First EP

Lu Yan had played the violin for a while, so there was no problem with reading the staff.

As a child, Lu Yan was actually quite talented in music. He could sing a pop song after listening to it once, and he could sing almost the same. The music teacher liked him very much, saying that he had long, slender fingers and would be a good piano player. But learning the piano was too expensive. At that time, their mother and son could barely make ends meet by relying on their mother’s work alone, and there was no extra money to send him to study art.

The music teacher thought it was a pity, so he gave him an old violin and introduced him to an old musician. The old musician used to play the violin in the National Theater when he was young. Seeing that Lu Yan was talented and humble, he made an exception to accept him. He didn’t charge him any money. He only asked him to help with the housework every weekend.

Lu Yan followed the old musician to learn the violin for three years. It was not until the old musician died of illness that their mentoring and apprenticeship came to an end.

Lu Yan looked at the score in his hand seriously and hummed softly in his heart.

In order not to disturb him, the three went to the other corner and talked in low voices.

After more than half an hour, Lu Yan raised his head from the score and walked towards the three people over there.

Lin Mu first reacted, thinking that there was something that Lu Yan didn’t understand, but he thought that it would not work. Nowadays, young people who were not music majors basically couldn’t read staff, especially those actors who wanted to sing across borders, he had been repeatedly asked to change the staff to a simple notation, so he hated taking on this kind of work, it was a blasphemy to music. This time there was no way, because he owed Qin Feng a favor, and he couldn’t refuse the conditions he gave, so he clearly said, “Is it something you don’t understand?”

Lu Yan shook his head and smiled, “I’m ready. How do the two teachers want me to sing?”

“So fast?!” Lin Mu didn’t believe it at all, “You really understand, are you ready?”

Although Bai Xi still didn’t speak, his eyes were suspicious, only Qin Feng was full of confidence in him.

Lu Yan still smiled and nodded, and said again, “How do the two teachers want me to sing?”

Bai Xi spoke first before Lin Mu, “Then let’s sing a cappella first, just sing the chorus part.”

Lin Mu grabbed the words he was about to say and nodded in agreement.

Lu Yan had no objection, cleared his throat, and began to sing.

Bai Xi’s request was a bit embarrassing. Originally, it was not easy for ordinary people to sing a cappella well. In addition, this was a new song, and it was sung directly from the chorus, which lacked a process of brewing emotions, and this song was precisely a love song that needed more emotion. Fortunately, Lu Yan was not an ordinary person. As an excellent actor, the brewing of emotions was not a big problem for him, and the grasp of emotions was even more in place.

Lu Yan’s magnetic clear voice sounded in the silent recording studio. A simple love song made him sing in a low-pitched and tactful way. Everyone who listened to it seemed to have a feeling of being deeply loved.

As soon as Lu Yan finished singing, he was pushed into the recording studio by the shocked Lin Mu, “You go inside and sing again, and sing from the beginning, and I will accompany you.”

When Lu Yan came out of the recording studio, he had already been asked to sing several times, and Lin Mu yelled at him as soon as he saw him coming out, “Hey, Lu Yan, have you considered becoming a singer directly? Now, with such a good tone and sense of music, it would be a waste not to concentrate on music.”

Before Lu Yan could speak, Qin Feng said with a smile, “If Lu Yan really turns into a singer, the directors will cry. So, Mu zi, just do it, don’t make it hard for him.”

In fact, Lin Mu was just joking. He also knew that it was impossible for Lu Yan to become a singer, but in the future, it would be great to find more opportunities to record a few songs, “But you need to practice your vocal skills. Qin Feng, it seems that you have to sign him up for a vocal class and learn the basics, it will be beneficial in the future.”

“OK, this is definitely up to you.” Qin Feng said cheerfully.

Lin Mu asked Lu Yan for the previous sheet music and said, “After listening to you just now, I have some new ideas, so I have to go back and revise this song a little bit. Come back in three days, let’s record it again.”

Lu Yan nodded, “Okay, thank you Mr. Mu zi.”

Lin Mu turned to Qin Feng again and asked, “you said before that this time you are going to record three songs to get an EP. Are the other two songs available?”

Qin Feng originally wanted to nod his head and say that he had already hired the company’s creative team to write it, but suddenly realized what Lin Mu might mean by asking such a question, he quickly shook his head, and jokingly said, “Not yet, it’s hard to find someone to write a good song, or, Mu zi, do you want to wrap it up?”

Lin Mu nodded lightly, “Actually, it’s not impossible.”

Qin Feng felt ecstatic in his heart, and quickly hit the snake with the stick, “As long as you agree, the original conditions will be tripled.”

Lin Mu said immediately, “Then it’s settled, you can’t be rude. You give me five days and I’ll give you three songs together.”

Qin Feng said happily, “It’s a deal.” He turned to look at Bai Xi and smiled, “So, what about Master Xi?”

Bai Xi looked at Lin Mu who sold himself speechlessly, then looked at Qin Feng and Lu Yan, and finally said, “When the song is finished, bring it to me first.”

“OK.” Qin Feng’s smile brightened.

On the way back, Qin Feng smiled very happily, “It’s really cool to hit three songs by those two guys at once. Your EP will definitely be a blockbuster.”

Lu Yan was also very happy. Of course, he knew what it meant that all the songs on an EP were written by Lin Mu and Bai Xi. “It’s all thanks to Brother Feng.”

“That’s really not true,” Qin Feng said with a smile, “it was really not easy to get them to agree to write a song for you at first, I almost used up all my favors to let them come. I didn’t expect that as soon as you started singing today, all was done. If I had known, I would have brought you to sing in front of them sooner rather than later. So, Lu Yan, it is still up to you.”

Lu Yan probably understood why Lin Mu and Bai Xi’s attitudes had changed so much. Most of the artists who were engaged in art had a bit of a bole complex¹, just like the old musician who taught him the violin for free. However, Lu Yan still said modestly, “Then I have to have enough face for Brother Feng.”

“By the way, I’m a little curious, what are the conditions Brother Feng promised Mr. Mu zi?”

Qin Feng laughed, “This, that guy, like a child, likes to collect One Piece figurines, but it’s a pity that he entered the circle relatively late, and there are a few early figurines that he hasn’t collected, but it happens that I have a nephew that has them. Yes, I told him that if he writes a song for you, I will help him get one.”

Unexpectedly, Lin Mu, who looked serious from the outside, had such a childish side, and Lu Yan couldn’t help but smile, “So, won’t that nephew have any opinions?”

“That kid, just buy him an Apple laptop and I’ll deal with it” Qin Feng said with a smile.

“Brother Feng, thank you so much.” Lu Yan said sincerely.

Qin Feng said, “I said, we are on the same boat. If you really want to repay me, then try to make yourself more popular.”

“Definitely!” Lu Yan said firmly with a smile.

After the song was recorded, Lu Yan would have nothing to do with the post-production, until the official announcement was made.

At the end of the day’s announcement, Lu Yan put on his sunglasses and walked to the gate of the building to wait for Song Hui to drive over.

A black Lexus pulled up silently beside him, the windows down, revealing a face that had popped into his mind from time to time lately.

Su Mo looked up at him from the car window, his voice was as low as ever, “Mr. Lu, please get in the car.”

Lu Yan didn’t hesitate, opened the car door and sat up, and sent Song Hui a text message, asking him to go back first.

After the car drove out for a while, neither of them spoke.

When he stopped to wait for the red light, Su Mo couldn’t help but said, “Mr. Lu doesn’t ask, where are we going?”

Lu Yan chuckled lightly, “I don’t worry that director Su will sell me somewhere”

When Su Mo heard the words, the corners of his mouth also raised, “Of course.” Then he said in a low voice, “How can I be willing.” If Lu Yan hadn’t always been smart, he would have missed it.

Lu Yan was a little embarrassed. Hearing Su Mo say such, uh, flirtatious remarks, he always felt a little weird.

Su Mo caught a glimpse of his slightly distorted expression from the corner of his eyes, and asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”

Lu Yan glanced at him, lowered his head and thought for a while, “I think… it’s a bit inconsistent.”

Such a smart person, Su Mo, after a second thought, understood what he meant, and couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed, “Well, I actually feel the same way.”

Lu Yan wanted to say something to relieve himself, and when he adjusted his posture, he felt that something was swept by his feet. He reached out and picked it up.

Lu Yan raised his eyebrows and asked, “What is this?”

Su Mo’s eyes panicked, but he quickly calmed down again, “Probably left by Lu Yu.”

Lu Yu was Su Mo’s special assistant, Lu Yan still remembered him, but he obviously didn’t believe such an obvious excuse, and continued to look at Su Mo with a half-smile.

Apparently, Su Mo was not used to lying, and speaking frankly was more in line with his usual style, “It was actually given to me by Daisy. She said that if you want to pursue someone, you must first learn to speak sweet words.”

Lu Yan thought it was a little funny. He imagined the scene where Su Mo asked a beautiful female secretary for advice in pursuit experience. He also felt a little cute, “So does Director Su find it useful?”

Su Mo turned to look at him and smiled calmly, “Obviously, you and I don’t think so. I think it’s better for me to return the book to Daisy.”

Just as he was talking, the green light came on, the car started again, and the atmosphere was no longer dull.

While driving, Su Mo said, “There’s still about half an hour, do you want to listen to some music first?”

Lu Yan said it was okay, and Su Mo reached out and opened the car CD.

A piece of soothing music poured out, but Lu Yan felt a little familiar listening to the prelude. After the singer opened his mouth, he suddenly realized.

Notes

1. Bole is a character known for his good research on horses, its name is used on the idiom “Bole knows horses” meaning to be good at discovering, identifying and appointing talents, so bole complex means having a soft spot for talents. ↩︎