Mysterious Assistant of the Washed-Up Queen-Chapter 501 - 326: Urging for Updates from Peers_2
After showing off to friends or rivals, one could still use this to strike up a relationship with Xu Qingqiu.
Never mind whether it was possible to get a work from Youmeng through her; just the thought of eventually getting to talk with Xu Qingqiu was enticing.
If she mentioned their name during a collaboration, what was the difference between those singers eager for fame and winning the lottery?
So, rather than saying the album was in demand, it was more accurate to say the value represented by the name "Xu Qingqiu" was in higher demand.
Unfortunately, the physical edition of the first album had long since been discontinued, so those who missed out naturally set their sights on the second one.
But if they thought of it, wouldn’t others think of it too?
With the first album setting a precedent, the demand for this one wasn’t just higher; many people couldn’t wait and had already sent messages directly to the studio, urging them.
Among these people were many industry seniors and heavyweights.
They weren’t thinking about currying favor with Xu Qingqiu; they purely appreciated her music and wanted it for their collections.
Xu Qingqiu could ignore others, as they were only after the album, but she couldn’t do the same with these seniors and influential figures.
Them asking was a sign of respect, giving her face. Not only was she not yet in a position to be picky, but she also needed to explain the situation carefully.
But no matter how she explained, they were already knocking at her door, and it would be improper to delay any longer.
"So, it’s not me rushing you, but a bunch of bigwigs are waiting. You see the urgency, right?"
Urgent? Of course, it’s urgent!
Xu Qingqiu had never imagined her album could garner such attention. It was no wonder she hadn’t appeared much after returning from the Spring Festival Gala; naturally, she was oblivious to how much her influence had grown.
Putting that aside for now, just among the well-known figures pressing for the release, she saw several seniors, some of whom she would even have to address as ’Teacher,’ and others who had supported her in the past.
Seeing this, she finally realized she could no longer postpone it.
"Okay, it looks like I’m going to be busy again... Chu Tian, come with me..."
The last time she shot a music video, Chu Tian hadn’t accompanied her.
Back then, they weren’t together yet, and she had tried every trick in the book to get him to come, even sending him daily photos of scenery, hoping he couldn’t resist joining her.
Unfortunately, Xu Qingqiu never expected Chu Tian to be so restrained, completely avoiding her bait.
Now that they were finally together, they should be able to go together, right?
After all, this album was different from the previous ones; it was all about love and obviously needed a male lead.
Her first thought, naturally, was to have Chu Tian play the role of the boyfriend.
"This... I’m afraid I don’t have the time..."
Seeing Xu Qingqiu’s disappointed face, Chu Tian could only explain patiently, "You know, this year, a lot of critical things are happening with my company. I really can’t get away..."
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go; he really couldn’t.
When Xu Qingqiu went to receive her award a while ago, Chu Tian had spent most of his time at Unlimited Entertainment.
Or rather, since the New Year, he had focused most of his energy there.
Many projects were now at critical junctures; he truly couldn’t leave.
Although disappointed, Xu Qingqiu, understanding the circumstances, didn’t say much. She just nodded glumly without uttering a word.
This made Chu Tian feel uneasy. If Xu Qingqiu had complained a little, he would have felt better, but her silence suddenly made him anxious.
"Alright, fine, I’ll make time. I promise to go with you, okay?"
Feeling too guilty, Chu Tian finally compromised. It wouldn’t hurt to sleep later. He could accompany her for the music video shoot during the day and handle company matters at night. After all, he had been mostly managing things remotely for so long; how much difference could it make now? At worst, he could make time to return occasionally, considering they weren’t shooting the music video every single day.
"Really?!"
"Of course, it’s true. When have I ever lied to you?"
"Wow! Chu Tian, you’re the best! But won’t it be really tough on you?"
"Don’t worry, I can handle it. You know how lazy I am; if it were too tough, I definitely wouldn’t do it."
It was definitely going to be tough, but what could he do when the person before him was his girlfriend? Relationships are inherently a process of mutual compromise and accommodation. For them to be together, Xu Qingqiu had already compromised between her dreams and her life, paying a significant price, exemplified by her current high-intensity workload. Now it was his turn. What could he say? It would just be a bit tiring. As long as they were both happy, a little extra fatigue was acceptable.
Chu Tian was a man of his word. A team for the music video shoot was quickly assembled.
Professional scriptwriters were also hired to create storylines based on the album’s songs.
In the time before their departure, Chu Tian was practically living at Unlimited Entertainment twenty-four hours a day, urgently dealing with the most pressing work.
First, the second season of "iPartment" had long been produced, and they had been negotiating the first-round broadcasting rights.
The negotiations were basically settled: three TV stations acquired the first-round broadcasting rights, and four TV stations paid a smaller sum for the second-round rights.
The online broadcasting rights were also bought by three platforms for a hefty price. So, even before the drama went live, not only had the filming costs been recouped twice over in earnings, but it also provided a significant cash flow for the company.
With costs just over eight million, the net profit alone exceeded two hundred million. The bulk of this came from the first-round broadcasting rights.
Because it wasn’t an exclusive broadcast, the price was on the lower side. However, since the first season was such a massive hit, they still managed to secure a price of eight million per episode.
Regarding the online broadcasting rights, the company signed a revenue-sharing contract. Apart from a signing fee of a few million, which was more of a formality, the remaining revenue would depend on subsequent viewership numbers.
This type of partnership carried higher risks compared to an outright buyout, but if the work was outstanding enough, the earnings could be much greater, though the revenue collection period would be longer.
Currently, what the company lacked most wasn’t money, but time. Therefore, a long cycle wasn’t an issue, and there was no rush for the money; naturally, they wanted to maximize profits.
No matter how unconcerned Chu Tian appeared, there were still matters he needed to oversee.
Besides the TV drama, preparations for a web series had also begun. Chu Tian had sent over the script for "The Ferryman" and hadn’t followed up on it since.
Then there was the variety show segment. "Divas Hit the Road" had long since finished filming and gone online, and it was now nearing its conclusion.
Wei Liangxiao had been through a lot because of this show. Coupled with the incredible pre-New Year rush, Chu Tian hadn’t assigned him any tasks for a while, allowing him more rest.
But now, with so much time having passed since the New Year, he couldn’t rest any longer.
So, Chu Tian, rather unscrupulously, had him restart work on "King of Mask Singer." Preparations for the second season were now underway, aiming for a June premiere.
If they were lucky, it might even air in the time slot immediately following the end of "Divas Hit the Road."
What if it wasn’t on the same TV station? Why not? There’s only one prime time slot. As long as people are watching their show, regardless of the channel, Unlimited Entertainment would be the ultimate winner. The meat is stewing in the pot; it doesn’t matter whose meat it is.
Of course, aside from these predetermined matters, Chu Tian also had some new ideas during this period.
"Hou, did you manage to put together the animation team I asked for?"
Some time ago, Chu Tian had a sudden idea and asked Hou Yichuan to find an animation team. Whether it was built from scratch or an existing one was acquired, he needed it.
The request nearly drove Hou Yichuan to a breakdown. There was already so much to do, and Chu Tian was just adding more to his plate. To make matters worse, Hou didn’t even understand why Chu Tian needed the team.
"Why on earth do you suddenly want to start an animation department?" Hou Yichuan asked. "Are you planning to enter the animation industry?"
"Don’t worry about that for now; I’ll need it later. Just tell me if it’s ready or not."
"It’s ready. They’re in the new office area right downstairs. Wait for me, and I’ll take you there."
"Don’t bother. Just have an assistant show me around. I have some urgent work I need to finish."
Ultimately, Hou Yichuan couldn’t find the time, so he had an assistant take Chu Tian downstairs to the newly rented office space. There, Chu Tian saw seven or eight somewhat bewildered members of the animation department.
