Chapter 133: Twelve-Hour Improvised Creation

Meanwhile, Cheng Dinglong announced the assigned theme, and the internet erupted.

Countless viewers watching the livestream immediately spread the theme, sparking heated discussion.

“Teacher Cheng’s theme seems rather favorable to Lin Qihua. After all, everything he’s been through lately has given him plenty of time to reflect. It’s entirely possible that one or two songs have already been taking shape in his mind.”

“Bullshit. I hate topics like this,” one knowledgeable netizen replied. “It’s far too vague. ‘Be yourself’—what kind of self? Is it inspirational? Romantic? Everything is shrouded in fog. This is one of the hardest subjects to write about. Empty slogans, lofty ideals—this kind of topic is extraordinarily difficult. As for saying it favors Lin Qihua, you’re confusing two different things. What’s being tested now is whether Lin Qihua actually possesses creative talent, not whether he happens to have suitable subject matter. If he can draw inspiration from what he’s experienced recently and compose a good song that fits the theme, then what? Wouldn’t that still prove he has creative talent? After all, a song that’s still taking shape is also his own creation.”

“Exactly. Actually, Teacher Cheng’s topic is incredibly clever. It practically eliminates the possibility of preparing in advance. Normally, when people prepare ahead of time, they base their work on certain emotions or events. If they want to write about love, they can prepare a sad love song, a healing love song, or a warm love song. A little preparation is enough. But this theme has no clear direction at all. It’s impossible to prepare for it precisely, which makes it perfect for this kind of test.”

“I suddenly feel like I’m back taking the college entrance exam. A prescribed essay topic—my heart is starting to panic.”

“Haha, just look at their expressions. Don’t they look exactly like that? They’re all dazed, probably thinking, ‘Damn it, why did you give me a topic like this?’”

“Teacher Cheng is mighty. This is going to be entertaining.”

“I feel the same. Lin Qihua is truly audacious, daring to issue a challenge like this. Now we’ll see how he manages to break through.”

“Didn’t you hear what the teachers said during the livestream? He’s putting himself in a desperate situation and fighting his way back. That means certain people and media outlets forced him into this corner. It really is strange. How did this one-sided, overwhelming condemnation by the entertainment media come about when there isn’t sufficient evidence? Even when the proof is conclusive, a few media outlets can still speak up in someone’s defense, can’t they? Since when have entertainment reporters become so united? Aren’t they the sort who can’t bear to live without tearing one another apart?”

“Heh. It’s a long story.” Someone from the industry let out a meaningful, inscrutable laugh.

Inside the livestream studio, the four contestants were, just as everyone had said, frowning helplessly.

“Teacher, this topic of yours really is…” Qu Ping shook his head, looking somewhat frustrated. He was good at composing love songs, but this sort of theme was far outside his comfort zone.

“Ah, let’s go. I’m not very skilled at composition, but I’ll give it a try.” Yan Jun was quite unconcerned. “It’s been a long time since we pushed ourselves. I really want to see whether I can produce a piece that satisfies me.”

“Me too. Watching Little Lin has shown me my own shortcomings. It’s time I put some pressure on myself.” Han Dongli smiled and led the way into one of the small rooms in the middle.

Qu Ping and Yan Jun followed her inside. Although their faces were filled with worry, their eyes were astonishingly bright. As participants in a historic event, they could not afford to lose face.

“Little Lin, are you confident?” Teacher Cheng asked with a smile.

“If I’m confident, I have to go on. If I’m not confident, I still have to go on. So I suppose I’m confident.” Lin Qihua’s mind was filled with the theme. He answered without hesitation.

“Quite right. Do your best. Don’t disappoint those who care about you.”

“Understood. Thank you, Teacher.”

Lin Qihua had no idea who Teacher Cheng meant by those who cared about him. After thanking him, he entered the last small room as well. With a soft click, the door closed, shutting him off from the lively studio.

The small room contained guitars, a piano, and various other instruments for the contestants to use in their compositions. After all, composing was not something accomplished in a single stroke on paper. It was a process of continually testing and correcting the inspiration in one’s heart through an instrument. It could be said to be an agonizing process. Twelve hours was a very tight deadline.

“Looks like everyone is full of energy,” Le Kai remarked. As the host, he had to accompany the contestants until the very end. He could not leave the studio, so he chatted with Teacher Cheng instead.

“Yes. Whether Little Lin succeeds or not, this is an event significant enough to influence the entire music industry. Which matters more, composition or performance? People have argued over that question for more than a century, and there is still no conclusion. Usually, what people see is the performance and singing, which naturally produce a good effect. That also leads people to feel that no matter how good a song is, it still needs someone to perform it. Today, however, everyone is witnessing the beauty of creation. They can directly see how a composer works and how a good song comes into being. The meaning contained in that is immense.” Teacher Cheng smiled.

“Then, Teacher, how do you see the relationship between the two?”

“If you ask me, arguing over which is superior is a fallacy in itself. It has no meaning. Composition is the foundation. For a performance to be good, there must first be a good song. Only when the foundation is solid can a perfect performance emerge. The performer is the core—the one who brings the song to life perfectly and conveys it to the audience. Neither can exist without the other. Both must be taken seriously. Neglecting either side is unacceptable. That was also the fundamental reason for the transformation of the entertainment industry at the beginning of the century. Both aspects must be done well before classics can be created, and only then can our entertainment industry remain competitive throughout the world.”

“So that’s why the Composers’ Association was established, and why revenue sharing from paid downloads was introduced?”

“Exactly. If composers’ rights and status were not elevated, and all the fame and fortune went to performers, who would be motivated to create better works? That was how Mandarin music eventually spread across Asia, especially throughout Southeast Asia.”

“I understand now.” Le Kai smiled.

“No, you still don’t. Let me put it this way: What is the greatest form of cultural influence? It is the assimilation of other cultures. Why did the idea of a unified Chinese realm never disappear throughout history? Even during times of chaos, why was unity restored so quickly? The key lies in shared writing, standardized roads and vehicles, and common moral customs. These laid the foundation for the idea of a unified Chinese civilization and granted the Chinese people a powerful capacity for assimilation.

“China is called the land of ceremony and great propriety, and the land of splendid dress and culture. To conquer a civilization or a people, you do not need to eradicate them physically. As long as they speak your language, wear your clothes, and follow your rules, then over time, their civilization will be assimilated into yours. From ancient times to the present, nothing has surpassed this principle. The same factor lies at the heart of modern cultural warfare.”

Le Kai suddenly understood. “Put that way, I understand as well.”

“Do you understand now? Why did Europe and America dominate the world in the last century? Wasn’t it because the entire world spoke English, read English books, watched English films, and took pride in speaking fluent English? Europe and America thought they could do the same to us, but they had no idea how powerful the heritage in our Chinese blood truly was. We learned the good parts from them, discarded the dross, created an economic miracle, overturned Western supremacy in one stroke, and claimed the position in the world that belonged to us.

“Once we reached that point, it was only natural that our culture would begin to spread outward. The entertainment industry bears that responsibility. After all, music and film are globally accessible cultural industries. Since everyone is playing this game, we naturally cannot afford to lose.”

“I have been enlightened.” Le Kai rose and bowed deeply. “Only today have I realized how narrow my perspective was.”

“Damn, that sounds so grand and profound,” one netizen said, wide-eyed.

“With a single speech, he laid bare the cultural invasion and resistance of the modern era. I’m ashamed of all the Western blockbusters I used to watch.”

“That’s not quite right. If we hadn’t imported them or watched them, how would we have known the gap between us and them? A frog at the bottom of a well only knows how to dominate its own little pond. How could it summon the strength to catch up with the trends of the world?”

“Personally, I only care about the spectacular scenes and handsome men and beautiful women. I don’t care one bit about whatever ideas are supposedly inside.”

“Exactly. At the beginning of the century, most young people learned about sex from the female teachers in those little films from the island nation. So what? Did our youth become decadent? On the contrary, whenever war broke out, they would roar and shout that they wanted to wipe out the island nation and seize its girls so they could keep making those little films.”

“Haha, exactly. The Korean Wave was the same, wasn’t it? They thought they were so amazing, but whenever something happened to their country, people immediately boycotted them of their own accord. Liking the handsome men, beautiful women, and wildly imaginative plots doesn’t mean liking that country.”

Because of Cheng Dinglong’s remarks, the netizens found something lively to discuss during the long wait, and their boredom disappeared.

“Everyone, watch the livestream. Have you noticed that each person is working in a completely different way?”

“Yes. Teacher Qu Ping picked up his guitar the moment he entered and hasn’t stopped playing. It sounds awful. Teacher Yan Jun is sitting at the desk, surrounded by piles of discarded paper, scratching his head and looking utterly distressed. It’s hilarious. Teacher Han Dongli’s piano sounds beautiful. It doesn’t feel like she’s composing; it feels more like she’s performing. And she can play guitar too—she’s incredibly talented. The strangest one is Lin Qihua. He’s sitting at the desk as if he’s daydreaming. Is his mind completely blank? Can’t he compose anything? But his expressions are so animated. He doesn’t look anxious or desperate at all.”

“This must be what Teacher Cheng meant when he said everyone has a different creative state. It’s fascinating. They say artists often have strange habits when they create. I wonder whether these people do too.”

“Let’s wait and see.”

Naturally, Lin Qihua, inside the room, knew nothing about the commotion outside. From the moment he entered, his mind had been intensely focused, completely absorbed in the theme.

Be yourself. What kind of self should one be? What kind of person was he, in the end?

Lin Qihua emptied his mind, trying to search for that single thread of inspiration. The nebula in his mind seemed particularly radiant today. Looking at it reminded him of that humiliating afternoon; of the liberation and determination he had felt when leaving Huayi; of the discrimination and injustice he had suffered while singing in bars; and of the despair born from having no idea what the future held.