Chapter 59: Courtyard: Starting from an Overnight Sensation

"So, what kind of song is 'Riding the Waves', anyway? Does anyone know? Is it about overcoming wind and breaking waves?"

"No idea. I've never heard of the opponent's song, 'Carrickfergus', either."

In fact, many people have heard the classic background music in various films without knowing the names of the tracks, and this Irish folk song was no exception.

Because they were unfamiliar with the tune, readers had no idea what purpose "Riding the Waves" served in the novel. They could understand the previous musical showdowns, but this final "rustic" choice was truly baffling.

Uncomprehending as they were, it was more than enough to exchange their chapter-following counts for the songs. Ever since those hidden perks appeared, everyone had been quite diligent about keeping up with the updates.

The results of the film and television evaluation were quite intriguing. The person who secured the highest overall acting contract was Chi Leying. Compared to Yu Wei, who was still in the novice zone, her acting skills were evidently much more polished.

The jury's review of Yu Wei was wonderfully direct: Let's exchange contact information later and talk about a collaboration when you have time... While all the other trainees were looking for jobs, his engagement had turned straight into a partnership.

They saw immense commercial value in Yu Wei's two adaptations; his creative talent not only showcased his own persona but could also be "tailor-made" for others.

This kind of creative prowess was terrifying. There were plenty of terrible dramas and bad films carried to success purely by their music, and it was clear he possessed the capability to single-handedly elevate an entire team.

To put it without exaggeration, the crowd of film and television industry professionals were practically drooling when they looked at Yu Wei. If his future background music maintained the standard of "Riding the Waves," collaborating with him would be a guaranteed profit with zero risk.

"Teacher, do you think my 3.8-rated TV series still stands a chance?"

Yu Wei didn't outright refuse; he added the contact, but the collaboration was off the table. He was still young, and his reputation mattered more to him than money...

As soon as the show recording wrapped up, Yu Wei wasted no time booking a plane ticket home. Being away was fine in every other aspect, but typing chapters was genuinely inconvenient. Over the past few days, he felt like he had practically worn out his phone's keyboard.

The protagonist's journey in the "Singer-Songwriter" competition within the novel had temporarily come to a close, so Yu Wei waved his hand grandly and decided to have Wei Yu release an entire album.

His main goal was to stockpile songs while the reading requirements were still low. If he didn't ruthlessly exchange for songs now when the requirement was only a few thousand follows, it would become troublesome once the demand rose to tens of thousands.

An album contained many songs; exchanging for a bunch at once felt just like drawing ten cards in a row—the thought alone was immensely satisfying.

Although singles generated higher short-term traffic, albums possessed a more sustainable monetization potential and brand premium. For a singer aiming for true prominence, having only hit singles without an album simply wouldn't cut it.

Wei Yu in the novel needed it, and he needed it himself.

Although albums had a long production cycle, they formed the foundation for a singer to build a long-term brand. Singles might be fast to produce, but their life cycle was short; the louder they exploded, the faster they vanished.

Whether a single song could sustain a career for a lifetime, Yu Wei wasn't sure, but a high-end, quality album definitely could...

Just as he was boarding the plane and pondering the theme of the album, Liu Ning suddenly informed him that the music video for "Hearing the Sound of Rain" had officially gone live.

"I almost forgot about this thing."

In comparison, Yu Wei still placed more value on "The Tuner," the byproduct of that earlier shoot. This music video felt far too ordinary, and he doubted it would cause much of a stir.

Lv Zhou's team had been tied up with the short film's schedule, leaving little time to process the music video. However, "The Tuner" had already been submitted by Qi Luowan right at the deadline two days ago, which finally gave them time to put the finishing touches on the music video.

Yu Wei couldn't help but think of the music video's female lead, Qi Luowan. She would probably receive a fair bit of attention because of this... even though she hardly wanted it.

"Good luck."

After sending the final message, he switched his phone to airplane mode.

...

Qi Luowan curled up on a rattan chair in the cool shade of the doorway. The sunlight shattered against the old eaves, and the kicked-up dust motes danced in the courtyard, not a single speck landing on her shoulders.

If Yu Wei could see the environment she was in right now, he definitely would have shouted a few more praises about her being a true Peking local, living in a traditional courtyard house—this was the real deal.

"How am I supposed to start school after this?"

The moment she heard the music video had gone live, she knew trouble was brewing. The music video itself was mediocre in quality, but it couldn't withstand the blessing of Yu Wei's popularity.

Anyone who followed Yu Wei was bound to take a look, such as her roommates. Within a mere five minutes, they had already sent Qi Luowan dozens of messages.

Being tagged in the dorm group chat wasn't even the worst of it; one by one, they started sliding into her direct messages with endless questions. Forget explaining—she couldn't even read through them all.

Qi Luowan finally understood the thrill of a web-novel protagonist becoming an overnight sensation, though she was merely the chicken and dog that ascended to heaven in the wake of Yu Wei's success.

The online reviews for the music video were quite objective: the video was simply too standard, utterly middle-of-the-road, with a story that was almost cliché, though the lead actor and actress were very good-looking.

This must have been Qi Luowan's reentry into the public eye—yes, her reentry.

"Wanwan, who's here?"

The voice inside the house was mellow and lingering. Though it carried a distinct trace of twilight, every single word was as soft and gentle as a feather, enough to hint at the lingering charm of a melodious singing voice from her youth.

"Nobody... Oh, wait, someone actually is here."

Qi Luowan peered closely and saw none other than her older brother, Qi Yuan, poking his head in from the doorway. Grandma's ears were truly sharp; she could hear him from so far away.

"What wind blew you here?"

She had fled all the way to her grandmother's place to escape, yet she still couldn't find peace. Since Qi Yuan paid such close attention to Yu Wei, he must have already discovered the music video. She needed to figure out how to brush him off...

"A foul wind." Stepping into the small courtyard, Qi Yuan first glanced sidelong at the main house before lowering his voice. "I was wondering how you managed to bribe Yu Wei. Turns out you came out of retirement to help him shoot stuff."

"..."

Qi Luowan felt that there was really no need for her to make up any lies; her older brother was perfectly capable of convincing himself.

It was a pity his train of thought wasn't used for writing novels. If he asked Yu Wei for a chapter recommendation, he would definitely hit it big...

"I didn't demand that you be a loving sister to me, and I'm no demon. But what is the meaning of scheming against me twice? Where has your conscience gone? You're only twenty-one, right? If this keeps up, by the time you're forty-two you'll have sabotaged me four times, and by eighty-four you'll have sabotaged me eight times, eventually turning us into lifelong nemeses. As your older brother, I really might have to discipline you. Seriously."

Qi Yuan muttered to himself for a moment before abruptly changing the subject, announcing that he was here to see Grandma today.

Strictly speaking by blood relations, this elderly woman was actually his maternal grandmother, considering how half of his father's status was that of a matrilocal husband. Though he didn't take his mother's surname, local custom still dictated he call her grandmother.

Mainly, there were no elders on his father's side, so the title went uncontested. Old Qi had also been raised by his paternal grandparents, making him practically an adopted son.

In the main hall, an old lady sat quietly wearing reading glasses, her full head of silver hair loosely coiled with a plain jade hairpin, her bearing poised and elegant.

The scent of sandalwood still lingered softly in the air. The moment he saw her, the usually somewhat boisterous Qi Yuan transformed completely, hurriedly approaching her with a touch of obedience.

"Yuan-yuan is here. You've grown even more handsome."

"Grandma, I'm here to tell you some good news." Qi Yuan squatted half-way in front of the elderly woman, explaining with utmost sincerity, "I've finally decided on the path I want to take in the future. A very impressive friend of mine woke me up."

"Oh?"

The previously absent-minded old woman's gaze instantly grew a bit clearer. She knew her grandson quite well—he was proud and unbridled in his youth. What kind of person could possibly win his genuine admiration?

"He is truly amazing. He has drive, talent, and a wonderful personality. In him, it's as if I saw the shadow of Grandfather from the stories."

Qi Yuan's tone genuinely sounded as though he had met his life's confidant, and he chattered on endlessly about Yu Wei, completely failing to notice the change in his grandmother's expression.

As the sunlight swept across the old woman's slightly sunken eye sockets, a flash of moisture abruptly crossed the depths of her pupils, like an unextinguished lamp in the deep corridors of a grand mansion, suddenly illuminating the black-and-white imagery of half a century ago.

Could there truly be someone cut from the same cloth?

"Their experiences are so similar, too—both starting from complete obscurity and rising to prominence overnight. I believe my friend will definitely be able to achieve a legend just like Grandfather..."

"That's quite enough!"

Qi Luowan, who had remained silent on the side for a long time, cut him off flatly, her calm voice even tinged with a hint of anger.

The sudden outburst startled Qi Yuan. Although the siblings usually bickered, Wanwan rarely lost her temper in earnest, let alone right in front of Grandma.

Had he said something wrong?

"You people are so annoying! You're always talking about how someone is the shadow of someone else, or the reincarnation of another. Can't a person just be themselves?"

"What legends and stories? All I know is that he's a writer, and his own story is his alone to write."