The problem that gave Cheng Ran a headache was that Jiang Zhou saw too many things that he shouldn't have seen, so in order to avoid wasting time explaining, he called Jiang Zhou along in the afternoon, turning the two-person trip into a three-person trip, and asked him to find a restaurant and make arrangements to entertain the guest.
Even if the 3,000 yuan fine is considered as hospitality expenses, rewards and punishments should still be clearly distinguished. For example, Jiang Zhou had been too unprofessional before, which was never right, regardless of whether he had experienced the shock of a dream coming true in his life.
Of course, this was not a hard job for Jiang Erwa. He was even delighted, as if the sky had suddenly brightened. Qin Xizhen said to Cheng Ran, "Are you really short of money? You hired someone and even asked others to help pay the bill. You are so stingy. You are very capable."
Cheng Ran said that every penny saved is a penny earned, as landlords may not have surplus food, right? Besides, you are a rich woman too. When it comes to this, it doesn't matter who you treat. If you want to treat, you can.
Qin Xizhen rolled his eyes at him and said, "It feels like we have a change of tune now. What kind of rat are you? An oil-stealing rat?"
Cheng Ranxiao said that Shanhai was ignorant before, but now that he is the head of the family, he finally understands the principle of having to endure the hardships of life and have lofty ambitions.
Qin Xizhen glanced at him coldly, "Stingy!"
Seeing Cheng Ran being treated so coldly by Qin Xizhen, Jiang Zhou felt a sweat on his back. He was afraid that if he asked someone else, there would be no man who would not want to show his magnanimity and even various good qualities in front of this little queen to increase the other party's impression, or at least not lose his sense of propriety and reveal his shortcomings.
Cheng Ran didn't pay attention to this aspect. Jiang Zhou tried his best to restore the image of the young master. He hurriedly asked Miss Qin what she wanted to eat. He could arrange it for her. Whether it was Jinjiang Hotel, the corridor bridge of Hejiang Pavilion, or any other top restaurant in the city, he could call and reserve a private room. After Jiang Zhou appeared in the newspapers several times through Tianxingdaoguan, he became a little famous in Chengdu. His family also gained face. Among his relatives, there was a cousin who was an official of a high rank, and they became close. Xie Houming even gave Tianxingdaoguan a gift as an elder. These were the few times he thought were worth attending. At the dinner party, Xie Houming invited Jiang Zhou to join him, so the owners of some top restaurants in Chengdu all knew this guest who often frequented some high-level small circle dinner parties. Jiang Zhou was introduced to many connections in the government and business circles. He had a heroic air, and even though he was young, many people looked up to him. Some people with prominent backgrounds were willing to make friends with him regardless of age. Even though people like Cheng Ran who knew him called him Jiang Erwa, his name as Brother Jiang in Tianxing Daoguan was still well known outside.
Qin Xizhen said that there were many delicious snacks in Chengdu. She used to go to cheap restaurants and famous snacks with her friends, so she didn't have to go to high-end places. Jiang Zhou hesitated and suggested that this kind of place was to take care of Qin Xizhen's identity, because there were private rooms and good service, so Qin Xizhen would not be exposed. If Qin Xizhen wanted to go to those places on the streets where people came and went, it would be unrealistic.
But Cheng Ran nodded at him and said it was okay.
Qin Xizhen was simply wearing a hat and was eating snacks at the Long Chao Shou restaurant on Chunxi Street. Jiang Zhou looked around nervously for a while, but in the end there was no conflict as he had imagined.
The snack bar is very big, with mostly long tables. People sit on long benches, crowding each other to eat. Qin Xizhen has her hair down, with her black hair cascading straight down on both sides to cover her cheeks. Although some people still look at her a few more times because of her outstanding looks, the most they do is sigh that they look so much like her.
They were able to come and go freely in crowded places, and they tried several delicious snacks in a row, such as pig intestine rice noodle, sad jelly, dandan noodles... They were often small restaurants with the kitchen outside busy. Of course, after placing an order, Cheng Ran and Qin Xizhen didn't have to worry about picking up the food themselves. Jiang Zhou ran around and took over these tasks automatically, serving snacks, asking if they wanted more dishes, and asking about their well-being.
This was not only because of Qin Xizhen, but also because she was Cheng Ran's friend and could not be neglected. Moreover, during this process, Jiang Zhou felt as if he had attained enlightenment, and his whole body was light. It was also an achievement if he could tell others about it. Once upon a time, he squeezed in and out to help Qin Xizhen get food, and took her to eat in all the delicious restaurants in Chengdu. Isn't this a great experience in life worth boasting about
When Jiang Zhou was picking up his food, in the crowded snack bar, Qin Xizhen, who was wearing jeans, put his feet on the footrest under the table, supported his knees with his elbows, put one hand on his face, and looked at Cheng Ran with his head tilted. His hair fell from his ears to his collarbone, and he smiled, "Have you thought of a way to make me a big boss?"
Cheng Ran said, "Let me think about it... I asked you to sing a song just now, why didn't you sing it?"
Qin Xizhen said, "I'm sorry."
Cheng Ran was stunned. What on earth was this? "You feel embarrassed to sing for me? Then didn't I lose a lot when I participated in Shanhai? I sang ten songs."
Qin Xizhen chuckled, "It's because I saw you at that time... so... I feel even more embarrassed."
Cheng Ran stared, wondering what scene I had at that time that still scares you now.
Qin Xizhen withdrew her gaze, and Jiang Zhou brought the plate to the table. She no longer looked at Cheng Ran, and said to Jiang Zhou, "Thank you!" Jiang Zhou suddenly felt a little lighter, and hurriedly asked if there was anything else he wanted so he could get more. Qin Xizhen said no, she had worked hard, so she should eat quickly.
…
After eating all kinds of snacks in the afternoon, even Cheng Ran, who claimed to be a big eater, felt very full, but Qin Xizhen seemed to have unfathomable internal strength. Although he said he was full, he bought two strings of sugar-coated fruits on the road. At the end, he realized that they asked them if they wanted any. Jiang Zhou was almost holding his waist and shaking his head. Cheng Ran looked at Qin Xizhen's slender body. Is there a cold fusion engine hidden inside
When Qin Xizhen came back with the sugar-coated fruit, she happened to meet a group of students. One of them suddenly stared at her face. Jiang Zhou felt bad when he saw it.
In a busy city with a lot of people coming and going, Qin Xizhen could blend in easily and people generally did not suspect him. However, when he met some young people who were concerned about the entertainment career of singers in such occasions, the situation suddenly changed.
Just when some girls' eyes were sparkling, a hand went around Qin Xizhen's neck and held her shoulders. Cheng Ran took a bunch of sugar-coated fruits from her hand, took it and ate it, saying, "Sister, I'm waiting for you to buy something so slowly!"
Several girls who were about to shout were stunned again, and looked suspiciously at Cheng Ran holding Qin Xizhen and Jiang Zhou and walking across the street. Finally, they said in unison, "It looks like Qin Xizhen... If that boy hadn't called her sister, I would have almost thought it was her!"
After they parted ways at the intersection, Qin Xizhen slapped him hard, revealing his two fangs, "Your sister... took advantage of me!"
Jiang Zhou smiled beside him. He knew how the two met before. Qin Xizhen was Cheng Ran's music teacher at Shanhai High School, but she was enrolled in a special arts and sports program. In fact, when she officially became a teacher, she was only a few years older than Cheng Ran.
Jiang Zhou asked what else he wanted to eat. Qin Xizhen shook his head, stroking his belly, and said that he really couldn't eat this time.
Jiang Zhou further asked, where do you want to go for fun
Qin Xizhen thought for a while and said, when I came to Chengdu during college, I would go to a bar on Linhe Road with my friends. It was called Old House, the oldest one. Why don’t we go there
Jiang Zhou immediately agreed, saying that he knew a famous singer and band there. He looked very experienced, but then he looked at Qin Xizhen and said shamelessly, "Of course I can't compare with you."
Cheng Ran looked at Qin Xizhen. She was obviously thoughtful when talking about the bar. Perhaps that was where her musical dream started. It was the beginning of a group of friends’ passionate gathering. It must have been filled with many memories.
Cheng Ran nodded.
The sky darkened and lights gradually spread across the city.
The bar street on Linhe Road has now become a well-developed place. The old house, as the earliest and most famous bar here, has been expanded a long time ago. It is now located in an entire open space by the river, with the boundaries divided by fences and bushes. Small round tables and square stools are compactly placed on the lawn inside. There are band singers playing and singing under the spotlight on the other side of the lawn covered by the eaves. The atmosphere is very warm, but the sound is a little noisy.
Inside the eaves of the antique building connected to the lawn dam area, there are fan-shaped seating areas. People sitting in the rooms have a certain degree of privacy and can also see the performance area at a glance. The lighting in the indoor area is very soft, mainly purple and blue. Qin Xizhen is wearing a baseball cap, so you only need to lower your head a little. Even if you look at her from the front, it is not easy to see her whole face clearly.
When Jiang Zhou led the team over, the owner of the old house came over personally and had a drink with Jiang Zhou. He said that today was a coincidence. Many famous singers from Chengdu's underground music circle came here today. Some of them you know, and some you may know. The boss mentioned many names in a row, and Jiang Zhou's face became a little strange.
Under normal circumstances, such an occasion would obviously be just for fun, but not right now.
Sure enough, not long after, Jiang Zhou encountered the situation that he subconsciously least wanted to encounter.
The singer who had sung two songs on the steps of the performance area finished his performance. After the boss whispered in his ear, he came over with his guitar, amid people's greetings and bows, and came to the private room in front of Jiang Zhou. He smiled and said, "Brother Jiang, I heard from Lao Wang that you are here. I must have a drink with you today!"
Jiang Zhou was a little embarrassed, "I have guests."
"Brother Jiang's guests, so we have to toast together!" Then he was about to look at the man and woman sitting there, but Jiang Erwa put his hand on his shoulder and said, "Come on, let's go over there and drink with you. You played well today..."
After a while, Jiang Zhou came back. Before he could even sit down, a female singer who had just finished singing came over after meeting the young man from before, holding a small bottle of wine, "Brother Jiang from Tianxing Dojo... I'm sorry I left in a hurry last time and didn't have a drink with you. Today I'll punish myself with three glasses..."
"No, no, just one cup is enough. Okay, okay, you go ahead and do your thing. It's best if I stay here and listen to you sing."
"Brother Jiang, I'm glad you like it..." At the end, the female singer held the bottle and waved at Cheng Ran and Qin Xizhen, "I also toast to your friends. Have a good time today."
Cheng Ran raised the Budweiser bottle and waved it towards the familiar female singer. Qin Xizhen picked up the bottle in front of him, pressed down the brim of his hat, nodded, and took a small sip.
Before they even had time to sit down, several groups of people came over to toast them because of Jiang Zhou's fame.
Cheng Ran and Qin Xizhen looked at him with a half-smile. Cheng Ran teased, "Brother Jiang is very famous... Half of the Chengdu music circle knows you."
Jiang Zhou was at a loss, "Young Master, please stop brainwashing me. We are all from Rongcheng, and because of the fame of Tianxing Daoguan, word has spread. I don't know why everyone calls me Brother Jiang..."
Jiang Zhou suddenly realized and said to Cheng Ran, "Come to think of it, I am helping you with these things..."
Cheng Ran smiled, "Do a good job."
There was an explosive cheer coming from the performance area. It turned out that a singer had just performed a song, and as soon as he finished, he was met with whistles and cheers.
Cheng Ran and Jiang Zhou looked at Qin Xizhen at the same time. Qin Xizhen nodded and smiled, "It's my song."
Many of Qin Xizhen's songs require great skill and basic knowledge, so they are often used as the finale by some singers and bands who want to showcase their skills and hone their abilities.
There were four or five singers who came over to toast Jiang Zhou just now, but now it was obvious that there were a similar number of singers arriving and performing. In the spacious dam of the bar facing the river, even though the small round tables had been dragged to the edge, there were no less than one or two hundred people crowded on the lawn.
Cheng Ran looked at the excitement and asked, "Is the business here so good every day, or is today special?"
Jiang Zhou said, "Several groups of these singers in the Chengdu circle have become famous over time, but they are all arrogant and usually no one is willing to give in to the other. Today, they all gathered together at the old house to compete with each other."
As expected, after the female singer finished singing, the audience burst into applause and cheers, and there were also some people who shouted and laughed, "Can you sing a higher pitch just now?" The female singer didn't get angry, and half-jokingly threatened with the microphone, "Why don't you come up?" This kind of interaction and jokes is what the bar hopes to see, which not only promotes exchanges in the music circle, but also quickly heats up the atmosphere.
Some people chase singers by finding out their performance schedules and going to the bar where they perform.
It’s just that the Old House Bar is blessed with a unique advantage because of its large venue and the fact that it is the most famous place in Chengdu right now. Ordinary bars cannot command so many people in the circle, and it feels like a leader.
However, the musicians and singers who were gathered together had already started to whisper to each other. Those who had come to toast Jiang Zhou earlier, regardless of whether they had any grudges with each other, were now whispering to each other, and their eyes were occasionally looking towards the lobby seats. Those resident singers and musicians who had heard of Jiang Zhou for a long time but did not know him seemed to have been affected by this small-scale shock and frequently looked in Jiang Zhou's direction.
**The news spread around, and even the singer who was performing was a little flustered.
Jiang Zhou sighed, Cheng Ran put down the bottle and prepared to pay the bill, Qin Xizhen took off her hat, her black hair cascading like a waterfall, she must have drunk some wine, the purple light of the bar made her face look more beautiful.
She glanced at Cheng Ran and said softly, "It's not that I won't sing for you."
After a pause, she said lazily, "Final Fantasy series, right?"
…
Under Cheng Ran's quiet gaze, she turned to Jiang Zhou and said, "Borrow me a guitar."
Jiang Zhou got up in a hurry and left. Then Cheng Ran saw her stand up and walk to the performance area after the previous singer's performance. The excitement of this process quickly spread from inside the house to the group outside.
The world is like a tide.
Jiang Zhou handed the instrument to her on the steps with red-painted wooden pillars on both sides under the eaves where the lights were focused. The female singer above stood by with her hands on her chest, looking unbelievable, and saw Qin Xizhen sitting on the high stool where she had just sat.
After a brief shock wave and people's noise, it gradually subsided.
Because Qin Xizhen tapped the microphone over there, thought for a moment, and said, "I came here with a friend. I'll sing this song to him."
The drummer and musicians next to them didn't know what to do.
Qin Xizhen turned her head, and under the dazzling light that showed off her entire face, she said to the band members behind her, "It's okay, I can do it myself from now on."
Then she played the piano, her slender fingers sweeping across the strings with superb skills, and the simple yet indescribably powerful melody composed by Nobuo Uematsu burst out in the light surrounded by fireflies.
In the brightest light, Qin Xizhen's lips were facing the microphone.
The first line is so ethereal and sad that it makes you want to cry: "When eveang my songs..."
Trembling in the night.
It is "Eyes On Me", the theme song of "Final Fantasy VIII".
No one knew what today's singing meant. In fact, even this bar in Chengdu didn't know that it would become a holy place in the hearts of countless people in the music circle after tonight. From then on, people came here in an endless stream. The influence and inspiration it brought even made countless new generation musicians who occupied half of the talent show and pop music scene emerge from here like mushrooms after rain.
At this moment, Cheng Ran, who was immersed in the situation, felt his heart skip a beat.
What a feeling it is to penetrate time and space.
The whole audience was mesmerized by the performance. They forgot to applaud, howl, whistle, cheer and shout. They only looked at the woman between heaven and earth.
After a short pause, Qin Xizhen changed his posture and plucked the strings again with his slender fingers.
The melody of the prelude this time is unique and melodious, the theme song of Nobuo Uematsu's "Final Fantasy X" "素敌だね"
素敌だね, pronounced as "sutekidane" in roman.
The translation means, "How beautiful."
They had played this game all night long countless times. Although Qin Xizhen sang in Japanese this time, unlike the previous English theme song, Cheng Ran had already memorized the translation.
He was also singing a cappella.
"How beautiful!
If two people can walk hand in hand
Want to be with you
Walking hand in hand on your street
Looking at your face
Touch gently
Despite all this
Just a dream in the morning."
How beautiful.
How beautiful.
…
…
The night seemed to fall in the song.
Jiang Zhou turned to Cheng Ran with his eyes that seemed to be filled with infinite flashing stars, and finally said desperately, "In the office... Actually, you two kissed, right?"
"Kiss..." It took Cheng Ran a moment to come back to his senses.
Kiss you numb!
(This chapter is a bit long, please take your time to read it. Also, please vote. I really have a very positive attitude now.
WeChat platform, both songs will be released today, mainly to make it easier for you to find them everywhere.)