The next morning.
The contrast was a bit much.
Lin Luan sat in the stuffy little taxi, shrugging his shoulders.
Just yesterday, he was sitting in Su Jin’s sports car; today, he was squeezing into a cab.
The seats were almost full, yet the driver kept flagging down more passengers, as if his little taxi was some alternate dimension where as long as he could find someone, they’d fit.
Lin Luan sighed.
Luckily, Shen Yu had already gone ahead to Youwan to wait for him, so she didn’t have to suffer through this.
Leaning against the worn window, Lin Luan watched the street scenery flash by in reverse, and the faint sense of unease brought by the change in vehicles soon faded away.
After all, this was the world he was used to. In a month, he’d be back to his normal life.
He couldn’t let himself get lost in this and forget about home.
He took out his phone and searched for background information on “Youwan Entertainment” once more. He’d wanted to check yesterday, but Su Jin had interrupted him.
“Youwan Entertainment”—Lin Luan typed it out, character by character, and finally hit search.
“Chang City’s second-largest company.”
“A top entertainment company, with countless artists under its banner.”
“CEO: Xià Wǎn Yú.”
Xià Wǎn Yú…
Lin Luan’s finger froze.
He remembered now.
This woman was the forceful presence at the Jinse Tech exchange event.
She was Su Jin’s business rival, and later, the one Chen Seye turned to for support.
Lin Luan frowned.
A vague sense of unease crept in.
Why was it Xià Wǎn Yú’s company that had approached Shen Yu?
Was it just a coincidence?
The taxi finally stopped in front of Youwan Entertainment’s imposing office building.
Lin Luan paid, got out, took a deep breath, and forced aside his tangled thoughts as he strode toward the entrance.
Shen Yu was already waiting for him in the lobby lounge, dressed in a simple and elegant dress, her face tense with nerves.
“Luan, you’re here!” The moment she saw Lin Luan, she hurried over.
“Yeah, let’s go up.” Lin Luan nodded. “Remember, no matter how good the conditions sound, stay calm. The contract terms come first.”
Guided by the receptionist, they entered a tastefully decorated meeting room.
The person handling their case was a smiling female manager, surnamed Li. Her manner was professional and gentle, but not overly enthusiastic.
“Miss Shen Yu, Mr. Lin, welcome.” Manager Li pushed two draft contracts toward them. “These are preliminary contracts tailored for Miss Shen’s situation. Please take a look.”
Lin Luan flipped straight to the key terms.
Signing bonus of eight hundred thousand, a 60/40 split (with 60% for the artist), a commitment to produce and release a digital EP within a year, and a professional team for vocal and image coaching.
The terms were still generous, but compared to what Shen Yu had relayed yesterday, they seemed a little lacking.
“Didn’t you say it was a million yesterday?” Lin Luan raised the question.
Manager Li explained promptly, “We evaluated Miss Shen’s video data and potential. Yesterday’s quote was inflated. This offer is actually very reasonable in the industry. Youwan Entertainment values long-term development—we want to build sustainable partnerships, not just make a quick profit.”
So yesterday’s generous offer was just bait to get them here for a real discussion?
“Manager Li, thank you for your company’s interest.” Lin Luan chose his words carefully. “I just have one key question. Youwan is an industry leader with a strong roster of new talent.”
“Why invest so many resources and such high expectations in Shen Yu, who’s just a complete newcomer with a single viral video?”
Manager Li seemed prepared for this. She smiled, turned her tablet around, and displayed several data reports.
“Mr. Lin, you’ve hit the key point. We’re not only interested in the video’s popularity, but also Miss Shen’s unique charm.” She turned the screen to them.
“Our data shows that Miss Shen has excellent audience affinity, extremely positive feedback in the comments section, and her appearance and vocal style happen to fill a gap among our current artists.”
“We have a mature new-artist training system and are confident we can shape her into a standout voice in the folk genre.”
She paused, then added, “Of course, the market is unpredictable, which is why the contract includes clear assessment clauses and resource allocation plans—everything written in black and white, to protect both parties’ interests as much as possible. Please rest assured.”
Lin Luan carefully reviewed the contract. The terms were clear, rights and obligations balanced, with no hidden traps.
Next to him, Shen Yu whispered, “Luan, I think… Manager Li makes a good point.”
Lin Luan fell into thought.
He’d wondered if Xià Wǎn Yú was using generous terms to set a trap for Su Jin, using him as a channel. But now…
From the surface, there was nothing to criticize in this contract. Youwan Entertainment was a reputable company.
Even if Xià Wǎn Yú wanted to target Su Jin, she’d do it with more subtle business tactics, not something as crude as tinkering with a public artist contract.
Maybe… he was just overthinking it? Maybe it really was a coincidence?
Manager Li observed his expression and sensed that it was time to close.
“Also, I have good news for you both. Our President Xià happened to see Miss Shen’s video and was very impressed. She specially instructed us that, if the contract goes through, Miss Shen’s first single can be produced by the company’s top producer.”
“President Xià?” Lin Luan was stirred.
“Yes, President Xià Wǎn Yú,” Manager Li’s smile never wavered.
“President Xià is famous for valuing talent. She won’t manage new artists directly, but her recognition means the company will give extra resources and support.”
Youwan Entertainment’s offer was indeed generous. And in a week, he would have nothing more to do with Su Jin. Xià Wǎn Yú couldn’t use him against Su Jin anymore…
Lin Luan’s last bit of caution started to loosen.
He looked at Shen Yu. This might be her one and only shot. Not every video goes viral, and not every company offers this kind of treatment.
“Luan…” Shen Yu called to him softly, seeking his opinion.
Lin Luan took a deep breath.
He double-checked the contract’s termination and breach clauses, confirming that even if Shen Yu’s career didn’t meet expectations, she wouldn’t be left in a helpless position.
This contract, in itself, was truly a rare and excellent one.
“All right.” Lin Luan finally nodded, turning to Manager Li. “We have no major objections to the contract details.”
A look of genuine relief appeared on Manager Li’s face. “Excellent! I’ll have legal prepare the formal documents. We can sign today.”
Shen Yu looked at Lin Luan, her eyes shining with excitement.
Lin Luan smiled back at her.
She had finally taken her first real step on the road to her dreams—anyone would be happy.
Meanwhile, in the upstairs president’s office, Xià Wǎn Yú was watching everything in the meeting room through the surveillance feed.
Elegantly swirling a glass of red wine, she gazed at the moment Lin Luan nodded, a subtle smile curling at her lips.
The bait had been swallowed safely. Now, it was just a matter of patiently reeling in the line.
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