All-rounder Artist - Chapter 96: Maestro or Real Daddy_i

Another day back at work.

On his way to the company, Lin Yuan made a call to Sun Yaohuo: “Senior, I’ll be at the company soon. You can wait for me in the recording studio, or come to the composing department on the tenth floor.”

“Okay.”

Was Sun Yaohuo’s response.

After hanging up, Lin Yuan felt something was off. His senior was usually talkative, but he was more quiet than usual today.

10 minutes later.

Upon arriving at the company’s composing department, Lin Yuan saw Sun Yaohuo sitting on a small stool by the entrance and asked: “How is the song practice going?”

Sun Yaohuo was at a loss for words.

Just as Lin Yuan was about to comfort him, thinking that he had not practiced well, a figure appeared at the entrance: “Can I speak to Teacher Admirable Fish?”

“What is it?”

Lin Yuan looked at the person who was speaking.

The man was a scholarly gentleman wearing glasses, who smiled slightly at Lin Yuan: “My name is Tao Ran. You must be Teacher Admirable Fish, right? You’re even younger than I imagined. It’s not very convenient to speak here. How about we chat at the cafe upstairs?”

“Wait a moment.”

Lin Yuan said to Sun Yaohuo: “I’ll come find you shortly.”

“Sure, you go ahead.”

Sun Yaohuo looked up and managed a forced smile.

Tao Ran glanced at Sun Yaohuo before refocusing on Lin Yuan with a smile: “Teacher Admirable Fish, this way, please.”

Lin Yuan nodded.

Tao Ran led Lin Yuan to the cafe upstairs. He seemed to be intent on playing the gracious host which left Lin Yuan quite satisfied.

“Let me reintroduce myself.”

With a dignified manner of speaking, the gentleman explained: “My name is Tao Ran, I’m the manager of our company’s artist, Jin Shuyu. I’m here today to solicit a song from you. Shuyu particularly loves your recent song, ‘Red Roses.’” Upon hearing this, Lin Yuan frowned: “But that song hasn’t been released yet.” Tao Ran smiled: “Teacher Admirable Fish, you don’t need to concern yourself with how we came to know about the song. The point is that Shuyu really wants to collaborate with you. He’s actually a big fan of yours and often mentions your name in our conversations. He is extremely excited about the potential of working with you.”

“I’m sorry.”

Lin Yuan said: “I’ve already promised that song to someone else.”

Keeping his smile in place, Tao Ran probed: “As far as I know, you chose Sun Yaohuo to sing this song, right? Sun Yaohuo is still at the early stages of his career, his fanbase isn’t very large, to be honest, it’s somewhat of a waste to let him sing ‘Red Roses’, such an excellent piece. Of course, we did ask for his opinion, and he said that you haven’t signed an official contract yet, so you can make the final decision… As for Jin Shuyu, he is a first-tier singer that our company is focusing on promoting. The same song sung by different singers can produce vastly different results, I believe you understand this very well.” “First-tier singer?”

Lin Yuan shocked his head and stood up to leave.

Does it mean being a first-tier singer is a bad thing?

Tao Ran didn’t anticipate Lin Yuan to reject him so flatly, and blurted out: “Teacher Admirable Fish, if you have any demands, just say them. As long as it’s within my power, I will comply…”

Lin Yuan stayed firm: “I can’t accept a first-tier singer.”

Tao Ran was completely unable to grasp Lin Yuan’s train of thought. Every composer likes to work with first-tier singers, why would you reject one?

Are you aiming for a Heavenly King level singer?

Then why did you choose Sun Yaohuo?

He said urgently: “We arc willing to reduce our share of the download profits. Ordinarily, there wouldn’t be a need for such a process, but to guarantee your profits, we are willing to make this concession. Additionally, we can arrange a private transaction for you, you set the price, how about two million? It would be a private deal, not going through official company channels!”

In short.

They’re doubling the money!

Lin Yuan suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Tao Ran heaved a sigh of relief. So it was just the price after all!

He kept a mental note of it – it was bound to come in handy in the future.

Admirable Fish’s weakness… his greed for money!

He put on a smile again, filled with the taste of success: “Now can we discuss the specifics of the price, Teacher Admirable Fish, please take a seat.” “No.”

Lin Yuan turned and looked at Tao Ran: “I want to ask you, who in the review department leaked my song? Can you tell me their name?”

“Teacher Admirable Fish.”

Tao Ran’s expression turned serious.

Lin Yuan’s expression was just as serious: “You might think it doesn’t matter within your own company, but the person who leaked the song to you today could do the same outside the company tomorrow. I don’t trust someone like that to review my songs.”

“Let’s just pretend this never happened.”

Tao Ran stood up, his expression slightly displeased.

“If you won’t tell me, I’ll find out on my own.”

Lin Yuan took out his phone and dialed 01′ Zhou’s number in front of Tao Ran: “Someone in the review department leaked my song to a company singer.” 01′ Zhou was taken aback: “What?”

Lin Yuan only had two words: “Investigate?”

01′ Zhou chuckled: “Those who have such influence in the review department are at least first-tier company singers or higher, and probably have the implicit consent of certain high-ranking officials. This won’t affect you, you don’t need to be too bothered by it. I will vent my anger and it will be over, I will definitely make this right for you.”

Lin Yuan repeated the same two words: “Investigate?”

01′ Zhou suddenly sounded serious: “Investigate! We definitely will! We’ll turn them inside out! How dare they take the results of our composing department’s hard work for granted! No matter who it is, I will fire them!”

“Alright.”

Lin Yuan hung up.

After hanging up the phone, 01′ Zhou was very irritated: “Who the hell messed with Admirable Fish? Now I have to fight the higher-ups.”

His assistant was taken aback: “Someone upset Admirable Fish?”

01′ Zhou nodded: “Admirable Fish must have a new work. He didn’t even inform me about it. Plus, his attitude during our call just now was even more difficult than the maestro himself. This kid is becoming more and more like those fussy maestros.”

The assistant asked cautiously, “Are you angry?”

01′ Zhou laughed heartily: “Why should I be angry? It’s not like I upset him, and besides, Admirable Fish is still young. He’s not like us old men, the youth should be spirited!”

11 II

Inside the cafe.

After hearing Lin Yuan’s phone conversation, Tao Ran’s face was a picture of utter defeat.

Yet Lin Yuan was not finished, he didn’t even glance at Tao Ran as he called Zhao Jue with the same statement: “Someone in the review department leaked my song to a company singer.”

Ms. Zhao said: “Leave it to me.”

After hanging up the phone with Ms. Zhao, Lin Yuan walked to the cashier.

The waiter smiled: “The total is 120 yuan.”

Lin Yuan said: “I mean my one.”

The waiter glanced at the burning glare from Tao Ran and coughed: “60 yuan…”

“What a rip-off,” Lin Yuan muttered under his breath as he was paying.

Little did he know, Tao Ran had ordered the most expensive coffee on the menu in an attempt to win his favor.

Back in the composing department, Lin Yuan saw Sun Yaohuo sitting at the entrance. His spirits seemed low, his head hung low in dejection, appearing miserable.

He couldn’t help but frown and asked: “Did you finish practicing the song?”

Sun Yaohuo lifted his head to look at Lin Yuan, his eyes a little red: “Huh?”

Lin Yuan said: “We’re recording tomorrow.”

Having said this, Lin Yuan returned to his seat.

Sun Yaohuo, who was sitting at the entrance, sat in a daze for several seconds before tearing up; he bowed deeply towards the composing department.

Hiding in the bathroom.

Sun Yaohuo called his manager while wiping his tears: “I’m still singing ‘Red Roses.’”

“Admirable Fish didn’t agree to Tao Ran?”

“Yes.”

The manager was silent for a while before saying: “Who would have known that Admirable Fish is not a maestro, he’s more like a real father….”