Have you ever been a celebrity? Why are you writing about entertainment?

Chapter 314 Forty Years Have Passed

"Isn't this a bit too frivolous...?"

Liao Ling was speechless upon hearing this. She hadn't expected that Senior Ye would make such a joke with her. How could such an important matter as the Spring Festival Gala be decided by her personal preferences?
She thinks the song is good and gives it a chance, but if she doesn't like it, she should reject Yu Wei outright. That's absurd. She's just worried that Yu Wei will have too much screen time at the gala, and she doesn't mean to target anyone.

On the contrary, Liao Ling knew very well how amazing Yu Wei was, and even felt that she would most likely like the song.

"I can't speak for anyone, senior."

Upon hearing this, Ye Shengyu couldn't help but think more highly of her; what a rational girl.

If she were genuinely trying to exclude Yu Wei's team, she could have simply pretended to agree and, after listening to the song, shook her head to indicate her disapproval, regardless of whether it was good or bad.

Music appreciation is a very subjective matter, and Ye Shengyu will have nothing to say about it at that time.

But she refused outright, which shows that she really didn't mean to exclude Yu Wei and the others; she was just putting her own ideas into practice.

“It is indeed a bit frivolous to decide the number of participants based on a single song.” Director Xu Zhen broke the ice by explaining, “But by using this song as a reference, we can probably see more clearly.”

Without waiting for anyone to say anything, he took out his phone and went to Yu Wei's competition video account, where the new song "A Thousand Miles Away" had just been updated.

"Xiaoling always felt that Yu Wei was plotting something, and it might be related to this song. Why don't we listen to it first?"

Young people are ambitious, especially young people like Liao Ling who have just joined the Spring Festival Gala creative team; they always have a sense of responsibility.

This is both a good thing and a bad thing. She takes the Spring Festival Gala too seriously, which is why she thinks so much. In the end, isn't the Spring Festival Gala just something for the audience to watch?

While making decisions, they also need to learn to see things from the audience's perspective. Now, Yu Wei's song has given them an opportunity to be an audience member.

The people in the meeting room had no objections. Deciding the whole plan on a single song was indeed a bit frivolous, but it could still be taken as a reference.

Liao Ling's gaze also fell on the phone screen in the center of the conference table. She wondered if Director Xu's voice was even there, or if she could hear it clearly...

After a brief silence, the prelude began.

It wasn't the intense rhythm or electronic sound effects one might expect, but rather a plaintive string piece bearing the clear marks of its era, its melodious tune carrying an indescribable sorrow.

Immediately following, the clear, melodious sound of the pipa entered like pearls, embellishing the scene and sketching a faded, yellowed picture. This opening was unexpected by everyone.

Liao Ling's expression froze slightly, and the teacup that Deputy Director Wang Taikang was about to pick up also hung in mid-air.

Ye Shengyu didn't say anything, but leaned back in the large leather chair, closed his eyes, and began to enjoy himself... Hmm, this kid really never lets you down!
Immediately, a slightly muffled male voice rang out, its reverberation seemingly penetrating the somewhat heavy atmosphere of the conference room.

"The eaves are like cliffs, the wind chimes like the vast sea."
I await the return of the swallows.

The timing was arranged, and an accident was staged.

You quietly walked away.

Unlike the Zhou Mulun they remembered from "Seven Mile Fragrance," this time his voice carried a restrained sadness, like watching a rain shower through frosted glass, a hazy yet genuine emotion.

That unique way of pronouncing words has become a distinctive style of expression.

Liao Ling unconsciously sat up straight. Sure enough, it was all part of a scheme. The virtual character that had only recently appeared was such a perfect match for the song that had been created nine months ago...

She noticed that Teacher Zhao across from her widened his eyes slightly, then picked up a pen and began writing in the meeting minutes.

What is this written?
Just as she curiously looked at the other person's handwriting, a clear, resonant male voice with a unique classical charm rang out.

If nothing unexpected happens, this is Fei Ting from the novel. This character became popular for a while through jokes, and this is "his" first time singing.

As Yu Wei wrote in his novel, the voice was stable and pure, like a clear mountain spring, without any exaggeration.

In the chorus, the vocals suddenly rise, and the subtle sorrow, like the rising tide, slowly permeates the entire space.

I will send you away a thousand miles away.
You are silent and black and white

Perhaps the silent era should not have been
A love that's too far away.

Her clear voice suddenly rose to a high pitch, using a penetrating power almost like the "ga tiao" in traditional Chinese opera to highlight the theme of the entire song.

In that era, this song belonged to the radio, to a nostalgic radio station on a certain afternoon, to a distant and vague time.

This cry, like a phoenix's blood-stained lament, trembled with a sob, perfectly expressing the questioning and waiting that transcends time and space.

Ye Shengyu kept his eyes closed, but the fingers resting on the armrest trembled slightly unconsciously.

Good lad, I thought he just performed normally and didn't mess up, but it turns out he exceeded expectations...

It was an era of both clamor and silence, an era he had personally experienced. He recalled his youth, when he used a "brick" tape recorder, bought with half a year's savings, to play Teresa Teng's tapes.

At that time, the song contained a vague imagination of the other side of the world, which was his enlightenment in music. "A thousand miles away" was the passage of forty years.

Ye Shengyu rubbed his eyes. Just based on these few words, Yu Wei was worth protecting to the death. If a decision couldn't be made, he could simply withdraw as well!
At this age, if he doesn't show off now, he'll never have another chance...

I will send you away to the ends of the earth.
Are you still there?

Where does the music come from? Life and death are hard to guess.
To wait a lifetime.

Each sound was deeper and heavier than the last, as if nailing this helpless ending, word by word, to the cross of fate.

The atmosphere in the meeting room had completely changed.

Everyone's expression became focused, even solemn.

Deputy Director Wang Taikang forgot to put down the teacup he had been holding, his gaze somewhat unfocused, clearly his thoughts had been carried away from this modern conference room by the song, to some ethereal realm "a thousand miles away." Teacher Zhao's tightly furrowed brows had somehow relaxed; she tilted her head slightly, her face displaying the mixed expression of surprise and appreciation only a seasoned art connoisseur would have upon encountering a true masterpiece.

"Hearing the sound of tears, I entered the woods to search for the white pear blossoms."
Only a line of green moss remained.

Rain falls on the flower terrace beyond the mountains.

My temples are graying.

When the familiar lyrics appeared, I thought they would be a stunning touch in the song, but in the context of the whole song, this line was just a supporting element.

Yu Wei at the time captivated many people with just one inconspicuous line from this song...

As the music progresses to the interlude, a poignant and melodious dialogue between the erhu and piano unfolds, conveying both sorrow and longing.

At this moment, Director Xu Zhen's gaze slowly swept across the faces of everyone present, taking in their state of being captivated by the music.

He didn't speak, but something was ignited in his deep eyes—a long-lost excitement and exhilaration.

The Spring Festival Gala is getting worse and worse. He has no choice but to live off his past achievements and is unwilling to let them run out of resources.

Now that they have options and people available, and people are willing to come, why should they rely on their past achievements? What makes them think they can rely on their past achievements?

This song, themed around a particular era, reminded him of the Spring Festival Gala from that time and rekindled his fighting spirit.

He doesn't know what the Spring Festival Gala will be like in the future, but at least this year, the one he's in charge of, can't be mediocre!

As the song progresses into its second half, the two voices begin to alternate, then miraculously merge together, creating that truly brilliant section.

Two completely different timbres, one clear and melodious, the other indistinct and intimate, blend together so perfectly, pushing the feeling of longing and yearning to its extreme.

That call that transcends time and space, that profound affection that speaks volumes without words, struck the hearts of everyone present.

Liao Ling suddenly understood the profound meaning of this choral design. It was not just a collision between two generations of singers, but also a dialogue and fusion of two aesthetics and two ways of expressing emotions.

The point of contention at their meeting was actually contained within this song...

The song "A Thousand Miles Away" is a near-perfect blend of tradition and pop, and this approach could be applied to the planning of the Spring Festival Gala.

It's not about a simple yes or no, but about finding the real connection between the two.

She felt as if Yu Wei had taught her a lesson from afar. Liao Ling sighed helplessly, just as she had expected.

I really like this song.

The song gradually faded away in the long, drawn-out melody of "Beyond the Ends of the Earth." After the last note fell, the conference room fell into a strange silence, as if no one wanted to be the first to break the lingering charm.

"Ahem, I've discovered something very interesting."

Teacher Zhao showed the contents of the meeting minutes she had just written, which were all in pinyin in just a few lines.

"I wonder if anyone has noticed that every line in this song ends with 'ai'."

Everyone was stunned by these words: "Sending you away," "A thousand miles away," "Silent black and white," "The silent era," "Perhaps it shouldn't have been done"...

It seems to be true!
A long-lost, slightly mischievous smile appeared on Zhao Rujun's face, and the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes even relaxed a bit. It seemed that she was the first to discover Yu Wei's clever idea.

"What rhyming maniac?"

Liao Ling was momentarily helpless. Had Yu Wei reached such a level in writing lyrics that he could be both poetic and rhyming?

“Far Away…” Director Xu Zhen slowly repeated the name, as if savoring its meaning.

His gaze swept across the entire room again, seeing the lingering shock and anticipation. "Tell me, how do you feel?"

Zhao Rujun, breaking her previous silence, was the first to exclaim, "The arrangement is incredibly skillful! It blends Chinese and Western elements, ancient and modern styles, and it doesn't feel out of place at all."

"The lyrics are even more remarkable, so sophisticated! This is exactly what our gala should have—works that are both traditional and innovative!"

Needless to say, Ye Shengyu was the first to speak up for Yu Wei, and after listening to this song, he was even more satisfied and more determined to stick to his opinion.

Deputy Director Wang joked that if they could really get Zhou Mulun and Fei Ting to sing this song, they wouldn't have to fight over it.

Although it was a joke, his meaning was self-evident: these fictional characters don't exist in reality, but Yu Wei might be able to create such characters.

In that case, why not wait and see?
"And you, Xiaoling?"

Xu Zhen looked at Liao Ling, who hadn't spoken yet. Of the six people present, four had already agreed to Yu Wei's arrangement.

As the director, he didn't say it explicitly, but the smile on Xu Zhen's lips betrayed his true thoughts.

It's five against one. Even if she disagrees, this matter has to be decided today!
Liao Ling didn't speak, but simply loosened her clenched fist and nodded seriously.

She was indeed convinced, and she also wanted to see if Yu Wei could really mold that group of people into the characters in the novel.

If Yu Wei fails to do so, she will still cast a dissenting vote during the program's selection process...

Even if she is a fan of Yu Wei, the kind who ranks third on the fan list.

　The character for "cliff" in the phrase "the eaves resemble a cliff" is pronounced "yai" in Taiwan.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)