Volume One, Chapter Five: The White Elephant Idol, a Sensation Across the Internet!

"Yaoyao, are you joking?"
"Sule is nothing but a loser. Besides penning a few mediocre songs for you, what remarkable achievements does he have to his name?"
"Besides, how could Eastern Group possibly invite him to write an original song? He's just a washed-up folk singer. Even five years ago, he wasn't worth mentioning, let alone now!" Yang Wei sneered as he spoke.

"Young Master Yang, I would appreciate it if you showed some respect to Sule. He is not a failure!"
"It's just that in the past five years, he's lost his way."
"I hope that after the divorce, he'll pull himself together and stop wallowing in despair." As she said this, Lu Yaoyao stood up and walked toward the door.

As for the question just raised, she already had the answer in her heart.

Sule had some talent, but it was limited.

His voice wasn't suited for high notes, and his lung capacity was lacking. He could only handle simple folk songs.

Meanwhile—

At the Singer auditions, the song "Big Fish" had become a sensational hot topic.

It shot to the top of trending searches on all the major apps!

Ren Yingying's performance was noteworthy.

But the MVP of the night, without question, was Sule.

In the minds of all the netizens, the man in the white elephant mask, with that final soaring high note, elevated the entire song to a height it had never reached before!

That moment, which made tens of thousands close their eyes, feel suspended in an ethereal space, and immerse in a love story that transcended dimensions!

He conquered countless listeners!

Especially with Sule's mysterious image in the mask, his allure only grew.

The forums and social media were exploding!

"I've been holding it in for a month, and finally, they dropped a bombshell!"

"This time, Eastern Entertainment really made us proud."

"Exactly! I thought this audition would be another humiliation, but who would've expected a dark horse like the White Elephant God to appear? He's just too cool!"

"Eastern Entertainment has truly outdone themselves!"

"I'm so pumped up, I rode my husky straight onto the highway!"

"My second uncle had been paralyzed for three years, but after hearing 'Big Fish,' he leapt across rooftops and hasn't been seen since!"

"I desperately want to know what the White Elephant God really looks like. I'm dying with curiosity."

In no time, the title of "White Elephant God Sule" was spreading like wildfire.

He was an overnight sensation on the internet.

Without realizing it, he had amassed a huge fanbase.

The entire web was frantically trying to dig up everything about Sule's background and origins.

As for the man himself, he was now sitting in the director's office on the twentieth floor of Eastern Group.

Chen Tianxiong placed a document in front of Sule.

"Mr. Su, I sincerely invite you to join Eastern Entertainment Group. This is an official contract. Also, I intend to purchase the copyright for 'Big Fish.' I hope you'll grant my request!"

"As for the price, please write down a number that satisfies you." Chen Tianxiong was overflowing with sincerity, even placing a blank check on the table.

News had just come in that Eastern Group's official media account had surpassed three million followers!

At the audition, "Big Fish" alone had brought in four hundred thousand fans!

And all that in just an hour and a half—madness, sheer madness.

"President Chen, I don't have any intention to sign a contract yet."

"Besides, I only agreed to write a song for you." Sule smiled as he spoke.

Chen Tianxiong's face showed a hint of embarrassment at these words.

For talent like Sule, he was eager to recruit him into the group.

With just his debut, "Big Fish" had already become a legend!

It was unimaginable what kind of shockwaves Sule's future creations might bring.

"Mr. Su, I truly hope you'll join Eastern Group!"

"The salary and benefits are yours to name, and there are hardly any restrictions."

"We only hope for a long-term partnership. Even if you have cast-off works you don't want, we'll happily take them all." Chen Tianxiong spoke with utmost seriousness.

Because he saw top-tier talent in Sule.

The shock brought by "Big Fish" still hadn't faded.

"I'll think about it."

"I'll give you an answer in a few days," Sule replied with a smile.

"Alright, then let's talk about the copyright for 'Big Fish.'"

"My offer is five million for exclusive rights to the song. Of course, as the original creator, you'll always retain the right to perform it."

Chen Tianxiong was showing the greatest possible sincerity.

Normally, once a song's rights were bought out, even the original author could not perform it—it would be considered infringement.

But to win Sule's favor, Chen Tianxiong was willing to relax the rules.

He wanted to maximize the other party's satisfaction.

"And what about the music arrangement?" Sule narrowed his eyes.

The composition and the lyrics were two different things.

The most crucial part was the melody.

A beautiful melody paired with exquisite lyrics made a complete song.

The melody was the soul.

Hearing Sule's question, Chen Tianxiong hesitated.

His initial plan was to buy both the lyrics and the melody for five million.

But now, it was clear that Sule wanted separate prices for lyrics and music.

That was beyond his budget.

"How about this: one million for the lyrics, five million for the melody—six million altogether for the song. Would that be acceptable, Mr. Su?" Chen Tianxiong decided to increase his offer by one million to secure the song.

"Deal!" Sule agreed without hesitation.

This was his first real income since returning to the scene.

He cherished it deeply.

Just as the two were about to sign the contract—

Suddenly.

The door was pushed open.

And then, someone knocked.

"Come in!" Chen Tianxiong responded.

The door opened, and Song Hongyan walked in.

Her eyes lit up when she saw Sule.

"President Chen, Lu Yaoyao and her manager He Lian are here. They said they want to discuss a collaboration."

Song Hongyan spoke evenly.

"Oh? Collaboration?"

"Let them in," Chen Tianxiong nodded.

Hearing Lu Yaoyao's name, Sule instinctively wanted to get up—

But it was too late.

Lu Yaoyao, He Lian, and Yang Wei entered together.

"Why is Sule here?" He Lian, upon seeing Sule at the desk, frowned in confusion and murmured.

Lu Yaoyao also glanced at Sule with a frown but paid him no further mind.

"Miss Lu, welcome, please have a seat!"

"Hongyan, please make some tea."

Chen Tianxiong hurried over to greet them warmly.

After all, Lu Yaoyao was a popular singer with a solid fan base.

She had a good voice and a great image.

He was only puzzled—since Sule and Lu Yaoyao were married, why would they come to him separately for collaborations?

It was very odd.

As everyone sat down, there were many subtle glances in Sule's direction.

"Hello, President Chen. We're here to discuss a collaboration," He Lian began with a smile.

"We're all competing on 'I Am a Singer.' You're aware of the current situation: the arrival of overseas singers has stirred up public opinion and shaken our music scene."

"Now that Yaoyao has entered the finals and is about to face a decisive showdown, we're hoping you'll lend us a hand!"