Chapter 5

As the song came to an end, the bar began to boil with excitement. The applause and cheers erupted like a long-suppressed volcano, sweeping through the entire venue. Even those on the second floor were shouting and clapping, the sheer volume of the sound wave almost lifting the roof.

A song represents a mood, and also a relationship. If someone has had a similar experience, they might feel a sense of familiarity even upon hearing the song for the first time, as the melody awakens memories deep in their heart. "Pursuit of a Dream" precisely awakened everyone's memories of their dreams. We all have had dreams and have strived for them, even though reality has worn down most people's edges, the memories of those dreams remain etched in our hearts.

"Oh, oh, oh! That was amazing, amazing!"

"Another one, another one!"

"Handsome guy, leave your number!"

"Thank you, thank you all!" Zhang Ran stood on the stage, bowed to the audience, and then turned to walk off the stage. He couldn't sing another song; his vocal conditions were not outstanding. He sang well because he was singing about his own experiences, using his voice to release his inner emotions.

Hu Weiguo stared blankly at Zhang Ran. Regardless of vocal conditions or technique, he was superior to Zhang Ran, but he lost in the most crucial aspect: emotional investment.

Li Zongsheng and Luo Dayou both had rough voices, but many songs could only be sung with their unique flavor because the songs were written by them, carrying their emotions.

On the second floor of the bar, Na Yin stopped clapping, took a sip of wine, and smiled at Sun Nan beside him, "He sang really well. Although his technique is average, the emotion is so genuine. This person must have experienced a lot; otherwise, he couldn't have produced such an effect!"

Yang Kun smiled, "This song is very difficult. Most people can't hit the high notes without lowering the key. Brother Nan, your high notes are excellent; this song is perfect for you!"

Na Yin nodded, "Kun is right, it's very suitable for you. Go buy it!"

Sun Nan also liked the song very much and nodded, "It's indeed suitable for me, but that person is a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy and sings quite well. I'm not sure he'll be willing to sell it to me."

Yang Kun had sold songs before. His "Whatever" had been sold several times, but others couldn't make it popular, and it was ultimately he who made it a hit. He knew how important a song that suits a singer is: "Just offer him more money. Good songs are hard to come by. This song is really great and perfect for you. If you sing it, you'll definitely become a big star!"

Na Yin patted Sun Nan's shoulder, "Kun is right, go ahead!"

In a corner on the first floor, Zhang Xinyi and her friends were discussing enthusiastically, "He sang so well, so talented!"

The round-faced girl looked at Zhang Ran with admiration, "I got goosebumps, he sang so well! And he's so handsome! It would be great if he were my teacher; I'd fall in love with him!"

"I've decided, if he's my teacher, I'll pursue him and make him sing for me every day!" Zhang Xinyi raised her right hand, excitedly.

"Only beauties can get into the Beijing Film Academy, you need to work hard!"

"Comrade, wait for my good news!" Zhang Xinyi giggled.

Zhang Ran didn't know that a student who was originally going to the Central Academy of Drama had changed to the Beijing Film Academy because of him, and even claimed she would pursue him. He returned to his seat amidst thunderous applause.

Zhou Zheng waited for Zhang Ran to sit down, poured him a glass of wine, and handed it to him, "Zhang Ran, you sang really well!"

Li Xinyue looked Zhang Ran up and down, as if he were a monster, "It was really great, but when did this song come out? I've never heard it before."

They hadn't talked for long when a voice came from behind, "Excuse me, may I interrupt?"

Someone nearby recognized Sun Nan and exclaimed, "Sun Nan, it's Sun Nan!"

"Wow, it really is Sun Nan!"

Zhang Ran also recognized the person and felt puzzled. Why did Sun Nan come over? Was he here to challenge him? He stood up and greeted, "Come, sit down!"

Sun Nan sat down, looked at Zhang Ran, and smiled, "May I know your name?"

"Zhang Ran!" Zhang Ran introduced himself and briefly introduced the two beside him to Sun Nan, "This is Zhou Zheng, and this is Li Xinyue!"

Sun Nan had no interest in Zhou Zheng and Li Xinyue, nodded at them, and got straight to the point, "Teacher Zhang, the song you just sang was amazing. Is it your original work?"

GALA band was nowhere to be found, so Zhang Ran had to lie, "Yes!"

Sun Nan's face showed a faint smile, his eyes sincere, "I'm currently preparing a new album and need a standout lead single. I heard your song and thought it was perfect. Would you consider selling it to me? We can discuss the price."

Zhang Ran was taken aback. He was currently very poor, and selling the song would make his life much easier.

Sun Nan saw Zhang Ran's surprised expression and thoughtful look, a confident smile appeared on his lips, "If you agree, I'm willing to pay 20,000 for the song!"

In the music industry, Zhang Ran was completely unknown. Songs by unknown artists often didn't fetch high prices, usually just a few thousand yuan. 20,000 yuan was indeed a very high price for a new singer.

Zhang Ran was surprised but shook his head, "Sorry, I won't sell it."

"Why? Is the price too low? This price is really not low! How about I add another 10,000?" Sun Nan's gaze was intense. He thought Zhang Ran was trying to haggle. He really liked "Pursuit of a Dream" and was confident he could make it a hit, so he added 10,000 without hesitation.

Zhang Ran smiled and shook his head, speaking calmly, "Mr. Sun Nan, I think you misunderstood. I really won't sell this song; I have my own use for it!"

It wasn't an excuse. In Zhang Ran's heart, there was a story he had been revising for ten years. He had seen the story in college and had been working on the script and storyboards, hoping to turn it into a real film one day. The theme of the story matched "Pursuit of a Dream" very well, and in his heart, "Pursuit of a Dream" was the best choice for the film's theme song. He couldn't sell his best choice.

Should he sell him another song? Zhang Ran thought about it but decided against it. Life was already tough for domestic musicians, and he didn't want to cut off their livelihood. He wanted to leave some seeds for Chinese pop music.

Sun Nan was a bit unhappy. He had shown his sincerity, but the other party was so ungrateful. He spoke bluntly, "Forget it, keep the song and let it rot!" Sun Nan, seeing that Zhang Ran wouldn't budge, finally got angry, left a message, and turned to leave.

Not far away, Zhang Xinyi, who had been quietly observing, placed her hands on her chest and said dreamily, "He rejected Sun Nan outright. Oh my God, so unique! So cool! I've decided, whether he teaches me or not, whether he's my teacher or not, I will pursue him!"

The round-faced girl said, "I wish I had passed the exam, I envy you so much!"

Not long after Sun Nan left, a middle-aged man with neatly combed hair and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, looking very refined, walked over with a smile, "Let me introduce myself. I'm Lin Mu from Haidie. Nice to meet you. May I know your name?"

"My name is Zhang Ran." Zhang Ran was surprised. He didn't expect Haidie to approach him. Haidie was one of the top record companies in China, but no matter how prestigious the company, he didn't plan to sell "Pursuit of a Dream": "What can I do for you? If you want to buy the song, I'm sorry, but I won't sell it!"

"Mr. Zhang, you misunderstood. I'm not here to buy the song. I was very impressed by your performance. Have you signed with any other company? If not, I hope we can have the opportunity to work together!" Lin Mu directly stated his purpose. There were many good singers in the domestic music industry, but few who could write good songs. He intended to sign Zhang Ran.

"Sign me?" Zhang Ran was taken aback. Singing was never his talent, and he knew his limits. He had never thought about becoming a singer. It was surprising that Haidie wanted to sign him.

"I see your creative talent and believe in your potential. This is a contract for new artists from our company. You can take a look." Lin Mu took out a contract from his bag and smiled as he handed it to Zhang Ran, "Mr. Zhang, to succeed in the entertainment industry, you need not only talent but also packaging and support from a company. Signing with Haidie will definitely benefit your future development!"

"Mr. Lin, thank you very much for your consideration, but I don't plan to develop in the music industry. I have my own life plans, so I'm really sorry!" Zhang Ran politely pushed the contract back.

"Whether you sign or not is up to you. Keep the contract and take a look. You might develop an interest in singing in the future. Besides, you're a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy. Even if you don't sign, your students might be interested, and you can help them make a decision!" Lin Mu showed no dissatisfaction at Zhang Ran's refusal, demonstrating his sincerity.

"I'll consider it. If I have any interest, I'll contact you!" Zhang Ran was impressed by Lin Mu's professionalism. He was a good person to deal with.

However, Zhang Ran had no real interest in music and wasn't cut out for singing. His true passion was film, and he didn't want to waste time and energy on other things.

Hu Weiguo, who had been watching from a distance, was almost in despair. He had come to the bar to sing, hoping to attract the attention of a record company, but now Haidie had offered a contract to Zhang Ran, who had refused it.

To refuse a Haidie contract like that, is this guy an idiot? Hu Weiguo looked at Lin Mu with a devastated expression, My voice and technique are much better than Zhang Ran's. Why didn't you sign me? You, as a boss, have no eye for talent!