Chapter 123: You’re Quite the Trickster

So this is what it feels like for young people to have such vibrant and colorful nightlife. The thought alone made Lin Yu’s heart race with excitement.

A few days later, Lin Yu, now enjoying his newfound freedom, spent his days filming and his nights reporting to Ji Ya about his work. Soon, it was time for the second round of the “Talents Show.”

After coordinating with the film’s director, Lin Yu flew back to the company, seeking out the same sound engineer who had helped him record his previous demo. Ji Ya had actually wanted to assign him a private jet, making travel effortless, but Lin Yu refused to accept any special treatment. He believed that accomplishing things independently was of utmost importance.

This was a mutual understanding he and Ji Ya had reached: if he desired freedom, he couldn’t keep relying on others for help.

After finishing the recording, Lin Yu returned to the company for some rest and to check in. He also took the time to chat with other artists. In the month since he’d signed his contract, he’d built good relationships with many colleagues and had even earned the reputation of being a “nice guy.”

“Hey, Yu, you’re back? No more show recordings for now?”

“I heard the second round of ‘Talents Show’ is about to start. Good luck!”

“Yu, you’re as helpful as ever! Could you take a look at my demo and tell me if anything needs fixing?”

“Ah! Yu!”

His coworkers greeted him enthusiastically, and even the cleaning lady looked at Lin Yu with a fond, motherly gaze.

Turning a corner, he unexpectedly ran into Su Xiaolin. Lin Yu was surprised, “Xiaolin, you’re back from your assignment in the States already?”

Su Xiaolin rolled her eyes in exasperation. If Ji Ya hadn’t been worried that this troublemaker would get restless and somehow miss the second round of the show, she wouldn’t have dragged her back in such a hurry to keep an eye on him.

Truth be told, keeping an eye on Lin Yu was like caring for a child—afraid he’d slip through her fingers or melt away if not watched closely.

“Didn’t you miss me?”

Lin Yu scratched his head and grinned, “How could I not? Life without you has been utterly miserable! I can barely get a meal, and even a trip to the restroom feels impossible.”

“Alright, that’s enough, you’re getting gross.” Su Xiaolin smacked him lightly. Why was this kid always coming up with weird stuff?

“Xiaolin, the flight must have tired you out. Want me to give you a shoulder massage?”

Right next door was Su Xiaolin’s office. She had just returned and was busy dealing with leftover work, though thankfully everything went smoothly. She wasn’t too exhausted, especially since she’d managed to sneak in a quick rest while the boss was away.

Su Xiaolin couldn’t help but feel suspicious of Lin Yu’s intentions. The last time he’d offered a massage to the female CEO, he’d ended up in her room. Luckily, when she saw Ji Ya the next day, it was clear nothing had happened, or else...

Hmph!

“Enough of your antics. I’m here to supervise your work, not to fool around.”

“How’s your new song coming along? Or are you planning to sing your old one in the second round?”

They stepped into the office. As soon as Lin Yu entered, he glanced around and noticed how tidy it was. Even though Su Xiaolin had just returned, her desk was covered with files, and the open laptop showed she’d only just finished working.

No wonder she was the assistant to a powerful woman.

To come back and immediately throw herself into work—truly impressive.

Lin Yu wasn’t much for words, so seeing Su Xiaolin busy on the phone, he quietly sat on the sofa, doing his best not to disturb her.

When she finished her call, Lin Yu finally said, “I’ve already recorded the demo. There are a few details I need to discuss in a bit.”

Su Xiaolin nodded. With him being so well-behaved, she was spared a lot of trouble. Just as Ji Ya had said, even when left alone, Lin Yu would always get his work done.

That was reassuring.

Now that she was free, as his manager, she couldn’t just listen to his report without taking action. She stood up. “I’ll go with you later.”

She reached into a drawer and handed something to Lin Yu. “Almost forgot, President Ji told me to give you this.”

It was the xiao flute Lin Yu had mentioned before. To his surprise, it had been cleaned until it gleamed like new.

How wonderful!

Lin Yu felt secretly delighted.

With this in hand, it might come in handy while fine-tuning his piece. He hadn’t expected Ji Ya, busy as she was, to remember his small request. It showed just how attentive she was.

Lin Yu couldn’t possibly refuse Su Xiaolin’s request; if she wanted to come along, so be it. It wouldn’t affect him.

“President Ji is putting a lot of effort into cultivating your talent. If you let her down, you’d better watch your head!” Su Xiaolin half-joked, half-threatened.

Lin Yu just laughed it off. “I’m confident. If I can’t win the competition, all the effort I put into writing songs would be for nothing.”

Despite his words, he truly believed he would win. His song library was filled with hits from the future—in this world, they were leagues ahead of the current music scene. How could songs from years ahead possibly lose to today’s old hits?

Even if there were legendary singers on stage, as long as this “songwriting genius” was around, no one could rival him!

“Who knows? Every artist joins these shows for the prize money—oh, I mean, for victory.”

“As long as you have that drive, I have nothing to worry about.”

Su Xiaolin felt relieved and said no more. With each round of the “Talents Show,” new contracts would come up. While Lin Yu had already signed for the full season, the contracts could be updated based on ratings—like increasing appearance fees—to encourage contestants to shine.

Meanwhile, OO Music had also reached out to Lin Yu. His new song, “Not Only Time Can’t Go Back,” had become the hottest emo track on short video platforms. The recording of his performance at the music festival had racked up over a million views, promising a future of endless possibilities.

OO Music wouldn’t miss out on the chance for success, so they contacted Su Xiaolin directly, wanting to secure the rights to “Not Only Time Can’t Go Back.” Thanks to the song’s early viral success, the price they offered was even more generous.

“Will you continue with OO Music, or sign with another platform?” Su Xiaolin asked.

“OO Music is offering the same contract as before, but now Netcloud Music has also extended an olive branch. Their contract terms are just as free, and the price is generous too.”

“With the foundation laid by your last two songs and this one going viral on short video platforms, everyone’s fighting to sign you.”

Faced with these options, Lin Yu saw no reason to hesitate. No matter which company he signed with, he’d make a fortune. Still, he gave it serious thought. OO Music had already worked with him several times and was offering to promote him as a priority artist. With priority promotion, there would be more exposure and streams. Any singer releasing music on a platform ultimately relies on exposure and play counts for income. All things considered, OO Music was the better choice for another contract.