Huayu: A master director who debuted as a singer

Chapter 55 Public Opinion Attack

Back in his hotel room, Zheng Hui went to the bar, poured himself a glass of water, and drank it all in one gulp.

These Hong Kong people! His mind was still replaying what Mani Fok had just said.

Even if he sold five million cassette tapes in mainland China, and even if he swept up more than ten thousand copies in a single weekend in Taiwan, it was still not enough in the eyes of these Hong Kong people who consider themselves the entertainment center of Asia.

They still maintained that arrogant and condescending attitude.

In Hong Kong, a platinum record is equivalent to 50,000 copies.

At the current rate, achieving platinum status in both Hong Kong and Taiwan is almost a certainty, and even double platinum status is not a big problem.

Faced with such solid data, they felt that putting him on equal footing with Nicholas Tse was a favor to him.

Nicholas Tse has released two albums and one EP.

How many units were sold?

All of them combined don't even amount to what he sells in just one province in mainland China.

What representative works does Nicholas Tse have now, besides being the son of Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee and being labeled as rebellious?

"This guy is not even worthy of competing with him?" Zheng Hui even found it a little funny.

As for the so-called film and television resources that Huo Wenxi mentioned, he had a library of classic films from the next few decades in his mind.

The script, storyboard, and lines are all stored in his mind. As long as he has money and people, he can film it himself, and even film it better. Why would he need to beg them for scraps?

So he refused decisively.

However, despite his displeasure, Zheng Hui didn't plan to do anything immediately.

This is Hong Kong, after all; it's their territory.

His current base is in the mainland, in that huge market with over a billion people.

After these two days of promotional activities, he has to return to Beijing, where the Spring Festival Gala rehearsal is the main event.

That's a stage for a billion viewers. Once you've established yourself there, the rumors and gossip in Hong Kong won't even make a ripple.

He drew the curtains, shutting out the hustle and bustle.

go to bed.

The next morning, Manager Chen knocked on the door right on time: "Mr. Zheng, today's schedule is a bit tight."

Manager Chen handed over a cup of coffee: "This morning, it's Cha Xiaoxin's 'Baba Bibian Ge Gou Wo Cha' on the Commercial Radio. This program has a very high listenership, so you need to be on your toes."

"Cha Xiaoxin?"

"Yes, she's known for her sharp tongue in Hong Kong, so her questions might be a bit tricky."

Manager Chen reminded him, "But you just need to answer using the same approach as yesterday. If you really can't answer something, I'll help you out."

The car pulled up to the broadcasting area, and Zheng Hui walked into the live broadcast studio, where Cha Xiaoxin was already sitting.

"Hello, Ms. Cha." Zheng Hui extended his hand.

Cha Xiaoxin stood up and shook hands with him: "Mr. Zheng, I've heard so much about you. The newcomer king with five million sales, it's great to finally meet you today."

Her tone was polite, but her eyes held a scrutinizing gaze.

The live stream has started.

The questions were all pretty standard: sales figures, autograph sessions in Taiwan, and impressions of Hong Kong.

Zheng Hui answered fluently, and even told some jokes from later generations, which made the staff in the control room laugh.

Halfway through the program, Cha Siu-yan changed the subject: "Mr. Cheng, I was chatting with a singer friend recently, and we talked about your album."

Zheng Hui looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

Cha Xiaoxin's tone became somewhat sharp: "My friend said that after listening to your song, he felt... how should I put it, it was a bit empty."

"Empty?" Zheng Hui repeated.

Cha Xiaoxin nodded: "He said that in your lyrics there is only 'I believe,' only 'my sky,' only 'I want to fly.'"

But no one else ever appeared; neither you nor she did.

Moreover, these overly rousing slogans, after being heard too often, feel like mere chanting, a simple motivational song lacking any human touch.

The air in the live broadcast room seemed to freeze for a moment, and Manager Chen, standing outside the glass wall, frowned.

This is a thorny issue, and a very sharp one at that.

If he doesn't answer well, the next day's newspaper headline will be "Zheng Hui criticized for empty lyrics and only knowing how to shout slogans".

Zheng Hui looked at Cha Xiaoxin; he was neither flustered nor angry.

"Miss Cha, what year is it now?" Zheng Hui suddenly asked.

Cha Xiaoxin paused for a moment: "1998."

"Yes, 1998. Just a few months ago, the financial crisis swept across Asia."

Hong Kong's stock market has halved in value, and its property market has plummeted.

I walked down the street and saw many shops closed, and many people sitting on park benches, lost in thought.

Cha Xiaoxin didn't speak; she looked at Zheng Hui.

Zheng Hui continued, "Many people have lost their jobs, their homes, and even their confidence in tomorrow."

At this time, when everyone feels their future is uncertain.

I'll go sing "I love you," I'll go sing "You and I are inseparable," I'll go sing "It's so painful to be heartbroken."

Is this appropriate?

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried throughout the streets and alleys of Hong Kong through the microphone.

Taxi drivers, diners at tea restaurants, and office workers in office buildings all stopped what they were doing.

"My songs are not meant to ignore others."

On the contrary, I want to tell every "me" who is going through a low point: you must first find yourself and stand firm before you can embrace others.

If you can't even say "I believe" out loud, what makes you think you can say "I love you"?

Cha Xiaoxin looked at Zheng Hui, the disdain in her eyes lessening somewhat. His answer was reasonable and well-founded, and it elevated the issue to a higher level.

It has evolved from personal emotions to the broader social context, transforming slogans into a powerful voice of the times.

"Well said." Cha Xiaoxin nodded, but she clearly wasn't going to let it go so easily: "However, music is ultimately about expressing emotions. Being too self-absorbed will eventually make people feel a bit distant."

Zheng Hui smiled but didn't respond to that question. Instead, he asked, "Ms. Cha, would you mind telling me who your singer friend is?"

"I'd also like to get to know him and hear his insights on music."

This is a surprise attack, and in this situation, the host would usually try to brush it off by mentioning a friend in the industry.

But Cha Xiaoxin seemed to have no qualms about it; she looked at Zheng Hui and uttered a name.

"Tingfeng".

Zheng Hui smiled. Sure enough, this was Emperor Entertainment's counterattack.

Cha Siu-yan's original name was Lai Siu-ming. She used to be an entertainment news reporter for Ming Pao, but later changed her surname to Cha in order to associate herself with Jin Yong.

In the memories of later generations, the relationship between this woman and the King remained unclear.

She frequently reveals exclusive scoops about Emperor Entertainment artists, and even acted as a mouthpiece for the Tse family in major events like the Nicholas Tse-Cecilia Cheung relationship.

She is basically Emperor Entertainment's external communication channel.

Having just rejected Yang Shoucheng yesterday, Nicholas Tse's comments were spoken through Cha Siu-yan's mouth today.

This teamwork is truly seamless.

Zheng Hui laughed, his laughter carrying a hint of contempt as it traveled through the radio waves.

"So it's the young master of the Xie family." Zheng Hui emphasized the word "young master."

"No wonder. Young Master Xie has lived a life of luxury since childhood, always traveling in luxury cars and associating with the likes of ordinary people. For him, the financial crisis is probably just a matter of buying a few less clothes or changing a few less sports cars."

"He can't experience the suffering of people at the bottom of society, and he can't understand why those who are struggling to make a living need a 'I believe' to support them and keep going."

"In his world, perhaps only talking about love is music. As for the shouts of us ordinary people, to him, they are just noise and slogans."

Zheng Hui looked at Cha Xiaoxin and said, word by word, "How can a sparrow know the ambition of a swan? How can you, young master, understand the suffering of the common people?"

Cha Xiaoxin's expression changed.

She didn't expect Zheng Hui to be so harsh, directly putting Nicholas Tse on the execution block of a rich young master who knows nothing of the hardships of ordinary people.

When the program was over, the director cut off the signal and interrupted the broadcast with a "GG" message.

Zheng Hui took off his headphones, stood up, and straightened his clothes.

"Ms. Cha, thank you for your hospitality."

After saying that, he didn't even glance at Cha Xiaoxin before pushing open the door and walking out.