r18novel Chapter 2: From the Encounter
Chapter 2: From the Encounter
The older sister, Su Yiyi, spoke gently, "Hello, Wang Bo. Xiaoxiao asked me to come over at the last minute. I hope I haven't bothered you."
"No, it just shows that you sisters have a good relationship, which is enviable," Wang Bo said with a smile.
The older sister, Su Yiyi, got to the point, her voice carrying a cool quality: "You played the piano very well, especially the middle section, which was very layered."
"Thank you for the compliment!" Wang Bo said, feeling he deserved it.
The older sister, Su Yiyi, asked curiously, "What's the name of this piano piece?"
"I haven't decided on a name yet," Wang Bo said.
The two sisters were stunned.
"I composed this piece myself, and I'm not sure whether to call it 'Wedding in a Dream' or 'Wedding in the Dream' better," Wang Bo said casually.
The older sister, Su Yiyi, was surprised: "You can write piano pieces?"
Wang Bo humbly replied, "I know a little bit."
"Know a little bit?" Su Xiaoxiao, the younger sister, raised her eyebrows. "Wang Bo, your standard of 'know a little bit' is a bit high. Although my sister is a music teacher and likes to praise her students, she doesn't praise others."
Wang Bo was surprised to learn that his older sister was a teacher.
The older sister, Su Yiyi, naturally chimed in: "I'm a music teacher. I'm very interested in music, and I mainly teach vocal music and basic music theory."
She looked at Wang Bo, her eyes now filled with a professional inquiry: "Do you practice your voice regularly? What methods do you use?"
The younger sister, Su Xiaoxiao, didn't know who had received the message, so she picked up her phone to reply.
Wang Bo replied, "I practiced my voice when I was in school, but after I started working... I just practiced randomly."
"Practicing haphazardly won't work," Su Yiyi said gently. "Especially for those of you who use your voice for long periods, incorrect methods can easily damage your vocal cords. Another day..."
She seemed to feel it was a bit abrupt to say "another day" on our first meeting, and paused for a moment before adding, "If there's a chance, we can chat."
Wang Bo: "..."
It feels like he's here to meet the older twin sister, not the younger one.
President Zhou must have made a mistake.
Su Xiaoxiao looked up from her phone screen, glanced at her sister, then looked at Wang Bo, a smile curving her lips: "That's just how my sister is, it's an occupational hazard, she wants to say something whenever she sees anything related to music."
She rested her elbows on the table, looking at Wang Bo: "But speaking of which, Wang Bo, what specific plans do you have for your singing career? Are you just planning to keep singing these...pop songs?"
"This is more like a blind date," Wang Bo said. "No, I will try to create different types and styles of songs in the future if I have the opportunity."
"Yuji Entertainment..." Su Xiaoxiao didn't take Wang Bo's words to heart. "Your company is not large and has limited resources. President Zhou is not familiar with this field and, like my sister, is rather soft-hearted. He can release artists he has trained for several years just by making a plea, without even asking for breach of contract compensation. He is not suitable for this industry."
The waiter began serving the dishes, and the exquisite dishes were placed on the table. The conversation temporarily shifted to mundane daily matters.
The older sister, Su Yiyi, asked some questions about the current state of the music industry, and her attitude remained serious throughout.
The younger sister, Su Xiaoxiao, occasionally chimed in with more direct and practical questions, such as her income structure, media exposure channels, and thoughts on the future.
Wang Bo dealt with them one by one.
Su Xiaoxiao suddenly stood up: "I'm going to the restroom, sis, you two talk first."
She picked up her small handbag, got up, and left.
Only Wang Bo and his sister Su Yiyi remained at the table. The latter picked up her water glass, took a sip, and looked at Wang Bo with a hint of apology in her eyes: "Wang Bo, Xiaoxiao has a rather straightforward personality. This meeting might not be what you expected."
Wang Bo laughed and said, "It's alright."
"She's not usually like this," Su Yiyi said gently. "The family manages a small cultural production company for Xiaoxiao's family, which puts a lot of pressure on her, so she inevitably sees things in a more pragmatic way. For her, music is probably more of a commodity."
She paused for a moment: "But in my opinion, music is first and foremost art, it's about expression. Even pop songs should have their own structure and attitude."
These words surprised Wang Bo, and he couldn't help but glance at Su Yiyi a few more times.
Su Yiyi smiled and said, "Your voice is very distinctive, but you lack some technique and suitable pieces."
She said sincerely, "Of course, this is just my personal opinion as a music lover and educator."
"Thank you," Wang Bo said.
"You're welcome." Su Yiyi glanced in the direction Su Xiaoxiao had left, then lowered her voice, "Actually, Xiaoxiao's company has recently been in contact with some music promotion projects on short video platforms, and is also looking for suitable, promising newcomers. Although it's not a large company, it operates quite flexibly, and if the work is suitable, the promotion efforts may be more focused than some traditional companies."
Wang Bo's heart skipped a beat. Was this inside information, or another form of hint?
Before he could think it through, Su Xiaoxiao returned.
She didn't sit down immediately, but stood by the table, took out a folded A4 sheet of paper from her bag, and placed it on the tablecloth in front of Wang Bo.
"Wang Bo," Su Xiaoxiao said sharply, "let's be frank, this meeting was entirely my parents' idea."
Wang Bo's gaze lingered on the document.
"However," Su Xiaoxiao changed the subject, "my sister said you have a good foundation, and I trust her judgment. So, here's an opportunity."
She tapped the document with her fingertip.
"In two weeks, the provincial university will celebrate its centennial. Many influential people will be attending, including platform representatives, producers, and music critics. I happen to have an invitation to give an artist the opportunity to perform on stage."
Wang Bo's heart stirred; this was indeed a stage and a good opportunity to expand his network.
"You can't just give away an invitation for nothing." Su Xiaoxiao stared at him. "You have to prove you deserve this ticket."
"How can you prove it?" Wang Bo asked.
Su Xiaoxiao glanced at her older sister Su Yiyi, who nodded slightly.
"Now," Su Xiaoxiao said firmly, "sing a song, anything, a cappella. Let my sister hear if you're really cut out for it."
A cappella?
Wang Bo looked at Su Yiyi, whose eyes were gentle and encouraging.
He smiled, as if he were coaxing two kindergarten girls.
But they believe that they are the adults.
He was thinking rapidly.
The original owner's songs cannot be sung; those two catchy pop songs have no technical merit and do not demonstrate any special qualities.
Singing songs from another world?
Absolutely!
Which song should we sing?
It can showcase timbre, vocal range, and emotion, and is also suitable for a cappella singing, without sounding too abrupt...
Got it!
Wang Bo's gaze swept over the twins in front of him, whose faces and figures were almost identical but whose temperaments were very different, and then fell on the city lights outside the window.
Without any preamble or introduction, he began to speak directly.
The voice started softly, with a deliberately suppressed hoarseness and low tone, yet it landed steadily on the key.
"I heard winter leaving~"
As soon as the first sentence was uttered, Su Yiyi's fingers, which were crossed on her knees, twitched slightly, and she sat up a little more imperceptibly.
Su Xiaoxiao paused in her casually leaning posture, her gaze refocusing on Wang Bo's face.
"I woke up in a certain month of a certain year~"
Wang Bo didn't look at them; he seemed to be immersed in his own world.
He carefully controlled his breath, enunciating clearly with a natural sense of expression, steadily building up his voice in the mid-to-low range, using chest resonance to make his voice sound thicker and more textured.