On a quiet weekend morning, all was still. Even the chirping cicadas seemed to sense people's deep drowsiness on the weekend and fell silent without a sound.
"Tap, tap, tap..." A solitary figure appeared in the long hallway. Mo Xiaojuan walked over, carrying large and small bags.
Even the people on duty at the company were still asleep. Mo Xiaojuan was used to this solitude; she walked through the somewhat dim stairwell without fear. Fortunately, a few rays of morning sunlight streamed into the hallway, and several potted plants quietly bloomed under the sun, adding a touch of vitality.
Mo Xiaojuan opened the door to Mo Fei's private studio and tiptoed inside.
What came into view was a somewhat cluttered workbench, and behind it, a sleeping beauty curled up on a folding bed, sound asleep. Mo Xiaojuan set down the breakfast she was carrying and sighed softly as she looked at Mo Fei.
This workaholic!
How many days had it been, and she still wouldn't stop?
After getting those two great songs, Mo Fei treated them like treasures and spent every day holed up in the recording studio. Luckily, there hadn't been any recent commitments, except for one commercial performance. Mo Fei had wanted Mo Xiaojuan to cancel it, but only after much earnest persuasion did Mo Fei agree to postpone it instead.
Mo Fei must have stayed up until dawn again yesterday, as Mo Xiaojuan's movements didn't wake her.
Mo Xiaojuan shook her head, picked up the blanket Mo Fei had knocked off the floor, and covered her with it. At this critical time, Mo Fei couldn't afford to catch a cold; otherwise, unable to sing, she'd become even more frantic.
Mo Xiaojuan tidied up Mo Fei's workbench, organized some of her notes, and pressed them down with a silver paperweight. Then she quietly walked into the adjacent recording studio.
As a devoted fan of her cousin, Mo Xiaojuan was very interested in how Mo Fei's song trials were progressing. She skillfully turned on the equipment, put on the monitoring headphones, and eagerly listened to the recordings Mo Fei had left behind.
"If pride hasn't been harshly struck down by the cold sea of reality, how would you know how much effort it takes to reach the distance..."
This song, Mo Fei sang very smoothly. Her unique ethereal voice conveyed the helplessness and struggle in the lyrics, giving it a different flavor from the demo Mo Xiaojuan had heard.
Mo Fei's singing skills were truly remarkable. For instance, in the line "In weary times, close your eyes and smell a fragrance," she could evoke that tired, languid feeling—very subtle, but if you listened closely, you could sense it!
But don't think Mo Fei turned this positive song into a burst of negativity! She transitioned from the weary tone of the opening lyrics to the light, uplifting energy of the climax!
The transition was seamless. Listening, Mo Xiaojuan went from initial concern to being unconsciously infected by Mo Fei's emotions, a slight smile curling at the corners of her mouth, as if she saw the dawn of a dream coming true.
"If Sister Fei used this song as the lead single for her comeback album, sales would definitely be more than this!" After finishing the song, Mo Xiaojuan sighed inwardly.
In this fiercely competitive entertainment industry, how difficult it was to stage a comeback!
The newly released album, which had just suffered a Waterloo, was originally Mo Fei's best chance for a return, given her pre-retirement status and her many nostalgic fans.
But unfortunately, that opportunity wasn't seized. The poorly performing album drained away her original popularity in one go.
For a future new album to start over from scratch and rebuild her fanbase—how hard would that be! Not to mention the quality of the future album, but Mo Fei's rivals wouldn't sit idly by and watch her rise. They would, as they had in recent months, spare no effort to block and attack her.
Breaking through—how easy was that?
The first song ended amid Mo Xiaojuan's wandering thoughts. She snapped back to reality and clicked on the second song.
This song was also sent to Mo Fei by "Mu Zi'ang" via email. At first, Mo Xiaojuan thought its quality wasn't as good as the first one; the melody had a strong R&B flavor!
Mo Xiaojuan didn't really like this style of music, but Mo Fei surprised her. Mo Fei, who rarely sang blues, showed a strong interest in this song.
Before she could think too much, the music started, and Mo Fei's voice followed: "At this point, I'm still the same. The loneliness of the night easily brings sorrow. I dare not think too much, because I'm alone..."
R&B songs are very free, but the singing style is also unique. Although Mo Fei rarely sang this type, with her skills, she handled it effortlessly. The psychedelic, soft, lingering charm was vividly expressed by Mo Fei!
At the climax, Mo Xiaojuan finally heard Mo Fei's passionate side.
"Love me, don't go. If you say you don't love me..."
"Don't let me hear you really say it out loud. Give me a little more tenderness..."
In this part, Mo Fei sang with a hint of hysteria, different from the versions Mo Xiaojuan had heard before. Previously, Mo Fei had sung it with abandon or sadness, but never like this—so helpless and sorrowful!
Mo Xiaojuan let out a heavy sigh. She understood now!
Mo Fei wasn't singing this song for Yang Yi or any other man. She was pouring out the unspoken plea to hold onto the fans who had left her!
The lyrics were indeed simple, not like what Mo Xiaojuan preferred, lacking variation. The second verse was just a repetition of the first. At the time, she had complained to Mo Fei, thinking that "Mu Zi'ang" hadn't put enough effort into this song, not living up to his talent!
But what better way to reinforce emotional expression than repetition?
"...The moonlight stretching shadows as it approaches, aimlessly walking on the cold street. I have no news of you, because I'm thinking of you."
Mo Fei didn't pause like in the first verse. Instead, she raised her voice and improvised a bluesy hum, transitioning the melody into the climax.
"Love me, don't go. If you say you don't love me..."
This time, Mo Fei's singing style changed. It wasn't as intense as the first verse; instead, it descended from a high note, conveying a heavy-hearted feeling.
"Love me, don't go..."
By the end, Mo Fei's tone carried a hint of plaintiveness—rare to see! She rarely let such emotions show directly, usually hiding them in subtle nuances that required careful listening.
Perhaps she truly hoped those fans who liked her would "love me, don't go"!