Chapter 66: Silence in Response

The air in the conference room fell into a silent atmosphere, with everyone contemplating Ethan's idea.

After a few seconds, a voice suddenly broke the silence: "Wait, you should explain it again."

It was still Jr Sommer, frowning with a look of confusion.

Sr Sommer glanced back at him, his eyes somewhat helpless.

So Ethan explained, "Advertising is based on one thing: the feeling of happiness. But what is happiness?"

"Happiness is the feeling you get when you have a new car, the sensation of freedom you feel inside it... It's the reassurance from a roadside billboard that tells you that you can do whatever you want! You have no problems! It's that simple."

"This advertisement is like that; it's about comforting the human heart. We don't need to express our brand philosophy and strength; we just need to act like friends. When customers are anxious about something, we tell them it's okay, just do it, and if they're tired, take a break. Happiness is actually a simple thing, and that's enough!"

Jr Sommer frowned again, wanting to ask more but fearing his father would scold him, so he could only nod pretentiously and ponder it in his mind.

"So, Mr. Sommer, what do you think of this idea?" Ethan asked with a smile.

This time, he didn't present any samples to everyone, but it didn't matter; he was selling this core idea, and the executives present seemed to grasp the essence of the advertisement.

Sr Sommer remained silent, lowering his gaze in thought for a moment before lightly applauding.

"An excellent idea."

"Wow!" The executives clapped in response. Regardless of their grudges or any secret agreements with other companies, they all had to act according to the chairman's expression.

A few seconds later, Sr Sommer put his hands down. "I will seriously consider this idea, a supreme idea; I'll remember it."

"Thank you…"

Ethan left the office with Jimmy and Cindy, and as soon as Jimmy stepped out, he let out a sigh. "Damn, the atmosphere was so oppressive; I can't believe they could stay in there for so long."

"They're getting paid for it; they can't just sit there haphazardly," Ethan patted Jimmy's shoulder and continued, "Let's call in those interviewees during this time."

"Sure, no problem!"

The next day, Ethan spent the whole day interviewing candidates. Among them were not only tools from small companies but also some management types from large firms.

However, in Ethan's view, the abilities of these people were not impressive. He didn't want to expand his company's staff too much, so he didn't plan to spend money on these individuals.

It's important to know that a well-functioning company usually only needs a few exceptionally capable people in key positions to control the overall situation, while most others just drift along and wait for their time to end.

Many entrepreneurs, after getting investments, often make hiring their first priority, recruiting a large number of people to sift through to find the talent they want.

But the outcomes of this approach generally fall into three categories: one is that the workforce overwhelms them, making the company bloated and less efficient, accompanied by backstabbing that turns it into a giant burden.

Another is that the turnover rate is extremely high, and everyone becomes a cog in the cycle of being hired, underperforming, and getting laid off, growing increasingly tired and complacent.

As for the last type, it's the lucky few who ride the wave of the times and grow into unicorns.

And clearly, the third type is exceedingly rare; timing, location, and harmony are all indispensable.

Most companies still need to proceed steadily and gradually climb up, but for Ethan, he was just too lazy to manage.

He preferred to find someone proactive and exceptionally capable to help him handle these matters, like Jimmy.

However, it seemed there was none in sight.

In the evening, Ethan drove home and passed a car wash. Suddenly he realized he hadn't washed his car in a long time, so he sent it to the car wash.

He stood outside, watching the sunset slowly dip below the horizon. The fading yellow light made him feel that time was passing too quickly; in the blink of an eye, he had a new career and a new life.

Ethan crossed his arms and scanned the bustling crowd on the street. The nights in America weren't exactly peaceful; robbery wasn't just occasional—it happened every day.

Ethan had already picked out a new neighborhood and planned to move his mother out once the company earned some money from two more ads.

While he was lost in thought, he suddenly spotted a man across the street carrying a piece of glass.

That familiar curly hairstyle belonged to Tom Brown, Ethan's former neighbor and the first person he recruited for a music video.

Since that shoot, Tom had continued with his working life and hadn't seen Ethan again. He didn't expect to run into him here.

Just as Tom stepped onto the curb while carrying the long piece of glass, Ethan was about to wave and greet him. Suddenly, a loud roaring sound cut through the air, and a motorcycle zoomed past Tom, causing him to step back quickly and instinctively let go of his hands.

With a loud crash, the glass shattered on the ground.

The motorcyclist stopped, removed his helmet to reveal a youthful face, and laughed loudly while hugging the girl behind him, "Hahaha, look at him scared!"

Tom's face showed some anger, and just as he was about to rush over, a few more motorcycles sped up and stopped next to the boy.

When the helmets came off, Ethan saw they were a bunch of teenagers dressed in matching black jackets, likely a local biker gang.

Tom didn't continue to move forward because he knew that confronting them would only humiliate himself, so he stood still.

Those boys initially intended to teach him a lesson, but seeing his cowardly demeanor, they began to mock him loudly, hurling the most despicable insults at Tom.

Yet Tom showed no reaction; he just crouched down, took off his jacket, and laid it flat on the ground. Then, in silence, he began to pick up the broken glass, as if trying to piece his shattered life back together.

Unfortunately, this was ultimately a futile effort, as the next moment, he cut his hand.

But he didn't even furrow his brows, continuing to pick up the glass, allowing the blood to stain it red.

Seeing this, the bikers lost interest; clearly, bullying someone who wouldn't fight back didn't satisfy their craving for excitement. They revved their engines and left.

Ethan slowly approached, squatting down to help him pick up some pieces of glass.

"Thanks... Ethan?" Tom turned his head, surprised to see a familiar face.

"Yep, it's me. My car is at the car wash…" Ethan didn't ask Tom about his recent situation but changed the topic, "Have you gone to see your family?"

Tom's family left New York shortly after he went to prison, having helped him pay off a few loans. Ethan had no idea where they went.

However, Tom nodded. "They just arrived in New York a few days ago, but they'll be leaving again in two days."

"Is it convenient? I mean... transportation and living?" Ethan asked.

"It's fine, everything's good except for the transportation," Tom replied, the corners of his mouth slightly lifting only when talking about his family.

"Mrs. Brown was very nice to me when she moved in next door; she often brought us apple pie and would greet me in the garden…" Ethan smiled, handing over his car keys. This was the old second-hand car he planned to replace soon, but now it seemed it had found a new purpose.

"What?" Tom didn't take it.

Ethan patted his shoulder. "Take it, okay? Take Mrs. Brown out for a nice drive, and just say Ethan sends his regards."

"I can't..." Tom started to refuse, but Ethan pushed him back, forcing the keys into his hand.

"Come on, buddy, it's not for you; it's for Mrs. Brown. Don't be so stubborn. And it's not free; you better fill it up with gas when you return."

Ethan smiled and stepped back a few paces. Once Tom held the keys tightly, he turned and waved goodbye. "I'll be off now, buddy!"

Tom watched Ethan's retreating figure in silence, just clutching the keys a little tighter.

At 8 PM, when Tom returned to the hotel driving the car, his mother was outside hanging up the freshly washed clothes.

Mrs. Brown was a sturdy middle-aged woman with trendy wavy hair, and her face was dotted with blemishes from years of using cheap cosmetics.

Upon seeing Tom driving the seemingly brand-new car, her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly walked down the stairs to ask, "Where did you get this car from, Tom?"

Tom hurried to his mother's side. "Mom, it's from Ethan. He lent me the car. He knows you guys are in New York and specially let me borrow it. He asked me to send his regards to you."

"Ethan, the boy from next door? But I remember…"

"He's successful now, Mom. He's a famous MV director and has made a lot of money."

Mrs. Brown finally felt relieved and smiled. "That's great! Raising three kids isn't easy for Carmella. That kid Ethan is handsome, tall, and has a sweet tongue; I always liked him. Since he lent you the car, take good care of it and be careful not to crash it."

"Got it, Mom."

She held Tom's hand and walked toward the room, reminding him along the way,

....

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