What?!
Hearing Lu Chen say that his song was still "in his head," Gu Rui felt like his own head was about to explode!
This is absolutely insane!
As a seasoned and refined music director, Gu Rui rarely swore, even in his mind. But right now, he was seething— Lu Chen was seriously testing his patience.
Having worked in the entertainment industry for years, Gu Rui had always had a good impression of Lu Chen. He genuinely admired the young man's talent.
Lu Chen was young, good-looking, and gifted in both singing and songwriting. Unlike many newcomers who let success get to their heads, he was humble and composed, yet still passionate about his craft. In the pop music scene, he was easily one of the most promising rising stars.
If his daughter were not in middle school, Gu Rui might have considered introducing her to Lu Chen.
So, when the Wang Bin incident happened, his first thought was to have Lu Chen step in.
Originally, Lu Chen was supposed to perform a solo, but at the last minute, it was turned into a duet. Gu Rui had strongly opposed the change, feeling it was unfair and went against the initial agreement. It put him in an awkward position, especially since he truly appreciated Lu Chen's talent.
The situation at the TV station was complicated— various interests were tangled together, and as music director, Gu Rui didn't have much authority. Even if he wanted to stand up for Lu Chen, he simply didn't have the power.
But now, with Wang Bin out of the picture, it was the perfect opportunity. Gu Rui immediately recommended Lu Chen to Chen Qi.
Luckily, Chen Qi also had a good impression of Lu Chen and agreed to bring him in.
The plan was simple: Lu Chen would take Wang Bin's spot and perform a well-known patriotic song.
But then, Lu Chen confidently suggested that he had a brand-new original piece to present— an unexpected but thrilling turn of events for Gu Rui.
That is, until he realized Lu Chen's so-called "new song" hadn't even been written yet!
How could Gu Rui not be furious?
Chen Qi, the deputy director of the National Day Gala, along with other key decision-makers, were all present. Gu Rui's reputation was on the line!
Several TV station colleagues exchanged skeptical looks.
Seeing Gu Rui's face darken, Lu Chen quickly clarified, "Teacher Qin, just give me ten minutes— I'll write the sheet music first. And if you can spare me an hour, I'll even put together a simple accompaniment."
"Take a look at the score first. If you're not satisfied, then we can go with whatever you decide!"
His last sentence carried an unwavering confidence, his eyes shining with certainty.
That confidence, combined with Gu Rui's personal appreciation for him, managed to quell the music director's mounting frustration.
Gu Rui turned to look at Chen Qi.
Ultimately, the one with the final say was the powerful deputy director himself.
Chen Qi chuckled. "Young people sure are full of energy. Alright, I'll give you ten minutes."
To be honest, when Lu Chen first made his bold claim, Chen Qi was also irritated.
'These young artists these days... Do they even know their limits?'
But being a seasoned executive, he never let his emotions show on his face. Instead, he found the situation slightly amusing.
After all, it was Gu Rui who had vouched for Lu Chen.
Now, seeing Lu Chen's self-assured attitude, Chen Qi grew intrigued.
'Does this kid really have what it takes?'
'Fine. I'll give you ten minutes to prove yourself. If you deliver, great. If not…'
Chen Qi was known for his decisiveness— if Lu Chen failed, he wouldn't hesitate to cut him loose.
"Thank you, Deputy Director Chen. Thank you, Director Gu."
Lu Chen then asked, "Teacher Qin, can I borrow a computer? Preferably one with 'Composing Master' installed."
"Composing Master" was an essential tool in the music industry, a powerful software suite that handled songwriting, composition, synthesis, and output. It had a massive online database of musical resources and was user-friendly enough for both professionals and hobbyists.
More importantly, "Composing Master" was directly linked to the Great China Music Library, making copyright registration a seamless process.
Every one of Lu Chen's songs had been composed using this software. Given his background in computer science, he had long mastered it. Writing out a score in ten minutes and producing a rough accompaniment within an hour? That was completely doable.
Besides, this was just the first rehearsal. Once his work passed review, there would still be time to fine-tune and polish the arrangement.
Gu Rui pointed to the desk beside him. "Use my computer— it's got everything you need. There's a printer, too."
This office belonged to Gu Rui.
By lending Lu Chen his computer, he was essentially giving him one final chance. If the kid messed up again...
Gu Rui wouldn't hesitate to blacklist him.
"Thank you!"
Lu Chen wasted no time. He strode over, sat down, and powered on the computer.
Gu Rui's setup was top-notch, equipped with multiple professional music software programs, including the latest advanced version of "Composing Master," which Lu Chen was incredibly familiar with.
Double-clicking the software icon, Lu Chen took a deep breath as the program loaded.
*Cough, cough!*
The secondhand smoke in the room nearly choked him!
Alright, no need for unnecessary theatrics— he quickly focused, scanning his memory for the perfect composition to bring to life.
With swift, practiced movements, he began inputting notes into "Composing Master," his fingers flying across the keyboard.
Seeing Lu Chen absorbed in his work, Chen Qi, Gu Rui, and the others resumed their conversation. Of course, they steered clear of anything work-related—there were too many outsiders in the room.
Instead, they talked about Wang Bin's recent arrest.
The scandal had sent shockwaves through the industry.
Celebrity arrests for illegal activities were nothing new. The public had seen it all, and the entertainment industry had long become desensitized. Scandals would blow over like a passing storm, and tomorrow's headlines would bring fresh gossip.
But Wang Bin's status was too high, and his image had always been pristine. Now, with such a major incident, his career was completely destroyed. Even after his release, there would be no chance for a comeback.
Government regulations were strict— he'd be blacklisted for at least ten years! No albums, no TV appearances, no concerts, no endorsements— let alone ten years, even a few years away from the limelight would render him irrelevant. The cost of this scandal was absolutely devastating.
Even Capital City TV was affected, having heavily promoted Wang Bin in the past.
"This is a complete disaster," Chen Qi muttered, his brow furrowed. "It's like trouble came knocking at our door."
The deputy director crushed his cigarette into the ashtray, already overflowing with used filters.
Although Capital City TV was also a victim in this mess, from an outsider's perspective, it was just unfortunate bad luck.
The National Day Gala was their flagship event, and having a featured guest caught in a scandal of this magnitude undoubtedly tarnished the station's reputation.
As the chief organizer of the event, Chen Qi felt helpless.
The prestige he had gained from the success of "Singing China" had instantly taken a major hit.
"Yeah."
Gu Rui pulled out a cigarette and handed it to Chen Qi. "Right now, the priority is to minimize the damage."
He and Chen Qi had worked together for years and understood each other's concerns without needing to spell them out.
Being in a high-ranking position could be incredibly isolating, especially in a bureaucratic organization like a TV network. Holding onto power was a balancing act— one small misstep could lead to an abrupt downfall.
Just then, a sudden mechanical hum filled the room, followed by the crisp clicking of a printer.
Hmm?
Both men turned their heads in surprise.
The laser printer on the desk was already spitting out a sheet of paper.
It was covered in densely packed musical notation.
That fast?
Gu Rui couldn't help but shudder in disbelief.
When Lu Chen claimed he could produce a song in ten minutes, Gu Rui had been skeptical. Even with a melody in mind, putting it down on paper took time—unless he was rushing through without polishing the details.
He had been prepared to give Lu Chen extra time. After all, nurturing young talent required patience, and the pop music industry was in desperate need of fresh, high-quality songwriters.
Yet, in the time it took for him and Chen Qi to finish a cigarette, Lu Chen had already printed out the full score!
Gu Rui was momentarily at a loss for words. Was he really in such a hurry?
Despite his internal grumbles, he quickly got up and grabbed the freshly printed sheet.
He had already decided— if the composition wasn't up to par, he would give Lu Chen a proper dressing-down. Sometimes, a little harsh criticism was necessary to help young musicians develop discipline and refine their craft.
Seeing Gu Rui's reaction, Chen Qi chuckled and shook his head.
The paper was still warm, even slightly hot to the touch, but Gu Rui didn't care. His eyes were fixed on the neatly arranged notes and lyrics.
The score was written in simplified notation—nothing fancy—but that wasn't important. What mattered was the melody, the structure, and the lyrics.
At first, Gu Rui frowned slightly, as if unconvinced.
But soon, his expression softened, and then his eyes widened in excitement, as if he had just unearthed a hidden gem.
His lips moved as he silently mouthed the lyrics.
"This is... good!"
Suddenly, he slammed his hand down on the coffee table. "This is a fantastic song!"
In his excitement, he accidentally knocked over the ashtray.
Chen Qi, who had been sitting next to him, was startled. The cigarette in his mouth fell onto his pants, causing him to jump up and frantically pat himself down.
"Old Gu, what the hell?!"
Gu Rui snapped back to reality and quickly apologized. "Sorry, Old Wang, my bad... I got too caught up."
The deputy director stared at him, dumbfounded. "Was that reaction really necessary?"
Gu Rui shoved the printed sheet into his hands. "Take a look at this, and you'll understand!"
The deputy director, who had some musical background, could read simplified notation well enough to grasp its essence.
Skeptical, he skimmed through the sheet.
Is it really that impressive?
Meanwhile, Gu Rui turned his attention back to Lu Chen.
And suddenly, he was annoyed.
"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and finish the accompaniment! Rehearsal starts at three-thirty!"
Capital City TV's music director had officially cast aside his doubts.
This song alone was worth backing Lu Chen all the way!
(End Of This Chapter)
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