Published at 25th of May 2020 8:01 am

Chapter 112 – Rock City

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After Shen Huai went back, he gave Zhu Chen the investment plan together with the sample film, and asked the investment department to evaluate and analyze them. After the evaluation results came out, they were even better than Shen Huai expected. In addition, Director Yi was also very optimistic about this project.

So Shen Huai readily agreed to invest, and the funding was even more than Wan Shan imagined. Wan Shan originally thought it was a mistake made by the studio. Only after asking did he learn that the additional money was for publicity expenses.

Wan Shan was almost dizzy by this pie falling from the sky. He patted his chest and promised to montage it well and do his best in the later stages.

By the time these things were done, the day of the Colleen Awards was around the corner.

Shen Huai and Ye Cang boarded the plane to the United States together.

The Colleen Awards was held in C City in the United States, which was also the home of American rock music. Apart from the Colleen Awards, there was a rock music festival held every year. On the way from the airport to the hotel, the two of them could see many people carrying guitars on both sides of the road. There were rock music stores and even their driver who took them to the hotel could hum with the music.

The whole C City was like a sea of music, with tourists coming and going, as well as many black-haired and wheat-skinned Chinese. The driver told them that there hadn’t been so many Chinese around the time of the Colleen Awards in the past few years. But because Ye Cang was shortlisted this year, many Chinese were attracted to come here.

The Organizing Committee of the Colleen Awards had deep pockets and booked a whole hotel, which was surrounded by numerous fans. They even heard someone shouting Ye Cang’s name in non-standard Chinese.

Shen Huai and Ye Cang looked at each other. The last time Ye Cang came to the United States he didn’t receive such treatment! It could be seen how influential the Colleen Awards were. Since Ye Cang was shortlisted for the award, even the overseas album sales of “Rebirth” increased a lot.

After their jet lag, Nick Garcia, as the host, came with his wife Amanda to take them to dinner.

Nick was the rock king of the United States. First, he praised Ye Cang’s album “Rebirth” on Twitter. Later, when Ye Cang and Shen Huai came to the United States to promote “Rebirth”, they got to know each other and became good friends. Even though they returned to China, they still kept in contact through social software.

So, soon after hearing that Ye Cang and Shen Huai arrived at the hotel, Nick came too.

As soon as they met, they gave each other a bear hug. In the past six months, Shed Huai made Ye Cang learn English. Although he wasn’t fluent, he was able to communicate with other people.

Nick had also learned from somewhere a few words of confusing Chinese, so they were able to talk with each other.

Nick patted Ye Cang on the shoulder. “I will tell you, the best place to eat and have fun in the whole C City. No one knows it better than me. Since you’ve come to C City, I will take you there…. How do you say that in Chinese, Amanda?”

Amanda smiled and said in fluent Chinese, “Do your best as a host.”

Ye Cang and Shen Huai both looked at her with surprise. Amanda smiled and said in Chinese, “I’ve always been very interested in China. Is my Chinese good?”

Ye Cang nodded and gave her thumbs up.

They went directly to the garage, laughing and talking. Nick drove a rather stylish convertible sports car. After the car left the hotel, it was immediately noticed by fans on the side, and many of them screamed.

Nick waved at them casually, and the fans made way to let him drive straight out.

It was only then that Shen Huai noticed that Nick was quite casually dressed, with a loose T-shirt, a pair of beach pants and slippers on his feet. He didn’t look like the king of rock and roll at all, but like an American uncle on a vacation.

Nick explained to them, “In C City, fans are crazy, but most of them are mainly crazy under the stage. Usually, we are the same, just tourists in the city.”

This could also be regarded as a characteristic of C City, otherwise they would have been already replaced by other cities and probably once the fans surrounded the hotel, they would be unable to walk out at all.

Nick’s sports car soon reached the main road which was even busier than during their ride from the airport before. Many bands started singing directly on the side of the roads, with all kinds of music along the way.

Ye Cang was shocked.

Nick proudly said, “This is the rock city of America, which can attract rock fans from all over the world. Here even newborn babies can sing a few rock songs!”

Everywhere you looked, you could see singers, as if the air was not oxygen but floating music.

Amanda explained, “In fact, more than 30 years ago, before the Colleen Awards, C City was just a small city, very desolate. Later, the former governor and the Filds family founded the Colleen Awards together, attracting a lot of rock singers and fans, which lead to the gradual development of the whole city.”

“The present C City is no worse than those prosperous metropolises like A City.”

After hearing this, Ye Cang and Shen Huai’s mood was complicated.

In the United States, they could rely on rock music to develop a city to the present level, and the Colleen Awards were famous all over the world. Every rock musician would be proud to win the Colleen Awards.

In addition to rock musicians, there were countless headhunters of music companies in C City. They found potential singers from the streets and recommend them to major record companies.

This continuous emergence of new blood had formed a virtuous circle, which lead to the current appearance of C City.

In the past, Chinese music also used to be in full bloom, but now it had withered. The people behind the attacks against the newly emerging singers were really disgusting.

Ye Cang and Shen Huai were in a downcast mood, but they felt a bit better when they arrived at their destination.

Nick stopped the car and took them to the restaurant while introducing, “Despite the fact that this store is not very big, the owner of this shop was once a Michelin 3-star chef. But because he loved rock music so much, he dreamed of becoming a rock musician, so he stayed in C City and opened this shop.”

Sure enough, as they walked in, they found something different about this small store. The tables and chairs were all made of wood and they formed a circle around a small raised stage in the center. Moreover, it was not yet dinner time, but all the tables they walked past were marked as reserved.

Nick also ordered the menu early, and winked at Ye Cang jokingly, “Old John is the best cook and the most harsh fan. You will have to sing on the stage later, and how well you sing will decide whether we will be eating dry bread or Michelin 3-star delicacy today.” ( Interesting system – for me dry bread)

Ye Cang looked at him with surprise, obviously not expecting such a rule.

After a while, the guests of the restaurant arrived one after another. Most of them were carrying musical instruments and many came directly with their bands.

When it was time for dinner, the lights in the dining room were turned off, leaving only the stage illuminated.

Several young people rushed directly to the stage. Obviously, they were clear about the rules here, but they did have a few options. After singing, the whole restaurant applauded them.

They returned to their seats with laughter, and after a while, the waiter served them their dinner.

Nick leaned over and took a look. “Wow, not bad.”

They seemed to be satisfied too, and enjoyed themselves.

The delicious smell of the food attracted the diners around. Many of them went on the stage one after another with high levels of skills. After all, Old John’s reputation spread all over C City.

For Ye Cang it was a feast for his ears. He was so satisfied that he felt as if he was at the scene of a music festival.

While he was enjoying it, Nick gave him a push. “Brother! It’s your turn!”

Ye Cang raised his eyebrows but didn’t panic. He went directly to the stage and said something to the band that had just stepped down. After he borrowed the guitar from the other side, he sat in the middle of the stage.

He gently fiddled with the strings and adjusted the position of the microphone before opening his mouth.

As soon as he opened his mouth, Shen Huai froze, because what Ye Cang sang was not a song from his “Rebirth” album but a new song.

For a long time, the rebellious spirit represented by rock and roll made people enjoy rock music in the dark, decadent and rebellious, but rock was actually a cry from the soul, representing freedom and uncompromising will.

This spirit, even though restricted by different languages, regions and cultures, could still move everyone.

Although Ye Cang sang in Chinese, the emotion he wanted to express was grasped by all the people present.

When Ye Cang finished singing, he returned the guitar to the musician who in turn gave him a thumbs up.

When Ye Cang returned to his seat, Nick applauded. “I like this song very much. I think it should have impressed Old John, so we should enjoy a good meal today.”

Before the food was served, Nick touched his chin and explained for them, “Here, every guest can only sing once. If Old John is moved, he will come out to serve himself. However, this restaurant has been open for a long time and very few people could make Old John come out of the kitchen…”

As soon as his words fell, a small, middle-aged man with a chef’s hat came over. Behind him was the sous chef pushing ingredients.

Nick: “…”

With a smile on his face, Old John greeted the group of people, “Welcome! The best music should be accompanied by the most delicious food. Please allow me to prepare today’s food for you personally.”

Old John was worthy of the title of a former Michelin 3-star chef. Not only was his food full of color, flavor, and taste, but even watching him cooking made people feel some kind of joy.

The meal was very satisfying for them, except for Nick who was somehow unhappy.

But when he was cooking the last course, English with Chinese accent suddenly sounded from the side, “Why do you cook only for them? We have waited for so long, but there is nothing but a glass of water served to us! What kind of service attitude is this?”

When Shen Huai and the others looked at the place where the voice came from, they saw many people sitting at a table and the middle-aged man sitting in the middle looked very serious. To his right sat two assistant-looking people, one of which had just made a ruckus. On the other side sat a man in fashionable clothes, wearing a mask and sunglasses even indoors.

A man who looked like a tour guide appeared worried, and tried to explain it to them in Chinese.

Old John’s face suddenly sank. “In my restaurant, only people who sing on the stage can get service!”

The guide finally seemed to have explained the rules of the restaurant to them, and an assistant seemed to say something to the man wearing fashionable clothes. Then the man unwillingly took off his mask and sunglasses.

Shen Huai widened his eyes slightly.

Ye Cang noticed his expression. “What? Do you know him?”

Shen Huai nodded. “This is a Chinese Entertainment Records singer named Zhuo Feiyang. He is very popular in China now. He won the best male singer and the best album award in the Golden Melody Awards the year before. I heard he was studying behind closed doors for a whole year. It seems that he is going to target the overseas market next.”

Ye Cang thought for a moment, but he didn’t have any impression of him, so he simply put the matter aside.

Zhuo Feiyang went to the stage with a stinky face, and his assistant hurriedly handed him the guitar. Zhuo Feiyang sang a song in English written by himself. Although his attitude was not good, his singing skills were excellent. It was no wonder he was well-known in China.

Unexpectedly, before he could finish singing the song, he was suddenly interrupted by Old John, who angrily instructed the waiter to drive him out.

Zhuo Feiyang, surprised and angry, pointed at Ye Cang and shouted, “Why? He can stay here even though he sang in Chinese. Why should I be kicked out although I sang in English?”

Old John snorted coldly and said contemptuously, “Such plagiarism! How dare you compare yourself with others!”

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