Chapter 159: Betting on the Future?

[Chapter 159: Betting on the Future?]

"What are you doing here?" Taylor initially exclaimed in surprise, then immediately grabbed her heavy coat and draped it over Ryan.

"What are you wearing so little for? Aren't you cold? Your nose is all red!" Taylor took Ryan's hands in hers, trying to warm them up.

"I didn't check the weather before I left," Ryan said with an embarrassed smile.

"Where's your assistant? Can't they handle something so simple?" Taylor complained.

Assistant... Ryan hadn't dared to bring one along.

"I'll warm you up." Taylor peeled off her coat entirely, slipping into Ryan's embrace to share her body heat with him.

"Where are we going, back to the hotel?" Erica asked casually.

"At this hour, there's nowhere else to go but the hotel," Taylor replied, looking up at Ryan, "How many days are you staying in New York this time?"

"At least about a week," Ryan said. With the new year approaching, both of them had wrapped up their work and could take a few days to relax.

"Then come home with me for dinner with my parents, stay in Nashville for two days, and then we can look at some houses, okay?" Taylor suggested.

"That sounds good to me," Ryan nodded. He didn't mind where they went, and besides, he hadn't really had a chance to chat with her parents much since the proposal.

...

In the oversized bathtub, foam floated on the water's surface. Ryan wrapped his arms around Taylor from behind, her hair pinned up with a clip as they cuddled and soaked in the warm water.

"How's the TV show going?"

"What about the clothing line?"

"Any ideas for new songs yet?"

"How much is the expansion of the nightclub going to cost?"

Taylor rapidly fired off questions, recalling everything Ryan had been working on. She wasn't overly concerned about the money those industries could generate but was genuinely interested.

"Do you need cash? Just ask me if you need anything," Taylor suddenly said.

Ryan opened his eyes. "The nightclub brings in enough cash flow, and the single sales are really good. I'm good for money; I just don't know where to spend it."

Taylor turned, wiping the foam off Ryan's chin. "I'm just worried that you're taking on too much without enough cash flow."

"How much do you think I need?" Ryan chuckled. The investment in sitcoms was relatively low. Even if the pilot had to rebuild sets, the total expenses were barely reaching seven figures.

As for the clothing line, the profits alone could cover all the expenses and still yield him a healthy return.

With the steady cash flow from the nightclub and solid earnings from singles, along with occasional gigs, Ryan was currently in a position where cash wasn't a problem.

"And you? Darling?"

"This year, I can expect to earn around seven to eight million. My dad keeps track of the exact figures. With next year's tour and leftover album profits, plus more endorsements, I think I could break ten million easily. You should compliment me," Taylor smiled proudly.

"That's amazing. If I go broke, you'll have to support me," Ryan joked.

"Sure, I'll take care of you," Taylor responded earnestly.

As the year came to a close, the couple calculated their finances like any regular married couple would.

Ryan broke it down, "T&R Records will contribute about five million, and the Bedroom will net about the same. The nightclub profits are substantial; it's already paid for itself, so it's practically even with the record label. After deducting expenses for launching sTray, we still have around a million left, and the only area without any income is filming the show."

"The nightclub makes that much money? I didn't see that coming. In that case, I'll use my money to buy a house," Taylor proposed.

Hearing that, it seemed she didn't want Ryan to chip in for such a big purchase.

"Your money is important! You still have plenty to take care of, and my cash is just sitting here. My dad might want to invest it again, so buying a house is safer," Taylor contemplated.

'I wonder how her dad would react to this.'

"Then it's settled," Taylor nodded when Ryan didn't object.

...

After enjoying a relaxing hot bath, Taylor led Ryan to the edge of the bed. After the proposal, she became much more proactive than Ryan. Just moments ago while bathing, she had been bubbling with energy. However, their romantic moment was soon interrupted by a phone call.

"The forum crashed... I got it," Ryan put his phone down.

"Veronica launched the user ranking system at midnight, and the traffic skyrocketed. Many people are posting photos, and the server can't handle it," Ryan explained.

"Why would people post photos on the forum?"

"Probably because they find it fun," Ryan replied casually.

"Wrong. It's because today's smartphones have high pixel quality; they're much more convenient than bulky cameras. People will post photos more frequently in the future," Taylor remarked thoughtfully.

"You really pay attention to details," Ryan nodded.

"Being a woman and an artist, I love taking photos and sharing them with everyone. But MySpace doesn't support attachments well; overall, it's a hassle. Why isn't there a social media platform centered around images?"

"If there were, celebrities would definitely use it, just like MySpace," Taylor mused.

"If something like that existed, I'd definitely invest in it," Ryan said as he rolled on top of Taylor.

"I'd be the first to sign up," Taylor giggled, gently stroking Ryan's cheek.

...

Two days later, when Ryan stepped into Taylor's home, he was warmly welcomed. Taylor's mom had prepared a feast, and her dad poured out some well-aged wine.

The conversation inevitably turned to the current pop music scene.

Ryan sighed, "We indeed managed to block Beyonce, but we're not stopping Lady Gaga..."

Just Dance had topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the last week of 2008, and Ryan had Scott check in; Lady Gaga's second single, Poker Face, was due to start its promotional run in January.

"Second is still great," Taylor shrugged, "Besides, you've already had your share of number ones."

"What about the Grammys? Best New Artist has to be Ryan's this time, right?" Austin chimed in.

Taylor had been nominated for Best New Artist at the 2008 Grammys, but lost to Amy Winehouse.

"Nominated artists included Adele, Duffy, the Jonas Brothers, and Ryan," Taylor noted.

The 2009 Grammys had nothing to do with Taylor since the eligibility period was from October 1, 2007, to September 30, 2008, while her new album was released in November 2008, qualifying her for the 2010 Grammys.

Although Taylor had no connection to this year's Grammys, she had still been invited to perform.

"The betting site has opened its odds; Ryan has the lowest, and the Jonas Brothers have the highest," Taylor's dad said.

"Betting sites might not reflect the real situation," Ryan shook his head. If betting sites had such insight, everyone would always choose the lowest odds to make money.

"To be precise, this isn't betting; it's binary futures," Taylor's dad reminded him. As someone in finance, he had a unique perspective on the matter.

"For instance, if I were a judge at the Recording Academy and I voted for you, and then learned that many others were doing the same, why wouldn't I leverage that insider knowledge to profit?

Mainstream media might hold certain biases; they may attempt to hide the truths, just like during an election campaign for a candidate.

You can interpret that all bettors represent the collective awareness of those who are involved. Don't underestimate this; it can help you analyze the situation.

Sometimes, people's bets with real money can be more persuasive," Taylor's dad smiled broadly. "Ryan, I see you as my son; this is a well-guarded secret I'm sharing with you."

"But this is merely a tool, providing only reference since the number of participants may be inadequate, and there are so few topics that can be predicted," Ryan pointed out the downsides of betting.

"If someone were to launch a well-known 'reality prediction' site, the more participants it had, the more people would feel threatened, and running such a site would face considerable pushback. In a sense, it's a paradox," Taylor's father had to agree with that point.

"Running a platform like that requires deep backing," Ryan shrugged, clearly indicating that such an idea would not be feasible at the moment.

*****

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