Huayu: A master director who debuted as a singer

At 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, CCTV's shuttle bus stopped at the entrance of the VIP building.

Zheng Hui and the others got into the car and headed west towards No. 11 Fuxing Road.

That's the old site of CCTV. Before the CCTV headquarters was built in 2007, this was the heart of Chinese television.

The car drove into the compound, where armed police were on guard at the entrance.

After getting off the car, Xiao Wang led them inside. People were coming and going in the corridor; some were carrying cameras, some were carrying documents, and everyone was walking very fast.

"Studio One is this way." Xiao Wang pushed open a door.

The studio was huge, over a thousand square meters. The ceiling was covered with all sorts of lights, densely packed together.

The stage was already set up, with a large LED screen as the backdrop, which was a rarity in 98.

Several cameras were mounted on cranes below the stage.

The director was a middle-aged man in his forties with a big beard, holding a walkie-talkie and shouting at the stage.

"Lights! That spotlight is too slow! Let's do it again!"

Music began to play on the stage.

"In Asia, the mountains are our proud heads..."

The deep, high-pitched voice could make your eardrums buzz even without a microphone.

Liu Huan stood in the center of the stage, with Wei Wei standing beside him; the two were rehearsing their positions.

After the song was finished, the director called "cut".

"Okay! That's a good take! You two have worked hard, please go to the lounge and have some water." The director's attitude immediately became respectful.

As Liu Huan and Wei Wei walked off the stage, Liu Huan stopped and glanced at Zheng Hui as they passed by him.

"Are you Zheng Hui?" Liu Huan's voice was very distinctive.

Zheng Hui bowed and said, "Hello, Teacher Liu, hello, Teacher Wei, I am Zheng Hui."

In this day and age, it's not common to call everyone "teacher." Only people with a certain level of status and seniority, like Liu Huan and Wei Wei, are respectfully addressed as "teacher."

Even if a newcomer like Zheng Hui is very popular, you still have to call him "Mr." or address him by his first name.

Liu Huan nodded, a smile spreading across his face: "I've heard your song, 'Stubborn,' it's quite powerful, young man, you have a good voice."

"Thank you for the compliment, Teacher Liu," Zheng Hui replied.

"Sing well." Liu Huan patted Zheng Hui on the shoulder, then turned and left.

At that moment, a woman in a business suit walked over.

Zhou Tao.

She is now a leading lady on CCTV, in the prime of her life.

"Hello Mr. Zheng, I am Zhou Tao." Zhou Tao extended his hand.

"Hello, Teacher Zhou." Zheng Hui shook hands.

"In the third chapter, I will first read a short script, and then a short film will be played on the big screen. The short film is about three minutes long, and the final image will freeze on the moment the weightlifter stands up."

Zhou Tao pointed to the LED screen at the back of the stage: "At that time, the lights will be focused on you. When the music starts, you can go straight in and sing. Is that alright?"

"No problem, I've memorized the procedures."

"Okay, let's go through the positions first."

Zhou Tao walked to the center of the stage, faced the empty audience, adjusted her posture, and instantly switched her voice to a broadcaster's tone.

"Dear viewers, in three months, the flame for the Bangkok Asian Games will be lit. Our athletes are working tirelessly to prepare for this moment..."

She turned to the side and pointed to the big screen.

The big screen lit up, showing the version edited by Zheng Hui.

A weightlifter collapsed under the weight of a barbell, a young diver's back was swollen and red, and a fencer groaned under his protective gear.

Thirty seconds.

The intro to "I Believe" starts right on time, with rousing guitar and drum beats leading in.

The platform in the center of the stage slowly rose. Zheng Hui stood on the stage, holding a microphone in his hand.

The spotlight shone on him, and he closed his eyes, listening to the rhythm in his in-ear monitor.

Forty-five seconds.

Zheng Hui opened his eyes and stared directly at the camera lens in front of him.

"I want to fly up to the sky and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun..."

The sound burst forth from the speakers, clear, high-pitched, and penetrating.

The director yelled in front of the monitor, "Push! Get a close-up!"

The crane camera swooped down and shoved right in Zheng Hui's face.

Zheng Hui didn't shy away; he faced the camera and sang, "The world is waiting for me to change it..."

As he sang, he strode toward the edge of the stage.

"Leave your worries behind and stride forward bravely..."

During the chorus, Zheng Hui raised his left hand and pointed to the sky.

"I believe in who I am, I believe in tomorrow..."

That confidence, that arrogance, that youthful spirit that seemed to want to tear the sky apart, instantly filled the entire studio.

The staff on site looked up at the young man on the stage. On this stage, everyone was used to the steady and predictable songs at the gala.

This kind of rock-and-roll song, yet bursting with inspiration, is like a fresh breeze that sends shivers down your spine.

The song ended.

The final note was drawn out, accompanied by the image of the national flag being raised on the big screen.

Zheng Hui lowered his hand and stood frozen in the center of the stage.

"Great!" the director shouted into the walkie-talkie, "That timing for the push-in shot was excellent! The lighting was great too! Zheng Hui, keep it up!"

Zheng Hui breathed a sigh of relief and stepped off the stage.

Li Zongming stood below the stage, holding a water bottle in his hand, his face full of smiles.

Li Zongming unscrewed the bottle cap and handed it over: "Judging from the director's expression just now, he seems to want you to perform the whole show. He's extremely satisfied with you. It looks like you'll be the highlight of this program."

As Li Zongming had predicted, Zheng Hui became the focus of attention in the studio over the next few days.

The staff who were initially unfamiliar with him started to greet him after listening to the rehearsal a few times.

Zhou Tao would often chat with him during her breaks, asking him about his creative process.

"Your lyrics are really good."

Looking at the lyrics sheet in his hand, Zhou Tao said, "Many young people are confused these days, and your song gives them encouragement."

"I just wanted to boost everyone's morale," Zheng Hui replied with a smile.

On Friday, the backup tape was recorded.

This is a backup in case of accidents during the live stream, and the requirements are just as strict as those for the live stream itself.

The audience entered, mostly from various organizations, wearing uniforms, or students from nearby universities.

When Zheng Hui came on stage, the applause from the audience was noticeably louder than before.

Because the college students recognized him.

"Zheng Hui! Zheng Hui!"

Someone shouted from below.

The director did not stop it; instead, he signaled to the camera to give the audience a few more shots.

This kind of spontaneous interaction is exactly what variety shows need.

Saturday, the day of the live broadcast, Studio One was brightly lit.

Backstage in the dressing room, Zheng Hui sat in front of the mirror as the makeup artist touched up his powder.

"Your skin is really good." The makeup artist exclaimed while applying powder.

Li Zongming stood to the side, glancing at his watch: "One more hour."

He was a little nervous, constantly rubbing his hands together. This was a live broadcast, watched by hundreds of millions of people across the country. Whether he was a dragon or a worm depended on this final tremor.

Zheng Hui remained calm, his eyes closed, mentally reviewing every movement and every glance.

At 8:00 AM sharp, the theme song of "Variety Show" began to play.

Zhou Tao walked onto the stage: "Good evening, audience..."

The first chapter, with Wei Wei and Liu Huan's "Asian Heroic Spirit," brought the atmosphere to a climax.

The second part featured skits and martial arts performances that drew cheers from the audience.

"Now, let's move on to the third chapter."

Zhou Tao's voice came through.

"As the Asian Games approach, our athletes..."

Zheng Hui gripped the microphone tightly, and the lift platform began to vibrate.

Take the stage.

The moment the lights came on, Zheng Hui felt he entered a wonderful state.

The audience below was a sea of ​​black, with countless eyes and cameras flashing red lights.

All sound disappeared, leaving only the music in the in-ear monitor.

He opened his mouth, and the voice burst forth from his chest: "I want to fly to the sky..."

At this moment, he wasn't performing; he was releasing his emotions.

He vented his frustrations from the past few months, his pent-up resentment from his previous life, and his ambitions to achieve them in this new life.

When he sang the last line, "I believe in tomorrow," he saw the audience stand up.

The college students waved their arms and danced to the rhythm.

Even the middle-aged men who looked like leaders sitting in the front row started clapping along.

The applause was thunderous and lasted for a long time.

Zheng Hui bowed and stepped down from the stage.