C8 Ling Xuerou's Help!

Qin Mo glanced at his growing fan base. Since the start of his live broadcast, his followers had skyrocketed from a mere handful to a staggering million. With each refresh, his notifications for likes, comments, direct messages, and new followers maxed out at 99+.

On his way, Qin Mo checked the online listing for transferring his bar. Only two responses sat below the post: one from a second-hand furniture dealer leaving a phone number, and another from a relocation company advertising their services. Clearly, offloading the bar wasn't going to be a walk in the park.

He decided to rebrand his original Twitter account, aligning it with his Conboat persona—Mr. Vicissitude. His character was crafted to perform melancholic songs, a strategic move to carve out a niche in the market. Personally, though, he had a soft spot for the understated beauty of folk music. But for now, survival took precedence over passion. Dreams and ideals could wait until after his stomach—and wallet—were full.

Back when he was twenty in his past life, Qin Mo had been full of ideals, dismissing the need for money. But he had learned the hard way that harsh realities could reshape one's beliefs. By forty-five, he'd amassed a fortune over a hundred million, a testament to his understanding of the importance of financial security.

For Qin Mo, two goals stood paramount: fame and fortune.

As he waited for his takeout, Qin Mo scoured the internet, catching up on the world he'd missed during his seven-year alcoholic haze. Two hours later, he had a solid grasp of the current state of the entertainment industry.

Back in the 1980s, Rhelaweth on Blue Star had ignited a technological boom, heavily backing scientific research. This drew a flood of talent into the tech sector, leaving entertainment in the dust. By the turn of the millennium, foreign entertainment had made aggressive inroads into Rhelaweth, with domestic creativity on the brink of extinction. Television and the internet were overrun with boy bands and pretty faces, with scarcely a trace of quality original music or film.

This cultural landscape presented Qin Mo with ample opportunity.

He pulled up the system panel. The mission remained unchanged, still challenging him to hit a thousand tips during his third street performance. He tallied the tips from his first show—roughly a hundred. There was work to be done.

To successfully complete his mission, he needed to find a way to boost his customers' enthusiasm for tipping.

Qin Mo could resort to hosting raffles to encourage tips, but he was reluctant. It felt too much like panhandling online, which could tarnish his image with the public.

In the entertainment industry, reputation is everything!

Why else would so many idol stars see their careers crumble?

Often, it's because they failed to keep their noses clean before hitting it big, accumulating too many scandals that could spell disaster at the slightest hint of trouble.

At 3 PM, Qin Mo logged into Conboat's backend once more.

His song "Dusk" had stealthily risen up the new song charts, marked with an "Explosive" tag.

The track had hit 50 million plays, with over a million likes!

This earned Qin Mo his second trending topic on Conboat - Mr. Vicissitude's New Song.

He couldn't help but smile; his achievements were quite impressive!

For now, trending on Conboat was his only option.

The cost and competition for trending across the entire web were beyond his reach.

Dominating the Conboat platform was the first step.

Guitar in hand, Qin Mo opened his live stream and kicked off the day's session.

"Family, what song are we feeling today?"

All the new songs are great, let's go through them all!

I'm still hooked on "Five Hundred Miles" from yesterday! Even though I don't understand the lyrics, it sounds amazing!

With a strum of his guitar, Qin Mo responded, "Alright, you got it!"

...

Ling Xuerou reclined in the plush leather seat of her luxury nanny van, her exquisite face betraying a hint of weariness.

Faang Yaping slid into the car, taking a seat across from her.

With a "thud," a phone landed on the small table.

Ling Xuerou's bright eyes opened, looking questioningly at her agent.

Faang Yaping spoke with displeasure, "You keep saying Qin Mo is dependable, but I'm starting to think he's not the type to play by the rules."

Ling Xuerou picked up the phone, only to see a short clip of Qin Mo performing on Conboat.

She quietly set her phone aside.

Faang Yaping went on, "You just got divorced, and he's already making his debut. After living off you for years, he might be planning to capitalize on your fame now..."

Ling Xuerou averted her gaze, her tone icy, "Pingping, isn't it wrong to make up stories?"

"You..." Faang Yaping was at a loss for words.

Ling Xuerou was correct. Qin Mo was merely engaging in live streams, roadshows, and releasing new music, claiming to be an independent artist. He hadn't engaged in any publicity stunts, nor had he exploited Ling Xuerou's fame. But what about the future? Given Qin Mo's circumstances, when backed into a corner, he might not withstand the temptation.

Faang Yaping still felt the need to caution Ling Xuerou, "Should we have him sign a non-disclosure agreement?"

Exhausted, Ling Xuerou closed her eyes again, "Pingping, I'm tired. Can you please stay out of my personal affairs?"

"You..." Faang Yaping was seething with frustration but held back from saying more.

Ling Xuerou's popularity was unmatched; she was a top-tier celebrity and a versatile superstar excelling in acting, singing, dancing, and hosting. Her Twitter followers were on track to surpass one hundred million the following year. She was a veritable goldmine!

Even though Faang Yaping had been instrumental in her career, she couldn't overstep Ling Xuerou's wishes. Seeing Ling Xuerou's indifferent response, Faang Yaping briefed her on some work matters and then stepped out of the nanny van.

Once alone, Ling Xuerou picked up her phone and launched Conboat. She noticed that Qin Mo had neglected his social media presence, and due to her busy schedule, she hadn't followed his account either. Her own following list was barren, not a single account in sight.

Ling Xuerou's long, dark lashes drooped. She contemplated following Qin Mo, aware that it would significantly boost his visibility. Yet, her finger hovered over the screen, hesitant to tap. Qin Mo had made it clear that post-divorce, they were strangers to each other.

What would her gesture mean now? Could it wound a man's ego?

Ling Xuerou listened to every song Qin Mo had shared on his page.

She was taken aback.

She and Qin Mo had been childhood sweethearts, growing up side by side.

She was aware of Qin Mo's talents.

But the songs he was now creating seemed to surpass what she thought she knew about him!

Could it be that all these songs were truly Qin Mo's original work?

A wry smile played on Ling Xuerou's lips.

How ironic, she thought.

She had stood by his side for years, while he sought solace in the bottle...

Yet, once he stepped out from her shadow, he seemed to come alive, poised to take the world by storm.

Perhaps a man can't truly flourish under a woman's wing.

Unbeknownst to Ling Xuerou, the Qin Mo she knew had crossed over from Earth.

She couldn't help but feel a sense of destiny at play.

Finally, Ling Xuerou dialed a number.

"Hey, Brother Sun, I need a favor..."

...

Qin Mo wrapped up his live stream as the evening set in.

He logged off and tallied his day's income.

His channel's popularity had easily broken the million mark earlier, and the audience had been more generous with their tips than the day before.

He was looking at a take-home of about twenty thousand after the split.

But he'd have to wait until mid-next month to cash out this month's earnings.

Descending the stairs, Qin Mo headed back to the noodle shop he'd visited the day before.

A WeChat notification popped up from Ling Xuerou.

Ling Xuerou: A friend of mine is setting up a music competition show and there's an extra spot. Are you free to join?