sovbooks Chapter 37: Encountering the God of Song
Chapter 37: Encountering the God of Song
As dusk settled and the evening breeze carried the coolness of the river tide, Xie Anran accompanied Qianqian on a slow stroll along the Shanghai riverfront.
Sisi looked around, her brows furrowing slightly, her eyes filled with disappointment. She turned to Xie Anran and muttered softly, "Anran, this place doesn't seem much different from Jiangcheng."
Everywhere you look is the riverbank scenery. Apart from a prominent Pearl Tower in the distance and a few new high-rise buildings standing nearby, the rest of the riverside scenery and the atmosphere of daily life are almost indistinguishable from those of Wuhan. There isn't even a decent and magnificent Yangtze River Bridge, which detracts from the overall appeal.
"They're all riverside locations, how bad could they be?" Xie Anran replied casually, her tone flat and tinged with a hint of helplessness.
Sisi's face fell, full of complaints: "Yeah, I knew I shouldn't have come, it's not fun at all."
"Shall we go back to the hotel?" Xie Anran had long lost interest in strolling around. As a reborn person, everything in this era seemed somewhat outdated and boring to him. He was only thinking about fulfilling his second last wish as soon as possible, and he had no interest in any other trivial matters.
Upon hearing this, Sisi suddenly looked up at him, her tone inexplicably tinged with grievance: "Anran, is it really that no fun coming out with me?"
Xie Anran was taken aback and thought to herself: This little guy is so young, how can he be so manipulative at such a young age!
He coughed twice, quickly trying to smooth things over, and reassured her in a serious tone, "Don't overthink it. We can do other things when we get back to the hotel. Whatever you want to do, I'll do it with you."
Sisi's eyes lit up, and she immediately suggested, "Then I'll be the mom, and you'll be the dad. Let's play house, okay?"
Xie Anran quickly waved her hand to decline, "Let's do something else, how about playing cards to pass the time?"
"You're so boring, you live a more rigid life than an adult." Sisi looked at him with disdain and gave him a disgusted glance.
Xie Anran rubbed her forehead, feeling utterly helpless; she had absolutely no way to deal with the innocent little guy.
After a good night's sleep, Xie Anran woke up early the next morning, feeling refreshed and fully recharged. After a quick breakfast, the group set off for Shanghai's largest and oldest record store. A large-scale album promotion event was being held there, and rumors had already circulated that many popular Hong Kong and Taiwanese stars would be there to support the event, making it a highly anticipated event.
The moment Xie Anran stepped into the event venue, he couldn't help but gasp, his heart filled with shock. He never expected that the Hong Kong and Taiwan star who came to support him was actually Zhang Xueyou, the true god of singing from the peak of the 1990s music scene!
At that time, Zhang Xueyou was wearing a sharp blue suit, paired with stylish and eye-catching blond hair, exuding a powerful yet approachable aura. Upon seeing the young Xie Anran, he immediately greeted her with a smile: "Hello, little one."
After recovering from her initial shock, Xie Anran quickly composed herself and calmly replied, "Hello."
He secretly wondered what was wrong with this whole thing. He was just a newcomer to the industry with no real fame; how could he possibly be qualified to share the stage with a singing legend at his peak for promotional activities? It was all too suspicious.
Sisi, standing to the side, was even more excited than Xie Anran, showing no stage fright whatsoever, and took the initiative to ask, "You're Zhang Xueyou, right?"
"Yes, little friend, what's your name?" Zhang Xueyou smiled warmly and spoke in a very friendly tone.
"My name is An Feng, and my nickname is Qianqian! I've heard your songs, they're really good!" Qianqian was naturally outgoing, gesturing with her little hands as she spoke, looking lively and cute.
"Haha, thank you for your likes and compliments." Zhang Xueyou was amused by the straightforward girl and laughed heartily.
Not far away, Xie Anran's mother, Liu Xiaoli, and Xixi's mother stood to the side, looking extremely reserved and hesitant, unsure whether to approach them to say hello and ask for autographs. It's understandable that they were so nervous; Zhang Xueyou of this era was a true top star in the music scene, possessing both idol-like looks and solid singing skills, a combination of talent and popularity. During their youth, they listened to his hit songs on repeat, making them cherished memories of their youth.
Xie Anran finally came to his senses and became more composed. He took the initiative to introduce himself: "My name is Xie Anran." In his opinion, no matter how great the singing god was, he couldn't help him prolong his life. There was no need to excessively idolize him. It was more comfortable to have a calm mindset.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xueyou casually picked up an album cassette tape, looked at Xie Anran, and asked, "I heard that you composed this 'Animal World' album?"
Xie Anran looked up and saw that the album cover featured a cute and playful artistic photo of him and Xixi, aimed at middle-class families who were financially well-off and preferred family entertainment. He nodded slightly and replied, "Yes, that's me."
"So talented at such a young age, and you write such good songs." Zhang Xueyou praised with a smile, and even gently pinched Xie Anran's arm to show his approval.
"Thank you, senior." Xie Anran blinked and responded politely.
Not long after, the staff called Zhang Xueyou to the stage to prepare for his performance. Before leaving, he turned back and waved, shaking the album in his hand to indicate that he liked it very much, showing a particularly friendly attitude.
Soon, the stage intro began, and the familiar melody of "Goodbye Kiss" resounded throughout the venue, instantly igniting the atmosphere with its classic vocals. Then, a scene that left Xie Anran both amused and exasperated unfolded: her mother and Xixi's mother hurriedly left with the words, "Don't run around, stay here obediently," before turning around and eagerly squeezing to the front row of the stage, completely absorbed in their idol-chasing.
Seeing his two elders' excited and uninhibited expressions, Xie Anran's years of idealized image of them shattered instantly. He clicked his tongue, secretly marveling that even his mother had a side to idolizing celebrities. Just moments ago, the two had been feigning composure and restraint, but now they had completely dropped their pretense, revealing their true interests.
On the other hand, Sisi looked completely bewildered, utterly unable to understand why her mother was so excited and overjoyed.
Xie Anran suddenly felt a pang of unease, realizing something was amiss. In this era, Hong Kong and Taiwanese singers held extremely high status, with top-tier singers boasting hefty schedules and exorbitant fees; there was absolutely no need for them to condescend to do a small promotional event at a record store. Moreover, the protagonist of today's promotional event should have been herself.
He instantly understood. This was clearly a common tactic used by big companies to promote newcomers: using the popularity and resources of established superstars to support the newcomers, paving the way for their breakthrough through the stars' fame. Without a doubt, this was a deliberate arrangement by Crystal Records, the record label he was signed with.
Xie Anran rubbed his chin, pondered for a moment, and then stopped investigating. For him, as long as there were benefits to be gained, that was enough. He would let things take their course, accepting the advantages readily and withdrawing promptly when trouble arose. It was simple and convenient.
Not long after, Zhang Xueyou's performance came to a successful end, and it was Xie Anran and Qianqian's turn to take the stage. The two were going to sing two of their main songs today: a light and cute song called "Learn to Meow" to warm up the audience and a popular song called "Pig Song" to attract fans and leave a lasting impression. The gentle style of the song was suitable for the family-oriented promotional theme.
After his performance, Zhang Xueyou prepared to leave. Before leaving, he made a point of coming over to say goodbye to Xie Anran and offering a few words of encouragement. Watching him quietly depart surrounded by his staff, Xie Anran secretly remarked on how considerate and gentle this singing legend was. It's well known that Zhang Xueyou is always low-key and scandal-free, yet he rarely shows such friendliness and patience towards newcomers, demonstrating that Crystal Records clearly invested a great deal of money and effort in his management.
"Goodbye, Uncle Zhang!" Sisi waved her little hand happily, clutching the autographed photo she had just received.
This autograph was originally wanted by Liu Xiaoli and Zhang Yun, but Xie Anran stubbornly refused to ask for it, so in the end, the lively and outgoing Qianqian had to step forward and do it for them. Looking at the well-behaved and sensible Qianqian, and then comparing her to Xie Anran who refused to help, Zhang Yun was filled with resentment and couldn't help but glare at him.
Xie Anran felt completely innocent. He had never been a fan of any celebrity in his two lives, and he simply couldn't bring himself to ask for an autograph or a photo. He secretly thought to himself that if it were Liu Yifei, he might have taken the initiative to join in the fun, but for the rest, it was really unnecessary.