The Brightest Star in the Sky Episode 9 Recap
> The Brightest Star in the Sky Recap
Lai Shen Tong Ling Jewelry's Chairman, Zheng Weijun, hosted a new single release event for his son, Zheng Baixu, at his company's venue. Star Entertainment's CEO, Chen Tianhao, introduced Zheng Baixu as the company's secret weapon and thanked Zheng Weijun for providing the meaningful location, hoping it would also showcase Star Entertainment's mission. Zheng Baixu delivered an energetic performance on stage. Meanwhile, in the waiting area, Yu Zirui was preparing to perform.
His mentor, Chang Ran, encouraged him to seize the opportunity, emphasizing that Star Entertainment was actively seeking new talents and many influential figures were present. Yu Zirui then performed a love song with Star Entertainment's Executive VP Du Wanqing, a piece Chen Tianhao had written for her over ten years prior. This performance showcased his outstanding talent. Du Wanqing was impressed and expressed her immediate desire to sign him.
However, Chen Tianhao, facing financial constraints within the company, advised against rushing, explaining that the current focus was on Zheng Baixu and they shouldn't invest in similar-style artists yet. He indicated that once Zheng Weijun's promised investment came through, he would sign many artists.
Later, Du Wanqing thanked Chen Tianhao for his past support, and Chen Tianhao clarified that Ma Lina, who was helping with funding, was merely an investor with whom he would cut ties once the money was secured.
Soon after its release, Zheng Baixu's new single faced fierce criticism from music critic Wu Gong, known as "Centipede," who wrote a scathing review claiming Zheng Baixu was a "karaoke-level singer propped up by investment money" and that his song lacked technique, talent, and substance, even demanding a refund. Zheng Baixu was incensed by the article, which also negatively impacted his song's attention and click-through rates.
Director Liu Yinan summoned Zheng Baixu's assistant, Yang Zhenzhen, to his office to discuss the criticism. Liu Yinan suggested Zhenzhen hack Wu Gong's post to delete it, but Zhenzhen refused, stating she wasn't a hacker and wouldn't engage in such unethical behavior, adding that the widely circulated article couldn't be deleted anyway. Later, Zheng Baixu, still upset about the criticism, returned to his father's home.
Zheng Weijun seized the opportunity to reiterate his wish for Zheng Baixu to abandon his music career and return to the family business. Zheng Weijun proposed buying Star Entertainment and letting Zheng Baixu manage it, but Zheng Baixu showed no interest in business, emphasizing his passion for singing and the difficulty of running an entertainment company, referencing the hard work of Chen Tianhao and Du Wanqing.
Zheng Weijun then tried a different approach, inviting Zheng Baixu to a dinner with old friends and their children, but Zheng Baixu saw through his father's matchmaking attempt and refused to attend. Zheng Baixu also shared his lingering feelings about his mother's death and his father's new relationship. Zheng Weijun met with Chen Tianhao, offering a significant investment in Star Entertainment but insisting on a 51% controlling stake.
Chen Tianhao furiously rejected this, calling Zheng Weijun an "old fox" and emphasizing that Star Entertainment was his brainchild, like his child, which he would never hand over. Facing a critical funding shortage after rejecting Zheng Weijun, Chen Tianhao decided to accept the funding introduced by Ma Lina, stating he would fight for any possible financial source. In the company, veteran singer Amanda argued with Chen Tianhao, upset by his perceived favoritism towards newcomer Zheng Baixu.
She accused Chen Tianhao of being unfair, but he countered that true strength doesn't need resources and that artists are easily replaced. Amanda stormed off, refusing to sing. Chen Tianhao then decided to sign more "obedient" new talents. Du Wanqing and Chang Ran again recommended Yu Zirui. Chen Tianhao agreed to sign him but insisted on a strict 10-year contract with high penalties for violations, determined not to groom talents for other companies.
He mentioned that he had already accepted Wansheng's investment, making this new strategy possible. Later, Ma Lina confirmed with Chen Tianhao that Wansheng's first investment installment would arrive soon. Meanwhile, Yang Zhenzhen sought out critic Wu Gong, introducing herself as Zheng Baixu's personal assistant. Wu Gong immediately assumed she was there to buy off his review, emphatically stating it was "not for sale."
He dismissively told Zhenzhen he was busy and advised her to change jobs before the "cesspool" of the entertainment industry swallowed her. Star Entertainment held a meeting to address the poor performance of Zheng Baixu's song. Liu Yinan proposed buying click rates, but Du Wanqing vehemently rejected this, stating it would ruin their reputation as the company aimed to be an industry benchmark, not one with a "bad record."
Yu Hong suggested having Zheng Baixu guest on variety shows with veteran artists. As they discussed, Ma Lina unexpectedly entered, introducing herself as the new Executive Vice President, Lina. Chen Tianhao was annoyed that she had disrupted his plan for a proper announcement, but Ma Lina asserted that her position was officially part of the investment contract and her immediate presence would speed up management for their IPO. She then insisted on taking the office directly next to Du Wanqing's for convenience.
