Taking Liu Yifei back to Northeast China for the Chinese New Year has sent the entire internet into

Chapter 666 The Fairy Sister Wants to Sing in Opera Style?

The group came out of the staff cultural activity room and almost ran all the way into the Palace Museum staff canteen.

We were just sitting around an old piano, talking about the rise and fall of China over the past six hundred years, Chinese civilization, and all living beings.

As a result, the aroma of food wafting from the cafeteria entrance made all the historical weight and cultural atmosphere have to take a backseat.

People are iron rice is steel.

Even cultural giants cannot live on spiritual nourishment alone.

The cafeteria wasn't big, but it was very clean.

Several rows of square tables were polished to a shine, and the day's menus hung above the food serving windows.

The chefs have already started clearing away the last batch of plates.

Seeing Shen Weimin lead a group of people in a flurry of activity, the cook at the food window looked up and chuckled.

"Hey, Director Shen, what brings you so late today?"

The chef shook the large ladle.

"If we had been five minutes later, there would have been nothing but soup!"

Upon hearing this, Lao Zhou's pace quickened even further.

"Master, don't accept it yet!"

"Take as much as you can, soup is fine too, rice soaked in soup is perfect!"

When we were talking about art just now, he was the music coordinator for a CCTV documentary project.

Now, he's just an ordinary old man who's afraid of missing the last bite of hot food.

……

It was well past lunchtime, and there weren't many people left in the cafeteria.

The group didn't care about formalities; they carried their food and put two tables together near the window, forming a circle around it.

After listening to "Heaven and Earth Dragon Scales" and "Light" in a row, and then reviewing the lyrics, listening to the music, and revising the plan, these people were already starving.

No one said a word; they just lowered their heads and started eating.

For a moment, only the sound of chopsticks tapping on plates could be heard on the table.

When everyone had almost finished eating and started to put down their chopsticks to drink tea, Shen Weimin also wiped his mouth.

His expression turned serious again.

The chatter at the table gradually subsided.

Everyone knew that the director was about to get down to business.

Shen Weimin first looked at Fang Yu, then turned his gaze to Liu Yifei.

"Xiao Fang, Xiao Liu."

"You deserve the most credit for finalizing 'Heaven and Earth Dragon Scales' and 'Light'."

He first made a statement of affirmation, then changed the subject.

"Especially 'The Light'."

"The lyrics, the theme, and its fit with the second half of the documentary are all perfect."

"Using it as the ending theme song for 'The Forbidden City' would be the perfect finishing touch."

Shen Weimin paused at this point.

"but--"

He looked at Liu Yifei with an unambiguous expression.

"Who will ultimately sing this song must follow the station's standard procedures."

"The Documentary Center has its own panel of expert reviewers."

"Even if this song was written specifically for you by Fang Yu, you still have to pass the internal audition and professional assessment."

The relaxed atmosphere at the dinner table instantly vanished after those words were spoken.

Old Zhou and Tang Huaiyuan also put down their teacups.

They all understood that Shen Weimin was not deliberately making things difficult for Liu Yifei.

This is the principle.

Every aspect of CCTV's national-level cultural projects must withstand scrutiny.

We absolutely cannot give our girlfriend a special treatment just because Fang Yu played two winning hands in one go.

If we actually do that, it's not just the project team that will bear the responsibility.

This is not a good thing for Liu Yifei herself either.

Tang Huaiyuan nodded.

"Director Shen is right."

"This is the rule, and it's also about being responsible for the work."

He looked at Liu Yifei, his tone softening.

"Xiao Liu, don't feel pressured."

"It's not that we don't believe in your abilities, but the procedures must be followed correctly."

Old Zhou chimed in.

"Yes, it was just an internal audition."

"We've all heard your song 'Right Now' before."

"The timbre and rhythm are both good; there's definitely no problem with pop singing."

"If I perform normally, I have a great chance."

They said they didn't feel pressured.

But the experts looked increasingly serious.

There is no room for negotiation on this matter.

Liu Yifei listened quietly the whole time.

Instead of feeling annoyed by the questioning, I quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

The stricter the project team was, the more at ease she felt.

Liu Yifei put down her chopsticks and bowed slightly.

"Director Shen, fellow teachers, I understand."

"I am very grateful to Fang Yu for entrusting me with 'Light,' and I am also grateful to all the teachers for giving me the opportunity to audition."

She paused for a moment, her tone frank.

"I am willing to accept the most rigorous evaluation."

"If my abilities do not meet the requirements of 'The Forbidden City,' I will not utter a single complaint, nor will I drag down the entire project."

"It's already an honor for me to audition for this song."

His words were spoken with grace and composure, neither humble nor arrogant.

After hearing this, Shen Weimin's expression softened considerably.

The experts exchanged glances and nodded slightly.

Good girl.

Clear, sophisticated, and insightful.

No wonder she is the muse who inspired Fang Yu to write two masterpieces.

But the next second, as if he suddenly remembered something, Lao Zhou frowned.

"etc……"

The atmosphere, which had just eased, stopped again.

Old Zhou looked at Liu Yifei with an even more serious expression than before.

"Even if you pass the audition for pop singing, there is still a crucial technical problem."

"With your abilities, you should be able to handle the standard passages in 'The Light'."

"But the true soul of this song lies in the Peking Opera-style vocals in the middle."

Old Zhou put the teacup back on the table and asked directly:

"Xiao Liu, do you have any background in traditional opera?"

With just one sentence, he stumped everyone at the table.

Liu Yifei didn't try to be brave and honestly shook her head.

"no."

"I studied dance from elementary school."

"I really like traditional Chinese opera and have seen some of it, but I have never studied it systematically."

The dinner table fell completely silent.

Now, a real problem has arisen.

The opera style is not like singing a few lines of "ancient style" in a pop song with a pinched voice, nor is it about dragging out the last syllable to make it sound like opera.

The initial consonant, the final vowel, the breath, and the resonance—everything has its intricacies.

A true foundation in traditional Chinese opera cannot be acquired through a few days of intensive training.

No matter how talented Liu Yifei is, it's impossible for her to catch up with the skills of a professional actor that took decades to develop just by learning today.

"This is troublesome."

Tang Huaiyuan sighed.

"That opera singing was a stroke of genius."

"Remove it, and the soul of the whole song will be lost by at least half."

"But if you can't sing well, keeping you around will only make things worse."

Old Zhou leaned back in his chair, his head aching more and more with each passing thought.

They finally managed to revive the end credits song from a dead end.

As a result, the selection of the singer was once again stuck at the most critical technical hurdle.

This project felt like an obstacle course today.

As soon as you push open one door, another wall immediately rises up behind it.

Fang Yu didn't rush to speak.

He looked down and twirled the chopsticks in his hand, as if he was pondering something.