“Director Li.”
As soon as he got out of the car in front of the hotel, from a distance, Fang Qiu saw Director Li Huawen, who was standing at the door waiting for him. He trotted all the way to greet him.
“You finally came!” Seeing Fang Qiu, Director Li Huawen immediately smiled with satisfaction. As he laughed, he said, “Boy, you worried me a lot.”
“What’s wrong?” Fang Qiu was stunned.
“Let’s go in first.”
Director Li Huawen patted Fang Qiu on the shoulder and said, “I booked a VIP room in the restaurant. The meal is ready. Let’s chat while eating.”
“Director Li, thank you very much.”
Fang Qiu gave a wry smile and said, “It was supposed to be me to treat you. You helped me a lot when I attended variety shows.”
“I’m glad to know you appreciate it.”
Director Li Huawen smiled and pulled Fang Qiu into the VIP room.
As soon as they arrived, the waiter immediately began to serve the dishes.
They chatted while eating.
“This is the outline of the New Year’s Gala. There are just a few major categories. You can choose one first.”
Director Li Huawen didn’t hesitate. As soon as the dishes were served, he immediately took out a show list and handed it to Fang Qiu. He said directly, “There are sketch comedies, magic shows, singing, dancing, and so on. Choose one that you think is suitable for you to perform.”
“Choose one?”
Fang Qiu was stunned.
He was asked to choose one?
What’s going on now?
He was a little shocked!
The point was that he hadn’t decided whether to perform at the gala or not!
In fact, he preferred not to do so.
Fang Qiu quickly pushed the list away and looked at Director Li Huawen with a wry smile, and said, “Director Li, I haven’t agreed to perform at the gala yet.”
“Don’t stand on ceremony with me.”
Director Li Huawen acted as if he didn’t understand what Fang Qiu meant and said heroically, “Don’t be shy. I think you can sing.”
Fang Qiu pursed his lips with a bitter face and said, “Director Li, I know how awesome the New Year’s Gala is and how many people have dreamed of attending it, but I have promised my parents that I will go back to my hometown to accompany them during the Spring Festival. Maybe I wouldn’t attend.”
“What are you talking about?” Director Li widened his eyes and said, “Are the national affairs not as important as your family’s affairs? Can’t the audience of the New Year’s Gala compare with your family?”
“Among all virtues, filial piety comes first,” Fang Qiu said.
“The national affairs are the most important, and the audience is as important as our parents!” Director Li Huawen said without compromising.
“Director Li, you can’t force me to do this,” Fang Qiu said with a wry smile. “I really didn’t make any preparation. I never thought of performing at the New Year’s Gala. It’s such a big stage. I’m a little timid. Please don’t force me.”
“No!” Li Huawen shook his head and refused.
He could not allow Fang Qiu to refuse. After all, Fang Qiu’s presence at the gala was one of the few highlights he had prepared for the gala.
And it was a relatively shiniest one.
It was his first time directing the New Year’s Gala, and he would pursue perfection!
“I know what you meant and that you want to celebrate the Spring Festival with your parents, but have you ever thought that you are not an ordinary person? You shoulder heavier burden than ordinary people do.”
“I know, but…”
Fang Qiu was very depressed. He didn’t expect that after Li Huawen failed to force him, he would start to persuade him.
“No buts.”
Without giving Fang Qiu a chance to speak, Director Li Huawen immediately continued, “You are a Chinese Medicine doctor who is not only very famous throughout the country but also all over the world. Being a Chinese Medicine doctor means you have to rescue the wounded and serve the public.”
“Your job is about to relieve the pain of the people and offer joy to them. The two things are both important.”
Li Huawen paused, took a sip of water, and continued to say, “Why did you attend variety shows? Isn’t it to expand your own influence and the influence of Chinese Medicine? Compared with variety shows, the New Year’s Gala can expand your influence much more greatly!”
“So I want you to serve all the audience at the New Year’s Gala so that everyone can spend a happy Spring Festival together. At the same time, you can expand your influence on the stage of the gala. It will achieve a better effect than attending ten variety shows. At that time, at least one billion people in the country will know you. As long as you perform well enough, at least half of them will take the initiative to learn more about you, and then, they will know that you are a Chinese Medicine doctor.”
More and more, he saw himself as an orator.
“Then at least, there will be half of them who will pay attention to some events you have done before. They will be impressed by your great skills of Chinese Medicine and finally recognize Chinese Medicine! Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”
Director Li Huawen finished talking and looked at Fang Qiu with his eyes sparkling.
He appreciated his speech so much.
He was so quick-witted and eloquent!
Hearing that, Fang Qiu gave a bitter smile. “That’s true, but I really have unspeakable reasons. Director Li, don’t force me.” He had also thought about it.
To attend the New Year’s Gala could indeed expand his influence and the influence of Chinese Medicine.
But the two were not proportional. His personal influence would be expanded the most while the influence of Chinese Medicine would be expanded little. At most, it was his identity as a Chinese Medicine doctor that was recognized.
The audience would only think that he was versatile, not that Chinese Medicine was so awesome and great.
So why would he choose to attend the gala which allowed no fault?
“Okay, I won’t force you.”
Director Li Huawen sighed softly, shook his head, and said in a tone of pity, “Then let the audience choose, okay? I’ll start a vote online to see if the audience supports you to attend the New Year’s Gala. Anyway, there are still more than 20 days before New Year’s Eve. It’s not too late.”
His tone was quite regretful, but he looked at Fang Qiu trickily.
Fang Qiu was speechless.
Voting?
They would definitely vote for him out of interest.
“How is it?”
Director Li Huawen’s voice was full of respect for the New Year’s Gala. He said, “The New Year’s Gala is a big event for all the people in Huaxia, so naturally, they should decide which person to perform at the New Year’s Gala. If they don’t choose you, I will respect their choice, but if they choose you…”
“Alright.” Fang Qiu was speechless and helpless with a wry smile. He gritted his teeth and said, “I will perform at the gala if they choose me!”
Now that Director Li wanted the audience to vote, what else could Fang Qiu do?
Director Li was determined to have him attend it!
“Good!” Director Li laughed and said, “Take a look at the list, which one do you want to choose?”
Then he quickly passed the list to Fang Qiu.
Helplessly, Fang Qiu could only pick up the list and read it carefully.
After reading it, he found that he was a layman in sketch comedy and cross talk, and he would only drag other professional comedy actors down.
So he decisively skipped this category. If he chose it, he would only be able to perform as a supporting role.
After thinking for a while, Fang Qiu said, “I’m not good at these things. If I have to make a choice, I’ll sing.”
“Okay.”
Director Li Huawen nodded and said, “As expected. I’ve asked someone to write the song for you in advance and it’s done. Be quick. I’ll take you to audition after the meal!”
“It’s done?”
Hearing this, Fang Qiu was speechless. “Director Li, you’re just playing tricks on me?”
“Hee hee.” Director Li Huawen chuckled.
“Without tricks, you will not obey my order!
“Oh, no, I mean, follow my suggestion!
“Boy, I’m helping you, okay? The New Year’s Gala will bring you more than you can imagine.”
After talking, they finished the meal quickly.
Then Director Li Huawen took Fang Qiu directly to the recording room on the 15th floor of the Central Television building.
This was also one of his tricks. He had already prepared it beforehand.
Seeing that no one was surprised by his arrival, Fang Qiu suddenly felt that Director Li was really tricky!
Li Huawen directly took out a piece of paper and passed it to Fang Qiu, saying, “This song is written for you. Take a look and see if you can sing it or not.”
Fang Qiu took it and looked at it carefully. He found that the song was easy, so he immediately nodded and said, “No problem.”
Hearing Fang Qiu’s confident answer, the mixer who had been waiting there immediately came over and said with a smile, “Although this song looks easy, it’s actually quite difficult to sing it well. It demands singing skills of a high order. Ordinary singers don’t dare to sing it at an important event. Are you sure you can perform it?”
“Yes.” Fang Qiu nodded.
“Well, would you like to go back to practice for a few days first and then come back to try the recording after you are familiar with it?” asked the mixer as he glanced at the director.
Director Li Huawen was also a little worried.
He knew how awesome Fang Qiu was. Fang Qiu could perform the theme song of the Young Chinese Medicine Doctor perfectly after listening to it once. He was really awesome.
But it was completely different from the one in Fang Qiu’s hand, which only consisted of the stave.
The problem was how to grasp the changes of tonality and how to express the beauty of this song. A new song was definitely not something an ordinary singer could perform well. Moreover, Fang Qiu was not a singer.
“Well, let’s begin.” Fang Qiu smiled.
“Start now?” the mixer was stunned.
“Yes.” Fang Qiu nodded with certainty.
“Director Li?” the mixer looked at Director Li Huawen.
“Let’s start,” Director Li said.
Director Li Huawen saw a calm and confident look on Fang Qiu’s face, which he had seen many times on the stage of the Young Chinese Medicine Doctor.
Fang Qiu was always so confident and calm; he had indeed done something that others could not do.
“Believe in him!” Director Li Huawen said again.
“All right.” the mixer nodded.
He took Fang Qiu into the recording room and told him to sing to the microphone.
Then he came out and turned on the instrument, prepared to process the voice.
It was not that he didn’t believe in Fang Qiu but that this song was really hard to perform, demanding high singing skills.
Therefore, he planned to do pitch correction when Fang Qiu couldn’t sing high notes. At least, he would save Fang Qiu’s face first and give him a perfect template, so that he could learn from it and practice.
After all, he still had more than 20 days to practice. As long as he practiced well, he could perform well at the New Year’s Gala.
Well prepared, the mixer made an “OK” gesture to Fang Qiu in the recording room outside the soundproof glass.
Fang Qiu began to sing.
His singing made the mixer stunned in an instant.
He even forgot his work.
There was no need to process the voice!
Li Huawen’s eyes also lit up.
Fang Qiu was as awesome as usual.
With his voice and singing, he must perform at the New Year’s Gala!
