Chapter 57

Yang Jingxing originally wanted to decline, but Qi Qinnuo reminded him, "Uncle Chen knows a lot of people; many companies and singers go to him for equipment."

So, Yang Jingxing decided to curry favor, and the three of them went to have dinner together.

Uncle Chen's real name is Chen Xiaqiang, and he is forty-five years old. In his youth, he also played in a band, an underground one, but it wasn't as famous as the Chenghuang Band, which was led by Qi Qinnuo's father, Qi Dawei.

Chen Xiaqiang told Yang Jingxing that he was very poor in his youth and couldn't even afford a guitar. He said that Yang Jingxing's good days, where he could easily spend hundreds of thousands, were something he never experienced. To make a living, Chen Xiaqiang later switched to working behind the scenes. Unfortunately, he gradually realized that his pursuit of music couldn't keep up with the times. The various behind-the-scenes roles were hard for him to accept, and he eventually ended up selling equipment.

The people Chen Xiaqiang knew from his youth are now in various fields, but many still work in music, some as bosses, producers, and others as street performers.

Chen Xiaqiang and Qi Dawei are good friends, having known each other for over twenty years. Qi Dawei now runs a bar, a place where old friends often gather. Chen Xiaqiang even asked Yang Jingxing if he had been there.

In the end, Chen Xiaqiang still has a deep passion for rock music. He even blamed his generation for not making rock music more popular, which led to the current state of music. However, he said they did try very hard.

Chen Xiaqiang, perhaps to encourage or to belittle Yang Jingxing, said, "Your generation is both lucky and unlucky. In music school, most students come from good families and lack rich life experiences, making it hard for them to create good music."

Chen Xiaqiang then listed some of the outstanding figures from his era, most of whom were not formally trained but had worked hard to get where they were. Back then, everyone was poor. Those who were not formally trained, though full of passion, were often limited in their creativity and mostly had short-lived success, with few achieving cultural significance.

Chen Xiaqiang clearly wanted to educate the younger generation, saying that to make music, one must be able to endure hardship, be patient, never give up, and treat money like dirt. Some people write and sing just one or two songs in their lifetime and then rely on that for the next few decades, jumping around and showing off everywhere, which is not very meaningful. Can they be called musicians?

In this regard, the Chenghuang Band is a positive example. Despite their past fame, when their music no longer met market demands, they did not bow down or compromise. Instead, they found their own way to make a living, and old friends could still gather to continue making the music they wanted, even if they didn't have many listeners. They lived with dignity, and their music had dignity!

Chen Xiaqiang, like an old angry youth, talked on and on. Yang Jingxing and Qi Qinnuo just listened. Later, Chen Xiaqiang felt a bit embarrassed and said, "Don't mind my talk. I heard from Qinnuo that you are dedicated to music, so I shared some of my experiences. I hope your generation can avoid detours and achieve more."

Yang Jingxing thanked him, saying, "Your words are worth more than ten years of reading."

Chen Xiaqiang said, "Among the younger generation, Qinnuo is outstanding and hasn't let her father down."

Yang Jingxing smiled, "I deeply agree with what you said."

Qi Qinnuo was still eating and looked at Yang Jingxing, "Don't try to flatter me, I only eat the food."

Chen Xiaqiang added, "Don't say you're handsome... Can men rely on their looks? You need to rely on your skills and talent, right?"

Yang Jingxing was relieved, "Fortunately, I'm not that good-looking."

Chen Xiaqiang disagreed, "That's about packaging. I've seen a lot, and those pretty boys are much worse than you."

After dinner, they said goodbye. Chen Xiaqiang invited Yang Jingxing to visit Qi Dawei's Glory Bar on the weekend, saying it would be beneficial to meet more senior colleagues. He also mentioned that the Glory Bar is very different from the bars young people usually go to, as it is a place for cultural and artistic exchanges.

Chen Xiaqiang asked, "Do you know Qinnuo's mother?"

Yang Jingxing shook his head.

"Editor-in-chief of Qunwen Publishing, she knows all the big writers!"

Chen Xiaqiang offered to drive Qi Qinnuo home, but she wasn't in a hurry and said she wanted to try out Yang Jingxing's new equipment. The two returned to school, and Yang Jingxing asked, "Is your father still long-haired?"

Qi Qinnuo laughed, "Yes, but he's gained weight... But my father's hair isn't disgusting!"

Yang Jingxing said, "In junior high, I wanted to grow my hair long."

Qi Qinnuo looked at Yang Jingxing, imagining him with long hair, and shook her head, "I advise you not to think about it anymore."

Yang Jingxing asked, "Are you willing to let 306 perform the music I wrote?"

Qi Qinnuo said, "In principle, no... It depends on how good it is."

Yang Jingxing asked again, "Have you considered adding vocals?"

Qi Qinnuo said, "We tried, but it didn't work. Let's take it step by step... Don't think you're part of 306 yet!"

Yang Jingxing argued, "Who made you seduce me?"

Qi Qinnuo laughed, "Who seduced you? I'll remove you!"

"You!"

Qi Qinnuo said, "Then give up early. You're not my type."

Yang Jingxing was hurt, "Why?"

Qi Qinnuo was decisive, "First, I really don't like your looks."

Yang Jingxing nodded and covered his face, "Yeah, that's my heartache."

Qi Qinnuo laughed, "Handsome men, no matter what they do, always seem impure to me, very superficial, especially you... Are you insecure?"

Yang Jingxing was furious, "You can be beautiful, but others being not ugly is a sin!"

Qi Qinnuo comforted him, "Personal taste, there are many who like you. Don't take it to heart."

Yang Jingxing asked, "Is there a second reason?"

Qi Qinnuo giggled, "Not just second! Second, I don't like rich men, especially rich second-generation."

Yang Jingxing was relieved, "That's good, I'm not."

Qi Qinnuo countered, "Don't hide it, you're already set in my mind."

Yang Jingxing was angry, "Don't go too far!"

Qi Qinnuo was proud, "Third, like all women, I don't like men who are unfaithful."

Yang Jingxing was surprised, "You figured that out too?"

Qi Qinnuo said, "Specialization, you know. Are you like a monkey picking corn, playing erhu today and guzheng tomorrow? What do you really like?"

Yang Jingxing was passionate, "I like music!"

Qi Qinnuo said, "Alright. Fourth... Let's stop here. You look like you can't take it. We'll talk about it next time."

Yang Jingxing sarcastically praised, "You're so kind!"

Qi Qinnuo laughed heartily.

Yang Jingxing called Yu Xinting and said, "Let's go, it's time to clean."

Yu Xinting said, "I mopped the floor at noon."

Yang Jingxing said, "Not clean enough, I need to criticize you!"

Yu Xinting said, "It's not, I'll come down right away."

Yu Xinting came and saw Qi Qinnuo and Yang Jingxing together, asking, "Have you eaten?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Very full, full of anger."

Yu Xinting asked, "What happened?"

Qi Qinnuo laughed and put her arm around Yu Xinting's shoulder, "Ignore him, let him stay full a bit longer."

Opening the door to 402, Yu Xinting screamed and jumped into the classroom, "When did you come? I didn't know!"

Qi Qinnuo said, "You have a surprise, the drumsticks are in that box."

Yu Xinting quickly found them, opened the drumstick bag, took out the drumsticks, and excitedly tapped them, looking at Yang Jingxing and smiling.

Yang Jingxing said, "Let's improvise." He ran to the double keyboard and turned it on.

Qi Qinnuo didn't compete with Yang Jingxing, picked up the guitar, hung it, and turned on the amplifier, testing the sound effects a bit. Yu Xinting quickly sat behind the drum set, adjusted the stool, and noticed, "There are two more cymbals."

Yang Jingxing fiddled with the settings for a while, setting the sound. The main keyboard played brass and strings in unison, while the secondary keyboard handled solos. He had learned from Cheng Hao, otherwise, just setting up the sounds would take a long time to understand.

After setting everything up, Yang Jingxing asked, "Are you ready?"

Qi Qinnuo said, "I've been ready for a while, let's start."

So, Yang Jingxing began with a brass unison. Generally, brass unison is used to convey grandeur, but Yang Jingxing's introduction was more melodic, whether due to unfamiliarity with the equipment or intentional.

The brass introduction repeated three times, and Qi Qinnuo and Yu Xinting looked at Yang Jingxing, quite surprised. The melody was excellent, and it seemed to be genuinely improvised.

Next, Yang Jingxing's string unison followed, a variation of the previous melody, but the brass hadn't ended, turning into a brass and string unison, grand and graceful, making the audience's skin tingle in just a few seconds.

Qi Qinnuo and Yu Xinting forgot their roles and watched Yang Jingxing, hoping he would finish the piece. But Yang Jingxing repeated the introduction and gestured to Yu Xinting, "No drum beats, hurry up, it's improvisation, just play."

Yu Xinting, listening to Yang Jingxing's impressive brass and string melody and rhythm, was a bit anxious. She raised the drumsticks a few times but didn't bring them down. After Yang Jingxing repeated it again, she finally found her rhythm and hit the bass drum.

"Great!" Yang Jingxing praised, "Add the snare drum."

Again, Yu Xinting added the snare drum, and the rhythm was pretty good. Qi Qinnuo felt it and said, "Add the tom-tom here, in 4/3 time! Again, again!"

Was this too much to ask of Yu Xinting, a beginner? But the girl was very excited and eager to try.

Again, although the drum beats and string rhythm weren't perfectly synchronized, Qi Qinnuo clenched her fists, "So cool!"

The introduction was over, and Yang Jingxing said, "It's your turn."

Qi Qinnuo, of course, used Yang Jingxing's melody but added chords, which sounded great. Although it was short, it was a very impressive solo.

Yang Jingxing wasn't satisfied and said, "Use a minor ninth chord and then a minor seventh inversion, wouldn't that be fuller?"

Qi Qinnuo couldn't wait, "Again, again, you start."

This time, it was more complete. The brass unison repeated the melody three times, then the strings and drum beats joined in, repeating once more, followed by the brass, strings, drum set, and electric guitar.

It wasn't perfect, but the melody and rhythm were already there, thanks to the melody, the effect was excellent, grand and emotional, almost instantly exciting the auditory nerves.

The piece, though less than a minute long, made Qi Qinnuo so excited that she hugged the guitar and twirled around, walking two steps to Yu Xinting and ordering, "Stand up!"

Yu Xinting was a bit scared and laughed, standing up. Qi Qinnuo, without hesitation, grabbed Yu Xinting's head and kissed her on the face.

Yu Xinting was terrified and almost hit Qi Qinnuo with the drumsticks. After Qi Qinnuo let her go, she instinctively wiped the kissed area with the back of her hand.

Yang Jingxing was eager, "What about me? What about me!"

Qi Qinnuo calmed down and called Yu Xinting, "You go."

Yu Xinting looked at Yang Jingxing.

Yang Jingxing smiled, "Look at you, your face is red from fear."

Yu Xinting, a bit angry, denied, "No!" and tapped the drumsticks together.

Qi Qinnuo ignored Yang Jingxing and played the half-minute piece on the guitar. It was good, but the momentum was still less than the brass and string unison.

Qi Qinnuo was still satisfied and sighed, "I haven't felt this way in a long time!"

Yang Jingxing boasted, "This is my way of repaying kindness with kindness."

Qi Qinnuo raised her hand, "I don't accept!"

Yang Jingxing said, "I'll continue, then." He turned to Yu Xinting, "Be careful, don't let her get away with it!"

Yu Xinting just laughed.

Qi Qinnuo said, "It's not your turn!"

This piece was the piano composition Yang Jingxing had recently written, and he had also conceived an orchestral version. The brass introduction was a spur-of-the-moment idea, but it turned out well.

Yang Jingxing first played the five-minute piece with the grand piano sound, giving Yu Xinting and Qi Qinnuo a general idea. The two girls were captivated, with the piece having two parts, one passionate and the other melodic, complementing and enriching each other, with a touch of Chinese style.

Yu Xinting said, "It's so beautiful."

Qi Qinnuo looked at Yang Jingxing, "I take back my thousandth point."

Yang Jingxing was angry, "There weren't that many, right?"

Yu Xinting asked, "What thousand points?"

Qi Qinnuo said, "His flaws."

Yu Xinting giggled.

Then, the three of them started working on the band arrangement. In this area, Qi Qinnuo could discuss with Yang Jingxing, but Yu Xinting was a bit lacking and didn't dare to give opinions. Fortunately, Yang Jingxing valued Yu Xinting's contribution and added many drum beats. The double keyboard mimicked the timpani effect, which sounded good and wasn't difficult.

Yu Xinting was a bit scared, "I'll just listen, you two do it."

Yang Jingxing scolded, "What do you think I called you for! No saying no!"

Yu Xinting was a bit hurt, "I didn't say no."

Qi Qinnuo chuckled, "I'm just riding on your coattails."

Yu Xinting shook her head, "Not true!"

Yang Jingxing said, "You're taking advantage of her, that's true."

Qi Qinnuo was proud, "Come, give me a kiss."

Yu Xinting quickly dodged.

Although Yang Jingxing had a more specific idea beforehand, the three of them still discussed and experimented for an hour. After finalizing the arrangement, Yang Jingxing adjusted the equipment and played it once.

The double keyboard, which Qi Qinnuo was more proficient with, could provide a lot of guidance and help with the key switches. The entire piece started with a brass unison, followed by a string unison. After the introduction, the piece became quiet, and the strings plucked to introduce the main theme. Then, the piano took the lead, with the electric guitar as a supporting role, accompanied by string ensemble and drum beats. The piece had a clear theme, a grand and beautiful melody, and a well-coordinated atmosphere.

This was Yang Jingxing's first original composition!

Yang Jingxing played it again alone. Qi Qinnuo wasn't as excited, "You're still a bit off, let's do it together!"

Yu Xinting disagreed, "It's so good!"

Qi Qinnuo laughed, "Didn't you notice? He doesn't like it when people say it's good." She then taught Yang Jingxing to add a synthesizer sound, making the effect even richer.

The three of them played it together. Since Yu Xinting only needed to play a couple of drum beats, it wasn't difficult, and Qi Qinnuo's electric guitar was no problem. Yang Jingxing, a classical piano genius, was also competent with the double keyboard. All three were very serious.

After the piece ended, Yu Xinting put down the drumsticks and clapped hard, but when she saw Qi Qinnuo running towards her, she quickly covered her face to avoid being kissed. Qi Qinnuo just scared Yu Xinting and didn't really kiss her.

Yu Xinting said, "I want the sheet music."

Yang Jingxing agreed, "I'll give it to you tomorrow."

Qi Qinnuo said, "I want it too."

Yang Jingxing, still holding a grudge, said, "No, I won't!"

Qi Qinnuo said, "I dedicate myself to music, come on!" She faced Yang Jingxing, closed her eyes tightly, and pouted, looking very unattractive.

Yang Jingxing was scared, "I'll give it to you, I'll give it to you."

Yu Xinting giggled and asked Yang Jingxing, "What's the name of the piece?"

Yang Jingxing said, "I haven't named it yet, you think of one."

Yu Xinting, not afraid, proudly accepted the task, "I'll think about it tonight."

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