When Leeds City returned from London, Hu Lai's agent Yong Jun made a video call to him from China. After that game that can be recorded in the history of Chinese football, Yong Jun did not follow Hu Lai back to Leeds.
He stayed busy in China.
Because the Chinese team has historically reached the World Cup finals, the image of the Chinese team's players in the public mind has skyrocketed. Various commercial endorsements that were basically excluded from Chinese men's football players in the past have also come one after another.
For these international football players, this is an irresistible offer. After all, the Football Association's salary limit order limits the salary given to them by the club, and it does not control the commercial endorsement contracts they have signed with major brands outside. They can sign
Commercial endorsement contracts can even earn them more than they earn in the club. Everyone is so desperate to reach the World Cup. In addition to dreams, there are also financial considerations.
As the agent of Hu Lai, Zhang Qinghuan, and Wang Guangwei, Yong Jun is of course responsible for obtaining the best endorsement contracts for them.
Song Jiajia also flew back to China specifically to deal with these matters.
"I don't want to accept too many commercial endorsement contracts, Uncle Yong." Hu Lai said to Yong Jun during the video call.
This surprised Yong Jun: "Wait a minute, if you are kidnapped, just blink, Hu Lai..."
Hu Lai rolled his eyes at Uncle Yong: "What! I'm fine!"
"Then why are you leaving your money and not making any more? Aren't you...very obsessed with money?"
"Money fans are money fans, but if there is so much money that it becomes a number, I'm afraid I will lose interest in making money." Hu Lai said plausibly.
"Hey, what you said..." Yong Jun was a little speechless. It seemed reasonable at first, but after careful consideration, he felt that Hu Lai was talking nonsense.
"The most important thing is that instead of accepting any endorsement contract, whether fat or thin, meat or vegetarian, it is better to carefully select two or three high-quality brands to endorse. Let's talk about the price, and then maybe you can earn more by endorsing three brands.
The money is much more than the endorsement of seven or eight brands..."
Yong Jun looked at Hu Lai with a somewhat surprised look: "These words are quite reasonable. Don't worry Hu Lai, we will not treat you like a cash cow and let you endorse any brand. That will destroy the value of your image.
The number one football star in China cannot endorse a fraudulent second-hand car platform, and you certainly won’t endorse an online course app..."
After hearing the last sentence, Hu Lai quit: "Hey, Uncle Yong, what you said... I don't like 'trolley' or anything like that, but why can't I endorse the online course APP? Is it because I'm not good at studying?"
Let me tell you, Uncle Yong, if I hadn’t concentrated on playing football, my academic achievements would not have been too low! With my incredible language talent, wouldn’t it be enough to endorse those apps that teach foreign languages?
?”
Yong Jun was stunned for a moment and then smiled and said: "You reminded me that your language ability is really suitable for endorsing a translator or translation APP. Just wait and I will write it down..."
As he spoke, he actually looked down at the camera and found a notebook to write down the ideas he just thought of.
"What the hell are translators and translation APPs, Uncle Yong! I mean learning APPs!"
Yong Jun lowered his head and finished writing, as if he didn't hear Hu Lai's protest at all. He raised his head and said with a smile: "The companies that are interested in you this time are basically domestic. After all, the Chinese team's entry into the World Cup is a great stimulus.
Due to the rising national sentiment, many national enterprises also hope that you can speak for them. You can rest assured that we will choose the best quality brands..."
"No problem. Anyway, Uncle Yong, you and Fatty can take care of things. I believe you are both professionals and are definitely better than me in this aspect." Hu Lai has great trust in the two of them.
Yong Jun nodded and showed a complicated expression.
Hu Lai was keenly aware of the change in Uncle Yong's expression, and he asked directly: "Do you have any more questions, Uncle Yong?"
"Well...it's actually like this. Most of the people looking for you are commercial endorsements. But you also know that you are a star now...you are becoming more and more popular and famous, and you have to shoulder the corresponding responsibilities.
Matching social responsibility. So there should still be some public welfare endorsements..."
"Public welfare endorsement? No problem, I am enthusiastic about public welfare!" Hu Lai agreed wholeheartedly. He felt that this was not a problem.
He also knew that compared to commercial endorsements, the fees for charity endorsements were relatively low. He thought that Uncle Yong hesitated to speak because he was worried about making less money from charity endorsements, so he smiled and said: "Uncle Yong, don't worry, I won't
I hope to make money through public welfare endorsements..."
"That's not the problem." Yong Jun shook his head, "Recently, a well-known international charity organization approached us and asked you to become their image ambassador. We are considering this matter..."
Hu Lai did not expect that an international charity organization would find him. He was surprised: "Which organization?"
"'Wildlife Rescue'."
"Protecting wild animals? Yes, I have no problem..."
"No, listen to me, Hu Lai. This organization was indeed focused on protecting wild animals at the beginning. Have you seen Lin Wei's original 'No Deal, No Killing' advertisement?"
"I've seen it, bus stations, airports, train stations... everywhere."
As a superstar in the Chinese basketball world, Lin Wei also shot various endorsement ads at that time, and his image appeared in many places. The set of public service advertisements "No deal, no killing" was intensively bombarded for a period of time, and Hu Lai had indeed seen it.
“This advertisement was shot by Lin Wei as the image ambassador of the ‘Wildlife Rescue’ organization.”
"Oh, it's them. Isn't that great? It's quite successful. This has become a popular saying... 'Protect wild animals, no trade, no killing' is so positive!"
"That's right. But then they launched a new promotion and marketing in China. The theme is to encourage Chinese consumers to eat more vegetarian food, eat less meat, protect the environment, and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases on the earth..."
Hearing this, Hu Lai finally understood why Uncle Yong's attitude was so ambiguous: "Damn, that stupid marketing campaign was done by this organization... An organization that promotes vegetarianism came to me to be its image ambassador? Are they out of their minds?
I’m a professional football player, but I don’t eat meat and I still play soccer!”
Although some professional players in European football have become vegetarians, this is still a non-mainstream niche culture. Among most professional players, meat is their main source of protein. It is really unacceptable not to allow them to eat meat.
.
No wonder Uncle Yong has that subtle expression, it turns out to be because of this...
"But this time they didn't ask you to be their image ambassador to promote vegetarianism." Yong Jun explained. "They also know that asking athletes to promote vegetarianism is not convincing enough..."
Hu Lai was shaking his head like a rattle, not wanting to hear what the other party's real purpose was: "No matter what it is for publicity, I refuse to cooperate with this kind of organization whose brain is full of chlorophyll and whose head is shining with green light. I think
There is something wrong with their brains, and being tied to them will seriously affect my personal image. Besides...'International Public Welfare and Environmental Protection Organization', Uncle Yong, listen to this name."
"What's wrong with this title?" Yong Jun was confused.
"It's simply the best label for an evil organization!"
Yong Jun was startled: "Oh, don't say this out loud, Hu Lai. Be careful to make yourself smelly!"
"Don't worry, Uncle Yong. I'm just complaining in front of you. If anyone really finds out, there must be a traitor between the two of us!"
"..." Yong Jun misses Zhang Qinghuan especially at this moment...
After calming down a little, he asked again: "Are you sure you want to reject them, Hu Lai?"
"Are you sure? What? Are there any other difficulties? Can't you do it without endorsement? Nowadays, finding image endorsers has become a forced sale?"
"No... the main reason is that what you rejected is a public welfare organization and an environmental protection organization. This is a bit troublesome. When word gets out, it will inevitably cause some criticism and have a negative impact on your image."
In fact, what Yong Jun hesitated to say at first was worried about this issue. When he and Song Jiajia knew that this organization had approached Hu Lai, they were reluctant to let Hu Lai speak for them. After all, what this organization has done in China
They all know this, and it has caused complaints from everyone in recent years. Especially the promotion of asking Chinese people to eat less meat in order to save the global environment has caused a lot of criticism in the country.
In the early years, they hired a bunch of entertainment stars to promote vegetarianism and deceived many people. But in recent years, with the rise of national sentiment and the improvement of the overall quality of the people, the Western environmental protection organizations have become more and more popular.
China is becoming less and less popular.
So this is a very sensitive matter.
But it was this organization that came to us and wanted to cooperate with Hu Lai.
It can’t be said that they are just looking for trouble. They do have a tradition of cooperating with Chinese sports stars.
This environmental organization founded in the United States first gained ground in China by cooperating with Lin Wei, a Chinese basketball superstar.
The reason why Hu Lai was not approached before was because the overall image of Chinese football was not good, and they naturally did not need to let football players be their spokespersons. But the situation is different now. The Chinese men's football team has made a historic appearance in the World Cup, and the national players who were once hated by everyone have become human beings.
Hu Lai is a favorite among people. As the most famous player in the national football team, it is normal for this organization to come to their door...
But this organization is too sensitive. In the eyes of Yong Jun and Song Jiajia, the olive branch they extended was still covered with yellow mud. If it fell into Hu Lai's crotch, it would be nothing but shit...
When Yong Jun told Hu Lai his and Song Jiajia's concerns, Hu Lai smiled.
"Hey, what do I care about...As for the things this organization does, I think rejecting it will help improve my image in the minds of the Chinese public, right?"
"You can't say that, Hu Lai. Although everyone knows what this organization does, but on the surface they are using the banner of 'environmental protection', there is really nothing you can do against them. After all, 'environmental protection' is the current political correctness.
When word spreads about your refusal to endorse an environmental organization, someone can use it to attack you and say that you are not environmentally friendly and do not care for the earth. If you are labeled as such, your reputation will be ruined. Many brands will not do the same.
If I dare to have anything to do with you again, I'm afraid I'll be scolded for looking for an 'anti-environmentalist' to speak for me..."
Hu Lai waved his hand, still showing a nonchalant expression: "It doesn't matter, Uncle Yong. Don't they just want a righteous cause? We'll just give it to them."
"How to give it? You rejected the endorsement request from environmental organizations..."
"This is not the only environmental protection organization." Hu Lai curled his lips. "Besides, who stipulated that only environmental protection organizations can engage in environmental protection and promote it? I didn't expect it, but after Uncle Yong said this, I know now
Here’s an idea. Can’t we find an environmental protection organization with government endorsement in China to cooperate? Or directly cooperate with government departments. I also read the news about the eradication of the Umauru Desert in our country before. Let’s also find a desert with suitable conditions.
Then find a company that is willing to spend money to earn reputation. Let's go to the local government and sign an agreement. The specific content is that every time I score a goal, the local government will organize manpower to plant as many trees in the desert, and all the funds will come from the sponsoring company.
Come and give..." (Note 1)
Yong Jun, who was still frowning at first, gradually relaxed his brows when he heard what Hu Lai said. In the end, he simply slapped the table and interrupted Hu Lai's words: "Hey, your idea is really reliable!"
Hu Lai was dissatisfied: "Uncle Yong, when did I become unreliable?"
Yong Jun chuckled and ignored the question: "I think we can really do something about it. Tomorrow, Mr. Song and I will go all out to push this matter forward and try to get it done quickly without giving the other side any chance."
"So Uncle Yong, you see, people come up with all the solutions. Some people want righteousness, so give them righteousness. Not only give them righteousness, but also stuff them in their mouths with righteousness and stab it directly into their throats. Look.
What can they say then? Should environmental protection still be divided into international and domestic areas? Is the international level higher than the domestic level? That’s nonsense, isn’t it?” Hu Lai curled his lips.
"I don't believe that I am planting trees in China, and there are still people who dare to say that I am not environmentally friendly. Isn't protecting China's environment environmentally friendly? If there are still people scolding me, I will ask them: the Chinese people's living environment is not the environment and does not need to be protected.
Is it not environmental protection to protect China’s environment? I am a Chinese, and it is reasonable and reasonable for me to contribute to the environmental protection of my motherland and hometown.”
Yong Jun waved his hands repeatedly: "Don't be excited, Hu Lai. No one has said that yet, I just said that this situation may happen. Although the probability of this happening is very low..."
"I know, Uncle Yong. I actually don't want that to happen. But if it does happen, we don't need to panic. We don't cause trouble, let alone be afraid of it." Hu Lai said this very forcefully, because he believed
What you do is right.
Just like what Wang Guangwei said about him at the beginning, as long as he thinks it is right, he will continue to do it.
Although there are tens of thousands of people, I will go.
※※ ※
Note 1: Umauru Desert is actually Mu Us Desert, or it should be called "Mu Us Sand Land" now. Because it is a parallel world, the real place names are not used.
This idea actually came up when I was writing this book. The idea at the time was the same as Hu Lai's idea, that is, Hu Lai could score goals and score a lot of goals, so he simply linked his goals with afforestation.
.
We Chinese are good at afforestation and have been quietly planting trees. Using this method to let Hu Lai become a public welfare spokesperson is better than directly writing that Hu Lai endorsed an environmental protection organization and posed for an advertisement.
The plot is much more meaningful.
I even thought about whether to do a linkage with Hu Lai in the book, find a place by myself, and adopt a forest. Then I wrote that Hu Lai scored a goal, and in reality I asked the forest farm to plant a hundred trees... But because
I don’t know anything about how to operate it in reality and I’m at a loss, so I just think about it...
