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Chapter 110
Chapter 110
‘Yes, that’s right. She’s absolutely like an angel, the assistant wondered, ‘What a pretty angel
With her long hair cascading over her shoulders, Valerie sat poised at the piano, seemingly enveloped in a soft, ethereal glow
Though simply dressed, she radiated an
effable, ethereal grace that set her apart from everyone else.
Even Russell’s eyes involuntarily shimmered with awe. Valerie was born to play the piano.
The piano melody flowed, graceful and captivating. Russell recognized it. It was the same tune he’d caught a brief snippet of when passing the
auditorium last time.
Even that short fragment had amazed him. Now, hearing the entire piece from the beginning, he found himself even more deeply moved by its beauty.
The music carried layered emotions, piercing through to the soul and stirring the deepest heartstrings. It was a tranquility unlike any
other.
It was as if he were in a quiet courtyard, crouching in a corner, watching children at play. His young heart brimmed with loneliness, yet he longed to step forward and join them.
In the end, though, timidity got the better of him.
, he found his own small joys in his solitary world.
This was the scene playing out in Russell’s mind at that very moment. The scene was so vivid, it unfolded right before his eyes.
The final note faded. Adrienne’s eyes sparkled as she immediately burst into applause. There weren’t many people in the room, but every single one of them was generous with their applause.
Adrienne exclaimed excitedly, “Amazing, absolutely amazing. Valerie, this song took me back to childhood, so peaceful and soothing, and full of childlike innocence. Even though there aren’t any dramatic shifts, it’s truly beautiful.”
Russell was stunned for a moment, then said, “Wow, you really nailed the description. That’s the novelist in you.”
Adrienne scratched her head sheepishly and asked, “Did you feel that way too?”
Russell nodded. “Exactly. So you can take the lyrics in this direction. But honestly, what really grabs people these days are songs about love and relationships.
“This piece is good, but if you want to make a name for yourself, this one alone just isn’t enough.”
Adrienne retorted defiantly, “I think it’s already great.”
Russell explained, “I’m not saying it’s bad, just not enough. A song like this could establish a singer’s standing, and with the right arrangement, it might even become an overnight sensation.
“But it’s still missing something, maybe a bit more intensity. The main melody is already captivating, and with some extra work on the arrangement, it could be truly stunning.
“But what I want is for Valerie to really make a name for herself in the music industry.”
Looking at Russell, Adrienne suddenly felt a surge of admiration. Adrienne couldn’t help but think, “Wow, he really knows his stuff.”
Valerie tilted her head slightly and asked with a hint of surprise, “You want to make me famous?”
Valerie tilted her head, an unconscious gesture, but when her clear, bright eyes met his, the moment shimmered with an unexpectedly inn alluring charm.
yet
Russell’s breath hitched for a moment, his gaze lingering unconsciously before he quickly cleared his throat. “Yes, I want to develop you as a music star
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“Frankly, our label’s current roster lacks standout talent, most of our established singers have peaked, and the new recruits meni in pre
But you can write and perform. By the way, how’s your singing?”
Valerie cleared her throat awkwardly and said, “Well, I’m not really a good singer.”
The assistant standing nearby caught sight of Valerie. She was so stunningly beautiful that even her embarrassment only made her more adorabek, Ha heart skipped a beat, and his face instantly flushed red.
Russell looked at her in amazement and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow, with such good looks, it’d be a real shame if you didn’t go into showbiz. You to definitely someone who could make a living off your looks.”
“Honestly, I’m not that interested in getting into showbiz,” Valerie admitted. “But I don’t really have any special talents.”
Adrienne burst out, “Are you kidding me? You compose, write songs, play multiple instruments, your Estain is amazing, and let’s not forget you’re gorgeous.
“How can you say you don’t have any special talents? Then what does that make me–just your average Jane? What am I supposed to do with myself?”
Valerie sensed Adrienne’s indignation, choked back a laugh, and said, “But these are just hobbies. How could they possibly become a career?”
“Why not?” Adrienne grew even more animated. “You’re an amazing pianist. You could be a concert performer, a private tutor or even open your own music academy.
“You write songs, so you could break into the music industry and sell your compositions. And if you can sing, you could totally be a professional singer. Aren’t these all legitimate careers?”
Valerie paused, looking surprised. “Really? But I’m not much of a singer.”
Adrienne suddenly remembered and said, “Oh, right. You’re into playing the stock market too, aren’t you? Must’ve made quite a fortune, huh?”
Valerie smiled sheepishly, “Well, I’ve made a bit.”
“That settles it.” Adrienne was nearly green with envy. “All I can do is write a few novels–average looks, average skills, average brains, that’s me.
“But you? You’re a straight–A student, your design sketches always get praised by the professors, and you still say things like that. Seriously, you’re killing
me here.”
Russell cleared his throat. “You’re incredibly talented. How about a collaboration? If you join our label, given our current situation, I’ll make sure to focus
our best resources on you.”
The assistant, unable to contain his excitement, exclaimed, “That genius angel vibe is so inspiring and has such fan appeal. If you ever join showbiz, I’ll be your number one fan.”
Faced with his enthusiasm, Valerie felt a bit embarrassed and gave a shy smile. She said, “But honestly, my singing is really terrible. You probably shouldn’t get your hopes up.”
“Come on, you have such a lovely voice.” Adrienne was always the first to cheer her on.
Valerie’s cheeks flushed pink. She stammered, “I–I really can’t. My friends would always laugh whenever I sang, so I just stopped singing after middle
school.”
That friend, of course, was Juliette. Upon thinking of her, a flicker of melancholy crossed Valerie’s eyes.
‘Even after everything that happened between us,‘ she thought, ‘I have to admit Juliette was there for nearly half of my twenty years.”
Seeing how serious Valerie looked, Adrienne gently coaxed, “How about giving it a try?”
“No.” Valerie hesitated.
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“Valerie, pretty please? Just this once,” said Adrienne. Valerie was a bit reluctant, but Adrienne grabbed her arm. Meeting Adrienne’s pleading gaze, Valerie hesitated and just couldn’t say no.
Russell quickly arranged a recording studio and said to Valerie, “I’ll pick a song at random. See if you know it. If not, just tell me and I’ll pick another one”
Valerie gave a small nod.
The background music started up almost immediately, a tune she recognized right away, a song Valerie had heard before. Through the studio glass, she flashed Russell an OK sign.
The intro started playing. Valerie felt a bit nervous. As memories of being mocked when singing came rushing back, a wave of embarrassment washed over her.
Outside the booth, Adrienne’s eyes shone with anticipation as she gave Valerie an encouraging thumbs up. Turning to Russell, she said, “She’s definitely just being modest. Valerie always downplays her abilities like this.”
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