The recording studio was completely silent.
Soft ceiling lights illuminated the small space where the professional microphone stood.
In front of it was Mu Wanqing.
Calm.
Elegant.
As if she were standing inside her own world.
On the other side of the glass were:
Li ChenLin YueyinSu YaraXiaoyu
All four of them watching her.
Yara was the first to break the silence.
"Doesn't look nervous."
Yueyin crossed her arms.
"Maybe she's just pretending."
Xiaoyu glanced at the computer screen.
"The song Li Chen chose… isn't easy."
Li Chen had prepared something special.
It wasn't pop.
It wasn't rock.
It was pure R&B.
A song built for a voice with extremely precise control.
Soft notes.
Delicate pitch transitions.
And a final section that required almost perfect vocal control.
In other words…
It was a test.
Li Chen pressed the intercom button.
"Ready?"
Wanqing adjusted her headphones slightly.
"Yes."
The music started.
A soft piano filled the studio.
Then a slow bass joined in.
The rhythm was deep.
Elegant.
The entire song breathed modern R&B.
Yara tilted her head.
"Hm."
Yueyin frowned slightly.
"The intro is nice…"
Then Wanqing started singing.
The first note left her lips like silk.
Smooth.
Deep.
Perfectly controlled.
On the other side of the glass…
Xiaoyu's eyes widened slightly.
"Oh…"
Yueyin stopped talking.
Yara raised both eyebrows.
Wanqing's voice wasn't loud.
But it had something far more dangerous.
Texture.
Every word seemed to slide perfectly into the music.
The rhythm shifted.
Wanqing followed it effortlessly.
She moved up smoothly.
Then drifted down again.
Absolute control.
Yara muttered quietly,
"Is she… playing with the rhythm?"
Li Chen didn't answer.
He simply watched.
Because there was something more.
Wanqing wasn't just singing the song.
She was interpreting it.
Her eyes were closed.
Her expression calm.
But every phrase carried emotion.
Not exaggerated.
Not theatrical.
Real.
The song moved toward the chorus.
The music grew.
The piano intensified.
Then Wanqing opened her eyes.
The chorus arrived.
And her voice rose with it.
She didn't shout.
She didn't force her voice.
She simply… let it soar.
A long note filled the studio.
Clear.
Powerful.
Perfectly in tune.
Xiaoyu covered her mouth with one hand.
"This is…"
Yueyin whispered,
"Incredible…"
Even Su Yara stopped smiling.
Now she was watching with complete seriousness.
"Damn…"
The song continued.
But something interesting was happening.
Wanqing was making small variations.
She didn't change the main melody.
But she added details.
Tiny vocal embellishments.
Carefully controlled breaths.
Subtle rhythm shifts.
It was the kind of performance only extremely experienced singers could deliver.
Li Chen finally spoke quietly.
"She understood it."
Yara looked at him.
"Huh?"
Li Chen pointed at the screen.
"She's not just singing the song."
"She's improving it."
Yara's eyes widened.
"Seriously?"
The bridge of the song arrived.
It was the hardest part.
A complicated vocal climb.
Li Chen had put that section there specifically to test one thing.
Control.
Wanqing took a breath.
The note began low.
Then slowly climbed higher.
Her voice stretched upward.
The tension built.
And finally…
the note exploded at the perfect point.
Not too strong.
Not too soft.
Exactly where it needed to be.
The room fell completely silent.
Then the final part of the song began.
A slow ending.
Soft.
Intimate.
Wanqing closed her eyes again.
She sang the final words…
And the music stopped.
Silence.
For several seconds, no one said anything.
Wanqing removed her headphones.
She looked toward the glass.
"Was that okay?"
Yara was the first to react.
She slammed the table.
"OKAY?!"
She stood up from her chair.
"That was ridiculously good!"
Xiaoyu still looked a little shocked.
"I… I didn't expect something like that…"
Yueyin looked at Wanqing with a complicated expression.
It wasn't jealousy.
Not exactly.
It was something different.
Respect.
And also…
competition.
Li Chen pressed the intercom button.
"Come here."
Wanqing left the recording booth and entered the control room.
Everyone looked at her.
But she seemed completely calm.
As if she hadn't done anything special.
Li Chen crossed his arms.
"How many times did you listen to the demo?"
Wanqing answered immediately.
"Three."
Yara almost fell off her chair.
"THREE?!"
"Yes."
"ONLY THREE TIMES?!"
Wanqing tilted her head slightly.
"That was enough."
Xiaoyu muttered,
"That's a little scary…"
Li Chen watched her for a few seconds longer.
The system appeared in his mind again.
Evaluation Completed
Mu Wanqing
Vocal Skill: SSSControl: SSSInterpretation: S
Conclusion:
Elite-Level Artist
Li Chen finally spoke.
"Alright."
Wanqing looked at him.
"You passed the test."
Yara raised her arms.
"I knew he'd say that!"
Yueyin sighed.
"Another star…"
Xiaoyu rubbed her temples.
"Our workload just tripled…"
Li Chen extended his hand toward Wanqing.
"Welcome to the team."
Wanqing looked at his hand.
Then she shook it.
Her expression remained calm.
But this time she said something different.
"Thank you."
Yara leaned against the wall with a wild grin.
"This is going to be fun."
Yueyin looked at her.
"Fun… or chaotic."
Xiaoyu sighed.
"Both."
Li Chen looked at the three artists standing in front of him.
An idol.
A rock singer.
An R&B vocalist.
Three completely different styles.
Three completely different personalities.
At that moment, the system spoke again.
New Phase Unlocked
Three Star Management
Li Chen smiled slightly.
The music industry…
is not ready for this.
End of Chapter 25