Chapter Ninety-Five: With Money, One Is Invincible

Back at the hotel, Lin Yu sprawled on the sofa, watching the hotel butler busily organize the items he had just purchased. No wonder people say that the wealthy are respected wherever they go; as each luxury-branded shopping bag was handed to the butler, Lin Yu realized that the usually expressionless man could, in fact, reveal a wide, genuine smile.

Lin Yu:...

Reality is indeed so stark! When you have money, you're addressed as sir, boss, or master; without it, you get mere indifference. The butler’s drastically different attitude further strengthened Lin Yu’s resolve—one day, he would reach the pinnacle, step into a brighter future. In that future, he would possess both wealth and power, and everyone would face him with respect, smiling, bowing, and lowering their heads.

A dull ache throbbed in his chest, probably from the force he exerted while singing earlier, which aggravated his injury. Lin Yu took his medication and lay down to rest. The singing had already pulled at his wound, and the fatigue from shopping only made it worse. Clearly, it was best to rest more until he fully recovered.

“The next show recording is scheduled for a week from now,” Xiao Lin messaged him, along with a nearby travel guide. “Remember to relax even while busy. The boss wants to know if you still have enough spending money.”

So, that was the intention behind the allowance? Ji Fei’s company truly was a big firm, even encouraging paid leisure alongside work. No wonder so many artists dream of joining.

He replied with an OK gesture, ready to rest, when Xiao Lin sent another message.

[The boss has arrived at the hotel.]

Hm? The boss at the hotel? What did that have to do with him?

Could it be she wanted him to…? No way! He was here for his art, not for anything else!

“Ah Yu,”

In a haze of sleep, Lin Yu heard someone call his name. He opened his eyes a sliver, only to see Ji Ya’s beautiful face.

Thinking he must be dreaming, he closed his eyes again, until a sharp pain shot through his ear—damn!

He cried out, fully awake now, and saw that Ji Ya really was in front of him, wearing sheer stockings and a short skirt, her outfit light and breezy.

One room, a man and a woman alone, with her dressed like this… Hmm...

Lin Yu instinctively grabbed the blanket to cover himself, feeling aggrieved like a startled maiden. “Boss, let me reiterate—I sell my art, not myself.”

Ji Ya frowned, looking at him with disdain. “What nonsense are you spouting?”

A stifled laugh sounded. Lin Yu turned and saw Xiao Lin was also in the room, waving a room card in her hand. The production team had given two cards, one to the manager, one to the artist. Normally, this was so the manager could contact the artist or handle emergencies, but Xiao Lin had used it to let the boss in.

Sitting on the sofa, facing the two women, Lin Yu felt a surge of relief—thank goodness he didn’t have a habit of sleeping naked, or his decades of innocence would have been lost in an instant.

“Boss, when did you arrive? Why didn’t you let me know beforehand?” he asked.

Ji Ya scoffed, “You wrote a song like ‘Drifting North,’ which beats out the top stars, and didn’t inform me either.”

“I…” Lin Yu was momentarily at a loss for words.

Xiao Lin struggled to keep from laughing. These two were still the same—meeting only to bicker. Were they a pair of sparring lovers?

“All right, enough chit-chat,” Ji Ya said, signaling Xiao Lin, who conjured a bouquet and a pile of gifts from behind the sofa. “These are your rewards for advancing, from the boss. Among them is a watch worth a million—reminding you to always stay true to your beginnings.”

Xiao Lin specially highlighted the watch. Driven by curiosity, Lin Yu dug it out and saw it was a Jade Patek Philippe, worth over two hundred thousand.

Wait… Is this how the wealthy talk about money, so casually? It was nearly three hundred thousand, yet she described it as just ‘a hundred or so’? Fine, all right, so this is the game.

“Boss, didn’t you say you had meetings these days and wouldn’t have time to watch my performance?” Lin Yu asked.

Ji Ya smiled but didn’t explain.

She would never directly reveal her feelings to Lin Yu; she simply wanted to see him.

Xiao Lin smoothed things over—she was a master at this, being the boss’s assistant!

“Ah Yu, the company recently invested in a martial arts drama. Do you want to audition?”

“Singing isn’t your only path. Acting gives you another direction. Not too many lines, three hundred thousand in pay—are you interested?”

Ah…

He only ever wanted to be a singer, to reach the top! Acting? He hadn’t learned it! Though there were drama courses at school, most of his spare time was spent running deliveries or side jobs, hardly any left for study.

His main training was in singing, aiming to work gigs at bars and street performances after graduation, to earn a little money to support his girlfriend.

If he relied only on the bits of acting knowledge picked up outside class, he’d probably be torn apart by critics.

“Boss, maybe I shouldn’t consider acting?” he replied.

The more the company invested, the more pressure as a company artist; if he performed poorly, it’d be embarrassing. Three hundred thousand was a lot, but it had to be earned with skill.

Ji Ya smiled faintly—she’d never intended to force Lin Yu into anything, merely offering him a chance to try something new.

Most singers in the industry had side businesses, whether shops or companies, but these required a capital base. Without it, how could money breed money?

Many artists developed in multiple directions, so that extra skills would protect them; if one day they couldn’t thrive in music, the film industry offered another chance.

Diversification had become the trend among artists, and Ji Ya was thinking ahead for Lin Yu.

Si Shaozhe always claimed he was the king of rap, but in truth, he was no match for underground rap artists, most of whom had the ability to write their own material. Si Shaozhe relied on his company.

He became a top-tier star only by starring in several major productions, increasing his presence in the film industry and deepening audience impressions—the key to gathering popularity.

Bai Yichu was also top-tier, following a path similar to Si Shaozhe. Without the company investing in promotion and packaging, who would know how beautiful she was?

Acting alone wasn’t enough; variety shows were another source of popularity. Bai Yichu hadn’t joined just to take care of Lin Yu—they had no real connection, so her efforts weren’t solely for him.

“Think it over. With company-backed productions, you can be cast directly; with others, you’d have to compete.”

“Skill isn’t the only thing that matters. If you get enough screen time and create a strong persona, and the company puts in extra effort in promotion, it’ll be hard not to become famous.”