Three days after the audition, Lin Chen sat in StarShyne Media's modest practice studio. The room was barely bigger than a classroom, with faded mirrors and a cheap speaker system.
A stack of contracts sat on the desk in front of him — the official agreement making him a signed artist of the company. His role was minor: a supporting character in an upcoming youth drama, First Love in Summer. Normally, supporting actors were lucky to get any attention.
But Lin Chen had other plans.
The System's Gift
[Song Creation Pack Unlocked.]
[You have received: Future Hit Song 'Eternal Summer' – guaranteed to resonate with target audience.]
Lin Chen skimmed the system's description. The song came with full composition, lyrics, and arrangement, perfectly fitting the drama's theme. In his last life, Eternal Summer wouldn't be released for another seven years, by a superstar who used it to skyrocket to fame.
This time, Lin Chen would take that spotlight.
Pitching the Idea
Yang Mei sat in her small office, surrounded by scripts and financial reports. The company wasn't doing badly, but every yuan was carefully stretched.
Lin Chen knocked. "Director Yang, may I take a minute?"
She looked up. "You've been here three days and you're already looking for screen time?" Her tone was amused.
"Not just screen time. I want to sing the OST for First Love in Summer."
Yang Mei's brow arched. "OST? That budget is already—"
"I'll cover the recording costs myself," Lin Chen interrupted gently. "I just need your permission."
Her gaze sharpened. "And you think you can sing?"
Lin Chen didn't answer with words. He placed his phone on her desk, connected it to the speaker, and began.
The Performance
The first gentle guitar notes filled the room.
Then his voice — warm, clear, carrying a nostalgic ache — flowed out.
We were young, we had no map,
But we chased the sun and never looked back… 🎵
Yang Mei found herself staring. His voice wasn't just good — it was alive, painting summer skies, laughter under trees, and the bittersweet taste of first love.
By the final chorus, her pen had stilled completely.
When the last note faded, the room was silent for a heartbeat.
"This…" Yang Mei leaned back slowly, a faint smile curving her lips. "If we use this, it could change the entire promotion strategy."
Lin Chen met her gaze. "Then let's change it."
The Recording
Two days later, Lin Chen stood in a rented recording booth. With the system's Perfect Performance mode, every note hit exactly where it needed to. The producer — a veteran sound engineer — muttered to himself, "Where the hell has this kid been hiding?"
By the end of the week, the OST teaser was attached to the drama's promotional trailer.
The Reaction
Within hours of release, the trailer began trending on Weibo.
People weren't just talking about the drama — they were asking about the song.
@DramaAddict92: "Who's the guy singing this OST? It's beautiful."
@SummerGirl88: "This song is hitting me right in the heart… gonna watch just for this."
@InsiderLeaks: "Name's Lin Chen. New StarShyne artist. Remember the name."
Yang Mei scrolled through the flood of comments in her office. Her lips curved upward, a rare glint of satisfaction in her eyes.
In just one week, Lin Chen had gone from a no-name rookie to the voice everyone was talking about.
[Quest Complete: Release first hit song.]
[Reward: Directorial Concept Module Unlocked.]
Lin Chen leaned back in his chair, a quiet smile playing on his lips.
Acting, singing… directing was next.
And this was only the beginning.