Actually, when it comes to who is truly in the know, none have spoken out — the Qu Xie (Crosstalk Association) is currently reviewing the inheritance of the Zi Di Shu (Descendants’ Book) by Qi Shejiang; they just haven’t made any official announcements.
Others are unaware of Qi Shejiang’s capabilities, but Meng Jingyuan and Zeng Wen, having communicated with him for so long, can’t possibly not know? When it comes to skills in learning, performing, and singing, he excels in all areas. It’s not about hiding one’s weaknesses; it’s about choosing the most suitable piece for the performance.
“I’ll make a call,” Meng Jingyuan said, considering her extensive connections. “I’ll see if my fellow students have any upcoming performances that can accommodate you; maybe work in some rapid-fire bits or liu performances.” Zeng Wen nodded; they couldn’t let others think Qi Shejiang lacks foundational skills, so they should showcase them.
This left the utterly uninformed Xia Yiwei puzzled; she knew about rapid-fire anecdotes, like the classic “Bao Cai Ming,” but wasn’t sure what liu performances meant. “What is a liu performance?”
“‘Huo’ means a piece, and ‘Liu’ refers to singing,” Qi Shejiang explained simply. “Learning to sing traditional operas is called Xi Liu Er, while singing songs is referred to as Ge Liu Er. Together, liu performances involve crosstalk infused with some singing elements.”
Xia Yiwei, feeling somewhat anxious, asked, “So, apart from Zi Di Shu, what’s your level in this area?”
Xia Yiwei: “??”
Regardless of the external chaos, Qi Shejiang was already scheduled to record the second episode of “Gui Yuan Tian Ju” as per the contract. By the time he arrived, the Guanshan Band was already there. Upon seeing him, both the band and the entire crew cast him complex looks.
It was evident that they had all heard about Qi Shejiang announcing his entry into the crosstalk world and were curious about his feelings on the matter. Especially those who once dismissed Qi Shejiang’s words as a joke, like Xiao Xiaowei and her group, found themselves breathless after seeing the news, suddenly picturing how they’d be mocked by netizens after the show aired…
But they couldn’t really blame themselves!
— Even having heard his mid-autumn crosstalk and solo performance live, they still found it hard to believe. “Have you picked a house yet?” Qi Shejiang asked casually as he walked over to chat with them. “Yeah, we’ve chosen. We were waiting for you to arrive to go together,” Xie Qing said weakly. This time, he picked a drawing, and it didn’t favorably match him; he got stuck with a particularly remote wooden cabin. “Let’s go,” Qi Shejiang said, and they all took their luggage to where they would be staying. The path wasn’t easy; they proceeded in a long line. Qi Shejiang turned his head and asked Zhang Yue, “Have you been harassed by reporters?” Zhang Yue replied, “…It’s better than last time.” They all knew what they were chatting about; last time, Zhang Yue was bombarded by the media after being featured by Qi Shejiang. He was poked fun at again this time, but the spotlight was mainly on Qi Shejiang himself. Qi Shejiang laughed; he actually had Li Jing send a text to Zhang Yue’s manager beforehand, as there was a plan to poke fun at Zhang Yue again. Until just before going on stage, Li Jing finally got back with the manager’s reply: should be okay.
He had mixed feelings; it seemed everyone was tentatively mending fences, and his manager asked, “Is someone putting in a good word for you? Your relationship seems to have improved?” He felt quite uncomfortable hearing that and begrudgingly agreed. With all these thoughts muddling in his mind, he found it difficult to articulate them in front of Qi Shejiang. In the end, he went to listen to the story himself and figured out how to discuss it.
To be honest, he found himself laughing. He didn’t care what the media said; he himself hadn’t listened to crosstalk much before. This led him to search for other versions of “Ba Ma Gu” to listen to, but nothing felt quite as entertaining as Qi Shejiang’s.
Given the teammates’ teasing, this time Zhang Yue and Qi Shejiang still stayed together. The two who rose the earliest always encountered each other in the morning. As Zhang Yue brushed his teeth, he noticed Qi Shejiang humming while jotting something down. He walked over, listening and glancing at what was written—mostly lyrics resembling scripts—and muttered, “What’s this for?”
“I’m modifying a piece,” Qi Shejiang replied.
“These are the scripts for the Zi Di Shu; I want to revise them to slightly fit modern aesthetics.” He wondered if a few tweaks to the Zi Di Shu might increase its appeal. Of course, not a complete overhaul but adjustments to cater to aesthetic habits, making it smoother. Just like how the singing styles of da gu (big drum) have innovated over the years, with Tai Ping lyrics evolving from spoken singing to fully sung pieces. Crosstalk still has several performers, but only Qi Shejiang knows how to do Zi Di Shu, and he feels an obligation to take this on.
Zhang Yue didn’t know the specifics of Zi Di Shu, but he had participated in writing many of Guanshan Band’s songs. He finished brushing his teeth and pulled out the instrument-playing app on his phone. “Hum it for me to see.” Qi Shejiang immediately played and sang it on the sanxian. Zhang Yue listened and intermittently repeated it before finally playing the whole segment in one go. “Just modify it like this.”
Qi Shejiang suddenly had a breakthrough; he realized that his understanding of pop music was still not sufficient. Zhang Yue’s modifications indeed made it more accessible for modern audiences, yet it retained the charm and characteristics of traditional children’s literature.
Qi Shejiang played it again on the sanxian to confirm the effect. “Really, thank you! On the 18th, I have a live crosstalk performance at the Capital Theater. Do you want to come?” Qi Shejiang asked. This was arranged by Meng Jingyuan. Zhang Yue looked at the ceiling, slowly replying, “Let me check my schedule… the 18th, I should be free.” Qi Shejiang nodded, “Great, I’ll send you the ticket purchasing method later.” Zhang Yue: “…………” Qi Shejiang laughed, “Just kidding! I’ll mail the tickets to you.” Zhang Yue ground his teeth, saying, “Let’s wait and see, I might not go.” Qi Shejiang thought for a moment and said, “It’s fine; you should come to listen. Plus, I’ll need you to give me some heavy criticism.” Zhang Yue: “………………”
Chapter 16 Since the first recording, the other guests had been complaining that Qi Shejiang was causing trouble. Later, when Qi Shejiang’s career plan came out, they still secretly doubted it. Putting aside other qualifications, just his professional ability, they truly believed Qi Shejiang could do it! The audience could fall into a pit just watching on television; how could it be any different for those listening live in person, facing the performance, with even stronger immersion and emotional impact?
