Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 51

If you want to say why...

Yuan Xudou frowned slightly, looking at the elderly man before him who had aged appearance but walked steadily, was vigorous, and had a strong, angular face. From the man's slightly narrowed, sharp eyes, he felt a subtle presence, a kind of "pressure," that he hadn't felt in a long time.

Like an ancient well with no bottom, just staring at its deep, murky surface is enough to inspire fear.

Although his appearance remained unchanged and his heart was not greatly disturbed, the boy was indeed extremely confused and astonished, even more so than ever before.

Because he never expected that such a senior figure in the music industry would approach him.

So, Yuan Xudou bowed his head politely and took the initiative to greet the old man, whom he considered worthy of respect even by his own standards.

"Senior Tsuzuki."

These words set the stage for a dialogue between the two sides, who are at least two generations apart in age.

Chapter Seventy-Three: The Things That Are Valued

They all built poetry boats.

Yuan Xudou certainly knew the actual boss behind RiNG and was no stranger to her story.

Or rather, anyone who has a deep understanding of the band, and who didn't form it just for fun but has higher aspirations, should have heard of her name.

The former guitarist of the well-known band Miracle Crimson, along with her bandmates, can be said to be the pioneering figures who first created the "era of big girl bands".

He is renowned in the music industry and owns several live houses, including the newly opened RiNG, the SPACE which closed a few years ago, and CiRCLE which is still in operation.

Even though she has retired due to her age and has almost disappeared from the public eye, she still holds a top position and reputation in the band industry, and everyone who meets her will respectfully call her "senior".

Unlike other elderly women of the same age, she did not show any kindness or generosity with age; instead, she became even more demanding of others.

If she deems any band not to have done their best, or "not serious enough about music," she will reprimand them mercilessly, even if they are a group of underage girls.

It is precisely because of this demanding nature that few bands are chosen by her. Conversely, most of the bands that are valued and mentored by her have a smooth career and the opportunity to become rising stars in the industry.

Therefore, it seems very illogical that she would come looking for him.

No matter how you look at it, CryCHIC, which only performed a cover song once, even if it became a small sensation online, would never catch the eye of a big shot of this caliber.

Yuan Xudou has a clear understanding of his band's current capabilities. Although they do have great potential, and with his full support, they might actually be able to achieve their goal of performing at the Budokan during high school—but that's a judgment he made based on his own abilities and understanding of each other, and it's impossible for others to see that from just that one performance.

Rather, if someone only learned about CryCHIC through that video and didn't carefully read their social media profile, they probably wouldn't even know that it's actually a six-member band with a young man as the behind-the-scenes conductor.

Of course, Tsuzuki Shisen would never make such a basic mistake. Even if the old woman really had sharp eyes and saw their bright future, she neither approached Shoko, the eldest daughter of the Toyokawa Group and the band's apparent leader, nor paid attention to Mutsumi, the young lady of the Wakaba family, who was also somewhat famous in the entertainment industry. Instead, she came directly to see herself, who never showed her face in public.

This whole affair was shrouded in an eerie atmosphere, leaving Yuan Xudou with no choice but to feel suspicious.

Unless... the purpose of building the poetry boat had nothing to do with the band from the very beginning.

Such thoughts flashed through his consciousness in an instant.

Turning completely away from the glass railing, the boy faced the old man with the humility of a junior.

Contrary to what Shinji Rinko had previously imagined, the atmosphere between the two did not seem tense at this moment.

“I didn’t expect you to notice newcomers like us.”

"I'm not so old that I'm stuck in my ways; I've heard about what's happening online."

Although not particularly enthusiastic, the communication was at least harmonious. (The last line appears to be a typo and can be omitted.)

Faced with a young man whose tone was neither humble nor arrogant, unlike most juniors who panicked and hesitated to speak for fear of saying the wrong thing when they first met her, and unlike a small number of greenhorns who dared to speak arrogantly without knowing their own limitations and didn't take her seriously, Du Zhushichuan showed a more satisfied expression, and the stern scrutiny in her eyes faded considerably.

“I know you’re confused as to why I’ve come to you on my own initiative.”

"Yes."

Yuan Xudou nodded calmly.

"Forgive my frankness, but I don't think there's anything about [CryCHIC] at this stage that would appeal to you, senior."

There are at least ten bands like them every year that suddenly become popular due to a surge in online traffic, only to disappear without a trace after the hype dies down a few weeks later. Given Tsuzuki Shifune's status, it's entirely impossible for him to even consider a group of that caliber, let alone personally meet with them.

Besides, even if they really were to meet, it should be the younger generation who makes the visit.

However, the old man shook his head slightly, denying his statement.

You're not entirely right.

"First, you are the first band to choose to debut in this newly opened RiNG."

"Secondly, Rinko is very concerned about your affairs. She not only mentions it frequently when reporting on her work, but she also came to me immediately when you applied to rent the venue."

His sentences flowed smoothly and he spoke slowly and deliberately, not at all like an old man in his twilight years. He clearly told the young man the reason why he had noticed the others.

"So I watched some videos online. Just like you said, there wasn't anything particularly outstanding about them; they were just passable."

This isn't meant to be derogatory. By her standards, being considered "passable" already puts them above the mark, making them a decent band with the potential to debut.

"However, this level is not enough for a band making their debut from RiNG."

"Therefore, I checked the surveillance footage of your practice room."

The poem boat of Duzhu frankly tells the truth.

"If you feel that your privacy rights have been violated, I can offer compensation."

She is so demanding of music that she is almost inhuman, even to the point of doing outrageous things—which is why she enjoys an extremely high reputation in the industry that inspires both respect and fear.

Theoretically speaking, it is legal for her, as the shop owner, to access the store's surveillance footage. However, if Yuan Xudou insists on bringing this up as a matter of personal privacy, he will be in the wrong, and the matter could easily escalate.

To some extent, saying those words was very risky for Tsuzuki Shisen.

Is this a gesture of kindness she's extending to herself?

"...No, this is your legal right. I believe that Senior Tsuzuki would not use these to do anything illegal."

In any case, the six of them did nothing that could be considered private in the practice room; they just rehearsed and talked.

Yuan Xudou had no intention of offending the old man over such a trivial matter, nor would it benefit the band's development in the slightest.

"However, now that you've said that, I think I know why you came to us."

Straightening his back slightly, Yuan Xudou quietly looked straight at the old man's calm, unwavering eyes, devoid of joy or sorrow, his expression serene.

"—You came to see me, not for the band?"

Upon hearing this, a rare smile appeared on Tsuzuki Shisen's face, but given the wrinkles on her face, it was hard to describe it as peaceful; rather, the contrast with her usual demeanor made it slightly eerie.

"clever."

Chapter 74 You Will Become a Rising Star (22 Gui Qi Liu Jiu ⑴ San ⑧k Liu Erheyi, Bonus Chapter 1/17)

"It's good that you have a good understanding of your own level."

"If I'm not so old and blind that I'd misjudge such a thing."

Tsuzuki Shisen paused slightly, squinted, and then continued with a series of sentences that would leave anyone who heard them speechless.

"—You didn't practice even once before instructing those girls on how to play?"

If she didn't have some trust in her own judgment, Tsuzuki Shisen wouldn't have uttered words that even she herself found hard to believe, in a tone that seemed questioning but was actually quite certain.

The young girls might not realize it yet, but the old man, who has been immersed in music all his life, can at least assert this in his guitar playing.

Whether it's the macroscopic state of technique, posture, and eye contact, or the minute details like the position of the fingertips and the amplitude of body swaying... a person who can play a piece of music perfectly must have already formed subconscious habits when playing.

Just like after completely mastering an extremely difficult action game, when you start a new playthrough, all the enemy's movements and intentions are etched into your brain's instincts, and you can tell what kind of attack is coming just by seeing the starting gesture of the action—the difference between a master and a novice is more obvious to a professional than a firelight in the dark.

But what she saw was Yuan Xudou, who completely broke this rule—while plucking the strings with the same straight arm as an expert, he was constantly adjusting his fingering and posture, like a novice who had just come into contact with the score.

Despite this, he was still able to play the music perfectly without making any mistakes. In fact, if you listened carefully, you could feel that his skills and proficiency were improving from the beginning to the end of the piece. His meaningless little movements had obviously decreased, but normal people couldn't tell the difference.

There is only one reasonable explanation for this strange phenomenon—the boy had never touched those songs before; he simply knew how to play them. He had already mastered how to play them before even touching the instruments, and all that remained was to reproduce them in reality.

An exceptional sense of rhythm, unparalleled skill, and talent far beyond the imagination of ordinary people—these factors combined to create what can only be described as a miracle.

"That's it."

Without much hesitation, knowing that with the other party's sharp eyes, once they noticed it, they would not be able to ignore the abnormality in him that he had no intention of hiding, Yuan Xudou naturally admitted this fact.

Then, he asked a question with a sincere expression.

Do you think I haven't taken these songs seriously enough?

Serious? How serious do we need to be?

Tsuzuki Shisen is indeed very strict with music, and when he examines a band, he uses "whether they have given their all" as the biggest criterion for judgment. However, Genjiro To's case is obviously a different story.

It is unfair to both sides to judge geniuses by the standards used for ordinary people.

But the old man didn't want to say it directly, worried that it would make this rough gem realize his specialness at such a young age, thus fostering pride and complacency and hindering his future path.

His current humble and polite demeanor is very good; it's pleasing to her and helpful to his life.

Therefore, Tsuzuki Shisen forcibly changed the subject with a somewhat complicated tone.

"...Your talent is indeed surprising, but I've lived for so long and it's not like I haven't seen people who can rival you."

"Contrary to what most people believe, there are still many things in this world that defy common sense."

For example, there are mechs that can carry people across the Pacific Ocean, girls who can jump from several stories high without getting hurt and even do somersaults, and card games that seem ordinary but are actually rumored to contain secrets about the world... and other such random things.

In comparison, those who are simply exceptionally gifted seem to be easily accepted by people.

"If it's just because of your talent, I will only help you as much as possible in the band and see how far you can go in the end."

"Those behaviors are just the reason I noticed you, but that's not enough to make me value you so much."

She spoke with an unquestionable tone, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and her arrogance finally showed at this moment.

It's not about putting on airs and intimidating others, nor is it about deliberately putting pressure on younger generations. Rather, it's about the pride that comes with being someone who has personally created such illustrious achievements, whenever those achievements are mentioned.

This is a monument jointly written by her contemporaries and those who fought alongside her, a respect that can never be compromised.

"Most importantly, I see potential and possibilities in you."

"—The possibility of ushering in a new era."

That is, the possibility of replacing the current "era of big girl bands" and entering a completely new chapter.

The young man before me definitely has that ability. He doesn't need to be in a band, nor does he need anyone to stand beside him. He treats the songs, the setting, his teammates, and even the audience as mere supporting elements, relying solely on his personal charisma as the sole decisive factor.

Such figures have appeared before in the history of the music industry. Back then, they were called "superstars".

Compared to the potential to leave a mark on history and change the preferences of a generation around the world, visiting the Budokan is a trivial matter.

Although she prefers the image of girls uniting together, shining brightly on stage with a common goal, and sweating it out, the development of the times is unrelated to personal likes and dislikes, and Du Zhushi could not ignore such talent.

"...What exactly is your purpose?"

However, when the old man described a future that seemed like a dark sun that would overshadow an entire era, Yuan Xudou, who was not excited at all, simply asked a question indifferently.

Although he seemed uninterested, his words were quite insightful.

Tsuzuki Shisen wasn't annoyed by his overly nonchalant reaction; on the contrary, he found it comfortable to talk to intelligent people, who could get straight to the point without needing to explain too much.

The old woman laid out her thoughts in a straightforward manner.

“I know many promising young band members around your age. I can introduce you to suitable candidates for any kind of band you want to form.”

"If you want to bring your original band members, that's fine too. I can use my resources to pave the way for you."

"I have only one request."

His sharp, blade-like gaze reappeared, and Tsuzuki Shisen's expression was even more oppressive than a bottomless abyss.

“Yuan Xudou, don’t waste your talent. You have to stand in front of everyone.”

Putting him in a fledgling band, working behind the scenes... is a complete waste of his talent.

Yuan Xudou is not a raw stone buried in the dust, covered by mud and rocks, waiting for others to discover and clean it before it can shine. Instead, it has already polished all its edges and cleansed itself of its impurities. It only needs to be picked up and embedded in a crown to become a gemstone that can directly become the most precious work of art.

Now, what that little girl from the Toyokawa family is doing is tantamount to picking up this jade stone and taking it back to use as her own paperweight... Even for a daughter of a wealthy family, doing this is so extravagant that it would incur the wrath of heaven and man.

Tsuzuki Shisen believed he had already offered sufficiently generous terms and made no demands that would harm the young man. The old man provided these things almost free of charge, simply to prevent such a promising talent from being buried and his precious youth from being wasted.

Her only selfish motive was to see the music industry revitalize and usher in a new era different from their own when they were young.

Yuan Xudou could sense the expectations and goodwill that this stern old man, who had devoted his life to music, held for him.