Chapter 67: Girl Band
Chapter 67
"What is a girl group?" Qin Wei certainly knew, but she wasn't sure if the original owner of her body knew, so she still asked Li Yao, "Tell me."
Li Yao explained to her, "Actually, it's a female group mainly focused on singing and dancing. Of course, after they form a group, they can also shine in their respective fields. This talent show is looking for artists like that."
It was similar to what she had thought, but a new problem arose.
Qin Wei had deliberately searched for information about the original owner last night. She was not a dancer by training, and since becoming famous, her schedule had always been full, leaving no time for systematic practice of singing and dancing. She had also watched videos of the original owner's performances at various events, and she could only say that they were not her strong suit, to the point of being somewhat disastrous.
And Li Yao and Xu Mingchuan had no reason not to know this.
So Qin Wei was very curious. Based on their understanding of her, how could they still actively encourage her to participate in a competition focused on singing and dancing?
"Do you think I... can sing and dance?" Qin Wei expressed her doubts.
Li Yao took a sip of sparkling water and fell silent.
Obviously, he didn't know how to answer either.
After a long while, Li Yao finally said, "Mr. Xu thinks you can."
Qin Wei: "..."
Li Yao picked up his phone and opened WeChat, typing furiously. It seemed like he was sending a message to Xu Mingchuan. After a while, the screen lit up, and the reply came from Xu Mingchuan.
Xu Mingchuan sent a video, and Li Yao opened it in front of Qin Wei.
It wasn't just any video; it was the segment of Qin Wei playing the violin and performing a piece of music in a foreign square.
This video went viral and to some extent improved her reputation. Moreover, this video became the main reason why Xu Mingchuan decided to let Qin Wei participate in the show after learning about it.
Li Yao said, "He also asked me to show you this."
[Xu Mingchuan: Show her this, along with the following message]
[Li Yao: Can't you tell her yourself?]
[Xu: ... I don't have her contact information...]
[Li: Send it!]
[Xu: Don't worry about not being good at singing and dancing. Many female artists who participate in this competition can't do it either. This competition seems to be about singing and dancing, but in reality, it's not. When you stand on the stage, you will shine and capture everyone's attention. Let's give it a try.]
Qin Wei thought for a long time and finally sent him an "OK" expression.
On the other side, Xu Mingchuan smiled with relief.
"Qian Lang, go and prepare. Look online for the best dance teacher. Invite them for me and let them teach Qin Wei dancing one-on-one."
Then he opened his phonebook and contacted a music friend he had a good relationship with overseas.
The contract had already been prepared, and once it was signed today, Qin Wei's "summer job" would be finalized. The next step would be for Li Yao to communicate with the production team, while Qin Wei's task was to wait for the classes arranged by Xu Mingchuan to begin.
However, another problem arose.
"Haven't found a dance teacher?"
Xu Mingchuan couldn't believe his ears. In the vast capital city, there were hundreds of dance studios, and yet Qian Lang had been running around for three days and still couldn't find a teacher.
"In this industry, the quality of teachers varies greatly. The more famous ones have been hired by aspiring female artists who are preparing for competitions.
Just think about it, there are already over a hundred registered participants, each determined to win. If they don't put in the effort, they won't stand a chance," Qian Lang explained. He didn't come to this realization on his own, but rather after visiting numerous dance studios and gathering information from people involved.
Xu Mingchuan was skeptical: "But is it really that exaggerated?"
Anticipating Xu Mingchuan's doubts, Qian Lang took out his phone and searched for recent news: "Mr. Xu, take a look at Sheng Shi Entertainment, for example. They have five female artists participating this time, and the company is taking it very seriously. In addition to their in-house dance instructors, each person has also been assigned four dance studios, all of which are the best in the capital city or Shanghai. It's said to be for handling different styles."
Xu Mingchuan glanced at the news and found it to be true.
And it's the same with other companies—they have already hired outstanding dance teachers from China.
Not only that, to prevent the teachers from leaking ideas or having similar styles, the entertainment companies have even signed contracts with them, temporarily preventing them from teaching dance skills to others.
They're a bit late in taking action, and coupled with Qin Wei's lack of foundation, the performances for the competition haven't been finalized yet.
Xu Mingchuan was deeply troubled.
"Keep looking."
Xu Mingchuan mustered his spirits and asked Qian Lang to leave. Then he booked a flight for his friend, a music producer, thinking that starting with vocal lessons would be a good idea.
The initial setback gave Xu Mingchuan a bad feeling.
...
Fortunately, his friend returned to the country that evening, and they met with Xu Mingchuan the next day, just before Li Yao and Qin Wei arrived. Everything went smoothly.
In the company's office, Xu Mingchuan gave them a brief introduction: "Qin Wei, this is Li Mai, a friend I met in the United States. He's an excellent music producer. He will be conducting the music theory lessons."
Li Mai touched his nose and spoke in a low voice, "Actually... I came here to give you the money for the plane ticket. I'm sorry, but I have other things to do after returning. Should I introduce you to someone else from the same field?"
Xu Mingchuan frowned and, seeing his expression, probably guessed what was going on. "Did someone offer you a high-paying job? Maike, I approached you first, don't you understand the spirit of our agreement?"
Li Mai looked reluctant. "Boss, I know it's a bit unfair to do this, but the other party is already involved in the music business. I know your family has a big business, but the entertainment industry is just starting out... Our line of work relies on youth, and I'm already thirty. I can't afford to wait any longer..."
After glancing at the bewildered Qin Wei, Xu Mingchuan took Li Mai aside to talk.
In a soft voice, Qin Wei asked Li Yao, "Is he really talented? Mr. Xu is trying so hard to keep him."
Li Yao shrugged. "I don't know either. We haven't dealt with any music-related business..."
Half an hour later, Xu Mingchuan returned with a grim expression, walking in alone.
"We'll think of another solution."
Upon hearing this, Li Yao dropped the pen he was holding, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his arms.
"Time is running out. If it doesn't work out, let's forget it. Instead, let's focus on something that Wei Wei is good at. Given the current situation, it's going to be difficult for us to pass the preliminary selection."
Xu Mingchuan disagreed:
"The exposure of other shows is simply not enough. Li Yao, are you willing to let Qin Wei join the ranks of internet celebrities like Su Xiaoxiao in future programs?"
Li Yao remained unruffled, but with a bitter smile, he replied:
"Mr. Xu, please understand the situation. Currently, all the well-known dance teams in the country have been hired by various entertainment companies. They keep some teams for their own use and don't want others to snatch them away. With such intense competition, each artist is matched with four or five teams. Our company still doesn't have a single team.
Please don't hire some unknown instructors to teach Wei Wei. Can she pass with a teacher who only scores fifty out of a hundred?"
Xu Mingchuan was also in a difficult position. He had been too hasty in his approach since he was new to this. He never expected that other companies would be so scheming. If things didn't work out, they could consider hiring from abroad. But before that, they needed to determine Qin Wei's style. As long as it was possible, Xu Mingchuan wouldn't hesitate to spend money on dance classes taught by foreign celebrity instructors.
Qin Wei whispered:
"How about... you listen to my opinion?"