Returning to the company that evening, Lin Chudong called in several musicians to work overtime.
They were going to the recording studio to record Wang Xiaoyan's song and also record the backing tracks for Tian Yingxiong.
Although the song wasn't intended for him first, they needed to get the backing tracks done.
If Spark Entertainment truly agreed to terminate the contract, Lin Chudong would have to crack the whip on that bastard Tian Yingxiong, making him work himself to death.
If Tian Yingxiong terminated his contract now, his fee would be at least several million, possibly even tens of millions.
Adding Yan Hua, that would mean Lin Chudong would need to pay Spark Entertainment at least twenty million.
Of course, the money would be worth it. The company was currently short on talent, and if Flying Bird Legend joined, it would be a tremendous boost.
When they arrived at the recording studio again, Xiao Tian warmly welcomed everyone.
"Brother Fei is here!"
Tian Yang and the group were old acquaintances. When they first came, they charged three thousand per hour, but now they didn't charge a cent. Still, Lin Chudong always gave them a little something when he left.
After all, long-term collaboration shouldn't be without compensation!
Though their recording equipment wasn't the absolute cutting-edge, it was still professional-grade. Lin Chudong felt comfortable working here, so they had never switched studios.
Tian Yang was a master of hospitality, always maintaining a warm and welcoming attitude. The Cool Music Band had become so popular, yet they still chose to record at his small studio—a real honor for him.
The musicians went in first to record the instrumental tracks. They were all seasoned professionals now, and even without Lin Chudong's guidance, they made very few mistakes, passing each take in just a few attempts.
Tian Yang leaned in close to Lin Chudong and said,
"Brother Fei, I watched your video about the postgraduate entrance exam. It was brilliant—the video's been shared over a million times!"
"I'm thinking of taking the exam myself. Do you think I have a chance?"
Lin Chudong glanced at Tian Yang's phone. The video's shares were indeed impressive, having gained traction across multiple platforms.
"If you want to take the exam, sure. What field are you interested in? I can help you find resources."
Tian Yang grinned. "I want to apply for the directing program at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. Brother Fei, do you know anyone there? Could you pull some strings for me?"
Lin Chudong paused. "I don't actually know anyone there, but I might be able to put in a word. If you make it to the second round of interviews, find me, and I'll speak to someone for you."
Although Lin Chudong didn't know anyone personally, given that it was the film and television industry in Magic City, he figured he could at least reach out to Professor Xiao for a word.
He was also an old friend of Tian Yang's, and he was willing to help, provided Tian Yang could pass the national threshold himself.
"Alright, Brother Fei, thanks. I'll go help them record the backing tracks now."
As Tian Yang and the others got busy, Lin Chudong sat aside and scrolled through his phone for a while.
His videos about the graduate entrance exam had indeed gone viral, especially among college students.
His fanbase had always been predominantly young, and after the last time he filmed *Liangjian*—which had made the college extras a sensation—and his earlier videos on the bar exam, he had now become a true internet celebrity among university students.
"Big Fei is just insane! His expertise spans too many fields. I haven't even finished learning the bar exam material, and now he's already lecturing on the graduate entrance exam?"
"Following Big Fei means there's always more knowledge to absorb. I suspect he didn't even study music—he must have graduated from a comedy program! The way he makes the bar exam sound like a stand-up routine is just... wow."
"Even though I haven't finished junior high, I'm hooked. It almost makes me feel like I could pass the graduate entrance exam!"
"To be honest, I'm just in high school, and I watch Big Fei's lectures purely for the entertainment."
"Big Fei's classic quote: 'The truly awesome are truly awesome, and the failures are truly failures.'"
"That Shen Qiang is hilarious. Standing up there spouting nonsense—doesn't he worry about his ass getting sore? I looked him up; he owns a civil service exam prep company. He just doesn't want to promote grad school, it's cutthroat competition."
"Big Fei's takedown of him was so satisfying! 'So you're not Fortune 500?' One sentence shut him up, hahaha..."
"Slightly off-topic question: Was early logistics really just like a security escort service?"
"The funniest part was the bit about hiring just one person: 'Your ancestral grave's on fire.' Big Fei is so savage."
"Last time I applied, I missed the exam by one digit on my ID. Not a shred of leniency."
"Hahaha, the guy upstairs is right. Big Fei explains it so clearly, yet people still stubbornly apply every year."
"Big Fei's lectures are truly amazing. He explains 34 universities so clearly in just seven minutes. This part is practically a stand-up comedy routine!"
"Big Fei said he's invincible at crosstalk, and he's just as amazing at explaining the graduate entrance exam. Now, whenever I see him stand up there, I can't help but laugh."
"Enough with the empty talk. I've already signed up with Gu Family Education. Just wait for my success story."
"..."
Big Fei's videos explaining the graduate entrance exam had been trending for two consecutive days. Each time his videos went viral, Gu Family Education, featured in the background, gained a surge of exposure and attracted significant traffic.
Meanwhile, in an office building in Beijing, Gu Yujia sat in her office listening to her subordinate's report.
"Ms. Gu, our enrollment numbers have skyrocketed these past two days. This month's slots are already full. Should we hire some additional tutors?"
Gu Yujia was stunned.
Normally, their dozen or so tutors took turns teaching and rarely had full schedules. Even during the peak summer season, they'd never seen such a surge in registrations. It seemed Lin Chudong's fame had put their education institution on the map.
"Hire more tutors," Gu Yujia said. "Summer vacation is approaching, and the workload will only increase."
The current enrollment is already full, and with the summer holidays approaching, the number of students will only increase. The dozen or so teachers will definitely be overwhelmed.
Gu Yujia opened her phone and lingered on Lin Chudong's WeChat interface.
She tapped on his profile picture, staring at the young man's photo over and over.
This time, it was largely thanks to him. Even ordinary celebrity endorsements wouldn't have achieved such results. The main reason was how brilliant Lin Chudong's recent lecture on the graduate school entrance exam had been; it had already gone viral beyond the exam circles.
Even many who weren't preparing for the exam, or weren't even eligible to take it, now knew about Gu Family Education.
Looking at the chat window she had pinned at the top of her WeChat for years but rarely used, Gu Yujia sent him a message.
"We've had so many sign-ups lately, all thanks to you. When are you coming to Beijing? I'd like to treat you to a meal."
Lin Chudong: I'll be there in a while. I'm currently scouting office buildings in Beijing. The company is planning to relocate. You have a good network in Beijing, right? Can you help me find a place?
"Leave this to me," Gu Yujia said.
Gu Yujia's heart leaped with joy. She'd never expected Lin Chudong to actually move to Beijing.
The year they graduated, Gu Yujia had wanted to ask him if he would develop his career in Beijing, but it was really an indirect hint.
If Lin Chudong had said he would move to Beijing that year, Gu Yujia might have confessed her feelings that very night.
But at the time, Lin Chudong had already formed the Cool Music Band and was determined to stay in Magic City. Starting a long-distance relationship right after graduation seemed doomed to fail, so Gu Yujia didn't have the courage to speak up.
It was like those drunken words she'd said to Lin Chudong yesterday. Even though they never ended up together, those youthful memories were the essence of her youth.
Regrets? Of course she had some.
Her biggest regret was not being there to support him through his most difficult times.
If she had abandoned her postgraduate studies and devoted herself to staying by Lin Chudong's side, perhaps her life would have turned out differently.
***
Shen Qiang's office was directly below Gu Yujia's. The entire building housed educational institutions, so they saw each other frequently.
After Lin Chudong's online confrontation with him, many netizens dug up his personal information, and Ziqiang Education was subjected to a minor online backlash.
Numerous negative details were unearthed, such as exorbitant fees, teachers verbally abusing students, and poor classroom conditions.
In truth, these problems were common in many current educational institutions, and even Gu Yujia's company was not immune.
As the company expanded and hired more teachers, it became impossible for the owners to personally supervise every class.
But after Big Fei's public criticism, all these negative details were exposed.
Enrollment numbers dropped by half in two days, and at a lecture at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, more than half the students who had registered were now requesting refunds.
Shen Qiang clenched his fists, seething with frustration.
Fame truly made a difference. Big Fei wasn't even in the education sector, yet he had such a massive influence on the industry—it was utterly baffling.
***
Big Fei Band.
With no performances for a long time, Sun Jie had been stuck in the office all day, gaining a noticeable amount of weight.
Shen Jianbin, on the other hand, had lost a lot of weight due to his worries about the company's affairs.
Recently, Wu Bo's endorsements hadn't been going smoothly either. The company had only a few profitable artists, and the variety show they'd previously filmed had lost a significant amount of money. Shen Jianbin's situation was now precarious.
During lunch, Sun Jie, carefree as ever, asked, "Brother Jianbin, it's been ages since we had hot pot. Want to grab some tonight?"
Shen Jianbin was speechless. This useless good-for-nothing Sun Jie did nothing but eat all day. No wonder he was stuck with a fixed salary.
"I'm not eating. I recently took over two online singers from Zhang Yiran. We'll have to release that old, shelved online song for them. Let's buy some traffic tonight and see if we can make it go viral."
Sun Jie nodded absently. From his perspective, the company's success or failure didn't really matter. He just collected his fixed salary—performing when there were gigs, staying at the office when there weren't. The only downside was the occasional lack of performance fees.
After all, he only cared about playing his guitar. As long as he had the chance to showcase his talent, he was content.
He often heard Shen Jianbin talking about the company's struggles, especially since partnering with Zhang Yiran, which seemed to accelerate its decline. But Sun Jie couldn't offer any real help.
He'd always wanted to suggest that Shen Jianbin go upstairs and talk to Da Fei. After all, they'd started the business together, and Da Fei always had a solution whenever Shen Jianbin was stuck.
But it was hopeless. Da Fei wouldn't listen unless they terminated Su Yulin's contract first.
With only a month left on Su Yulin's contract, Shen Jianbin regretted not taking Da Fei's million back then. Now, Su Yulin sat idle at the company, with no projects to work on.
Shen Jianbin sighed, slumping in his office chair as if several years had been added to his age. This venture into short videos was his last desperate gamble.
He prayed for a miracle to give him a fighting chance.
***
Xie Yujun had been out of work recently, focusing on filming short videos according to the scripts Lin Chudong had given him.
His Douyin account was called "Old Xie's Happy Life."
It mainly featured role-playing videos. Initially, his follower count grew slowly, but then a video of him playing a bathhouse lobby manager went viral, leading to rapid growth.
Xie Yujun was thrilled. He had thought that without acting opportunities, his career was over. But Da Fei had already laid out a clear career path for him.
Although the company managed the account, Xie Yujun handled all the filming, editing, and post-production himself.
When he wasn't busy, he would hang out at Wang Danian's office, asking the editors under him for help with editing issues. In just one month, his skills had improved dramatically.
At noon, Lin Chudong arrived at the film and television department and found Xie Yujun.
"Old Xie, come here for a moment."
"What's up, Brother Fei?"
Everyone in the company called Lin Chudong "Brother Fei," regardless of age. He had grown accustomed to it.
"Tonight, film a short video using Wang Xiaoyan's new song from our company as the background music."
"Got it."
Xie Yujun opened the music app and listened to Wang Xiaoyan's new song. Several ideas immediately came to mind.
"Brother Fei, can I improvise a bit today?"
Lin Chudong nodded. "Sure. If you have a good idea, go for it."
Xie Yujun was actually quite talented at making short videos and worked very hard.
He didn't insist on following his script as long as the final product looked good.
"Get Vice President Wang to review it after you're done, and then you're good to go."
"Okay, Brother Fei."
While Lin Chudong was filming gaming content, Xie Yujun began brainstorming his own video idea.
***
Six o'clock in the evening.
Shen Jianbin operated several accounts to post videos, spending six hundred thousand directly to surge into the trending list.
All the videos used the same song, Shen Jianbin's newly written "Materialistic Tide." Creating truly catchy tunes was a significant challenge for him.
However, he excelled at writing online songs.
The formula for viral online songs was well-established: take a few well-known singer's songs, randomly alter them, stitch them together, and simplify the lyrics and values to make them relatable. This approach guaranteed popularity.
Shen Jianbin modified Da Fei's old songs. Even if someone discovered the plagiarism, there would be no copyright dispute.
Moreover, more and more people were copying Da Fei's songs online. If everyone else was doing it, why shouldn't he?
After the videos were posted, one shot up to hundreds of thousands of views.
The other videos plateaued at tens of thousands of views, with only one surging ahead.
This was a new account featuring a male and female actor performing ethical dramas about love. Today they were about having an affair, tomorrow they were breaking up over money, and the day after, they were calling off the wedding due to the bride price.
Some brainless plotlines, paired with this song, should have a decent effect.
Watching a metric on the backend refresh continuously, Shen Jianbin finally managed a faint smile.
He put down his phone, lit a cigarette, and gazed out the window.
This year had been eventful, but to be honest, the company hadn't progressed much—in fact, it had regressed somewhat.
This was actually within his expectations. The departure of their lead singer had undoubtedly dealt a severe blow to the band.
Moreover, with Da Fei's current success, it was already impressive they'd managed to hold on this long.
Now it was time to switch tracks. Shen Jianbin felt he had a knack for the influencer economy.
If they couldn't produce award-winning pop hits, they could create musical fast food—catchy influencer songs with low costs and short lifespans, but quick returns.
Money had become his obsession. Ever since Wu Bo appeared on the Spring Festival Gala, their company's revenue had plummeted.
All of this stemmed from misjudging their partners. Following Zhang Yiran, he'd thought he was hitching his wagon to a star, only to realize now that he was just cannon fodder.
Shen Jianbin sighed. Regret was useless now.
After finishing his cigarette, he opened his phone and refreshed the backend again.
Suddenly, he noticed the view count was still stuck at just over two million, and the number hadn't changed.
*This shouldn't be happening?* His mind raced with questions.
According to the platform's recommendation algorithm, as long as his completion rate remained high, the algorithm would continue to promote his video to users.
So why had the view count suddenly stalled?
Either the backend data was glitching, or another similar video had surpassed him, siphoning off all the traffic.
Shen Jianbin quickly scrolled through several videos and suddenly noticed one with six million likes.
The male lead in the video was Xie Yujun from Liangyin Media. Shen Jianbin had seen their skits before and had a strong impression of this man.
He checked the upload time—less than three hours—and already six million likes?
*This is insane!*
In the video, Xie Yujun sat at a table, his expression profound, and slowly began to speak.
"A long time ago, I fell in love with a girl. But back then, I was broke, and her family was vehemently opposed. Her mother was particularly greedy, demanding 300,000 yuan as a bride price."
Xie Yujun looked up and sighed wistfully, his face etched with melancholy. "How could a poor student, just a few years out of college, possibly scrape together 300,000 yuan?"
"But I couldn't bear to give up our love. So I decided to save a little money for her every day, waiting until I had the bride price to marry her."
"So, Officer, we're talking about daily installments for the bride price, 998 yuan each time. Isn't that reasonable?"
The camera shifted, and the audience finally realized they were in an interrogation room.
Two stern-faced police officers sat across the table from Xie Yujun, their gazes fixed on him.
"We're taking notes. Continue."
In a sudden plot twist, the camera pulled back to a wide shot. Xie Yujun covered his face, his expression one of deep remorse.
-----------------------
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