Mysterious Assistant of the Washed-Up Queen-Chapter 453 - 303: Beyond the Top-Tier Stars

After explaining things to Xu Qingqiu, she finally understood the stakes involved. Joining those companies was out of the question; not only would there be no benefits, but it would also lead to losses.

The reality was that top resources were almost entirely divided among industry veterans. If she joined one of these companies, she wouldn’t even get the scraps. Furthermore, if a company wanted to offer her favorable terms, they would inevitably have to snatch resources from their existing artists. This, in turn, would surely offend many of her new colleagues. At that point, with internal colleagues ostracizing her and other companies eyeing her hungrily, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say she’d be an enemy to everyone.

Besides these issues, the studio would also have to pay a significant price regarding equity. Since it was a studio, the other company certainly wouldn’t overlook that. They would inevitably have to exchange a portion of their shares. However, if the company was publicly listed, that option wouldn’t work. In that case, the company would have to buy a portion of the studio’s shares.

What if they didn’t sell? Who would feel secure then? She’d join on paper, but she and the studio would remain separate entities, leaving the parent company with no real control. Was that even feasible?

And if they did sell? The studio was currently in its growth phase; selling at any price would be a loss. Besides, even if they asked for a high price, would the company actually pay it? Impossible. Dream on!

Moreover, there was the Youmeng name, their prized asset. At that point, it would be impossible for Chu Tian to remain behind the scenes. Not only that, but he would also have to continuously write songs—for Xu Qingqiu and for other singers as well. This would undoubtedly be a strict requirement. After all, Xu Qingqiu alone wasn’t enough for a company to fend off attacks from competitors.

So, joining a major company was essentially out of the question. Their development would have to rely on themselves.

And, as expected, more companies subsequently approached them to discuss partnerships. These included not only the top ten but also other powerful second-tier companies. Sister Hua declined them all without exception, doing so very tactfully. These companies didn’t just leave; instead, they quietly monitored the situation, waiting to see the final outcome. Only when it was truly confirmed that Xu Qingqiu hadn’t joined any company did everyone collectively breathe a sigh of relief. Even the atmosphere in the studio seemed to lighten considerably.

"Hahaha, Ms. Li, I’m back again!"

"Aiyoh, Director Jiang, what an honor! Please forgive me for not welcoming you properly. What brings you here today?"

"Well, Ms. Li, it’s unfortunate we didn’t become family, but that doesn’t stop us from collaborating. Didn’t you mention before that we could discuss potential partnerships?"

"Oh right, right, partnerships, of course, we can collaborate! What kind of collaboration did you have in mind, Director Jiang?"

"Ah, it’s really simple, you see. We have a singer who respects Teacher Youmeng a lot. I just don’t know if we could have the honor..."

"Ah... you’re asking for a song, right? That’s fine. Teacher Youmeng did mention he would consider it. However, he doesn’t just write for anyone; there are still some requirements."

"Oh? I wonder what those requirements are?"

"Well, it’s nothing too troublesome. At the very least, he needs to know who he’s writing for, doesn’t he? After all, only by understanding the person can he compose a fitting song. Isn’t that right?"

"Tailor-made? That’s excellent! Just as expected from Teacher Youmeng—truly skilled. What Ms. Li said is perfectly fine. I’ll have my company send over the artist’s information right away!"

"Ah... haha, well, besides this, there are some other requirements..."

"Hmm? More? I hope it’s not..."

"No, no, it’s very simple. You might not be fully aware, but Teacher Youmeng is a bit quirky. He considers a person’s character when he writes songs. If their character isn’t good... well, you understand."

"Oh? Oh! This... well... alright, that requirement isn’t an issue. Hmm... I see. I understand what you’re saying, Ms. Li, and it makes perfect sense. So, if we agree to this condition, does that mean we can collaborate?"

"Of course. Teacher Youmeng only has these two requirements. As long as they’re met, we can collaborate anytime. Naturally, it can’t be too frequent—perhaps one song every six months. If the collaboration goes well, one song a month later on isn’t out of the question."

"Understood, understood, one song every six months... no problem. Then shall I go back and discuss it, and we can start preparing the collaboration?"

"Absolutely. Director Jiang has given the word, so there’ll definitely be no issues."

"Hahaha, then let me preemptively wish us a successful collaboration!"

"Here’s to a successful collaboration!"

First, they navigated the poaching attempts. With some developments as expected and others surprising, all companies ultimately left empty-handed. Some were frustrated and annoyed but didn’t resort to underhanded tactics. Others quietly cursed them as ’sly foxes’ but said little more.

However, most companies were still interested in collaborating, and several of the most eager ones had already taken action. For instance, Haiyin Records, which had previously shown goodwill towards the studio, had already departed with songs written by Chu Tian.

Baolin wasn’t far behind. In fact, Director Jiang hadn’t even left. Seeing that recruitment was futile, he immediately changed his strategy, and a collaboration was smoothly agreed upon.

Of course, this didn’t mean Chu Tian was a pushover or would agree to any request. While it was difficult to refuse large companies outright, these collaborations were more about resource exchange.

Did they really think his songs were so easy to obtain? That a little chat would secure one? Impossible! Without paying a significant price, it simply wouldn’t happen. This wasn’t something that could be resolved just by offering money.