My Rules

The song recording process did not go smoothly.

It was not that Hu Wei was unfamiliar with the song.

As a professional singer, even if he was completely unfamiliar with a song, he could record it properly section by section in the studio.

Especially with Song Dao there to guide him.

For charity songs performed by a group of stars, artists were often so busy that they only received the sheet music for the first time when they arrived at the studio, yet they could still quickly get into the zone and record their own lines.

The problem lay in Hu Wei's emotions.

They were a little too full.

He could not hold them back.

He could not hold them back at all.

After recording only two sections, tears began sliding uncontrollably from the corners of his eyes.

The lyrics of this song were like blades.

Every line he sang stabbed into his heart.

Otherwise, how to control the rhythm, how to build the emotion, and how to use his breath would all have come naturally.

If he had not been unable to hold back his tears, he might even have finished in one take, just as Song Dao had earlier!

No one outside urged him on or made fun of him.

Not only that, every one of them had red-rimmed eyes.

They were all people with rich emotions and strong empathy.

Yan Yu: "Isn't this emotion a little too over the top? Is it really necessary? It's just a breakup."

That was what she said, but her tear-filled eyes betrayed her.

Lin Fei: "Indeed. His singing makes it feel as though we can see a relationship too painful to look back on. The lyrics are good, and so is the performance."

Kong Xi was doing better.

After all, she was still young. She had never been in love and had not suffered any tragic experiences either.

Even so, her eyes had turned red from listening.

Song Dao was the calmest.

There were songs capable of utterly captivating him.

But middle-aged men had hearts of stone!

Even if he cried, he would not cry in front of outsiders.

If it were songs about fathers, mothers, and the like, performed by someone with top-tier vocal skills, he might not be able to keep it together.

How did those songs go again?

Dog System!

As for a song like "A Lifetime of Loneliness," he could still handle it.

It was not as if he had lost his parents, his money, and everything else.

It was just a breakup. The next one would be better.

It was already past eight in the evening when the recording was finished.

The first thing Hu Wei did after leaving the recording studio was apologize.

With his hands pressed together, he bowed repeatedly.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I took too long. Teacher Lin, Teacher Song, Yan Yan, Kong Xi, I've caused everyone trouble!"

"You sang very well. No wonder Teacher Song said your version would be even better," Lin Fei said with a smile, encouraging him.

"That was so moving!" Kong Xi said.

"Huh? Teacher Song sang it too? Can I hear it?" Hu Wei asked, then said sheepishly, "But let's eat first. Everyone must be starving."

Song Dao nodded. "You can hear it another time. Let's eat first."

Yan Yu had already gone to the kitchen to get busy.

As soon as they went downstairs, they smelled a rich aroma of meat.

Everyone's eyes lit up.

What could relieve one's worries? Nothing but good food.

There was no problem a barbecue could not solve.

A copper charcoal grill sat in the middle of the table, several thick-cut pieces of beef sizzling as fat dripped from them.

The exhaust fan above hummed as it drew away the smoke.

A tablecloth had been spread over the table, with the utensils already laid out.

The red wine was breathing in a decanter.

Seeing Yan Yu with her hair tied up and an apron on, everyone immediately gave her a thumbs-up.

They expressed their highest respect for the person feeding them.

"Come on, to celebrate Teacher Song joining Feiyang Music Movement, and to congratulate Brother Hu on finally seeing the clouds over his head clear after so many years—let's drink properly tonight!"

"Yay!" Kong Xi clapped in support.

"You're drinking juice."

Yan Yu and Lin Fei spoke almost in unison.

"I don't want to! I'm already an adult. I want to drink a little too, experience that slightly tipsy feeling..."

Kong Xi looked pitifully at Song Dao. "Teacher Song, bro, put in a good word for me..."

Song Dao smiled. "I wouldn't dare."

Kong Xi pursed her lips and turned her gaze toward Hu Wei.

Hu Wei waved his hands repeatedly. "Don't look at me. I dare even less!"

Yan Yu picked up the decanter and poured Kong Xi just a shallow amount.

"Since you look so pathetic, this is all you get. No more. Drinking isn't a good habit!"

Kong Xi smiled and muttered under her breath, "If it's not a good habit, why do you all drink so often?"

Sitting to one side, Song Dao could tell that these women were genuinely close, not the kind of fake besties who only looked affectionate on the surface.

It was not hard to understand, either. With Lin Fei's personality, it would be difficult for anyone around her to dislike her.

Especially the artists under her label—landing a boss like her was practically like having smoke rise from their ancestors' graves.

Yan Yu had never mentioned her family, but judging from this recording studio, she either had an incredibly impressive boyfriend behind her or was a rich second-generation heir herself.

Either way, she clearly was not short on money.

Without conflicts of interest, it was hardly surprising that they got along so well.

Hu Wei had basically drained all his emotions during the recording process, and he seemed somewhat listless now.

At the same time, he still felt a little restrained inside.

On one hand, he was drinking at the same table as the Heavenly Queen. He was genuinely nervous.

They might have been around the same age, but their status was worlds apart!

Before this, he would not even have dared to dream of it.

On the other hand, although it was almost certain that this song would be given to him to sing, nothing had been signed yet!

He also felt as though a pie had fallen from the sky and knocked him senseless.

Teacher Song's song was just too damn good!

Its quality was far higher than the two songs he had written before!

Even though he had not heard Song Dao's version yet, he could not guarantee that he would perform it better than Song Dao.

At that moment, Yan Yu looked at him and smiled. "Brother Hu, it's been years since we last got together, hasn't it?"

Hu Wei nodded, somewhat emotional. "Yeah. In the blink of an eye, it's already been five or six years since I graduated."

Yan Yu said, "Back when we were in school and everyone formed a band together, I said you'd become a huge star someday!"

Hu Wei nodded. "A huge star singing in bars!"

Everyone chuckled.

Yan Yu asked, "Did you take leave tonight?"

Hu Wei said, "I quit my job."

Everyone froze.

Even Kong Xi stopped the knife she had been secretly using to cut her meat and stared at Hu Wei in surprise.

Was Senior Brother Hu really that ruthless?

"When I heard Senior... heard that Teacher Song wanted me to come over, and that I might have a chance to join Teacher Lin's Feiyang Music Movement, I directly quit my bar singing job. I want to focus on singing."

Yan Yu was a little speechless. "Wasn't that a bit impulsive? Didn't you consider that it might fail?"

Hu Wei nodded. "I did, and I have two backup plans!"

After all, he had spent several years honing himself in bars. Though he was somewhat reserved, he still knew how to liven up the atmosphere.

He smiled at the others with complete candor. "I've got some savings. I'm tired after all these years of sleeping during the day and working at night, so if it doesn't work out, I'll just take a break for a while."

"If Teacher Lin doesn't even want to offer me a rookie contract, then I'll be Teacher Song's assistant. The kind without pay. I can pay my own way and be his bag-carrying lackey, right?"

"Hahaha." Everyone laughed.

No one took his words seriously.

But Hu Wei looked utterly serious. "That's really what I'm thinking."

Yan Yu raised her glass with a smile and steered the conversation away from the subject.

"Come on, it's rare for everyone to get together today, and we have two pieces of good news at once. I think we have every reason to raise a glass to that!"

They were all adults. Even if she had never experienced hardship herself, she still did not want to see the once-brilliant Senior Brother from Central Conservatory of Music humbled too much.

Everyone raised their glasses.

Kong Xi downed what little red wine she had in one gulp.

Hu Wei also drained his without hesitation.

Lin Fei glanced at the others, slightly lifted her graceful swan-like neck, and drank with both elegance and speed.

She finished it too, without leaving a single drop.

Yan Yu was the host and the one who had first suggested it, so naturally, she emptied her glass in one go as well.

Song Dao merely took a small sip.

After one mouthful, he set his glass down.

Yan Yu glared at him. "No cheating. Even Xixi drank hers. Are you raising fish in there? In the recording studio, you're Teacher Song. At the dinner table, you're my Junior Brother. Hurry up and finish it!"

Song Dao said speechlessly, "Is red wine supposed to be drunk like this?"

"I don't care. You have to finish this first glass." Yan Yu stood up and cut him a large piece of beef. "Am I good to you or not?"

Song Dao smiled, raised his glass, and took another small sip.

"I'm allergic to alcohol. If I weren't drinking with you, I wouldn't touch a single drop!"

Yan Yu rolled her eyes helplessly, but she did not force him any further.

Song Dao glanced at the wine bottle. Another spendthrift woman.

A simp like the original owner could go to as many high-end restaurants with Miao Xiu as he wanted and still never understand wine grades.

But he could taste the difference.

After all, he had enjoyed a brief spell of glory back then.

He had drunk good wine before.

One sip was enough for him to tell that the red wine Yan Yu had opened today was extremely expensive.

He had noticed it during their last meal—Yan Yu could really drink!

Only now did he realize that not only could Yan Yu drink, but Lin Fei, this Heavenly Queen, had an impressive alcohol tolerance too!

Not to mention someone like Hu Wei, who had spent years hanging around bars.

Only Kong Xi, a college student who had yet to graduate, and he, a "young man" who had just graduated, could not handle it.

The former genuinely could not drink much.

Just one glass had turned her little face rosy red.

He was only pretending he could not.

He simply did not want to drink that much.

Especially red wine. You did not feel much while drinking it, but the aftereffects were incredibly strong.

When you started to feel like you might have had a little too much, do not doubt it—you definitely had.

Though they said they were having barbecue, the ingredients Yan Yu had prepared were incredibly plentiful.

All kinds of vegetables, side dishes, and seafood—everything was there.

Hu Wei never refused a drink, but from the very beginning, he naturally took over Yan Yu's grilling duties.

He grilled all kinds of food for everyone and looked after each person.

Song Dao only needed to focus on eating.

Yan Yu had only lightly pressured him over the first glass. After that, she started pulling Lin Fei and Hu Wei into drinking with her.

Lin Fei did not talk much. After drinking a little, her face turned rosy, and sitting beside Kong Xi, there was almost no visible age difference between them.

They did not discuss contracts or anything similar again. Instead, Hu Wei could not help asking the question everyone wanted answered.

"Teacher Lin, forgive me for asking... do you really not want to sing anymore?"

As someone who revered and deeply loved music, he had never been willing to believe that Lin Fei would completely give it up.

To use a rather inappropriate analogy—

Making a musician give up music was about the same as making an angler never go fishing again.

Lin Fei, who had drunk nearly a full bottle by then, fell silent for a moment.

She gave a soft laugh. "What good is wanting to? It's too hard!"

She did not continue, but everyone present understood the unspoken meaning in her words.

That difficulty was not about making a comeback.

It was about not having good songs!

As a Heavenly Queen-level singer, especially after being attacked by countless people for putting out mediocre work...

Lin Fei couldn't just sing casually.

If the quality wasn't good enough, she would inevitably face that kind of mass ridicule again.

No matter how many fans she had, no matter how loyal they were, they couldn't untie that dead knot.

Yan Yu glanced at Song Dao.

Song Dao merely speared a piece of meat and put it into his mouth, chewing slowly.

It was just a minor interlude, merely a topic of conversation at the dinner table.

After that, everyone happily continued drinking.

Until sometime after ten.

Having drunk a little over half a cup in total, Song Dao stood and said it was getting late and time to head back and rest.

Yan Yu looked at Song Dao in disbelief.

"How old are you? Why are you acting like some old cadre?"

Wasn't nightlife only just beginning at this hour?

She had even been planning to grab a guitar and sing while drinking.

"I really can't drink much. You can take your time. There'll be plenty of chances later—let's get together again next time."

Yan Yu looked at Song Dao suspiciously. After finishing a bottle of red wine, she was a little tipsy herself and found it hard to tell whether he was telling the truth.

Lin Fei said, "Then have Hu Wei take Teacher Song back. The two of us can drink a little more, and Xixi, you can also—"

"I'll stay here with you!" Kong Xi raised her hand with a silly grin.

The Somersault Cat Girl, who had drunk less than half a cup in total, was clearly much more intoxicated.

"Let her stay. I have places to rest here. If we drink too much, we can just sleep here," Yan Yu said.

Since Song Dao was leaving, even if Lin Fei hadn't said anything, Hu Wei couldn't possibly keep staying here.

He wasn't drunk. He knew exactly what he was doing.

He immediately stood and came over to support Song Dao. "Teacher Song, then let's head out first."

The group saw them to the door, and Yan Yu even followed them to the roadside.

Only after watching the two get into the car and leave did she mutter to herself and turn back toward the studio.

In the ride-hailing car.

Song Dao turned around from the front passenger seat and looked at Hu Wei. "Find a teahouse. Let's talk."

Hu Wei froze, then looked into Song Dao's remarkably clear eyes. "You're not drunk?"

Song Dao smiled. "Who gets drunk off that little alcohol? The main thing is, those two women are terrifying. I was afraid they'd start causing drunken trouble later."

The driver glanced at Song Dao and nodded in deep agreement. "A handsome guy like you really does need to protect himself!"

Hu Wei: "..."

Protect himself, my ass. If you knew who he'd been drinking with, your eyes would pop right out of your head!

Inside the teahouse.

Song Dao got straight to the point with Hu Wei. "Sister Fei's terms are very generous."

Hu Wei immediately said, "Brother Dao—no, Teacher Song, I wasn't lying before. Everything I said was true. As long as you let me sing this song, I'd do it even without being paid!

"I wanted to sign with Teacher Lin's company because of you.

"So you can decide how my contract is written. I do want to make money, but I want to sing even more.

"As long as I can sing your songs, even if you give me the harshest ninety-ten split in the industry and extend the contract term, I'm fine with it!"

Song Dao thought that if this was how he felt, things would be easy.

He said bluntly, "Normally, when she signs people, she gives seventy-thirty or even sixty-forty. When I sign people, it won't go as far as ninety-ten, but I'll only give twenty percent."

Hu Wei stated without hesitation, "No problem!"

Song Dao waved a hand. "I'm not finished. Let's be villains before gentlemen and put the ugly words first, so there won't be trouble later. It won't do either of us any good."

Hu Wei nodded.

Song Dao looked at him. "With me, even Heavenly Kings or Gods of Singers only get twenty percent if they sing my songs.

"I have confidence in my own songs.

"Even with twenty percent, you'll make more money.

"After all, you'll also have a management contract. You can take endorsements and participate in all kinds of commercial performances. That's where the big money is.

"Of course, if one day you become a big star and want to work with other musicians, I won't have any objections."

Of the total seventy percent, he gave Hu Wei twenty percent and kept fifty percent for himself.

Then the system would take half of his after-tax income!

All things considered, it was actually about the same as what he could earn by singing himself.

But he couldn't say that, nor was there any need to.

Anyway, those were the rules if you worked with me.

Hu Wei, who was equally sober, did not hesitate in the slightest. He immediately nodded and said earnestly, "As long as Teacher Song is willing to write songs for me, then for the rest of my life, I'll only work with you! I may be a few years older, but from now on, you're my teacher—my boss!"

As he spoke, he rose to his feet, took Song Dao's empty teacup, filled it halfway, walked around the table, and respectfully bowed as he offered the tea.