Chapter 39 Chapter 39
"What's going on between you two?" Xia Qing couldn't help but ask as they were about to leave the school gate. "What?" Lia turned around, unsure of what she was talking about.
Xia Qing waved the chocolate in her hand at her: "Here." "Didn't he say that the staff brought extra?" Xia Qing rolled her eyes: "You're the only one who believes that." She understood the other party's question,
Lia thought for a moment. "No way? I don't think so." She'd received a few love letters before, so she'd probably be able to tell if someone expressed that kind of affection. "Is he acting unusually?"
"...That's not the case." Xia Qing began to feel unsure after she asked this. The other person had been concentrating on studying the entire time, so it seemed hard to pinpoint any unusual behavior.
At least, Lia had been approached by many boys since high school, and there had been some signs of affection. Yu Seungho's actions today, aside from the box of chocolates, were all just normal schoolmate interactions.
"So, don't think too much. I was just helping out." Lia shrugged. "You didn't study at all today and just watched us, did you?" "No!" Xia Qing waved his hands repeatedly.
She was just being extra careful. She still worked hard on her homework the rest of the time. ...After saying goodbye to Xia Qing, Lia bought a sandwich at a convenience store and went into the office while chewing on it. From the afternoon to the evening of the weekend,
She needs to work in Teddy's recording studio. The company plans to officially launch a new girl group in the first half of the year, and now is the peak period for album preparation.
Since she left the show, she and Chaerin and the others have had less contact except for occasional MSN chats. She is busy with schoolwork, while they are busy preparing for their debut. It's like they are on two completely different paths.
Before leaving the company, he even invited her to dinner near the dormitory. "While I understand, the choice you've given up is something countless people would only dream of." Eunjung looked calm, but a hint of disappointment lingered in her eyes.
"I know. Although it seems easy, I have thought about it for a long time." Lia paused, "Everyone has their own path to take." "Yeah." Eun Jung bit the straw, her eyes fixed on the distance.
"So what are your plans for the future?" Lia asked. "A few smaller planning agencies have contacted me, and I might choose one of them to continue practicing." Lia nodded.
After dinner, they walked back to the company dormitories until the streetlights came on, and then they said goodbye. Lia stood there, watching Eunjung's back as she left, the wind blowing through the alley, and for a moment she was dazed. She knew she had made the right choice, but she still felt a little reluctant.
Even if they once shared the same path, they would eventually go in different directions. She needed to adapt quickly. ... When she opened the studio door, it was only one in the afternoon. The musicians, who were used to working late, hadn't arrived yet.
Lia put down her schoolbag and turned on her computer. She was still in the album project phase, and needed to sift through a large number of potential tracks.
Every week Teddy leaves behind a large amount of production notes and audio materials, and all she has to do is classify and archive these clips, loop packs and tracks.
She was already familiar with the process, and after working with Teddy for a long time, she gradually mastered his work habits and became more efficient than others.
Even Kush couldn't help but feel a little envious, repeatedly asking Teddy if he wanted to sell the apprentice—"A high price," he offered Teddy seriously. "Pah—" Lia threw a ball of waste paper at him.
"You wish." She mouthed the words silently. She collected her thoughts and continued to work on the documents on her computer. By the time Teddy came in, it was already past dinner time.
He was holding a bag of crucian carp and put it on the table with a "clack". "Come and have some?" Lia nodded, quickly finished the work at hand, stood up and walked to the table.
"Kush recommended it, saying it's among the top three in the country. I happened to pass by today and bought a few." Teddy explained, handing her the disposable gloves.
A golden crucian carp, bulging with red bean filling, lay in its bag. Fresh from the oven, it was still slightly steaming, and the alluring aroma was palpable the closer you got. Lia put on her gloves, picked one up, and took a bite.
"!!!" With her mouth full of fried crucian carp, she was speechless with amazement, her eyes wide open. Teddy was amused by her expression: "It smells better when it's fresh out of the oven, but it's a little cold now."
As he spoke, he sat down at the console and pulled up the files Lia had compiled. "Preparations are almost complete. We'll start recording the demo next week," he said as he reviewed them. "This phase will record the audition material."
Audition is a crucial step in album development. The production team submits candidate demos, and the company's top management, the A&R department, and the artist themselves jointly select the songs that will be included in the album. This is especially true for a debut album.
Lia nodded, stuffed the last bite of fried crucian carp into her mouth, and quickly swallowed it. "Do you have a list? I'll debug the equipment and prepare the tracks in advance." "Yes, I'll send it to you later. You'll also need to participate in the recording."
Lia was a bit surprised. "This is just a preliminary soundcheck, just trying to convey the melody and emotion. Once the tracks are selected, Cailin and the others will start recording the full track in sections," Teddy added.
"Okay." Lia agreed. This was not a difficult task for her.
The demos during the judging phase weren't particularly demanding of the recorder. Her vocal training and familiarity with the tracks meant she was able to express herself more accurately than someone who was just listening. In this sense, having her participate in the recording process was truly a win-win.
"Oh, and this too." Teddy clicked a few times and opened another file. "Zhilong thought this song could be included on this album, so he asked me about it." Teddy was unusually curious. "He said you wrote it?"
Lia stared at the screen—it was that song. It was the birthday gift she'd given to Kwon Ji-yong last year. The song she'd given him wasn't the complete structure; the one Teddy had open now had the introduction and bridge already added.
The lyrics had also been adjusted. She had written them entirely in English. The one before her had not only been rewritten in Korean, but the ingenious wordplay was clearly his. She was stunned.
"He made some arrangements, I listened to them, they're pretty good," Teddy said, "If you don't mind, let's record a demo together next week." "I don't mind, it was originally a gift for him." Lia lowered her eyes.
More than just not minding it, this was a truly great opportunity for her. If it could be published, she could even be credited as the creator. How many people get such an opportunity?
If this song hadn't been tainted by her selfish motives, she would have been incredibly grateful. However, he had so impartially and selflessly recommended the song. It was originally his birthday gift, but now he had to share it with everyone.
She simply couldn't feel completely happy. Her mind was in a mess. Not wanting Teddy to notice her abnormality, she whispered a thank you. "Don't thank me, thank Zhilong instead. I think he really cares." Teddy waved his hand.
"Yeah." Lia nodded. After a moment's thought, she opened her phone and sent a "thank you" to Quan Zhilong. It seemed like they hadn't chatted in a while. The last time was when she sent that long "explaination for withdrawing from the competition."
Perhaps she was being overly sensitive, but after the incident, their relationship had grown distant. After waiting for a while, there was no response. Lia put her phone down and continued working. When she looked up again, it was almost midnight.
Teddy didn't know when he left; she was so focused she didn't even notice. Lia rubbed her neck and prepared to pack up and leave.
There were no strict time limits for studio attendance, and she was always self-disciplined, so she had a lot more freedom in coming and going than during practice. "Creaky—" The door gently opened. She turned around, thinking it was Teddy. "Yo~"
Quan Zhilong walked in, his cap tightly covering the upper half of his face, revealing only his pointed chin. "Long time no see." He approached and waved his phone at Lia. "Is this the right place to say thank you?"
"Long time no see, Oppa." Lia greeted him blankly and hurriedly explained, "Because I don't know when we will meet again, so..." She couldn't explain it for a moment and her face turned red.
"Although we haven't seen each other for a long time, we're still not close. I was just kidding." Kwon Ji-yong said half-complaining and half-joking as he put the paper bag in his hand on the sofa and walked up to Lia.
He bent down and took a closer look at her. "Yeah, I'm a little unfamiliar." After confirming it, he sighed and stood up straight. Lia couldn't help but laugh at him: "No." "Really?" "Really."
"Then I believe it." He spread out his hands, "Did Teddy tell you about releasing a song?" Lia nodded: "He said we will record a demo next week." "Why do you look unhappy?" he suddenly asked.
Lia was stunned. His perceptiveness startled her. Even though she was still smiling, he immediately noticed the change in her mood. "No. I'm grateful you remembered that song, Oppa." That was part of her sentiment, too. It wasn't a lie.
"Let me guess, maybe you're a little disappointed because it's not in my album?" Quan Zhilong pulled up a chair and sat down, starting to speculate. Lia laughed. "Well, now that you mention it, it seems a little bit."
"Oh, it's over." G-Dragon pretended to hold his forehead with his hand, looking like he had made a mistake. Lia laughed, and the atmosphere suddenly became much lighter.
"But seriously," he dropped his joking tone, "I really like that song. But I think it's more suitable for a new girl group than for me alone. If it can be included, it won't be bad." "I understand." "Then you're not angry anymore?"
"I'm not angry," Lia shook her head. It was clearly a gift for him, and he'd even taken the time to help adjust it, yet now he had to carefully ask for her permission. She felt a tinge of guilt for her previous frustration.
"Thank you." She said seriously again. "You are so serious, I am a little scared." Quan Zhilong waved his hands and stepped back.
"Oh, right." He seemed to remember something. "Did Teddy say when this album will be finished?"
"No, but we're not going to start recording the demo for the hearing until next week, so it'll probably be the first half of next year at the latest," Lia speculated. "Well, then I'll have to borrow you for next year," he said lazily, leaning back in his chair. "Borrow me?"
"I'm going to release a new album, and the company hasn't assigned anyone to me." He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear. Lia was a little shocked. The company didn't assign anyone to him? Even so, would they just use her?
She was just an apprentice at best. Perhaps because the surprise on her face was too obvious, Quan Zhilong explained, "Everyone is busy with the new girl group. Besides, aren't you going to finish this one? By then..."
By then, they'll be a mature workforce. This plan is simply flawless. His expression was so convincing that Lia couldn't help but nod blankly. This reason... seemed quite reasonable.
"Okay, go back quickly, it's getting late." After finishing his business, Quan Zhilong began to urge her to go home. She was already holding her schoolbag when she entered the door, and he wanted to chat for a while, so he delayed her for a while.
"Where's Oppa?" Lia asked. "I'm waiting for Teddy to talk about something." She nodded, picked up her backpack and left. A lot had happened in one day, and she needed some time to process it all.
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