'Still no response? Alright, even if my mental age is thirty, I still fall short compared to the talented Wu Ha, who has been mingling on set since childhood.'
After finishing his performance, Wu Hao descended from the stage amidst enthusiastic applause from the female students and resentful glares from the male students. It seems like he did really well this time! Didn't you see Yang Mi's three roommates shouting for an encore? To show his gratitude for their unwavering support, Wu Hao decided to treat them to several meals.
In reality, Yuan Shan Shan and her friends were just cheering for fun. In this day and age, when a male student openly pursues a girl, it's common for most people to join in on the excitement.
The atmosphere was getting lively, and Huang Lei had to step in to take control. "While the university doesn't oppose you dating, you can't pretend the teachers don't exist. Alright, next!"
Huang Lei was actually quite pleased with Wu Hao's performance. After all, actors need to be bold and actively showcase their talents. Without that, how could they seize opportunities?
Once all the students had been introduced, Huang Lei appointed Wang Renjun as the class monitor and Wu Hao as the vice monitor. Although Wu Hao didn't understand why Wang Renjun became the class monitor, he didn't mind. There was no need to compete for such a position.
Then Huang Lei continued, "We will begin military training on September 5th for a duration of two weeks, followed by a three-day break. On the 16th, we'll have a welcome party. It's our tradition in the performing arts department for even freshmen to participate. The directing and literature departments might not have as many performances, and even your senior students might not have enough time. So our class should prepare at least five performances. Each person can participate in multiple acts, and the format can be anything. The class monitor will keep track, and you'll submit the list to the student council later. That's all for now, you can discuss it among yourselves." After finishing his speech, Huang Lei left.
Wu Hao wasn't particularly interested in the evening performance. After all, he wasn't a professional singer, and the Beijing Film Academy was full of talented individuals. Singing in class was one thing, but singing in front of the entire student body and faculty? If he made a mistake, it would be a major embarrassment. As Wu Hao listened to the discussions among his classmates, he boredly glanced at Yuan Shan Shan talking to Yang Mi in front. Yang Mi playfully punched Yuan Shan Shan, and she seemed a bit shy. Wu Hao couldn't help but feel envious. He wanted a playful punch too, he wanted a bashful Yang Mi.
After a while, Yuan Shan Shan said something else to Yang Mi, who nodded and then walked towards Wu Hao. Although she didn't know why she was being regarded with Wu Hao's jealous eyes, Yuan Shan Shan didn't pay any attention to it. She had more important things to tell him.
Yuan Shan Shan sat directly next to Wu Hao, leaning slightly closer to him and whispered, "I have to tell you, Yang Mi was actually quite moved by your singing. I just asked her if she thought you sang well and if she felt any sparks, and she playfully punched me. It seems like you made a good impression on her."
What is a divine assist? This is a divine assist right here. Sometimes, even if you don't have feelings for someone of the opposite sex, when people around you keep praising them and trying to match you up, you naturally start to hesitate and contemplate. Is this person really that amazing? Are we truly compatible? Should we give this relationship a try?
Wu Hao's jealous eyes suddenly transformed into eyes filled with gratitude as he looked at Yuan Shan Shan and said, "Sis, I know what to do now. I owe you a great debt, so I'll take care of your meals throughout college. If you need anything, just come find me."
After making up his mind, Wu Hao went to find the class monitor, Wang Renjun, to sign up. He wanted to sing a song and even come up with his own creative twist.
Back in the dormitory, there was still no one around, but his belongings were neatly arranged. They were probably off attending some class meeting or gathering. Wu Hao didn't mind and opened his newly purchased laptop. He had convinced his parents to buy it because he needed it for writing novels. Wu Hao planned to search the internet to see which songs were open for originality. In his previous life, Wu Hao rarely listened to music, only recognizing the popular and well-known tunes. As he pondered and searched, he realized he had no idea which guitar-accompanied songs were suitable for serenading girls.
He had to think of something else. But without a guitar-accompanied melody, he would need backing tracks. However, since he wanted to be original, where would he get those tracks? Wu Hao wasn't knowledgeable about these things, nor did he have the means. Composing music wasn't an issue, thanks to his extensive guitar training. He could easily write down a popular song using simplified musical notation, but he couldn't arrange it himself.
Even if he were to find a teacher, the Beijing Film Academy didn't have a music department. After contemplating for a while, he suddenly thought of the show "Meeting the Real Life." Huang Lei seemed to have a close relationship with Gao Xiaosong. Wu Hao could seek Huang Lei's help. After all, he planned to write songs and make some money in the future. If he could have Gao Xiaosong as his producer, they could both benefit. He believed Gao Xiaosong would agree to help him arrange the music.
Since he had decided to seek assistance from a professional, Wu Hao settled on two songs: "Little Apple" and "Red Dust Inn." The former was a hot sensation and he couldn't miss the opportunity to profit from it. The latter was a song he wanted to dedicate to Yang Mi. Although it wasn't a direct confession, it could be considered a love song. And if he could get Yang Mi to appear in the music video, it would be even better.
Wu Hao quickly wrote the lyrics and composed the music for both songs. He then left the dormitory, making a phone call to confirm Huang Lei's whereabouts. With a sense of urgency, Wu Hao rushed to Huang Lei's location. Arranging the music, practicing, and recording all required time. Military training was about to begin, and shortly after its conclusion, the performance would take place. Wu Hao needed to seize every moment and complete his tasks as quickly as possible.
He knocked on Huang Lei's office door and saw him engrossed in a book. Wu Hao directly spoke, "Hello, Teacher Huang. I need your help regarding the performance for the welcome party."
"Oh, Wu Hao, tell me what's on your mind, and let's see if I can be of assistance." During the interview, Huang Lei had a favorable impression of Wu Hao. They were also from the same hometown, so if Huang Lei had the capability, he was willing to lend a hand.
Wu Hao handed two sheets of paper to Huang Lei and said, "Teacher Huang, here's the thing. I wrote two songs that I plan to perform at the welcome party. But I don't know how to arrange the music. I heard that you're good friends with Teacher Gao Xiaosong, so I was hoping you could help me get the songs recorded by him. I intend to have him as the producer and release them to earn some money. The production fees can be deducted from the earnings."
At first, Huang Lei didn't pay much attention because he knew that Wu Hao hadn't received formal music training, so how could he have written songs? He casually took the papers from Wu Hao and started to look at them. However, as he read through them, he couldn't help but become engrossed. Huang Lei had released albums himself and understood music. He believed that both songs were excellent!
Huang Lei decided to help. Fortunately, he had some free time at the moment, so he made a phone call to Gao Xiaosong and arranged to meet at the recording studio.
As they left the school, Huang Lei couldn't help but shower Wu Hao with praises, complimenting his talent and predicting a bright future for him. When they arrived at the recording studio, Gao Xiaosong was already waiting there.
The two of them embraced, and Huang Lei introduced Wu Hao, saying, "This is my student at the Beijing Film Academy, Wu Hao. He just started this year and has written two impressive songs. He came to me for help, and when I saw how well-written these songs were, I immediately thought of you."
Wu Hao quickly greeted Gao Xiaosong, saying, "Hello, Teacher Gao Xiaosong. I'm Wu Hao. I really love the songs you wrote, such as 'Classmates,' 'My Brother Sleeping on the Bunk Above Me,' 'Wandering Singer,' and many more. This time, I'm asking for your help as the producer to record these two songs. However, I can't afford the production fees right now. If there are any earnings after the release, we can deduct the fees from that."
Huang Lei didn't say much after listening. Although Wu Hao sought his help, it was normal for there to be production fees involved. Even though Huang Lei had a good relationship with Gao Xiaosong, he couldn't let him work for free.
Gao Xiaosong, on the other hand, was delighted. These songs were mostly associated with Lao Lang (Old Wolf), and few people knew that he was the one who wrote them.
"Hehe, Wu Hao, nice to meet you. Let me take a look at the songs you've written," Gao Xiaosong said with a smile.
Wu Hao quickly handed over the two songs. Gao Xiaosong didn't believe in Wu Hao's abilities, but he trusted Huang Lei. He carefully read through the songs. After finishing both, Gao Xiaosong shared the same opinion as Huang Lei—they were great songs. They exceeded his expectations by far. Although releasing songs didn't generate much profit nowadays, Gao Xiaosong decided to help Wu Hao record them, especially "Red Dust Inn." This Chinese-style song had a desolate and nostalgic atmosphere, reminiscent of ancient times with a touch of martial arts. Gao Xiaosong really loved this song.
"Wu Hao, you're truly talented. These songs are quite impressive. I'll take on this project. Since I have some free time today, shall we start now? Does Lai Zi want to stay and watch?" Gao Xiaosong asked, referring to Huang Lei.
Upon hearing Gao Xiaosong's positive response, Wu Hao felt excited. Gao Xiaosong was considered one of the top music producers in the country. Just having him assist with the production would garner attention in the music industry, let alone having such excellent songs. He was about to become popular!
Wu Hao immediately thought of a plan: first, record his performance at the welcome party without revealing his identity. Then, upload it to the internet and let it circulate without disclosing the singer. Once the curiosity grew, he would release the music video, proudly proclaiming Gao Xiaosong as the producer. The attention and hype would be off the charts.
Eventually, Huang Lei had to leave for something, but Wu Hao stayed behind to watch Gao Xiaosong arrange the music. He occasionally offered careful suggestions. After all, Wu Hao had heard the original songs and knew which instruments were used where. Although Gao Xiaosong would undoubtedly find suitable instruments, they still had to try them out one by one. Soon enough, "Little Apple" was arranged. It would definitely have some differences compared to the previous version, as Gao Xiaosong might insist on using certain parts of the original composition, and Wu Hao didn't want to oppose him. But it didn't matter—after all, "Little Apple" was a catchy song, with the focus on the melody and the infectious lyrics. The arrangement could have some differences without any problem.
Glancing at the time, it was already past 8 o'clock in the evening. It was about time to wrap things up for today. "Red Dust Inn," being a Chinese-style song, required a more complex arrangement that couldn't be completed in a short time.
"Gao Teacher, I really appreciate your help. Let me treat you to a meal," Wu Hao said. He wanted to establish a good relationship with Gao Xiaosong because he knew he wouldn't stop at just two songs. If he could continue working with Gao Xiaosong in the future, it would be even better.
Gao Xiaosong had a straightforward personality and didn't take kindly to Wu Hao's offer. He said, "What are you talking about? I'm a working professional who earns money. Do I need a student like you to treat me? Come with me."
Wu Hao didn't have much else to say and obediently followed Gao Xiaosong to have a meal.
Early the next morning, Wu Hao arrived at the recording studio alone. Gao Xiaosong was already waiting there, and Wu Hao quickly greeted him. Without wasting time on pleasantries, they continued their work.
After a few days, the arrangement was complete, closely resembling the original compositions. After all, Jay Chou could be considered the pioneer of Chinese-style music, and by the time of "Red Dust Inn," Gao Xiaosong had gained considerable experience. Initially, Gao Xiaosong had different opinions, but after listening to Wu Hao's suggestions, he accepted and acknowledged them. This made Gao Xiaosong think that Wu Hao had great talent and he planned to teach him music arrangement. Wu Hao was certainly willing, but not at the moment.
However, Gao Xiaosong was not satisfied with Wu Hao's singing skills, despite Wu Hao performing well. Gao Xiaosong, being a professional, found numerous flaws. This resulted in the recording process being delayed. They had to wait until after the military training. The welcome party only required accompaniment, but releasing the songs couldn't be done hastily. Gao Xiaosong taught Wu Hao some techniques and gave him practice exercises. They would start recording once Gao Xiaosong was satisfied.