Having completed the pieces on the same subject, Qi Shejiang had now sung both the “Zi Di Shu” and Jingyun Dagu version. After listening to Qi Shejiang perform Jingyun Dagu, no one would dare to doubt his “Zi Di Shu” was off-key. The group of actors had a sudden image of a herd of alpacas racing by in their minds. “What the heck!” “Did he grow up on Dagu??” “Who said he was just a pretty face?!” If he were just a pretty face, they might as well find a hole to hide in! As cross-talk performers, they had all studied various forms of arts, especially since Dagu was widely spread. They could now completely confirm that Qi Shejiang had absolutely not sung off-key! The Mu school Dagu was quite authentic!
Qi Shejiang, with his foundation in Peking Opera and skills in “Zi Di Shu,” learned many drum songs with ease, particularly Jingyun Dagu. Moreover, he would never mix styles; what he learned was always as it was. After mastering Jingyun Dagu, he also imitated Meihua Dagu, Jingdong Dagu, Qinshi, and more.
At this moment, Qi Shejiang was communicating his cross-talk foundation with Zeng and Meng. Unlike singing “Zi Di Shu,” where one emphasizes lyrical delivery, as a cross-talk performer, he focused on imitation, deliberately mimicking various renowned masters, achieving quite a vivid portrayal.
Since he started learning cross-talk, Qi Shejiang’s teacher had been his mentor in comedic timing. Later, when troubles arose, leading to his family’s demise, he spent a long time without a fixed partner and was left “performing solo,” switching between different performers. He could bring laughter and joy, mastering all aspects of humor and song.
These difficult days honed Qi Shejiang’s abilities. From Meng Jingyuan’s perspective, he felt Qi Shejiang was worthy of the “overseas hidden gem” title he had learned. His poise and habits closely resembled those of the older masters, contrasting sharply with his youthful and attractive appearance.
Zeng Wenzhi said, “If you hadn’t come with an agent, I would truly want to invite you to join my group!”
Jesse, I have a humble request; I’d like to find some people to learn ‘Zi Di Shu’ from you to pass it down! He followed his master Liu Quan Hai, calling Qi Shejiang “Jesse.”
Qi Shejiang nodded repeatedly; he had long desired to take on apprentices but hadn’t been able to then. Zeng Wenzhi was a local fixture in the performing arts community; if he could help recruit talent, that would be wonderful.
Meng Jingyuan chimed in, “This matter about Jesse must be reported to the Performing Arts Association. From now on, we can say that ‘Zi Di Shu’ has a legacy!”
Zeng Wenzhi joked, “If the association decides to establish a ‘Zi Di Shu’ Art Committee, wouldn’t Jesse be the only member?”
Li Jing, although not versed in the performing arts, quickly joined the conversation: “Teacher Zeng, even though Jesse… uh, Jesse can’t join, everyone can still collaborate in various forms, right?
I see you all recognize Jesse’s abilities?”
Li Jing’s statement disrupted the flow of thought for Zeng Wenzhi and Meng Jingyuan.
Zeng Wenzhi thought about his words, feeling a spark of inspiration: “Are you suggesting…?”
Li Jing smiled, “I’m saying I hope everyone can support Jesse.”
Since the program of Bolo Media ended and Qi Shejiang’s identity was exposed, Bolo indeed had those newcomers form an artist group, and as rumored, Qi Shejiang was not selected. While his colleagues began to participate in activities as a group, Qi Shejiang attended his mother’s concert, but never participating in any new programs. This left fans, along with the onlookers, anxiously calling for Qi Shejiang’s new moves: Please, quickly show your face! What path is he taking? Whether it’s singing, acting, or continuing in variety shows, he should get to work quickly. Staying at home all day without showing his face is such a pity. At this moment, Bolo TV, a subsidiary of Bolo Media, began to gradually release the program list for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival gala, and Qi Shejiang’s name was prominently listed.
However, taking a closer look, the entire program was as follows: Crosstalk Performers: Qi Shejiang, Meng Jingyuan
Chapter 8 Theme: Have you seen the program list for the Bolo Mid-Autumn Festival gala? Content: [program list.jpg] Qi Shejiang is going to perform crosstalk with Meng Jingyuan??? 1L: ????? 2L: ????? As a fan of this face, I can’t believe it! 3L: Am I crazy, or are Bolo and Qi Shejiang crazy? No, it’s Xia Yiwei who’s gone crazy, right? 4L: What the heck, I never expected Qi Shejiang’s line “I plan to perform crosstalk next” to be true! Qi Shejiang, such a tough guy! 5L: A werewolf +1, I can’t believe I’m thinking about how Uncle Meng will support Qi Shejiang… 6L: I’m done for, as a fan of this face, I’ve never watched crosstalk before, but I’ll wait to see it for Jesse!! 7L: Bolo Media is amazing!! Anyway, I will definitely wait to see the show! 8L: This is crazy, Qi Shejiang… does he not want to be a good idol anymore… 9L: Honestly, this program is indeed well-planned; they actually let this veteran artist support Qi Shejiang! 10L: Is this really considered support?? Letting him shoot a male lead drama would truly be support, having him perform crosstalk with Teacher Meng is just exploiting his popularity!
Do you think performing crosstalk is that easy—just get some writers to create a script and memorize lines? If his name is in front, he’s the one throwing jokes; if he doesn’t laugh at all, or if it all depends on Teacher Meng, just wait for the ridicule! With Qi Shejiang’s performance in variety shows, if it’s not awkward, that would be a miracle! 11L: That’s right, if he has no skills to perform crosstalk, it will be very, very awkward… although this mashup, combined with Qi Shejiang’s previous gags, is very topical and funny, but surely he will be ridiculed when it airs. 12L: So how much does Meng Jingyuan owe to stoop to participate in this? This isn’t a crossover with a big star; this is literally harmful with no benefits at all. 13L: Does our Teacher Meng’s pure artistic career have to be tainted like this? 14L: Did Xia Yiwei approve this program? With her team’s astuteness, how could she agree to such a program for her son! So many people are looking forward to Qi Shejiang’s next appearance. 15L: I saw someone say Qi Shejiang is going to perform at Bolo’s gala; I genuinely thought it would be him singing with Xia Yiwei… actually, I really like their collaborative version of “Why West Chamber,” no matter how others comment.
16L: Can I weakly ask, did you notice that the Guanshan Band’s performance is right before the crosstalk, which means Qi Shejiang will meet Zhang Yue? I’m curious what the scenario will be… 17L: …This arrangement must be intentional. 18L: Xia Yiwei must have cast a spell on Meng Jingyuan; look at this news. When someone asked Meng Jingyuan why he’s collaborating with Qi Shejiang, he said everyone would know after the performance and also said Qi Shejiang is very talented. 19L: In what aspect is talent manifested? Can he play the piano or play the sanxian? 20L: I don’t know about the sanxian, but his piano skills are average, and… when it comes to crosstalk, does Qi Shejiang really have no self-awareness? 21L: I don’t care. Even if my baby is on TV performing crosstalk, I will insist on watching him QAQ. … Regarding the gala, Qi Shejiang and Meng Jingyuan’s program indeed sparked heated discussions online, with various comments. Everyone generally thought Qi Shejiang was just performing in a crossover; who would have thought this was his debut in crosstalk? Moreover, Qi Shejiang is not a big star; this is his first public activity since debuting with Bolo, and he surprisingly chose to crossover into crosstalk, which shocked everyone. To outsiders, this might be beneficial for ratings and discussions, but it’s definitely bad for Qi Shejiang’s reputation.
