Entertainment: 1990

Chapter 98 Han Hong
Han Hong was at the most 'inflated' stage of her life, but she was also at the most insecure stage.

Seeing a handsome stranger standing outside the door, she took a half-step back uncomfortably before asking, "Excuse me, who are you?"

"You must be Han Hong?"

Zhang Yan extended his hand familiarly and said, "I came here specifically to see you!"

"Find me?"

Han Hong looked at Zhang's outstretched hand, unsure whether she should shake it, and hesitated, "I don't think I've seen you before?"

"Is such that……"

"Han Hong, who is that?"

Just as Zhang Yan was about to introduce himself, a clear voice asked from the living room.

"Uh~"

Han Hong turned around and said, "Professor Zou, he said he came to see me, but I don't know him at all."

"Looking for you?"

Upon hearing this, Professor Zou immediately got up and went to the entrance. Seeing a handsome young man standing outside, he asked in surprise, "Young man, what brings you to Han Hong?"

Professor Zou was in his early forties. He was of average appearance, but his voice was truly beautiful, befitting a professor in the vocal music department.

"Professor Zou, hello."

Zhang Yan raised the gift in his hand slightly and said with a forced smile, "It's like this, I'm planning to start a record company recently, and someone recommended Han Hong, saying he's quite talented, but he hasn't found a company yet, so..."

“Wait, wait!”

Professor Zou raised his hand to stop Zhang Yan from speaking, and asked suspiciously, "I remember that our country doesn't allow private individuals to run record companies, right?"

As he spoke, his eyes became more wary, clearly indicating that he regarded Zhang Yan as a swindler.

Zhang Yan hurriedly explained, "I didn't explain clearly. I plan to affiliate this record company with Tianjin TV Station—I don't know if you've seen 'Tianjin Wei,' the script for that show was written by me."

"what?!"

Before Professor Zou could react, Han Hongxian exclaimed in surprise, "You're the writer who sang rock in the morgue?!"

Seeing Professor Zou frown upon hearing this, Zhang Yan quickly explained, "I didn't sing; I was just dragged there to watch."

Professor Zou stared at Zhang Yan for a few more moments before saying, "Come in and sit down to talk."

She had heard some rumors about the 'death rock' incident. If it were any of the other people involved, Professor Zou would definitely worry that they would corrupt his prized students and wouldn't allow them to enter the room at all.

But Zhang Yan is, after all, a bestselling author and a screenwriter for a hit TV series, so the treatment is different.

After entering the room, Zhang Yan first told everyone about how he helped produce the album "China Fire," and then said, "At the time, I felt that the record company had potential, and I happened to have the resources in that area..."

Professor Zou interrupted him, saying, "You're looking for Han Hong, not to have her sing rock, are you?"

"Of course not. Actually, I'm more interested in pop music, and I have no intention of competing with Magic Stone."

"Popular music?"

Professor Zou glanced at Han Hong beside him and said, "She actually specializes in folk singing."

Ever since confirming Zhang Yan's identity, Han Hong had been feeling restless. At this moment, she said impatiently, "I've sung quite a few popular songs before, and they all say I sing them well!"

Professor Zou glanced at her again, making Han Hong chuckle awkwardly.

Professor Zou thought for a moment and then asked, "So what are your plans for Han Hong's future?"

"It's hard to say right now."

Zhang Yan didn't boast, but said seriously, "We need to first confirm Han Hong's vocal qualities and the direction she's suited for—but since Dou Wei recommended her, I believe she can't be wrong."

"Dou Wei?!"

Han Hong asked excitedly, "Dou Wei recommended me? How did he know me?!" After gaining experience in Hong Kong, Dou Wei's fame has grown even more. At least in the eyes of young people like Han Hong, he can be considered a big shot.

Zhang Yan shrugged: "I don't know about that. A few days ago I told him I wanted to start a record company, and he said he would keep an eye out for it. Then today he suddenly recommended you."

Although the process was somewhat rushed and not as 'legendary' as Han Hong had imagined, Han Hong didn't dwell on that.

She stood up, eager to try, and asked, "So how are you going to inspect the goods? How about I sing you a few songs now? Would you like to hear 'On Beijing's Golden Mountain' or 'The Communist Party Came and Bitterness Turned Sweet'?"

These are all model operas that I'm tired of hearing. Zhang Yan asked, "Do you have any of your own songs? I heard from Dou Wei that you have songwriting abilities."

"He knew that too?!"

Han Hong first widened her eyes, then looked at Professor Zou sheepishly: "I... I just hummed a few lines casually, it's hardly an original song."

"Then hum a few lines for me."

Professor Zou pushed up his glasses and said, "If they hadn't come to me, I wouldn't have known you'd tried writing a song."

Although Han Hong was a little embarrassed, she tried singing a few verses of her own songs at the teacher's urging.

Having had more contact with the rock scene, Zhang Yan's appreciation skills have reached a basic level; at least he can hear her grand and wide vocal range and her highly infectious voice.

As for the quality of these original songs...

They are basically imitations of those model operas and folk songs, only the praise of the leader and the D country has been removed and replaced with lyrics that purely reminisce about and praise the hometown, and there are still many obvious flaws.

To be honest, Zhang Yan was somewhat disappointed. He had thought he could get a finished product, but it turned out to be a half-finished product.

However, he didn't show it on his face. Instead, he praised Han Hong a few times and asked her to organize the lyrics so that he could give them to Dou Wei, Gao Qi, and others later to see if they could use these lyrics as a basis to 'refine' one or two songs.

After exchanging contact information, Zhang Yan prepared to say goodbye and leave.

Han Hong naturally saw him off warmly, but when they reached the door, Professor Zou stopped her.

"Han Hong, don't go downstairs. I have a few words I want to say to Writer Zhang alone."

After Professor Zou finished speaking, she escorted Zhang Yan downstairs by herself. Turning back to make sure Han Hong hadn't secretly followed her downstairs, she said, "It's clear that you're not particularly satisfied with her performance."

"How is it possible, I..."

"You don't need to explain."

Professor Zou raised his hand to signal Zhang Yan not to interrupt, and said seriously, "She does not yet have the ability to create original works, and it is understandable that you are not satisfied—but this child may seem careless, but she is actually a very sensitive child."

She lost her father when she was six. Later, because her mother was too busy with work to take care of her, she was sent to live with her grandmother in Beijing. A few years ago, when the little girl was most concerned about her appearance, she gained a lot of weight due to the side effects of treatment for cholecystitis.

At this point, Professor Zou took a deep breath and said helplessly, "She has suffered a lot in recent years because of her figure and appearance. She always ranks among the top in competitions, but she is always rejected when she applies for a song and dance troupe."

If you genuinely want to help her achieve her musical dreams, that would be ideal—but if not, or if you're unsure yourself, it's best not to give her a false illusion.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan's expression gradually turned serious. He hadn't expected Han Hong to have such a difficult past.

He solemnly corrected himself, saying, "It's not that I want to help her realize her dream, but that we should help each other and achieve together—if nothing unexpected happens, she should be the first singer signed by my record company, and also the singer who receives the most resources in the early stages!"

Professor Zou nodded, then asked, "Will any TV station leaders be present when the contract is signed?"

She was clearly still uneasy about Zhang Yan. Despite his fame, in the eyes of an old-fashioned person like Professor Zou, Zhang Yan was at the stage where he was still young and inexperienced and unreliable.

"Hmm~"

Zhang Yan thought for a moment and said, "The record company can definitely get the station leaders involved in signing contracts, but it's not good to let the TV station interfere with other entertainment contracts."

The publishing industry is not yet open to the public, but there are no restrictions on things like traveling and performing.

So Zhang Yan's idea was to set up a record company and an entertainment company. The record company would only be responsible for recording records and tapes, while the entertainment company would handle all the commercial performances.

Oh, and we also need to find one or two 'acupuncture points' in advance.

These days, there's no such thing as a real agent, so "account touts" have taken on some of the functions of agents.

(End of this chapter)