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Chapter 134: Same stage
Yu Nian wasn’t the one to procrastinate. He took advantage of the completion of album production and the yet-to-come promotional period. With a relaxed schedule, he started focusing on preparing a private museum. Xie You even assembled a team to assist him, providing advice and handling related matters.
Xie You presented Yu Nian with over a dozen architectural designs for the museum, and they discussed and selected two options, planning to make specific modifications once the location was finalized.
Meanwhile, Yu Nian and his team explored various locations in Ning City for the museum. They were spotted by passersby and fans several times during site inspections. After the news leaked, the hashtag #YuNianBuyingLand# trended for a day. Meng Yuan called happily, mentioning that Yu Nian could make it to the trending topics during the promotional gap, saving a considerable amount of promotion expenses.
As expected, the application process for the private museum went smoothly with quick approvals from relevant departments. The final location for the museum was set on Qingchi Road, and Yu Nian personally went to take a look at the plot of land.
Around the time of the Lantern Festival, there were several days of rain in Ning City, finally followed by sunshine. A black Maybach cruised through shallow puddles and damp fallen leaves, coming to a slow stop in an open area.
Neither of them got out of the car. Through the car window, Yu Nian looked at the overgrown vacant lot and turned to Xie You with a smile, saying, “This place is around ten thousand square meters. It used to be the site of a small private garden. Grandpa said that when he was a child, the garden was still there with rockeries, corridors, and a lotus pond. It was abandoned and gradually turned into its current dilapidated state.
It’s close to our ancestral home, just two streets away. It’s also near the private restaurant. Uncle Shen said that if the museum is built, it might even boost business over there!”
Influenced by the radiance in Yu Nian’s eyes, Xie You reached out and gently pinched his delicate nape, his voice deep and gentle, “Have you finalized the architectural design?”
“Yep, I coincided with the designer on that. We both wanted to embrace the refined elegance of Jiangnan gardens. I’m planning to clean up the muddy pond, relocate it by the waterfront, and construct the main building. To the south of the pond, we’ll erect a wall depicting a ‘distant mountain landscape,’ reflecting in the water. It’s bound to be beautiful.”
As soon as the topic of the museum’s design came up, Yu Nian became more talkative, gesturing as he spoke, “We have too many collectibles at home, and I haven’t organized them yet. The layout of the exhibition halls can be carefully considered over time. Director Gan Zhou of the Ningcheng Museum mentioned that he’ll send two consultants to assist me, so I’m not worried.”
As he continued, he paused and turned his head to look at the vacant museum site that still remained untouched, taking a couple of breaths before saying solemnly, “For the name of the museum, I’d like to call it ‘Qingshan’ (Green Mountain). And at the entrance, I want to place a stone with the inscription ‘A thousand years won’t return, only Qingshan remains.’ A thousand years of time won’t come back, but the green mountain is like the stars and the sun, eternal throughout the ages.”
Unconsciously playing with Xie You’s fingers, Yu Nian sheepishly continued, “I also have a personal motive behind this sentence. I want to incorporate ‘Qingshan Yu Clan’ into it. This place will soon house the collections of several generations of our family, and I don’t want them to be forgotten.”
“The name and the phrase are both wonderful. Nian Nian, whatever you want to do, I support you.” Xie You kissed the corner of Yu Nian’s lips and remembered, “You mentioned a couple of days ago that you were thinking of a name for the ancient book and manuscript exhibition hall—”
“Yunyan Pavilion (Cloud and Mist Pavilion)! We have a lot of ancient books and manuscripts at home, and I estimate we’ll need to categorize and divide the exhibition halls by dynasties. For one of the halls, I thought of naming it ‘Yunyan Pavillion,’ which means the brush strokes forming clouds and mist. However, this name was actually the name of the study belonging to our ancestor, Scholar Yu Yaozuo of the Hongtu Pavilion. I borrowed it, so it should be fine.”
On the way back, Yu Nian continued sharing his ideas and concepts, while Xie You patiently listened, occasionally asking for feedback. Upon arriving at the office, Xie You’s phone rang, and he answered, “Xiaoran?”
Yu Nian then saw Xie You put the call on speakerphone, and soon, the excited voice of Qu Xiaoran came through the speaker, “Xie Xiaoyou, you need to tell your Nian Nian, the album will be released on February 21st!”
Yu Nian picked up the conversation with a smile, “Yeah, I’m listening too.”
Hearing Yu Nian’s voice, Qu Xiaoran wasn’t surprised. He boasted, “I’m definitely the first one to tell you this news. I made sure to beat Meng Yuan to it! Let’s hang out next time you’re free!”
Yu Nian happily agreed, “Sure thing, I’ve almost wrapped up the preliminary preparations for my museum, and the rest is being handled by the team. When Xie You isn’t busy, we can all hang out.”
“Great, life is so wonderful!” Qu Xiaoran continued, lowering his voice, “Yu Nian, Yu Nian, turn off the speakerphone!”
Following the advice, Yu Nian picked up his phone, “Yeah, Xie You just went over to his computer. What’s up with you, being all secretive?”
Qu Xiaoran chuckled a couple of times and said cheerfully, “I didn’t want Xie Xiaoyou to hear me praising him, that’s all!” He continued, “I got the album first, damn, I heard the piano sound played by Xie Xiaoyou in ‘Nocturne,’ and I almost cried!”
Yu Nian leaned against the wall, glancing at Xie You, who had put on Bluetooth earphones and was in the midst of a video conference, and said with a smile, “You definitely did more than ‘almost’ cry.”
“H-How did you know?” Qu Xiaoran stuttered a bit, then admitted, “Fine, I did shed a tear or two, but only two!”
It took a while before Qu Xiaoran lowered his voice, slowing down his speech, and continued, “Really, Yu Nian, counting on my fingers, it’s been years since I heard Xie Xiaoyou play the piano. I—I’m just really happy.”
Pretending not to notice the emotion in Qu Xiaoran’s voice, Yu Nian responded gently, “Yeah, it’ll only get better from now on.”
“Right, you’re absolutely right!” Qu Xiaoran’s voice returned to its usual tone, “Even though it might not sound quite appropriate to say it like this, but seriously, as his brother, Yu Nian, thank you.”
Understanding what Qu Xiaoran was trying to convey, Yu Nian replied, “You shouldn’t thank me. Xie You himself deserves the credit.”
As Yu Nian hung up the phone and walked over, Xie You asked, “What were you talking about?”
Yu Nian didn’t hesitate to throw Qu Xiaoran under the bus, “Xiaoran said that you play the piano beautifully, and while saying that, he nearly cried.”
Xie You was surprised for a couple of seconds but then smiled, “He’s really sensitive that way. When he was a kid watching animations, if a side character died, he’d start crying all over me, leaving me covered in tears and snot.”
In the office, Qu Xiaoran put down the handheld gaming device in his hands and wrinkled his nose, “Who’s talking about me? My nose is itching, ah-choo—”
On the morning of February 21st, Yu Nian’s new album “Gleam” was officially released.
Although the promotional campaign wasn’t extensive, the sheer number of fans and followers, coupled with Yu Nian’s innate ability to trend, combined to make each aspect of his album release generate a substantial buzz. His background story was revealed, and he once again donated sixteen national treasures, making each piece of news highly impactful. As a result, even before the album’s official release, the pre-sale phase had broken numerous records.
As the digital and physical versions of the album were released simultaneously, in less than an hour, the digital album’s sales on the three major music platforms had surpassed a million copies. On the 24-hour sales chart for audio-visual products on shopping platforms, the physical album of “Gleam” skyrocketed to the top. The media even directly used headlines like “Sales Miracle.”
At the Xingyao Tower, Meng Yuan draped in a coat, closely monitored the real-time sales records of both the physical and digital versions. His brow was furrowed tightly. Shi Rou, equally nervous, had a dry throat as she said, “Brother Meng, the physical sales are skyrocketing very quickly. It’s likely that Nian Nian’s own physical album sales record will be broken soon!”
Meng Yuan was absent-minded, “Yeah, this was expected. It would be strange if the record wasn’t broken.”
Meng Yuan wasn’t speaking without reason. Compared to the state during the release of “Elegant,” Yu Nian’s current fame had risen to a new level, and his talent had gained widespread recognition. Based on the data from his previous single, it was highly unlikely that the sales of this official album would lag behind.
The release of the album “Gleam” was delayed more than expected, with almost a year passing since the last mini-album “Elegant.” Fans and followers were eagerly anticipating it, so once it was released, the data started skyrocketing rapidly.
Observing Meng Yuan’s expression, Shi Rou cautiously asked, “Brother Meng, what are you worried about?”
“I didn’t sleep a wink last night!” Meng Yuan’s eyes were noticeably shadowed due to lack of sleep, making him more irritable than usual, and even some foul language slipped out. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, “That song ‘Nocturne’ is a bomb. Why hasn’t it exploded yet? I can only relax once it explodes!”
Understanding what Meng Yuan was concerned about, Shi Rou quickly fell silent, waiting quietly for the data feedback. She didn’t dare to engage in conversation with Meng Yuan again, fearing that his unstable emotions might affect her.
However, after a while of silence from Shi Rou, Meng Yuan initiated a conversation himself, “No, this won’t do. Let’s chat about something. It’s torturous to just sit here waiting.”
Shi Rou thought of a topic, “Didn’t Sister Yu Qing post on social media yesterday, endorsing Nian Nian’s new album? She mentioned that her name was derived from ‘shore’s fragrant ferns, luxuriantly green,’ and the term ‘Gleam’ also appears in the line ‘or perhaps the smoke clears in an instant, a bright moon spans a thousand miles, a gleam leaps in gold, quiet shadows form a wall.’ The comments are saying that Sister Yu Qing is promoting the album using her own name… Haha,” she finished somewhat awkwardly, and her expression turned bitter, “Brother Meng, what would you like to talk about?”
Soon enough, Shi Rou was relieved as the data came in. She turned to the staff she had been monitoring and said, “Forums and Weibo are exploding together. The hashtag #YuNian’sNewAlbum# is trending second, and #YuNianXieYou# is trending first! Several major forum homepages are being flooded with the same topic!”
At this moment, the online discussions were still intensifying.
[#YuNianXieYou# I ordered the digital album even before the physical album was shipped. Gotta praise Nian Nian, it’s been almost a year of anticipation, and every song is amazing! Especially ‘Gleam’ and ‘Nocturne’! The vocals in ‘Gleam’ are so lazy and elegant, my ears are pregnant! The vocals in ‘Nocturne’ are super gentle and lingering! But, every song in the whole album has lyrics, composition, arrangement, and harmonies by Nian Nian, except ‘Nocturne’! The lyrics for ‘Nocturne’ are by Yu Nian, but the composition and arrangement are by Yu Nian and Xie You, and the piano accompaniment is by Xie You! This is driving me crazy!]
[#YuNianXieYou# Aaaaah, what kind of fairy-tale love story is this! You sing, and I accompany you! Writing melodies together, arranging together, in my album, in my songs, there’s only me and you! Only me and you! The YouYu girl is envious, feeling sour!]
[#YuNianXieYou# A bit of knowledge!! ‘Nocturne,’ a musical genre used to express feelings to a loved one. Originally, a ‘nocturne’ was a song sung by young men to their lovers’ windows at night, expressing their love, beautifully and lingeringly! (Information sourced from encyclopedias)]
[#YuNianXieYou# Leaving aside everything else, Yu Nian and Xie You’s collaboration is indeed a perfect match! Near-perfect arrangements and lyrics, Yu Nian’s pure and gentle voice, Xie You’s top-notch piano skills—so exhilarating! Not adding any other instruments is the right choice. Their harmony leaves no room for any form of intrusion!]
As the topics exploded, Meng Yuan actually let out a sigh of relief. With his tension easing, he slumped into a chair, “Finally, I can get a good night’s sleep tonight!” He raised his hand to rub his forehead, then sighed with a mix of bitterness, “Following Nian Nian’s careful approach, the public announcement isn’t far off. Steering the discourse, this is going to exhaust Father Meng!”
Shi Rou quickly reassured him, “Those who are capable should take on more responsibilities. Hang in there, Brother Meng!”
“Even if I can’t hang in there, I’ll forcibly hang in there,” Meng Yuan raised a finger, “Speaking of this topic, Rou Rou, how are the online comments about the new album?”
Upon hearing Meng Yuan ask about this, Shi Rou’s eyes lit up, “Very good!” Feeling that wasn’t accurate enough, she added a couple more words, “Extremely special, extremely excellent!”
Meng Yuan chuckled after hearing her, “Tongue-in-cheek praise, eh?”
Shi Rou widened her eyes, “Well, it is! Most of the music reviews, except for the deliberately eye-catching ones, are almost all giving it rave reviews! There’s a well-known music critic named Zhao Keyuan who said,”
She quickly retrieved a screenshot from her album and read aloud, “‘The reason why ‘Gleam’ sounds so captivating is not just due to excellent composition, but also because of the harmony between lyrics and melody. Due to the limitations of the four tones in Mandarin, many lyrics’ rhythms clash with the corresponding melody. This is why we often encounter lyrics that, when sung, have ambiguities, or upon hearing them, we’re left mystified about what’s being sung. This issue is quite common.
However, in this song by Yu Nian, the key words and melody blend perfectly. It sounds and feels almost naturally perfect when sung. We can also see Yu Nian’s dual mastery of words and melody. Even if he hasn’t reached the peak, he’s not far from the top.'”
After finishing the excerpt, Shi Rou couldn’t help but beam with pride, “Nian Nian is really amazing!”
“Indeed, this critic is known for being critical and analytical. It’s rare for him to praise someone like this.” Once he relaxed, Meng Yuan started to doze off. He raised his hand and his speech became less clear, “Rou Rou, keep an eye on things. Wake me up if there’s anything. In a couple of days, Nian Nian will appear on ‘Echo Radio’ for a live performance and it will explode again. I need to catch up on sleep first…”
On the 25th, the nanny car stopped outside the broadcasting studio of “Echo Radio.”
Trying his best to ignore the aura around Xie You, Meng Yuan sat upright in his seat, “Um… this show is a well-established weekly live music broadcast in China—”
Yu Nian chuckled, “Brother Meng, I’ve already been on ‘Echo Radio’ twice before.”
“It has a wide audience, very high viewership, and high popularity,” Meng Yuan cleared his throat, “Don’t interrupt me. What I want to emphasize is that this is a live broadcast, live. Do you understand? Live broadcasts can’t be edited afterward! So, you and President Xie… restrain yourselves a bit!”
Understanding Meng Yuan’s point, Yuan Nian’s smile deepened, “Rest assured, Brother Meng. We won’t be kissing or hugging on stage.”
Hearing those two words, Meng Yuan had already mentally pictured the scene in half a second. He slapped his forehead and took a deep breath, “Alright, alright, stop emphasizing it. The more I hear, the more frightened I become!”
At this moment, a light tapping sound came from the window. When they turned their heads, they saw Qu Xiaoran’s beaming face.
As Qu Xiaoran entered the car, he immediately exclaimed, “I brought an extra-large support sign! It’ll definitely outshine all the fans in the audience!” He then deliberately addressed Meng Yuan, “Manager Meng, are you nervous? How’s your mood? Have you got the water army and marketing accounts all set?”
Meng Yuan looked utterly defeated, “President Qu, are you still the boss of Xingyao Entertainment?”
Qu Xiaoran slapped his thigh and burst into laughter. Once his laughter subsided, he proudly declared, “Today, I am the YouYu Boy!”
Meng Yuan didn’t hold back, muttering, “It’s a miracle that Xingyao Entertainment hasn’t gone bankrupt…”
Qu Xiaoran wasn’t offended at all. He laughed heartily and then grinned mischievously, “Dare you say that in front of my brother?”
After that, he made a “whoosh whoosh” gesture, “My brother will smack you!”
Finishing his jest, he turned to Xie You, “Auntie will also come. I made a support sign for her too, but she didn’t feel comfortable bringing it!”
Xie You nodded, “Yes, she told me. She’ll come over once her work is done.”
Qu Xiaoran reached out and patted Xie You’s shoulder. Countless words and emotions spun around in his heart, circling and circling, but in the end, he only said, “Xie Xiaoyou, I’ve been waiting for the day to hear you play the piano again for several years.”
“Echo Radio” started airing exactly at five o’clock on Saturday afternoon. After the opening scene, the MV of “Gleam” appeared on the screen, with a voiceover introducing, “This song is from the latest album of the renowned musician Yu Nian, which has caused a sensation since its release…”
After the introduction, the camera switched back to the broadcasting studio, where Yu Nian was sitting on the sofa, attentively listening to the host’s questions.
“May I ask why the song is called ‘Gleam’? Does it have any special meaning?”
Yu Nian was dressed in all white, wearing a white silk shirt underneath and a short coat reminiscent of a vintage court style. There was a badge on his chest, and irregular fringe adorned his shoulders. The slim pants highlighted his narrow waist and long, straight legs, and the ankle boots added a touch of elegance.
After giving it some thought, Yu Nian answered, “The term ‘Gleam’ is derived from the lyrics ‘a fragment of paper with gleam’ in the song. The meaning is somewhat like, on a scrap of paper, because it bears the handwriting of someone you love, even in the depths of despair, that scrap of paper glows with a faint halo, giving strength and perseverance.”
“I see, that’s really beautiful!” The host asked a few more questions related to the album, then turned to the camera, “Now, please welcome Yu Nian to perform the songs ‘Gleam’ and ‘Serenade’.”
The scene switched to the stage, the lights dimmed, and as the first musical note rang out, the stage’s spotlight illuminated. Yu Nian, dressed in a pure white performance outfit, stood under the beam of light. His skin looked like white porcelain, and even every strand of hair seemed to be glowing, incredibly dazzling, and commanding attention.
The barrage of the live stream instantly multiplied, flooded with numerous “ahhhs” that quickly dominated the screen.
The song “Gleam” lasted nearly five minutes. After the accompaniment faded, the screen displayed the name and information of the song “Serenade”.
[Piano accompaniment! Xie You! Did I just see what I thought I saw? Is it really?!]
[Game over for the YouYu girl’s heart ahhh!]
On the dimly lit stage, a profound quietness prevailed, and slicing through that silence was the crystalline sound of the piano, which started the performance.
As a piano key was struck, one of the lights on the stage illuminated. With the delicate rendition of the initial melody, all the lights on the stage gradually brightened.
As the platform slowly ascended, a grand black Steinway grand piano emerged into view. Seated at the piano was Xie You, dressed in a hand-tailored black tailcoat, polished leather shoes, and a perfectly straight posture.
Because he faced the piano keys, the camera could only capture his profile. But even with just a glance, one would be amazed by the meticulously crafted features of his facial lines and his understated and cool temperament.
When he and Yu Nian appeared on the same stage, the live audience fell silent, and the barrage on the streaming platform seemed to stutter.
It wasn’t until Yu Nian held the microphone and sang the first line of lyrics along with the piano accompaniment that everyone’s senses were awakened.
[I need to screenshot this ahhh! What kind of divine scene is this! Yu Nian and President Xie! Why am I not there in person? I’m crying so loudly!]
[President Xie’s appearance is too heavenly! He looks amazing in a tailcoat! Are his piano-playing fingers a work of peerless art? The two of them together, I’m going crazy ahhh!]
[President Xie is playing the piano! He was a genius student at Leto back in the day too, tears in my eyes!]
As “Serenade” progressed into its interlude, the piano notes became soft and gentle, like the fragrance of a subtle rose, drifting under the night breeze and moonlight, suspended on the terrace.
Yu Nian put down the microphone, turned around, and stepped onto the stage one by one. His eyes and lips carried a smile, and he walked to the grand piano, stopping in front of it. The tassels on his shoulder epaulets swayed gently, creating a shimmering effect.
At the same time, Xie You’s piano-playing hands didn’t pause, but he quietly lifted his gaze and looked toward Yu Nian.
Their gazes met, and in Yu Nian’s eyes, it seemed as though stars were twinkling. He smiled at Xie You. Xie You’s eyes had a ripple-like effect, but after only three seconds of locking gazes with Yu Nian, he lowered his eyelashes again.
[I’m dead!!!!!! Ascended to heaven!!!!!!]
[What’s it like to have a crush on someone? When you look at them, your eyes are filled with stars! Sob sob sob ahhh!]
[I-I-I don’t know what to say! Please get married right there!]
[I’m so scared and I really don’t want to say that I’m unwilling to see Nian Nian in a relationship! But this scene! Aaahh, please be together! Begging on my knees!!]
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