CHAPTER 114: CHAPTER 110: HAPPY? COME BACK TO STUDY AND DOUBLE THE HAPPINESS!

Just as he was thinking, a new message came in.

"Chu Tian, I’ll show you the most beautiful lake, one you’ve definitely never seen!"

A photo followed. It was indeed beautiful, looking like it had been color-adjusted. Chu Tian recognized it at first glance—it was Kanas Lake, the famous internet celebrity check-in spot from his previous life, wasn’t it?

To say it was the most beautiful might have been a stretch; after all, there were countless stunning landscapes in the country, and everyone wanted to claim their spot was number one. But it was undeniably beautiful.

His heart soured even more. While he was stuck sunbathing and playing with his phone, she was out traveling everywhere, seeing the sights.

The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. Since I’m uncomfortable, you won’t be comfortable either, he decided.

With that in mind, he quickly typed out a message.

"I’ve been thinking recently. Your Singing Skills have just started to show some improvement. You should take advantage of your current momentum and start a learning plan right away."

"I’ve already arranged it for you. Short-term study won’t cut it. For your long-term development, it’s best to go back to the basics. So, here’s the plan: finish shooting the MV, then hurry back. I’ll start designing a curriculum for you."

PHEW.

Looking at the sent messages, Chu Tian breathed a long sigh of relief, as if a great burden had been lifted. He felt so much lighter!

So satisfying!

Meanwhile, Xu Qingqiu was waiting by the lake for the film crew to finish their preparations. When she saw the message, her smile instantly vanished.

"Chu Tian! You bastard!"

Xu Qingqiu threw her phone aside, slumping onto a chair with a face full of gloom, utterly disheartened.

"ARGH! UGH! This is so annoying!"

Yiyi, who was outside, heard whimpering from inside the tent and thought she was sick, so she rushed in.

"What’s wrong, Sister Qiu? Are you feeling unwell?"

Seeing Yiyi, Xu Qingqiu looked as if she’d found an anchor. She hugged Yiyi tightly, refusing to let go, burying her tear-streaked face in her friend’s embrace, unwilling to emerge.

"Yiyi, tell me, isn’t Chu Tian a bastard?"

"Huh? Chu Tian? Isn’t he in the Capital? How could he possibly annoy you from so far away?"

"Hmph! Do you have any idea how hard it is for me, shooting this MV so painstakingly out here?"

"He’s just sitting around bored in the Capital, so I thought I’d send him pictures of any scenic spots I came across. And look at him—so unappreciative! And he even..."

"And even what?"

"He wants me to go back and study! Ugh! I don’t want to! I just finished recording the album, and I’m exhausted! How could he be so cruel?"

"Oh, um..."

Yiyi was momentarily at a loss for words. On one hand, it wasn’t wrong for Chu Tian to encourage his boss to study. But the timing—wasn’t it a bit too soon?

"It’s okay, Sister Qiu. Whether you study or not is ultimately up to you. He can’t exactly drag you back, can he?"

"Hmph... No. My Singing Skills are still lacking. Now isn’t the time to relax."

It wasn’t that Xu Qingqiu didn’t want to study; she just felt that Chu Tian was being incredibly insensitive, and that’s why she was upset.

In fact, she wanted to improve more than anyone. But people aren’t machines. After a solid month of recording, she was exhausted. On top of that, she had to travel around every day to shoot the MVs.

To avoid letting Chu Tian see her looking disheveled, she always sent him a video right before a shoot, when she was looking her best. It was partly to reassure him that she was fine and partly to share her joy with him.

But that guy, far from being grateful, seemed to be deliberately trying to upset her. She was already exhausted, and the thought of having to dive straight back into studying upon her return made her vision darken; she wished she could just faint and be done with it all.

Back with Chu Tian, he listened to the new voice message. Hearing the exasperated tone, he couldn’t help but crack a smug smile.

That got her, didn’t it? Showing off and having fun everywhere, huh? Just wait until I have some free time; I’ll travel around and have fun too, he mused.

This was a good opportunity for him to rest. Some people are having a grand time traveling, aren’t they? Well, once you’re back, you’ll be studying hard. Then your joy will be doubled!

Of course, this was just a bit of his mischievous streak. In reality, his actions weren’t without reason.

With the experience of recording an album fresh in her mind, starting to study and train immediately was indeed the most opportune time.

It was the perfect chance to combine newly learned concepts with practical application. She could also better understand the significance of some of his methods during the album recording process and quickly identify the root causes of previous issues. This way, similar problems in the future could be resolved swiftly.

However, album production was the current priority, and the music video shoots couldn’t be delayed indefinitely, which was why Xu Qingqiu had managed to take this trip.

Otherwise, starting her training immediately after the recording sessions concluded would have been ideal.

In fact, Chu Tian had already drafted a study outline for Xu Qingqiu during the album recording.

Currently, Xu Qingqiu’s level was still too low. She was far behind in terms of exposure, whether it concerned industry circles or resources, especially when compared to what he knew from his previous life.

Setting aside other factors, Xu Qingqiu had reached her current standing based on two main things. First, her innate talent was truly outstanding; her foundational abilities were excellent, which meant her potential ceiling was very high.

Second, there was what she had learned as a trainee, plus some methods she’d figured out on her own. Honestly, her current skill set was like a collection of low-level techniques—disorganized, unsystematic, and incomplete.

And Chu Tian? He not only possessed years of profound understanding but could also be said to have synthesized the best of countless methods. Perhaps not literally countless, but the mainstream training methods he knew were far more comprehensive.

For example, in his previous life, he had studied abroad at Berkeley, learning the top-tier SLS vocal technique prevalent in Europe and America.

Many might not be familiar with the SLS technique, but numerous international superstars had studied it.

To name a few: Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Adam Lambert. There were many in China as well, such as JJ Lin, Wang Leehom, Deng Ziqi, and Zhang Jie.

This method is more focused on vocal production techniques and is generally better suited to Westerners, a fact Chu Tian had realized in his previous life.

Therefore, he had later also learned vocal techniques more suited to Chinese Singers in China.

For instance, there was the mixed voice technique. It was developed by Wu Wenbin, a disciple of the SLS technique’s founder, by integrating the best elements from various Kings and Queens of music, focusing on breath control and vocal skills.

This was a micro-innovation derived from the SLS technique, with representative figures including Li Jian, Terry Lin, Wang Leehom, Zhou Shen, and JJ Lin.

Then there were the systematic teaching methods from music academies, which are more comprehensive and emphasize building a Singer’s foundational skills.

Additionally, Peking Opera vocal training methods could significantly expand one’s vocal range, among other benefits.

Finally, there were the vocal training methods he had encountered at school in this current life.

Whether it was the SLS technique, mixed voice technique, conservatory-style methods, or Peking Opera vocal training, Chu Tian was adept at integrating and applying them all, even developing some of his own unique insights.

One could say that the learning plan he personally designed for Xu Qingqiu was perfectly tailored to her specific conditions and talents.

It would be hard to find a more suitable plan anywhere in the world. Furthermore, this would mark the first time the essence of another world’s vocal knowledge would debut in this one, with her as its sole beneficiary.

If Xu Qingqiu completed the entire curriculum, then, to put it bluntly, she would become an unstoppable force, the undisputed top female Singer in the Chinese-speaking world—bar none!

Of this, Chu Tian was absolutely certain.

It all depended on whether Xu Qingqiu could appreciate his painstaking efforts and the immense value they held.