"Boss Wang, I trust things are treating you well. This is Guo Jiandeng."

The hype master, Guo Jiandeng? Wang Zhuo chuckled heartily. "Well, well, it's Boss Guo. Hello, hello, it's certainly been a long time."

Guo Jiandeng laughed. "Are you free to meet? I have something I need your expert advice on."

Wang Zhuo glanced at his watch and asked, "When is a good time for you, Boss Guo?"

Guo Jiandeng replied, "I just landed last night; I'm free the entire day today."

Wang Zhuo readily agreed. "Then let's make it right now. If you haven't had breakfast, we can grab a bite together."

...

The hotel where Guo Jiandeng was staying wasn't far from Wang Zhuo's residence—barely a twenty-minute drive.

Half a year had passed since they last saw each other. Guo Jiandeng appeared virtually unchanged, but Wang Zhuo had undergone a complete, fundamental transformation from the inside out. So much so that Guo Jiandeng almost failed to recognize him upon sight, continually exclaiming afterwards about the astonishing potential of the younger generation.

Wang Zhuo's changes were mostly atmospheric; having grown accustomed to being the one in charge, his aura had shifted. Gone was the frivolous student; in his place was a core of masculine steel and commanding presence, something immediately perceptible to anyone meeting him.

Just as some people instantly read as officials, and others as seasoned veterans of the underworld, Wang Zhuo had now forged his own unique aura—one that made people instantly feel he was not to be trifled with, possessing a gravity capable of steadying any room.

The old adage, "No hair on his chin means unsteady in his dealings," no longer applied to him in the slightest.

"Remarkable, truly remarkable," Guo Jiandeng praised, giving a thumbs-up. "This promotion campaign for the Jade Watermelons has been incredibly effective. This initial test run of yours shows deep mastery."

"I've learned a great deal from you, Boss Guo. You flatter me by looking," Wang Zhuo replied with a faint smile.

"There are still some areas that aren't quite perfect. I couldn't tell if you were saving those moves for later, or if they simply hadn't occurred to you," Guo Jiandeng stated generously. "I'll say whatever comes to mind. If you think it’s useful, take it; don't worry, I won't ask for any royalties."

Wang Zhuo was instantly overjoyed. "Your willingness to enlighten me, Boss Guo, is more than I could hope for. Thank you so much!"

"Hype, by its nature, must involve controversy, and you’ve handled that beautifully. I heard Miss Qi and Miss Guan also put in considerable effort. Are you long-term partners?"

Wang Zhuo nodded.

"Ah, that explains a lot," Guo Jiandeng continued. "You’ve grasped the grand strategy well, but from what I observe, you haven't yet focused on exploiting the details."

Wang Zhuo obligingly refilled his cup with half a bowl of soy milk. "Please continue, Boss Guo."

"Take, for example, a comment I saw last night on the Tianya forum. That person questioned whether the lower parts of your Jade Watermelons, wrapped so tightly in silk, might have defects. Then another person replied that if they weren't wrapped securely and padded, any movement could cause the watermelon to roll off the stand and shatter, necessitating such careful wrapping. The questioner then conceded, 'So that's why.' And that little interlude ended there."

Wang Zhuo savored the implication, sensing something unusual beneath the surface.

"But if this were part of the hype, the effect would be vastly different," Guo Jiandeng chuckled, seeing Wang Zhuo deep in thought. "If my team were handling this, we would be stoking controversy online and in the media, suggesting the watermelon’s base must be flawed. Simultaneously, we would staunchly refuse to confirm or deny anything—delaying for a few days. Once the topic caught fire, then we'd issue a clarification."

"At the same time, I could buy off a few seasoned industry veterans to appraise the supposed flawed watermelon. That way, when the truth finally emerges, the price would inevitably spike higher."

"Hype is fundamentally about maximizing exposure by creating the most possible buzz."

"Slandering yourself, only to clarify at the opportune moment, is also an extremely effective method of promotion."

Hearing this, Wang Zhuo's eyes suddenly lit up. Fan Bingbing's plastic surgery rumors and Chen Guangbiao’s fraudulent charity incidents—weren't those two sensational news stories practically identical in concept to what Guo Jiandeng was describing?

Recalling the model Beibei, who shot to fame overnight via a scandalous video, and Sister Furong, who successfully rebranded after building a fortune on infamy, Wang Zhuo had an epiphany: there was this whole other dimension to generating hype.

Seeing the pleased look on Wang Zhuo’s face, Guo Jiandeng smiled faintly and began recounting other promotional tactics.

Such as a staged traffic accident during transport, a pseudo-expert denouncing the product via a blog, major insurance companies refusing coverage, or artificial disputes over ownership—all ingenious, unconventional ideas that often proved highly effective.

As Guo Jiandeng spoke, Wang Zhuo began connecting these methods to real-world events: a Hollywood star insuring her legs for a hundred million—which, in his opinion, weren't even that beautiful—must have been hype. The constant stream of expert condemnations in major media outlets, only for the 'expert' to vanish after the criticized party issued a denial, suggested hired pens working behind the scenes, with the media having taken PR fees while the expert was entirely fictitious.

Under Guo Jiandeng’s dissection, the veneer was peeled back from various grassroots figures who achieved overnight fame: Tianxian Meimei, Very Real Person, Guo Jingming, Sister Feng—and even older phenomena like the Queen of the Night blooming plant and the quail craze of the last century.

After such an extensive conversation, Wang Zhuo clearly benefited immensely. He also grasped Guo Jiandeng’s underlying intention: the man saw him as a capable partner worthy of collaborating with. These pointers were, in essence, a display of sincerity toward a potential partnership.

Indeed, after discussing promotion tactics, Guo Jiandeng gave Wang Zhuo a moment to process before finally revealing his true purpose.

"The jade industry holds vast potential. The very phrase 'non-renewable resource' alone ensures it can go much further. I believe your pair of Jade Watermelons can ignite a far grander frenzy, so helping you is helping myself."

"Brother Wang, please don't think me presumptuous due to our short acquaintance, but your current promotional efforts are quite good. However, in the eyes of a professional like myself, there is still immense room for exploitation. That’s why I came today: I wish to discuss a collaboration."

Wang Zhuo smiled and nodded. "Brother Guo, please share whatever ideas you have."

Guo Jiandeng chuckled softly and leaned in to whisper, "Regarding this matter, here is what I propose..."

...

"I can't believe that idea! He actually came up with that!"

In the office of Shengshi Dynasty, after hearing Wang Zhuo recount the proposal, Qi Fei and Guan Yingying were left both laughing and speechless, declaring Guo Jiandeng a true genius of manipulation.

"I think his idea is quite interesting," Wang Zhuo said with a smile. "I'm just not sure if people will curse us for obvious marketing if we execute it. You two figure out the verdict—should we do it or not?"

Guo Jiandeng’s plan was essentially an "Echoing Challenge." The gist was that he would first approach Shengshi Dynasty, offering ten billion for the pair of Jade Watermelons. When Shengshi Dynasty refused, saying ten billion might buy one, he would then offer ten billion for just one of them. He would then be mocked by Shengshi Dynasty staff for valuing one more than the pair, arguing that selling one ruins the set.

Following this, Guo Jiandeng would feign righteous indignation and publicly lash out at Shengshi Dynasty in the media, while Shengshi Dynasty would fire back, warning him not to dream of buying national treasures if he lacked the funds.

In plain terms, it was designed to be a noisy, public spat, simultaneously inflating the perceived value of the watermelons. This way, the unsuspecting public, while enjoying the spectacle, would subconsciously absorb the notion of the watermelons being worth astronomical sums and appreciate the intrinsic worth of jade.

Superficially, Guo Jiandeng gained little from this shouting match. The reality, however, was that he had already secretly amassed countless rare jade treasures. As the industry’s value appreciated, his collection would rise in tandem—just as new real estate developments boost surrounding property values.

"Oh, right," Guan Yingying suddenly asked, "You didn't tell him we have more than two watermelons, did you?"

"No. Fewer than twenty people know about that right now," Wang Zhuo replied casually.

"That many people know?" Qi Fei frowned, counting on her fingers.

The three of them present, ten people from Qiu Lu and the factory side (a few of whom didn't know the exact count), four from the military contingent, and Qin Jingzhong’s family of four—hadn't that already surpassed twenty?

The three tallied the numbers and realized the count was likely much higher than twenty. This meant more than ten people knew the precise quantity, and if those who didn't know the exact count were indiscreet, the true number circulating was unknown.

This realization caused everyone a moment of worry. Too much supply inevitably diluted value; they needed a strategy to maximize their returns.

While they were deep in thought, Qi Fei’s phone rang. It was Zhang Yuqi, the honorary chairman of the Jiangzhou Jade Association.

It was past eight in the evening; the timing of the call was peculiar.

"CEO Qi, haha, good news," Zhang Yuqi, seventy-five years old, said with an aged voice. "The Deputy Director Wang of the Palace Museum just called me. They are interested in leasing your pair of Jade Watermelons for long-term exhibition during this year's tourist season."

The Palace Museum? Leasing watermelons? The three froze. Surely the Palace Museum lacked nothing, especially exhibition pieces. Why would they need to rent from private citizens? What sort of game was this?

Only after Zhang Yuqi explained did the three finally grasp it. The lease fee was merely symbolic, like the thousand yuan honorarium paid to celebrities appearing on the Spring Festival Gala—just a gesture. The real profit came from boosting their own profile, allowing them to command massive endorsement fees later.

The Museum leasing artifacts was akin to the Gala inviting stars: having an item exhibited at the Palace Museum served as the ultimate validation of its worth and prestige. The nominal rental fee was irrelevant; people would fight tooth and nail to pay public relations costs just for this official endorsement.

Understanding this dynamic, the three were instantly elated. It was the Palace Museum! The place where the Jade Watermelons gained fame would undoubtedly go to extraordinary lengths to promote these two pieces because the higher their perceived worth, the better the museum’s attendance figures would be. This was tantamount to an authoritative advertisement; with the Palace Museum helping to generate the hype, how could their market value ever suffer?