I Became an All-round Artist

Over the next few days, Lin Yuan's schedule was packed with classes, so he didn’t have a chance to visit the music room. Even during his rare breaks, he spent time with Jian Yi and Xia Fan.

As the end of the month approached, Lin Yuan returned to the company. Instead of staying in the composition department, he spent a day and a half in the recording studio, finally completing the recording of the song “Big Fish.”

Once again, Lin Yuan handled the lyrics, composition, and arrangement by himself. He even personally played the piano elements in the arrangement. Despite a girl at school commenting that his piano skills were "clumsy," the company’s assigned pianist wasn’t much better, so Lin Yuan decided to play it himself for a greater sense of involvement.

After recording the song, he sent it to his supervisor, Lao Zhou, via the company’s internal email, adding a note: “Theme Song.”

A theme song is usually one that reflects the world or emotions of the original work. "Big Fish," with its lyrics and style matching the atmosphere of the animation, is a classic example of this.

After sending the song, Lin Yuan noticed that the morning's work was finished and headed to the company cafeteria for lunch. Compared to the school cafeteria, the food at the company was both cheap and delicious.

Meanwhile, in the supervisor’s office, Lao Zhou was just about to head to the cafeteria when he received Lin Yuan's email. He paused for a moment.

"Lin Yuan's theme song submission?"

Lin Yuan was the first person on the tenth floor to submit the assignment! But instead of feeling pleased, Lao Zhou frowned. Already frustrated by the potential failure of the "Fish and Dragon Dance" project, his mood worsened, and he even felt an urge to call Lin Yuan over for a stern lecture.

However, considering that Lin Yuan was a new recruit that Lao Zhou had personally brought into the composition department, and not as tough as the veterans, he restrained himself. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.

It had only been two weeks since he had assigned the task to the entire composition department on the tenth floor, barely over ten days!

For any composer…

How could anyone create a decent song in such a short time?

This is the downside of becoming famous at a young age. Youthful arrogance!

Lin Yuan hadn’t escaped this pitfall. The success of the New Talent Chart had clearly inflated his pride. Lao Zhou hadn’t expected Lin Yuan to be so overconfident that he dared to submit a piece he'd spent only two weeks composing.

“I’ll need to have a serious talk with him.”

Sighing, Lao Zhou felt a sense of concern. The unexpected hit "Life as Summer Flowers" had made Lao Zhou very optimistic about Lin Yuan's future. He couldn’t just stand by and let a promising young composer, who might one day become the company’s next star, go off track.

It had to be today! During the afternoon, he would find a way to talk to Lin Yuan, offering guidance without being too harsh.

At that moment, Lao Zhou didn’t even want to click on the song Lin Yuan had sent—despite it being his job as the supervisor. However, if he wanted to provide constructive feedback during their talk, he had to listen to the song.

With a reluctant sigh, Lao Zhou entered his company password and clicked on Lin Yuan's song, "Big Fish." He couldn’t even be bothered to use headphones.

The sound of piano triplets filled the room, introducing a melodic prelude.

Shortly after, the verse began. After listening to just two lines of lyrics, Lao Zhou raised an eyebrow in surprise. The deep frown on his face eased noticeably.

This… wasn’t bad at all?

As the verse gave way to the chorus, Lao Zhou's heart started to race, and his expression shifted. He leaned forward slightly, as if trying to get closer to the speakers.

By the time the song reached the harmonies at the end, Lao Zhou’s mouth was hanging open, and he couldn’t bring himself to close it—even after the song had finished playing.

“This song…”

Taking a deep breath, Lao Zhou reached into his drawer and pulled out his most prized custom headphones. Carefully putting them on, he replayed "Big Fish."

The same melody filled his ears again, but this time, the surround sound effect of the headphones elevated the listening experience, allowing Lao Zhou to catch every detail with a stronger emotional pull.

By the time the harmonies kicked in again, his whole body was covered in goosebumps! Every hair on his body stood on end!

He swallowed hard and hit the play button for the third time.

The melody didn’t change with each listen—it was the same every time. What changed was the listener.

Lao Zhou let out a soft, almost silly chuckle, his body gently swaying to the closing notes of the third playthrough. The chair beneath him creaked in rhythm with his movements, creating a quirky harmony with his laughter.

Halfway through his laughter, he slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing something. Carefully downloading the song, he encrypted and secured the original file, then stood up, his face slightly flushed with excitement.

...

Lin Yuan’s favorite dish at the company cafeteria was braised pork knuckle. Unlike the overly sweet version he was used to, the cafeteria’s knuckle was tender, with even the skin melting in his mouth. It was a treat he thoroughly enjoyed.

**Chapter 17: Isn’t Being Hot-Headed the Essence of Youth?**

 

For the next few days, Lin Yuan’s schedule was packed with classes, so he didn’t make it back to the music room. Even during his rare breaks, he spent time with Jian Yi and Xia Fan.

 

As the end of the month approached, Lin Yuan returned to the company. Instead of staying in the composition department, he spent a day and a half in the recording studio, finally finishing the recording of "Big Fish." Once again, he handled the lyrics, composition, and arrangement all by himself. The piano elements in the arrangement were also performed by him. Although a certain girl at school had criticized his piano skills as "clumsy," the company’s assigned pianist wasn’t any better, so Lin Yuan decided to play it himself, which made him feel more involved in the process.

 

After finishing the recording, he sent the track to his supervisor Lao Zhou’s internal company email, adding a note: “Impression Song.” An impression song generally reflects the original work’s worldview or emotions. "Big Fish," with its lyrics and style closely matching the animation’s atmosphere, was a typical example of this genre.

 

After sending the song, Lin Yuan noticed it was already late morning, so he headed to the company cafeteria for lunch. Compared to his school’s cafeteria, the company’s offerings were both cheaper and tastier.

 

Meanwhile, in the supervisor’s office, Lao Zhou was just about to head to the cafeteria for lunch when he suddenly received an email from Lin Yuan. His movements froze. "Lin Yuan submitted the impression song?" Lin Yuan was the first on the tenth floor to complete the assignment. But instead of feeling pleased, Lao Zhou furrowed his brows even more. Already in a foul mood due to the potential failure of the "Dance of Fish and Dragon" project, he felt an urge to call Lin Yuan in for a stern lecture. But considering Lin Yuan was a new recruit he had personally brought into the composition department, and knowing that his tolerance level wasn’t as high as the veterans, Lao Zhou held back. Still, he couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed. It had only been two weeks since he assigned the "Dance of Fish and Dragon" composition task to the entire tenth floor. How could anyone produce a good song in such a short time?

 

This was the downside of early success—youthful arrogance. Lin Yuan hadn’t escaped this pitfall either. The success on the newcomer charts had made the young man prideful. Lao Zhou hadn’t expected Lin Yuan to grow so conceited as to submit a piece after just two weeks. "I’ll have to have a serious talk with him later," Lao Zhou sighed, full of worry. "Life as Summer Flowers" had given Lao Zhou high hopes for Lin Yuan. He couldn’t just watch a promising young composer go astray. This afternoon, he would find a way to give Lin Yuan a much-needed lesson without being too harsh.

 

At that moment, Lao Zhou didn’t even want to play the song Lin Yuan had sent, despite it being his duty as the supervisor. But to give constructive feedback during their talk, he had to listen to the song. So, Lao Zhou reluctantly entered the temporary company password and clicked on Lin Yuan’s song, though he couldn’t be bothered to listen with headphones.

 

From the speakers, the distinct triple piano notes resonated, introducing a melodic prelude. As the main verse began, Lao Zhou raised an eyebrow after hearing just two lines, and the deep frown on his face softened considerably. "This... might actually be good." As the chorus approached, Lao Zhou felt his heartbeat quicken slightly, and his expression changed. He leaned forward, as if to get closer to the speakers. By the time the harmonies at the end of the song played, Lao Zhou’s mouth had unconsciously dropped open, and he didn’t manage to close it even after the song ended.

 

“This song…” He took a deep breath, pulled out his most cherished custom headphones from the drawer, and carefully put them on before replaying "Big Fish." The same melody played, but this time, the immersive effect of the surround sound brought out every detail of the song, intensifying the musical experience. By the time the harmonies replayed, Lao Zhou’s whole body was covered in goosebumps, and every hair stood on end. He swallowed hard and clicked play for the third time. No matter how many times a song is played, the melody remains the same. What truly changes is the listener.

 

“Hehehehehehehe…” Lao Zhou started chuckling foolishly, swaying gently to the song’s finale. His chair creaked in rhythm with his body, complementing his laughter. Halfway through his chuckle, he suddenly slapped his forehead. He carefully downloaded the song, encrypted the original file, and securely stored it. Then, Lao Zhou floated up from his seat, his old face slightly flushed.

 

Lin Yuan’s favorite dish in the company cafeteria was the braised pork knuckle. Unlike the sweet and greasy version he used to have, the company’s pork knuckle wasn’t overly sweet, and the meat was tender, with even the skin melting in his mouth, making it a truly satisfying meal.

 

A few tables away, a group of composers from the department were whispering among themselves.

 

“That’s Xianyu.”

 

“He looks so young and handsome.”

 

“Yeah, he’s young and good-looking, but he’s got a lousy attitude. I heard he was disrespectful to Sister Jing.”

 

“Right? This guy’s so arrogant.”

 

“Pfft, early fame has made him cocky. We’ve seen plenty of rookies like him who think they’re hot stuff.”

 

“Wrote one decent song and thinks he’s a master composer now.”

 

“He just got lucky with inspiration. This industry will teach him a lesson. Soon enough, he’ll learn his place.”

 

As they gossiped, the group grew more animated. One of the men suddenly felt a chill behind him. When he turned around, he was startled to see a face as dark as a pot bottom, and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

 

“S-Supervisor…”

“You came here to eat?”

“Can I get you something?”

 

The composers trembled in front of Lao Zhou, who exuded a cold aura. His voice was icy: “Have you all eaten too much?”

 

“Supervisor… we…”

 

Lao Zhou cut them off coldly: “Oh, it seems you’re too full. Why don’t you get some exercise? The cleaning lady on the twelfth floor is off today. Go clean it up, especially the bathrooms.”

 

“Yes…”

 

Heads down, the group slinked away, muttering apologies as they went, “Sorry, Supervisor. We won’t gossip about our colleagues behind their backs anymore.”

 

“No, that’s not right,” Lao Zhou corrected. “You can gossip about anyone you like—I do it all the time. But not him!”

 

“Huh?” The group was baffled, looking dazed as they shuffled out of the cafeteria. Just as they were leaving, one of them glanced back and saw Lao Zhou’s expression had completely changed—he was now smiling as he walked towards Lin Yuan.

 

“What the heck?”

 

The composers exchanged bewildered looks, all wearing expressions as if they’d just seen a ghost.

 

Lin Yuan was enjoying his pork knuckle when he suddenly noticed someone placing vegetables on his plate. “Young man, you shouldn’t be picky. You need to eat more greens too.”

 

“Okay.” Lin Yuan agreed, but continued eating his pork knuckle. Lao Zhou didn’t mind and maintained a kindly demeanor. “How are you finding your time in the composition department? If there’s anything you’re not comfortable with, just let me know.”

 

“It’s good,” Lin Yuan answered honestly. He hadn’t interacted much with people from other departments, but everyone on the tenth floor of the composition department had been very friendly to him.

 

“That’s great.” Lao Zhou didn’t rush to eat, instead continuing with a smile, “Whatever Little Zhao could offer you, I, Zhou Ruiming, can provide as well—maybe even more! So feel free to ask for anything you need.”

 

“Can I skip the vegetables?”

 

Lin Yuan looked at the greens on his plate, feeling a bit awkward.

 

Lao Zhou almost choked but quickly burst into laughter. “Of course, you can! A young man needs plenty of meat to grow strong!”

 

“Mm.”

 

“How’s everything at school?”

 

“School’s fine too.”

 

“That’s good. I know college students have it tough sometimes. If you run into any problems at school, you can always talk to me.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Lin Yuan continued eating. Lao Zhou watched him, nodding in satisfaction. The more he looked at this kid, the more he liked him. Yes! He’s a sophomore after all! He should be headstrong, fearless, and have that attitude of not caring about authority! If you’re not a bit hot-headed, can you even call yourself young?