Chapter 5: CH 5

Translator: Lynn

“Hey, buddy, who does he think he is?” Shui Xiaoren felt indignant upon hearing someone’s arrogance and mockingly glanced at the young man.

The young man appeared to be in his twenties, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, exuding an elite aura. He grinned and said to Shui Xiaoren, “I met your friend. I’m a music producer. I gave your friend my business card, hoping to collaborate with him, but he never contacted me. It seems like fate has brought us together again today.”

Jian Jie finally recognized him and exclaimed, “You’re Mr. Long from that day? I apologize for not recognizing you due to your changed appearance.”

“No worries,” Long Zichen chuckled. “I decided to dress more professionally today. After all, we’re here to discuss business. I didn’t expect to hear you sing live here. If the business doesn’t work out, at least I won’t be losing out.”

“I appreciate your interest, but I’m sorry, I can’t chat with you right now,” Jian Jie awkwardly explained. “I still have work to do.”

“That’s alright. What time will you be done?” Long Zichen asked.

“It’ll be around eight o’clock.”

With a nonchalant smile, Long Zichen replied, “Then let’s continue our conversation later. Don’t leave early. By the way, I don’t know your name yet.”

“My name is Jian Jie, Jian (简) from simple, and Jie (杰) from outstanding man,” Jian Jie introduced.

“Okay, see you later.” After saying that, Long Zichen smiled at Shui Xiaoren again and headed towards the bar’s private room.

“Is he a talent scout? Why does he act so high and mighty?” Shui Xiaoren scoffed.

“Perhaps. I can’t talk to you anymore,” Jian Jie said, thinking about Long Zichen’s peculiar behavior. He felt that the man had a genuine passion for music, but his temperament was indeed odd. Jian Jie quickly pushed those thoughts aside, plucked the strings, and resumed singing.

After over an hour of discussion, they finally reached an agreement on the collaboration plan. Long Zichen escorted them out of the bar, and as they parted ways, he checked his phone. It was already 7:50. Long Zichen returned to the bar and found a corner seat, where he could observe the stage. Jian Jie was still there, singing a gentle love song. The bright lights illuminated him, creating an ethereal beauty.

The more Long Zichen looked at Jian Jie’s appearance and listened to his singing, the more satisfied he became. He thought to himself, this young man would be wasting his talent if he didn’t pursue a career in singing! Ever since the first time Long Zichen saw Jian Jie practicing singing in the park, he had this idea. Now, witnessing Jian Jie play and sing with such skill and control, his fingers gliding smoothly over the strings, and his natural and powerful stage presence, Long Zichen even had the urge to snatch him up. With such exceptional talent, he was confident he could groom Jian Jie into a top-tier singer.

As a budding music producer, Long Zichen had only worked with a few lesser-known singers and orchestras before. He had yet to encounter a singer who truly amazed him. However, this time, he felt like he had stumbled upon a real gem.

At eight o’clock, a band took over the stage from Jian Jie. Observing the lead singer’s appearance and listening to their lackluster performance, Long Zichen inwardly cursed, “It’s painful to the eyes,” and quickly rose to catch up to Jian Jie.

Jian Jie and Shui Xiaoren walked back to the lounge together. Jian Jie carefully placed his guitar inside a case. Since the second week, he had been bringing his own guitar to the lounge. He owned several guitars at home, which he used freely and comfortably. He packed his backpack again, preparing to leave. Shui Xiaoren asked him, “Jiejie, what will you say to that persistent scout?”

Jian Jie pondered for a moment and replied, “I’ve considered becoming a singer, but both my brother and Xiao Qi want me to finish college first, so it’s currently not possible. I’ll explain it to Mr. Long later.”

“Singing won’t hinder your studies,” Long Zichen interjected, leaning against the lounge door with a smile. He continued persuading Jian Jie, “I want to train you to become a powerful singer, not the kind of idol artist who earns a lot of money in a year or two and then fades away. I won’t rush you to release an album right away. You can continue studying and receiving training for the next two years, and we’ll release the album when you’re fully prepared. If we do it, we’ll make a big splash.”

Despite Long Zichen’s continued arrogance, Shui Xiaoren couldn’t help but ask, “Which company do you belong to? Your words sound good, but can you guarantee that you’ll deliver on them?”

“You’re quite cautious,” Long Zichen replied with a smile. He took out a business card and handed it to Shui Xiaoren.

Unlike the personal business card Long Zichen gave Jian Jie last time, this one had impressive titles printed on it. Shui Xiaoren noticed that Long Zichen’s position was listed as “Music Director of Xinghuo Music Culture Development Co., Ltd.” and remarked, “I’ve never heard of ‘Xinghuo Music.’ It’s not as well-known as Haichuan, Xingyi, or Leiting, which have produced many singers. If you want to become a singer, wouldn’t it be better to join a major company?” Haichuan, Baiyi, and Thunder were the three major record companies in Huaguo.

Long Zichen cleared his throat and explained, “Big companies have the advantage of abundant resources, but small companies have their own benefits. Can Xiaojie work as hard as I do if he joins those big companies? Most likely, he’ll just become a stepping stone for other singers. But if he comes to our company, it’s different. I’ll ensure that Xiaojie receives the best treatment.”

Long Zichen’s use of “Xiaojie” made Shui Xiaoren feel uneasy, but he held back his discomfort. Seeing the musician’s sincere invitation, Jian Jie felt hesitant to decline again. He said, “Thank you for taking me seriously. Your proposal sounds good. Let’s arrange a visit to your company and see how it goes.”

“Okay, that’s settled,” Long Zichen happily responded with a grin. “I’m busy on weekends, so you can come whenever you’re free. Just give me a call before you come. Do you have my phone number?”

“Yes, I have your business card. I’ll call you after discussing it with my family,” Jian Jie confirmed.

Long Zichen was pleased and affectionately said to Jian Jie, “Deal. If I don’t hear from you guys, I’ll wait here.” After exchanging a few more words, Long Zichen noticed that Jian Jie had finished packing his belongings and suggested, “You two are heading home now, right? We’re on the way. I’ll give you a ride.”

“There’s no need to trouble you, Mr. Long,” Jian Jie quickly declined, but Long Zichen was in a good mood after such a positive encounter and insisted. Jian Jie and Shui Xiaoren reluctantly accepted the offer and hopped into the car.

The next day, Jian Jie discussed the matter with his brother over the phone. Jian Bin strongly disagreed and expressed his concerns, “You don’t know that person. What if he’s a fraud? Besides, if you want to pursue this path, you should join a major record company. His company is small, what kind of future can it offer?”

“I think Mr. Long is sincere,” Jian Jie responded, feeling a bit dejected without his brother’s support. “Brother, I don’t aspire to much fame. Wouldn’t it be more liberating in a small company? Brother, I just want to take a look. Please?”

Jian Jie always sought Jian Bin’s opinion before making decisions, which made Jian Bin appreciate his younger brother even more. Unable to resist his younger brother’s earnest plea, Jian Bin softened his tone and said, “If you want to check it out, then go. But you can’t go alone. I’ll ask Xiao Qi to accompany you and assess the situation. If you seriously consider signing a contract with them, you need to get Xiao Qi’s approval first.”

“Thank you, brother,” Jian Jie’s tone lightened.

After hanging up the phone, Jian Bin couldn’t help but feel distressed. Why did Jian Jie want to become a star? Wouldn’t it be better for him to excel in college and pursue a career as an architect after graduation? However, Jian Bin couldn’t bear to see his younger brother’s aspirations crushed, so he resigned himself to fate and thought, “Which child doesn’t have dreams? If Jian Jie wants to sing, let him sing. After all, it’s not something he’ll do for a lifetime.”

At that moment, Jian Bin failed to grasp the depth of his younger brother’s determination. On the other hand, Jian Jie was filled with indescribable joy upon receiving his brother’s support.

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

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