Chapter 68: The Quartet's Album

No wonder she’s such a popular actress—even her disappearance has stirred up such a commotion. Yan Xu set aside the newspaper in his hands, a smile playing on his lips as he shook his head. Today’s papers were filled almost entirely with news about Weng Meiling. Her sudden disappearance had sent shockwaves through the entertainment world, especially since she was a rising star and a favorite among countless housewives. Any publication, no matter how small the tidbit about her, would instantly sell out.

Her disappearance was only discovered when her agent failed to reach her the following day. By then, Yan Xu had already sent her off on a plane bound for Paris. Coming from a single-parent family, Weng Meiling had always been fiercely independent; otherwise she would never have abandoned her enviable position at the renowned British designer Charles’s firm, returning to Hong Kong on her own accord. She had already been considering taking a break, and with Yan Xu’s encouragement, she didn’t bother notifying anyone. Early the next morning, she packed her bags and left the country to unwind, choosing Paris—where Fashion Week was underway—as her destination. She had studied fashion design at London’s Central College of Art and Design, making this trip perfectly suited to her interests.

The newspapers and magazines were now rife with speculation about her disappearance, many of the theories bordering on the absurd. Some began to make headlines out of her relationship with Tang Zhenye, or her recent provocative magazine photoshoots. Yan Xu knew these rumors would change by tomorrow; although Weng Meiling had slipped away without telling anyone, she would never hide her whereabouts from her mother, and the broadcasting network could easily learn her movements from her mother.

“Knock! Knock! Knock!” Just as Yan Xu had set down the newspaper, the door to his office was suddenly rapped upon.

“Come in,” Yan Xu called. The abruptness of the knock caught him off guard; he had never stood on ceremony, being young himself, and everyone in the company could enter his office freely—no one ever knocked.

“Brother Xu.” The four young men of Beyond entered, newcomers to the company and still somewhat reserved in unfamiliar surroundings.

“So it’s you four. How are you adjusting these days?” Yan Xu motioned for them to sit, personally pouring four glasses of water. These four were the company’s next major investment, destined to become a future gold mine.

“Pretty well, really!” The young men watched as Yan Xu poured them water, hurriedly standing up, clearly surprised by the gesture.

Huang Jiaju and the others spoke honestly. For a long time, they had juggled music and odd jobs, even practicing in their cramped lodgings, often drawing complaints from neighbors. Now, they no longer needed to work everywhere, had a fixed rehearsal space, a high-end recording studio, and even a housekeeper to care for their daily needs—things they’d never dared dream of before.

“The company treats us well. We’ve got rehearsal space, new dorms, and the recording studio equipment is fantastic,” Paul Wong exclaimed with excitement.

“What brings you here?” Yan Xu smiled lightly. The company had invested heavily in these four, more than any other company ever had for newcomers.

“Brother Xu, we’ve finished the twenty songs you asked for,” Huang Jiaju said, taking a stack of scores from his backpack and handing them to Yan Xu with care.

“So quickly? Let me take a look,” Yan Xu said as he accepted the music. He knew the creative talents of Beyond, especially Huang Jiaju, were strong. Their first task for an album was to produce twenty songs.

Though he could easily recall several classics from his memory, Yan Xu didn’t want to overly influence the group’s creative process. Each song was a chapter in their artistic journey, and it was this journey that fostered their growth.

“Farewell to Ideals, Footprints of the Past, Waiting Forever…” Yan Xu read through the familiar titles, feeling a touch of nostalgia. These songs covered nearly all the tracks from their first album and EP. In the days to come, these songs would accompany the four young men as they matured, gradually becoming classics.

“Hmm!” Yan Xu nodded. “They’re all quite good.”

His affirmation instantly eased the tension in the group’s faces. Some songs were their earlier creations, others written during this recent period.

Their small concert, held with company support, had been a reality check. Though they were enthusiastic, they lacked fame; promotion was limited to handing out leaflets at their workplaces and bars. The turnout barely covered costs, avoiding losses. They thought a contract was out of reach, but Yan Xu signed them without hesitation, asking for twenty songs—a task they tackled with all their might, revising over and over.

“These will be the tracks for your first album,” Yan Xu said, selecting ten scores from the stack.

“Dance of Yesterday, Giant, Metal Maniac, Grey Heart, Farewell to Ideals, Footprints of the Past, Waiting Forever, Waterboy, Who Is Brave, Myth—these ten songs. Go home and prepare well; tomorrow you’ll enter the studio. The album will be called Farewell to Ideals. The company will give you a fresh look, and from tomorrow, you’ll be busy.”

Originally, this would have been their self-funded debut album, the hardest one to make. Though it won them their first fans, its sales suffered from being sold on consignment in record stores—almost disappointingly low. Yet, musically, it was one of Beyond’s classic albums.

Yan Xu believed that with the company’s new packaging and focused promotion, combined with the success of Vivian Chow and the Tai Chi Band raising the company’s profile, the album would sell well. It might not reach triple platinum or double platinum like Vivian Chow or Tai Chi Band’s current sales in Hong Kong, but it would surely make Beyond a well-known band, earning them a name in the music scene.