Chapter 101: Not Giving a Chance

Chapter 101: Not Giving a Chance

After a flurry of activity, the ribbon-cutting ceremony concluded, followed by a lively banquet.

Ou Guohua and the provincial and city leaders didn’t stay for the banquet; they left after the ribbon-cutting. Those remaining on the scene were people from the entertainment industry, or various professionals from the culture and entertainment fields.

There were newly debuted artists, numerous heads of talent agencies, mid-to-high-level executives from streaming platforms, TV station leaders, and heads of major entertainment resource promotion companies.

During the banquet, all these people seized the opportunity to approach Chen Feng to greet him.

Chen Feng didn’t put on any airs. He warmly greeted everyone who came his way.

His memory was incredibly sharp now. After just a brief chat and glancing at the exchanged business cards, he could remember the person’s face and name.

Chen Feng accepted the apology from the newly appointed head of KuGe’s Copyright Department and reopened the door to cooperation with KuGe.

Of course, KuGe paid a heavy price, offering an S+ level contract where the copyright holder held absolute dominance.

His cooperation with Q Music didn’t end either.

Including the upcoming new album set for simultaneous release on both major platforms, Chen Feng’s resources would now be completely open, with all future content being released simultaneously across multiple platforms.

Exclusive licensing would only return if someone made an incredibly tempting offer.

Small companies and solo artists still had to rely on the channels controlled by the major platforms. Multi-platform releases were usually a privilege enjoyed only by top artists and giant companies in the industry. Star Peak Entertainment started high, gaining this advantage right from the beginning.

After the socializing died down, only close associates remained, and the atmosphere finally became more relaxed.

Chen Li pulled a plain white CD case from her bag. Reaching past several people, she handed it to Chen Feng. “Teacher Chen, this is a copy of the master tape of my new album. Please find time to listen to it when you get back. I’d greatly appreciate your advice.”

Chen Feng smiled and accepted the CD. “You and Young Master Ou are both releasing your albums tomorrow. What kind of advice can I offer at this point? Chen Li, your skills are already mature. I wouldn’t presume to teach.”

Chen Li shook her head. “One should keep learning throughout life. Teacher Chen’s golden words will always be valuable.”

The effeminate man Mai Hui, who was close friends with Lu Wei’s agent Zheng Rou, chimed in with a whiney tone. “Our Qiao wants Teacher Chen’s guidance too!”

Chen Feng almost choked on his own breath from the shrillness of the other man’s voice. He was quite a character. Chen Feng couldn’t tell if that high-pitched voice was natural or deliberately put on.

If he’d had to navigate these social situations himself in the past, he might have easily felt pressured and agreed to any request just to avoid embarrassment. Fortunately, times were different now. He had a spokesperson: Meng Xiaozhou.

Meng Xiaozhou stood up. “First, thank you, Chen Li, for coordinating with our plan and scheduling your album release for tomorrow too. Teacher Chen will definitely listen to your album later. Even if he gets too busy and forgets, I will remind him. However, for any more in-depth collaborations in the future, please come to me first. As everyone knows, Teacher Chen gets deeply absorbed when creating. Once he’s immersed, he can forget to eat and loses track of time.”

“Oh, and let me officially introduce the second signed artist at Star Peak Entertainment: Qin Lu from the Jiangnan Conservatory of Music! Next, Teacher Chen will be intensely focused on crafting Qin Lu’s debut album.”

Qin Lu, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, stood up with a cheerful smile.

Chen Feng turned to glare at Ou Junlang, as if trying to kill him with his eyes. He lowered his voice. “What are you guys doing?”

Ou Junlang looked back, bewildered. “Master, isn’t Qin Lu your go-to demo singer? Xiaozhou and I assumed you approved of her, so we signed her as well. It can’t be that you expect me to be the sole star artist carrying the company, right?”

Chen Feng supposed that made sense. Still, remembering Qin Lu’s bizarre tendency to talk about wanting his babies made his head spin a bit.

Luckily, people mature. Given the different setting today and knowing Chen Feng’s status and influence had changed drastically, Qin Lu had toned it down significantly. She had changed a great deal.

She kept bowing deeply, expressing her gratitude for the boss’s cultivation and the seniors’ support.

Seeing her demeanor, Chen Feng didn’t say anything else. He actually found the arrangement rather good.

Qin Lu had a very unique voice with a touch of postmodern flair. She had potential.

Chen Feng thought he might be able to find songs suited to her style in the future. Perhaps he could bring back some classic 22nd-century songs and use her for some experimental, cutting-edge music.

Compared to Zhong Lei, Qin Lu was a pure blank slate. Chen Feng could be much more unrestrained in altering her fate.

After the meal, Chen Feng and Zhong Lei got into Ou Junlang’s car, heading back to Weston Apartments.

Ou Junlang, sitting in the front passenger seat, said seemingly casually, yet deliberately, “Master, Sister Lei, I have a suggestion. You working behind the scenes, Master, isn’t a huge issue. But Sister Lei’s fame keeps growing. If someone snaps pictures of you two still living together, it might create a bad impression. We all know the background, but reporters write whatever grabs the most attention. They don’t care about the truth. Rumors will probably start eventually.”

“I don’t care. Let people say whatever they want. What matters is the work.”

Chen Feng and Zhong Lei spoke the exact same words, strangely in unison.

Ou Junlang in the front seat immediately fell silent.

The two in the back seat exchanged a glance and smiled. They were completely unfazed.

Back in her room, Zhong Lei didn’t go upstairs. She walked straight into Chen Feng’s suite and sat down on the sofa. “Talk?”

“About what?”

“About how infuriating you are.”

Chen Feng: “Huh?”

“I wanted to start a company with you before, and you refused. I thought you really weren’t interested. But now look at you! You quietly launched this huge venture with Ou Junlang and even poached Wan Yue’s brother. So what? Out with the old love once the new one comes? Do you think I’m not as good as Ou Junlang?”

Chen Feng swallowed hard. That sounded really odd!

“No, not that meaning! I just didn’t want to handle company management myself. I wouldn’t be good at running an agency. Ou Junlang had ready resources, so I thought it would be easy to just join in.”

Seeing his slightly flustered expression, Zhong Lei laughed.

“I’m teasing you; I’m not seriously angry. But what I’m going to say next, you have to agree.”

“Go ahead.”

“I want to join your company. I’ve thought about it. Paying you back five million is going to be tough. So the easiest way is to help you earn money. Your company’s top artist can’t be Ou Junlang. It can only be me. Think about it: when you go to expand overseas later and take promotional materials featuring your artists… if the top photo Fatty Ou’s big, round dough face, what would people’s first impression be?”

Chen Feng pictured that scene. It did make him shudder slightly.

“True.”

“Now look at me.” Zhong Lei stood up, deliberately striking a pose to show her curves. She lightly tossed her long hair and smiled with confidence. “What if the photo were mine?”

“Perfect.”

“Exactly, right?”

Chen Feng began to ponder the idea.

But Zhong Lei stood up again and walked to the corner where Chen Feng’s ridiculously low-end Yangtze guitar lay. She picked it up, fiddling with the tuning pegs. “Do you think I’ve become more confident?”

Chen Feng was confused. “A bit, yes? Why?”

“I am indeed more confident now, but it’s not because of the fame from ‘Dullness’ and ‘Monotony’, and not because I helped write the lyrics for ‘Baptism of Fire’. Listen to my new song. This is the first song I’ve ever truly and completely created on my own! Please listen to ‘Self-Combustion’.”

Her fingers slid over the strings, and the sound of the guitar filled the air.

It was a melody Chen Feng had never heard before.

Chen Feng was stunned on the spot.

‘Self-Combustion’?

What are you doing?!

You’re playing guitar accompaniment?

Had the lyrics and composition both been finalized already?

If you perform it right in front of me like this, doesn’t that mean I can’t claim it for myself?

His breathing grew heavier.

Once again, his deep admiration for Zhong Lei surged up inside him.

Terrifying! Such an impossible, heaven-gifted talent! It was unstoppable!