Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, I became a legend in the entertainment industry by avo

Chapter 115 First Appearance on CCTV

Countless families, dormitories, and bars across the country have their televisions tuned to CCTV-1.

Many people came just to watch the spectacle.

I want to see how that newcomer from the Beijing People's Art Theatre performs on the CCTV stage, and how badly Xinghuo Media will be humiliated.

Zhang Qilin hasn't even appeared yet, but people are already discussing him on Weibo.

"Is anyone watching CCTV-1? Is Zhang Qilin about to appear on screen?"

"I'm on my guard, and I'm incredibly excited."

"Haha, let's wait and see what Gu Liangyuan's reaction will be."

The show opened with a performance by a domestic boy band.

In 2010, before the ban on Korean entertainment, boy bands followed a purely Korean style.

The makeup, dance steps, and even the way the speaker breathes out a deliberate imitation.

For most viewers who are indifferent to K-pop, this performance was like background noise.

then.

Some people, not wanting to miss Zhang Qilin's appearance, kept watching TV while scrolling through their phones and reading online discussions.

The program proceeded as scheduled.

8:30.

When the host Sa Beining announced, "Next, please enjoy the song 'Ode to Coral' performed by Zhang Qilin,"

The viewers who had been waiting in front of their screens perked up, putting down what they were doing and looking up at the television.

They want to see how Zhang Qilin performs on CCTV.

Zhang Qilin stood in the center of the stage.

He wore a red stand-up collar youth suit, the tailored fit accentuating his tall and straight figure.

The light shone on him, bathing his delicate face in a soft glow.

A handsome and refined young nobleman.

This is the first word that comes to mind for the vast majority of viewers.

Combined with Zhang Qilin's own "half-full of public favorability" destiny, it can bring a 15% increase in public goodwill.

Some viewers watching on television felt a strange sense of closeness when they saw that face.

Even if you didn't like him at first for various reasons, at least you won't be annoyed by him after Zhang Qilin officially appears.

The prelude begins.

The melody is familiar, but the arrangement feels somewhat unfamiliar.

It retains the core melody of the original song while adding a sense of vastness and depth.

"A tree of red blossoms reflects the blue sea, a ball of flame rises from the water—"

When Zhang Qilin's unique, slightly hoarse yet powerful voice came through the television.

Many viewers who were middle-aged or older were initially taken aback, but then showed expressions of surprise and nostalgia.

The lyrics are still the same, but the way they are performed is completely new.

It is neither a traditional folk or bel canto singing style, nor a popular pop singing style.

That husky voice perfectly conveyed the resilience and vitality in the song.

The audience watching the program.

Some were amazed by the unique voice, some were surprised that a classic could be sung like this, and some simply thought it sounded nice and hummed along.

A residential community in Kyoto.

Zhou Baocheng unconsciously tightened his grip on the remote control.

Chen Mo's gaze, initially filled with scrutiny, gradually shifted to disbelief as he stared at the screen.

"This—" Zhou Baocheng opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Chen Mo remained silent for a long time before finally whispering, "He—really only prepared for one day?"

No one could answer him.

A Weibo user posted in real-time: "Holy crap! This version of 'Ode to Coral' gave me goosebumps. It has a completely different feel, but it's also very fitting."

"Passersby were shocked."

"It was all over the trending topics before, and I thought it was just hype, but I didn't expect they really have some skills."

"The arrangement is excellent; it retains the spirit of the revolutionary song, but it doesn't sound old-fashioned at all!"

"@SparkMedia, come out and take your punishment! Didn't you say you'd sue whoever hired you? CCTV-1 is right here, go and send them a lawyer's letter!!!"

"Hahahaha, the guy who mentioned @SparkMedia earlier, you really know how to be sarcastic. This collaboration between CCTV and Beijing People's Art Theatre is like a game-changer."

"Acting so well, and singing this well too? How are other idols supposed to compete?"

Xinghuo Media.

Gu Liangyuan sat on the sofa, his eyes fixed on the screen.

When Zhang Qilin sang the first line, he closed his eyes.

There was no cracking in the sound.

I didn't forget my lines.

There was no mistake that could give him any relief.

When the song ended, Sa Beining and Zhou Yiwei went on stage for an interview, and the audience erupted in applause.

Gu Liangyuan opened his eyes and stared at the young man bowing deeply on the television screen.

Watching Zhang Qilin's performance on TV, he saw that it was exactly as he had expected, without any mistakes.

He performed even better than he had imagined.

He could already foresee that after watching the show, President Li would be so angry he'd want to skin him alive.

If such promising talents are sent to higher levels, it will be easier for the company to go public.

Now, all the honors belong to others.

Just then, a cell phone rang urgently.

Gu Liangyuan looked down and saw the words "General Manager Li" on his phone screen.

He answered the phone shakily, and a somber voice came through: "Come to my office immediately."

It's trending on social media.

The hashtag for "[Zhang Qilin's Coral Ode]" skyrocketed, reaching the top of the trending topics in less than ten minutes.

[Spark CCTV] followed closely behind.

[Does Gu Liangyuan's face hurt?] also made it into the top five.

Netizens are having a blast making fun of the memes.

Someone photoshopped a picture of Gu Liangyuan standing at the entrance of the courthouse, looking up at the CCTV building, with the caption "I really can't sue this one."

Someone made a meme: a kitten with a swollen face, captioned "After watching the show."

It's being discussed everywhere – on Weibo, forums, and Tieba.

On the television.

Under Sa Beining's humorous guidance, Zhang Qilin was asked to improvise a scene with Zhou Yiwei, acting out a rickshaw driver scene.

The audience, who were still immersed in the shock brought by "Ode to Coral", were immediately energized upon hearing this.

Many people know that Zhang Qilin is an actor from the Beijing People's Art Theatre, and many people on the internet praise his acting skills, but he has never performed in front of the public.

Everyone wanted to see what Sa Beining had to say.

Is he truly a good actor, or is he just a pretty face like those hyped-up celebrities?

Zhou Yiwei appeared on stage wrapped in an old cotton-padded coat, and the audience in front of the TV had no time to marvel at his acting skills.

Zhang Qilin entered the game from the other side.

Everyone was stunned.

Who is this disheveled person?

Wasn't it supposed to be Zhou Yiwei and Zhang Qilin acting out a scene?

Is this person an extra?

It wasn't until the two actors started reciting their lines and the camera focused on the faces of the extras that viewers in front of their televisions suddenly realized what was happening.

Is this person Zhang Qilin?

In front of the television, countless viewers stared wide-eyed.

Just a minute ago, he was standing in the center of the stage, a noble young man in flowing red robes.

Is it the person in front of me?

They just couldn't believe it.

Because in many people's minds, aren't handsome men in the entertainment industry all very image-conscious?

Let alone making them look this bad with makeup, they wouldn't even do anything that slightly affected their image on a variety show.

I'd rather lose the mission than lose face.

But what about Zhang Qilin?

He seems completely unconcerned about whether he looks good or not.

He only cares about whether the character portrayal is accurate.

This realization drew gasps of amazement from viewers in front of their televisions.

The Weibo live feed was flooded with comments instantly.

"Is this the person who sang 'Ode to Coral' just now??"

"No, you're telling me this is the same person???"

"Are these the actors from the Beijing People's Art Theatre?"

"This acting skill—has he really only been with the Beijing People's Art Theatre for a few months?"

The comments section was as lively as during Chinese New Year.

The performance continued on the television screen.

In a hotel of a film crew in a city.

Several actors gathered together to watch TV.

One of the young actresses stared wide-eyed, and couldn't help but say, "He's amazing! I almost thought he was a rickshaw puller."

A veteran actor standing nearby smiled and said, "That's what makes a good actor. He's not just acting; he genuinely embodies that person."

He paused, his gaze at the screen filled with a touch of emotion: "In our line of work, some people make a living based on their looks, some on their talent, and some on their hard work—this young man is blessed with good looks, and he's also living up to his potential."

The young actress exclaimed in surprise, "If he were to act, wouldn't he go on a killing spree?"

The veteran actor shook his head, a deeper meaning creeping into his smile: "Things in the entertainment industry aren't that simple. Nobody cares about him at the Beijing People's Art Theatre. Once he leaves, he'll face targeting from all sides, since resources are limited."

The young actress nodded.

On the television screen, Zhang Qilin and Zhou Yiwei's performance ended.

Another trending topic has quietly climbed the list of hot searches.

[Zhang Qilin's impromptu performance] He broke into the top three within ten minutes.

[Zhang Qilin's acting skills] followed closely behind.

Its popularity has skyrocketed.

On the other side, Gu Liangyuan arrived at the door of General Manager Li's office.

Sitting next to me was Mr. Li's female secretary.

The female secretary leaned back in her chair, wearing a black lace-trimmed blouse with the neckline casually open, and a black pencil skirt that accentuated her curves.

Gu Liangyuan stepped forward and asked, "Is General Manager Li here?"

The female secretary raised her foxy eyes and glanced at him, her fingers, painted with scarlet nails, fiddling with her phone. Her tone was indifferent: "Mr. Li wants you to go straight in."

Gu Liangyuan took a deep breath, stood in front of the door for two seconds, and then raised his hand to knock on the door.

A deep voice came from inside: "Come in."

He pushed the door open, and as it closed behind him, he yelled, "Gu Liangyuan! What the hell are you doing?!"

The roar exploded, shaking people's hearts even through the door.

The female secretary glanced at the closed door, then looked down and continued scrolling through her phone.

In the office, General Manager Li slammed a stack of documents onto the table, his face ashen. "Do you know what people are saying about me right now? Do you know what those investors are calling to ask? General Manager Li, has your company offended CCTV?" Offended CCTV? I don't even know which way CCTV's door opens—"

Outside.

Hearing Mr. Li's constant roaring coming from inside, the female secretary put away her phone.

He took out a box of Jin Sang Zi (a traditional Chinese medicine) from the drawer, looked at it, and put it in his bag.

She shook her head and sighed.

I'll have to stay up late again tonight.

By 10 p.m., the number of views on topics related to Zhang Qilin had exceeded 100 million.

He occupied four of the top ten spots on Weibo's trending topics list.

Zhang Qilin's Ode to Coral

[Zhang Qilin's impromptu performance]

Zhang Qilin's acting skills

[Newcomers at Beijing People's Art Theatre]

Netizens browsed through various entries, creating a lively atmosphere like during the Lunar New Year.