Reborn as a comedic artist

Cheng Ming withdrew his hands, remaining still for three seconds in the same position as the last button.

As the music faded, he slowly turned around and looked at the three people who had frozen in place. The sense of vicissitude on his face vanished instantly, replaced by his usual calmness, and even a hint of irritating humility.

"This is 'Yang,' not bad, right...."

The deathly silence lasted for a full ten seconds.

"Gulp."

Someone swallowed hard, the sound particularly clear in the quiet room.

Lin Yiyi covered her mouth, her eyes wide with envy and jealousy almost overflowing: "This...this is unbelievable! How come I never noticed this singing ability when she's just talking...?"

She felt that her worldview had been shaken.

How could someone who can write such a grotesque song as "The Art of Shuyin" turn around and sing such a heartbreaking masterpiece?

.........

Zhao Yufeng reacted the most directly.

She was still immersed in sadness, but when she heard Cheng Ming speak, she instantly snapped back to reality.

The next second, she suddenly sprang to her feet, creating a gust of wind as she rushed to the piano, grabbed Cheng Ming's neck, and began to grope him.

The force was so strong it felt like it was going to rip Cheng Ming's head off.

He practically clung to Cheng Ming, his eyes practically gleaming with lust.

"Holy crap, come on, let me see...!"

At this moment, Zhao Yufeng seemed to be possessed by Jie Ge, his voice so loud it was deafening.

"I can't take it anymore, this is just too good...!"

The surging waves crashed against Cheng Ming, bringing with them suffocating shockwaves, along with someone's arm strength capable of strangling a bull.

"Let go! Let go! You're strangling me... Believe me or not, I'll make you carry cement right now...!"

Cheng Ming struggled to break free from the immense pressure of the woman's restraints, feeling as if he was being suffocated by her.

"I'll even carry cement, as long as you sing this for me every day...!" Zhao Yufeng shouted without any restraint.

After finally managing to pull the person off him, Cheng Ming straightened his disheveled collar and looked at Gu Xiao, who hadn't said a word.

Gu Xiao stood there, her eyes, which usually held a scrutinizing and arrogant air, now filled with a sense of defeat.

His gaze involuntarily swept over Cheng Ming, as if trying to find a flaw in that familiar face, or to find the voice-generating device hidden in his body.

"Are you... are you sure you're a photography major? Not a vocal performance major...!"

Gu Xiao took a deep breath, trying to calm the shock in her heart.

Her voice was a little hoarse: "With your skill level, you could easily make it to the finals of 'The Voice of China,' or even win the championship...! Why do you need to rehearse 'The Art of Sichuan Opera' with us? Can't you just debut directly...?"

This was the first time Gu Xiao felt that she couldn't understand Cheng Ming.

Despite possessing top-tier looks and unfathomable talent, she insists on doing these seemingly absurd things in this dilapidated rehearsal room.

Cheng Ming, with a humble yet slightly boastful expression, said, "If I really went, I'm afraid the capitalists would have utterly destroyed me, leaving not even a trace...!"

"Being an artist is never that simple, but being an internet celebrity is different. You can decide what you want to sing, what you want to act, and your artistic style. You don't have to worry about what others think..."

Of course, most importantly, I'll be as creative as the wind and always by my side. I've been reborn, so why not do something I want to do...!

...................

"Alright, that's the shock part over. Wipe your drool, especially you, Zhao Yufeng!"

Zhao Yufeng subconsciously touched the corner of his mouth, only to find there was no saliva. He then glared at Cheng Ming with a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment.

"This song is called 'The Wind Rises,' and the original song is a song from Xiao Rizi's side called 'Jealous'... Oh no, it's 'Yakimochi.'"

Dogs are dogs, but you really can't criticize the music and cartoons in Little Life.

Cheng Ming walked to the whiteboard, picked up a pen, and wrote the three words "The Wind Rises" next to "Shuyin Art is Great".

The handwriting was still messy, but at this moment, in everyone's eyes, the three characters seemed to radiate golden light.

"Gu Xiao, you have the heaviest task here."

Cheng Ming turned to look at Gu Xiao, his tone becoming serious: "I plan to use this song as our first cover video for our official debut, and it will also be used as a twist for the 'Shuyin Art is Great' video."

"We must obtain the adaptation rights for this piece within twenty days."

Gu Xiao was taken aback for a moment, then frowned: "Twenty days? International copyright negotiations? Do you think I'm a god...?"

"You're not a god, but human determination can conquer nature...!"

If Cheng Ming remembers correctly, this song was released in 14. It received a lukewarm response from Xiao Rizi until now. It was only after the cover version in 17 that it entered the public eye, and it didn't take off until 19.

"Don't worry, this piece is well-known, but not extremely so. Takahashi himself is somewhat famous in the industry, but not wildly so. As for the adaptation rights, it won't cost much...!"

As Cheng Ming said, Xiao Ri Zi's compositions supported half of Hong Kong Island's economy in the 1980s and 90s.

It can be said that the predecessors planted the trees so that the successors could enjoy the shade; the process has been greatly simplified.

For general personal use, it can be done for a few hundred dollars, while for commercial use it can cost anywhere from ten thousand to eight thousand dollars.

Even if this song costs tens of thousands of yuan more, the initial video creation revenue of over 100,000 yuan is enough to cover the costs.

The only issue is the timeframe. Things are fine on the other side, but it involves international travel, especially given the efficiency here... well...

However, as long as one doesn't give up, there's always a way. Once the school is on board, the advantage of having a strong background will come into play. With the Shuyin brand backing him up, he has nothing to fear.

"In urgent situations, we should act expediently, even if it's just to get a preliminary authorization first. I have faith in your expertise and ability. As long as we can secure it, our studio's reputation will be completely established..."

"Just imagine, first we release a really corny song like 'Shu Yin Yi Shu Hao' (蜀音艺术好), which makes the whole internet laugh at us for being unsophisticated and causes a lot of discussion, and then we release this song 'Qi Feng Le' (起风了). This extreme contrast, this rollercoaster experience from hell to heaven, will drive netizens crazy..."

Looking into Cheng Ming's sparkling peach blossom eyes, Gu Xiao's newly risen emotion instantly dissipated by half.

This guy is truly a devil.

Gu Xiao gritted her teeth and, as if possessed, agreed: "Okay, I'll give it a try, but I have one condition."

"explain."

"When this song was being recorded, I had to do the piano accompaniment. Although your skills were good enough, your handling was too rough and didn't do justice to the song..."

"It's no big deal..."

Cheng Ming raised an eyebrow, surprised that his proud sister had volunteered, and was happy to oblige.

..............

"Then, Panda Sister, you'll still be in charge of bass. This time, there might be a bit more focus on the root notes of the chords, but we have plenty of time, so it shouldn't be a problem...!"

Lin Yiyi nodded her head vigorously, like a chick pecking at rice: "Okay, no problem, as long as it's not that 'Yay!' playing all the time..."

"Heroine..."

"Here!" Zhao Yufeng stood at attention, his eyes burning with fervor.

"The drumbeat and rhythm are key in this song. While it doesn't need to be too flashy, the gradation and emotional progression are all up to you..."

"Don't worry, it's a piece of cake. I guarantee you'll be caught in my grasp, just like you can't escape my hands..." Zhao Yufeng teased Cheng Ming.

Cheng Ming's lips twitched slightly, and he selectively ignored the second half of the sentence.

He can play the guitar himself, and with his chubby appearance and singing skills, the scene is unimaginable...

"Since everything is fine, let's get started..."

In this parallel world, the song "The Wind Rises" doesn't exist yet.

Let's let this breeze sweep across the entire internet this summer.

Cheng Ming suddenly remembered something and turned to look at the three people who were preparing to pack up their instruments: "By the way, before the copyright is finalized, this song absolutely cannot be leaked. If anyone leaks it..."

"Go carry cement...!"

The three girls shouted in unison, their voices carrying a strange excitement.

Indeed, the essence of humanity is that of a repeating machine, and... being manipulated by psychological manipulation (PUA).

Cheng Ming nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave, instructing Gu Xiao before he went, "Gu Xiao, remember to contact the copyright holder. Don't be stingy with the money; if you make a profit later, it'll be everyone's share..."

Watching Cheng Ming's dashing departure, the three girls in the rehearsal room exchanged bewildered glances.

Lin Yiyi spoke hesitantly, "Um... have we... really gotten ourselves on a sinking ship...?"

"A pirate ship? Maybe... but this ship seems capable of actually setting sail..."

As Gu Xiao packed up her violin case, she recalled the soul-stirring song she had just heard, and her eyes hardened.

...........