At the graduation party, Gao Fei’s latest hidden identity was revealed, pushing the entire event to its peak.
As the entire school faculty and student body joined in a chorus of "Classmate," the party came to a successful close.
That night, Fengyun City No. 1 Middle School, Gao Fei, and Classmate all became trending topics, appearing on major websites’ hot searches.
Initially, some netizens who hadn't watched the live broadcast of the party were confused.
Why was Gao Fei trending again?
And why was even his school trending?
With their curiosity piqued, many netizens clicked on the hot searches to find the truth.
When they saw Gao Fei standing on the party stage, announcing to the entire school faculty, students, and netizens that he was the mysterious singer and original creator of the popular online song "Classmate."
At that moment, the netizens who were seeking the truth were stirred.
"Being the top scorer in liberal arts is one thing, but being the original creator and singer of 'Classmate'? This is ridiculous!"
"I agree with the netizens from the north. He can study and fight, and he can sing and compose. Why don't they say he's omnipotent and invincible!"
"Gao Fei is a bit pretentious. If the original singer saw this, wouldn't he sue him!"
The hot search videos were divided into two clips.
The first videos netizens saw were of Gao Fei proving he was the original creator of "Classmate."
Therefore, the comment section below was filled with suspicion and criticism from netizens across the country.
However, when the second clip appeared, and as Gao Fei slowly sang the opening lyrics of "Classmate."
Netizens watching couldn't help but widen their eyes, their expressions filled with disbelief.
"I study art, and I can confirm that Gao Fei is indeed the original creator of 'Classmate.' Both his vocal tone and singing style are exactly the same as the mysterious singer in the previous videos!"
"Why is it that Gao Fei excels in academics, is skilled in martial arts, and even in art, he can create 'Classmate' which resonates with us? Why?"
"I'm done. As one of the keyboard warriors back then, I'm truly impressed. Boss Gao, I'm impressed. I apologize for all the times I criticized you before. I'm sorry!"
"I declare to everyone, Gao Fei is the strongest high school student in the past decade, no doubt about it, absolutely the number one!"
In the previous videos, netizens who hadn't watched the live broadcast were full of disbelief, with comments ranging from suspicion to ridicule.
But when the singing video came out, many netizens were convinced.
The comment section of the video was completely conquered.
Netizens who hadn't criticized Gao Fei were all full of praise and admiration.
Those who had criticized him before were all issuing apologies.
Approximately two-thirds of the online anti-fans and trolls had switched from hate to fandom, completely won over.
...
After the party ended, the faculty and students at the venue also dispersed.
The graduating students went onto the stage to take photos as souvenirs.
As the protagonist of the evening, Gao Fei had been taking photos with other students since the party ended.
Some were school leaders and teachers, some were graduating students, and some were junior and sophomore female students.
Except for the teachers and leaders, most of the people he took photos with were girls, which made Hu Xu, who was taking pictures, quite jealous.
After the group photos, the junior and sophomore faculty and students also began to leave, with some going home and others returning to their dormitories.
The graduating class of senior high school had completely bid farewell to high school after this party.
Some went to internet cafes to play games all night, some went to KTV to party and sing, and some, with the encouragement of their friends, confessed their feelings to their crushes...
Gao Fei's high school life officially came to an end after the party.
...
The next day.
Because of the song "Classmate," Gao Fei once again exploded online, his fame reaching that of a celebrity.
With the boost in fame and traffic, his Yuanfei Barbecue stall, upon reopening, saw an unprecedented surge in business.
They started operating at eight in the evening and sold out completely by midnight.
The daily revenue remained around ten thousand yuan, with a net profit of eight to nine thousand after deducting all expenses.
This time, the merchants at the night market city were no longer jealous of Gao Fei.
Because he not only cleared out the tumor that had plagued the night market city but also brought tremendous traffic to it.
Although their businesses couldn't compare to Gao Fei's, their daily income had multiplied several times over compared to before.
Now, if anyone dared to cause trouble for Gao Fei in the night market city, it would likely provoke an uproar from the merchants.
Having experienced the benefits of traffic again, Gao Fei also considered increasing the ingredients to further boost his income.
However, after a full week, he had to abandon the idea.
The main reason was that there were too many customers, and he couldn't manage alone, unless he had eight hands.
Moreover, his mother, Yang Lan, had already quit her factory job and started helping at the stall.
After all, with a net profit of eight to nine thousand per night, the monthly income would be at least twenty thousand.
His son's monthly income was more than ten times her annual salary from the factory.
In addition, Hu Xu had withdrawn his shares from the barbecue stall and reclaimed the ten thousand yuan he had lent out.
Seeing Gao Fei's business thriving, Hu Xu felt embarrassed to continue profiting from his brother.
He had only invested ten thousand yuan but held a 30% stake, earning sixty thousand yuan in return each month.
Gao Fei tried to persuade him to stay when he withdrew his shares, as without Hu Xu, his stall would likely not have gotten off the ground yet.
However, Hu Xu insisted on withdrawing his shares, so in the end, Gao Fei could only give him an extra month's dividend.
Mid-August.
As the date to enter university approached,
Gao Fei's life as a vendor at the night market city was drawing to a close.
But before he left for college, he had one more thing to do.
That was to monetize the Yuanfei Barbecue brand.
Gao Fei knew in his heart that the booming business was due to his online fame attracting customers, coupled with the unique deliciousness that made the business flourish.
But with his departure, the revenue from the barbecue stall would likely be halved.
Moreover, his mother was not skilled in business. If he were not there, it would be difficult for his mother to manage alone.
There was also the possibility that someone might take advantage of his absence to trick his mother out of the exclusive recipe for the barbecue seasoning.
The popularity of Yuanfei Barbecue was partly due to the exclusive recipe he obtained from the simulator.
Therefore, his current plan was to not only safeguard the exclusive barbecue seasoning recipe before university started but also to make a significant profit from Yuanfei Barbecue.
With a plan in mind, Gao Fei contacted the lawyer, Zeng Keming, who had handled his online defamation case, that very day!
Pengming Law Firm.
"Senior Zeng!"
"Long time no see, junior brother!"
Zeng Keming, dressed in a suit and with his hair slicked back, entered the meeting room. Before sitting down, he said with a smile, "Xiao Fei, regarding your online defamation case, the public trial will be at the end of the month.
What are your expectations for compensation?"
Hearing about the online defamation case, Gao Fei finally remembered the large online accounts that had been constantly slandering him.
If Zeng Keming hadn't mentioned it, he would have almost forgotten about it.
However, Gao Fei was not concerned about the compensation from the lawsuit at the moment; his primary focus was on monetizing Yuanfei Barbecue.
"Senior, I'm not here for the online defamation case today!"
"Not here for the online defamation case compensation?"
Gao Fei nodded and didn't immediately reveal his purpose, instead choosing to create some suspense: "Senior, you know about Yuanfei Barbecue, right?"
"I do. It's the one you opened. And I've eaten there. Its taste is unparalleled in the entire Fengyun City!"
Zeng Keming spoke without reservation.
Not only had he eaten there and praised it repeatedly, but even his colleagues at the law firm patronized it after work.
Now that Gao Fei mentioned Yuanfei Barbecue, Zeng Keming's eyes narrowed: "Are you here to tell me someone is slandering Yuanfei Barbecue and smearing your name, so you want to sue them?"
"No, no, no. With my current fame, who would dare to smear me!"
"Then why?"
Gao Fei coughed lightly and finally got to the point: "Senior, I'm here today for two things.
First, I want to turn Yuanfei Barbecue into a franchise, meaning a chain store."
Hearing that he wanted to make Yuanfei Barbecue a chain store, Zeng Keming was somewhat shocked.
Yuanfei Barbecue's reputation in the city could currently rank first.
Besides Gao Fei's fame and traffic, its taste was also top-notch.
If it continued to operate, it would undoubtedly be highly profitable.
But now Gao Fei wanted to franchise and turn it into a chain store, which would undoubtedly dilute the customer base and reduce revenue.
Zeng Keming was a bit puzzled. Had this junior brother's brain malfunctioned, wanting to scatter a large amount of money he held in his hands?
Noticing Lawyer Zeng's gaze, Gao Fei guessed what the senior was thinking.
He played with his teacup and smiled, "Senior, don't forget, university starts next month, and I'm just a high school graduate!"
This reminder jolted Zeng Keming back to reality. That's right, his junior brother had just graduated from high school!
Then he was a bit stunned. Could the idea of franchising a chain store be conceived by a high school graduate?
Seeing his surprised expression, Gao Fei continued, "The teachers from Peking University promised me conditions like guaranteed postgraduate admission and doctoral studies. Therefore, I cannot give up my academic pursuits at Peking University for the petty profits of a barbecue stall.
Senior, don't you agree!"
Guaranteed postgraduate and doctoral studies!
Zeng Keming felt an urge to flip the table upon hearing his not-so-humble brag.
He had almost gone bald trying to get into graduate school.
And this young man in front of him was directly guaranteed admission for postgraduate and doctoral studies, and at Peking University!
"Junior brother, let's get straight to the point. Listening to you talk further makes me feel very insignificant!"
"I absolutely have no intention of showing off, Senior. Please don't take it to heart!"
After a slight brag, Gao Fei coughed and said directly, "When I go to university, it will inevitably affect the business revenue of the barbecue stall.
Therefore, before I leave, I want to make a fortune by leveraging the fame of Yuanfei Barbecue. I would like to ask Senior to be my legal consultant and help me draft a contract, although it might be a bit difficult."
"A difficult contract? Tell me your specific requirements!"
When it came to professional matters, Zeng Keming immediately became serious.
"It's like this..."
Gao Fei took a sip of water to moisten his throat and began to explain the franchise conditions.
According to his wishes, one could pay one hundred thousand yuan to franchise and open a chain store.
In addition to the franchise fee, he would also take a 5% profit from each franchisee.
However, he would not sell the barbecue seasoning recipe to outsiders. He could provide customized seasoning daily, and franchisees could choose to purchase it.
Gao Fei's intention was that he would not sell the exclusive barbecue seasoning, but if you wanted it, you could come to him daily to buy the pre-made exclusive secret recipe.
For Zeng Keming, drafting such a contract was not difficult.
However, he was puzzled whether anyone would foolishly agree to the condition regarding the barbecue seasoning!
After all, each franchisee, besides looking at the brand's fame, most needed that exclusive seasoning!
Finally, Gao Fei proposed another requirement.
If one became a franchisee of Yuanfei Barbecue, and if for any reason their business encountered problems in the future, they must not implicate the reputation of Yuanfei Barbecue and himself.
Otherwise, legal action would be taken based on this condition.
The last condition Gao Fei mentioned was the most crucial part of the contract.
Why was this condition so important?
The key reasons were twofold.
One was that after franchisees signed the contract, they would definitely choose not to purchase the secret recipe separately due to the exclusive seasoning condition.
If franchisees only relied on the fame of Yuanfei Barbecue for business and did not focus on the taste of the shop, then if the business failed, they would surely blame him.
Another was the side effect of celebrity influence.
Gao Fei's online explosion was triggered by the college entrance examination interview.
He knew that in the not-too-distant future, his popularity would eventually wane.
After all, he was not a celebrity who would appear on screen periodically to generate buzz.
Merchants franchising looked at his fame and popularity.
As soon as his popularity declined, their business would inevitably be affected.
If the franchisee's business encountered problems, they would first blame Gao Fei and Yuanfei Barbecue under his name.
But as long as they signed and agreed to the last condition in the contract, if their business encountered problems and they dared to damage the brand and curse him,
Then Gao Fei could use the contract conditions to consider whether to sue.
With all conditions finalized, Zeng Keming drafted the contract that same day.
As he looked at the last condition in the contract, he suddenly exclaimed, "Holy shit!" and finally understood the power of the last condition and thought of Gao Fei's intentions when he proposed it.
"If the franchisee signs the contract, it means my junior brother is pulling a fast one, and if the other party backs out and curses, he can sue them back!"
In short, Gao Fei was guaranteed to profit without any risk!
This contract was very much in line with the practices of bloodsucking mega-capitalists.
But Zeng Keming wondered if the franchisees would actually sign these contract terms upon seeing them.
Five days later, the Yuanfei Barbecue Franchise Fair officially began!