Really, Really Miss You Chapter 11

Our very wise and sweet Toupai gives Sheng Sheng some advice.  🙂  And another song!  No more hanging herself on the southeast branch for Sheng Sheng.

Chapter 11 – Poached “Pearls” with Conch (2)

Qiang Qing Ci did not seem to mind.

“It’s okay. Let’s just chat then.” He finally said a full sentence. There was still a sense in his voice, though, that he had just woken up, or in other words, his vocal chords still had not completely warmed up yet.

Such a fortunate thing. It made his voice seem a lot more real.

As a cover singer of ancient-style songs, she was completely powerless to resist voices spoken in ancient-style that were able to conjure up vivid images.

If her mind was brought back to modern times … Uh, well, she could remain slightly more composed.

She sent back: “Sure, Dada.”

And then … did not know what she should talk about.

Gu Sheng never mingled in the online entertainment circle. In the 2-D world, besides knowing the fellow members in her own music association, the only others she would associate with were the occasional person who asked her to sing songs composed by someone else. The reason why she had chosen to be an ancient-style cover singer and not be a CV in the first place was because she felt that singers did not need to socialize. She could teach herself the post-production work, and then she would still be able to have fun by herself. A CV, however, could not voice act a drama with just herself, right?

That was the reason why many CVs had their own public WeChat accounts and could handle the attention with ease.

Singers who were articulate were a rarity.

Gu Sheng leaned back into the couch and contemplated for a long while what conversation topic would be suitable to talk about with DaRen.

“DaRen, you’re not busy?”

“Mm. Resting right now.”

“Well, um … DaRen, what do you usually do during your rest periods?”

“Sleep.” Qiang Qing Ci paused briefly, then added, “Or go to the recording studio.”

So … the rumors were true that Toupai had a career that was very busy? Being a commercial voice artist was just a … side job?

Gu Sheng’s admiration for Toupai grew that much more.

“DaRen, wlll you be going to the recording studio today?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Doing voice acting for a video game?”

Collaboration between video game producers and the various 2-D world entertainment circles was the most common type of partnership seen. This included working with writers and CVs, and even big name ancient-style singers were often invited to sing the theme songs for video games. She seemed to recall there was a recenty released video game that had teamed up with three of the different circles: writers had provided background support while CVs and ancient-style singers had taken part in the promotional video.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Um… DaRen, it’s been three years since you participated in Wanmei’s anniversary celebration. How come you’ve decided to take part this year?”

“This year happens to be the tenth anniversary celebration.” Qiang Qing Ci was quiet for a moment. “It’s not very likely I’d be able to get out of Wanmei’s tenth anniversary event.”

No wonder this time around he was making an appearance. Tenth anniversary was a big event.

“That’s true … Um, then, DaRen, are you planning on coming back into the online entertainment circle?”

“No,” he answered simply. “After this tenth anniversary celebration, I’m going to completely retire my mike in the online world.”

“…… That’s a shame.”

Several years ago, Qiang Qing Ci already had stopped accepting new projects, voicing dramas, and doing special performances for birthday celebrations. These last few years, all of his works had come out of a recording studio and were all commercial voice projects … However, even when he was still doing online voice acting, he had not voiced very many dramas. All of his friends in the circle were veteran figures who had been around in the beginning when online voice acting had not yet become popular.

People who were not close to him were not familiar with him at all, and those who were close were all good friends…

Not the least bit of gossip about him was available.

Or rather, no one had information on him to gossip about.

The direct result of this was that Gu Sheng could not find a topic to carry out a conversation with him. She knew very much about Qiang Qing Ci, knew how many dramas he had voiced, to the point she could even recite every single classic line he had ever spoken. But … she also did not know him. As a real person, which city he lived, what his occupation was, and even whether he was working or still studying were all things she knew absolutely nothing about.

She thought hard about what question she could ask next.

“Your chatting is more like an interview,” Qiang Qing Ci very gently corrected her.

(⊙o⊙)… It did seem so.

Gu Sheng blew out a breath, then confessed, “I actually don’t know what DaRen likes to talk about…”

“I haven’t been in the 2-D world for a long time. Treat me like a 3-D world [real life] friend. Talk about anything.”

“Uh … well… DaRen, have you eaten?”

Alright. 3-D world topics were even less exciting.

Who could tell her, how were two people, who had completely gotten to know each only through online interactions, supposed to talk in a real life, 3-D world way?

She gradually started to recover her sense enough to recall her original intention for contacting Qiang Qing Ci. “Oh right, Daren, I remember the reason why I wanted to talk to you …”

Mirth could be heard in Qiang Qing Ci’s voice. “That was not an easy thing for you… Go ahead.”

“It’s just that, I suspect, because DaRen you helped me get that opportunity to sing with all those Dadas, there might be some… not so good rumors circling on the Internet.” From the standpoint of one of Qiang Qing Ci’s supporters, Gu Sheng told him very seriously, “At the start, my thoughts on this were really very simple. The opportunity to work with all those Dadas … is every little unknown singer’s dream. But now, I’m afraid … I’ve brought some negative impact on DaRen, you.”

“Mm. Such as?”

“Such as… losing fans? Such as… gossip flying everywhere?”

“Mm.”

Toupai seemed … as if he did not really care?

After a little while, Qiang Qing Ci sent over a relatively longer voice message. “If what is being said on the Internet is making you unhappy, when you shut off your computer, it all becomes nothing. As a voice actor, the only thing that I should care about is my own works. Besides what is said about my works, anything said by other people has nothing to do with me.”

Now that he explained it this way … Gu Sheng immediately felt as if she was behaving childishly by actually taking something on the Internet seriously. And she had even been worried that it would have a negative effect on him …

(⊙o⊙)… So deserving of being their Qiang Qing Ci DaRen.

But… how did it turn into Qiang Qing Ci comforting her?

Qiang Qing Ci sent another WeChat message to her. In a teasing tone, he asked, “Are you satisfied with my answer?”

“Uh-huh…”

“Then, Sheng Sheng,” Qiang Qing Ci said, his voice sparkling with laughter as he lowered it, “do you still owe me something?”

(⊙o⊙) … Did she?

Uh … indeed, it seemed she did.

“DaRen… what would you like to listen to?” Fortunately, it was still only the afternoon and nobody was home yet.

“I heard Jue Mei say that you know how to play some instruments?”

Jue Mei? Then that must have been Geng Xiaoxing who told him …

“A few. I learned the piano as a child. Later, because I liked ancient-style music, I taught myself the guzheng and xiao.” Gu Sheng guessed at what Qiang Qing Ci was proposing. “DaRen, you want to listen to me sing and play at the same time?”

“If that’s okay with you.”

It was okay… but she was worried she would not do a very good job.

Gu Sheng hesitated for a few seconds but, in the end, still agreed to do it. She pulled out her laptop, set her microphone beside the piano, cleared her throat slightly, and put on her headset. She then sent a WeChat text message to Qiang Qing Ci: I’m good now. Dada, come to my room.

She did not even have a chance to send over the chat room number before Qiang Qing Ci had already entered the room …

She never thought he would still remember after only coming once.

She put a password protection on the chat room before clearing her throat again. “DaRen, what would you like to listen to?”

Qiang Qing Ci’s voice was heard in her headset. “Whatever you are used to singing, that will be fine.”

“Mm… I’ll sing the song that I sang when I was applying to become part of my music association.” Gu Sheng remembered, that particular time, she had also sung and played at the same time, so she was especially familiar with this song and did not need to look at the music. Exhaling anxiously, she confessed, “I’m a little nervous. I might hit some wrong notes …”

After recalling the song in her mind for a moment, she began to play the musical introduction.

The piano accompaniment for this type of ancient-style song did not attempt to showcase technique; it only needed to be kept simple and clean.

Ultimately, it still depended on the quality of the singer’s voice.

The introduction came to an end, and Gu Sheng began singing the lyrics:

“The blowing sand disperses, disturbing the clear sky. His loyal heart shining only for his bright moon [his Lord]

Looking into the distance, beyond the city, where weapon is meeting weapon

Another calamity in this floating life

The ruler, guarding the palace alone; his stateliness no longer like that of yesterday. Who is that weeping here?

Old friend has always been faithfully standing in front of his Lord, never questioning, never complaining

……

Old friend, hair now snowy, marked by the vicissitudes of life, never once demanding the chance to re-make his choice

Hoping only that his Lord would put away warfare; something that even offering up his head would not be able to exchange

Ultimately, the city walls have been broken open; looking out from on high is a sea of smoke and fire

Powerless to do anything; corpses strewn everywhere; old friend’s heart has left for some place afar.

……”

She was playing and singing at the same time and could not allow herself to be distracted. Vaguely, she seemed to hear Qiang Qing Ci laugh lightly and state the name of the song: “Gu Ren Tan [Sigh of the Old Friend].”

Orig. 古筝. Chinese zither with 16 or more strings.

Orig. 箫. Chinese vertical, end-blown flute. Usually made of bamboo.

Additional Comments:

Like I had mentioned in my last post, this is the first edition of the novel.  For those who are curious, in the revised edition, instead of singing Sigh of the Old Friend, Sheng Sheng actually only hums a lyric-less melody to her own piano accompaniment.

Okay, did anyone catch that little bit about Toupai knowing that Sheng Sheng knows how to play multiple instruments? Sure, Geng Xiaoxing could have happened to tell Jue Mei, who could have just happened to tell Toupai, but I personally like to think that Toupai asked Jue Mei to find out more about Sheng Sheng from Geng Xiaoxing. 🙂

I did a full translation of this song.  As before, first, here is my interpretation of the song 故人叹 Gu Ren Tan [Sigh of the Old Friend] followed by the translation of the lyrics:

An ambitious ruler with remarkable military prowess wants to rule the world. He has an old friend who, shoulder to shoulder, fought with him and supported him to his current position. Where the ruler is willing to use war and upheaval to expand his conquest of the world, his friend wants only the end of warfare and peace for the common people. However, old friend’s words fall on deaf ears, so he chooses to take his leave and lead a life away from the conflict. The constant war has taken a toll on the people, and the ruler has lost the heart of the common folk. Amidst domestic unrest and foreign aggression, the ruler is abandoned by those who had once followed him. As the gates fall and the foreign army surrounds the city, the ruler ascends the city walls. Old friend has returned to take up his position one last time beside his Lord, as the ruler unsheathes his sword and commits suicide.

[0:47] 风沙漫延，扰乱晴天，丹心照明月

[0:54] 遥望城外，兵器相见，浮生又一劫

[1:01] 君独守皇宫已非昨日威严，谁在此哽咽

[1:08] 故人一直就站在君的面前，不问也不怨

[1:15] 君本意欲，寿与天齐，留万代功名

[1:22] 故人西辞，不问情意，有何难说明

[1:29] 打乱了君一统天下的约定，谁可以同行

[1:36] 原来不需要用战争去平定，要先得人心

[1:43] 故人，发已衰白，风尘覆盖，不奢求重来

[1:50] 只盼君能收起战台，断头换不来

[1:57] 最后的城墙破开，登高望海，一片烟火海

[2:04] 无能为力，尸遍满地，故人心已远

[2:25] 君本意欲，寿与天齐，留万代功名

[2:33] 故人西辞，不问情意，有何难说明

[2:40] 打乱了君一统天下的约定，谁可以同行

[2:47] 原来不需要用战争去平定，要先得人心

[2:53] 故人，发已衰白，风尘覆盖，不奢求重来

[3:01] 只盼君能收起战台，断头换不来

[3:07] 最后的城墙破开，登高望海，一片烟火海

[3:15] 无能为力，尸遍满地，故人心已远
Powerless to do anything; corpses strewn everywhere. Old friend’s heart is gone afar.

[3:23] 手一挥，膝一跪，拿玉杯赐天下无罪

[3:30] 没有人，喊万岁，只有故人看君落泪

[3:37] 君萧萧，拔剑鞘，还以为就此一了百了

[3:44] 人在生，责在身，与谁同归都不可能

[3:49] 故人，发已衰白，风尘覆盖，不奢求重来

[3:57] 只盼君能收起战台，断头换不来

[4:04] 最后的城墙破开，登高望海，一片烟火海

[4:12] 无能为力，尸遍满地，故人心已远
Powerless to do anything; corpses strewn everywhere. Old friend’s heart is gone afar.

Chapter end