Volume One: Ascending at Debut Chapter Sixty-Four: The Beginning of the Pinnacle

Jingrun Corporation, Lin Xi’s office.

“So, the album is officially set to release the day after tomorrow?” Chen Jing asked Lin Xi.

“Yes. We’re taking advantage of the huge popularity of ‘Nocturne’ to launch your debut solo album. It’s the perfect timing for publicity.”

Chen Jing nodded in agreement. “Alright, it’s settled then. I’ll take my leave?”

Lin Xi shot him a glance. “Leaving so early? Where are you off to?”

“I’m going to buy a car.”

“Oh? Going with Zitan?”

“Yeah!”

After a moment’s thought, Lin Xi said, “I’ll come too. There’s nothing pressing at the company today anyway.”

Chen Jing looked a bit surprised. “Alright, let’s go together. You can help me pick out a good one.” Having another person along to give advice certainly wouldn’t hurt.

The three of them set off together for the car dealership.

Lin Xi asked casually, “Have you decided what kind of car you want?”

Chen Jing shrugged. “Not really. I thought I’d go there and pick something based on the price range.”

“So, what’s your budget?” Lin Xi pressed.

“Around a hundred to two hundred thousand,” Chen Jing replied. To him, a car in that price range was more than sufficient for his needs.

“That’s all? What kind of car do you expect to get with that budget?” Lin Zitan exclaimed in surprise.

Chen Jing was a little exasperated. “Come on, two hundred thousand is plenty. I just need something to get me around; it’s not for showing off. Besides, you both know that’s all the money I have left.”

Last month, the company had paid out his income, of which Chen Jing had donated half. Then he’d repaid Lin Xi for helping with the furniture, spent some on various things, and now was left with just over two hundred thousand—even counting his royalties from writing novels.

Lin Xi said coolly, “Let’s just go take a look. It’s important to pick something suitable and reliable. If your budget falls short, I’ll cover the rest for now. You can pay me back when you get your next dividend.” Her tone brooked no refusal—a true queen’s authority.

With things settled like that, what could Chen Jing say?

“Fine.” He spread his hands, unconcerned. After all, they knew each other well. Once his next dividend came in, he’d have no problem paying her back.

At the dealership, a beautiful saleswoman came over. Before she could introduce herself, Lin Xi decisively said, “You have a domestic Hongxing business van here, don’t you? Take us to see it.”

“Of course, right this way.” The saleswoman, momentarily cowed by Lin Xi’s commanding presence, led them straight to the vehicle in question.

The three of them got in to check it out. It was quite nice, and after a test drive, they were all satisfied.

Lin Xi turned to Chen Jing. “Well, what do you think of this one?”

Chen Jing nodded approvingly. “It’s great. Perfect as a business van for us celebrities.”

“Of course! Zitan and I spent all night picking it out for you,” Lin Zitan said proudly.

So, they’d already done all the research for him—nothing left for him to worry about. He was happy to let others make the decisions.

“Alright, let’s go with this one,” Lin Xi said. She turned to the saleswoman. “You’re asking fifty-five thousand for this car, but I know the final price comes out to forty-five thousand. Here’s the deal: we’ll offer forty-eight thousand, all expenses included, and sign the contract today. If not, we’ll just look elsewhere.” Lin Xi was crisp and decisive, leaving the saleswoman no room to hesitate.

After a brief calculation, the saleswoman agreed. “Certainly. Please wait a moment while I fetch the contract.”

A short while later, she returned, accompanied by a portly, bald man with a large belly.

He greeted Lin Xi warmly. “Manager Lin! I thought you looked familiar from over there—so it really is you.”

“Director Zhou, it’s been a while,” Lin Xi replied, recognizing him immediately. He was Zhou Rui, the local head of Hongxing Automobile Company. Previously, he’d hired Jingrun’s artists for car advertisements, and Lin Xi had been in charge of negotiating the contract.

“Since it’s Manager Lin buying a car, of course you get a discount. Xiao Chen, use one of my internal price quotas for this year and give it to Manager Lin,” Director Zhou instructed the saleswoman.

“Of course, Director Zhou,” she replied promptly.

“That’s not necessary. We’re happy to pay the listed price, but thank you for your generosity,” Lin Xi responded coolly.

“It’s nothing—just an internal quota. It’ll save you about thirty thousand on this vehicle. No trouble at all.”

Seeing she couldn’t refuse, Lin Xi relented. “In that case, I’ll graciously accept. Thank you, Director Zhou.” She knew Zhou Rui must have something to ask of her, so she waited to hear what it was.

Sure enough, once Lin Xi accepted, Zhou Rui turned to Chen Jing with a smile. “This must be your artist, Chen Jing?”

Lin Xi and Chen Jing exchanged a knowing glance. So, this was about Chen Jing.

Chen Jing stood up and shook his hand. “Hello, Director Zhou. As we’re out in public, I hope you don’t mind that I keep my mask on.”

“No problem at all, I understand—celebrities have their reasons,” Zhou Rui said with a laugh. He continued, “I wanted to ask if you’d consider endorsing our car in an advertisement. Of course, we’d discuss the contract in detail, and I assure you, your fee would be commensurate with your status.”

Chen Jing said nothing, deferring to Lin Xi—she was his agent, after all.

Lin Xi responded directly, “I’m sorry, Director Zhou, but Chen Jing is about to release his debut album and is also participating in a dance competition. His schedule is packed, so to avoid holding you up, we have to decline.” She knew Chen Jing didn’t want to do endorsements, so she refused without hesitation.

“I see. No problem—when Mr. Chen’s schedule opens up, let me know. I’ll definitely support your album release when the time comes,” Zhou Rui replied, the consummate professional. He didn’t press the matter, understanding the importance of building relationships for the long term.

“Thank you, Director Zhou. Alternatively, I could speak to the company and see if one of our top artists can endorse for you—would that work?” Lin Xi offered.

Zhou Rui shook his head with a smile. “No, thank you. I’m interested in Mr. Chen specifically. If our paths are meant to cross, it’ll happen.”

His words left Chen Jing silently impressed. Whether Zhou Rui was being sincere or not, the three of them owed him a favor.

In truth, Zhou Rui really did have his eye on Chen Jing. If he wanted a top-tier singer for an endorsement, he could easily find one. Chen Jing’s current standing might be modest, but Zhou Rui believed he had the potential to become a superstar. As a savvy businessman, Zhou Rui was simply investing early.

In the end, the business van was sold for forty-five thousand, with Lin Xi covering the payment.

After more than an hour spent on paperwork, the three drove off in their new car.

That evening, Chen Jing logged onto his Weibo account for the first time in days and was stunned to see his followers had soared to over a million. He knew the recent popularity of ‘Nocturne’ had brought him attention, but he hadn’t expected his fanbase to grow so quickly.

Shaking his head, he set the thought aside, and composed a new post: “My debut solo album drops at 6 p.m. See you all then—don’t miss it!” He attached the promotional link and hit send.

To his surprise, the post immediately set off a storm.

“Whoa, what am I seeing? Boss Jing is posting again!”
“Amazing! I thought he’d disappeared after the competition, but he’s been working on his album.”
“My brother’s debut album—I have to support him!”
“Let’s go, everyone! Gather up, brothers and sisters!”
Some fans joked, “Boss Jing, don’t go yet—chat with us! Or I won’t buy your album.”

Chen Jing didn’t mind and replied to the fan, “If you don’t like the album, just ask me for a refund.”

Almost instantly, a reply popped up: “Ahh! Boss Jing replied to me! He really did!”

“Boss Jing, check out my message too!”
“Brother, reply to me! Please!”
…

The comment section quickly became a chaotic frenzy. Chen Jing shook his head and simply logged out of Weibo.

With the social media post sent and the publicity campaign underway, all that remained was to wait and see how the album would perform.

Over the next two days, top stars like pop diva Ling Ruohan, the rising starlet Xue Yue, leading singer Huang Wenhao, and rocker Wei Guoqiang all promoted Chen Jing’s debut album. Soon, even more artists joined in—some out of goodwill, others simply following the trend—until nearly everyone was helping to publicize the release. With Jingrun Corporation’s vigorous backing, word spread like wildfire. By the end, Chen Jing’s debut solo album topped the trending charts.

Two days later, amid this excitement, Chen Jing’s debut album was officially released.

With such momentum, everyone knew that as long as the album’s quality was halfway decent, its sales would be outstanding. If it was truly good, it might even top the charts. But what no one expected—what absolutely shocked everyone—was the album’s explosive success.

The night of its release, the album shot straight to the top of the sales rankings. Then, leaving all competition far behind, it smashed record after record: fastest-selling album, highest daily, and weekly sales, and more.

All ten tracks from Chen Jing’s album entered the top twenty of the Huaxia Music Popularity Chart—more accurately, the top fifteen. Even more astonishing, seven of the top ten spots belonged to his album. Except for “Red Ode” at number five, “Who Understands the Heart of a Wanderer” at number four, and the long-standing number one “Nocturne,” the rest were all songs from Chen Jing’s album.

Adding “Aurora” at number eleven and Li Manru’s song at fourteen, all top fifteen songs were written by Chen Jing. In an instant, he became the most sought-after composer in the music industry. Singers clamored for a chance to work with him, but his agent replied to all inquiries: “Chen Jing is currently busy and unable to accept new projects.” Even so, the demand for his music was unstoppable.

Everyone sensed that Chen Jing was a force to be reckoned with in the music world, and many believed a new era—dominated by him—was about to begin.

Yet, at the center of this storm, Chen Jing cared little for the commotion. He was already on an international flight, on his way to the long-awaited International Street Dance Competition…

Author’s Note: The first volume is complete! The groundwork has all been laid, and the plot of volume two will unfold directly. I believe the coming chapters will bring even more excitement for all my readers. As always, I hope you’ll continue to support me—every click, every comment, every vote, every subscription, and every tip is my biggest motivation. Thank you all in advance.

P.S.: Happy National Day to everyone! Here’s to an even more prosperous future for our country!