Future Pet Shop

Chapter 195: Director Kong, Listen to This Song

"Pfft!" Shen Yibin couldn’t help but burst out laughing. The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra was one of the most famous symphony orchestras in the world, with a massive ensemble. Besides the principal conductor, the entire orchestra included: a first violin section of 21, a second violin section of 20, a viola section of 17, a cello section of 13, a double bass section of 11, a flute section of 4, an oboe section of 5, a clarinet section of 5, a bassoon section of 5, a French horn section of 7, a trumpet section of 5, a trombone section of 5, one tuba player, a timpani section of 2, a percussion section of 4, and one harpist.

There were over fifteen types of instruments and more than 120 performers. No matter how talented Cheeky was, there was no way it could imitate so many sounds at once, right?

Haha, ’is this what they call trying to show off, only to get completely owned?’ Watching Cheeky stand there awkwardly, Shen Yibin was laughing his head off internally. ’You’re always trying to act so tough. Today it finally blew up in your face, didn’t it?’

"Alright, alright, it’s getting late. Everyone, let’s pack up and get some rest." Shen Yibin suppressed his laughter and started to help Cheeky out of its predicament. If he actually managed to piss the little guy off, who knew what kind of ruckus it would cause later.

After tidying up the main hall, everyone went upstairs to their respective rooms to rest. As he was drifting off to sleep, Shen Yibin thought he could hear the continuous sounds of Cheeky and Sylvie’s voices from the next room. It seemed the parrot was still hung up on its earlier embarrassment.

The next day’s filming location was moved to the Shilin. Hah’Er clambered through the colorful, magnificent, and tranquil stone formations with movements that seemed clumsy but were in fact nimble. Behind the monitor, Director Kong was shouting his approval, and it looked like today’s shoot would be as smooth and easy as the previous few days.

’Working with a star like this is such a pleasure. It’s so much better than trying to direct those actors who have the looks but zero acting skills,’ Director Kong thought with a sigh. The rest of the film crew also seemed unusually relaxed. Compared to previous shoots, this one had beautiful scenery, delicious food, and such a photogenic lead. It was almost as if they were producing a great film just by having fun. ’If only all future projects could be this easy,’ he mused.

"Alright, that’s a wrap for the morning shoot! Everyone take a break and get ready for lunch." They had finished the morning’s schedule in only half the expected time. The next shot had to wait until the sun was at its highest point in the sky, so Director Kong let the crew go off and do their own thing.

"Director Kong, I have a song I’d like you to hear." Seeing that Director Kong was free, Shen Yibin quickly went over to him and held out his phone.

"Oh? If it’s a song you’re praising, Bin, it must be good." Having navigated the entertainment world for so many years, Director Kong could tell with a single glance that Shen Yibin was about to recommend a singer for the theme song.

Far from being annoyed, he was actually quite pleased. For one thing, the original singer truly wasn’t up to par, so a replacement was a must. He had been wracking his brain for the past two days, trying to think of a singer he knew who could do the song justice. If Shen Yibin’s recommendation was suitable, it would save him a lot of trouble.

For another, he had seen actors and singers recommending each other countless times in the entertainment industry, so he didn’t find it strange at all. Besides, he was the one currently asking for Shen Yibin’s help, so he was happy for the opportunity to do him a favor. If Shen Yibin owed him one, he would have another bargaining chip when it came to future matters involving Hah’Er.

Therefore, even before the song began to play, Director Kong had already made up his mind. As long as the singer’s voice met his minimum standards, the theme song for this film would go to the person Shen Yibin was recommending. At worst, he could always take her to the best recording studio in Xiangjiang and use post-production to fix any vocal imperfections.

The melodious and elegant sound of a hulusi flute began to play, and Director Kong’s mouth fell slightly agape. This sound seemed a little different from what he had heard live. Although Cheeky’s imitation had been spot-on, there were still subtle differences. Having heard countless performances in Xiangjiang, Director Kong’s ear could not be fooled by such details.

After the intro, Sun Qian’s mellow, crystal-clear voice flowed through Director Kong’s ears and into his mind. It was like a refreshing spring stream pouring straight into his heart. Even a jaded old veteran like Director Kong, who had been knocking around the Xiangjiang entertainment circle for years, felt as though he had been cleansed from the inside out, his whole being refreshed.

This was the theme song he had been looking for! The original singer didn’t possess a tenth of this one’s talent! Even after the song had faded away, Director Kong still hadn’t recovered from how moved he was.

"Director Kong? What do you think of the song...?" Shen Yibin couldn’t help but ask when he saw that the director hadn’t said anything for a long time.

"Don’t talk. Play it again!" If he knew how to work Shen Yibin’s phone, Director Kong probably would have snatched it and done it himself.

’Looks like it’s a success!’ Suppressing his inner delight, Shen Yibin quickly tapped the screen to play the song again. And so, Sun Qian’s clear, ethereal voice once more filled the air of the Shilin. The occasional passerby who heard the music couldn’t help but stop in their tracks, lean against a stone pillar, close their eyes, and listen quietly.

Hearing it a second time wasn’t enough; Director Kong ordered Shen Yibin to play it again. Only after the third listen was over did Director Kong finally open his eyes, clap his hands, and exclaim, "Bin, where on earth did you find this singer? If you had shown me this song earlier, I wouldn’t have even bothered contacting singers in Xiangjiang."

After all, this was a promotional film for Yunzhong City. If there were any other option, it would be best to have a local Yunzhong singer perform the song. Inviting a singer from Xiangjiang had merely been a choice of last resort.

Shen Yibin was also aware of these considerations. Sun Qian was from one of the most remote counties under Yunzhong City’s jurisdiction, so she fit the requirement perfectly. If she hadn’t, he probably would have hesitated for a while before recommending her.

"It was just a happy coincidence. She’s an employee at my store. You probably saw her last time you dropped by," Shen Yibin said with a smile. Given Director Kong’s reaction, getting Sun Qian to sing the theme song was practically a done deal.

"Hah!" Director Kong walked a few circles around Shen Yibin before speaking seriously. "It seems you’re a person of great fortune, Bin. I’ll have to make sure to stay in touch with you more often from now on."

People from Xiangjiang had always been firm believers in things like feng shui and fortune. With Shen Yibin surrounded by a national treasure like a panda and a rare talent like Sun Qian’s incredible voice, Director Kong could find no other explanation than him being blessed with immense luck.

If he knew that Shen Yibin’s store also had a princess from a European royal family and a miko who was the heir to a Japanese Shrine, he would probably be even more astonished, right? What would his reaction be then?