A grand feast for the Chinese entertainment industry

Chapter 56 Cat

Chen Shuhua stayed until dark, and then Lin Jianlu took her out for some barbecue.

The next morning, she actually came over again very early.

Lin Jianlu was about to go out to buy groceries, but Chen Shuhua insisted on going with her. So she rode her old-fashioned bicycle with her on the back and headed straight for the market. Lin Jianlu riding such an old-fashioned bicycle, which is extremely rare in Taiwan, was already enough to surprise Chen Shuhua. But then she saw Lin Jianlu skillfully selecting vegetables, bargaining, and chatting with the stall owners.

He is so adept at life that he doesn't seem like a superstar at all.

He doesn't even seem like someone his age.

When she returned home after buying groceries, she was eager to help, but suddenly realized that there was nothing in the kitchen that she could do to help. She had been studying vocal music since she was a child, debuted on stage at the age of seven, and became a sensation at the age of eight. For so many years, her mother had taken care of everything for her, including her food, clothing, housing, transportation, contracts, performances, and schedule. It could be said that she had never lifted a finger to do housework. The only thing she knew how to cook was instant noodles.

So I sat on the sofa, resting my chin on my hands, watching him quickly pick vegetables, and then leaned against the kitchen doorway to watch him wash, chop, and stir-fry the vegetables.

Wow, he's amazing, like a master chef.

Once the food was ready, Lin Jianlu took out a bottle of Xifeng liquor from the cupboard. It was sent to him from Chang'an by his old friend Zhao Jiping, who was a close friend despite their age difference. Previously, Gu Changwei had treated him to drinks, and the old man was very dissatisfied with Lin Jianlu's preference for Moutai. Not long after, he sent him a case of this liquor.

"Taste it?"

"Let's try it!"

She wasn't drunk, but Chen Shuhua unusually ate until she was stuffed.

After a satisfying meal, she smiled foolishly, slumped onto the sofa, and simply watched Lin Jianlu busy himself. When Lin Jianlu finished brewing his large pot of tea and poured her a cup, she smiled and said, "You're so amazing!"

Well, although I'm not drunk, I'm a little tipsy.

A single sentence without any preamble.

Lin Jianlu smiled but didn't reply. She then went to recline on the chair.

The air conditioner was blowing swiftly, making the room cool and pleasant, but the alcohol still made her feel warm inside. After several minutes of silence, she suddenly said, "You should help me finish this album! I don't want to ask anyone else."

Lin Jianlu hummed in agreement. "Then you just wait! I don't want to move around for a while."

"Okay! I'll be waiting."

There was another long silence.

Seven or eight minutes passed before Lin Jianlu got up to get a drink of water from her teacup, only to realize that she had fallen asleep without her noticing. Even in her dream, she had a sweet smile on her face.

Like a cuddly cat.

Lin Jianlu got up to get her a blanket and carefully draped it over her body, then sighed.

…………

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Lin Jianlu was engrossed in reading "Water Margin" and had reached the tenth chapter of the Wushu novel. In her previous life, Lin Jianlu had thought this was the most exciting part—when she was suddenly interrupted by a cell phone ringing.

"Hello? Mom."

"Come back for dinner tonight. You've forgotten your parents are still alive, haven't you? I'll stew some big bones for you tonight."

"Hi... Okay. I'll be home tonight."

I put down my phone and turned to look; she was awake.

Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were drowsy and unfocused. After a while, she sat up and stretched languidly, revealing not only her perfect figure but also a section of her fair and delicate waist that was exposed when her tight T-shirt was rolled up.

Eyes facing each other.

She smiled, and Lin Jianlu smiled too.

…………

Ten minutes later, she finished washing up, came back, and said calmly, "I'm leaving!"

Lin Jianlu pointed to the coffee table, "Seven songs! Let's make it twelve in total, and I'll make you a big album!"

She paused for a moment, a look of surprise on her face, but quickly calmed down and just looked at Lin Jianlu quietly—by the time their eyes met, all the joy in her eyes had vanished.

"us……"

She hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back several times.

However, she finally lowered her head, then looked up again a few seconds later, managing a weak smile.

She walked over, picked up the stack of papers, but didn't even glance at them. She just smiled and waved them at Lin Jianlu, "I'll definitely practice singing diligently when we get back!"

"Ah."

"I'll come again; I want to eat your cooking."

"it is good."

"gone."

"it is good."

Then she left, and Lin Jianlu got up to see her off. She reached the door in a few steps, her hand on the doorknob, but then she stopped. After a moment, she suddenly turned back, smiling, and gently cupped Lin Jianlu's face in her hands. She stood on tiptoe and tenderly kissed him.

It comes off immediately upon contact.

"Love you!"

Lin Jianlu smiled, and she smiled too.

A few seconds later, she finally turned and left.

…………

In the evening, Lao Duan and Lao Li returned to the capital.

According to the rules, Lin Jianlu should have done her best to be a good host since she was leaving tomorrow. However, her mother called her and she didn't dare to delay. In addition, everyone was too familiar with each other. In the past six months, Lin Jianlu had spent two or three months in Taiwan alone. Meeting, eating, and drinking were almost always on the go, so no one cared about these formalities.

They're tired from their journey, so they might as well just grab a bite and get some rest!
Then Old Li suddenly called again, "Ah Lu, you're awesome!"

"Hi……"

"We were just watching the song you wrote for Shuhua together, and Lao Duan was ecstatic! Hui Lun is going to explode!"

"what……"

Su Huilun's indignant shouts immediately came through the phone: "Alu, I'm not leaving! Tell me your address, I want to stay at your house! You promised to write a duet for me! And Sister Shuhua got it first!"

But Old Li quickly walked away, then heard a commotion. Finally, Old Li spoke again, "You've spoiled him a bit too much, brother! Eight songs in one go! Hui Lun is clearly jealous, we can't help you sort it out!"

Lin Jianlu frowned.

Old Li continued rambling, "These songs are all amazing! Shuhua said she dug out all your hidden gems, practically empty them all. Hey, I have to ask Alian to sing one! You absolutely have to give it to her!"

A series of knocks on the door.

Su Huilun, in a fit of impotent rage, yelled, "Don't think I can't hear you, Zongsheng! I'm at the front of the line! If you write anything else, give it to me first! I'm the one at the front of the line!"

"Alright, alright! You can go to the front of the line!"

…………

Duan Zhongtan paid no attention to the noise from the group of singers.

Let them argue and quarrel as they please.

turn a deaf ear.

He simply held the few sheets of paper tightly in his hands as if they were priceless treasures.

This song "Rooftop" is fantastic, absolutely amazing! It features Lin Jianlu, the hottest new king of the Chinese music scene today, paired with Chen Shuhua, the undisputed super queen of the Chinese music scene over the past decade, plus this quality!

Sing a love song duet!

Wait... I won!

Hahahahahahahahahahaha!

This song, "Wait a Minute," is fantastic! A wonderful urban love song! Especially the chorus, it's incredibly catchy!
"Poetry Water Snake Mountain God Temple" is also great! The lyrics are interesting, and the melody seems to be the R&B that Shu Hua has always wanted, with a very exotic feel, but it is written by A-Lu in a very eccentric style!
Another very mature Chinese R&B song!
No problem, this is made by Lin Jianlu!
"Hua Tian Cuo" and "Xiao Xiang Yu" have both been proven by the market. Although they are not the most popular songs on the album "Leng Ku To the End", they are definitely a plus for the whole album that sold well!

This song, "Stranger," is also amazing!
It'll probably be made into a very "Lin-style" modern love song, just like Ah Lu did in his own album—that would be fantastic!
And then there's this song, "Dark Fragrance." Oh my, Lao Li said this song is overflowing with fragrance and filled with misty haze!
It's definitely the one that holds the entire album together!
In terms of quality alone, it could even surpass "So Many People in This World" by half!
With two songs like these anchoring the entire album, once it's released, the entire music critic community will probably be in an uproar!
And then there's this song, "The Light Chaser"...

Both the lyrics and the melody are so warm yet melancholic, and the whole song is so cohesive that even an amateur singer would be 90% confident of making it a hit!
And what about Chen Shuhua!
"The Crabapple Blossoms at Four in the Morning Are Still Sleeping" is a poignant love song, but it's far from being a mere lament; on the contrary, it's incredibly poetic! Just look at the melody, just look at the lyrics…

And this song, "Take It for granted"!
When Duan Zhongtan first saw it, he absolutely loved the first two lines of the lyrics—

After drinking the nuptial cup, the illusion was so beautiful!
Sweet sugar cubes, jumping into bitter coffee!

Ah... these lyrics are just amazing!

Moreover, this is actually another duet, with the chorus clearly marked and a prominent "duet" – so obviously, it must be A-Lu singing a duet with Shu-Hua!

Eight new songs of this quality, plus "So Many People in This World," "Summer Wind," "Noisy," and "Gift"—twelve songs in total! Lin Jianlu handled the lyrics and music, and Chen Shuhua sang! If this album doesn't sell millions of copies, I, the CEO of Rock Records, might as well quit!
Ah ha ha ha ha ha!

Having satisfied his inner urges, he glanced back and saw Zhou Huajian and Zhao Chuan still joking with Su Huilun, while Lao Li chuckled on the side. But Chen Shuhua, who was directly involved, sat quietly alone on a single sofa in the corner of the room, her expression unexpectedly calm.

"Shuhua, are you unhappy? He even produced so many great songs for you!"

"So happy! I'm so happy!"

"But you don't seem happy!"

Chen Shuhua laughed upon hearing this, but soon, as she laughed, she couldn't help but feel like she was about to cry. She quickly sniffed and laughed again, "I was just thinking, I wish I were as young as Huilun!"

Duan Zhongtan was surprised. He opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

“It’s so good to be young!” she said.

***
I don't know how the new book chart calculates the listing time now, but I estimate it'll be off the chart soon. I'm asking for a few more monthly votes!
On the other hand, even if it's off the new book charts, I still have to keep trying! I'm not after anything else, and I can't win the monthly ticket award anyway, but I mainly want to rank higher so that I can attract more readers and earn a little more money to support my wife and kids, right?

Thank you everyone! Please vote with your monthly tickets!
(End of this chapter)