Tian Yingxiong asked, "When will you give me the song you promised?"
Lin Chudong replied, "Within the next few days."
He still owed Tian Yingxiong two songs. He should find time to record the backing tracks for him soon.
Now that Tian Yingxiong was practically a full-time employee, he deserved special attention.
"By the way, we might be moving to the Capital soon. Why don't you talk to the boss about terminating your contract?"
Tian Yingxiong frowned. He was currently juggling work on both sides. Lin Chudong's projects were surprisingly demanding, more than he'd expected.
Yang Han had thrived after joining, and he was confident he and Yan Hua would do just as well.
"I could join you, but our company might demand a hefty termination fee."
Tian Yingxiong had signed a long-term contract, and leaving would depend on Starfire Entertainment's willingness to let him go.
Lin Chudong pondered for a moment. "Let's hold off on the song for now. You negotiate first and see how much they ask. If I can afford it, I'll poach you."
Currently, a portion of Tian Yingxiong's earnings went to Starfire Entertainment. If they were willing to let him go for a price, Lin Chudong could manage.
*The cost will ultimately come out of Tian Yingxiong's own pocket. I'll make him work himself to death to earn it back.*
Tian Yingxiong nodded, no longer resentful about joining Lin Chudong's team.
*Even my uncle is working under me now. What does that make me?*
*The rich get richer. I need to cling to this gravy train.*
Seeing Yang Han release one hit song after another made him jealous.
After Tian Yingxiong left, Lin Chudong also headed to the company.
***
At that moment, only two people were in the office:
Wang Zhi, Vice President Wang, who always arrived first each day, and Wang Xiaoyan, who was there for an interview.
Wang Zhi now wore a suit and tie to work. After all, as a vice president, he had to maintain a professional image.
A suit made him look more professional.
As soon as Wang Xiaoyan entered, she said, "Hello, Brother Fei asked me to come for an interview."
Wang Zhi nodded. Seeing this bright-eyed young woman, he felt a flicker of excitement, but quickly suppressed it, remembering his position. He put on a serious demeanor.
"Oh, please have a seat. Are you interviewing as an actress or a singer?"
"A singer."
"Hmm, take a seat. Someone from the company will be here soon. I'll have them make you some coffee."
As the third-in-command at the company, a dignified vice president like him couldn't possibly serve tea and water. It would be beneath him.
"Okay, Replay Bro."
"..."
Wang Zhi's mouth twitched. The video of the Spring Festival Gala performance of "Chinese Heart," performed by the Cool Music Band, had already surpassed a million views on Bilibili. Whenever Wang Zhi appeared, the comments were flooded with "Replay Bro!" It had become a running gag for the band.
It seemed this nickname was here to stay.
"Hey, you know me too?"
"Of course! You're the bassist for the Cool Music Band, aren't you?"
Wang Zhi nodded. "That's right. Actually, I have another identity..."
"Replay Bro, can you play 'Chengdu'?"
Wang Zhi: ...
"I'll make you a cup of coffee instead."
Lin Chudong pushed the door open, looking surprised.
"Wang Xiaoyan, right? You're here early."
Wang Xiaoyan quickly stood up. "Hello, Brother Fei."
"Good. I'll give you the sheet music and lyrics shortly. Familiarize yourself with them, and sing through the song once the band arrives."
"Okay, Brother Fei!"
Wang Xiaoyan took the music and first hummed through it to find the melody. Even without an instrument, as an outstanding composition student, she could easily sing through sheet music.
After singing a few lines, she realized the song suited her perfectly.
When Old Chen and the others arrived, they immediately went to the rehearsal room to start the trial run.
A few minutes later, Lin Chudong clapped his hands.
"Excellent work. Wang Zhi, show Xiaoyan the contract details. If everything's in order, we can sign her. Welcome to Liangyin Media!"
Wang Xiaoyan was so excited she nearly jumped out of her skin. "Thank you so much, Brother Fei!"
***
After Wang Zhi settled Wang Xiaoyan into a workstation, he led the girls straight to the studio.
Wang Danian was already waiting in the studio, equipment set up and a large team of employees assembled.
He was addressing the group: "From now on, I'm no longer your boss. Big Fei is. All company rules and regulations must now align with Liangyin Media's standards."
"Stop calling me President Wang. You can call me Brother Wang or Director Wang instead. If you mess up the titles, don't blame me when Big Fei and President Liang get displeased."
The employees nodded vigorously, already aware of the company's acquisition.
This was good news for them.
They had been facing the risk of unemployment, with payroll in jeopardy.
Now that Liangyin Media had taken over, a wealthy and promising company had stepped in as a rescuer. They were naturally pleased.
Some even whispered that if the company had collapsed sooner, Liangyin Media might have acquired it earlier, and they might have been the ones to film *Bright Sword*.
But despite the regret, they believed Big Fei would still produce even better work in the future, and they still had opportunities.
Lin Chudong brought six young women to the studio and nodded in satisfaction at the set, which had been arranged according to his specifications.
Wang Danian proved his professionalism; he understood Lin Chudong's instructions instantly.
The team's coordination was remarkably seamless, far superior to any external crew. Having his own film department made things run smoothly.
"Boss Lady, you'll go first in the first scene to set the example," Lin Chudong said.
Liang Yin nodded, took a deep breath, and replied, "Alright, I'll go first."
Though nervous, Liang Yin knew she had to be brave to lead the other girls.
**Scene 1: Restaurant**
Liang Yin sat down opposite a male actor.
This was Liang Yin's first scene. She played a divorced single mother, and the male actor was her ex-husband. They were dining together in a restaurant.
The game player's role was that of a waiter, temporarily roped in by Liang Yin to pose as her boyfriend.
Lin Chudong spoke into the camera, "Camera operator, remember: this isn't a God's-eye view. It's the male lead's first-person perspective."
The cameraman nodded. "Brother Fei, I've shot this kind of thing before. I've got experience."
Lin Chudong nodded. "All departments ready. Action!"
***
"I won't let my son go with you. We're divorced, and I ask you to stop harassing me."
Lin Chudong immediately called "Cut!" after the first line.
"Hold on, Boss Lady. Say that line more naturally. Don't sound like you're reading from a script. Less forced."
Liang Yin nodded, took a deep breath, and started again.
"I won't let my son go with you..."
"Cut! Boss Lady, don't look down when you speak. Look at the male actor!"
Liang Yin kept acting, and though it was her first time, Big Fei's standards were high.
After more than a dozen takes, the first shot finally passed.
Everyone applauded to encourage her. After a brief rest, with the Boss Lady paving the way, the others relaxed.
Even if they didn't act well, it didn't matter; they could just do more takes.
The first shot only had two lines, but after more than ten attempts, Liang Yin finally found her rhythm and her performance improved significantly.
After reviewing the lines for the second take, Liang Yin said,
"Big Fei, could you... operate the camera?"
Being in first-person perspective, the camera sometimes needed to capture the male lead's hands, feet, and body. Facing the camera operator, Liang Yin felt a little self-conscious.
Lin Chudong nodded. "Alright."
Lin Chudong mounted the first-person camera rig onto his shoulder and began the next take.
This scene, besides Liang Yin's ex-husband and the main player, also featured a female lead—a crucial character in the game. This time, Lin Chudong cast Jia Lu in the role.
When Jia Lu received the script, she was somewhat surprised.
This character's personality was so different from her own. She never went to bars or clubs, and she wouldn't approach men first.
But that was the point of acting—to embrace such contrasts.
Lin Chudong adjusted the camera and started the second take.
Just as Liang Yin and her ex-husband were arguing, she suddenly grabbed Lin Chudong's arm, and the camera focused on her face.
A hint of tension and suggestion flickered across Liang Yin's features as she spoke to her ex-husband.
"I'm warning you, I already have a boyfriend. Please stop harassing me," Liang Yin said to the male actor.
Though not a famous star, the actor was a decent performer.
"You just made up some random guy and called him your boyfriend? Who do you think you're fooling?"
The camera switched again. Lin Chudong wasn't very experienced with filming, but the cameraman had set up the rig for him, making the camera movements relatively simple: just keep your body steady and turn back and forth.
Fortunately, Lin Chudong had good physical stamina, and he held the camera without a single tremor.
Liang Yin explained, "I told my boyfriend about our situation, and he was worried, so he came to check on us."
As she spoke, Liang Yin reached toward the camera, extending her hand to take Lin Chudong's.
Her performance was so natural that it was a good thing Lin Chudong was the one operating the camera; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to pull it off.
Just then, Jia Lu appeared in the frame and sat down at the dining table.
"Gu Yi! We're not even broken up yet, and you're already rushing to find a replacement?" The male lead's name was Gu Yi, and since the story was told from a first-person perspective, players would automatically identify with him.
Jia Lu turned to the camera and said, "I'm hungry. I want pizza. Let's go."
"Okay, cut!"
Lin Chudong gave them a thumbs-up. "Good acting. Remember this position. In the game, three options will appear here, and each will affect the story's progression. So, later we'll shoot three different plot branches."
"First branch: Choose the shopkeeper. All departments, prepare. Action!"
Lin Chudong, fearing the team might be confused, tried to explain everything clearly during the shoot. After all, this was a game, not a real movie.
The shooting techniques differed slightly, and the post-editing would require special attention.
Lin Chudong took Liang Yin's hand, and she smiled brightly at the camera.
Jia Lu, however, was clearly displeased. She muttered, "You're something else," and got up to leave.
Ex-Husband Brother followed suit. Liang Yin immediately reverted to her cold demeanor.
"Thank you for not exposing me earlier. Here's a tip."
She tossed a stack of bills and walked away with a flourish.
***
When they were filming a medium shot of Liang Yin, Lin Chudong glanced at her styling and was slightly dissatisfied.
He stepped forward and pulled the sides of her cardigan outward. "We need to highlight your assets properly. What's the point of being so reserved?"
Liang Yin's face immediately flushed red. "Are you trying to get yourself killed? I'll do it myself!"
How dare he get so handsy in front of everyone? Liang Yin felt her face growing hot.
Lin Chudong chuckled awkwardly. He'd already been quite restrained; the boss hadn't worn a low-cut outfit, only tight-fitting clothes.
Still, even tight-fitting clothes could showcase her figure. After all, our boss is blessed with extraordinary talent.
The other girls glanced down at their own figures, a mix of envy, jealousy, and resentment rising in their hearts.
"Holding hands is fine, but no waist-hugging."
"Affectionate nicknames are allowed, but nothing too mushy."
"..."
Watching Liang Yin, Jia Lu, and Lin Chudong act out their scene, the heads of the photography and lighting teams were whispering to each other.
"Do you think... Brother Fei's daily life is actually like this?"
"Who knows? He's the dream of millions of otaku. Maybe this is just his routine."
"Tsk tsk, how enviable. Which of these heroines do you like best?"
"That's obvious—Boss Liang, of course. We're too far away to experience the first-person perspective, but I'll definitely buy the game when it comes out."
"I disagree. I prefer Jia Lu; she has more... flavor."
The head of the props department leaned in. "Seriously, guys? Already picking favorites? Don't be delusional. They all belong to Brother Fei."
"Damn, can't even fantasize anymore?"
***
After more than an hour of shooting, Liang Yin had settled into her role perfectly.
Lin Chudong asked, "Uncle, has the child actor arrived?"
Wang Danian replied, "He's here. Shall we start?"
"Let's go!"
This time, Liang Yin was playing the mother of a little boy named Hao Hao. The child actor's scenes proved to be quite challenging.
Fortunately, the boy had worked with Wang Danian before and had some acting experience. While not quite a child star, he certainly had the potential to become one.
Having found her rhythm, Liang Yin shouted "Action!" and immediately slipped into the role of a single mother.
***
The filming progressed to about one-third completion by the end of the day.
In the evening, Liang Yin and Lin Chudong had dinner at a nearby restaurant. The crew had arranged it through Wang Danian, and the company covered the expenses.
Liang Yin said, "Da Fei, how did I do?"
Lin Chudong replied, "Not bad. I'm very demanding of you. And Xiao Jia, this game is riding on both of you. You need to meet my standards."
Liang Yin nodded. "I've never seen a game like this before. Do you think anyone will play it?"
Lin Chudong said, "I can't guarantee anything, but let's give it a shot. The cost isn't high anyway."
Liang Yin shrugged. That was true.
They estimated they'd finish filming in another two days. With post-production, editing, and the team's ongoing work on coding and art, the game should be ready to launch within a week.
The total cost was surprisingly low: just two freelance actors at 20,000 each, with the rest of the staff being company employees. No need to rent equipment—only venue and costume fees were required.
All in all, maybe 300,000?
Even with bonuses for the female actors, the total wouldn't exceed that amount.
Liang Yin didn't take this low-budget game seriously, but since it was her screen debut, she still hoped it would turn out well.
Lin Chudong smiled without explaining further to the boss's wife. After the game launched, it would definitely give Liang Yin a big surprise.
***
Meanwhile, Chunting Game Company was in full swing, busy testing the game.
Even Fu Xiaochun had to play through it several times himself before he dared to approve its release.
They had invested a substantial amount in this project. Lin Chudong had hired actresses at a relatively low cost, mainly because they already possessed the necessary natural talent.
The company had several beautiful women on staff who could be used directly, saving them the considerable expense of hiring external talent.
Fu Xiaochun wasn't so fortunate. The art and CG alone for this game had cost over five million yuan, roughly the same as Lin Chudong's initial budget for *Audition Online*.
When you add in the overtime development costs for so many staff members over about a month, the game was finally complete.
Fu Xiaochun's initial game design ideas weren't fully developed. While he had a basic framework, the actual development proved to be much more challenging than anticipated, requiring constant adjustments as they went.
This led to a slow development process and exorbitant costs.
Unlike Lin Chudong, who could use a memory search card to instantly organize all the frameworks and clarify his thoughts, Fu Xiaochun had to painstakingly explore every step of the way.
Fu Xiaochun tested the game and frowned slightly. "The background music is playing too early. The atmosphere hasn't been properly built up yet, and the music is already playing. It really breaks the immersion."
"And this character... make her chest even larger. Go all out, max it out to the game's limits."
"This is a dating sim. If the female protagonist has a flat chest, what's the point?"
"Don't worry, the platform will approve it."
After giving his team some instructions, Fu Xiaochun began researching promotional strategies.
Last time, they had hired Wu Bo from the Big Fly Band for game promotion, but it was a disaster, crushed by *Audition Online*.
In truth, Wu Bo's promotional skills should have been effective. The problem was, this game wasn't the right fit for him. They needed a female celebrity.
Fu Xiaochun contacted talent agencies and was sent a list of candidates.
He glanced at the prices. To get good results, they would likely need to spend millions. The game's total cost would now exceed ten million.
Fu Xiaochun took a deep breath. If this game failed again, they wouldn't be able to continue.
*Explosive Three Kingdoms* was already on the decline. Even the most successful games have a limited lifespan; while it was still profitable, the profits were dwindling.
The company had earned 20 to 30 million yuan over the past few years, but the previous *Fingertip Piano* had resulted in a significant loss. This time, *Beauty's Rendezvous* had consumed all the profits from the past two years. If it didn't become a major hit, the company might not go bankrupt, but layoffs and salary cuts would be inevitable.
Fu Xiaochun had worked hard to build up the company and refused to let it regress.
After glancing at the Steam charts and sales figures, he felt confident they could break into the top ten bestsellers this time.
Watching the immense popularity of *Audition Online* made Fu Xiaochun green with envy. His previous smear campaign against Da Fei hadn't significantly impacted the game's success—they were just lucky.
Once he caught his breath, he'd find a way to take them down. He wouldn't rest until *Audition Online* was removed from the platform.
"Everyone, focus on testing! Fix bugs and implement suggestions immediately. All issues must be resolved within three days. We'll launch on Sunday."
"Understood, President Fu!"
The entire company was buzzing with excitement. This time, they were fighting for their lives.
Success was the only option. Failure was not an option.
-----------------------
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