Perfect Superstar.

On August 22, the production team of 'Singing China' wrapped up their nationwide PK competition tour and returned to Capital City.

In just seven days, on August 29, the grand finale of 'Singing China', the National Top 10 Grand Finals, would take place at the newly inaugurated T1 Studio of Capital City TV.

On the same day, Xiangnan Satellite TV's 'The Strongest Singer' had just concluded, with its ratings barely breaking 4%.

The once heavily promoted newcomer, Ling Xiaoxiao, had a disappointing performance in the finals, ultimately finishing in fifth place.

The showdown between the flagship variety shows of two major TV networks ended with 'Singing China' triumphing over 'The Strongest Singer'.

The PK competition of 'Singing China', live-streamed at the Bihai Stadium on the 20th, achieved a rating of 5.76%. Industry insiders speculated that the upcoming national finals could easily surpass 6 points and might even reach 7.

Whether it was 6 or 7 points, it would be a proud victory for Capital City TV!

As one of the National Top 10 singers, Lu Chen also returned to Capital City with the production team.

He could have stayed in Bihai for a couple more days, but pressing matters in the Capital City forced him to rush back, leaving little time to enjoy the tropical beauty of the southern islands.

Work and responsibility felt like invisible whips, urging Lu Chen to keep moving forward.

It was far from the time to lie down and rest.

…

The day after returning to Capital City, Lu Chen personally interviewed a job seeker at his workshop.

Chen Xiang, 22 years old, was a graduate of Fangshan University, majoring in Computer Applications. He had been in Capital City for over a year and was currently working as a programmer at a tech company.

Fangshan University was a third-tier institution in the country, and its degree held little value.

In the talent-saturated Capital City, Chen Xiang wasn't even a small fish in a vast ocean, and landing a good job was nearly impossible. After all, even Lu Chen, a graduate from a top-tier university, had once struggled to find his footing.

While Lu Chen's workshop didn't set high recruitment standards, they weren't low enough to consider someone from a third-tier university.

Frankly speaking, while people with natural talents are hard to find but people with good education and amazing degrees fill the streets of the Capital City!

However, Chen Xiang had performed well academically, earning scholarships every year in college. His work ethic in the city was commendable, and he had made noticeable achievements in his current job— he clearly had potential.

Most importantly, Chen Xiang had a unique identity: he was a member of Lu Chen's fan group, the Lu Family Army.

And he is a die-hard fan at that!

He had contacted Lu Chen through Li Feiyu before coming for the interview.

"Why do you want to work here?" Lu Chen asked, genuinely curious. "Your prospects here certainly won't compare to those at your current company."

Chen Xiang's current employer, while not a major corporation, was a legitimate IT firm with strong growth potential.

In terms of career nature and future opportunities, it far outweighed Lu Chen's small workshop.

When job hunting, salary, and benefits are important, but career advancement and future prospects are critical considerations.

Lu Chen's workshop was a small team dedicated to supporting his work. The current recruitment was for a network administrator responsible for website development and maintenance, along with some online marketing tasks.

Lu Chen had no intention of expanding the workshop into a large company for now, so the main requirement for new hires was stability and reliability.

However, most young professionals, especially those who had moved to Capital City to chase their dreams, often harbored ambitions of making it big— something Lu Chen's small workshop couldn't satisfy.

Lu Chen was always honest with interviewees about this, avoiding any deception or misleading promises.

During his initial job search in the Capital City, Lu Chen had encountered dishonest companies and nearly fell into their traps.

He had developed a strong aversion to such practices.

While Lu Chen was touring for 'Singing China', Lu Xi had already interviewed several candidates. Unfortunately, most were either overly ambitious, underqualified, or lacking in capability, and no suitable hire had been found.

Truly exceptional talent wouldn't settle for an obscure personal workshop.

"I understand that," Chen Xiang said with a wry smile. "But with my degree, I'll always remain at the bottom in that company. There's no way to move up. Besides, the job is repetitive and dull, the pay isn't great, and I work overtime constantly. I'm not learning or improving."

"That's why I want to try working at your workshop. At least here, I can independently handle more responsibilities and have the time and opportunities to keep learning and improving myself. I'll work very hard."

Chen Xiang had graduated a year earlier than Lu Chen and was the same age but born two months later.

Lu Chen exchanged a glance with Lu Xi, who gave a slight nod.

Originally, the hiring of employees should have been Lu Xi's responsibility. However, due to Chen Xiang's unique circumstances and his professional background, Lu Chen personally took charge of the interview.

That said, Lu Chen still respected his sister's opinion.

Lu Xi didn't object.

Chen Xiang was tall and thin, with an ordinary appearance. He clearly wasn't the talkative type, but his demeanor suggested a good character— someone reliable and hardworking.

While his education and skills might not be exceptional, they were more than sufficient for the current needs of Lu Chen's workshop.

After some thought, Lu Chen said, "Alright, since you've made up your mind, give it a try here."

Sharing the same professional background and a similar experience of struggling in the Capital City, Lu Chen felt a connection with Chen Xiang.

So why not give him a chance?

Chen Xiang immediately looked relieved. "That's great. Thank you, Brother Chen!"

His excitement was evident.

Lu Xi added, "We have a half-month trial period. After that, we'll sign a formal contract."

"The monthly salary for the formal position is 3,500 Yuan, with five insurances and one fund provided. There's a food and housing allowance of 500 Yuan. Performance bonuses and year-end rewards are calculated separately. If you have no issues with this, we'll first sign a probationary contract."

She asked, "Do you have any concerns?"

"No, none at all!" Chen Xiang quickly replied. "No issues, absolutely no issues!"

This offer was already better than what he had at his current company, and a two-week probation period felt incredibly fair and transparent.

Many companies set a probation period of up to three months— the maximum allowed by law. During that time, they often paid the minimum wage and made the employees work tirelessly under the guise of "training." 

Then, at the end of the probation period, they'd refuse to sign formal contracts for various reasons, effectively dismissing the workers.

Chen Xiang had fallen into such traps before during his job hunt and had suffered greatly.

A two-week probation felt truly kind and honest!

He silently resolved to work hard and prove himself.

Lu Xi smiled. "Alright, if you're fine with the terms, when can you start?"

Chen Xiang responded, "I can start tomorrow!"

His eagerness surprised both Lu Chen and Lu Xi.

Lu Chen asked in astonishment, "You can quit your current job that quickly?"

Typically, the resignation process takes at least 10 to 15 days, sometimes even longer, unless it's a temporary job.

Chen Xiang gave a wry smile. "I offended the project supervisor. He can't wait for me to leave, so I can quit tomorrow."

Chen Xiang couldn't even pinpoint what he had done to offend his supervisor.

Since joining the company, his supervisor had always seemed displeased with him, frequently nitpicking and criticizing his work while making sarcastic remarks.

Despite this, Chen Xiang had endured it all, knowing how hard it was to find a job.

Yesterday, which was supposed to be his day off, his supervisor forced him to work overtime and even scolded him.

Chen Xiang finally lost his temper and argued with the supervisor, completely severing their relationship. Even if he didn't resign, it was clear his days at that company were numbered.

After the argument, Chen Xiang remembered Li Feiyu mentioning in a livestream that Lu Chen had opened a workshop. With a "why not try" mindset, he reached out to inquire if they needed someone with his skills.

To his luck, Lu Chen's workshop was indeed hiring a network administrator.

Without probing into the details, Lu Chen said, "There's no need to rush. Take three days to wrap things up properly. The job here is already yours."

Chen Xiang nodded firmly. "Alright!"

In truth, Chen Xiang had something he didn't share with Lu Chen.

The argument with his supervisor the previous day happened because he couldn't control his emotions after hearing Lu Chen's live performance of 'Follow the Dream of the Red Heart'.

That song had awakened the fighting spirit he had long suppressed.

Chen Xiang could endure tedious, grueling work and unfair treatment, but he also had his dignity!

Coming to Lu Chen's workshop, Chen Xiang had taken a "do-or-die" stance. If the interview didn't work out, he had resolved to return to his hometown and never come back.

But Lu Chen gave him a chance to start over.

After seeing Chen Xiang off, Lu Chen headed to Nirvana Workshop.

Both workshops were located in the same complex, just a 10-minute walk apart, making things very convenient.

Lu Chen's debut album was in full swing, with Nirvana Workshop taking it even more seriously than he was. Every aspect, from composition to accompaniment, was handled with meticulous care.

Due to his time away with 'Singing China', the album production had faced some delays. However, the work at Nirvana Workshop had continued unabated.

Now that he was back, Lu Chen was determined to catch up on the progress.

This album carried Lu Chen's first dream in music.

If all went well, he planned to release it next month, in September!

—

(End of chapter)

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