Chapter 164 Exams Over, Winter Break Arrives

The exam week has finally arrived.

After all the courses requiring written exams were completed, Lu Yinzhao's semester was officially over.

Although the official school holiday has not yet arrived, many students in majors who have completed their exams first are considered to be on holiday, and some local students have even gone home early.

This period also coincides with the completion of the online broadcast of "The Voice of China".

The finale of that night was edited into a complete video, and Bian Ji's fans went wild online, happy that Bian Ji had won first place.

Bian Ji's final song, "The Sun's Gear," became an instant hit across the internet.

Some people joked that when Bian Ji sang this song, even if there was a dog sitting opposite him, he could still perform it with deep emotion.

They guessed that Bian Ji must have a white moonlight in his heart that belonged to him alone.

But we just don't know who it is.

Some people say that there is no such thing as a "white moonlight" (a term referring to a romantic idealized, unattainable ideal), and that it is purely because Bian Ji has exceptional professional skills and qualities, and can grasp the essence of any emotion in a song.

Opinions varied widely, and Bian Ji's fan base surpassed ten million.

One music critic in the industry commented on Bian Ji: "After eight years of dormancy, he broke through the barrier in one fell swoop."

After this music critic spoke, other music critics echoed his sentiments and shared their own opinions at length.

Rather than seeing Bian Ji's sudden rise to fame as a fluke in the entertainment industry, it's more accurate to say it's the inevitable echo of a creator's eight years of quiet dedication.

[Personally, I believe that Bian Ji's work possesses two rare balances: the creative accumulation that began at the age of sixteen, which imbues his lyrics with both the youthful sharpness untouched by the adult world and the maturity bestowed upon him by eight years of experience.]

[I don't know if everyone has carefully studied Bian Ji's arrangements. He never piles up complicated arrangements; he uses simple chord progressions to create layers of progressive emotional tension, even the pauses between breaths are given just right.]

In today's era where traffic reigns supreme, the emergence of a singer like Bian Ji is, in my opinion, a positive example. I've looked into him, and Bian Ji has never relied on a persona for marketing, nor has he chased short-term trends in his music. His songs all possess his own personal style and flavor.

His fans are all active followers now, which shows that listeners are never stingy with expressing their appreciation for those who create genuinely.

This industry needs a change. If everyone gets used to those mass-produced, assembly-line songs, then it's truly doomed.

Perhaps Bian Ji's emergence will make more people realize that there is no such thing as overnight fame in the entertainment industry; it's all about making creative work a daily routine.

Bian Ji quietly wrote songs for eight years, probably never imagining that each one would become a catalyst for his breakthrough into a wider audience.

[Um... let me interject. Bian Ji has been quietly writing songs for eight years... he's anything but silent! How many of them became hit OSTs for movies and TV dramas? You can look that up yourselves, I won't go into detail.]

[Oops, oh well... we almost forgot that all those popular songs were composed by Bian Ji.]

The music critics fell silent, suddenly remembering the incident.

This isn't some kind of revenge story; it's more like... a pure, unadulterated enjoyment!

While everyone was still discussing Bian Ji on various social media platforms, he himself was working as a model for a professional photographer.

Professional photographer Zhao Zhao: "Brother, tilt your head a little more to the left."

"Don't look at me, look into the distance."

"Next move, you sit sideways on the ground... yes, one leg bent."

"Look at your own palm, imagine there's something there, and make your hand movements a little more natural..."

"Just close your eyes for this one, face the camera directly, hmm, very good."

"Why don't you lean back against the piano? You don't have to lean so close. Just spread your arms out and rest them comfortably on it."

"Alright, this outfit will do for now. Go change into the next one."

Bian Ji, whose plans had been meticulously laid out, was speechless.

"Your studio's decor is minimalist, so the main photos on that photo wall should also be minimalist; that would be a good match."

As Lu Yinzhao spoke, he picked out a few clothes that he thought were suitable from a row of clothes and handed them to Bian Ji, saying, "Go and change quickly."

Bian Ji gave a helpless, bitter smile, not daring to offer any rebuttal.

After changing, Lu Yinzhao's eyes lit up.

Bian Ji wore a neatly tailored off-white flowing shirt and dark gray straight-leg trousers.

The hair was not styled in any complicated way, but was simply styled with hair wax to create a fluffy and natural look, with a few wisps of hair hanging down in front of the forehead, retaining a touch of casualness.

The background for this shoot was a minimalist space with a simple solid color.

One side is a low-saturation misty blue wall, and the other side is a textured light gray cement wall, with no paintings or decorations on the walls.

There was only a metal-framed floor lamp in the corner, its warm yellow light shining obliquely on the ground, creating a soft transition of light and shadow.

Lu Yinzhao told Bian Ji to stand properly and gestured a few times in front of the camera.

I always feel like something's missing.

A moment later, he rummaged through a pile of clothes and found a white ribbon. He jogged over and gently tied it around Bian Ji's neck.

He then reached out and unbuttoned the two buttons above Bian Ji's collar, revealing the man's clean-lined collarbone.

"That's what makes it feel right..."

"..."

Bian Ji was like a puppet being manipulated at will, yet he showed no impatience whatsoever.

He let Lu Yinzhao's hands roam freely over his body.

Snap! Snap! Snap!

Lu Yinzhao was as busy as a little bee, running around from left to right, looking for various angles to take pictures of Bian Ji.

"This scene is done, next scene!"

As soon as Lu Yinzhao gave the signal, the staff next to him immediately started moving props over.

These assistants were all hired by Bian Ji to help Lu Yinzhao with the filming. He provided Lu Yinzhao with excellent filming conditions, and he also had all the props that Lu Yinzhao wanted brought over.

"Thank you for your help! Could you please move the sofa here?"

"It's not hard work at all, it's all part of our job!"

The staff had never met such an easy-going photographer. They had been doing manual labor in the industry for a long time, and every boss who hired them was arrogant and domineering.

Lu Yinzhao was not only polite and courteous to them, but most of the time he didn't need them to lift a finger; he would set up the props himself.

Could we give them a stack of these easy and fun jobs?

"Brother, please sit on the sofa."

The new set of shots uses musical symbols as an invisible element.

Bian Ji sat on a black leather armchair with a light wood violin beside him and an open sheet of music next to it.

The background is a simple glass window, outside which is a blurred city skyline.

"Young man, could you please turn the light from a 45-degree angle on the left?" Lu Yinzhao called out to one of the staff members.

"OK!"

The soft sidelight cast faint shadows on Bian Ji's cheeks, neck, and the folds of her shirt.

The three-dimensionality of the characters is greatly enhanced, and a tranquil and restrained atmosphere is created.

This set of background photos, without strong contrast between light and dark, still maintains a sense of sophistication.

Lu Yinzhao was excited after a whole day of filming.

Completely tireless.

While processing the photos, Bian Ji and his agent Ling Guanren both went over to take a look.

Ling Guanren was astonished: "Xiao Lu, if I hadn't been watching you shoot the whole time, I would have thought it was taken by some big name in the industry. You shot it so well!"

Lu Yinzhao waved his hand modestly, "Brother Ling, you flatter me. It's just that Bian Ji's face is too authoritative. As long as his face is there, he'll be in the spotlight. No matter how I take the picture, it won't look bad."

This was the first time Bian Ji had heard Lu Yinzhao praise his face like this in front of outsiders, and his feelings for him deepened even more.

He always maintained absolute trust in Lu Yinzhao, and without even looking at the photos, he believed that Lu Yinzhao could take excellent pictures.

"I think this one, this one, and this one are all good and can be enlarged as the main photos for the photo wall."

"Sure, sure, Xiaolu, you're the professional, you choose."

"Okay, I'll pick out the photos I want to use first. The studio can use the rest on Weibo or through other channels if they want."

"Excellent! Very good!"

Ling Guanren's face showed utter satisfaction.

He never expected that his boyfriend, Bian Ji, not only had an impressive family background but also possessed such outstanding professional skills. Together with Bian Ji, they could truly be described as a powerful alliance.

Although Lu Yinzhao is not an artist in the entertainment industry, Ling Guanren has a premonition that the other party's future development is limitless.

No artist can do without the help of photographers; their outstanding image is largely due to these talented photographers.

Bian Ji has already made a name for herself in the music industry. She is already good-looking, and with a little more styling, she will reach even greater heights.

At this moment, Ling Guanren was already imagining himself mentoring a new generation of top singers.

He has mentored many award-winning actresses and actors, as well as countless popular artists, but he has never mentored a single top-tier singer.

Suddenly, he felt that being able to become Bian Ji's agent was his blessing and good fortune, and that he had benefited from Bian Ji's influence.

"That's a wrap! I'm starving! Bro, let's go get some late-night snacks!"

Lu Yinzhao is now on winter break, and today she also resolved the important matter of taking photos for Bian Ji. For the time being, she is free of worries.

Before going home to reunite with his family, he wanted to spend some quality time alone with Bian Ji.

After all, once you get home, there won't be many opportunities to do this again.

With so many people in his family, everyone is watching him, especially his fourth brother, who will definitely pay extra attention to his situation.

"Okay, just a moment, I'll change my clothes." Bian Ji naturally couldn't go out in this outfit.

A few days ago, he discovered that there were quite a few paparazzi hiding around his studio, but they were all "invited" away by people arranged by Bian Nan.

Bian Nan was very concerned about his safety and even told him to always bring a bodyguard when he went out.

After changing her clothes and removing her makeup, Bian Ji came out and then fully covered her face again.

Lu Yinzhao clicked his tongue: "You're starting to look more and more like a big star... Oh no, you already are a big star."

Bian Ji smiled and said, "You are too, a born photographer. Let's go, Lu the Great Photographer."

"This photographer is going to have grilled yellow croaker today."

"Okay, I'll arrange it."

"I want to eat lobster takoyaki again!"

"Okay, whatever you say."

"hey-hey."

In the blink of an eye, the car carrying the two drove into the bustling night.

Above, two stars belonging to the winter night were drawing closer, silently shining their light.

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Author's Note: Zhao Zhao: I'm juggling both my career and my relationship. [Owl emoji]