Chapter Eleven: In the Prime of Life, A Master Negotiator?

However, just as Bai Ling was engrossed in watching the spectacle unfold, several unfamiliar numbers suddenly started calling her. At first, she didn't pay much attention and simply hung up in silence. Yet the calls kept coming, one after another, and no matter how many she blocked, it was useless.

"Hey, what's going on?" she muttered. "I'm just here to watch the show—did I poke a hornet's nest of scammers?"

Feeling more and more annoyed, Bai Ling finally answered one of the calls. She had no intention of letting the other side speak first. After all, this constant disturbance was too much to swallow.

"What do you people want?" she snapped. "I don't even have two hundred yuan to my name—why do you keep calling me? You scammers, you really—"

She was about to unleash a string of expletives, poised to give full play to her colorful vocabulary.

"Miss Bai, please, calm down! We're not a scam operation!"

If they weren't scammers, that meant they were from Starlight Entertainment.

Bai Ling's face darkened further. "If you're from Starlight, then there's even less to discuss—"

But before she could launch into another tirade, she was interrupted again.

"We're not from Starlight, either. We're from the Glory of Spring and Autumn Entertainment Company."

This time, Bai Ling was taken aback.

The Glory of Spring and Autumn Entertainment Company was a highly reputable firm. At least in terms of performance, they were far more impressive than Starlight, and though they weren't quite first-tier, they were a long-established, respected presence in the industry—many insiders believed they were poised to break into the ranks of the very best.

For such a company to contact her after the recent uproar—well, the intention was obvious.

"Are you interested in me," Bai Ling asked, "or is it my song you want?"

The call was passed to someone else—a woman this time, replacing the man who had been speaking with her.

"Miss Bai, you’re perceptive," the woman said. "Let’s not beat around the bush. We know all about the grievances you suffered at Starlight. In fact, we've played our part in shaping the current public discourse. If you don’t believe us, you can check online—some of our artists have already spoken out in your support."

Bai Ling’s eyes flashed. She switched to speakerphone and began searching for information about artists under Glory of Spring and Autumn. Sure enough, some quite influential, veteran performers had already publicly supported her. They had also contributed to the chorus of criticism aimed at Starlight.

But Bai Ling was no naïve ingénue. She looked deeper and discovered that not only Glory of Spring and Autumn’s artists, but also those from other agencies were fanning the flames at this moment. Without such coordinated effort, how could Starlight have suffered so much misfortune?

Given all this, how could Bai Ling not understand?

"It seems you all have a score to settle with Starlight, and my incident is the perfect opportunity to step on them."

The woman paused briefly on the other end. "You’re sharp, Miss Bai. So I’ll be frank—no need for sentimental appeals. We’re contacting you because we’d like to sign you. We guarantee you’ll never experience the sort of treatment you’ve suffered these past few days. Moreover, we promise you the best possible terms."

Bai Ling didn’t even lift an eyelid. "What are the terms?"

"What exactly do you mean by the best possible terms? Be specific, don’t be vague."

The woman seemed caught off guard by Bai Ling’s negotiating style and was momentarily speechless.

"How about this, Miss Bai: give us some time to prepare a proposal, and we can discuss it face-to-face? We’ll make sure the offer satisfies you. As for the specifics—we’re also interested in purchasing the copyright to the song you performed…"

Bai Ling cut in, "Let’s talk when you’re ready. That goes for the copyright as well—we’ll discuss it then."

With that, she hung up.

Phew.

She exhaled deeply. Bai Ling realized she needed to brush up on her knowledge—if the conversation continued, her ignorance would be exposed.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the line, inside the offices of Glory of Spring and Autumn Entertainment, the head of the artists’ department, Ge Fangfang, wore a grim expression after the call ended.

"This girl has some skill," she remarked. "She’s responding to all variables by remaining unmovable, forcing us to make proposals while she reserves the right to choose. That alone gives her the upper hand."

"She’s not eager to talk because she expects other companies will also make offers, so she can quietly wait and pick the best one."

"A real expert. Looks like we’ll have to pay a price to secure her."

After some thought, Ge Fangfang decided to call back her team, who had already left for the day, to work through the night on a strategy.

They would draft the most suitable contract possible!

If they were to win over this rising star, they had to act before the competition did.

Indeed, in the eyes of every major agency, Bai Ling was a bona fide prospect.

She was beautiful, with a great figure.

Her singing was impressive, and this particular song, "Under the Sea," already showed signs of breaking out beyond the usual circles.

Her stage presence was remarkable—her appeal, extraordinary.

Most importantly, popularity—unprecedented, explosive popularity.

Thanks to the absurd drama caused by Starlight, Bai Ling’s fame had skyrocketed beyond control, already reaching the level of some second-tier celebrities.

What agency wouldn’t covet such a high-quality prospect?

Thus, after her call with Glory of Spring and Autumn, Bai Ling received a flurry of calls and text messages from other companies as well.

She chatted with a few, but in the end, feeling overwhelmed, she simply powered off her phone.

"So much trouble—far too much trouble," she muttered. "Sleep is still the best option!"

When she woke up early the next day, Bai Ling had no intention of checking on Starlight's current predicament or the state of the online furor. Starlight was surely being kicked while down—maybe not facing catastrophic financial losses, but certainly in chaos. They were bound to have a rough time ahead.

That outcome alone satisfied Bai Ling.

She turned on her phone. As expected, her inbox was full—most messages from entertainment companies eager to sign her. However, most were on par with Starlight or even less prestigious. Only a handful were from top-tier agencies.

Yet these top companies spoke in a haughty, detached tone Bai Ling found unappealing.

She scrolled through her messages and noticed that Glory of Spring and Autumn had sent her a contract. Opening it, the terms took her by surprise.

A signing bonus of ten million yuan for three years—ten million per year!

Moreover, there were no binding clauses. If Bai Ling wished to break the contract, she only needed to pay an equivalent penalty.

As for profit sharing, it was a sixty-forty split—sixty percent to the company, forty to Bai Ling.

In the entertainment industry, this was an exceptionally generous share.

If her popularity grew, the penalty would increase proportionally. For example, once she reached five million followers, her annual signing bonus would rise to fifty million…