Huayu 2014: From Traffic Stars to Superstars

Chapter 28, Spring Festival Gala Preliminary Selection, Curious Lu Han

November 15, Beijing.

The second cold wave since the beginning of winter was more intense than the first. The ginkgo trees along the roadside turned completely yellow overnight, and the leaves fell in a flurry of wind, like a golden snowfall.

Gao Huan sat in the back seat of the van, holding an iPad with the lyrics of "One Meat, One Vegetable" on the screen, marked with several dots and circles using an Apple Pencil.

He hasn't sung this song in public much since he recorded it, but today he's making his debut at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala preliminary selection.

Yangyang Jin, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced at him through the rearview mirror: "Brother Huan, are you nervous?"

"I'm not nervous."

Gao Huan looked up at Yangyang Jin, locked the screen, and handed the iPad to her.

"Wake me up when we get there."

"it is good."

Then, Gao Huan replied to the WeChat message. Chen Duling had been unusually talkative these past few days, but she mostly talked about games.

This is because a few days ago, when Meng Ziyi was riding a horse on his gaming chair in his study, he was playing a game, and his teammate was Chen Duling, whose skills were actually quite good.

More than 20 minutes later, the car turned onto Fuxing Road, and the old CCTV building could be seen in the distance.

The gray exterior walls and square shape appear solemn and somber under the winter sun.

But the atmosphere at the entrance was anything but solemn.

There were three layers of people surrounding the area: reporters, fans holding large cameras, many fans holding light sticks, and a few people wrapped in blankets sitting on folding chairs by the roadside—clearly they had been waiting all night.

Several banners were displayed: "Wu Yifan, we are waiting for you," "Lu Han will accompany you through spring, summer, autumn and winter," and "Wu Yifan is the best."

A girl was holding up a light board for Kris Wu. Her nose was running from the cold, but she was still shouting "Go Kris Wu!" A girl next to her handed her a tissue, but she didn't wipe it and kept holding it up, as if she was afraid that the light board would be crooked and affect her idol's aura.

There was also a Lu Han fan who was holding a stack of banners and handing them out to everyone he met, chanting, "Lu Han's, take one!" He looked just like a salesperson handing out flyers at the entrance of a supermarket, but the light in his eyes was real—the kind of fanaticism that said, "I want the whole world to know that my idol is here today."

As passersby walked by, some shook their heads, some took photos, and some muttered under their breath, "Is it really necessary?"

Gao Huan, wearing a mask and with the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up, entered through the side door.

Yangyang Jin followed behind, glanced back at the group of fans, and clicked her tongue: "With this kind of entourage, you'd think some superstar had arrived."

Gao Huan did not respond.

He's seen even crazier cases, like when Jackie Chan or Andy Lau's secret marriages were exposed.

In his previous life, on the day Lu Han went public with his relationship, some fans were heartbroken, but thankfully no one committed suicide.

Some people went to his company building to unfurl banners and cry, while others wrote lengthy articles analyzing "why this is a publicity stunt."

By comparison, holding up a light sign at the entrance is considered mild.

Li Bingbing and Li Xue were already waiting in the lobby.

Li Bingbing was wearing a long black down jacket and a dark gray scarf today. When she saw Gao Huan come in, she looked him up and down.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"It's alright," Gao Huan said.

"That's good. Don't be nervous. We know your abilities. You'll be fine."

Li Bingbing spoke softly, but her attitude was very serious. "Both Wu Yifan and Lu Han are pushing hard to get you on this year's Spring Festival Gala. You're currently the top celebrity in the Chinese entertainment industry, you can't fall behind."

Gao Huan nodded.

The star value on the system panel had long exceeded 12 million, and the number of fans had also exceeded 11 million, surpassing Lu Han and Wu Yifan in terms of data.

However, he is currently lagging behind in terms of endorsements because he is quite picky about them.

We don't accept cosmetics, micro-business owners, P2P platforms with unclear origins, or milk tea brands.

Every time Yangyang Jin comes in with a stack of endorsement contracts, he flips through them and is lucky if he can keep two or three.

"Brother Huan, this milk tea brand is asking for 12 million."

"I won't answer."

"Why? Because it's a lot of money."

"This milk tea shop is ripping off its franchisees. I endorse them, my fans buy it, the franchisees get ripped off, and in the end, I'm probably the one who gets blamed."

After listening, Yangyang Jin put the contract aside.

Therefore, although he has fewer endorsements than Lu Han and Wu Yifan, his unit price is no less, or even higher.

Li Xue, standing to the side, added in a calm tone, "By the way, CCTV has informed us that your program is very stable."

Gao Huan glanced at her.

Li Xue's expression didn't change much, but the meaning behind her words was clear: it wasn't "we got it," nor "we're still working on it," but rather "it's already decided."

Gao Huan knew exactly what this meant.

The three people walked through the corridor and took the elevator upstairs.

In the corridor, you can see some familiar faces, including veteran artists, popular singers, and a few contestants from talent shows whose names you can't recall but who look familiar.

Everyone was in a hurry, their faces showing a complex mix of anticipation and nervousness.

The preliminary selection for the Spring Festival Gala is no small matter for anyone.

Upon arriving at the waiting area, Li Xue received a phone call and went aside to speak.

Li Bingbing patted Gao Huan on the shoulder: "I'm going to find someone. You wait here and don't wander off."

Gao Huan nodded and sat down on a chair in the waiting area.

Yangyang Jin sat down next to him and took a bottle of water out of her bag and handed it to him.

Gao Huan unscrewed the bottle cap, took two sips, and then handed the remaining half bottle back to Yangyang Jin.

Yangyang Jin took it, screwed on the cap, and put it back in her bag. Her movements were smooth and natural; after more than two years of working together, they knew what the other wanted without saying a word.

The waiting area was getting more and more crowded, and the air was filled with various perfume scents and a faint sense of tension.

Some people were practicing their singing in hushed tones, some were looking at lyrics on their iPads, and some had their eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought.

Gao Huan leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.

Footsteps came from the other end of the corridor.

Gao Huan opened his eyes and glanced at the screen.

Wu Yifan walked over from the other end of the corridor, wearing a black leather jacket and sunglasses, followed by four assistants and his manager.

He walks with a confident stride, his chin slightly raised, as if surveying his territory.

The drive he inherited from his mother, Wu Xiuqin, is well-known in the industry:

When you meet someone of high status, they greet you with a smile and their enthusiasm is so infectious it can melt your heart.

When they meet someone of lower status or someone who offers them no benefit, they show a completely different face.

Not to mention what he did later, what Gao Huan remembers most, besides his mother's foolish actions, is the evaluation of him by a traitorous director.

"He is different from other boys of this generation because of his overseas upbringing. I think he is particularly clean-cut, and his eyes are very innocent."

……

Gao Huan currently has a higher profile than him, but in Wu Xiuqin's eyes, Wu Yifan is the only one who is unique and the most outstanding.

So when he passed by Gao Huan, he paused for a moment.

The eyes behind the sunglasses glanced at Gao Huan, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, but he didn't smile or even nod.

I just glanced at it and then continued walking.

Gao Huan didn't move or say hello.

His expression was calm, as if he were looking at a stranger.

Yangyang Jin leaned closer and whispered, "This guy's quite the actor."

Gao Huan's lips curled slightly: "Maybe he really thinks he's unique."

About five or six minutes later, footsteps came from the other end of the corridor.

Lu Han walked ahead, wearing a dark blue baseball jersey with the zipper all the way up. Her hair was styled, she wore light makeup, and her skin looked good.

An assistant followed beside him, carrying a thermos and a bag, walking half a step to the side and behind, neither too close nor too far, just enough to hand things over without drawing attention.

Lu Han paused noticeably when he saw Gao Huan.

His gaze lingered on Gao Huan's face for two seconds, as if confirming something.

Then he walked over.

Lu Han walked up to Gao Huan, looked him up and down, and didn't speak in a hurry.

Gao Huan stood up and greeted him, "Brother Lu."

Lu Han's expression changed slightly.

This subtle tension lasted less than a second before Lu Han spoke, his tone neither warm nor cold, but rather a curiosity that carried a sense of distance yet didn't make one uncomfortable:

"Gao Huan, hello."

"Um."

"Did you film those basketball and soccer videos on your Weibo yourself?"

Gao Huan glanced at him.

This issue has nothing to do with small talk, resources, or billing order.

When Lu Han asked this question, his eyes didn't convey a perfunctory "I'm just making up a topic to talk about" attitude, but rather a genuine and earnest expression filled with curiosity.

He just really wanted to know if Gao Huan's ball skills in that video were real.

Gao Huan recalled a post he had seen online in his previous life.

When Lu Han was filming "Sweet Combat" on set, he never slacked off or played on his phone during breaks, except when watching sports games, he would hold his phone tightly.

A staff member secretly took photos and posted them online, with comments saying, "The top star is just slacking off on set."

He later explained in an interview:

He's not just slacking off; he genuinely loves football.

To watch Manchester United's early morning game, he would set three or four alarms to get up, even if he had to film until midnight the next day.

He himself once said, "I can go my whole life without eating hot pot, but I must watch football."

Perhaps it's not just a business transaction, nor is it simply a persona; there's a genuine affection involved.

So he's asking this question simply because Gao Huan's athletic ability in the video sparked his pure curiosity.

"It's true," Gao Huan said. "It wasn't edited. The basketball scene was filmed at the Beijing Film Academy last year, and the soccer scene was filmed this summer at the Workers' Stadium outdoor field."

Lu Han's eyes lit up.

"Hey, how many times did you juggle the ball?" he asked.

Two hundred and seventeen.

"I counted them too, at least two hundred."

When Lu Han said this, there was a hint of smugness in his tone, as if he were saying, "See, I didn't miscount," and he didn't think there was anything wrong with a top star counting another top star's juggling count.

Gao Huan looked at him, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curled up slightly.

This person really doesn't seem like a top celebrity.

"Do you usually play soccer?" Lu Han asked.

"I play football, but not as much as I play basketball."

"Shall we arrange a game another day?" Lu Han said, taking out his phone. "Can we add each other on WeChat?"

Gao Huan looked at him and nodded.

We added each other on WeChat.

Lu Han's profile picture is a pair of sneakers, her WeChat Moments cover photo is a picture of a football field, and her Moments are only visible for the past six months.

"Okay, I'll go in first then." Lu Han put his phone back in his pocket, turned around to leave, took two steps, then stopped and looked back.

"Your song, 'One Meat, One Vegetable,' is really good. I hope we can collaborate sometime."

After saying that, he waved his hand and left.

This time, I didn't look back.

Gao Huan stood there, watching his back.

Yangyang Jin leaned closer and whispered, "He seems... quite curious about you?"

Gao Huan did not respond.

For Lu Han, the top spot came too easily.

EXO reached their peak upon debut, and after returning to China, they had an overwhelming number of fans, setting a Guinness World Record for Weibo comments. Endorsements, magazines, and variety shows lined up to offer them their services.

He doesn't need to fight for anything, nor does he need to grab anything.

Therefore, he can care about things that others consider "unimportant".

For example, in football, basketball, or whether a sports video posted by a "competitor" is genuine.

This kind of mentality, to put it nicely, is called pure; to put it bluntly, it's called not knowing how to cherish.

But no matter what, Gao Huan felt that this person was more interesting than he had imagined.

About twenty minutes later, the staff came out and called out names.

"Professor Gao Huan, it's your turn."

Gao Huan stood up, straightened his clothes, and followed the staff into the preliminary selection venue.

It is a medium-sized studio, not large, but fully equipped and brightly lit.

There were seven or eight people sitting on the judges' panel, and Gao Huan recognized the one in the very middle.

Hong Yue.

Music Director of CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

This name might not be well-known to the average listener, but it carries significant weight in the music industry.

With over 30 years of experience in the industry, I have participated in the music production for more than 20 Spring Festival Galas and collaborated with singers ranging from Li Guyi to Faye Wong, and from Liu Huan to Jay Chou.

He is someone who truly understands technology, music, and sound.

He can tell who's singing live and who's lip-syncing in a second. He can tell in three seconds who's practicing their weak vocals and who has natural talent.

If he praises you with a "not bad," you can brag about it for half a year.

If he points out your problem, it means you really have a problem.

Sitting next to him was the deputy director of CCTV's Arts and Entertainment Department, as well as several veteran musicians, all of whom had very serious expressions.

Gao Huan walked onto the stage and stood in front of the microphone.

The studio fell silent.

He took a deep breath and then spoke.

There was no accompaniment, no harmonies, just him alone, with a microphone.

"Sunrise and sunset, deeper and deeper, a small square table, with one meat dish and one vegetable dish..."

When the first sentence came out, Hong Yue paused for a moment.

He looked up at the young man on the stage.

Gao Huan wore a simple black thin sweater today, without any extra decorations.

The lights shone on his face, making his unreal, handsome face appear exceptionally three-dimensional on the stage.

But he didn't try to please anyone with his face; his eyes were half-closed, and he was completely immersed in the song.

"...A figure busily and calmly moves about, and a pair of hands bring warmth to this moment."

When he sang this part, Gao Huan's voice softened slightly, not intentionally, but as a natural reaction to the emotion he felt.

The technique of soft mixing was fully demonstrated at this moment. The voice was like a thin thread, very light and soft, but with extremely strong penetrating power, directly piercing into people's hearts.

Hong Yue's eyes lit up.

He turned to look at his colleague next to him, who was also looking at him, their eyes conveying the same meaning: This kid's skills are extraordinary.

Hong Yue has worked at CCTV for so many years and has heard too many live performances by "popular singers": their accuracy depends on editing, their breath control depends on padding, their high notes depend on shouting, and after singing, they still have to market it as "very stable with a live mic".

But the young man on stage is different.

His ability to remain calm and collected is ingrained in his very being; it's an instinct that allows him to naturally control his emotions when they reach a certain point.

This is something that can only be achieved through a combination of talent and hard work; you can't do it without either.

Gao Huan continued singing.

When it came to the chorus, he didn't push his voice up like most singers, but instead lowered it, gradually transitioning from a soft mix to a strong mix. The volume wasn't high, but the density was extremely high, like a compressed bomb exploding in his chest cavity and then being transmitted to every corner of the studio through the microphone.

"...The moon is bright, the wind is gentle, have you ever come to my dreams?"

He didn't strain or scream when hitting the high notes; instead, he handled them with extreme restraint.

The sound was as solid as a wall, each note landing steadily in its proper place, neither too much nor too little, just right.

Hong Yue put down her pen, leaned back in her chair, and looked at the young man on the stage.

He had a judgment in his mind.

This person's skill in dealing with weaklings is about 50% of Li Jian's.

It's a strong mix, with about 50% of JJ Lin's talent.

The key is that he combines these two technologies so naturally that you can't even hear him switching between them unless you listen carefully.

This is something many singers who have been singing for over a decade cannot do.