Unconventional Center

Chapter 46: What Kind of Crappy Music Is This?

“Ke’er, why are you running off? Finish your soup first.” “There’s no time—Chu Yang’s show is starting.” “What show by Chu Yang? He’s only in a few shots.” Li Jia set down her chopsticks in exasperation; she was starting to regret taking her daughter to the game that day. “Even if it’s just a few shots, I still want to watch it.” Lin Ke’er was already sitting in front of the computer, gently tossing the tissue she’d used to wipe her mouth toward the trash can. Whoosh! Bull’s-eye. “Dad, come quick! If you don’t come, you’re just a fake fan.” “Honey?” Lin Yanning glanced cautiously at Li Jia. “Go ahead, go ahead. I’ll wash the dishes.” Li Jia waved her hand dismissively. She’d already watched the video; she was only interested in the stats. She’d just pop over later to check the live comments and reviews. Lin Yanning shouted, “Long live my wife!” and dashed over. Unlike Lin Ke’er—a casual fan who’d been won over by Chu Yang’s good looks and free kicks—he was a true soccer enthusiast, the kind who’d still be watching a match at 4:30 a. m. even though he had to be at work by 8:00 a. m. Lin Yanning dragged over a chair and sat down next to Lin Ke’er, just in time to see his daughter send out a live-comment saying, “Chu Yang is the hottest.” His face instantly fell. Damn it, why does it feel like “daughters grow up and leave home”? In an ordinary household in Linhai City, a young couple had just finished their New Year’s Eve dinner. “Honey, let’s wash the dishes tomorrow. Let’s go out for a walk first—we’ll be back in time to watch the Spring Festival Gala.” The young wife set down her bowl and looked around at their small but cozy home, her heart filled with happiness. She and her husband had been high school classmates; they’d been married for less than half a year. They were paying off a mortgage, and there wasn’t much money left over each month, but her husband doted on her. Aside from enjoying watching sports and playing video games, he had no bad habits, and she felt perfectly content. “I’m not going for a walk. I’m going to use the computer for a bit.” “Playing video games again? You’re not a kid anymore—isn’t that a bit boring?” “No, I’m just watching a show.” “A show? Doesn’t *World Soccer* air on Mondays?” “Not *World Soccer*—it’s *Green Field Magnifier*.” “*Green Field Magnifier*? That sounds kind of familiar.” Since her husband liked soccer, she’d picked up a bit of interest in the sport herself—she was sort of a half-fan, though she still only had a vague understanding of offside rules. She’d usually pay a little attention when she saw previews for soccer matches. “They’ve been airing commercials like they’re giving them away for free lately, so of course it sounds familiar.” “Wait, I remember now.” His wife picked up her phone and scrolled to Shen Qingyun’s Weibo. Shen Qingyun was currently the hottest young heartthrob under the Nirvana label, with over three million followers—and she was one of those three million. She quickly spotted the pinned post. “‘The purest soccer, the ultimate enjoyment.’ New Year’s Eve at 7:00 p. m. sharp, *Soccer Under the Magnifying Glass*. Don’t miss it.” By the time she finished reading the post, the show had already been on for a few minutes. Her young husband had just played the video when the sound of singing—in a language she didn’t recognize—filled the room. “Hmm? That sounds pretty good.” In a basement in Tianjing, a group of Beijing expats—who’d chosen not to go home for the New Year to save on travel expenses—had just finished a meal together. With empty beer bottles still scattered across the floor, one of the guys, feeling frustrated, picked up the guitar in the corner and launched into an impromptu jam. The four young people who’d been playing “Landlords” helplessly set down their cards. Well, the rock ‘n’ roll kid’s inspiration had struck again. Another young man sitting at the computer frowned as well, then grumpily cranked the volume all the way up. A male voice, full of emotion, drowned out the final howls of the song, reaching the ears of the group. “He is a creator, bringing hope; he is a destroyer, ending dreams;He solves problems and delivers the fatal blow; he holds the balance of victory and defeat, deciding life and death; he is the blade, he is the edge, he is a shotgun spewing flames—he embodies the art of one bullet colliding with another; he is the white swordsman on the field, he is Díaz Hugo, a superstar striker from France, an absolute legend etched deep in the memories of soccer fans worldwide…” “Whoa! Who is that? He’s that good?” “You sure know how to hype things up.” “Old Lin, move over a bit so I can get a look. It’s been ages since I’ve watched a game.” The rocker set down his guitar. “What kind of crappy music is this?” “We’ve wondered more than once: what would have happened if, instead of wasting his prime at a small club, he’d joined a powerhouse—or even just a mid-table team in a top league?” Unfortunately, life doesn’t offer ‘what-ifs.’ Perhaps to other fans, Valencia is just an insignificant Segunda División team, repeating the tragedy of failing to promote to the top flight year after year. But for Díaz Hugo, Valencia is home, a safe haven, and the place where his dreams began…” Ten minutes into the video, as the narrative shifts from a brief biography of Ugo to his club career, the nature of the comments has also evolved from mere curiosity to a focus on the program’s content. “Once the sharpest sword on the France national team, the most dazzling blade at AC Milan—I never would have guessed he came from a Segunda División team. I never would have guessed, never.” “A Valenci fan for ten years passing by here—the White Swordsman, my lifelong faith.” “Choosing such an obscure star for the very first episode—Nirvana Video sure has some guts.” “They can hype up a complete unknown like this? Have they completely lost all sense of dignity just for the sake of the show?” “Haha, a minor figure? Winning the Serie A Golden Boot at age 32, helping France defeat both Portugal and Italy in consecutive matches to lift the European Championship—that’s a bit of a ‘minor’ role.” “Just to add: he scored twice against Portugal and once against Italy.” “To add to what the guy just said: that goal against Italy was in the final. Italy’s goalkeeper at the time was Giovanni, and the defender marking him was Donatello—the very same two players featured in UEFA’s Team of the Decade.” “Also worth noting: He’s the idol of Burmondo—the kid who just joined Atlético Madrid and has the French saying they won’t have to worry about the National Team’s attack for the next decade.” “I think Fang Dan also said that Ugo was his only idol, right?” Nirvana Video Headquarters fell silent. Apart from a few top executives, no one had seen the full video, and many weren’t even soccer fans. Yet for some reason, accompanied by that gentle melody and the deep, resonant narration, they found themselves drawn in without realizing it. The images—some exquisitely crafted, others steeped in history—the music, whether sorrowful or passionate, and the comments in the stream—whether humorous or heartwarming—seemed imbued with an inexplicable magic that made it impossible to look away. It’s no wonder soccer has become the world’s most popular sport—it’s filled with passion and grandeur, yet it’s also rich in warmth and dreams, each of which strikes a deep chord with people. “Ahem! Mr. Liu.” “Hm? Oh, how are the numbers looking?” “3. 61 million clicks, 3. 57 million views. Plus, most of the feedback is positive.” “Hmm, I see. Wait a minute—what’s the view count?” “3. 57 million… uh, it’s at 580,000 now.” Viewership ratings take time to compile, but playback counts can be monitored in real time. “What’s our record?” “Our original series *If Only Life Were Like the First Time We Met*, which aired at the end of last year, had over 26 million views—though that was the cumulative total for all twelve episodes. The record for a single premiere was set last month by *Heavenly Voice*, our co-production with Linhai TV, with 5. 34 million views.” “Still over a million short?” Liu Huai'an looked at Tian Hong. “We have a chance to break the record.” “Even if the premiere doesn’t go well, just look at these live comments—it won’t fall apart.” Tian Hong breathed a sigh of relief. Online video platforms don’t really place much emphasis on the premiere—after all, the recordings are always available to watch whenever viewers want. What matters most is word of mouth and cumulative views. “Not bad, you’ve got a good strategy,” Liu Huai'an patted Tian Hong on the shoulder. “Joining this team was worth it.”