Entertainment: 1990

Chapter 283 Old Friends Gathering
That night.

In a private room of a small restaurant.

Zhang Yan, Cui Jian, and Guo Chuanlin listened to Dou Wei's audition tape together, and the latter two praised it highly.

Zhang Yan couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Why is the background music louder than the vocals in so many songs on this album? It makes it hard for me to hear what you're singing."

Dou Wei, who has been tormented by paparazzi for a year, looks noticeably thinner—of course, it could also be due to overwork at night.

Hearing Zhang Yan's question, he leaned back comfortably, draped his hands over the back of the chair, and said calmly, "Because it's a dream, a black dream."

Seeing his pretentious and pretentious act, Zhang Yan rolled his eyes at him.

This isn't how you point out key points.

But never mind, Dou Wei's new album does have some pop elements, so at least it shouldn't lose money.

Zhang Yan picked up his chopsticks and said, "Alright, we've finished this spiritual nourishment. Shouldn't we eat something to satisfy our hunger?"

Cui Jian quickly raised his glass and said, "Then let me apologize to you first, Zhang Yan. I originally intended to handle it myself, but who knew..."

"Brother Cui, this is not your fault."

Zhang Yan quickly interrupted, "You're a pioneer in the domestic rock scene, so of course you hope this scene can flourish—but don't blame me for being blunt."

Our scene is a chaotic mess; trying to regulate it without drastic measures is futile. But if we use drastic measures, is rock music still rock music if it's suppressed?

Cui Jian sighed, silently downed his drink, and then asked, "Does that mean there's no hope for this industry?"

"They won't die. Even if this wave all falls, there will definitely be successors. But those successors can't escape this rule either—I think the rock scene is a perfect example of this..."

"What's the comparison?"

Guo Chuanlin chimed in, trying to be funny.

"A wolf from Zhongshan, once it gains power, becomes arrogant and unruly."

Zhang Yan shrugged and said, "Actually, other circles are no exception, but the rock circle stands out especially because it emphasizes individuality."

Cui Jian didn't say anything, but poured himself another glass.

After he put down the wine bottle, Guo Chuanlin took it away and placed it at his feet. Then he said to Cui Jian, "Xiao Zhang said a long time ago that he didn't think this matter was going well. He will definitely refuse again this time. In my opinion, you shouldn't get involved either, so as not to get caught in the middle and suffer from both sides."

If Cui Jian himself set up the self-discipline association, then even if people don't take it seriously, they won't make things difficult for him out of respect for his senior status.

But if it's an official initiative, the situation is completely different.

If you control things too strictly, people will definitely call you a lackey. So what if you're a pioneer of domestic rock music? Manchus who become traitors are punished even more severely!

But if the regulations are loosened, regardless of whether the higher-ups will agree, this in itself violates Cui Jian's original intention in doing this.

Cui Jian sighed, downed the rest of his drink, and then looked at Guo Chuanlin with the empty glass in his hand.

"Eat a few bites of vegetables first to calm your nerves."

Guo Chuanlin said helplessly, "I called you all out to have some fun, but this is just..."

"I didn't spoil the fun."

Dou Wei interjected, "Why bother with all that? Whether we sing well or not is up to us to decide. I don't care about any of these circles!"

"That makes sense."

Zhang Yan pointed at Dou Wei with his chopsticks and said, "This bastard has been acting strangely lately, and his words are becoming increasingly incoherent, but what he said hit the nail on the head."

Upon hearing this, Dou Wei picked up a chicken leg as if to throw it, but Zhang Yan quickly changed the subject: "When is your Miss Hong Kong going back to Hong Kong Island after the Lunar New Year?"

"Why do you ask?"

I'm going to Hong Kong Island at the end of March.

Zhang Yan briefly explained the situation, then added, "When we're in an unfamiliar place, we'll have to rely on her to guide us."

After listening, Dou Wei slowly took out a cigarette but didn't light it. He fiddled with it between his fingers and replied irrelevantly, "Our Magic Rock will also be going to Hong Kong Island in the second half of the year to let the people of Hong Kong experience real music."

Zhang Yan instinctively wanted to say something, but in the end he held back.

To be honest, he didn't think the songs produced by Magic Stone Records would really be successful in Hong Kong. After all, Hong Kong was currently in the era of the Four Heavenly Kings, and pop music—especially Cantonese pop music—dominated the mainstream.

Magic Stone, on the other hand, produces avant-garde music. While it may be more artistic, how many ordinary listeners can truly appreciate its quality?
But if we were to tell the truth, we'd probably end up arguing again today—and the actual situation might not be as simple as Dou Wei makes it out to be.

So Zhang Yan changed his tune and said, "Then I wish you a great victory and hope you can beat the Miss Hong Kong and make us men proud."

Wang Fei rose to prominence in the Hong Kong music scene last year, even attracting paparazzi to the mainland. Some reports even described Dou Wei as Wang Fei's accessory.

Dou Weiming didn't say anything on the surface, but old friends like Zhang Yan could tell that he was holding a grudge.

"Humph~"

Dou Wei snorted and said, "She's busy right now, she'll probably leave after the fifth day of the new year."

Zhang Yan, Cui Jian, and Guo Chuanlin exchanged glances, thinking that the two were bound to break up sooner or later—perhaps Jiang Xin had foreseen this, which was why she hadn't given up yet.

As they ate and chatted, Guo Chuanlin kept a close eye on Cui Jian, preventing him from drinking too much, but Cui Jian still quickly became intoxicated.

Then he raised his wine glass and sang the banned song "A Piece of Red Cloth".

The feeling conveyed in the song seems to be: I love rock and roll, but I'm afraid it's going to die out.

Guo Chuanlin sighed as he listened, and then silently refilled Cui Jian's glass.

After making contact with officials, they were probably the rock singers who understood the current situation best, but they were also the two most powerless.

After dinner, Zhang Yan escorted the three of them home one by one.

Dou Wei was the last to deliver the package. He pounded on the door and called for Wang Fei for a long time, but it was Jiang Xin who opened the door.

Still oblivious to the danger, he grabbed Jiang Xin's arm and urged, "After the New Year, Zhang Yan is going to Hong Kong. You have to help him. That bastard is a kingpin in the mainland, but who the hell will know him when he gets to Hong Kong?!"

If he could distinguish between Jiang Xin and Wang Fei, Zhang Yan would definitely suspect that this guy was faking his drunkenness and deliberately trying to mislead him.

When Jiang Xin heard that Zhang Yan was going to Hong Kong Island, she frowned and asked, "Is Sister Chen Hong going?"

She's probably been bitten by a snake once and is now afraid of ropes for ten years; whenever Hong Kong Island is mentioned, she naturally associates it with infidelity.

"Of course."

Zhang Yan said frankly, "Aren't we getting married soon? We might as well go and buy some new gadgets."

"Oh~"

Jiang Xin immediately stopped paying attention to the matter, asked Zhang Yan to help Dou Wei into the house, and then saw Zhang Yan out the door.

Upon reaching the main gate, she suddenly asked Zhang Yan, "Do you think Dou Wei and his group can succeed in holding a concert in Hong Kong?"

Zhang Yan, who was about to open the car door, paused for a moment, then turned around and asked in confusion, "Why are you asking me this question?"

"They are all musicians, only you are a successful businessman."

The way she said those words sounded like she was cursing.

Zhang Yan thought for a moment and said, "Then I can only say that anything is possible, because there is more than one definition of success."

He believed he knew Zhang Peiren quite well. It was true that Zhang Peiren was a passionate rock fan, but Zhang Peiren wasn't a philanthropist, so he must have considered the pros and cons of doing so.

Not to mention that Magic Stone is a subsidiary of Rolling Stone, so Rolling Stone certainly wouldn't let him mess around.

Compared to Dou Wei's idea of ​​conquering Hong Kong Island with music, Zhang Yan is more inclined to believe that this is a pre-written publicity strategy, similar to the kind of film industry where someone wins a participation award abroad and then boasts about it back in mainland China.

"how about you?"

Zhang Yan countered Jiang Xin's question: "Do you hope they succeed, or..."

"I do not know."

Jiang Xin shook her head and said, "I only know that I'm tired. Maybe when he comes back from Hong Kong Island, there will be an ending."

Got~
It seems that Jiang Xin was the one who couldn't hold on any longer.

Zhang Yan hesitated for a moment, but still didn't voice his judgment from the dinner table—that Dou Wei's relationship with Wang Fei wouldn't last, nor would his relationship with Jiang Xin.

(End of this chapter)