A band, or a battleground?

Lin Yan hesitated for a moment, then muttered, "Well, he's Chunriying's mentor after all, so it's only right... It's just that this song is really hard to give a bad review!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

That evening after school, Qi Yuan walked out of the school gate with his three teammates as usual.

But at the school gate, he saw an unexpected figure.

Although the man was wearing sunglasses, his figure, messy hair, and unkempt stubble made him easily recognizable.

Moreover, not only Qi Yuan, but all three girls recognized him as well.

"Teacher Zhou!" Qiu Mengxue blurted out, "What's he doing here?"

Zhou Taishan smiled and waved to the four of them, saying, "Hello, I don't think there are any special plans for tonight. I'd like to have a private chat with Qi Yuan, is that alright?"

Ning Qianyu laughed: "You're looking for him to have a drink, right? You flew all the way here just to have a drink..."

Zhou Taishan also laughed and said, "Because the key is not the alcohol, but the people you drink with."

Such a direct show of favor surprised the girls slightly.

Jiang Yi muttered under her breath, "I knew Qi Yuan was mentally very old. The person he gets along with best is actually a senior in his fifties."

Ning Qianyu leaned closer to Jiang Yi and whispered, "It's better than getting along with a woman in her twenties, isn't it?"

Jiang Yi was stunned for a moment, then quickly nodded.

"Then I'll go have something to eat and drink with Teacher Zhou. You guys go back first," Qi Yuan said, and walked towards Zhou Taishan.

Then, the two of them walked away from the girls' sight, arm in arm.

Qi Yuan knew Zhou Taishan's preferences well, so he took him to a nearby barbecue restaurant.

The two sat down and each ordered food, including five bottles of chilled beer.

Then Zhou Taishan asked, "How's this restaurant? Is it good?"

Qi Yuan: "I haven't tried it, so I'm not sure."

Zhou Taishan was taken aback: "It's right next to your school, you haven't eaten there before?"

Qi Yuan laughed: "Who eats barbecue after school? Besides, I used to eat alone, just a bowl of noodles or rice with wine."

Zhou Taishan asked curiously, "Didn't you have any friends at school before?"

Qi Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Yes, but barbecue is a bit expensive for them. Besides, I spend most of my time with the band members now. They're girls, so it's inconvenient for them to go home too late, and eating barbecue takes too much time."

Zhou Taishan: "That's true. This kind of place is perfect for drinking, eating skewers, and chatting. Actually, I wanted to have a chat like this with you in Shanghai last time, but you brought a teammate, so there were some things I couldn't say."

Qi Yuan chuckled and lowered his voice: "The song 'The Hill'?"

Zhou Taishan nodded: "When I was recording, I sent the demo to a few friends, and they all praised it highly. After the song was released last week, a bunch of people in the industry messaged and called me, saying that the song made them cry."

Qi Yuan: "Is it really that exaggerated?"

Zhou Taishan laughed and said, "You, the songwriter, may not have felt this way, and I, the singer, didn't expect it either. Everyone says they haven't heard such a heartfelt song in many years."

As we were talking, the waiter brought the beer, peanuts, and edamame to the table.

Zhou Taishan immediately poured himself a full cup of tea, then poured Qi Yuan a full cup as well. He picked up a peanut, chewed on it, and raised his wine glass: "Come on, let's have a drink!"

Qi Yuan clinked glasses with him and drank a cup of tea in one gulp.

Then Zhou Taishan put down his wine glass, let out a long sigh, and asked in a low voice, "What are your thoughts on next year's Golden Melody Awards?"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

197 I hit myself

"As you know, there are many companies of all sizes in the entertainment industry, but only a few players can truly be considered established players. In the music industry, there are veteran companies like Xingyao International and Haiyin Shengshi, and emerging companies like Jufeng Music and Dingshang Entertainment. As for companies like Shanyuan and FL, they are too small. Although Tianhua Entertainment is large, it focuses on the idol market..."

While enjoying some skewers, Zhou Taishan explained the current state of affairs in the industry:

"The Golden Music Awards have an official background, but strictly speaking, they are not official; they are organized by the China Music Association Practitioners Alliance. They take into account market demand and popularity, but they are not based on public voting."

Qi Yuan realized what was going on: "So, this most prestigious award in China actually has a lot of room for manipulation?"

Zhou Taishan nodded: "The Golden Music Awards invites some judges every year. The list needs to be compiled by formula, but big companies know how to operate. I've been a judge myself, so of course I know. They won't directly transfer money to me or offer bribes, but they will try to negotiate cooperation with me. Once there's cooperation, then there will be a conflict of interest."

Qi Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "Moreover, the award winners are singers and bands, but the ones who collaborate with the judges are companies. On the surface, there's nothing wrong with it."

Zhou Taishan: "Yes, the judges are all people in the music industry. No matter what they do, it's easy to get involved with those big companies. I've worked with Star Shine International, Haiyin Shengshi, and Jufeng Music. When it comes to organizing performances and releasing albums, it's inevitable that I'll use their channels. Even if I'm not a judge, it's normal to work with them. So it's very difficult for outsiders to find out."

Qi Yuan said leisurely, "You are in me, and I am in you; this is where all the trouble in the world comes from."

Zhou Taishan tapped the table: "That's well said! Wherever there are people, there is a world of its own. And the world of its own is all about human relationships and business."

Qi Yuan asked, "Were you also affected by this when you were a judge?"

Zhou Taishan laughed: "If I had been influenced by them, do you think you would still have been able to join my group on the show back then?"

Qi Yuan smiled and said, "Teacher Zhou, you are truly untainted by the mud."

Zhou Taishan waved his hand and said, "That's not really true. Besides, I released the song 'Hill' this time, so I'll probably be participating in next year's Golden Melody Awards. Album of the Year has nothing to do with me, but Single of the Year is still a possibility. But your band is going to release an album, and there are two categories in the Golden Melody Awards: Album of the Year and Best Band. If things go well, you have a great chance of winning both of those."

Qi Yuan remained silent for a while before saying, "I'm signed with Tianhua Entertainment, and we don't have a good relationship with Jufeng Music. So, does that mean my chances of winning an award are very slim?"

Zhou Taishan asked curiously, "Why don't you and Jufeng get along?"

Qi Yuan: "They initially wanted to sign me with a ten-year slave contract, which I refused. Then they tried to play dirty tricks on me on the show. Later, that CEO Lin threatened me, so I refused them a second time."

Zhou Taishan was taken aback at first, then pointed at him and laughed: "Hahaha, you're really something, you're really not afraid of offending people... Well, there's nothing to be afraid of offending people, how can a young person not be arrogant?"

Qi Yuan: "I'm not particularly arrogant, I just want one thing to be clear-headed."

"Thoughts, clear?" Zhou Taishan pondered for a moment, then laughed and downed a glass. "Good! But then I have to tell you some bad news. Judging from Jufeng's current control over the Golden Music Awards and Tianhua Entertainment's award operation capabilities, the Golden Music Awards are in jeopardy."

Qi Yuan's expression remained unchanged: "This is not unexpected."

Zhou Taishan asked, "Do you feel resentful?"

Qi Yuan remained calm: "There's nothing to be resentful about. This is just my first album. Sooner or later, I won't need awards to prove myself, but they will need to give me awards to prove their value."

Zhou Taishan's eyes widened immediately: "Just for what you said, come on, cheers!"

Qi Yuan: "Teacher Zhou, just say you want some..."

After finishing his drink and putting down his glass, Zhou Taishan said, "Actually, some old friends in the industry contacted me not just to congratulate me. Some of them also want to ask Master Zuowangdao to write a song for them!"

Qi Yuan: "How much do you want?"

Zhou Taishan was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and scolded, "Can you stop being so mercenary!"

Qi Yuan: "Making money is also part of achieving a clear mind. Moreover, the songs written by Zuowangdao have nothing to do with Chunriying, so there's no company to share the profits with, which naturally gives me even more motivation."

Zhou Taishan laughed and said, "Okay, if someone offers a very high price, preferably one with long-term dividends, then I'll tell you."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

For the next few days, two songs dominated the NetEase Cloud Music's new song chart: "The Hill" and "Interview with the Vampire." And most of the time, "The Hill" was at the top.

At first, Haruhi Kage's fans were a little unconvinced, but after listening to "The Hill," they were reassured.

However, everyone also noticed one thing: the lyricist and composer of "Hill" was not Zhou Taishan himself, but a person named "Zuowangdao". No one had heard of this stage name, but his first work attracted so much attention.

There's been a lot of discussion about this person's identity both inside and outside the industry.

Even those in the industry were completely unaware, so their comments were similar to those of netizens...

There are many hidden masters among ordinary people.

I don't think the Dao of Sitting in Oblivion is from the common people. Someone with this kind of creative talent wouldn't be an unknown figure.

[Could it be Zhou Taishan himself?]

The arrangement section lists Zhou Taishan. If he wrote it himself, why not just list his name under the lyricist and composer?

This is really strange...

Do you think it's possible that the true identity of Zuowangdao is Zhou Taishan's disciple?

Qi Yuan? Impossible, absolutely impossible!

I also think it couldn't be Qi Yuan. These lyrics, this state of mind, couldn't have been written by a teenager.

But "The Blue Lotus" and "Existence" don't seem like they were written by someone in their teens.

[It's different, really different. "The Hill" has a kind of old-fashioned feel to it, don't you guys think?]

[Usually, saying "old-fashioned" is an insult, but few people can portray that flavor so perfectly.]

Even if Zhou Taishan didn't write this song, the arrangement and the vocals are truly impressive.

My dad was in tears yesterday, saying his youth had finally returned. Hilarious! Didn't the song "The Hill" bury the youth of their generation...?

During lunch that day, Ning Qianyu suddenly burst out laughing.

Jiang Yi asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"I saw some people online speculating that the author of 'The Hill' is the Daoist of Sitting in Oblivion, but could it be Qi Yuan?"

After Ning Qianyu finished speaking, she and the two girls next to her looked at Qi Yuan.

Qi Yuan chewed on a piece of beef and shrugged: "You have quite the imagination."

Qiu Mengxue also said, "If he wrote it, then the new song chart would be him attacking himself!"

Jiang Yi sighed, "What a pity. It seems that the champion of this month's new song chart will most likely be 'Hill'..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Teammates should help each other.

As expected, "The Hill" topped the September new song chart on NetEase Cloud Music, with "Interview with the Vampire" coming in second. But October's results were truly surprising.

The champion remains "The Hill," and the runner-up remains "Interview with the Vampire." None of the big names who released new songs in October managed to dethrone these two giants from their positions as champions and runners-up.

This means that in the second month after their release, their viewership, likes, favorites, and comments were still stronger than the new songs released that month. Even with promotion from various channels, those new songs still couldn't compete.

The song "Hill" in particular has not lost its influence over time; on the contrary, it has become increasingly popular.

Discussions about the song have even appeared in mainstream newspapers and magazines. However, since they've appeared in these places, the level of discussion is naturally different.

This song was born in a rapidly changing social environment, accurately reflecting the anxiety and confusion contemporary people experience in their pursuit of success, relationships, and self-worth. It's more than just a pop song; it's a life lesson that transcends time…

The popularity of "Interview with the Vampire" is not only reflected in the new song charts on the NetEase Cloud Music platform, but also in the viewership of "The Great Murder Mystery Detective," a show that updates every two weeks. Two more episodes were released in October after the vampire episode. Qi Yuan and Ning Qianyu did not appear in these two episodes, and their viewership was significantly lower than the vampire episode.

The director wanted to invite the two members of Kasuga Kage's band to the show again, but Tianhua Entertainment said they couldn't help—among so many artists in the company, Kasuga Kage's band had the most freedom, and if they said they didn't have time, there was nothing the company could do.

As for what the Kasuga Kage band is busy with?

It's October, and I'm busy with the midterm exams at school.

After receiving their report cards, the four of them met again at the cafeteria for lunch. Qiu Mengxue finally spoke up triumphantly: "I told you it was just a coincidence that some people ranked ahead of me. See, things are back to normal now."

Ning Qianyu gripped her chopsticks tightly: "I got tenth in the grade this time, and you only got ninth. Your total score is only three points higher than mine! If I had gotten two fewer questions wrong, I would have scored higher than you. What are you so smug about!"

Qiu Mengxue smiled and said, "So, are you higher or lower than me this time? Which way does the inequality sign point?"

Ning Qianyu: "..."

Watching the two bicker, Jiang Yi couldn't help but sigh, "How do you two manage to do that? You have to compose music, rehearse, and Qianyu has to record a show. Doesn't it affect your studies at all? I've dropped to 150th in the grade this time!"

Qiu Mengxue pointed at Qi Yuan: "Why don't you ask him? Qianyu and I aren't that busy, we can only spare a few hours each week on average. But he's busy with everything, he's in the recording studio every other day, he's on TV shows, and he even writes songs. And what place did he get this time?"

Jiang Yi: "Ninety-fourth grade..."

Qiu Mengxue narrowed her eyes: "Wow, you remember Qi Yuan's ranking so clearly?"

Jiang Yi said irritably, "I'm in the same class as him. I heard the teacher using him to motivate the other students, so of course I remember it clearly."

Jiang Yi looked at the plate in front of her, having lost her appetite. She muttered, "I thought that with such a big change in our band over the summer, the three of you would be as unmotivated to study as I am. But it turns out that your grades didn't drop at all, and the only one that dropped was me... Why is that?"

Qiu Mengxue calmly said, "I don't know what others think, but for me, studying is a habit. I've had this habit since I was little: do my homework on time, listen attentively in class, and figure out any questions I don't understand. If I break this habit, I feel a little uneasy."

Jiang Yi pressed further, "But seeing the extra numbers in your account and so many people online who like you, aren't you affected at all?"

Qiu Mengxue shook her head: "If it were so easily influenced, it wouldn't be a habit. I've never felt that studying is a chore."

Jiang Yi: "Your habits are completely unrepresentative..."

Ning Qianyu couldn't wait to say, "Then I'm different from her. Learning is like playing a game. Essentially, it's about putting a bunch of obstacles in front of you and giving you some constraints to solve. Moreover, this is a PVE game with player rankings."

Jiang Yi was even more confused: "PVE?"