The special correspondent from WeChat Music is surnamed Lei, Lei Lei.
She is not very tall, at most around 1.6 meters, but she has a well-proportioned and quite attractive mature figure, with an oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, big eyes, and dimples.
When she smiles, she reveals two little tiger teeth, giving off a somewhat innocent girlish vibe. It feels like a real pity that she's in the entertainment journalism field instead of the entertainment industry itself!
Lei Lei's voice is very pleasant, sweet and soft, carrying the unique charm of a Jiangnan woman.
This also made Lu Chen feel particularly warm and familiar.
"Teacher Lu Chen, what was the reason that ultimately led you to pursue the path of music?"
At 3 PM, in the reception room of Lu Chen's workshop.
Lu Chen and the female reporter from WeChat Music sat facing each other. On the glass coffee table, two freshly brewed cups of coffee steamed, filling the air with the faint aroma of authentic coffee beans.
Compared to the fragrant coffee, Lei Lei was clearly more interested in Lu Chen. As soon as she sat down, she eagerly turned on her recorder and posed her first question to him.
Lu Chen smiled and said, "I dare not accept the title of 'teacher.' Reporter Lei, it would be more comfortable for me if you just called me by my name."
"Please have a cup of coffee first. It was gifted to me, sourced directly from Brazil, and it tastes quite good. Let's chat slowly."
The title "teacher" was originally used in the showbiz community as a respectful term for seniors who debuted early and have been famous for a long time. Later, it became somewhat overused, and now anyone with a bit of status can be called a "teacher," especially those without deep connections.
Lu Chen is a newcomer who debuted not long ago, so he doesn't really qualify for such a title. Even though he has written some good works, his seniority in the showbiz community is still too shallow. Being called "Big Chen" or "Brother Chen" would already be amazing.
However, after being positioned as a judging panel member for the second season of "Singing China" by Capital City TV, even if it was just for the audition phase, his status in the industry suddenly rose a notch. He was no longer just a simple newcomer.
Additionally, the showbiz community holds singers in high regard, so it's not excessive to honor them with the title "teacher."
Many things in the entertainment industry are quite mysterious and fascinating. If you're not in the showbiz community, you often won't understand the underlying meanings.
But Lu Chen wouldn't take it for granted that he deserved such a title.
Face is given by others, but dignity is lost by oneself. Maintaining a humble and cautious attitude can take you further.
Indeed, Lei Lei felt more favorable toward Lu Chen because of his modest attitude.
She relaxed and took a sip of the coffee.
The female reporter's eyes immediately lit up, and she praised, "This is really good!"
Lei Lei often drinks coffee. Although she's not a coffee connoisseur, she can still distinguish good from bad.
Lu Chen smiled and said, "If Reporter Lei likes it, take a can back with you. I'm just borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha, after all."
The coffee was a gift from Wen Zhiyuan, and there were two cans in total.
After the sound test at EMI Company yesterday, Lu Chen didn't let the other party treat him to a meal. The manager of the management department probably felt embarrassed, so he insisted on giving Lu Chen two cans of Brazilian coffee beans.
Lu Chen had Chen Xin buy the tools to grind the beans into coffee powder for serving guests, and the effect was really good.
As the saying goes, "When you eat someone's food, you become softer in your dealings with them." After drinking a cup of delicious coffee, Lei Lei's attitude became even more amiable.
"Then I'll call you Lu Chen, but you can't call me Reporter Lei either."
Lu Chen smiled, "Alright, Sister Lei Lei."
Lei Lei is about four or five years older than him, so calling her "sister" is definitely not wrong.
For those who want to become stars and idols, building good relationships with media reporters is very important. Otherwise, if others keep bad-mouthing you in newspapers, magazines, or online, no one can endure that.
True big stars often have good relationships with the media. For example, Tan Hong, over so many years, has never been involved in any scandals or controversies. While his personal integrity is one factor, his deep connections in the showbiz community are even more crucial.
Chen Jianhao has shared a lot of experience with Lu Chen and Lu Xi on how to build proper relationships with the media.
With the rich experience from his 3rd Dan dream life, Lu Chen found it easy to grasp.
After chatting and laughing with Lei Lei to build rapport, they got down to the formal interview session.
The question returned to the one Lei Lei had asked earlier.
Lu Chen thought for a moment and said, "My earliest exposure to music came from my parents' expectations. I learned the piano as a child, but probably due to a lack of talent, I gave up after not making much progress."
"Later, I took a liking to the guitar and taught myself. But at that time, I thought playing the guitar would help me chase girls."
At this point, Lei Lei showed a knowing smile.
Many boys learn to play and sing to show off and attract girls' attention, and this trick is quite effective.
Lei Lei couldn't help but recall her university days when a boy sang for her under her dormitory.
Unfortunately, that boy didn't have Lu Chen's talent or good looks, or else she might have said yes.
Lu Chen continued, "When I was in university, my family went through some changes, and I had to come to Capital City early to work. I became a request singer at a bar, and that's when I truly started on the path of music."
Lei Lei said, "During the 'Singing China' competition, you once said that your dream is to earn a lot of money to help your family pay off debts. So, was your motivation to pursue music rooted in a sense of responsibility toward your family?"
Lu Chen frankly replied, "You could say that."
After winning the championship of "Singing China," Lu Chen became a bona fide celebrity in his hometown, Binhai City.
So, it didn't take long for someone to reveal his family's situation on the Wave Blog.
Back in the day, Lu Chen's father, Lu Qingsheng, was a well-known entrepreneur in Binhai. His business failed purely due to bad luck, as he was hit by the international financial crisis, leading to a break in the capital chain.
Lu Qingsheng had a good reputation locally. He was straightforward, generous, and trustworthy, which was why so many relatives, friends, and business partners were willing to lend him money for cash flow. His death due to illness was simply a case of "unpredictable fate."
The Lu family's misfortune was lamentable, but what surprised people the most was that Lu Qingsheng's widow, Fang Yun— Lu Chen's mother— resolutely took on the huge debt. She didn't let the relatives and friends who trusted Lu Qingsheng suffer losses, nor did she let Lu Qingsheng's reputation be tarnished.
Anyone who knew about this couldn't help but admire Fang Yun!
Keeping promises and valuing reputation has always been a virtue of the Chinese nation.
Therefore, when Lu Chen talked about his dream of earning money during the "Singing China" competition, it didn't make people dislike him at all. Instead, it made them feel his sincerity, confidence, and courage.
The song "Follow the Dream of the Red Heart" sang of Lu Chen's unyielding spirit in the face of life's hardships!
As for Zhuang Hao, who questioned Lu Chen's dream, his blog was flooded with comments, and even the magazine "Xiumei," where he worked, couldn't withstand the pressure from netizens and had to apologize on his behalf.
Now, this so-called editor and music critic has even closed his blog and completely disappeared.
Lei Lei brought this up to set the record straight for Lu Chen, as he had never publicly explained the situation.
She continued to ask, "What gives you such rich and colorful musical ideas, allowing you to write great songs like 'In Spring' and 'My Old Classmate'? Where does your inspiration come from? Why do you have such diverse stylistic expressions in your creations? And what is your attitude toward others' doubts?"
Although Lei Lei had a good impression of Lu Chen, as the interview progressed, her professional nature inevitably surfaced. A series of questions came at Lu Chen like a storm, with a somewhat aggressive tone.
But she didn't think there was anything wrong with it. Since Lu Chen had entered the entertainment industry and become a star in the spotlight, he would inevitably face all kinds of interviews in the future, dealing with questions more tricky, intense, or even malicious than hers.
If he couldn't handle a one-on-one exclusive interview now, he would have plenty of trouble later.
Therefore, Lei Lei deliberately sped up her speech and asked targeted questions to create a sense of pressure.
She wanted to see how Lu Chen would handle it.
In fact, since Lu Chen joined "Singing China," doubts about him on the internet had never completely disappeared, mainly focusing on his creative style.
The most typical example was "In Spring," a song that didn't seem like something a 22-year-old could write.
But Lu Chen's reaction wasn't what Lei Lei had expected— he wasn't nervous or flustered.
Lu Chen calmly smiled and didn't directly answer Lei Lei's question.
"Sister Lei Lei, let me first explain the origin of my Wave Blog username, Lu ChenFMX."
Lu Chen's Wave Blog ID, Lu ChenFM, currently has over 5 million followers, reaching the entry standard of a big V. The shares, comments, and likes on his posts are quite high.
However, no one knew the true meaning behind this ID.
Lei Lei was momentarily stunned, unable to see the connection between Lu Chen's blog account and her question.
But her journalist intuition told her that Lu Chen must have something to say.
So, she nodded with a smile.
Lu Chen explained, "Lu ChenFMX— Lu Chen represents me, while FMX represents three other people. Their names are Fang Mingyi, Mo Ran, and Xu Bo. They are all good teachers and friends in my life and musical journey."
"They taught me many life lessons."
"They made me understand the importance of perseverance."
"They..."
When Lu Chen sold the copyright for "In Spring," he had told others about Xu Bo's story.
At that time, he had silently vowed to make Xu Bo's name a legend in this world.
But it wasn't just Xu Bo; Fang Mingyi and Mo Ran were equally indispensable.
He felt that without any one of them, his life after the long dream would no longer be complete!
So, taking advantage of the WeChat Music exclusive interview, Lu Chen selectively shared the stories of these three individuals.
It wasn't just an explanation.
It was a recollection, a remembrance, and a tribute!
(End of Chapter)
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