hollywood billionaire

Chapter 519 Oh no, there's a fourth one (Part 2)

Two minutes later, led by Corey, Han Yi found Madison Bill waiting for him in the study.

Calling it a study is a bit of a stretch; it would be more accurate to call it a viewing room. This semi-open space is separated from the master bedroom's bathroom by only one wall. After moving in, Han Yi didn't change the original layout and continued using the previous owner's furnishings.

A cream-colored long sofa, two short sofas in the same color, and a dark brown rattan lounge chair. On the low coffee table sits a clear glass vase, half-filled with water, nourishing the fresh flowers Sofia had just changed that day.

An expensive Steinway B-211 piano sat quietly in the corner, spotless but clearly neglected for a long time. Across from the Steinway was a light-colored, floor-to-ceiling solid wood cabinet filled with books.

Before the previous owner, Cora Aluko, lost ownership of the apartment due to mounting debt, the bookshelves were filled with exquisitely bound classics, the kind that had never been read. After Han Yi took over, those frivolous decorative books were removed, and now resides Han Yi's rich and diverse collection of books, mainly in history, humanities, and social sciences.

The furnishings in the viewing room are that simple. But it's important to understand that the character and aura of a luxury home are reflected not only in its use of space, but also in its waste of space.

Having room to waste is the greatest luxury.

However, unlike most people, Han Yi didn't think this semi-open room was a waste. It connected the second bedroom and the hallway, existing as an extension of both. This place was originally meant to be a place to stop briefly, and then leave satisfied.

When Han Yi lived in One57, besides the master bedroom and salon, the room with the view was actually the one he used most often. Sitting here, brewing a pot of... well, let's not be pretentious, he would fill a glass with ice and lemon in a Mexican Coke, sit in a recliner, flip through a book, and when his eyes got tired, he would look up and watch the clouds drift by in the sky outside the window, and watch the traffic flow on the road below. The whole afternoon would slip away unnoticed.

Similar to luxury homes, a wealthy person's qualities and aura are not only reflected in how they use their time.

Having the means to waste time is an important indicator of financial freedom.

Meanwhile, Maddie, who was waiting for Han Yi, also chose the same rattan lounge chair that looked hard but was actually exceptionally comfortable. However, unlike Han Yi, she wasn't reading a book, or even looking at her phone, which was quite unusual. Instead, she sat there quietly, holding a coffee cup, gazing intently at the skyline of the Midtown area outside the window, lost in thought.

"Dong dong."

Although the observation room had no door, Corey still knocked twice on the wooden panel embedded in the edge of the wall out of courtesy.

"Yes...please come in!"

As if startled awake from a dream, McGrady's body trembled for a moment before he regained his composure and responded loudly.

The next second, Madison turned her head, and the moment her amber eyes met Han Yi's figure, they suddenly lit up to a pale gold. Her pupils contracted and then dilated, and the corners of her lips involuntarily curved upwards into a surprised smile. It was a heartfelt, undisguised joy, much like the sunlight that, in that instant, struggled to pierce through the thick clouds and pour down upon the earth.

However, almost at the same moment, her peripheral vision caught sight of Corey standing beside Han Yi. The radiant smile that was about to bloom seemed to be gently pressed down by an invisible hand, quickly receding and reshaping itself.

Maddie's upturned lips were deliberately softened, transforming into a more refined, slightly reserved smile. Her body, which had been leaning forward as if preparing to leap, quietly returned to the recliner, her posture regaining the elegant composure befitting a celebrity in public.

"Hi, Corey."

McGrady greeted Corey first, then waved casually as if he had just noticed Han Yi.

Good afternoon, boss.

This time, Miss Bill's performance was even more deliberate.

This suggests that her relationship with Mr. Han has become closer.

What a...

Quickly retract this idea!

Phew, that was close. I almost looked like an unprofessional person again.

Corey was internally criticizing himself, but the professional smile on his lips remained unchanged.

Would you like some more sparkling water?

"Oh, no need, thank you."

Madison glanced at the nearly empty Pellegrino green bottle on the coffee table, shook his head, and gave Corey a friendly smile.

"Where's Mr. Han? The usual?"

"The same as always." Han Yi sat down on the sofa and nodded in response.

"Okay, please wait a moment, I'll be back in five minutes."

Listening intently to Corey's footsteps, and confirming that the mansion manager had quickly walked away, Maddie narrowed her eyes slightly, revealing a mischievous kitten expression.

Before Han Yi could react, the girl from Long Island threw herself into his arms, faster than a rusty-spotted leopard cat hunting in the wild.

"McGrady!"

Han Yi was clearly a little startled and turned to look at the entrance to the observation room, which had no door at all.

"Corey could come back at any time!"

"Will not."

Maddie nestled against Han Yi's chest, her head bowed. Her right hand roamed over Han Yi's left wrist until she confirmed he was wearing the FPJourne she had given him. Satisfied, she stopped, then focused intently on absorbing vital energy, muttering in a low voice:
“Mr. McIntosh is a very punctual man; if he says five minutes, he means five minutes.”

"It's been so long since I've seen you... I really miss you, you know?"

McGrady's straightforward expression, without any affectation, seemed like she was being coquettish or expressing her grievances, which made Han Yi's suddenly tense body relax a little.

His palm hesitated for a long time before finally landing on the girl's shoulder.

Are you tired from the performance?

In previous years, people who went home for Thanksgiving in Madison would usually stay until the end of the New Year before returning to Los Angeles.

Because she's not famous enough, no one will hire her for work during the year-end holiday season.

Or rather, she doesn't have many gigs throughout the year.

But now it's different.

2016 was a year when Madison Beal, a rising star, finally saw the marks of her hard work, was recognized as an individual, and was lauded by the media and charts. While she couldn't be said to have been fully accepted by the public, online criticism and attacks continued to rage. Some said her beauty was too standardized, like a meticulously crafted Instagram influencer face; others accused her makeup of deliberately imitating Megan Fox, lacking individuality; some mocked her songs as mass-produced pop hits, repetitive melodies, and soulless; still others asserted that her rise to fame was entirely due to male patrons, her debut single relying on Justin Bieber and Diplo, and her second hit single on Machine Gun Kelly, suggesting she only needed to sing the chorus and transitions to easily reap fame and fortune.

But no matter what, popularity breeds controversy, and controversy shows that she is making waves in Hollywood.

"Cold Water" topped the charts, "Bad Things" broke into the top ten, and her Instagram followers skyrocketed to 800 million. Commercial radio stations even contacted Han Music's PR department to inquire about her upcoming album release plans, hoping to include her new songs in their high-intensity playlists ahead of time.

In Western contexts, a term from German is often used to discuss popular culture—Cultural Zeitgeist, meaning "spirit of the times" or "cultural trend." It refers to the collective mentality, emotions, and values ​​that dominate social culture during a specific historical period. For example, Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys are indispensable symbols of the spirit of the 2000s.

Madison is steadily becoming part of the new music wave of the 2010s.

She may not have stood on the center stage yet, but she has already seen the dawn that is not far away.

As a result, invitations for magazine shoots, commercial endorsements, and performances poured in, so many that even Zhao Youzhen was somewhat overwhelmed. Of course, the vast majority of these projects had limited value for Madison at this stage.

For example, a concert organizer invited her to hold a solo tour in Australia, offering $12.5 per show in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Adelaide. However, this amount was far below her manager Zhao Youzhen's expectations, and the timing was also inappropriate—after the new year, Madison was about to release a new album and was preparing a global tour through Han Live, with Australia already a planned stop, so she naturally wouldn't be taking on any other solo performances in the near future.

After removing those offers that were completely unfeasible, the remaining offers that would be of interest to Yu-Jin and Maddie would probably account for about 15-20% of the total. But even so, if they accepted them all, Madison's schedule would be packed from December of this year to March of next year, making her a frequent flyer between airports in major cities around the world, and she wouldn't be able to do any promotion for her new album.

Therefore, as her manager, Yu-jin had to be extremely strict and meticulous in selecting more than ten gigs to fill the gaps in her schedule during the preparation phase of the new album.

Of these ten or so announcements, the Jingle Ball that Madison just attended is probably the most well-known.

The Jingle Ball, officially known as the KIIS-FM Jingle Ball, is, as the name suggests, an annual concert organized by KIIS-FM, Los Angeles' largest pop music radio station. It has been held continuously for 21 years since 1995. Initially, the Jingle Ball was only held in Los Angeles and other Southern California cities covered by KIIS-FM. However, starting in 2011, iHeartMedia, the group behind KIIS-FM, decided to transform this popular regional event into a national event with stations across North America—the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball.

The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball's strategy is simple: bring together the year's hottest singles and most popular artists for a year-end tour of mixed-gender concerts. Each stop features eight to ten artists, each performing for twenty minutes, taking turns to bombard the audience with a variety of performances—there's bound to be something for everyone.

This performance format has been widely praised by music fans, one of the most important reasons being its extremely high cost-effectiveness. A single ticket, ranging from tens to two hundred dollars, allows you to see eight to ten of the year's hottest artists, each performing three or four hit songs—far more affordable than attending a solo concert by any one of these artists. It cleverly coincides with the Thanksgiving-Christmas season, the most important consumer period of the year, satisfying the desire of non-core fans to experience a one-stop pop music extravaganza during the holiday season, and also becoming a perfect holiday gift between friends or for parents to give to children.

With a low spending amount but enough hype, such a gift is more likely to please the experience-conscious younger generation than a Target supermarket gift card of the same value.

For artists, being invited by iHeartRadio is a powerful endorsement in itself. It sends a clear message to the industry and music fans: this artist has achieved phenomenal success this year, with hit songs and immense popularity. This is an intangible honor, representing the highest recognition of their work and influence by mainstream media.

More importantly, iHeartRadio is the largest commercial radio network in the United States, with 870 affiliated stations in 160 territories across North America. Every month, at least 2.65 million Americans listen to iHeartRadio, representing 82% of the total US population. In other words, any record label, agency, or artist group that wants to maintain its presence on the Billboard charts has to give iHeartRadio face. Even if the performance fee is lower, any artist specifically requested by iHeartRadio will have to make time for the show.

This is why Yu-jin cleared out the entire month of December so that Madison could focus on performing with Jingle Ball—although iHeartRadio was only willing to give Madison a $50,000 appearance fee, which included the artist's and team's airfare, both Cho Yu-jin, UTA's Matt Meyer, and Madison himself felt that this tour was a must.

Take a look at the Jingle Ball Los Angeles stop that just ended on December 2nd: the performance took place at the Staples Center, the most famous venue in the greater Los Angeles area, and featured artists such as Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Megan Trainor, Fifth Harmony, Alessia Cara, Lucas Graham, and Madison Beal. These are either industry legends with years of experience, top-tier superstars, or breakout newcomers of the year. Being featured on the same poster as these names is the best way to boost Tracy McGrady's profile.

Moreover, the twenty-minute performance time for each artist effectively masks Madison's biggest weakness: the lack of publicly released songs. Their performance at Mad City in Las Vegas, frankly, felt somewhat forced, relying on their recent bubblegum pop hits. Jingle Ball's performance, however, was perfectly timed, featuring "Cold Water," "Bad Things," and two upcoming tracks, "Stay" and "By Your Side"—all great songs, all high-energy hits.

Thus, Madison, with her proactive cooperation, became the artist with the most performances on the Jingle Ball tour this year within Han Yi's music ecosystem, without exception. Diplo, who also has a number-one single, will participate in nine shows; Ellie Goulding will participate in six; Holsey in four; G-Eazy in three; Billie Eilish in two; while Madison Bill will participate in a full eleven shows.

11月29日达拉斯、12月1日圣何塞、12月2日洛杉矶、12月5日圣保罗、12月9日纽约、12月11日波士顿、12月12日华盛顿DC、12月14日罗斯蒙特、12月16日亚特兰大，还有12月17日的坦帕，与12月18日的日出市。除了今天在费城富国银行中心举办的演唱会之外，麦迪逊算是唱满了全场。

Therefore, logically...

"It must have exhausted me."

Twist in Han Yi's arms to find the most comfortable position, and like a kitten that hasn't seen its owner in a long time, McGrady whimpered for comfort.

"Twenty days, eleven concerts. Don't you think those two numbers sound exhausting?"

"Didn't you go through this before?" Han Yi smiled. "The Future Now tour had even more shows and a tighter schedule than this."

“That’s different. During Future Now, Billie Eilish and I were the opening act, and nobody cared what we sang or performed. Many times when I went on stage, the audience was less than 30% full, and it only got better towards the end of the tour.” Madison hummed twice. “This time… it’s terrifying. Every show is sold out in stadiums, tens of thousands of people, sometimes even 20,000. It’s not even in the same league as Future Now. When I went on stage the other day, the audience was packed, a sea of ​​black heads, and I was so scared I almost dropped the microphone.”

"How could I scare you?" Han Yi asked, puzzled. "Isn't there a bigger crowd in Mad City? There were 30,000 to 40,000 people in the audience when you went on stage, and you didn't seem nervous."

"Hmmm...that's different. I was still the opening act at Mad City, so the opening act doesn't have that much pressure."

"How many opening act performances have 30,000 to 40,000 people in the audience? And your name is as big as Dr. Dre's on the poster."

"I...ugh, you're such an idiot." Madison clenched her right fist and punched Han Yi in the chest with exasperation. "I just wanted you to praise me and comfort me, why did you have to give me all that high-sounding advice?"

"My McGrady is the hardest-working little girl in the world."

Han Yi immediately patted his head to comfort him. After the night of the four-person mahjong battle in Las Vegas, he had slowly come to understand many things, including his relationship with Madison. He would no longer passively avoid or bluntly reject the Long Island girl's feelings, because dealing with her sincere and simple emotions in this way would only cause greater harm to a girl her age.

In private settings away from public scrutiny, Han Yi was willing to offer Madison just as much emotional support as Xiao Ru, You Zhen, and Barbara. Perhaps it was this meticulous care and love that helped heal the young star, who was suffering from bipolar disorder due to immense pressure.

Of course, Han Yi wouldn't officially accept her feelings before he turned eighteen, even though in his heart, Madison was already the universally recognized new generation of American sweetheart in 2023.

As for what happens after he turns eighteen...

That's something we'll need to consider next year.

“Not a little girl.” Madison reacted rather strongly to the phrase. She made a gun shape with her left hand, poked Han Yi’s cheek, and corrected him, “It’s a girl.”

“A girl.” Han Yi’s gaze softened as he looked at Madison, readily agreeing, “At the same time, my Maddie is also the most talented girl in the world. A performance genius destined for the stage, a born music star. She was born to be Barbara…”

“Don’t mention that name,” Madison said, deliberately putting on a stern face.

"I was talking about Barbra Streisand." Han Yi was stunned.

“I know, but I just don’t like the name Barbara.” Madison gave Han Yi a sweet kiss on the cheek. “Change it.” “Okay, then… she was born to be a great singer and songwriter like Stevie Nicks. The 2016 Jingle Ball was just a tiny starting point in her illustrious and long career. In the future, not only will there be 10,000 or 20,000 people coming to see her, but also 30,000 or 40,000, and one day, 100,000 will no longer be a dream. And it won’t be a variety show anymore; it will be her own concert. From the die-hard fans in the VIP section to the enthusiastic fans who can’t get tickets and can only stand outside the stadium railings and sing along with the people inside, they’ll all be there to see her alone.”

“I know you’re good at sweet talk, and I know you’re saying all this to coax me… Damn it, haha, no, I should say I forced you to say these things to coax me.” Maddie raised her eyelids, looking at Han Yi, her eyes sparkling. “But have you ever really thought that way? Or at least ever thought that way a little bit?”

"Of course I've thought about it." Han Yi continued to reassure the girl, who was still very insecure, always panicking, and always anxious. "I don't..."

"Wait a minute!" Madison suddenly covered Han Yi's mouth with her hand, her ears perked up like antennas, listening to the sounds coming from the corridor. Then, she quickly jumped out of Han Yi's arms, sat back in the recliner, and began frantically combing her hair, trying to restore it to its original state.

"Mr. Han, you're the same as always."

As Corey strolled into the observation room, he immediately noticed Han Yi's collar sticking up on the left and Madison's tuft of messy hair on the right, which was sticking out due to static electricity.

With his keen eye, how could he possibly miss these details?

Too obvious.

I also have to act like I know nothing. I'm so tired.

"I'm going to the restaurant to supervise their table setting, Miss Bill, Mr. Han. If you need anything before dinner starts at 7:30, please don't hesitate to call me in the salon or just call me."

Corey's words practically made Han Yi and Madison hang a "Do Not Disturb" sign around their necks. The tight-lipped mansion butler smiled and bowed, then, maintaining his elegance and composure, left the scene of the crime as quickly as possible.

"Come lie in my arms again, okay?"

After Corey walked away, Han Yi opened his arms to Madison, unusually taking the initiative to extend an invitation.

"it is good!"

Upon hearing this, Madison raised his chin, looking at Han Yi with a mixture of surprise and delight, his eyes shining so brightly they could serve as a navigation lighthouse for ships traveling to and from the Atlantic coast on the easternmost tip of Long Island.

But soon, her expression changed to that of a cat seeing its owner pour an entire bag of cat food into its bowl, and then wondering if it was its last meal.

"But... what, aren't you afraid that someone might suddenly come in and find us?"

"Wasn't Corey's statement clear enough?"

How could Han Yi not understand Corey's implied meaning? It was just that Corey was pretending to be stupid, and he was just playing dumb too.

"You think he didn't notice?"

"Ah...he...he found out?" Madison, clearly lacking Han Yi's keen perception, asked with his mouth slightly agape in surprise.

“My collar is all messed up, and your hair…” Han Yi leaned down and smoothed down a stray strand of hair for Maddie. “So he won’t come in, don’t worry.”

"Hair...shoot, I thought I had it all done."

After secretly observing Han Yi's reaction and finding that he didn't mind as much as she had imagined, Madison interlocked her fingers and pretended to be shy and coy.

"What should we do? Now everyone will know that the boss of Han Music is obsessed with his lovely, charming, and stunningly beautiful number one star, and is pursuing her relentlessly in an attempt to possess her. This is going to be a huge scandal!"

"Are you planning to keep making up stories..."

Han Yi smiled helplessly and sighed, opening his arms even wider.

"Or are you planning to lie down comfortably for a while and recharge for dinner?"

"Making stories is psychologically comfortable, lying down for a while is physiologically comfortable, both are necessary... both are necessary."

McGrady muttered to himself, but his hands moved swiftly, and in no time he was back in the spot he had already found.

"easy."

"I'm here."

McGrady pressed his ear against Han Yi's chest and could clearly hear his heartbeat.

Will you come to the Jingle Ball on the 9th?

"Of course, because it's in Madison Square Garden."

"Ha-ha, that's funny." Madison rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but chuckle. "However... Madison's first performance at Madison Square Garden was indeed very memorable."

"Who were the people at New York Station again?" Han Yi asked.

“Thomas and Ellie are both here,” McGrady said, referring to Diplo and Ellie Goulding. “Ashley is here too, but she’s a guest performer for The Chainsmokers, she’ll only sing one song.”

“I know them.”

"And then there's Justin, Ariana Grande, Megan Trainor, Charlie Puth, Lucas Graham, and then..."

"Madison Bill," the two said in unison, then looked at each other and smiled.

Where are you ranked?

"What number?"

"Performance order".

“Fifth to go.” Madison thought for a moment, “Lucas Graham, Megan Trainor, Charlie Puth, Ellie, and then me.”

"Wow." Han Yi raised his eyebrows. "You're already behind Ellie in line?"

“Don’t say that.” McGrady waved his hand a little embarrassedly. “I was put there just so that it could connect with Diplo’s song ‘Cold Water’.”

"Whatever the reason, this is something to celebrate."

Han Yi took the initiative to wrap his arms around McGrady's waist, the force just right, and the point of contact was between warmth and ambiguity, making the latter let out a satisfied moan.

There's no other way than practice makes perfect. When you're going to be in close contact with four girls in turn, your precise control over physical contact will definitely be far superior to others.

No need to clap, everyone sit down, everyone sit down, that's basic procedure.

"When you release your new album next year, it will be your turn to headline the show."

"I never thought about this."

At this point, McGrady had no time to think about whether it was the grand finale or not; she just wanted Han Yi to masturbate her a little longer.

"I just want to do my tour well."

"How about we also schedule the New York stop of the tour at Madison Square Garden?"

"No way!" McGrady froze in shock. "How could I possibly sell them all by myself!"

"I am very confident that we will sell out."

"We don't even know how well the album will perform after its release... Besides, who holds a concert at MSG right after releasing an album? There aren't enough songs. Let's start with Terminal 5; that's a perfect fit."

Madison knew that Han Yi was a man of his word and deed, so she quickly tried to persuade him gently—if the boss really made a snap decision to rent Madison Square Garden and then couldn't sell the tickets, it would be a huge joke.

“Okay,” Han Yi nodded in response. When he said he wanted to hold the concert at Madison Square Garden, it was mostly an encouragement, but it didn’t mean he lacked confidence in Madison and her first studio album.

Based on the current song list of this album, as long as we play steadily and ensure that each song achieves the same level of success as it did in its original time and space, opening the first tour at Madison Square Garden in New York is not a dream at all.

But we have to take things one step at a time. For now, it's better to tentatively schedule Terminal 5 for 3,000 to 4,000 people, so as not to make Madison, who is already anxious and uncertain, cry later.

"Let's make a promise then, we'll definitely perform at MSG for our second album."

"Okay, definitely."

Madison casually agreed. She had no idea about a second album, nor did she want to. Right now, all she wanted was to finish what she was doing, release the album quickly, and quickly... turn eighteen.

"This performance will be streamed live on the CW website."

McGrady steered the conversation back to the present, lest Han Yi talk to him about the future that was not yet visible.

"Really? I only knew that CW was going to air it on TV, I didn't know they also had an online stream."

"Yes, first it will be streamed online, and then the highlights will be edited into a 90-minute special program, which will be broadcast on TV next week."

"Our Tracy McGrady is going to be on TV again!"

"We don't even know if they'll cut all my parts yet, so let's not celebrate prematurely." Madison lay lazily on Han Yi's chest, her eyes half-open and half-closed. "Besides, I'm not that concerned about that. What I care more about is that all the box office revenue from this show will be donated to the Robin Hood Foundation for charity. That's what I think is the most meaningful thing."

"Yes."

Han Yi replied thoughtfully. He knew that the Robin Hood Foundation was collaborating with Jingle Ball in New York this time, which was one of the reasons he chose to attend the concert on the 9th—not only to cheer on his own artist, but also to meet the name on his memo.

David Solomon, co-president and co-COO of Goldman Sachs, and a hardcore electronic music enthusiast.

Currently, it seems that Han Yi and he share the most common interests and have the highest degree of compatibility on the surface.

Moreover, from the perspective of the historical development of that original timeline, David Solomon was also the ultimate winner of Goldman Sachs's battle for succession.

It's obviously safer to bet on the winner.

However, before making a final decision, Han Yi wanted to take this opportunity to meet him.

"Oh, right, there's something else I wanted to tell you..."

Madison, of course, had no idea what Han Yi was thinking at that moment, and she herself also had something very important on her mind. Madison nervously gripped Han Yi's clothes, swallowed hard, and cautiously probed.

“My family knows you’ll be staying in New York for a while, and they’d like me to invite you over to our house for a get-together so we can thank you in person.”

“Great, I’d be happy to! But I should be the one paying them a visit to express my gratitude and thank them for entrusting you to me so trustingly.”

At this point, Han Yi even put his mouth close to McGrady's ear and whispered reassuringly, "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten the promise I made to you in Los Angeles. I prepared gifts for all three of them: Dad, Mom, and Grandma. Especially Grandma."

"I originally planned to bring this up with them in person at the performance the day after tomorrow, but I didn't expect them to extend the invitation first."

"No...it's okay. It doesn't matter who invited us. As long as we can all sit down and have a happy meal together, there's no need to be so particular."

The vibrations transmitted from his chest to her ear made her feel safe and happy. She felt as soft and light as a cotton candy, as if she could fly into the air at any moment.

Jingle Ball, new album, Madison Square Garden—all of that takes a backseat at this moment.

The most important thing on my mind is that Yi is going home with her!
But Han Yi's next sentence immediately and forcefully pulled her back to reality.

"Did they tell you the date of the gathering? I'll make the arrangements in advance and also tell Youzhen."

(End of this chapter)