22: Chapter 22 Your New Album, I've Accepted It

Shanghai, Tianyu Media Building.

Manager Chen slammed a photocopy onto the coffee table, her expression grave.

"I found it." Manager Chen pulled up a chair and sat down. "The second round of Tomorrows Star is a 1V1 challenge within the same track. The lower-ranked contestants have priority in choosing their opponents. Zhao Tianyu will choose Jiang Fan."

Xu Qingya leaned back on the sofa, her gaze sweeping over the list.

"They hired a gold-medal producer overnight to custom-make a song for Zhao Tianyu. Plus, Hua Xingyu from Shenghai Entertainment is sitting on the judging panel to hold the fort. This is an open conspiracy; they want to legitimately crush Jiang Fan on stage."

Xu Qingya didn't speak.

She picked up her phone and took a photo of the matchup list. She clicked send.

Manager Chen watched her actions, brows furrowed, but ultimately didn't speak up to stop her.

She couldn't see through Xu Qingya now, and she couldn't see through that mysterious Jiang Fan even more.

Shenzhen, Penguin Hotel, Room 1208.

Jiang Fan opened WeChat and took a look at the image sent by Xu Qingya.

"1V1 challenge? Custom-made?"

He sneered, closed WeChat, and moved his consciousness.

A translucent system panel unfolded on his retina.

[Current Lifespan Value: 9100 points] [Remaining Lifespan: 11 days]

He opened the skill store, his gaze skipping over those primary skills that cost a few hundred points, and locked onto the option at the very top that was emitting a dark golden glow.

[Master-level Singing: 5000 Lifespan Value.] [Description: Vocal techniques at the pinnacle of the Chinese music scene. Absolute pitch, top-tier resonance, and domination of the entire vocal range.]

Jiang Fan didn't hesitate and immediately selected "Redeem."

[Deducted 5000 Lifespan Value, remaining Lifespan Value: 4100 points.]

Boom! A scorching hot current instantly poured in from the back of his head. It was completely different from the infusion of primary skills; this was a violent physical transformation.

His vocal cord muscles were restructuring, becoming tougher and more flexible, while the resonance channels of his chest, head, and nasal cavities were forcibly widened.

Jiang Fan gripped the bedsheets tightly, cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

The transformation lasted for a full three minutes. As the heat receded, Jiang Fan loosened his grip, his shoulders and back covered in sweat.

He opened his mouth and tried to emit a syllable. The sound was steady and deep. Immediately after, he shifted his tone, and the sound instantly soared, clear and bright, without the slightest sense of strain.

He now had a feeling that as long as he stood in front of a microphone, he was a god.

Returning to the bedside, Jiang Fan picked up his phone and opened Douyin.

Seventh on the trending list: #Seeking Brother Xiao Chou#.

Clicking into the topic, it was all videos from that night at the Blues Bar.

Although the image quality was blurry, the soul-piercing lyrics and melody had already made this song go absolutely crazy online.

The cumulative view count had exceeded eighty million.

Countless internet celebrity singers attempted to cover it, but not a single person could sing it with that sense of brokenness born from experiencing the vicissitudes of life.

No one knew that "Brother Xiao Chou" was the same Jiang Fan who stunned the entire audience on the initial stage of Tomorrows Star.

Even fewer people knew that this musical genius was still raising the barrier gate for people in the underground garage of Tianyu Media just a few days ago.

Jiang Fan closed the Douyin interface. Since Shenghai Capital wanted to play a big game, then he would give them a big surprise.

... Eight o'clock in the evening. Shanghai, a private French restaurant on the Bund.

Xu Qingya was wearing a black haute couture evening gown, sitting by the window. Opposite her sat a man in his forties.

His hair was combed meticulously, and he wore a patek philippe on his wrist, but his eyes revealed an undisguised greasiness.

Chen Weiyang, a gold-medal producer at Tianyu Media, and a big name in the Chinese music scene.

"Qingya, the white truffles at this restaurant are excellent. I specifically had them air-freighted over."

Chen Weiyang picked up his wine glass and gently swirled the Romanée-Conti inside.

"Teacher Chen, you've gone to too much trouble." Xu Qingya didn't touch the wine glass in front of her. "The new album is still missing two lead singles. Sister Lan said you already have the initial drafts?"

Chen Weiyang smiled, set down his wine glass, and leaned forward slightly.

"The songs are written. But Qingya, you also know that writing songs requires emotion. As for the Arrangement of these two songs, I always feel they are lacking a bit of flavor."

Chen Weiyang's gaze swept unscrupulously over Xu Qingya's exposed collarbone.

"I'm going to Sanya next week. I have a yacht there. You should accompany me for a week of inspiration gathering. Once we get back, these two songs will definitely be at the level of annual hit songs."

Xu Qingya's hand holding the knife and fork tightened slightly. Inspiration gathering? Having been in the entertainment industry for ten years, she had heard this kind of subtext too many times.

Relying on his talent and status, Chen Weiyang had often sexually harassed newcomers in the industry.

He used to be polite to Xu Qingya, after all, she was a diva.

But this time, with the release date of the new album approaching, Chen Weiyang saw that she was in urgent need of lead singles and finally bared his fangs.

Looking at Chen Weiyang's smug face, the image of Jiang Fan sitting on the stage, softly playing and singing "the ordinary road" flashed through her mind.

A strong sense of disgust surged in her heart.

"Teacher Chen." Xu Qingya put down her knife and fork, picked up her napkin, and wiped the corners of her mouth. "My schedule for next week is full. As for the inspiration gathering, you should look for someone else."

The smile on Chen Weiyang's face froze.

"Qingya, are you not giving me face?" Chen Weiyang leaned back into his chair, his voice turning cold. "That Lin Shishi in the company called me just yesterday, crying and begging me to write songs for her. If I give these two songs to her and push them with the company's resources, then the position of Tianyu Entertainment's top star might have to change hands."

A naked threat.

Xu Qingya stood up and picked up her Hermès handbag from the side.

"Then you should give them to her." Xu Qingya looked down at Chen Weiyang from a high position. "I'll pay for this meal. Enjoy your meal, Teacher Chen."

After saying this, Xu Qingya walked toward the restaurant entrance in her high heels without looking back.

Chen Weiyang sat where he was, his face livid. He slammed the wine glass in his hand onto the table, splashing red wine all over the floor.

"Giving you face and you don't want it! Fine, Xu Qingya, you remember this choice tonight."

Xu Qingya walked out of the restaurant. The night wind from the Huangpu River blew against her face, making her eyes feel a bit sore.

She stood by the roadside, watching the bustling street, and suddenly missed Jiang Fan very much.

There were two days left until the recording. Xu Qingya opened the car door and sat into the nanny van. "Go to the airport."

Yang Lele, sitting in the passenger seat, turned her head sharply. Her mouth was half-open, and the schedule tablet she was holding almost slid onto the floor mat.

Flying to Shenzhen in the middle of the night? Yang Lele swallowed hard, wanting to ask, "Does Sister Lan know?" but when her gaze touched Xu Qingya's tense profile, she forced the words back down her throat.

Last time she secretly reported Jiang Fan's affairs to Manager Chen, the look in Xu Qingya's eyes afterward had been chillingly cold.

She didn't dare to provoke her again now. Yang Lele swallowed dryly, turned back around silently, and gestured to the driver.

... One o'clock in the morning. The Carlton Hotel, three kilometers away from the Penguin Hotel, top-floor executive suite.

Jiang Fan pushed open the ajar door. In the room, only a dim floor lamp was lit in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

Xu Qingya was standing barefoot on the carpet, holding half a glass of red wine. Hearing the movement, she turned around and threw herself directly into Jiang Fan's arms.

Jiang Fan took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her waist. "Why did you suddenly run over here?" Jiang Fan lowered his head, smelling the faint fragrance in her hair.

"Annoying." Xu Qingya buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled. "People in the industry are too disgusting."

Jiang Fan didn't press for details, just gently stroked her back with his palm to comfort her.

Xu Qingya looked up, fatigue in her eyes. "Chen Weiyang is blocking me with the lead singles for the new album, asking me to accompany him to Sanya for inspiration gathering. I refused. If this album can't be released, Tianyu Entertainment might directly cut off all my resources for the second half of the year and push Lin Shishi to the top."

This was the operational logic of capital. If you couldn't create value, or if you were disobedient, there would always be someone to replace you.

"Just because of two songs?" Jiang Fan's tone was filled with mockery.

Xu Qingya gave a bitter smile: "In the Chinese music scene, one good song can feed you for a lifetime. Although Chen Weiyang is scum, he can indeed write things that the market will pay for."

Jiang Fan turned around and pressed her against the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window. The coldness of the glass and the scorching heat of Jiang Fan's chest formed a strong contrast, causing Xu Qingya's breath to hitch.

"What kind of thing is Chen Weiyang, to be worthy of choking your neck?" Jiang Fan lowered his head, his lips against her ear, his voice low but carrying an unquestionable arrogance, "Missing lead singles, right? No need to beg others."

Xu Qingya looked up sharply, looking at his eyes that were right in front of her. Jiang Fan's fingers lifted her chin, his gaze slowly pressing down. "Your new album, I'll take it."