Chapter 26#
Chapter 26: Exclusive Photographer#
After the filming of Wind Rises wrapped, Lu Yan went back to shoot a few more commercials for M Company’s new endorsements.
Unexpectedly, he ran into Ren Yanfei again at the set.
“Hey, Lu Yan, we meet again.” Ren Yanfei greeted with a smile.
Lu Yan was pleasantly surprised. “Ren Yanfei? It’s you!”
“The photos I took for you last time—M Company’s higher-ups said they felt really good about them. So they formally invited me to be the lead photographer for this project. So, once again, please guide me.” As he spoke, Ren Yanfei gave an exaggerated Western bow.
Lu Yan chuckled. “What, finally decided to settle down? Planning to sign with M Company?”
“Not at all,” Ren Yanfei shrugged. “I still prefer the feeling of being free. Besides, M Company doesn’t need an exclusive photographer.”
Then Ren Yanfei looked Lu Yan up and down and joked, “Hmm, but if you were the one asking, I might consider giving up a bit of freedom.”
Lu Yan laughed heartily. “What an honor! Too bad I can’t afford an exclusive photographer just yet.”
“That’s only a matter of time. One day you’ll be able to afford one—and need one.” Ren Yanfei wasn’t just flattering.
A glint flashed in Lu Yan’s eyes. “I’ll take your word for it. When that day comes, I’ll definitely ask you to be my exclusive photographer.”
Ren Yanfei snickered. “Deal. But fair warning—even for an old friend, I won’t go easy. My price tag isn’t cheap.”
Lu Yan’s lips curved. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure it’s worth your price.”
Honestly, Lu Yan was quite tempted by Ren Yanfei’s casual suggestion.
He had always liked photography. Moreover, as a successful actor, knowing how to present oneself better on camera was an art in itself. Every excellent photographer had their own style. The same scenery, the same person—different photographers would capture different angles and effects. Collaborating with a photographer whose style matched his would naturally yield better results.
As a freelance photographer, Ren Yanfei’s works frequently appeared in prestigious magazines like National Geographic, which already spoke volumes about his skill. And after their last collaboration, Lu Yan felt they had great chemistry—at least, he thought the photos Ren Yanfei took of him were better than those taken by the professional photography team M Company hired later. It wasn’t about technical skill but more about the feel. Apparently, M Company felt the same way, which was why they specifically invited Ren Yanfei as the lead photographer this time.
Having an exclusive photographer like that would surely make things twice as effective with half the effort—after all, being an entertainer meant a high on-screen presence.
However, Lu Yan also knew that for now, this was just a thought. With his current financial standing, he couldn’t afford an exclusive photographer. But occasional collaborations were still possible.
So Lu Yan took the opportunity to exchange contact information with Ren Yanfei, who promised to be available whenever Lu Yan needed him, as long as he had time.
And indeed, working with a photographer whose style matched his was incredibly comfortable. Ren Yanfei had a knack for capturing Lu Yan’s best side. Every angle, every play of light and shadow, highlighted Lu Yan’s aura and temperament. It was almost as if there were no blind spots—360 degrees without a flaw.
After looking at the sample photos, Lu Yan was extremely satisfied and silently resolved to reach that level as soon as possible—to have his own exclusive photographer.
It took three days to finish shooting the remaining commercials. During those three days, aside from sleeping, Lu Yan spent all his time in the studio. He didn’t even leave during meals, and he never complained about the workload.
Ren Yanfei admired his professionalism and started taking his own offhand suggestion seriously.
In fact, it wasn’t just the subject who needed a photographer who understood them. An excellent photographer also needed a good model to create great work. Ren Yanfei loved traveling, and his works were mostly landscapes, with occasional portraits of unique people. He had originally agreed to shoot for Gavin as a favor, which he wasn’t too keen on, but he couldn’t refuse an old friend’s request. Yet, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.
Lu Yan was a great model. He had a good grasp of the camera and understood the photographer’s requirements. For the first time, Ren Yanfei found shooting people to be interesting—much more so than silent landscapes. So when M Company invited him again, and he learned the subject was still Lu Yan, he immediately agreed. He had originally planned to go photograph big cats on the African savanna.
The exclusive photographer suggestion he had joked about with Lu Yan was really just a casual remark at first. But Lu Yan seemed genuinely interested, and Ren Yanfei believed in his potential. Coupled with Lu Yan’s professionalism and hard work, Ren Yanfei was confident he would one day reach that height. So Ren Yanfei began to seriously consider the proposal.
Many years later, when Ren Yanfei became a world-renowned photographer, he looked back and felt grateful that he had made that suggestion back then.
After the commercial reshoots were done, Lu Yan barely had time to rest before Qin Feng dragged him into a recording studio.
On the way, Qin Feng explained, “Remember I told you to prepare mentally for an EP release? I had someone write a song for you, and it’s finally finished. Since we’re all free today, let’s go to the studio and do a test recording. If there’s anything off, we can fix it in time.”
Lu Yan nodded. He certainly remembered Qin Feng’s promise to make him a true superstar, and that a true superstar needed to develop across multiple fields. In truth, Lu Yan’s biggest passion was still film. His dream was to one day make a movie that would captivate the world. But he knew how difficult that goal was, especially given his current status. So whether it was filming TV dramas, accepting endorsements, attending events, or cutting records, all of it was to bring him closer to that goal. Lu Yan understood that for his dream, he couldn’t afford to be willful.
Since their goals aligned and they had reached a consensus, Lu Yan left all work arrangements to Qin Feng. He trusted that no one was more competent in this area, and he believed Qin Feng would arrange everything well. It wasn’t until he entered the studio that Lu Yan truly realized how well Qin Feng had planned things.
When Lu Yan and the others arrived, two people were already waiting in the studio. Both were around thirty-something. One was casually dressed and unkempt, his messy hair reminding Lu Yan of Li Ran. The other was the complete opposite—neatly groomed, wearing a white Tang suit. At first glance, he looked like a scholar who had stepped out of ancient times, exuding a bookish aura.
As soon as Qin Feng saw them, he smiled and walked over, apologizing, “Master Xi, Muzi, sorry to keep you waiting.”
The man in the white Tang suit gave them a glance and said unhurriedly, “Perfect timing. We arrived early.”
The messy-haired one waved his hand impatiently. “Enough with the pleasantries. Did you bring the person or not?” His tone made it sound like they were dealing with a gangster.
Qin Feng stepped aside and gestured to Lu Yan. “This is Lu Yan.”
Lu Yan smiled and nodded at the two.
Qin Feng then pointed to the two men and said to Lu Yan, “These two are very famous. You may not have met them, but you’ve definitely heard their names. This is Bai Xi, known as Master Xi; and this is Lin Mu, though he prefers to be called Muzi.”
The one in white Tang suit was Bai Xi; the one with messy hair was Lin Mu.
Of course, Lu Yan had heard of them. In fact, when Qin Feng first addressed them, Lu Yan’s heart stirred. It was only when Qin Feng formally introduced them that he confirmed it.
Anyone with even a passing interest in pop music knew who they were.
One was the country’s most renowned lyricist; the other, the most renowned composer.
Rumor had it that Bai Xi had been writing lyrics for ten years, producing over two thousand songs—averaging about two hundred a year, almost one every two days. Of those two thousand-plus songs, a third were widely known, and over three hundred had been smash hits.
As for Lin Mu, though he hadn’t been composing as long as Bai Xi had been writing lyrics, in the past five years, half of the top ten gold songs selected by the most authoritative institutions were Lin Mu’s works.
Both were highly sought after, and their collaboration was known as the “Dream Team” that every singer longed for. In recent years, however, few had been able to get both of them to work on a project.
Lu Yan knew that regardless of who sang today’s song, with these two behind it, it was destined to become a huge hit. What Lu Yan didn’t know was how many favors Qin Feng had called in to secure their involvement.
Lin Mu looked Lu Yan up and down, then handed him a sheet of paper with a handwritten song.
Apparently, Lu Yan’s striking appearance didn’t earn him any points. Instead, Lin Mu frowned. He had seen too many actors-turned-singers who looked good but couldn’t sing to save their lives, and they often had arrogant attitudes. “Get familiar with it first. We’ll do a test recording later. Can you read staff notation, or should I change it to numbered notation?”
“No need. I can read it.” Lu Yan smiled humbly. “Thank you, Mr. Lin.”
Lin Mu was a bit surprised by his attitude and softened his tone. “Hey, don’t call me Mr. Lin. That’s weird. Just call me Muzi.”
“Alright, Teacher Muzi.” Lu Yan smiled, adapting easily.
Lin Mu seemed satisfied. “Take your time looking it over. Ask me if you don’t understand anything.”
Bai Xi only watched coldly from the side, not saying a word.