Chapter 71
Fortunately, the dog really didn't bite anyone.
Liu An brought the dog out and played a recording of the old lady for it.
Perhaps the sound of its familiar owner's voice calmed the dog down; it didn't attack anyone around it, but it was reluctant to leave.
Liu An took it to the car and drove it to the villa number 7 that the old lady had mentioned.
The housekeeper went out to pick up the dog.
"Beibei!"
She called out, and only when she heard a familiar name did the dog wag its tail and go home.
Jiang Chen took pictures of all of these and sent them to the old lady from earlier.
Grandma was finally relieved to hear that her beloved dog had arrived home.
Her surname is Chu, and currently she lives alone with the nanny who takes care of her daily life.
The old lady is usually quite mobile and often goes shopping by herself. She has never had any problems before, and no one from her family has been assigned to accompany her.
I didn't expect to trip and fall in the mall today.
After Liu An explained the situation, the nanny was also very worried.
She was a long-time worker at the house and had lived with the old lady for ten years. She had developed feelings for her and didn't want anything to happen to the old lady.
“I understand the situation. I will call my husband. He is currently working abroad and cannot return immediately.”
The "husband" the nanny mentioned was the old lady's son.
He works abroad most of the year and rarely comes back. Only his wife and husband live in China.
Last year, the old man passed away, leaving the old woman alone in China.
The husband originally wanted to hire another person to help take care of the old lady, but she refused. There is still only one caregiver in the house, who helps with cooking and cleaning.
After learning about the situation, Liu An called Hu Zhenzhen.
Hu Zhenzhen didn't expect that the two children could do something good while playing outside, so she specially asked Liu An to give the phone to Jiang Chen and praised the two children a few words on the phone.
Jiang Chen was clearly overjoyed.
Xu Bo, who was standing next to him, was also doing something like this for the first time. He was thanked by the nanny and felt both shy and happy.
Both children had smiles on their faces, looking very proud of their accomplishment.
Later, when we returned to Wanfu Square, we were even happier than usual.
This sense of accomplishment can cultivate children's principles of conduct. Hu Zhenzhen did not deliberately teach Jiang Chen, but now it seems that Xiao Chen is growing up well and becoming an excellent person.
This was just a minor incident for Hu Zhenzhen.
She praised the two children and then asked Chen Kai to prepare a game disc that children love and give it to them.
Jiang Chen was even happier after receiving the reward.
He only went to sleep obediently after Hu Zhenzhen told him a bedtime story that night.
While listening to Su Zhao record a song in the recording studio, Hu Zhenzhen remembered this incident and couldn't help but whisper to Chen Kai.
"When the album comes out, remember to save a copy for me to give to Xiao Chen. He really likes this song."
"Okay, boss," Chen Kai nodded with a smile.
It was also his first time in a recording studio listening to a live recording, and he was focused on listening.
The top-tier sound engineer was quite well-known in the industry, and Hu Zhenzhen poached him by paying double the salary.
Even professional teachers like these have their own temperaments when recording.
Hu Zhenzhen and Chen Kai sat in the corner of the recording studio listening to music. She only said those two sentences in a low voice and then stopped talking.
"Great, this time it's basically fine. In the first line of the chorus, try emphasizing the word 'I' when you pronounce it."
Through the glass, Su Zhao's gaze quietly swept around, briefly landing on Hu Zhenzhen in the corner.
"Okay, teacher."
He cleared his throat, his eyes fixed on the lyrics, and sang it again in a prepared manner.
Su Zhao's talent is undeniable, and he's willing to dedicate himself to learning, so he's making rapid progress.
The music teachers Hu Zhenzhen invited to teach at the company included retired teachers who had worked at specialized music schools, as well as graduates from prestigious music universities abroad.
These teachers have different strengths, but they are all very capable and can teach singers more professional vocal techniques.
A singer's voice and sense of pitch are gifts, but other things need to be learned.
Su Zhao is in this situation.
After singing it again, he looked at the recording instructor with a questioning look in his eyes.
"Very good, this time was perfect, let's prepare for the next song."
There will be a break of about ten minutes between recordings of the two songs, allowing Su Zhao to drink water and go over the lyrics.
He came out of the house, sat down near Hu Zhenzhen and Chen Kai, and began to read the lyrics in a low voice.
"How are you doing? Are you adjusting well?"
As the boss, Hu Zhenzhen took the initiative to ask a question.
Su Zhao immediately looked up at her, "I'm adapting well. The teachers are all very nice and take good care of me."
"That's good. You have great talent. Don't worry, once the album is released, you'll be able to pay off the company's debts very quickly."
Su Zhao smiled and said, "I hope so. Only then can I be considered a true member of the front lines of the martial arts world."
Hu Zhenzhen interrupted him, "Hey, that's not right. You're fully involved now too."
She stood up.
Su Zhao's gaze naturally rose with her movement, turning into an upward gaze. From this angle, he noticed a small mole under Hu Zhenzhen's lip.
"Once you're with our company, don't dwell on the past. The contract with Yinli is history. Starting a new life is what matters."
After Hu Zhenzhen finished speaking, she heard Su Zhao hum in response and pat her on the shoulder.
"Focus on recording, I'm really looking forward to the release of this album."
After Hu Zhenzhen finished speaking, she said goodbye to the recording instructor and left.
She's the boss, so she's bound to be understanding of her subordinates' feelings.
The two people recording and singing would feel somewhat uncomfortable staying there all the time.
Listen for a while and enjoy it; there's no need to stay there and wait for the entire album to be recorded.
With that thought in mind, Hu Zhenzhen left decisively.
Only the recording engineer and Su Zhao remained in the recording studio, and their feelings were completely different.
"Phew, Mr. Hu is quite approachable," the recording engineer breathed a sigh of relief before starting to chat and laugh with Su Zhao.
He's only serious when it comes to his profession; in life, he's a very playful person. He was just keeping a straight face because Hu Zhenzhen was there.
"Yes, Mr. Hu is a very nice person."
Su Zhao stared at the lyrics in his hand as he answered him.
"Xiao Su, I heard that you were poached from the streets by that Mr. Chen. It seems that President Hu values you highly, and even came to personally supervise the production of the album."
The recording engineer said this with a hint of gossip.
"It's normal for people in this industry to have boyfriends or girlfriends before their debut. Xiao Su, did you have one?"
What did Su Zhao mean when he heard that?
Having spent so many years navigating the streets, he had honed his skills in dealing with people.
“I’m in debt, how can I be in the mood for dating? When Ms. Hu recruited me, she lent me 200,000 yuan, and I need to pay her back as soon as possible.”
His words immediately shifted the recording instructor's focus.
"Sigh, that's right. There are so many companies and people in this industry who prey on talented newcomers. I know a lot of people who have been ruined by these kinds of contracts."
"Entertainment companies will use any means necessary to leech off their artists."
He looked more worried. "I met a very talented young man last time. He couldn't think straight because of this, and he died."
Su Zhao also suffered greatly from this and fully understood his feelings.
"Fortunately, Mr. Hu is a good person and a good boss."
When the topic returned to Mr. Hu, the recording engineer had completely changed his perspective, losing interest in the gossip, and simply sighed.
"Indeed, the boss is great, and the company atmosphere is also very good. I really like it here."
The two exchanged a few more words, and then the recording of the next song began.
It's different from the focus and friendliness here.
The atmosphere at SoundParticles Company right now can only be described as somber.
The administrative staff member who came to deliver the copies even knocked very quietly, saying, "Mr. Chen, I'm here to deliver the documents."
"Enter."
The administrator pushed open the door and entered; all five people in the office looked over.
The young woman who delivered the documents held her breath, distributed the copies to everyone, and then quietly left the office, closing the door behind her.
She didn't dare to breathe deeply until she closed the door.
"Mom, this is terrifying!"
She rushed into the tea room, drank a large glass of water, and complained to her colleagues.
"You have no idea, as soon as I walked in, five pairs of eyes were staring at me without saying a word. The pressure was immense."
“Who says otherwise?” she said to the HR person. “Ever since President Chen got into the scandal, the management has been very dissatisfied with her. Lately, whenever they have a small meeting, it’s always in this atmosphere.”
"Hey, do you think we should get a new boss?"
The HR person lowered their voice and said, "I think there might be some people on the board who are already dissatisfied with President Chen."
In a place like the tea room, it's not appropriate to say too much about these things.
The two discussed it quietly for a while, then exchanged a knowing glance, understanding each other's meaning.
"I hope the new leader will be easier to get along with."
However, their wishes are unlikely to be fulfilled anytime soon.
The atmosphere in Chen Zhi's president's office was unusually heavy.
She has individual sofas here. Apart from her, the four directors each occupy a sofa and are looking at the documents in their hands.
"What is Hu Zhenzhen thinking? She's meddling so much; is she trying to interfere in the music industry?"
Mr. Fang angrily threw the documents on the table and leaned back on the sofa.
"Her martial arts drama just finished one show, and it just happened to become popular. She's become complacent and thinks she can get involved in any industry?"
When Hu Zhenzhen announced her entry into the film and television industry, these directors didn't care at all.
Although they are both in the entertainment industry, the connection between music and film can be significant or minor.
Hu Zhenzhen is going to work on TV dramas and movies, and she might even have to give money to music companies in the future. They'd love to make money off Hu Zhenzhen.
However, if Hu Zhenzhen were to start a music company, it would be a completely different story.
Many people share the same thoughts as Chairman Fang.
After patiently reading through the documents, Bai Dong spoke up a little later: "We can't let her have it so easy, otherwise the entertainment industry will become Hu Zhenzhen's one-man show."
He rarely participates in decision-making, but every time he speaks up, it's a definitive conclusion, a direct decision.
"Old Bai, what should we do according to your advice?"
While Bai Dong was still pondering, Chen Zhi seized the opportunity and said, "If you ask me, that's true. We can't let Hu Zhenzhen be so comfortable."
"The success of the TV series 'Dragon Slayer' has given her considerable fame. Now, viewers throughout the television industry are praising her, making other companies seem like they have no merits. If we let her develop in the music industry like this and produce two famous singers, that would be terrible."
Chen Zhi had already been rejected by the board of directors.
But since Chen Zhi discovered this today, in a way, she has redeemed herself.
Mr. Fang still didn't speak to her kindly, but at least he kept his distance and ignored her.
"What do you suggest we do?"
Chen Zhi placed her hands on the table, and the gloom that had accumulated in her heart for many days finally dissipated a little.
"If you ask me, we'd better act as soon as possible. I heard from a friend at the TV station that Hu Zhenzhen has already contacted them and might let the new singer appear on a music program."
"So fast?"
Chairman Fang was genuinely surprised by Hu Zhenzhen's swift actions; the company had only been registered for a short time, yet she had already begun promoting singers.
Is the information accurate?
Chairman Bai frowned and asked her.
"That's accurate. It's a new program on Xigua TV called 'Born to Sing,' which is already in preparation."
"Can newcomers appear on this kind of show?"
The inside story of variety shows in the industry isn't that big of a deal.
Especially in music programs, everyone else is a well-known professional singer, and there is only a newcomer who has just debuted, which just doesn't seem right.
"I heard that Hu Zhenzhen is about to arrange for someone to release an album and is already preparing for promotion. Even if it's just to create hype before going on the show, it'll still make a name for itself."
Chen Zhi's words were laced with sarcasm: "Everyone knows that this President Hu is a regular on the trending topics list, and he's a master at stirring up controversy."
Nobody cared about the slight sourness in her words.
The board members in the room only cared about whether Hu Zhenzhen could succeed.
"If this really succeeds, wouldn't she be creating a new star in the music industry?"
Chairman Fang was getting a little anxious.
The operation of singers is different from that of idols; they all rely on their strength and works to pave their way.
A talented singer can generate huge profits for a company just by holding concerts.
Once even one person becomes a household name across the country, the music company has established itself.
Chairman Fang knows this best, and therefore is the most anxious.
"Don't be impatient, she hasn't even started to flatter you yet," Bai Dong said gently, which calmed Fang Dong down.
"There is still room for maneuver in this matter; it just depends on how we choose to do it."
He lit a cigarette and handed the pack to the director next to him.
“When they release their albums, we always hear about it. Xu Jie is also releasing an album soon, so we scheduled the release before theirs to create a competition.”
Xu Jie is a veteran singer who has been famous for many years.
He deserves credit for Yinli's enduring success in the music industry.
Xu Jie's fans are dissatisfied with the company and often leave sarcastic comments on the company's Weibo account. The CEO of Yinli even made Xu Jie the center of attention at the company's annual meeting.
The fact that he's been elevated to this level speaks volumes about his abilities.
His last album was released three years ago, and fans are eagerly awaiting its release.
Under these circumstances, Bai Dong felt that letting him steal the limelight from a newcomer was a foolproof plan.
Even if Hu Zhenzhen makes perfect arrangements and spends a lot of money on hype, she still can't outshine Xu Jie, who is releasing a new album.
Chairman Bai has that kind of confidence.
When Xu Jie's name was mentioned, everyone present relaxed.
Chairman Fang's reaction was the most obvious. He slapped the armrest and said, "This idea is reliable. No new generation can step on Xu Jie's head."
“His fans are fierce. If they release some press releases about a showdown, Hu Zhenzhen will be the one who gets crushed by us.”
Mr. Fang's voice became excited when he talked about this.
Hu Zhenzhen has been trending on social media so many times, and she has so many businesses under her control. It seems that no one can surpass her.
It seems that Yinli is going to be the first to do this.
Chen Zhi, who was behind the desk, shared similar thoughts and was equally excited, and chimed in.
"So what happens after that? Should we do something when we're on variety shows?"
After thinking for a while, Bai Dong said, "It depends on the situation. If things go smoothly, Xu Jie's fans will be able to ruin this poor newcomer's public image without us having to do anything."
With his words, Chen Zhi felt reassured.
"I'll notify the publicity department right away and have them change the time."
Bai Dong glanced at her sideways, the smoke rings he exhaled concealing the disgust in his eyes.
"No rush, let's wait for news from the album release."
This wait lasted for a month.
The album production process on the Jianghu front line takes time, and the application for release also takes time, so it's naturally not fast.
This speed is considered very fast for a music company.
Su Zhao's contract was with Yinli. Chen Zhi knew him and had asked around beforehand to find out the release date of Su Zhao's album.
December 31st.
Upon learning this, she immediately called the publicity department.
"Xu Jie's album promotion has been changed to start on December 30th. I'll let you know the specific dates later."
She's making quite a move, and she doesn't intend to hide it.
Hu Zhenzhen soon received the news as well.
"Boss, I heard that Xu Jie's release date clashes with Su Zhao's. Should we change the time?"
When her subordinates asked her, she hadn't thought that much about it yet.
After all, Xu Jie is a senior figure in the music industry.
When a singer with such enduring popularity releases an album, most other lesser-known singers will avoid competing with them.
"No, at this time."
While her subordinates were unaware of the situation, Hu Zhenzhen was fully aware of it.
Yinli did it on purpose. Even if she changed the time, they could still find a famous singer to steal Su Zhao's thunder.
If we back down like this, they will achieve their goal directly.
"The original date will remain unchanged, and the promotion will begin on the 31st."
Since Yinli has started targeting newcomers in the industry, Hu Zhenzhen isn't going to hold back and is going all out with the publicity.
The quickest way to make someone fall in love with a singer is to put the music right in their ears.
Hu Zhenzhen put a lot of effort into this.
The variety show featuring Jianghu Company is about to premiere. Although the parts featuring Su Zhao won't be airing yet, the theme song can be released first.
Riding on the popularity of the creators of "Dragon Slayer," the group's variety show became a hit even before it aired, attracting a significant audience.
With Hu Zhenzhen spending a lot of money on marketing this time, many marketing accounts are promoting this variety show, which has indeed given it a boost in the audience's awareness.
Su Zhao's song "Jianghu Ke" was promoted in this way.
At first, nobody cared about the theme song.
However, after the theme song was used in short videos and several videos went viral, the number of people who knew about the song suddenly increased.
However, it's clear that while the song has gained popularity, Su Zhao himself remains unknown.
With all this laid out, the 31st finally arrived.
Su Zhao's debut solo album has been officially released.
Hu Zhenzhen boldly produced 100,000 physical albums. You have to understand that in this day and age, physical albums are the hardest to sell. Only the most loyal fans are willing to spend money to buy them and keep them at home.
Hu Zhenzhen spent 100,000 yuan on the album, and the singer was a completely unknown newcomer.
The people below couldn't help but discuss it while they were working.
"Is Mr. Hu really not afraid of not being able to sell them? What if he can't make them popular?"
"Hey, is it any of our business to worry about this? Mr. Hu has plenty of money and isn't afraid of losing a little bit."
On the day the album was released, Hu Zhenzhen held a concert for Su Zhao.
Calling it a concert is not entirely accurate; to be precise, it was a free street performance.
However, the venue for the performance was chosen to be a square in the capital city with a large flow of people.
The frontline staff brought their own professional equipment from the company and set it up on the platform.
Other singers would charge hundreds of thousands for these kinds of commercial performances.
Hu Zhenzhen, however, gave the square's owner over 100,000 yuan in order to get Su Zhao to sing for free.
The platform was rudimentary, a makeshift steel frame.
However, Su Zhao's equipment and the people he brought were professional, and their performance on stage instantly attracted a lot of attention.
"What are they doing over there? I didn't hear there was a free performance today."
During holidays and festivals, the large plaza in front of this shopping mall invites minor celebrities to sing, and the locals have gotten used to it.
One look at the stage and you know there's going to be a performance.
There weren't many people gathered here yet, only about twenty onlookers standing behind the barrier below the stage.
This was Su Zhao's first real appearance on stage.
He gripped the microphone, nervously swallowing hard.
As the music started playing behind him, he opened his mouth and hummed along twice.
The moment the sound was uttered, it immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Who's performing here today? They sing really well!"
"Let's go, let's go take a look!"
"Wow! A handsome guy is singing! Girls, let's hurry and get a front-row seat!"
Such sounds echoed from every corner of the square.
By the time Su Zhao actually started singing the lyrics, there were more than twice as many people in front of him.
The phone was held up and pointed at him, the flash blinding Su Zhao. He couldn't help but blink, then looked at the audience with even greater determination.
"The swords of the martial world, the grudges of heroes—"
As soon as the first sentence was uttered, some people realized what was going on.
"Isn't this the famous martial arts hero from the martial arts world?"
"This song sounds familiar, is this the original singer? It sounds like it!"
The song "Jianghu Ke" has recently left an impression on many viewers, and with the original singer's name on the song, even more people are joining in the fun.
After Su Zhao finished singing a song, the square in front of him, which was several hundred square meters in size, was already packed with people.
There were even people in the back row carrying children and holding up glow sticks.
Su Zhao's emotions were inevitably fluctuating. Following Hu Zhenzhen's arrangement, he began his first self-introduction.
"Hello everyone, I am Su Zhao, a top-tier artist in the entertainment industry. Today, I will be performing my new song, 'Fast Forward'."
Su Zhao's self-introduction was brief, not so brief as to turn away guests.
Instead, it sparked everyone's desire to record the entire song, and many people who hadn't raised their phones turned on their cameras.
Hu Zhenzhen only made arrangements and did not fly to the capital.
Su Zhao's singing time was scheduled to start at 6 o'clock, when the crowds were at their peak.
Hu Zhenzhen rarely worked overtime and stayed at the company until seven o'clock.
The secretary knew what she was waiting for, and would knock on the door every now and then to give her some good news.
"President Hu, Su Zhao has already made it onto the local trending list in the capital!"
"Mr. Hu, the most liked short video has reached 500,000!"
"Mr. Hu, the physical album purchase channel for Su Zhao has just received one hundred new orders!"
"Mr. Hu, Su Zhao's new album has surpassed 200,000 listens on Polar Bear Music!"
...
In just one hour, the secretary came in more than a dozen times.
Hu Zhenzhen could tell she was exhausted, so she gave her a break.
"Alright, Xiao Yang, stop pacing around. Tell the publicity department that we'll have a day off the day after tomorrow for a team building activity."
Hu Zhenzhen smiled and spread her palms, "You can go wherever you want, the boss will pay!"
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