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

Fang Yu picked up the rough porcelain bowl in front of him, tilted his head back, and gulped down the remaining half bowl of strong liquor.

"ha--"

The alcohol burned its way into my stomach.

He exhaled a long breath of alcohol, wiped his mouth, and met He Zheng's gaze.

"Director He, what are you saying?"

"Back in the courtyard in Xishan, I dared to leave you half a poem, so today I must fill in that hole."

"Good lad!"

He Zheng slapped his thigh, and his whole body perked up.

"I knew you could do it!"

He immediately turned to look at Zhou Zheng.

"Director Zhou, do you have any paper and pen here?"

Chen Daoming put down his wine bowl and leaned forward.

Shen Weimin, Qi Wenhai, and Zhou Yuanshan all stopped what they were doing.

All eyes at the table turned to Fang Yu.

"have!"

Zhou Zheng reacted very quickly, putting down his chopsticks and heading inside.

"Do you think I'd be short of paper and pens?"

"Hey, Director Zhou, no need to make a fuss."

Fang Yu raised his hand and called out to him.

Zhou Zheng stopped in his tracks.

The people at the table also looked over.

Fang Yu pointed to the half-empty bottle of liquor on the table.

"The alcohol is a bit strong today; my hands are wobbling."

He stretched out his right hand and deliberately shook it twice.

"If you pick up a pen at this time, what you write will look like a dog's crawl."

"I haven't even seen the song 'Don't Look Back' yet, and it's already burning Old Qi's eyes."

Qi Wenhai was amused by him.

"It's alright, today we'll focus on the words, the characters are secondary."

Fang Yu shook his head and stood up, supporting himself on the edge of the table.

"What meaning can you get just by looking at dry, uninformed words?"

He turned to look at He Zheng.

"Director He, your movie is about the martial arts world."

"It contains sword fights, tales of chivalry and revenge, and the struggles of those caught in the maelstrom of the martial world, caught in situations beyond their control."

Fang Yu paused.

"You can't really appreciate the nuances of this kind of song just by listening to it."

"I have to sing."

He Zheng was taken aback.

"Sing?"

He looked Fang Yu up and down.

"You're going to sing a cappella here?"

"Even singing a cappella is a bit lacking."

Fang Yu turned to look at Zhou Zheng.

"Director Zhou, have you brought over what I asked you to find?"

Zhou Zheng didn't react at first.

The next second, he slapped his forehead.

Holy crap!

The director of a top-tier variety show, in front of a table full of people, actually swore.

He finally realized what was happening.

When Fang Yu called to borrow the venue a few days ago, in addition to the large iron pot and wood-fired stove, he also specifically mentioned something.

Prepare a guzheng for him.

Zhou Zheng pondered for a long time but still couldn't figure out what kind of hybrid combination it was—a Northeastern banquet paired with a guzheng (a traditional Chinese zither).

Now I understand everything.

This kid planned this all along; he was waiting here!

"I got it! I prepared it for you a while ago!"

Zhou Zheng turned around and ran into the house.

"It's already set up inside, I'll move it right away!"

Not long after, Zhou Zheng moved the instrument and its stand into the courtyard.

It was a zither made of sandalwood.

The instrument is solid and well-made; it is definitely not just some random decoration.

Zhou Zheng carefully placed the guzheng in the center of the courtyard and then stabilized the instrument stand.

Fang Yu walked over and pulled over a long bench to sit down.

Upon seeing this, Liu Yifei immediately brought a basin of clean water from the kitchen and found a clean towel.

Fang Yu washed off the smell of cooking oil from his hands and took the towel to dry them.

He casually plucked a string twice, slightly tuning it.

Then close your eyes.

The courtyard fell silent.

next second.

Fang Yu raised his hands and placed them heavily on the strings.

"Zheng—!"

A powerful and rugged zither sound rang out.

It lacks the gentleness of the water towns of Jiangnan, and the tranquility of high mountains and flowing water.

The moment the strings sound, a sense of江湖 (jianghu, a world of martial arts and chivalry) permeates the air.

Like a long sword drawn from its sheath, or like turbid waves crashing against the shore.

He Zheng's hand holding the wine bowl trembled.

A few drops of wine spilled on the back of his hand, but he didn't bother to wipe them off.

Fang Yu's ten fingers flew across the strings, and the music went from slow to fast, like a great river bursting its banks, flowing endlessly!

He opened his eyes, his gaze carrying three parts drunkenness and seven parts madness!

"The vast sea laughs, the tides surge on both shores—"

Fang Yu didn't use any complicated singing techniques; her voice was rough and even a little hoarse.

But it is precisely this unrefined ruggedness that instantly pulls everyone into a magnificent and turbulent world.

"Floating and sinking with the waves, remembering today—"

Chen Daoming slowly closed his eyes.

With his right hand on his knee, he tapped his fingers to the beat of the piano.

"The heavens laugh, the world's tides surge and fall—"

"Who wins and who loses, only God knows—"

The pitch of the piano suddenly rose.

Fang Yu leaned back slightly and stomped heavily on the bluestone slab, making a dull echo.

"The landscape smiles, the misty rain stretches far—"

"The waves have washed away so much of the mortal world's dust and grime—"

Zhou Yuanshan leaned back in his chair and slowly exhaled.

"Incredible... Absolutely incredible."

Qi Wenhai watched Fang Yu playing the zither, his eyes filled with amazement.

He understands music.

Fang Yu's finger techniques are expansive and unrestrained, not at all like the orthodox academic style of playing; instead, they possess a natural wildness.

"A gentle breeze laughs, yet it stirs up loneliness—"

"My heroic spirit remains, bathed in the glow of the setting sun—"

After singing this part, Fang Yu swept his five fingers across the strings.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of the zither was like a sudden storm.

Then he spoke again.

The first verse is sung again.

The same words, but with a stronger emotional impact than before.

The sound is also more expansive.

Liu Yifei stood to the side and slightly behind Fang Yu, quietly watching his back.

She had seen Fang Yu play the erhu on the frozen surface of Mohe, and she had also seen him play the suona at a wedding.

But Fang Yu at this moment is completely different!

Wild, unrestrained, and free-spirited!

"The people laugh, no longer lonely—"

Fang Yu looked up at the deep night sky above.

"My passion remains, I laugh foolishly—"

The last word fell.

He pressed both hands on the strings at the same time.

hum-

The lingering sound was abruptly cut off.

The entire courtyard fell silent.

No one spoke, and no one touched their chopsticks.

Only the still-burning firewood in the nearby stove occasionally emitted a soft crackling sound.

"Snapped!"

Sparks flew up.

Immediately afterwards, there was another loud bang.

"Bang!"

He Zheng slammed his fist on the solid wood table.

The bowls and chopsticks rattled loudly from the impact.

He suddenly stood up and walked a few steps to Fang Yu.

"good!"

"good!"

"good!"

Three "good"s in a row, each louder than the last.

He Zheng's face was flushed from drinking, but his mind was clearer than ever.

"This is what the martial arts world is all about!"

"This is what martial arts should be like!"

He grabbed Fang Yu's shoulder with astonishing strength.

"The investors had been trying to put in some talent for this theme song, and they recommended two of the top male singers in the industry right now."

"I kept my voice down and didn't nod, because I felt they couldn't sing with the energy I wanted."

He Zheng waved his hand decisively.

"Now, it's all completely invalid!"

"This song, no one but you can sing it well!"

Zhou Yuanshan chimed in with a smile from the side.

"Old He, you've got a real scheme up your sleeve."

"With Fang Yu's current net worth and popularity, once this song is released, you can save more than half of your movie's marketing and distribution costs."

"Tacky!"

He Zheng glared at Zhou Yuanshan.

"Do I lack the marketing budget? What I lack is the spirit!"

He turned back and stared intently at Fang Yu.

"Kid, I've bought the copyright to this song."

"Name your price, I'll talk to Xingyao about it."