Perfect Superstar.

Bang!

A luxurious Yixing purple clay teapot crashed to the ground, shattering into countless pieces, shards scattering everywhere.

The alluring secretary in the outer office flinched at the sound, instinctively glancing toward the source of the commotion. Through the slight crack in the door, she caught a glimpse of her boss's furious face, his twisted expression startling her.

Quickly, she turned back, sitting up straight and pretending to be busy, fearing she might be caught slacking off and become a scapegoat.

Her boss had been in a foul mood for days.

She had already endured several scoldings and felt as though her position was hanging by a thread.

Still, this job had its perks— at least it allowed her to see celebrities every day.

Meanwhile, in the inner office, Jin Hongwei was oblivious to his new secretary's small schemes.

Consumed by rage, his veins bulged, and his face flushed red— a clear sign of elevated blood pressure. After smashing the teapot, he finally managed to catch his breath.

Sitting in the manager's chair of Juxing Entertainment, Jin Hongwei had trained a deep sense of composure over the years. Rarely did he allow his emotions to show, and almost never did he lose his temper like this.

But the past two days had brought him unprecedented setbacks, worse even than when Tan Hong had sued him to terminate their contract years ago.

And to think, all this trouble had been caused by a mere rookie singer.

Lu Chen.

That name had been gnawing at Jin Hongwei's mind countless times recently, each mention grinding his teeth in frustration.

First, Lu Chen had rejected his "kind offer" to sign with Juxing Entertainment.

Then, after being eliminated from 'The Strongest Singer', Lu Chen had once again rebuffed his invitation, displaying an infuriating stubbornness.

In recent years, Jin Hongwei had encountered fewer newcomers like Lu Chen. Most rookies, upon learning about Juxing's power, wouldn't dare play coy. They'd eagerly bow down, desperate for his backing.

The glitz and glamor of the entertainment industry rarely failed to ensnare young talents.

With Jin Hongwei's influence and connections, recruiting talent had almost always been a sure thing.

Yet with Lu Chen, he had hit a wall— not once, but twice.

Initially, Jin Hongwei didn't think much of it. After all, he considered himself to have already exacted revenge. Talented artists might be rare, but there were plenty of handsome young men in Capital City eager to be molded into stars.

Soon after, Jin Hongwei discovered Ling Xiaoxiao. After signing with Juxing Entertainment, Ling Xiaoxiao was swiftly groomed into a rising star.

Sometimes, Jin Hongwei wondered: If Lu Chen realized he'd lost such a golden shortcut to fame, would he regret it? Would he come back, pleading for another chance?

But Jin Hongwei had miscalculated— gravely so.

After his elimination from 'The Strongest Singer', Lu Chen hadn't faded into obscurity. Instead, he shone in Capital City TV's 'Singing China', securing the top spot among the city's top 16 contestants with his outstanding original works.

Beyond that, the three songs Lu Chen had written for 'Wandering Band' all climbed to the top of the Chinese Original Music Chart, with "In Spring" holding the number-one spot for two consecutive weeks!

Such undeniable talent left Ling Xiaoxiao trailing by a wide margin.

Jin Hongwei knew Ling Xiaoxiao's true abilities better than anyone— after all, he had been the one to mold him.

But just as regret began to creep in, a bombshell hit.

The underhanded tactics Jin Hongwei had employed against Lu Chen were exposed on Wave Blog.

The leaked audition footage was a thunderclap that left Jin Hongwei dumbfounded.

'How had such a thing been leaked?'

His years of experience told him this wasn't a coincidence. He had likely fallen into a carefully laid trap.

But who had set this trap? Jin Hongwei had no clue.

He had far too many enemies.

Soon after, Xiangnan TV and the production team of 'The Strongest Singer' issued a public apology to Lu Chen, admitting their mistakes and penalizing those responsible. Zhang Xiao'an was reassigned and suspended, while Chen Zhenni and Zhuang Hao were both dismissed.

These three individuals had all been linked to Jin Hongwei, and their downfall was partly his doing.

Of course, Jin Hongwei felt somewhat wronged. The incident had been a dead-end case with no evidence— who could have predicted that the recorded footage would be stolen and leaked, igniting such a storm?

Now, even Jin Hongwei himself was in hot water.

Xiangnan TV's attitude toward him had cooled. High-level executives avoided his calls, and his partners at Chengtian Entertainment expressed their dissatisfaction. Even within Juxing Entertainment, dissenting voices were emerging.

Though the situation hadn't reached its worst, repairing the damage would come at a steep cost. His reputation within the entertainment industry would also take a significant hit.

Just moments ago, Zhang Xiao'an had called, demanding an explanation.

What could Jin Hongwei possibly offer to a drowning man? Naturally, he shirked responsibility, only to be met with a furious tirade from Zhang Xiao'an.

With such chaos piling up, how could Jin Hongwei's mood be anything but foul?

He Hated Lu Chen to His Core

Jin Hongwei's hatred for Lu Chen had seeped deep into his bones. This matter wouldn't be resolved so easily. If he couldn't regain his footing, how could he continue to hold his head high in the showbiz community?

"Just wait and see!"

After contemplating for a moment, Jin Hongwei picked up the phone and searched for an old contact in his directory before dialing the number.

…

Ding Lingling~

Seated on the second floor of a KFC restaurant, Lu Chen pulled out his phone and answered the call. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the glass windows, warming his right arm with a slightly burning sensation. 

The call was from Wang Jing at Nirvana Workshop. She wanted his input on the musical style of a song, as it was for his own album, and respecting his opinion was paramount. Lu Chen's debut album was currently being meticulously produced at Nirvana Workshop. 

Over the past few weeks, he'd been making daily trips there to assist with the composition and recording of the tracks. A great album requires time and dedication to craft.

After ending the call with Wang Jing, Lu Chen looked up and saw a familiar face.

"Chen Xin!"

This particular KFC restaurant was the one where Lu Chen had previously worked, and Chen Xin was his former colleague.

"Lu Chen! I just heard from Little Zhang that you're back..."

Chen Xin, clad in her employee uniform, looked genuinely delighted. "I saw you on TV last Friday. The song you performed on that talent show was amazing! A few of us watched it together."

Chen Xin's face radiated joy at reuniting with an old friend. However, that was all there was to it. In the past, she had harbored a slight crush on Lu Chen, but there had never been anything ambiguous between them. 

When Lu Chen resigned and left, her faint feelings faded with time. Seeing Lu Chen on TV had made her realize they now belonged to different worlds, with no overlap. So when she saw him again, it felt like reconnecting with an old friend after a long separation.

"What brings you back here?"

Lu Chen smiled. "I came specifically to find you."

"What?" Chen Xin's heart skipped a beat as she instinctively sat across from him. "What do you need me for?"

It was a quiet afternoon with few customers, as it wasn't the weekend. She could afford to chat with Lu Chen for a bit, but not for too long— if the manager noticed, her pay would be docked.

"Here's the thing..."

Lu Chen explained, "I recently started a workshop and brought my sister on board to help. She's looking for an assistant, and I was wondering if you'd be interested in working with us."

Lu Xi had already mentioned to Lu Chen that they needed an assistant who could also handle office work. Her requirements were clear: the candidate had to be female, young but not overly attractive, with a good character, a strong work ethic, and a willingness to learn. 

The moment he heard her criteria, Lu Chen thought of Chen Xin. Having worked alongside her for nearly a year, he knew this girl from Sichuan was diligent and had a good personality, despite her lack of formal education. 

She rarely gossiped and fit Lu Xi's description perfectly. The only concern Lu Chen had was Chen Xin's past feelings for him. He still vividly remembered how she had chased after him when he resigned. 

Not wanting to create unnecessary complications, he had been hesitant to reach out. However, as fate would have it, while shopping nearby, he passed by this KFC and decided to step in. Seeing Chen Xin again, her demeanor reassured him that she had truly moved on. That meant there was no issue.

Chen Xin, however, was taken aback by his offer. "You want me to be an assistant?"

Lu Chen smiled. "That's right, my sister's assistant. She's the manager of the workshop and also my agent."

Understanding his explanation, Chen Xin looked a bit embarrassed. "I never went to college. Can I handle it?"

Lu Chen replied earnestly, "You can learn. My sister is also learning, and so am I. If you're willing to work hard, I'm sure you'll do just fine."

Still somewhat uncertain, Chen Xin said, "I want to learn, but I'm afraid I won't do well."

Lu Chen reassured her, "The willingness to learn is all that matters. The starting salary is 3,000 Yuan, with social insurance and housing fund contributions. Bonuses and benefits are separate, plus a 500-Yuan subsidy for food and lodging."

The salary Lu Chen offered was on par with KFC's pay. While he could afford to offer more, he felt it wasn't necessary at this stage. If Chen Xin declined, he wouldn't mind either.

Chen Xin bit her lip and said resolutely, "Then I'll give it a try!"

Lu Chen chuckled. "You don't have to decide so quickly. Take your time to think about it before giving me an answer."

Chen Xin shook her head. "No, I've already made up my mind. I don't want to stay in this job anymore."

Surprised but understanding, Lu Chen said, "Then welcome to Lu Chen Workshop!"

He extended his hand to her.

Chen Xin giggled and gave his hand a quick shake before letting go.

It was their first-ever handshake.

(End Of The Chapter)

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