Chapter 896: Recording the Song

"No need. I won't get nervous anymore. Just record it the same way as before!"

With a grim expression, Roy Seasonstar strode back into the recording booth.

What do you mean I "can't sing"? What do you mean by "condition isn't good"?

How could he allow himself to be grouped with those people? He was Roy Seasonstar —not some random nobody. He was a man who was meant to stand by her side. If he couldn't even conquer a single song, how could he face her?

Thus, when the next recording session began, the sound engineer—who had been bracing for another round of agony—was stunned to find that… they nailed it in one take.

"Absolutely perfect!" he declared in astonishment after listening to the playback.

But… how was that possible?

Just moments ago, Roy had been stumbling over every line, his voice tense as if someone was strangling him. Yet, after a brief conversation with the boss, he came back and performed flawlessly?

What the hell? Even performance-enhancing drugs wouldn't work this fast, and the guy hadn't even taken a sip of water.

Laila, too, was satisfied. She might not be an expert in vocal techniques, pitch, or rhythm, but she knew one thing—this song sounded good. It was polished, powerful, and absolutely presentable as a demo.

"Well done, Roy. You finally found your groove." She patted him on the shoulder as he stepped out of the booth.

Roy let out an awkward chuckle, his smile a little stiff.

His damn male pride wouldn't allow him to be labeled as incompetent!

Out of sheer defiance, he had somehow overcome his nerves and delivered his best performance yet.

But no way in hell was he going to admit that. Too embarrassing!

Unaware of the mental war Roy had just fought with himself, Laila immediately pulled out her phone and dialed the number that had been left for her.

The person on the other end seemed surprised at how quickly the song had been recorded. But that didn't stop him from showing up promptly to meet her.

As a staff member of the Chinese embassy, he had met plenty of Americans. To be honest, in this era, finding Americans who had a correct understanding of China—let alone a favorable impression—was rare.

This was precisely why Laila had been so warmly welcomed when she traveled to China.

Unlike those who only saw China as a market to exploit, Laila wasn't the type to cash in and run. Her investments in China spoke for themselves—she was there for the long haul.

When she chose to film The Lord of the Rings with scenic locations in China, using the film's global success to showcase China's breathtaking landscapes to the world, she won over many in the country's leadership.

This invitation for a song had originally been a test—a way to leverage Laila's international reputation to bring more visibility to the upcoming Olympics.

China had plenty of celebrities, but only a handful had solid footing on the global stage. If they wanted worldwide recognition for this Olympics, they needed collaboration with international figures.

Sure, they could afford to hire top stars, but they preferred working with someone who was not only influential but also genuinely friendly toward China.

After much deliberation, they settled on Laila.

At this point, nearly every major city in China—including smaller counties—had cinemas that she had invested in. These theaters not only contributed significant tax revenue to the country but also provided countless job opportunities. Most importantly, their state-of-the-art facilities encouraged more people to watch movies in theaters, boosting the domestic film industry in the process.

This was a mutually beneficial partnership—one that was both sustainable and healthy.

Back when China had first opened up, countless foreign investors had used it as an opportunity to extract profits and leave. That kind of partnership was no longer welcome. Laila, on the other hand, was the kind of long-term, trusted collaborator they valued.

There had been some regret when she had temporarily stepped away to serve as acting CEO, which prevented them from inviting her to create a promotional film for China. They firmly believed that if she had taken charge, the short film would have been even more spectacular.

So the moment they heard she was back, the Olympic committee acted fast, hoping to find a way to get her involved in the Games.

But the promotional film was already finished, and it had turned out well. There was no reason to redo it.

What other way could they bring her into the Olympics?

Someone from their team had an idea.

"Didn't that director also write several hit songs? Why don't we ask her to compose one?"

And that was how Laila received the invitation.

When the embassy received her recorded song, they wasted no time in sending it back to China.

And then… came the headache for the Olympic committee's music selection team.

Why?

Because Laila's song… was rock.

No one had expected her to submit a rock song for the Olympics. The selection team was completely thrown off.

Was the song good? Absolutely.

The lyrics were powerful and uplifting.

Was it catchy? Undeniably.

The melody was energetic, easy to remember, and impossible not to move along to.

But could rock music be used as an Olympic song?

"I don't see a problem with it," one person stated.

"Are you serious? This style is completely inappropriate for such a formal occasion!"

"You need to broaden your thinking. Why can't rock be serious? Just listen to the lyrics:

'I will give my strength to all of humanity.

Yes, I am ready—to remain undefeated.

I will never give up,

Because I choose to shine.

I will claim victory.'

What part of that isn't suitable?"

"But…"

"I agree. This is a fantastic song. We can't keep limiting ourselves to the past. Don't you think younger generations will resonate more with this style? This could actually draw more young people to the event."

"No way! The Olympics is a dignified event. How can we associate it with rock music?"

And just like that, the meeting descended into chaos.

Everyone was arguing, trying to sway the others to their side.

But the people in that room were all decision-makers—none of them were the type to back down easily. The result? A full-blown debate that got so loud, people from other offices came over just to watch the spectacle.

When it became clear that no one could convince anyone else, they decided to escalate the matter.

They gathered all relevant officials to vote on whether to approve the song.

But before the results even came in, a call from higher up interrupted them.

"Is it true that Director Moran's song has arrived?"

"Yes, we've received it."

"How is it? Is it usable?"

The person answering wiped a nervous sweat from his forehead.

"Uh… we haven't officially decided yet."