No one would have expected he was Qi Mengzhou himself. Even if he acted a bit strangely, everyone would just think it was the excitement of recognizing the person his master cared about most before passing away. Thinking this way made others feel even more emotional. Old Master Meng wiped his face streaked with tears but spoke with some pride, “Yes, this must be something my senior brother taught me; there’s no mistake about it, no one else could sing with such flavor.”
Who would have thought that Old Master Meng, having taken a long break, would come to a set and evoke such a moving old story. Tang Shuangqin took the initiative to say, “Old Master, let’s go to the side room and sit down to reminisce properly.”
Old Master Meng nodded, and each of the doctor and Qi Shejiang supported him as they walked away. Halfway through, Qi Shejiang looked back. Zhang Yue felt a stir in his heart, surprised and confused; seeing Qi Shejiang in tears made him feel heartache, but he dared not reach out to him. At that moment, Qi Shejiang seemed like someone who would be in immense pain if anyone dared to touch him. But now as Qi Shejiang glanced back, it seemed he was searching for something, wearing a look of bewilderment and helplessness that prompted him to hastily follow.
Meng Jingyuan whispered a few words with Tang Shuangqin, stopping the filming. Tang Shuangqin understandingly said, “You guys chat first.”
Meng Jingyuan nodded, just as he was about to follow, he paused and looked at Mo Sheng and Qi Leyang, who were both standing by. “You two junior brothers are not outsiders either, come along?” Meng Jingyuan patted Mo Sheng. Mo Sheng and Qi Leyang: “……………………” The two were nearly ready to kneel down!
“This is serious, Zeng Wen doesn’t even know that I’ve recognized an elder.” Meng Jingyuan spoke, breaking the somewhat sad atmosphere. Old Master Meng was both happy and sad; his emotions were complicated, smiling while still having traces of tears, his gaze fixed on Qi Shejiang. Qi Shejiang brewed hot tea for Old Master Meng, also with traces of tears on his face, too distracted to respond to Meng Jingyuan’s teasing. “With your senior brother sharing the same name, I can’t call you by your birth name, let’s call you Jesse like them,” Old Master Meng said. However, the unpredictability of life was just like this. No one would have thought that during the turmoil, the brothers managed to survive, each with their own circumstances, yet believed the other to have passed away.
“Jesse, do you know how your senior brother survived back then?” Old Master Meng asked. Qi Shejiang hesitated and began to recount his past experiences, changing some details to create a better narrative. He explained that even if he couldn’t provide clear accounts of overseas matters, they could be broadly dismissed as unclear or forgotten. Now everyone recognized Qi Shejiang as Qi Mengzhou’s successor, and one’s skills couldn’t be faked.
“Your senior brother was still so soft-hearted. He mentioned that to you in an attempt to find joy in suffering; I’ve heard Xiao Yinyue mention that he was all alone back then, although he had high skills, he was afflicted with an illness and completely alone in a foreign land without anyone to help. Xiao Yinyue wasn’t able to do much either, relying on friends to check on him; but being sick, he couldn’t even go out, and had to save firewood, adding to his troubles,” Old Master Meng said, continuing to sigh.
Qi Shejiang lowered his head, biting his back teeth. “The more I look at you, the more you resemble your senior brother,” Old Master Meng said, “Although you don’t look alike at all, the spirit in your brows and the demeanor in your gestures, and even this singing style… you’ve learned it so well, why didn’t your senior brother give you any guidance?” He had heard from Meng Jingyuan, they all thought Qi Shejiang was a Haiping. Qi Shejiang took a long while before he managed to muster his spirits to reply, “Not being an itinerant artist, that is the best outcome.”
He was tormented by Mr. Meng’s words, wishing he could immediately tell his junior brother about his origins, but he found it inconvenient to speak up at the moment. Such a shocking matter, how could it be accepted?
Qi Shejiang had been in the art for many years, making a living from xiangsheng, and even after coming to this time and space, it was because of xiangsheng that he developed an interest in living well.
However, when he spoke these words, they were still genuine.
“Mr. Meng smiled with mixed feelings. ‘The reasoning is sound, but upon hearing the news about my senior brother, I just can’t help it. Alright, I’ll go rest. But…’ he looked at Qi Shejiang. ‘Jiexi, you must come to our home; from today on, you’re just like family to us. I still want to chat with you more.’
Upon hearing this, Meng Jingyuan quickly advised, ‘Grandpa, as Jiexi said, after the great tribulation, the master passed away peacefully. Although he had no children in a foreign land, he has such a successor, ensuring offerings every year, so you don’t need to be too sad.'”
“
Luo Xia also said, “Yes, old man, back in those days, there were many misunderstandings and missteps that wasted decades, but today, your meeting is also a fated encounter.”
After listening, Mr. Meng felt somewhat relieved and sighed, “…Hmm. The heavens finally showed a bit of compassion, allowing me to meet my nephew.” He looked toward Qi Shejiang and finally displayed a trace of joy.
Qi Shejiang said dazedly, “I will definitely go home often and keep company with… my uncle.”
Zhang Yue was standing aside. Originally, everyone displayed a relieved smile, but upon seeing Qi Shejiang’s expression, he frowned and pressed down on Qi Shejiang’s shoulder.
Qi Shejiang felt the warmth of his hand, steadied his mind, turned back to look at him, pulled the corner of his mouth, and smiled faintly like everyone else.
“Then today, we will take our leave,” Meng Jingyuan supported Mr. Meng and said softly. “Later, I will call Jiexi, take you home, and introduce you to the family, so you can come by yourself in the future.”
Since the old gentleman’s health wasn’t great, this kind of treatment was rare in the performing arts world, meaning from now on Qi Shejiang would be considered a legitimate member of the Meng family’s xiangsheng lineage.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Meng patted Meng Jingyuan’s hand.
Meng Jingyuan immediately understood, “I should call Jiexi my uncle.”
His tone was serious and not teasing. “
Meng Jingyuan, he felt a mix of emotions running through him. The weight of the new status was both thrilling and daunting. It was not just about the title but the responsibility that came with it. As he walked through the bustling streets, he couldn’t help but ponder how this recognition would change his life and the dynamics within the xiangsheng community.
He was aware that some would welcome this change, while others might view his rise with jealousy or skepticism. Yet, he had always believed that talent and hard work transcended lineage.
His mind drifted back to his early days, when he had joined the community and struggled to find his footing. The path had not been easy, but now, recognition was finally in his grasp. He was determined to honor it.
…
…
After Qi Shejiang sent Mr.
Meng and the others off, he initially wanted to follow, but Meng Jingyuan had already said that the old gentleman should go home to take his medicine and rest; he would continue working and would go later.
What could Qi Shejiang do? He walked back in a light-hearted manner.
By this time, the entire crew had already spread the dramatic event that had just taken place. Some media came to hype it up, and people from the xiangsheng community frequently spoke out. The buzz from before had been intense, and now this scene was extremely explosive.
