"Hmm? What's going on?"

Sun Jian's hand was already outstretched, so why was there nothing there now?

He glanced at the items in Yang Lin's and Chen Feng's hands, then at Wu Ya, who was looking down at the lyrics, and finally at his own empty palm.

This... did I forget something?

Sun Jian, his brow furrowed in confusion, turned to look at Chu Tian. Chu Tian, acting as if he hadn't seen a thing, smiled and said, "Oh, by the way, Sun Jian, how's your songwriting going?"

"Ah? I..."

Sun Jian almost blurted out a curse.

Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly remembered a scene from a few days ago.

What was it again? Looking down on those singers who could only sing but not create? Or claiming he could write a smash hit?

His mouth twitched; he suddenly felt the urge to slap himself.

Aren't I just fond of showing off, of bragging? Which grown man doesn't enjoy that a bit? But the problem is, why did someone actually take me seriously?

Seeing his silence, Chu Tian shifted his gaze, glanced at the others nearby, and feigned surprise. "Oh, do you want the debut song? Will it affect your own writing?"

Looking at Chu Tian's mocking gaze, Sun Jian, who was no fool, realized this was sarcasm directed at him.

He opened his mouth, shot Chu Tian a look, then closed it again.

No, this is a company leader, and the boss's boyfriend. If I curse now, I'll probably be packing my bags and leaving immediately.

Thinking of his empty wallet, Sun Jian grimaced and said pitifully, "No... it won't affect anything..."

After speaking, he glanced enviously at Yang Lin and the others across from him, swallowed dryly, and said, "Well... actually, I want it too. I feel it's quite suitable for me."

Seeing him like this, Chu Tian knew not to push too far and feigned surprise. "Huh? I haven't given you one yet. How do you know it's suitable for you?"

"Right... Huh? Really? Do you have one for me?" Sun Jian asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Chu Tian decided not to tease him anymore. He pulled another copy from his pocket, muttering to himself, He's in his twenties. Of all things to learn, he learns to be a 'free spirit.' But even free spirits need to eat. How can you roam without money? Wouldn't it be better to earn some money first, then roam however you wish?

Sun Jian looked at the sheet music in his hand, his heart pounding and his hands trembling with excitement, yet his eyes still held a persistent look of resentment.

He lowered his head, then shot a sidelong glance at Chu Tian, saying with a hint of pique, "President Chu, you took that joke a bit too far."

Oh, quite the temper, isn't he? Chu Tian thought. He hadn't expected the guy to be so fickle, changing his tune the moment he got what he wanted.

But Chu Tian wasn't angry, mainly because he did feel a bit guilty for teasing him in the first place.

"Alright, it was just a joke. You're so hot-tempered," Chu Tian said, patting Sun Jian's shoulder. "Look at the song first. You'll know if it suits you. If it doesn't, speak up quickly. Don't sing it and then blame the song if there's no reaction."

Feeling Chu Tian patting his shoulder, Sun Jian's mind cleared considerably. He suddenly realized that he had indeed overreacted.

In other words, I'm still acting like a hotheaded youngster, quick to explode.

He thought carefully about his recent experiences: being abandoned and fired by his previous company; getting dragged by a bunch of bad company to curse his former employer and even his current one; blaming everyone and everything, acting as if the world owed him, as though he were an unappreciated gem and all companies were blind.

Inside, I was filled with bitterness and resentment, convinced I was the best, that I was right, and everyone else was wrong. But is it really so?

Feeling the texture of the paper in his hand, Sun Jian was momentarily lost in thought.

If I really am the most talented, then why am I so eager to get my hands on someone else's work? Is it jealousy over Li Guang's successful debut? Or, in truth, have I already admitted in my heart that my own work isn't as good as I thought?

The others didn't know that such a simple joke could induce so much reflection in Sun Jian, even showing signs of sudden maturity.

They had been momentarily distracted, watching the little confrontation unfold between the two, ready to enjoy some drama, never expecting such an anticlimactic end.

However, they also sensed that Chu Tian genuinely treated them well. He was unpretentious, didn't get angry, and unlike other companies, didn't treat them merely as money-making tools. He even interacted with them like a friend.

But Chu Tian wasn't as entirely agreeable or purely kind-hearted as he appeared on the surface.

Sun Jian might not have sensed it, but the others could clearly see this was Chu Tian's way of rapping him on the knuckles—a warning to him, and by extension, to everyone else.

The reason, of course, was that Sun Jian had previously spoken out of turn, making derogatory remarks about singers who didn't write their own material. Sister Hua had overheard and scolded him for it. As an artist, running one's mouth can offend a great many people. Besides, while it's acceptable to be proud of one's talent, he hadn't even made his debut yet—what was there to be so arrogant about?

Sister Hua had even asked Sun Jian if he planned to never sing anyone else's songs for the rest of his life. Still smarting from the scolding, he had retorted rudely.

Although these were words spoken in anger, they revealed the pride in Sun Jian's heart and a youthful arrogance that was almost palpable.

Whether this was typical of people in their circle or just Sun Jian himself, any discerning person would know such behavior was inappropriate. However, being colleagues, the others refrained from commenting openly.

So, Chu Tian had stepped in to settle the score and, at the same time, issue a warning to all of them.

It was fine to have good relationships privately, but company rules and professional decorum had to be respected. They weren't kids anymore; they shouldn't be so clueless.

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