Chapter 48

"Greedy old man!"

Yang Mi stormed off in anger, and Mai Xiaoyu didn’t stop her. After browsing the latest entertainment news, he stared at the real-time charts of the six major music platforms, keeping an eye on the ranking of "Ten Years."

In a way, the better "Ten Years" performed, the more favors he would owe to Su Youpeng, and the higher the starting point would be for Liu Tao’s entry into the television industry.

"Ten Years" performed well. By around three in the afternoon, it had already entered the top three on two charts and was in the top six on the other four. That was enough!

There were no new talent interviews scheduled for the afternoon.

Due to the higher threshold for new talent, the number of new members had been steadily decreasing recently, but the quality had significantly improved. Most were good-looking men and women with excellent demeanor, and a few had distinctive features with high recognizability.

Mai Xiaoyu spent the afternoon studying psychology. Around five o’clock, he said goodbye and went to the gym downstairs to practice kickboxing, just as Liu Tao was finishing her yoga class.

Liu Tao, just out of her yoga class, wore a rose-colored sports tank top and black rose-trimmed shorts, outlining her curvaceous figure. A towel was draped over her long neck, and she was drenched in sweat, with a few strands of hair sticking to her forehead, adding a unique charm.

"Boss Mai, you’re here to work out."

Liu Tao walked over with a smile, the scent of her sweat and body fragrance wafting into Mai Xiaoyu’s nose.

The visual and olfactory double impact made Mai Xiaoyu feel a bit overwhelmed, a small flame rising in his abdomen.

"Ah... go take a shower quickly, or you might catch a cold."

"Oh, I know. What time are you coming home tonight? What do you want to eat? I’ll cook and wait for you."

Starting is always the hardest part. Once you start, it becomes easier and more natural.

Just like when Liu Tao started cooking for Mai Xiaoyu. The first time, both of them felt a bit awkward, but now it had become a natural routine. A few nights a week, Liu Tao cooked while Mai Xiaoyu helped, and they enjoyed a quiet, cozy dinner together.

"I’m afraid not tonight." Mai Xiaoyu paused, lowering his voice, "Su Youpeng invited me to dinner."

Su Youpeng was treating Mai Xiaoyu to hotpot lamb, a dish with a unique flavor of Yanjing, which was quite common in the city. However, the restaurant Su Youpeng chose was very particular, a private dining place hidden in a siheyuan (quadrangle courtyard).

Unnamed, very low-key, the private dining place was called Unnamed Private Cuisine.

At seven o’clock in the evening, Mai Xiaoyu arrived at Unnamed Private Cuisine on time. Little Song, who was waiting at the door, quickly greeted him, "Boss Mai, you’re here!"

"Call me Xiaoyu, we’re all friends, calling me Boss Mai feels strange," Mai Xiaoyu said politely.

"How can that be? I’ll call you Teacher Mai. Teacher Mai, this way, please."

Led by Little Song, Mai Xiaoyu entered Unnamed Private Cuisine, where the unassuming entrance led to a hidden paradise.

Old gate, high steps, screen wall, goldfish pond, red doors, green tiles, carved beams, and painted rafters—all exuded a strong old Yanjing flavor.

On the way, Little Song introduced the place. Unnamed Private Cuisine mainly served Beijing-style dishes, with its most famous dish being hotpot lamb. It had one main room, two side rooms, and three rooms on each side, totaling nine rooms for guests, with only nine tables served each night, requiring advance reservations.

Today, Su Youpeng had managed to secure one of the side rooms after many connections.

The side rooms were small rooms added to the sides of the main room, used in ancient times to store miscellaneous items and not for living.

Now, there were no such strict rules. Due to their small size, they were perfect for hosting a small group of guests, like Su Youpeng and Mai Xiaoyu.

In the ancient and elegant room, Su Youpeng was engrossed in a laptop, accompanied by his driver.

Seeing Mai Xiaoyu enter, he quickly greeted him, "Boss Mai."

"Brother Peng, call me Xiaoyu, otherwise, you’re not treating me as a friend."

"Ha ha, okay, Xiaoyu, take a seat."

The two sat down, and the driver went out to notify the waiter to bring the dishes. Little Song poured tea for the two, and Su Youpeng and Mai Xiaoyu chatted casually.

The two had little previous interaction but shared a common topic because of a song.

"Ten Years" was written and composed by Mai Xiaoyu and performed by Su Youpeng, so their conversation naturally revolved around "Ten Years."

Su Youpeng was quite talkative and a bit excited, and once he started talking, he couldn’t stop.

By the time the copper pot hotpot and the dishes were served, and they started eating and drinking, Su Youpeng became even more talkative after a few drinks.

He said that the lyrics and melody of "Ten Years" were both excellent, and he felt very connected to the song. If it weren’t for knowing that Mai Xiaoyu was the boss of a small film and television company, Starlight Records had planned to sign him with a high salary to develop him as a music producer.

Later, he even pulled Mai Xiaoyu aside, insisting that he give professional feedback from the perspective of a songwriter and composer.

Old Su, you’re a super popular star, and you’re so excited.

After a few more drinks, Mai Xiaoyu finally understood why Su Youpeng was so excited.

It was currently summer vacation, and many singers had released new songs, including three kings and two queens, the heaviestweights in the music industry.

This summer was dubbed the "cruel summer" of the music industry, with five kings and queens competing for the top spot on the music charts, scaring many singers into delaying their releases to avoid being overshadowed by the giants.

When Little Tiger Team was active, the three tigers had swept the nation with a wave of youth. After the band’s dissolution, Su Youpeng had gone through a period of confusion but later found his path in acting through "My Fair Princess," reaching a new peak in his career.

He had a steady stream of TV, film, and commercial offers, but music remained an important part of his life. Over the years, he had released several albums with good sales, but none reached the heights of his Little Tiger Team days.

His new album "More Than Passion" released earlier this year had good reviews and sales, but it failed to make the top ten on any of the six major music platforms.

There was no way around it; the music industry was full of fierce competition.

Now, with the release of "Ten Years," Starlight Records had been forced into a corner. They had announced early that Su Youpeng would release a new single, but then the kings and queens started their battle. With Su Youpeng’s current popularity, they couldn’t delay the release to avoid the competition, right?

Starlight Records’ initial plan was that if the song could make the top ten on at least one chart, it would be considered a success, and they would start working on a new album. But the song had performed beyond expectations, even surpassing several kings and queens.

Today’s evening newspaper had even described Su Youpeng as a "dark horse."

"Surpassing several kings and queens... that’s amazing!" Mai Xiaoyu exclaimed.

Su Youpeng and Little Song exchanged glances, and the latter asked, "Teacher Mai, when did you check the charts?"

"After lunch."

Su Youpeng was speechless, and Little Song smiled, "You should check them again."

As he spoke, Little Song pushed the laptop in front of Mai Xiaoyu. Mai Xiaoyu opened the six major music platforms and gasped.

Number one on two charts, number two on three, and number three on one!

Oh my God, is this going to sweep the top spots on all six music platforms!

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