After being dumped by the diva, I was picked up by her arch-enemy.

The Central Academy of Drama campus.

In the red-brick and green-tiled teaching building, sunlight streams through the windows and falls onto the desks.

Gong Changge sat in a chair.

He was holding a tablet computer, and the screen displayed the Tencent Weibo interface.

As a senior mentor at the Central Academy of Drama, he rarely pays attention to gossip in the entertainment industry.

But today, his WeChat Moments was flooded with one name.

Jiang Yichen.

These are some of his former students.

Gong Changge opened the trending topics list, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

The screen was filled with criticisms of Jiang Yichen from people in the opera world.

"Major modifications".

"Blasphemy".

"To attract attention and gain popularity."

These jarring words made Gong Changge's face grow increasingly grim.

He knows Jiang Yichen too well.

This child has been practicing opera since he was a child, and his basic skills are very solid. When he was in school, he was the most outstanding talent in his grade.

Later, however, he devoted himself to the pop music scene and became a minor, unremarkable star.

Gong Changge felt it was a pity at the time.

But last night.

He stumbled upon a clip from the program "The Voice of China".

When Jiang Yichen sang in the opera style, Gong Changge was so excited that he slapped his thigh three times.

Not only did they not lose the craftsmanship of their ancestors, but they also combined the charm of traditional opera with popular music perfectly.

Is this considered blasphemy?

Gong Changge snorted coldly.

He clicked on the Weibo account verified as "Cai Yong, Vice President of Shanghai Peking Opera Company".

After reading that long and rambling article.

Gong Changge slammed the tablet down on the table.

"fart!"

"What a load of bullshit, what a vice dean!"

Gong Changge couldn't swallow this insult.

However, he also knew the truth in his heart.

Although he was a tutor at the Central Academy of Drama, his influence in the entire opera world was not enough to overshadow Cai Yong and his band of imitators.

But he's determined to handle this!

........

Half an hour later.

Gong Changge drove to a quiet courtyard house within the Second Ring Road of Yanjing.

This is Li Guochun's residence.

Li Guochun.

The director of the Central Academy of Drama's Drama Department, a living fossil of Chinese opera.

A true titan.

Whether it's the director of the Shanghai Peking Opera Company or the leaders of the National Peking Opera Company, they all have to respectfully address him as "Old Li".

Gong Changge pushed open the red lacquered wooden door of the courtyard house.

There are two sturdy ginkgo trees planted in the yard.

Li Guochun was lying on a rattan chair under a tree, holding two smooth, round walnuts in his hands.

On the small square table next to it was an old-fashioned radio, which was playing the song "Mu Guiying Takes Command" in a low, creaking tone.

The old man was seventy years old, but he was in excellent spirits. He was wearing a coarse cloth gown, his eyes were closed, and his fingers tapped the handrail lightly in time with the rhythm.

"teacher."

Gong Changge walked over quietly and called out respectfully.

Li Guochun opened his eyes and glanced at him.

"Changge, don't you have class today?"

"What brings you to this old man's place?"

The old man's voice was loud and clear, full of confidence.

Gong Changge pulled over a small stool and sat down next to Li Guochun.

"Teacher, I've come today to show you something."

As he spoke, Gong Changge took out a tablet computer from his bag.

I skillfully pulled up a high-definition video clip of Jiang Yichen singing "Red-Clad Girl" on "The Voice of China" last night.

He turned the volume up to the maximum, held the tablet in both hands, and handed it to Li Guochun.

Li Guochun stopped playing with the walnuts.

He put on his reading glasses and his gaze fell on the screen.

The video has started playing.

The prelude features the interplay of the erhu and flute.

Li Guochun's previously casual expression turned slightly serious.

"Hmm, this arrangement is quite interesting; the foundation in traditional Chinese music is solid."

He made a casual comment.

Immediately afterwards, Jiang Yichen's clear voice rang out.

Li Guochun listened quietly without saying a word.

Until the chorus.

Jiang Yichen suddenly opened his eyes, and his powerful operatic voice burst forth instantly.

"The audience walked by, their faces no longer visible—"

"On stage, someone sings a heartbreaking farewell song—"

Li Guochun's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Good! This kid's basic skills are pretty good!"

"That pronunciation, that breath control—they've clearly put in a lot of effort!"

"Especially the transition between that little glissando and falsetto, it's got flavor!"

The video continues playing.

Jiang Yichen's emotions, filled with tragedy and desolation, resonated with viewers through the screen.

The song ended.

Li Guochun took off his reading glasses and let out a long breath.

His wrinkled face was full of undisguised admiration.

"Changge, who is this young man? Did he write the lyrics and music himself?"

Gong Changge nodded quickly: "Yes, teacher."

Li Guochun looked at Gong Changge and nodded repeatedly.

"The younger generation is truly formidable!"

"To be able to so naturally integrate the essence of our traditional opera into pop songs not only doesn't lose the spirit of our ancestors, but actually paves a new path for our profession!"

"This is a real talent!"

Seeing his teacher's excited expression, Gong Changge knew the time was right, so he deliberately made a bitter face and sighed.

"Teacher, this boy's name is Jiang Yichen, and he is your grand-disciple."

Li Guochun was stunned.

"My grand-disciple?"

Gong Changge nodded.

"He was the student with the best academic performance in the drama department that I taught."

"I mentioned to you back then that there was a promising talent, but unfortunately he was only focused on pop music."

Li Guochun suddenly realized.

"Oh! I remember now! It was him!"

Li Guochun looked at Jiang Yichen's young face on the tablet screen again.

"Not bad, not bad, you didn't embarrass the Central Academy of Drama."

"The fact that he can achieve this level of success in pop music shows that this kid has talent!"

The old man's face was full of satisfaction and pride.

Gong Changge sighed, his expression turning serious.

"Teacher, but now, your precious grand-disciple is being bullied to death online."

The smile on Li Guochun's face vanished instantly.

He frowned, exuding an imposing aura without being angry.

"What's going on? Who dares to bully my grand-disciple, Li Guochun?"

Gong Changge immediately recounted the events that had occurred online.

From Chen Yaohua's malicious comments on the show.

Then Cai Yong posted a long article on Weibo to stir up trouble.

Now, the entire opera world is following suit and launching a joint attack on Jiang Yichen.

Gong Changge became increasingly angry as he spoke.

"Teacher, look at what they're saying!"

"To say that Yichen's work is a blasphemy against traditional Chinese culture!"

"That guy Cai Yong still has the audacity to say online that traditional opera needs to be respected."

"They're just jealous! They can't stand to see young people succeed!"

After hearing this, Li Guochun's face darkened completely.

He slammed the two walnuts in his hand heavily onto the small square table.

It made a crisp snapping sound.

"Nonsense!"

Li Guochun roared angrily.

"Chen Yaohua is just a pop singer, what does he know about traditional opera!"

"And what is Cai Yong anyway?"

"Back when I was an extra at the Peking Opera troupe, I couldn't even do a simple somersault!"

"Now that he's a vice president, does he really think he's the patriarch of the opera world?"

Li Guochun stood up and paced back and forth in the courtyard.

What he hates most in his life is this kind of atmosphere of clinging to the old and suppressing newcomers.

Why is traditional Chinese opera declining?

It's because there are too many people like Cai Yong who raise the bar higher and higher and set the rules too rigidly.

They prevent innovation and change.

Now, it's a rare opportunity to find such a promising talent as Jiang Yichen, allowing more young people to hear the beauty of traditional opera.

These people actually dared to jump out and throw dirty water!

"A long song!"

Li Guochun stopped and looked at Gong Changge.

"Give me my phone!"

Gong Changge immediately got up, took a smartphone from the table in the room, and handed it to Li Guochun.

Although Li Guochun is old, he still uses a smartphone to read the news and has a Weibo account, but he rarely posts anything.

The account is verified as: Li Guochun, Dean of the School of Drama, Central Academy of Drama.

They don't have many fans, only a few hundred thousand, but many of them are professionals in the industry.

"Open that Weibo account for me."

Li Guochun handed the phone to Gong Changge.

Gong Changge quickly opened Weibo and brought up the posting interface.

"Teacher, what do you want to send?"

Li Guochun stood with his hands behind his back, his posture ramrod straight.

"Just type a few words for me."

"I love Chiling!"

"I'd like to see who dares to say this song is blasphemous!"

Gong Changge's eyes lit up, and he immediately typed those five words on the screen.

Click send.

A notification sound indicating successful posting on Weibo plays.

Li Guochun snorted coldly.

"I'd like to see if that little brat Cai Yong dares to come to me and say this song doesn't meet the rules!"

"It's not his place to set the rules set by our ancestors!"