Chapter 153: Summer Poetry’s Brain-Dead Fans

After eating lunch, Cheng Yao had nowhere to go, so he drove off to find Qin Haoran and the others, and they ended up playing a game at a pickup basketball court.

"Chen Xingyan, you're on Cheng Yao's team, the rest of us are on this team. Cheerleaders, show some spirit! Don't just stand there silently..." Qin Haoran shouted at Lin Sujiao and the others.

Lin Sujiao looked at Cheng Yao and called out, "Cheng Yao, go! You can do it!"

Zhou Qing looked dejected. "We really came here just to be humiliated. Not only are the cheerleaders cheering for the other side, but this guy Cheng Yao is actually legit! You couldn't tell at all, but those muscles..."

"I'll guard him!"

On the court, Cheng Yao smiled. In casual pickup games, explosive speed and raw power often trump technical skill. Basketball like this is essentially a series of individual showcases. It doesn't matter if the teamwork isn't great, as long as you look cool.

Cheng Yao performed a step-back jumper, followed by an aggressive drive and a beautiful dunk. The rim rattled, and Lin Sujiao and her friends jumped up in excitement.

Wu Xinxin glanced at her friend and whispered, "Tell me, you don't have a thing for Cheng Yao, do you?"

"Me?" Lin Sujiao joked. "Don't overthink it. This is just about keeping the energy up, you know? Even if I did have a thing for him, he wouldn't for me. I’m perfectly clear on that."

"Hmm..." Wu Xinxin nodded gently. They were well aware of the gap between them and a wealthy second-generation kid like Cheng Yao, and they certainly weren't confident enough to compete on looks alone. Besides, it was obvious that Cheng Yao was closer with Chen Xingyan.

Half an hour later, Qin Haoran was drenched in sweat. "I'm done, I'm done. I'm exhausted. I should’ve just stayed in the shop playing games in the AC. Going online—you coming?"

"I'm heading back. You guys go ahead. I need a shower to relax."

"Alright, see you next time."

"Yeah."

Just as Cheng Yao stepped off the court, a middle-aged man walked up, raising his hand. "Excuse me, sorry to bother you."

"Hello, is there something you need?"

"My name is Chu Zhicheng, from the Basketball Association. Here is my business card. I saw you playing just now; you have great physical fitness. I am in charge of the regional basketball league. Would you be interested in becoming a pro?"

"Me?" Cheng Yao glanced at the man, took the card, and smiled. "I'll consider it."

With that, he opened his car door and drove off.

Professional basketball? He had no interest. If he did, he would have signed up for the school team long ago. It was fine as a casual hobby, but he had no intention of wasting his time taking it seriously. As soon as he parked, he tossed the business card into the trash.

Returning to the Banshan Yundi residence, Cheng Yao felt like he had been away for ages—it had been two weeks since he was last home. When he opened the door, he heard laughter from inside.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

"My brother is back, go open the door..."

"Oh."

The door opened, and Jiang Yuexi looked at Cheng Yao, feeling a bit shy. Not knowing what to say, she turned her head toward Cheng Cheng.

Cheng Cheng put down her mouse and took off her headset. "Brother, you're back."

"Playing games?"

"Yeah."

"You guys keep playing. I'm going to take a shower and then head out..."

Cheng Cheng nodded. "Jiang Yuexi has been staying at our place lately; her parents are fighting."

"Whatever. This is next month's living expenses. I'll leave them here."

"Okay."

Cheng Yao took a thousand yuan from his wallet and placed it on the table. The house was fully stocked; there was no need to give them too much, as it might just foster bad habits. As for her grades, Cheng Cheng knew what she was doing. Cheng Yao didn't demand that she become some high-achiever or a powerhouse career woman; a peaceful, ordinary life was perfectly fine.

After a shower, Cheng Yao left the house. Having Jiang Yuexi around to keep Cheng Cheng company was good; at least she wouldn't be lonely.

The McLaren was still parked in its spot, untouched for a while. Cheng Yao decided to find time to have Lu Mengyao help him drive it to the garage at the Gaoke Ziweitang estate. Although the garage wasn't huge, it could easily hold four or five cars.

Ten minutes later, he was back at Gaoke Ziweitang. After parking, he grabbed a drink and headed straight for the computer room, unusually skipping his usual rounds at school.

Lu Mengyao and Lin Keting had just finished their afternoon nap and were in the living room chatting, eating fruit, and waiting for takeout. It was the middle of the day, and neither wanted to go out.

"Cheng Yao, you know how to cook, why don't you make something?"

"Me? Cook?" Cheng Yao didn't even turn his head. "Then what use are you two?"

"..."

Lin Keting was left speechless, feeling too aggrieved to reply. Lu Mengyao cast a smiling glance at her—*you've got guts, actually thinking you're Cheng Yao's girlfriend.*

Time passed quickly, and the afternoon vanished. Just as they were about to have dinner, Fang Liang called to say the final production version of the electric toothbrush was ready and asked him to come by when he had a chance.

"You guys go ahead and eat, I have something to take care of."

"Alright, go ahead."

After leaving the plaza, Cheng Yao drove straight to Jiangning. Once at the factory, Fang Liang and the other researchers were testing the toothbrush's performance—vibration frequency, cleaning efficiency, and ensuring it wouldn't damage teeth or gums.

"How is it?"

Seeing Cheng Yao walk in, Fang Liang smiled. "The results are excellent. We bought some from the market to compare, and our cleaning effect is significantly better. The cleaning intensity is great, too. After it passes the official inspection, we can start sales... though we still need to run further tests on battery life and endurance."

Looking at the new smart toothbrush, Cheng Yao felt as though he was seeing the first step of his ambitions taking shape. For the rest of the evening, he spent time at the factory learning more about the data and the mechanics behind the device for the upcoming television program. Fang Liang was quite impressed by his boss's dedication. In truth, the team was quite interested in the smart code he had provided.

"Good work."

"You flatter us." Fang Liang was too embarrassed to take the credit. "With the smart data and code you provided, anyone could have copied it. We were essentially just laborers. Perhaps we should develop some of our own products—using this code to extend functionality into other household items..."

"Go ahead and try to develop whatever you like. The funding is sufficient."

"Understood."

After all, Shengxia Technology couldn't just have one toothbrush. If they could develop more, Cheng Yao would be more than happy.

The toothbrush could be sent for official testing tomorrow. The connections had already been made, and with the support they had, they wouldn't hit any red tape as long as the product itself was sound. The sonic cleaning power was definitely superior to a standard brush. As for whether it could completely replace the market, Cheng Yao didn't think that was likely; the price point was several hundred yuan, which the average worker might be reluctant to spend. It would depend on the market reception.

"Find some testers. Since it's harmless to the human body and won't damage teeth, let's see how the whitening effect holds up..."

"Indeed."

Cheng Yao stayed at the factory until ten that night before leaving, while Fang Liang and his team continued their passionate overtime work. Back at the villa, Cheng Yao spent the rest of the night having fun with Lu Mengyao and Lin Keting. The villa’s soundproofing and surrounding greenery ensured that no matter how much noise was made, the neighbors wouldn't be disturbed—not that it mattered, since he had bought the properties on both sides. Unlike at the Banshan Yundi residence, where he had to be more restrained, here, he could truly show what he was capable of.

...

Time flew by, and Monday arrived, bringing classes with it. Production of the first generation of Shengxia Technology’s smart toothbrushes had become a daily routine, and the factory assembly lines were fully operational. A small-scale supply chain had formed, which they could expand gradually. A new factory building was already under construction; with the current speed of construction, a building could take shape in three or four days and be operational in a week or two.

Hiring for all departments was mostly finished. With the help of headhunters and the job market, the factory scale was set. If they got busier later, they would just recruit more. Cheng Yao didn't bother checking on these trivial details; he only cared about the results.

However, Cheng Yao received a call from Zheng Yuechan ahead of schedule.

"If we take the bus, it'll take about two hours. Come pick us up at the South Station. Do you have a place for us to stay?"

"I do. Don't worry about that."

Hanging up, Cheng Yao sent a message to his academic advisor after class and just walked out. Checking the time, he went back to Gaoke Ziweitang, got into his Mercedes E-Class, and headed straight for the South Station. *Maybe I should get an Alphard,* he thought.

About half an hour later, he parked at the South Station entrance to wait. To his surprise, there were fans holding signs waiting there. Cheng Yao could clearly see the name "Xia Shiqi" on a sign, followed by a heart.

"What is with these celebrities? It disrupts traffic and makes the station so crowded."

"Didn't Xia Shiqi just come last month? Supposedly for a clothing endorsement..."

"Look at these mindless fans, it's ridiculous."

Cheng Yao parked, turned off the engine, and played on his phone while wearing sunglasses. He didn't forget to record a video for his social media and sent his location to Xia Shiqi. He wouldn't have normally bothered to pick them up, but since Xia Shiqi and Zheng Yuechan arrived early, he had no choice.

*Oh well,* he thought, *at least there's a place to stay.* The villa he had bought for Lin Keting was already cleaned and ready for move-in, and he had bought quite a few things for it over the last couple of days.

After waiting for about ten minutes, airport security managed the crowd, and two graceful figures emerged. The manager, Zheng Yuechan, carried a sense of elegance and dignity, and with her stunning figure, she completely overshadowed Xia Shiqi in the camera's eye. Xia Shiqi, wearing sunglasses and a hat, waved at the fans—she was used to this.

"Everyone, please help maintain order. Don't crowd, thank you..."

Without incident, the two pushed through the crowd. Cheng Yao opened the car door and waved, and Zheng Yuechan led Xia Shiqi into the car. She let out a sigh of relief. "The fans are as enthusiastic as ever. But that's a good thing; it would be pathetic if no one cared."

"True."

Xia Shiqi understood that well. Being ignored was truly pathetic—it meant your career was over and it was time to be buried.

Cheng Yao teased, "I thought you guys bought the fans. Don't some celebrities hire people to do this sort of thing?"