Qian Hongliang was a renowned singer among the older generation, famous for his distinctive voice, which earned him the moniker "King of Voices."
However, it was precisely this unique vocal quality that confined him to singing only one specific genre of music.
His singular style led to him being gradually forgotten by the times.
This is a fate many artists of the older generation face.
They might have one or two well-known songs, but when mentioned, people merely acknowledge them as classics, nothing more.
In truth, Qian Hongliang did not enjoy good public opinion among the younger generation. Like Wu Xingyang, he possessed a straightforward, somewhat rigid personality.
Once, during a program, when asked about current idols, he bluntly stated: "The path of today's young idols has gone astray; they are effeminate and lack masculinity."
This remark garnered significant support and praise from many, but it also drew furious condemnation from numerous idol fans. Combined with the advent of the era of traffic, he was abandoned by capital and gradually faded from the market.
With no programs to appear on, he could only rely on one or two classic songs to make a living through commercial performances.
Qian Hongliang's singing prowess was undeniable. With the tempering of time, his style had become even more unique and self-assured. Unfortunately, he lacked a stage.
"Try looking for Ting Yu. Although this kid has been very prominent lately, he's quite helpful. Be polite, prepare some gifts like tea, and it shouldn't be a problem to request a song."
He was recommended by his old friend Liu Yuliang to come to Xinghui to request a song from Ting Yu.
After Liu Yuliang sang Ting Yu's song "Chi Ling," he became wildly popular online. During a drinking session, he mentioned that Ting Yu was not as unapproachable as rumored and was actually a very polite child.
Qian Hongliang had dedicated his life to singing but now found himself without a stage. He was somewhat swayed by Liu Yuliang's suggestion, thinking he might be able to get a song, gain some momentum, and perhaps have a chance to return to the music scene.
Therefore, he went to a tea shop early in the morning to buy tea and other gifts.
Truth be told, his seniority in the music industry was quite high. To return to the industry, he felt it was somewhat embarrassing to curry favor with a junior.
However, Qian Hongliang didn't care about such matters; he was willing to do anything to return to the stage and sing.
...
Su Yu received news today that the singer assigned to him by the officials was coming to discuss the tribute song.
So, he arrived at Xinghui early.
When he arrived downstairs at Xinghui, he went to the breakfast shop opened by Zhang Wei next door. Zhang Wei's breakfast shop had evolved from a small street stall into a chain. The current decor was very high-end, and the menu had also become richer.
Besides the one below the company, there were also branches near Su Yu's villa and school.
According to what Zhang Wei said in the group chat, he already had nearly thirty branches in Shuangqing City, and even five branches in the neighboring Rong City.
Perhaps in a few years, his breakfast shop would reach national chain scale.
Jiang Xiao'e's barbecue restaurant was similar, also striving towards national chain status.
In comparison, Zhao De and Tao's "Brother Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant" lagged a bit, currently having only three branches, and business wasn't very good.
However, everyone had their hobbies. It was good if it made money, and if it didn't, there was no great loss; they could afford to lose this much money.
"Teacher Ting Yu, the singer is waiting upstairs."
The two receptionists showed fan-like expressions the moment they saw Su Yu.
Then, they quickly greeted him and helped Su Yu press the elevator button.
A few days ago, they had gotten Su Yu's autograph and taken some photos with him. After posting the autograph and photos on their Moments, they instantly became the center of attention.
They had truly had their moment of glory.
Under the receptionists' escort,
Su Yu walked into the elevator.
As expected.
As soon as the elevator doors closed, they heard the screams of the two girls again.
"Ahhh! Teacher Ting Yu looks so handsome in his casual outfit today!"
"Nonsense, when does Teacher Ting Yu not look handsome?"
Su Yu thought that when he came down later, he should tell them that this elevator wasn't soundproof. It was fine when he was alone, but if he were with someone else, being praised like this would be embarrassing.
Well, although they were right, he was indeed handsome.
...
Entering the office.
A middle-aged man was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed.
Seeing Su Yu enter, he was momentarily stunned, then stood up and extended his hand to Su Yu: "You are Ting Yu? Hello, my name is Zhu Haoxiong, you can also call me Zhu Shen."
Zhu Shen was the name his fans called him.
Zhu Haoxiong held a very high position in the Chinese music scene. In his early years, he became famous for his singing, exploded in popularity, and then conquered many fans with a series of technically demanding songs. Within just three years of his debut, he was nominated for Singer of the Year. On his path to becoming a top singer, he grew rapidly and ultimately achieved the honor of a "Song God."
Zhu Shen, or "Song God," was the affectionate nickname his fans gave him.
"Hello, Teacher Zhu Haoxiong." Su Yu felt a sense of arrogance from this person, but it was understandable to be a bit proud with such talent.
After all, not everyone was as humble as himself.
"I still prefer people to call me Zhu Shen," Zhu Haoxiong said, releasing his hand and emphasizing it half-jokingly.
"Okay, Teacher Zhu Haoxiong," Su Yu replied, nodding seriously.
Seeing this, Zhu Haoxiong no longer dwelled on the title.
"The program team sent me to communicate with you about the tribute song," he said directly, though with a hint of helplessness in his tone.
For this program, he had originally wanted to collaborate with Mo Yan. After all, he had collaborated with Mo Yan once before, which earned him the Best Singer award and a Golden Melody award that year. He thought he would collaborate with Mo Yan again for this tribute song opportunity, but he didn't expect the program team to assign him Ting Yu.
Among the older generation singers, Mo Yan was a god. While Ting Yu had produced many excellent songs and was the hottest producer currently, in Zhu Haoxiong's eyes, he was still not as formidable as Mo Yan. This was a deep-seated feeling from years of experience.
Therefore, being assigned to Ting Yu, he felt somewhat unlucky, even if it had been Jiang Qian, it would have been better.
"Alright, I'll let you see the demo." Su Yu didn't fuss over it. Since the officials had assigned him a singer, he didn't bother to look for one himself.
"No rush on that for now," Zhu Haoxiong said with a smile and a shake of his head.
Seeing Su Yu's confusion, he continued, "Let's talk about the copyright first."
After saying that, he looked at Su Yu, waiting to see his reaction.
"The number one annual Golden Melody that I previously collaborated on with Mo Yan, the copyright was split three for me and seven for him." Seeing Su Yu calmly waiting for him to speak, Zhu Haoxiong continued.
He even specifically emphasized the words "Golden Melody."
He collaborated with top-tier ace producers with a fifty-fifty split, and with musical virtuosos like Mo Yan, it was a seventy-thirty split.