After taking advice, I became a top male idol.

In April, the weather in Yanjing (Beijing) can change in an instant.

Drizzle, drizzle.

The raindrops pattered against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the café, making a crisp and rhythmic sound.

Water droplets slid down the glass, and the street scene outside the window became blurred in the rain, with only the shadows of pedestrians hurrying by visible.

The coffee shop was quiet.

A seat by the window.

Zhou Xuan sat there, holding her phone, scrolling through Weibo.

On the screen, the hashtag #TheVoiceofChinaFinalsHeldAtWorkersStadium# was still trending at number one.

"Director Xia really went all out this time," Zhou Xuan murmured to herself.

The entire event was broadcast live to 60,000 people at the Workers' Stadium.

This scale is beyond what ordinary talent shows can achieve.

Even regular concerts don't reach this level.

She put down her phone, picked up the coffee on the table, and took a sip.

Cappuccino, slightly bitter with a hint of sweetness.

Today is the day she arranged to meet Lin Zhixing.

Yesterday she called Lin Zhixing herself, and he readily agreed.

We'll meet at this coffee shop she frequents around 4 p.m. today.

Zhou Xuan glanced at the time.

3:55.

Five minutes to go.

She put down her coffee cup, took out a mirror from her small bag, and carefully checked her makeup.

She dressed up especially carefully today.

It's completely different from her previous pure and sweet or sexy and seductive styles.

Today's style is that of a professional elite.

The black suit jacket was well-tailored and fit her figure perfectly, highlighting her slender waist and shoulders.

Inside was a white shirt, the material of which was somewhat thin, revealing glimpses of her full chest. The second button was sparsely undone, revealing a hint of alluring curves.

Below her waist was a matching bodycon skirt that hugged her round, perky hips, with the hem just a few centimeters above her knees, perfectly showcasing her feminine charm.

Her long, straight legs were encased in black stockings and she wore a pair of stiletto heels, making her appear tall and elegant.

Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, exuding a faint fragrance, making her look mature yet alluring.

Her delicate makeup made her look both professional and elegant, exuding the aura of a powerful woman.

"We can't lose our momentum." Zhou Xuan smiled at herself in the mirror and checked to make sure no lipstick had gotten on her teeth.

Although she really wanted to sign Lin Zhixing, she absolutely couldn't appear too eager at the negotiating table.

These are the business rules her father taught her from a young age.

The thirsty party will never get a good price.

"Hmph, but Lin Zhixing will be mine sooner or later."

Zhou Xuan thought to herself with smug satisfaction.

She put away the mirror, straightened her collar, and adjusted her posture.

Two minutes left.

The coffee shop door was pushed open.

A gust of moist air rushed in, carrying the fresh scent unique to rainy days.

Lin Zhixing walked in, his clothes still damp with raindrops.

He was wearing a simple brown casual jacket, paired with black jeans and white sneakers.

They looked very relaxed, not at all like they were there to discuss cooperation.

Lin Zhixing glanced around the coffee shop and soon spotted Zhou Xuan by the window.

"Wow, they came prepared."

Lin Zhixing thought to himself.

Zhou Xuan's outfit today really rubs him the wrong way.

The contrast between the sharp professional attire and the subtle sexiness is particularly attractive.

He walked over, smiling and greeting her, "Zhou Xuan, long time no see."

"Have a seat," Zhou Xuan said, pointing to the seat opposite her.

She noticed the way Lin Zhixing was looking at her and thought smugly to herself, "Hmph, as expected, men are all visual creatures. It wasn't for nothing that I dressed up so carefully."

Lin Zhixing sat down, and a waiter immediately came over: "Sir, what would you like to do?"

"An Americano, please."

"Okay, please wait a moment."

After the waiter left, Zhou Xuan got straight to the point: "Lin Zhixing, you should be able to guess why I invited you here today."

"About signing a contract?" Lin Zhixing asked with a smile.

"Yes." Zhou Xuan nodded. "Last time, I offered you an A-level contract, but you refused."

"This time, I'm going to give you an S-level contract."

Lin Zhixing raised an eyebrow. "S-rank?"

"Yes." Zhou Xuan took a document out of her briefcase and pushed it in front of Lin Zhixing. "You can take a look first."

Lin Zhixing opened the document and began to read it carefully.

An S-level contract is the highest level of treatment at Tianyue Entertainment.

The signing bonus was eight million.

There are also fixed resource allocations every year, including a minimum of two film and television dramas, three singles, and four commercial performances.

The company will be equipped with a professional team, including top agents, dedicated assistants, professional stylists, publicity and marketing teams, etc.

Moreover, they have a great deal of freedom in their creative process.

The conditions are indeed very tempting.

Lin Zhixing turned the pages one by one, looking at them very carefully.

Zhou Xuan just watched him quietly, her chin resting on her hand, a faint smile on her lips.

After reading it, Lin Zhixing was already somewhat tempted.

Although Tianyue Entertainment is not one of the four major entertainment companies, it is still one of the top ten companies in the industry.

With such resource support, his development will definitely be smoother.

Moreover, the conditions offered by Zhou Xuan were indeed very sincere.

but......

Lin Zhixing frowned when he saw the contract term section.

"ten years?"

He raised his head and looked at Zhou Xuan.

"Yes," Zhou Xuan said. "The standard term for an S-level contract is ten years. That's industry practice."

Lin Zhixing shook his head. "It's too long."

"How many years do you want to sign?" Zhou Xuan asked.

"Five years," Lin Zhixing thought for a moment, "five years at most."

In his plan, five years would be enough for him to become an undeniable force in the entertainment industry.

Further agreements can be reached if needed, but at least the initiative must be maintained from the outset.

Zhou Xuan picked up her coffee cup, took a slow sip, and quickly calculated in her mind.

Over five years, the company's return on investment will decrease.

But if we can sign Lin Zhixing, five years would be enough.

However... she couldn't agree so easily.

Negotiations always involve a back-and-forth exchange.

"Five years is fine," Zhou Xuan said, putting down her cup. "But the signing bonus has to be reduced to five million."

"No problem," Lin Zhixing readily agreed.

For him, freedom is more important than money.

Five years is acceptable to him.

Moreover, five million is not a small amount; it's enough for him to gain a foothold in Yanjing.

"Are there any other conditions?" Zhou Xuan asked.

"Yes," Lin Zhixing said seriously, "I want to have my own independent studio."

"That's a good idea." Zhou Xuan nodded. "The company can invest in your studio, taking a 30% stake, and you can take 70%. That way, the company will also have an investment, and you'll still have control."

"No," Lin Zhixing shook his head, "I want 100% control."

Zhou Xuan was stunned for a moment.

This request is a bit excessive.

"What about the company? We can't just give you resources for free, can we?"

"The company can collaborate with my studio," Lin Zhixing said. "Tianyue has priority distribution and promotion rights for my works. But the copyright must remain with me."

Zhou Xuan fell silent.

This condition is indeed very demanding.

When artists sign contracts, the copyright belongs to the company.

This allows the company to maximize the value of its copyrights and generate revenue.

But Lin Zhixing is different.

Every song of his is a hit, and the value of his copyrights is immeasurable.

If he were to retain control of the copyright, Tianyue would receive significantly less profit.

However, Zhou Xuan remembered her father's words.

"Name your terms, as long as we can sign the contract."

She took a deep breath and made her decision.

"Okay." Zhou Xuan extended her hand. "Then it's settled."

Lin Zhixing also extended his hand and shook hands with her.

"It's a pleasure working with you."

"It's a pleasure working with you."

The two people held hands.

Zhou Xuan's hands were very delicate and soft.

Zhou Xuan released her grip, picked up her coffee, and took a sip.

"By the way, how are your preparations for the finals going?"

"It's alright," Lin Zhixing said with a smile, "but the pressure is quite high."

"This time is different," Zhou Xuan said earnestly. "This is the final, a competition of skill and popularity. And there's also Weibo voting..."

"Yes, I know." Lin Zhixing nodded.

Are you confident?

"Of course." A determined glint flashed in Lin Zhixing's eyes.

Zhou Xuan looked at him and saw that his confidence was not blind arrogance, but rather absolute trust in his own abilities.

This kind of temperament is rarely seen among young people.

Most newcomers are plagued by anxiety and insecurity, either overconfident or overly self-conscious.

But Lin Zhixing is different.

He was well aware of his own abilities and knew what he wanted.

"Oh, right, I have a small suggestion," Lin Zhixing said.

"Oh?"

"How about we sign the contract after The Voice of China ends? The terms will remain the same," Lin Zhixing continued.

"Why?" Zhou Xuan asked, somewhat surprised.

Most artists are eager to sign a contract immediately to get money and resources.

Lin Zhixing, however, took the initiative to propose a postponement.

"Wouldn't that reduce your risk?"

With such attractive terms offered by Tianyue Entertainment, Lin Zhixing reciprocated by signing a contract after The Voice of China ended, thus reducing the risk for Tianyue Entertainment.

Zhou Xuan looked at him and thought that such confidence either came from real ability or from folly.

But judging from Lin Zhixing's performance, it is clearly the former.

"Then I'll be waiting to see you win the championship," Zhou Xuan said with a smile.

"Thank you for your kind words."

The waiter brought over an Americano and gently placed it in front of Lin Zhixing.

"Please enjoy your coffee."

"Thank you." Lin Zhixing nodded and smiled at her.

The two chatted for a while longer, mainly about the details of the contract.

For example, the studio's name, registered location, tax issues, etc.

Lin Zhixing proposed that the studio be named "Zhixing Culture" and registered in Yanjing.

Zhou Xuan said there was no problem and the company would send someone to assist him with the relevant procedures.

After finishing their business, Zhou Xuan suddenly changed the subject.

"By the way, Sister Lan officially announced her collaboration with you yesterday, and the internet went wild."

"Yes, I saw it." Lin Zhixing nodded.

"You and Sister Lan..." Zhou Xuan rested her chin on her hand, looking at him with a smile, "are you very close?"

"It's alright," Lin Zhixing smiled. "She's my mentor."

"Just a mentor?" Zhou Xuan raised an eyebrow.

Lin Zhixing looked at her, both amused and exasperated, "What are you thinking? You really are my mentor?"

"Really?" Zhou Xuan smiled meaningfully. "I heard that Sister Lan even broke ties with a certain entertainment company for your sake."

"It's rare to see a diva personally step in to help a contestant fight a media war."

"That's because she admires my talent," Lin Zhixing said.

Actually, he himself wasn't entirely clear why Ye Lan was so supportive of him.

Although he saw another side of her because of the luck card, and even learned her little secrets, such as the red mole on her ankle.

"Talent?" Zhou Xuan rested her chin on her hand, her gaze sweeping over Lin Zhixing. "Just talent?"

"Otherwise what?"

Zhou Xuan smiled but remained silent.

Having been in the entertainment industry for so many years, what hasn't she seen?

Ye Lan's protection of Lin Zhixing goes beyond the concern that a typical mentor shows to a student.

But she also knew that she shouldn't ask too many questions about such things.

Some things are better left unsaid.

"Forget about that," Zhou Xuan changed the subject. "What are your plans for the future?"

"Let's prepare for the finals first," Lin Zhixing said. "We'll consider other things after we win."

Have you ever thought about releasing an album?

"Yes." Lin Zhixing nodded, "but there's no rush. Let's finish the match first."

"Hmm." Zhou Xuan nodded in satisfaction. "You have a very good attitude, neither arrogant nor impatient."

"Oh, right." Zhou Xuan suddenly remembered something, a sly glint in her eyes, "After you win the championship, could you write a song for me?"

"For you?" Lin Zhixing was taken aback.

"Yeah, right." Zhou Xuan pouted, looking aggrieved. "Your 'Lone Warrior,' 'Red-Clad Hero,' and 'Sunny Day' were all hits. I didn't even get to hold onto the number one spot on the new song chart for long before you overtook me."

As she spoke, she reached out and lightly tapped Lin Zhixing's arm.

The forward lean makes the curves of the chest more prominent, swaying gently with the movement.

"hiss."

Lin Zhixing pretended to be in a lot of pain and rubbed his arm. "Be careful, I might hold a grudge against you for being so violent."

"Come on, who's afraid of who?" Zhou Xuan said with a smile in her eyes.

Because the contract had been finalized, the two of them inexplicably grew much closer.

Looking at Zhou Xuan's sullen face, Lin Zhixing inexplicably felt that she looked a bit like a squirrel.

A round face, chubby cheeks, and bright, sparkling eyes.

I kind of want to pinch it.

"It's not impossible," Lin Zhixing said with a smile, "but I have conditions."

"Hmph, after making so many demands, you still dare to make demands of me?"

As she spoke, Zhou Xuan actually clenched her fist, making a gesture as if she was about to hit someone.

But he didn't look fierce at all; in fact, he looked kind of cute.

The two of them playfully bickered, and the atmosphere immediately became much more relaxed.

Other customers in the coffee shop occasionally cast curious glances at them.

The two chatted for a while longer, and Lin Zhixing checked the time.

It's almost five o'clock.

"Is that enough?" Lin Zhixing said. "I have something else to do..."

"Okay, that's all for today." Zhou Xuan stood up, straightened her clothes, and said, "I'll have someone prepare the contract and give it to you in a couple of days."

"OK, thanks."

"I should be thanking you," Zhou Xuan said with a smile. "It's an honor for Tianyue to sign you."

Lin Zhixing shook hands with her and said, "It's a pleasure working with you."

The two walked out of the coffee shop together.

The rain outside was still falling, but it had lessened a bit and turned into a fine drizzle.

"Would you like me to give you a ride?" Zhou Xuan asked.

"No need, I can just take a taxi myself." Lin Zhixing waved his hand.

"Alright then." Zhou Xuan took out her car keys. "I'll be going now. Contact me anytime if you need anything."

"it is good."

Zhou Xuan, wearing high heels, was escorted by a coffee shop staff member holding an umbrella to the white sports car parked by the roadside.

She opened the car door, gracefully got in, and started the engine.

The car slowly drove away and soon disappeared into the rain.

Lin Zhixing stood at the entrance of the coffee shop, watching the taillights of the car gradually disappear into the distance.

He opened his umbrella and stepped into the rain.

The rain in Yanjing was very fine.

It hit the umbrella surface and made a rustling sound.

Lin Zhixing took out his phone and opened Weibo.

On the trending topics list, #TheVoiceofChinaFinalsHeldAtWorkersStadium# is still at number one.

Clicking through, all I saw were discussions about the finals.

His duel with Li Ziming, in particular, became the biggest focus.

"Li Ziming..."

Lin Zhixing muttered to himself.

This opponent is indeed very strong.

In the first episode, Li Ziming amazed the audience with her rendition of "Prosperous Chang'an".

The title of "Master of Chinese Style" is not given lightly.

"However, I'm not weak either."

He put away his phone and quickened his pace.

......

Inside the white sports car.

Zhou Xuan answered a Bluetooth call while driving.

"Hey, Dad."

"Yes, the deal is done. Lin Zhixing has agreed to the terms."

"Besides owning 100% of the studio, he also suggested that we sign the contract after The Voice of China ends."

"Hmm, he seems very confident in himself."

"I agreed to it. Anyway, we've agreed on all the terms, now we're just waiting for him to win the championship."

"Okay, okay, I'll be right back. Oh, and I want to eat... tonight."