Chapter 250: The New Year's Eve Dinner with Only Two People (4k)

As the most influential stage in the country, Zhou Yi's first appearance on the Spring Festival Gala left a somewhat profound impression on people.

The catchy melody, the extremely memorable high notes, and the highly recognizable arrangement directly made many big shots who had only heard his name but never seen him, as well as the older generation watching at home, remember this young man who sounded incredibly impressive when singing.

Especially the latter.

They didn't understand the meaning of the lyrics to "Yellow Race," nor could they grasp how clever the prelude arrangement was or how smooth the bridge was; they only remembered one thing—

This young man sounds quite impressive when he sings.

Although singing high doesn't necessarily mean singing well, ordinary audiences can still distinguish between pleasant high notes and grating noise. Without the filter of fans or anti-fans, ears do not lie.

And for Zhou Yi's own fans, his god-level live performance tonight became yet another asset they could boast about during their electronic cricket battles.

For a singer, being able to write is one thing; being able to sing is actually another.

The reason Chen Yi Xun would be pushed out by the Hong Kong circle to carry the banner and marketed as the new God of Singing after Zheng Zhongji's incident in the future is exactly this principle.

He cannot write, but he can sing.

Being able to sing actually also belongs to talent for a singer, typical examples being a batch of talent monsters like Wang Fei and Sun Yanzi.

Zhou Yi's own positioning of himself in his heart was very clear: just sing well.

And tonight, he felt he had done it, interpreting the song's atmosphere very well.

After getting off the stage, Zhou Yi, back in the backstage area, also met the trio of Zhao Benshan, Fan Wei, and Gao Xiumin who were reviewing and resting there.

Obviously, these three were not entirely satisfied with their own performances on stage earlier.

Seeing Zhou Yi return, Old Zhao, who had been exchanging words with Fan Wei, immediately raised his hand to wave at him, gave a thumbs-up with a face full of admiration, and said, "You sang really well, Zhou Yi, that high note of yours. Let me introduce you, these two are my partners: Gao Xiumin and Fan Wei."

"Sister Gao, Brother Fan."

Zhou Yi, who had already met Old Zhao last time, finally got to meet Chef Fan this time; he smiled, extended his hand, and proactively greeted them.

"Ah, it turns out Zhou Yi really has a sweet mouth."

Gao Xiumin's signature laughter somewhat dispelled the awkwardness of not knowing how to start a conversation upon their first meeting: "Old Fan, look at him."

Fan Wei, who had status but not that much yet and hadn't risen to prominence, was somewhat surprised by Zhou Yi's "approachability"; he hurriedly stood up to shake hands: "Hello, Zhou Yi."

"Zhou Yi, are you going home? Or back to the venue?"

Seeing that Zhou Yi had exchanged contact information with both of them, Zhao Benshan, who had been silent and not disturbing them, finally spoke up to ask.

The backstage of the live Spring Festival Gala can basically be considered a large-scale networking platform within the industry for exchanging contact information, usually gathering artists who have just finished performing and left the stage or left not long ago, as well as artists waiting in line to go on stage.

Some, after performing, choose to remove their makeup and change clothes directly backstage, then go home to spend the New Year with their families; a typical representative is Feng Gong.

Others, after performing, choose to rest a bit more backstage, relax, find someone to chat with for a while, and then return to the venue to watch the entire Spring Festival Gala.

"Home."

Zhou Yi smiled, then immediately picked up his phone and sent a text message simultaneously to Qian Jiang and Sun Yanzi.

He didn't need to stay at the Spring Festival Gala to expand any connections now; his biggest backer connection had already been established.

Besides, in the current domestic singer circle, to put it bluntly, he himself is the biggest connection, and others are the ones rushing to actively befriend him.

Ten minutes later, Zhou Yi, having changed his clothes and wrapped in a large cotton-padded jacket, threw a light pink down jacket to Sun Yanzi, who had hurried over rubbing her hands and exhaling steam: "Let's go, Qian Jiang is already waiting outside."

"So it's actually possible to leave early."

Sun Yanzi, who quickly put on the clothes, walked out of the CCTV building, put on the rabbit earmuffs Zhou Yi handed her, and was so cold she was hissing "Sih, sih" in her mouth.

"If you want to stay and watch the whole thing, I have no objection."

"Then let's just forget it."

Recalling the scene of herself sitting in the audience earlier, having to awkwardly chat with others from time to time, Sun Yanzi couldn't help but shiver; she had already been so embarrassed that her toes curled up when the camera caught her "stealing" food earlier.

In this kind of setting, she couldn't act freely anyway; it was better to go home and eat something to warm up her body.

"When are you returning to Singapore?"

"Tomorrow night's flight."

"I thought you were leaving tonight."

Seeing Qian Jiang's car, Zhou Yi smiled and exhaled a breath of air: "Are you full? If not, come to my house for another New Year's Eve dinner? After all, Uncle did entrust me to take good care of you."

Sun Yanzi was stunned: "New Year's Eve dinner? Sure, but just the three of us? Aren't you going home?"

"My parents aren't coming to Beijing; they are used to their hometown, all the people they know are in their hometown, and there's someone to chat with as soon as they step out." Zhou Yi, who opened the car door for her to get in first, followed suit, closed the car door, and said, "As for going back to the hometown, I won't make it back tonight either."

"No, don't bring me along to your New Year's Eve dinner; I still have to go home tonight."

Driving the car, Qian Jiang said cheerfully, "I'm different from you two; I'm a man with a wife and child."

His wife, after their daughter got winter break, had directly brought their daughter to Beijing to accompany him, so naturally, this New Year was also spent in Beijing.

"Showing off, huh? Be careful I'll deduct your bonus."

"My bonus isn't issued by you."

"Then I'll ask Zhou Jianhui to deduct your bonus; guess if he'll satisfy this request of mine."

"..."

Amidst Sun Yanzi's giggles, the vehicle slowly drove into the residential compound.

Sun Yanzi, who was visiting Zhou Yi's place for the first time, got off the car in the underground garage; while waiting for the elevator, she turned her head left and right to look around: "Aren't you buying ingredients?"

"My fridge has some; don't think I'm like you, someone who relies entirely on restaurants delivering dishes." Recalling the past, Zhou Yi pressed the elevator button while laughing out loud, earning an eye-roll from Sun Yanzi.

What kind of person is this.

"Fine then, let me taste your cooking tonight; if it's not good, I'll expose you to the public."

"Then you might be disappointed; what I'm preparing tonight is actually hot pot."

"..."

Hot pot?

After entering Zhou Yi's home, Sun Yanzi, subconsciously taking off her shoes, accepted a pair of hand-knitted wool slippers and put them on her feet, looking around at the layout of Zhou Yi's apartment—

Four bedrooms, two living rooms, two bathrooms, still the same minimalist Nordic style as when she lived in Taipei; it looked very warm and had more of a feeling of home.

"The TV remote is either on the sofa or on the coffee table; go find it yourself."

Zhou Yi took off his cotton jacket, casually tossed it onto the back of the single-seater sofa, rolled up his sweater sleeves, and walked straight to the kitchen to get busy.

The clinking of pots, pans, and bowls in the sink rang out, sounding especially pleasant against the backdrop of the bone-chilling cold night outside.

Just as she turned on the TV and Sun Yanzi's image appeared on Central TV, she turned her head to look at the figure in the kitchen, busy and wearing an apron, and blinked.

"Oh right, about the air conditioning and heating—"

Zhou Yi, who had just finished washing the dishes and was about to leave the kitchen, saw Sun Yanzi leaning in the doorway, smiling and watching him, and jumped: "Are you a ghost? You walk without making a sound?"

"That's probably not my problem, it's the shoes." The woman, with her arms crossed over her chest, slightly lifted her toes and leaned against the wall, smiling: "Do you need help?"

"If you don't feel cold, you don't have to help with this." Zhou Yi shrugged.

The TV in the living room was still playing the Spring Festival Gala as background noise. Sun Yanzi, who had rolled up her sleeves and joined the New Year's Eve dinner "preparations," even got carried away with her playfulness; without using hot water, she deliberately dipped her hand in cold water and pressed it against Zhou Yi's neck—

causing him to shiver so hard he almost dropped the plate in his hand.

"Sun Yanzi!"

"Ah, wrong, wrong, wrong! Don't touch cold water, don't! No, wuwuwuwu..."

Sun Yanzi, whose face had directly experienced the sub-zero sensation, couldn't even speak clearly.

And after her chaotic busywork, the hotpot New Year's Eve dinner, which should have been ready in over ten minutes, was stubbornly delayed until half an hour later.

"Judging by your earlier move, if you want me to be your surprise guest at your concert this July, you'll have to pay extra." Sun Yanzi, holding a red wine glass as if it were Zhou Yi, bit the rim of the glass while one hand frantically dipped meat with chopsticks, constantly shoveling it into her own bowl.

"Then I'll turn around and ask Elva to add another show."

"Then I'll call Elva to boycott you with me."

"You can try to see if your words carry more weight or mine." A playful curve rose at the corner of Zhou Yi's mouth as he opened a bottle of red wine.

"What, are you dating her? So confident." Sun Yanzi pushed the glass forward and asked casually.

"I never date; you know that."

"Then what will you do later? When you get older, aren't you afraid everyone will only be after your money?"

"Doesn't matter; I have plenty of money."

Over ten minutes later.

After a few glasses of wine, a faint blush appeared on Sun Yanzi's face. She opened her mouth and let out a burp, curled one leg onto the chair, rested her chin on her knee, and looked at the man who had also started burping: "Pah, scumbag."

"I haven't deceived anyone; those who can't accept it avoided me long ago." Zhou Yi, rubbing his stomach, was clearly quite full: "Besides, I haven't scummed you out; why are you scolding me?"

"Can't I be executing justice for heaven?"

Sun Yanzi, who had known many inside stories of the industry since her debut, pouted: "Haven't you ever thought about marriage or something in the future? While you can still meet someone who truly likes you."

"Yes, but obviously not now; we'll deal with future matters later. I'm only twenty now. As for marriage, let's not talk about forty; at the very least, we should wait until after thirty to see the situation."

"Marriage is the graveyard of love; who would rush to a grave when they're so young? It's not Qingming Festival."

"Nonsense." Sun Yanzi, who had quietly pricked up her ears, immediately started calculating in her heart, while still mumbling on and off with her mouth.

Outside the restaurant window, the starry sky had at some point begun to show frequent fireworks ascending, and the Spring Festival Gala on the TV had already reached the closing segment of "Unforgettable Tonight"—

"Unforgettable Tonight~

"Unforgettable Tonight~

"No matter the horizon or the cape~"

Sun Yanzi raised her glass proactively, beaming with joy: "Happy New Year! Zhou Yi."

"Happy New Year."

Zhou Yi smiled, raised his glass, and clinked it against hers: "Don't drink too much, or you won't be able to take a shower later."

"Don't worry, I'm not that kind of person!"

Sun Yanzi, with great spirit, established significance.

Over thirty minutes later, she lay slumped on the dining table, her eyes barely open: "So sleepy."

Zhou Yi: "..."

What a lightweight.

Helpless, Zhou Yi had to carry her into the guest room. After tucking her in properly and turning to leave, he heard Sun Yanzi's murmuring, which sounded like a dream: "Thank you..."

After speaking, she unconsciously smacked her lips twice: "Happy Birthday, Zhou Yi. I've been rehearsing for a long time; I hope you'll like it..."

"..."

Recalling the birthday surprise at the celebration party, Zhou Yi stood by the bed, looking down at her profile for a few seconds, then smiled and shook his head.

Just before leaving, he reached out and turned off the light in the guest room.

In the darkness, after breathing evenly for several dozen seconds, Sun Yanzi quietly opened one eye, slightly turned her head, and surveyed the room with her peripheral vision.

Only after confirming he had indeed left did she fully open both eyes, lift the covers, tiptoe off the bed, press her ear against the door, listen to the sounds outside, and then a triumphant curve rose at the corner of her mouth; there was not a trace of her previous dazed look—

Easy!

Step one of the strategy: make Zhou Yi remember her goodness first!

Zhou Yi was clearly not the kind of traditional heartless, unfaithful man; starting the strategy from this point was indeed a great entry point.

Very satisfied with her performance, Sun Yanzi took three steps in two, walked to the bedside, picked up her phone, and sent a message to her best friend: 【About that friend I told you about before, she doesn't know what to do again now; mainly it's...】

………………………………………

"Mainly it's a money problem."

The third day of the Lunar New Year, inside a certain tea house.

Facing his friend's inquiry, Ning Hao helplessly sighed and shook his head: "Currently, we are indeed a bit short on money; I hope for a good harvest this year."

With not many people optimistic, Ning Hao, who took on any job, was just betting on a possibility: he planned to fund a movie himself; he had already written the script, he just had no money.

After directing Tu Honggang's music video "Let Go" last year, he had effectively put one foot into the domestic top singer's music video circle; the rest depended on how he would get work for himself.

Just as he was complaining to a friend during the New Year festivities, Ning Hao unexpectedly received a phone call from a friend in the Imperial Capital—

"What did you say? Warner is recruiting MV directors externally? And it's for Zhou Yi's MV?"

"Yes. According to news from Warner, it's best to film all four at once. This was released personally by Zhou Yi's agent, Qian Jiang, and the offered pay is higher than the industry standard."

"That doesn't sound right. Warner is such a huge company; don't they have many collaborating MV directors?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's because Zhou Yi has high demands, and none of them can meet the requirements?"

"I think you should try. The MV you made for Tu Honggang's 'Let Go' was excellent; you even managed the helicopter aerial shots and underwater filming he requested. Even if Zhou Yi's MV is harder, it surely won't involve filming an air battle."

"... Alright, I got it. I'll try submitting a resume later. Thanks."

Ning Hao hesitated for a moment, but ultimately submitted to the harsh reality.

As long as he gets selected, considering how much Warner is paying, he felt that even if something fishy turned up later, he should be able to overcome it.

PS: Merry Christmas~

(End of this chapter)