Chapter 1 – The Legendary Rules of the Game

When Guan Lan returned to his hotel room, he found someone standing at his door.

A young man, not a student, but decent-looking. However, having seen his fair share of beauties, Guan Lan wasn’t particularly impressed.

The young man wore an awkward, hesitant expression, his eyes glued to Guan Lan the moment he stepped out of the elevator.

Guan Lan instinctively checked the room number and his keycard, confirming he hadn’t made a mistake, and opened the door.

Although it was obvious the young man was here for him, since the other didn’t speak up, Guan Lan had no intention of engaging with a stranger.

To his surprise, the young man was quick. As Guan Lan opened the door, he tried to dart inside.

Startled, Guan Lan grabbed his arm and pulled him back: “Who are you looking for? Did you get the wrong room?”

The young man looked at Guan Lan, then blushed.

Guan Lan: “…”

Was this the legendary obsessive fan, a sasaeng?(Sasaeng: A South Korean term for an obsessive fan who invades the privacy of Korean idols, drama actors, or other public figures in the entertainment industry. A stalker fan.)

Although he has been more active in the media recently, he was still essentially a behind-the-scenes worker. This was his first encounter with such a fan, and it felt somewhat novel.

The young man still wore that awkward expression: “Teacher Guan, I’m Bai Lin.”

Guan Lan searched his memory for the name but came up empty.

Bai Lin: “Teacher Guan, I’ve always admired you. I grew up listening to your songs, and I’ve looped every one of them countless times… I’ve had a dream of making music since I was young. I want to sing…”

Guan Lan’s expression cooled, and he adopted the tone of a diplomat: “For business collaborations, please contact the company. The contact information is on the official website.”

Bai Lin, who had managed to find his room, wasn’t going to be deterred by formalities: “It’s not about business, Teacher Guan. I just hope you could… give me some personal guidance…”

Guan Lan: “If you don’t leave, I’ll call security.”

Bai Lin panicked: “You really don’t remember me? During the auditions for ‘Next Stop: King of Songs,’ I sang ‘Heavy Rain,’ and you criticized me for my weak foundation and exaggerated singing…”

Guan Lan finally had a vague recollection of him.

As a judge on a talent show, he had to interview hundreds of contestants a day. Remembering even a faint shadow was an effort.

Guan Lan: “If you have issues with the judging results, please contact the organizers at Star TV. Coming to me is pointless.”

Bai Lin raised his voice: “Teacher Guan! This stage is crucial for me! I can’t lose this opportunity! If you help me, I’ll do anything!”

Guan Lan connected his awkward demeanor, “personal guidance,” and “do anything,” and finally realized what this person camping outside his door was after.

He was here to offer himself up for the so-called “rules of the game.”

Guan Lan, the director of the music division at Tianlong Entertainment Group and executive vice president of Tianlong Record Company, was rumored to be indiscriminate in his tastes, a lustful demon, a man who had slept with half the Chinese music industry, a golden music producer.

He put on a warm, interested expression and invited the young man into his room.

Guan Lan: “Come, sit. Don’t be nervous, let’s chat first. How did you know where I’m staying?”

Bai Lin: “I asked the front desk.”

A five-star hotel’s front desk would just give out a guest’s room number? Who are you trying to fool?

Guan Lan: “Lying to me on the first day isn’t a good start for our long-term relationship, is it?”

Bai Lin, still young, couldn’t handle Guan Lan’s calm probing: “I was just kidding… It was Wang Chen. He told me.”

Guan Lan: “Really? Not kidding again? I’ll call Wang Chen right now to confirm, okay?”

Bai Lin: “Really, really! He’s a relative of mine. He really told me.”

What kind of relative would point you down this path? Did your family owe him money?

Guan Lan: “Hmm, I thought so. Wang Chen knows my preferences well.”

Bai Lin, sensing an opening, replaced his awkwardness with a hopeful expression.

Guan Lan: “Since you want to follow me, I’ll explain the rules of serving me.”

Bai Lin, hearing his serious tone, straightened up and prepared to listen attentively.

Guan Lan: “Those who follow me are ranked from top to bottom: one Empress, two Noble Consorts, four Consorts, eight Imperial Concubines, sixteen Favored Attendants, thirty-two Ladies of the Chamber, and an unlimited number of Beauties and Talents. Each rank has its own monthly stipend. At the end of each year, I’ll adjust ranks based on experience and performance. Only when you reach Lady of the Chamber can you sign with my company. Favored Attendants can release singles, Imperial Concubines can release albums, and when you reach Consort, I’ll personally write a title track for you.”

“Honestly, someone like you wouldn’t even catch my eye normally. But since I’m in the mood today, I’ll give you a chance. However, you’ll have to start at the lowest rank, Talent, and work your way up. Are you willing?”

Bai Lin’s eyes widened, his face clearly saying, “I knew rich people played around, but I didn’t know they played like this.”

Guan Lan: “I never force anyone. If you’re not willing, leave now, and I’ll pretend we never met.”

Bai Lin: “Wait, Teacher Guan… Let me think about it.”

Guan Lan looked at him incredulously. You’re actually considering this? You’re really desperate for fame, huh?

Guan Lan pressed him: “I don’t have time to wait for you to think. Either leave or stay. Decide now, don’t waste my time looking for someone else.”

Bai Lin bit his lip and made a decisive choice: “I’m willing! I’m willing to start as a Talent! From today, I’m part of your harem! I’m willing!”

Guan Lan: “You’re willing?”

Guan Lan: “Heh, I’m not.”

After kicking Bai Lin out, Guan Lan called his assistant, Ren Xiaofei: “Fire Wang Chen. Notify HR to process his resignation tomorrow.”

Ren Xiaofei was surprised: “Yes, Director Guan… May I ask why?”

Guan Lan, eager to vent, told Ren Xiaofei about Bai Lin’s incident.

Ren Xiaofei fell silent after listening.

Then, in the most tactful way possible, he reminded his boss: “I think the way you handled him wasn’t quite appropriate.”

Guan Lan: “What’s inappropriate about it?”

Ren Xiaofei: “He’s going to go out and talk.”

Guan Lan: “What I said was so absurd, so detached from reality—it’s clearly nonsense. Would he even believe it? Is he stupid?”

Ren Xiaofei: “Based on your description, he’s probably quite stupid.”

Guan Lan: “…And the people who hear him would believe it? Are they all stupid?”

Ren Xiaofei: “Based on past experiences, people generally aren’t very smart.”

Guan Lan thought about how his reputation had been ruined and fell silent.

Silence. Silence was tonight’s Cambridge.

Guan Lan struggled unwillingly: “What else could I have done? I didn’t have any other options.”

Ren Xiaofei couldn’t hold back and roasted him: “You could have acted like a normal person—sternly rejected him, told him he’s mistaken, that you’re not that kind of person, and that you’d call the police if he harassed you—like that.”

Guan Lan had an epiphany: “Oh, so that’s how it’s done!”

Ren Xiaofei shed tears of blood in his heart. Boss, I beg you, stop messing around. You’re a decent person, but your reputation is in tatters. Do you know why?

Guan Lan couldn’t pinpoint exactly when he’d gained his reputation as a rule-bending demon. It was probably during the peak of his career, when he was establishing himself as a golden music producer—his songs were chart-toppers, dominating the music charts for ten weeks straight, and when one fell, another took its place. For over a year, three or four of the top ten songs were either written or produced by him.

During that time, he was also incredibly full of himself, and with his tendency to speak without filter, he often made statements like, “Half the Chinese music industry is my harem.”

At the time, he thought, like now, that such claims were clearly boasts and no one would believe them.

But in this industry, where a single spark can ignite a wildfire, if you say “Li Xiaohua is pretty” today, it’ll become “You want to sleep with Li Xiaohua” tomorrow, and by the next day, it’ll be “You’ve already slept with Li Xiaohua.” The more outrageous the claim, the more people believe it.

And so, without any warning, he became known as a rule-bending lecher.

Life is unpredictable. You reap what you sow. Such is the way of the world.