Frivolous - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“Don’t sign them.”

“No matter how Ode performs, they are not to be signed” was the final command Yu Lanzhou left before departing the company.

Chen Ran’s second interview took place two days later. Following the navigation address provided by the company, Su Ping’an once again saw a familiar building. The place where the band was interviewing was actually just across the street from the Yu Lan Art Hall.

“Such a coincidence?”

“It really is just such a coincidence.” Chen Ran climbed off the back seat of the motorcycle.

Shi Muyang, who had just walked out from the shadows, glanced at the name of the art hall. He took a deep drag of his cigarette, blew out a cloud of smoke, and said, “Hey, I just realized—isn’t this that art hall from last time? It belongs to Conductor Yu, doesn’t it?”

“Anyone with eyes should know; the name is literally ‘Yu Lan’.” The bassist Qiu Fang, sporting her twin braids, fanned the air with a look of disgust.

“I thought the Yu family was only dominant in Hanglin.”

Su Ping’an, walking ahead, turned back to retort: “I think you have a gross underestimation of the Yu family’s wealth. Although Yu Lanzhou doesn’t participate in rankings, her actual assets are terrifyingly vast.”

Chen Ran followed silently toward the other half of the street.

At that moment, Yu Lanzhou was stepping out of her car. Seeing that familiar group from a dozen meters away, she asked Xu Wan, “Why are they here?”

“President Yu’s band recruitment is also happening this week.”

Yu Lanzhou said nothing more and walked into the Yu Lan Art Hall.

Two hours later, a call came from Yu Tingzhou’s side, and Xu Wan relayed the message: “Teacher Yu, President Yu’s people called to ask why Yu Lan didn’t keep Ode.”

“What did you tell them?”

“That it was your subjective judgment of taste,” Xu Wan replied truthfully. “Then they said that Ode’s stay or departure at Fengjin Entertainment would also be entirely decided by you.”

“Why did they suddenly come to ask my opinion?” Yu Lanzhou put down the sheet music and rubbed her forehead. “I understand.”

“Then you plan to…?”

“Tell them to get lost and go elsewhere.” She had never had her pride bruised by anyone—except for Chen Ran.

“Understood.”

“Wait.”

Xu Wan’s hand stayed on the door handle as she heard this hesitation. It was a hesitation rarely seen in Yu Lanzhou. She sat on the sofa, her body sinking into it completely. Her long hair draped softly over her shoulders, the curve of her spine resembling the silhouette of a snowy mountain.

“Let Fengjin sign them. Let them fend for themselves.”

“Alright, I’ll reply to them immediately.”

A moment later, Xu Wan knocked and entered again. “The HR from President Yu’s side just called back in a panic. They say they can’t sign them. One of the members…”

Yu Lanzhou lowered her eyes, a hint of impatience in her gaze, and interrupted her. “What is Fengjin being so neurotic about? Tell them: no matter what, just sign them.”

“Alright, I’ll reply now.”

“Have you prepared the things for me?”

Xu Wan bowed slightly and handed her the car keys. “Everything is ready, and I’ve called to notify the campsite.”

“Good.”

“By the way, Teacher Yu… on Monday noon, when Taozi took the day off, she said she saw Chen Ran at the hospital.”

“What happened to her?” Was her “unlucky” attribute still acting up as usual?

“No, it wasn’t Chen Ran. It was Chen Ran’s friend who hit someone with a motorcycle. The patient’s family was causing a scene at the hospital, grabbing them by the collars and demanding compensation.”

“Was it serious?”

“The person’s injuries weren’t severe.”

Xu Wan knew Yu Lanzhou would ask, so she had already gone to the hospital Taozi mentioned to investigate the situation.

Yu Lanzhou thought back to Chen Ran’s encounters during a certain period in the past and couldn’t help but think: A literal little jinx.

That day, Yu Zhou had a huge fight with Yu Lanzhou over her name. Yu Lanzhou thought it was just a child’s temporary tantrum and told her, “Don’t throw a fit.” Little did she expect that on the day she went on a business trip, Yu Zhou would run away from home, her phone’s last signal located deep in the mountains.

By the time she arrived via rescue helicopter, Yu Zhou had already been rescued from the bottom of a slope. It was Chen Ran who had found her. After the helicopter landed on the road, Yu Lanzhou walked over to check Yu Zhou’s injuries. Beside her, Chen Ran bowed and apologized, “Auntie Yu, I’m sorry. Yu Zhou just couldn’t figure things out for a moment. She knows she’s wrong. I’m truly sorry.”

Yu Lanzhou watched Yu Zhou being sent onto the helicopter before turning back to look at her. Chen Ran’s arms had been scratched by bushes, and her heels were rubbed raw. Yu Lanzhou frowned slightly and asked, “Why are you apologizing for her? Do you know the cause and effect of this?”

Chen Ran pulled her pant leg down to hide the wound, a look of grievance in her expression. “I don’t know.”

Yu Lanzhou realized her attitude was a bit off and changed her tone to ask, “How did you fall down?”

“I originally wanted to stand on that slope and twist my jacket into a rope to lower it to Yu Zhou, but I lost my footing and fell.”

The wind and rain were heavy that night. Chen Ran could feel the slight pain of raindrops hitting her. She wore only a thin white T-shirt, which clung to her skin due to the rain, appearing snowy white in the darkness. Suddenly, a light from the sky shifted close; Chen Ran felt the hair on her neck stand up, and a white light flashed before her eyes. Her mind went blank, forgetting everything.

It was lightning.

A rescue worker walking by joked, “What did you do to get struck by lightning?” Even though she knew he meant no harm, the comment made Chen Ran feel like everyone was watching her as a joke.

“Chen Ran, Chen Ran?” Yu Lanzhou’s assistant walked over and squeezed her hand. Chen Ran felt the warmth, bringing her back to life from her freezing cold state.

“Are you okay? Get on the helicopter first.”

“I’m fine, it’s nothing,” Chen Ran smiled weakly. “The lightning missed me.”

After boarding, the assistant handed her a thick blanket. Wrapping herself in it, Chen Ran felt much warmer. She thanked the assistant earnestly, only to hear her say, “Teacher Yu ordered it.”

Nothing could be warmer than that sentence. Chen Ran immediately looked at Yu Lanzhou, but the woman was holding Yu Zhou’s hand tightly, never giving her another glance.

It wasn’t until they reached the hospital entrance that Yu Lanzhou saw the light red patches on Chen Ran’s legs. “What happened to your legs?”

A blush spread behind Chen Ran’s ears. She lowered her head and replied, “A rash broke out.”

“Go with my assistant once we’re inside. she’ll accompany you for your hospital check-up.”

“Auntie Yu, I’m fine. I don’t need a check-up.”

“Never mind this time—did your arrow wound from last time ever fully heal?”

Yu Lanzhou remembered it clearly. When Chen Ran had been hit by that feathered arrow, it had pierced straight through her back; the scene of the congealed blood around the wound was pitiful.

Yet she heard Chen Ran say, “Auntie Yu, I’m used to being unlucky. You don’t have to worry about me.”

Hearing someone so young speak with such world-weary resignation would leave no one indifferent.

“No one is unlucky forever,” Yu Lanzhou glanced at her, then added, “You won’t be.”

Chen Ran heard the comfort in her tone. It was likely she rarely comforted people, so the words seemed clumsy. But they were powerful. Just as powerful as Chen Ran’s heart, which was pounding fiercely at that moment. On the way back, Chen Ran clutched the syrup for her rash that Yu Lanzhou had given her and thought: No one will be unlucky forever. They won’t.

On the day of the band’s pre-employment physical exams, the checks were more detailed than those for civil servants. Out of the three bands, one lead singer actually tested positive for “substances.”

The drummer Shi Muyang slapped his thigh and said, “I knew their stage energy was unusually high that day. I’ve seen their gigs before; they’re usually completely lifeless.”

Qiu Fang sighed, “Truly seeking death.”

Su Ping’an asked, “Then does Fengjin Entertainment’s recruitment only leave two groups—us and the ‘Privilege’ team?”

Shi Muyang looked mysterious and whispered, “I heard that Fengjin originally didn’t intend to take us.”

“Why? Why?” Qiu Fang leaned in curiously. “Was it because your drumming was a bit off that day?”

Shi Muyang rolled his eyes. “I’d say it was because you stepped on the cable and cut the sound.”

Su Ping’an asked, “Then how did things turn around?”

Shi Muyang beckoned them closer to listen. He whispered, “I asked around. The speed of the Yu family’s development these years is beyond imagination, not just in tech and medicine. The boss of Fengjin Entertainment is also surnamed Yu.”

Chen Ran asked as if casually, “Yu Lanzhou?”

“No, it’s Conductor Yu’s younger sister, Yu Tingzhou.”

Qiu Fang hurriedly took out her phone to search. She thought: I truly underestimated the Yu family with the heart of an ant. In Pingjing, where every inch of land is worth gold, a huge swathe of buildings belonged to the Yu family.

“Boss Yu didn’t think we had much potential, but she called Conductor Yu later. Only then were we notified that we passed,” Shi Muyang shook a cigarette out of his pack and continued. “Our being able to stay at Fengjin was a decision finally made by Conductor Yu.”

It was her decision.

Chen Ran felt like she was living in a dream again. She could understand why Yu Lan didn’t want her, but she couldn’t understand why Yu Lanzhou had someone else keep her. Previously, Ode had played a dozen shows; some were just for experience, some looked down on them, and some wanted to sign them but at an unimaginably low price. Since returning to Pingjing, Chen Ran hadn’t let a single opportunity slip. Her goal was precisely to be selected by a company under the Yu family. Now, could this be considered a different way of getting what she wanted?

She thought that perhaps Yu Lanzhou didn’t hate her as much as she imagined.

A colleague led the members of the two new bands to tour the Fengjin facilities. “Our company has vast rehearsal spaces, even a library and entertainment facilities—everything you need. By the way, we are one family with the place next door; you know that, right?”

Shi Muyang patted the colleague’s shoulder, feigning familiarity. “We know, we know.”

Chen Ran suddenly remembered the poetry collection Yu Lanzhou had mentioned. Would Yu Lanzhou be holding a book of poetry during the Pingjing sunset? The library was large and located on the first floor. Standing in the art hall next door, one could see the internal structure of the library through the glass windows.

After dinner, with a tentative heart, Chen Ran fetched a ladder to search. Finally, on the very top shelf, she found that book of poetry. However, she lost her footing while coming down, stumbling as she was about to fall to the floor.

Just as she was about to fall from the wooden ladder, a pair of arms caught her.

Chen Ran could feel the warmth from behind. Her back pressed against a soft body, and the faint scent of medicinal perfume gave her a dizzying illusion. She should believe that she and Yu Lanzhou were fated. Yu Lanzhou’s embrace was exactly as she had imagined—gentle and fitting. It could envelope all her grand desires.

“Auntie Yu.” Chen Ran regained her reason, stood up straight from Yu Lanzhou’s embrace, and tidied her disheveled clothes.

Yu Lanzhou’s gaze shifted from the book in Chen Ran’s hand to her face. She asked, “Why didn’t you explain to me that you didn’t come that noon because your bike hit someone? Are you deliberately distancing yourself from me?”

Chen Ran didn’t answer. Yu Lanzhou pressed closer and asked, “Why are you hiding from me? Because of that time?”

“Which time?” Chen Ran was very skilled at feigning ignorance; it was intentional.

Hearing this, Yu Lanzhou’s gaze fixed intently on her, her tone flat: “Chen Ran, do you want me to help you remember?”

Chen Ran knew better than anyone that such calmness signaled an impending tsunami. The book of poetry slipped from her palm.

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