origin
Zhao Qinfeng nodded, his expression a little cautious, but there was no trace of acting in it; there was also a very subtle sense of tension about him.
Lin Ting thought to herself, "If you could act to this level, you might have a future if you worked hard to get into a film crew." But this was clearly a natural performance, not an act.
"So why did you follow me back then? And why did you only follow me?" Lin Ting asked.
Zhao Qinfeng said, "Because you were the first person to write a music review for me."
Lin Ting tried hard to recall, but couldn't remember anything useful, because he was so focused on writing when he sat on the steps of the dormitory building that he didn't go online to search for other people's reviews of Zhao Qinfeng's work.
Lin Ting asked in confusion, "Back then...did no one really write any music reviews for you?"
That shouldn't be the case. Although Zhao Qinfeng's musical works back then weren't as good as his current ones, they were still quite good. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed up all night writing music reviews.
Zhao Qinfeng sighed and said with some emotion, "Really, not a single one! Before your music review, there were only some reviews that mentioned me, but only briefly. In the first few years, I progressed relatively slowly. Every singer who once stood on the same stage as me has developed better than me. I actually thought about whether I should give up."
Lin Ting couldn't recall, or rather, he really didn't know anything about Zhao Qinfeng's situation in the first few years. However, he did remember that he couldn't find any good new songs during that period, so much so that he couldn't bear to miss listening to strangers playing songs in unfamiliar places.
"I've always focused more on the work than on the singer, so I really can't think of any," Lin Ting said apologetically.
Zhao Qinfeng said knowingly, "I know you don't pay attention to these things. But back then, even if someone tried to subtly inquire, they couldn't really understand. The treatment I received from the company was very poor, but I certainly couldn't mention it outside, so at that time I felt like the whole world didn't understand my sadness, and I almost got stuck in a dead end."
"Back then... what exactly happened back then?" Lin Ting asked, then quickly added, "If it touches on any sad memories, let's not talk about it, but if you're willing to tell me, I'll listen carefully!"
Zhao Qinfeng was somewhat unfamiliar with this kind of storytelling, so much so that he was not as at ease as he usually was during interviews. In fact, he did not exaggerate any sadness or loneliness, or elaborate on his feelings at the time, but Lin Ting could tell that the tone of these memories was rather cold.
The stage performance that launched his career was only half-aired, and it was half-cut off from the beginning and the end. The company said it was to cooperate with the program's promotion, but Zhao Qinfeng had no idea at the time, and that's how he debuted in a daze.
The problem this caused was that even listeners who were interested in newcomers couldn't glean anything from his half-finished song. Furthermore, he didn't receive any work offers for a long time afterward, and his company offered no assistance, so he had to find opportunities on his own.
He had no portfolio, no experience, and all he could find were jobs singing in bars or opportunities to perform a song at small variety shows. At that time, he lived in a company-provided rental apartment, singing the songs he liked and the songs he wrote, just for himself—and perhaps his neighbors next door.
The neighbor came and knocked on the door, asking him to turn the music down.
Lin Ting said, "Isn't that a compliment?"
Zhao Qinfeng nodded and said, "Actually, I got a good scolding from my neighbor back then, but after closing the door, I started grinning like an idiot, thinking that I might have sung pretty well."
Lin Ting couldn't laugh after hearing this; he felt a little sad.
Later, Zhao Qinfeng organized the songs he had written, asked friends to help with the production, and then went to the recording studio to record one of his favorite songs before posting it on the platform.
This was his first song, and then he quietly released one song after another, eventually putting together an album.
He then got a chance to perform at a music festival, a very formal one. Compared to the various variety shows and commercial performances he had participated in before, the audience was much larger, so he cherished this opportunity.
Just after he had everything prepared, the on-site director said to him, "Hey, we originally hired you to replace another singer, but that singer is back. Didn't we notify you yesterday? Why did you come all this way for nothing..."
Seeing his dejected appearance, the other party didn't chase him away but let him sit in the corner. Zhao Qinfeng waited for the music festival to start, listening to the bustling crowd outside, until the singer he was originally supposed to replace came on stage.
"And then? Did you finish listening?" Lin Ting asked.
Zhao Qinfeng laughed and said, "I listened to half of it and really didn't like it. Although if I said that at the time, others might think I was just being a sour grapes, I still thought he didn't sing well."
Lin Ting asked, "And now? Would you still say that now?"
Zhao Qinfeng said, "I can't say it now, otherwise I'll still get criticized, like for 'acting like a big shot' or 'disrespecting my seniors'."
Lin Ting burst into laughter.
The turning point came a little late, but it finally arrived. A variety show was willing to let him be a guest for two episodes, and then decide whether to keep him based on his performance.
He seized this opportunity, successfully building up a following and creating a virtuous cycle. He sang song after song, gradually gaining wider recognition and acceptance.
"Then my contract with the company expired midway, and we parted amicably. I then set up my own studio and gradually got to where I am today."
Lin Ting suddenly said, "I remember now. When I wrote your first music review, your artist page only had one album and some scattered covers. That should be around the time of that music festival, right?"
Zhao Qinfeng nodded, his eyes flickering slightly, as if he had something left unsaid.
However, Lin Ting was looking down as she searched for Zhao Qinfeng in the content posted on her own account, and did not see Zhao Qinfeng's eyes.
When he looked up again, he pulled Zhao Qinfeng to look at the music review he had written back then.
“Watching it all together is too scary. I think I’d have the urge to just delete it. Let’s just look at the latest comments,” Lin Ting said.
The latest comment was posted three hours ago, described as "archaeological." Lin Ting scrolled down and found that most of the comments were similar, including some expressing envy that Lin Ting had started listening to Zhao Qinfeng's songs so early, some lamenting Zhao Qinfeng's past, and others praising Lin Ting's good taste.
"Everyone's treating this place like an archaeological site," Lin Ting remarked.
Zhao Qinfeng said, "I started paying attention to you because of this music review."
Lin Ting wasn't surprised by this, but asked, "Were you doing intensive self-searching back then? Although I don't quite remember, I hadn't been on this platform for long at that time, and this music review didn't have many views, so it probably wouldn't have been easily pushed to the top."
Zhao Qinfeng said, "I guess so."
Lin Ting said, "Then I've recorded your journey so far."
Zhao Qinfeng nodded and said firmly, "Yes."
The topic ended there. Lin Ting had learned about Zhao Qinfeng's early experiences and realized that he had indeed become indifferent to the intricacies of this industry. Now that he had learned about it, he felt genuine sympathy and admiration for Zhao Qinfeng from a friend's perspective.
Zhao Qinfeng said, "It's almost time, we can start cooking. Do you have any dietary restrictions?"
Lin Ting shook her head and said, "I don't have any dietary restrictions. I'll eat whatever you make."
Zhao Qinfeng nodded and got up to walk towards the kitchen. As Zhao Qinfeng stood up, Lin Ting felt the sofa move slightly, so he also got up and continued to follow behind Zhao Qinfeng.
Zhao Qinfeng suddenly stopped and turned around. Lin Ting, unaware of the situation, got too close to him and could almost feel Zhao Qinfeng's body temperature. She quickly stopped walking forward and even took a step back.
Zhao Qinfeng said, "Don't worry, I can manage on my own. You're here as a guest, how can I let you help me?"
Although Lin Ting verbally agreed, she still followed him into the kitchen and watched quietly from the side.
Seeing that Zhao Qinfeng was quick and efficient, Lin Ting realized he was indeed skilled at cooking. Zhao Qinfeng asked Lin Ting about his taste preferences and paid attention to the seasoning when he was adding it.
The dinner table is where conversations are most easily started; it's always been that way. Lin Ting looked at the four dishes and soup that Zhao Qinfeng had prepared and was very supportive. He quickly got his rice and tasted each dish one by one.
"This is delicious, this is delicious too..." Lin Ting's eyes lit up as she ate, and she asked repeatedly, "Your cooking is amazing! I was thinking of ordering takeout together, but now I can't think of any takeout place that can taste better than these dishes!"
Zhao Qinfeng held his rice bowl, but he was too busy watching Lin Ting eat to pick up his chopsticks. He smiled and said, "I'm glad you like it. I was worried you might not be used to it."
Lin Ting said, "With this skill, there's really nothing to worry about. You're amazing!"
The two ate and chatted, talking about their lives in Haicheng, and even discussing their daily meals over the dishes on the table.
Lin Ting said, "When I first moved here, I used to go to the wet market to buy vegetables. But the vendors would charge me much more than they charged others, so I started buying from the large supermarket nearby, which was much more affordable!"
Zhao Qinfeng said, "I rarely cook after I moved here, so when I do cook, I buy the ingredients online and have them delivered to my door."
Lin Ting and Zhao Qinfeng chatted happily about the prices of various common ingredients.
The two finished all four dishes and soup on the table, perfectly embodying the "Clean Plate Campaign." Lin Ting was very full, but happy nonetheless, and even after leaving the table, she kept praising Zhao Qinfeng's cooking skills.
The two cleared the table of dishes and put them in the kitchen sink. Lin Ting said, "I'll wash the dishes. Although my cooking may not be as good as yours, I'm really good at washing dishes."
Zhao Qinfeng tilted his head and laughed for a while, but when he turned back, he still couldn't stop laughing. He said, "So you've been washing dishes since you were a child, a child prodigy, hahaha, what an interesting saying."
Since the two of them had eaten such a meal, there weren't many dishes to wash. Seeing that Lin Ting was indeed very skilled at washing dishes, Zhao Qinfeng took another rag and wiped the stove and cutting board. After Lin Ting finished with the bowls, chopsticks, and plates, he took the pot and washed it very quickly.
After the two washed their hands and returned to the living room, they found that the TV screen was off. When they turned it on, the variety show was still paused.
Lin Ting had almost forgotten what she and Zhao Qinfeng had talked about before, but seeing the singer's face suddenly reminded her. So she pressed play and watched and chatted with Zhao Qinfeng at the same time.
"I've started to think that when I do music reviews in the future, I should pay more attention to the development stages of singers," Lin Ting suddenly said as the variety show was coming to an end.
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