Volume One, Chapter Two: The Walking Entertainment Industry!!

The street was bustling with people coming and going. Su Le weaved his way through the crowd, holding a takeout box in one hand, eating as he walked, a cigarette dangling from his lips. As he passed a trash bin, he stubbed the cigarette into his food and tossed it all away without a second glance.

His eyes were hollow, as though something essential within him had been hollowed out. He had always believed that life would be simple—a loving partner, a warm home, and perhaps… a child. He thought that was all he needed to be happy.

But now, only now, did he finally awaken to the truth. In love and marriage, the one who cares the most is destined to lose.

Passing the square, music blaring from speakers, Su Le suddenly stopped. Memories surged through his mind, flooding him with realization. His eyes widened in shock.

“These songs… they’re not even as good as the catchy pop tunes from Bluestar,” Su Le thought, utterly stunned. The trauma of divorce had almost made him forget about his transmigration. The world he was in now lacked many things—among them, a mature entertainment industry. All the songs, dramas, and bestselling novels from his previous life were seared into his memory, his most valuable treasure.

In that instant, Su Le’s eyes lit up. At this moment, he was a walking entertainment industry, carrying with him all the music, films, and novels that had ever captured the hearts of audiences back on Bluestar.

Just as Su Le was feeling a surge of excitement, his phone rang.

“Hello, is this Mr. Su Le? This is Chen Tianxiong, president of Eastern Entertainment Guild,” a raspy voice came through the line.

“You’re looking for Lu Yaoyao, aren’t you? I can give you her number,” Su Le replied, certain that any entertainment company contacting him was really after Lu Yaoyao.

“No, no, Mr. Su, I’m calling to ask you for a favor. One of our artists is preparing for the ‘I Am a Singer’ competition. The auditions are underway, and we need an original song. I know you wrote many songs for Miss Lu in the past—songs that are still widely sung—so I wanted to see if we could collaborate. Whatever your terms, we’re open to negotiation,” Chen Tianxiong said earnestly.

“You’re sure?” Su Le was taken aback. He hadn’t expected that, fresh from divorce, new opportunities would already be knocking at his door.

“I am absolutely certain!” came the enthusiastic reply.

“Alright, if you need me, I can set out right away,” Su Le answered without hesitation. He may have lost his marriage, but he could now pour all his energy into his career.

“Fantastic, Mr. Su! I’ll come pick you up right away!” Chen Tianxiong’s excitement was palpable.

After all, they had worked together once before—five years ago. Back then, Su Le had given up his career to return home for the sake of his family, quitting writing for anyone except Lu Yaoyao, even signing over the credits for lyrics and music to her. Five years of obscurity had buried him completely, and perhaps only Chen Tianxiong still remembered him. Yet it was Su Le’s original compositions that had laid the foundation for a singer’s rise to stardom, and by extension, the very success of Eastern Entertainment Media.

After a brief conversation, they hung up.

Half an hour later, an Alphard business van pulled up in front of Su Le. From the car stepped a voluptuous, stunning woman clad in a porcelain-patterned qipao, her beauty accentuated by a pair of bodyguards looming behind her. Her lips were painted a striking red, exuding an irresistible allure, and her eyes—shaped like peach blossoms—held an autumnal depth that seemed to ensnare every man who met her gaze.

Just a glance, a single gesture, was enough to make every onlooker lose their composure.

“My god, she’s so sexy!”

“She’s an absolute knockout!”

“Wait, isn’t that Song Hongyan, the third-place winner of ‘The Voice’?”

“It’s really her—oh my god, a superstar!”

The crowd erupted. Phones appeared in every hand as people jostled to take pictures, all eager to get closer but kept at bay by her bodyguards.

“Excuse me, are you Mr. Su?” Song Hongyan approached and asked politely.

“I am,” Su Le nodded gently.

“Hello, I’m Song Hongyan, a singer under the Eastern Group. President Chen Tianxiong sent me to pick you up,” she said with a soft smile.

The fans around them were left speechless.

Song Hongyan was a musical prodigy. Years ago, she’d captured the essence of southern rivers and mist with a single song, spurring economic growth in the region. She’d placed third on ‘The Voice’ and remained active in the public eye, her popularity undiminished despite the lack of recent releases. No one could have guessed she’d appear here simply to pick someone up.

At once, all eyes shifted to Su Le.

“So, President Chen asked me to write a song for you?” Su Le asked softly.

“Mr. Su, there are too many eyes and ears here—let’s talk in the car,” Song Hongyan replied with a polite smile, making a gesture for him to follow.

Su Le nodded without a word and joined her in the car.

Soon, they arrived at Eastern Entertainment Group’s headquarters and walked straight to the recording studio. There, a girl with a ponytail sat in a wheelchair, greeting them as they entered.

“Sister Hongyan, the audition is tomorrow night. Have you picked your song yet? You only have a little over twenty hours to learn the lyrics and melody—it’s cutting it close. Will you be able to pull it off?” the girl asked anxiously.

“Don’t worry, the president has found me an original songwriter!” Song Hongyan replied confidently, gesturing to Su Le.

“An original songwriter? Him?” The girl shot Su Le a skeptical glance. “He’s washed up. I haven’t heard a thing about him in years.”

“You must not know, but the first hit our company ever had was written by Mr. Su. And besides, he was personally invited by the president—he can’t be that bad,” Song Hongyan said with a smile as she glanced at Su Le, who was already fiddling with the soundboard.

“That was ages ago. Besides, musical trends change daily. He hasn’t written in years—can he even keep up?” the girl retorted, shaking her head.

“Let’s just give it a try,” Song Hongyan said, walking over to Su Le.

“Mr. Su, the audition is tonight. Time is very tight. Is there still time to write a song?” she asked tentatively.

“There’s no time—unless I give you one of my previous works right now,” Su Le replied, shaking his head before pausing in thought.

“That’s wonderful, Mr. Su! May I have a look at it?” Song Hongyan exclaimed, her face full of anticipation. She quickly had someone bring over pen and paper.

Su Le paused only briefly, then began to write. The lyrics and melody were already inscribed in his mind; he could compose them with ease. Still, he wanted to tailor a song specifically suited for Song Hongyan’s audition.

He was familiar with ‘I Am a Singer’—it was a sensation at the moment. The show’s producers had recently invited foreign artists to compete, outshining the domestic industry and igniting a firestorm of debate. Only the fifty-year-old Sister Ying held the line, becoming the hottest topic in entertainment. It was a running joke online, but it had sparked real indignation among netizens. So-called vocal powerhouses had been trounced, and now, people everywhere were desperate for someone from the Chinese music scene to strike back and win glory.

The whole nation watched, and anyone who stood out in this competition would become a superstar overnight.

Half an hour later, Su Le brought the completed score and lyrics to Song Hongyan, only to find she had already left the studio.

“Excuse me, is Miss Hongyan here? I finished the song she wanted,” Su Le asked the girl with the ponytail, who had been with Song Hongyan earlier.

“Oh, it’s you. Sister Hongyan has gone to the audition—the schedule was moved up. Looks like your song won’t be needed,” she replied coolly.

“I see. Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now,” Su Le said, gathering his music to leave.

“Wait—could I take a look at your song? I heard you wrote our company’s first hit, and I’m curious,” the girl said, waving him over.

Su Le handed her the sheet music. “Go ahead. I have other things to take care of.”

The ponytailed girl glanced through the pages indifferently at first.

“Silent waves drown the night in darkness,
Spilling past the edges of the sky,
A great fish swims through the seams of dreams,
Gazing at your slumbering silhouette…”

Unconsciously, she began to hum along with the melody, then to sing, growing more familiar with each line. Soon her eyes closed, and it was as if she stood on a shoreline, watching the great fish roll and dance in the sea. She was caught up in the music and lyrics, swept into the atmosphere the song created—a sensation of drifting, of release.

Just as the lyrics described, she felt herself becoming part of that dreamlike world, swimming with the great fish, exploring the boundaries of sea and sky, seeking the unknown and the beautiful.

In that moment, tears slipped from her closed eyes.

All the staff and recording artists nearby stopped what they were doing, watching in silence.

After a long while, the girl opened her eyes, her face filled with shock and hope.