Singer

Chapter 36 - Chinese New Year

Translator: Lynn

In the bustling airport lobby, Jian Jie stood quietly at the first-floor exit, awaiting his elder brother’s arrival. He was dressed in a dark blue long down jacket, a chalk-white plaid scarf, and matching woolen gloves, looking like a distinguished student. As he wasn’t wearing makeup outside of shows, he appeared more natural.

Two girls noticed him and approached excitedly, asking if he was Jian Jie, expressing their admiration for him. Jian Jie confirmed his identity, and the girls were overjoyed, praising him for being even more handsome in person. They had bought his album and requested his autograph, to which Jian Jie happily obliged. Taking pictures together, more fans recognized him, and the crowd grew.

Amidst the fan excitement, Jian Jie’s brother called his name from outside the crowd, smiling warmly. Apologizing to the fans, Jian Jie informed them that he had to leave to meet his brother. His brother thanked the fans for their support and promised to meet them again.

Jian Jie and his brother, Jian Bin, walked side by side towards the airport exit. Jian Jie asked happily why his brother was back earlier than expected.

“I was worried about you! It’s been a while, and you look thinner,” his brother said, concerned. “Is singing exhausting? I see you on TV all the time, even on three channels in a day. Your company treats you too harshly!”

Jian Jie reassured him, “The programs were pre-recorded, and my company takes good care of me. They limit my appearances and rarely schedule commercial performances. With Brother Xiaoqi’s help, everything is smoother now.”

“Why are you still so thin then?”

“You’ll only be satisfied when I become a chubby brother!” Jian Jie joked, knowing his brother’s parental concern for weight.

Their assistant, Xiao Liu, arrived to pick them up. He praised Jian Jie for becoming a big star and informed him that the company’s vice president had bought a thousand copies of his album and distributed them to everyone. Jian Jie’s song “Dream” had become the company’s theme song.

Jian Jie playfully accused his brother of using his position for personal gain, to which Jian Bin proudly replied that they must listen to his positive and uplifting song. He even invited Jian Jie to perform at the company’s annual meeting with a family discount.

“I can’t accept payment from my brother. I’ll talk to the company and see if I can perform for free,” Jian Jie responded with a smile.

Jian Bin nodded in approval, adding, “You can’t let the company suffer; they need to contribute their share.”

Xiao Liu joined the conversation, expressing happiness about having a celebrity brother. He mentioned that his sister was a big fan and asked for Jian Jie’s autograph, which he gladly provided. Jian Bin beamed with pride, seeing how much his younger brother was adored by others.

They drove straight to Jian Bin’s house, where Jiang Xinya was at work, and Jian Bin’s daughter Jian Jiayue was at kindergarten, leaving only Sister Xu, the nanny, at home. After dropping them off, Xiao Liu returned to the company. Sister Xu offered to pack Jian Bin’s luggage, but he insisted on doing it himself. After some time, he took out a square box from the suitcase and handed it to Jian Jie. “I bought you a gift, see if you like it,” he said with a smile.

Curious, Jian Jie opened the gift box and found a silver-blue wireless microphone inside. The microphone had a unique design, with the words “Jianjie is the best” written in silver and white handwriting on the side. Jian Jie was surprised and asked, “It’s such a beautiful microphone, why does it have my name on it?”

“I heard people say that big stars must have custom-made microphones, so I had this one made for you,” explained Brother Jian. He admitted that he didn’t fully understand such things, but he had heard that singers spent a lot of money to order such stylish microphones from foreign companies for vanity.

Jian Jie took the microphone and examined it closely, unable to hide his excitement. He knew the value of such a microphone and thanked his brother warmly. He also mentioned that the company’s microphones were already professional, and the director had even promised to order an exclusive microphone for him if his next album sold well. However, when Long Zichen’s name was mentioned, Jian Jie paused, feeling a lump in his heart.

Unaware of Jian Jie’s inner turmoil, Jian Bin was thrilled that his gift was well-received. He cheerfully said, “Your company is yours to command. Use this microphone wherever you go, especially on TV.”

“Of course, I’ll take what my brother gave me everywhere,” Jian Jie replied. Despite seeming absent-minded and having low emotional intelligence, he knew how to make his brother happy, as evident from Jian Bin’s sense of pride.

Jian Bin also had gifts for his wife and daughter, and after showing them, Sister Xu started packing everything. After a while, Jian Bin asked Jian Jie again, “The Chinese New Year is just over two weeks away. Does a celebrity company like yours have a holiday for the New Year? I assume celebrities have to attend many parties during that time, making their schedules even busier?”

“Yeah, there are numerous performances during the Chinese New Year period, including commercial shows and platter concerts. People at the company say it’s the prime time to make money. Brother Xiao Qi is also helping me negotiate some gigs,” Jian Jie explained.

However, Jian Bin didn’t take the money-making aspect too seriously. “If it’s just for the money, I don’t think you should go to these evening parties. During the Chinese New Year, you should rest at home and take care of your well-being. Making money can wait; it doesn’t have to be rushed,” he advised.

Jian Jie scratched his head, conflicted. Spending time with family during the Chinese New Year was important, and he didn’t fancy rushing around in the freezing cold either. But rejecting gigs meant his agent wouldn’t earn a commission, affecting his income after the holiday. He confessed, “Actually, the company doesn’t force singers to participate in commercial performances, but if I turn down the shows, Brother Xiao Qi and the team won’t get their commissions. It would really hurt their income after the Chinese New Year.”

Jian Bin was delighted by his kind-hearted and lovable younger brother. He laughed and reassured him, “If Xiao Qi was just after money, he wouldn’t be your agent! Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him and invite him to a meal to discuss the matter. We won’t turn down gigs that are good for your career, but we’ll avoid purely profitable performances. Also, I’ve asked Xiao Liu to get the latest smartphones for the staff who work with you, as a thank you for their care.”

“Then I’ll listen to my brother. You can spend the money again. I’ve earned quite a bit in the past two months, and it’s all saved on this card. Let me entrust it to you,” Jian Jie said, handing over a bank card containing all his income from that period.

Jian Bin initially wanted to refuse, but he knew that Jian Jie wasn’t knowledgeable about managing money, so he accepted it. “Alright, I’ll get you a supplementary card later and keep some money in it for you to withdraw when needed. Additionally, I’ll invest some of it, which is usually more profitable than keeping it in the bank,” he explained.

“Don’t worry, brother. I’m not good with finances either,” Jian Jie said nonchalantly. He never fretted about money since there was always enough to spend, and Jian Bin never held back on his pocket money.

With determination, Jian Bin called Li Xiaoqi immediately, informing him of Jian Jie’s holiday plans during the Spring Festival and inviting him over for dinner. Li Xiaoqi understood the significance of family time and assured that he wouldn’t arrange any commercial performances for Jian Jie, except for a few important recordings, to let Jian Jie have a relaxed time.

Jian Jie happily enjoyed his extended vacation, preparing for the New Year. When Long Zichen received the news, he felt disheartened and frustrated. He had planned to make a good impression during the Chinese New Year and hoped Jian Jie would feel the warmth of being with “family” to soften his heart towards him. Unfortunately, Jian Jie’s real family returned, and he was denied the opportunity to prove himself. It seemed that they wouldn’t meet again anytime soon.

Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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