Chapter 120: Invitation to the Grand Ceremony

Afternoon.

Sounds of vocal practice drifted from the lounge. Employees passing by would occasionally hear the melody of an unfamiliar song, punctuated by the soft clearing of a man’s throat.

"Did you hear? Lin Chuan wrote a song for Power Boys."

"Really? No wonder I heard someone practicing in the lounge; it sounded great. I thought it was someone just messing around."

"Tsk, tsk. What can you do? Those two fresh faces managed to latch onto someone like Lin Chuan. He’s a talented singer-songwriter. Even if the song doesn't become a massive hit, their popularity is bound to skyrocket just by having him write for them."

"Ugh, I’m so jealous. If Brother Chuan would write a song for me, I’d sing it for you guys every single day."

"You? Forget it. Go and get these documents copied; President Gao is waiting for them..."

The group spoke in hushed tones, but it still caught the attention of those nearby. Zhang Xiaoqiao, in particular, had been in a decent mood as she strolled into the office, only to be hit with this news immediately.

How could this be? Wasn't Lin Chuan supposed to be writing a song for her? Why was he writing for Power Boys instead? Her good mood vanished instantly, and she marched toward President Gao’s office, furious.

She didn't even bother to knock, pushing the door open and storming inside.

This was simply outrageous. She had been the first to ask Lin Chuan for a song, even dragging her father into the mix to secure it. And he? He had used the excuse of being busy over and over again. Fine, if he was busy, she could wait a few days. But he couldn't just go off and write for someone else! It was a total lack of respect.

Inside, President Gao was happily browsing his computer. When he heard the "bang" of the door and saw Zhang Xiaoqiao’s dark expression, his own face soured.

"Zhang Xiaoqiao, can’t you knock before coming in?" President Gao asked, his tone sharp.

"President Gao, at a time like this, how could I possibly think about knocking? Do you know? Lin Chuan is writing a song for Power Boys, and they’re practicing in the lounge right now!" she said, fuming.

President Gao nodded calmly. "I know."

*Pfft.*

Hearing those two words, Zhang Xiaoqiao nearly coughed up blood. You know? You know and you’re still sitting here playing on your computer? Don’t forget, if it weren't for my help with the Thanksgiving gala, you wouldn't even have the qualifications to attend.

But she could only keep these thoughts to herself; she couldn't afford to burn bridges just yet. She had joined Tiandi Culture in the first place specifically to get Lin Chuan to write her a song.

Become a star? What a joke. With her background, why would she need to expose herself to the public just for a bit of attention? Getting a song from Lin Chuan was purely for bragging rights.

In her circle, several wealthy girls were fans of Lin Chuan. If she could get him to write a song for her, she would naturally feel superior among them. It was a matter of vanity, though that was limited to someone like her. For someone in her position, designer bags and clothes had lost all value as status symbols.

Anything she had, others had too. So, she had to find ways to acquire things that were otherwise unattainable for her social circle.

Actually, she was somewhat desperate. Back when Lin Chuan was still in Quancheng, she had tried to pay Gao Mingyuan directly to buy a song or two. But she had miscalculated. While President Gao cared about money, he knew exactly what he could and couldn't accept.

She remembered a wealthy tycoon who had once tried to buy a song from Lin Chuan. The result? Lin Chuan would rather go to jail than sell his music to someone who didn't understand it.

Thus, President Gao had refused her. However, he was still eager to gain some benefits from her, so he suggested a plan—and that was how Zhang Xiaoqiao became the newest artist at Tiandi Culture.

Since they were now colleagues, Lin Chuan wouldn't have a reason to refuse her, right? That was what President Gao thought, and what Zhang Xiaoqiao believed.

Yet, things didn't go as planned. As soon as Lin Chuan returned to the capital, he was busy dating Wang Yue, followed by business with the Kadi Company and various commercial performances. He was busy nearly every day, never finding a moment to spare.

Gradually, Zhang Xiaoqiao had relaxed her expectations. She figured she could wait; after all, she had waited this long, and he wasn't going anywhere.

But who could have guessed that at such a critical moment, Lin Chuan would do something that made her absolutely livid?

"President Gao, you need to give me an explanation for this. You promised me that Lin Chuan would write a song for me..." Seeing President Gao’s indifferent attitude, she dropped her aggressive stance and forced a smile onto her face.

President Gao looked troubled. "Sigh, it’s not that I don’t want to help you. When Xiao Chuan first came back, I brought it up, and he agreed. But then, the things you did..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but Zhang Xiaoqiao wasn't stupid. Likewise, one shouldn't treat Lin Chuan or President Gao as fools. The storm that had erupted on the internet just a few days ago—wasn't that her doing? Everyone was perfectly aware of it.

You were so focused on your own agenda that you were willing to damage the company's reputation just to drag Lin Chuan through the mud. And it wasn't just that—you found some hack reporter to stir the pot and blow it all out of proportion online.

You have to realize, this didn't just affect Lin Chuan. It dragged Gao Meng into it, too. Have you seen the comments online?

"Lin Chuan’s taste is terrible. The other girls are fine, so why go for a cleaning girl?" Well, that "cleaning girl" was Gao Meng, and among those girls, she was the one dressed most normally, which ironically made her stand out as the odd one out.

There were other things said... forget it, no need to dwell on the past. Even the mildest comments made President Gao’s heart race with anger. How could his daughter be seen as so inferior?

Zhang Xiaoqiao didn't know the full extent of this, but she had her own justifications. Who told Lin Chuan to use "being busy" as an excuse while he went to see movies with other girls? Who told him to go have fun at a KTV instead of writing her song?

He deserved it! Who told him to offend her? And that was only a light punishment.

Look at her—even now, she remained unrepentant.

Since it had come to this, Zhang Xiaoqiao decided to drop the act. Her face darkened, and she said with a hint of a threat, "President Gao, don't forget, there’s less than half a month left until the Thanksgiving gala—only a week, really. Most of the invited companies and artists have been finalized. However, my father is still holding one spot open as a favor to me. Whether the name 'Tiandi Culture' gets written on that list, well..."

This was her trump card. She knew how important this opportunity was for Tiandi Culture and for Gao Mingyuan. That was exactly why she was pressing his buttons.

However, just as Zhang Xiaoqiao was looking smug, President Gao waved his hand with an apologetic look. "Oh, that’s right. I almost forgot if you hadn't mentioned it. Please tell your father I apologize. It’s the end of the year, and things have suddenly piled up. I’m afraid Xiao Chuan won't have time to attend that Thanksgiving gala... In fact, we just received an invitation to the National Drama Awards yesterday afternoon."

With that, President Gao picked up the invitation letter and waved it in front of Zhang Xiaoqiao to prove he wasn't making it up.

The National Drama Awards? Him? Even though she was half-doubting, Zhang Xiaoqiao was so furious that her face turned deathly pale.