HDIEUMDBTSB Chapter 53: Drinking Problem?
Volume 2: The Road to Gaining Fans
Chapter 3: Drinking Problem?
"Ninth Brother, Ninth Brother, I’m here."
"Wow, is this Orange’s home? It’s so clean."
"I heard they’re going to film the making of Ninth Brother’s new album. I wonder if it’s true. The last one, ‘Chu Kingdom Red Rain,’ had plagiarism issues, which was really upsetting."
"I’m just a passerby, but I got attracted by the backlit stage. Here to check it out."
"Here to check in for Ninth Brother."
Many fans, or “little fruits,” had come to check in. Currently, Chu Zhi’s popularity on Weibo had surpassed the “perennial champion” Wu Tang. Although Weibo is not a complete measure of popularity, it is an important reference. Within a few minutes of the broadcast starting, the number of people in the live room had exceeded fifty thousand.
Don’t believe those claims of hundreds of thousands or even millions of viewers on some live streaming platforms. Popularity does not equate to the number of viewers; there’s a lot of inflation in the platform's calculation methods.
At the start of the broadcast, two hosts greeted the audience. One male and one female each said, "I’m Pang Pu, leading Xiao Mang’s friends in the live room to see the star," and "I’m Wei Tongzi, leading Xiao Mang’s friends to experience the star’s life."
"Jade seeks a worthy price in the casket, hairpins wait to fly in the box. Welcome to 'Red · Dream,' let’s enjoy the star’s dream together," they said in unison.
The opening lines were fixed to present the show’s theme, and then the live room camera angles changed to introduce the star’s residence.
"Mr. Chu’s room is quite large. My dream is to buy a house like this," Wei Tongzi said, walking around the living room and showcasing the awards to the audience.
Pang Pu’s camera first focused on the entrance. When setting up the cameras yesterday, they found a neat row of wine bottles at the entrance. The scriptwriter, Frog Sun, had asked Chu Zhi if they should clean it up, but after a long silence, the homeowner simply replied, "There’s nothing I can’t show people."
"Oh? We can see a lot of wine bottles. Did you hold a party at home?" Pang Pu said. "We’ll ask Mr. Chu later which celebrities attended the party."
The two hosts took the audience through the living room and kitchen. It was indeed very business-like, especially the kitchen, which showed no signs of use. Then they moved to the study, with the on-site photographer following under Guodong’s direction. The door was slightly ajar, and Pang Pu knocked.
Chu Zhi stood up to greet them, "Brother Pang, Tongzi."
"No need, Mr. Chu. Just act as you normally would," Pang Pu said.
Hearing this, Chu Zhi smiled, "Then I’ll continue reading." He was studying history books that morning.
"The bookshelf is mostly filled with history books. Mr. Chu, do you really enjoy history?" Wei Tongzi asked. "I thought only older people could calm down and study history seriously."
The moment he heard the knock, Chu Zhi transformed into his super alter ego, Emperor Beast.
"Not really research, but Chinese culture, including skills, customs, literati, and more, fascinates me," Chu Zhi said. "The key is that it’s very interesting. For example, ancient people’s insults can be hard to understand without some knowledge. They often used the term 'neither three nor four.' Both 'The Scholars' and 'Water Margin' use this term. Why is it an insult?"
"In the I Ching, each hexagram is divided into six lines. The third and fourth lines are in the middle, symbolizing the right path. So 'neither three nor four' translates to 'a loafer without a proper job' in modern terms," Chu Zhi explained briefly. "Understanding history doesn’t have to be taken too seriously."
"I didn’t know that," Wei Tongzi, being a fan, cooperated fully.
The “little fruits” in the live room were equally cooperative, flooding the chat with comments: "Ninth Brother really loves to learn," "I didn’t like history because teachers just made us memorize facts, but hearing Ninth Brother explain it suddenly makes it interesting," "Protect the best Orange," "No wonder he could write 'Wind Blowing Over the Wheat Field.' He’s always improving..."
As long as the fan filter is thick enough, they’ll praise anything. Right now, the chat was full of praise for Chu Zhi’s love of learning. But it has to be said, an idol’s influence is indeed significant. Teachers and parents might talk until they’re blue in the face, but one word from an idol can be more effective. Especially when Chu Zhi added, "I hope the viewers in the live room can read more if they have time," prompting more fans to pledge to take their history classes more seriously.
Reading might interest the fans, but casual viewers might find it boring, so Pang Pu quickly stirred things up.
He asked, "There are many wine bottles at the entrance. Have you held a party recently, Mr. Chu?"
People love to peek into a celebrity's social circle, wanting to know what kind of friends such a famous person has.
"The wine bottles at the entrance... I clean them up about once every two weeks," Chu Zhi replied. "I haven't held any parties; I drank them all myself."
"Huh?" Pang Pu, who had been planning to ask which celebrities attended the party, swallowed his words. Is this artist really this bold?
Celebrities are supposed to set a good example. Even if everyone thinks drinking privately is fine, it's better not to say such things in front of the camera.
As a professional host, Pang Pu wanted to create buzz but wasn't malicious. So he quickly adjusted his approach: "Was there something to celebrate? If Mr. Chu had something happy to celebrate, share it with our live audience so we can all be happy together."
"The main reason—it's hard to fall asleep without drinking," Chu Zhi answered, then quickly added, "Minors should not drink, and adult viewers should also be cautious. Alcohol is harmful to the body, so drink less."
Isn't that a sign of alcohol dependence? Pang Pu thought upon hearing this.
As fans, they interpreted this as him being stressed and drinking to help with insomnia due to the recent attacks and depression. Wei Tongzi wanted to ask more, but the voice of the on-site director, Meng Teng, came through her earpiece: "Ask about the schedule."
Chu Zhi's daily schedule was displayed in the live room. He got up at 7:30, washed up, ordered takeout, and after breakfast, he read books. Lunch was casual, and the afternoon and evening were spent working on his new album. Dinner was also takeout.
"Can you give us an exclusive preview of your new album?" Wei Tongzi asked.
"The style of the new album is tentatively pop and rock, and the theme is 'Limited World and Infinite Joy.'"
The original artist didn't know much about music, not even basic album planning. After learning about it, Chu Zhi understood that an album is not just a collection of good songs. An album with a bunch of hit songs is called a compilation, usually released after a singer has been in the industry for many years.
A good album needs a theme, and everything from the cover and music videos to the songs should serve this theme.
For example, Jay Chou's iconic album "Ye Hui Mei" was named after his mother to express his longing for her. The songs in the album, such as "In the Name of the Father," complement this theme. The album showcases talent with songs like "Class Three Grade Two," "Terraced Fields," "Sunny Day," and "East Wind Breaks," blending retro elements with modern ones. Jay Chou himself said in interviews that "Ye Hui Mei" is about reminiscing the past and looking forward to the future.
It might seem far-fetched, but the "Ye Hui Mei" album cover features a modern suit alongside an old-fashioned cowboy outfit in the upper left corner.
Now, let's see how Chu Zhi manages to tie two seemingly unrelated albums together. He explained, "The limited world is my world, my world is limited by my knowledge, experiences, and various life skills. Infinite joy is my aspiration."
"In my limited world, 'Wind Blowing Over the Wheat Field' is a beautiful scene, and 'Light' is hope. Simply put, with my limited abilities, I hope to bring infinite joy to my fans," Chu Zhi said.
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