I Became an All-round Artist

Only heaven knows how long it took Zhao Jue to finally understand what Lin Yuan meant by his parting words. Her feelings were a mix of amusement and deep emotion.

The amusement came from...

Did Lin Yuan really grasp the level of song she was looking for?

The emotion stemmed from...

Lin Yuan must have wanted to ease her worries and decided to help in his own way. After years of navigating the ups and downs of the industry, Zhao Jue had become accustomed to the fickle nature of people, which is why she knew what was truly valuable.

Regardless of whether it was a signature piece, a composer treats every song like their own child, cherishing it and fearing that it might be overlooked.

Who would casually offer such a precious piece of work as a simple token of thanks?

Lin Yuan might say it like that, but Zhao Jue couldn’t take it at face value.

At this point, whether it’s a signature piece or not didn’t really matter.

Even if Lin Yuan’s song couldn’t help her, it didn’t change anything. His thoughtfulness and willingness to support her were reasons enough to treasure it.

A warm smile slowly spread across her face.

Zhao Jue opened her email, put on her headphones, and started listening to the song titled Flammable and Explosive.

“Heh.”

The familiar electronic synth sound at the beginning of the song made Zhao Jue smile knowingly.

The last time Lin Yuan sent her Life Like Summer Flowers, he had used a similar unique synth sound.

The three-minute and twenty-second song played quickly.

But after listening to it, Zhao Jue’s expression changed slightly.

She instinctively played the song again.

Still three minutes and twenty seconds, but this time, it felt like an eternity.

When the song ended, Zhao Jue stood up, almost wanting to chase after Lin Yuan, who had already left.

But after taking a step, she hesitated, looking down at Lin Yuan’s half-finished lunch. She murmured, “You call this a simple thank-you meal...?”

“Oh, Zhao, what’s on your mind? You seem so deep in thought.”

Old Zhou walked into the cafeteria and immediately noticed Zhao Jue’s complex expression as she sat there with her headphones on.

“Ah.”

Old Zhou suddenly remembered something. “Are you still worried about signing this year’s Blossom champion? Don’t worry, I’ll help you find a few more songs. Our Composition Department is full of talent, we’ll figure it out.”

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”

Zhao Jue tilted her head and removed her headphones.

Old Zhou was surprised. “Why not?”

Zhao Jue smiled slightly. “You’ll see soon enough.”

Old Zhou laughed. “Keeping secrets from me now, huh? Fine, let me share some good news with you! Lin Yuan really is a genius. He just joined the Composition Department and has already completed a five-million-dollar order! Incredible! None of our top composers managed to land that order, but he did it on his first try! And the quality of his song is outstanding. Based on my years of experience, I’d say it has a very high chance of becoming a major hit! You brought us a real gem, and I owe you one for that!”

Zhao Jue’s mouth fell open.

The only thought running through her mind was: What kind of monster did I sign?

...

At 3 p.m., in a hotel in Qinzhou.

This year’s Blossom champion, Zhao Yingge, was feeling frustrated. “So many songs from the three major entertainment companies, and not a single one satisfies me!”

“Didn’t you say Mountain and Sea was good?”

Her cousin, Zhou Xiaoli, chimed in. After Zhao Yingge won this year’s Blossom, she was inundated with offers from companies. Zhou Xiaoli had temporarily taken on the role of her agent to handle these connections. Fortunately, there weren’t many events, so Zhou Xiaoli mostly just made a few phone calls.

As for Mountain and Sea, it was a song sent by Brilliant Silverlight.

Zhao Yingge shook her head. “Mountain and Sea is good, but it’s not great. It doesn’t reach the level of a signature song, and I want my debut single to be a signature song, the kind that people immediately associate with me when they hear it.”

Zhou Xiaoli whispered, “That’s a pretty high bar...”

Zhao Yingge sighed. “You don’t understand the industry. My vocal ability might be top-notch, but my goal is to become the next diva of the music world. Without a great song, even the best voice won’t matter. Don’t be fooled by how eager these companies are to sign me now. Once I’m signed, they won’t be as attentive. Right now, I’m riding the wave of my Blossom victory, but once I join a company, I’ll be competing with their established stars.”

“You’re right.”

Zhou Xiaoli tried to console her. “But you don’t have to expect everything at once. Great songs take time. Even the top stars didn’t achieve fame overnight. You can’t just demand a great song and expect it to materialize instantly. Plus, the songs you’ve received from the three major companies were all created by top-tier composers, which shows how seriously they’re taking you. I’d say go with Brilliant Silverlight. You’ve already said Mountain and Sea is pretty good.”

“We’ll see.”

Zhao Yingge was still unsatisfied.

Just then, Zhou Xiaoli’s phone rang again. She smiled as she checked it. “It hasn’t been long, and the three major companies have already sent over more songs.”

Zhao Yingge asked listlessly, “Who are the composers?”

Zhou Xiaoli glanced at the names. “The composer for Brilliant Silverlight’s song is Yang Shan. Sand and Sea is composed by Jiang Yi. Xingmang’s song is composed by Xianyu.”

Yang Shan?

Jiang Yi?

Xianyu?

Zhao Yingge raised an eyebrow, recalling who these people were. “Yang Shan and Jiang Yi are both top-tier composers in the industry. As for this Xianyu, he’s a newcomer. His first work, Life Like Summer Flowers, topped the Rising Star Chart last month. But that song isn’t my style. I didn’t expect Xingmang to send a song from a rookie. Until now, all the songs they sent were from their top composers, regardless of quality...”

“A newcomer?”

Zhou Xiaoli sounded worried. “It looks like the three companies are losing patience with you. Xingmang even sent a song by a newcomer. Maybe we should hurry up and choose. You should at least listen to these songs.”

“Forget it.”

Zhao Yingge was disheartened by the series of disappointments. “I’ll wait until more songs pile up and then give them all a final listen. After that, I’ll choose one and sign with that company. We can’t keep stalling like this forever.”

“That works.”

Zhou Xiaoli smiled. “In that case, let’s go watch a movie. There’s an animated film called The Dance of Fish and Dragon coming out next Tuesday. You love animated movies, and if we buy tickets now, we can pick the best seats.”

“Go ahead and get them.”

Zhao Yingge was looking forward to the movie, eager to take a break and clear her mind. Listening to all these songs had left her mentally exhausted. If nothing better came along, she might have to settle for Brilliant Silverlight’s Mountain and Sea.