Respawn Entertainment: Days of Glory

Chapter 686 Dharma Wanderer

A day later, Xia Xiao's talk show officially started recording.

Xia Xiao wanted to film Bian Lang's daily life in addition to the formal interview.

Bian Lang is very familiar with this process. Xu Zhiyuan and Cai Kangyong from Original Earth have both done similar programs. There were also rock musicians in their programs, and Bian Lang had watched them specifically.

At that time, Xu Zhiyuan was interviewing Zhang Chu, and Cai Kangyong was looking for leather pants, so he wanted to shoot something that would make Bian Langmen clear.

The photo of Kevin Tsai wearing leather pants started from a rehearsal before the concert, and then they were eating and chatting in a private restaurant.

So early that morning, Bian Lang drove to the hotel to pick up Xia Xiao. With various equipment capturing the entire process, Bian Lang first took her to Nan Fei Yan in the snack street.

It was around 8 o'clock when they arrived. Looking at the crowds of people and the bustling atmosphere in the lobby on the first floor, Xia Xiao's appetite and curiosity suddenly increased.

Bian Lang didn't wear a mask either, and he chatted with the cashier when paying. It seems that he comes here often. When someone recognized Bian Lang and wanted to take a photo with him, Bian Lang never refused and satisfied them one by one.

At a table reserved for them on the terrace, the two began chatting while eating: "Bian Lang, so you grew up in this kind of environment?"

Searching the original owner's memory, he ate the pot roll rice noodle and said, "When I was about five or six years old, my mother opened Nanfeiyan. At that time, I remember that it was just a storefront. One-third of the space was separated by aluminum alloy and glass for the kitchen, and the rest was for three tables...

At that time, I was a little taller than the counter. After school, my sister took me to the store to do homework. When there were no customers, I would do it on the table. When there were many customers, we would move stools to the flower beds outside on the street to do it... Then I would start to daydream, watching ants fighting or something..."

As he spoke, Bian Lang also described some unimportant life scenes from his previous life.

He also frankly talked about such ugly things as his eyebrow being burned by a flying match and catching a rat snake and putting it in a girl's pencil case.

Then Luo Dayou's voice began to linger in his mind: "There is everything in the welfare club, but there is not a penny in my pocket... Zhuge Silang and the Devil's Party, who will get the sword... Why hasn't the girl from the next class passed by my window yet..."

After going downstairs, the two entered through the East Gate of Yunnan University, crossed the campus to Wenhua Lane, and then walked along Wenlin Street and Yangyu Lane. Bian Lang took Xia Xiao along the best school district route for people in Chuncheng, from kindergarten all the way to university.

Then, when we arrived in front of the building that had been renamed the Rolling Stones Music Base, Bian Lang pointed at the Rolling Stones logo and said, "A year ago, this building was a mess with all kinds of businesses... The record store at that time was called Paradise Records, and the owner was planning to cancel the lease. Later, I rented a rehearsal room upstairs for a few hundred yuan, but who would have thought that a year later, the whole building belonged to the Rolling Stones."

Hearing this, Xia Xiao asked, "'People Without Ideals Are Not Sad' was written here, right?"

"Well, that day Li Yiliang had just returned from signing a contract with MoDi, and he and I almost got into a fight halfway up the mountain. Then I drank a bottle of vodka and fell drunk on the table. When I woke up, I became a time traveler..."

"Ahem! Teacher Bian, can we be serious?"

Mid-Levels was not open at this time, but in order to facilitate the interview, Bian Lang asked Lao Tan for the key.

But who knew that when Old Tan heard that he could meet Xia Xiao, he took a few cephalosporins last night even though he was not sick, and threatened those who urged him to drink, saying, "If anyone lets me drink tonight, you will be sent to the hospital to collect my body!"

Then, for the first time, at 10 o'clock in the morning, Bian Lang saw Lao Tan drinking coffee and reading a magazine in the small passage of the glass house below.

The person on the cover of that magazine was Xia Xiao!
When Bian Lang saw him, he was speechless. He never thought that Lao Tan was actually a fan of Xia Xiao.

"Old Tan, you are a fan of Xia Xiao, so just tell me earlier. It will be so easy to take you out for meals!" He thought so in his mind, but Bian Lang did not say it out loud.

This was probably the first time Xia Xiao had met such a sultry middle-aged hipster, so she immediately showed off her acting skills that were no less than that of an actress: "Hey, this magazine was published five or six years ago, right? Did Bian Lang and the others arrange this on purpose?"

Now, Old Tan, the bar owner who has seen countless people and says different things to different people, can no longer be dealt with.

Fortunately, Bian Lang came to his rescue: "It must have been arranged on purpose, but it wasn't arranged by me. Let me introduce you, this is the boss of Mid-Levels and the future director of Rolling Stone LAB, Lao Tan!"

Facing Bian Lang's words that were better left unsaid, Old Tan at least found an opportunity to interrupt. He closed the magazine and put it on the bookshelf and said, "Hello, Teacher Xia, I'll take you to visit the table where Bian Lang wrote songs..."

"Thank you, I heard."

After a round, Xia Xiao listened to Lao Tan's story and felt that Bian Lang's joke was actually quite appropriate, so he wanted Bian Lang to recreate the scene at that time and sing a few lines to get some material.

Perhaps because the one-year period of time travel was approaching, Bian Lang was feeling quite emotional today and in high spirits. He didn't even bother Lao Tan and the staff to make a fuss. He just nodded and went on to the small stage.

Lao Tan thought that Bian Lang just needed to sing a few lines to recreate the atmosphere of the time. Since there were so many devices involved, he did not take out his phone, but went to the bar to get drinks for the few people.

Bian Lang walked onto the small stage, adjusted the position of the wireless microphone, picked up the guitar and started tuning it.

When the preparations were finished, Bian Lang untied his tightly tied bun as if he was replaying the scene of that day, and shook himself back to make himself more comfortable.

At that time, he was on this unfamiliar stage, facing a completely new environment and betrayal by his brothers. His family did not support his music career and he was still a nobody in the circle. All kinds of difficulties made him struggle with himself and this new world in one breath.

Now, a year has passed, and when he returns to the stage, those difficulties have become just memories, and new challenges are waiting for him.

The Rolling Stone Music Group has begun to take shape, a music school is about to open, domestic and foreign partners are waiting for him to challenge awards, and there will be a richer and more colorful life and stage...

It is a bit inappropriate to reminisce about the loneliness of an era at this time, but singing "Chasing Dreams..." is a bit too awkward.

Looking back on this year, no matter what happened, Bian Lang never stopped. Even if he was banned by Goose Egg, questioned by public intellectuals, and targeted by others... he persisted all the way.

Thinking of this, he felt that this song might be able to give a small summary of his experiences this year.

Putting down the guitar, Bian Lang searched on the table under the mixing console and took out a harmonica stand. He was about to go to Lao Tan to ask for the harmonica. When Lao Tan saw this, he suddenly remembered something and said, "Wait." He walked out of the bar and walked towards the small display cabinet where various music-related products were consigned. After opening it, he took out a black walnut box from under the bottom few old records.

After handing it to Bian Lang, he said: "Use this, it's new!" Bian Lang didn't think much about it. He opened it and saw that it was a HOHNER blues harmonica lying quietly on the black velvet lining. Through the reflection of the top light, Bian Lang didn't see a single fingerprint on it.

"Where did you get this, Old Tan?" It's not that this thing is so precious, but few people in China pay much attention to this kind of inconspicuous musical instrument.

"A friend of mine put this on consignment, but no one ever asked about it. If I hadn't seen you wanting it today, I wouldn't have thought of it..."

Since he said he had a friend, Bian Lang didn't think much about it. If he knew the person, Lao Tan would have just said the other person's name, and there would be no need to say it like that.

"Okay, then you can check how much money it is and I'll transfer it to you!"

"No, just take it and use it. Consider it a gift from me..."

"Okay, thanks!"

After finishing all this, when Bian Lang went on stage to try out the harmonica, Lao Tan already had an idea in mind. He took out his mobile phone and found a sideways angle for Bian Lang to play, then clicked on the recording and continued to make drinks.

Dong Youbian had brought this harmonica to her once before, and asked Lao Tan to keep it for her and give it to Bian Lang on his birthday this year.

Old Tan couldn’t understand why this happened. Dong Youbian wouldn’t have forgotten the exact date of Bian Lang’s birthday.

It also requires the help of an outsider like him. There is something weird about this matter no matter how you talk about it.

Now thinking about the timing of this incident, it seemed to be the day after Dong Youbian and Chen Shuting had a big drink here.

Thinking of this, Old Tan couldn't help but shook his head: "Some things seem to have early signs. Bian Lang has everything he needs now, except for his feelings. I guess there are still 81 difficulties waiting for him!"

As for the origin of the harmonica, Old Tan has made up his mind that if the two of them don't get back together in the future, he will keep the matter to himself.

Xia Xiao watched the two's actions the whole time without asking any questions, but he understood that Bian Lang was preparing to sing a new song, so he said to the photographer beside him: "Pay attention, Bian Lang is going to sing a new song, this information is very valuable!"

Although the photographer didn’t listen to rock music, he was in this circle and knew the importance of Bian Lang’s new song. He nodded solemnly and said, “I know!”

After going on stage, Bian Lang was ready. He took a deep breath, thought about it, and tied up his long hair again. He started with C to G7, and sang word by word at the last beat of the four-bar prelude: "Follow... this road, keep going forward, there is an intersection not far away... You can turn left, or go forward, but you can't stop..."

The deep voice is the sound of waves rubbing out from the bottom of the vocal cords. Without any deliberate breath modification, the graininess in the voice can be described in a more literary way: "You can tell from this voice that he is a person with a story!"

Hearing that it was a folk song, Lao Tan reached out to the mixing console and pushed the microphone track up a little.

I also turned on the spotlight facing the photo wall mid-level, which had not been turned on before.

It didn't matter that it was opened. Several people on Xia Xiao's side immediately looked up. Some frowned, some stared. But at this moment, Bian Lang's singing voice came again: "Don't look up, look around, there is nothing here that you want, a beautiful scenery... Don't wait for illusions, don't even have extravagant hopes, here, no one sings..."

These words were like a prophecy prepared in advance, directly piercing the hearts of those present.

In this morning's sunlight beam and the scene of rising dust, Bian Lang's not-so-bright look has a touch of divine glow!

Others may not know it well, but Lao Tan, who has never left the rock circle, and Xia Xiao, who likes reading and has a wealth of knowledge, had a sense of déjà vu about the artistic conception of the lyrics.

“No one can stop you. The thumbs-up are like mountains, majestic and strong… Your wishes are hidden in the mountains, like your mother’s call… That bowl of chickpea bacon soup…”

When the sound of the harmonica pulled back the veil of the interlude like a human voice, Lao Tan and Xia Xiao woke up at the same time.

Lao Tan: "Eagle's Head Bacon Soup! I should add this to the menu!"

Xia Xiao: "In "Dharma Bums", this soup was made by Raymond taught by Japhy..."

The sound of the harmonica seemed to transform time into something very textured, or to extend the dimension of time infinitely. On this May morning, it opened up a unique spiritual journey for everyone present.

The cameraman looked at Bian Lang who was playing with his eyes closed on the stage, and recalled the singers he had filmed since he started his career. The Bian Lang on the stage in front of him was the most divided one in his memory.

After he received the job, he read the information about Bian Lang given by Xia Xiao and also watched some performance videos of Bian Lang. He had the intuitive feeling that this man must have a very flamboyant personality.

But the shooting in the morning gave people a peaceful feeling. He drove a TANK3000 worth more than 30 yuan and took Xia Xiao to eat his own cross-bridge rice noodles, which cost more than 10 yuan a set, while he himself had a small pot roll rice noodle, which cost yuan a bowl.

Then walk around the streets... no matter how hard you try, it's impossible to connect with the shining person on the stage!
And now on the stage, he exudes the temperament of a poet, and a particularly melancholy one!

After the interlude ended, Bian Lang began to sing again:
"Carrying a backpack, jumping non-stop, not thinking about where to land next... The towering mountains in front of you and the blue lake under your feet make you peaceful and happy... Light a campfire to warm the fields, close your eyes and pray for the friendship of this world... Silence like a rock, innocence like a child, with spring in my heart..."

Hearing this, Lao Tan stopped what he was doing, walked out of the bar, and went to the bookshelf by the wall.

And Bian Lang's singing continues: "Peaceful and lonely, happy and blessed, on this road without pedestrians... the diamond-like light, forever young... forever filled with tears..."

When Bian Lang finished singing, Old Tan came into the crowd holding the book with its cover rolled up.

Xia Xiao glanced at the cover, nodded silently to Lao Tan, took the book and slowly turned the pages to the ending music of Bian Lang's harmonica and guitar.

The photographer tilted his head to take a quick look and saw a line of small words on the title page: "I dedicate this book to Hanshanzi!"

(End of this chapter)