Li Hongbin frowned. "Xiaomin, how about you give it a try? Time is of the essence, and we don't have time to find someone else."
Xiaomin nodded. "Da Fei, do you know Little New Year's Greetings?"
"Yes!"
"Alright, go on stage first!"
The gongs and drums sounded, and Xiaomin and Lin Chudong went on stage.
Lin Qiqi saw this scene from the audience and was immediately overjoyed, taking out her phone to quickly start recording a video.
Why was Da Fei on stage?
Li Hongbin helped Lao Feng up. "Lao Feng, let me take you to the hospital?"
Lao Feng shook his head. "No need, I can go myself, I'll take a look first!"
Lao Feng was worried that Da Fei wouldn't be able to handle it; the stage for er ren zhuan was completely different from a singer's performance.
Even if a singer sang badly, at most the audience would just heckle and boo.
But on the er ren zhuan stage, if you didn't perform well, beer bottles would fly at you.
They had been struggling at the bottom for many years and had experienced this kind of thing too many times.
Da Fei was a young man, still an outsider, and it would be difficult for him to withstand this pressure.
"Old Li, what's your relationship with him?"
Li Hongbin opened his mouth, but hesitated.
"Just met."
Da Fei had practically made three visits to the thatched cottage, showing great sincerity, but he was really averse to war-themed TV dramas after the last online attack.
On stage, Xiaomin said.
"Tonight, Lao Gen Theater has invited a heavyweight guest. Everyone, please welcome Da Fei!"
Immediately, there was scattered applause from the audience. Many people were quite surprised. They could actually see a pop star? However, they were here to watch the er ren zhuan, not to listen to singing, and there were quite a few people who weren't buying it.
Da Fei wasn't a singer? Could he also do er ren zhuan? Lin Chudong bowed to the audience and didn't say much. This was the er ren zhuan stage; he wouldn't steal the show.
Xiaomin said, "My new partner is performing on the er ren zhuan stage for the first time. Please bear with any shortcomings!"
With that, Xiaomin held a fan in her left hand and a handkerchief in her right, getting into position.
Lin Chudong didn't change clothes, but he still held his fan and handkerchief.
Performing Errenzhuan was easy for him; his singing ability in this area was top-notch, definitely not inferior to professional actors.
Xiaomin's opening line immediately drew applause from the audience.
"In the first month, it's the New Year…"
As expected of a pillar of the Lao Gen Theater, her voice was indeed clear and bright.
Unlike singing, performers of traditional opera needed loud and penetrating voices.
Lin Chudong followed with the second line.
"The first day of the first lunar month, the very first day!"
Lin Qiqi in the audience immediately took the lead in applauding after seeing this scene.
The song Little New Year's Greetings mainly highlights the soprano, with the male voice serving as a supporting role. However, Lin Chudong's supporting role was absolutely up to par. His voice was loud and penetrating, and he articulated every word perfectly, coordinating flawlessly with Xiaomin.
Xiaomin: Families reunite, ah.
Lin Chudong: The young ones give New Year's greetings to the elders, ah.
Chorus: Regardless of male or female, hey yo yo yo yo hey yo yo, all put on new clothes, ah hey yo yo…
Immediately, the small theater erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.
Who would have thought that a professional singer like Da Fei could actually perform Errenzhuan?
This was incredibly rare. Many people took out their phones to record videos. For thirty yuan, they could see the performance of Da Fei, the King of Songs champion. This ticket was definitely worth it!
Lao Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief after seeing this scene.
"Lao Li, I'm going to the hospital. Could you keep an eye on things here? I'll be right back if I get better quickly!"
Li Hongbin nodded and saw Lao Feng out.
Watching Da Fei working hard on stage, his mood was complicated. He owed someone a favor.
The short performance ended, and the audience was very enthusiastic. Seeing a live celebrity, how could they not be excited?
If it weren't for the theater staff holding them back, these people would probably rush up to take photos.
Little red paper balls were thrown onto the stage, all of them hundred-yuan bills.
Lin Qiqi found it interesting and threw a few hundred yuan up there as well. It was also the first time she had seen the stage covered in money.
The song ended, and the two of them bowed. Xiaomin was about to leave the stage when suddenly a beer bottle was thrown up.
Smash!
Even though it wasn't thrown at anyone, it still shattered on the ground, and glass fragments were instantly scattered everywhere.
Several burly men squeezed to the front of the stage, and one of the big brothers pointed at Lin Chudong and said, "I paid for Lao Feng, not you. Get down, and let Lao Feng come up!"
Xiaomin's expression changed slightly, "Big brother, Lao Feng just broke out in hives and went to the hospital. Da Fei will help out. Da Fei sings so well, everyone, right?"
"Yes!"
Most people were satisfied, but the few in front seemed to have drunk a lot and were very unhappy with Da Fei's appearance.
The big brother said, "You say he went to the hospital, so he went to the hospital? You took the tip, and you won't let me see Lao Feng? How am I supposed to explain this to my brothers? Are you trying to slap me in the face?"
As he spoke, the big brother slapped himself in the face a few times.
Suddenly, the entire audience fell silent. It wasn't uncommon for things to get rowdy at performances.
At times like these, it was all about the actors' skill. Some quick-witted performers could handle the situation with just a few words.
If they couldn't control it, things could easily go wrong, and the whole thing would end in a mess.
Xiaomin wanted to speak, but then Lin Chudong said,
"Big Brother, Lao Feng is indeed sick and can't perform. I know everything he knows. What do you want to see? I'll perform it just for you."
Lin Chudong had climbed up from the bottom, so what kind of scenes hadn't he seen before?
He wasn't a delicate flower in a greenhouse, panicking at the sight of this.
Big Brother directly lifted a case of beer from the ground and placed it on the stage.
"Lao Feng can chug beer, can you? If you finish these today, I'll acknowledge you!"
With that, Da Fei's buddies popped open all the beers with a loud pop. Then, they took out a wad of cash, rolled it up, and stuffed it into the bottle opening.
It looked like there were several thousand yuan stuffed on top of those twelve beers.
Xiaomin's expression shifted slightly, and she whispered, "Little brother, you should go. Leave through the backstage. Let Hongbin send you off. I appreciate your willingness to help, but I can handle the rest myself."
Many young performers, to avoid trouble with the audience and to earn extra tips, had drunk until their stomachs bled and were rushed to the hospital on the spot. It wasn't uncommon.
In her eyes, Da Fei was a singer, a precious gem. He wasn't used to this kind of situation.
He was someone who performed on CCTV's big stage. If something were to happen to him, she wouldn't be able to bear the responsibility.
Lin Chudong smiled. "It's nothing, I was just thirsty."
"Since so many people are watching today, I'll put on a show for everyone."
Immediately, many of the audience members below the stage cheered and applauded.
Lin Chudong picked up a bottle of beer, tilted his head back, and with a quick twist, took a large gulp, downing it in one go.
In less than five seconds, he finished the entire bottle.
Accompanied by the cheers of the audience, Lin Chudong drank twelve bottles in a row!
The entire atmosphere in the Lao Gen Theater was pushed to a climax!
Xiaomin was very worried, but seeing Lin Chudong drink so much without even blushing or panting, he had an impressive capacity for alcohol!
To be able to control the entire scene on this small stage, this guy really has some skill.
Lin Chudong downed twelve bottles in a row and said to several of the elder brothers in the audience.
"How is it? Are you satisfied?"
The big brother said, "You're not bad, you've got some skills. Aren't you a singer? Sing me a song."
With that, the big brother pulled out a wad of brand new hundred-yuan bills from his pocket and slapped them on the stage.
Thirty for a ticket, tens of thousands in tips—this kind of situation could only happen in this kind of small theater.
Xiaomin whispered, "Da Fei, these people are hard to deal with, should I do it?"
Lin Chudong said, "It's okay, sister-in-law, I can handle it! Do you have a guitar?"
"Yes!"
Xiaomin got a guitar from the band in the back and handed it to Lin Chudong.
"Everyone, it's fate that we're performing at the small theater today. I'll sing 'My Good Brothers' for you all!"
Lin Chudong played a simple arpeggio to replace the intro, and went straight into the main theme.
"In your moments of glory, Let me sing you a song.
My Good Brothers,
If you have bitterness in your heart, tell me. We'll walk the road ahead together. Even if it's a river, we'll cross it together. What do a little hardship and fatigue matter?"
The first verse ended, and the entire venue fell silent. Those troublemaking big brothers were now listening intently.
They didn't really understand some songs that were too popular and musically complex.
But this song was down-to-earth, easy to understand, and highly relatable, causing the few big brothers to fall silent.
Lin Qiqi, carefree as ever, was still recording. Da Fei is amazing, he can hold the whole stage even in such an unfamiliar setting, it's incredible!
Li Hongbin sighed under the stage, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
He understood that Lin Chudong was doing all this simply to ask him to come out of retirement and act.
What qualifications did he have?
In terms of fame, he was far inferior to Da Fei.
In terms of popularity, he had long since faded away, and now he only had a small group of fans in the drama industry.
The only thing left was that he had some acting skills, but in this industry, there were many people with acting skills.
Da Fei had gone to great lengths to invite him, showing such great sincerity that he was rather flattered.
On stage, Lin Chudong's voice completely immersed everyone in the music.
"When you need me
I will accompany you through it"
My Good Brothers
"If you have grievances, tell me, Life is full of ups and downs, You still have to live on strong, After crying and laughing, at least you still have me..."
Lin Chudong's high-pitched voice rang out, and several of the older brothers in the audience were already teary-eyed. This song seemed to have struck a chord with them.
They had started from scratch and built their lives to where they were today, all thanks to the support of their brothers.
There were so many hardships they wanted to share with their brothers along the way.
They were all rough men, and their bond was all in the liquor.
"Friendship, higher than the sky, broader than the earth, We will definitely remember those years, Friendship, the greatest blessing of our lives, Like a cup of wine, like an old song!"
The soaring chorus directly won them over.
One person picked up a bottle of beer and downed it in one go.
Then, several of the big guys climbed onto the stage.
Xiaomin was startled, and the staff behind her were about to rush out.
Fortunately, they weren't looking for trouble. The big guys stood beside Lin Chudong, putting their arms around his shoulders and singing along with him.
Six or seven people were arm in arm, all holding beer in their hands, it was just like being in a KTV.
Lin Chudong's song was still going, he wasn't at all flustered. Six Mongolian men weren't his match, let alone these drunks.
But, of course, he couldn't resort to violence unless absolutely necessary. He was a singer, not a brawler. Being able to control the situation was his skill.
One of the big guys finished a bottle of beer, took out several stacks of cash from a small leather bag he was carrying, and stuffed them directly into Lin Chudong's pocket.
The few big brothers next to him also stuffed money into his pockets. Later, when his pockets were full, they stuffed money into his clothes and hat.
The audience at the Lao Gen Theater was just that simple and unadorned.
"The friendship of friends is higher than the sky and wider than the earth.
We will definitely remember those years. The friendship of friends is our greatest blessing in this life. Like a glass of wine, like an old song…"
This song was easy to sing and went straight to the heart. By the second verse, several big brothers could already hum along.
After the performance, the big brother took out a business card and stuffed it into Lin Chudong's hand.
"Brother Da Fei, from now on, we are brothers. Just mention your Brother Huang here. See that street over there? Three bathhouses and six KTVs, those are all run by your Brother Huang. Brother Huang has quite a few businesses here. If you need anything, just say the word. Brother Huang will definitely arrange everything for you!"
"Or, why don't you come with me tonight? I'll arrange a full bathhouse experience for you!"
Lin Chudong glanced at the business card. Huang Yadong, President of Moneybox KTV.
"No, no, no, Brother Huang, I have something else tonight, maybe another time."
After shaking hands with President Huang and exchanging a few pleasantries, Huang Yadong and the others didn't make a fuss anymore. They went off the stage, satisfied, probably heading to the next venue, arm in arm.
Xiaomin breathed a sigh of relief, "Brother Da Fei, thank you so much today. If President Huang had really caused trouble, our little theater probably wouldn't have survived."
Lin Chudong said, "Sister-in-law, how about you and Brother Li have a meal?"
Xiaomin said, "We should treat you. Come to our place, it's convenient!"
Lin Chudong got into the car, following a Passat in front, which was Li Hongbin and his wife's car.
He took out a stack of money from his pocket and threw it onto Lin Qiqi.
"I'll help you."
Lin Qiqi searched all of Da Fei's pockets, and she pulled out at least seventy or eighty thousand.
"They're too awesome, carrying so much cash when they go out? Da Fei, there's more in your clothes!"
"Not just clothes, there's even some in my crotch, get it all out."
"Alright."
"Qiqi, don't touch randomly!"
"..."
Lin Qiqi took out all the money she had on her and counted it. It was about a hundred thousand.
"Da Fei, you make more money performing at the Lao Gen Theater than you would on CCTV, right?"
Lin Chudong gave a wry smile. "You think money is easy to earn? I even drank twelve bottles of beer."
"Oh yeah, you can drink so much? Awesome, hehe."
Lin Chudong shook his head helplessly. Only those who had experienced the hardships of the Lao Gen Theater knew them.
Today, Da Fei's skill, a song of My Good Brothers, touched the hearts of several big brothers. If he didn't have this skill, who knows how things would have ended today.
Once again, at Li Hongbin's doorstep, Lin Chudong and the other person were carrying the gifts they had prepared earlier. Under the warm hospitality of Li Hongbin and his wife, they entered the house.
After preparing a few simple stir-fried dishes, Li Hongbin picked up a bucket of wine.
"Da Fei, can you still drink? This Northeast liquor, it's pretty strong."
Lin Chudong asked, "I can handle some."
The four of them sat cross-legged, enjoying a warm meal on the tatami in Li Hongbin's home.
It was all Northeast cuisine, and Lin Qiqi ate with gusto again.
Xiaomin said, "Brother Da Fei, thank you so much today. I heard about you and Hongbin. Today, your sister-in-law will make the decision. Tell us about the script. If there's no problem, I'll make him film it, he won't be able to refuse!"
Li Hongbin smiled, "Old Li is henpecked, haha, Da Fei, tell us about the script."
Last time, Li Hongbin was really scared by the anti-Japanese drama. Last time, they were cyberbullied, and the two of them were forced to move, it was really depressing.
Lin Chudong said, "Brother Li, don't worry, our drama definitely won't have any ridiculous plots."
"Speaking of which, this Li Yunlong, is a famous handsome young man in the ten mile radius."
-----------------------
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