Chapter 15

Act III: Rachmaninoff (2)

----------

The soundtrack was recorded smoothly, and Yao Yin was indeed a rare talent. The tone of "Slowlytune" was gentle and sad, but at the same time, it was full of pursuit and longing for one’s hometown. Yao Yin's piano music composed this atmosphere well.

The flowing piano and the sound of Tan Yiming’s voice fit together perfectly. The sound of the piano sounded like a thin cloud, but it could bear the weight of Tan Yiming’s voice.

Before submitting the work, Shang Xiaorui held a humble "trial screening" in the apartment she rented. She set up the projector in the living room, and the light fell directly on the white wall. The room was dark, with seven or eight friends sitting on the floor, watching this short animated movie quietly.

Shang Xiaorui stood nervously next to the projection wall, looking at the screen and the crowd, like a soldier undergoing inspection.

George was by her side, his forehead sweating, wearing a weird suit, which was more formal than his own girlfriend’s outfit.

The lights were mottled. Tan Yiming sat in the back row, and his eyes were clearly on the screen, but his gaze was out of focus.

There was a chuckle in the darkness: "How about it, are you excited to see the work you recorded on the screen?"

It was Yao Yin.

Tan Yiming turned to look at him. The light brought by the animation projection faintly outlined Yao Yin's facial features. He was very beautiful, and suddenly, a thought rose in Tan Yiming's mind: in ‘that’ circle, Yao Yin must be a very popular person.

Tan Yiming replied: "It's impossible to talk about excitement. The main reason is that it feels unreal."

When he listened to the first radio drama he recorded, he also had this "unreal" feeling: ‘Is this really my voice? Am I actually involved in so many relationships?’ ... In a daze, he even really thought he was the one in the play.

He had been in the dubbing circle for many years, and as more and more dramas had been released, the sense of un-realism had gradually subsided. He treated dubbing as a trivial hobby. He could put a lot of emotions into the play, but when the story ended, he cut off that emotion.

But now, as he watched his work shown on the big screen, the ‘unrealistic feeling’ that made his heart surge a few years ago had come again.

He was paid, he contributed his voice ... In the midst of it, he took a step in a certain direction.

The screening of 13 minutes and 28 seconds soon ended.

When the lights came on, tears filled the eyes of everyone who came to watch the preview. The most exaggerated was the big straight steel man George, who was crying and out of breath. He hugged Tan Yiming and wouldn’t let go, saying that he missed home and his parents.

"Old Tan ... you are such a good match!!!" George wailed, "If such a good work fails to win the prize, then there is definitely something shady!!"

Tan Yiming’s face was full of black lines: "You are exaggerating. This work is not all to my own credit. Xiao Rui's grasped the rhythm of the plot very well, and Brother Yao's soundtrack is also very moving."

If it came to merit, Shang Xiaorui was ranked first, and Yao Yin must be second. He took this soundtrack job completely free of charge. Even without asking for a penny, he lent the recording studio.

In contrast, Tan Yiming felt quite embarrassed when he thought of the two hundred dollars he received as payment.

He only spoke a few words in front of the microphone, and Yao Yin spent a few days composing, arranging, performing ...

Tan Yiming wanted to return the reward, but Xiao Rui she refused.

Tan Yiming took a step back and decided to buy some pizza and fried chicken for the screening. Everyone could “eat” the money together.

Unfortunately, the plan could not keep up with the changes. The pizzeria called and said that the delivery car was broken. If they came to pick it up, they would not only enjoy a 20% discount on the order, but also receive two more discount coupons.

They talked about it, and Xiao Rui and George would stay to entertain the guests, while he and Yao Yin would drive his car to pick up the pizzas.

Although mentally prepared, Tan Yiming was surprised when he saw the luxury sports car parked outside the door.

Yao Yin said with a smile: "Don't look at me like this, I'm just an ordinary, rich second generation from Shanxi."

‘Ordinary, rich second generation from Shanxi.’

The wing-like doors opened to the sides, and Tan Yiming sat inside, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

This millions-of-dollars-worth luxury car drove down on the highway smoothly.

Tan Yiming couldn’t help it, and said, "There are always a lot of rumors about the Shanxi mine owners in the international students’ circle. I never thought there would be one next to me.”

[T/N: In the Shanxi province, many people got rich on private coal mines, and Baidu says ‘there are over 6000 Benz’. It also has the most Chinese Ferarri. Now, it is common to see the second-generation rich.]

He didn’t expect Yao Yin to answer: "Who says that rich people in Shanxi have mines at home? Do rich people in Sichuan have pandas? These are all stereotypes."

Tan Yiming quickly apologized.

Yao Yin also said, "However ... my family operates a vinegar factory."

Tan Yiming: "..."

‘Okay, Shanxi people selling vinegar don’t belong to the stereotypes, right?’

[T/N: This is also a stereotype.]

Sitting in his car, Yao Yin was very relaxed. When they first met, Tan Yiming felt that he was a little "stiff", and every move seemed to be accurately measured. However, after getting familiar with it, he realized that Yao Yin was actually not so difficult to contact.

There were several classical music CDs in the car, and Yao Yin directed Tan Yiming to put Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 into the player.

The piano intersected with strings, reverberating in the confined space. Yao Yin hummed the song softly, and his index finger tapped the steering wheel, subconsciously following the rhythm.

Tan Yiming stared at the steering wheel in his hand, reminding him: "Grand pianist, drive safely, don't be distracted."

Yao Yin said, "I can't afford to be called a ‘pianist’.”

"What is it then? 'Composer'?"

Yao Yin was silent for a while, and suddenly said, "If possible, I hope that after 20 years of hard work, I'll wait to hear someone call me a 'commercial film soundtrack master’."

Tan Yiming was quiet for a moment, but it was clear that Yao Yin was always soaking in the recording studio.

This was the first time that Yao Yin talked about his dreams: "Isn't it a bit funny? Many people think that people learning piano like me must always pursue it. To become a pianist, you cannot be wrapped in a copper smell.”

[T/N: The smell of people who want to make money.]

"I have played the piano for more than 20 years and participated in countless competitions ... but I never wanted to be a pianist. I wanted to learn film soundtrack. I want to be the king of commercial soundtrack like John Williams. Let everyone be moved by my notes."

His notes could be lingering and affectionate; they could also be thrilling and bizarre.

Yao Yin suddenly changed the subject and asked him: "You see the best movies in the silent film era. That's the real lens language and picture art. At that time, there were so many emerging outstanding actors. For that era, silent films were enough to meet the needs of the audience. But why create a sound film? "

Tan Yiming thought for a while, and gave a satisfactory answer: "Because of the advancement of science and technology, sound films were produced in accordance with its speed."

"You're only partly right. The sound film technology was invented by scientists, but it was invented for a full thirty years before it was officially promoted. The promoters were the Warner Brothers." Yao Yin rarely said so much to a person who he had only met a few times, "They were pioneers in the film industry. They realized that a movie was not enough with just actors. Only with a voice-over could emotions be expressed, and with a soundtrack, the movie could be complete."

Movies are more than just pictures; they are also sounds.

When he spoke, his eyes fell hopefully in the distance full of light, and he was chasing that light.

Tan Yiming stared at him in awe, watching this young man talk about his dreams.

"I also want to write works like Star Wars, Titanic, and Ghost. Viewers might not remember my name, but they will think of my music the moment it appears on the screen.” Yao Yin's voice was very light yet heavy. “I don't want to be a pianist at all, I just want to be a soundtrack master who can win prizes and make money."

Listening to what he said earlier, Tan Yiming was indeed moved by his dream.

He didn’t think that Yao Yin’s train of thought suddenly turned, going back to making money.

"..." Tan Yiming was amused by him and said straightforwardly: "Three sentences and you can’t let money go, you Shanxi people really have business acumen."

"That’s a stereotype again." Yao Yin also laughed, and his voice hinted, "Who doesn't like money? And if I make money doing what I love, then I'll be happier."

"I do think that hobbies and work should be clearly distinguished." Tan Yiming noticed Yao Yin's intentions. "You don't have to give me a lecture. Yes, I really do like dubbing. However, I am very aware and satisfied with the current situation. If I take dubbing as a formal job, life pressure and work difficulties will come one after another, and it will affect my original mindset." He gave a self-deprecating smile: "... In the final analysis, I may not have a ‘passion’ like yours. I also have no courage to change my current life direction for a ‘hobby’.”

Speaking of this, Tan Yiming had made it clear that he did not want to continue talking about it.

In fact, he still had half a sentence to say.

——Yao Yin had a wealthy family. Even if he could not make money through hobbies for the time being, it would not affect his quality of life. Tan Yiming was a child born of ordinary people. He was neither poor nor wealthy. He needed a ‘serious job’, the kind of serious job where one sat in the office and earned money doing overtime every day.

A big artist who liked to draw may not be a professional artist; the author who wrote whatever was on his mind online for his fans might not make money; and he would not use his online identity "the great god of radio drama" to be serious.

Regardless of how many fans on the Internet had brought him madness, and insulted the character set by his own fans, when he returned to real life: he was just an ordinary person who was about to graduate from graduate school. He just wanted to live a step-by-step life.

The sports car roared on the road, and the two went to the pizzeria to pick up the food, continuing to drive back with a roar

The notes wafting from the car audio were getting more and more exciting, and the tune of Piano Concerto No. 2 fell into the narrow space like a storm.

Nothing happened until Yao Yin stopped the car outside Xiao Rui's apartment door and opened his door.

"Tan Yiming," the young man stopped the car and turned his head, his eyes filled with sincerity, "I will advise you one last time: don't waste your talent, don't give up your passion in your twenties, begging to live your life in your fifties."

"..."

"You can show the demo to others, and I believe that everyone who hears it will surrender to your voice."

※

It was 5:30 in the afternoon.

Tan Yiming stayed alone in the kitchen, chewing a slice of cold pizza in his hand.

In the living room, Shang Xiaorui invited her friends to play board games. George was divided into Yao Yin's group, but Yao Yin lost a lot of points because George always didn't cooperate.

There were many people and it was very noisy. Tan Yiming heard the laughter and calls, but felt that they were far away.

He had to admit that Yao Yin had inexplicably moved him.

There was a faint trace of the long road where he could not find his way.

If he was really talented ... if he was really talented ... could he let go of his present, comfortable life and go another way?

He desperately wanted to find a friend in the circle to chat with and dug through his contacts, but he was defeated by the 12 hour time difference.

Yiming Qingyun: President, are you there?

Yiming Qingyun: There is a demo I want you to listen to for me.

[Voice of Jiuxiao-second son]: [Auto reply] Gan Lin Niang! Did you not look at what time it is, which little bastard is disturbing my beauty sleep???

[T/N: Gan Lin Niang is part of some meme.]

Yiming Qingyun: ...

Although it was the afternoon on the US side, the sun has just risen in the East Eighth District. Who would get up at 5:30 in the morning?

Tan Yiming could almost feel the blood boiling in his blood vessels gradually calming down; he himself knew that when this fleeting impulse subsided, his reason would prevail, and he would not have a second chance to think this way.

Just as he was putting down his phone, he laughed, an unexpected message jumped into the group.

guess: [cute goose call].jpg

guess: [group sign in]

guess: Good morning everyone~

Tan Yiming: "..."

Why did he forget that there was a little swan in their group who got up at 5:30, on time every morning?.

----------

The author has something to say: Tan Yiming is really the coolest and most ordinary character I have ever written.

After all, the decision to give up an existing stable job, and take a career path with unknown prospects is really risky.

It’s too difficult.

***

Back    ToC    Next