Making money was still tough. He'd only earned a hundred thousand today, and he'd only get fifteen thousand before taxes.
If he could do this kind of performance ten times a month, that would be pretty good, but right now, there weren't any opportunities.
With this success, maybe other music festivals would invite him, provided his popularity kept rising.
He could only hope the hype didn't fade too quickly!
Time's up, the treasure chest opens!
One treasure chest, one item, a treasure chest within a treasure chest.
[Red Treasure Chest x1] [Director Skill (Advanced)]
This skill immediately made Lin Chudong's eyes light up. This was the most useful thing he'd gotten from opening a treasure chest so far.
At least it was related to the entertainment industry. Could directing even be considered a life skill?
According to the system's usual behavior, anything unrelated to music probably counts as a life skill, right?
These hundred-plus hours weren't wasted! This is good stuff!
Use!
A wave of information flooded his mind, and Lin Chudong's scalp tingled with excitement.
Open the next treasure chest.
[191:59:59]
[Acceleration Cost]: 50000
It was a full twenty-four hours longer than last time, an entire day. But the cost for acceleration hadn't changed.
Lin Chudong really wanted to try it, to see if it would open immediately.
But after thinking about it, he decided against it. This was a time when he needed money, and he couldn't be so wasteful.
With the Director Skill acquired, Lin Chudong could consider expanding into the film and television industry to earn more money for the company and continue with music.
However, starting a film and television project required capital, and the company's current funds were insufficient.
Meanwhile, a meeting was underway at Da Fei Studio.
Shen Jianbin sat in the conference room while the performers of the day's show waited to be reprimanded.
Shen Jianbin tapped his finger on the table. "Wu Bo, your performance today was truly terrible. It doesn't justify your million-dollar salary."
"Being the lead singer of a band isn't just about singing."
"You saw Da Fei's performance; at the peak of the excitement, he led the entire audience in shouting the names of the musicians, and at the end, he got everyone to follow the band's Official Weibo."
"These are things you, as the lead singer, should be doing, but you haven't even mentioned them. Even if you're famous, you're not helping the band at all. You won't develop well either, understand?"
To put it bluntly, Wu Bo was just an employee. If he didn't grasp the concept of collective interests, he wasn't needed.
Wu Bo nodded, "Brother Bin, I understand."
Wu Bo clenched his fists, the jealousy in his heart intensifying.
Shen Jianbin glanced at Sun Jie, gave him a look, and then said,
"If there's nothing else, let's all go. We have a Variety Show coming up in a few days, so we're busy. Get some rest."
After Shen Jianbin finished speaking, everyone else left one after another.
Sun Jie stayed behind, "Brother Bin, do you need anything from me?"
They'd known each other for years; a single glance was enough to understand what the other was thinking.
Shen Jianbin said, "Da Fei's popularity is rising. We can't let him turn things around; it wouldn't benefit us."
Sun Jie nodded. Public opinion always sided with the victor. If Da Fei truly rose to prominence, they would inevitably become targets of criticism.
"What do you suggest, Brother Bin?"
"Let's suppress their popularity. I'll have dinner with a few CEOs tonight and make my intentions clear. You get a few boxes of Mooncakes, and put some Gold Bars inside. Aim for about a hundred thousand for each box."
"Contact some High-Class Models to join us tonight. Don't get those common, cheap women; find some high-class ones who can take good care of these bosses."
Sun Jie nodded. "Don't worry, Brother Bin. Give me a few hours, and I'll handle it beautifully!"
Sun Jie was efficient, and they were very familiar with this kind of thing. Back when Da Fei's band was just starting, they had done plenty of this, but always behind Lin Chudong's back. Shen Jianbin held a cigarette in his left hand and made phone calls one after another with his right hand.
"Mr. Sun, let's have dinner tonight. I need a little help with something."
"Haha, what celebration? You're flattering me. I've booked a private room for eleven tonight, and Mr. Li and the others will be there too!"
"Mr. Li, I've arranged for a few High-Class Models tonight, so everyone can get acquainted. I know your tastes, don't worry, I'll take care of everything!"
"Mr. Xu..."
"..."
Eleven o'clock at night.
A private room on the third floor of Tiandingxuan Restaurant.
Several middle-aged men sat at the dinner table. Some were already showing signs of a beer belly, while others were balding. They all looked quite greasy, but each of them was rolling in money.
Shen Jianbin stood up to greet them. "Director Xu, Director Li, you're finally here! I'm truly grateful you could make it to my dinner, especially with your busy schedules!"
Xu Mingde, the Deputy General Manager of Youyou Culture Group Company in Modu, was an old friend of Shen Jianbin's.
Li Fugui, the head of Fugui Media Co., Ltd., was responsible for planning several popular music variety shows.
Sun Xuan, the chief director of Modu Television Station.
Besides these three heavyweights, there were also several other company heads, all of whom were major investors with significant resources.
Shen Jianbin said, "Sun Jie, bring those girls in, let them meet the directors."
Sun Jie opened the door, and several girls walked in. They were all tall, beautiful, and fair-skinned, with long hair and exquisite faces – all top-tier beauties.
"Come on, girls, sit down. Get to know each other. This is an opportunity for you to shine. Consider this dinner a work event, right?"
Li Fugui let out a hearty laugh. "That's right, that's right, we're mainly here to talk business."
He then grabbed the hand of the high-class model beside him, smiling warmly. "Haven't eaten yet, have you? Let's eat first, and chat while we eat."
The high-class model had long accepted this unspoken rule. Her hand casually slid down her chest, and she gently stroked her flat stomach.
"I don't eat much. I'll just have a few bites to keep you company. I'll help you pick out the food!"
These weren't just karaoke hostesses; they were much more sophisticated social butterflies, skilled at reading people and with a wide range of talents.
Sun Xuan frowned, disliking this kind of socializing.
"Director Shen, just tell us what you need."
Li Fugui was taken aback. "Right, let's get down to business first. Why isn't Old Meng here?"
Mentioning Meng Wenxiang, Shen Jianbin's expression turned somewhat helpless.
"President Meng couldn't make it today; he couldn't handle what he promised me. Sorry about that."
The others exchanged glances. Li Fugui spoke up, "It's about the music festival?"
Shen Jianbin nodded, "Yes, you all saw it. That Da Fei is bullying me. I brought him up, and now he's biting the hand that fed him. You've all heard the story of the farmer and the snake, right? It's happening to me!"
The others quickly chimed in, "Yes, this person is too much, so ungrateful."
Shen Jianbin gave a look, and Sun Jie immediately picked up a few boxes of mooncakes.
"The holiday is coming up soon. Let the presidents try some mooncakes from our hometown first, with a green bean filling."
Li Fugui frowned, "My blood sugar is high, I can't eat mooncakes."
The moment he picked up the mooncakes, their unusual weight made him pause.
He cracked open a small gap, and a golden light shone directly onto his face.
Li Fugui chuckled. "I haven't eaten bean paste mooncakes either, hahaha…"
"Mr. Shen, just tell us what you're planning."
-----------------------
Completed English PDF of this fan-fic on my Patreon shop if you want to support and own the full fan-fic in one go. Just grab the PDF and binge the entire story from start to finish!
Guys, I've uploaded some High Quality english translated fanfic on my Patreon shop! Feel free to check it out-if you're interested, you can grab a copy and support me there.
Here are a few titles of recently uploaded fanfics:
New Addition
" Hidden Demon Lord, the Empress Brings a Child to My Door Demanding Responsibility 18+
" The Goddess Brings a Child to My Door, Awakening the Dad System! "
" Naruto: God-Level Evolution System "
" My Wife Is a Villain? The System Wants Me to Do Pure Love! "
" Signed In for Three Years, and the Band Still Kicked Me Out? "
" Empress for Nine Lifetimes, I Reborn and Crushed the System to Run Away (18+) "
" I Left My Job and the System Told Me to Enjoy Life "
" Harem: Garden of Blossoming Beauties "
" The Beauty Cultivation Harem "
" My Harem of Beauties "
Your support means a lot-thanks in advance, legends!
patreon.com/RoyalStories
(End of Chapter)