Chapter 391 - The Song has been Written! (1/2)
The sky slowly lit up.
Central TV's Broadcasting Studio 1 was in turmoil.
”Where are the costumes? Hurry!”
”Leader Sun, the props are broken, what do we do?”
”It's fine. Get Little Chen to get them. There are spares over there!”
”Everyone quickly change into your costumes and get your makeup done. The final rehearsal has already begun. We are the eighth program. Once you’re ready, go backstage, it will be our turn soon!”
”Aiyo, don't pus.h.!.+”
”Where's the makeup artist?”
”It's the final stage. We have to do it well or our program might get axed!”
”That's right. My hands are shaking. Even big stars like Grandma Zhang and Auntie Zhang can have their programs cut at the last minute. People like us without any fame will not...”
”Shh, quiet down. Don't speak about it anymore.”
”Director Peng is trying to pave the way for future stars.”
The lobby was a mess. There was the sound of guitars strumming, people singing, and there were even people dancing. There were way too many people in here, which was unable to accommodate so many people to individually practice. Hence, people could only find a spot to practice a few times before going up on stage. One could see the nervousness and excitement on everyone's face.
Going on the Spring Festival Gala!
This was such a hallowed event!
Basically almost 90% of them were going on the Spring Festival Gala for the first time. They naturally would not look as calm as those familiar faces to the Spring Festival Gala. In fact, even those celebrities, who had appeared on the Spring Festival Gala more than once, were also possibly nervous, as the pressure was intense! Furthermore, with Zhang Yuanqi and Zhang Xia creating a precedent, programs decided on the program list might eventually not go on the show. Only at the final moment of the live broadcast would they know if their programs would be allowed to be performed. The compet.i.tion was brutal!
Lobby...
Corridor...
Resting area...
There were many big stars here, so no one cared about Zhang Ye. Many of them did not know him.
Zhang Ye randomly looked around, unsure of where he was. Hence, he pulled a child walking by, ”Friend, please wait for a moment.”
The young girl was only ten years old. When she saw him, she suddenly shouted out in pleasant surprise, ”I know you! You’re Teacher Zhang Ye!” She was carrying some metal loops. It seemed like she was going to perform acrobatics.
Zhang Ye cheerfully said, ”Yes, it's me. I have a question for you. Do you happen to know where Zhang Yuanqi is? Have you seen her since you came?”
The little girl was very honest. ”I know. Auntie Zhang and Grandma Zhang are in the resting room. They are just around the corner. Turn right farther up. In the room on the left right at the end of the hall. I just came from there. The door is open, so I saw them.” It wasn't a big place, so it was quite easy to find someone.
”Thank you, young lady.”
”You're welcome.”
Zhang Ye began his search.
In a resting room.
It could also be considered a makeup or changing room. As there were mirrors on the side of the wall, and heaps of clothes and props on the floor. It was a multi-purpose room.
Zhang Yuanqi and Zhang Xia were sitting beside each other chatting.
Zhang Yuanqi laughed cheerfully. ”It's quiet over here.”
”Hur Hur, we are 'aged elderly' who have fallen from popularity. It's nice for some peace and quiet too.” Zhang Xia was a very healthy and high-spirited old granny. All her short hair was white, but had been rebonded. Her eyes were very bright too. ”But if they say I'm old, as a granny, I admit it, but to go so far as to say Little Zhang is 'old', it is me implicating you. How can someone in her thirties be considered old? Besides, you still look like you’re in your twenties.”
Zhang Yuanqi said, ”You can’t be considered old either. How many elderly grannies can sing 'Song of the People' without being out of breath? We have been 'made' old by others.” She looked at her watch. ”The final rehearsal is about to begin, and will have nothing to do with us. Are you going to leave?”
Zhang Xia smiled and looked around and took a while before she spoke, ”I have been coming to this place for so many years. I haven't been home for many new year's eves. I've always been here. To me, Central TV Broadcasting Studio 1 is the place I will always spend my new year's eve, and so today shall be the same. Even if I can't get on the program, I will still spend my new year's eve here.”
Zhang Yuanqi patted Zhang Xia's hand, ”Then allow me to accompany you.”
Zhang Ye happened to hear Zhang Xia's words just as he reached the door. At that instance, his heart was struck and twitched slightly!
What sort of old person was she?
What sort of emotions did she have?
This was an old granny that had merged the Spring Festival Gala into her bones!
”You don't have to stay with me.”
”It's fine, I don't have any other things on today.”
”Isn't your team trying to compose a new song for you? You still have a chance of going on stage.”
”Hur Hur, it's just burning the midnight oil. They won't finish in time. If the directing team told me earlier that the song wasn't suitable, I would have found someone to write me a new song, but now, it's too late no matter what.”
”It's too early to give up. There's still hope. Your standing in the entertainment industry is much higher than mine. There are so many musicians writing lyrics or composing melodies. You just need to ask one of them.”
”I've already asked them. Nothing is appropriate. Even if there were appropriate ones, they were not that shockingly nice. It has to at least match 'Wis.h.i.+ng We Last Forever' before I could even sing it. If there's no nice song or lyrics, what's the point of me going on the Spring Festival Gala? We are in the arts, so we can't just fool the audience, right?”
”Who wrote 'Wis.h.i.+ng We Last Forever'?”
”Zhang Ye.”
”He doesn't have any similar songs?”
”Writing a song is slow and tedious work. It needs inspiration. If the directing team had informed me a day earlier, I would have asked Zhang Ye, but I was informed too late. Little Zhang most likely doesn't have any suitable songs.”
Suddenly, Zhang Ye marched into the resting room. ”Who said I didn't!?”
This voice of his gave the two of them a fright as they looked over.
Zhang Xia did not know him. ”You are?”
”Little Zhang?” Zhang Yuanqi smiled and said, ”You really cannot be talked about.”
Zhang Xia could tell from her words. ”This is that Zhang Ye?”
”Grandma Zhang, h.e.l.lo.” Zhang Ye nodded at the elder. ”Let me wish you a happy chinese new year.”
Zhang Xia said kindly, ”You too. You were the one who wrote that song for Little Zhang, right? I don't know much about the entertainment industry, so I don't really know you. Please don't mind.”
Zhang Ye immediately said, ”If you knew me, it would have been my honor. It's fine. I'm just a small celebrity and I’m not that famous.” Compared to the two in front of him, he was indeed a small celebrity.
Zhang Xia asked, ”What did you say when you entered?”
Zhang Yuanqi also looked at him. ”You have a good song?”