Mr. Lizard Outside the Window - Chapter 40
Chapter 40: Pocket-Sized Boyfriend
In the RES office, located in the heart of Beijing's bustling central business district, Xiao Xiao, working late, stretched his stiff muscles and habitually opened the Red Orange app on his phone.
He was now a devoted fan of Red Lotus.
The hidden gem he had discovered was now shining brightly on Red Orange. Not only were several of his original songs topping the charts, but his latest release had also quickly climbed to the number one spot on the new song list.
Xiao Xiao felt a surge of pride, mixed with a tinge of possessiveness, his secret treasure now being shared with the world.
He knew that several music producers had reached out to Red Lotus, offering collaborations, but he had consistently refused all offers.
Red Lotus was an anomaly. He did everything himself on Red Orange, from composing and arranging to mixing and mastering. He didn't collaborate, didn't participate in any promotional activities. He never replied to comments or even checked his private messages. His only livestream had shown only his hands.
He maintained an air of mystery, never revealing his face or any personal information, as if the name "Red Lotus" could disappear from the internet at any moment, leaving no trace.
Xiao Xiao had already conjured up an image of him: a pale, disheveled recluse, crippled by social anxiety.
But it didn't diminish his admiration for the musician.
To him, a true artist's most sincere expression was their music, nothing more, nothing less.
But as a professional music producer, he couldn't help but feel a certain… responsibility.
He wanted this talented musician to reach a wider audience, to achieve greater success, to leave a lasting legacy.
As usual, he sent Red Lotus a long, enthusiastic message, praising his music and ending with a subtle suggestion: Dear Lian, our company is currently working on a new single for a famous singer and is looking for composers. I think you'd be perfect for this project. The concept is… "monster." I think you'd really be able to… express yourself.
Why limit yourself to Red Orange? Your talent deserves a bigger stage.
Take a step outside your comfort zone.
I really want to meet you. I'd fly to the ends of the earth to meet you.
Your biggest fan, Xiao Xiao Loves Music
He closed his phone, not expecting a reply.
Red Lotus rarely replied to messages. Even Xiao Xiao, his most devoted fan, had only received a brief, polite response when he had first discovered his music.
"Thank you, but no thank you."
As if even a few extra words were too much of an effort.
Xiao Xiao stood up, grabbed his coffee, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the glittering city lights.
I wonder where he lives, he mused.
Just then, his phone buzzed with a notification.
He glanced at it casually. A message from Red Orange, just two words:
New message from Red Lotus: 【Okay】
Xiao Xiao almost choked on his coffee. He wiped the screen with his sleeve several times, making sure he wasn't hallucinating.
In a small men's clothing boutique, two sales assistants, their faces frozen in professional smiles, nudged each other excitedly under the counter.
Their shop, located on the lower level of the hotel's luxury shopping center, was next to the elevator that led to the swimming pool. Guests in bathrobes often passed by.
But this guest, stepping out of the elevator, was exceptionally handsome.
Tall and elegant, his pale skin a stark contrast to his damp, black hair, he was wrapped in a thick bathrobe.
He walked into the shop, picked up two items, placed them on the counter, and said, "I'll take these," the entire transaction taking less than two minutes.
After he left, the two sales assistants practically squealed.
"Did… did you see that? His ears were red!"
"Really? He seemed so aloof. And his voice… so cold, yet so captivating. I could barely look at him directly."
"His skin is flawless! I've never seen a man with such perfect skin!"
"Hee hee, did you notice… he bought that too?"
"Yes! Hee hee!"
They exchanged knowing glances, giggling.
A short while later, another couple entered the shop. A young, attractive woman, her arm linked with that of her much older husband.
They were also in bathrobes, the man's thinning hair plastered to his forehead.
As one of the sales assistants approached them, the woman waved her away dismissively. "We don't need your help. I'll choose for him," she declared, her tone possessive.
After they left, the two sales assistants sighed.
"Why is she so insecure? Does she not know what her husband looks like?" one of them said, gesturing to her own stomach, then miming a balding head.
"Maybe she's just… afraid. Even though she's dressed to the nines, she doesn't think she's good enough for him. So she feels the need to compete with younger women, afraid of losing him."
"That's so sad. I hope I never become like that. I couldn't even imagine… being with a man like that. Don't women care about looks?"
"Of course we do! I loved that first customer! If he comes back, I'm going to ask him if he has a girlfriend!"
"What if he rejects you?"
"Then I'll just have to work harder, become even better! There are plenty of other handsome, talented men out there!"
In the hotel lobby, Xiao Xiao stared at the man sitting across from him, speechless.
Even after the man signed the contract, he was still stunned.
On his way to the hotel, he had imagined various scenarios. If Red Lotus was a shy, introverted genius, he would have to be gentle and encouraging.
If he was an eccentric, rebellious type, he would have to be more deferential, expressing his admiration and respect.
But the man before him was calm and composed, polite and professional, if a bit aloof, much easier to deal with than he had anticipated.
"You're… not what I expected," Xiao Xiao finally managed to say. "You're much more handsome than I imagined."
"You're not what I expected either," the man said, his voice as cold and clear as a winter spring, devoid of the emotion he conveyed in his music.
"Really? You mean… you think I'm handsome too?" Xiao Xiao asked, blushing slightly.
Red Lotus didn't reply, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
"This song is for a very famous singer. The company is taking it very seriously. They've sent out invitations to several well-known composers. But I think you're the perfect person for this project," Xiao Xiao said, his voice filled with excitement, his words tumbling out in a rush. "The concept is… 'monster.' Do you understand what I mean? I'm not saying you're a monster or anything! It's just… I think your style is… perfect for this theme."
Ling Dong simply replied, "Mm-hmm."
As if to say, It's okay. You can call me a monster if you like.
"Send the demo to my email as soon as possible. The deadline for submissions is the end of the month. If your song is selected, the fee is 200,000 yuan."
Xiao Xiao studied his expression, trying to gauge his reaction, but his face was impassive, giving nothing away. "I know you don't care about money, but I really want to work with you! If you put some effort into the demo, I'll do my best to convince our director to choose your song! Do you… understand what I'm saying?"
Red Lotus nodded. "Okay."
His brevity made even the usually loquacious Xiao Xiao speechless. "I've been wanting to ask… why did you change your mind?"
At his question, a faint smile finally touched Red Lotus's lips.
"Like you said, I want to… step outside my comfort zone, be more… involved," he said softly. "And I want to earn some money. To support myself… and my family."
Even Xiao Xiao, not usually one to notice such things, was captivated by his smile.
"I've been meaning to ask… are you… a celebrity?" he glanced at the signature on the contract, two unfamiliar characters. "I'm in the music industry, but I mostly focus on composing. I don't really know much about… other areas."
"No, I'm a classical musician."
"Oh, that explains it," Xiao Xiao relaxed. "I don't know much about that world. That's why your harmony and orchestration are so impressive. You must be a great pianist!"
"I'm…decent," Ling Dong said modestly.
He glanced at his watch, stood up, and shook Xiao Xiao's hand.
Xiao Xiao, reluctant to let him go, wanted to chat more, but the newly acquainted musician, like Cinderella at the stroke of midnight, seemed eager to leave.
"Let's stay in touch!" Xiao Xiao called after him, miming a phone call.
Ling Dong gave a curt nod and left.
The next morning, Xiao Xiao, yawning as he arrived at work, idly searched for "Ling Dong" online. The search results, pages of biographical information and competition videos, made him jump out of his chair.
Though he knew nothing about classical music, he now understood the true extent of Red Lotus's talent.
A colleague, curious, tried to peek at his screen.
Xiao Xiao quickly shielded it with his laptop.
"A treasure! A hidden treasure! And I'm the only one who knows! I have to keep this to myself!" he thought, his heart swelling with pride, his faith in his own musical instincts reaffirmed.
See? I knew he was a genius the moment I heard his music!
Unable to sit still, he grabbed his phone and sent a message to the WeChat contact he had added the previous day, pouring out his thoughts. Lian, we just met yesterday, but I feel like I've known you for a long time, through your music. As a friend, I have to tell you this: your lyrics, music, arrangement, mixing… everything is top-notch! But your style is too niche! If you catered to the market a little, wrote some more mainstream music, you could be huge! You could be rich! And I could help you achieve that!
The profile picture for the contact was a small, black lizard. After a long pause, a message appeared: Sorry, that's not possible. I can only, I only want to, create music that I truly love. Thank you.
When Banxia woke up that morning, she saw Xiao Lian sitting on the table, meticulously tapping away on his phone with his tiny claws, his serious expression endearing.
Later, in the bathroom, she noticed a set of men's clothes, neatly folded.
She picked them up and, while brushing her teeth, noticed a pair of men's underwear among the clothes.
"Oh, right. He needs those too," she mumbled through a mouthful of toothpaste, looking at her reflection in the mirror, a blush creeping up her cheeks. I should buy him a few pairs.
Just for his comfort, of course. Not because I want to see him wearing them… with his tail…
She had no competition events scheduled for today. After breakfast, she asked a local contestant for recommendations.
"I'd like to see some of the sights, something not too strenuous or expensive," she said.
"The preliminary results will be announced tonight! Aren't you nervous?" the girl asked, surprised.
"Will being nervous change the outcome?" Banxia asked, puzzled.
"I… I guess not," the girl stammered, her own anxiety evident. "But shouldn't we be practicing? I practiced until almost dawn yesterday!"
Banxia put a comforting arm around her. "A little break won't hurt. Relaxing, spending time with your boyfriend or something, might even improve your performance."
"That… makes sense," the girl said, taking a deep breath. Then, she remembered something. "But you're from out of town. Did you bring your boyfriend with you?"
Banxia smiled, touching Xiao Lian, who was dozing on her shoulder. "Yes, I did. He's very… portable."
"PORTABLE"
ReplyDeleteI'M CRYINGGGG