Singer

Chapter 38 - Foreign Friends

Translator: Lynn

Usually, celebrities have their official website accounts and Weibo managed by dedicated personnel, and the artists at Spark Company are no exception. Jian Jie doesn’t spend much time on the Internet, so his Weibo is handled by colleagues from the company’s network department. Given his reserved and introverted nature, his Weibo mostly sticks to official announcements and rarely delves into private matters. Despite this low-key approach, true fans still pay attention to get insights into their idol’s daily schedule. In the afternoon when his scandals were spreading everywhere, his official Weibo surprisingly took a cute turn, instantly sparking enthusiastic responses and retweets from fans.

He addressed the recent rumors in a lighthearted manner, stating, “About the rumors from the past two days, I need to point out a mistake. In fact, my ‘rich businessman’ brother had me in his clutches when I was underage.” The Weibo post was accompanied by an adorable childhood picture of Jian Jie at around six or seven years old, with his elder brother Jane playfully posing with him. Little Jian Jie was not the least bit scared, and he hid behind his mother with a giggling smile.

The photo clearly showed that the brother in the picture was the same person as the “rich businessman” from the previous airport photo. This heartwarming family photo put an end to any doubts about whether Jian Jie and his brother were really related, and it debunked the scandal as completely unfounded. The fans loved the cute response and rallied behind Jian Jie. They exclaimed, “Jane’s mother is so beautiful; she could definitely join the entertainment industry with such good-looking genes in the family! Being a fan is truly a profession!” The company’s Internet Department played a significant role in crafting the Weibo post.

Long Zichen sat in his office, checking the fans’ comments on his phone, and he was satisfied with the positive reactions. He then switched to his computer and logged in with several of his own accounts, posting more supportive comments on various forums as a devoted fan of Jian Jie. Although there were dedicated colleagues handling such tasks, Long Zichen still felt the urge to actively participate. His alter ego, “the love of my life, Jane Xiaodai,” was quite popular among Jian Jie’s fans.

Feeling engrossed in his role, Long Zichen happily continued to engage with the fans, but his mood quickly changed when he saw that Ding Jiangyu had also reposted Jian Jie’s Weibo with a provocative comment:

“Seeing such a cute little Jian Jie, I finally understand why there are so many strange uncles in the world. Come on, little friend Jian Jie, let the uncle pinch your little face!”

Fans erupted again, and Long Zichen couldn’t help but feel furious. In his mental notebook, Ding Jiangyu’s name was marked with countless red crosses, and he cursed him for having no toilet paper countless times. Unbeknownst to him, Ding Jiangyu and Jian Jie had exchanged several teasing text messages with each other, which was why Long Zichen found himself venting his frustrations.

This incident led to “Eggplant Weekly” selling well, and Jian Jie received even more attention. Such is the way of celebrities and gossip paparazzi. Popular paparazzi always follow closely and find numerous news pieces, while third-rate celebrities rarely attract much attention unless someone deliberately stalks them.

As for fame, Jian Jie doesn’t have much ambition. While he appreciates having more fans who like and support him, he doesn’t force it. His true passion lies in the music itself. These days, he spends his time at home with his family, and a melody seems to linger in his mind—warm and soothing. He decides to write down the melody, intending to show it to Long Zichen as he used to, but then he realizes that their relationship isn’t as close as before. Life doesn’t always follow the plans we make.

Luckily, Jian Jie had other friends in the music industry, one of whom was Yuan Chao’s cousin, Sun Qianqian. Despite being young, Sun Qianqian possessed considerable musical talent. They often exchanged music-related questions, and one day, as Jian Jie was working on a new song, Sun Qianqian messaged him. They chatted about their creations and shared their music clips online, delighting in each other’s work.

Soon after, Sun Qianqian invited Jian Jie to her home the following day. She mentioned that a talented foreign musician, a friend of her uncle’s, had recently visited and wanted to introduce Jian Jie to him. Eager to connect and collaborate with musicians from different countries, Jian Jie gladly accepted the invitation.

Brother Jian, upon hearing that a girl had asked Jian Jie out, inquired about the situation at length. He had intended to personally accompany Jian Jie to Sun Qianqian’s home, but her family sent a car to pick him up instead, causing Brother Jian to reluctantly give up the idea.

The car took Jian Jie to a renowned mansion complex in Anping, and when he arrived at Sun Qianqian’s house, he couldn’t help but be taken aback by the elegant three-story garden villa. It was the kind of house one might only see on TV! He had never expected Sun Qianqian’s family to be so wealthy. As he got out of the car, uniformed men and women lined up at the door to welcome him, which added to the pressure Jian Jie felt.

Sun Qianqian herself rushed to greet Jian Jie at the gate, wearing a loose milky white cotton coat that made her look pure and lovely. Excited to see Jian Jie, she warmly welcomed him and led him into her home.

As they walked through the garden and entered the villa, Jian Jie couldn’t help but comment, “Your house is so big…”

“Are you scared?” Sun Qianqian asked with a soft smile.

“Just a little…”

“You won’t stop being friends with me because of this, will you?”

Jian Jie quickly denied it, saying, “Of course not.”

“That’s good,” Sun Qianqian smiled, “My family is out busy, so don’t feel restrained. I’ll take you upstairs to find my uncle and Jason. Jason is my uncle’s friend and a musician. They are currently practicing with the band in the piano room.”

Sun Qianqian’s piano room was about the size of Jian Jie’s entire house, fully equipped with audio equipment and musical instruments. Her uncle, Sun Haozhi, appeared to be in his early twenties and was still studying abroad. He had formed a band after returning, and they were quite famous locally. Jason was a well-known music producer who had made many singers successful. He was fascinated by Chinese culture and was excited to accompany Sun Haozhi back to China for the Spring Festival.

Sun Qianqian introduced Jian Jie to them proudly, mentioning that Jian Jie had released an album and was now a famous singer in China.

Sun Qianqian’s family had strict values, and it was rare for her to bring a male friend home, making it a novel experience for her uncle, Sun Haozhi. He chatted with Jian Jie amiably. As for Jason, the foreign friend, he sat on the sofa with a nonchalant air, wearing big sunglasses indoors. When Sun Qianqian and Jian Jie entered, he casually waved at them, oozing style. Jian Jie couldn’t help but think of another music producer who always wore sunglasses indoors and couldn’t resist smiling. He thought to himself, “Is wearing big sunglasses a mandatory outfit for music producers? Especially indoors?”

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