learned a bit as a child. Grandma taught me all kinds of arts—not just singing and dancing, or even just piano. I can play other instruments too, though not as well as piano."

Leaning closer, Lin Ling whispered, "Especially after that thing you gave me last time. Ever since, I feel like all my skills have improved, and I learn things super fast now."

"Whoa—"

Cao Cheng sucked in a sharp breath. This was unbelievable.

"Then forget the dance troupe. Just perform for me privately sometime."

Lin Ling giggled. "Deal~"

As they chatted and laughed, clips from the rehearsal began circulating online—courtesy of some observant attendees.

No malicious edits, just official highlights.

One clip showed Cao Cheng twisting open a bottle for Lin Ling, looking every bit the doting big brother.

That was enough to spark discussion.

The gala was about the overall production, not spotlighting any single person—just a few extra seconds of screen time at most.

Once the clips spread, envy flooded the comments.

"I wish I had a billionaire brother who’d twist open bottles for me."

"And I wish I had a prodigy pianist for a sister."

"Another day, another reason to envy Cao Cheng."

"Cao’s off in the capital spoiling his little sister while leaving his four older sisters at home… Typical youngest-child favoritism."

That last comment was pure gossip.

Cao Cheng’s phone soon blew up with texts from his fourth sister.

He ignored them, so she switched to calls.

Still no response.

Finally, she called Lin Ling’s phone instead.

Apologetically, Lin Ling handed her phone to Cao Cheng.

"Hello?"

"Cao Cheng, you—"

He held the phone away as an angry tirade erupted.

After a full minute, once the storm seemed to pass, he brought the phone back to his ear.

"Look, I’m swamped in the capital. Still have meetings with officials later—key discussions on emerging industries and strategic planning. They need me here."

"What emerging industry?" Old Four pressed.

"With your IQ, it's really hard to explain it clearly to you."

"Cao Cheng!!" Old Four roared.

"What I mean is, you didn’t study materials or technology, so I can’t break down the technical jargon for you. Just remember this—when the youth are strong, the nation is strong, and I am that youth!"

"..."