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Han Ling graduated at the end of June.

The students from the dance academy went their separate ways; some returned to their hometowns, some joined performing arts troupes, and some went to dance halls in the south.

Han Ling's choice surprised everyone; she was going to Shenzhen to find Xiao Ran.

"Ling'er, are you really going to Shenzhen?" her roommate advised. "Shenzhen is so far away, and you won't know anyone there. It will be so tough for you to be all alone there! Why not stay in Lushun and join the performing arts troupe? It's stable and comfortable."

Han Ling shook her head. "I'm going to find Xiao Ran. He's in Shenzhen, so I'm going to Shenzhen."

"Xiao Ran... how is he doing these days?"

“That’s great,” Han Ling said with a smile. “He works in sales at an electronics company and earns several thousand a month. He said that once I get there, we’ll rent a bigger place and never be apart again.”

The roommates looked at each other, speechless.

They knew about Xiao Ran... He was expelled from school and didn't graduate. In a place like Shenzhen, what kind of future could he possibly have?

Han Ling is gambling, gambling on an uncertain future.

But Han Ling remained steadfast.

She packed her luggage and bought a train ticket to Shenzhen.

On the day she left, her parents came to the station to see her off.

"Ling'er, how about... we reconsider?" Her mother's eyes were red. "Shenzhen is so far away, what if Xiao Ran..."

"Mom, don't say anymore." Han Ling hugged her mother. "I've made up my mind. I believe in Xiao Ran, and he will definitely give me a good life."

Her father sighed and handed her an envelope. "There's two thousand yuan in here. Take it. If things don't go well when you get to Shenzhen... just come back. There will always be a place for you at home."

"Dad..." Han Ling cried, "Thank you all."

The train started moving, and Han Ling sat by the window, watching her parents' figures grow smaller and smaller until they disappeared from sight.

She wiped away her tears and clenched her fists.

Shenzhen, here I come.

Xiao Ran, I'm here.

……

At Shenzhen Railway Station, Xiao Ran and Liu Yuan came to pick up Han Ling.

Seeing Han Ling walk out of the station exit, Xiao Ran rushed up and hugged her tightly.

"Ling'er, you've finally arrived."

"Yes, I'm here." Han Ling hugged him tightly. "I'll never leave again."

Liu Yuan stood aside, watching the two embrace, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart.

But he still managed a smile: "Han Ling, welcome to Shenzhen."

"Liu Yuan, thank you for taking care of Xiao Ran all this time," Han Ling said.

"We're all brothers, it's only right."

Xiao Ran helped Han Ling with her luggage and took her back to her place.

It was an old residential area in Futian District, and they rented a two-bedroom apartment on the third floor.

The house wasn't big, and the decoration was simple, but it was very clean.

"Ling'er, I'm sorry." Xiao Ran was a little embarrassed. "We can only rent this kind of house now. When I earn more money in the future, I will definitely buy you a big house."

Han Ling put down her luggage and walked around the room.

The living room is small; it's full once you put in a sofa and a coffee table.

The bedroom wasn't big either, with a double bed, a wardrobe, and a desk.

The kitchen is open-plan, and the toilet is even smaller, making it difficult to turn around.

But Han Ling still smiled, "It's great! There are windows, sunshine, and a kitchen to cook in. It's much better than I imagined."

"Really?" Xiao Ran looked at her. "You don't mind?"

"What are you complaining about?" Han Ling held Xiao Ran's hand. "Xiao Ran, I've told you before, the home I envision is just you. I don't care about anything else."

Xiao Ran's eyes reddened, and he hugged Han Ling tightly. "Ling'er, I will never let you down. I will make sure you live a good life."

"I believe you."

Standing at the door, watching the two of them being so affectionate, Liu Yuan felt even more distressed.

He quietly slipped out and closed the door.

Inside the house, Han Ling began packing her luggage.

She took out the things she had brought one by one... clothes, books, photos, and a small vase.

"I bought this at the school gate and put it here." Han Ling placed the vase on the windowsill. "I'll buy a bouquet of flowers to put here in the future, and the house will feel more lively."

Xiao Ran felt a warm feeling in his heart as he watched Han Ling's busy figure.

This is the feeling of home.

Home is where Han Ling is.

……

Over the next few days, Han Ling arranged her home in a neat and orderly manner.

I bought cheap fabric at the market and made my own curtains and tablecloths.

I bought a few more potted plants and placed them on the windowsill.

Several paintings were pasted on the wall, all stills from the most popular TV dramas at the time.

Han Ling decorated the small rented room like a little paradise.

Every day when Xiao Ran comes home from get off work, seeing his clean and tidy home, the steaming hot food on the table, and Han Ling's warm smile, all the fatigue of the day disappears.

"Ling'er, it's so good to have you here." He said, hugging Han Ling with emotion.

“I think so too.” Han Ling leaned against him. “Xiao Ran, this is the life I want. Simple, ordinary, but very happy.”

“But… it’s too unfair to you,” Xiao Ran said. “Other people’s girlfriends wear beautiful clothes and use high-end cosmetics. If you’re with me, you can only live in this kind of house and use cheap things.”

"I don't care," Han Ling said. "Clothes are wearable, cosmetics are usable. The important thing is people, not things."

Xiao Ran was so moved that he couldn't speak, and could only hold her tightly.

Over the weekend, Xiao Ran took Han Ling to Shenzhen for fun.

Then they went to Window of the World, Splendid China, and the seaside.

At the beach, Xiao Ran shouted to the sea, "Han Ling, I love you! I will definitely make you happy!"

Han Ling also shouted, "Xiao Ran, I believe in you!"

The two walked hand in hand on the beach for a long time.

"Ling'er, do you know?" Xiao Ran said, "Sometimes I feel like I'm dreaming. You're so wonderful, so beautiful, how could you possibly fall for a poor guy like me?"

“Because you are who you are!” Han Ling said. “Xiao Ran, I like you not because of what you have, but because of who you are. You are talented, principled, and ambitious. That’s enough.”

"But……"

"No buts," Han Ling interrupted him. "Xiao Ran, since I've chosen you, I've made up my mind. No matter what difficulties we encounter in the future, we'll face them together. Okay?"

"it is good!"

That night, in their rented apartment, Xiao Ran earnestly said to Han Ling, "Ling'er, I need to work even harder. I want to do well at Shengang Electronics, strive for a promotion as soon as possible, and earn more money. I want to give you a good life and put your parents at ease."

"Well, I believe you."

……

Although Xiao Ran and Han Ling's vision was good, their good fortune didn't last long.

Han Ling stayed at home for half a month and started to feel bored.

I've gotten used to the busy days at school...

Practicing skills, attending classes, rehearsing, and performing.

Now that I suddenly have free time, I spend my days buying groceries, cooking, and cleaning the house. I have so much time that I don't know what to do with it.

Therefore, she wants to go out and work.

"Xiao Ran, I want to find a job," Han Ling said one evening at dinner.

"Work?" Xiao Ran was taken aback. "You've only been here for half a month. Take a break first."

“But I’m so bored at home,” Han Ling said. “I want to find something to do so I can help relieve your stress.”

Xiao Ran thought for a moment, "What kind of job are you looking for?"

“I studied dance, so I can teach dance, or go to a dance troupe, or dance in a nightclub.”

“Nightclubs won’t do!” Xiao Ran immediately objected. “Those places are too chaotic. Teaching dance…that’s fine, but there aren’t many dance training classes in Shenzhen, and I don’t know if they’ll be easy to find.”

"Then I'll look for it first."

Han Ling started flipping through the newspaper, looking at job postings.

But there are very few jobs suitable for her... They either require experience, or require her to speak Cantonese, or the working hours are not suitable.

I've been searching for days, but haven't found anything suitable.

That day, Liu Yuan came to my house for dinner.

Taking the opportunity, Han Ling asked Liu Yuan, "Liu Yuan, you know a lot of people in Shenzhen, could you help me ask around and see if there are any suitable jobs?"

Liu Yuan thought for a moment, "I do have a job, but... it might not be suitable."

"What job?"

“Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics is hiring a clerk. Requirements: computer skills and proficiency in office software,” Liu Yuan said. “You studied dance, so maybe…”

Han Ling's eyes lit up. "Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics? Is that the company you and Xiao Ran work for?"

"Correct."

"Then I'll give it a try!"

“But…” Liu Yuan glanced at Xiao Ran, “Han Ling, if you go to Shengang Electronics, wouldn’t that mean… wouldn’t you be working under Suning?”

Han Ling was stunned.

Yes! Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics is a subsidiary of Suning.

If she goes to work there, it's the same as working for Suning, which would be even more dangerous in a situation where things seem complicated.

Xiao Ran also fell silent.

The atmosphere became a little awkward for a moment.

Liu Yuan quickly smoothed things over, "How about... Han Ling, you just ask Su Ning? He's the boss, arranging a job shouldn't be difficult for him. Besides, you're classmates, he should be able to help."

Han Ling shook her head, "Never mind, I don't want to trouble him."

"But……"

“Liu Yuan is right,” Xiao Ran suddenly said. “Han Ling, if you really want to work, why don’t you just go to Su Ning? He’s the boss, it’s easy for him to arrange a job for you. Besides… he’s different now than before, he shouldn’t make things difficult for you.”

“But…” Han Ling hesitated, “Sun Yumei isn’t with him…”

Mentioning Sun Yumei, Liu Yuan said, "By the way, Han Ling, Sun Yumei has also come to Shenzhen. Suning has even invested in her to open a film and entertainment company, and she's forming a girl group, the kind that dances and sings. I heard they're going to invest in filming a movie or TV series soon."

Han Ling was stunned. "Sun Yumei? She...she and Su Ning?"

“I don’t know the specifics either,” Liu Yuan said. “But I heard from people in the company that Sun Yumei often comes to see Su Ning, and the two have a special relationship. Su Ning has also invested a lot of money in her.”

Han Ling had mixed feelings.

Sun Yumei was her best friend, and now she's with Su Ning.

And she went with Xiao Ran.

Both of them were in Shenzhen, but they took completely different paths.

"Never mind, I'll think about the job thing again," Han Ling said.

"Hmm, no rush." ​​Xiao Ran patted Han Ling's hand. "If you can't find her, just rest at home. I'll take care of you."

"it is good."

Liu Yuan looked at the two of them and sighed inwardly.

Han Ling is such a good girl, yet she suffers with Xiao Ran.

Someone like Sun Yumei managed to get involved with Suning, start a company, and become a boss.

Fate is truly unfair.

But Liu Yuan said nothing.

Some words, once spoken, will only hurt others and leave you feeling dejected.

After finishing his meal, Liu Yuan left on his own initiative.

Han Ling cleared the dishes, and Xiao Ran helped her.

"Xiao Ran, are you really not bothered by me working at Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics?" Han Ling asked.

“I don’t mind,” Xiao Ran said. “Work is work, and feelings are feelings. Su Ning is the boss now, and we are the employees, it’s that simple. Besides… he’s been treating Liu Yuan and me well lately, so he shouldn’t make things difficult for you.”

"But……"

"No buts." Xiao Ran hugged her. "If you want to go, then go and give it a try. If you don't want to go, then stay home and rest. I'll support you no matter what."

"It's so kind of you!"

“Actually, I didn’t want to work at Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics at first, but as Suning said, he is our classmate and wouldn’t cheat or exploit us, so Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics is my first proper job in Shenzhen.”

Is sales a lucrative profession?

"Anyway, it's definitely a good job in Shenzhen these days."

Han Ling nestled in his arms, feeling a warm glow in her heart. This was the man she had chosen.

Although he is poor and has no future, he is genuinely good to me.

As for Sun Yumei and Su Ning...

That's someone else's business; it has nothing to do with them.

Han Ling now just wants to live a good life with Xiao Ran and establish herself in Shenzhen.

……

After receiving investment from Suning, Sun Yumei immediately took action.

Suning gave Sun Yumei one million yuan in start-up capital so that she could register a film and entertainment company in Shenzhen called "Starlight Entertainment".

Their main business is forming girl groups and training artists.

“Popular music from Hong Kong and Taiwan is all the rage right now, but the mainland market is still a blank slate,” Su Ning told her. “You can form a girl group and go for the teen idol route. Sing, dance, shoot music videos, appear on TV, and hold concerts. If you do it well, the market is huge.”

"Suning, thank you! You're so kind to me."

"I also wanted to increase the visibility of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics. The success of Starlight Entertainment is also very beneficial to Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics."

"Okay! I understand what to do."

"The company structure has already been set up for you, and all the personnel are people I recruited from Hong Kong."

Sun Yumei was very excited.

After studying dance for so many years, she finally has the opportunity to pursue her own career.

Moreover, with Suning as its backer, there's no worry about funding.

The first step is to recruit people.

She placed recruitment ads in newspapers in Shenzhen and Hong Kong: "Starlight Entertainment is recruiting girl group members. Requirements: 16-22 years old, sweet appearance, well-proportioned figure, able to sing and dance. Training and accommodation provided, base salary and profit sharing."

As soon as the advertisement was posted, many people signed up.

In Shenzhen, many young girls want to become stars and see this as an opportunity.

In Hong Kong, some girls who wanted to develop their careers in mainland China also applied.

Sun Yumei temporarily rented a dance studio as the interview venue.

On the first day of interviews, more than fifty people came.

Sun Yumei sat on the judges' panel, with two professional dance and vocal teachers next to her.

"One by one, first introduce yourself, then perform your talent."

The first girl came up. She was eighteen years old, a local from Shenzhen, and quite pretty, but she sang off-key and her dancing was just average.

"Thank you, I'll go back and wait for your notification," Sun Yumei said politely.

The second girl was twenty years old and came from Hunan. She was a good dancer, but her looks were average.

"Thank you, next."

The third, the fourth, the fifth...

I interviewed more than thirty people this morning, but only a few were satisfactory.

They are either good-looking but lack talent, or they have talent but are of average appearance.

It's so hard to find someone who is both talented and good-looking.

In the afternoon, a girl from Hong Kong arrived.

"My name is Bei Weiwei, I'm nineteen years old, and I'm from Hong Kong. I speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. I studied ballet for five years and vocal music for three years." The girl was confident and spoke with ease.

"Give me a performance," Sun Yumei said.

Bei Weiwei performed a modern dance and sang a Cantonese song.

She dances well, sings well, and is exceptionally good-looking...

Big eyes, high nose bridge, and well-proportioned figure.

Sun Yumei's eyes lit up.

This is a good seedling.

"Bei Weiwei, why do you want to come to Shenzhen to develop your career?" she asked.

“The competition in Hong Kong is too fierce,” said Bei Weiwei. “I participated in several talent shows in Hong Kong, but I didn’t make it. I heard that the mainland market is big and there are more opportunities, so I wanted to give it a try.”

"Our company is new and not well-known. Aren't you afraid?"

“I’m not afraid,” Bei Weiwei said. “What I value is the opportunity. There are more opportunities in a new company. And I heard that your boss is Suning from Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics, which is quite powerful.”

Sun Yumei nodded, "Okay, you've passed. Come for training next week."

"Thank you, Mr. Sun!"

After Bei Weiwei, several other good ones came along.

There's a girl named Wang Xiaoyu, a student at Shenzhen University. She can play guitar, write songs, and has a pure and innocent appearance.

There's a girl named Zhang Tingting who comes from Beijing. She studied folk dance and sings beautifully.

There's also a local named Chen Lu. Although she's only sixteen, she's very talented at dancing.

After a week, Sun Yumei selected ten girls as the first batch of trainees.

The second step is training.

The company rented a villa to serve as the girl group's training base and dormitory.

The first floor houses the dance studio and karaoke room, the second floor is the dormitory, and the third floor is the office.

We hired professional teachers... The dance teacher was from Hong Kong, the vocal teacher was from Beijing, and the posture teacher was from Shanghai.

The training content is very strict: get up at six in the morning and run to improve physical fitness.

In the morning, I practice dance; in the afternoon, I practice vocal music; and in the evening, I study acting and etiquette.

There are also two physical training and makeup classes every week.

"You must remember, a girl group is not about individual efforts, it's about teamwork," Sun Yumei told the girls. "You must have team spirit and cooperate with each other. Singing must be synchronized, dancing must be synchronized, even smiling must be synchronized."

The training was tough.

Some girls couldn't take it and cried.

Sun Yumei remained unmoved, saying, "If you want to be a star, you have to endure hardship. If you can't take it, you can leave now."

No one left; everyone gritted their teeth and persevered.

The third step is packaging.

Sun Yumei hired a professional stylist to design images for the girls.

The ten people were divided into two groups: one group went for a sweet and cute style, and the other group went for a cool and sophisticated style.

They also hired a photographer to take promotional photos and shoot a music video.

She even went to Hong Kong to find musicians to write songs.

One of the main songs is called "Starlight," which is youthful, energetic, and catchy.

“This song needs to chart on the radio and have its music video broadcast on TV,” Sun Yumei reported to Su Ning. “I contacted Shenzhen TV and Guangdong TV, and they are willing to give us a chance to appear on a variety show.”

"Very good." Su Ning nodded. "How much money do you need?"

"The publicity costs will be around 500,000 yuan," Sun Yumei said. "This includes ranking, appearing on TV shows, and advertising."

“I’ll give you 800,000,” Su Ning said. “If you’re going to do it, do it well. Don’t be afraid to spend money; the key is the results.”

"Thank you, Mr. Su!"

With financial support, Sun Yumei was able to go all out.

She hired an advertising company to make posters, which were then displayed in major shopping malls, cinemas, and schools in Shenzhen.

They also contacted radio stations and spent money to boost their chart rankings.

They even used their connections to get the girl group on a variety show on Shenzhen TV.

The effects gradually became apparent.

The song "Starlight" is played very frequently on the radio, and many people have started humming it.

After the music video aired on television, people started to pay attention to the girl group.

Local Shenzhen newspapers also reported that "the first female idol group in mainland China, 'Star Girls,' was established in Shenzhen, focusing on a youthful and inspirational approach, which has attracted attention."

The girl group started to gain some fame.

The fourth step is commercial performances.

When a company opens, they are invited to perform.

A shopping mall invited them to warm up the crowd for an event.

When a nightclub opens, they are invited to perform.

Sun Yumei is very selective: "I don't go to nightclubs, those kinds of occasions are not suitable. I can go to company openings and shopping mall events, but I have to be careful about my image."

Commercial performance fees are not low, ranging from five thousand to ten thousand per show.

If divided among ten people, each person can get several hundred to a thousand.

The girls were overjoyed; after training for so long, they could finally earn money.

More importantly, they gained stage experience and fans.

At some commercial performances, fans will hold up signs and shout their names.

"Beiweiwei! I love you!"

"Wang Xiaoyu! Keep it up!"

"Star Girls! You're the best!"

The girls were moved to tears; all the hardship of training had been worth it at that moment.

Sun Yumei was also very pleased, as her hard work had not been in vain.

……

But problems soon arose.

The girl group became popular, and some people got envious, after all, money is a powerful motivator.

Some local entertainment companies in Shenzhen, seeing how well Starlight Entertainment is doing, want to poach its talent.

A company contacted Bei Weiwei privately, saying, "Come to our company! We'll give you a solo debut, no need to be in a group. The signing fee is 100,000, and the profit sharing will be higher than what you're doing now."

Bei Weiwei refused and instead told Sun Yumei about it.

Sun Yumei was very angry, but there was nothing she could do.

That's how the entertainment industry is; the competition is fierce, and poaching talent is commonplace.

However, Sun Yumei still went to Su Ning and said, "President Su, someone is trying to poach our people. Bei Weiwei has been contacted and they're offering 100,000 yuan."

Su Ning thought for a moment, "What did Bei Weiwei say?"

"She didn't agree, but she told me."

“That shows she still has feelings for the company,” Su Ning said. “In that case, you should renegotiate their contracts. Increase their profit-sharing ratio and improve their benefits. Also, tell them that Starlight Entertainment doesn’t just produce girl groups; they’ll also be making movies, TV dramas, and variety shows in the future. Working with the company will give them a brighter future.”

"it is good."

After Sun Yumei returned, she held a meeting with the girls.

“I know some people want to poach you. I won’t stop them. People naturally want to move to better places. If you want to go to a better place, I won’t force you to stay.”

The girls looked at each other, but no one said a word.

“But,” Sun Yumei continued, “I want to tell you that Starlight Entertainment is not a small company. Our boss is Suning from Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics, who has strength, capital, and most importantly, ethics. We will not only produce girl groups, but also film and television dramas, variety shows, and concerts in the future. If you stay, you will become veterans of the company, and you will have more opportunities in the future.”

Then she presented the new contract, "The new contract increases the revenue sharing ratio by 10%. In addition, the company will provide you with a car and an assistant. The company will cover all expenses during the training period. The commercial performance income will increase from 30/70 to 40/60, which is leading in the industry. Of course, the penalty for breach of contract will also be higher."

The conditions are very favorable.

The girls discussed it and all signed the new contract.

“Mr. Sun, we’re still willing to work for you!” Bei Weiwei said. “If it weren’t for the opportunity you gave us, we’d still be dreaming at home right now.”

“Yes, we’re not leaving!” the others chimed in.

Sun Yumei smiled and said, "Okay, then let's work together to make Starlight Entertainment bigger and stronger!"

With the girl group's situation stabilized, Sun Yumei began to think about the next step.

Making a movie? Doing a variety show? Or holding a concert?
She has many ideas, but she needs funding, resources, and connections.

She lacked all of these qualities and could only rely on Su Ning.

He also knew that his relationship with Suning was very delicate.

They are partners, but more than that.

They were lovers, but without any official status.

Regardless, Suning is now Sun Yumei's backer.

Sun Yumei should make good use of this powerful backer to build up her business.

As for feelings... she didn't take them to heart.

On the contrary, they believe that once you succeed in your career, you'll have everything.

This is Sun Yumei's creed, and also the rule she uses to survive in Shenzhen.

...(End of chapter)