[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty":3,"chapter-the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-chapter-6":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The King of 2000: A Mandopop Dynasty",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2301262,4501,"Chapter 6: Chapter Six: The Future Million-Dollar Heartthrob","the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-chapter-6",6,"\u003Cp>“This is Qian Jiang, a senior agent at the company. For now, you two should get used to working together; if you need anything later, just let me know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the general manager’s office, after completing the official contract signing, Zhou Yi met the agent he would be working with over the next four years, introduced by his mentor Zhou Jianhui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He appeared to be in his early forties, with a crew cut and a slightly pudgy build; when he smiled, he looked like a Maitreya Buddha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he saw Zhou Yi, this man—whom Zhou Jianhui called a senior agent—extended his hand first: “What a handsome young fellow! Jianhui, you’ve really handed me a gem this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his accent had improved somewhat, it was still clearly evident he was from Hong Kong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello, Mr. Qian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing this unfamiliar prospective agent, Zhou Yi showed no sign of nervousness; after shaking hands, he smiled and addressed him warmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s too formal. I’m forty-three—if you don’t mind, just call me Uncle. It’s more familiar. I’ll call you Ah Yi, how’s that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll leave everything regarding me in your capable hands, Uncle Qian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yi’s quick shift in address made Qian Jiang’s eyes light up; his plump face broke into a more genuine smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He liked artists like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d originally thought Zhou Jianhui had assigned him to babysit some young kid, but now, listening to his speech, he truly sensed potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The company has arranged your accommodation in Taipei’s East District—it’s close to the office and convenient for recording sessions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the two finish their small talk, Zhou Jianhui handed Zhou Yi a complete lease agreement: “This residential complex has decent confidentiality; several moderately famous stars from the island live here too, so privacy isn’t an issue.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Brother Zhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flipping through the lease agreement bearing Warner’s logo, Zhou Yi felt a touch of surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The treatment was a bit generous—he’d expected only basic housing, especially since he hadn’t debuted yet and hadn’t even released a single song.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t mention it. Focus on polishing your album; leave everything else to the company.” Zhou Jianhui, the quintessential boss, clapped the younger man on the shoulder, offering sincere encouragement: “Isn’t this why you signed with us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Undeniably, Zhou Jianhui’s ability to lead Warner back to the top of the domestic market wasn’t without reason. Too bad he was at Warner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he remembered correctly, Zhou Jianhui would leave Warner in either 2006 or 2007; after that, Warner plunged into brief internal chaos, forcing some artists who had switched over to be shelved—including top-tier stars like Xiao Yaxuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tucking the apartment key the company had given him into his pocket, Zhou Yi followed his “temporary” agent for the month out the front doors of Warner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get in, Ah Yi. I’ll take you to your place first.” Standing beside a Mercedes, waving at him, Qian Jiang gave Zhou Yi a real glimpse of his agent’s clout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 2000, an agent who could afford a Mercedes was clearly someone with real connections.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Jiang, secretly observing this mainland newcomer, was equally satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d taken considerable time off due to family reasons; when he returned, Zhou Jianhui assigned him to look after this kid, and at first he hadn’t taken it seriously—he just thought it was another rookie to manage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after Zhou Jianhui personally highlighted Zhou Yi’s potential did Qian Jiang begin to observe the boy with the eyes of someone evaluating a future superstar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Qian, are you from Hong Kong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, how’s my accent now? Improved, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing Zhou Yi was just making conversation, Qian Jiang, once the car started, didn’t let the silence linger; he chuckled teasingly: “I used to travel constantly between the mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. My Mandarin was terrible at first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s why Jianhui specifically assigned me as your agent—he knew you’re from the mainland.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As one of an artist’s closest battle partners, an agent’s ability to communicate smoothly and pleasantly with the artist matters greatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With experience traveling across all three regions, Qian Jiang naturally understood cultural taboos—that’s precisely why Zhou Jianhui chose him to manage Zhou Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yi finally understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So his agent was someone who could navigate all three regions—his network must be pretty broad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, by the way, Ah Yi, there’s something I need to ask you clearly—answer honestly, no hiding anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While waiting at a traffic light, Qian Jiang turned to the passenger seat: “You’re so good-looking—do you have a girlfriend? Or, have you ever had a girlfriend back on the mainland?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If so, how many?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Were they amicable breakups? Did anyone have a grudge against you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Jiang asked this with a serious expression—clearly no joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For artists today, whether or not they have a girlfriend directly affects the image the company wants to project.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t have a girlfriend, and I’ve never been entangled emotionally with anyone. But you said it yourself—I’m this good-looking, so…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yi shrugged, leaving the rest unsaid, but he believed this seasoned veteran would understand the implication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No girlfriend didn’t mean no female friends—especially not those who were after his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d sung folk and rock, was tall, sunlit, and handsome—on a pilgrimage, he’d be Tang Sanzang’s flesh, no question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Jiang nodded knowingly: “So, what kind of public image do you want to cultivate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just don’t turn me into some pure-hearted gentleman. Everything else is fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yi answered decisively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew his own nature well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Few could resist the temptation of a one-night stand with the real beauties of this entertainment circle—and he certainly wasn’t one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, the image-building should avoid this minefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this industry, whether you’re seen as promiscuous depends mostly on the image the company crafts for you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take Tao Zhe—he’s famously flirtatious, yet his albums still sell like crazy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Zhou Dong’s post-fame gossip was plentiful—from diva Li Wen down to his own MV actresses, even some rookie models were linked to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you had to draw a line, you could say: only after publicly dating Kun Ling did Zhou Dong become the “good man” who ended his rumors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Junjie, still a “trainee” at Haidie, doesn’t even need mentioning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Zhou Yi’s memory, among these four—Zhou, Wang, Tao, Lin—only Wang Lihong in 2021 suffered a major image collapse, because he was the only one whose public persona was the “quality gentleman.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, but I must warn you—some situations still require caution. If anything happens, tell me immediately. Don’t hide it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As an agent who’d witnessed Hong Kong’s golden entertainment era, Qian Jiang couldn’t care less about artists’ romantic entanglements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These days, any talented man who isn’t a playboy is the exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t Dou Wei from the mainland a genius? Did he have few romantic debts?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What about Zhang Yadong, the mainland genius who just released a smash album? Did he have few romantic exploits?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even conservative mainland China is like this—let alone Hong Kong and Taiwan. Just in the recording industry, Rock Records alone has two men with legendary reputations in this regard—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zongsheng is famously well-known, and the company’s top female artist, Liu Nai, is a heavyweight too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand—I’ll notify you if anything comes up—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yi, fully aware of the stakes, agreed instantly—but just as he was about to continue, a sudden ringtone from his pocket cut him off—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled out his phone: the caller ID read Cheng Hao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The future nationwide sensation who would rise to fame through “The Pink Ladies.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1255,"2026-06-20T07:33:41.161Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e04455292012d51b97c32e7719358396c9094974d270c20c4ef643a24a36bd68","the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-chapter-7","the-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-chapter-5",883,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-king-of-2000-a-mandopop-dynasty-cover.jpg"]