Perfect Superstar.

On July 5 at 8 pm, the China Original Music Charts for the first week of July were updated as scheduled. 

The "China Original Music Charts", commonly referred to as the "Original Sound Chart", was jointly established by the China Musicians Association, WeChat Music, NetEase Music, Pop Radio and dozens of other media. 

Known for its professional approach to music, strict verification system and reliable data collection methods, it is considered one of the most authoritative pop music charts in the country. 

The 'Original Sound Chart' is updated weekly, listing the top 50 trending songs in the country based on their popularity index. The index is calculated using data provided by major music platforms, including play counts, downloads, streams and purchases, all converted using a standardized formula. 

Although data from websites and media outlets can be manipulated to some extent, the vast amount of data and diverse collection methods, combined with the oversight of official institutions, generally ensure the chart's fairness and credibility. 

Compared with various charts published by individual media outlets, the "China Original Music Charts" is widely regarded as the most recognized and influential in the pop music scene. 

The latest chart for the first week of July didn't show any significant changes from the previous week, but one major highlight was the meteoric rise of a band called 'Wandering'. This week, three of their songs made it onto the charts at the same time! 

- Wandering' Band - "Reason to Be Strong" / Popularity Index: 2044, ranking 47th. 

- Wandering' Band - "I Want A Family" / Popularity index: 3505, ranking 29th. 

- Wandering' Band - "In Spring" / Popularity index: 5780, ranked 17th. 

For the general music audience, the Original Sound Chart is the best reference for discovering new songs. Except for hardcore fans of certain artists, most people don't pay much attention to the rankings themselves - they just follow the trend and listen to what's popular. 

In the entertainment industry, however, the freshly updated chart reveals much more than just musical preferences. 

The first notable detail is the stunning debut of the 'Wandering' band. Previously unknown and largely unheard of, the band managed to get three songs on the chart at the same time - a clear sign of a breakthrough. 

Last week, Wandering Band's song "In Spring" debuted on the chart at number 43. This week, it jumped to 17th place, an impressive jump that showed its growing popularity and immense potential. 

The song also received overwhelmingly positive reviews, with an approval rating of 97.26%. 

Industry insiders also noticed a detail that would likely escape the average listener: all three songs on "Wandering" were written by the same unknown songwriter! 

- "Reason to Be Strong" - Lyrics: Lu Chen. 

- "I Want A Family" - Lyrics: Lu Chen. 

- "In Spring" - Words: Lu Chen! 

At a time when original music was in decline in China, the sudden emergence of such a talented songwriter sparked widespread curiosity in the industry. Many insiders began to pull strings to find out more about him. 

Who is Lu Chen? 

As a result, while the chart brought fame to the Wandering Band, it also marked the first time that Lu Chen's name became known in the industry he was about to enter. 

Unfortunately, Lu Chen himself was unaware of this development. 

That afternoon, he arrived at the Blue Sky Creative Park in the Fifth Ring of Beijing. 

The Blue Sky Creative Park was established five years ago by the Capital City's government to support small, innovative and creative businesses. 

With its progressive policies and efficient services, it was especially welcoming to young entrepreneurs in the region, attracting a large number of small businesses and companies. 

Lu Chen took the No. 9 subway and got off at the Blue Sky Park station, where the park's main gate was visible. 

Wang Changsheng was already waiting for him at the station exit. 

Lu Chen was a bit surprised. He hadn't expected the other man to come and wait for him in person. 

He had met this middle-aged man at the Heavenly Sound Workshop in the Delong Building during his previous visit. At that time, Wang Changsheng had proposed an album production deal to him, leaving a strong impression and giving Lu Chen a business card. 

At first, Lu Chen hadn't considered entrusting his first album to the relatively unknown 'Nirvana Workshop'. His first choice was the more established Heavenly Sound Workshop, a household name in the industry. 

He had already listened to the mini-album that 'Heavenly Sound Workshop' had produced for the 'Wandering' band and thought it was excellent. 

However, the intervention of Jin Hongwei of Starlight Company changed his mind. 

Jin Hongwei, a director of Heavenly Sound Workshop and a shareholder in the music production unit, had completely fallen out with Lu Chen. There was no way that Lu Chen would entrust his album to Heavenly Sound Workshop now. 

Thus, he had retrieved Wang Changsheng's business card. 

Of course, without fully understanding the other party's abilities, Lu Chen didn't want to recklessly hand over his entire album. However, the current opportunity seemed to be a good one, so he decided to contact Wang Changsheng and visit him in person. 

It seemed that Wang Changsheng, the manager of Nirvana Workshop, had been waiting at the subway exit for quite some time. 

"Mr. Lu, hello!" 

Upon seeing Lu Chen, Wang Changsheng immediately showed a delighted expression and stepped forward, enthusiastically extending both hands. 

"Manager Wang, we meet again," Lu Chen greeted him with a smile and shook his hand. "You didn't have to bother to meet me here, I could have found my way." 

Wang Changsheng explained, "Blue Sky Park is quite large. I was worried that you might have trouble finding the place on your first visit." 

Lu Chen nodded in understanding. "Let's go then." 

Since the Creative Park had only recently been established, the buildings were still quite new. The sidewalks were lined with freshly transplanted trees, and most of the people walking around were young. 

Perhaps because of this, the park exuded a sense of vitality and energy. Even the shops and restaurants along the street had unique and creative storefronts that stood out from the ordinary. 

On his way to the workshop, Lu Chen struck up a conversation with Wang Changsheng. 

Through their conversation, he learned that Wang Changsheng was originally a high school music teacher. Last year, he had retired from teaching and invested his life savings to establish the Nirvana Workshop. 

For a man in his fifties, Wang Changsheng's bold decision left a deep impression on Lu Chen. 

At an age when most people value stability, leaving a secure and comfortable job to venture into entrepreneurship- especially by risking one's life savings-was a rare and courageous move. 

In response to Lu Chen's admiration, Wang Changsheng offered a wry smile. "I didn't really have a choice - it's all for my children." 

It turned out that Wang Changsheng had two children. His daughter graduated from the composition department of the Capital City Music College two years ago, while his son graduated from the music technology department of the Northern Music College last year. The workshop was established to support their careers. 

''A family of musicians!'' 

Lu Chen couldn't help but feel a deep respect for him. 

Capital City Music College, Midrange Music College, and Northern Music College were the top three music institutions in the capital, famous both domestically and internationally. 

They were the dream schools for countless aspiring musicians, with annual applications often reaching into the hundreds of thousands. 

But only a small fraction- less than one percent-were admitted. 

With a daughter who graduated from the Capital City Music College and a son who graduated from the Northern Music College, Wang Changsheng himself must have put immeasurable effort and dedication into their education as a music teacher. 

Such a person was undoubtedly worthy of admiration, different from the typical shrewd businessman. 

Still, Lu Chen could sense that Nirvana Workshop was probably struggling financially. 

Of course, he wouldn't mention it, as it was better to remain tactful and friendly. 

Nirvana Workshop was located on the seventh floor of an office building in the park. Its location wasn't particularly prominent, which probably meant that the rent was affordable. 

After taking the elevator up, they turned left at the exit to find the workshop's logo and directions on the wall. 

Wang Changsheng apologized sheepishly. "Our studio is still new, so the space isn't very big." 

A standard music production facility typically requires a lot of space for offices, an electronic sound studio, reception areas, and - most importantly - a recording room. Without adequate size, it would be difficult to operate effectively. 

In terms of size and layout, Nirvana Workshop was undoubtedly underwhelming. 

The cramped office area was adjacent to an even smaller reception room, and the limited space created a somewhat stifling atmosphere. There were only two employees inside, and even the reception desk was unmanned. 

Wang Changsheng invited Lu Chen to sit down on a sofa, personally poured him a cup of tea, and explained, "We just took on a project yesterday, so everyone's busy in the recording room. I'll let Wang Jing talk to you." 

Wang Jing, Wang Changsheng's daughter, was the other key person in charge of the Nirvana Workshop. 

She was in charge of all the composition work. 

--- 

'(End of Chapter)' 

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