Chapter 3: Should I Take the 500,000 Appearance Fee or Not?

So, the text message was real and not a scam.

When Song Qinghuan was planning to break up with him, she also signed him up for a romance show!

Fang Zhou stopped in his tracks, turned around to speak, but Song Qinghuan beat him to it.

“Don’t be so quick to refuse.”

“There will be many outstanding girls on that show. You can find someone there, consider it my compensation to you.”

Song Qinghuan looked at him with big, serious eyes as if she genuinely cared about Fang Zhou.

Fang Zhou sneered and stepped forward, pressing her, “In your eyes, am I so cheap that I need charity from an ex-girlfriend?”

“I’ve dated so many girlfriends, I can’t even count them. Do I need a romance show?”

His eyes seemed to be burning with flames, ready to turn into something tangible at any moment.

Fang Zhou’s previous girlfriends were either pure campus belles, ice-cold female CEOs, or even budding celebrities. Any one of them was better than the girls on a romance show.

Song Qinghuan lowered her eyes, avoiding his intense gaze, and slowly said, “I was just afraid you’d be too lonely.”

“Enough, Song Qinghuan!”

Fang Zhou glanced at the top of her head, her black, shiny hair looking like seaweed, but now he didn’t want to touch it anymore.

“Let’s pretend we never met.”

With that, he turned and walked away, even flipping off the fat-headed man he saw along the way.

Fang Zhou drove off, feeling too upset to even start his livestream.

He decided to call out his best friend, and the two of them carried a case of Tsingtao beer to the riverside.

Fang Zhou cracked open a can and took a swig, just as Li Siming asked.

“What? Song Qinghuan found a rich guy and plans to marry him?”

The unique wheat aroma spread in Fang Zhou’s mouth, and he swallowed it down, feeling the knot in his heart loosen a bit.

He nodded, looking at the distant river, and replied, “Yeah, and he’s a fat pig. I really admire her ability to kiss that thing.”

Li Siming plopped down next to Fang Zhou, patting his shoulder in sympathy.

“This girlfriend lasted less than three months, even shorter than the previous ones.”

“But to see you, the ultimate scumbag, get dumped, is quite eye-opening for me.”

Li Siming’s statement wasn’t without reason.

Fang Zhou had dated many girlfriends before, none lasting more than six months, usually breaking up after three.

And each time, Fang Zhou was the one to initiate the breakup, showing no remorse, as if he had never liked them.

That’s why Li Siming called him a scumbag.

Fang Zhou took another swig of beer and said sincerely, “I was serious about every relationship, considering marriage with each one.”

Li Siming nodded along, “Yeah, yeah, but none worked out.”

He raised his beer to clink with Fang Zhou’s, encouraging him, “No worries, it’s just a breakup. You’ve been through many; this is just one more.”

Fang Zhou gave him a resentful look. Though Li Siming wasn’t wrong, something about his words felt off.

“By the way, you said Song Qinghuan signed you up for a romance show?”

Li Siming seemed to remember something and pulled out his phone to search.

“What’s it called?”

“Love 100%.”

The name was so catchy that Fang Zhou found it hard to forget.

“Found it! It’s this show!”

“It’s a romance variety show that’s been running for two seasons. This is the third. I heard the appearance fees are quite high.”

“Bro, are you sure you don’t want to consider it?”

Li Siming’s eyes lit up as he looked at Fang Zhou.

Fang Zhou felt a chill and scooted away, rubbing his goosebumps, and cursed, “Don’t look at me with those gay eyes.”

Li Siming chuckled and leaned in, lowering his voice, “I have a friend in production. She mentioned that the appearance fee for this show starts at this amount.”

He held up five fingers, grinning slyly.

Fang Zhou glanced at him and nonchalantly said, “So, fifty thousand? Not impressed.”

Can fifty thousand buy his dignity?

Can fifty thousand buy the spot for his next girlfriend?

No!

However, Li Siming shook his head and whispered, “It’s five hundred thousand.” (tln : around 70k $)

The number made Fang Zhou choke on his beer, struggling to catch his breath.

Li Siming quickly patted his back, and under his heavy-handed assistance, Fang Zhou finally breathed smoothly.

Fang Zhou looked at him in shock and asked, “Really?”

“A random variety show can offer a five hundred thousand appearance fee?”

It wasn’t that Fang Zhou underestimated the entertainment industry’s earning power, but “Love 100%” was a romance show for ordinary people. It shouldn’t pay that much to guests.

Besides, he was just an outdated game streamer. How could they offer five hundred thousand?

Li Siming firmly told him, “I heard this season will feature celebrities, and they’re inviting guests with some fame from various fields.”

“The production team wants to create a breakout season, so they can make big money in the next one.”

He patted Fang Zhou’s shoulder, raising an eyebrow, “I feel like Song Qinghuan isn’t that bad to you. Isn’t this like giving you five hundred thousand for free?”

“Spit!”

“Would you take this fortune if it were you?”

Fang Zhou slapped Li Siming’s hand away and rolled his eyes.

Did he have to be grateful for Song Qinghuan’s seamless transition?

“I’d love to go, but you’re the one they chose.”

Li Siming was obviously joking, and seeing Fang Zhou’s bad mood, he quickly changed the subject.

“Ahem, anyway, it’s like a pie falling from the sky. Why not take it?”

He put away his smile and spoke seriously.

“Besides, your sister’s surgery can’t be delayed much longer.”

“With this five hundred thousand, she can get a kidney transplant.”

Fang Zhou’s sister was supposed to be a senior in high school this year, but she was diagnosed with uremia.

They had lost their parents at a young age and were raised by their grandparents.

Their grandparents had fallen ill and passed away in recent years, leaving only Fang Zhou and his sister to rely on each other. Now, his sister was also in trouble.

Fang Zhou had spent all his savings but still couldn’t afford his sister’s surgery. Taking two months off from streaming had caused his popularity to plummet, making him irrelevant.

He couldn’t turn things around afterward.

That’s why Li Siming suggested he join the romance show to relieve some pressure.

Fang Zhou downed a bottle of beer, stood up, and looked at the cargo ships on the river, laughing heartily.

“Of course, I’ll go.”

Going on a romance show to give his sister a chance to live.

Why not?

At that moment, Fang Zhou had no idea who he would meet on the romance show in the future.

He just wanted to seize this windfall, even if it was a bit risky.