Chapter 180: Only Child
Xu Youyou opened the system panel.
[Wen Shiyan, 19 years old, became famous as the “Most Beautiful Campus Belle” in university and signed with an agency to become an idol trainee. However, before her official debut, she could not accept the industry’s unspoken rules and was blacklisted by the company. With the support of her parents, she passed the public exam and joined the Shanghai City Tax Bureau, successfully terminating her contract with the agency. This star, who should have shone brightly, never returned to the entertainment industry.]
Xu Youyou glanced at Wen Shiyan’s parents, who were looking at their daughter with worry, and couldn’t help but think that a happy childhood truly heals a lifetime. Some people are driven mad by the industry’s unspoken rules, while others have the support of their parents and family behind them, enabling them to turn things around even in difficult situations.
Xu Youyou didn’t like the toxic aspects of the entertainment industry, but it served as a reminder. When the wind doesn’t stop, the tree cannot be calm. The entertainment world is full of fluctuating emotions, so one must always pay attention to the mental state of the artists.
She thought to herself that once they returned to Shanghai, she would hire a professional psychological team for the company and also set up small moral education classes to prevent the company from nurturing any rebellious artists.
Her gaze once again fell on the words “superstar,” and her lips couldn’t help but curl into a smile.
No boss would ever complain about having too many top-tier superstars in their company.
Song Zhibai had just become famous, and the company was cautious in managing him, not rushing to have him take on random endorsements. To this day, he only had two endorsements.
Both of these endorsements were of high quality—one for a luxury watch brand and one for a high-end smartphone.
Even though the number of endorsements was low, Xu Youyou had already recouped her investment in Song Zhibai. The short drama he initially shot, after his TV series exploded in popularity, had also surged and remained a top drama for two months on short video platforms.
Without mentioning the short drama, the long-tail income from the TV series alone had already brought Xu Youyou nearly a billion in revenue.
Having seen the money-making power of a superstar, Xu Youyou was naturally cautious and did not dare to slack off, fearing that she might overlook something and send her superstar down the wrong path.
Professor Wu suddenly said, “If you really want to hire a one-on-one tutor, you can find someone from our university. The freshmen still remember their knowledge points. They have plenty of time, and with similar ages, they’ll have lots of common topics to talk about. We can invite a few more girls, preferably from Luoyang, to take turns tutoring her.”
Wen Shiyan’s parents were a bit confused but asked, “Sir, which university are you from?”
Xu Youyou explained, “Professor Wu is from Fudan University.”
Wen Shiyan’s parents were immediately delighted. A professor from a prestigious university, female, around the same age, and even from Luoyang—such conditions for hiring a tutor showed how thoughtful they were.
When they left the hotel, Wen’s father just started the car, and because he stepped on the accelerator too hard, the car lurched forward, immediately earning a reprimand from his wife.
“Slow down, our daughter is about to become a big star, and our family is going to prosper. Our good days are coming!”
Wen’s mother suddenly became cautious and then reminded her daughter, “Baby, make sure your seatbelt is on in the back.”
Wen Shiyan playfully scolded, “Mom, I’m already seventeen. Stop calling me baby. Last time you called me that, my classmates laughed at me.”
Wen’s mother quickly apologized, “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I forgot.”
Wen’s father steadied the steering wheel and slowed down. He worriedly said, “Earning money is good, but our baby’s happiness is the most important thing.”
Wen’s mother rolled her eyes, saying, “Money is what makes happiness, dear. Shiyan, remember, financial freedom is true freedom.”
Wen Shiyan quickly responded, “Mom, since I’m going to make big money, I don’t want to continue studying. Studying is so tiring, and the pressure of the college entrance exam is too much.”
Wen’s mother said, “That’s not possible. You still need to study well, at least graduate from college. If the entertainment industry doesn’t work out, you can still be a teacher or a civil servant. It’ll be a stable life.”
Wen Shiyan sighed upon hearing this.
Wen’s mother continued to comfort her, saying, “Don’t blame mom for being strict. We only have you as our child. We want your path to be as smooth as possible. Don’t you want to go to Europe? After your exams, your dad and I will go with you for one or two months. How about that?”
Wen Shiyan immediately cheered and then suddenly thought of something. “Mom, doesn’t your company not allow long vacations?”
Wen’s mother smiled warmly at her daughter, saying, “I’m planning to take early retirement and accompany you to Shanghai for your training.”
Wen’s mother was only in her forties, far from retirement age. Retiring early would reduce her future pension. Wen Shiyan said, “Mom, you don’t have to do that for me. I’m already grown up and can take care of myself.”
Wen’s mother, afraid her daughter would feel burdened, reassured her, “Mom is getting older, and I don’t work as efficiently as I used to. It feels tiring to work, so it’s a good chance for me to rest.”
Compared to the Wen family’s warm atmosphere, the other girl’s family was much more unreasonable.
“If you don’t give me 500,000, I won’t agree to my daughter signing with your company!”
A middle-aged woman, looking greedy and stout, was slamming the table in a small meeting room in front of Xu Youyou.
Xu Fang stepped forward to block her, saying, “Please keep a safe distance in public.”
Several bodyguards also subtly revealed their presence.
Li Cuiyun, looking at the situation, flashed a moment of fear but quickly straightened her neck and said, “What if you have more people? Are you trying to snatch her? I’m telling you, without 500,000, don’t even think about taking my daughter!”
An employee explained patiently, “Auntie, please don’t act like that. Our company is about signing artists, not human trafficking. There is no provision in our contract that offers 500,000 just to sign.”
Hearing the words “human trafficking,” Li Cuiyun’s eyes flickered for a moment.
“I don’t care! You’re such a big company, you must have money. If you want to bring my daughter into the entertainment industry, it’s fine, but the money can’t be less!”
The staff member continued, “For artists who haven’t joined a project, our company offers a basic salary of 5,000 a month, provides food and lodging, and a single dormitory. Only artists who are involved in projects will earn extra compensation. This condition is already very good in Shanghai. Our boss is very generous in providing resources. You won’t regret signing with us.”
Li Cuiyun, however, was still causing a fuss. “Don’t talk to me about these things. You don’t have to pay her salary, but I want 500,000! Not a penny less!”
The staff member helplessly looked at Xu Youyou.
Xu Youyou, meanwhile, was carefully observing the beautiful girl in shabby school clothes in front of her, still puzzled as to why she was the “hidden gem” mentioned by the system.
