Chapter Thirty-One: Cat Trouble

The news that Zhou Miao had signed with Rainbow had not been officially announced, but after Zuo Qiu took him on a tour of the company, someone—whether a staff member or a trainee—leaked the information online, complete with photos. Zhou Miao’s fans were instantly in an uproar: if he’d already signed, surely his debut couldn’t be far off?

Yet their excitement quickly turned to confusion. What sort of obscure company was Rainbow Records? Why had no one ever heard of it? There wasn’t a single artist under its banner whose name was recognizable.

Since Zhou Miao didn’t have a Weibo account, the fans all flocked to Hong Xue’s profile, flooding her inbox with private messages and comments, asking why Zhou Miao had chosen such a small company. Wasn’t it rumored that industry giants were vying to sign him?

Soon, Hong Xue replied: “First of all, thank you all for your concern for our Zhou Miao. Signing with Rainbow was a decision made after careful consideration by our whole family. Though Rainbow may not be well-known, it is a reputable, longstanding record company with a good reputation.”

“Compared to other companies, Rainbow offers him greater artistic freedom and comprehensive guidance and development. I believe Rainbow will help Zhou Miao become even better.”

Rainbow’s official account quickly reposted Hong Xue’s message, adding, “Thank you to Zhou’s mother for her trust. Brother Miao is doing well and preparing diligently for his exams!”

With Zhou Miao’s mother speaking so openly, the fans could only leave their blessings in the comments, wishing him a smooth journey ahead.

Unaware of any of this, Zhou Miao—who didn’t use Weibo—was happily chatting with the producers at Rainbow, even trying out the recording studio to experience the feeling of making music.

He pushed open the glass door and stepped out of the recording booth. Cumin gave him a thumbs up. “Kid, your singing is impressive. Did you study with a professional teacher?”

Zhou Miao smiled. “I attended group classes with Teacher Liu Huiyun for a few years. Haven’t gone much recently, mostly practicing at home.”

Cumin nodded in sudden understanding. No wonder—Liu Huiyun had once been a renowned vocalist in the industry. He’d retired as he got older and started a vocal class, which had made the trending lists a couple years ago because of its exorbitant tuition fees.

But to be fair, sometimes the only drawback to expensive things is their price. Liu Huiyun was truly knowledgeable, and under his guidance, Zhou Miao’s skills had become solid; his breath control and high notes were both steady.

Most remarkable of all was the emotional resonance in his singing. Nowadays, some singers have dazzling technique, but their performances lack feeling—they sound hollow, as if going through the motions.

As they chatted, Zhou Miao noticed a sheet of music on the table and picked it up to have a look. The lyrics suggested it was meant for a female vocalist, and the structure and melody were quite layered and well-crafted.

“This is a song I wrote for our company’s soon-to-debut duo, but President Qiu rejected it,” Cumin sighed. It was the tenth time a song had been turned down, and he was on the verge of collapse.

A duo? “Is it Li Qin and Zhao Li?” Zhou Miao asked.

Cumin was surprised. “You know them?”

“I ran into them in the cafeteria and chatted a bit. If they’re the ones singing, it’s not really suitable.”

Cumin felt a bit defensive. “Why not?”

“The song is good, but they’re too young to capture its essence. It’s a bittersweet ballad, and it would suit someone ten years older. I’ve always believed that singers should perform songs appropriate to their age—without enough life experience, the song’s flavor is lost, and it comes off as melodramatic.”

Cumin wilted at his words. “President Qiu said the same thing. But once I wrote the melody, I felt the lyrics needed a touch of sorrow to really shine.”

Suddenly, Cumin raised his eyebrows and nudged Zhou Miao’s shoulder. “Why don’t you write a song for them?”

Zhou Miao smiled and shook his head. “I have a bit of a psychological cleanliness. Whoever sings my songs must have both vocal skill and good character. I don’t know them well yet, maybe in the future.”

Cumin was disappointed but understood. Zhou Miao’s previous song, "Fragrant Rice," had blown him away, and he’d been eagerly awaiting more. Unfortunately, Zhou Miao was busy preparing for his college entrance exams.

That evening, Zhao Li entered the dormitory holding a plump British Shorthair. Li Qin, waiting inside, was nearly asleep. Upon seeing Zhao Li, she complained, “You finally made it back.”

“My sister is so stingy. I begged her all afternoon before she agreed to lend me the cat,” Zhao Li said. She hadn’t had a single sip of water all day and had nearly knelt before her sister.

“Let’s hurry, or he’ll be asleep soon,” Li Qin said, impatiently slipping on her shoes.

Zhao Li hesitated. “Is it really okay to just knock on his door?”

“Don’t worry, follow my lead. When the door opens, just say your sister left the cat with you, but the cat seems unwell, and ask if he could take a look,” Li Qin urged, annoyed by Zhao Li’s timid demeanor as she dragged her to Zhou Miao’s dormitory door. Before knocking, she reminded her again, “Remember, our goal is to get familiar with him. Don’t let slip that we want him to write a song for us!”

Zhao Li nodded nervously, muttering under her breath, “My sister left the cat with me for a couple days, but the cat seems unwell…”

She repeated it several times until Li Qin grew impatient. “Enough already. I’m knocking.”

“Okay, go ahead,” Zhao Li exhaled deeply and silently reminded herself not to let anything slip.

Inside, Zhou Miao was practicing guitar when he heard someone knock. Opening the door, he found Zhao Li and Li Qin standing there, Zhao Li holding a remarkably fat British Shorthair.

Wow, this cat is so chubby and adorable!

Zhou Miao’s eyes were immediately drawn to the plump cat.

“Um, my sister left the cat with me for a couple days, but it’s not feeling well. I heard you also have cats—could you help us write a song?”

The words had barely left her mouth before the air went silent. Zhao Li’s face flushed crimson, and Li Qin slapped her own forehead, utterly despairing.

Zhou Miao was momentarily confused. Why would a sick cat mean he needed to write a song for them? Was there some connection he was missing?

“Sorry for bothering you!” Without waiting for Zhou Miao’s response, Zhao Li quickly pulled the door shut and bolted down the hall, clutching the cat.

Li Qin was speechless. If you were going to say it, why not finish? Why run off now? Well, now they’d failed to get the song and only succeeded in embarrassing themselves.

Li Qin returned to the dorm feeling defeated. Zhao Li was burrowed under the covers, hiding her face with her backside sticking up, too ashamed to show herself. Li Qin, exasperated, slapped her sharply on the rear.

“You’re hopelessly stupid!”

“Just finish me off! I can’t face anyone!”

The fat cat watched the scene with calm indifference, feeling nothing at all, and was even a bit sleepy.