PS-Chapter 143 Is It Not Good?

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"This song was originally intended for Chen Fei'er."

If this had come from any other rookie artist, it would likely have been met with laughter. 

But Lu Chen is truly one of a kind.

Chen Fei'er's admiration for Lu Chen was evident during the "Singing China" competition, where she awarded him full marks five times, outshining even Tan Hong, a well-known mentor for newcomers.

Some entertainment news outlets even ran cheeky headlines like "Chen Fei'er Has a Soft Spot for Young Heartthrobs."

Lu Chen, however, missed these gossip articles; if he had seen them, he might have been furious— he's a real man, after all!

Wen Zhiyuan, Li Zhigao, and Tang Qiaoqiao were taken aback, but they had little doubt about Lu Chen's talent.

His songwriting skills were undeniable; no amount of hype could inflate that!

The fact that Chen Fei'er was interested in his work was hardly surprising.

Wen Zhiyuan's eyes lit up with excitement: "So this song was written by Teacher Lu Chen for the Queen of Heaven herself!"

"Don't even think about it." Before he could finish, Lu Chen cut him off: "I won't claim that."

Lu Chen understood Wen Zhiyuan's intentions. For a rookie artist, this would be a golden opportunity for some playful publicity.

But first, Lu Chen would need to play along. If he didn't acknowledge it, any attempts by EMI Company to promote it would likely backfire, potentially offending both him and Chen Fei'er, making it not worth the trouble.

Wen Zhiyuan was taken aback by Lu Chen's sharpness, realizing he had been seen through.

His smile faltered.

Lu Chen added with a grin, "You can use my name for promotion, but leave Teacher Chen Fei'er out of it."

Even without saying it outright, Lu Chen was concerned about dragging Chen Fei'er into this. Many entertainment companies would go to great lengths to create buzz, even when there was no real connection, let alone when there was one.

So, Lu Chen offered Wen Zhiyuan a gentle reminder to keep his expectations in check.

He was open to selling his work to EMI Company and didn't mind them using his name for marketing, but involving third parties was a no-go!

If it had been any other newcomer, they wouldn't have had the standing to say such things, but when Lu Chen spoke, Wen Zhiyuan was genuinely convinced.

He even felt grateful.

The fact that Lu Chen's work was originally meant for the Queen of Heaven was a big deal!

"Alright, alright!"

Wen Zhiyuan quickly replied, "Teacher Lu Chen, don't worry, we know our boundaries. I'll get the contract ready, and we'll be waiting for you at the office!"

Lu Chen extended his hand: "Let's make this a fruitful collaboration!"

Wen Zhiyuan laughed heartily: "Absolutely, a fruitful collaboration!"

He shook Lu Chen's hand firmly, feeling a sense of satisfaction.

This manager from EMI's management team had secretly resolved to secure the funds to purchase the song.

Two days would typically be too short; the company's processes were not that swift. However, if he leveraged his connections to speed things up, Wen Zhiyuan felt confident, especially since the amount wasn't too large.

If necessary, he could even cover the cost himself!

To put Zhang Qiong in her place, Wen Zhiyuan was ready to go all out.

...

After politely declining Wen Zhiyuan and the others' enthusiastic lunch invitation, Lu Chen returned to his workshop.

At 2 PM, he was scheduled for an interview with a special correspondent from WeChat Music.

During and after the "Singing China" competition, Lu Chen had participated in several interviews, both in groups and individually.

But this exclusive interview was a first for him.

Although the correspondent wasn't from a major newspaper, magazine, or TV station, WeChat Music is the largest and most influential music platform in the country. An exclusive interview with them is something any newcomer would celebrate.

Some might even invest in public relations to secure such an opportunity.

The main reason Lu Chen landed this interview was that several of his songs were trending on WeChat Music.

Capital City TV's "Singing China" had WeChat Music as a key partner, and all contestants' live performances were available for free streaming on the platform.

Lu Chen's original works were no exception.

His songs had consistently topped the click charts on WeChat Music's homepage.

As of now, the live versions of "Follow the Dream of the Red Heart," "The Brightest Star in the Night Sky," and "My Old Classmate" have all surpassed 100 million views, with "Follow the Dream of the Red Heart" holding the top spot for seven consecutive days before being overtaken by "The Brightest Star in the Night Sky."

Other tracks like "Fly Higher," "Golden Time of Youth," and "Those Flowers" also performed exceptionally well.

At one point, Lu Chen's songs had dominated the charts so much that WeChat Music had to implement "technical measures" to readjust the rankings, causing several songs to drop off.

Because Lu Chen's songs kept climbing, they significantly impacted the ranking, promotion, and sales of works by other partners who were paying for their spots—those paying clients were not pleased about their money going to waste!

Such behind-the-scenes practices are no secret in the industry, especially on entertainment channels of major websites. Securing a spot or a headline usually requires payment unless you're a top-tier celebrity.

WeChat Music is no different. As the largest music platform in the country with hundreds of millions of registered users, its revenue comes not only from sales shares but also significantly from advertising and chart ranking profits.

So, it's not surprising that Lu Chen's songs faced suppression after upsetting paying clients.

However, Lu Chen himself didn't mind much, as the promotional goals for his works had already been met. Moreover, he planned to collaborate with WeChat Music to sell the online version of his first album.

If that performed well, WeChat Music would undoubtedly promote him heavily!

This exclusive interview seemed to be a bit of a compensatory gesture as well.

Most of this analysis came from Lu Xi, who always kept an eye on online trends for Lu Chen.

For instance, Lu Chen's blog was managed by his sister.

In addition to the WeChat Music exclusive interview, Lu Xi also had work reports for Lu Chen that required his approval.

"Recently, that clothing company that approached you for an endorsement, I've already discussed it with them."

"Whether to cooperate or not is entirely up to you!"

This is the perk of fame; people are eager to bring opportunities to your doorstep while you relax at home.

Lu Chen's eyes brightened, and he quickly asked, "What kind of clothing is it, and how much are they offering?"

The thought of shooting his first commercial excited him.

Lu Xi smiled slightly, "It's clothing— men's underwear, with an annual endorsement fee of 100,000!"

Men's underwear?

Lu Chen was taken aback. He had expected suits or trousers, but this was beyond his imagination.

Of course, everyone wears underwear, but the idea of posing in just underwear for advertisements made Lu Chen feel a bit uneasy.

He shivered at the thought, goosebumps rising: "Forget it, please decline for me."

Lu Chen wasn't against making money, but this way of earning felt unacceptable to him.

The main issue was that the fee was too low; it wasn't worth "selling his image," as 100,000 was less than half the price of a song.

Lu Xi wasn't surprised by Lu Chen's response: "Alright."

Lu Chen asked, "Is there anything else?"

Lu Xi flipped through her notes and continued, "There are a few more invitations for appearances, all of which I've declined for you."

In the entertainment industry, "appearances" refer to artists participating in various programs and public events, such as signing events, talk shows, promotional activities, and press conferences, aimed at increasing their visibility as intended by their management companies.

Most appearances come with fees, ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands, depending on the artist's status. Some are purely promotional and free, generally seen as a necessary step for new artists.

There are even artists who specialize in making appearances.

However, such artists often hold low status in the industry, typically being has-been singers, idols, or non-top-tier stars with insufficient popularity, lacking specific company contracts or regular gigs.

These individuals no longer work in a fixed studio or recording space but hop between various variety shows daily, discussing industry gossip, trending news, and their own or other artists' secrets, or playing games on entertainment shows to entertain the audience.

In short, it's considered a lowly path!

As an independent artist without a management company pressuring him, Lu Chen enjoyed a lot of freedom in this regard.

Some management companies might force their artists to participate in appearances.

Of course, without a company's connections and resources, many appearance opportunities wouldn't come to him on their own.

And Lu Chen himself wasn't interested in them.

He didn't want to waste time on labor-intensive appearances that didn't pay well.

Lu Xi understood Lu Chen's perspective, so she declined those invitations.

At the same time, she reminded him: "If it's an invitation from Capital City TV, you must attend, no matter what."

Lu Chen nodded; he needed to maintain a good relationship with Capital City TV. Even if there was no financial gain, showing respect was essential.

Otherwise, being too unconventional wouldn't bode well in the entertainment industry.

"Lastly, there are offers from two event organizers."

Lu Xi said, "They cover food, accommodation, and round-trip travel, offering 30,000 yuan per song. If you agree, you can sign a one-year contract."

Performing at events is also a significant way for artists to earn money, but the offers left Lu Chen feeling a bit disheartened.

Who let him be a newcomer without the backing of a management company!

He scratched his head and asked his sister, "Sis, do you think it's not good that I'm not agreeing to this or signing that?"

Lu Xi smiled sweetly, "It's good that you know."

(End of Chapter)