Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 357 Wujiapo (4.2k)
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The impact of the song "Small Town Ballad" extends far beyond the music itself.

Like bees drawn by the scent of ripe flowers, major entertainment gossip media outlets have launched in-depth analysis features, meticulously examining music videos and stage footage frame by frame, citing numerous sources and...

They seriously speculated about the muse behind Gu Qing's song, which was full of Jiangnan sentiments.

"I have to say, a talented man is truly exceptional at flirting. Especially someone like Gu Qing, who is both beautiful and talented, writes love songs that are tender, poignant, and profound. I think his charm is even more terrifying than Jay Chou's back in the day."

A well-known entertainment critic wrote in his column.

"Absolutely! Think back to his debut song 'Just Met You,' how much Baby was captivated by him back then?"
Their interactions were so sweet! Even though it's been so long, the 'older sister/younger brother couple' trending topic still pops up every few days.

People in the comments section immediately chimed in.

"I feel sorry for the leader... I feel like he and Yang Mi would have a lot in common (just kidding)."

"What's there to feel sorry for? Do you think the leader is so innocent? Wasn't he just photographed chatting intimately with a female internet celebrity in a nightclub a few days ago? He's not exactly a 'simple' character."

"Speaking of this, remember Qin Lan, who played the wife in this year's Spring Festival Gala skit? She was deeply in love with the leader back then, and it is said that she even paid tens of millions of yuan in breach of contract fees to try to regain her freedom. And what happened?"

He turned around and filmed "The Deer and the Cauldron," then had a rumored affair with a female co-star, and they broke up immediately.

"And his ex-girlfriend, Li Feier, had already made veiled comments on social media saying that some people are habitual cheaters, a pure repeat offender!"

Netizens' enthusiasm for gossiping is at an all-time high, and the discussion has gone completely off-topic.

Despite the fact that the leader's romantic escapades are still talked about, the "sister-brother CP" remains a source of lingering regret as the first generation of couples, and its massive fan base and unparalleled CP charm still hold up.

Fortunately,

Later, the CP (couple) forces also seized the opportunity to press their advantage and try to bring the topic back on track.

"Hey! Hey! This thread has veered off course! We're discussing Gu Caizi right now! Which young lady was this poem 'Small Town Ballad' written for?"

"Is there even a need to discuss this? It's definitely written for my Shishi! 'Two dark eyebrows veiled in light smoke, willow leaves curved,' isn't that exactly Shishi's classic willow leaf eyebrows?"

The scene in "The Imperial Doctress" is similar to the one where "Golden Sparrow Hairpin accidentally slips into my arms"!

The lyrics describe a graceful woman from Jiangnan, surrounded by small bridges and flowing water—who else could it be but our Shishi?

"No problem! These images can be directly extracted from 'The Imperial Doctress'! Some people with a strong 'country girl' vibe shouldn't try to ride on the coattails of this trend!"

The fan community's habit of praising one while criticizing another instantly ignited a war.

"Go to hell! Who are you calling a country bumpkin?! Did my Yingbao eat your rice?"

"You can donate your eyes if you don't want them! Didn't you see the lyrics below, 'On the stage across the street, a gentle melody of romance is being sung'?"

Have you forgotten the story of Er Yuehong and Ya Tou in "The Mystic Nine"? That stage, that romance—isn't that a description of us?

"It's clearly about the beautiful love story between the Second Master and the maid! You guys are the ones who are just trying to piggyback on it!"

"She started by riding on the coattails of the 'Fairy Sister's' popularity, and now she's trying to piggyback on Gu Qing's fame. Her skin is incredibly thick!"

The two fan groups launched a full-scale attack, and the war of words quickly escalated from interpreting lyrics to personal attacks.

If you can edit beautiful scenes from "The Imperial Doctress" to match lyrics, I can edit stage scenes from "The Mystic Nine" to perfectly match the beat.

In no time, Bilibili, blogs, and Tieba were filled with "evidence" videos from both sides, and the fun grew bigger and bigger, even surpassing the excitement of the song itself.

With such a surge in attention, it's hard for the parties involved not to take notice.

"...Did Second Master (Qi Yu) write this to me?"

When I saw Gu Qing appear on the TV at home, singing "Small Town Ballad"...

Zhao Liying and Liu Shishi almost simultaneously felt their hearts skip a beat, staring blankly at the screen.

Not only do fans think it's true, but even they themselves, listening to the delicately described lyrics, can't help but identify with the description, feeling a sweet and speculative feeling in their hearts.

Across the street, on the stage, a romantic song is being sung; once the song ends, the mutual affection will have faded with time.

Who can hear the lingering, melodious tune and sigh that fleeting time should be cherished...?

Zhao Liying cupped her slightly chubby, flushed cheeks in her hands, her lips pouting slightly, like a little hamster that had just stolen a piece of candy.

She couldn't help but roll around on the soft bed, burying her face in the blankets and letting out a silly, goofy laugh: "No wonder he was so secretive when I asked him what he was going to sing for the Spring Festival Gala, turns out he was preparing for this..."

"Who says young people can't be romantic?"

"whee…"

"I miss my brother so much... It's a pity I can't visit him on set now... I wonder when we'll be able to work together again..."

She murmured to herself, her eyes filled with longing.

at the same time,

Inside another residence.

【Two dark eyebrows are veiled in light smoke, like willow leaves curving, and the willow leaves are adorned with a golden sparrow hairpin.】

The golden hairpin accidentally slipped into my arms, causing her to look at me shyly...

"Willow leaves curved... golden sparrow hairpin..."

Liu Shishi softly recited the lyrics, her slender fingers unconsciously brushing over her carefully drawn, willow-leaf-shaped eyebrows.

On the screen, Gu Qing was singing brilliantly, and a faint electric current seemed to pass between her brows, bringing a tingling sensation.

The lyrics so easily brought her back to the days and nights during the filming of "The Imperial Doctress," and the memories of acting and communicating with Gu Qing flooded her mind instantly, so clear and unforgettable.

"Now... I have two songs too."

Liu Shishi hugged a soft pillow tightly, burying half of her small, delicate oval face in it. Her clear eyes, which were exposed, curved into crescents and were filled with indescribable joy and sweetness.

Most amazingly,

The front of the cushion she was holding was prominently printed with a chibi-style cartoon image of Gu Qing.

These are limited-edition items circulating within the core fan club.

Clearly, she has been deeply influenced.

……

Liu Shishi has never forgotten that the equally rising starlet had two "exclusive" songs written by Gu Qing.

Humans are inherently vain and competitive.

And for men and women in the entertainment industry who are caught up in the hustle and bustle of fame and fortune, this kind of thinking is often even stronger than that of ordinary people.

At this moment, Liu Shishi felt completely relieved and at ease.

However, shortly after the song was released, a fierce battle over "ownership" erupted online.

Upon seeing these messages, the two young actresses, who were initially secretly pleased, almost simultaneously frowned, the same thought arising in their minds:
"Is this ever going to stop?! This attempt to ride the wave of popularity just won't end?!"

"Was this song written for you? How dare you claim that?!"

They switched between their alternate accounts, secretly watching videos meticulously edited by their fans, perfectly matching the songs with the characters in their favorite dramas. The more they watched, the more they felt that this was Gu Qing's "secret message" to them.

Seeing the rival fans and the artist (whom they believe the opposing team has definitely intervened) so diligently labeling them,
Recalling their previous subtle rivalry at events like the Bazaar Gala, the two grew increasingly annoyed with each other.

Both are among the most promising competitors in the post-85 generation of actresses, and both saw their careers reach new heights after collaborating with Gu Qing on hit dramas.

Both are favored by audiences and the market and have a large fan base for their pairing.
She might even harbor admiration and affection for the same outstanding man...

Their competitive relationship alone made it impossible for them to get along, not to mention all the complicated factors that came with it.

The fans on both sides are currently engaged in a fierce online battle, and the battlefield of public opinion is filled with the smoke of war. How can the main figure remain silent?
Zhao Liying took the initiative by updating her blog with a classic still from "The Mystic Nine".

In the photo, "Er Yuehong" is dressed in theatrical costume, singing sweetly on stage, while "Yatou," the only audience member, has eyes that shine like they're filled with stars.

The admiration and focus on the screen almost overflowed.

Other than that,

She also included a meme of Gu Qing being photographed backstage at the Spring Festival Gala, with her mouth stuffed full of pastries and her cheeks bulging out.

The caption reads: "My little brother is so cute~~ Let his big sister hug him (drooling)"

This blog post immediately went viral online.

Straightforwardness is always the ultimate secret to fan frenzy for CP (couple) fans!

"Is this woman crazy?!"

Liu Shishi was still being repeatedly reminded by her agent, Cai Yinong, to "maintain her composure" and "pay attention to her image."
Seeing Zhao Liying's actions, which were practically "official sweet talk," she immediately pounded the mattress in anger and complained into the phone: "Sister Cai! It's all your fault! You told me to be steady! Look at her!"
Look at the comments section of her blog! Are there any fans criticizing her?!

"They're all saying 'I'm totally obsessed,' 'It's so sweet,' and 'The most deadly thing is when the celebrities are the ones promoting it!'"

"Hesitation when pursuing a man will lead to failure! You're the one who taught me that!"

Mr. Cai on the other end of the phone also had a wry smile and looked puzzled.

This is unscientific!
Logically, Huayi's artists should be under stricter control by the company.
How come Zhao Liying can live like a fake account, doing whatever she wants and going crazy whenever she wants?

She racked her brains but still couldn't understand it. Zhao Liying was a nobody in Huayi Brothers in her early days, and she even went through the ordeal of being betrayed by her former manager. She fought her way up purely by herself, one step at a time.
After becoming a sensation, she showed no intention of changing jobs, so the company was happy to give her more freedom.

Sister Zhao is almost in a transcendent state, "outside the three realms and outside the five elements," bearing the good and the bad herself, and thus possessing a "freedom to act crazy" that is rare in the industry.

"Send it, send it..."

Mr. Cai eventually had no choice but to give in.

"What's the point of posting now? She's already stolen all the attention..."

Liu Shishi sighed, kicked her legs, hugged the pillow with Gu Qing's picture on it, and went to lie down and sulk, looking aggrieved.

.........

At this moment, Gu Qing was completely unaware of the war without gunpowder that had broken out outside the arena because of him.

After the dinner with Brother Chen Long, he almost cut off all contact with the outside world and devoted himself to rehearsing and working with Brother Chen Long in the recording studio.

For the opera-themed Spring Festival Gala, Gu Qing chose the once wildly popular song "Wujiapo 2021" that swept through the ancient style section of Bilibili in his previous life, but now it can be adjusted to "Wujiapo 2017".

This song is even more innovative than the groundbreaking "Rap Opera Masks" from 1996.

It perfectly blends classic arias from the traditional Peking Opera "Wujiapo" with modern pop music elements.
It not only strictly preserves the pronunciation, charm, and rhythmic structure of Peking Opera's old male singing style, but also innovatively incorporates accompaniment from Western instruments such as guitar and piano.

This has created a unique style of "Beijing folk songs," which is a true fusion of Chinese and Western elements.

Moreover, this is by no means the kind of pseudo-ancient style song that uses the "opera style" as a guise but is just a song where the singer hums a few lines in a pinched voice.

Although its original author is young, he has a profound foundation in traditional Chinese opera, having studied under a famous master and later transitioned into a traditional opera director. His understanding and preservation of the artistic essence of traditional Chinese opera are extremely accurate.

as predicted,

When Brother Chen Long received the demo of Gu Qing's rearranged song, he was overjoyed and patted Gu Qing on the shoulder repeatedly: "This is the taste! This is the arrangement I like."

Brother Chen Long has never been one to stick to conventions. He frankly stated on a Hong Kong variety show years ago that he felt traditional Peking Opera was too slow, "taking half a day to sing a single word, it's not satisfying."
He has always favored things that are innovative and groundbreaking.

Gu Qing's poem "Wujiapo 2017" perfectly captured his aesthetic sensibilities.

He hardly needs to memorize the lyrics; he is very familiar with the story and classic arias of "Wujiapo".

The biggest challenge now is that he is used to improvisation and is not used to precise timing and segment entry points. He relies almost entirely on Gu Qing's guidance and prompts.

"Uncle Long, how about this,"

Gu Qing, watching her older brother almost miss the filming point again, pondered for a moment and suggested, "Let's combine Chinese and Western styles in the stage design."

This fusion is presented visually. You would wear a complete Xue Pinggui costume, put on makeup, and adopt the posture of a martial arts master.

I wore a suit and sat in front of a piano.

Sing to me, give me all your emotions and gaze, and I will use my music and eyes to guide and prompt you.

"Piano? You can play the piano?"

Brother Chen Long raised an eyebrow in surprise, as he remembered that the information did not mention that Gu Qing possessed this skill.

Gu Qing smiled and said, "Uncle Long, have you forgotten? I was a trainee in South Korea."

"I forgot about that. It must be very tough for someone to grow up abroad alone, right?"

Brother Chen Long paused for two seconds, sighed, and asked with concern.

Reflecting on his own childhood experiences, he felt a deep sense of empathy.

"Uncle Long is fine. No pain, no gain."

"Sigh, I wish my husband was like you..."

Okay! We'll do it your way!

The two quickly finalized the stage design and made the most of the remaining time to refine it repeatedly.

quickly,

It was the 30th of the twelfth lunar month, the day for the live broadcast of the opera Spring Festival Gala.

After the mainstream Spring Festival Gala ended, CCTV-1 spared no effort in promoting the opera-themed Spring Festival Gala.

When the program schedule was leaked, most viewers were stunned to find Gu Qing and Chen Long's names prominently listed, and that they would be collaborating on an innovative program.

"Another surprise?! Gu Qing is going to perform at the Opera Spring Festival Gala?"

"I believe Gu Qing understands opera; he's demonstrated his skills before. And Brother Chen Long can also sing opera?"

"How old are you, kid upstairs? This guy started out as a Peking Opera martial arts performer! Haven't you heard of the 'Seven Little Fortunes'? They were all Mr. Yu's apprentices, and they all had a background in opera!"

Wow! This collaboration is interesting! I can't wait!

"Brother Chen Long is in luck this time, getting to collaborate with Gu Qing and ride the coattails of a top star's popularity (doge)"

"??? Dude, you've got it backwards! It should be Gu Qing riding on Big Brother's international influence!"

"No matter who's riding on whose coattails, I'm sticking with this pairing! I have to watch it!"

Online anticipation soared instantly, with everyone curious about the sparks that this crossover duo would create.

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(End of this chapter)