Chapter 80: The Rainbow Sets Sail

The dissolution of Summer's Bubble set off a chain reaction. Originally, Zuo Qiu had been leisurely agonizing over which investment to accept, but now that the company's cash cow had collapsed and Zhou Miao's approach to business was rather relaxed, there was no choice but to secure investment quickly when the influx of new talent couldn't keep up.

Out of more than a dozen investment proposals, Zuo Qiu ultimately chose Goose Corp, which could provide Rainbow with ample film and variety show resources. They raised 350 million, giving Goose Corp a 25% share, making it Rainbow's second-largest shareholder.

After the contract was officially signed, Zuo Qiu convened the board of directors. Zhou Miao, both shareholder and artist representative, also attended the meeting.

Today, Zuo Qiu wore only light makeup and an impeccably tailored women's suit, seated at the head of the long conference table, exuding a sense of spirited confidence.

Her assistant, Yang Yan, handed out the meeting materials to the shareholders. As everyone began to peruse the documents, Zuo Qiu spoke up: "Goose Corp's funds will arrive soon. After lying dormant for so long, it's time for Rainbow to stride forward boldly."

"All along, Rainbow's main problems have been twofold. First, a shortage of artists. We have distribution channels, but have never been able to utilize them effectively. Now that funds are in place, we'll acquire some small and mid-sized entertainment companies to strengthen our roster of artists."

"Second, a scarcity of resources. That's also an important reason I chose to accept Goose Corp’s offer. From now on, we'll be working closely with Goose Corp, receiving support in film, television, variety shows, and more."

...

Zhou Miao sat to Zuo Qiu's right, quietly leafing through the documents in her hand. The investment from Goose Corp signaled Rainbow's rebirth; it was no longer the obscure, bullied little company it once was.

Whether as a shareholder or as an artist, this was excellent news for him. At the very least, if Waves tried to trip him up in the future, they’d have to think twice.

Zuo Qiu was highly efficient. The day after the contract was signed, the renovation team moved in. Once the acquisition plan began, several previously idle floors of the company finally found their purpose.

After the refurbishment, Zuo Qiu moved her office from the fourth floor to the top floor. Right next door to the general manager’s office, she had specially prepared an office for Zhou Miao—an arrangement that gave him due prestige.

Though called an office, it also included a spacious recording studio and a lounge. From now on, Zhou Miao could compose and record songs entirely in his own office.

Lying on the genuine leather sofa, Zhou Miao felt as if he were sinking into a cloud. He was so comfortable he nearly drifted off. There was no denying it—quality came at a price, and tens of thousands for an imported sofa was well spent.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Eyes still closed, Zhou Miao called out, "Come in."

Zhao Li poked her head in, glancing around the office. "Wow, Brother Miao, your office is huge!"

Zhou Miao opened his eyes to a slit. "Back from your trip?"

Previously, noticing Zhao Li’s persistent low spirits, Zuo Qiu had simply given her an extended vacation to clear her mind. Zhao Li and her young assistant had traveled abroad for over a month, only returning yesterday.

Now, Zhao Li seemed much more energetic. With a bright smile, she said, "I toured France and the US, but honestly, they weren’t all that special. Some sights here at home are even more interesting. I just shopped and took in some novelty."

"Ah, I wish I could travel too. I’ve wanted to visit Japan since I was a kid, but I’m just too busy—juggling schoolwork and business appearances..." Zhou Miao let out a long sigh, feigning exhaustion.

Zhao Li merely smiled, saying nothing. Given Zhou Miao’s pitiful business schedule, Zhao Li could do more in a month than he did in a year.

"Now that you’re back, let’s start preparing your album. We’re already quite behind." Zhou Miao sat up.

"Now our company is financially stable, and with the new wave of artists brought in by the acquisitions, you won’t have to run yourself ragged with appearances. But we do need to clarify your future direction."

As the producer of Zhao Li’s debut solo album, he needed to shape the album’s style to match the singer’s personal strengths.

Tapping his knee with his finger, Zhou Miao asked, "What do you think your strengths are?"

Zhao Li thought for a moment, her cheeks reddening with uncertainty. "Um... my looks?"

Zhou Miao was speechless. The entertainment industry was full of beautiful women; though Zhao Li was attractive, she was hardly without competition. That hardly counted as a unique advantage.

"And besides that?"

Zhao Li furrowed her delicate brows and pondered for a long while. Suddenly, glancing down at her plush bear slippers, her face fell. "It seems I don’t have any."

Zhou Miao was exasperated. "How could you not? You... hmm..." He rubbed his chin, thought for ages, but couldn’t come up with anything either. Embarrassed, he changed the subject. "That’s not important. What I really want to know is: do you want to follow a dance-pop path, or focus on ballads?"

Without much hesitation, Zhao Li replied decisively, "Ballads."

Though she had a solid foundation in dance, her personality was more reserved. Upbeat dance tracks weren’t her passion—she preferred deeper, more enduring ballads.

Zhou Miao nodded. "I plan to produce a five-track mini-album for you. I’ve looked through the options, and there aren’t many songs that suit you. I picked three that are decent, and I wrote two myself. There’s no need to pad it out to ten tracks; quality is more important than quantity."

Zhao Li asked timidly, "Did you write ‘Damn’ or ‘Hmph’?"

Zhou Miao couldn’t help but laugh—he’d only joked about those. "I know you don’t want to sing songs that mock her. Don’t worry, they’re all ballads."

Zhao Li looked at him gratefully. "Thank you so much, Brother Miao."

Zhou Miao waved his hand dismissively. "The only reason you’re releasing your album at the same time as hers is because the company wants to make a statement. If there’s any face to be regained, I’ll handle it myself."

"So, what’s your plan?" Zhao Li asked.

"You haven’t been following the news while you were abroad, have you? Goose Corp has launched a new variety show called ‘Battle for the Forbidden Summit.’ To put it simply, it’s a superstar version of ‘I Am a Singer,’ and all the guest performers are currently some of the hottest young singers in the industry."

A wry smile played on Zhou Miao’s lips. "A few days ago, the director of the show approached me. He told me Lin Zekai has already agreed to participate and wanted to invite me as well."

"And did you accept?"

"Why wouldn’t I? I was just looking for an opportunity like this." Zhou Miao was smiling, but his eyes were cold. He had always been one to repay grievances.

After working so hard to make the group a success, it had been destroyed in one stroke, and Rainbow’s valuation had taken a hit as well. That was his money lost.

"Alright, you don’t need to worry about all that. Go back and practice your vocals—one of the songs is quite challenging."