Chapter 126: The Wager

It was past eight o'clock when the event concluded. The sky had long since darkened; there were no stars, but a moon hung high in the night. People moved in twos and threes, whispering to one another with hurried footsteps. On the surface, everyone seemed to be discussing their anticipation for the upcoming works.

In reality? Many sensed something was amiss, but they dared not speak openly. Only those who felt secure in their circles gathered together, quickening their pace to find a private spot to gossip and dissect the situation. The members of the Wildfire Alliance had been following Tang Zhichu, but Shen Jianxin dismissed them.

The night breeze was cool. Across the sprawling lawn, small groups sat at intervals—this was always the most exhilarating time of the night. Having just received their tasks without yet starting the work, everyone felt a surge of confidence and high spirits.

It was the first time Shen Jianxin had taken a stroll with Tang Zhichu. He remained silent, weighing his words. He wanted Tang Zhichu to take this seriously and be mentally prepared, yet he didn't want to boost the morale of their opponents before they had even begun.

After a long pause, he said, "Tianhe Entertainment is taking this show quite seriously. Their music division has essentially deployed in full force."

Tang Zhichu nodded, catching the subtext in Shen Jianxin's words. If Tang Zhichu were not involved, Yu Hua’s greatest asset in producing this show would likely have been Tianhe Entertainment. This implied that Yu Hua had some sort of private agreement with them, and Shen Jianxin was warning Tang Zhichu that, in this round, Yu Hua likely couldn't openly support him.

"Teacher Shen, what kind of person do you think Su Yuanchao is?" Tang Zhichu asked in return.

Shen Jianxin reflected for a moment before replying, "I debuted earlier than him, but as for arrogance, we both had our moments."

At this, Shen Jianxin chuckled, seemingly recalling the past. Back in his day, the Mandopop scene was just beginning to rise, and he was among the first wave of musicians. He was considered a representative figure of Chinese rock, while Su Yuanchao was a pillar of Chinese folk music.

"Our arrogance was really just a lack of perspective. Think about it: the first company I signed with was Universal Music, and they wired five million directly into my account. That was the nineties—it’s no exaggeration to say we lived in decadence. Su Yuanchao was something else, too. He got big through bootlegs, not through a label. He forced his way out with his work alone. Back then, there weren't many channels; being able to break through based on your art was a massive feat."

"Later, they started their own record label. Their first album sold nearly a million copies, even with their limited distribution. Su Yuanchao was truly at his peak then; he even publicly blasted rock music. His second album didn't fare as well as the first, mostly because the landscape had changed—talented singers were springing up like mushrooms after rain."

"At that time, Su Yuanchao took jabs at the folk scene, too, claiming they were all imitating him. He’d ask, 'Besides poverty, women, and hometowns, what else can you write?' Some supported him, others cursed him. Overall, Su Yuanchao ruined his own reputation. He stopped releasing albums after that, only singles. The quality was still there, but the youthful arrogance was gone."

"After his company collapsed, he went into production. He bounced between a few places before finally settling down. Youthful arrogance is fine—we all go through it. Everyone knows how to lash out, but if you take it too seriously, it just becomes internal friction that hurts no one but yourself."

Though Shen Jianxin was recounting Su Yuanchao's story, he was also giving Tang Zhichu a warning.

***

Scolding and mockery are merely tools, not true, unbridled expression.

Tang Zhichu smiled. "Perhaps there was no internal friction; maybe he just simply couldn't write good songs anymore."

"Hahaha, you certainly are confident."

"Confidence doesn't really matter. The people who actually listen to the music don't care about any of that. Teacher Shen, do you think I’ll win this round?"

Shen Jianxin was momentarily stunned; Tang Zhichu’s demeanor showed absolutely no sign of anxiety. Does confidence really not matter? Clearly, it did—just look at Tang Zhichu, whose state of mind was remarkably sharp.

After a moment of silence, Shen Jianxin said, "It will be difficult."

He was being diplomatic. Although Sun Zhe was his junior, the man had built a career from music to become a high-level executive at Tianhe Entertainment—that was no joke. He never fought a battle unprepared. His decision was the decision of Tianhe Entertainment, and would they really let their flagship asset take such a risk?

Shen Jianxin had another reason for telling Tang Zhichu all this. Su Yuanchao’s current situation wasn't ideal; his past glory was just that—past. He was now the Content Director for the Yiyun Music platform. When Yiyun was expanding, copyright was a bottleneck, and it was Su Yuanchao who helped them secure the rights from Tianhe Entertainment. This connection was unknown to outsiders.

Shen Jianxin knew a little about it, which is why he was trying to pull Tang Zhichu aside, hoping to steer him away from this particular project. Tang Zhichu was currently on an upward trajectory; losing a round would inevitably have an impact. If he lost to He Shuyuan while at the height of his prestige, it would mean being plucked clean by Tianhe. Even if his work was better, if a man of Su Yuanchao's age decided to be shameless and choose He Shuyuan, what could he do?

Tang Zhichu shook his head. "I don't think it's difficult."

"Why?"

"Because human nature is, at its core, selfish."

Shen Jianxin didn't quite understand and looked at Tang Zhichu. Without explaining, Tang Zhichu met his gaze and said with a playful smile, "Teacher Shen, how about we make a bet?"

***

"What kind of bet?"

"If I win, you hang your studio under my name. I won't interfere with your work or affect you in any way; just let it be under my banner in name."

Shen Jianxin paused, then stopped walking. The information in that sentence was significant. First, Tang Zhichu had absolute confidence in winning. Second, he intended to start his own entertainment company and wanted to bring him along?

Setting aside Tang Zhichu's ambition—young people are always arrogant—what he couldn't fathom was why Tang Zhichu, who had never been a reckless person in their time together, believed he could pull off a win.

"Su Yuanchao’s presence on the show might be pushed by Sun Zhe. This could be a card he prepared before filming started, a move intended to deal with us from the very beginning," Shen Jianxin said plainly. He looked at Tang Zhichu, as if asking: *Do you still think you'll win?*

Because of the dating show, Shen Jianxin didn't think Tang Zhichu was a fool, and he was deeply curious about what cards he was holding.

"I understand. After all, Sun Zhe represents Tianhe; having multiple contingencies is expected. So, are you still willing to bet?" Tang Zhichu’s expression remained unchanged as he pressed the issue.

Negotiation was something Tang Zhichu had experience with. Regardless of whether you have a hundred percent certainty, you have to bluff. If you don't believe your own words, how can you persuade others?

One of Tang Zhichu's major goals in joining this music show was to scout talent. Shen Jianxin’s status in the industry was undisputed, and without a corporate affiliation, his studio served only himself. If he could convince Shen Jianxin, he would have a solid foundation for his own entertainment company. Being able to say that Teacher Shen Jianxin was one of his artists would be worth more than anything else when signing new talent.

After spending these past few episodes together, and with the recent explosion in popularity from the dating show, Tang Zhichu was currently imbued with a halo of success. If there was any chance to secure Shen Jianxin, now was the best time.

"Don't worry, I won't just refrain from interfering; I will provide you with more options. One of my partners is surnamed Yu, and the other is my former agency..." Tang Zhichu began to paint a grand picture for him.