You were supposed to have a fake marriage with the diva, so how did you become her father?

Chapter 83: The Other Me in the World

"Why is she here?" Director Chen Ke asked, somewhat surprised. "Xu Manxue is an actress, not a singer."

Lu Ran looked at the slender figure on the monitor screen and a thought struck him.

He remembered what Shen Yuege had told him before.

Xu Manxue was once a trainee at Legend Entertainment and possesses a beautiful voice that has been praised by many producers.

He only switched to acting after his vocal cords were damaged.

Lu Ran had been thinking about how to make up for Xu Manxue by mentioning Shen Yuege, but he had completely forgotten about it.

"Let her in," Lu Ran said.

Director Chen Ke glanced at Lu Ran but didn't object, since they hadn't restricted whether the contestants were singers or not this time.

Chen Ke pressed the call button: "Xu Manxue, come in."

Xu Manxue pushed open the door and entered. Seeing Lu Ran and Chen Ke, she bowed slightly: "Director Chen, Minister Lu."

"Manxue, are you trying out to sing the theme song?" Director Chen Ke pointed to the application form in her hand.

Xu Manxue nodded, but then her expression became somewhat complicated: "I know I'm not quite up to the task; my voice probably can't handle this song. I just wanted to give it a try because I really love singing."

Xu Manxue's voice is indeed not very good; it has not recovered well since she injured her throat.

Although you might not notice anything wrong when they speak normally, you might be able to hear it when they sing.

Lu Ran looked at her: "Manxue, do you want to give it a try too?"

Xu Manxue said somewhat shyly, "I...I want to give it a try!"

"No problem, give it a try." Lu Ran handed her a copy of the lyrics and music. "Don't feel pressured, just treat it as fun."

Xu Manxue took the sheet music, her expression somewhat excited.

She looked at the familiar musical notes and lyrics, a hint of nostalgia flashing in her eyes.

Xu Manxue hasn't sung in a long time. She has rarely sung since her doctor advised her not to overuse her voice two years ago.

But this time, she wanted to give it a try.

Although she told her sister Xu Manlin that she had let go, how can one simply give up the thing they love most?

Seemingly noticing Xu Manxue's embarrassment, Lu Ran said, "Singing doesn't necessarily require a perfect voice. Sometimes, emotion is more important than technique."

Xu Manxue looked up and met Lu Ran's encouraging gaze.

She took a deep breath and nodded: "Then... I'll give it a try."

As Xu Manxue stepped into the recording studio and put on her headphones, her hands were still trembling slightly.

But as the intro began, Xu Manxue's heart instantly calmed down.

She closed her eyes, as if she had returned to the practice room many years ago.

At that time, she was a young girl with musical dreams, believing that the future was bright.

"A vague dream seems to have occurred before, stirring up waves in my heart..."

When she spoke, Lu Ran and Chen Ke in the control room were both stunned.

Xu Manxue's voice is indeed no longer clear, and is even a little hoarse, but it is this hoarseness that gives her voice a unique texture.

Weathered and resilient, it seems to have endured hardships yet remained unyielding.

Moreover, Xu Manxue's Cantonese pronunciation is very standard, and her emotional investment is extremely deep; every sentence sounds like she is singing with her life.

When she sang "Shooting eagles and drawing bows, galloping across the frontier, laughing and never tiring of this life," an amazing power burst forth from her voice, a surge of dreams and passion suppressed for many years.

There were no flashy techniques or perfect tone, but the emotions that burst forth from the depths of the soul struck straight to the heart.

Director Chen Ke was stunned.

Lu Ran fell into deep thought.

Xu Manxue's version is completely different from Liu Siqi's. Liu Siqi's performance was perfect, while Xu Manxue's was a story told with her life.

However, Xu Manxue was ultimately held back by her own voice.

After the song ended, Xu Manxue was already in tears in the recording studio.

This was the first time she had sung in years, rekindling her hope for music in her dormant heart. However, she knew that her voice was not up to the task of performing this song.

She took off her headphones, wiped away her tears, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm sorry, I lost control."

Lu Ran pressed the call button: "You sang very well."

Xu Manxue shook her head: "My voice is ruined. This song needs to be sung by someone more suitable."

"No," Lu Ran said seriously, "your version has something that others don't."

Director Chen Ke nodded in agreement: "The emotions were spot on, but the voice acting was indeed... a bit of a pity."

Xu Manxue smiled, a smile tinged with bitterness: "I'm already very satisfied to have sung once. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."

She bowed, preparing to leave.

"Wait a minute," Lu Ran called out to her. "Manxue, have you ever thought that although your voice is damaged, it might become a unique feature?"

Hearing Xu Manxue's voice, Lu Ran suddenly felt a pang of emotion.

There was a lot of good music in my past life that didn't require such a high level of vocal skill. Perhaps I could let Xu Manxue try singing it.

Hearing Lu Ran say this, Xu Manxue was also a little confused: "Special features?"

"Yes." Lu Ran walked to the control panel and pulled up the audio from earlier. "Listen, your voice is hoarse, but it's very distinctive and full of story."

"This kind of voice, when singing certain types of songs, may be more captivating than a perfect voice."

When Xu Manxue listened to the song she had just sung, it seemed to be just as Lu Ran had said. Although her tone was average, it had a unique flavor.

The disappointment in Xu Manxue's eyes gradually gave way to a light.

"I..." She opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.

So what if you're special? Without the right musical talent, you still can't sing.

"Okay," Lu Ran said, "We'll reconsider who will sing the theme song for 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes.' But I have a song here that might suit your voice right now. Would you like to give it a try?"

Xu Manxue's eyes widened: "Really...really?"

"Hmm." Lu Ran nodded. "However, this song is completely different in style from 'Iron-Blooded Loyal Heart.' It's a more healing song. Your voice should have a special flavor when you sing it."

"I'm willing to give it a try!" Xu Manxue said without hesitation.

"Okay, I'll send you the song tomorrow." Lu Ran smiled. "Go back and rest today."

After Xu Manxue left, Director Chen Ke looked at Lu Ran and asked, "Are you really going to write a song for her?"

"Yes." Lu Ran nodded. "Her voice has great potential, it would be a shame to ruin it. Besides, this can be seen as making up for some of her regrets."

Director Chen Ke sighed: "You may look lazy, but you're actually soft-hearted than anyone else."

Lu Ran smiled but didn't reply.

Perhaps he's someone who can't stand seeing regrets, and besides, this song of his really doesn't have much difficulty to sing, and Xu Manxue's current vocal condition is more than enough.

That evening, Lu Ran returned home and turned on his computer.

A song came to mind—"Another Me in the World".

...