After being dumped by the diva, I was picked up by her arch-enemy.

The next few days passed relatively uneventfully.

The Qilin Opera Troupe's performances are still packed to capacity, with tickets in high demand.

Tan Yunxiao handed over the daily management of the opera troupe to several of his junior apprentices.

He himself went out early and returned late every day, braving the autumn wind to travel all over the bustling areas of Beijing, looking for a suitable shop.

That noon.

Jiang Yichen was sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, drinking tea.

The door was suddenly pushed open.

Tan Yunxiao rushed in, clutching several brochures in his hand.

He grabbed the teapot on the table and gulped down a large mouthful of cold tea.

"Third brother!"

Tan Yunxiao was panting heavily, his dark red face full of excitement.

"We've got a lead!"

Jiang Yichen put down his teacup.

"Catch your breath first, and then speak slowly."

Tan Yunxiao pulled over a bench and sat down.

"There's a newly developed traditional-style commercial street near the East Fourth Ring Road called Jinxiufang."

"The owner of that street is surnamed Qian. I don't know how he found out my phone number, but he contacted me this morning."

"He said he had a ready-made ancient courtyard house, over 600 square meters, with private rooms on the second floor."

"He's interested in our theater troupe's online reputation and wants us to join their platform!"

Jiang Yichen raised an eyebrow.

A 600-square-meter ancient courtyard house on a commercial street in the East Fourth Ring Road.

Given the location and size, the rent would be astronomical.

"How much is the rent?"

Tan Yunxiao grinned widely and held up one finger.

"One million!"

"One million per year!"

A look of surprise flashed across Jiang Yichen's eyes.

In Beijing's East Fourth Ring Road, a shop of this size would cost at least several million yuan in annual rent.

One million, that's practically free.

"Let's go take a look."

Jiang Yichen stood up.

The two took a taxi straight to Jinxiufang on the East Fourth Ring Road.

Jinxiufang is a commercial street with antique-style buildings, featuring green tiles and carved beams.

It's just that the area was only recently developed, so the occupancy rate of the shops is not high, and the street looks rather deserted.

A middle-aged man with a beer belly was already waiting at the street corner.

Upon seeing Tan Yunxiao, the man immediately came forward with a broad smile.

"Boss Tan! We've been waiting for you like the stars and the moon!"

Tan Yunxiao explained.

"Boss Qian, this is Jiang Yichen, the head of our opera troupe."

Mr. Qian's eyes lit up, and he quickly stretched out his hands.

"Oh my! I've heard so much about you! I watch your videos online every day!"

Jiang Yichen reached out and shook hands with him, his expression calm.

"Mr. Qian, you're too kind. Please show us around the courtyard."

Mr. Qian nodded repeatedly and led the way.

After walking along a long bluestone path, a magnificent ancient courtyard came into view.

A vermilion gate with a high threshold.

Pushing open the door, you'll find a hidden world inside.

The spacious courtyard faces a huge stage, with carved wooden pillars exuding an antique charm.

The second floor features a ring of private rooms with excellent views.

This place is practically tailor-made for traditional opera.

Jiang Yichen looked around and was very satisfied.

"This place is nice."

Jiang Yichen looked at Boss Qian.

"But Mr. Qian, with this location and this size, renting it for a million a year is a huge loss for you."

Boss Qian laughed heartily and waved his hand.

"Boss Jiang is a straightforward person, so I'll be frank with you."

"My commercial street has just opened, and what it lacks most is foot traffic."

"Your Qilin Opera Troupe is now a wildly popular IP across the internet, with millions of fans."

"If you open a branch office here, that'll be a living advertisement!"

"When more people come to see the show, won't that boost business on the whole street?"

Boss Qian was extremely shrewd in his calculations.

Trading a courtyard for a huge influx of customers is a sure-fire way to make money.

Jiang Yichen nodded.

Mutual benefit and win-win cooperation are the most stable forms of partnership.

"Okay. We'll take this place."

The two parties finalized the details on the spot and signed the contract immediately.

In the following days, the branch office's renovation was prepared in full swing.

The construction team arrived, took measurements, and erected scaffolding.

Tan Yunxiao spends every day at the construction site, keeping a close eye on every detail.

Jiang Yichen was responsible for overseeing the overall traditional Chinese style.

The theater was bustling with activity.

Meanwhile, a war without gunpowder had already broken out in Shanghai's entertainment industry.

Brilliant Entertainment Headquarters.

Bai Yanqiu sat on a large leather sofa with his legs crossed.

He held a glass of red wine in his hand, swirling it gently.

Behind the desk in front of me stood several executives in suits.

"How's the preparation for Shen Ruoqiu's new album going?"

Bai Yanqiu took a sip of red wine, her tone languid.

An executive stepped forward and respectfully reported.

"Young Master Bai, everything is ready."

"The promotion for the new album 'Night' has been fully launched."

"We've secured all the top spots: subway stations, bus stops, and splash screen recommendations on major music platforms."

"The marketing accounts are already set up to create hype across the entire internet."

Bai Yanqiu nodded in satisfaction.

"very good."

"This time, I'm going to make sure Shen Ruoqiu firmly holds the title of the number one diva in the Chinese music scene."

Within a day.

The promotion of Shen Ruoqiu's new album has swept across the entire internet.

The appeal of veteran divas is terrifying.

Four of the top ten trending topics on Weibo were related to this topic.

Fans flooded the super topic with messages, their anticipation reaching its peak.

Star Entertainment Headquarters.

Gu Ruanxing sat behind her desk, looking at the trending topics list on her computer screen.

She was chewing on a lollipop, her cheeks bulging, and her eyes showing disdain.

"Anyone can spend money to buy trending topics."

Gu Ruanxing snorted coldly.

She pressed the intercom on the table.

"Public relations department, release the materials we've prepared!"

"Buy a lot of promotional material!"

Ten minutes later.

Star Entertainment's official Weibo account released a major announcement.

"Lin Qinghe, an artist under Star Entertainment, will release her new digital album 'Queen' online on the 15th of this month!"

The accompanying image is a visually striking poster.

Lin Qinghe wore a dark red long dress and a crown woven from thorns.

His eyes were cold and aloof, revealing an arrogant and haughty air.

This Weibo post immediately caused an uproar online.

The incident caused an uproar on major entertainment forums and social media platforms.

"Holy crap! Lin Qinghe signed with Starry Sky Entertainment?"

"Wasn't she blacklisted by Shiguang Entertainment? When did she start hooking up with Xingchen Entertainment?"

"The key point is the release date, okay?! The 15th! That's the same day Shen Ruoqiu is releasing her album!"

"This is absolutely intentional! Starry Sky Entertainment is going head-to-head with Brilliant Entertainment!"

Netizens' gossip spirit is burning brightly.

But soon, public opinion began to turn in one direction.

Shen Ruoqiu has an extremely large fan base with astonishing fighting power.

They immediately flooded Lin Qinghe's Weibo comment section and began to mock her relentlessly.

"That's hilarious! Someone who was just kicked out of her former company dares to challenge our Empress Shen?"

"This album title is really audacious, 'Queen of Pop'? She doesn't even deserve it!"

"Lin Qinghe only attracts a few fans online because of her looks. In terms of singing ability and experience, what does she have to compare with Shen Ruoqiu?"

Most casual netizens also adopted a wait-and-see attitude.

After all, Shen Ruoqiu has been in the industry for many years, has countless hit songs, and his status in the music scene is undeniable.

Although Lin Qinghe is popular, she is still relatively inexperienced in the music industry.