Living in a county town, starting as a stock market maker...

One hour before signing the contract...

The three sisters, Wang Min, Liu Liu, and Zhang Hong, sat side by side on that secondhand sofa.

Gu Ming placed three printed documents on the coffee table in front of them.

Artist Management Contract

"Have you thought it through?" Gu Ming asked.

"I've thought it through, boss." Wang Min nodded vigorously on behalf of everyone.

Gu Ming picked up one of the documents and opened it, but didn't rush to have them sign it.

"There are a few rules I must make clear to you before signing the contract."

His finger pointed to a clause on the first page.

"First, costs and debt. Starting today, the company will advance all your operating expenses, such as content planning, shooting and editing, publicity and promotion, costumes and props. But this money is a loan from the company to you, and every expense will be accounted for in detail and recorded in your account. It will be deducted from future revenue first."

Gu Ming looked up and glanced at the three people's astonished faces.

"In other words, from the moment you sign your name, you are working for yourself while carrying debt. I need you to remember that every like and every exposure you receive has a cost."

Zhang Hong subconsciously opened her mouth as if to say something, but was stopped by Liu Liu's eyes.

They thought that signing the contract meant they had found a powerful backer and could rest easy from then on.

"Secondly, the right to content review," Gu Ming continued, his voice devoid of emotion. "All videos and texts you release, including your live streams, comments, and private message replies on any platform, must be reviewed by the company. I want to ensure that everything we release externally won't cause trouble for you or the company."

"I understand you have your own ideas, but in this industry, a thoughtless remark can ruin all your efforts. Until you learn how to speak properly, I'll take care of your mouths."

These words were quite blunt, but Wang Min and the other two couldn't help but recall the online attack they had suffered the day before yesterday. If it weren't for Gu Ming, they probably wouldn't even dare to leave their homes right now.

They nodded.

"Third, profit sharing." Gu Ming turned to another page of the contract, "Of all the revenue, after deducting all operating costs, the remaining net profit will be split 70% between you and the company."

The moment the profit-sharing ratio was announced, the three sisters' eyes lit up.

70%.

This is much higher than what they heard online about the revenue split between the streamer and the company.

"Boss, this...this is too much," Liu Liu muttered softly.

"Not much," Gu Ming said calmly. "The premise is that you can earn enough money to cover the costs. If you only earn 10,000 a month but spend 20,000 on costs, not only will you not get a penny, but you will also have an additional 10,000 in debt."

He pushed the contract in front of them.

"I'm giving you a chance to become professional artists, but I'm also giving you a set of strict business rules. This isn't a game of loyalty and chivalry; think it through, then sign."

No hesitation.

Wang Min was the first to pick up a pen and carefully wrote her name in the signature area for Party B. She wrote with such force that she almost tore the paper.

Liu Liu and Zhang Hong also signed the papers.

"Alright, from now on, we're partners." Gu Ming put away the contract, his face expressionless, and leaned back in his chair, looking at them.

"Boss, what should we do next? Should we press our advantage and release another video to smear that fat pig team leader?" Wang Min rubbed his hands together, looking eager to try.

"Scold him?" Gu Ming shook his head. "He's no longer important."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the cars and people coming and going on the street outside.

"Let me ask you a question. Now the whole internet knows you're fighters against bullying, right?"

"Yes, everyone supports us," Zhang Hong said, her voice rising in excitement.

"This label is good, but it's also dangerous." Gu Ming turned around, his smile fading. "If you keep dwelling on this and constantly talking about how miserable you are, the audience will get tired of it quickly. The first time they'll sympathize, the second time they'll support you, but the third time they might get annoyed. Relying on playing the victim and fighting will only lead you further down a narrower path."

The excitement on the three sisters' faces slowly faded, and they looked at Gu Ming with some confusion.

Gu Ming then changed the subject.

"So, we're going to reverse our persona. Starting tomorrow, you don't need to think about how to protect your rights or how to argue with people anymore. I'm giving you a new task."

"Go to the city's animal rescue center and volunteer for a week."

"what?"

Wang Min was the first to call out, "Boss, what are we going there for? We're not saints, and we don't like cats and dogs."

"It's precisely because you're not that we need to go." Gu Ming smiled, his eyes holding something they couldn't understand.

"Imagine this scene."

"A rebellious-looking young woman with dyed blonde hair and a 'street-smart' air about her, clumsily cleaning the wounds of a stray cat, or frantically feeding a bunch of puppies. This contrast is more effective than you saying a thousand times that we're not inherently bad."

"We need to make your image more three-dimensional. The fighter label is just a stepping stone, letting others get to know you. But to make others like you, you need to show a more authentic, softer side."

"This can transform you from the protagonist of a trending online event into an idol who can continuously create value and is loved by people."

……

West of the city, an upscale residential area.

Li Li didn't sleep all night.

The bedroom lights were off, only the light from her phone screen illuminated her tired face.

She went crazy, searching online for anything related to "spiritual young lady" and "Star Media".

She saw the live recording of that dramatic comeback.

In the video, Wang Min initially cried so hard she almost collapsed, but later, under the direction of a calm male voice, she presented evidence in a logical and organized manner to refute the claims, ultimately igniting the entire audience.

She saw articles published overnight by several local news accounts.

A textbook example of crisis management! This media company in Hegang became an overnight sensation!

From being universally condemned to receiving support from tens of thousands, that man only took thirty minutes!

The article analyzes the ins and outs of the entire incident clearly, and every word is full of praise for the mastermind behind it.

All the clues and evidence pointed to someone she didn't want to believe.

Gu Ming.

Just then, the phone suddenly rang.

The caller ID showed it was her teacher friend, Sun Xiao.

Li Li swiped to answer the call, held the phone to her ear, and said in an unfriendly tone, "Feed?"

"Lily! My God! Look at our teachers' group, it's all over the news!" Sun Xiao's high-pitched, somewhat shrill voice came from the other end of the phone.

"What is it?" Li Li's heart sank.

"It's that Gu Ming you met on a blind date! He's practically a miracle worker! He's turned those three delinquent girls into positive role models! I just checked their accounts, and they've almost 100,000 followers! And that's only been a few days!"

"Lily," her best friend's tone suddenly softened, becoming somewhat pleading, "Didn't you go on a blind date with him? You should know him better than we do, right? Could you... could you get him his contact information for me?"

Li Li's breathing paused for a moment.

"Are you looking for him too?"

"Yeah, right!" Sun Xiao said matter-of-factly. "My god, this is a master comeback guy from Shanghai, he has the Midas touch! Look at my looks, I'm way better than those pretty girls who only graduated from junior high, right? If I let him give me a makeover, maybe I can become famous too!"

Listening to her best friend's excited words, Li Li felt dizzy while holding her phone.

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