Chapter 109: A Feast for the Ears

For Yu Yi and the others, this matter was of great importance, but for Liu Qingshan, it was merely a minor episode in his life.

Most of his time was still immersed in work, with only brief moments of leisure in the evening to interact with those around him.

Since returning from the capital, Jin Xishan had rarely appeared on the set of "The Return of the Condor Heroes." Her filming tasks were also nearing completion.

The recording for the National Television program went smoothly. During it, she and Chen Long performed the song "Beautiful Myth."

This song undoubtedly had the potential to become a hit. Coupled with the high viewership of that night's live broadcast, it spread rapidly across the entire country in just one evening.

Before Jin Xishan and her team had even returned to Hengdian, her manager, Park Hyun-hee, was bombarded with countless calls, most of which were invitations for Jin Xishan to participate in various variety shows. It was likely that Chen Long received many similar invitations.

Such invitations were previously unlikely. After all, Chen Long’s status was well-established, and he would not casually join such variety shows. Moreover, his value was so high that many could not afford to invite him.

However, with the promotion for the release of "The Myth," even small and medium-sized local stations dared to contemplate these invitations, hence the numerous probing calls.

Without exception, Jin Xishan’s side deferred all such matters to Chen Long’s team, reasoning that the film’s producer and production team were on that side, and she was only a contracted actress who had to comply.

Back in Hengdian, Jin Xishan sought Liu Qingshan’s advice on a strategy.

Liu Qingshan suggested accepting engagements only on major platforms and proposed not joining any other film crews until "The Myth" was released, naturally with considerations for bargaining power.

Jin Xishan stayed at their place for two nights, and when they met, the joy on their faces was unmistakable.

Park Huizhen had already rushed back to the capital before Jin Xishan, but Yu Chenhui stayed behind, because he enjoyed the martial arts atmosphere of the action design team.

The old man’s previous worries had dissipated, and he was cheerful every day, having mentioned more than once to Liu Qingshan his intention to follow him to the Hong Kong set of "SPL: Kill Zone."

Liu Qingshan dared not agree to this. If it were anyone else, it would be manageable, but Yu Chenhui’s identity was sensitive. Otherwise, once on the set, it would be an awkward problem figuring out how to accommodate him.

By now, it was late September. Liu Qingshan had finished Guo Jing’s final scene and finally had time to bother Jin Xishan.

Her scenes still had a couple of days left, mainly involving post-production voice dubbing.

Therefore, their meeting place was not on the set but in a professional recording studio in Hengdian.

Chen Zuming, along with Yu Yi and Mao Shaochong, had returned to the capital a day earlier. Under Uncle Ping’s insistence, they had also taken Chu Geng along.

Samir, Anubis, and Lam stayed behind, as Chenhui, Kunale, and Ma Shengli led them on a tour of nearby areas, planning to regroup in the capital later.

Thus, only Shi Hui remained by Liu Qingshan’s side. According to her, she was held back as a third wheel.

Now, due to the widespread popularity of "Beautiful Myth," it was uncovered that Liu Qingshan was the lyricist and composer of the song.

Many newspapers were riding the wave to praise him. While waiting in the studio, Liu Qingshan eagerly flipped through the papers. It would be unrealistic to say he didn’t feel a bit proud.

That day, Shi Hui, who was responsible for collecting newspapers everywhere, said, "Brother Shan, why not seize this rare opportunity and record that new song with Sister Xishan? You never know when it might come in handy!"

Liu Qingshan was already inclined to do so but planned to record more than just one song.

Recently, as his influence continued to grow, his fan base remained steady, thereby significantly boosting his reputation.

At present, the energy storage in his super star-making device had quickly accumulated five star tokens. The reputation points previously spent on redeeming the "Kung Fu" script had finally replenished.

He intended to redeem several songs for Jin Xishan, taking advantage of the free recording studio time to get them done in advance.

Upon hearing this during a break, Jin Xishan’s face lit up with delight. Seizing a moment when no one was paying attention, she planted several firm kisses on Liu Qingshan’s lips.

Fully energized, Liu Qingshan was brimming with motivation and spent lunch deeply focused on his "creative work."

During his spare time, he selected the following songs: "Pain That Breathes," "Pity It Wasn’t You," "Ningxia," "Courage," and "Swallowtail Butterfly."

All these songs were to be performed by Liang Jingru, a Taiwanese female singer who had long been one of his favorites.

Most importantly, Jin Xishan’s voice was strikingly similar to Liang Jingru’s sweet but not cloying tone, especially in the breathing sounds, which matched perfectly.

It was impossible to present so many songs at once. Liu Qingshan planned to stay in Hengdian a few extra days to let people witness his "creative process."

That day, he only presented "Ningxia," a catchy, sweet song suitable for all ages, harmless and easy to sing along with—a perfect choice as the lead single.

Moreover, its title shared the name of a western autonomous region, a topic likely to surpass the music itself in significance, leaving a memorable impression.

Although the song did not evoke any imagery of the Loess Plateau in the northwest, it was more fitting for scenes of Southeast Asian beaches.

They say a man is most charming when he is seriously working—a phrase that perfectly applied to Jin Xishan as well.

Especially since this man was "creating" all for her. Jin Xishan noticed and treasured it, her gaze upon Liu Qingshan was tender and affectionate, like two pools of clear water, subtle and warm.

Most of the time, she rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought, her entire being radiating feminine grace and a bright smile.

Liu Qingshan seemed oblivious to all this, holding his guitar and strumming incessantly, occasionally stopping to scribble notes and sketches on a piece of paper.

Finally, before dinner, Liu Qingshan’s "creation" was complete. The pages were covered with messy handwriting, filled with musical staffs and various notes.

Looking at the dense, scrawled characters, Jin Xishan marveled sincerely, "How do you do it? It seems like nothing is difficult for you."

"I’m not going to explain the classic movement of the descending fifth chord circle. My composing technique is simple: lyrics first, then melody. With the emotion in the words, the tune just appears in my mind!" Liu Qingshan said with a hint of pride, drawing a burst of laughter from Jin Xishan.

"Come on, come on, sing it for us! We can’t read the sheet music!"

Kan Weiting urged, having witnessed Liu Qingshan’s performance throughout the day. Even the studio’s sound engineer was curious about what kind of melody this man could create.

As Liu Qingshan plucked his guitar, a catchy melody filled the room. When the crisply phrased lyrics were sung, it brought forth a sweet auditory feast.