With money, all worries naturally vanish!

The story begins with Liu Qigang sending out a clarification post. As soon as he finished editing and pressed send, he looked up to find himself surrounded by a group of people.

Had he been a young girl, he might have been frightened enough to scream.

“Mr. Liu, hello, I’m the brand manager for Yipin. We’re here to discuss advertising investment with you.”

“Hello, I’m the manager for Feathery Apparel…”

Both Feathery Apparel and Yipin were renowned women’s fashion brands. The two rushed to hand Liu Qigang their business cards, followed by several other brand representatives, all with the same purpose.

They wanted Ji Fanxing to endorse their products, ideally in the same manner she had for Iniu—by composing a song.

The success of Iniu had made all the major brands aware of the commercial value of “The King of All Singers,” especially Ji Fanxing, who single-handedly revitalized the product.

Sweating profusely, Liu Qigang collected the business cards one by one, feeling bitter under their expectant gazes.

He thought to himself, who would dare to direct Ji Fanxing? Iniu was pure luck, like a blind cat catching a dead mouse.

He knew well—there was only one Ji Fanxing, and she still had competitions ahead. She couldn’t possibly endorse every brand.

Since they’d come in person, choosing one would inevitably offend the others.

“The King of All Singers” had only aired its first season; Liu Qigang neither wanted nor dared to upset the investors.

After pocketing the last business card, inspiration struck. Pointing to the left, he told them, “Fanxing’s residence is just over there. She happens to be free today. For something as important as a bespoke song, you should speak directly with her.”

After all, Ji Fanxing was famously headstrong, never afraid to offend people. It was better to let her handle this herself. They weren’t his people—no reason to feel sorry.

Smiling, he ushered the moneyed guests to Ji Fanxing.

And so, from morning to noon, Ji Fanxing scarcely had a moment's rest. No sooner had she seen off the brand representatives than she was faced with a wave of agents, with not a minute’s respite.

She wasn’t bothered by the endless stream of visitors, but their intentions didn’t align with her plans.

Rather than waste her breath, she’d prefer to steal half a day by the sea.

What surprised Ji Fanxing was that this time, Golden Tiger didn’t send anyone, which explained why Liu Qigang had approached her alone with the contract yesterday.

Liu Qigang had been right—without capital backing, an artist in the entertainment industry would never make it.

But the capital in the domestic entertainment world was too dark, too unpleasant for her tastes. There was no need to compromise herself.

Having worked thousands of years as a laborer, Ji Fanxing declared: She would never work for anyone else again.

The spring sea breeze carried a hint of chill. Pale waves lapped at the shore. Sunlight warmed her body, soothing and pleasant.

Ji Fanxing wore a thin jacket, lying on a clean, smooth reef with her arm as a pillow, pondering which song to choose for her next competition.

At the same time, in Jin City, the century-old Huayun Drama Theater, neglected for years, looked particularly dilapidated.

Inside the outdated performance hall, the leading actress finished her song.

A few elderly men in the audience clapped, exclaiming, “Wonderful!” Their calls echoed faintly through the theater.

The regular patrons were used to this. They leaned in to whisper, “Guosheng’s apprentice is excellent—no worse than the previous one!”

“What a pity. This youngster was born in the wrong era. Had it been my grandfather’s time, he’d have been a star!”

Old seats creaked as the sparse audience dispersed.

“Huayun is the best; all these years, they’ve never raised prices.”

“This is the only place you can truly enjoy a show. At home, my children complain… sigh…”

“Who knows how many more times these old bones can come here? How could such a good place have no audience anymore…”

Xu Guosheng, Huayun’s troupe leader and a national first-class opera performer, stood at the door, watching the elderly patrons leave with their canes, sighing deeply.

The decline of tradition in Long Country had been too rapid. He vaguely recalled that it began with the influx of foreign films, which brought novelty.

Later, the domestic entertainment industry caught up, but the content produced was all about worshipping the West.

He didn’t know when their once-proud skills became something young people despised.

Times changed too quickly; they moved too slowly. Unable to keep up, they were left behind.

Now, there were few young people who persisted in traditional opera.

Xu Jianguo remembered the glory of his youth, his master’s spirited demeanor.

He couldn’t help but recall the unwillingness in his master’s eyes before his passing.

He had to admit that this century-old theater had fallen into decline. He sighed, “Three thousand strands of white hair, all from grief…”

Just as Xu Guosheng was lost in memory, a loud bang shattered his thoughts—a gang of thuggish men barged in.

“Director Xu! I’m here to relieve your worries!”

“Just hand over this property to our boss and I’ll bring you a fortune…”

The burly man at the front leaned close, rolling up his sleeve to flaunt his gold watch before Xu Guosheng’s eyes.

“With money, all your troubles vanish!”

It was them again. Xu Guosheng’s face darkened. Huayun Theater was old, situated in Jin City’s historic district.

In recent years, the government had begun redeveloping the old city. After years of construction, the area was revitalized, and Huayun Theater, in the bustling part of the old town, became a target.

The man was named Li Si, a trusted lieutenant of Jin City’s kingpin Liu Santao.

They’d been harassing the theater because someone wanted to buy it, demolish it, and build a hotel. Negotiations failed, so Liu Santao was sent as the enforcer.

Xu Guosheng spoke in a low voice, “Our performance is over. Please leave.”

Li Si dropped his smile, motioned for his men to surround Xu Guosheng, and threatened fiercely.

“Old man! Our boss is reasonable, but I’m not. You have seven days to move out! Or I’ll burn this shabby theater to the ground!”

Their boss had already promised the higher-ups that he’d clear the place this month.

Once the theater was vacated, the hotel project would begin, and their boss would get the construction contract. The underlings would benefit as well.

With this in mind, Li Si reached out, intent on intimidating the stubborn old man into submission.

“You dare!”

A commanding voice interrupted him. The leading actress had come down from the stage unnoticed.

On stage, his movements were graceful and supple, his voice as clear and sweet as a golden oriole, but now he spoke as a man.

He was followed by many troupe members, all glaring at Li Si with weapons in hand.

A Peking opera troupe never lacked swords, spears, staffs, and other props. The sight of the group brandishing their gear made Li Si’s henchmen hesitate, stepping back and freeing Xu Guosheng.

“Director, are you alright?” The leading actress, Li Yu, hurried forward in concern.

Before Xu Guosheng could reply, Li Si burst out, “Damn! Where did this freak come from? Xu Guosheng, your daughter isn’t home so you let men play female roles in the theater?!”

“I hear your daughter is a director? People in showbiz care about reputation—if I spread the word that her father’s a pervert, do you think anyone will hire her to make films?”