FWTS ### Chapter 111: Turning a Song into an Album

"Where are you?"

"Just about to head back to Shanghai."

"Wait for me in Shanghai."

"What’s going on?"

"I’ll tell you when I get there."

After confirming that Shi Shiwuwu would be in Shanghai, Hou Muyun checked for train tickets but couldn't find any suitable ones. So he dragged Fei Ning, who was playing mahjong, along with him. Upon hearing that they needed to go to Shanghai and couldn't find suitable train tickets, Lin Ning, initially reluctant, said, "You can take my car. I’m on a winning streak right now!"

Hou Muyun replied matter-of-factly, "I’ve never driven on the highway. I'm scared."

Fei Ning was speechless.

Hou Muyun sweetened the deal, "Remember our last night club trip?"

Lin Ning's eyes lit up instantly, "Buckle up, we're driving!"

By the time they arrived at Shi Shiwuwu's studio in Shanghai, it was already past 11 PM. Shi Shiwuwu, who had arrived from Hangzhou, was naturally curious about Hou Muyun's urgency.

"Listen to this first!"

Once inside the studio, Hou Muyun took out his guitar. After several deep breaths, he began to play and sing the song he had written. Besides Shi Shiwuwu, there were other people in the studio. Soon, everyone fell silent, their expressions slightly dazed but with emotions flickering in their eyes.

When the song ended, Hou Muyun put down the guitar and looked expectantly at Shi Shiwuwu and the others. "How's the song?"

Shi Shiwuwu snapped out of it, "What song is this?"

Hou Muyun smiled and said the title, "My Sky!"

Shi Shiwuwu's mouth twitched, "You didn’t write this, did you?"

Hou Muyun nodded vigorously.

Shi Shiwuwu couldn’t help but curse, "Damn!"

"Don't curse! Just tell me how it is!"

"What do you want me to say? What’s there to say? How long have you been writing songs, and you’ve already written something like this? What am I supposed to say!"

"So, it’s good?"

"The melody is elegant and rich in charm, the structure is grand yet reasonable, and the lyrics are thought-provoking and catchy. It’s definitely an excellent piece! As for how far it can go, that depends on your arrangement and post-production."

"Then let's get started!"

"It’s so late already!"

"Damn, last time you started at this time! No backing out!"

Fei Ning didn’t really understand much about music. Apart from listening to songs and singing in KTV, he had little exposure to music, let alone a professional studio. Initially finding it novel, he soon grew bored. Seeing Shi Shiwuwu and Hou Muyun arguing intensely, he knew going to a bar tonight was out of the question. Yawning, he excused himself to find a hotel and sleep.

By 3 AM, Shi Shiwuwu, Hou Muyun, and the studio staff showed no signs of fatigue, looking as if they had been injected with adrenaline. Typically meticulous, even strict, about music, Shi Shiwuwu seemed a bit helpless and tried to stop Hou Muyun, "Monkey, how many versions have you made already? Let’s focus on perfecting one arrangement! How come your versions are multiplying and in different styles? You said you were making a single, but it’s starting to look like an album!"

Hou Muyun thought for a moment, "Is that a problem?"

Shi Shiwuwu was defeated, "Of course, it's a problem! You're making a single, not an album! Do you really want to turn one song into an entire album?"

Hou Muyun suddenly got excited, "Hey, that’s an idea! We can make different versions of the same song and compile them into an album! This way, none of our arrangements go to waste!"

Shi Shiwuwu was stunned, as were the others.

Turning one song into an album? Who wouldn’t be shocked?

Shi Shiwuwu patted his chest to calm himself, and earnestly said, “Monkey, are you joking? Turning one song into an album—even if all your versions are excellent, it won’t sell well. You have to understand, the cost difference between a single and an album is significant. Considering the production costs, how much would you sell it for? This is your first record, and even though you have many fans, the sales numbers won't be high. This isn't a good start for your future career.”

Hou Muyun smiled and said, "Who said I was going to sell it?"

Shi Shiwuwu was puzzled, "Not selling it?"

Hou Muyun nodded, "Right! This song, you must have noticed, was inspired by my fans' name. Sentimentally speaking, I wrote it for them. From the beginning, I never intended to sell it. I just did it for fun and plan to give it to them!"

Shi Shiwuwu was stunned. After a moment, he said, "You’re really something!" He thought for a bit, then asked, "How much are you planning to spend on this single album?"

Hou Muyun chuckled, "We’ll handle the lyrics, composition, and arrangement ourselves, and take care of some of the instruments too. The remaining costs should be for instruments and recording, right? It shouldn't be too high, right?"

Shi Shiwuwu laughed, "So, you don’t know much after all! Even if you handle all the pre-production yourself, what about the post-production? Even if we cover the post-production at the studio for free, what next? How many copies do you plan to make? What specifications for the discs, what kind of packaging, what material for the lyric book, and what material for the cover and back cover?"

Hou Muyun was stunned. After thinking for a moment, he gritted his teeth, "We’ll do everything to your standards. Let’s make... 50,000 copies! Just give me a straight answer, how much will it cost?"

Shi Shiwuwu laughed, "It's rare to see a stingy person willing to spend! But don’t act like it’s a death sentence. The most expensive parts of song production are the lyrics, composition, arrangement, recording, and post-production. Hiring top professionals can cost millions per song. Since you’re doing almost everything yourself and not making a music video, that saves a lot! Even if we use the highest specifications for the discs, each one will cost about 10-15 yuan."

Hou Muyun breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I was prepared to spend three to five million!"

Shi Shiwuwu said, "Don't think it's that simple! Even if I waive all production fees and let you use the studio for free, you can't save on the instruments. With so many versions, how many tracks will there be? You’ve got guitar, erhu, piano, and other instruments. You play at a professional level, so the other instruments must match. You’ll need to hire master musicians. There’s no avoiding those costs!"

Hou Muyun, determined, said, "Only masters! If we’re doing this, we can't cut corners!"

Shi Shiwuwu rolled his eyes, "Then don’t cut corners with me either."

Hou Muyun pretended to be serious, "Brother Fifteen, you’re being too distant. With our friendship, talking about money hurts our bond. Are you looking down on me?"

"Get lost!"

Shi Shiwuwu almost spat blood. That should be said when you insist on giving me money and I refuse, not the other way around!

After calming down, Shi Shiwuwu snorted, "Why don’t you ask Zhang Duo? Don’t just rely on me. See what instruments they can play or if they know any master musicians. That way, you save more! Actually, you should go directly to Liu Zhuo and Director Liang. They have all the resources! Find a generous publisher, and you might not spend a penny on this album!"

Hou Muyun pondered, "That's a wild idea, but it could work."

Shi Shiwuwu sighed, "I’m going to sleep. You keep thinking."

"Oh come on! I was just joking to lighten the mood. Let's continue and finalize the remaining arrangements."

By 7 AM, they finally settled on ten arrangements and went to sleep. By 10 AM, some staff who hadn’t worked through the night saw Hou Muyun back in the studio.

"Did you find all the master musicians?"

"So early? Haha, I had some inspiration in a dream and need to tweak a few arrangements."

"Some musicians are coming this afternoon. After I make the changes, I’ll nap in the corner. Call me when they arrive."

The staff, knowing Hou Muyun and the others had only finished at 7 AM, couldn’t help but marvel at their dedication.

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