180 Rightful Throne (1/2)
Upbeat pop remix music boomed inside the home gym. Jin Chonglin roared as he finished his final burpee. His chest heaved, gasping for air. He was completely drenched in sweat. He removed his sleeveless hoodie, revealing his extremely toned upper body. The sweat accentuated his muscles, especially his eight-pack abs.
Lin Dong threw him a bottle of chilled water and a towel.
”Thanks,” he said, immediately chugging the water. Water always tasted the best after an intense workout. He finished the entire bottle, and then began wiping the sweat off his body with the towel.
”You're falling down the music charts,” Lin Dong said.
”I know.”
”So what are you gonna do about it?”
”What do you mean?”
”You're not gonna post something online to encourage your fans to help boost your music back to the top?”
Jin Chonglin pretended to think for a couple of seconds before saying, ”Nah, not interested.”
”What do you mean you're not interested? You're Jin Chonglin!”
”What does that even mean?”
Lin Dong sighed deeply, feeling frustrated. ”You know exactly what I mean. You're being trampled by a second-rate pop singer who used to chase you around and a horrible theme song from a popular romance TV drama.”
”Second-rate pop singer?” Jin Chonglin threw the towel hard near Lin Dong's feet. He looked furious. ”Say that again!”
”Ah?”
”If Iris Long is second-rate, then nobody is first-rate! Are you deaf or what? Have even listened to her music? How dare you call her second-rate?!”
Lin Dong was taken aback by his sudden outburst. He didn't know how to react.
”I'm Jin Chonglin! I'm an artist, a musician! I know music when I hear it! I can differentiate between first-rate and second-rate! Don't you dare degrade a musician's work with your careless comments, you bastard!”
”Ah… Alright, I get it. Calm down now, okay? I'm sorry. I didn't really mean it,” Lin Dong hurriedly said.
”Hmph!” Jin Chonglin glared at his manager one last time before starting his cool down exercises.
Lin Dong sighed. He was careless this time. He momentarily forgot that Jin Chonglin was extremely serious when it came to music. He didn't want to trigger Jin Chonglin again, but he was the manager and it was his job to be concerned about his artist's career.
”So…are you really not gonna do anything about the situation in the music charts?” he asked cautiously.
”No.” Jin Chonglin's tone sounded final.
Lin Dong sighed.