Chapter 40 — Three Stars, One Company
The entertainment industry had a new joke.
It was called Nebula Entertainment.
A company with an old office, a handful of employees, and three artists who had somehow managed to attract more attention than their management team could comfortably handle.
Some people called it a miracle.
Others called it a temporary phenomenon.
And a few particularly confident executives had already started betting on how long it would take Li Chen to return to Jinhai Entertainment.
They were about to make an expensive mistake.
Because Li Chen had no intention of going back.
He was too busy preparing his first major project.
And this time, he wasn't planning to release just one song.
He was planning to make the entire industry look at Nebula.
1. The Three-Star Strategy
"Explain that again."
Yara was staring at the whiteboard as though Li Chen had personally offended her intelligence.
Li Chen pointed at three columns.
Lin Yueyin — Pop.
Su Yara — Rock.
Mu Wanqing — R&B.
Under each name was a separate release schedule.
Yueyin would release a new single in three weeks.
Yara would launch her next rock track one week later.
Wanqing would make her official debut as a Nebula artist two weeks after that.
Three releases.
Five weeks.
One company.
Yara crossed her arms.
"So your plan is to make all three of us work until we collapse?"
"No."
"Good."
"I intend to make you work until the audience forgets what a quiet month looks like."
Yara stared at him.
"That's worse!"
Yueyin laughed.
Wanqing calmly examined her schedule.
"The timing is deliberate."
Li Chen nodded.
"Exactly. Each release will introduce a different side of Nebula. Yueyin brings in the mainstream pop audience. Yara attracts rock fans and younger listeners looking for something unconventional. Wanqing will appeal to people who prefer vocal technique, atmosphere, and R&B."
"And the audience from one release gets directed toward the next," Xiaoyu added.
"Right."
Li Chen drew a line connecting the three columns.
"We're not launching three unrelated careers. We're building one company around three distinct artists."
Yueyin looked at the board.
"So if someone discovers Yara through a performance, they might discover my music afterward."
"And if they discover you, they might stay for Wanqing."
Wanqing raised her eyes.
"Assuming they like R&B."
"Not everyone will. That's fine."
Li Chen put down the marker.
"We don't need every listener to love every artist. We need each artist to give people a reason to remember Nebula."
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Xiaoyu nodded.
"That makes sense."
Yara pointed at the board.
"I still think my release should come first."
"Why?"
"Because I'm the most exciting."
"Your last promotional livestream ended with you accidentally knocking over a microphone stand."
"It was an artistic decision."
"It was an expensive artistic decision."
Yueyin covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Wanqing simply turned a page in her notebook.
"I have no objection to the schedule."
Yara looked at her.
"Of course you don't. You could probably perform a funeral song and make it sound elegant."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment!"
"I chose to interpret it as one."
Li Chen watched them argue.
For the first time since leaving Jinhai, he felt that the company was beginning to resemble what he had imagined.
Not a collection of contracts.
Not a group of artists waiting for instructions.
A team.
And a team could accomplish things that individual talent alone could not.
"All right," he said. "Enough talking. We have five weeks to prove Nebula belongs in this industry."
He turned back to the board.
"Let's get to work."
2. The First Challenge
The first challenge arrived two days later.
It came in the form of an invitation to the Golden Melody Industry Showcase, one of the most influential promotional events for emerging artists.
The showcase wasn't a major awards ceremony, but its guests included music-platform executives, advertisers, talent scouts, producers, and representatives from established entertainment companies.
Performing there could introduce an artist to millions of potential listeners.
Being rejected, on the other hand, could become an embarrassing headline.
Xiaoyu placed the invitation on Li Chen's desk.
"We've been offered one performance slot."
Li Chen looked at her.
"One?"
"One."
"For three artists?"
"One."
Yara entered at precisely the wrong moment.
"Tell me we're not being invited."
Xiaoyu turned the invitation around.
Yara read it.
Then she looked up.
"They want us to choose one?"
"Apparently," Xiaoyu replied.
Yara laughed without humor.
"Wonderful. Three artists, one company, and an industry event that wants to pretend we're still a one-person operation."
Yueyin arrived shortly afterward.
She read the invitation and became thoughtful.
"If we send one artist, the other two will receive less exposure."
"Correct," Li Chen said.
Wanqing sat down.
"Then we should decline."
Xiaoyu looked surprised.
"Just like that?"
"If the event doesn't want to recognize Nebula as a company, why should we help it promote that idea?"
Yara immediately nodded.
"Finally, someone understands me."
Li Chen didn't answer immediately.
He examined the invitation again.
Then he smiled.
"No."
All three women looked at him.
"We're going."
Yara frowned.
"You just heard what she said, right?"
"Yes."
"And you still want to go?"
"Yes."
Li Chen put the invitation down.
"They offered us one performance slot. They didn't say we couldn't negotiate."
Xiaoyu understood first.
"You want to ask for three?"
"No."
He smiled.
"I want to give them a reason to offer us three."
3. A Song Nobody Expected
The following morning, Li Chen called the three artists into the recording room.
A new composition was waiting.
It wasn't a typical pop song.
Nor was it a conventional rock track or an R&B ballad.
It began with a restrained piano melody.
Then came a rhythm built around a steady, almost hypnotic beat.
The arrangement gradually introduced electric guitar, bass, and layered harmonies.
Each section had its own identity, but the transitions connected them into a single musical journey.
Yueyin listened to the demo twice.
"You're writing a collaboration?"
"Yes."
"For all three of us?"
"Yes."
Yara stared at him.
"You've been hiding this?"
"I've been working."
"That's what people say when they're hiding something!"
Wanqing listened to the final section again.
"The melody changes depending on who's singing."
"Exactly."
Li Chen opened the project file.
"Yueyin handles the opening. Her voice introduces the emotional core of the song. Yara takes the second section and changes the energy completely. Wanqing leads the final section, bringing everything together."
"And the chorus?" Yueyin asked.
"All three of you."
Yara grinned.
"Now we're talking."
Li Chen raised one finger.
"There's a condition."
Her grin disappeared.
"There's always a condition."
"You must each preserve your own style. I'm not turning you into three interchangeable voices."
He looked at Yueyin.
"Don't imitate Yara's intensity."
Then at Yara.
"Don't try to overpower Wanqing."
Finally, he looked at Wanqing.
"And don't make the entire song sound as though you're performing alone in an empty concert hall."
Wanqing paused.
"That last instruction was unnecessarily specific."
"It was also necessary."
Xiaoyu, standing near the door, laughed.
Li Chen played the instrumental again.
The room gradually became quiet.
Three different musical identities.
One composition.
It was ambitious.
Perhaps too ambitious for a company that had barely established itself.
But if it worked, it would demonstrate exactly what Nebula was trying to become.
Not a company built around a single successful artist.
A company capable of bringing different talents together without destroying what made them special.
"Let's record it," Li Chen said.
4. The People Who Laughed
News of Nebula's planned collaboration leaked before the first recording session was finished.
The reaction was predictable.
A popular entertainment blogger published an article titled:
"Three Rising Artists, One Desperate Marketing Trick?"
The article argued that Li Chen was combining his artists because none of them could independently sustain Nebula's momentum.
Several industry commentators repeated the claim.
Some even suggested that Yueyin and Yara were being forced to cooperate to conceal declining popularity.
The numbers told a different story.
Yueyin's latest single continued attracting listeners.
Yara's recent performances were generating growing discussion.
Wanqing's previews had drawn attention from vocal coaches and music enthusiasts.
Still, the criticism spread.
At Jinhai Entertainment, an executive forwarded the article to Zhou Kang.
"Perhaps Nebula is already running out of ideas."
Zhou Kang read the headline.
"Perhaps."
The executive smiled.
"Should we make an offer for one of the artists?"
"No."
The answer came so quickly that the executive blinked.
Zhou Kang put down his phone.
"Not yet."
"Why not?"
"Because if Nebula fails, they'll become cheaper to acquire."
He stood and adjusted his jacket.
"And if they succeed?"
The executive hesitated.
Zhou Kang looked at him.
"Then we'll know exactly how dangerous Li Chen has become."
Across the city, Li Chen was reading the same article.
Yara stood behind him.
"Do you want me to respond?"
"No."
"I could make a video."
"No."
"A very entertaining video."
"Especially no."
Yueyin frowned at the screen.
"They're saying we can't succeed individually."
Li Chen turned toward her.
"Can you?"
She straightened.
"Yes."
"Can Yara?"
"Of course."
"Can Wanqing?"
Wanqing raised an eyebrow.
"Is this a serious question?"
Li Chen smiled.
"Then let them talk."
He closed the article.
"We're not going to waste our time arguing with people who have already decided what they want to believe."
He looked at the recording equipment.
"We'll answer them with music."
5. The Nebula Showcase
The collaboration was completed four days before the Golden Melody Industry Showcase.
Li Chen submitted the recording to the event organizers.
They listened to it.
Then requested a meeting.
Xiaoyu returned from the meeting looking almost suspiciously cheerful.
Li Chen glanced at her.
"What's that expression?"
"They've changed their minds."
"About what?"
"The performance slot."
He raised an eyebrow.
"They're giving us three?"
"Not exactly."
Xiaoyu placed a revised invitation on his desk.
"They want Nebula to perform the collaboration as the closing act."
Yara nearly jumped out of her chair.
"The closing act?"
Yueyin stared at the invitation.
"That's the final performance."
Wanqing examined the details.
"They've also given us a longer set."
Li Chen smiled.
"Interesting."
Xiaoyu nodded.
"They originally intended to give us one short performance. After hearing the demo, the organizers decided the collaboration would make a stronger finale."
Yara folded her arms triumphantly.
"So the industry has finally recognized our greatness."
"No," Li Chen said.
She glared at him.
"You're supposed to agree with me."
"The organizers recognized a good song."
"Which you produced."
"Which you performed."
Yara considered this.
"Fine. We're all great."
"Much better."
For the next few days, the three artists rehearsed relentlessly.
Yueyin refined the emotional opening.
Yara worked on the transition into the heavier section.
Wanqing adjusted the harmonies and helped shape the final chorus.
Li Chen supervised every session.
He corrected small mistakes, adjusted arrangements, and occasionally forced everyone to stop when they became too focused on perfection.
On the final evening, the three artists performed the song from beginning to end.
When the last note faded, nobody spoke for several seconds.
Then Xiaoyu slowly clapped.
Yara looked at her.
"Only you?"
Xiaoyu smiled.
"I was waiting for everyone else to recover."
Yueyin laughed.
Wanqing looked toward Li Chen.
"Will it work?"
He considered the question.
Then nodded.
"It will."
He didn't say it because the performance was flawless.
It wasn't.
There were still small imperfections.
But the song had something more important than technical perfection.
It sounded like three people who had learned how to work together without losing themselves.
And that was exactly what Nebula needed.
6. Three Stars, One Company
The Golden Melody Industry Showcase took place on Saturday evening.
The venue was packed.
Representatives from major companies occupied the front rows.
Journalists filled the media section.
The event was livestreamed across several platforms.
Nebula's name appeared on the official program.
Some people in the audience barely noticed.
Others whispered when they saw it.
"That's Li Chen's company."
"I heard they only have a handful of employees."
"Let's see whether the collaboration is any good."
Backstage, Yueyin adjusted her microphone.
Yara bounced lightly on her feet.
Wanqing stood quietly, reviewing the opening lyrics.
Li Chen looked at them.
"Nervous?"
"No," Yueyin said.
"Yes," Yara answered at the same time.
Wanqing considered the question.
"Only about the sound system."
Li Chen smiled.
"Good. Remember what we practiced."
The stage manager called their names.
The lights dimmed.
The audience quieted.
A piano began to play.
Yueyin stepped onto the stage first.
Her voice filled the hall, warm and controlled, carrying the melody with a sincerity that immediately drew the audience into the song.
The camera moved closer.
Several people in the front rows stopped talking.
Then the rhythm changed.
Yara entered with the electric guitar.
The music gained weight.
Her voice brought an entirely different energy, transforming the restrained opening into something bold and restless.
The audience began responding.
Then Wanqing appeared.
The arrangement softened before building again around her voice.
Her delivery was smooth, precise, and controlled.
For a moment, the three musical styles seemed almost impossible to reconcile.
Then the chorus arrived.
All three voices joined.
The stage lights expanded across the hall.
The audience rose to its feet.
Not everyone.
Not immediately.
But enough.
And when the final note faded, the applause was unmistakable.
Li Chen stood backstage, watching the audience.
He didn't smile until he noticed the event director speaking urgently to a platform representative.
Xiaoyu appeared beside him.
"Look at the livestream."
She showed him her phone.
The comments were moving too quickly to read.
Who are these three?
The transitions are incredible!
That chorus!
I need this song immediately!
What company are they from?
And then, increasingly often:
Nebula Entertainment.
Li Chen looked at the screen.
The song had accomplished exactly what he wanted.
It had made people remember the company behind the artists.
But the real surprise came afterward.
The event's organizers approached him with a new proposal.
They wanted to discuss a recurring partnership with Nebula for future showcases.
A distribution representative requested a meeting.
Two advertising agencies asked about potential campaigns.
And one executive who had barely acknowledged Li Chen when he arrived now greeted him with a warm smile.
"Mr. Li! An extraordinary performance."
Li Chen shook his hand.
"Thank you."
"I believe we should discuss future cooperation."
"Of course."
The executive leaned closer.
"Perhaps over dinner?"
Li Chen smiled politely.
"Send the proposal to Xiaoyu."
The executive paused.
Then nodded.
"Certainly."
As the man walked away, Yara appeared beside Li Chen.
"You're getting popular."
"Apparently."
"People who ignored us an hour ago are suddenly very friendly."
"That's how this industry works."
Yara looked at the departing executives.
"Should we trust them?"
Li Chen watched them for a moment.
"Trust their proposals enough to read them."
He turned toward the stage, where Yueyin and Wanqing were receiving congratulations.
"But trust their actions before you trust their words."
7. The First Real Victory
The following morning, Nebula's office was busier than it had ever been.
The collaboration had become one of the most discussed performances from the showcase.
Clips were circulating online.
Music commentators were analyzing the arrangement.
Fans were debating which section they liked best.
And Nebula's official account had gained a substantial number of new followers overnight.
Xiaoyu entered Li Chen's office carrying the latest report.
"The performance has passed ten million combined views across the platforms we've tracked."
Li Chen nodded.
"Good."
"The collaboration has also attracted interest from two distributors."
"Send me their proposals."
"Already done."
She placed another document on his desk.
"And the showcase organizers want to discuss a longer-term partnership."
Li Chen opened it.
For the first time, Nebula was being approached not because someone wanted to buy its artists, but because someone wanted to work with the company itself.
That distinction mattered.
Yueyin entered.
"Li Chen."
He looked up.
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
She smiled.
"For giving us a chance to perform together without asking any of us to become someone else."
Yara appeared behind her.
"Don't make this too emotional. I still want to be the most popular artist in the company."
Wanqing followed.
"That objective remains statistically uncertain."
"You're supposed to support me!"
"I support accurate statistics."
Li Chen laughed.
Then he looked at all three of them.
"You don't need to compete with each other for the company's attention."
Yueyin became thoughtful.
Yara stopped joking.
Wanqing listened quietly.
"Your careers are different. Your audiences are different. There will be times when one of you receives more attention than the others."
He continued.
"That doesn't mean the others are failing."
Yueyin nodded slowly.
"And if one of us succeeds, the company becomes stronger."
"Exactly."
Yara grinned.
"Then when my next song becomes a national sensation, you can thank me."
"When that happens, I'll consider it."
"You're impossible."
Wanqing glanced at the whiteboard.
"Should we update the company objectives?"
Li Chen turned toward it.
The original list was still there.
NEBULA ENTERTAINMENT — FIRST YEAR
Survive.
Then dominate.
He picked up the marker.
Beneath the second objective, he wrote:
Build a name that cannot be ignored.
Xiaoyu read it.
"That sounds more realistic."
"Does it?"
"Compared with dominating the entire industry, yes."
Li Chen smiled.
"Give us time."
8. A Message from Zhou Kang
That evening, Li Chen received a message from an unfamiliar number.
Congratulations on the performance.
He stared at the screen.
Another message followed.
You've made progress.
Then a third.
But a successful performance is not a company.
Li Chen didn't need to ask who had sent them.
He typed a brief reply.
Neither is a large office.
The answer came almost immediately.
Enjoy your first victory, Li Chen. The next stage will be more expensive.
Li Chen put his phone down.
He wasn't angry.
In fact, he almost appreciated the warning.
Zhou Kang was finally taking Nebula seriously enough to pay attention.
That meant the company had crossed its first threshold.
But Zhou Kang was right about one thing.
A successful performance wasn't enough.
Nebula still needed stable revenue.
It needed distribution agreements that didn't compromise its independence.
It needed a larger production capacity.
And it needed a way to develop artists beyond the three people who had founded its reputation.
Li Chen walked to the window.
The city stretched beneath him, full of companies far larger than his own.
For the first time, they didn't seem impossibly distant.
They simply looked like the next challenge.
Behind him, the system notification appeared.
[Mission Progress Updated.]
Independent Power: 34%
Milestone achieved: Establish Nebula's initial market presence.
New objective unlocked: Build a sustainable business model.
Li Chen dismissed the notification.
"One step at a time."
Outside, the city's lights began to shine.
Inside the small office, three artists were already discussing their next projects.
Yueyin wanted to explore a more mature sound.
Yara wanted to experiment with a heavier rock arrangement.
Wanqing was considering an R&B track with a more complex vocal structure.
They had ambitions of their own now.
And Li Chen intended to help them achieve those ambitions.
But somewhere across the city, Zhou Kang was studying the same performance statistics.
He had expected Nebula to survive for a few months.
Now, he was beginning to suspect that Li Chen might build something lasting.
He closed the report.
"All right, Li Chen."
For the first time, there was no amusement in his voice.
"Let's see whether you can build a company as well as you build a song."
The first battle had been won.
The real war was about to begin.
To be continued.