Chapter 840: The Training Camp Is Not a Refuge
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Ouyang Shuangshuang lowered her head and said, “S… Sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?” Xia Ling raised her eyebrow and said.
Ouyang Shuangshuang was very uneasy. “Miss Ling, I know that you don’t get along with Xia Yu. I shouldn’t imitate someone you don’t like. I… I just… think that I am very ordinary and I have to work very hard before I can achieve some results. Xia Yu also seems to be the same. Her vocal ability is similar to mine. That’s why I feel that imitating her is a shortcut I can take. I’m sorry!”
She bowed her head low.
Xia Ling was a little startled and did not think that something casual she said would lead to such a response.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “I have no intentions of reprimanding you. You copying her and me disliking her are two separate matters. If copying her can help you improve, even if I have deep-seated hatred towards her, I won’t be mad at you because of her.”
Half-doubtful, Ouyang Shuangshuang asked, “Really?”
Xia Ling said, “Why would I lie to you? Come, sing a song for me. I want to see how your voice is like.”
Only then did Ouyang Shuangshuang sigh in relief, chose a song that could showcase her vocals the most, and started singing. The beautiful melody echoed in the air. She could hear that her foundation was very solid but something seemed to be missing.
At the end of the song, she bowed again. “Miss Ling, please advise me.”
Xia Ling said, “Sing the phrase ‘One look of your features is not enough’ again.”
Ouyang Shuangshuang sang it again.
“Sing a semitone higher.”
Thus, she tried it and sang again.
“Sing a semitone lower.”
This time, she sang it a semitone lower.
After that, Xia Ling said, “Sure enough, Xia Yu’s style doesn’t suit you. You’re Shuangshuang, right? You have to stop imitating her immediately and find your own path again.”
“Why?” Ouyang Shuangshuang was shocked. “I’ve always felt that my style is the most similar to hers.”
“That’s because you haven’t heard her sing live.” Xia Ling directly exposed her. “Xia Yu is only a recording studio singer. Big parts of her voice have to be processed using a synthesizer in the studio after recording, understand? As for you, you’re trying to use your voice to imitate her voice after so much editing. You’re right that her vocal range is not any different from yours. That’s why she can’t rely on her voice to finish singing her songs and you will find it difficult too. That’s why you haven’t been successful after imitating her for so long. Do you feel it yourself?”
“Yes…” Ouyang Shuangshuang was shocked. “Oh my god, she is actually a recording studio singer? No wonder… No wonder I always find some parts of her songs very difficult to sing and can’t go up higher… I thought that I did not work hard enough and my singing level is not high enough. It turns out that it’s not my problem at all!”
Xia Ling nodded. “Yes, you shouldn’t force yourself. If you do, your voice will be damaged.”
Look, this was the importance of ethics. If Xia Yu had more morals, she would expose the fact that she relied on post-production and the young generation would not be led astray by her. Perhaps their entire progress would be stalled because of her! “As a person, you must have a bottom line…” She murmured.
Ouyang Shuangshuang was very terrified. “What should I do then?”
Xia Ling said, “It’s very simple. Don’t go for the resplendent style. Your singing voice is very clean, it’s more suitable for the lyrical and fresh style. You can choose some of Wei Shaoyin’s early works to practice. You will definitely improve.”
“Thank you. Thank you, Miss Ling!” Ouyang Shuangshuang was extremely grateful. For a long time, she felt that she was stuck in at an impasse and did not know how to find a breakthrough. Now, after Xia Ling advised her, she immediately gained new insights and learned a lot. She thanked her profusely and left.
After she sent Ouyang Shuangshuang away, Xia Ling leaned against the wall of the classroom and drank a glass of water.
After teaching a class for a day, her voice was tired and she needed a good rest.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the gentle night sky was full of stars and the quiet boulevard of the school extended far into the distance. She remembered the time when she was a trainee many years ago. In Imperial Entertainment, sweat ran down her like raindrops everyday and she dreamed about the day she would finally become famous with her classmates.
At that time, she had not fallen out with her sister Xia Yu yet.
She had not started crying in front of the media, hinting that she was unwilling to forgive her and Xia Yu was unable to return home to acknowledged her roots and ancestors.
Public opinion was a little messy.
Some people ridiculed Xia Yu for not gaining her family’s recognition and relying on others. However, there were others who sympathized with Xia Yu and really thought that she was unable to return home because of Xia Ling.
Xia Ling could not be bothered to pay attention to these things.
Now, she only wanted to live happily with Li Lei and lead a peaceful life without stirring up any waves. However, a situation always takes its own course regardless of someone’s wishes. Even if she tried to ignore the situation involving Xia Yu, small flies kept staring at her belongings.
Xia Ling’s line of sight fell to an area outside the window and she gradually focused on it.
Outside the window, Li Lei was walking along a tree-lined path towards her. He was wearing black casual sportswear and his hands were casually inserted in his pants’ pockets. The evening wind blew his short hair, making him look neat and handsome. He could make people blush. As he walked, suddenly, a girl impetuously slammed into him. If he were an ordinary person without his well-built body, he would have been knocked to the ground.
However, Li Lei caught hold of that girl with only one hand and stabilized his body.
He bowed his head to say something to the girl and was about to let her go when suddenly, whether deliberately or out of fear, the girl tightly wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. Her thin shoulders slightly shook and she simply refused to leave.
Xia Ling felt the blood rush to her head. She slammed her glass on the table and rushed out.
She walked through the corridor in her high heels and arrived outside.
Under the faint yellow European street lamplight, the girl continued to hug Li Lei tightly and incoherently said, “Save me… I’m scared… Just now, someone was chasing after me. Really…” The girl was wearing a very short top, revealing her white back, and her mini skirt was also extremely short, revealing her slender thighs that stuck to Li Lei’s legs. As she trembled, it looked as if she was gently stroking him.
Xia Ling was more furious. Li Lei, how dare you do this in front of me!
Big Boss Li, who was entangled with the girl, looked up and saw Xia Ling who was about to explode. He was terrified and quickly pushed the girl away from him.
“Don’t be angry…” He weakly told Xia Ling.
The girl continued to back-face Xia Ling and thought that Li Lei was talking to her. “I… How could I be angry at you? Even if you pushed my hand away and it’s a little painful… Look, it’s all red…”
She raised her hand again and rubbed it on Li Lei’s body.