Chapter 69: Selling Stars

The sleek black BMW pulled up in front of the Clayton Bar. Martin stepped out of the car, strode into the Bar, and casually yanked out a high stool before settling in front of the counter.

He playfully snapped his fingers, saying, "Hey, beauty, how about a martini?"

Elena, the bartender, glanced over at Martin and asked, "Had a tiring day at work?"

Martin nonchalantly placed money on the bar, replying, "All were action scenes today, but thanks to my strong physique, I powered through until all the filming was done."

In comparison, Jenna appeared positively drained, having fallen asleep in the dressing room still in her makeup.

Amidst the mellifluous, soothing music, the bar's owner, Mary, approached, wanting to return Martin's money. "This one's on the house," she offered.

Martin wouldn't hear of it. He grinned at Mary, saying, "If you don't take the money, how can I keep coming here to drink?"

Mary chuckled and tucked the money away.

As Martin savored the drink Elena had prepared, he began to feel much more relaxed.

With few patrons in the bar during the afternoon, Elena began folding a paper airoplane.

Near the bar, there was a prominent advertisement for paper airplanes.

Martin nodded toward it and inquired, "People really want these?"

Elena, making a conscious effort to curb her use of profanity, responded, "Many customers come in specifically to try them. The fame of these paper airplanes has spread rapidly in the past few weeks. Several bartenders from Manhattan, New York, even traveled here to share their ideas. Honestly, I could tell they were willing to pay for the recipes."

Martin maintained his laissez-faire attitude, remarking, "You handle the details."

Elena poured another glass of whiskey for Martin, advising him, "Take it easy."

Martin nodded and, noticing someone approaching the bar for a cocktail, he retreated to a quieter spot. He donned his headphones, switched on the recorder, and delved into mastering a Hollywood accent.

After he'd finished a glass of wine, Lily strolled over to the bar in a T-shirt and cropped pants.

Martin removed his headphones and gestured toward the seat opposite him. "Have a seat."

Lily placed her backpack on the table and pulled out a pink water bottle, sipping from it through the straw.

Martin instructed, "Put that away."

Lily complied, albeit reluctantly, and asked curiously, "How did your filming go today?"

Martin vaguely responded, "Luckily, it was all action scenes, quite laid-back."

Lily inquired further, "Action scenes?"

Martin simplified it, stating, "It's a horror action-comedy, kind of like vampire zombies, with plenty of fight scenes. It's quite exhausting to shoot."

Lily said lightly, "It shouldn't be too tough for you, right? You always brag about being the most talented guy in Atlanta? The most talented..."

Martin interjected, pointing a finger at her. "Alright, that's enough, hush."

Lily persisted, "Can I come watch you on set?"

Martin didn't feel like engaging in a conversation, so he replied, "Ask Elena for approval."

Lily grumbled, "Don't sisters have any rights?"

Martin removed his headphones and casually put them on, ignoring Lily.

Lily took a newspaper from her bag and began flipping through the classifieds section, searching for part-time jobs suitable for someone over 14 years old. She was well aware of their family's financial situation.

Before dinnertime, Martin took Lily to a nearby fast-food restaurant to order hamburgers and fried chicken. Shortly after, Harris returned with another pizza.

Hall grabbed a hamburger and spoke between bites, "I dug a few more holes by the fence and put branches in them. If someone wants to break in, it's not my problem."

Lily scolded him with irritation, "Aside from digging holes all over the yard, what else do you do?"

"Quiet, both of you," Martin mimicked Elena, firmly silencing them. He then turned to Harris and asked, "Have you looked into what I mentioned?"

Harris finished chewing a slice of pizza and replied, "Registering an astronomical association is relatively simple. If you're willing to spend some money, you can hire a professional company to do it for you, and there won't be any issues."

Martin inquired further, "And what about school and student loans?"

"I received an acceptance offer from Georgia State University," Harris briefly mentioned. "The student loan application has a high chance of approval. I'm working hard to earn money for living expenses and other costs."

Martin had an idea brewing for a while, but it wasn't a surefire plan. He simply said, "I have an idea that might be better than going to school and working part-time." However, he hadn't shared it yet. Just as he was about to, Lily interrupted, "Is Harris going to work as a laborer on the film set?"

Martin's gaze shifted away from Lily, and she took the opportunity to grab a burger, munching away while he kept his lips sealed. Yet, her ears remained keenly attuned to the conversation.

Martin continued, "When we establish the Astronomical Association, we'll give it a more captivating name and offer star naming rights."

Harris looked up and gazed out the window at the darkening sky. There were no stars to be seen. He couldn't fathom how they'd sell heavenly objects. But then he quickly caught on, asking, "Naming rights?"

Martin took a sip of water, confirming, "Yes, we'd sell naming rights."

Harris pointed out, "But we don't actually have naming rights."

Martin explained, "I consulted a lawyer. Currently, there are no federal or state laws and regulations regarding naming rights for stars. It's a bit like when people fall in love, they often find it very romantic. A guy goes all out to impress a girl and even buys her a star. For romantic souls, naming a star after them would be a dream come true."

Lily chimed in, spitting out a mouthful of burger, "Exactly! Those hopeless romantics would go crazy for it. They're all about the romance. Get them a gift like this, and they'll be over the moon. They'll probably brag about it everywhere."

Harris slowly comprehended, "Different astronomical societies have different names for newly discovered stars."

Martin thought of diamonds and said, "Couples could give each other a star, symbolizing that their love is as everlasting as the stars."

Lily gazed at Martin with admiration. "How on earth do you come up with these ideas?"

Martin's pride swelled a bit, but Lily's next words made him want to facepalm. "Martin, I've noticed that your IQ has gone up since you fell off the roof. Can head injuries make you smarter?"

Inspired by Martin's idea, Harris started brainstorming and came up with an idea of his own. "It's not just about naming; it would involve a series of professional certificates, a detailed star map for customers to locate their star through an astronomical telescope, and an elegant packaging box."

He added, "Stars in the sky may be unreachable, but this is something tangible and memorable."

Lily grumbled, "It still seems utterly pointless."

Martin shook his head, saying, "It's not that simple, although I don't fully grasp the specifics."

"That's true," Lily conceded, "you did drop out of middle school..."

Martin clenched his fists preemptively.

Lily quickly corrected herself, "But you're a genius at coming up with ideas."

Martin turned to Harris, instructing, "You're the top student here, Harris. I can provide the concept, but you'll need to work out the details."

Lily chimed in, "Count me in! I'm sure all the romance-loving girls in Marietta would want one."

Harris paused his meal, retrieved some information from a nearby cabinet, and headed to his room. "I want to study this carefully, so please don't disturb me."

Before disappearing into his room, Harris turned back to face them. "Martin, if this business succeeds, you'll get half of the profits."

Martin waved his hand dismissively. "We probably won't sell that many."

Earning some extra money for living expenses didn't seem like an insurmountable challenge.