Singer

Translator: Lynn

It was past four o’clock in the afternoon, and the September weather remained scorching hot. Jian Jie rode his bicycle down the tree-lined street towards Long Zichen’s company. Li Xiaoqi had some prior commitments and would join them later in the day.

After approximately ten minutes of cycling, they arrived at No. 14 Chunfeng Road, the location of the former soap factory. Although the factory had shut down in the 1990s and the buildings had been repurposed, people still referred to it as the soap factory. Long Zichen’s newly established music company had rented this place as its base.

Before reaching the entrance gate, Jian Jie spotted Long Zichen squatting on the steps, completely unassuming. He was dressed in a T-shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap, with cream, smudged all over his face from the ice cream cone he held in his hand. It was quite unusual for Jian Jie to encounter such a disheveled adult, and he found it rather unbelievable.

Upon seeing Jian Jie approaching on his bicycle, Long Zichen excitedly stood up, waved his hands, and shouted, “Xiaojie, over here!” Despite the short distance between them, his enthusiasm resembled that of someone welcoming another person at the airport.

Jian Jie rode up to him, stopped his bicycle, and shyly smiled at Long Zichen, saying, “Mr. Long, you really didn’t have to trouble yourself to come and pick me up.”

“I couldn’t resist, and I was bored inside anyway, so I thought I might as well come and pick you up,” Long Zichen replied with a bright smile. “I figured you might be too shy to ask someone for a ride. Come on, come inside. It’s hot out here, and I’ll show you around.”

Jian Jie pushed his bicycle alongside Long Zichen as they entered the premises. Inside the courtyard, Long Zichen kindly helped Jian Jie park the bicycle in the shed. He then pointed around and introduced, “The three-story building in front is the office area. It’s decent after some simple renovations. Behind it, we have two two-story buildings, which serve as dormitories for our artists and employees. Do you see those bungalows being renovated in the north? Once they’re ready, they’ll be the training facilities for our artists—classrooms, vocal music, and dance. They’re not fully furnished yet, but they should be ready to use in two weeks.” Long Zichen grinned proudly and added, “Well, even though our company is small, we have all the necessary facilities. Everything we need!”

Jian Jie followed Long Zichen’s guidance and looked around. The buildings didn’t stand out much, with old brick structures and peeling exterior paint, appearing rather worn-out. Fortunately, Jian Jie wasn’t particular about appearances, so he simply nodded, thinking that the facilities inside would suffice.

Long Zichen’s enthusiasm continued as he said, “Come on, let’s head upstairs where the air conditioner is, and I’ll introduce you to the people in our company.” The two walked towards the office building, and Long Zichen continued his introductions, “Our company’s boss, the big money guy, is named Yuan Chao. We’ve been childhood friends. He has a good temperament, and you can call him ‘Brother Chao’ to make him happy when you meet him. As for the second person in the company, that’s me. I’m the music director. In the future, you’ll be hearing a lot from me about music. Remember, Chaozi is okay, but he tends to be a bit clueless about music. Don’t listen to his opinions on music…” Long Zichen chattered away, conveying the idea that their company was the best, with Long Zichen as the core, and everyone else in the company wholeheartedly implementing his directives and policies.

Jian Jie listened attentively, observing Long Zichen’s animated smile and finding him truly fascinating.

As they entered the first-floor lobby, a young man with long hair approached them, wearing a black leather jacket and skinny jeans. He appeared to be around 27 or 28 years old. He glanced at Jian Jie and cheerfully exclaimed to Long Zichen, “Hey, Dachen, is this the talented newbie you were talking about? Gotta admit he looks pretty reliable. How’s his singing?”

“Hey, please be more tactful. I’m a sensitive kid, and scaring people away will cost you!” Long Zichen disliked the approach and swiftly pulled away the long-haired young man’s hand from Jian Jie’s shoulder. Then, he pointed at him and introduced Jian Jie, “This rascal here is our boss and benefactor that I mentioned earlier. Chaozi, meet Xiaojie. His singing skills are beyond words. I’ll show you later, so don’t intimidate him.”

“Hello, Mr. Yuan,” Jian Jie politely greeted, but Yuan Chao found it amusing and burst into laughter.

“My goodness, my brother here is something. Besides hotels and KTVs, nobody calls me ‘Mr.’!” Yuan Chao exclaimed happily, winking at Jian Jie. “Keep up the good work, and it’s not bad to be called ‘boss’ too. I’ve always wanted to experience that feeling.”

Jian Jie, still adjusting to the company of such lively individuals, felt a bit lost. He looked at Long Zichen, seeking help with his innocent eyes. Long Zichen, being a person of strong principles, felt compelled to scold Yuan Chao indignantly, “Stop bullying the kid! Hurry up and gather those guys to welcome our guests and prepare the contract while you’re at it. Xiaojie came here on my invitation, so don’t drive him away.”

“Haha, look at you, guarding him like a mother hen protecting her chicks,” Yuan Chao laughed. “This is the first time I’ve seen you care so much about singers. I truly believe in Xiaojie’s talent. I’ll head upstairs and prepare. You and Dachen can take your time and feel at ease.”

Yuan Chao waved his hand, smiled, and turned to go upstairs. Long Zichen felt a little embarrassed and apologized to Jian Jie, saying, “I hope that didn’t scare you. It’s just our way of getting close physically. All my friends are like this. But don’t worry, when it comes to serious business, you’ll find us quite reliable, and won’t let you down.”

Jian Jie replied with a smile, “I wasn’t scared. Mr. Long and your friends have a great sense of humor. I believe working with you will be a lot of fun.”

“That’s right, this kid has good taste,” Long Zichen laughed heartily. “Let’s continue talking while we walk. Allow me to give you a brief introduction to our company.”

As they ascended to the third floor, Long Zichen provided Jian Jie with some details about Xinghuo Music Company, including its size, positioning, and main business scope.

In the current landscape, the recording industry has been greatly affected by internet downloads, resulting in a sluggish market. Some even pessimistically believe that traditional records are dead. Unless an artist is exceptionally popular, most albums can only be sold at a loss. In the past, selling 500,000 albums could secure a spot on the charts, but now, selling 50,000 albums is considered a success. However, albums themselves don’t generate much profit. The real money comes from fame, which leads to commercial performances, endorsements, concerts, and tours. These avenues are the true revenue drivers.

Although Long Zichen’s company is just starting out, it has already signed over a dozen artists, two dance performance groups, and more than 20 trainees. Among these individuals, only those who excel will have the opportunity to release an album. Even having a memorable single can lead to numerous commercial performances and other opportunities. Some artists may also explore avenues in hosting, acting, comedy, and more. Long Zichen’s company aims to ensure profitability through the performances of these artists, along with the internet and mobile phone CRBT business. However, their ultimate goal is to discover one or two queen-level singers who can make a name for themselves.

Jian Jie is precisely the kind of singer Long Zichen believes can be the backbone of the company. With his exceptional voice, striking appearance, and a little bit of grooming, he is sure to shine. Long Zichen firmly believed in his own vision.

Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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