“Reporting, Commander, no problems.”
Lin Xiaoyu had picked up that phrase from who-knows-where. Her voice was as calm as ever, but her eyes were brimming with joy.
Jiang Ling looked at her filled lyric sheet and understood instantly. This girl had finished her writing and was absolutely delighted.
Immediately after, Jiang Ling shifted her gaze to the paper in front of her, pursing her lips. She couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. Although she had written something, she still lacked confidence. ‘I should have just used the previous versions…’
Forget it. If I get scolded, I get scolded. Even if it’s garbage, it’s better because it’s mine.
To Jiang Ling’s — and everyone’s — surprise, the meeting was a great success. Everyone presented lyrics with a certain degree of completion.
Bai Xue looked through them one by one, a satisfied smile blooming on her face. “Everyone has put in a lot of effort.”
Sincerity was the ultimate weapon.
Although the words were a bit amateurish, these were lyrics they had personally poured their emotions into, making them exceptionally precious.
Now that they had both the lyrics and the music, everything else proceeded smoothly. Shen Yue remained in charge of the arrangement, Xu Nuo took over the album cover and performance costumes, and Bai Xue handled everything else. As a result, the members were the most idle people in the entire team.
“Aren’t your classes starting soon?” Mo Ran asked in a motherly tone while tidying up the kitchen.
“Um, I think so?”
Hearing this, Jiang Ling immediately opened her phone to check her chat history with Song Meng. After reading the documents sent by the school, she realized it was around the end of February or early March.
“You should have quite a few classes, right? Didn’t you just start university?” Mo Ran asked, a trace of worry flashing in her eyes. “You’ll probably still be in class when we release the song. Will it affect your studies?”
An official debut was different from their previous public performances. According to Bai Xue’s plan, they would likely be very busy. She wasn’t sure if Jiang Ling could coordinate her schedule.
“It won’t.” Jiang Ling waved her hand, having clearly considered this issue. “If it really comes down to it, I’ll just take a leave of absence and have Song Meng tutor me.”
“Oh, that friend of yours.” Mo Ran nodded, looking somewhat relieved.
Fang Wannan remained silent for a while before speaking leisurely, “I can find a much better teacher. Do you want to come to my house for lessons?”
At those words, a clatter of searching echoed from Mo Ran’s side. Then, with a hint of a smile, she said, “Where did I put the vinegar? Did I leave the cap loose?”
Before Jiang Ling could react, Lin Xiaoyu chimed in like a supporting actor. “What a strong smell of sourness.”
She spoke with a straight face as if discussing a serious topic, but the content made Fang Wannan’s brow twitch repeatedly.
*Cough!*
Jiang Ling coughed immediately, tactfully changing the subject. “Are we going to record in 2 days? Where are we going?”
“I helped find a studio. I didn’t plan on charging, but Sister Bai Xue insisted on paying. Anyway, it’s not far from here.”
Fang Wannan’s attention was quickly diverted. She used her phone to find the studio’s location and sent it to the group chat. “Based on this progress, we should be able to record in about 1 week.”
“Yes. Everyone, make sure to protect your voices lately. I just made some tremella and pear soup. Drink it while it’s hot.”
Mo Ran, wearing oven mitts, brought the full pot of tremella and pear soup to the table. She turned to get bowls and spoons for everyone.
“Yay!”
Jiang Ling and Lin Xiaoyu quite liked such sweet treats. They immediately held their bowls and took small sips. Fang Wannan, sitting beside them, didn’t handle it as well, but because Mo Ran had made it, she forced herself to take a few sips.
Although they were in a lull before the recording, everyone conscientiously started their respective practices after finishing their soup.
—
Time flowed by unnoticed. The end of February was still cold, but it was relatively warmer than before, perhaps because spring was approaching.
Inside the recording studio.
Shen Yue pulled up the music. “The demo was recorded by my younger sister. Listen to it once to get a feel for it.”
Hearing this, the image of Shen Ran’s mischievous smile immediately appeared in Jiang Ling’s mind. Her clear voice echoed in her ears. Her tone and skill were excellent, instantly drawing everyone into the music.
The song ended.
“It sounds so good.” Jiang Ling couldn’t help but exclaim, her eyes filled with admiration as she looked at Shen Yue.
In just a few days, she had finished the composition and arrangement for all the tracks on the album, and the quality was outstanding.
A blush crept onto Shen Yue’s cheeks. “It’s nothing.”
She looked at the lyrics, marked each member’s corresponding parts with a red pen, and gave a detailed explanation.
Once everyone indicated they were ok, Shen Yue continued, “The first person to record usually sets the tone. Since the people after will hear it, it’s better to have someone with better overall strength start.”
Hearing this, everyone’s gazes drifted between each other before simultaneously landing on Jiang Ling.
This gave Jiang Ling a start. She waved her hands frantically. “I — I can’t do it!”
“Both your tone and your skill are quite good.” Lin Xiaoyu gave a fair and objective evaluation. She looked at her teammates, and they all nodded in agreement.
But Jiang Ling was still a bit resistant. She pointed at Mo Ran. “If we’re talking about overall strength, the strongest should be Ran.”
“In terms of song performance, the strongest is indeed me, but we’re recording right now,” Mo Ran explained. “We all agree that you’re suitable for the opening. As long as you aren’t nervous, you’re perfectly capable.”
“The problem is, how could I not be nervous!” Jiang Ling covered her face, looking a bit like she was having a breakdown.
Had they all forgotten how she had been so nervous she cried the first time she sang?
“You can do it.” Bai Xue encouraged her gently, echoing everyone’s opinion.
Shen Yue added from the side, “I’ve seen the video of you singing. It’s really good. Have some confidence, friend!”
The way she said “friend” at the end was so firm that it amused Jiang Ling despite her miserable expression. Helpless, she stood up and walked into the recording booth.
She put on the headphones and tested the microphone. “Hello? Hello?”
“Can you hear me?” Shen Yue immediately adjusted a knob and responded, beginning to tune the various parameters.
“I can hear you.” Jiang Ling spoke while giving an ok gesture to those outside. Then, she stared nervously at the lyric sheet in front of her.
As it happened, her part was the very beginning of the song. After the intro, the vocal section basically set the tone for the entire piece. This made Jiang Ling’s fingers tremble slightly.
Jiang Ling adjusted her headset again and cleared her throat. She nodded to Shen Yue, signaling that she was ready.
Once in her working state, Shen Yue’s expression turned serious. The music flowed slowly through the recording booth, and Jiang Ling nervously sang her lyrics.
“Intertwined memories — “