HuaYu97: Starting as a Singer

Chapter 20 [020] became a nationwide radio sensation, breaking into the top 30 of the music charts.

The male students at the Central Academy of Drama were very indignant. Why was Qi Yuan being treated differently?
Is it just because he's handsome and talented?
Besides being tall, handsome, and talented, what else does he have? What else is he? Wait, this sounds like a compliment to Qi Yuan.

In short, the male students at the Central Academy of Drama were very dissatisfied.

“Teacher Chang, I think you’ve misunderstood something. Zhang and I are just very platonic friends. There’s nothing like what you’re thinking. Please don’t believe those rumors,” Qi Yuan explained.

His purpose in entering the entertainment industry was very simple: money and beautiful women. He was just an ordinary person.

His motto is: neither take initiative, neither refuse, and neither take responsibility.

He would never admit to pursuing a particular girl, much less to having a romantic relationship with one.

He would never give up an entire forest for a single blade of grass.

"Really not?" Chang Li was somewhat surprised.

"No, really. Zhang did me a favor, and to thank her, I treated her to lunch. It's that simple. As for what she did for me, you'll find out once my debut album is released; just buy a CD and see for yourself." Qi Yuan skillfully steered the conversation towards the album.

"..." Chang Li was a little unsure of what this kid was up to.

She has already relented and allowed him to date Zhang Tong, on the condition that he must be faithful.

This kid didn't even respond, but instead promoted his album, using the Central Academy of Drama as a publicity stunt, huh?

"I've treated you to dinner and brought you back. See you next time, Zhang and Teacher Chang." Qi Yuan left without looking back, his back view very dashing.

"Teacher Chang, this is not fair. Why are you siding with outsiders? Why do you agree to Qi Yuan from Beijing Film Academy pursuing Zhang Tong, but you object to us pursuing other actresses?"

Some bold male students protested.

Chang Li wasn't going to tolerate the male classmate and retorted, "If you're so capable, you can write a song that becomes a hit on Beijing radio in your sophomore year and then have a record company come knocking on your door to help you release an album. I won't stop you from pursuing whichever you want."

"..."

The room fell silent. The male students from the Central Academy of Drama were all like ostriches, unable to straighten up.

Who can possess Qi Yuan's abilities?

He's the only one at the entire Beijing Film Academy who's this incredible.

Zhang Tong watched Qi Yuan's receding figure with mixed feelings.

Qi Yuan actually took the initiative to clarify his relationship with her in front of the teacher. Was it because she wasn't pretty enough? Did Qi Yuan not have a crush on her? Did he really only see her as an ordinary friend?
She bit her lip lightly, a competitive spirit igniting within her.

After Chang Li took Zhang Tong away, gossip began circulating on the Central Academy of Drama campus about what Qi Yuan had said.

"You'll know how much she helped me once my debut album is released; just buy a CD and see for yourself."

Since you're all artists, let your imaginations run wild and don't let them get too wild.

When Qi Yuan returned to his dormitory at Beijing Film Academy that evening, his two roommates, Huang Xiaoming and Zu Feng, immediately confronted him.

Huang Xiaoming shoved a mineral water bottle in front of Qi Yuan with a serious expression: "Old Qi, did you really film a passionate bed scene with Zhang Tong, the 'golden flower' of the Central Academy of Drama's Class of '96? It's said to be a music video from your album."

Qi Yuan: I freaking...

Who the hell spread this? At noon, what he actually said at the Central Academy of Drama was that everyone should buy his records, and Zhang Tong helped him out.

Just a few hours later, rumors spread that he and Zhang Tong had filmed a passionate bed scene.

If the rumors continue, he can't guarantee that they won't spread that he's already entered the adult film industry and made adult films with female students from the Central Academy of Drama.

Besides this outrageous rumor, there are also rumors circulating in the Beijing Film Academy circle that Qi Yuan, in order to pursue a Central Academy of Drama beauty, single-handedly went to the Central Academy of Drama campus to fight against the "flower protector" Chang Li.

The two engaged in a fierce verbal battle, going at it for 180 rounds without a clear victor. For a time, all the male students at the Beijing Film Academy regarded Qi Yuan as their idol.

……

As "You'll Be With Me All My Life" was broadcast on radio stations across the country.

'How many people admired your youthful beauty, but who can withstand the relentless changes of time?'

A young man's song resonated across major radio stations nationwide.

"Qi Yuan, your song has become a hit in your hometown of Guangdong Province. As soon as it was released on Guangdong Music Radio, it jumped to fourth place on the playlist, pushing Zhang Xueyou's 'I Want to Go for a Breeze with You' off the list. Ahead of you are Richie Jen's 'Too Softhearted,' Andy Lau's 'Chinese People,' and Zhou Huajian's 'Friends.'" Song Ke brought the good news.

When listeners in Guangdong province learned that Qi Yuan was from Guangzhou, they considered him a fellow townsman and flooded the radio station's request hotline with calls.

These days, celebrities are regional. If a celebrity comes from a province or city, it becomes the pride of that province or city.

Of course, the premise is that you don't play a hateful character like Song Jiang, otherwise the enthusiastic fellow villagers will prevent you from going back to your hometown for the New Year.

Qi Yuan was quite satisfied with the result.

In the 1997 Chinese film "Too Softhearted," it was a bug that no one could beat.

"The Chinese" and "Friends" are classics among classics. It's not shameful that "You'll Be With Me All My Life" can't beat them.

As time went on, "You'll Be With Me All My Life" became a hit on radio stations in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and other regions.

Qi Yuan's singing has spread beyond Beijing, and his songs can be heard on the radio in developed coastal provinces and cities.

Then, the major pirates, sensing a business opportunity, began to take action.

Some powerful pirate manufacturers even managed to obtain the master tapes of "You'll Be With Me All My Life".

They thoughtfully added nine songs for Qi Yuan, and recorded them together with "You'll Be With Me All My Life" onto a cassette tape, which was then openly sent to record stores across the country for sale.

With the help of pirates, the name Qi Yuan has become more widely known.

Even his parents, who live in Guangzhou, called Qi Yuan: "Son, your mother and I bought more than a dozen cassette tapes to give to relatives and friends. The shopkeeper said these are your records."

Your mother and I thought something was off. Why is it that only the first song sounds like you? The later ones don't sound like you at all.

Qi Yuan: "Dad, don't buy it, it's a pirated copy!"

Qi Yuan was speechless. Is piracy really this rampant these days?
They recorded one of his songs and nine other trashy songs sung by unknown artists onto a cassette tape, and then dared to put his name on it and sell it.

However, there were some benefits as well. The rampant piracy helped Qi Yuan gain recognition to some extent, giving him a certain level of popularity nationwide.

Also with the help of pirates, the song "You'll Be With Me All My Life" has become incredibly popular, breaking into the top 40 of various popular song charts in mainland China.

By 1997, Qi Yuan had already secured a place among the popular songs in mainland China.

For a period of time afterward, "You'll Be With Me All My Life" continued its strong performance, defeating "Call of Love" sung by Aaron Kwok and Kelly Chen, "Human World" by Wang Fei, and "Bad Boy" by Amy Chang, and soared to 30th place, becoming the gatekeeper of the top 30.

Folk and rock music were very popular in mainland China in 1997. It's no exaggeration to say that folk and rock music were powerful tools for picking up girls.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many rebellious young people in Beijing imitating rock singers.

On the day that "You'll Be With Me All My Life" reached number 30 on the charts, Mai Tian released the news through several newspapers.

Newcomer Qi Yuan from the mainland music scene will release his debut album on December 10th of this year.

(End of this chapter)