Chapter Ninety-Four: Appearing on the Spring Festival Gala (Combined Chapter)

In the afternoon, Zhou Miao arrived at the company and found a row of moving vans parked at the entrance. Employees were coming and going in a steady stream, carrying boxes into the building.

“What’s going on?” Zhou Miao asked, pointing toward the door.

Xiao Lingtong Yang Xiaoya said, “The vacant floors have finished renovations. The two companies we acquired earlier are moving in today. Together they add up to several hundred people.”

Zhou Miao immediately understood. So that was it—no wonder Zuo Qiu had asked him to come to the company’s annual gala today.

The new employees who were busy moving things in saw Zhou Miao and greeted him one after another. “Brother Miao.”

Zhou Miao smiled in reply, but inwardly he felt a little awkward. At some point, whether people were older than him or younger than him, they had all started calling him Brother Miao, making him sound like some street tough.

Who started this crooked trend?

Was it that little chubby kid, Wang Jiang?

While the new employees were still moving in, the veterans had already begun setting up the venue for tonight’s gala, which was to be held in the second-floor conference hall.

Zuo Qiu had already arrived early. She was sitting at the main table in the front row, chatting with Ziran. When she saw Zhou Miao coming from afar, she waved him over to sit beside her.

“Later on, the artists from those two acquired companies will all be here. As the company’s top star and a shareholder, do you want to go up and say a few words?” Zuo Qiu teased.

Zhou Miao shook his head. “No. Giving a speech onstage would be too awkward. I’ll just go around and toast everyone one by one later.”

He draped an arm over Ziran’s shoulder. “Are there any well-known artists in those two companies? I haven’t really paid much attention to that.”

“Both companies mainly focus on film and television. There aren’t many singers, mostly actors. They don’t have any first-tier superstars, but there are quite a few second- and third-tier actors. There are a few promising ones in there that I quite like. I’ll introduce them to you later,” Zuo Qiu said.

“President Zuo, Brother Miao.” Zhao Li came over arm in arm with Lin Ke’er. Since Li Qin had left, Zhao Li had been far too bored and had ended up getting close with Lin Ke’er. They had known each other since trainee days, though they hadn’t been all that familiar before.

Zhou Miao had not seen Lin Ke’er for a long time. After some time apart, she seemed to have grown even thinner, but she was still the same as before—not very talkative. When she saw Zhou Miao, she only nodded slightly.

“What have you been up to lately, Ke’er?” Zuo Qiu asked.

“I just finished filming Director Lin Yanqiu’s new drama. I played the third female lead. After that, Sister Gu helped me get a few variety shows so I could get some screen time,” Lin Ke’er said.

She did not have the same luck as Zhao Li and Li Qin; upon debut, they had Zhou Miao writing songs for them. She could only start with small roles and hone herself step by step.

Zuo Qiu knew how hard it had been for her and comforted her. “This is the time for you to build a foundation. Learn more, watch more, do more. Once your acting is more mature, I’ll have Zhiyin arrange good resources for you.”

Lin Ke’er smiled and nodded. She knew Zuo Qiu was not just making empty promises. After the giant company invested in them, their resources had become much richer. If this had been the old Rainbow, let alone a third female lead in Director Lin Yanqiu’s new drama, getting a walk-on part would already have been quite good.

Later on, the new artists and new employees entered one after another and took their seats. Dish after dish, fragrant and beautifully presented, was placed on the tables, and the gala officially began.

As general manager, Zuo Qiu went onstage first to speak. The moment Zhou Miao saw the long manuscript in her hand, his head started to ache. “Let’s eat first. Don’t wait for her.”

But apart from Zhou Miao, no one at the table dared move their chopsticks. Joking aside, the boss was standing onstage. Would it be appropriate for them to be eating so happily right in front of her?

“Oh, by the way, how’s your album recording going?” While eating, Zhou Miao suddenly remembered that Zhao Li’s album was still in production. He had been busy recently, so he had handed the album supervision over to Ziran.

“The songs have already been recorded. We’re filming the music videos these days, so it won’t make it in time for before New Year’s,” Zhao Li said.

“When is Li Qin’s album going to be released?” Zhou Miao cared more about that. Zhao Li’s album was meant to go head-to-head with Tide; they could not let the other side get a head start.

“I heard it’s in March. The exact date won’t be known until after the New Year.”

Zhou Miao was about to say more when he suddenly heard Zuo Qiu call his name. He looked up in confusion, only to find everyone staring at him.

Ziran hurriedly nudged him. “President Zuo wants you to go up and present the awards.”

Only then did Zhou Miao realize what was happening. He jogged up to the stage.

A gala without prizes would hardly count as a gala. Zuo Qiu had gone all out today; all kinds of electronics were piled up like little mountains. Just handing out awards had taken Zhou Miao over an hour.

Once the prizes had been distributed, they could finally begin to eat in earnest. It was rather amusing, really: despite being an entertainment company with singers and actors everywhere, Zuo Qiu had still invited a bunch of online influencers from outside to perform, saying it was so everyone could enjoy themselves to the fullest.

But those influencers had never seen a scene like this. The moment they stepped onstage and looked down to find the audience filled with celebrities—and Zhou Miao among them—they were stunned.

Wasn’t this the very definition of showing off in front of an expert? The already mediocre influencers danced with even more stiffness than before. Fortunately, everyone was only there for the fun of it and did not criticize them too harshly.

Zuo Qiu poured a glass of red wine and took Zhou Miao around to toast each table. They began with the table on the left, which was occupied entirely by artists from the two acquired companies.

“Come, come, let me toast everyone. From now on, we’re all family,” Zuo Qiu said, raising her glass first.

The artists quickly stood and raised their glasses. After everyone had drunk, Zuo Qiu introduced the people at the table to Zhou Miao, most of whom he recognized from television.

Especially the last one—a girl who looked eighteen or nineteen, about the same age as Zhou Miao. She had a waterfall of long hair, a pure and delicate face accentuated by a pair of watery peach-blossom eyes, and a slender figure that still retained graceful curves.

Zuo Qiu introduced her. “This is Ye Ziyu. You should know her, right?”

Zhou Miao smiled. “Of course I do. Miss Ye Ziyu, I grew up watching your dramas.”

The entire table burst into laughter at that. Ye Ziyu covered her mouth in embarrassment, though the smile in her eyes could not be suppressed.

She had been discovered by a director at the age of five because of how adorable she was, and had become a child star, appearing in many classic roles. Later, however, she became busy with school and gradually faded out of the entertainment industry. Only this year, after being admitted to the film academy, had she signed again with Momo Entertainment, before being acquired by Rainbow.

Among the artists acquired in this deal, she was the one Zuo Qiu valued most. Although she had been away from the industry for many years, she had always had a natural gift for acting since childhood. She also had a good voice and liked singing herself, giving her every chance of becoming a star who could succeed in both film and music.

The veteran actor sitting with Ye Ziyu, Zhang Lai, teased her, “When we first heard that Momo was going to be acquired by Rainbow, this girl was the most excited one of all. We even asked her at the time, ‘The company’s about to be acquired, so why are you so happy?’”

At that, Ye Ziyu grew anxious at once, her face blushing as she tried to stop him from talking. Zhang Lai dodged her attempt with a laugh. “And then she said that after going to Rainbow, she’d be able to see Zhou Miao every day.”

The whole table roared with laughter, leaving both Zhou Miao and Ye Ziyu terribly embarrassed.

After they left, the actress sitting beside Ye Ziyu leaned over with a gossipy expression and whispered, “Listen, I found out from those old employees that there’s a girl who often comes to Rainbow to bring Zhou Miao meals. She’s probably his girlfriend, so don’t get too caught up in it.”

Ye Ziyu gave a wry smile. “Sister Wang, I really am just a normal fan of his. I don’t have any other intentions. Why won’t any of you believe me?”

Sister Wang nodded perfunctorily. “Fine, fine, just a fan then. Anyway, I’ve already warned you. Keep your distance.”

Zuo Qiu quietly poked Zhou Miao and asked with an amused grin, “Meeting such a beautiful celebrity fan—doesn’t that make your heart flutter?”

Facing her teasing, Zhou Miao only smiled. He had met many celebrity fans like Ye Ziyu, and most of them were female celebrities.

They added him as a friend through all kinds of channels, often checking in on him, and some of them kept messaging him non-stop, trying to get him to go out with them, which he found endlessly vexing.

As someone in the industry, he knew exactly how chaotic this circle was. Outsiders could never imagine how much filth lay behind those seemingly beautiful and innocent actresses. From the very beginning, he had never intended to find a girlfriend in the business.

The gala lasted until eleven at night before ending. After this meal, the company officially went on holiday. After all, New Year’s was only a week away, and the employees had to go home to celebrate.

...

By the end of the year, everything was festooned with lights and decorations, and people who had gone out to work in other places had all returned. With so many people around, the holiday spirit naturally filled the air. Zhou Miao’s home, as always, was crowded with relatives gathered together, except that this year Zhou Miao himself was missing from the New Year’s Eve dinner.

At the appointed time, Zhou Ye turned on the central television right on schedule, and the annual Spring Festival Gala officially began.

The chubby nephew asked curiously, “When is big brother going to come on?”

Zhou Ye patted his head. “I really don’t know. Probably not for a while yet. He told me it would be around nine. Let’s eat first and watch while we eat.”

Zhou Miao’s uncle sighed. “Xiao Miao really has become something. Now he’s a big star, and he’s even on the Spring Festival Gala.”

Aunt Two asked with a face full of curiosity, “Xiao Miao must be making a lot now, right? Is he earning more than a billion a year?”

The more she talked, the more outrageous it sounded. Hong Xue hurriedly said, “How could it be that exaggerated? He’s only just started. He hasn’t made much money yet.”

Aunt Two refused to believe it. “If he hasn’t made money, how could he buy you a Maserati? We’re family—what’s there to be shy about? We won’t go spreading it around!”

Uncle handed Zhou Ye a cigarette. “Xiao Miao bought his mother a Maserati. What did he buy for you?”

Zhou Ye’s hand, which was lighting his cigarette, froze in visible awkwardness. After a beat, he continued lighting it and said, “He wanted to buy me a G-Wagon, but I didn’t take it. Too showy.”

Hong Xue spat out a sunflower seed husk and gave him a faint glance. Zhou Ye pretended not to see it and warmly urged the relatives to eat.

At the Guanyu household, Zuo Qiu was carrying dishes she had finished cooking out to the table when Guanyu saw her and waved a hand.

“Don’t bring them out yet. Wait until that brat gets back and we eat together. He’ll be done singing at nine, and driving here won’t take long. The roads on New Year’s Eve aren’t jammed.”

“Why wait for him? Let’s eat first. I can hear your stomach growling,” Zuo Qiu said, puzzled.

“That’s not hunger. My stomach’s a little off. You sit down and watch the gala for a bit,” Guanyu said, popping a piece of candy into his mouth.

There was nothing Zuo Qiu could do with such a stubborn man, so she had no choice but to pour the dishes back into the pot to keep them warm.

At that moment, backstage at the Spring Festival Gala, Zhou Miao was taking deep breaths together with the musicians. Thinking that he would soon be performing on the gala stage made his heart pound uncontrollably.

“Don’t be nervous later. Just do it the way we always rehearsed. It’ll be fine,” Zhou Miao reminded the musicians.

“Next group, Zhou Miao, get ready!” a staff member called loudly.

Zhou Miao clenched his fists. At last, it was his turn.

At the Hu family home, a little after nine o’clock, the three members of the family had just finished dinner and were sitting on the sofa watching the gala. Originally, Hu’s father had arranged to stay up all night playing mahjong with friends, but his little cotton-padded jacket of a daughter had stubbornly dragged him home and refused to let him leave, insisting they watch the gala together.

This year’s gala was still rather lackluster, and Hu’s father kept yawning. Then, just at that moment, a young face appeared on the screen, and he froze. This kid had made it onto the Spring Festival Gala? No wonder that girl...

The moment Zhou Miao appeared, Hu San immediately cried out in a low voice, “He’s on! He’s on! Zhou Miao’s out!”

Hu’s mother was shaken dizzy by her and angrily pinched her hard. He was on, so what? Why was she shaking like that!

The performance began, and three ink-wash style characters appeared on the screen: Yellow People.

Zhou Miao stood in the center of the stage, holding a flute horizontally before him. His lips moved slightly, and a lingering, graceful flute melody rose on the Spring Festival Gala stage—ancient in spirit, clear and bright, like the hidden song of a jade flute drifting through the night wind of the capital.

Guanyu swayed his head in time with the music. “That brat even went up there to play the flute.”

When the flute passage ended, just as the audience thought he was about to start singing, the flute came again. At the same time, thunderous drums rolled like a landslide and tidal wave, while the guitar and guzheng refused to be outdone. In an instant, brilliance exploded across the stage, and the grand, sweeping arrangement stunned the viewers in front of their televisions.

Then Zhou Miao set down the flute and began to sing:

“From the waves that have crossed five thousand miles,
From the walls still waiting to be rebuilt,
From all the gold left by history after fading,
Gathered like sunset, staining my very being!

From the sweat that has flowed for five thousand years,
From the legendary splendor of the Tang,
From all the gold sifted through the rivers of the world,
Waiting only for me to give it its name.

The yellow race has come into this world,
Raising a brand-new chest to the sky.
The yellow race walks the road ahead,
And all under heaven knows I am different!”

When the chorus came, Zhou Miao yanked the microphone free from its stand and strode to the very front of the stage, singing with a clenched fist:

“The more turbulent it gets, the braver I become!
If the world is changing, let me be the one to break through!
With an open and fearless heart, I will go to all four corners of the earth!
At last, after five thousand years, it is my turn to take the stage!”

In front of televisions in thousands upon thousands of homes, the sight of Zhou Miao singing with his fist clenched was truly enough to set one’s blood on fire. The song was domineering, and the lyrics were even more so.

After five thousand years, at last it is my turn to take the stage!

What kind of person could possibly write such an awe-inspiring lyric?

As a song that praised the spirit of the nation, it was more than perfect for a grand stage like the Spring Festival Gala. What made Wang Libin most satisfied was that this song not only had a magnificent theme, but also showcased the vigorous vitality of youth, singing out the vigor and spirit of China’s new generation.

The steadily rising ratings alone showed how much the audience approved of Zhou Miao’s song.

Zhou Miao, what a fine comrade!