Chapter 81: I Want to Challenge the Wind and Cloud Rankings

Shanghai City Television Station, underground parking lot.

Qin Pei dragged her exhausted body out of the elevator. Several days and nights of rehearsals had left her light-headed and dizzy. She stood on the steps, gazing blankly around. Not far away, beside a white van, her agent Guan Mei waved to her.

Seeing this, Qin Pei stiffly moved in that direction. As soon as she drew near, Guan Mei quickly opened the car door.

“Get in and take a rest!”

“I brought you some chicken soup, have a little first.”

Qin Pei managed a weak smile and took the opportunity to slip into the car. After a few mouthfuls of chicken soup, she seemed to regain a bit of strength. She had always suffered from low blood pressure, and the long hours of rehearsal had already pushed her to her limits. She had only managed to hold on until the end by sheer force of will.

“How is everything? Going smoothly?” Guan Mei took advantage of the moment to ask in a low voice.

Qin Pei nodded, her voice hoarse. “It’s fine, just the rehearsals are really intense. The producer has very high standards, always nitpicking over and over. Even the tiniest flaw means starting all over again.”

Guan Mei tried to comfort her. “It’s alright, hang in there. When this is over, I’ll ask the company for some time off for you so you can really rest. You’ve had way too many gigs lately.”

Qin Pei nodded in response, remaining silent.

The car fell quiet, filled only with the soft sounds of sipping soup. After a long while, Qin Pei set down the bowl and spoon and sighed wearily.

“Mei, tell me, what am I working myself to death for?”

Guan Mei’s heart ached as she took Qin Pei’s hand. “For a better life. And for the dream in your heart.”

Qin Pei looked at her with a complicated expression. “But I’m almost thirty now. I’ve worked hard for so many years, and I’m still stuck in the same place. Now, whenever the company has good opportunities, they go to the younger singers. For people like me, older and seen as lacking potential, we’re already considered past our prime. All that’s left is to be sent running around to every gig, working ourselves to the bone.”

Guan Mei opened her mouth to comfort her, but for a moment didn’t know what to say. After a pause, she finally spoke. “Don’t think like that, and don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Didn’t we get the song ‘White Fox’ before? If the right song comes along, I believe the company will still consider you.”

Qin Pei shook her head. “‘White Fox’ only came to me because the company had no other choice. They wanted the best song for the production team, and I just happened to be the only suitable choice for that song.”

“I believe that if it weren’t for the bid with the production team, even if I was the best fit, the song wouldn’t have been given to me.”

Hearing this, Guan Mei could only sigh. She knew Qin Pei was speaking the truth. But such harsh realities—she really couldn’t bear to lay them bare here. She quickly gathered her thoughts and gently encouraged her.

“Don’t lose hope. We’ve built a good relationship with Su Chen, haven’t we? Maybe next time, if he has the chance, he’ll consider you.”

At her words, Qin Pei’s expression dimmed further. “I’ve tried to reach out to him several times, but he’s shown no interest in me. The last four songs all went to young trainees. I suppose his thinking is the same as management’s.”

Guan Mei sighed inwardly. Qin Pei, must you be so clear-eyed? Sometimes, a little oblivion is the key to happiness.

The car lapsed into another silence.

Ding! A message alert sounded.

Qin Pei instinctively reached for her phone, but her hand stopped halfway. Guan Mei hesitated, then said, “Aren’t you going to… answer?”

Though she felt for Qin Pei, if it was a work issue, she had to keep track. If something went wrong with the program, they’d both be responsible.

Reluctantly, Qin Pei pulled out her phone. “These production teams don’t care about anyone’s rest. They message at five in the morning and again past midnight. Am I supposed to be glued to my phone twenty-four hours a day waiting on their messages? I really want to—”

She broke off abruptly, her body freezing. She unlocked her phone again to check carefully, then clapped a hand tightly over her mouth.

Seeing her expression, Guan Mei thought something terrible had happened and anxiously pressed her. “What’s going on? Don’t cry, it’s alright! I’ll handle it!” She took Qin Pei’s phone and quickly looked at the screen, only to see a message from Su Chen.

“Come to the company tomorrow to record a song.”

Guan Mei looked up, her eyes meeting Qin Pei’s tear-filled gaze—both of them overwhelmed with excitement.

-------------------------------------

Su Chen hadn’t been to the company for five days.

So today, he got up early. After a simple breakfast, he opened his notebook in the bedroom, picked out a few pages, tore them out, and hurried to the company.

As soon as he entered the lobby, he saw Qin Pei and Guan Mei coming to greet him from the waiting area.

“Mr. Su!” Qin Pei, in stark contrast to her previous exhaustion, had put on her favorite outfit and looked refreshed and spirited.

“What are you two doing waiting here? Why not go upstairs?”

Qin Pei didn’t know how to answer for a moment. Guan Mei stepped in. “We weren’t sure when you’d arrive, and didn’t want to bother you with a message, so we waited here—it’s more convenient.”

Su Chen chuckled and nodded. “Alright then, let’s head up.”

The two women followed Su Chen to the Xingcheng Entertainment office. The conference room they had reserved was already prepared.

Inside, Fang Xiao, Wang Yan, Kong Qishui, and several others had arrived as well. Although Su Chen had the final say in these matters, Fang Xiao was now head of the artists’ department, and Wang Yan, as general manager, still needed to be kept in the loop.

Once everyone was seated and the pleasantries exchanged, Su Chen didn’t bother with small talk and went straight to the point.

“Everyone should know about the new song recording by now, right? Since you’re all here, I’ll be direct. My goal is simple. In October, I want to compete for the Storm Chart and advance to Gold Composer.”

Boom!

The moment Su Chen spoke, everyone was stunned! The October Storm Chart—it was known as the month of death. Everyone knew it would be the battleground between Jiang Yan and Xi Siyuan. Most singers would avoid this period entirely. Yet Su Chen chose this moment—why?

Based on Su Chen’s current achievements, if he wanted to advance to Gold Composer, he would need at least five songs to make it into the top ten of the Storm Chart to meet the basic requirement. What a daunting challenge.

Had he forgotten the conditions for promotion to Gold Composer?

But, knowing Su Chen’s past, they understood that once he made a decision, he wouldn’t change his mind on anyone else’s advice.

So they all waited quietly for his next move.

“I’ll put out five new songs to compete. Success or failure, it all rests on this.”

Boom! The conference room erupted instantly.