Chapter 57 – The Music Industry Explodes

Chapter 57 - The Music Industry Explodes

Sunlight filtered through the car window, illuminating He Zhou's face—a rare sunny day in the midst of winter that brought a touch of warmth.

He blinked twice to wake up, realizing he was covered with Tang Fei's blanket.

How did I fall asleep? Where's my cousin?

He Zhou sprang up from the sofa, bumping his head against the car ceiling with a thud.

"Ouch."

He held his head and looked towards the bed, which was now empty.

Just as he reached for his phone to call Tang Fei, the car door creaked open. Tang Fei, wearing athletic attire and drenched in sweat, stepped in.

"Cousin, you went for a morning run?"

Tang Fei carried a plastic bag filled with milk and dumplings. She placed the items on the table and said, "I ate quite a bit yesterday, so I need to cut back. Plus, I brought breakfast for you from the set."

He Zhou ignored the breakfast and leaned close to Tang Fei's ear, his face filled with mystery. "Sis, I've discovered a huge secret! Zhou Weichuan has feelings for you! Based on my years of experience, he's lusting after your beauty."

He Zhou spoke with great gravity, his expression solemn. In contrast, Tang Fei seemed unconcerned.

"Tsk, this again? At least ten people from the crew have asked me about it today, and I've already debunked the rumor." Tang Fei draped her arm around He Zhou's shoulder. "We're all in this together, and he's nice to me because it benefits him financially. Don't always assume that others have ulterior motives."

"No, sis! Think about it, when we signed the contract, we had nothing. Isn't it odd that they offered such generous terms?" Seeing his sister's lack of awareness regarding romantic matters, He Zhou grew anxious. "I'm a man, and I can sense these things – his gaze towards you is different."

"Well... you can't project your own thoughts onto others. Our relationship is purely professional."

The Insight Card produced by the system should be accurate. When signing the contract, there were over ten reasons listed, none of which mentioned any affection for her. Instead, they appreciated her potential and intended to groom her into an A-lister in the entertainment industry.

However, explaining the system to He Zhou was a complicated task.

He Zhou's mouth gaped wide – was his sister really that clueless?

"A Zhou, trust my judgment in people. The boss may have many layers to his thoughts, but he's not lusting after me. He helped us when we were in need, even though it was mutually beneficial. He pulled us up when we were down, and we owe him as our benefactor. Don't slander him like that."

"Big sis!" He Zhou buried his head, why would his sister think this way? Did last night's beer have mind-control powers?

"Even if there was a favor! Does that mean you have to repay it with your body?"

Cousin, are you a bull? Stubborn as one!

"How can you not believe that our relationship is purely revolutionary comradeship?"

He Zhou slumped onto the sofa, feeling exhausted from trying to explain to someone who wouldn't listen.

"Director Xu and I even clarified it today. The photographer on set yesterday didn't have a drop of alcohol. He also said that the boss just politely sent me home. You all were drunk and imagined an 80-episode drama out of nothing."

"I still have a costume fitting for the signing ceremony this afternoon. Don't let your emotions affect it." Tang Fei rubbed He Zhou's head.

"Bias towards outsiders, women always favor outsiders over their own family. You don't even believe your own cousin, huh." He Zhou shook his head, pushing away Tang Fei's hand.

"What did you say?" A hint of hostility in Tang Fei's eyes targeted He Zhou precisely.

He Zhou immediately sat up straight like a well-behaved child. "I said I believe in your pure revolutionary friendship!"

I wouldn't trust you guys for a second!

Seems like I have to keep an eye on my cousin. Otherwise, she might be so naive that she'd count the money after being sold, He Zhou felt a strong sense of responsibility.

In the hotel, Zhou Weichuan, who was guiding the company's promotional team to work on post-production for Tang Fei's song from last night, suddenly sneezed repeatedly, more than ten times in a row.

"Boss, did you catch a cold yesterday?" Zheng Haisheng took away the coffee on the table and brought over a cup of hot water.

"I just had an itchy nose all of a sudden, it's nothing," Zhou Weichuan instructed the team online through the video call, "Clean up the noise, enhance the sound quality, no need for additional background music. The mixing has to be done by this morning. Release it at 2 PM."

"No problem, we're almost done with the materials," the head of the nine o'clock publicity team replied to Zhou Weichuan.

At the same time, Time Culture's official Weibo account posted a teaser.

"A singer delayed by acting, Tang Fei, who debuted as a singer, her musical talent is barely known. She hasn't even released a single yet. After Li Xiuyun finished filming, Tang Fei performed an original song, 'Someone Like Me', for everyone on the spot.

She wrote both the lyrics and the music! Surprised? Amazed?

Sugar Bees, I've played it eight hundred times and still haven't gotten tired of it. At 2 PM today, I'll release it for all of you to feast your ears on."

This announcement didn't just create ripples among Tang Fei's fans; it swiftly engulfed the music industry!

While the fans rejoiced, the music circle was collectively sent into an uproar.

For years, the music scene had been tarnished by those seeking popularity, leaving it riddled with problems. Recently, it had finally shown some signs of improvement thanks to a few music programs. It couldn't afford another upheaval caused by the flow of online attention and fan frenzy. People were scared, very scared.

Tang Fei, a singer who had never released a musical work, had never been the subject of any expectations. Now, she suddenly declared herself as both lyricist and composer?

Are we talking about absurd comedy here?

Tang Fei has been hyping up her acting skills for so long. People tolerated a couple of videos, but now she's trying to cash in on the music industry? That's going too far!

Although the music scene may not be as popular as the acting world with fewer fans, it's not a playground for anyone to exploit!

Singers and music-related Weibo accounts united to voice their opposition against cross-border interference that disrupts the industry's ecosystem.

@Singer Xiao Ming: Does Tang Fei even understand sheet music? She claims to compose just by opening her mouth.

@Silver Melody Award winner Cheng Hao: No works to your name yet you aspire to be a crossover artist, jeopardizing your bright future with your own actions.

@MusicCrate: MusicCrate here to shed some light - composing isn't just about humming a tune; it involves the integration of music theory and other disciplines, requiring immense time and effort to create a piece. Without prior musical knowledge and solely based on winning singing competitions, the likelihood of being able to compose is slender.

@Music King's Billboard: Personally, I have a great fondness for Tang Fei, but I hope she remains grounded. The company should refrain from fabricating sensational news just to grab attention, lest it invites ridicule.

The previously quiet fans within the circle, who had never been involved in Tang Fei's incident, now emerged one by one, like fish startled from their pond, leaping to the surface.

"The music scene is already so blurred, please spare it some dignity and refrain from casually composing lyrics and music. Can we have some understanding of the craft?"

"Beauty should focus on acting well. No one's holding your singing debut against you. Why can't you just settle down?"

"Bullying us for being outnumbered? There are plenty of caramelized sugars out there, oh so scary! Huhu, brother, gone!"

"Traffic, crawl away for me!"

"Would it hurt to address your actors as 'daddies'? Stop treating songwriting and composing like it's as easy as eating and drinking. Anyone can do it, huh?"

"If Tang Fei can genuinely compose music, I wouldn't mind calling her 'daddy'. I'd even call Time Culture 'daddy' then."

"Haha, how long has it been since the Chinese music scene had someone who can both compose and sing? If it's for real, I'll kneel down and call them 'Master' right away."

Although there were many sugar-coated performers, the music industry had its technical barriers. When the crowd rushed in, they were promptly halted with three questions: Do you know about musical forms? What about orchestration techniques? And do you understand harmony?

...

The fans felt like they were listening to an alien language and were forced to retreat, bewildered.

Upon learning more and getting some basic knowledge, the fans grew worried. Composing music required a deep understanding of music theory. Tang Fei had been thoroughly investigated, and there was no trace of her ever studying music. Could it be that she was truly incapable of composing music?

The music circle and its enthusiasts were eagerly waiting for Tang Fei to release her song, ready with their magnifying glasses to scrutinize and criticize every detail. They were determined to uncover any signs of plagiarism, unoriginality, or fame-seeking behavior in order to expose her as a fraud.

Instances abound where popular idols plagiarize foreign singers, and it's not uncommon for them to casually hum a tune, only to have professional composers turn it into a full-fledged song, credited solely to the idol's name.

Within the circle, news was virtually transparent. If Tang Fei dared to commission someone to produce it, they would dare to expose it!

There are plenty of individualistic singers, and the tendency to be unyielding is much higher among them than among actors.

How much buzz-seeking glitters, only to be ridiculed instead!

Fan: None of you can compete.

Singer: Who else is there?

Enthusiastic fans flocked to Time Culture's official account for confirmation, and Time Culture posted another message.

@Time Culture: Rest assured, folks. Our editor swears on high that the song is mind-blowingly good! Absolutely original! You can all look forward to calling it 'Daddy.'

Time Culture confidently replied to the fans, subtly incorporating the 'Daddy' nickname from the fans' discourse.

The song had been thoroughly searched worldwide, with no matches found in both lyrics and melody – this was their confidence!

Fans sighed in relief and promptly stood up straight to taunt the other fans, "Remember to call it 'Daddy.'"

"Maybe the fans should sing 'Daddy' too."

"I'll request a bel canto version."

"I want an agricultural heavy metal rock flavor."

"Today, I want to hear two songs, 'Someone Like Me' and 'Call Me Daddy'."

Tang Fei's fan base was massive, and any casual update from her could flood the internet. Now, she had pulled in a new group of people into the conversation.

She swept across all major online platforms, even causing disputes between two factions within video streaming sites.

Even those who paid no heed to Tang Fei were now familiar with the situation.

Be it those waiting for a spectacle or those genuinely anticipating the songs, the number of people wanting to hear Tang Fei's music skyrocketed! Time Culture's fan count increased by seven million in just two hours!

The Weibo editor-in-chief almost thought they had miscounted when they refreshed the page.

In the mocking Song King Chart, 'Someone Like Me' garnered over ten million expectations, outshining the second place by a million votes. It dazzlingly claimed the top spot.

"Everyone must have lost their minds!"

The traffic monitoring department of the Music Chart was startled. They urgently contacted the tech department to upgrade their servers, determined not to repeat the embarrassment of Weibo crashing from the last incident.

Excited onlookers grabbed their metaphorical popcorn, while insiders observed with anticipation.

Had the freshly skyrocketed Tang Fei just stumbled?

Was Time Culture's move too hasty? Were they seeking quick gains?

It defied logic that Tang Fei could compose music. How would Time Culture and Tang Fei address this inconsistency?

Is it still feasible to record an apology video on the spot?

Betting is open! Is it an apology or stubbornness? Will she be ridiculed for her failure or will her fans shield her fearlessly?

Oddly enough, there was no option for Tang Fei actually composing the song.

"We'll win back the spicy strips we lost on Tang Fei from Tang Fei herself!"

In the president's office of the Yao Hui Building, the tense atmosphere that had persisted for days finally lightened. Shen Fan laughed with his business partners, "Tang Fei has been with our company for eight years, and she doesn't even know what a staff notation is. How can she compose music? Someone who can't even understand a script wouldn't be able to write lyrics. Time Culture is bound to crash and burn with such packaging."

"Those who take shortcuts will inevitably stumble; only those who laugh at the end truly laugh. In the end, it will still be my Yao Hui standing tall." Shen Fan's face was flushed with a healthy glow, his illness seemingly fading away.

He issued new instructions to the public relations team, urging them to fan the flames, joining Tang Fei's fans in provoking the music enthusiasts, and deliberately being obnoxious. Once the song release flopped in the afternoon, these people would intensify their criticism.

Within the capital's Guan Mansion, still under lockdown, the boredom-ridden Guan Yun, feeling as if she were moldering away at home, slumped on the sofa with her phone in hand. As she aimlessly scrolled through her device, her attention suddenly snapped to life like a withered stalk bursting into a blossoming bud, and she cried out in a robust voice, "Big Brother! Tang Fei is about to hit a rough patch!"