Perfect Superstar.

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On a tranquil and beautiful afternoon, the negotiations between Lu Chen and Wu Hongming were friendly and sincere.

It was precisely this atmosphere of sincerity and friendliness that made him not hold firm to his initial demands. The final agreement reached was a signing fee of 650,000 Yuan plus a two-year contract, with ''Whale TV'' having the rights to early termination and priority renewal.

While Lu Chen felt satisfied, he also realized that he needed to find a manager for himself.

Originally, it would have been most suitable for a manager to handle negotiations like this. A competent and dedicated manager always prioritizes the interests of their employer, boldly asks for more, and isn't afraid to engage in tough negotiations. 

Lu Chen, however, was out of the question for this. Although he used Zhao Deping as a stepping stone to gain considerable initiative in the negotiations, due to his personality, he couldn't force himself to be cold-hearted and nitpick with Wu Hongming over every detail for the sake of profit.

Lu Chen always harbored gratitude toward ''Whale TV'' and Wu Shanshan.

Thus, memories and experiences from the dream world told him that he truly needed a manager. After all, his future was not confined to the online live-streaming platform but lay in a much broader arena, which would undoubtedly involve countless negotiations!

Lu Chen couldn't possibly take the lead in every situation.

Once the new contract was finalized, Wu Shanshan took her laptop outside to find a place to print it.

Lu Chen continued his discussions with Editor Sui An from YunJing Music Network.

Even for an online album, it couldn't just be released at will. First, Lu Chen needed to prepare ten songs, which was the standard number of tracks for a pop music album.

This was, of course, quite simple for Lu Chen. He had already performed six songs: "My Old Classmate," "Dust in the Wind," "Sleeping in the Bunk Above Me," "Cinderella," "Golden Time of Youth," and "Beauty." He just needed to add four more songs.

Lu Chen had even thought about which four songs to include to complete his first album!

However, the problem was that releasing an album was different from singing live in a streaming session. To ensure quality and sales, all ten songs needed to be composed, recorded in a professional recording studio with band accompaniment, and undergo post-production.

In this regard, Lu Chen didn't have much experience. The memories he gained from his dreams couldn't help him because even Xu Bo hadn't released a real album.

However, once he made up his mind, all difficulties could be overcome, especially now that he had signed a new contract with ''Whale TV'', which meant he had the funds to complete the preliminary work.

As for the collaboration with YunJing Music Network, it was still just a matter of intent.

Sui An was quite engaging in conversation; his understanding of pop music and the entertainment industry impressed Lu Chen.

Wu Shanshan returned with the printed contract.

Lu Chen solemnly signed his name on it.

That evening, he treated the three guests who had come from afar to a sumptuous dinner at a great restaurant.

"Manager Wu, Sister Shanshan, Big Brother Sui," After dinner, Lu Chen asked, "Do you have any plans for tonight?"

Wu Hongming and Sui An exchanged glances, and the latter replied with a smile, "I'm going to see a few friends tomorrow, but I don't have any plans for tonight. Are you going to arrange something for us, Lu Chen?"

Sui An had a favorable impression of Lu Chen. He was young, handsome, talented, and humble, unlike many of his peers who, after achieving a bit of success, became arrogant and conceited.

Lu Chen smiled and said, "If you have no plans, how about I take you all to a bar for a drink?"

Wu Shanshan's eyes lit up. "Is it your Daylily bar?"

Lu Chen nodded.

Wu Shanshan smiled broadly. "That sounds great!"

Wu Hongming also had no objections.

So, Lu Chen took the three of them in a taxi to the Daylily bar in Houhai.

Since it was Sunday night and they arrived a bit late, there were no empty seats in the bar.

Lu Chen quickly found Chen Jianhao and explained the situation. Not only did Chen readily offer a reserved VIP table, but he also personally came to greet the three guests from Shenhai.

After Lu Chen introduced everyone, they headed to the bar's back room.

The back room was lively as well; in addition to old colleagues like Li Hong and Wang Little Shu, Sister Na was there, along with four unfamiliar vagabond singers who were probably there for performances.

"Oh my!" 

As soon as Sister Na saw Lu Chen, she exclaimed exaggeratedly, "Look who's here; it's quite a rare guest!"

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Lu Chen rubbed his nose and smiled awkwardly. "Sister Na, please spare me."

He had been focusing most of his energy on online live streaming, so he visited Daylily less frequently.

After all, compared to ''Whale TV'', the money Lu Chen earned at the bar was significantly less.

Perhaps one day when he became successful and no longer had to worry about money, he could return to the bar, guitar in hand, singing casually on stage, chatting and drinking with friends, and enjoying leisurely times.

But for now, that was out of the question.

Sister Na laughed and gave him a hug, saying, "I was just joking with you, Lu Chen. I'm really glad you could come. Big Qing and I have things we want to discuss with you."

"Sure!" 

Lu Chen readily agreed, greeted Li Hong and the others, and then followed Sister Na to a small lounge.

As they walked over, Lu Chen asked, "Is Brother Ye not here tonight?"

He noticed that Ye Zhenyang was absent.

Sister Na replied, "He no longer works at Daylily. He wisely resigned on his own; otherwise…"

When mentioning Ye Zhenyang, Sister Na's tone carried a hint of disdain.

Lu Chen nodded but didn't say anything.

He knew that Ye Zhenyang's departure from the Daylily bar was related to him, but he bore no responsibility.

Sister Na continued, "Little Lu, you're definitely going to enter the entertainment industry in the future. That circle is too complex. You must remember not to have any malicious intentions toward others, but also be wary of them. No matter how good you are to some people, they might stab you in the back when you least expect it!"

Lu Chen smiled and said, "I know, thank you for the reminder, Sister Na."

As they spoke, Sister Na pushed open the door, and they entered the small lounge where the Wandering Band was located.

Qin Hanyang and all the members of the Wandering Band were there, rehearsing a new song. Upon seeing Lu Chen and Sister Na, everyone stopped practicing, and even the drummer stood up.

Lu Chen was no longer the part-time waiter and singing vagabond he once was; his creative talent was now widely recognized throughout the Houhai circle. The price of 200,000 Yuan for a song was well-known among people.

Moreover, Lu Chen's original song "In Spring," which he gave to the Wandering Band, was traded for 5% of the bar's shares by Chen Jianhao. This story was even regarded as a legendary tale in the circle.

Qin Hanyang put down his electric guitar and greeted them with a smile, "Little Lu, you came at the right time; Sister Na and I were just looking for you!"

Curious, Lu Chen asked, "Brother Qin, what's the matter?"

Sister Na smiled and said, "Let's sit down and talk."

What they wanted to discuss with Lu Chen was quite simple.

Sister Na and the Wandering Band had joined Qingyu Media, and their new songs, "In Spring" and "I Want A Family," would be promoted on the internet and radio next month.

If they succeeded in the charts, Qingyu Media agreed to produce a mini-album for them.

The so-called mini-album is essentially a reduced version of a complete CD, usually containing five songs. Its selling price is lower than that of a full album, and the distribution is more flexible, making it popular among many vagabond singers; it's also referred to as an EP.

Since the Wandering Band had Sister Na as their lead singer, Qingyu Media hoped that the two could invite Lu Chen to write a new duet to enrich the mini-album's content.

Qin Hanyang sincerely said, "This matter should ideally be handled by the company, but considering our personal relationship, they let us negotiate it ourselves. Of course, the price for the song will be what it should be!"

Lu Chen understood, thought for a moment, and said, "No problem. Can I give it to you in a couple of days?"

Sister Na smiled, "That's definitely no problem. We're most assured when you write the songs; they'll surely be great!"

Lu Chen smiled back.

After chatting for a while longer, Lu Chen borrowed a guitar from Qin Hanyang and went on stage to perform.

He played and sang "Dust in the Wind," "Beauty," and "Golden Time of Youth." The three new songs brought immense joy to the new and old customers in the bar, and the applause and cheers were nonstop.

The next morning, Lu Chen sent Wu Hongming and the others off on the high-speed train back to Shenhai City.

At 2 PM, he received a text message from the bank.

There was an additional 650,000 Yuan in his account!

(End Of The Chapter)

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