A Pair of Evil Women's Love - Chapter 56
Chapter 56: [VIP]
At 3 p.m., the situation at Station A became a trending topic. As public opinion boiled, a wave of refund requests emerged, and the phones of the higher-ups rang constantly.
It wasn’t until after 5 p.m. that Lu Jing’s equipment was delivered to the site. His vocal tracks were also recorded and sent to the site after being mixed by the TV station.
By 6:30 p.m., the live broadcast site was still adjusting the sound.
Fu Haitang watched the sound engineer mix the tracks. “Why is the third song not there?”
The sound engineer whispered, “Teacher Lu only gave us these few.”
“Shh!” Fu Haitang’s heart skipped a beat. “Speak softly. Who else knows about this?”
Sound engineer: “How would I dare to tell anyone? Only you know. The audio files were given to me by his manager, Chen Yi.”
The third song was for Fu Yilan’s dance group. Fu Haitang frowned, and an unbelievable thought arose in her mind. Could it be that Lu Jing was going to…
“Are the songs ready?” Gu Jingjing came over to ask, already fully made up. “We’re starting in half an hour. Fu Haitang, can you handle this?”
Gu Jingjing’s angry scolding caused a dozen staff members on site to look over.
“Notify all the groups to come over and rehearse with Teacher Lu’s backing tracks. As for Group 3… let them rest for a while,” Fu Haitang instructed the sound engineer. She then took Gu Jingjing aside.
“Young Miss, the songs are ready,” Fu Haitang said with a smile.
Gu Jingjing’s expression improved. “I saw online that a paparazzi was waiting outside Brother Lu’s apartment, and someone was moving sound equipment. Are these things Brother Lu’s?”
Fu Haitang nodded. “Yes.”
“I knew he wouldn’t just abandon me!” Gu Jingjing’s eyes lit up. “He obviously still cares about me. Even though he talks tough and says he won’t help, his body is honest!”
Fu Haitang rubbed Gu Jingjing’s head. “Young Miss, the audio files were also provided by Teacher Lu. He has the performing rights and recorded the songs for us.”
“Really!” Gu Jingjing was in disbelief, confirming with Fu Haitang again and again. “Really? Really? Really? Brother Lu recorded the backing tracks for me?”
Fu Haitang’s nose suddenly stung. Although the Young Miss loved to scold and slap people, she was generous and even endearingly foolish.
All for a Lu Jing? Was it worth it?
…
It was 6:30 p.m. on site.
There was still one last group of trainees that hadn’t had a chance to do a final rehearsal with the new tracks.
Fu Yilan and her team approached the production crew.
Backstage.
Fu Yilan: “All the other groups have rehearsed with the music, but we haven’t!”
Sini: “There’s no time. We have to clear the stage so the backup dancers can practice their positions. You’ve already rehearsed twice this afternoon. The backup dancers haven’t…”
“But the new BGM is different from the original. What if we don’t try it and it doesn’t sound good with Teacher Lu’s voice?” another team member argued loudly.
“That’s right! The volume, phrasing, and breathing points of the new version are all different!”
“Exactly! And all the other groups have rehearsed. Why do we have to give up our time for the dancers!”
“The original singer of this song is a female Omega, but Teacher Lu is a male Alpha. What if he lowered the key? We’re all girls… This is too risky!”
Sini: “Teacher Lu is only responsible for the harmonies. Most of the performance still depends on you…”
“You’re the ones who planned for the fourth public performance to use a famous singer’s backing track. Isn’t it just to create a buzz and capitalize on a singer’s popularity? Now you’re saying we still have to do it ourselves. Then why did you have Teacher Lu record the dry vocals? Otherwise, everyone can just perform with a pure instrumental track!”
“That’s right, I’m not convinced!”
“Me neither!”
“They’re clearly taking advantage of us because Group 3 is easy to bully!”
Sini and another staff member were having trouble calming the situation. The two of them looked at each other, not knowing what to say.
“Let’s meet halfway,” Fu Yilan said. The other members of Group 3 gradually quieted down. She stepped out of the crowd and said to Sini, “Send us Teacher Lu’s audio files, and we’ll rehearse on our own.”
“I’ll contact Director Fu,” Sini said, immediately walking away a couple of steps to call Fu Haitang.
Fu Yilan’s expression relaxed a little. She turned to comfort her teammates and smiled at Chen Na. “Don’t worry. We still have time before the live broadcast starts. Once we get the new audio files, we’ll have plenty of time to practice before we go on stage.”
“Okay!”
“I hope so.”
“Why do things always go wrong for the group she’s in! So unlucky!”
“Don’t say such unlucky things. Yilan has already fought for us so much!”
The disagreements and conflicts within the group had always existed.
“Don’t listen to them,” Chen Na said, putting an arm around Fu Yilan. “Thank you, Yilan.”
Fu Yilan’s lips twitched. “Don’t worry, I have confidence.”
…
“Teacher Lu sang the backing tracks for all the teams,” Fu Haitang said with a look of affection at Gu Jingjing. Gu Jingjing was half a head shorter than her and had to look up slightly to meet her gaze.
The joy on Gu Jingjing’s face quickly faded. Her eyes turned red, and she nervously licked her lips. “Then, then it’s what he should do for the show. He only sang for everyone because of me, right?”
Fu Haitang secretly pinched her own thigh. Her eyes turned red as she said, “Young Miss, when I went to beg Teacher Lu, he didn’t give in until…”
Gu Jingjing’s expression went blank. After a few seconds, she asked, “Until… until what?”
“Until he saw Fu Yilan,” Fu Haitang said.
“Slap!”
There was a particularly crisp sound in the air. Fu Haitang’s head turned to the side from the slap. Gu Jingjing shouted tearfully, “What did you say? What do you mean?”
It really hurt. Fu Haitang held her cheek. Her phoenix-like eyes drooped, and a shadowy expression flashed across them. She said, “It seems Teacher Lu agreed to do it for Fu Yilan…”
“Shut up!” Gu Jingjing cried. “Are you going to make me lose face in front of the whole internet!”
Fu Haitang: “It’s true!”
Gu Jingjing: “You’re lying. Brother Lu did it for me.”
Fu Haitang admired Gu Jingjing’s tears. Then she slowly smiled and pulled her into a hug. “Young Miss, don’t be afraid. I’m still here. At worst, I’ll risk being fired…”
Gu Jingjing was stunned. She looked up at Fu Haitang. “What are you going to do?”
Fu Haitang smiled.
…
Two minutes later, Sini hung up the phone and, under the expectant gaze of Group 3, shook her head with regret. “I’m sorry. The vocal department refused to provide the new backing tracks.”
The live broadcast countdown was ten minutes.
The audience on site had already entered. News of Station A’s live broadcast losing its backing tracks was a top trending topic online. Many people were waiting to see how Station A would handle it.
Of course, many also suspected that this was a new publicity stunt.
For a moment, there was a lot of discussion everywhere.
…
On-site control room.
The trainees from Group 3 were blocking the door.
Fu Yilan: “Let me see Fu Haitang!”
Chen Na: “Director Fu! We need to see Director Fu!”
Sini sighed. “If you don’t leave, I’ll have to call security.”
“What should we do, Yilan? Let’s just give up. How can we argue with the production team? Let’s go back. The live broadcast is about to start.”
“I’m leaving,” a trainee said, walking away. “Being in a group with you, Yilan, has never resulted in anything good!”
Chen Na: “What are you talking about, Bai Lele? If it weren’t for Yilan, do you think you would have made it all the way to the fourth round?”
Bai Lele turned around and shouted, “Yes! I’ve been with Yilan from Class D until now. I’ve gained a bunch of fans because of her, but I’ve also received the most criticism! I just want to sing and dance well, but what about her? What else can she do besides create drama!”
Bai Lele said resentfully, “As long as she’s here, no one will ever truly notice my performance in the group! Even my fans… they ask about her the most! I’m tired of it! I’m tired of it, do you understand?”
Fu Yilan was stunned. She had a good relationship with Bai Lele. By now, the trainees with poor skills below Class D had been almost completely eliminated.
Even Chen Na had been in other groups for other reasons. Only Bai Lele had been her companion for the past month and a half.
“Is that what you think of me?” Fu Yilan asked.
Bai Lele said sarcastically, “Do you think I really considered you a friend? Why don’t they give us the backing tracks? Can’t you figure it out?”
Fu Yilan frowned. Logically, Lu Jing wouldn’t lie to her, and Fu Haitang wouldn’t set her up at this critical moment.
“Because there was no time to record it at all!” Bai Lele said.
Bai Lele: “Look, you’re so popular, so why does everyone else have a backing track, but you don’t!”
Fu Yilan looked at Sini. Sini held up her hands in surrender. “I don’t know anything!”
Chen Na choked up and buried her face in a teammate’s arms, crying.
Bai Lele sobbed. “Don’t be a fool. No matter how popular you are, you won’t make your debut successfully.”
“I hope everyone cherishes their last stage performance,” a voice interjected.
Everyone looked toward the source of the voice.
It was Fu Haitang. The corners of her mouth were curved into a smile. She was wearing red-soled high heels, and each step she took on the ground echoed as she walked over. “I believe in you. Even without backing tracks or support from a famous singer, you’ll still finish this song, right?”
Everyone was stunned. Fu Haitang’s sudden appearance and her words confirmed the suspicions in everyone’s minds.
-
- Group 3 did not have a backing track that fit the “famous singer collaboration” rule for the fourth round.
-
- Fu Yilan seemed to be incredibly popular, but in reality, the production team had someone else they wanted to promote. Her status as a triple-crowned contestant had already sealed her fate as a sacrifice.
-
- Fu Haitang, who had once publicly supported Fu Yilan, was a complete hypocrite!
Fu Haitang looked at her wrist. Then she spread her hands. “There’s less than a minute until the live broadcast. Don’t you all want to make the most of your screen time?”
“Maybe,” Fu Haitang’s phoenix-like eyes curved, “this isn’t just your last stage performance, but the end of your career.”
“…”
“You’re despicable!” Chen Na had always been gentle, but when she passed by Fu Haitang, she couldn’t help but curse at her in a low voice.
Bai Lele sarcastically used Fu Haitang’s nickname. “You’re truly worthy of being the TV station’s ‘Young Miss’!”
The members of Group 3 returned to the waiting area three minutes after the live broadcast began.
Compared to the others who looked nervous and expectant, the members of Group 3 all looked miserable.
Chen Na sighed. “We don’t have a backing track with a famous singer. How can we possibly compare to the other groups?”
Fu Yilan returned after drawing a slip and handed it out. “Here.”
No one took it. In the past, as soon as Fu Yilan got the slip, her teammates would surround her, and they would excitedly open the slip together.
“Everyone, let’s pull ourselves together,” Fu Yilan’s comfort was a little dry.
Bai Lele: “It’s no use. No matter how many times we perform, we’ll only be laughed at on stage.”
Without a backing track and harmonies, the members of Group 3 could only sing and dance on their own. The “famous singer collaboration” rule was not just to add freshness to the show.
It was also because outdoor singing and dancing recordings were not as good as indoor ones. The famous singer was actually there to provide a cushion for the trainees whose voices were not up to par.
Without a professional singer’s support, and with the other groups having Lu Jing’s backing tracks, it was obvious whose performance would be better.
Sure enough, when the first group, who was lucky enough to be selected, went on stage and played the song with Lu Jing’s vocals, the entire venue erupted in excited cheers.
Lu Jing’s popularity and fanbase in the country were not at all inferior to the foreign singers Fu Haitang had invited.
Live comments:
(What famous singer collaboration? This is a live performance by Teacher Lu!)
(I can’t imagine how many votes this round will get. After all, Lu Jing has over 80 million fans. I should have gone to the site if I knew it would be this lively!)
(Ahhhh, Brother! That damned Young Miss Fu is so cunning. She actually got Lu Jing to record the backing tracks!)
(Why do Yilan and her team look so down?)
(Didn’t they say the backing track issue was resolved?)
(Right?)
(I have a bold guess.)
(Could it be that Group 3 still doesn’t have a backing track?)
(…)
(Don’t jinx it! Don’t talk nonsense!)
The live camera switched from backstage to the host on stage. Group 1’s performance was over. The next one was Group 5. During the wait, Fu Rongdie moved her microphone and teased Lu Jing.
“Teacher Lu’s quote for a commercial performance has already exceeded a million, right? Was this backing track recording free or paid?”
The audience on site laughed.
Lu Jing: “If it were free, wouldn’t that ruin my commercial value?”
Fu Rongdie: “Oh~ So Teacher Lu means the production team paid you to record it?”
Mentor Qin Hai interjected, “Teacher Lu, please answer directly.”
Live comments:
(Does Fu Rongdie not understand? How could it not be paid!)
(Yeah, so speechless. The most expensive things about Teacher Lu are his stages and songs!)
(Lu Jing hasn’t even answered yet, but his fans are already anxious.)
“It was free,” Lu Jing said directly.
Fu Rongdie: “…” Fu Rongdie didn’t expect that her casual comment would unearth such a big piece of news.
“F-free?” Fu Rongdie was astonished.
Qin Hai: “Wait, Teacher Lu, will you still attend commercial performances in the future?”
Fu Rongdie said with a sigh, “Could it be that it was free for a certain person?”
That question was too leading. Qin Hai immediately laughed and changed the subject. “It’s all for the production team, of course. Besides Station A, who else has this kind of influence?”
Lu Jing was silent, signaling that he didn’t want to continue the topic.
Waiting area.
Chen Na finally managed to compose herself. “I’m sorry. I even shipped you and Director Fu. Now it looks like you hate her. How could you two be a thing?”
Fu Yilan: “…”
Chen Na: “I should have shipped you and Teacher Lu instead. Even though it’s a long shot, at least you’re both on the same level in terms of looks. I could just ship you two for your looks.”
“Don’t ship us randomly,” Fu Yilan said.
Chen Na: “Oh.”
Fu Yilan: “I believe she wouldn’t do that.”
“Who?” Chen Na asked.
“Her.” Fu Yilan raised her chin, pointing to Fu Haitang who was in front of them.
Fu Haitang was in the waiting area, ready to announce the next group. Group 5’s performance was over. She was now announcing the next group to go on stage. “Is Group 3 ready?”
Chen Na got up and, along with the others, walked past Fu Haitang with cold stares toward the stage. Chen Na: “Are you crazy? Did you forget what she just said?”
“We’re ready!” Of the seven members of Group 3, Fu Yilan was the only one who responded loudly to Fu Haitang. “Director Fu, thank you for your hard work.”
Fu Haitang was stunned. She lowered her head and gripped the script in her hand. She slowly smiled at Fu Yilan. “Do a good job.”
“Mm.” Fu Yilan walked over and suddenly reached out and hugged Fu Haitang. “I believe in you.”
The live broadcast captured this scene.
The hug, and Fu Haitang’s stunned expression.
The camera then switched to the stage. Lu Jing, who was supposed to be in the mentor’s seat, had suddenly disappeared. Just as the host, the audience on site, and the audience watching the live broadcast were curious…
The large screen on site switched to another scene.
Lu Jing was sitting in front of a piano, adjusting the microphone. “Hello, hello, can you hear me?”
Audience: “…”
The next second, the screams were loud enough to almost tear the entire outdoor venue apart!