Chapter 296 Two-Nine-Six-Two Combined
296:
Old Kang never dreamed that Director Xu would say such a thing to him!
He thought Director Xu wanted the studio version to make it easier to upload to various platforms later, but he never expected that he wanted Ye Qingxi to lip-sync!
Kang Lao angrily said, "I think you are insulting the spirit of the World Championship!"
Director Xu knew he would be angry, so he said in a gentle voice, "Mr. Kang, you just saw it too. Liu Nian is older than Ye Qingxi, he's already thirteen years old, and he still makes mistakes when he's nervous during the performance. He usually works very hard and performs very well, but he still gets nervous in such a big scene. Not to mention Ye Qingxi, who is only six years old."
Old Kang laughed angrily, "Liu Nian is Liu Nian, and Ye Qingxi is Ye Qingxi. Did you see Ye Qingxi being nervous?"
"You were watching the rehearsal just now, and Ye Qingxi performed so well! The applause was so enthusiastic! And what happened? You actually wanted him to lip-sync!"
"I'm just trying to ensure the opening ceremony achieves the best and most reliable results," Director Xu said.
Old Kang wouldn't listen to him. "The World Championships are all about fairness, impartiality, and transparency. There's absolutely no cheating. But now, you're trying to cheat at the opening ceremony! Xu Jing, you're showing no respect for music, no respect for the World Championships, and no respect for Ye Qingxi!"
"Why don't you suggest that Fu Zhan and Meng Man lip-sync? It's because you think they have the ability, you believe in them, but you don't think Ye Qingxi has the ability. You don't believe in your heart that he can handle this performance, so you said such a thing. But I'm different. I believe in my apprentice, I believe in Ye Qingxi, so don't even think about it."
Director Xu said helplessly, "Yes, I do not trust Ye Qingxi, but is it wrong for me not to trust him?"
"Does he have any stage experience? How old is he? What if he doesn't sing well? Who will be responsible? Who can take that responsibility? I just want the opening ceremony to be perfect. Is my idea wrong?"
"The singer is still Ye Qingxi. It's not that someone else's voice has been used. It's just that he's using his own studio recording. As long as you don't say anything, I don't say anything, Ye Qingxi doesn't say anything, and Fu Zhanmengman doesn't say anything, who would know?"
"Isn't this safer and more secure for everyone?!"
"Then you might as well just replace Ye Qingxi! Replace him with someone you think is capable!" Old Kang said angrily. "It would be better than you insulting the child like this and not trusting him at all."
Director Xu: ...
Director Xu has a headache.
Ultimately, Director Xu just wanted to play it safe.
He had no complaints about Ye Qingxi, and was even overly satisfied with his appearance.
Ye Qingxi is beautiful and has a sunny personality, making her very suitable to stand on the opening ceremony stage as a microcosm of children across the country.
However, he was too young and had to take on the responsibility of singing the first line. Director Xu didn't distrust him; he simply didn't dare to trust him.
If something goes wrong, how will he explain himself to the audience, to his superiors, and to Chinese people all over the country and even the world?
With the competition taking place on their home turf, and all eyes on the stage, Director Xu dared not be careless.
“If you insist, then I would suggest removing Ye Qingxi from the song and keeping only Fu Zhan and Meng Man,” Director Xu offered his second proposal.
“Impossible!” Old Kang disagreed even more. “If this song can be completed by Fu Zhan and Meng Man alone, why would I need to go around looking for children who can sing, and why would I need to have Ye Qingxi come to class every week for the past year?”
Old Kang said with heartache, "Do you know how he got through this year? While other children played at home or outside on weekends, he stayed in my study and learned to sing with me, making changes little by little according to my requirements."
"From spring to winter, from the heat of summer to the cool of autumn, he never missed a single day, except when he had no other choice but to come."
"The child worked so hard so that he could stand on stage this July and sing this song well, and now you're saying you don't want him anymore! Why did you choose him in the first place?! And why are you only saying this now?!"
"Xu Jing, I know you're under a lot of pressure, and it hasn't been easy for you, but no matter how difficult it is, we can't fake it on such a big stage in front of the whole world!"
"As for your suggestion not to include Ye Qingxi, that's even more unacceptable. How will Ye Qingxi feel about this? How will she look back on the past year? The best way to sing this song is with all three of us—not one more, not one less, and definitely not lip-syncing!"
Director Xu: ...
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Director Xu saw that he couldn't reason with Old Kang and didn't want to argue with him any further.
Kang Lao's status is such that he is a titan in the music industry. He has his pride and his own principles. People of this status are always proud and will never compromise.
Besides, he's already this old; if he were to actually upset someone and cause them harm, he would feel guilty.
Therefore, Director Xu decided to have someone else speak to him. As long as he could persuade Mu Shaowu and Mu Shaowu could convince Ye Qingxi, then Ye Qingxi could talk to Old Master Kang, and Old Master Kang would naturally not be as insistent as he is now.
"Let's talk about this later," Director Xu said gently. "It's getting late, you should go home now."
Old Kang thought he wanted to postpone it for the time being, and stubbornly replied, "Even in the future, I will not agree!"
"I know."
After Director Xu finished speaking, he opened the door to the lounge and had someone send Old Kang back.
He then called Mu Shaowu the following afternoon.
When Mu Shaowu saw Director Xu's call, he guessed it must be related to Ye Qingxi—otherwise, what else could it be? It couldn't be that he was being asked to make a movie, could it?
He quickly answered, "Hello."
"It's me," Director Xu said bluntly. "I called you today and there's something I hope you can help me with."
"Please go ahead," Mu Shaowu said politely.
"You probably saw it during yesterday's rehearsal, right? One of the boys dancing the Mountain and River Dance missed the beat."
Mu Shaowu nodded. This program was before Ye Qingxi's singing, so he had indeed seen it.
He was worried for the child at that time.
"That child's name is Liu Nian. He started learning to dance at the age of six, and it's been seven years now. He has always danced very well. I've watched him dance in private, and his movements are very standard. However, the stage for the opening ceremony of the World Championships is too big, so the closer he gets, the more nervous he becomes. He made a mistake during yesterday's rehearsal."
Mu Shaowu said "Oh," thinking to himself, "What does this have to do with me?"
Shouldn't he have told Liu Nian's father about this?
Why should I talk to Ye Qingxi's father?
“Liu Nian has performance experience and is already thirteen years old, yet she still has this problem. So I am very worried that Ye Qingxi has no performance experience and is too young. Will she sing the wrong song or sing off-key because of nervousness during the opening ceremony?”
"As you know, he was the first to speak. If something goes wrong with him, Fu Zhan and Meng Man who follow him will inevitably be affected."
"No, he won't." Mu Shaowu thought he was just worried, so he quickly assured him, "Xiao Xi is very talented in this area, and he works very hard. He definitely won't sing wrong or off-key."
"What if something like that happens to him?"
Mu Shaowu: ? ? ?
Mu Shaowu didn't quite understand. "Then what do you want to do?"
"I don't want to do anything, I want to prevent problems before they occur."
"So?" Mu Shaowu asked, puzzled.
"So I think on the day of the opening ceremony, Ye Qingxi should use the studio version. This would be more reliable for him, for the whole song, and for the opening ceremony. What do you think?"
Mu Shaowu: !!!
"Isn't that just lip-syncing?!"
"Although it was lip-synced, it was still him singing; it was just that the live stream was changed to a pre-recorded one."
That's it? Fine, that's it!
Mu Shaowu refused, saying, "Director Xu, I know you value the opening ceremony and want better audiovisual results, but what will happen to Xiaoxi if things are exposed later?"
"As long as you don't say anything, I don't say anything, Ye Qingxi doesn't say anything, and the other people performing on the same stage don't say anything, how could it be exposed?"
"These days, netizens are so smart. They can find out whether you opened your mouth or sang just by looking at the video! The World Championship is such a big event, watched by the whole world. He was with seniors like Fu Zhan and Meng Man. There will be even more eyes on him. If it's exposed, his future will be over!"
"Don't worry, I definitely won't let netizens find out."
"No way." Mu Shaowu firmly disagreed; he couldn't let Ye Qingxi take such a risk.
“And it’s not fair to him,” Mu Shaowu said. “Everyone else is singing live, but he’s the only one lip-syncing. Isn’t that just telling him he’s not as good as the others? How will he feel? He’ll definitely be hurt.”
"Isn't it normal that a six-year-old child like him isn't as good as a top national singer like Fu Zhanmengman?"
Mu Shaowu: ...
“This is your personal opinion and does not represent others. For example, I don’t think he is worse than Fu Zhan or Meng Man, and I don’t want him to think that way.”
"That's because you're his father," Director Xu said.
“You know I’m his father, so I can’t do anything that would be detrimental to him.”
Mu Shaowu said gently, "Yes, he doesn't have much stage experience, but didn't he perform very well in the final of 'The Voice of Heaven'? That was his first time on stage, and he wasn't nervous at all. Instead, he left a very deep impression on everyone. So why are you so sure he'll be nervous this time?"
"In my opinion, he sang very well and is fully capable of singing live at the opening ceremony."
"But you don't trust him. You've already sentenced him to death, so you're here thinking of ways to give him a reprieve, and you even call it doing him a favor. Isn't that too unfair to him?"
"The World Championship demands fairness, impartiality, and transparency. You shouldn't have violated this spirit during the opening ceremony. That would have been disrespectful to the World Championship and the opening ceremony stage."
Director Xu: ...
Director Xu hadn't expected him to be so difficult to persuade. "Then tell me, what if Ye Qingxi gets into trouble? Who will pay for it?!"
“He will take responsibility for himself. As long as he sings live, even if he makes a mistake and others criticize him, he will accept it on his own and will not blame anyone.”
"So, is our huge stage just for him to make mistakes?"
“That’s not what I meant,” Mu Shaowu said. “I just think that if others can sing live, he should have that right too. We can’t deny him just because he’s young and doesn’t have much experience. We can’t let him cheat on such a big stage.”
Director Xu: ...
Director Xu pressed his temples, not wanting to say anything more to him.
"Do you think I'm doing this for myself? I'm doing it for the opening ceremony and for the country's image."
"Think about it again," he said, and then hung up the phone.
Looking at the phone that had ended the call, Mu Shaowu felt a surge of frustration.
He didn't expect Director Xu to make such a request at this time.
Although Ye Qingxi is not a celebrity, she is not a complete novice because she appeared on a variety show with him.
He is a child in the public eye, a child loved by many.
People will only have higher expectations for children like this.
If a wicked person does a hundred evil deeds but one good deed, some people will defend him, saying he's not so bad after all.
But if a good person does a hundred good deeds but makes one mistake, someone will jump out and say that he is not a good person at all.
Once Ye Qingxi is labeled as "lip-syncing," those who previously disliked him will instantly stand up for him, while those who previously cheered for him will turn to dislike him, curse him, and feel that he is not the person they envisioned.
No one cares whether he's willing or not, or what grievances he feels. They just scold him, attack him, and subject him to one psychological blow after another.
Mu Shaowu would never want such a thing to happen.
Moreover, Ye Qingxi had absolutely no need to lip-sync!
With such talent, he could sing live just like everyone else. If Director Xu's idea comes true, his musical talent will be questioned and disapproved of, and it might even affect his performance on the final stage of "The Voice of China". In that case, his musical career would be almost completely ruined.
Mu Shaowu doesn't need Ye Qingxi's future to necessarily be linked to music, but he must have the qualifications to be linked to music.
Whether or not he chooses to pursue a career in music should be a decision only he can make.
It's not that he wanted to leave but couldn't.
Thinking of this, Mu Shaowu called Old Kang and told him about Director Xu.
On the matter of the World Championship opening ceremony, Coach Kang clearly has more say than him. Coach Xu may not respect his thoughts and opinions, but he has to take Coach Kang's thoughts into consideration.
"So you see..." Mu Shaowu said helplessly.
Old Kang was so angry he almost coughed.
He never expected that after being turned down by him, Director Xu would actually go to Mu Shaowu!
In other words, Mu Shaowu is the second young master of the Mu family. He has seen a lot since childhood and is neither arrogant nor humble towards anyone. If this were an ordinary family, which parent could resist the persuasion of such a big director!
"You don't need to worry about this. As long as I'm alive, he won't succeed!" Old Kang said angrily.
"As long as you stand firm and don't agree to anything he says, that will work!"
“Okay,” Mu Shaowu said. “Elder Kang, you have seen Xiao Xi’s hard work over the past year. He really cherishes this opportunity, so I really don’t want anything to change, and I don’t want this to become a stain or a sad thing in his life.”
"I know," Old Kang reassured him. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to Xiao Xi."
Mu Shaowu was slightly relieved.
He hung up the phone, checked the time, composed himself, and prepared to pick up Ye Qingxi.
He didn't intend to let Ye Qingxi know about this.
After hanging up with him, Mr. Kang immediately called Director Xu.
As soon as Director Xu answered the phone, he heard Xu Jing's angry voice, "Xu Jing! I'll say it again! Ye Qingxi would never lip-sync! Don't even think about it!"
"Mu Shaowu told you," Director Xu said.
"Of course, I am Ye Qingxi's teacher and the chief music director for this opening ceremony. What if he told me? Even if he didn't tell me, I would still ask him."
Director Xu: ...
Director Xu really didn't want to argue with Mr. Kang.
"How about this? Since we both have our own opinions on this matter, why don't we ask Ye Qingxi's opinion? If he's willing..."
"I still refuse!" Old Kang roared. "How old is he? What does he know?! You can't just bombard him with your grand principles and the words 'the big picture' and crush him! Ye Qingxi is six years old, not twenty-six! He's not even an adult yet, he's still a toddler. What are you trying to do by making him make the decision?!"
"So, what do you mean if something goes wrong?"
"I'll apologize to everyone then! I'll take responsibility! Is that alright?" Old Kang roared. "I, Kang Fangnian, have dedicated my entire life to music, half of it to the development of music in our country. If Ye Qingxi really doesn't sing well this time, I'll personally apologize to the people of the whole country and say that it was my insistence on choosing Ye Qingxi and insisting on her going on stage, and that it has nothing to do with you. Is that acceptable?!"
"That's not what I meant," Director Xu sighed.
He said, "Mr. Kang, as you know, I respect you very much. I didn't mean for you to take on this responsibility. I just really wanted to finish this opening ceremony perfectly, without any problems..."
Director Xu sighed: "Let's all calm down."
Old Kang stared at the phone after he hung up, but he couldn't calm down.
If Ye Qingxi has to lip-sync to keep her spot on stage, then he'd rather she not go on stage at all! And not participate in this opening ceremony!
He chose Ye Qingxi not to add another stain to his life, nor to make him feel distrusted and inferior to his senior brothers and sisters!
Thinking of this, Old Kang created a separate group chat for Fu Zhan and Meng Man and sent them a video call invitation.
Fu Zhan was practicing singing, while Meng Man had just finished her afternoon nap. Although they were a little confused when they saw his video call invitation, they quickly answered it anyway.
Then they saw their teacher's wrinkled face.
What's wrong? Is something the matter?
"What's wrong, teacher?" Meng Man asked.
Looking at his two beloved disciples, Master Kang was at a loss for words.
Fu Zhan and Meng Man were his two most accomplished students.
The two have been ahead of their peers since their debut, and now they are the big brothers and sisters in the music industry.
No matter how important the occasion, they are needed to make things right.
They are really looking forward to this World Championship and have prepared very hard for it.
"Teacher, was there a problem with our rehearsal yesterday?" Fu Zhan guessed.
Old Kang shook his head, "The rehearsal went very well, there were no problems at all."
"So what are you doing here?"
"I..." Old Kang sighed, looking as if he had aged several years in an instant.
"Director Xu thinks your junior brother is too young and wants him to use the studio recording version without a microphone." He paused for two seconds before speaking slowly.
“That won’t do!” Fu Zhan said. “Isn’t that lip-syncing?”
Meng Man also disagreed, saying, "If this gets out, Xiao Xi will not only be criticized, but her entire music career will be ruined."
“I think so too.” Old Kang looked at them. “That’s why I didn’t agree to his request. But he was very determined. As you know, he’s the director of this project, and he’s under a lot of pressure.”
Hearing his words, Meng Man asked worriedly, "You don't mean to compromise, do you?"
“Teacher, this is not a child’s play. Xiao Xi is still young. If he really lip-synced, especially in such a setting, this scandal will follow him for the rest of his life,” Fu Zhan said.
Old Kang knew this, of course. He nodded slightly and said with difficulty, "Therefore, I made the worst-case scenario plan."
“If Director Xu insists that Xiao Xi must lip-sync, then I will use my position as the music director to remove this segment. Director Xu originally wanted the two of you to sing, and it was okay without Xiao Xi, but I didn't want to. From the moment I finished this song, it was a three-person duet version. Removing any one of you would greatly diminish its quality; it would be an unfinished product. I don't want to present such a work to everyone, especially on a stage like the opening ceremony of the World Championships. But if I do this, the two of you…”
"It's alright." Meng Man smiled. "I thought something was wrong with you, teacher. Oh, it's just this. The stage for the World Championship opening ceremony is indeed very big and I long to go, but it won't matter if I don't go, so you don't need to feel guilty."
Fu Zhan also stated, "Meng Man and I have lived most of our lives, and our positions are already secure. Whether or not there is a world championship stage, it doesn't really make much difference to us. But Xiao Xi is different. His life has just begun, and he cannot have such a stain. So I support you."
“Yes,” Meng Man laughed. “Xiao Xi’s lyrics are not suitable for me and Fu Zhan to sing. You will have to rewrite the lyrics and we will have to redistribute them. The performance may not be good. It might even ruin your and our reputation.”
“Besides, we already know what the perfect state looks like, so suddenly settling for second best is really not my style,” Fu Zhan said.
Old Kang was moved as he listened to their back-and-forth conversation.
How could they not want to be on a stage that the whole world is watching?
I'm saying all this just to put his mind at ease.
Old Master Kang said apologetically, "Don't worry, I won't take this step until the very end. Even if I do, I will try my best to make it up to you afterwards."
"Teacher, what you're saying is wrong. Without you, we wouldn't be where we are today, so you don't need to make amends at all."
“That’s right,” Meng Man said. “If it weren’t for your insistence back then, they would never have let a girl who was not even twenty years old stand on such a big stage to sing solo. You supported me against all odds back then, so now, I should naturally support you and Xiao Xi.”
Old Kang looked at them, his eyes stinging with tears.
He nodded slightly, but fearing he might reveal his vulnerability in front of the students, he quickly ended the video call, leaving Fu Zhan and Meng Man looking at each other.
“Teacher, you really are the same as always, for decades,” Meng Man said. “But I think there’s still a chance. Teacher is stubborn, and Director Xu is under pressure, so it’s inevitable that he’s also tense. Why don’t we go and talk to Director Xu and see if there’s any room for negotiation?”
Fu Zhan also had the same idea.
They created a group chat and added Director Xu to it.
Director Xu looked at the two of them and wondered if it was related to Ye Qingxi.
Otherwise, why would two people come to see him at the same time, especially at this time?
As soon as Meng Man opened his mouth, Director Xu thought to himself, "Sure enough, he knew it!"
“It’s not that I have a problem with Ye Qingxi,” Director Xu said wearily. “I just hope that we can complete this without any mistakes, so that everyone can be happy and get a good night’s sleep.”
“I understand,” Meng Man said. “Director Xu, you have indeed worked hard, and it’s not easy for you either. If there are any problems with this program, you, as the chief director, will definitely be held accountable.”
Director Xu thought to himself: That's right.
“But Director Xu, if you don’t trust Ye Qingxi, you should trust us.” Meng Man looked at him with a smile. “Does that mean we can’t continue if Ye Qingxi starts too high? Or that we will sing off-key if he sings off-key? Besides, this is the first performance of this song. The audience has no idea what the original version is like. It’s not like it will be the same no matter how it’s sung. With me and Fu Zhan backing us up, how bad can this song be?”
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