Chapter 90: Little Rose
Teacher Shi watched the agent leave, turned her head to glance at Chi Ye, wanted to say something but didn’t know how to start, and lowered her head while mentally drafting her words.
“Why did you choose such a place? It’s pretty expensive, right?”
Over here, Chi Ye had already sat down by himself, crossing his legs and sizing up the private room.
Places like this private clubhouse are the top choice for industry stars’ gatherings.
But Teacher Shi probably doesn’t have that “economic strength” yet.
“It’s… I was afraid someone might take photos…”
Teacher Shi sat down only after seeing Chi Ye sit, lowering her almond-shaped eyes: “Not good for you.”
Chi Ye: “?”
He glanced sideways at the Boxing King across from him and clearly felt the other’s body stiffen, a bit nervous.
Aren’t you nervous about what with me?
He didn’t understand the Boxing King’s thinking, but he knew her personality well.
Probably the kind of…
Friends who haven’t seen each other for a while, not that close upon meeting again, wanting to mimic others’ social graces but unable to open up, feeling tense and awkward at eye contact.
But aren’t we pretty close?
Chi Ye was puzzled and felt the need to ease the Valkyrie’s tension, otherwise if she reflexively kicked him, the Empress Dowager would be waiting to be widowed.
“Did you choose this place and pay for it yourself?”
Chi Ye frowned: “You haven’t earned much money yet, why spend it like this? Doesn’t the company care?”
“I’ll go talk to your agent!”
“Hey…”
The Valkyrie hurriedly stood up, her face red: “It’s… it’s the company’s money.”
“Oh.”
Chi Ye remained unfazed, sat down, and looked at Teacher Shi: “Then us meeting here isn’t great either, like you said, what if people misunderstand? It’d delay me living off a woman’s earnings!”
Teacher Shi: “…”
“Look, with your skills, if you really wanted to do something, I couldn’t stop you at all.”
Chi Ye muttered: “I don’t think this works, let’s just go straight to the program team, and discuss the song selection topic along the way…”
Teacher Shi lifted her head, gave him a wistful glance, softly and weakly: “Don’t say anymore, I’ll talk to you.”
“…”
Chi Ye grinned, nodded with a smile: “That’s right, you see, we at least had revolutionary friendship before, you even ‘lifted’ me, forgot?”
“Don’t be so tense, that’s how we can work well.”
Teacher Shi: “…”
That was indeed a real lift.
But Chi Ye just has this “charm,” quite the counter to Teacher Shi’s personality— in modern terms, an E-person, the nightmare of I-people.
Teacher Shi was no longer tense, relaxed, and said softly: “At the end of the last episode, the song selection topic was already decided backstage.”
Chi Ye was surprised: “Not selecting this time?”
Before coming, he really hadn’t carefully looked into the rules of Voice of Nature.
But he heard Teacher Shi had always been targeted by that group of beasts on song selection.
“No.”
Teacher Shi shook her head and explained: “According to that episode’s ranking, from high to low selecting topics, I… I selected last.”
She was a bit embarrassed.
Chi Ye was speechless.
Selected “last”?
Is that even selecting?
Indeed “forced” to select a song.
“No problem.” He waved it off casually: “Any topic, I can handle.”
Shi Daifu looked up, her almond eyes staring at him for a while, then lowered her head, silent.
Chi Ye noticed her little movements, displeased: “What? You don’t believe me?”
“I do.”
“You’re clearly not believing!”
Shi Daifu: “…I do.”
Chi Ye said loudly: “Don’t you know? I have a resounding nickname outside now!”
Shi Daifu looked at him.
“Heavenly King Chi!” Chi Ye said emphatically: “Chi · Heavenly King! Do you understand the value of Heavenly King?”
Shi Daifu: “…Xia Xia said?”
Chi Ye: “?”
Shi Daifu fell silent.
Actually, in terms of singing, she knew Chi Ye better than Jin Xia.
This originated from back in Jian Ni, when Chi Ye, to draw the Little Diva’s skill talent, secretly “consulted” her, really to probe for information.
To figure out the details, he even passionately sang to her several times.
Um…
How to put it.
Shi Daifu previously didn’t want to trouble Chi Ye because she really thought, having just risen, it was best not to sing live.
Because of her, don’t ruin his just-rising career again.
The Valkyrie was too kind; if Chi Ye knew this inner thought, he’d definitely tear up and shout: The past is the past, now is now!
“So what theme did they leave you in the end?”
Chi Ye stopped joking and got serious.
“Flower.”
“Flower?” Chi Ye was stunned.
“Mm.”
Teacher Shi’s eyes were like autumn water, a bit dejected: “But for the flower theme… except a few old songs, no really excellent works.”
Additionally, old songs are extremely hard to adapt, melodies already deeply ingrained, whatever you do seems wrong.
In the current music industry, songs related to flowers really don’t have too many excellent works.
No wonder others didn’t select it, left it to Shi Daifu.
“Flower… flower…”
Chi Ye stared at Teacher Shi for a long time, until she averted her eyes, then clapped: “Got it, I got it.”
“Hm?”
Shi Daifu was puzzled.
“Let’s go, right now to find your team, let’s try it out.”
Chi Ye was impatient.
Coming to Voice of Nature this time, with so many strong singers, maybe he could keep improving his singing skill.
Try it? Try what?
Shi Daifu was curious inside, but with her personality, she never asked extra; seeing Chi Ye about to leave, she stood and followed.
The two walked out of the private room together and saw both teams’ members sitting in the lobby outside resting.
“Talk… talked done?”
Shi Daifu’s agent was surprised.
These two just went in a few minutes ago?
Caught up that fast?
“Mm.”
Shi Daifu nodded.
“To the program team.”
Chi Ye waved and directed.
The agent wanted to speak but hesitated, but seeing Chi Ye striding out, hurried to Shi Daifu’s side and asked curiously: “How’d it go? Whose connection is he using to help us? Jin Xia?”
Teacher Shi glanced at her and shook her head: “Talked singing.”
The agent was stunned.
Teacher Shi had already followed behind Chi Ye and walked out.
“…No, didn’t say not singing, just asking how he’s gonna help you.”
The agent was puzzled, shook her head, and followed out.
…
Oriental TV Center.
Voice of Nature recording backstage.
Voice of Nature is a music variety show co-hosted by Tomato TV and kiwifruit, dual broadcast on TV and online.
Eight “resident” guests, i.e., the singers competing for King of Singers, each have their own music teams to help with post-production on song selection, arrangement, and dance for each episode.
The guests then cooperate with their teams before each episode airs to produce the finished song to perform.
As for remaining rehearsal time, trial singing, etc., it depends on the guests’ personal schedules, quite flexible.
As long as you don’t delay the show airing, arrange rehearsal time with the team in advance, even rehearsing the last day is fine.
So, Chi Ye wanting to “exchange” with Teacher Shi’s team right now obviously wasn’t realistic.
Fortunately, for Chi Ye, even without a team, it didn’t hinder his “creation.”
“Whoa, this building looks grand.”
Chi Ye looked at the building in front of him, sighed, then strode in, but turned back to find Shi Daifu still stopped at the doorway.
“What’s wrong?” Chi Ye was puzzled: “Let’s go.”
“…Mm.”
Shi Daifu took a deep breath and stepped through the door.
In that instant, Chi Ye could clearly feel her whole body’s muscles tense up, becoming extremely stiff.
That was the physiological reaction only in extreme tension and fear.
Chi Ye: “…”
Those beasts really deserve to die.
Teacher Shi is such a gentle person, and you’ve given her PTSD.
No wonder she wanted to quit the show.
He inwardly grumbled about Voice of Nature’s guests again, then walked beside Shi Daifu and said: “What’s to be nervous about for a show? With your skills, next time if you can’t hold back, don’t—use thirty percent strength, beat them painful but not dead!”
Shi Daifu: “…”
“What? Can’t bear to?”
“No.” Teacher Shi glanced at him: “I used thirty percent strength before.”
Chi Ye: “…”
At first he didn’t react, after a moment understood— so back then when you beat the company executive, it was only thirty percent strength?
That… that executive is such trash?
This thought just rose when Chi Ye recalled the Valkyrie breaking sticks barehanded and punching trees.
Mm, I’m trash too.
The two kept talking along the way, mainly Chi Ye talking… to ease Shi Daifu’s mental pressure, arriving at Shi Daifu’s dedicated rehearsal room.
—Guests compete each episode, so until show day, everyone keeps their rehearsal results secret from each other.
Teacher Shi’s rehearsal room was empty now, just a row of professional equipment + various musical instruments.
Chi Ye glanced around, about to warm up his voice.
“President Chi, is President Chi here?”
A voice suddenly came from outside.
Chi Ye turned and saw a certain Oriental TV executive walk in smiling, spotting him and coming over enthusiastically: “President Chi, long admired your name, invited you several times, finally here.”
President Chi?
I have this title?
Chi Ye felt awkward being called that, shook hands: “Hello.”
“Oh, I’m the assistant director of Voice of Nature, classmate of Director Li! You know, Director Li from Jian Ni.”
Seeing Chi Ye’s puzzled expression, the executive explained: “I’ve heard Old Li mention you plenty, finally meeting.”
“Oh~”
Chi Ye suddenly understood.
So he’s Old Li’s classmate.
No wonder, exudes the aura of a big sucker.
“Heard you came, didn’t expect so soon…” The assistant director glanced at Shi Daifu, nodded in greeting, then said: “Rehearsing today? I’ll contact your team?”
Chi Ye surprised: “Can contact? They can come today? Don’t you need to book?”
“Yes, of course.” The assistant director smiled: “You’re here, they’d definitely be happy to come.”
But Chi Ye heard the subtext, glanced at silent Shi Daifu, turned to the assistant director with a smile: “Alright, trouble you to contact them, I’ll adapt to the environment first.”
“Good, good, I’ll go right now…”
The assistant director nodded, chatted with Chi Ye a bit more, then turned to leave.
“Really… judging people by status.”
Teacher Shi’s agent’s face wasn’t good, muttering: “When we rehearse ourselves, wanting to book early takes four or five days wait, they only come the last one or two days… all say Shi Shi isn’t good at topics, give you one day rehearsal, how well can you sing?”
“Is this show fair?”
Chi Ye didn’t speak, looked at Teacher Shi: “Those team members don’t listen to you?”
Shi Daifu was silent.
“…”
Chi Ye wanted to say more, but seeing Teacher Shi’s look, shut his mouth.
Forget it, miserable enough, don’t poke her.
Change topic: “Alright, let’s try first, you and me.”
“Later I’ll manage your team for you, what a bunch of bullies!”
Chi Ye walked inside, picked up a guitar and strummed twice, but in his mind recalling a song’s lyrics and melody.
“Have you picked a song?”
Shi Daifu finally spoke, walked to the microphone and started skillfully adjusting the equipment: “Rose Heart Matters, or Flowers Like a Dream?”
These two songs were both old songs.
But they had good singability.
“Neither.”
Chi Ye set down the guitar, sat at a piano, experimentally tuned it, and casually played a pleasant melancholic prelude.
“Hm?”
Shi Daifu’s sensitivity to music was no less than her ability to learn kung fu, so Chi Ye just played a bit casually, her ears perked up, almond eyes puzzled staring at him, silent.
“I made it up on the spot.”
Chi Ye was getting more skilled at showing off, said straight-faced: “Got inspiration from you.”
Shi Daifu: “?!”
“Come, let’s sing a couple lines first.”
He said no more, his hands like nimble elves, a stream of melancholic gentle piano notes flowing out.
He paused, then softly lifted his voice:
“Rose in the palm”
“Pricks without realizing”
“You deserve to be cherished”
“You understand my expectations”
“…”
Teacher Shi was stunned, looking at Chi Ye—dumbfounded.
These lyrics… these lyrics…
Chi Ye stopped, looked at Shi Daifu: “How is it?”
Teacher Shi was silent for a moment: “You sound really good live, people outside are slandering you.”
Chi Ye: “?”
She reacted, hesitated: “Lyrics… lyrics made on the spot too?”
Chi Ye: “Yeah.”
Teacher Shi: “…”
Her mind was a bit chaotic now.
“How was it, how’d I sing, give an evaluation?”
Teacher Shi kept silent, subconsciously: “Not bad… mm…”
Realized her “slip,” a bit embarrassed.
“Oh?”
Chi Ye heard the subtext, immediately gestured: “You sing.”
Teacher Shi isn’t like the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager hearing him sing would say world’s best, but Teacher Shi is the pro here, could tell she was itching to try.
“No score or lyrics…”
Sure enough, Shi Daifu nodded first, then hesitated.
“No problem, I’ll write them.”
Chi Ye lowered his head, took a pen, thought, and wrote the first half of JJ and Deng Ziqi’s classic chorus version—Rose in the Palm.
Teacher Shi watched him write nearby; after he finished and looked up, he found her almond eyes a bit off.
He puzzled: “What’s wrong?”
Teacher Shi lowered her head first, then lifted it, “boldly” stared at him for a long time, wanted to ask “Did you write this for me?”, but felt it impossible, hesitated ages, Chi Ye already busy elsewhere.
Forget it, won’t ask.
“This is half a song? Composed and written on the spot live?!”
At this time, the agent who’d been silent was dumbfounded, looked at Chi Ye, then the lyrics and score, face like seeing a ghost.
Her artist is a singer, she’d done related work before, knew a song’s creation time and process.
But precisely because she knew, she was dumbfounded.
This Chi Ye… what creation skill?
Not saying if the song is good, just this speed was unbelievable.
“…Can I try?”
Teacher Shi’s almond eyes looked at Chi Ye, tone very gentle.
“Sure.”
Chi Ye said no problem, he actually looked forward to Shi Daifu singing.
Because from what he knew, Shi Daifu’s voice and singing skill were extremely distinctive, very like Deng Ziqi from another world.
True Little Diva.
He also wanted to see if among the young generation singers, he still had any “opponents.”
But this thought shattered instantly after Shi Daifu opened her mouth, leaving only amazement and “defeat.”
So good, so good, really… so good.
…
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