Chapter 586: The Real Side

The quality of a song largely depends on how well it is known and how well it sells. In other words, if most people have never even heard a song or don't find it pleasant, it can hardly be considered a good song.

The distinction between highbrow and lowbrow art is, in modern society, a rather pretentious one. Only those with a petty bourgeois mindset clamor that listening to opera is high art while pop music is vulgar.

But now the song Li Jian had taken out for Zhao Fusheng surprised him considerably.

"Forever in Your Arms..."

Zhao Fusheng hummed the tune, his expression quite vivid. To be honest, he was already accustomed to such temporal dislocations.

"What do you think?" Compared to Zhao Fusheng's calm composure, Li Jian was somewhat nervous, after all, this was his new album.

Zhao Fusheng smiled slightly and looked up. "Did you write this song?"

"Yes," Li Jian nodded, a hint of expectation in his eyes. Clearly, he hoped to gain Zhao Fusheng's approval.

Zhao Fusheng laughed. To be honest, this feeling was really nice. After all, in his previous life, Li Jian was a singer he really liked, but now he was waiting for Zhao Fusheng's approval like a primary school student.

People sometimes have this feeling: someone who was once unattainable and needed to be looked up to suddenly appears by your side and doesn't seem so hard to approach. That feeling is really interesting.

"Very good."

After a long pause, Zhao Fusheng slowly spoke to Li Jian. "I think this song could become your representative work in the future."

Representative work?

Hearing Zhao Fusheng's words, Li Jian was stunned. He never expected Zhao Fusheng's evaluation of the song to be so high.

"Good music is music that resonates with people. Listening to the ripples struck by notes in the dead of night, it's as if you see a stone breaking the water's surface and slowly sinking. The trivialities wrapped in daily life tumble along the whirlpool stirred by the thrown stone, and the emotions immersed in the dark night are insignificant," Zhao Fusheng slowly spoke, his tone as if envisioning something.

"Like water flowing over riverbanks, grass growing silently, spring spreading into the wilderness. The clear flute and clarinet respond lightly and joyfully, used to describe Carmen's joy and love. But I hear a desolate and deep silence beyond the singing, like in the vast boundless world, a voice blooms into a flower, and then inescapably, silence answers it. Only here, only now, everything sets off the thick and boundless background of brilliance."

After a long while, Zhao Fusheng looked up at Li Jian. "This is what I want to express. I hope to resonate with others, but I can't write a song that conveys this emotion."

Li Jian was silent. After a long time, he looked up at Zhao Fusheng. "I think I understand what you mean."

An ordinary person would certainly not understand Zhao Fusheng's almost pretentious words, but Li Jian was no ordinary person. As a top student from Tsinghua University and a scholar, his literary foundation allowed him to quickly grasp Zhao Fusheng's meaning.

In life, what you give is what you get—this is the most basic rule. Even if beautiful women and handsome men have inherent advantages, they can't just lie around waiting for a pie to fall from the sky.

Making music is like being a person. To write good works, without depth, it's impossible.

When leaving the hotel, Zhao Fusheng departed under Li Jian's grateful gaze. After all, he had given Li Jian considerable confidence, telling him that this album would surely succeed.

Because Li Jian was pressed for time and could only stay one night, they agreed to have dinner together, and Zhao Fusheng left first.

Since Li Jian was here, he had to arrange some Northeastern specialties for him.

Li Jian wasn't picky. He was used to being casual. In his worldview, music was the most important thing; material pleasures didn't matter at all.

Back at the dormitory, Tan Kaixuan had just returned and was scribbling something at the desk. Seeing Zhao Fusheng come in, he asked curiously, "Where did you go?"

"A friend came from out of town, so I went to meet him," Zhao Fusheng replied.

"Friend?"

Tan Kaixuan looked at Zhao Fusheng with some surprise. He had never heard of Zhao Fusheng having any out-of-town friends.

The two had known each other for quite a while, having been close since freshman year, but he had never heard Zhao Fusheng mention any contact with classmates from other places.

"Well, a singer," Zhao Fusheng originally didn't want to tell Tan Kaixuan, but after thinking it over, he said, "You know Li Jian from Shuimu Nianhua, right?"

"Really? Are you kidding?" Tan Kaixuan was startled, then stood up in surprise.

Campus folk songs were quite popular in this era. Someone like Li Jian was definitely an idol among college students, and even Tan Kaixuan, now worth millions, was no exception.

Zhao Fusheng could even clearly feel that the guy's breathing had quickened.

Fortunately, Li Jian was a man; otherwise, Zhao Fusheng would have worried that Tan Kaixuan had some improper thoughts.

But even so, Zhao Fusheng was quite surprised by Tan Kaixuan's reaction. He hadn't noticed before that Tan Kaixuan was a literary youth.

"No kidding. Do you want to come along tonight?" Zhao Fusheng said to Tan Kaixuan.

"Of course, he's my idol," Tan Kaixuan nodded eagerly like a chick pecking at rice.

Zhao Fusheng was speechless. He could only say that everyone in this world has some unknown hobbies.

At dinner that evening, Zhao Fusheng was truly shocked by Tan Kaixuan. The moment he saw Li Jian, he acted like he'd found a long-lost relative, completely turning into a fan—so enthusiastic, so respectful.

"Teacher Li, I really like your songs."

"Teacher Li, could you give me an autograph?"

"Teacher Li, try this, it's a specialty of Ninghai..."

In the end, Zhao Fusheng couldn't bear to watch anymore. He covered his forehead, wanting to say he didn't know this guy.

Li Jian also hadn't expected Zhao Fusheng to have such a friend.

But having been a star for so many years, he could understand fan behavior. They were probably the most adorable people in the world, loving a stranger they might never meet for no reason and without expecting anything in return, just for the satisfaction in their hearts.

Zhao Fusheng had to admit that today's Tan Kaixuan showed him another side.