Chapter 23: A Major Event in the Entertainment Industry

Nana's birthday party brought tremendous benefits to the Tang Dynasty Bar. First, it provided the bar with a powerful marketing opportunity, further boosting its reputation and strengthening the sense of identity among both staff and patrons. Second, it pushed Nana into the spotlight, making her a "spokesperson" for the bar. By the end of the night, nearly everyone in their social circles knew that the Tang Dynasty Bar now featured a girl as beautiful as a fairy, with a voice just as enchanting. For the regular bar crowd, especially the men who made up the majority of customers, this was even more appealing. The bar already had the captivating Sister Yu, who was highly popular; now, with the rise of a pure and delicate beauty like Nana, it became an irresistible draw for countless people.

The most obvious result was that the bar's customer flow soared once again. Waves of guests came and went, with hardly an empty seat in sight, making Sister Mei beam with delight.

Because of this, the Hellfire Band made some adjustments, beginning to rehearse songs with Nana as the lead singer. Each night, the stage time was split almost evenly between Lin Qihua and Nana. In just a short period, Nana’s popularity skyrocketed, leaving everyone astonished.

“This is what’s called ‘packaging,’” Lin Qihua explained to the group. “Nowadays, everything is about big data. Based on analytical reports about our audience, we deliberately introduce newcomers who match their tastes—that’s one of the tricks big companies use. Most bar-goers are men; drinking and watching beautiful women are their favorite pastimes. In their eyes, women in bars are usually seductive like Sister Yu. Nana’s appearance completely subverts their expectations—they wonder, how could such a pure, lily-like girl be working in a bar? The stark contrast makes them fall for her instantly, and that’s exactly why it works.”

“Is that even possible?” Ah Hui and the others were dumbfounded.

“Hua, when you first suggested Nana change her style, was this your plan all along?” Ah Hui suddenly realized. Back when Lin Qihua had just arrived, he’d advised Nana to adopt a youthful, girlish image, promising even to write her a song. Had he already foreseen this outcome?

“Not exactly,” Lin Qihua replied. “I just thought it was a shame for such a pretty girl to dress like that. Trying to imitate Sister Yu would only backfire—there’s no need, right? So I wondered, what if she changed things up? Would it have a special effect? The result surprised even me. Honestly, Nana has the talent and the potential. Maybe one day, she’ll leave here and step onto a grander stage, where she can truly shine.”

“Me? Is that really possible?” Nana pointed at herself in disbelief. “On a big stage?”

“Yes. Nothing is impossible,” Lin Qihua said seriously. “Nana, you may not even realize it, but you possess a unique aura—a blend of innocence and melancholy, perhaps shaped by your upbringing and your time working here. This quality is incredibly captivating. If a girl like you suddenly entered the entertainment world, she’d attract a lot of attention.”

“It’s really unbelievable,” Ah Hui said, still trying to grasp it all. But he knew Lin Qihua was right—good packaging can create a completely different impression. Perhaps Nana should be grateful that Lin Qihua appeared in her life, opening up new possibilities for her.

“But Nana, for now it’s just a possibility. Even if you want to stand on a big stage, you need to train yourself first. I can’t teach you acting, but your singing needs serious study and practice. While maintaining your unique style, keep improving your skills. Whether or not a company signs you in the future, it’ll be a huge advantage.”

“But I never thought about standing on a big stage,” Nana said, a little lost. “I just want to play music and sing with everyone here. That’s enough for me.”

“Heh, silly girl,” Ah Hui ruffled her hair. “All good things come to an end. Do you really think Hua will stay with the band forever? He won’t. I don’t know his reasons, but it’s clear he doesn’t belong here—his real stage is elsewhere. If he leaves, will the band still be the same? Don’t lie to yourself. I can see your longing for the stage—you can’t hide that. You belong on a bigger stage too. Go after your dreams bravely.”

“That’s right. Lately, Nana, you’ve changed a lot—you’re shining so bright it almost hurts. That’s the glow of a star,” Liu Xing chimed in. “Don’t worry about us. Who knows, maybe I’ll be the next one to suddenly make it big!”

Everyone laughed.

After reaching an agreement, the band intensified Nana’s training, with Lin Qihua as her main coach. He was very experienced in guiding newcomers in vocal technique and taught her with great care. Nana improved by leaps and bounds, and signs of progress were visible with every performance.

Privately, Ah Hui and Lin Qihua also approached Sister Mei, hoping she could introduce Nana to some companies. Sister Mei readily agreed. She understood Nana’s situation well—especially since the band was so obviously grooming her now. It was clear that keeping Nana at the bar long-term was impossible. So why not go with the flow? If Nana succeeded, it would prove that the bar was a good environment for nurturing talent—an enormous draw for aspiring singers and bands. And if a star made it big after starting here, she’d surely be grateful and return from time to time, serving as powerful publicity for the bar.

“Looks like both Lin Qihua and Nana are bound to leave,” Sister Mei thought to herself. “I’d better report this to Sister Feng and start preparing early.”

How she would handle things, Lin Qihua didn’t know. He only knew that the people backing her were influential, and arranging for companies to check out Nana would be easy. Once the matter was discussed, he stopped worrying about it—especially since he had no mind to, given a major event had just shaken the entertainment world, and he was involved.

Han Dong woke up around noon and sat silently on the sofa, lost in thought.

Lin Qihua picked up the tablet in front of him. The headline from a well-known website read: “Major Entertainment Scandal: ‘Huayi’ Artist in Contract Dispute.” The article revealed that a second-tier artist from Huayi, Qin Lulu—a future superstar—had refused to renew her contract and was planning to leave the company. The piece explained that Qin Lulu had always been a key talent nurtured by Huayi. She was beautiful, a great singer, and an actress whose skills were widely acknowledged in the industry. After debuting in a group, she quickly went solo, rising from a third-tier to a second-tier artist in just two years, excelling in both music and acting, with steadily climbing popularity. She was set to become a top-tier star. Yet, just as her future looked brightest, she fell out with the company and decided to leave. The reasons—whether a conflict with the company or something hidden—were unknown. What was certain was that Huayi would not back down. Qin Lulu had a year left on her contract. In the coming year, she would have to either buy out her contract for a fortune to gain her freedom, or accept being suppressed by Huayi—effectively shelved for a year, with her career stalled at its peak. Could she afford the astronomical penalty to buy her contract? Probably not. In that case, the outcome was inevitable. It was a pity—a future superstar might be snuffed out before her time.

At this, Lin Qihua understood why Han Dong looked so grim.

“Sister Lulu... I always thought she was gentle and resigned, but I never expected her to be so strong-willed,” Lin Qihua said with a bitter smile. Qin Lulu was none other than “Sister Lulu”—the girl Han Dong had sacrificed his career to protect.

“That fool,” Han Dong slammed his hand on the table with a bang. “To make a scene at such a critical moment—doesn’t she care about her career?”

“I think she just couldn’t drag it out any longer,” Lin Qihua shook his head. “‘Huayi’ isn’t stupid. They want her to sign a new contract—otherwise, with only one year left, she’d soon be free. And with her current popularity, she’d almost certainly be promoted to top-tier by year’s end. Before she reaches that level, ‘Huayi’ would do anything to secure her with a new contract, to prevent her from going independent as a superstar. It’s not that Sister Lulu wanted to break things off, but rather that ‘Huayi’ saw through her plan and forced her hand.”

“Hmph,” Han Dong snorted. He understood the logic. “What’s wrong with signing a new contract? That’s the industry standard—why make a fuss?”

“You just don’t get what Sister Lulu is thinking,” Lin Qihua shook his head, analyzing, “She probably anticipated this day long ago, always wanting to leave ‘Huayi.’ She just didn’t have the strength to fight them before, and the penalty was too high. She endured it for the sake of your sacrifice, holding on as long as she could. Now, with no alternative, she finally refused to sign. It’s impressive, really. She hid it so well—everyone thought she was happy at ‘Huayi,’ even the company was fooled. They put so much effort into promoting her. I have to admire her.”

“Admirable? She’s a fool! She got caught, and now what? Either she gives in or gets shelved. No one will pity her, since the company’s following the contract. Industry rules—no one will stick up for her, or all the companies will unite against her.”

“Fool or not, all I know is that someone’s about to lose their temper,” Lin Qihua chuckled.

“Hmph. After all I did to protect her, now she just throws it all away. Does she even know what she’s doing?” Han Dong was clearly still angry.