Chapter 6: Unprovoked Disaster

Hoshino Sakura's agent walked over and persuaded: "Sakura-san, look, Lin-kun has bought you a cup of coffee again and apologized to you so sincerely. Let's just let this matter go."

Hoshino Sakura waved her hand: "I'm not angry anymore, but I'm not in a good state right now, and I'm afraid it will affect my work. Let's wait until the afternoon to shoot the photo album. Everyone go play on the beach."

The agent stood up straight and looked at the photographer, knowing that this princess was still throwing a tantrum. But there was no way; she was one of the company's biggest cash cows now, and everything had to be done according to her wishes.

But they only had the right to use this beach for two hours. If it really dragged on until the afternoon, the beach manager and tourists would have opinions.

Just when the agent was extremely embarrassed, Miki walked over and said to the photographer: "Why don't you shoot for us first? Miss Izumi has been waiting for a long time."

As he spoke, Miki glanced into the distance at Luo Quan, who was squatting on the beach watching two crabs fight, his tone very cautious.

The photographer didn't make a sound, just looked at Hoshino Sakura's agent, then looked at Hoshino Sakura herself.

"Hmm? Are there other artists shooting photo albums today?" Hoshino Sakura sat up, curiously looking in the direction of Luo Quan, but it was too far away to see her face clearly.

Miki hurriedly nodded: "Yes, Miss Izumi just signed a contract with the company this morning and will release a record soon. It just so happened that I heard Sakura-san was shooting a photo album at the Seaside Park, so Director Ishimura asked me to bring Miss Izumi over.

Originally, we wanted to wait for you to finish before we shoot, but Sakura-san is not in a state now, so I thought..."

"Then let her come over, so that none of you will say I'm acting like a big shot and bullying a newcomer." Hoshino Sakura appeared very generous, without any intention of making things difficult for Luo Quan.

Miki was overjoyed when he heard this, immediately bowed and said thank you, then ran to the beach to call Luo Quan over. The group of photography staff were also in their respective positions, ready to start work.

However, just as Luo Quan walked to Hoshino Sakura's side, preparing to express her gratitude, an unexpected situation occurred.

"Whoever shoots for her today is going against me!" Hoshino Sakura pointed at Luo Quan, her face full of frost, her words filled with hostility and threats.

Luo Quan's expression was very bewildered. She remembered that she had never offended this big star.

"Sakura-san, didn't we agree just now? Why did you change your mind so quickly?" Miki was also caught off guard. Could it be that Hoshino Sakura didn't want to let Luo Quan use the photography team from the beginning?

"I changed my mind. You guys just can't shoot for her today. Try it if you don't believe me!" Hoshino Sakura didn't show any mercy, and after finishing her harsh words, she lay back on the beach chair and started to close her eyes to rest, leaving a large group of people standing in place, staring at each other.

The leader of the photography team looked at Miki and Luo Quan with a difficult face and said: "Why don't... let's just forget it today. Let Director Ishimura arrange for Miss Izumi to shoot tomorrow, okay?"

"Where is the logic in that? If you don't want to let me shoot, just say it directly. Why go around in circles to insult people?" Luo Quan felt a bit angry. Wasn't this just bullying a newcomer by relying on her high status and seniority?!

But in this society with very strict hierarchical relationships in Japan, if Hoshino Sakura was determined to make things difficult for Luo Quan, Luo Quan had no way to deal with it.

Moreover, Hoshino Sakura was a legitimate signed artist of Sony, while she only signed for one record. The status of the two was simply not comparable.

Looking at everyone's embarrassed expressions, Luo Quan knew that she had to eat this dumb loss today. Face was a small matter; if it affected the release of the record because of Hoshino Sakura, the loss would be huge.

Luo Quan was not someone who couldn't let go. Just as she was preparing to go home, the newcomer from the photography team who had caused the trouble just now carried a camera and walked over, saying: "I'll shoot for you."

Everyone widened their eyes in surprise, including Luo Quan herself, who never expected that this employee, who had just been bullied by Hoshino Sakura, would suddenly want to wade into this muddy water.

Hoshino Sakura stood up from the beach chair with a start, staring at this daring newcomer with an angry face: "Do you not want to continue working in the company? Do you believe I'll call Director Ishimura right now and have him fire you!"

"Whatever, anyway, I'm going to resign and return to my country after finishing this job." The newcomer left this sentence, turned, and walked towards the shooting venue. Luo Quan and Miki looked at each other and followed.

Hoshino Sakura stomped her feet in anger, grabbed the shirt on the table, draped it over herself, and left the beach angrily...

The newcomer placed the camera on the scaffolding and adjusted the focus. Luo Quan said from the side: "Actually, you didn't have to go against Hoshino Sakura for my sake. Now you've even lost your job."

The newcomer shook his head: "You must not blame yourself. I think Hoshino Sakura targeting you was entirely because of my mistake. She was just changing to someone else to vent her anger. I don't want to implicate innocent people because of my reasons.

Besides, I'm really tired of the atmosphere and rules here. If this place doesn't keep me, there's a place that will!"

Luo Quan nodded, curious: "By the way, you said you're going to return to your country anyway... You're not Japanese?"

"I'm Chinese."

"What a coincidence, I'm also Chinese!" Luo Quan said in Mandarin.

Lin Zheyuan suddenly raised his head, pleasantly surprised: "You're also Chinese?! I always thought you were American. I was wondering how an American doesn't speak English but speaks Japanese."

Luo Quan smiled: "My father is of English-Japanese descent, and my mother is Chinese. Originally, I should have looked more like an Asian, but I don't know where it went wrong, and I grew up to look like this."

"If your appearance is a mistake, then most girls wish they could make a mistake upon a mistake," Lin Zheyuan complimented subtly. "By the way, my name is Lin Zheyuan. 'Zhe' from 'Zhe Zhe Bao Shen' (to protect oneself), 'Yuan' from 'Ning Jing Zhi Yuan' (tranquility leads to far-reaching goals). I'm from Shanghai and currently studying at Shanghai University of the Arts. How about you?"

Why else would people who do art be different? Introducing his own name was so literary, with idioms one after another. Compared to that, Luo Quan's was simply too weak. She had truly suffered from a lack of culture. It seemed she would have to strengthen her learning in this area in the future.

"My name is Luo Quan. 'Luo' from the three-dot water radical, 'Quan' from 'Bai Kai Shui' (plain boiled water). I'm from Yuzhou and just got into the University of Tokyo this year."

Luo Quan felt embarrassed as she spoke. This introduction was too pale and powerless. She clearly wanted to be as eloquent as Lin Zheyuan, but when the words reached her lips, she couldn't say a single idiom. In the end, she still suffered from a lack of culture.

Lin Zheyuan was slightly surprised to hear that Luo Quan was studying at the University of Tokyo: "So it's a top student from the University of Tokyo. My respects, my respects."

Luo Quan said modestly: "Don't say that, it's just luck."

"What are you two talking about?" Miki pushed a four-wheeled cart full of women's clothing over. Seeing Luo Quan and Lin Zheyuan chatting happily, he asked curiously.

"Oh! Look at my head, I forgot to do the real work!" Lin Zheyuan hurriedly put his head back in front of the camera, continued to adjust the focus, and asked: "By the way, how are you planning to shoot this time? Is it a photo album or an MV?"

Miki immediately replied: "Director Ishimura said to shoot an album cover for the title song 'Lemon' of this mini-album, and also shoot a short video of walking on the beach as promotional material."

After adjusting the focus, Lin Zheyuan raised his head and asked: "What is the theme? By the way, can you let me listen to those three songs?"

"Because this is Miss Izumi's first time, the company intends to name this mini-album after her name, just call it 'Izumi'." Miki said while playing Luo Quan's songs on his phone.

"Since the mini-album is called 'Izumi,' why come to the seaside?" Lin Zheyuan had a face full of question marks.

Miki said awkwardly: "Isn't it because I heard you were on the beach, so we came over."

Lin Zheyuan didn't speak, just quietly listened to "Lemon" that Luo Quan was singing on the phone. After one song finished, another followed. After listening to all three songs in a row, he still seemed to have some unfinished business.

In the end, Lin Zheyuan sighed sincerely: "This is countless times better than that Hoshino Sakura's song!"

"Actually, I think so too." Miki covered his mouth with his hand and echoed in a low voice.

"Is it that good?" Luo Quan laughed.

"It's indeed very good. As long as it's released, it will definitely sell well!" Lin Zheyuan didn't spare any praise, then said: "The album cover can be shot here, but the promotional short video has to be shot elsewhere. Luo Quan, wait a moment, I'll go get you some props!" ===== CHAPTER 7 =====