Entertainment from Divorce

The morning sunlight pierced through the clouds and gently bathed the mahogany desk in the floor-to-ceiling windows of the top-floor office of the dazzling entertainment complex.

When Tan Yue arrived at the company, Chen Ye had already placed the organized information about Su Xiaoyu on the corner of the table, with a silhouette of Su Xiaoyu on stage printed on the cover of the booklet.

A printed vocal range analysis report and a summary of musical styles were also attached.

"Good morning, Mr. Tan." Chen Ye brought over a cup of freshly brewed pre-Qingming Longjing tea, the tea soup clear and the aroma wafting.

"This is Su Xiaoyu's complete information, including her personal resume, past performance records, vocal range test data, and Director Wei's annotations on her strengths and weaknesses."

"In addition, Qian Tao, the director of the TV series department, sent a message saying that the revised probe scenes in 'The Three-Body Problem' have been edited and he would like to ask you to take some time this morning to review them again."

"Director Zheng Tong from the film department has sent over the revised international cooperation plan. We await your review and confirmation of the final version."

Tan Yue nodded, took the teacup, and took a sip. The warm tea slid down his throat, dispelling the morning chill.

"Leave the documents here for now, I'll finish this urgent work first."

He pushed the document booklet to the side of the table, picked up the cooperation proposal sent by Zheng Tong, and quickly flipped through it with his fingertips, his eyes focused and sharp.

Tan Yue added a few minor adjustments to the plan.

It was then sent to Zheng Tong with the note, "Make the changes accordingly, and finalize the version at 3 PM this afternoon."

Immediately afterwards, he opened the link to the "Three-Body Problem" clip sent by Qian Tao and carefully reviewed the adjusted landing footage of the probe.

Tan Yue replied with satisfaction, "Passed, can proceed to the next synthesis stage."

After handling these two core tasks, Tan Yue reviewed the daily reports submitted by each department one by one.

Before we knew it, the clock had struck 11 a.m. The sun was high overhead, casting fine spots of light through the blinds onto the table, and the tea on the table had cooled down considerably.

"Mr. Tan, it's time for lunch." Chen Ye knocked on the door and came in to remind him. "I ordered stir-fried vegetables, yam and pork ribs, and mixed grain rice for you. They're already in the lounge outside."

"Okay." Tan Yue put down his pen, stretched, and frowned slightly as the soreness in his shoulders and neck from sitting for a long time came over him.

He got up and stretched his neck a few times, walked to the lounge and sat down. After a simple lunch, he rested on the sofa for ten minutes before returning to his desk and picking up the file on Su Xiaoyu.

He poured himself another cup of hot tea, his fingertips tracing the cover of the document booklet as he slowly opened it.

The first page contains Su Xiaoyu's basic information.

At 23, she graduated from a music academy and signed with Brilliant Entertainment for two years. She had been working behind the scenes in the music industry until six months ago when she was selected through internal auditions to participate in "Sound of Melody".

His resume isn't particularly impressive, but it exudes a down-to-earth quality.

From backing vocals to cover songs, every step has been taken steadily and surely.

Flipping through the pages reveals Wei Yu's annotations.

Su Xiaoyu has a vocal range spanning three octaves, with ethereal and clear mid-high notes and a slightly cool and clear low notes. She excels in traditional Chinese style and healing music, and has a strong ability to interpret the emotions in lyrics.

However, his stage presence is somewhat immature, and he lacks signature works.

The attached chart clearly marks her dominant vocal range, which happens to be concentrated in the mid-frequency range commonly used in traditional Chinese style songs, perfectly matching Wei Yu's assessment.

Tan Yue held his teacup, sipping tea as he flipped through the pages, his gaze lingering on Su Xiaoyu's list of past cover songs.

The songs are all in the ancient Chinese style, and each song is marked with its play count and netizens' comments. The positive reviews are mostly based on keywords such as "full of ancient Chinese charm" and "cool and gentle".

He put down the document booklet, turned on the computer, opened the collection of Su Xiaoyu's performances that Chen Ye had prepared in advance, put on his headphones, and listened quietly.

Her first performance was a cover of a song she sang when she first appeared on "Sound of Melody". The accompaniment was minimalist, with only the guqin and bamboo flute to create the atmosphere.

As soon as Su Xiaoyu's voice came out, it carried a touch of aloofness and coldness, like the streets and alleys of Chang'an after a snowfall, empty yet warm. The transitions in the chorus were delicate and smooth, without any deliberate showing off, yet they perfectly interpreted the longing and melancholy in the song.

Next up is her adapted stage performance that aired last week.

She simplified the arrangement of the original song and added opera-style segments. The transition between the mid-high notes and the opera-style singing was natural and not abrupt. Her clear and cool voice was more melodious. On stage, she wore a plain-colored ancient-style dress.

Although the movements were few, the song alone transported the audience into the mood of "waiting for the return of loved ones".

Tan Yue listened to the songs one by one, occasionally pausing and tapping his fingertips lightly on the table, savoring the characteristics of Su Xiaoyu's voice.

Her voice is neither as deep and resonant as other ancient-style singers, nor as soft and sweet as other female singers. Instead, it is like a clear mountain spring, ethereal yet cool, gentle yet aloof.

More than half an hour later, the stage compilation finished playing.

Tan Yue took off his headphones, leaned back in his chair, and a melody was already taking shape in his mind.

Su Xiaoyu's voice is best suited for telling vivid stories, and ancient-style songs are undoubtedly the best choice. However, she should avoid overly sweet or heavy styles and highlight her cool and ethereal core qualities.

Suddenly, the phrase "watching from the sidelines" came to mind.

It's not the detachment of a cold observer, but the serenity that comes with experience in the world. It has both the vastness of the martial arts world and the tenderness of lovers, which perfectly matches Su Xiaoyu's voice.

He got up and walked to his desk, picked up a pen and paper, and wrote down the song title "Watching from the Wall" on the paper. Then, following the melody in his mind, he wrote down the lyrics line by line.

Tan Yue wrote extremely quickly, the pen scratching on the paper. He would pause occasionally to make minor adjustments to a line of lyrics or melody notes. In less than an hour, the lyrics and sheet music for the entire song were completed.

The handwriting on the paper is neat and powerful, and the melody is clearly marked. From the verse, the pre-chorus to the chorus and the bridge, each part is connected naturally, with a strong ancient style and a fresh feel.

Tan Yue tidied up the song he had written, folded it up, put it in an envelope, and pressed the intercom button: "Xiao Ye, have Wei Yu come to my office."

"Okay, Mr. Tan." Chen Ye's crisp voice came from the other end of the phone.

Less than five minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

"Mr. Tan, you wanted to see me?" Wei Yu strode in, his face showing a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.

He was still wondering last night when Tan Yue would have an idea, but he didn't expect to get news so quickly.

Tan Yue handed her the envelope: "It's a song for Su Xiaoyu, 'Watching from the Wall,' a traditional Chinese style song. Take a look."

Wei Yu quickly took the envelope with both hands, his fingertips trembling slightly, and carefully opened it. When he saw the neat lyrics and clear melody markings on the paper, his eyes lit up instantly. He read the lyrics word by word, humming the melody unconsciously, his surprise growing stronger.

"President Tan, this... this is something you wrote in one night?" Wei Yu looked up, his tone full of disbelief.

He has been in the music industry for many years and has met countless songwriters, but no one has ever been able to write such a high-quality ancient-style song in such a short period of time.

The lyrics are vivid and profound, the melody fits the ancient style of Chinese aesthetics, and it is also perfectly suited to Su Xiaoyu's vocal characteristics. Every detail has been polished to perfection.

"Yes, I looked at her information yesterday and listened to her performance today. Inspiration struck me, so I wrote it." Tan Yue's tone was calm, as if he had just completed an ordinary task.

"The lyrics and melody are finalized. You can handle the arrangement. It should highlight the ancient Chinese style and use more traditional instruments such as the guqin, bamboo flute, and guzheng. Don't add too many electronic elements and preserve the ethereal quality of Su Xiaoyu's voice."

Wei Yu held the song, flipping through it repeatedly, becoming more and more satisfied with each reading. He couldn't help but exclaim, "This is wonderful, President Tan! This song, 'Watching from the Side,' is practically tailor-made for Su Xiaoyu! The lyrics are absolutely brilliant, perfectly capturing the essence of traditional Chinese style while highlighting her vocal characteristics. The melody is also incredibly catchy; it's sure to be a hit!"

"Don't praise it too much yet; we'll know the effect after it's recorded."

Tan Yue leaned back in his chair and said in a calm tone, "When you get back, arrange the recording. Find the best arrangement and production team, and make sure to combine the ancient style of the song with Su Xiaoyu's vocal strengths."

"After the recording is finished, let me listen to it once. Once I confirm that there are no problems, then I will arrange the follow-up promotion."

"Understood! Understood!" Wei Yu nodded hurriedly, carefully putting away the song as if it were a rare treasure.

"I'll go back and make the arrangements right away. I will strictly follow your requirements and complete the recording as soon as possible. I will never let you down."

He said a few more words of thanks before turning and leaving with light steps, as if afraid of wasting time.

Back in the music department, Wei Yu went straight to the secretary's office: "Quickly, go and call Su Xiaoyu to my office, it's urgent."

Seeing his agitated expression, the secretary didn't dare to delay and immediately turned to find Su Xiaoyu.

At this moment, Su Xiaoyu was in the practice room reviewing the stage performance of "Sound of Melody". She was wearing simple sportswear and headphones, repeatedly refining the details of the vocal transitions.

Hearing the secretary's notification, she was a little puzzled, took off her headphones and asked, "Director Wei wanted to see me? Is there something you need?"

"I don't know, Mr. Wei seems to be in a hurry. You should go over there quickly," the secretary said with a smile.

Su Xiaoyu was puzzled, thinking that there might be adjustments to the recording of the music variety show. She quickly straightened her clothes and walked briskly toward Wei Yu's office.

"Mr. Wei, you wanted to see me?" Su Xiaoyu gently pushed open the door, her tone respectful.

Wei Yu looked up and saw her, a smile spreading across his face. He beckoned her over.

"Xiaoyu, come here, I have something good to show you."

He handed the manuscript of "Watching from the Wall" to Su Xiaoyu, his tone barely concealing his excitement.

Su Xiaoyu took it with a puzzled look. When she saw the words "observer" and the faint handwriting at the bottom, her heart skipped a beat.

She looked up at Wei Yu in disbelief: "Mr. Wei, this... what is this?"

"This is a song that President Tan wrote for you!" Wei Yu said with a smile. "President Tan agreed yesterday and wrote it in one night. It's a traditional Chinese style song specially tailored for you. Take a look!"

"The song that Mr. Tan wrote for me?" Su Xiaoyu's voice trembled slightly, her fingertips gripping the paper tightly, her knuckles turning white.

She has always been a fan of Tan Yue. She not only likes his movies, but also knows that he rarely writes songs for artists. The few songs he has written in the past are all classics. She never expected that she would be able to get Tan Yue to write songs for her personally.

She took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and began to read the lyrics word by word.

The more she read, the brighter her eyes became, and the excitement in her heart was beyond words.

The lyrics' depiction of the martial arts world and a serene state of mind are exactly the style she likes and excels at interpreting. The melody markings are also precisely placed in her advantageous vocal range, as if this song was created for her.

She couldn't help but hum a few lines of the chorus softly; her ethereal voice perfectly matched the melody, even surprising herself.

"How is it? Isn't it perfect for you?" Wei Yu said with satisfaction, observing her reaction.

Su Xiaoyu nodded vigorously, her eyes slightly reddening, her voice filled with barely suppressed excitement: "It's perfect! Director Wei, I... I'm so grateful to President Tan! I will do my best to perform this song well and will definitely live up to President Tan's trust and hard work!"

I knew you would like it.

Wei Yu smiled, then his tone became more serious as he said, "President Tan attaches great importance to this song and has high expectations. You should hurry up and familiarize yourself with the lyrics and melody. I have already arranged the best arrangement team, and we will start arranging this afternoon and begin recording preparations tomorrow."

"You need to fully understand the emotions in every lyric, bring out the advantages of your voice, and try to get it right in one take."

“I understand!” Su Xiaoyu nodded solemnly, hugging the song manuscript tightly to her chest as if it were the most precious treasure in the world. “President Wei, I will go back now to familiarize myself with the song. I will make sure to understand the lyrics and melody as soon as possible and will not delay the recording schedule.”

After saying goodbye to Wei Yu, Su Xiaoyu quickly returned to the practice room, found a quiet corner to sit down, and opened the song manuscript of "Watching from the Wall" again.

Sunlight streamed through the practice room window and fell onto the paper.

She studied the lyrics word by word, feeling the artistic conception within, humming the melody repeatedly, and occasionally taking out her phone to record her understanding of the emotions and the key points of controlling the melody.

Seeing how focused she was, the other staff members in the practice room couldn't bear to disturb her.

Su Xiaoyu was immersed in the world of the song, sometimes frowning and pondering the details of the transitions, sometimes closing her eyes to feel the emotions in the lyrics, and sometimes singing softly. Before she knew it, she was completely captivated.

She knew this was the most precious opportunity of her career, not only for a high-quality original work, but also for Mr. Tan's recognition of her, and she had to do her best.

Tan Yue picked up the rehearsal process of "Starry Stage" from the table and began to review it.

The process was meticulously planned, with everything from the order of guest appearances to the stage lighting design and the transitions between interactive segments clearly marked.

He made several annotations and suggestions for adjustment on the process.

After finishing these tasks, he leaned back in his chair, picked up his teacup, and the melody of "Watching from the Wall" once again came to mind.

He recalled Su Xiaoyu's voice, and his expectations were already formed.

If recorded properly, this song could not only help Su Xiaoyu establish herself, but it might also become a hit in the ancient style genre this year.

For Brilliant Entertainment, this song will further enhance the influence of its music department, laying a better foundation for the future development of artists. (End of Chapter)