Chapter 225: You Are Just Adding Feet to a Snake by Arbitrarily Tampering with the Lyrics of

"The person looking for me is you; why did you come along?"

Outside Studio One of the CCTV Building.

Zhou Yi, leaning against the corridor, glanced sideways at Sun Yanzi, who was constantly rubbing her hands and exhaling steam: "It's freezing cold; aren't you afraid of the chill?"

"Of course, it's for rehearsal. Didn't Qian Jiang tell you? I'm going on the Spring Festival Gala this year too."

Sun Yanzi wore an expression of absolute certainty: "I don't think I've reached the point where I can appear on the Spring Festival Gala without rehearsing and submitting for review."

"Aren't you at the sub-venue?"

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Qian Jiang hadn't actually told him the specific details about Sun Yanzi's Spring Festival Gala appearance, only mentioning that she had received an invitation as well.

In his memory, Sun Yanzi's appearance on the Spring Festival Gala this time should have been at the Shenzhen sub-venue.

"No, why would you think that? Or where did you hear such unreliable gossip?" Sun Yanzi bared her teeth, laughing raucously: "Or is Chen Zeshan's confidentiality work that thorough?"

"Maybe."

Zhou Yi, not taking it seriously, shrugged indifferently and pushed open the door to Studio One first.

"Your reaction is so flat; shouldn't you be continuing to be curious about what my rehearsal song for the Spring Festival Gala is?"

"Nothing to guess; as long as you don't go off-key, it's a victory."

"..."

Stung at her weak point, Sun Yanzi immediately flew into a rage of embarrassment and shame, grabbing at Zhou Yi to vent her anger: "You're the same; don't forget I'm still your teacher."

Wasn't it just that during the press conference, because the schedule was too tight and her condition wasn't great, her pitch wavered a bit on one song? She adjusted it back afterwards, okay?

If anyone is to blame, it's only that Singaporean compatriot Lin Junjie, whose song "Remember" isn't that easy to sing.

"So what if I'm your teacher? Don't forget there's also the saying: the waves behind push on those ahead, and the new generation surpasses the old." Zhou Yi turned his head, glanced up and down at her with a light smile, and left her with a mocking look: "Please mind the occasion and your demeanor, Teacher Sun."

"..."

Reminded by his words that everyone here belonged to the top tier of China's entertainment industry, Sun Yanzi immediately shrank her head sheepishly and switched back to the good-girl mode in one second.

"Where is Chen Zeshan? Why didn't he come with you?"

"He arrived at CCTV a step ahead of me; he's probably there to understand the relevant situation." Sun Yanzi, finally remembering her manager, immediately twisted her head left and right, but didn't see Chen Zeshan; instead, she spotted a stranger walking towards Zhou Yi—

Thin and with a long face, he looked like someone of some age.

"Hello, Zhou Yi, nice to meet you. This must be Miss Sun Yanzi, right?"

Feng Gong extended his hand first to greet both of them.

As a veteran artist who first stepped onto the Spring Festival Gala stage in early 1986 and has never missed the stage until this year, the line "Dear audience friends, I've missed you so much" became his fixed trademark.

If one were to select the top ten artists on the Spring Festival Gala stage, whether by career length or career height, Feng Gong is a true god-level figure who can squeeze into the top five.

As a Singaporean, Sun Yanzi didn't know this man well, but seeing that he wanted to discuss business, she made an excuse after greeting him to go find Chen Zeshan to prepare for rehearsal and chose to take her leave.

Seeing this, Feng Gong's face immediately gained a few more smiles: "Looks like I didn't come at the right time, Zhou Yi."

"No, no, no, Uncle Feng, you've come at just the right time."

Borrowing a line, Zhou Yi said with a smile: "Authorization for such a small matter, actually, you can just contact Warner directly."

Feng Gong's purpose in seeking out Zhou Yi was actually very simple: he wanted song authorization and the right to adapt.

The Spring Festival Gala program prepared by Feng Gong, Guo Donglin, and Lu Ming this year is quite similar in form to the对口相声 (对口相声) "Old Songs, New Songs" performed by Feng Gong and Guo Donglin on the 2000 Spring Festival Gala; the program is currently tentatively named "Trio."

As the name suggests, the key factor linking this program from start to finish is songs. The performance and rhythm of each of the three performers determine whether the program can proceed smoothly.

Lu Ming on the accordion, Guo Donglin on Tianjin kuaiban, and Feng Gong on the guitar.

With the three main theme songs already decided, Feng Gong, playing the guitar, needs to sing a song while accompanying himself in the plot and rewrite the lyrics.

Originally, Feng Gong intended to use the old song "A Letter Home" for lyric adaptation and singing, but the song "Jiangnan" was simply too popular; so popular that even if he went out every day, his ears were forced to endure the "Jiangnan" bombardment on every street and alley, and his family members were singing it every day.

With the "A Letter Home" version adaptation already serving as insurance, Feng Gong, for the sake of the final program effect, still wanted to come find Zhou Yi to try asking for authorization.

"This isn't a small matter; the lyrics I sing later will have absolutely nothing to do with your 'Jiangnan' except for the same melody."

"As the author, I think I really need to report this to you properly."

Having received Zhou Yi's approval, Feng Gong was obviously in a very good mood and even extended an invitation to him: "Xiao Yi, if you're interested, you can come watch our rehearsal."

"You're also a creator; if there are any places where our lyrics are adapted incorrectly, you might even help us fill in the gaps."

"Uncle Feng, don't say that; I'm actually quite interested."

Regarding this so-called "Trio," Zhou Yi was indeed a bit interested; he could confirm that the program Feng Gong performed on the 2002 Spring Festival Gala was called "On Stage and Off Stage," not this ghostly name.

The punchlines were average, and the overall quality had a certain gap compared to the "Old Songs, New Songs" of the same form he himself performed on the 2000 Spring Festival Gala.

In fact, when Zhou Yi, who had slipped into the language program rehearsal area, received the first draft script handed to him by Feng Gong, Zhou Yi confirmed almost immediately that the program still called "Trio" during rehearsal would be presented as "On Stage and Off Stage" after the final review.

Some of the lines in there were very familiar to him; he had seen them.

Of course, here he also saw Guo Donglin, who still had hair on his forehead.

He, who was reciting lines, immediately stood up from his chair upon seeing Zhou Yi approach and politely greeted him.

The overly familiar Zhou Yi quickly started calling him "Brother Guo" over and over.

There was no way; in this era, the Spring Festival Gala was full of big and small kings, each older than him by more than a full cycle... The only reason he didn't call Feng Gong "Brother" was purely because the man's age was about the same as his father's.

After meeting the other performing member, Lu Ming, Zhou Yi then looked with interest at the adapted lyrics he held in his hand—

The tune of "Jiangnan," indeed singing Feng Gong's teasing of the Spring Festival Gala and Guo Donglin; the lyrics were a complete transformation.

"How is it, Xiao Yi, my adaptation?"

Feng Gong, who played the guitar quite skillfully, asked with a smile: "Take a look and see if there's anything that needs to be modified."

"Uncle Feng, your adaptation is amazing; it teases both the Spring Festival Gala and Brother Guo; it's perfect. However... my suggestion is that Brother Guo's lines after you finish singing could be polished a bit more."

A thought immediately sprang to Zhou Yi's mind, and he raised the notebook in his hand.

In the script, after Feng Gong finished singing the Spring Festival Gala limited edition of "Jiangnan," Guo Donglin directly followed up with: "Friends, just now I let you listen to a segment of noise, making your ears suffer greatly! Next, I will sincerely sing for everyone..."

This segment actually didn't have many punchlines; it relied purely on the performances of Feng Gong and Guo Donglin, and the transition of the lines was not smooth.

"I think we can add another line before Brother Guo delivers this line. For instance, Uncle Feng just finished performing an adapted version of 'Jiangnan,' and then Brother Guo could disdainfully retort: 'You arbitrarily tampering with the lyrics of 'Jiangnan' is just adding unnecessary feet to a snake!'"

"Then follow up with the original line."

Glancing at Guo Donglin's face, which bore a striking resemblance to Lin Junjie, Zhou Yi's eyes darted, and he offered the suggestion.

This could at least be considered creating a laugh point, after all, this performance segment actually had no laugh points in its dialogue design.

Upon hearing these words, Feng Gong and the others exchanged glances, subconsciously beginning to ponder the possibility and the humor of it—

Ten minutes later:

When Feng Gong and the other two, having decided to give it a try, began their rehearsal, Zhou Yi, acting as the audience, sat in the front row, watching Guo Donglin, who looked remarkably like Lin Junjie, stand on stage and angrily berate Feng Gong, who had just finished playing 'Jiangnan'— "You arbitrarily tampering with the lyrics of 'Jiangnan' is just adding unnecessary feet to a snake!"

"Zhou Yi's songs are so popular, and you've ruined them all!"

"Friends, I'm truly sorry; just now I let you listen to a segment of noise..."

Once the word "noise" was spoken by Guo Donglin, it perfectly echoed his previous outburst at Feng Gong, flawlessly serving as a bridge between the two parts, adding a little punchline that would make people smile knowingly to this segment.

Zhou Yi himself, the very originator of this idea, was surprisingly astonished that the effect turned out to be so good.

Heaven and earth are my witness; originally, he simply wanted to see if Guo Donglin saying that would be a bit more fun.

"Great! The revision is brilliant!"

Suddenly, a voice filled with the flavor of Northeastern Chinese dialect came from behind Zhou Yi.

PS: I've rested for three days, feel rested enough now, and my energy is no longer drooping.

Two updates tomorrow~

(End of this chapter)