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"It's become so difficult to even see you these days," Su Qingmei said, her voice soft and slightly resentful, making Lu Chen feel a pang of guilt.
He smiled faintly.
"I'm sorry," he replied. "I've been incredibly busy lately."
Today alone, Lu Chen had already received three visitors at his Workshop. This fourth visitor was none other than Su Qingmei, the general manager of Qingyu Media and the eldest daughter of the Su family.
Lu Chen wasn't just making excuses. Ever since his new drama, 'Full House', surpassed a 3% viewership rating, the number of media outlets requesting interviews had skyrocketed. Film and entertainment companies, talent agencies, and institutional investors were all clamoring for his attention.
Lu Xi, the Workshop's general manager and Lu Chen's agent, couldn't keep up even with three phones ringing off the hook. Overwhelmed by the constant stream of visitors, she had dragged him from home to help shoulder the burden.
Su Qingmei had been trying to reach Lu Chen for days, and today she finally managed to catch him.
The general manager of Qingyu Media felt a complex mix of emotions.
Just over a year ago, she had looked down on Lu Chen with condescension. Back then, he was merely a vagabond singer at Daylily Bar, no different from the thousands of struggling newcomers in Capital City.
But in the past year, Lu Chen had risen to a position where she now had to look up to him. Even securing a meeting required multiple attempts, it was as if their roles had completely reversed.
Of course, Su Qingmei's own status wasn't low, but her reason for seeking Lu Chen was to ask for a favor.
"I know you're a busy man!" Su Qingmei quickly regained her composure and said bluntly, "Our company recently signed a talented newcomer. I'd like to ask you to write and produce a music single for her."
Lu Chen readily agreed, "Alright, I'll schedule a time for her to come meet me."
In the film and television industry, Lu Chen, with only two works to his name, wasn't yet considered a true A-lister. However, in the pop music scene, he was undeniably the most outstanding singer, his extensive catalog dwarfing that of his peers.
For the currently popular drama 'Full House', Lu Chen had composed the theme song and two insert songs, all of which quickly topped the original soundtrack charts.
His talent in pop music was beyond question.
Lu Chen was also the highest-paid songwriter in the entertainment industry, commanding a record-breaking 500,000 yuan per song, a price that significantly raised the industry standard for his peers.
Despite his astronomical fees, entertainment agencies and artists continued to flock to Lu Chen, eager to commission his work. His compositions were guaranteed bestsellers, making them worth every penny.
Getting Lu Chen to write a song these days was no easy task. He typically released a new track every ten days, and his schedule was booked solid through the end of the year. To cut in line, you needed connections.
Su Qingmei had come to do just that.
Fortunately, Lu Chen readily agreed, showing her considerable respect.
His Workshop maintained a strong partnership with Qingyu Media, whose rising stars had even made appearances in "Full House," albeit in minor roles. Though not major roles, they were still considered collaborators.
As for the Wandering Band, their relationship was even closer.
Su Qingmei's mood instantly brightened. "That's wonderful! Thank you so much! I'll treat you to dinner tonight!"
"Uh..." Lu Chen hesitated, then politely declined. "Actually, I already have plans for tonight."
Su Qingmei asked with a hint of bitterness, "With your girlfriend?"
The woman Lu Chen was referring to was none other than Miss Chen Fei'er, the universally beloved and radiant "Heavenly Queen" of the music industry.
Ever since Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er's relationship went public, the Heavenly Queen had settled into a routine of public displays of affection, frequently posting photos on her blog to torment single people.
Yet, this didn't hinder her career. Instead, she transitioned from the pop music scene to the film and television industry, starring in two TV dramas that both became ratings champions. Her popularity continued to soar, making her the envy, jealousy, and resentment of countless figures in the entertainment world.
Initially, some had claimed Lu Chen was lucky to have latched onto the Heavenly Queen, living off her success and growing fat on her coattails.
But who could still say that now?
Su Qingmei sometimes wondered what Qingyu Media would look like now if she had spared no expense to secure Lu Chen when he first showed promise.
In truth, Qingyu Media, this small temple, probably couldn't have contained such a Venerable Great God anyway!
Lu Chen, unaware of the depth of Su Qingmei's thoughts, simply nodded and replied, "Yes, let's do that next time."
Lately, Chen Fei'er had been even busier than he was. She had first traveled to South Korea, followed by domestic endorsement events, all contractual obligations she had to fulfill. She had only just returned to Beijing today.
That's why Lu Chen didn't want their evening date to be interrupted by anyone.
"Alright then," Su Qingmei replied.
Not one to be clingy, she gathered her bag, tucked away her lingering thoughts, and rose gracefully. "Next time, I'll treat you to a drink at Daylily. It's been ages since I've been there."
Lu Chen smiled. "Alright!"
He personally escorted Su Qingmei out.
After seeing her off, Lu Chen returned to his office, only to find Lu Xi sitting in his chair.
His sister held a piece of paper in her hand and said with a hint of warning, "President Su seems to have a soft spot for you. Be careful to maintain professional boundaries and avoid any scandals."
Lu Xi and Su Qingmei had met a few times, but his sister wasn't particularly fond of the alluring woman.
Lu Chen didn't know what to say. "Sis, what are you talking about?"
He remembered Lu Xi had warned him about this before, and he hadn't expected her to bring it up again.
Did Su Qingmei really have feelings for him? Lu Chen hadn't noticed anything and wasn't one to flatter himself. Besides, he already had Chen Fei'er and his career to focus on.
Lu Xi pursed her lips. "Just know what you're doing."
She waved the stack of papers in her hand. "These are the interview requests from various media outlets and program invitations from TV stations for the next few days. Decide which ones you want to accept yourself!"
Lu Chen took the papers and glanced at them, feeling his head spin. The list was densely packed with dozens of entries:
Capital City TV, Zhedong TV, Huhai Satellite TV, Haijin TV, WeChat Net, Trendy Net, NetEase, Entertainment Weekly, New Youth Daily...
Lu Xi had clearly filtered out the smaller media outlets; otherwise, the list would have been several times longer.
Offending any of these major media outlets was unwise, but accepting all the invitations would require him to be in multiple places at once. He wouldn't have time for anything else.
Seeing Lu Chen's furrowed brow, his sister's mood brightened considerably. "Hehe, take your time to figure it out. And say hello to Fei'er for me tonight."
Lu Chen nodded weakly.
(End of Chapter)