1987 My Era

Chapter 611, Explosive! Time Magazine Interview

Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands and the destination of Li Heng and his two companions' trip.

About 25 minutes later, they arrived in the city center and checked into a hotel suite.

After they settled in, Xu Li checked her watch and asked the three of them, "You must be hungry after traveling all day. What would you like to eat?"

Yu Shuheng glanced at Li Heng, then at Zhou Shihe, and after thinking for a moment said, "It's morning here, so just eat something to fill your stomach."

After discussing it for a while, Xu Li took the group to Chinatown and ate a bowl of noodles that were reasonably tasty.

Li Heng was starving, so he ordered some fried dumplings.

After breakfast, Li Heng and Zhou Shihe returned to the hotel to adjust to the time difference because they had an interview with Time magazine in the afternoon.

Actually, Li Heng had slept the whole way and wasn't sleepy at this moment. He returned to the hotel mainly to keep Miss Zhou company, to give her a sense of security, and to allow her to sleep peacefully.

Yu Shuheng also got plenty of sleep. Accompanied by Xu Li and her husband, she went to a nearby coffee shop to drink coffee and chat.

Xu Li and her husband ordered lattes.

Yu Shuheng ordered a mocha, and while waiting, she couldn't help but ask, "Did your Aunt Shen Xin really tell you that Li Heng called her 'Mom'?"

Xu Li chuckled, "Didn't you already know? If you hadn't said that, would Aunt Shen have said that? How would I know? Would Li Heng have tacitly agreed at the airport?"

Although Yu Shuheng had her suspicions, she was still somewhat surprised to hear her childhood friend confirm it in person.

Xu Li joked, "If you ask me, you're no match for Aunt Shen in this respect. You overthink things and always try to consider the bigger picture. If you followed Aunt Shen's methods, you'd probably be pregnant with your second child by now."

Yu Shuheng said, "He is still a student and has not graduated yet."

Xu Li asked curiously, "When did you fall in love with him?"

Yu Shuheng recalled for a moment and sighed, "Your question stumped me. I can't figure out when I started to care about him either."

Xu Sheng interjected, "This is what the book says: 'Love arises without knowing its origin, and deepens with each passing moment.' I've been secretly observing Li Heng all the way here, and apart from being a bit young, I can't find any fault with him."

Shuheng, you've finally met someone you're interested in, so you'd better hurry up! Everyone's waiting to get some wedding candy from you.

Just then, the waiter brought over the mocha.

Yu Shuheng moved the mocha closer to herself, and after the server left, she gently turned the spoon: "So you all knew?"

Xu Sheng smiled and said, "Anyone who knows you well knows your personality. Over the years, there have been at least eight hundred men pursuing you."

Who have you cared about so much? Who have you been so good to?
You're currently running around doing everything for Li Heng, and your names are often mentioned together in the newspapers. Everyone's not stupid; they've all seen it. It's just that you haven't announced it publicly, so no one wants to ask too directly.

Xu Li chimed in, "Exactly! When they found out you fell in love with a male student seven years younger than you, those who used to pursue you were incredibly jealous. Fortunately, Li Heng is indeed talented, and his looks and demeanor are quite striking. All they could do was watch helplessly, they couldn't do much."

Yu Shuheng sighed again: "You know he's a male student, so I can't rush things."

While laughing, Xu Li apologized, "Look at my tongue, I can't keep my mouth shut. I'm sorry, okay? He's not a male student who's 7 years younger than me, he's a great writer and musician who's 7 years younger than me."

Yu Shuheng's tone was unfriendly, "You dare mention your age?"

Xu Li's smile widened, and she surrendered: "I'll never mention it again."

Yu Shuheng asked Xu Sheng, "Are you busy today?"

Understanding the unspoken meaning, Xu Sheng knew that the other party wanted to spend time alone with his wife. He said, "I'm quite busy. I have to leave after I finish my coffee. Xu Li will keep you company here. I'll come over after I get off work."

After finishing his coffee, Xu Shengzhen got up and left without any hesitation.

Watching her husband drive away, Xu Li glanced around and asked in a low voice, "Shuheng, how far have things progressed between you and Li Heng?"

Facing her close friend, Yu Shuheng didn't hide anything: "Li Heng has someone in his heart."

Xu Li asked in surprise, "Someone in your heart? That person isn't you?"

Yu Shuheng said, "No."

Xu Li thought for a moment and asked, "Is it Zhou Shihe who just came with you?"

Yu Shuheng asked, "Why did you guess it was her?"

Xu Li offered her analysis: "There aren't many women in this world who can compare to you, and since Li Heng ignores you, I think Zhou Shihe is very likely the one."

Yu Shuheng listened without saying a word.

Xu Li pressed, "What? Did I guess wrong?"

Yu Shuheng gave an irrelevant answer: "Didn't your Aunt Shen Xin tell you?"

Xu Li shook her head: "No, she only revealed that Li Heng calls her 'Mom' and asked me to help you two get together. She didn't say anything else."

As she spoke, Xu Li pressed on, "Don't keep it a secret. You know I'm an impatient person, and I find it hardest to talk in riddles. Is Zhou Shihe really the person in Li Heng's heart?"

Yu Shuheng said, "Yes and no."

Xu Li was dumbfounded: "What does this mean? Does he have several women in his heart?"

Yu Shuheng said, "He is very popular with women."

Xu Li asked, "Among these women, is Zhou Shihe included?"

Yu Shuheng asked, "Of course it includes."

Xu Li suddenly realized, "I understand now. No wonder! No wonder Aunt Shen told me about Li Heng calling her 'Mom,' it turns out she was setting a trap for Zhou Shihe?"

Yu Shuheng also had this guess.

Xu Li asked, "What's the current situation between Li Heng and Zhou Shihe? I've been observing them on the way to the city center and while we were eating, and they don't seem to be a couple, do they?"

Yu Shuheng said, "Not yet, but..."

Xu Li chimed in, "Is Zhou Shihe in danger?"

Yu Shuheng tacitly agreed.

Xu Li asked, puzzled, "Then why aren't you in a hurry?"

Yu Shuheng thought of Song Yu, a top-tier woman whom she couldn't reason with no matter how much she tried.

Seeing that her childhood friend remained silent, Xu Li asked, "Do you have any good ideas on how to deal with this?"

Yu Shuheng uttered a single word: "Wait."

Xu Li asked, "Wait for what? Wait for an opportunity? Or really wait until he graduates?"

Yu Shuheng said, "Yes, we have both."

Xu Li suggested, "I think you should resign from your teaching position as soon as possible, so that you won't have so many concerns."

Yu Shuheng looked out the window and said, "If resigning from my teaching position really worked, I would have done it long ago. Some things are very complicated and can't be explained in just a few words."

Upon hearing this, Xu Li looked at her beautiful face and sighed: "Old Xu had a crush on you for over 15 years, and so many outstanding men pursued you, but you remained unmoved. I never expected that you would fall for a sentimental man in the end."

The "Old Xu" that Xu Li mentioned refers to Xu Sheng, that's right, her husband.

The relationship between the three is rather complicated: Xu Sheng has a crush on Yu Shuheng, Xu Li has a crush on Xu Sheng, but Yu Shuheng doesn't even notice Xu Sheng.

Finally, with the help of her elders, Xu Li got her wish and married the man she loved.

Xu Li was not jealous or resentful of Yu Shuheng; on the contrary, she was grateful. Otherwise, how could she have gotten a share from Lao Xu?
Of course, it's also because the three of them have such a deep friendship that they are so generous to each other.

Yu Shuheng remained unmoved and said to herself, "Maybe this is fate."

...

Back to the hotel.

After closing the door, Li Heng felt that something was off today.

Something feels off.

His gaze lingered on Zhou Shihe's slender back for a long time before he couldn't help but ask, "Did you and Teacher Yu have a falling out?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shihe stood still and quietly asked, "Why do you ask that?"

Li Heng truthfully replied, "Intuition. It's not just women who have a sixth sense; men have it too."

Zhou Shihe quietly turned around, silently observed him for a while, and after confirming that he was not lying, and that he had not pretended to be asleep on the plane or heard her and Teacher Yu's argument, she said gently, "Li Heng, in my heart, you have always been a smart person."

Her words were seemingly random, yet they carried a profound meaning.

But Li Heng immediately understood, referring to Xu Li's mention at the airport of calling Shen Xin "Mom." Clearly, this young woman knew that Xu Li was subtly targeting her.

Facing those clear, bright black and white eyes, Li Heng looked into her eyes for a moment and said, "I shouted that under certain circumstances."

He told the truth without offering any explanation.

After all, what's done is done, there's nothing more to say. Besides, he genuinely respected Teacher Yu.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shihe remained surprisingly calm, showing neither joy nor sorrow, before turning and entering the bedroom.

Hearing the door close, Li Heng, who wasn't sleepy, sat on the living room sofa, took out the interview documents he needed for the afternoon from his bag, and reviewed them to make sure he was prepared.

Two hours later, Yu Shuheng returned. Xu Li was with her.

Upon entering, Yu Shuheng saw him resting with his eyes closed on the sofa. She came over and said with concern, "If you're tired, go to bed and rest. There's still time." Li Heng opened his eyes and said, "I just finished reviewing the interview transcript and am currently working on some details for my new book, 'Dust Settles Down.'"

Yu Shuheng sat down next to him. "Then I'll stay with you for a while and won't bother you."

Xu Li stood to the side in astonishment, watching all this in disbelief. She never expected Shuheng to speak to a man so tenderly.

Is this still the aloof and cold Yu Shuheng?

Is she still the Yu Shuheng I've known since I was a child?

Li Heng laughed and said, "It's nothing. I was just thinking about the new book out of boredom. Actually, the outline and details are all there, and it's almost done. Why didn't you guys go shopping?"

"I stayed in the coffee shop for a long time. I wanted to go shopping, but I came back because I had to give an interview in the afternoon." This was Yu Shuheng's true thought while she was out.

Xu Li sat across from him on the sofa and asked, "We were at the coffee shop, talking about your marriage and having children with Shuheng. Li Heng, have you thought about when you're going to be a father?"

Li Heng was taken aback, glanced at Teacher Yu, and said, "To be honest, I haven't thought about this question yet."

Xu Li asked, "Haven't you thought about it? Shuheng will be 27 years old soon. If you have time, you can think about this question."

Li Heng smiled but didn't reply. He didn't want to make promises he couldn't keep right now, so he didn't try to impress others by pretending to be something he wasn't.

It's better to be honest with each other now than to break our promise in the future.

Seeing that he didn't reply, Yu Shuheng knew exactly what was going on. It was simply that this young man really wanted to marry Song Yu.

Although she was a little disappointed, her overall mood remained relatively stable. After all, she had known all along, and he had never lied to her. It was a case of one willing to give and the other willing to receive, so there was no question of her feeling wronged or not.

In Yu Shuheng's view, compared to other people who are liars anytime and anywhere, this kind of behavior of being a true villain but a gentleman is actually acceptable to her.

Fearing that further questioning would create an awkward atmosphere, Yu Shuheng changed the subject, saying, "It's not easy to come to Europe. After the performance, would you like to go on a trip to relax? Xu Li is very familiar with Western Europe and can be our tour guide."

Xu Li chimed in, "That's right, how can you come to Europe and not take a look around? I happen to have time, so I can take you to England to watch football, to Spain to eat ham, and to France to buy perfume, etc."

Li Heng was somewhat tempted, but then he remembered that Teacher Yu and Comrade Zhou Shihe didn't get along, and it would be awkward for them to travel together, so he shook his head: "Thank you, Teacher and Sister Xu, maybe next time, but not this time. I made an agreement with Teacher to finish the new book in April, and there's still about half left to write, so time is quite tight."

Writing is a major undertaking, his livelihood, and since he's said that, Yu Shuheng and Xu Li naturally couldn't say anything more.

They ate lunch in Chinatown again, having Kung Pao Chicken and deep-sea ribbonfish. After finishing, the three of them didn't linger outside and returned to the hotel to prepare for the interview.

Around 1:30 p.m., the phone in the living room rang. Li Heng and Zhou Shihe didn't answer it, but looked at Teacher Yu instead.

Yu Shuheng then asked, "Is it Liu Bei?"

"Boss, it's me. The Time magazine interview team is here," Liu Bei said on the other end of the phone.

Yu Shuheng asked, "Where?"

Liu Bei replied, "Should we let them up in the hotel lobby?"

Yu Shuheng said, "Let them come up."

Less than five minutes after the phone call ended, there was a knock on the door.

The three looked at each other, and then Yu Shuheng got up to open the door.

The door opened, and standing outside were Liu Bei and a blonde woman, Lisa, the reporter for this exclusive interview. A professional film crew followed behind.

Damn, they've made quite a big fuss, bringing a whole film crew with them.

Despite his surprise, Li Heng and Zhou Shihe politely exchanged pleasantries with Lisa.

Lisa was fairly good-looking, and her first impression was nice, but her eyes were staring straight at him, as if she wanted to devour him.

Li Heng understood that the other party wanted to gain the psychological initiative in the upcoming interview through this method, while trying to judge something through his facial micro-expressions.

But who is he?
Is a seasoned veteran who has lived two lives any good? He has interacted with people from all walks of life and dealt with some media outlets, so he is not afraid at all, and is even familiar with their questioning patterns to a certain extent.

Lisa sat on a separate sofa to the side.

Li Heng, Zhou Shihe, and Teacher Yu sat on a long sofa. He was the main character today, and his seat was closest to Lisa's.

Once the cameras were set up, today's interview officially began:

Lisa asked, "Has Mr. Li heard of Time magazine before this?"

Li Heng replied, "It's very famous, so naturally I've heard of it."

Lisa smiled and said, "Mr. Li Heng, I'm here on behalf of Time magazine to interview you. Are you nervous?"

It was a lighthearted question, and Li Heng smiled and replied, "I've been on the Spring Festival Gala in China, and I had a performance in Singapore just last week. I'm naturally suited for big stages."

Lisa asked, "Oh? Born for the big stage?"

Li Hengdao said, "That's one way to understand it."

Lisa asked, "I'm very curious about your age. I think the whole Western world is very curious about your personal information. Although I collected your information before coming here, I still can't believe it and want to ask you in person, how old are you this year?"

Li Heng replied, "In three more months, on the 20th."

“Wow! You’re really not even 20 yet, that’s amazing! Do you know how the Western media describes you?” Lisa asked.

Li Heng shook his head and looked at the other person.

Lisa pulled out a few newspapers from a pile of documents and said, "The Times called you a 'great musician of an era,' comparable to Liszt and others, placing you in the first tier of historical musicians."

The Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, and others have praised you as the king of pure music, successfully conquering audiences worldwide with your unparalleled musical talent and profound artistic vision.

The French newspaper Le Monde said that every piece of your music is a classic, and you never tire of listening to it; you are hailed as the crown jewel of contemporary music…

Lisa rattled off seven or eight influential reviews in one breath, making Li Heng fully understand once again what Teacher Yu had said: "When you go to the West, you will know how popular you are, even more popular than you imagined."

After reading several carefully prepared reports, Lisa asked, "How do you feel about receiving so many prestigious titles at such a young age?"

Li Heng humbly said, "I am very grateful for their evaluation and recognition. Although I am very happy, this is not my achievement alone. Teacher Yu and Zhou Shihe also made great contributions."

Lisa asked, "As far as I know, did you create the instrumental album 'Eternity' all by yourself?"

Li Heng said, "It is true that I composed the music, but the arrangement and post-production were done by our team."

Lisa paid her respects to Teacher Yu and Zhou Shihe, and the camera gave the two women a close-up shot.

Lisa then asked again, "Mr. Li, how did you come up with the idea to compose these pieces?"

Li Heng replied, "Rural life inspired me."

Lisa asked, "Country life? When did you start your creative journey?"

Li Heng replied, "It started a long time ago, probably when I first came into contact with instruments like the erhu and flute, but I don't quite remember the exact date."

Lisa asked, "How did you initially define these pieces of your music?"

Li Heng shook his head with a smile: "Definition? There is no definition. I was just writing it for fun back then."

Lisa had obviously read the domestic feature articles about him, and continued to ask: "When you were a child composing, did you ever dream that these pieces would one day become famous all over the world, that your fame would transcend national borders, and that you would become a legendary musician loved by audiences all over the world?"

Li Heng replied, "There's a Chinese saying that goes, 'You should always have dreams, because they might come true one day.' Although I've had dreams, I've never dared to dream this big."

Lisa laughed when she heard this, "But it came true, and it's much bigger than your dream."

Li Heng smiled and replied, "Yes."

Lisa asked, "You used to keep these pieces in your head, why did you suddenly want to release them?"

Li Heng replied, "It was unintentional. I just picked a song randomly to fill in for the school's gala."

Lisa asked, "Is the first song 'The Original Landscape of My Hometown'?"

Li Heng said, "Yes."

Lisa asked, "What was the first reaction of people who heard this piece of music?"

Li Heng smiled and handed the pot to Teacher Yu: "Teacher Yu can answer your question."

Lisa asked, "What was Ms. Yu's initial reaction when she heard this?"

Yu Shuheng said, "She is breathtakingly beautiful."

Lisa asked, "So it was from this piece that your musical journey began, leading you three to conquer the world?"

Yu Shuheng smiled slightly: "It is indeed through this piece of music that the three of us have become so close."

Lisa was adept at handling interpersonal relationships and did not neglect Zhou Shihe. She asked, "Beautiful and charming Ms. Zhou, why do you think the instrumental album 'Eternity' conquered the world so quickly?"

Zhou Shihe smiled gently and said, "Well, actually, I was a little surprised by its explosive popularity. I thought it would eventually reach this level and push Li Heng to the top of music, but I didn't expect this day to come so quickly and so rapidly!"

Later, I summarized my findings and came up with two points.

First, the quality of these ten pieces is extremely high, standing out even globally; second, perhaps everyone needs such a clean, healing, and soul-purifying instrumental album in their spare time.

Perhaps Zhou Shihe was too beautiful, so beautiful that she appealed to both Eastern and Western aesthetics, that Lisa glanced at her several times and asked, "Your performance in Singapore recently was very successful. You and Mr. Li interacted a lot on stage and had great chemistry. There are also rumors that you hold hands in private. Singaporean media and newspapers have reported that you are the most compatible couple of the century. What do you think?"

P.S.: Oh dear, what should I say?

Forget it, let's just say let's update first and then revise.

(End of this chapter)