CHAPTER 105: CHAPTER 101: LET YOUR STRENGTH DO THE TALKING, LEAVE THEM SPEECHLESS

After Chu Tian introduced himself, the recording studio fell quiet for a moment before scattered applause broke out.

Subsequently, some acquaintances huddled together, casually sizing up Chu Tian while whispering among themselves.

"So young? Is he just here to make up the numbers?"

"Didn’t Teacher Guo say yesterday he was some sort of big shot? How come he’s just a young guy?"

"Do you think he might be Diva Xu’s boyfriend, brought along to gain some superficial prestige?"

"Are you kidding? We’re recording an album here, not attending some event. Who would come here just for superficial prestige?"

"Then how did such a young man suddenly appear? Surely he can’t be that big shot, can he?"

"Doubtful. I heard him speak; his voice was hoarse and raspy. Can someone with a voice like that really teach others?"

"Maybe he used to be amazing but then damaged his voice?"

"But he’s so young. Have you ever seen a top-tier figure that young? Anyway, I don’t buy it!"

...

Seeing this, Chu Tian simply smiled indifferently, unperturbed. Confident people are never afraid of skeptics. Since he had come prepared for various situations, there was naturally no reason for him to get upset.

Xu Qingqiu, on the other hand, suddenly felt anxious and embarrassed. She hadn’t anticipated this reaction. Her face flushed red with awkwardness as she glanced between Chu Tian and the others. Just as she was about to say something, Guo Jingtao, who had been in the inner room, pushed open the door and came out.

"What’s going on here? Qingqiu, quickly introduce me."

"Um, Teacher Guo, this is the person who was guiding me before. He’s also a good friend of mine, Chu Tian."

"Hello, Teacher Guo. I’m Chu Tian. It’s a pleasure to meet you."

"You..."

Guo Jingtao stared at Chu Tian, so surprised that words failed him. The smile vanished from his face, replaced by sheer astonishment.

"Teacher Guo, please don’t be swayed by Chu Tian’s youth. He genuinely is very skilled. He guided me on the last two songs, and you’ve seen the results..."

Fearing Chu Tian would be misunderstood or dismissed again, Xu Qingqiu quickly interjected with an explanation.

After a long moment, Guo Jingtao finally composed himself. He awkwardly extended his hand toward Chu Tian and said, "Chu Tian, right? Teacher Chu, please don’t take it personally. It’s just that you’re so young, I was rather surprised initially."

On hearing his words, Chu Tian was slightly taken aback. He had thought this man would, like the others, either look down on him or misjudge him. He hadn’t expected the other party to recover so quickly and to be so gracious.

Without any hesitation, Chu Tian reached out, shook Guo Jingtao’s hand, and said with a smile, "No worries. I would have reacted the same way. It’s perfectly normal."

"Good. I’m getting old and can’t keep up with the times. Each generation brings forth new talent. I hope you won’t disappoint us old folks and will show us what the younger generation is capable of."

Indeed, these old-timers were never simple. Though Guo Jingtao seemed to accept him quite easily, it was actually just a refined way of not offending anyone, a common tactic for the worldly-wise. In reality, it was a firm yet gentle challenge, a test to see if Chu Tian could handle it. If he could, it meant he was genuinely talented and would be taken seriously. If not, he was just an empty suit, and his name would become synonymous with incompetence.

Having been through similar situations, Chu Tian immediately understood Guo Jingtao’s underlying meaning.

"Rest assured, I definitely won’t disappoint you. It’s getting late; shall we begin soon?"

Chu Tian was equally unwilling to be outdone. They just want to see if I have what it takes, don’t they? Since they want to see it, I’ll show them. They doubt me, and I consider it a waste of time to be subjected to their skepticism. I don’t care about their probing. Since I’m here, I’m ready to demonstrate my abilities. Whether I have the skills or not, they’ll see for themselves soon enough. Engaging in this verbal sparring, this game of testing and one-upmanship, seems far less productive to me than simply getting the work done and going home to sleep.

Seeing his eagerness, Guo Jingtao was quite pleased and naturally ready to proceed.

"Alright, let’s get started then. Do you need the band to prepare, or should we record a take with the original demo track first to see how it sounds?"

"No rush. Get me a pen first."

Xu Qingqiu had been observing their exchange from start to finish. Even if she wasn’t the quickest, she could still sense the subtle tension in their words. Absorbed in the conversation, she didn’t react immediately when Chu Tian spoke.

"What are you doing? Pen!"

"Ah? Oh, here’s the pen."

Chu Tian took the pen from her and, without another word, began making revisions directly on the sheet music in his hands.

Xu Qingqiu and Guo Jingtao couldn’t help but lean in to look.

Some of the bolder onlookers also crowded around, quickly forming a human wall around him.

"Eh? Wasn’t this arrangement finalized yesterday? Is he changing it again?"

"Shush, lower your voice! He’s clearly not satisfied!"

"Tch! Changing the finalized version right after arriving? Talk about a new broom sweeping clean! He’s really trying to make his mark, isn’t he?"

"Talk less. It’s not even finished. How do you know it’s not good? Don’t talk nonsense; it’s easy to offend people."

Despite the clamor nearby, Chu Tian seemed oblivious, revising sheet after sheet with no hesitation.

Gradually, the murmuring died down. Everyone present was a professional. While the revisions were complex, they began to see the skill involved, even if the full impact wasn’t immediately clear.

"Wow, these changes... aren’t they a bit too bold?"

"It is a bit bold, but don’t you think it fits Teacher Xu’s vocal range much better now?"

"Eh? Now that you mention it, it really does. Impressive!"

"What’s this? He added a harp section? A harp here? Is that appropriate?"

"Bagpipes? This part... brilliant! This bagpipe section is simply brilliant! How did I not think of that?"

"He added bass to this song? Is that even possible?"

The experts knew at once if there was substance. Chu Tian had merely made some slight adjustments to the arrangement, yet it left everyone present utterly astonished.

Even Guo Jingtao knit his brow, his previously indifferent demeanor vanishing. Disregarding his age, he bent over and craned his neck, scrutinizing every detail closely, afraid of missing anything.

For Chu Tian, this was a trivial matter. The original arrangement was the version provided by the system.

What was the original version? It was the very first iteration of a song upon its release.

But a song doesn’t remain static. Even the most classic tracks might get remastered versions later. Deng Ziqi, for example, has remastered several of her songs.

Add to that the adaptations from various shows and by netizens—there’s always something valuable to be found in these different takes.

By taking the best parts and discarding the rest, refining it over many years, and compensating for shortcomings with strengths, the resulting song would undoubtedly surpass the original. It would also align more closely with contemporary aesthetic sensibilities.

For instance, the modifications he was making now integrated elements from many such adapted versions, along with current musical trends, all while building upon the arrangement they had finalized the previous day.

This approach ensured the entire song would resonate with the aesthetics of this world and this era, perfectly suiting Xu Qingqiu’s vocal capabilities, among other things.

Putting everything else aside, this display of skill alone was enough to silence any objections from those present. In the face of Chu Tian, no one dared to question him anymore.

There was no helping it. Those in the know could tell. True strength is undeniable; it can’t be faked.