Chapter 55

At the rehearsal room of Huage Records, after a few days of practice, the Wuxing Wusu group had basically mastered the new song they had just received. The accompaniment was also ready, so they recorded a rough demo in the morning. After lunch, everyone rested for a while, and just after 1:30 PM, they all came to the rehearsal room, chatting idly while waiting for the dance instructor they had scheduled.

So far, their new album had six songs, and the process for each song was the same: they would get the song, practice it, the arrangement and accompaniment would be completed, then they would record a demo, and then practice the dance... This particular song, it was said, was especially important, as it was likely to become the first lead single of the album.

This meant that even if the MV disc released with the CD only had two songs, this one would definitely be one of them.

For this, the company had put in a lot of effort, reportedly inviting a dance instructor from another company to help choreograph the dance. The lead instructor, who was coming over this afternoon, was quite renowned.

She was said to be a famous belly dancer in the country, and had even won second place in an international pole dancing competition... There was no doubt that the choreography for this song would be incredibly sexy!

In the rehearsal room, the girls were wearing tank tops and shorts, sitting around the rest area chatting casually, except for Wang Jingsnow, who sat quietly at the edge, lost in thought.

Suddenly, she heard someone call her name. She came to and looked up, hearing her best friend, Sun Ruoxuan, ask, "Xiaoxue, you've heard Liao Liao's album, right? Which song do you like the most?"

Even the most proud member of the group, Sima Dodo, had to admit that among them, Wang Jingsnow had the best voice and singing skills. So when Sun Ruoxuan asked this, the others also looked over curiously.

Wang Jingsnow nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "The whole album is great, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be 'Wildflower.' I like the indescribable strength in the lyrics."

Zhou Pingping immediately chimed in, "Same here, I also like 'Wildflower' the most, and I love the lyrics of 'Wildflower'! Oh, right, didn't Wu Sister mention this morning that the lyricist and composer of the five songs by Liao Liao that made the playlist... right, Li Qian, is still a high school student? And he's in his second year of high school? Do you think that's true?"

If there was one album that was currently the hottest in the pop music scene, it was "Liao Liao." As a rising star in the music industry, all sorts of gossip about Liao Liao were endless, especially the fact that the lyricist and composer of her five chart-topping songs was not only the same person but also a high school student.

At this point, Zhou Pingping earnestly spread the gossip she had heard, saying, "It's said that the news came from Changsheng Records itself, so it can't be fake! I heard that Liao Liao initially spent 400,000 yuan to buy those five songs, and when she returned to the company, everyone thought she had been scammed by a high school student. The CEO of the record company even insisted that Liao Liao get the money back! But Liao Liao insisted, and the CEO finally reluctantly agreed. And when the album was first released, Changsheng Records only prepared 200,000 copies, thinking that the album would be lucky to break even. No one expected her to become so famous so quickly..."

Who in the music industry doesn't dream of becoming a big star? Especially for newcomers and those just about to debut, who hasn't dreamed of becoming an overnight sensation?

Now, there was someone who had achieved this myth of overnight fame right in front of them. How could the girls of Wuxing Wusu, who had only been in the entertainment industry for one or two years, not be moved, not be envious, not be admiring?

So, whenever Liao Liao was mentioned these days, everyone's desire to chat would instantly intensify.

At this point, Sima Dodo couldn't help but say, "We have to admit, when someone is lucky, they really can encounter all sorts of good things. You know, Liao Liao just went to Jinan, spent 400,000 yuan, and came back with five songs that made the top ten on the playlist. Isn't that luck?"

Wang Jingsnow actually wanted to say, "Liao Liao's singing skills are also crucial. No matter how good the songs are, they need her voice to be perfect!" But she knew that saying this wouldn't be well-received, so she held back.

The other girls, however, nodded in agreement.

Luck? Yes, there was definitely some luck involved!

Everyone thought that if Liao Liao hadn't gone to Jinan, or if she had missed Li Qian, or if she had met him but hadn't heard him sing... In short, even the slightest mistake would have made her album just another ordinary debut album.

It was because Liao Liao's luck had brought her to Li Qian, and she had boldly spent 400,000 yuan to buy his songs, that she became the Liao Liao of today!

So, she became a big star, and her success was unparalleled!

Seemingly thinking the same thing, the girls sighed almost simultaneously.

Then, the most beautiful of the five, Xie Bing, couldn't help but say, "Imagine if Li Qian could write a few songs for us! Who knows, maybe our album would also make us famous!"

As she spoke, she propped her chin in her hand, her eyes half-closed, lost in a beautiful dream, making Sun Ruoxuan laugh, "Oh, oh, our little Bingbing is getting excited... Look, look! Hahaha, Bingbing, why don't you seduce him and get us a song?"

"Hey... go to hell! I won't... but, a high school student, I bet he's really handsome! Okay, Xiao Xuan, you find out his address and tell me, and I'll try to seduce him!"

"Hahaha, looks like she's really getting excited..."

"Not just excited, but also infatuated..."

"Hey, Miss Xie Bing, can you please be a bit more reserved? Even if you want to seduce him, don't say it so openly, okay?"

As the sisters were laughing and joking, their agent, Sister Wu, pushed the door open. Seeing everyone so happy, she couldn't help but ask, "What's going on? What's so funny?" Hearing everyone's chatter about Xie Bing's excitement and infatuation, Sister Wu also couldn't help but laugh, "Okay, girls, stop dreaming! The company has already contacted Changsheng Records. Li Qian is indeed still in high school and has no plans to debut. He even refused to share his contact information, so... get up and warm up, your dance instructor is about to arrive!"

The girls lazily got up, stretching their legs and rubbing their ankles. Soon, the producer, Li Baolong, pushed the door open, followed by a pretty girl in her twenties.

Seeing them enter, Sister Wu clapped her hands, and the five girls immediately lined up.

Li Baolong introduced them, "You've already recorded a demo of the new song, so next is the dance for this song. The company has put a lot of effort into this, inviting many experts in the industry. So, everyone, please follow the dance instructor seriously. The success of this album largely depends on this song! Okay, let me introduce you to the choreographer and your dance instructor, Weny, Wu Xiuqiong! Everyone, welcome her!"

The five girls clapped, and Weny smiled and nodded at them.

Then, Li Baolong introduced each of the five girls to Wu Xiuqiong, the dance instructor, and then said seriously, "You may have heard that Weny is a master of belly dance and pole dance in our country. So, please learn well, okay? Weny, can you show us a demonstration? You know, I also want to enjoy your dance!"

Weny, who was not a very talkative person, simply nodded and said, "Sure."

Following a nod from the album producer, Li Baolong, Sun Ruoxuan quickly went to turn on the CD and the speakers. Soon, a dynamic electronic sound filled the room.

By this time, Wu Xiuqiong had taken off her shirt, wearing only a tank top and shorts, and began to dance to the music.

As one of the three major giants in the industry, Huage Records had no shortage of talented arrangers among its roster and collaborators. The electronic dance track was incredibly dynamic, and with Wu Xiuqiong's expertise in both belly dance and pole dance, her impressive figure and sexy dance moves instantly caught the attention of everyone in the rehearsal room.

But then...

The faces of the Wuxing Wusu girls showed a hint of awkwardness.

Because several of the moves in the dance routine that Wu Xiuqiong demonstrated were... extremely provocative!

Her fingers moved back and forth between her legs...

While giving a seductive look, she reached out to rub her chest in rhythm with the music...

And she also had to continuously rub her buttocks...

Compared to this dance routine, the girls suddenly felt that the dance routines they had previously considered very sexy and alluring were actually quite conservative!

This was blatant sexual provocation!

If combined with the lyrics of the song...

Although everyone knew from the day they joined the company that the group's image was to be sexy, there were different levels of sexiness. The dance routines for the previous album were designed to showcase the girls' sexy figures, but the level of sexiness was not offensive. This time, however...

The three-minute song ended quickly, and Wu Xiuqiong stopped dancing. The album producer, Li Baolong, clapped and praised her, and Sister Wu also clapped along.

But the girls looked at each other, hesitating even to clap.

Wang Jingsnow's face was expressionless, but her eyes held a hint of anger.

Xie Bing, Zhou Pingping, and Sun Ruoxuan all wore worried expressions, but they were hesitant to show it.

Even Sima Dodo, the most daring and open of the five, looked a bit uncomfortable.

Considering the conservative aesthetic tastes of most people in the country, if this dance routine became popular, they might be labeled as vulgar or accused of being indecent.

But it was clear from Li Baolong's expression that he was satisfied with the dance routine.

After admiring Wu Xiuqiong's dance, he turned to the Wuxing Wusu girls and urged them to learn well, then left.

The five girls looked at Sister Wu for help.

Sister Wu was hesitating whether to follow him and say something, but Wang Jingsnow had already stepped out and coldly followed him out the door.

Wu Xiuqiong had already noticed the unusual atmosphere in the rehearsal room, but since she was just there to teach the dance for the money, she pretended not to notice. So, when Sister Wu gave her an apologetic smile, she simply smiled back, indifferent, and said, "I had a bit of a salty lunch, I'm a bit thirsty. I'll go get a drink of water, everyone can rest for a bit, and we'll start practicing again later!"

The girls in the rehearsal room thanked her repeatedly.

As Wu Xiuqiong went to the rest area to get a drink, the girls gathered by the door, but they didn't dare to follow her out. A moment later, they heard the sound of an argument outside. They couldn't resist their curiosity and peeked out through the door.

...

In the hallway, Wang Jingsnow quickly caught up with the producer, Li Baolong, and said, "Teacher Baolong, isn't the choreography for this song too provocative?"

Li Baolong stopped, smiled helplessly, and spread his hands, "This is the company's arrangement! You know, your last album didn't sell well, so the company thinks that instead of continuing to produce slow songs for you, it's better to create more fast songs and electronic dance tracks, and pair them with sexy dances... This way, your commercial performances will definitely increase! The company is considering your future, right?"

Wang Jingsnow's face remained expressionless, and she said coldly, "But I don't want to be labeled as vulgar! I don't want to be accused of being indecent! The lyrics of the song are one thing, but I disagree with this choreography!"

Li Baolong's face darkened immediately.

In smaller and medium-sized record companies, artists' wishes might be respected more, as they often take a more personalized approach to producing albums. When an artist's wishes conflict with the producer's ideas, the final result might not always follow the producer's plan. However, in a large company like Huage Records, the company's absolute authority over the artists means that the producer's authority is not to be challenged, especially when the artists are just ordinary girls with no promising future!

Li Baolong gave Wang Jingsnow a cold look and said, "It seems you have a lot of complaints about the company's arrangements and my work!"

Wang Jingsnow met his gaze coldly, unyielding, "The company wants us to be sexy, and that's fine, but being sexy doesn't mean turning us into vulgar dancers! Both pole dance and belly dance can be sexy and beautiful without being offensive. Why does the choreography have to include those sexually provocative moves?"

Li Baolong narrowed his eyes, his voice growing louder, "Wang Jingsnow, are you criticizing me?"

Wang Jingsnow took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, and slowly lowered her head, "I didn't mean to, I just disagree with this choreography!"

Her attitude seemed to soften, but Li Baolong's anger did not diminish. He laughed coldly and said, "Vulgar? Indecent? Do you know how much money the company has invested in you? How have you repaid the company? Do you know how many copies your last album sold?"

"Let me tell you, Wang Jingsnow, I, as the producer, am executing the company's development plan for you! And let me also tell you, to gather songs for this album, I've run myself ragged and smiled until my face ached! You think the songs are bad? You don't like them? You think they're vulgar? You don't want to be labeled as vulgar? Fine, then go out and gather your own songs! Fang Ling, Mianmian, Roadside, Niu Wulang, Cao Zhan... any of them can write songs that will make you famous without needing to dance vulgarly, so go and invite them to write for you! I, Li Baolong, will go to the company and speak on your behalf if you can get songs from them!"

Wang Jingsnow fell silent.

The other girls, who had been listening from the door, also lowered their heads.

Yes, their last album had sold poorly and received bad reviews. Apart from their sexy dances, they seemed to have no other strengths. So, the company had a hard time gathering songs for the new album and had to push the sexy angle even further...

Artists like Fang Ling, Mianmian, and Cao Zhan, even if a major company like Huage Records invited them, would definitely not agree to give their best songs to girls who "can't sing and only have legs worth looking at"...

Indeed, after their first album was released, a music critic had said, "I really don't see the point of this group releasing an album. Apart from not being off-key, these five girls who can't sing seem to only have their legs worth looking at!"

Thinking about this, everyone felt their future was very bleak...

At this point, seeing the argument getting out of hand and people from other rehearsal rooms gathering at the door, the agent, Sister Wu, had to step out and pull Wang Jingsnow aside, whispering, "Xiaoxue, don't be silly, quickly apologize to Teacher Li! He has put so much effort into your album, you should know that, right? Quickly..."

Hearing Sister Wu, Li Baolong's expression softened slightly, but he still stared at Wang Jingsnow coldly, waiting for her to apologize—many people had already heard, and it would spread throughout the company in half an hour. If Wang Jingsnow didn't apologize publicly, how could he, the producer, continue to work?

But at this moment, Wang Jingsnow just lowered her head, saying nothing.

Sister Wu pushed her gently to remind her, but Wang Jingsnow remained motionless.

This made Li Baolong's face even darker!

He had known Wang Jingsnow was a troublemaker, but he didn't expect her to be so stubborn! Perhaps, when her contract expired, he should suggest the company terminate it and sign a new girl to replace her?

Taking a deep breath, he tried to suppress his anger, but his voice still trembled with fury, "No need! Apologize? I can't let Miss Wang Jingsnow, who is destined to be a big star, apologize to a small producer like me!"

Full of sarcasm and ridicule!

But at this moment, Wang Jingsnow looked up at him, her face showing no anger. Her usually expressionless face even showed a hint of hesitation and struggle.

Then, she suddenly said, "If... if I can find someone to write songs for us... would Li Qian be okay?"

Li Baolong, who was waiting for her to apologize, only heard the first few words and knew she was going to stand her ground. He laughed coldly, "Li Qian? Ha..." But his laughter was cut short as he suddenly realized something, his eyes widening, "Which Li Qian are you talking about?"

A few weeks ago, no one in the music industry had heard of Li Qian, but now, his name was the hottest in the entire industry!

At this point, Wang Jingsnow, who had relaxed, answered calmly, "The Li Qian who wrote songs for Liao Liao!"

Li Baolong stared at Wang Jingsnow in shock, unable to react for a moment. Then, he blinked and continued to stare at her, asking, "You mean the Li Qian who wrote 'Persistence' and 'Wildflower'?"

Wang Jingsnow nodded calmly.

Then, she saw Li Baolong's Adam's apple move as if he was swallowing.

"Do you know Li Qian?"

Wang Jingsnow nodded again.

Suddenly, Li Baolong slapped his forehead hard.

Then, he continued to stare at Wang Jingsnow, still in disbelief, asking, "You and him... are you close? I mean... can you get his songs?"

Wang Jingsnow nodded again, saying calmly, "Yes!"

Li Baolong's Adam's apple moved again.

Then... he suddenly clapped his hands, "Why didn't you say so earlier!"

Wang Jingsnow looked at him in surprise, seeing that the dark cloud of anger that had been over him had completely dissipated, replaced by a radiant and excited expression. He rubbed his hands, forgetting his grudge, and said repeatedly, "Good, good, very good! Xiaoxue, you... no, now! From now on, I'll give you a break. I heard Li Qian is still in high school in Jinan? Buy a ticket and go to Jinan to invite him to write songs for you!"

"Once you get his songs, as long as they are good, don't worry about the price! If 80,000 yuan per song isn't enough, make it 180,000! You don't need to worry about this, I'll handle the expenses with the company! Also, once you get his songs, the tone of your new album will be set by his songs!"

...

Finally, after Li Baolong, who was almost jumping with excitement, went to report to his superiors, Wang Jingsnow, ignoring the various complex gazes from the doors of the other rehearsal rooms, turned and walked back to her own rehearsal room.

The door closed behind her and Sister Wu.

A moment later, a high-pitched scream, loud enough to burst eardrums, erupted from the rehearsal room!

"Xiaoxue, you kept this a secret from us! Even when Bingbing said she would seduce him, you kept quiet! Sisters, let's get her!"

***

A 6,400-word chapter, please give me a recommendation on Monday!

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