Chapter 10

Yang Qindong's ride was parked at the entrance to the film city: a black business van that looked quite expensive. Unfortunately, Chen Mo was unfamiliar with the luxury brands of this world, so he had no idea how much the vehicle was worth.

Like those agents, they all thought Chen Mo had good qualities in every respect and wanted to sign him. But they did not understand Chen Mo's true potential, much less what he wanted. They only tried to sign him with the attitude they used toward ordinary newcomers. Naturally, Chen Mo was not moved.

Besides, as Chen Mo had said, he still had not decided whether he wanted to enter this industry. After all, when he had dated minor starlets in his previous life, he had learned just how chaotic and complicated this circle could be.

Chen Mo might be short on money, but he was not so desperate that he needed to sell himself for it.

Neither of them spoke along the way. When the black business van slowly came to a stop, Chen Mo realized in astonishment that they had arrived at Huaxia Entertainment's headquarters.

Yang Qindong noticed Chen Mo's expression and said with a smile, "Director Zhang said he wanted to take you to the best recording studio in the city. Since it's the best, naturally it has to be at Huaxia Entertainment."

After saying that, Yang Qindong walked around to the other side of the car and opened the door for Chen Mo, saying with exaggerated courtesy, "Please."

Chen Mo smiled and got out of the car, following Yang Qindong into the building.

As both Huaxia Entertainment's headquarters and its public face, the company's office building naturally had to reflect its corporate culture and strength. Never mind the magnificent decorations in the first-floor lobby. Just stepping onto the gleaming gold tiles, seeing the Fragrance and Shadows of elegant ladies, gentlemen, and high-ranking white-collar workers passing by, then catching one's own reflection in the tiles and finding it utterly out of place with the surroundings—this atmosphere alone was enough to make most newcomers keep their distance from Huaxia Entertainment and look upon it with awe.

Then, during subsequent negotiations and contract discussions, Huaxia Entertainment could seize absolute control of the conversation and initiative.

However, such an environment had no effect on Chen Mo whatsoever. In his previous life, he had at least been the rich second-generation heir of a listed company and had seen the world. Even if he was poor and down-and-out in this life, with the cheat ability that had suddenly appeared in his mind, he would not show weakness before these people or these things.

Chen Mo strode along as though no one else existed, following beside Yang Qindong. Yang Qindong was also quietly observing Chen Mo's every move. Seeing that he could remain so relaxed and unconcerned even after entering the company, Yang Qindong could not help praising him inwardly.

He felt more and more that Chen Mo had great potential.

The two walked up to the elevator. Along the way, passing artists and company employees nodded greetings to Yang Qindong, then either glanced curiously at Chen Mo or ignored him indifferently as they passed.

Chen Mo did not react in the slightest. Yang Qindong also noticed that Chen Mo's gaze only lingered on female employees and artists with pretty faces and even better figures. Thinking of this, Yang Qindong smiled faintly and said, "Actually, many newcomers enter the entertainment industry for all sorts of strange reasons these days. For example, one male artist under our company joined because there were the most beautiful women in the industry. It made it easier for him to pick up girls. Isn't that funny? There's also another male artist..."

Chen Mo half-listened as Yang Qindong gossiped and pressed the elevator button. Just as the two entered the elevator, someone hurriedly called out from outside, "Wait!"

Yang Qindong held the button. A dozen or so people surrounded a handsome male artist wearing dark sunglasses as they entered the elevator from the lobby.

The previously empty space immediately became crowded. Most importantly, afraid of squeezing Yang Qindong or the man in sunglasses, the dozen or so assistants all crowded toward Chen Mo's side. Chen Mo, who disliked standing too close to others, frowned in annoyance. Just as he was about to speak, the male artist in sunglasses said to Yang Qindong, "Dong, why are you at the company today?"

Then he glanced at Chen Mo and raised his brows. "A newcomer you signed? He looks good."

Yang Qindong smiled at Chen Mo. Chen Mo said irritably, "Can you tell them to stay farther away from me? I may be handsome, but I don't like people throwing themselves at me."

After saying that, Chen Mo did not forget to glare fiercely at the person in front of him a few times before adding, "Especially men."

Everyone smiled and instinctively shifted a few steps away.

The man in sunglasses looked at Chen Mo in surprise, then smiled at Yang Qindong. "Newcomers these days sure have personality."

As they spoke, the elevator arrived at the recording studio on the twenty-seventh floor. The assistants swarmed around the man in sunglasses again and rushed out with him. Watching them leave, Yang Qindong smiled at Chen Mo. "If you're willing to sign with Huaxia, I can guarantee that one day you'll be even more popular than him."

"Who is he?" Chen Mo raised his brows, scoffed, and stepped out of the elevator first.

Yang Qindong smiled at that. Remembering Director Zhang's assessment of Chen Mo, he could not help shaking his head with a laugh.

He really was arrogant and difficult to deal with.

Yang Qindong had not walked far behind Chen Mo when he heard a commotion ahead. Then he saw the man in sunglasses standing off to one side with an impatient expression while his assistants argued with the recording studio staff.

After listening for a while, Yang Qindong and Chen Mo learned that something had gone wrong with the recording studio reserved for the man in sunglasses, and it could not be used now. Repairs would take at least four hours. But the man in sunglasses had an extremely packed schedule. How could he afford to waste half a day here? Even if he had the time, his status did not allow him to do so.

Besides, this had originally been the staff's mistake. If the studio could not be used, why had they not notified him in advance? They waited until he arrived to say it was unavailable—what had they been doing earlier?

Chen Mo turned around, looked at Yang Qindong, and raised his brows with a smile. "What did you just say about your recording studios? The best in the country? Top-notch?"

Yang Qindong: "..."

As soon as the two spoke, the man in sunglasses noticed them as well. After thinking it over, he smiled and said, "Dong, you know my schedule has been tight lately. I still have a concert to prepare for, so I really can't afford any delays. How about this... Dong, could you let me use your recording studio first? Once mine is repaired this afternoon, I'll return it to you?"

Yang Qindong smiled at that. Before he could respond, Chen Mo frowned and said, "There's no need to make it so complicated. I'm only recording one song. It'll be over in ten minutes or so. You can use it directly afterward."

The moment Chen Mo said that, everyone present laughed. Even the man in sunglasses could not help laughing. "Newcomers these days are getting more and more arrogant. You can finish recording a song in ten minutes? Stop joking, will you?"

The man in sunglasses's assistant laughed too. "Exactly. Do you think you're singing karaoke in a KTV? Dong, where did you find this country bumpkin? This is hilarious."

Chen Mo expressionlessly looked over the laughing crowd, then raised his brows at Yang Qindong. "Are the people at your company... all like this?"

There was a bit too much gunpowder in those words. Everyone stopped laughing and looked at Yang Qindong.

Yang Qindong frowned, feeling somewhat displeased as well. The man in sunglasses did not want to offend Yang Qindong, a gold-medal agent, so after thinking for a moment, he smiled and said, "Oh, the kid's angry. How about this? I don't want to bully you. Let's make a bet. Go in and record your song now. If you pass in one take, I lose, and I'll invite you to be a guest at my concert. If you don't pass in one take, you lose, and you'll let me use the recording studio for four hours. After four hours, I'll return it to you."

"How about it?"

Chapter 10

"Not interested!" Realizing he was being teased, Chen Mo glared angrily at the man in sunglasses, then turned to Yang Qindong. "Didn't you say we were recording a song? Hurry up and go."

Yang Qindong smiled at Chen Mo, then glanced at the man in sunglasses. "Didn't you say you wanted to make a bet? You might as well agree. If you win, you get a guest spot at a concert for free. We can announce your debut directly at A-Bin's concert then. It would be good publicity for both you and the company. If you lose, you'll only waste four hours. You won't be losing out."

Chen Mo sneered and glanced at Yang Qindong. "When did I ever say I wanted to sign with you or debut under your company? How come I don't know about that?"

The moment Chen Mo said that, everyone froze. Even the man in sunglasses could not help staring at Yang Qindong in surprise. "No way, Dong. There are still newcomers in this industry that even you can't handle?"

Yang Qindong smiled good-naturedly and said to the man in sunglasses, "Like you said, newcomers these days have personality."

Chen Mo impatiently listened to their back-and-forth conversation, then raised his brows. "Are we recording this song or not? I'm in a hurry too. I don't have time to chat with you people."

That made everyone laugh again. Yang Qindong patiently persuaded him, "I'm thinking of you too. Not just anyone can be a guest at A-Bin's concert. Agree to this bet. If you win, even if you don't announce your debut at the concert, it'll still make you look good once you return to school. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

For ordinary newcomers, and even veterans in the entertainment industry who were only mildly popular, being a guest at A-Bin's concert would at least guarantee a front-page headline. Such publicity was exceptionally valuable to both a newcomer and a company. The company had previously wanted to introduce a newcomer at A-Bin's concert, but A-Bin had refused to cooperate. The company did not dare offend a cash cow at the Heavenly King level, so the matter had been dropped.

Now that A-Bin had rarely taken an interest in making a bet, Yang Qindong naturally wanted to make it happen. As for Chen Mo's management contract, Yang Qindong was not worried at all. He believed that once he personally made a move, signing Chen Mo would be easy. It was only a matter of sooner or later.

"There is no if." Chen Mo could not be bothered with Yang Qindong's little schemes. He impatiently glanced at the man in sunglasses and sneered, "I'll win every time, even out of ten thousand tries. So there's no need for this bet. Otherwise, after someone loses, he might accuse me of taking advantage of him and bullying an old man."

Those words were naturally aimed at the man in sunglasses's earlier claim that he did not want to bully a newcomer.

Seeing Chen Mo's inexplicable confidence and puffed-up anger, everyone could not help laughing.

The man in sunglasses had only said that because he did not want to offend Yang Qindong. He did not believe that a kid who did not even qualify as a newcomer could record a song in one take. He had only said it to give both sides a way out.

But he had not expected Chen Mo to act so certain of himself, even claiming that he did not want to take advantage of him. Having been in the industry for so long, he had seen plenty of scheming people, but rarely such an unusual specimen. The man in sunglasses became intrigued. He immediately pestered Chen Mo to make the bet and even changed its terms without authorization. "...How about this? Let's change it. If you win, I'll invite you to be a guest at my concert. If you lose, not only will you give me the recording studio, but when you hold a concert someday, you'll invite me to be a guest too. How about it?"

The moment the man in sunglasses said that, everyone around them was shocked. They all looked Chen Mo over in disbelief, unable to imagine what ability this brat possessed, other than being good-looking and arrogant, that could make Yuan, the Heavenly King do such a thing.

Chen Mo expressionlessly glanced at the man in sunglasses and could not even be bothered to speak to him. He simply asked, "When do we start recording? Don't tell me Dong's reserved studio has problems too and can't be used now."

Huaxia Entertainment was, after all, one of the country's top talent agencies. Naturally, something like this would not happen again and again.

After receiving Yang Qindong's signal, the staff immediately led Chen Mo into the recording studio.

As one of the country's finest recording studios, Huaxia Entertainment's studio was naturally impeccable in both decoration and equipment.

Since it was Chen Mo's first time entering a studio, the staff pulled him aside and gave him a long list of precautions. Then they asked, "There's a practice room next door. Do you need to rehearse a few times first to get a feel for it?"