Chapter 68
Lin Qin didn’t know about what was happening online. He and Meng Chao were fully immersed in filming, absorbed in their work, and that Weibo post from the Studio had been posted deliberately by Chu Hong after she observed things for two days.
Because it was indeed true that after the gloom, came brightness. Lin Qin was gradually moving on from his past, so there was no need to play the sympathy card. They had faced what had happened head-on, but they wouldn’t use his past to market Lin Qin or build a persona for him.
Chu Hong looked deeply at Lin Qin, who was filming peacefully, then lowered her head to scroll through the comments under the studio’s post.
She had already contacted several major fans to guide public opinion, trying to shift the focus towards campus violence and to not leave Lin Qin with a tragic image.
And those major fans were capable, because now the comments under the Studio’s post were discussing campus violence as a social issue and the role teachers played in it.
Public opinion gradually shifted away from Lin Qin, and by evening, major official media outlets started speaking out against campus violence, advocating against it to foster a healthy growing environment for the nation’s youth.
A week passed before Lin Qin learned about this, but there were no ups and downs in his emotions, because for him, the past was truly behind. One should look forward and not be confined by the past.
Lin Qin was also happy that the incident had raised awareness about the severity of campus violence and brought attention to its victims, because though it couldn’t eradicate the root cause of campus violence, it could at least serve as a warning.
Thus, the matter was then closed.
Lin Qin’s team didn’t exploit the incident for sympathy, but Lin Qin’s experience was indeed heartrending, causing his fans to sympathise with him deeply, solidifying a group of loyal fans, something which could be said to be an unexpected gain.
Life went on, and Lin Qin and Meng Chao also continued with their work. However a new person arrived at the crew of ‘Dark War’ in the Film City that day. It was Han Zhi, who had been a guest in the recording of ‘We Are Together’.
Han Zhi had been invited by the director for a cameo in ‘Dark War’ and to compose the theme song for it.
Ever since his leaked singing video went viral, Han Zhi once again caught the public’s eye, and his former company, recognizing his potential, approached him promising to promote him well. However that very same night, they planned to send him to a producer’s bed.
Having been shelved for years, Han Zhi was still proud and unyielding. Yes, he wanted to pursue his music dream, but he wouldn’t abandon his principles or bow down to do things he hated.
Unsurprisingly, his disobedience didn’t bring better resources for the company, so they planned to shelve him again. They had originally thought that years of shelving would wear down his spirit, however a stubborn stone was still a stubborn stone. Even if the sandstorm outside was harsh, he still remained unyielding, unfazed by it.
The company intended to continue shelving him, but didn’t anticipate Chu Tian Entertainment’s interest in him. Chu Tian Entertainment didn’t want to let a talent like him go to waste, so they paid the breach of contract fee, and Han Zhi became an artist under their banner.
Chu Tian Entertainment truly valued Han Zhi, because in the first month after acquiring him, they produced his first album, filled with his own compositions that captured his years of experiences — the sweet, sour, bitter, and all flavors of life.
The album, upon release, sparked a huge reaction, and in this era of digital albums, his first album broke records in sales and downloads within a week.
His songs, rich in flavor, resonated differently with people of various mindsets, all finding a connection, immersing themselves in his melodious, sorrowful, or majestic music.
Han Zhi’s talent was finally recognized and he took a significant step in his musical journey and became famous.
However he was so devoted to music that despite offers for variety shows and endorsements flooding in after his rise to fame, he refused all of them, spending his days moving between recording studios.
In ‘Dark War’, there was a tone-deaf character who was madly passionate about music, bordering on obsession.
The director had been dissatisfied with many candidates, and by chance, during a visit to Chu Tian Entertainment, happened to see Han Zhi in the recording studio, focused and earnest, as if there were glittering starlights in his eyes.
It was him!
The director immediately heard a voice say this with certainty. At that time Han Zhi’s first album hadn’t come out yet, and being a renowned director, he discussed it directly with Han Zhi’s agent, and after some back and forth, Han Zhi was set for the tone-deaf role.
The director also listened to several songs written and composed by Han Zhi and found them very appealing, so he invited Han Zhi, told him about the story of ‘Dark War’ roughly, then asked him if he was interested in creating the theme song as well as some soundtracks.
Han Zhi improvised a melody on the spot, and during his soft singing, the director surprisingly found himself immersed in the story of ‘Dark War’ through Han Zhi’s melody. When the melody ended, the director slammed his hand on the table excitedly, held Han Zhi’s hand, and insisted no matter what was said that Han Zhi had to write the theme song.
The director’s movies had been nominated at international film festivals several times and won many international awards. If Han Zhi’s compositions became the theme for ‘Dark War’, there was a good chance that he could gain international exposure through the director’s reputation.
This was a tremendous opportunity for Han Zhi, so he agreed without hesitation.
Thus, two months into the filming of ‘Dark War’, he joined the crew.
Although Han Zhi, Lin Qin, and Meng Chao hadn’t met since the recording of ‘We Are Together’, they had kept in touch, so when they saw him again there wasn’t the feeling of strangers meeting, as their reunion was friendly and cheerful.
This was Han Zhi’s first film, and he naturally wasn’t suited for acting, because although his emotions were often spot-on due to playing a role close to his real self, his camera presence needed improvement, as he would even sometimes walk out of the frame unintentionally.
But he wasn’t in the least bit negligent and took his work seriously. Whenever he struggled, he would think over his mistakes repeatedly, and often, during others’ filming, squat nearby to learn about camera presence and how they handled details.
He didn’t plan on taking on any more film or TV roles, he just wanted to focus on music. However since he had taken this job, he was determined to do his best.
When the director saw his dedication, he became even more sure of his choice.
Lin Qin and Meng Chao also taught Han Zhi a lot in private. No one could resist helping someone who was earnest and hardworking.
On this day, after Meng Chao finished filming a scene and came down, he saw his big brother, Meng Ke, waving at him from among the crew.
Raising an eyebrow, Meng Chao walked towards him.
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