RPAGF Chapter 25 This song is quite interesting
Chapter 25 This song is quite interesting
Crystal Records has a sizable branch office in Jiangcheng, located opposite the Guqin Terrace. While the location isn't exactly bustling, it occupies a five-story detached building with a professional, top-of-the-line recording studio, fully equipped. The first official recording session was crucial, so Xie Weimin personally drove the whole family there. It's always good to have a man in the family handle the social interactions; a reliable and dependable person provides peace of mind.
After Xie Anran got out of the car, she looked up and examined the small building in front of her. Her gaze first fell on the huge crystal-shaped logo sign at the entrance, and her expression was particularly strange. The interior design and brand aesthetics were completely unlike the style of this era. The color scheme was trendy and avant-garde, and the layout of the small building was simple and grand, exuding a trendy feel from twenty years later. The sense of incongruity was overwhelming.
"Are all artists this avant-garde these days?" Xie Anran muttered to herself, suppressing her surprise, and silently followed her parents into the small building.
A woman dressed in a business suit and wearing thin-rimmed glasses stood at the door. Upon seeing Xie Weimin and his party arrive, she immediately stepped forward to greet them warmly. "Are you Mr. Xie and his family?" the woman asked in a gentle and courteous tone.
"Yes, that's me. And you are?" Xie Weimin had been a junior leader in the system for many years and was already adept at handling such situations. He remained calm and showed no sign of nervousness.
"Hello, I'm Aya, Mr. Zhang's secretary. You can just call me Xiaoya." The woman's voice was soft and gentle, her every move graceful and charming. Xie Anran felt a chill run down her spine, secretly wondering if this secretary was from Taiwan. Her voice was affected, and her mannerisms seemed overly deliberate, making her seem nothing like a proper office secretary. Despite the incongruity, Aya handled people with perfect poise, spoke professionally, and made everyone feel comfortable during casual conversations, leaving no room for criticism.
The group followed Aya into the reception room and took their seats. A few minutes later, Manager Zhang rushed over. "I'm so sorry, I was delayed by some work and kept you all waiting," Manager Zhang apologized as soon as he entered, his attitude humble and polite.
"We just arrived not long ago, Manager Zhang, you're too kind." Xie Weimin exchanged pleasantries skillfully; this kind of business negotiation was his comfort zone, and he handled it with ease. Zhang Yun and Liu Xiaoli remained quiet and agreeable throughout, only smiling and not interjecting much.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Manager Zhang got straight to the point: "Today, we'll mainly be showing the two kids around the recording studio environment, getting them used to the recording equipment, and getting them into the right mindset. There's no need to rush into recording."
"That's only right," Xie Weimin replied politely, adding, "My son is rather frail, so I'll trouble your staff to take extra care of him during the recording process."
"Don't worry, this is no problem. If needed, we can arrange for professional caregivers to look after you at any time." Manager Zhang's reply was exceptionally considerate and thoughtful, which made Xie Weimin feel a little embarrassed. Xie Anran felt helpless, realizing that she wasn't so weak that she needed special care.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the group got up to head to the recording studio. Just as they set off, Xie Anran spotted an unexpected acquaintance – Zhang Songyu, the owner of Green Apple Studio.
Zhang Songyu recognized him immediately and greeted him with a smile: "Little Anran, do you remember me?"
"I remember you, aren't you the boss of Green Apple Studio? What are you doing here?" Xie Anran looked around, puzzled.
"Haha, I forgot to tell you, I'm also one of Jiangcheng's top arrangers and mixers." Zhang Songyu laughed confidently, exuding the aura of a true tech guru. Xie Anran suddenly realized why he could work with a big company like Crystal Records.
"Enough with the chit-chat, I've looked at all the pieces carefully. Your progress is just too fast." Zhang Songyu said with a face full of admiration and his tone was full of recognition.
"It's alright, just writing something casually," Xie Anran replied modestly. Zhang Songyu was taken aback and stared at him for several seconds. He had felt something was off about this kid the last time they met. He didn't have the impetuousness and liveliness of a child, but instead had a composure and maturity far beyond his age, like a little adult.
Xie Anran noticed the slightly awkward atmosphere and quickly urged, "Teacher Zhang, can we go into the studio to prepare for recording? Standing here is wasting time."
"Oh, sorry, sorry, I was daydreaming. Come on, let's go inside and get ready." Zhang Songyu snapped out of his reverie, led the two children into the recording studio, and thoughtfully placed small chairs in front of the microphones beforehand so that the two little ones wouldn't be unable to reach the equipment.
Xie Anran held Qianqian's little hand. The little girl was a little nervous, but much calmer than during her first audition. "Anran, this place is so big, and the equipment is amazing!" Qianqian looked around with great curiosity. The sound equipment and soundproofing here were far more advanced and sophisticated than Green Apple Studio.
Zhang Songyu stood behind the mixing console, communicating with the two through the glass: "Let's start with the easy parts and move on to the difficult ones. First, let's record 'The Pig Song' to get into the singing rhythm."
"Okay, Qianqian and I have practiced many times beforehand, so Teacher Zhang can rest assured." Xie Anran said calmly and confidently.
"That's good. Put on your headphones and get ready..." Zhang Songyu raised his hand to make a ready gesture, and the recording officially began.
Outside the recording studio, Xie Weimin, Zhang Yun, and Liu Xiaoli quietly watched the two children inside, each lost in their own thoughts and feeling complicated emotions. Liu Xiaoli was overjoyed; her daughter had embarked on the acting career that she herself had only dreamed of, fulfilling a childhood wish she had never had.
Zhang Yun was filled with relief. In the past, when her son was diagnosed with poor health, she worried day and night and couldn't sleep. Now, seeing her son safe and healthy and doing his own thing, her heart finally settled down.
Xie Weimin, however, pondered deeply whether his son's choice of this path was good or bad. These days, celebrities appear glamorous and successful in the eyes of ordinary people, but to someone like him who works within the system, artists are ultimately just "actors."
He had wider access to information and knew that the entertainment industry, though glamorous on the surface, was rife with undercurrents and complexities. After thinking for a while, he finally resigned himself to his fate: "Oh well, what's done is done. As long as the child is happy, there's no need to worry too much."
As the recording studio filled with songs, Xie Anran's voice was of excellent quality. Although her breath control was slightly weak, her skillful singing technique easily masked this minor flaw, and she delivered a perfect performance in just one take. In contrast, while Xixi had a strong and clear voice, she lacked singing technique and breath control. Amplified by professional recording equipment, her shortcomings in singing became particularly noticeable.
Zhang Songyu had anticipated this; he had noticed Xixi's weak foundation during the last audition. Although she had improved this time, the improvement was limited. However, this was already at a normal level for a child. Xixi was already considered excellent among her peers, but compared to Xie Anran, the gap was particularly wide.
"Sissi did a good job. Let's do it again. Stop when I tell you to," Zhang Songyu patiently instructed. Sissi subconsciously looked at Xie Anran and saw him clenching his fist to encourage her. She immediately nodded emphatically to cheer herself on. The recording process was like this, with each lyric often having to be sung several times, meticulously refining the details and perfecting the performance.
The recording didn't stop until lunchtime. Xie Anran was in excellent condition, and she sang her parts in one take without any effort. Qianqian, on the other hand, was so tired that she was sticking out her tongue, and she had to drink two glasses of water to slowly recover.
"Singing is so tiring," Sisi said breathlessly, her voice serious.
"How about we stop recording here for today and take a good rest?" Xie Anran suggested softly.
"No! I must catch up with you." Sisi's round little face was full of stubbornness and determination, and her eyes revealed a tenacity and tenacity far beyond that of children her age. Xie Anran looked at the little girl and instantly felt the extraordinary determination in her heart.