Unconventional Center

Chapter 40: A Bit Too Many Meetings

“Ugo was born in Metz, a small border town in France. At the age of seventeen, he was brought to Spain by Valencia’s legendary coach Edric, marking the beginning of a twenty-six-year love affair with soccer…” “Valencia was founded in 1962. Because they wear white jerseys, fans call them the ‘White Ghosts’…” “As the train of time slowly passed Mestalla Stadium, the 33-year-old Ugo sat there, gazing fondly at the reflection of his 23-year-old self—501 matches, 367 goals, one European Cup title, and two Serie A championships…” “In that time tunnel, there’s always a moment when you can’t tell if you’re 33 or 23; there’s always an encounter that makes you give everything from your past without regret; there’s always a scene that makes you believe youth can be relived; and there’s always a glance back that leaves you unable to make out your younger self. Upon stepping out of the time tunnel, everything finally becomes crystal clear. You’re grateful that it has given you three extraordinary journeys and a lifelong, unbreakable bond with the white jersey…” “This is Ugo’s twelfth year in Valencia; the young man of yesteryear is now approaching thirty. This is Ugo’s 357th match for Valencia; the unknown player who once waited anxiously on the bench for the coach’s call is now, in the blink of an eye, the team’s longest-serving member;This is the 192nd goal Ugo has scored for Valencia CF; the third-rate forward who once questioned his very purpose in life during a scoring drought has now become the club’s all-time leading scorer. In the stands, Victor Cliff is overcome with emotion—he is a Valencia CF legend, yet has been surpassed by today’s legend…” “Captain Ugo scored a hat trick as his final farewell gift. Valencia’s fans didn’t accuse him of betrayal or try to force him to stay; instead, they bid him farewell with applause and tears. They held up banners reading, ‘If you’re tired, come home,’This was the most heartwarming farewell in soccer history. Seeing such a scene and such fans, perhaps we can understand why Ugo was able to turn down the Serie A champions’ attempts to keep him and resolutely return to an obscure second-division team…” The program lasted an hour and a half, but Chu Yang fast-forwarded through it from time to time and finished watching in about an hour. He didn’t cause any trouble during the viewing, but he didn’t offer any immediate commentary on the show afterward either. For this episode’s commentary, he mainly adapted it from the Tianzu episode of *Who Can Challenge Us? *, copying many parts verbatim. However, since so much time had passed, although he retained the highlights, there were still many details he couldn’t recall. Coupled with slight differences in the global context, he wasn’t sure how well it would capture the essence of the original. Tian Hong suddenly felt a bit nervous. The person sitting next to him was just a soccer player, and he didn’t even know what the hell he was nervous about. Hmm, even though his writing skills seemed decent, even though he’d offered quite a few constructive suggestions for the show’s overall planning, and even though the boss seemed to value his opinions a lot… Damn, now that he thought about it, it seemed like he, as the executive producer, really should be nervous. “We’re planning to bring in another female host for future episodes. What do you think?” This had already been decided; Tian Hong had only intended to inform Chu Yang, but somehow, the words came out as a question. “A female host? Sure, find someone young and pretty—at least as attractive as Secretary Yu,” Chu Yangdao said. “But she has to be a professional; we can’t just hire a pretty face.” “Of course,” Tian Hong replied, sounding encouraged—what could he do? After all, Chu Yang was currently the boss’s favorite. “So, Little Chu, do you see anything else that needs improvement?” “Everything else is fine, but the background music for Ugo’s Top Ten Goals isn’t great. Also,” Chu Yang paused thoughtfully, “the song isn’t any good.” Tian Hong glanced at the others, looking a bit embarrassed. Chu Yang had specifically emphasized the importance of song selection back then, and Xiao Luo had taken it very seriously—this song was one he’d handpicked after much deliberation. The others hadn’t raised any objections after hearing it, so he hadn’t expected it to fail to pass Chu Yang’s scrutiny. He wasn’t sure if Chu Yang genuinely disliked it or was just nitpicking on purpose. After all, some young people just like to do unconventional things to stand out. Li Jia, who was on friendly terms with Tian Hong, noticed how uncomfortable he looked and stepped in to save the situation: “This is a classic rock hit from the last century—it’s from the same era as Ugo. It should go well with soccer, right?” Chu Yang explained, “Of course, rock goes well with soccer, but this show is all about nostalgia. Passion is just one aspect of it. If we make passion the main selling point right from the start, we’ll be no different from other similar shows.” “So do you have any suggestions?” “I’m thinking about it,” Chu Yangdao said. “What about you guys? Do you have any songs you like? Let’s hear them and see if we can find them together.” “What kind of style are you looking for?” Tian Hong felt that Chu Yang’s point made some sense; this episode was of the utmost importance to him, so naturally he wanted to make it as good as possible. “Something a little light and refreshing, with a touch of melancholy—but the melancholy shouldn’t overshadow the rest.” Chen Ping suggested, “Why not just pick from the Company’s artists’ signature songs? We can call it a win-win.” Nirvana Group had a wide range of businesses, including hotels and real estate, though they weren’t deeply involved in those sectors. Their main focus was Nirvana Media—Chen Ping and his team had come from Nirvana Media, so they were still used to thinking of themselves as part of Nirvana Media and often referred to it simply as “the company.” Nirvana Media currently holds a strong position in the domestic pop music scene. Not only does it have a “Diva” under its banner, but also two top-tier singers, and the rest of its roster has the potential to rise to that level as well. Yuman also chimed in, “That’s a good suggestion, but if we’re going to look for someone, it’s best to start with Teacher Shen’s work. She’s the most famous person in the Company, and it would help boost the show’s visibility.” She wasn’t the kind of secretary who just did whatever she was told and was taken advantage of when there was nothing to do; she was a legitimate assistant to the chairman—a highly qualified graduate of Kyoto University’s School of Management who had a say in meetings. “Her songs won’t work,” Xiao Luo said. “They’re all about love and romance—it sounds too sappy.” “Um…” Yuman was at a loss for words. “Forget it,” Chu Yangdao said. “I’ll write it myself.” “You’re going to… write it yourself?” It was Li Jia who spoke, but everyone was curious. “Yeah.” Chu Yang gave Yuman a nod of his chin; only then did she realize he was serious, so she quickly grabbed a pen and some paper and handed them to him. “You can play soccer, produce shows, and even write songs?” Li Jia exclaimed in amazement. “Hmm, I do know quite a bit,” Chu Yang said as he began scribbling rapidly on a sheet of paper, pausing occasionally to think. His memory was a bit better than the average person’s, but it had its limits. He’d forgotten most of what he’d known in his previous life; the only things he could recall were those he’d particularly loved back then or that were truly classic. There was nothing he could do about it—his system was a bit “low-tech,” so he had to use his own brain and get his hands dirty. “Who are you calling ‘low’?” The Superstar System, picking up on the fluctuations in Chu Yang’s mind, was annoyed. “Whoever’s feeling guilty is the one I’m talking about.” “Holy crap! I’m the one who’s ‘low’? Have you forgotten who rescued you from the bench? Who turned you from a flop into a rising star? Who gave you the warmest support when you were at your lowest? Who brought the first ray of dawn into your dark soccer career? Have you forgotten…” “Enough already, enough with the rhetorical list. Are you picking on me just because I’m a layman?” Chu Yang said disdainfully. “I used to be a hard-core night owl on Qidian back in the day, you know? How many systems for reincarnated characters have you seen that don’t come with body-tempering techniques? Or Marrow-Cleansing Pills, Strength-Boosting Pills, and ‘Erectile Endurance Powder’? Or a database of Earth’s entertainment industry? Or…” “Stop! We’re two of a kind—neither of us should be laughing at the other. Anyway, I’ve never seen a host who has to pause and think over and over again just to copy a song, and then still ends up making typos afterward. Hmm, and this host is even a reincarnated, cross-dimensional traveler with a system.” Xiao Luo and Chen Ping were leaders who valued their reputations, so they couldn’t very well crowd around Chu Yang to watch. Li Jia and Yuman, however, being women, had no such qualms; they stood on either side of Chu Yang, watching as he fumbled his way through writing down the lyrics. “Huh? That’s not Mandarin?” Li Jiadao said. “It’s not Spanish or English either.” “It’s French.” It was Yuman, the top student, who recognized the scribbles on Chu Yang’s paper. “Wow! Little Chu, you know French too?” “Yeah, not counting Cantonese, I know four languages,” Chu Yang said nonchalantly, though he felt a little smug inside. He’d known English and French from his previous life; he’d learned Spanish after deciding to make a career out of soccer; and with his native language included, he was fluent and proficient in all four. Subtle showboating is the deadliest kind. Yuman, who had already become a fan of Chu Yang, suddenly began to evolve into a full-fledged fangirl, while even Tian Hong kept exclaiming, “I’m impressed, I’m impressed.” “Is there anyone at the Company who can sing French songs? Have them get everything ready right away. As soon as Chu Yang finishes writing it, send it over for them to record. I want to hear the finished product as quickly as possible,” Xiao Luo said. “No one can,” Yuman—who was a very competent assistant—replied without even having to consult her notepad. “There are a few who can sing English songs, but the only one who’s really up to par is Teacher Shen. There are also some who sing in Cantonese, but that’s about it for other languages.” Chen Ping said, “Then let’s look locally first. It’d be best to find a native speaker from France. I’ll put out the word, but our resources in this area aren’t great—we might end up owing someone a favor.” “Is it that much of a hassle?” Chu Yangdao asked. “Not really. I have some friends back home who still have connections in the music scenes in Europe and the U. S. —I’ll just have to ask them for help.” “Then let’s not beat around the bush.” Chu Yang finished writing the lyrics and attached the sheet music. “You’re not planning on singing it yourself, are you?” Li Jia laughed. “It’s not out of the question,” Chu Yangdao said. The others were taken aback. Chu Yang was bent over composing the music, so they couldn’t see his face clearly, but from the sound of his voice, he didn’t seem to be joking. Sensing the strange atmosphere in the conference room, Chu Yang looked up curiously. Seeing them staring at him as if he were a monster, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Look how scared you all are. Don’t worry—this song is better suited for a female voice. I’ll have my sister sing it.” “Um, your sister?” Li Jiadao asked. “Does she speak French, too?” “Yeah, my sister speaks five languages—not counting Cantonese.” “……” Tian Hong couldn’t hold back any longer. “If I may ask, what does your family do for a living?” “My dad’s a writer—just a penniless scholar—and my mom teaches music.” “So you come from a scholarly family with a rich tradition of learning—no wonder,” Tian Hong said, feeling relieved, and swallowed the words “We should just find a professional singer” that had been on the tip of his tongue. Let’s give it a try first.