If only Wen Ying’s intelligence could be combined with Li Mengjiao’s superstar potential!
Yuan Fenghui had sighed over this countless times.
If Li Mengjiao had Wen Ying’s brains, Yuan Fenghui’s life would be so much easier.
But on second thought, if Li Mengjiao were as smart as Wen Ying, she’d rely less on Yuan Fenghui. A clever person could handle things independently and often disliked being controlled or managed. In that sense, Li Mengjiao’s naivety was perfect for Yuan Fenghui.
Yuan Fenghui’s feelings were complicated.
Fine, let Li Mengjiao keep her pure heart. Yuan Fenghui would shield her from the storms, letting her focus on becoming a superstar. Yuan Fenghui was happy to handle all the trivial matters for this naive girl.
When Yuan Fenghui spoke, Li Mengjiao was skeptical, but when Wen Ying spoke, Li Mengjiao instantly stopped chewing her lip.
“Really?”
Yuan Fenghui glared at her. “No, it’s fake!”
Feeling guilty for clashing with Yuan Fenghui, Li Mengjiao’s eyes softened, and she tugged at Yuan Fenghui’s sleeve. “Teacher Yuan, I was wrong. I apologize… You should tell me about these things sooner.”
She was anxious because she was kept in the dark.
Li Mengjiao felt embarrassed.
She guessed Zhang Yangning was also unaware, which was why she stormed out before the meeting.
Wen Ying smiled. “Of course we couldn’t let Zhang Yangning know. Teacher Yuan needed that ‘genuine emotion’ to justify refusing Hu Man.”
Whether Yuan Fenghui had ever wavered on giving the theme song to Hu Man, Wen Ying trusted that Yuan Fenghui’s rational analysis would weigh the pros and cons.
Hu Man could boost *Galaxy and You*’s promotion, deepen ties with Tianjiao, and even offer some mid-level resources in exchange. So what?
If Yuan Fenghui agreed to let Hu Man sing Zhang Yangning’s theme song, not only would Zhang Yangning be disheartened, but Yun Chen and Li Mengjiao would have opinions too!
Wen Ying figured that even if Hu Man were Tianjiao’s artist, she wouldn’t outweigh the combined value of Li Mengjiao, Yun Chen, and Zhang Yangning in Yuan Fenghui’s eyes.
Hu Man was a blooming flower on a tall branch, not yet faded. With the right song, she could extend her prime and earn money, but Yuan Fenghui’s ambitions went beyond just money!
Li Mengjiao, Yun Chen, and Zhang Yangning hadn’t reached Hu Man’s level of fame, but they were saplings Yuan Fenghui had personally scouted and nurtured. Yuan Fenghui dreamed of the day they’d bloom fully, marking the pinnacle of her career.
Yuan Fenghui knew what mattered most.
Once Wen Ying grasped this, she wasn’t worried Yuan Fenghui would make the wrong choice.
But the adult world was full of hypocritical pleasantries. Wen Ying’s interruption was meant to give Hu Man a way out, sparing her a direct rejection from Yuan Fenghui.
Sadly, Hu Man didn’t take it.
Wen Ying recalled that in her previous life’s timeline, a decade or so later, Hu Man was semi-retired, occasionally appearing on variety shows, a towering figure in the Chinese music scene.
Now, Hu Man still released albums, but later she stopped.
It was a smart move.
No albums, no flops, preserving her peak-era mystique.
Releasing flop after flop could topple even the brightest star.
To avoid this, once stars reached god-like status, they reduced appearances, stopped taking new roles or releasing albums, and occasionally held concerts or dropped singles to appease fans, shifting their focus to charity…
Hu Man’s influence in the Chinese music scene was significant but fell short of the superstar heights Yuan Fenghui aimed for. By not releasing albums, Hu Man wasn’t leaving the music industry. Instead, she’d transitioned from singer to shareholder in a record company and investor in a film company, evolving from a music diva to a major industry player.
Her intricate network of connections, built over years in the industry, wasn’t formed overnight but was the result of Hu Man’s long-term efforts. In 2006, she was already shifting toward becoming a powerhouse investor.
Thinking of this, Wen Ying felt a slight worry. “Offending Hu Man means we all need to be careful.”
Her words shifted Yun Chen and Li Mengjiao’s expressions.
Gaining an enemy out of nowhere wasn’t pleasant.
But Li Mengjiao didn’t regret confronting Hu Man. Who told her to try stealing Zhang Yangning’s song?
Yuan Fenghui called Zhang Yangning.
Zhang Yangning, already informed by Yun Chen, returned to the meeting room with a flushed face, visibly emotional. “Teacher Yuan, I was too—”
“Too what? You did nothing wrong. I signed you because I saw that fire in you. If you gave in easily, I’d look down on you. Remember, what’s yours is yours. If you don’t want to give it up, no one gets it!”
Whether Yuan Fenghui had wavered, the deed was done, and Hu Man was offended. Might as well max out Zhang Yangning’s goodwill.
Zhang Yangning’s eyes reddened, and she nodded vigorously.
Following Yuan Fenghui felt far safer than following Mr. Guan.
Mr. Guan only cared about his own interests, always making artists yield. Xu Mei gave in repeatedly, nearly driven to jump off a building, only surviving by carving her own path.
“But offending Hu Man, is it really okay?” Zhang Yangning still worried.
Yuan Fenghui scoffed. “There’ll be small troubles, like *Galaxy and You*’s promotion. Hu Man definitely won’t cooperate now and might even hinder us, like stopping Huang Yongjun from producing our album. Bigger troubles? If Hu Man tries anything, I’m not a pushover. We’ll handle whatever comes!”
Huang Yongjun and Hu Man were old friends and business partners for years.
So when Hu Man wanted the theme song, Huang Yongjun, despite disapproving, couldn’t openly oppose her.
Huang Yongjun was only human, unable to fully prioritize principle over loyalty.
Zhang Yangning worried Hu Man’s retaliation would harm the company, affect Yun Chen and Li Mengjiao, and grieved that she could no longer learn from Huang Yongjun.
The company had stood up to Hu Man for Zhang Yangning. No matter how much she admired Huang Yongjun, she couldn’t blur the lines between friend and foe.
Would Huang Yongjun really abandon professional integrity for Hu Man?
No one knew for sure.
Mrs. Wang’s idol had already fallen, and Zhang Yangning’s seemed at risk of crumbling too!
Zou Weijun, who had listened quietly without commenting, suddenly spoke. “Petty schemes may win short-term battles, but strength is the true path. As long as Tianjiao keeps growing, and you three keep rising, why fear others’ retaliation?”
Hu Man was famous but hadn’t had a breakout hit in years.
Though Tianjiao was new, if its three artists could produce iconic works and stay popular, they needn’t fear someone like Hu Man.
Strength was the eternal truth.
Zou Weijun was upright and principled.
Wen Ying added, “I’ve heard a saying: when you stand high enough, you’ll find everyone around you is good.”
