Huayu: Traffic is king

Chapter 208 The inspiration for the new song came from my girlfriend.

"Now let's give Gu Jingyi a big round of applause and cheers!"

The moment Teacher He announced that name, the entire venue fell silent, as if a mute button had been pressed. Then, even louder screams and applause erupted, the sound almost lifting the entire venue!
"Gu Jingyi!!!"

"Ahhh, honey, waaaaah!"

"Mommy, I'm so happy again!"

The platform slowly rose, and Gu Jingyi walked onto the stage.

From his perspective, all the black and gold light signs bearing the name "Gu Jingyi" looked like sparks being lit.

Before anyone knew it, it had become a sea of ​​fans, and the sheer number of fans and the sheer scale of the event amazed all the viewers.

Although they already knew Gu Jingyi was extremely popular, the audience watching on television were still amazed when the director cut to close-up shots of his fans. The sea of ​​black and gold, along with the cheers of fans holding up light boards and shouting his name at such a loud volume that the unspoken messages were clearly audible, still stunned them.

Meanwhile, Hunan TV's real-time data monitoring also showed a sudden surge in online viewership when Gu Jingyi took the stage. The viewership for this segment broke its peak, setting a new record for the year.

However, no one was surprised; this was Gu Jingyi's basic level.

Ultimately, viewership ratings are just a reflection of a celebrity's popularity.

Gu Jingyi is the current "answer," and many fans who weren't interested in the New Year's Eve gala all flocked to the event after receiving a notification from a major fan in their group chat. They tuned in precisely on time to watch their idol's performance.

When the actresses watching the show saw that sea of ​​black and gold on the television screen, they all felt a sense of pride.

Gu Jingyi stood in the center of the stage, a faint smile playing on his lips as he looked at the fans' light sticks.

The butterflies on the blue coat were lifelike, poised to take flight in the light. Gu Jingyi's hairstyle today was not elaborately styled; a few wisps of hair brushed against his smooth, full forehead, revealing his deep, unfathomable eyes.

He seemed like a noble young master who had stepped out of a traditional Chinese ink painting, with a sense of detachment and tranquility in his eyes.

As the prelude to "Undyed" began, Gu Jingyi nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the sea of ​​black and gold that was boiling over for him. It was just a simple gesture, yet it sent the fans' screams soaring to new heights, as if they had been inspired!
Countless cameras were scattered across different positions, precisely capturing his every subtle expression and movement.

"The next song is 'Undyed'."

Gu Jingyi's voice came through the microphone, deep and magnetic. It carried a strange, calming power, gradually quieting the noisy scene until only countless expectant breaths could be heard.

"It sings of the clarity that comes after the fading of glamour, of the unregretful spirit after experiencing vicissitudes, and of the desire to wash away the dust and grime and revel in the joy of life."

As the words fell, the accompaniment began its final note.

Gu Jingyi picked up the microphone and calmly sang the first line of lyrics:
"I didn't want to get involved in right and wrong, but things didn't go as planned."

His voice was clear and cold like a spring, and the moment it flowed through the microphone, it struck the hearts of all the listeners.

"The flowers in my heart have withered, and time has gone by and will never return."

The musical notes were like drops falling into a silent, cold pool, rippling outwards and reaching everyone's ears.

The stage had no dazzling lights, only a gentle spotlight that enveloped Gu Jingyi. He stood on a stage made of dry ice, with a thin mist flowing and swirling on the ground, like a fairyland of clouds.

Under the spotlight and the mist, Gu Jingyi's profile was so perfect it seemed otherworldly.

His eyelids were slightly lowered, and his long eyelashes cast a small shadow beneath his eyes. He sang with focused and devout expression, perfectly embodying the mood of "Undyed," a song that washes away superficiality and dust.

"I wish we could share another pot of wine and talk about a lifetime of blissful intoxication..."

When he reached the most emotional part of the song, Gu Jingyi slightly raised his eyes and looked into the distant void. His gaze was deep, and carried a faint sigh of having witnessed the passage of time.

When the camera captured this close-up of his gaze and projected it onto the big screen, countless female viewers in front of their televisions clutched their hearts and screamed.

This kind of pure innocence after experiencing so much hardship is truly heartbreaking!

Gu Jingyi's singing continued, and as the chorus rose again, his emotions progressed layer by layer.

"A pot of clear wine, a body covered in dust. A single thought, and I'll live the rest of my life without regrets..."

As the song reached its final chorus, his voice changed key again. From the initial sense of having experienced many hardships, it transitioned to a feeling of relief and clarity after everything had settled down.

The dry ice on the stage slowly faded away, finally settling on that figure standing proudly like a green bamboo.

As the last note faded from his lips, its lingering resonance remained in everyone's heart.

silence,

A deathly silence fell over the scene!

A good stage always immerses people in the music and allows them to become captivated by its atmosphere.

After a few seconds,

"Ah ah ah ah ah--!!!"

The screams and applause erupted like a tsunami! It was even more enthusiastic and longer-lasting than at the beginning!
The black and gold starry sky surged wildly, and screams nearly lifted the entire venue. Countless audience members were moved to tears, waving their glow sticks and shouting his name with all their might.

"Gu Jingyi! Gu Jingyi! Gu Jingyi!"

The live stream was completely flooded with comments:

[A deity has descended to earth! Can I watch this for free?!]

[Oh, the Moon Immortal! Gu Shen's modern Robert Wun haute couture outfit is clearly unsuitable for traditional Chinese songs. But when he just held the microphone, gazing affectionately at the stage, and started singing, everything illogical became logical. He has this ability to turn disadvantages into advantages!!]

My heart is racing! This is too much! I'm dizzy!

Gu Jingyi once again proved his unparalleled talent and god-like status on the stage of a top-tier idol! All those derogatory nicknames like "Emperor" were simply part of his inevitable path to becoming the next Huang Shanghuang.

[“Wash away the superficiality, dust off the dust…” When he sang this line, tears immediately welled up in my eyes! He sings so well, and Gu Jingyi wrote this song so beautifully!]

[This is the opening theme song for "Ashes of Love" starring Gu Jingyi, called "Undyed". Those who are curious can wait for Jingyi's phoenix to appear! It's scheduled to premiere on February 19th!]

[That look! That charisma! That singing ability! The strongest of the new generation! Without a doubt!]

[Gu Jingyi's fans, you guys are really eating too well! From now on, I finally have a face to look at the male protagonists in Green River fantasy novels!]

You can always trust Gu Jingyi! He never wastes his talent. While his peers are making quick money on various variety shows after gaining some fame, only Gu Jingyi will hire renowned professors for private lessons.

In the center of the stage, Gu Jingyi waved gently amidst the deafening roar.

The melodious prelude to the next song began, and Gu Jingyi slowly raised the microphone. His deep voice rang out again, "My hometown, thousands of miles away. My loved ones, bring me together in joy."

"Things have changed, people have changed, that's true; things may change, but it doesn't matter."

"You gift me brocade robes, I will inscribe them on a monument, to be praised for eternity."

The first verse, a sigh and a call emanating from the depths of Gu Jingyi's chest, carries a heavy weight of longing, striking precisely at the heart of every listener.

The second verse begins with the lyrics still being repeated. However, Gu Jingyi's voice suddenly changes, becoming more open and expansive.

Hunan TV's top-notch stage lighting was also activated, the lights flowing with the melody. Behind Gu Jingyi, flowing silhouettes of mountains and rivers were projected, as if slowly unfolding a magnificent scroll of the Chinese land behind him.

"Things have changed, people have changed, things are changing... but it doesn't matter..."

"Eternal praise..."

The song's tempo quickened, and Gu Jingyi's tone became more composed and fearless.

Gu Jingyi stood in the center of the stage, and the vast grassland scenery and cattle and sheep behind him made him feel relaxed at first glance.

After the interlude, the melody repeats, but the emotions build up layer by layer once again.

"My hometown, thousands of miles away..."

"My dear family, wait for our joyful reunion..."

This time, it was no longer a lonely call. Incorporating ethnic drum music, it made those who were away from home yearn to return.

This song blends Uyghur folk style, South American style, and Gospel music, and it even sounds like the animals in the Disney movie "The Lion King" walking through the jungle.

At some point, all the glow sticks in the venue began to sway rhythmically from side to side.

Many viewers had tears in their eyes and hummed along softly with Gu Jingyi.

When he sang the third repetition of "My hometown, thousands of miles away," the musical style suddenly changed!
The deep, powerful electronic drumbeats exploded like thunder, followed instantly by a rapid bass line.

The stage lights changed again, and Gu Jingyi, whose eyelids had been slightly lowered, suddenly lifted them. His eyes were sharp as lightning as he looked at the camera, tilting his head back.

"Fallen to the mortal realm—"

A clear, high-pitched voice ripped through the sky, piercing the hearts of the audience like thunder and lightning.

"I've seen all the open and hidden attacks, but I haven't blinked!"

The rhythm picked up again, and Gu Jingyi's enunciation was clear, but his expression carried an air of arrogance and disdain.

At the same time, the special effects that had been prepared beforehand cracked open on the stage screen. Several flames burst forth, just like all the rumors and gossip that had plagued Gu Jingyi along the way, and the rhythm lightsabers brought by his rivals, all clashing and trying to devour him.

Gu Jingyi stood atop the flames, his gaze disdainful. He leaped up with a pre-planned, sweeping gait, his steps shattering the flames one by one.

"I didn't learn to perceive until illusions and mountains overlapped before I started along the winding coastline."

"Face the peaks and abysses with an open heart!"

He sang this line with unwavering determination and candor. Like an inner monologue reflecting his journey, his voice carried a powerful inner strength.

The brief pause was to allow for better reflection, and then a highly exotic and captivating melody began to play:

"Oyna oyna oyn, Oyna oyna oyn..." (Uyghur: Dance to your heart's content)

Gu Jingyi's performance style also changed once again, incorporating Uyghur ethnic dance elements. With this catchy and vibrant rhythm, a dance full of power and freedom began once more.

Every turn and every movement he made was precisely timed, brimming with primal wildness and vibrant vitality.

He turned a song into a performance that could be staged on the Spring Festival Gala at any time.

"Oyna! Oyna! Oyn—!" (Uyghur: Dance freely)

The enthusiasm of tens of thousands of spectators below the stage had already been ignited, and they shouted along with him with abandon. Uyghur, with its various emphases, came from all directions.

The enormous roar almost lifted the stadium, and everyone was filled with a sense of pride.

Below the stage, to the rear side.

Watching several Uyghur young men in the station sing along with tears in their eyes, Wang Han couldn't help but turn to Teacher He and say, "This kid is amazing. Look at those guys in the station. Their ability to evoke emotions is incredible. It's a shame they're not on 'I Am a Singer'."

Teacher He shook his head, "He can't possibly go on. Singers these days are different from those of the past. They've changed; they're no longer focused on the stage."

As the two main performers chatted, another large-scale Uyghur chorus broke out: "Oyna oyna oyn, Oyna oyna oyn..."

The song ended there, and the stage backdrop transformed into a warm scene of countless lights shining in homes. Gu Jingyi opened his arms, as if to embrace the vast landscape, and all his waiting family and fans.

This stage is simply a work of art. On the real-time data monitoring screen backstage at Hunan TV, the viewership curve representing Gu Jingyi's performance timeline climbed to its highest point of the year from the moment he appeared on stage.
But when Gu Jingyi sang "Thousands of Miles," the ratings soared like a rocket, completely breaking the record for the highest ratings ever for a celebrity appearance on Hunan TV, firmly securing the top spot with a precipitous lead.

Thousands of miles away, my heart longs for home; tonight I cannot sleep.

Teacher He and Wang Han stood on the stage again and began a short interview with Gu Jingyi.

According to the rehearsal's planned trajectory, his third song must end at 23:58.

After the performance, all the guests will come up on stage together. Together, they will ring in the New Year with the annual countdown from Hunan TV hosts.

However, it was too difficult to implement in practice, so a game and a preparation stage were added in the middle.

This was both to better time the game and to maximize the value of Gu Jingyi, who was the most popular player in the entire evening.

As long as he's still standing there, the audience who came specifically for him won't change the channel.

The production team can take this opportunity to add more product placements and make a fortune.

"Welcome back, our old friend, Jingyi."

Teacher He stepped forward with a smile, showing off their close relationship in a friendly manner. In reality, Gu Jingyi had only appeared on "Happy Camp" twice and had eaten with the "Happy Camp" family once in private.

Perhaps it's because Gu Jingyi participated in an episode of "Mushroom House" and shared joys and sorrows with Teacher He.

That's what made Teacher He feel closer to Gu Jingyi, and he showed off in front of the audience.

"Hello, Teacher He. It's been a long time. It's nice to see you again."

Gu Jingyi also had a smile on his face; he certainly wouldn't let his guard down in this situation.

"Jingyi, is this your first time performing at our New Year's Eve concert?"

Wang Han stood next to him and said, "I'm going to test you. How many years has Hunan TV's New Year's Eve Gala been held?"

As expected, Wang Han's voice was full of fatherly slang from the moment he opened his mouth.

However, Gu Jingyi actually knew the answer to this question. After easily giving the answer, he started the somewhat awkward game segment.

Then, Teacher He asked him what inspired the recurring Uyghur phrase in the song "Thousands of Miles".

"When I saw the Xijiang ethnic dance, I was so moved by its warm and generous atmosphere that I wanted to join in."

Gu Jingyi spoke without batting an eye in front of the camera.

"Wow, Jingyi, your inspiration is truly off the charts."

Teacher He smiled and praised, "He is indeed a talented man. Most of us would just think it looks good. Even if we wanted to write a song for it, we wouldn't be able to come up with anything."

"As expected of a rising star, his talent is truly remarkable."

Teacher He gave a thumbs up, his tone full of admiration for Gu Jingyi.

As everyone knows, Teacher He can easily get carried away when praising someone.

For specifics, just look at one of the chefs.

Gu Jingyi blushed at his words. How could he possibly write something just by watching a folk dance?

Artists draw inspiration from life, and the inspiration for this song came from Dilraba.

After the Bazaar Charity Night, I had a date with teacher Dilraba in the car.

He sensed the pressure that Teacher Reba was under after the "water scandal," as well as her longing for her hometown, which was thousands of miles away.

This led to the initial draft of the song's lyrics, with the finishing touch being the Uyghur phrase "Oyna! Oyna! Oyn—".

Actually, the initial inspiration came from the Uyghur tune that Dilraba hummed when she was being intimate with him.

He asked Teacher Reba what it meant.

Teacher Reba said it was a shepherdess cursing a wolf who stole sheep...

Anyone who believes that is truly a fool.
So Gu Jingyi simply chose the Uyghur phrase "Let's dance together" to fill in the lyrics, and he, Teacher Reba, and the nanny car danced with great enthusiasm that day.

Of course we should commemorate this properly, just like our idol Taylor Swift, we should write a song to deeply remember this relationship.

……

Meanwhile, the hotel rooms where the "The Long Ballad" crew was staying

The air conditioner hanging on the wall emitted a monotonous hum, trying to dispel the chill of the winter night. But it only made the dry air feel more scorching. Dilraba curled up on the overly large and seemingly empty bed in the hotel room.

She was still wearing a large men's cashmere sweater—something Gu Jingyi had deliberately left behind last time.

He said he didn't know when they would meet again, so he left his clothes for her to remember the scent.

Dilraba was a little shy at the time, but now she thinks Gu Jingyi's idea was incredibly prescient!
She buried her head in Gu Jingyi's cashmere sweater, which still carried a faint, almost undetectable scent of cedar.

Dilraba sniffed, inhaling deeply with longing.

The main lights in the room weren't on; only a warm yellow reading lamp by the bedside cast a small, dim glow.

It just so happened to illuminate the phone she was holding, and the screen showed Gu Jingyi's stage at Hunan TV's New Year's Eve concert.

His fans had already recorded the two songs Gu Jingyi performed on stage in 4K and posted them on the super topic.

Meanwhile, the progress bar on Dilraba's phone was precisely stopped at the part where Gu Jingyi was dancing a folk dance, and her finger unconsciously traced the falling flames on the screen.

The slightly cool touch came through the glass, but her heart was burning with passion.

She had already seen the stage performance of "Thousands of Miles," and listening to this song inexplicably reminded her of the car date that ended at Bazaar that night.

Gu Jingyi felt the warmth of his fingertips as he brushed the fried chicken crumbs from the corner of her lips.

And... the cool clasp of that multi-million dollar Mimoto necklace, when it pressed against his palm, sent a tiny shiver down her spine.

Dilraba couldn't resist pressing the play button again.
Watching Gu Jingyi dancing under the dazzling lights in the center of the stage.

Unlike his usual aloofness, he exuded the warmth and vitality of a Uyghur youth.

Dilraba's heart pounded wildly again in the quiet room.

She rewound the progress bar again and returned to the starting point.

The prelude of strings, accompanied by the sound of a vast, desolate wind, rises up, melodious and expansive.

"My hometown, thousands of miles away..."

Gu Jingyi's slightly husky, deep voice came through the phone's speaker. Unadorned, it struck precisely at the softest spot in Dilraba's heart.

She subconsciously held her breath, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the cuffs of her cashmere sweater.

These lyrics...

This melody...

It's too easy to let your imagination run wild.

A vague yet overwhelming premonition gripped her; she had a feeling that this song was specially sung to her by Gu Jingyi.

Her thoughts were racing, as if she had returned to that day.

In the car after Bazaar, the city lights rushed past the window. Inside, the aroma of fried chicken mingled with the comforting scent of my boyfriend, giving me an unprecedented sense of security.

She lowered her guard and poured out her long-suppressed weariness and fear to Gu Jingyi.

These pressures are about the dirty water from the "water queen," about the bottleneck in his career, and about his hometown, which he hasn't returned to for three years and is thousands of miles away.

This was a rare instance of her losing control of her emotions, but Gu Jingyi simply gently wiped the crumbs from the corner of her lips with his fingertip and asked her if she missed home.

They also told her, "Don't be sad, your family and friends thousands of miles away are concerned about you."

The phone's speaker continued, "Things remain the same, people are the same, things change...it doesn't matter..."

Gu Jingyi's voice suddenly became firm and open-minded, and Dilraba looked at that figure with her beautiful eyes sparkling.

She couldn't help but gently trace his tall, handsome figure on the screen with her fingertips, lost in her fantasies.

"The clouds are surging and the wind is blowing, it doesn't matter." Was this the sentence Gu Jingyi didn't finish saying to her that day?

"You gift me brocade robes, I will inscribe them on a monument, to be praised for eternity."

When Gu Jingyi sang the word "brocade robe," he gently brushed his long fingers across his clothes. The gesture was so tender and respectful that Dilraba's heart skipped a beat.

Her back suddenly tensed; the sensation of Gu Jingyi's fingertips brushing against her that day was still there.

“Oyna oyna oyn” (Uyghur: Let’s dance together)

Gu Jingyi's voice rose at the end, his expression long and devout.

Dilraba's face turned bright red. Of course, she could tell that Gu Jingyi was teasing her about the broken "folk song" she was humming.

It's not actually a story of a shepherdess and a wolf at all; it's more like a romantic poem: "Young man, don't worry, I'll only spend my life holding your red sleeves."

But Gu Jingyi used it in such a grand chorus, and it was sung by tens of thousands of people.

They were all humming the old nursery rhyme that she had sung with tears in her eyes in the dim back seat of the van.

Dilraba's ear tips were so red they looked like they were about to bleed, yet she also had a secret joy in them.

If one day, a guy writes about you in a song and then sings it in front of a huge audience, what woman could resist such ultimate romance?
Dilraba clearly remembers the sensation inside the van, the chain snapping, and her dress slipping off her shoulder. Lost in the chaos and heat, she was then lifted up by his burning palms.

She fell, then rose again.

Even the little tune she hummed with tears in her eyes, Gu Jingyi could tell that she was seeking solace from her distant homeland amidst immense pressure and insecurity.

And it was turned into a song.

On New Year's Eve 2018, the most secret and grandest confession in "Thousands of Miles" was truly carried by the wind to thousands of miles away.

Watching him look down on "open and covert attacks", watching him "openly face the peaks and abysses".

Watching him dance so passionately and freely to the rhythm of "Oyna oyna oyn," Dilraba's heart raced again.

As the last lyric resonated warmly against the backdrop of countless lights, the song came to an end.

A tear fell onto the phone screen, blurring the light into a patch of light.

Dilraba was already in tears; the only sounds in the quiet room were the music playing from outside and her suppressed, soft sobs.

The overwhelming loneliness of being all alone and the ecstatic joy of being understood tore at her apart, and Dilraba wanted to call him immediately.

I wanted to question him: how dare he? How dare he incorporate such private fragments of chaos and tenderness from their backseat into a high-quality song that was destined to be widely sung?

She wanted to yell at him for being crazy, but she also wanted to hold him tightly.

He's a madman, yet a romantic madman...

The trending topics on Weibo have long been dominated by Gu Jingyi's stage, with #GuJingyiThousandsOfMiles# followed by the wildly popular word "boiling".

Clicking into the plaza, everyone is praising the stage's spectacular performance and Gu Jingyi's exceptional lyric writing skills.

After finishing the 2016 college entrance exam, I vowed never to stay in Xijiang. I was determined to get into a better place, far away from my parents' control and the impoverished land where I had lived for over a decade. When I received my acceptance letter, I left Xijiang as I had hoped and came to Changsha, 3500km away. But I always told everyone I met how wonderful Xijiang was. It wasn't until I heard Gu Jingyi's song "Ten Thousand Miles" on a plane in my dorm, thinking of the ever-receding Tianshan Mountains, that I truly understood the meaning of home.
[The immersion is so strong, it feels like I'm already grazing on the grasslands of Xijiang.]
[I jumped right off the sofa when they started singing "My Hometown" [crying emoji], Hunan TV's New Year's Eve gala was a huge success this year!]
[This feels like a Disney animated film; it's like watching The Lion King.]
[I've always felt that the most remarkable aspect of this song isn't the rap part, but rather its rhythm. The rhythm is a pure, authentic ethnic beat, which stands out in a current Chinese music market dominated by soothing love songs (I feel most Chinese works emphasize melody, this one is a rare exception in highlighting rhythm). The drumbeats supporting the melody blend with electronic synthesizers, and even incorporate ethnic drumming (can someone explain what kind of drums these are?)]
Dilraba ignored all these comments, feeling honored by them.

Soon, a comment broke her down.

[I'm from Xijiang, and Gu Jingyi is my husband. What's the difference between him singing this song and confessing his love to me in front of the entire nation? I'm absolutely in love with him, this man is truly...]
This fan wrote a long post; you need to click to see the full reply.

Dilraba couldn't bear to watch any longer; after all, this was her husband!

However, she was right about one thing: she was absolutely smitten with Gu Jingyi.

Dilraba hovered her finger over Gu Jingyi's chat box, making edits and deletions.

I typed out a long paragraph, then deleted it all.

Finally, only the simplest yet most complex voice message was sent.

That was that night in the car, when Gu Jingyi kept asking her how to say "thousands of miles".

After a moment of stunned silence, she looked at the hazy lights outside the window and found the answer.

After sending the message successfully, Dilraba turned off her phone.

Although there are still ten minutes until January 1, 2019, she doesn't care what good stage Hunan TV will have today.

Because the best stage for tonight has already appeared.

(End of this chapter)