Fan Binbin's Test

In August in Beijing, at a villa in Ziyu Mountain Villa, Fan Binbin stared at her laptop screen. She had been staying here most of the time since returning to China.

On the screen, Sina Entertainment's special page is loading.

Faye Wong's English album debuts at number one on the US Billboard 200 album chart! First-week sales reach 470,000 copies!

Sohu's report, NetEase's special feature, Southern Metropolis Daily's commentary, People's Daily Overseas Edition's briefing... scrolling through them one by one, each one was saying the same thing: Faye Wong became the first Chinese female singer to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Fan Binbin scrolled down and saw a screenshot of a post on Tianya. Someone had compiled a table listing the number of songs Zheng Hui wrote for the three women, their appearances in music videos, and their album sales.

Her name is in the second column, and Faye Wong's name is in the third column.

Then she saw the translations of those American music critics.

"love letter."

"Muse".

"He found his muse."

"This isn't work, this is love."

Fan Binbin put down her computer, her eyes glazed over, lost in thought. What was she thinking? Her first reaction to the news and posts she had just read was surprise.

She wasn't surprised that Faye Wong won first place. Given her superstition about Zheng Hui, she felt that if Zheng Hui wanted to push someone up, he could definitely do it.

She was surprised by the music critics' wording.

Love letters, muses.

She had never thought about it that way before.

In Zheng Hui's mind, producing an album for Faye Wong has always been a purely commercial endeavor. Universal Music signed Faye Wong, and as Universal's core music producer, it's perfectly normal for Zheng Hui to write and produce songs for their star female artist.

But now, music critics all over the world are saying that this is more than just a job.

Fan Binbin sorted out the jumbled thoughts in her mind, and then she realized that she wasn't actually that panicked about Faye Wong joining the group.

the reason is simple.

Faye Wong is 34 years old this year. She has been married, had children, and divorced.

Fan Binbin, at twenty-two, was in the prime of her life, with outstanding looks, and was promoted by Zheng Hui.

She wasn't belittling Faye Wong; she acknowledged and genuinely admired Faye Wong's talent, voice, and status in the music industry. However, to say that Zheng Hui and Faye Wong had a lifelong, life-long relationship…

Fan Binbin didn't believe it.

And another thing is that Zheng Hui is too busy.

From the time they met in 1998 to every subsequent meeting, collaboration, and private interaction, she kept a mental record.

This ledger was something she had discussed privately with Gao Yuanyuan.

Yes, she has contact with Gao Yuanyuan.

They don't chat every day, and they're not exactly best friends, but they're both aware of each other's existence and occasionally have some conversations.

Based on the timelines of their respective interactions with Zheng Hui, she could confirm one thing: Zheng Hui and Faye Wong actually had very few opportunities to meet.

very few.

Zheng Hui is busy all year round, flying all over Hong Kong, the United States and Europe, plus filming, directing and promoting.

He doesn't have much time left to see Fan Binbin, as both Gao Yuanyuan and Fan Binbin are vying for the few spare moments he has.

What about Faye Wong? Faye Wong also has her own life. She's not the type to revolve around a man. Plus, given her status, she's very busy.

How many times a year can two people who are not good at making friends and are both busy with their own lives meet?

Therefore, she concluded that Zheng Hui was more of a soulmate to Faye Wong, someone he met only once in a long while.

A shared talent, a compatible spirit, and occasional exchanges when we meet.

Thinking about this, Fan Binbin felt much more at ease.

But then she thought of something else. Although she wasn't worried about Faye Wong, the problem was that she didn't know how many women Zheng Hui had.

She only knew herself, Gao Yuanyuan, and now Faye Wong had also surfaced. Three.

But is there a fourth? A fifth?

This is what truly makes her uneasy.

Zheng Hui is exceptionally talented, successful, and handsome, exuding a fatal attraction. He is never short of women around him.

From Ryoko Hirosue's public declaration of love to the countless blonde, blue-eyed glances he received at the Hollywood party, the temptations around him were endless. She needed confirmation.

But she also knew that she couldn't just come up and ask.

There are only two possible outcomes: either you push too hard and Zheng Hui gets upset, or you get a vague answer and feel even worse.

So she decided to try a different approach, using a little tantrum to gather information.

Let Zheng Hui know you're jealous, but don't cross the line. Maintain a good balance, so you can advance or retreat as needed.

This is what Fan Binbin excels at.

……

Around 9 p.m., Zheng Hui came out of the post-production room.

The rough draft of "Manchester by the Sea" has been sent to Venice and it has secured a nomination. He is currently just doing some post-production color grading.

When he entered the bedroom, Fan Binbin was already lying in bed.

Zheng Hui got into bed, lay down, and reached out to turn off the bedside lamp, leaving only a nightlight on. The light shone on the ceiling, making the whole room dim and gentle.

After a moment of silence, Fan Binbin turned over to face him, casually mentioning, "The internet's been really lively lately." "Hmm?"

"Don't you use the internet?"

"I've been busy with post-production lately, so I haven't had much time to watch it."

Fan Binbin nuzzled her head against his shoulder, trying to keep her tone casual: "Faye's English album is number one on Billboard."

"I know, Maurice called me."

"oh."

There was silence for a few more seconds.

Fan Binbin stared at the outline of his profile in the darkness, mentally organizing her thoughts before speaking in a more casual tone: "People online are talking about it fiercely. They're saying you and Sister Fei..."

She paused deliberately.

"...You and Sister Fei don't actually have something going on, do you?"

As soon as she said those words, her own heart skipped a beat.

In the darkness, she heard him say, "It's related." Three words, without hesitation or concealment.

Fan Binbin had actually anticipated this, but expectations are one thing, and hearing it with your own ears is another.

She didn't say anything, but simply withdrew her hand and placed it in front of her chest, no longer leaning towards him.

Zheng Hui sensed her slight retreat in the darkness. He turned to the side, reached out a hand, and grasped her fingers.

"We've known each other for a long time."

His voice came through, sounding like he was explaining to her, but not like he was defending her; it was more like he was stating a fact.

"I met you all in '98 or '99, and I haven't bothered with anyone else since."

These words put Fan Binbin at ease.

She met Zheng Hui in 98, shortly after her debut. Gao Yuanyuan met him around the same time. Faye Wong…in 99? At that time, Faye Wong was still with EMI Records, and her marriage to Dou Wei had just ended.

In other words, all the relationships point to the same period, the time when he first debuted and was at the peak of his career, and since then, there have been no new ones.

There was no fourth one, and in some ways, the answer was cleaner than she had imagined.

She had witnessed the behavior of the big shots in the industry. Some of them changed women more often than clothes. She could name seven or eight of them, and there were many more without names. Zheng Hui gave her a definite boundary: three people, whom she met in 98 and 99, and the door closed after that.

The discomfort was still there, but the vague sense of anxiety had subsided considerably.

Fan Binbin finally turned her hand over and grasped his hand in return: "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Her voice carried a hint of displeasure, but that displeasure had transformed from genuine distress into a mixture of coquettish grievance.

"There wasn't a suitable opportunity before."

"What do you mean there wasn't a suitable time? You just don't want to say it."

"Well, not wanting to talk about it is one reason."

Fan Binbin playfully punched his chest, the force was light, more like a playful gesture.

"Does Sister Fei know about me and Yuanyuan?"

"Know."

"She doesn't care?"

"She is Faye Wong." These four words are the answer.

Fan Binbin paused for a moment, then laughed.

Yes, she is Faye Wong.

That most unconventional woman in the entire Chinese music scene—if she cared about this kind of thing, she wouldn't be Faye Wong.

Fan Binbin said, "Fine, I can't beat her anyway, she's a superstar."

"You're a superstar now."

"That's different," Fan Binbin snorted. "I'm the queen you made, while she's a queen she earned herself. There's a huge difference."

Zheng Hui glanced down at her but didn't respond.

Fan Binbin silently processed the situation for a few seconds, confirming that he had controlled his emotions, expressed his jealousy, and used just the right amount of coquettishness. Asking any further questions would be going too far.

She changed the subject: "But seriously, being number one on Billboard is really impressive."

Her tone revealed genuine admiration; putting aside personal feelings, she acknowledged Faye Wong's achievements.

For a Chinese female singer to debut her first English album at number one on the Billboard 200 is a groundbreaking achievement in the history of Asian music. Before Faye Wong, only Zheng Hui had accomplished this feat.

Fan Binbin said, "I saw that the People's Daily reported on it, and CCTV also did a special feature on it. The results are amazing."

"Um."

Fan Binbin rolled over and lay on top of him, her bright eyes staring straight at him: "Then... can you make an English album for me sometime?"

Zheng Hui looked at her and said, "You were waiting for me here."

Fan Binbin nodded: "Yes."

Zheng Hui said, "I actually had plans for your English album a long time ago."

Fan Binbin sat up abruptly: "Really?"

She hadn't expected this answer. She had thought she would have to put in some effort and time to hint at it and try to win it over, but Zheng Hui told her that it was already on the agenda.

"Initially, I planned to arrange songs that weren't too difficult for you."

Zheng Hui said, "Although your singing skills have improved a lot since your debut, they are still a long way from the true mainstream pop standards of Europe and America."

So the planned approach was a style with smooth melodies, regular rhythms, and a moderate vocal range, to help you establish yourself first.” Fan Binbin listened attentively and nodded.

"But... the singing skills you showed me the other day really surprised me."

He looked at her and said, "Your breath control is steady, your resonance is there, and your vocal break is smoother than I expected. All those years of vocal lessons you've taken really paid off."

Fan Binbin's eyes lit up even more from the compliments, and the corners of his mouth couldn't be hidden from turning upwards.

Zheng Hui said, "So I'm considering giving you a different direction. Instead of the light and sweet pop route, let's go for some powerful and catchy songs."

"What good songs?"

"What do audiences in the European and American markets prefer? A loud voice, a deep and penetrating voice."

Zheng Hui said, "Wang Fei takes an ethereal approach; that's her talent, unique, and no one can imitate it. But you don't need to follow her path."

"Then which way should I take?"

"Your voice is characterized by a textured mid-to-low range and a bright high range."

If you can further develop your chest resonance, you're fully capable of singing long, emotional ballads that start softly and go all out in the chorus. These kinds of songs will always have an audience in the Western market.

Fan Binbin carefully considered his words and then asked, "What specific style of song is it?" Zheng Hui sat up, leaned against the headboard, cleared his throat, and hummed a couple of lines from an Adele song.

The piano prelude sketched a vague melodic outline in his humming, and then the vocals entered.

"Never mind, I'll find someone like you..."

Don't worry! I will find someone just like you.

The opening "Never mind" is sung softly, as if the singer is speaking.

But when it came to the last note of "someone like you," the melody suddenly rose to a small climax, and the thickness of the sound and the intensity of the emotion instantly doubled.

Fan Binbin instinctively tried to keep up with the pitch in his mind and found that without sufficient chest support, his voice would easily drift off during the chorus.

She replied, "This kind of song... does require a relatively deep breath."

Zheng Hui said, "So you need to increase your training. The vocal teacher you found should arrange more chest resonance courses for you, focusing on the fullness of the low and middle registers and the explosiveness of the high register."

The power of this kind of song lies in its gradual build-up of emotion, culminating in a powerful release in the chorus, where the vocals surge like a tidal wave. Your current foundation is sufficient, but you still need to refine it.

Fan Binbin nodded solemnly: "I've got it."

Then she couldn't help but ask, "So what song were you originally planning to give me?" Zheng Hui replied, "The original one? A sweet pop song with a smooth melody, catchy tune, a strong storyline, and not too demanding on singing skills."

He hummed a couple of lines casually, the light rhythm and regular melody sounding like a girl telling a romantic fairy tale.

"We were both young when I first saw you..."

When I first met you, we were both very young...

This is Taylor Swift's "Love Story." It's sweet and smooth, with a steady melody without any abrupt leaps in pitch or any sections that need to be explosive.

It is indeed the kind of pop song that has a moderate vocal range and can be handled by singers with average singing skills.

Fan Binbin sang a couple of lines silently in her mind and found it to be quite easy; with her current skill level, singing it was effortless.

"I can sing this kind of song anytime now," she said.

"That's why I said you've improved. If you were still at the level of 'Ruo Meng' two years ago, I would only dare to arrange songs at this level for you. Otherwise, you would have shown your weakness as soon as you opened your mouth in the American market, which would have been a bad thing."

Fan Binbin thought for a moment, then moved closer to him: "Then... how about releasing this lighthearted album for me now?"

Her voice carried a deliberate sweetness: "I can sing this right now. Let's release a base album first, and then the one with the big voice."

As she spoke, she found herself sitting on him, her legs draped naturally over his shoulders. Her skin pressed against his, her hands on his shoulders, her bright eyes looking down at him: "Is it okay?"

Accompanied by some flirtatious gestures.

Zheng Hui reached out and flicked her forehead: "Greedy."

Fan Binbin shrank his neck, pouted but smiled: "If I'm a greedy person, then you're the boss of a greedy person. The boss has to satisfy the reasonable demands of his employees."