novelraw Chapter 114 Was this song written by Wang Bo for Zhang Lei?
Chapter 114 Was this song written by Wang Bo for Zhang Lei?
"Oh?" Su Xiaoxiao rested her elbows on the table, her fingers interlaced. "So, Starlight Media opposes using the private affairs of its artists for publicity?"
"Of course!" Li Dahua nodded. "We have always respected the privacy of our artists."
"That's strange then." Su Xiaoxiao smiled, a sweet smile, but her eyes were sharp as knives. "After this Weibo post was published, seven marketing accounts under your company reposted it in unison, three entertainment news accounts followed up with reports, and coincidentally, an insider leaked details to the media—after this series of coordinated attacks, you're telling me it was the editor's unauthorized action?"
Her tone turned cold: "Mr. Li, we're all in the same industry, so it's better to be frank. We both know what your purpose is in this whole thing. But I want to tell you that Wang Bo doesn't need this kind of attention."
Li Dahua's expression changed slightly.
Su Xiaoxiao continued, "Every episode of his show and every new song he releases now generates real viewership. Audiences like him because of his work, not because of his gossip. Bringing up old stories won't do him any good—it'll benefit Zhang Lei and her upcoming drama, right?"
The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.
Chen Shaohua finally opened his eyes and slowly said, "President Su, you can't say that. That's how the entertainment industry is; popularity is mutually reinforcing, and everyone achieves success together. Wang Bo is famous now, so it's only natural for him to help his ex-girlfriend out."
"Human nature?" Su Xiaoxiao scoffed. "Director Chen, if our Xiaoyi Culture were to use the private affairs of your Starlight Media's top male and female stars for publicity, saying they were having late-night rendezvous with women and then claiming it's just human nature, would your Starlight Media accept that?"
Chen Shaohua was speechless.
Li Dahua quickly tried to smooth things over: "President Su, please calm down. We're here with the intention of resolving the issue. It's better to resolve conflicts than to let them fester!"
"Enemies?" Su Xiaoxiao leaned back and picked up her coffee cup again. "President Li, you flatter us. Our Xiaoyi Culture is a small, insignificant company. How could we dare to call ourselves enemies with an industry giant like Starlight Media? We just don't like being used as pawns."
She took a sip of coffee and said casually, "Your company was involved in producing 'The Voice of China' and was also responsible for inviting some of the guests. Everyone knows that the champion was predetermined. I didn't let Wang Bo compete for the championship either, but you're still targeting me like this. Isn't that too much of a bullying?"
Li Dahua and Chen Shaohua exchanged a glance.
"Mr. Su, you're joking," Li Dahua chuckled dryly. "A competition, of course, must be fair and just..."
"Fair and just?" Su Xiaoxiao interrupted him. "President Li, let's not beat around the bush. Qin Xiao is someone our sugar daddy wants to promote. Outsiders might not see it, but I do, right?"
Chen Shaohua sighed: "President Su, since we've come this far, we won't hide it from you anymore. Indeed, Qin Xiao's championship was predetermined. Although Starlight Media participated in the production, the main investor was someone else, and we... couldn't influence the outcome."
He lowered his voice: "Moreover, our artists are just there to make up the numbers on this show."
Su Xiaoxiao's eyes flickered slightly.
The meaning behind this is very clear: Starlight Media is also a victim. They don't want to promote Qin Xiao either, but they can't afford to offend their sugar daddy.
"So," Su Xiaoxiao said slowly, "you're taking your anger out on Wang Bo? By stirring up his old romance, you can both generate buzz for Zhang Lei's new drama and suppress Wang Bo's momentum—killing two birds with one stone?"
Li Dahua said with a wry smile, "President Su, we had no choice. Zhang Lei's drama has a large investment, and the company has high hopes for her, so the publicity pressure is immense. With Wang Bo's recent surge in popularity, we thought we could leverage that... We really didn't think things through, and we apologize to you."
"If apologies were enough, what would we need the police for?" Su Xiaoxiao put down her coffee cup, her tone flat. "Besides, the negative impact your actions have had on Wang Bo can't be erased with just an apology."
"So, what does President Su mean...?" Li Dahua probed.
Su Xiaoxiao did not answer immediately, but took a USB flash drive out of her briefcase and placed it on the table.
"There's a demo in here," she said. "It's a song written by Wang Bo, which I originally promised to give to your company, but now I'm having some reservations."
Chen Shaohua's eyes lit up: "A song written by Wang Bo? What song?"
"A song about youth and regrets." Su Xiaoxiao pushed the USB drive over.
Chen Shaohua practically snatched the USB drive and plugged it into his laptop.
Li Dahua also curiously leaned over.
Music started playing in the conference room.
The prelude consists of simple piano notes, clear and clean, with a touch of melancholy.
Then Wang Bo's voice rang out, still warm yet husky.
Chen Shaohua's expression changed as soon as the first verse came on.
His eyes were fixed on the waveform on the screen, his ears perked up.
In the chorus, the melody rises and emotions burst forth.
Chen Shaohua abruptly ripped off his headphones, looked at Su Xiaoxiao, and his voice trembled with excitement: "This song...this song was written by Wang Bo?"
"What else?" Su Xiaoxiao smiled.
"Is there a complete version?" Chen Shaohua asked eagerly.
"Yes, but..." Su Xiaoxiao sneered, "the competition isn't over yet."
Chen Shaohua excitedly grabbed Li Dahua's arm: "President Li, this song... this song is absolutely going to be a hit! The melody, the lyrics, the emotional expression... it's all top-notch! If Zhang Lei sang it, paired with her second youth drama airing this year, that retro and nostalgic tone would definitely be a smash hit!"
Li Dahua also recognized the song's potential, but he was more concerned about another question: "President Su, was this song... written by Wang Bo for Zhang Lei?"
Su Xiaoxiao smiled, but the smile seemed somewhat unnatural: "What does President Li think?"
She felt certain of it.
Li Dahua and Chen Shaohua exchanged a glance, understanding each other perfectly.
It definitely is!
Did Wang Bo and Zhang Lei rekindle their old flame? No, it's that Wang Bo can't forget his ex-girlfriend and wrote this heartfelt song for her!
This story is far more sophisticated and touching than simply hyping up an old romance!
"President Su," Li Dahua's attitude had completely changed, and his tone was sincere, "What happened before was indeed due to our lack of consideration. Therefore, we guarantee that from now on, all media accounts under Starlight Media will no longer publish any information about Wang Bo's private affairs. At the same time, we will publicly express our appreciation for Wang Bo's musical talent on appropriate occasions."
Su Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow: "That's all?"
"Also," Li Dahua said through gritted teeth, "regarding 'The Voice of China,' although we can't control who wins, we can... support Wang Bo in terms of public opinion."
"Oh?" Su Xiaoxiao became interested. "How can you support me?"
"Qin Xiao isn't an artist under our Starlight Media; he's with our sponsor," Li Dahua said in a low voice.