Prodigal System in the Flourishing City

Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Genius or Idiot [Please Favorite, Please Recommend]

As Liu Changlong was fuming and jumping with anger, and Han Meng’s fans felt embarrassed, an article titled ”The Wisdom of a Prodigal Son, Who Is Really the Prodigal Son?” exploded all over the internet.

The article detailed the events that had occurred today, deeply analyzed these seemingly coincidental events, and reached an astonishing conclusion—Lu Xiaobu was not some brainless spendthrift, but a genius!

Once the article was published, within just a few hours, it caught the widespread attention of the public and even that of seasoned economists and planning experts.

After a whirlwind emergency meeting to discuss...

Finally, a TV show called ”Genius or Idiot” was launched on the television entertainment channel, broadcast live.

Before the live broadcast, the TV station reported a shocking viewership rate of 3.26 percent, completely blowing the currently popular prime time TV drama ”Flowers Bloom” out of the water.

Host: ”I believe everyone is already aware of the bet about the new beverage between the prodigal son Lu Xiaobu and Liu Changlong, so I won’t go into details here.”

”Although the deadline set by both parties was three days, I believe everyone has already seen who the winner and loser are.”

”Moreover, I believe that most people, like me, think that Lu Xiaobu won purely by luck.”

”However, today someone suggested a different view, thinking all this was planned by Lu Xiaobu. But is it true or false?”

”We have invited a renowned expert in economic planning, a professor from Imperial University—Mr. Tao Aijun—to answer this for us.”

Professor Tao Aijun, with thinning hair and a scholarly demeanor: ”Hello everyone, I am Tao Aijun. Today I will explain to everyone the brilliant marketing plan crafted by Lu Xiaobu.”

Host: ”It seems that Professor Tao Aijun holds Lu Xiaobu in high regard, even using the term ’stroke of genius’?”

Tao Aijun: ”Because he deserves this term. Host, if you were launching a new product, how would you market it?”

Host: ”Although I’m unclear about the specifics, generally it involves hiring spokespeople, scaling up promotions, and creating a momentum.”

Tao Aijun: ”Correct, the agents of Wild Drinks, the Liu Family, did just that, even hiring the hottest idol right now—Han Meng, at a staggering endorsement fee of eighty million!”

Host: ”What?! That high? No wonder Han Meng promoted it so tirelessly, making such a huge impact.”

Tao Aijun: ”Yes, a huge impact. There were even talks that Wild Drinks would change the beverage market in Heavenly Dynasty, but!”

Host: ”But?”

Tao Aijun: ”But, Lu Xiaobu managed to rope Han Meng into his scheme for barely any cost at all.”

Host: ”Scheme? Interesting choice of words.”

Tao Aijun: ”Correct, a scheme. The Liu Family took the high road, spending money on endorsements and promotions.”

”But Lu Xiaobu managed to silence Han Meng with just his tongue, effectively tying Wild Drinks and Han Meng to his own cola.”

”Thus leading everyone to associate Wild Drinks inevitably with Han Meng, and thinking of Han Meng naturally leads to Lu Xiaobu and to cola. If this isn’t a scheme, what is?”

Host: ”So you’re saying, the Liu Family spent eighty million creating a huge buzz, only for Lu Xiaobu to easily hijack it?”

Tao Aijun: ”Exactly! This is the brilliance of the plan, the cruelest part—getting something for nothing! Therefore, this so-called bet, from the very beginning, the Liu Family was already in the hole by forty million, doomed to lose!”

Host: ”Analyzing it this way, Lu Xiaobu seems quite terrifying, even the great Liu Family and the nation’s sweetheart, just playthings in his palm?!”

Tao Aijun: ”And that’s not all, the simplest point, as far as I know, Lu Xiaobu did not have a beverage factory until today, meaning if he hadn’t acquired the current factory, his entire plan would be nothing.”

”But coincidentally, just as Wild Drinks hit the shelves, Lu Xiaobu acquired a factory, and the original owner of the factory was the Liu Family!”

Host: ”Shh! What? The Liu Family’s factory? So you’re saying, the Liu Family gave Lu Xiaobu the very props needed to beat them?”

Tao Aijun: ”Exactly! This is the most terrifying part, knowing that Wild Drinks were about to be launched, why would the Liu Family willingly give Lu Xiaobu a factory? Isn’t this aiding the enemy? Even I haven’t figured this one out.”

Host: ”No worries, we’ve got the phone number of Liu Changlong, the person responsible for Wild Drinks. Let’s connect him right now.”

As soon as the call connected, Liu Changlong’s roaring, filled with boundless anger, transmitted: ”Fuck your shitty show, who the hell said I lost? When did Lu Xiaobu ever play me like a fiddle? Fuck this, and you ask why I aid the enemy, I aid your grandmother...”

On the phone, Liu Changlong cursed while kicking the screen in front of him.

The screen shattered with a loud ”bang”!

He was furious. What the hell kind of show was this?

Ding—

The host hung up the phone: ”Ahem, it seems Mr. Liu is in a bad mood. We’ll ask him again later.

Tao Aijun: ”As a loser, it’s understandable to have a temper.”

Seeing this, Liu Changlong smashed another new TV: ”You’re the loser!”

The host continued: ”Let’s connect with Lu Xiaobu! As a winner, he should be able to explain the reason to us.”

Beep—

The call connected.

Host: ”Hello, this is Shimen Entertainment Channel, I am the host Li Bing. May I speak to Mr. Lu?”

On the other end, Lu Xiaobu answered the phone: ”Yes, it’s me. What’s up?”

Host: ”Great, our ’Genius or Idiot’ show is currently live, and as the winner of this drink contest, we hope you can share a few words and clarify some of our confusion.”

Lu Xiaobu: ”This is a live broadcast?”

Host: ”Yes.”

Lu Xiaobu: ”So, everyone watching TV can hear me speak, right?”

Host: ”Yes.”

Lu Xiaobu: ”Please turn my call volume to the maximum, I have something important to announce.”

The host looked at the director.

The director nodded.

Host: ”Mr. Lu, I have maximized your call volume now.”

”Oh.” Lu Xiaobu nodded, then suddenly yelled loudly: ”You idiots, naming your show ’Genius or Idiot?’, do you think I would answer your questions? Damned idiots! Bloody fools! Get lost!”

Ding—

The sound of hanging up came.

The entire live broadcast scene was dumbfounded, incredibly awkward.

Everyone following this live broadcast heard Lu Xiaobu’s cursing loud and clear.

The entire live broadcast turned into a giant joke.

What economists?

What university professors?

What live broadcast?

Interviewing Liu Changlong and getting cursed at, you call him a loser with a temper, that’s one thing.

But now interviewing the winner Lu Xiaobu, and still getting cursed at.