Perfect Superstar.

Capital City, CBD Central Business District South, 39th Floor of Global Tower, Qingyu Media LLC. 

In the general manager's office, Dong Yu carefully reviewed a thick stack of financial reports. The coffee on her desk had long since gone cold. 

Qingyu Media had only been established for a few months, making it a fledgling newcomer in the industry. At present, the company had fewer than 50 employees. However, as the business expanded, the workload had become increasingly hectic. 

Dong Yu had been working overtime almost nonstop. For her, leading this young and vibrant company and growing it into a thriving enterprise was an incredibly fulfilling experience.

---

Knock, knock. 

The office door was gently knocked, and before Dong Yu could answer, it opened. 

She didn't look up - she already knew who it was. 

''Su Qingmei,'' The director of Qingyu Media and the company's resident ''Miss Su,'' walked in confidently. 

Holding two sheets of printed paper in her hand, Su Qingmei walked briskly over to Dong Yu's desk with a bright smile lighting up her face. "Sister Yu, the promotion results for 'Wander Band's' new single are in. It's a guaranteed hit!" 

Her excitement added a rosy blush to her already charming face, making her look even more enchanting. 

Dong Yu put the financial reports aside and smiled calmly. "We invested over a million. If it doesn't work out, I'll have to resign as general manager." 

Wander Band wasn't the first band to be signed by Qingyu Media, but it was the first to debut. 

In an industry filled with giants, Qingyu Media was undoubtedly a small player. Although both Dong Yu and Su Qingmei came from influential families, they still had to play by the rules of the game. 

The success of this first project would be crucial to the future of their company. 

As such, Qingyu Media had invested considerable resources in promoting the 'Wander Band'. For weeks, the entire company had been focused on their debut. Finally, they could see the fruits of their labor. 

A staggering 70% of their budget had been allocated to online media promotion.

In today's entertainment industry, the Internet had become inseparable from mainstream media and served as the primary battleground for star promotion. For newcomers, getting noticed without spending money was a pipe dream. 

But success also depended heavily on talent. 

Dong Yu had faith in the 'Wander Band', and more specifically in their new song. That's why she chose to debut them first, before the previously signed 'Compass Band'. 

---

The two sheets of paper in Su Qingmei's hand contained the data that would determine their success or failure. 

Wander Band's lead single, ''In Spring'', had reached 

- ''1.15 billion'' views on YouVision, with an approval rating of ''93.26%''. 

- 73 million views on Tomato Network, with a 95.02% approval rating. 

- 15.6 million'' streams on WeChat Music, with a 97.46% approval rating. 

- ''12.77 million'' plays on NetEase Music, with a ''96.98% approval rating.'' 

Even radio stations had reported a surge in popularity. 

The results were scorching hot - success was inevitable! 

Su Qingmei, her voice brimming with pride, said, "Based on the consolidated data from all platforms, the online promotion of this song is the best we've seen this year. Both YouVision and NetEase Music want us to continue promoting it on their charts, and WeChat Music has reevaluated their sales projections for the new album. They're even considering renegotiating with us!" 

She had every reason to be proud. 

WeChat Music was the largest music platform in the country. With its massive user base, it often dictated trends in the domestic music industry. If "In Spring" hadn't shown signs of becoming a phenomenon, this industry giant wouldn't have initiated contract renegotiations. 

Initially, the terms of cooperation proposed by Qingyu Media were rejected outright by WeChat Music.

At that time, tiny Qingyu Media had no bargaining power. 

Now, even Dong Yu felt a surge of pride. 

Smiling, she said, "Take Manager Song with you and negotiate with them properly. However, WeChat Music is still our first choice." 

---

In today's entertainment industry, success was driven by idol culture and fan economy. Even a wildly popular song couldn't recoup its promotion costs through online or CD sales alone - it was wishful thinking. 

WeChat Music had the largest volume of legitimate downloads. A single paid download cost 1 yuan, or 0.8 yuan for VIP members. 

- ''100,000 downloads'' was considered a hit. 

- 300,000 downloads'' meant great success. 

- 500,000 downloads? That almost certainly involved manipulating the charts. 

Most people preferred free streaming or pirated resources to paying for downloads. 

And even then, WeChat Music took a "50% cut", with "10%" going to the band. How could they make a profit? 

In the pre-smartphone era, selling popular ringtones was a lucrative business. 

Now, who even bothers with that?

So Qingyu Media's current investment ultimately relies on the 'Wander Band' to generate revenue through advertising, performances, concerts, and variety shows in order to recoup costs and turn a profit. 

Of course, given the immense influence of the Internet, even if they lost money on advertising, they had no choice but to go all out. 

Su Qingmei beamed with joy. "'In Spring' is definitely going to be a big hit! It's already boosting the album's overall sales. The other two new songs also have great potential. Who knows? We might be able to recoup most of our costs from online sales alone!" 

However, Dong Yu sighed and said, "It's a pity that we didn't manage to sign Lu Chen. 

At the mention of Lu Chen, Su Qingmei's expression immediately turned awkward. 

Lu Chen had contributed three songs to 'Wander Band' and Sister Na. Together with two original songs by Qin Yanghan, they made up the five-track mini-album that Qingyu Media was currently promoting. 

All five songs had been reviewed by industry veterans. In Spring' received the highest praise, followed closely by Sister Na's 'I Want a Family' and another song, while Qin Yanghan's two songs were barely passable. 

For a mini-album, having three outstanding songs was more than enough. What frustrated Su Qingmei was that all three songs were composed by Lu Chen. Even the upcoming Compass Band single was written by him! 

When Su Qingmei thought about the setbacks she'd faced in dealing with Lu Chen, her teeth itched with frustration. 

But she knew that she couldn't afford to be petty. Pouting, she said, "Fine. I'll negotiate with him again. I'll offer him the best terms I can. I refuse to believe that he won't be tempted!" 

Previously, Lu Chen's original works hadn't been tested in the market, so there was room for doubt. But now, his talent was undeniable, making him highly sought after. 

The key point was that Lu Chen hadn't signed with any company yet. He was like a diamond lying on the street, waiting to be picked up. If Qingyu Media didn't seize the opportunity, they might not get another chance. 

For the sake of the company's future, Su Qingmei was willing to swallow her pride. 

However, Dong Yu was less optimistic. "Don't be so sure. I have a feeling that Lu Chen won't sign with anyone. He'll probably strike out on his own." 

"How about..." 

She winked at Su Qingmei mischievously and said, "Why don't you sacrifice some of your charm for the company? If you can seduce him to join us, won't everything be under our control?" 

"Sister Yu!" 

Su Qingmei's cheeks turned crimson as she playfully replied, "You are the CEO. If anyone is going to sacrifice, it should be you!" 

Dong Yu laughed. "I'm an old lady. He wouldn't be interested." 

As soon as she finished speaking, Su Qingmei lunged at her, pointing her slender fingers at Dong Yu's sides. "Well, 'I' want you!" 

Laughter filled the room, and the office was filled with warmth and joy. 

---

At that moment, Lu Chen had no idea that he was being targeted, that someone was even considering using her charm to win him over. 

He had just received a call from ''Tian Lai (Heavenly Sound) Music Studio''. 

The call came from Miss Ni, their business representative. 

In the past few days, except for his morning training, Lu Chen had mostly stayed at home, dividing his time between live streaming and refining his songs. 

For his debut album, he had put a great deal of effort into perfecting the ten tracks to ensure that they matched the quality of the songs from his memories. He meticulously polished the lyrics, striving for excellence. 

In addition, Lu Chen had sketched out the musical arrangements for all ten songs. This way, once he had secured a partner, production could begin immediately, saving valuable time in communication. 

More importantly, this process was also a learning experience for him. Lu Chen didn't want to just make up songs from memory and throw them out to make money. He didn't want to become a parasite sitting on a mountain of gold. 

Instead, he wanted to continuously learn, absorb, and integrate the creative riches from the dream world, and transform himself into a truly deserving superstar! 

---

'(End of Chapter)' 

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