Although Zhang Yue sang as Miss Cui, everyone couldn’t help but say, “Oh my, this lyric suits Jesse… Old Zhang, just look at Jesse singing!” Zhang Yue looked at Qi Shejiang, feeling speechless, but found Qi Shejiang was not displeased at all, even giving him a slight smile. Zhang Yue froze for a moment, wanting to turn his face away, but somehow ended up looking at Qi Shejiang as the heckler suggested. Qi Shejiang lifted his chin, signaling that the chorus was about to begin. To be fair, after just four lines, one could tell Zhang Yue’s singing skill was far superior to the original, the tone was better, and the male version brought another flavor, even adding a hint of tenderness. Accompanied by the honking sounds of wild geese simulated by Qi Shejiang with clever changes in string tension, the song reached its climax, “Is it not dreaming of love in heaven and earth, waking up in an eternity. Why then, need the West Chamber terrify the soul so? Resounding the lyrics of the plum blossom dream, drawing again the memories of the boat rendezvous…” Zhang Yue had gotten quite familiar with these lyrics now, humming a harmony and singing the last line with Zhang Yue, “On the night when the moon is fullest and the snow taps the lantern, this feeling shall be carried in song to celebrate our fateful encounter—” Qi Shejiang’s singing style still had a flavor of “zi di shu,” but it fit this song perfectly, adding a layer of charm to Zhang Yue’s rendition.
It felt like two styles from different eras, intertwined and blended without conflict. The previously laughing crowd gradually quieted down during the performance, and after the last note faded, a while passed before someone spoke up. “…My God, that was amazing.” A female guest clutched her heart, “I have to say Zhang Yue really brought out the romantic feeling in this song. Before, it always felt traditional, but now it feels like a love song from centuries ago.” “Hey, our lead singer’s skill level is still okay, right? Jesse sang beautifully with him,” Zhou Dong winked and praised, “Even with someone he goes head-to-head against, he can sing with such emotion.” The crowd burst into laughter: “Hahahahahahaha!!!” Zhang Yue: “……” Turning to look, Qi Shejiang also appeared somewhat helpless. They exchanged a glance, feeling like everything was conveyed in silence. During the break of the second episode recording, Zhang Yue pointed out quite a few details for Qi Shejiang’s adjustments to the “zi di shu,” and he felt it was greatly helpful. When the recording concluded, Qi Shejiang couldn’t help but invite Zhang Yue to his place again, wanting to consult him about whether it was convenient. There are too many styles for “zi di shu,” and Qi Shejiang felt overwhelmed with tasks left to complete.
Zhang Yue truly agreed, and when Qi Shejiang inquired about compensation, he muttered something like, “You know how expensive I am; don’t think just because your family makes money, you can—” Qi Shejiang replied, “Hey, I have to settle the price first, right?” Zhang Yue: “……” Qi Shejiang continued, “How can you sing without discussing the price first?” Zhang Yue: “…………” … He knew it! Qi Shejiang was a bit of a jobaholic, and when a funny line came to his mind, he just couldn’t help but share it. Zhang Yue angrily hung up the phone, put on a mask, and took a cab to Qi Shejiang’s apartment. “Here are the tickets. I got you four. See if Xie Qing and the others are coming.” Qi Shejiang took out a few tickets for the cross-talk performance.
Zhang Yue hummed and muttered, still saying, “I’ll see if I have time later.” Qi Shejiang started to laugh; he figured out that Zhang Yue was the kind of person who liked to say one thing and mean another. One held the sanxian, while the other used an app on his phone to adjust the musical scores. In the midst of this, they spent three to four hours. Qi Shejiang loosened the strings, saying, “Let’s take a break.”
It was only during this process that Zhang Yue understood what “zidi shu” was and how it differed from the “da gu.” Curiously, he asked, “Where did you learn this?” Qi Shejiang lowered his head and replied, “From a very far place. I learned it from an old man, and after I learned it, I didn’t know that no one here listens to it anymore.” Upon hearing this, Zhang Yue felt a pang in his heart. He interpreted that far place as being abroad, where there were elderlies still unaware of domestic news, thinking there were still people who loved these ancient art forms. Zhang Yue created pop music, but that didn’t stop him from feeling that emotion. He said softly, “If you have more questions in the future, just come to me.” Qi Shejiang laughed again, “Then we really have to talk about payment.” Zhang Yue immediately pulled a banknote from his pocket, slapped it on the table, and raised his chin, saying, “Here you go.” But he forgot that Qi Shejiang wouldn’t let him get the upper hand. Holding the money, Qi Shejiang casually remarked, “I can’t believe someone is actually paying for advice on the first meeting; you must be into looks more than cash.”
It’s often said that the brothel owner loves money, while the sisters love appearances. Zhang Yue: “…………” He angrily snatched the money back. Qi Shejiang smiled, thinking he should find Li Jing to help negotiate this matter. Zhang Yue talked about brotherhood, and he certainly couldn’t let him down. After a day of busyness, it was already night. When Zhang Yue left the community, he had a peculiar feeling, as if he had been photographed. This was the sensitivity he developed from mingling in the entertainment industry. Zhang Yue took the subway back, curious to see who could keep up with him. After getting on and off a few times at the busiest station, no one could find Zhang Yue. He wore a mask, making it hard for passersby to recognize him. When he returned and opened his phone, he checked Weibo and found he had been tagged more than usual, confirming that he had indeed been photographed earlier. Most tags came from the same original Weibo post. 【Watermelon Entertainment: Netizens report that Zhang Yue entered Jesse’s home and stayed for several hours before leaving!】 Attached were photos of Zhang Yue entering the apartment, along with old photos of Qi Shejiang coming and going for comparison, confirming that this was indeed Qi Shejiang’s house. Oh dear, this… really… how did they describe it so ambiguously, making others think what they want? Sigh!
Zhang Yue casually clicked on the comments. 【Where did this wild news come from! Is Zhang Yue that kind of person?!】 【After so many years, can’t people have a bit more faith in Zhang Yue’s bad temper?】 【You say Zhang Yue entered Jesse’s house, I say you’re just a daydreamer spouting nonsense. What’s real is real, what’s fake is fake, your eyes are not blind. If Zhang Yue is in the picture, I’ll give you my head as a watermelon.】 【Lead singer fans are truly something else; even their comments rhyme.】 Zhang Yue: “…………” But he couldn’t really blame everyone; after all, they only saw that Zhang Yue and Qi Shejiang were like fire and water. Especially in these past few days, the first episode of “Return to the Countryside” had officially aired, and recently Qi Shejiang had been quite the talk of the town. Discussions were everywhere about his new identity. With enticing previews, plus other guests also having a certain level of popularity, the viewership ratings were exceptionally good.
