Chapter 93 – Cynicism and Hypocrisy
Mo Fei participated in a program recording on Xiangbei TV station, but Mo Xiaojuan didn’t follow her. She had to go back to attend the monthly meeting of agents of Tianmei. Although she has the option of not coming to the meeting, Mo Xiaojuan attended it for Mo Fei’s new album.
In this agency, despite the fact that 40 or 50 singers and actors have been signed up, and there were more than 20 agents large and small, in fact, there was no distribution of power at all. No matter whether it was a big or a small matter, it was still Sister Ling who has the final say.
It could be seen from the process of this meeting that it was basically Sister Ling introducing, analyzing, and assigning tasks…
“Well, that’s almost all for today’s meeting. Do you have anything else to add?” Niu Meiling closed her notebook, clapped her hands and said.
Mo Xiaojuan has been waiting for this sentence, she hurriedly raised her hand and stood up: “Sister Ling, I listen to your work arrangement for this month and the general plan for the second half of the year. Why didn’t I see anything about Mo Fei’s new album?”
As soon as her voice fell, humming sounds of discussion sounded in the conference room, and other agents whispered to each other, looking at Mo Xiaojuan with surprised, disdainful and even angry eyes.
In fact, Mo Xiaojuan could vaguely hear some of their discussions.
“Come on, hasn’t she just released an album? Is she going to release an album again?”
“Her last album obviously didn’t do well, so why don’t she reflect on it…”
“This is too much. She’s relying on her top contract to bully us. Our Yueyue has been waiting in line for several years and has no plans to release an album. She only sings a few old songs every year.”
“That’s right. At the beginning of the year, it was already agreed that we could prepare a new album, but as soon as she came back and said she wanted to make a comeback, the whole company had to pick up songs for her, which she didn’t sing very well, and delayed other people’s work!”
To these complaints, Mo Xiaojuan could only pretend not to hear.
There was nothing that could be done about this. The entertainment industry was originally a cruel world of survival of the fittest, and fairness should be matched with strength.
Mo Fei, as a former singer and the biggest star of Tianmei, she naturally has the best resources and the highest priority in the company!
In other words, the company was willing to invest in Mo Fei, knowing that Mo Fei could bring them more benefits!
Of course, no one expected that Mo Fei’s comeback album would be hastily released, resulting in the current collapse in her popularity.
If it wasn’t for Mo Fei losing momentum[1] now, if Mo Xiaojuan had put forward this request as before, those small agents wouldn’t dare to criticize in front of her at all.
However, this time, Niu Meiling didn’t stop them. Instead, she waited until the discussion quieted down a little before she kindly said to Mo Xiaojuan, “Mo Fei, she’s going to release a new album now? Isn’t it a little hasty?”
Niu Meiling was worthy of being one of the top agents in the industry. Facing her, Mo Xiaojuan felt a lot of pressure and could only brace herself and say, “Sister Ling, I submitted an application to you the day before yesterday. Although Mo Fei’s new album is not in such a hurry as before, we should start collecting songs now, right?”
“Oh, I read your application.” Niu Meiling narrowed her eyes and said to Mo Xiaojuan, “You also mentioned that you already have two songs?”
Mo Xiaojuan nodded hurriedly and said, “Yes, it’s a song written by Mo Fei’s fans. Mo Fei thought it was very good and wanted to include it in her future new album.”
For some reason, Mo Xiaojuan vaguely felt that she should not mention the name “Mu Li’ang” to Niu Meiling. So, she said it was a fan of Mo Fei’s.
“Fans?” The other agents all sneered one after another, and they talked unscrupulously, “Do fans have such a great ability to write songs? I’m afraid Mo Fei’s brain is muddled!”
In their view, Mo Fei must have lost her mind[2], otherwise, how could she think that the songs written by fans can be arranged on her own albums? If fans have professional ability, can they still be called fans? It would just be another album that no one will buy!
“Sister Ling, you must not approve of her nonsense!” Jian Chuo, one of the more influential agents in the company, stood up and said angrily, “Our Zhenzhen finally has to prepare her new album. You have to help her collect some good songs. You can’t always accommodate Mo Fei. What do you say?”
Zhenzhen, whose name was Zhen Muqian, was the No. 3 female star of Tianmei. She hasn’t released a new album in two years, but because she was an amphibious star, she became famous because of a TV series she was in that was made last year. Recently, she has frequently appeared in some big-name variety shows, and has a very good momentum of development.
“A’Chuo[3], sit down first and don’t worry!” Niu Meiling smiled and pressed her hand. “Zhen Zhen’s performance so far this year is obvious to all, and we must certainly give this hard-working child a good support, so don’t worry.”
“As for Mo Fei, Xiaojuan, she should consider her circumstances.” Niu Meiling’s tone has still kind, but to Mo Xiaojuan it sounded very harsh.
“Mo Fei has just suffered a failure, and is anxious to make a comeback again. We can understand this feeling, but the new album cannot be rushed. Slow work produces fine work.”
Mo Xiaojuan couldn’t help but retort, “Sister Ling, we can collect songs now. Mo Fei can wait. After we collect all 12 songs, it’s not too late for us to release a new album.”
“But the problem is that the company doesn’t have so many resources right now!” Niu Meiling’s tone became serious, and the whole conference room immediately quieted down. “As you have heard, Zhenzhen wants to produce a new album, Ju Jie is also preparing his new album, and this and that are all waiting for their new songs. The company couldn’t just collect songs for Mo Fei alone, right?”
At this time, although the conference room was silent, almost everyone has an “exactly” look.
Mo Xiaojuan was a little silent. She could actually understand other people’s ideas, but the problem was that she was Mo Fei’s agent and must stand on Mo Fei’s side.
“How convenient would it be if Mo Fei had opened her own studio? Although the price of collecting songs would be higher, at least she has her freedom. And with Mu Li’ang, we shouldn’t worry too much about collecting songs, right?” Mo Xiaojuan thought secretly.
Right!
Mu Li’ang!
Mo Xiaojuan raised her head and said to Niu Meiling, “Sister Ling, if we collect enough songs by ourselves, can the company start Mo Fei’s new album plan ahead of time?”
Niu Meiling knitted her brows. She was very wary of such a situation. This always gave off a feeling that her star’s wings had hardened and wanted to fly alone. But she smiled and asked, “Really? Where are you going to collect songs?”
“Our Mo Fei’s fans!” Mo Xiaojuan said.
Immediately, everyone, including Niu Meiling, showed a look of ridicule.
Collecting songs with fans, she could still think of that.
“if you can collect 12 songs, the company promises to arrange an album for Mo Fei immediately.” But Niu Meiling agreed.
Niu Meiling has her own plan. She wanted to sharpen Mo Fei’s temper again. Mo Fei has to suffer a little more!
Mo Fei’s contract has entered its last year, but Niu Meiling didn’t want to sign such a generous top contract with Mo Fei again. If Mo Fei could “recognize the reality” and discussed it again, there would be a lot of room for future cooperation.
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[1] 虎落平阳 – Chinese idiom: It was as though a tiger left his hills and descended to the plains. Metaphor for loses momentum. I’m not sure if it has the same meaning of losing prestige?
[2] I’m not sure if this is right. I just put the word that would make sense in this sentence. Original text was (石乐) “Shi Le” which, from what I researched, means gravel or small stone. It may be a Chinese slang or something but I couldn’t find it.
[3] A’Chou is how Sister Ling calls Jian Chuo (nickname). The A’ is used to signify their good relationship.
TN: If you like my translations support me in ko-fi: Here.
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