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Lu Chen reacted quickly. He instantly stopped and steadied himself, narrowly avoiding a collision with the person who had suddenly darted into his path.
The girl immediately realized how inappropriate her impulsive behavior had been. Her face flushed with embarrassment as she stepped back, bowed deeply, and said,
"Teacher Lu Chen, I'm a loyal fan of yours and also a trainee here. May I ask if you could give me some guidance?"
Standing in Lu Chen's way was a girl around fifteen or sixteen years old. She wasn't very tall but had a pretty face. With short bangs and large eyes framed by long eyelashes, she looked like an oversized porcelain doll.
Whether it was due to excitement or shyness, her face was completely red, even her ears had turned pink.
As she bowed, her ten fingers were tightly intertwined, betraying the nervousness inside her. And once she bent down, she stayed in that position, waiting for Lu Chen's response.
Everyone around was stunned by the situation.
Jennifer, who was walking alongside Lu Chen, frowned deeply and scolded sharply,
"Zhou Xiaojia, who taught you to behave so rudely? Get back to the practice room immediately!"
The hallway had several open doors on both sides, and many trainees were peeking out. Seeing Zhou Xiaojia being harshly reprimanded by Jennifer, most of them had a gloating look on their faces.
In the entertainment world, for most artists, the competition begins as early as the trainee phase.
Zhou Xiaojia's eyes turned red from the scolding. She bit back her tears and bowed her head, whispering, "Sorry, Director He… Teacher Lu Chen, I'm really sorry…"
While apologizing, she began to turn and leave.
But Lu Chen smiled and said, "It's alright. Which agency are you signed with?"
The young girl was quite endearing and reminded him of his beloved little sister back home.
Lu Xue wasn't much older than Zhou Xiaojia. She should've been at an age to enjoy the love and care of her parents. But because she chose the path of an entertainer, she had to endure grueling training even during the New Year holidays.
Zhou Xiaojia's face instantly lit up with joy. She quickly replied, "Teacher Lu Chen, I'm signed with Vision Media."
Vision Media? Lu Chen had no real impression of it. Clearly, it wasn't a major player in the industry.
In the capital's entertainment scene, talent agencies, film companies, and workshops are as numerous as stars in the sky. The competition is brutal. Most small and mid-sized companies are struggling, and naturally, their signed artists suffer as well.
Many artists from these smaller companies never even get a chance to make a name for themselves. Even after debuting, they barely get any gigs. Most end up as backup singers, dancers, or extras, grinding at the very bottom of the industry.
There are simply too many struggling performers in Beijing trying to survive.
Zhou Xiaojia had decent looks and potential, but without strong backing, her chances of success were about the same as winning the lottery. There's a 99% chance she'd fade away into obscurity amidst the ever-changing tides of the entertainment world.
Maybe the girl had realized that too, and that's why she had mustered all her courage to stop Lu Chen today.
She wanted guidance, attention… or a chance.
At this point, Lu Chen genuinely was qualified to be addressed as "Teacher."
He asked, "Which path are you aiming for? Singing? Dancing? Acting? Variety shows?"
These days, artists have more options than their predecessors. If one path doesn't work, you can try another. You can rely on your looks if nothing else works. And if you don't even have the looks, well… then all that's left to sell is your dignity.
Zhou Xiaojia replied earnestly, "I want to become a pop singer, like Teacher Chen Fei'er!"
Chen Fei'er. Lu Chen couldn't help but smile and said, "Alright then, I'll give you a chance. Sing me a song."
He turned to Jennifer and asked, "Director He, is that okay?"
"Just call me Jennifer," She smiled. "It would be our honor if you would mentor one of our trainees. I'll make the arrangements."
She glanced at Zhou Xiaojia, who was overjoyed, and sincerely said, "Zhou Xiaojia, you're very lucky!"
The Star Destiny Art Training Center had a great reputation in the entertainment world. They often took on trainees for special training. It wasn't unusual for celebrities to come and guide or encourage the new talents here, and even some A-list stars had visited before.
Lu Chen was not the first celebrity to be stopped by a trainee seeking guidance, but almost none had succeeded before. The reason was actually quite simple, big-name stars are used to being constantly pestered. If they casually agreed to every request, they'd never get a moment of peace.
On top of that, offering guidance might mean helping a potential rival to one of their own people. Who would be foolish enough to do that? That's why Jennifer said Zhou Xiaojia was really lucky, to have run into Lu Chen.
The trainees who had been secretly watching were all dumbfounded when they heard this. No one expected that Zhou Xiaojia would actually manage to persuade Lu Chen to offer guidance. It was the kind of moment that made people green with envy!
Who was Lu Chen? He was the rising star of the pop music scene, famous not just for his own success, but also for producing two popular idol groups. Now, he was in the middle of launching the Little Tiger Group.
The background and connections of the Little Tiger Group were completely out of reach for these trainees. All they could do was admire from afar.
But who was Zhou Xiaojia, really? Among a crowd of trainees, she was just another face in the crowd.
And yet, she had somehow gained Lu Chen's favor. It made everyone else burn with jealousy. Some people even began to consider whether they should try the same tactic themselves.
The Star Destiny Art Training Center had its own recording studio. Though it couldn't compare to a professional-grade facility in terms of size and equipment, it was still far superior to karaoke-level gear, more than adequate for vocal testing and demo recording.
Inside the studio, Zhou Xiaojia performed a song called "Love Is a Bubble Heart" for Lu Chen and the others. The original singer of this song was none other than Chen Fei'er, the sweet-voiced queen of pop. It was one of her rare sentimental ballads, once wildly popular.
Lu Chen wasn't sure why Zhou Xiaojia chose this song. Clearly, she wasn't capable of conveying the deep emotion and nuance of the original. Though her pitch and tone were fine, she simply couldn't capture that special charm, the soul of the song.
After finishing, Zhou Xiaojia realized her shortcomings and bowed apologetically: "I'm sorry, Teacher Lu. I didn't…"
Lu Chen waved his hand, cutting her off, and motioned for her to step out of the booth.
"After the New Year, have your agency contact my studio. We'll talk then." He said to her, "Keep working hard."
Zhou Xiaojia, who had assumed she'd already blown her chance, was stunned.
Then tears welled up in her eyes, crystal-clear and shining.
She bowed repeatedly in gratitude: "Thank you, Teacher Lu! Thank you!"
Lu Chen smiled and said, "Go on now."
After Zhou Xiaojia left, still overwhelmed and tearfully thankful, Jennifer gave Lu Chen a strange look. Lu Chen knew what she was thinking, but didn't bother explaining.
He gave Zhou Xiaojia a chance because something in her own character or potential moved him, not because of anything else. Jennifer had clearly misunderstood. As they left the Star Destiny Art Training Center, Jennifer escorted him out. Suddenly, she looked at him seriously and said, "Lu Chen, I know you're a good person."
The words came out of nowhere, but Lu Chen understood exactly what she meant.
He couldn't help but let out a small, helpless laugh.
(End of chapter)