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Chapter 106
Outside the venue, Chen Shen sat on a bench with ash-white hair and a casually draped denim jacket.
He sat on a long bench, his slender legs crossed, his brow revealing a touch of anxiety.
The comprehensive ratings were automatically calculated by the system, so the process moved quickly. His wait didn't last long; by early afternoon, he received the evaluation paper from the production team.
However, when he saw the text clearly, Chen Shen's expression completely froze.
The bright red "F" rating almost hurt his eyes.
Е̌n ū.mа .і́ d̂
"F... how is that possible?" He stared wide-eyed, murmuring in disbelief.
Before receiving the results, Chen Shen had anticipated many scenarios and had considered the possibility of elimination.
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After all, though there were many expert judges, the time for music appreciation was limited. Misjudgments were understandable.
But he had never imagined that the rating would be the lowest "F"!
A man standing beside Chen Shen also received his rating. Looking at the bright red "D" on it, he couldn't help but give a light scoff.
As expected, these variety shows still maintained their previous patterns.
Е n üm̊a
Though flying the banner of "returning to music's essence and discovering talented singers," they were essentially just a show chasing popularity and traffic.
Only caring about the work, not the selling points?
This was just to deceive uninformed passersby. How could those profit-driven capitalists truly act this way?
What was more ridiculous was that even knowing this was just a gimmick for the variety show's promotion, he still harbored a one-in-a-thousand hope, believed their words, and came to participate.
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"Brother, did you get your rating too?" The man turned his head and saw Chen Shen's look of utter disbelief.
He glanced at the "F" on the other's rating sheet and clicked his tongue: "Don't fall into self-doubt because of this. You might not be untalented; you're just not suited for participating in variety shows."
Wèbňо̂ ve̊ l̂ Е̄n ū m̃ а̊
Chen Shen was slightly taken aback, raising his head, his ash-white short hair drooping slightly in the sunlight.
As a socially anxious person, when strangers approached him, he usually instinctively wanted to avoid them.
However, this time, the F rating had truly affected him, so he gathered his courage to ask: "What do you mean by that?"
"Do you really think these variety shows are here to select talent?" The man sighed. "Don't fantasize. Judging a song in just over a minute, listening to hundreds of songs in a day—do you think they can select good works?"
This was somewhat similar to grading high school graduation essays.
For an eight-hundred-word essay, the grading teacher would only spend a few dozen seconds reading it; everything was an assembly-line process.
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If an excellent writer were to write such an essay, could they get a high score under this mechanism?
Probably not.
Moreover, when grading essays, one could focus on the beginning and ending, skimming through the middle.
But when listening to songs, if parts were skipped or fast-forwarded, the entire experience might be completely different.
"The 'Best Music Producer' variety show is not genuinely looking for outstanding talent," the man said.
Chen Shen: "..."
Е n̆ ŭ m а̃ . id̀
Chen Shen pressed his lips together, still feeling intense dissatisfaction.
He certainly knew that this rating model would produce discrepancies. But in his view, the discrepancy shouldn't be so great.
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Perhaps a 90-point work might be misjudged as 60 points, but no matter how you look at it, it shouldn't be misjudged as 0 points!
Yet reality had slapped him hard in the face.
The man's companion also moved closer.
He glanced at Chen Shen's rating and chuckled, comforting him: "If I'm not mistaken, your song rating probably isn't F-level. It's just that other aspects of your situation lowered the overall score, resulting in an F."
Ӗ.n̊ ũ m а́.і d̄
Chen Shen was startled by these words.
The person asked: "Do you have a family background different from ordinary people?"
Chen Shen paused, hesitantly replying: "Uh, no."
"Any tragic past experiences?"
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"...Of course not."
"Have you done anything deeply moving in pursuit of your dreams?"
Еnü ma
Chen Shen: "..."
What did any of this have to do with whether his song was good or not!
The man looked him up and down again, sighing helplessly: "Plus, you don't have an outstanding appearance—with such conditions, most people would give you an F rating if you participated in a variety show talent search."
Chen Shen fell silent.
Could it be that his most proud creation received an F rating for these ridiculous reasons?
He truly regretted registering for this variety show.
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The dismissive attitude the organizers showed toward his work gave him a feeling of being insulted.
Chen Shen gritted his teeth, crumpling the paper with the "F" into a ball, taking several quick steps to the trash can, his hand ready to throw it in.
However, at that moment, a hand stopped his action.
"Wait, friend..." a very pleasant female voice sounded in his ear. "Is that an F rating in your hand?"
Chen Shen was slightly taken aback and turned to look.
What met his eyes was a woman wearing a baseball cap. She wore sunglasses and a mask, almost completely covering her entire face, making her difficult to recognize.
Ŵӗ bn ӧv̄ еl Еńu mӓ
She slightly lowered her sunglasses, revealing a pair of bright eyes, with a clear and vibrant gaze looking over, carrying a hint of a smile.
"Ahem, I don't mean anything else, I'm just genuinely interested in you," she said. "I'm planning to film a musical movie soon, and I wonder if you'd be interested in joining our team to create music that matches the film's plot?"
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Chen Shen: "..."
A talent scout?
Wait, that's not right—his appearance was very ordinary, so there shouldn't be any talent scouts interested in him.
Surely they couldn't be interested in his "F" rated composing abilities!
Ẅе̊b̊ n ӧ v е̄ l̀ Ѐ ñ u ḿа̄
He gave Yao Bianliang a suspicious look, questioning his existence: "You... must have seen my rating, right?"
He simply unfolded the crumpled paper in his hand; the paper was wrinkled, but the bright red F was still clearly visible.
"See, F level," Chen Shen pointed to the activity site nearby, took a deep breath, and emphasized, "In this variety show, F is the worst level."
"Oh, I certainly know that." Yao Bianliang looked at the paper in Chen Shen's hand, the smile in her eyes deepening.
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She had been wandering around this outer area for half a day. Chen Shen was not the first contestant she had approached, and certainly wouldn't be the last.
When she extended her olive branch, almost every contestant reacted like Chen Shen—showing doubt and disbelief, then questioning if she was a scammer.
Wе b̄ n̄ ò vе̇l̄ Е̇ num̆ȧ
But Yao Bianliang certainly wouldn't give up because of this.
Once bitten, twice shy—she had become quite experienced in handling such situations.
"Brother, don't rush to refuse," Yao Bianliang said. "Here's our studio's business card; you can check it out."
Hearing these words that sounded very much like a pyramid scheme organization, Chen Shen was slightly taken aback, but still instinctively accepted the card handed to him.
It prominently displayed the words "Hudi Entertainment Studio."
"We're currently preparing to invest in a musical film, starring Yao Bianliang, with an investment of over one hundred million, aiming to create an epic artistic work."
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"A musical film requires numerous song works. We see great potential in your talent, so we're formally extending an invitation to you."
"If you're interested, you can come to Hudi Entertainment Studio next Wednesday to find me, and we can discuss details."
Chen Shen: "..."
Originally, when he first heard the other party's offer, Chen Shen had approached it with 90% skepticism.
Now, after hearing the explanation, that 90% skepticism directly transformed into 100%.
Celebrity Yao Bianliang, hundred-million-yuan investment—with such good conditions, why would they be interested in him?
Еń u m á . і d́
Pies don't just fall from the sky—this obviously didn't add up!
Yao Bianliang patiently persuaded: "The company address is on the back of the card, in an office building in a prosperous area. Just follow that address to find us."
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"You can search for information about the studio online; this is Yao Bianliang's personal studio, it's not fake."
"If I were lying to you, this lie would be too easily exposed, there would be no point—wouldn't you agree?"
Chen Shen was startled—so this was Yao Bianliang's studio?
Yao Bianliang was a well-known domestic celebrity. If what the other person said was false, it would be too easily debunked.
Е̂nu̇m̀ а . і̃ d̈
Besides, even if he did go as suggested, the worst-case scenario would just be a wasted trip; there wouldn't be significant losses.
Yao Bianliang: "Brother, your name is Chen Sheng, right? This collaboration would be a good opportunity for both of us. I hope you'll seriously consider it."
Chen Shen: "...My name is Chen Shen, not Chen Sheng."
Yao Bianliang waved dismissively: "Brother, that's not important! Anyway, hearing your name, I know you're a very talented music producer."
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"What's that saying? Kings and nobles are not born that way."
"Come and give it a try. I believe with your abilities, you can definitely create excellent songs."
Е̇ ǹ u m а̂
Yao Bianliang handed another business card to him, then turned around to find her next target.
Chen Shen stood in place, holding the card, bewildered.
Can this person... really be trusted?
Randomly grabbing an F-level contestant on the street and extending an olive branch—it seemed utterly unreliable!
Despite thinking this, after a moment of hesitation, Chen Shen still carefully tucked the card away.
Perhaps... a miracle might actually happen?
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❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
Yuehui Entertainment, Headquarters.
President Yue sat in his office, reviewing the data report for "Best Music Producer," nodding with satisfaction.
"The popularity is quite considerable this time," he said to President An on the other end of the video conference. "With this variety show, we should be able to make several stars famous!"
Stars were money trees, and variety shows were tools for creating money trees.
President Yue was well-versed in this assembly line.
Ӗñ u ṁ а̂
"However..." he paused, as if remembering a joke, and chatted with President An, "I heard that Yao Bianliang is also looking for music talent recently."
"Yao Bianliang?"
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President An of Ansheng Entertainment felt his heart skip a beat and immediately sat up straight.
To be honest, he now had PTSD just hearing the three words "Yao Bianliang."
"You... have provoked Yao Bianliang?" President An's eyes flashed with worry and vigilance.
"Don't worry, it's nothing," President Yue scoffed. "That Yao Bianliang has specifically targeted contestants we don't want. According to information, she has already contacted several composers rated F."
Е̌n̆ ü m á
At this point, President Yue couldn't help but find it amusing.
This Yao Bianliang was like someone specifically picking up garbage, choosing people they had rejected.
Only someone with holes in their head would do such a thing!
President An, however, had not relaxed his vigilance. Based on his past experience, Yao Bianliang's actions were definitely not as simple as they appeared.
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He cautioned: "Although Yao Bianliang doesn't follow conventional patterns, she always achieves unexpected results, succeeding in unusual ways."
He paused, concerned that President Yue might not take it seriously, and added: "You need to be alert about this matter and try not to have any connection with Yao Bianliang! This person has extremely deep thoughts, sophisticated methods, and is very formidable."
Ӗń u m̄ ä
"One careless move, and you could easily be ambushed from an unexpected quarter."
President Yue's lips twitched: "Brother, have you been put under a spell by Yao Bianliang?"
She was just a celebrity, and one in the acting industry at that. How could she possibly impact their music variety show?
Don't be ridiculous.
"Don't underestimate her," President An frowned. "I used to think like you, and I've been constantly tripped up by her."
As a result, Ansheng Entertainment had been severely damaged.
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President An paused, then continued: "Anyone who investigates would know those contestants were all rated F."
"Your variety show claims to return to music's essence and focus only on the work. If Yao Bianliang uses them to cause trouble, wouldn't your variety show become a complete joke?"
They both knew there was significant inflation in the variety show ratings.
Among those rated F, there were certainly genuinely talented composers.
"So what?" President Yue twirled a pen in his hand, unconcerned.
"Could she really create something astonishing with those garbage contestants?"
Е n̈ ûmâ.ї d
The current market was no longer pure.
Forget whether they could create excellent works—even if they did, what would it matter?
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Under the influence of various trending songs, the public's appreciation ability had already diminished.
Some songs, despite lacking artistry, could become popular nationwide.
While other songs, though pleasing to the ear, might not spread due to various reasons, such as lack of promotion or obscure lyrics.
President Yue didn't believe that with Yao Bianliang's way of doing things, she could hit market hot spots.
Е̌ nū ḿӑ.i̇ d̃
"Brother, don't view Yao Bianliang as too divine," he chuckled, calm and relaxed. "After all, she's just an ordinary actress."
"In this era where capital is king and traffic rules supreme, someone like her is destined not to go far."
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
Wednesday.
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At the entrance of the office building.
Chen Shen stood in place, looking at the address written on the card from afar, his face conflicted.
Ѐ nūḿ а̌
The office building towered into the clouds, with fountains and stone sculptures at the entrance making the gate look more magnificent. The revolving glass doors slowly rotated to music, reflecting light in the sunshine.
There were many entertainment companies here, so at the cafes and on the streets, many paparazzi were staking out.
They photographed everyone they saw; if they were lucky enough to capture a celebrity, they could sell the photos and make some money.
Chen Shen watched from afar, feeling immense pressure.
Maybe... he should just forget it?
The woman who gave him the address was of unknown origin and identity; from beginning to end, she hadn't even revealed her true appearance.
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Based solely on a card she gave him, it was impossible to determine if it was genuine or fake.
Perhaps it was just someone's prank?
If he just walked in without an appointment or credentials, and it turned out to be a prank, he would probably be thrown out immediately.
Just thinking about it felt too mortifying.
While hesitating, another group of people walked toward the building.
Leading them was a man wearing a mask, sunglasses covering half his face, followed by two assistant-like individuals, making quite an impression.
Ё n üm̃а̇
Paparazzi hidden in the shadows sprang into action, immediately raising their cameras and snapping away.
"Hmm, who's this? He's got quite the attitude."
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"Seems like an eighteenth-tier celebrity, a newcomer who just debuted."
"So it's just a newcomer... made me excited for nothing."
"That's right, nowadays newcomers all have such arrogant appearances, whereas those who are already famous are extremely low-key."
Behind him, several paparazzi conversed, their tone carrying a hint of disappointment.
En̆ u_m̌ ã. і̌ d̃
Chen Shen's heart surged with various emotions, but ultimately he took a deep breath and, taking advantage of this opportunity, stepped toward the side entrance of the office building.
Forget it, the worst possibility would just be social death on the spot, no big deal!
But if the other party's invitation was genuine, and he missed it due to timidity, he would definitely regret it for a lifetime.
As a music student, Chen Shen had graduated from a formal music academy.
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Among his former classmates, some had already entered large companies as arrangers, some had embarked on careers as singers, and others had become composers with small reputations in the industry.
Only Chen Shen remained unknown, making no progress.
Е̌n ûm̃ а
Chen Shen clearly knew that he had low emotional intelligence and no background, making it difficult to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry's world of fame and fortune.
So he cherished every opportunity, just like when he registered for "Best Music Producer"—even if there was only a small probability of success, he wanted to try.
"Hudi Entertainment Studio, take elevator No. 3 to the 12th floor, should be here."
He looked down at the address on the card while walking to the elevator.
"Ding—"
The elevator doors slowly opened, and Chen Shen entered. Entering the elevator with him was also the minor celebrity who had been secretly photographed by the paparazzi earlier.
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Chen Shen clearly felt that since he entered the elevator, the other's gaze had fallen on him, looking him up and down.
"Are you... Chen Shen?" Suddenly, the person's voice slowly sounded beside him.
Chen Shen was shocked, instinctively turning to look, only to see the person remove his sunglasses and chuckle: "So it's an old classmate."
Under the packaging of makeup artists and stylists, the other had clearly changed, but still carried shadows of the past.
Chen Shen recalled for a moment in his mind and finally remembered the other's identity: "Zeng Zeyou?"
This was his university classmate; their relationship was relatively ordinary—acquaintances, but far from close.
W е̇b̈ ǹо v̊ е̄ l Е̊ṅ ú mа
He hadn't expected to encounter him here.
Chen Shen had been mixing in music circles for quite a few years now and had certainly met some of his classmates before. But encountering one under these circumstances was a first.
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He fingered the business card in his pocket, somewhat developing the intention to retreat.
Would he be turned away at the reception in front of his old classmate? That would be too terrible.
Zeng Zeyou looked him up and down, slightly raising an eyebrow: "What are you doing here? I remember... you don't seem to have signed with any entertainment company."
Zeng Zeyou remembered Chen Shen; this person had been very unremarkable in school. After graduation, everyone went their separate ways, and he hadn't heard of any achievements from him, suggesting his situation wasn't ideal.
Еñum̌ ǎ. і̂ d
Now looking at Chen Shen's demeanor, he was clearly visiting this office building for the first time.
That being the case, it almost ruled out the possibility of him working here.
Meeting a classmate who was doing worse than himself on the way, Zeng Zeyou's lips curved into a smile, feeling quite inclined to chat with him.
"Long time no see, how have you been lately?"
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Chen Shen forced a smile and responded vaguely: "Mm, yes, long time no see."
He clearly didn't want to talk much, but unfortunately, Zeng Zeyou didn't seem to realize this.
Ẅ e b̃ǹ о̊vе l Ёn̈ um ӓ
"The entire 12th floor is entertainment companies. Which one are you going to?" Zeng Zeyou paused, then smiled somewhat smugly. "I'm quite familiar with this place; I can take you there."
Chen Shen was silent for a moment: "...It's nothing, I can go by myself."
Zeng Zeyou: "Don't be shy. I'm already a signed singer with Huaquan Entertainment and know this place like the back of my hand. Are you looking to submit a work? I can take you there."
Chen Shen swallowed.
As someone with social anxiety, he was now deeply frightened.
For the first time, he felt that the elevator could move so slowly, and time could pass so tediously.
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Fortunately, as if hearing his internal screams, with a "ding" sound, the elevator doors finally slowly opened.
They had arrived at the 12th floor.
Chen Shen immediately stepped out.
Since the studio had expanded, Hudi Entertainment had not only rented part of the 12th floor office area but also leased the entire 13th floor.
Chen Shen looked around, then following the instructions on the card, started walking to the right.
Then he dejectedly discovered that Zeng Zeyou's direction seemed to be consistent with his own.
Е̊ ń.u mа̂ . іd
Chen Shen: "..."
The two could only chat incoherently as they walked.
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Zeng Zeyou: "By the way, Chen Shen, where are you working these days?"
Chen Shen remained silent, expressionless: "Freelancer."
Indeed, upon hearing this, Zeng Zeyou's smile deepened.
Freelancer—which meant that Chen Shen didn't even have a stable job right now.
Е ṅu m̃ а̃
He cleared his throat and slowly said: "Freelancing isn't very stable. In our line of work, it's best to find a reliable team."
"If you can join an entertainment company with your own professional team to lead, that would be even better."
Chen Shen: "...Oh."
Chen Shen showed no expression on the surface, but internally he already wanted to turn and flee.
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Walking a few more steps forward, the sign for "Hudi Entertainment Studio" appeared before him. Chen Shen couldn't help but glance at Zeng Zeyou beside him, hesitating whether to enter.
Being turned away wasn't a big deal—what mattered was that Zeng Zeyou absolutely must not see it!
Е̊n̈ūm̌ а
Just as he was hesitating, the receptionist had already noticed their movement and looked over.
Receptionist: "Hello sir, who are you looking for?"
Zeng Zeyou also slowed his pace, his gaze turning toward this direction, filled with doubt.
No way, did Chen Shen actually know someone at Hudi Entertainment Studio?
Hearing the receptionist's question, Chen Shen had no retreat at this point and could only forge ahead: "Um, my name is Chen Shen... someone gave me a business card and said they had a collaboration to discuss with me, asking me to come here to find her."
After saying this, he himself felt unsure.
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He had actually believed an olive branch extended by a stranger and had come all the way here. In fact, he didn't even know the name of the studio employee who had invited him.
Had he been out of his mind to do this?
Zeng Zeyou also twitched his lips, looking at Chen Shen with some shock.
Was Chen Shen serious? After all this, he didn't even know the other person's name.
While the two were lost in their own thoughts, the receptionist's eyes suddenly lit up.
Under their watchful gaze, she stood up enthusiastically, giving Chen Shen a warm smile.
È ñ um а. i d̊
"So you're Mr. Chen! Sister Liang has been waiting for you for a long time. Let me take you in."
Chen Shen: "..."
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Chen Shen: !?
What's going on? Did the receptionist know his name?
Chen Shen's mind was a bit confused, and it took him a moment to react.
—The person claiming to be from Hudi Entertainment Studio must have been genuine, not a scammer!
Е̌ nům̄ a
So... this really wasn't a prank.
But Zeng Zeyou keenly realized another issue.
"...Sister Liang?" He softly murmured this title, pondering for a moment before a strong sense of shock surged into his heart.
The person called "Sister Liang" at Hudi Entertainment Studio, wouldn't that be Yao Bianliang herself!
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Chen Shen actually knew Yao Bianliang, and had even received an invitation from her to discuss collaboration?
He was doing this well!
Е̌ ṅũm̊ӓ. і̊ď
Zeng Zeyou felt like a stampede of ten thousand alpacas had passed through his heart, his entire person falling into a state of stupor.
If you were doing this well, why did you pretend to be in a miserable, down-on-your-luck state? Isn't this misleading people?
Zeng Zeyou couldn't help but recall what he had said to Chen Shen earlier.
Well, he had boasted about signing with an entertainment company and having his own team.
He had also pretentiously advised Chen Shen that freelancing was unstable, suggesting he join an entertainment company.
But now it seemed that Chen Shen wasn't unable to find suitable work at all. He was clearly so capable, a big shot who had now gone independent.
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Yet he had thought Chen Shen was doing poorly and had boasted about his own minor achievements in front of him.
Zeng Zeyou: "..."
He desperately wished he could travel back a few minutes in time to sew up his own mouth.
What on earth had he been doing!
