Chapter 226: I Heard You're Holding a Concert

A blue coarse-cloth jacket, an extremely classic skin.

The moment he turned around, the figure that came into Zhou Yi's view made him feel exceptionally familiar—the new generation Spring Festival Gala skit king: Zhao Benshan.

Last year's work "Selling Crutches" at the Spring Festival Gala caused this skit king from Northeast China to suffer considerable criticism while simultaneously further elevating his status in the domestic comedy scene.

Strictly speaking, this year's "Selling a Car" is a replication of last year's "Selling Crutches"; although the quality declined somewhat, it still contributed several memes that have circulated all the way into the mobile internet era.

The most classic among them is undoubtedly the line: "When the two feet leave the ground, the virus shuts down, and the clever intelligence occupies the high ground again."

"Old Zhao, when did you arrive?" Feng Gong, who was also an old acquaintance, came down from the stage and re-hung the guitar in his arms.

"Isn't it because Fan Wei hasn't arrived yet? I thought I'd drop by and stroll around here; I was rehearsing over there too, and how can one rehearse with no one around?"

The opening words carried that familiar Northeastern accent from memory, yet compared to his stage performance, Zhao Benshan in real life didn't seem quite so exaggerated; his smiling appearance even looked somewhat kind from a distance: "Hello Zhou Yi, I've heard your songs; your songs are super hot, and even our Errenzhuan theaters have people asking to hear your songs."

"Can my songs even be adapted into Errenzhuan?"

Zhou Yi, following Zhao Benshan's train of thought, joked with a smile: "Uncle Benshan, you can't trick me; I'm still so young, and my tender heart can't withstand deception."

"How could that be? I wouldn't trick anyone, let alone you, the Asian Little Guo Tianwang."

With just that one sentence, Zhao Benshan, who was already in the comedy business, suddenly brightened up.

This kid has some comedic talent.

Amidst the laughter and joking, Fan Wei, the victim from last year's "Selling Crutches," became the target of Zhao Benshan's teasing: "If Fan Wei reacted as quickly as you, Zhou Yi, I'm afraid my punchline would have fallen flat in my hands."

Having mixed in the Spring Festival Gala for so many years, Zhao Benshan could still read something from CCTV's treatment of Zhou Yi, so his attitude toward him was naturally exceptionally friendly.

"Is that so? Fan Wei Uncle would probably be very hurt hearing those words."

After the customary exchange of contact information, Zhou Yi, who hadn't seen Fan Debiao, felt somewhat regretful.

On this trip to the Spring Festival Gala, he really did see quite a few acquaintances.

People like Gong Hanlin, Huang Hong, and Jiang Kun aside, now he had even met Feng Gong, Zhao Benshan, and Guo Donglin; it was just a pity he hadn't encountered his favorite Debiao.

Knowing Zhao Benshan wouldn't just stroll over to Feng Gong's side for no reason, Zhou Yi, after briefly chatting with the two, chose to take his leave and departed from the language-program rehearsal area.

"Hey, over here, Zhou Yi, I'm over here."

Sun Yanzi, who was discussing the Spring Festival Gala duet repertoire with her manager Chen Zeshan in the song-and-dance area, immediately noticed Zhou Yi sauntering back leisurely like a street loafer; although somewhat curious in her heart, she instinctively raised her hand and waved.

"Why did you come back so quickly?"

"What nonsense? I'm not performing crosstalk or skits; what's the point of staying there? Participating in rehearsals? If others don't mind, I certainly can't sit still; just showing my face and getting to know people is enough."

Zhou Yi, tossing his phone, finished speaking and then turned his head to look at Chen Zeshan: "What's your situation?"

"The duet song has been confirmed; it's also a mainstream song fitting the current situation, 'Connected to the World'."

"CCTV's idea is to find a singer with rich Spring Festival Gala stage experience to anchor the performance and sing a duet with Yanzi; his name is Xie Xiaodong. Do you know him, A-Yi?"

As Sun Yanzi's manager, Chen Zeshan, who placed great importance on her journey to the Spring Festival Gala to build her credentials, truthfully explained the situation.

This year's Spring Festival Gala chief director insisted on live singing; having the benefit of the "veterans leading newcomers" model meant being exceptionally valued, and if any flaws occurred during the performance, the veteran performing alongside could step in to save the day.

"I don't know him, but I've heard of him."

Zhou Yi shook his head.

As for the singer Xie Xiaodong, he really didn't know what he looked like; they had never met. But speaking of a song's lyrics, basically any Chinese person would have an impression—

"Today We're Really Happy."

The line that almost everyone from ninety-nine down to those just learning to walk could chat about, "We common people, today are really, really happy," was sung by him.

His duet with Fan Xiaoxuan at the 1998 Spring Festival Gala, "Health Exercise," made him suddenly popular again; "Left three circles, right three circles, twist the neck, twist the butt" once became the number one song of 1998, sparking a wave of nationwide calisthenics.

"Is that so? That works then. Since that's the case, I'll go find Na Ying first to inquire about Xie Xiaodong's information."

Chen Zeshan slapped his forehead, then immediately handed Yanzi, who was unfamiliar with people and places at CCTV, over to Zhou Yi and hurriedly departed.

"What does Na Ying have to do with this? Does Na Ying know Xie Xiaodong?"

Sun Yanzi, who knew almost nothing about the mainland music scene except for Na Ying, was somewhat curious and turned to look at Zhou Yi.

"More than that; rumors in the streets say Na Ying even confessed her love to Xie Xiaodong before. These two were taught by the same teacher; Xie Xiaodong is Na Ying's genuine junior brother."

"Really? That's so exciting?"

Upon hearing there was gossip to eat, Sun Yanzi's eyes immediately lit up: "And then? And then?"

Na Ying is still at Warner now; she was invited in largely due to Chen Zeshan's strong advocacy.

"And then it was—"

Hmm?

Before the words finished, Zhou Yi, noticing someone walking toward him, narrowed his eyes and then made a shushing gesture toward Sun Yanzi.

"Haha, you must be Zhou Yi, little brother. Hello, hello; I've long heard of your great name, long admired, long admired."

A chubby man with a buzz cut, accompanied by a delicate woman, walked over; his opening words carried an unmistakable old-school underworld flavor: "Let me introduce myself; my name is Zang Tianshuo. This is Siqin Gerile, my student; you should know her."

The fat man named Zang Tianshuo introduced his nominal student; Sun Yanzi found her quite familiar, the female singer who competed with Zhou Yi for Best Newcomer in the Mainland at several major charts last year, such as the Global Chinese Music Awards.

Just...

With this distance between them, and her arm linked with his, their relationship probably isn't simply that of teacher and student, is it?

Sun Yanzi, who remembered Siqin Gerile but didn't know Zang Tianshuo, instinctively let her gaze fall on Siqin Gerile's hand openly linked with Zang Tianshuo's arm and raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.

"Miss Siqin Gerile, of course I know her; last year she competed with me for several awards."

Zhou Yi, whose rule is never to strike a smiling face, verbally reciprocated the greeting while guessing in his heart what this person wanted from him.

Zang Tianshuo, who self-proclaimed himself the Godfather of Mainland Rock, is one of the actual underworld bosses in the mainland entertainment circle—no, one should say, in the current circle of singers in the Imperial Capital.

His character is unruly and irritable; he is greedy for money and lustful; he is notoriously arrogant and lawless.

He bullied Anita Mui when she came to the Imperial Capital to hold a concert during her peak; shortly afterward, he would smash up Na Ying's concert, but because of Na Ying's resistance, he ended up in a prolonged feud with this Mainland Heavenly Queen.

In the future, even Jackie Chan, who had become an international calling card, came to the Imperial Capital to hold a concert to reward his fans, yet this guy still beat, smashed, robbed, and extorted him.

If Zhao Benshan hadn't stepped in as host to mediate and reconcile, Jackie Chan, who had been long out of battle, would almost have gone "an old man acting like a youth," bringing his stuntmen to fight Zang Tianshuo.

Let's put it this way: in Zhou Yi's impression, Zang Tianshuo is the kind of trash that, if a dog came to his territory to hold a concert, he would pluck two handfuls of dog fur off it.

Of course, this is precisely the period when Zang Tianshuo's fame is at its peak.

The fact that he could openly bring his well-known mistress, Siqin Gerile, to the Spring Festival Gala while still having a legal wife is enough to prove he truly has some substance.

"We lost the award with complete conviction. After all, how long has it been since you, brother Zhou Yi, debuted, yet you can already hold a concert in the Imperial Capital?"

Zang Tianshuo, whose face was covered in coarse flesh, smiled until his eyes nearly squinted into a single slit. He then reached into his pocket, pulled out a business card, and handed it to Zhou Yi: "If you ever need my help in the future, just call and ask. I dare not speak for other places, but in this patch of the Imperial Capital, I still have a say."

"... A concert?"

Zhou Yi, who immediately understood in his heart, looked at him with a half-smile, reached out to take the business card handed before his eyes, his expression slightly amused. The news about him holding a concert in the Imperial Capital shouldn't have spread yet, right?

The venue was only approved a short while ago; this damn guy's information is quite sharp, and he's already planning to stick his claws in?

(End of this chapter)