Trash

"Hiding from the demons

clawing at my weakness,

Running from the darkness

holding all my secrets

Walking past the flames

burning down my veins..."

With a piece of heartbreakingly slow music as background score, an agonised female voice sang the English words fluently.

The song was not bad but one could still sense the disorder between the music and the lyrics as if the music was not expressing those beautiful words. It felt like something was missing which could bring out the true depth of the lyrics.

"Wow...Senior Li, I had goosebumps on my hands. Trust me, everyone will be amazed after hearing your voice" Wei Li said rubbing her arms as if she had goosebumps on her skin.

"God...Senior Li has always been my favourite singer. I thought you would not sing anymore since you went abroad. But now you blessed my poor ears.." Lin Yu squealed like a fan girl.

After learning about Li Xiaoyi's presence there, Wei Li and Lin Yu, two actresses came from other filming sets to meet Li Xiaoyi.

"Wei Li and Lin Yu. Thank you. But, I'm really worried.." Li Xiaoyi said modestly but internally she was pleased to hear the compliments.

She started her career more than seven years ago and all her previous songs were melodies about confessions and broken relationships. Those heart-soothing songs she once sang could never match up to the edgy songs based on themes of life, pain, struggles and self-love.

Such songs were more often produced in Western countries. Some artists within the country who collaborated with foreign artists produced such songs but no female singer from the country released such a song in recent times.

Li Xiaoyi was worried because she had never released a song like this. She tried to contact many music producers to complete this piece. Moreover, it was her first complete English song since the beginning of her career eight years ago. She was afraid people who loved her wouldn't accept this work which greatly varied from her past songs.

But this one being in English, could be received globally. She had high hopes for this particular song as its success on an international front would multiply her glory and fame. She would also show her firm stance as a solo artist in a country where boy bands and girl groups were ruling the present-day music world. She's no longer young to rely on her looks to entice the public and needs good content to capture their hearts.

Wei Li and Lin Yu tried their best to flatter Li Xiaoyi until she finally walked away to take a phone call. Once Li Xiaoyi left the space, they both started fighting each other, more agitated than the other. Both wanted to be in a good relationship with Li Xiaoyi but were irritated with how the other person spoke to Li Xiaoyi and behaved like a pet dog wagging at its owner.

"You... do you even understand English?" Lin Yu scoffed looking at Wei Li.

"What about you? Do you know what those lyrics mean? You said your ears are blessed. What a joke?" Wei Li scoffed.

"At least, I learnt piano for ten years and had some knowledge about music unlike you"

"Oh...great. Someone with music knowledge will not squeal like an idiot after hearing such trash"

"If what you heard was trash, then why did you act like you had goosebumps?" 

"I had goosebumps because it sounded like trash. What? You've got some problem with that?!!"

Wei Li and Lin Yu both acted like crazy women and calmed down only when their respective assistants pulled them away from each other afraid they would get into a physical fight.

Would Li Xiaoyi cry to death if she knew how these women called her song trash? She might not cry but would die out of anger.

Wu Jinyan stood behind a wall and looked around like a sneaky cat to locate Li Xiaoyi but didn't find her anywhere. She breathed in relief assuming Li Xiaoyi was not in the studio anymore and walked forward.

Noticing the filming crew staff were looking for her, she approached one of the staff members who instantly questioned her "Are you Wu Jinyan? Where were you all this while?"

"I'm sorry. I got lost" Wu Jinyan apologized before hurrying towards the filming site.

With all the required personnel and artists gathered together, the director immediately explained the concept and asked for their cooperation to complete the filming within a limited time. 

The video would start with a woman tired of loneliness, breaking free from the chains she was tied with. Later she escapes from the darkness she was locking in and enters the free world to see the sunlight and colourful scenery. After leaving the darkness, the woman who came to feel the light wants to mingle with the public and enjoy all the goodness of being a free bird. She struggles to become friends with people around her who make fun of her and break her heart. She becomes a lone soul even in a land full of people. Broken inside out, she hates the dark-hearted people in the open light and returns to the same darkness she escaped.

Wu Jinyan was given appropriate directions on how to act for the music video.

Wu Jinyan was clothed in a muddy, torn dress and given makeup to display a pale complexion and haggard look resembling the woman who lost all her energy and radiance. Scar marks were added on her hands and feet to emphasise the pain and torment the woman suffered.

Once she had her makeup, Wu Jinyan came out to participate in the filming. She was ready in the position for the act but on hearing the English lyrics playing in the background that sounded way too familiar to her, she fell into a daze.