Chapter 99099 Still Trying to Get a Response
Chapter 99
The title "Love and Hate" is too profound. When Sang Zi first saw it, she had a hard time imagining what kind of song it was.
If the name is too broad, it will be difficult for people to guess the content.
However, based on her understanding of Lin Yuan, this song is probably very different from "Hibernation".
"Hibernation" is more lively, while "Love and Hate," judging from the title alone, is related to complex emotional themes.
Before clicking on the song, Sangzi imagined it in her mind. Although all she could think of were sad love songs, she guessed that "Love and Hate" should be similar in style.
Then, suddenly, the prelude began to flow.
Compared to "Hibernation", it is indeed much slower. The arrangement sounds simple, but it gives Sangzi a feeling of time and space intersecting.
I haven't heard this kind of melody in a long time.
But hearing it again still had the power to move her.
Sang Zi had seen "Major Cases". When she sang only the first half of the lyrics of "Love and Hate", she realized what kind of story the song was mainly about.
"...Confessing my love on a snowy day, what I wanted forever turned out to be a deception."
"Love is deep and enduring, hate is fleeting and hasty."
"Forgetting is the cure."
Lin Yuan's voice was not as clear as it was in "Hibernation," and the line "antidote" was almost shouted out.
Although Lin Yuan can sing high notes, his control over high notes is obviously far inferior to that of professional singers. However, hitting high notes technically relies more on singing skills than on technique... He uses emotion to push the high notes up.
Under Lin Yuan's guidance, Sang Zi was able to understand the song more quickly.
She felt that Lin Yuan was a true genius!
Undoubtedly true! Undeniable!
Super genius!
Overall, however, "Love and Hate" is still a very gentle song. Love is the framework of this song, and in Lin Yuan's voice, Sang Zi seems to hear the sound of a girl crying.
That's how it is in "Major Cases".
A confession was made on a snowy day, and a murder also occurred on a snowy day. Amidst the swirling snowflakes, there was a patch of red liquid that could not be concealed.
Although the heavy snow quickly covered everything, the scene still left a deep impression on Sangzi.
Halfway through the conversation, a scene from the TV series flashed into her mind.
The results are the same.
In the end, it's all the same.
Love doesn't matter, hate doesn't matter; after so many years, it seems to have become unimportant.
But the time lost for this is real.
"Confess your love on a snowy day."
"The memory ends on a snowy day."
"From that day on, I will never dream of you again."
The lyrics have come to an end, the melody has ended, and the story of "Love and Hate" has come to a close.
Sang Zi sighed heavily, leaned back in her chair, pressed her earphones, and listened to "Love and Hate" again carefully.
Upon listening to it for the first time, she could feel the intense emotions bursting forth in the lyrics. Although it says she doesn't care, every line is full of concern.
But the second time, she felt that the song gave her a feeling of gentle drizzle, unlike "Hibernation," which only left her feeling refreshed. After listening to this song, she only felt a dampness that seeped into her bones.
It's hard to forget once you've heard it.
Although the lyrics say that the confession happened on a snowy day, a snowy day when memories ended, Sangzi felt that the rainy season in midsummer was a better match for this song.
There's a feeling I can't shake off.
Love and hate are probably like this: once they exist, they are destined to leave a mark.
Lin Yuan is really suited to sing this song.
Although this isn't his story, he poured both love and hate into his lyrics—probably insights gained during filming.
It's so delicate.
It seems to express both hope and the bitterness of shattered hope at the same time.
One afternoon, Sangzi listened to "Love and Hate" on repeat, probably ten times. She didn't feel tired at all, and each time she listened to the song, it still moved her.
Sometimes, while listening to a song, she would scroll to the front to specifically look at the lyrics and composition.
She couldn't help but laugh when she saw Lin Yuan's name.
It's... a really strange feeling.
She watched "Tomorrow's Tomorrow" by chance, never imagining that she would become a fan of Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuanming was clearly not idle that year, yet he still managed to write a song like "Love and Hate".
Compared to "Hibernation," his emotional expression seems to be richer.
"Love and Hate" is a song she will always remember.
After reading a tragic novel or watching a heartbreaking movie, thinking about lovers who committed suicide together, and reflecting on all the missed opportunities in her life, she would probably click on "Love and Hate".
...
Sang Zi didn't even bother arguing with the criticisms of Lin Yuan on music apps.
Having followed Lin Yuan for so long, Sang Zi had long since realized that only a true powerhouse could break a person's defenses.
This is called explosion-proof.
Why is it necessary to prevent it from being leaked? Because anyone with eyes can see that "Love and Hate" is bound to be a hit.
So many terrible movies and TV series were released in a year, and there were also many songs that supposedly had hundreds of millions of views but zero public awareness. Who cares? Absolutely nobody cares.
Sometimes being accused of being "defended" is just a way of saving face.
"Love and Hate" is different. Not long after its release, a group of people suddenly came to criticize how bad it was.
Sang Zi: "..."
Anyone with ears wouldn't say that.
She was so annoyed; a bunch of deaf people were pointing fingers and gesturing.
Although she was too lazy to argue, Sang Zi couldn't help but protest: "Just say you're jealous of the Golden Wing Award for Best Supporting Actor and the TV Station's Double Hit Actor..."
A scientific principle is that those who constantly belittle Lin Yuan will never be able to match Lin Yuan's actual achievements.
Therefore, this statement always works.
Sangzi initially disliked this kind of copy-and-paste style of commenting from fans, but there was no other way; fighting fire with fire was just too important.
The other party would at most say, "The Golden Wing Award was so long ago, is it really necessary to keep bringing it up?"
Sang Zi replied, "But you didn't push it."
It continues to work every time.
She's been corrupted by Lin Yuan.
...
Despite the large number of people criticizing Lin Yuan, it couldn't stop the explosive popularity of "Love and Hate".
At the time of "Hibernation", due to the influence of publicity and Lin Yuan's own popularity, "Hibernation" did not have much presence at the beginning and its popularity was purely due to the goodness of the song.
"Love and Hate" is different. Lin Yuan is currently the most watched male actor in the industry, and he has representative works such as "Hibernation". In addition, the platform has given him enough publicity space. As soon as "Love and Hate" was released, it attracted a lot of attention.
Besides, it's also a good song.
Whether a song is good or not is not something that can be said to be good or not. No matter how much hype there is, it's useless. It comes from fans listening to it spontaneously, listening to it repeatedly, and spreading it around.
Whether you're a fan like Sang Zi or a true music lover, you can feel the power in "Love and Hate".
Perhaps it is because of the cruel undertones of "Love and Hate" that it is all the more memorable.
Upon its initial release, "Love and Hate" immediately debuted in the top five of the new song charts.
In just one day, "Love and Hate" topped the new song chart.
Then there's the number one spot on the monthly rankings.
The number of views first broke one million, then ten million. Every time the page was refreshed, the real-time data changed, and the fluctuations were quite significant.
"It sounds amazing!!!!"
"My friend asked me why I was crying. I gave her an earphone."
"A song that has been utterly hopeless for so long, Lin Yuan, how are you going to repay what you owe me?"
"It sounds great!! Even non-fans think it sounds great!"
In less than a week, "Love and Hate" has already surpassed 100 million views.
Lin Yuan's studio posted this data to show off.
"I want to see Kobayashi's version of singing and playing the guitar."
"After listening to this song, who still thinks Lin Yuan isn't a genius?"
"Stop making those lousy dramas and come back to writing songs."
"I'm sorry, Lin Yuan is currently filming a movie."
Sang Zi: "..."
She vaguely remembered that when "The Powerful Minister" or "Major Case" was broadcast, someone suggested that Lin Yuan stop singing that lousy song and focus on his acting career.
Indeed, the work itself is very important.
After listening to "Hibernation" and "Love and Hate", would anyone still think that Lin Yuan is not suitable to be a singer?
He should not only be a singer, but also release a proper album.
This rate of releasing songs is clearly a waste of his talent, isn't it?
Sang Zi quietly went to leave a message on Lin Yuan's Weibo.
As it turns out, she wasn't the only fan who shared this view—
"If I write one song a day, the new album can be released next month."
"Lin Yuan, keep going! Don't overwork yourself, but don't rest either."
"Ten or so songs of the quality of 'Love and Hate' would be fine; I don't have high expectations."
"Which film crew is Lin Yuan shooting in? I'll bring him back right now."
Sang Zi: "..."
Let Lin Yuan go.
As a fan, her happiest moments are when Lin Yuan has a new project audition. Searching Lin Yuan's name will bring up real-time feedback from fans and casual viewers about his new work.
Lin Yuan's works are usually of high quality, and the feedback is mostly praise.
Sang Zi couldn't help but feel secretly delighted.
It's so great to have fallen for Lin Yuan!
Whether it's movies, TV series, songs he composed, or musicals... Lin Yuan gives his all in every field and has never let his fans down.
In Lin Yuan's works, Sang Zi can feel a strong sincerity.
Although Lin Yuan doesn't like to promote herself or say "I love you," she feels a warm feeling every time she sees this person's work.
She felt that she was being treated well.
Sometimes, contrast can create beauty.
With the release of the song "Love and Hate," it's immediately clear who put more effort into it compared to a certain actor whose new song has garnered over 100 million views.
Even though the other party's song release was already perfunctory, with mediocre quality and singing, the fans still had to explain and emphasize the data repeatedly in an attempt to save face.
It's as if they have to prove that liking this person wasn't a mistake.
Sangzi found this rather frightening, even though she was also a fan.
But she finds it hard to imagine what it's like for fans to keep saying "I love you" when they know their idol has let them down, is lazy, or even secretly dislikes them.
She couldn't accept it.
It feels like a self-deception.
To cover up one lie, one will create countless lies.
She just couldn't accept it; she wasn't condescending.
Some fans treat their idols like their own lives; others may think they're foolish, but they themselves only feel happy.
Sang Zi has no right to comment on other fans' liking for their idols.
Perhaps fans lack support, and the idol just happens to appear at a certain moment, giving him a reason to live.
...
With "Love and Hate" surpassing 100 million views, naturally some people are unhappy about it.
"It's obviously fake. This data is obviously fabricated."
+1.
"Hilarious! Every time Lin Yuan releases a new song, his fans have to emphasize how popular he is. If he were truly popular, would he need all this publicity? Real big stars are very low-key."
"This song is just so-so, why are you praising it so much? Have you never heard a truly good song? Seriously, what kind of taste do you have?"
"Is it worth bragging about data that was artificially inflated? If you ask me, Lin Yuan should just stick to being an actor. The Golden Wing Award is already pretty good; he should be content. Why bother getting involved in the music industry?"
However, these voices were quickly drowned out.
First, several well-known music critics online praised "Love and Hate".
These music critics are particularly critical of new singers and strongly dislike actors releasing songs to make money. The more the fans clamor, the harsher their criticism becomes.
When reviewing "Love and Hate," several music critics emphasized from the outset that "Love and Hate" was not a work intended to make money.
The effort Lin Yuan put into the composition, the melody, the arrangement... According to professionals, the merits of "Love and Hate" are very clear.
[Besides that, what makes this song so memorable is that Lin Yuan poured his own feelings into his performance. He's not the kind of singer who relies on flashy vocals, but I can assure you, he's one of the few who can truly sing "Love and Hate" well.]
The imagery in "Love and Hate" is very vivid, reminding me of the theme song from that movie, "I Don't Want to Say Goodbye." Not wanting to say goodbye implies wanting to be with you; with its underlying story, this song becomes even more captivating.
If the music critics' reviews only prove that "Love and Hate" is of decent quality, then its popularity has another reason to prove it—
The story of "Love and Hate" originated from a case in "Major Crimes".
While the number of views for "Love and Hate" increased dramatically, the popularity of "Major Crime" actually rose several months after its finale.
A normal surge in popularity wouldn't attract much attention. The problem is that this month, Xingyao Video doesn't have any standout dramas; all the new dramas have only average popularity and are lukewarm at best.
Then, in the week that "Love and Hate" was released, "Major Case" beat out a host of new dramas and squeezed into second place in the popularity rankings on various platforms.
This was an outcome that no one had anticipated.
"Major Crime" was already quite profitable, and its sudden rise to second place brought another wave of traffic to Xingyao Video.
"The show 'Major Crime' can't even be found on the list. Xingyao Video doesn't give old shows any space. How did it even get to the top?"
"We can't say it's unrelated to 'Love and Hate,' can we? Let's take a look at the latest comments in the 'Major Cases' comment section. They all started watching the show after listening to 'Love and Hate,' and the case involved in 'Love and Hate' has a particularly high number of views."
"Ah, yes, yes, that's right, it's our fans who boosted it again. Fans are amazing, boosting the views of 'Love and Hate' while also buying VIP memberships on Xingyao Video."
A week after the release of "Love and Hate", Sang Zi heard the song in the supermarket downstairs from her home. Soon after, the melody of "Love and Hate" also started playing in the hair salon she frequented.
Chinese people love lyrical songs, so "Love and Hate" is obviously more widely known than "Hibernation".
Sang Zi is now especially looking forward to the completion of Lin Yuan's new movie filming, when there will definitely be a scene of "Love and Hate" on set.
She couldn't wait to hear it.
Next, Lin Yuan will likely write more than just "Love and Hate"; he will write many, many more songs.
Thinking of this, Sangzi was filled with anticipation.
Whether it's looking at Lin Yuan's promotional materials and leaked photos, or waiting for his new song release... because Lin Yuan is her idol, she can still feel happy while waiting.
...
During the filming of "The Ghost Arts," Liu Xiaoguang earnestly asked Lin Yuan, "How about this song as the theme song?"
"The movie is missing a theme song, so I asked a music company to search through their music library, but I haven't found a suitable one yet."
Don't you think "Love and Hate" fits the description perfectly?
Lin Yuan: "...It doesn't seem to fit quite well either."
In the beginning, Zhu Sheng did betray Mei Niang's kindness, but by the time he realized his mistake, it was too late.
However, the part about the female ghost doesn't quite fit with "Love and Hate".
The director said, "I think it fits perfectly, don't worry about it."
Lin Yuan: "..."
Sorry, but that's his song.
"You don't want to make money if you have the chance?" The director glanced at him. "How much would it cost to buy it?"
Lin Yuan silently announced a number.
"It's so expensive!" the director leaned closer. "We're such good friends, can you give me a discount?"
Lin Yuan: "...Then give me a raise."
"Hurry up, it's on sale! You'll make two, what a bargain!"
Lin Yuan: "You look like a professional salesperson."
The director quickly replied, "You can tell? I do have a marketing background."
Liu Xiaoguang stumbled into the film company by accident and, after participating in some projects, inexplicably felt... that he might be able to do it too?
Then, by chance, he became a director, produced several good works, and continued in that field.
Lin Yuan: "..."
He was just guessing.
I guessed right.
Lin Yuan was obviously joking. Since the production team liked "Love and Hate," it was perfectly acceptable to use it as the theme song.
Lin Yuan isn't a big name in the music industry, and his royalties aren't actually that high.
However, compared to other unknown creators, Lin Yuan's fees are not low either, which is due to the fame of his actors.
Part of the payment for "The Ghostly Arts" has already been deposited into Lin Yuan's account.
Lin Yuan's salary for his previous three works was not high, but he received a significant increase when he took on "Ghost Arts".
The price for a movie's male lead is different from that of a supporting male character, and the price for a first-tier actor is also different from that of a second-tier actor.
In the "Ghost Arts" production team, Yu Ying's salary was higher than his.
This wasn't even Yu Ying's peak value; when she was at the height of her popularity, her salary would have increased by at least 50%.
Lin Yuan was already quite satisfied.
Although he wasn't materialistic and wasn't particularly attached to money, Lin Yuan always insisted on earning an income that matched his standards.
It's impossible that everyone else is getting high salaries while he's the only one who says he can lower his price.
Especially when others produce less than him but receive far more pay.
Investors and the production crew won't think he's a noble person; they'll just think he's an idiot.
The increase in his salary also means that his acting career is moving forward, and he has at least achieved a stage of success.
...
In the latter half of the script of "The Art of Ghosts", Zhu Sheng begins to be tortured.
While he deserved it, it did bring him to his senses.
Having acquired a clever mind, Zhu Sheng began to scheme and harbor desires. However, in the face of a truly irresistible force, his scheming amounted to nothing.
He was fully aware of this.
Zhu Sheng wanted to escape, but couldn't; he wanted to die, but couldn't, especially since he was afraid of death.
Mei Niang was replaced by a female ghost.
As her prey and as an important tool for the female ghost to maintain Mei Niang's identity, the female ghost would not let him die.
Zhu Sheng watched helplessly as more people suffered.
His conscience was not awakened by this. Zhu Sheng had always been a selfish person, but he was eager to escape Mei Niang's control—it didn't matter if more people were harmed; what mattered was that he himself could no longer suffer.
Dark clouds have gathered over the city. If this continues, the female ghost will have no prey and will eventually come after him again.
"What a scumbag." One day, after watching Lin Yuan's performance, Yu Ying commented.
"Please separate the role from the individual."
"What a scumbag."
"One time is enough, there's no need to emphasize it a second time," Lin Yuan said with a slight smile.
From "Thousand Mountains" to "Ghost Arts," he discovered that he could never play a positive character in a movie.
"Maybe you have a 'scumbag' face?" Yu Ying said.
Lin Yuan couldn't believe it: "I'm an idol, a recognized pure and sunny handsome man."
"Remove the 'pure and sunny' type."
"Moreover, the character in 'Thousand Mountains' is bad, not scum."
"A person who ruins a friendship is a scumbag," Yu Ying emphasized.
Lin Yuan: "..."
"Anyway, you acted pretty well." Yu Ying patted Lin Yuan on the shoulder. "You'll definitely have a place on any future lists of the biggest scumbags."
Lin Yuan: "...What kind of nice thing is that? Take it back!"
That evening, when I chatted with He Xun, he said the exact same thing: "Because... you have a scumbag face?"
"Words against one's conscience are not to be spoken lightly," Lin Yuan snorted. "Do I look like a scumbag?"
It's better to acknowledge his superb acting skills than to call him a scumbag.
However, Zhu Sheng is indeed not a good character.
Lin Yuan was willing to take on the role in "Ghost Arts" because of the way the script portrayed Zhu Sheng. If the script had depicted Zhu Sheng's sudden repentance and transformation into a good person, resulting in a happy ending, Lin Yuan would probably have refused.
That's a bit too deliberate.
This does not match Zhu Sheng's character in the early stages.
Human nature is most revealed in dangerous situations. Even when not facing a crisis, Zhu Sheng still showed some despicable traits, let alone in a life-or-death moment.
He couldn't possibly give up on saving himself.
They won't realize it.
"It's really no good," He Xun remarked.
Lin Yuan: "...Are you using this character to secretly insult me?"
“Hey, you figured it out.” He Xun sent a cheerful emoji. “Long time no see, Kangaroo, you’ve gotten smarter.”
"The kangaroo wants to assassinate you right now."
After filming for "Ghost Arts" started, He Xun expressed his concerns about Lin Yuan. He was mainly worried that Lin Yuan and Yu Ying wouldn't get along. But now that "Ghost Arts" has been filming for a while, Lin Yuan is happily sending all sorts of emojis, so He Xun knows that he's doing quite well.
Lin Yuan is quite easy to understand and has no ulterior motives. Although he is not stupid, he treats his friends like a blank sheet of paper.
"How's the collaboration going?" He Xun asked.
"I have nothing but admiration."
Both Zhu Sheng and Mei Niang had room to shine, but after each scene they filmed, Lin Yuan never felt like he had beaten Yu Ying.
However, working with such a skilled actor was exhilarating for him.
Yu Ying could quickly grasp and respond to what he expressed in his performance and the scheming he deliberately created.
Lin Yuan wasn't just acting to a piece of wood or a tree; Yu Ying was genuinely responding to him.
It was pretty cool.
With Yu Ying around, he dared not not work harder, fearing he would become the one who held everyone back.
Talented actors are still working hard; how can he not work hard?
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Author's Note: Update! [doge][doge][doge]
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