Chapter Eighteen: An Unexpected Interview

After hanging up the phone, Chen Ling had just stepped out of the school gates when he was suddenly surrounded by a swarm of reporters. He was still in a daze—was he really being blocked? And right at the entrance of the campus? Shouldn’t the security guards at Northern Film Academy be doing something about this? The guards, however, simply shrugged it off; as long as it wasn’t inside the school, it wasn’t their problem.

Though bewildered by the situation, Chen Ling realized that refusing to be interviewed now would not be wise. If he didn't answer their questions, he was bound to offend some reporters, and who knows how they might write about him later. So he decided to go along with the interviews.

When Professor Lin heard that Chen Ling was about to be interviewed by reporters, he first muttered about Chen Ling neglecting his proper duties—a film director gaining fame for singing was a bit absurd. But then he thought if Chen Ling became popular, it would also help promote the film, so he let it go; after all, it was all for the movie.

Professor Lin arranged for the reporters to be invited into the school's small auditorium, a far more suitable venue for interviews than crowding the school entrance.

As Chen Ling faced the array of microphones, he was still somewhat unsettled; he hadn’t expected his first press interview would be about music…

“Mr. Chen Ling, were all the songs nominated for the Golden Melody Award written and composed by you?”

“Yes, I wrote and composed all these songs myself. But I must thank Mr. Fan Zheng for his help with the arrangements and album production. He’s an outstanding arranger and a remarkable music producer.”

Chen Ling offered a modest compliment to Fan Zheng, since from recording to online release, Fan Zheng had lent a hand throughout. Words of praise cost nothing, and the production fees had already been paid.

“Chen Ling, do you think your Golden Melody Award nomination is legitimate? After all, your album was released this year.”

A reporter questioned the eligibility of the nomination.

“Most of the songs in my album were indeed released early this year, but two tracks—‘Just Once’ and ‘Keyword’—were released last year. You can check online. ‘Keyword’ was even covered by Zhang Jie during the New Year’s Eve Gala.”

Chen Ling answered firmly and directly.

“Chen Ling, will you attend the Golden Melody Award ceremony? You’re the first mainland singer ever nominated for Best Newcomer.”

“Absolutely. At that time, my film ‘Love Lost in Thirty-three Days’ won’t have premiered yet, so the schedule should work out,” Chen Ling replied, subtly mentioning his movie.

“Chen Ling, may I ask if Jing Tian, who sang with you, is your girlfriend?”

As expected, questions about Jing Tian’s relationship with Chen Ling arose. Having already promised Lu Zheng, Chen Ling wasn’t about to break his word or cause unnecessary trouble, especially since he didn’t want to put the girl in an awkward position.

“Of course not. This question has already been asked in interviews with Jing Tian. I’ll answer it again for everyone’s curiosity: We are simply classmates. We sang together because her voice fit perfectly, and I couldn’t invite any other singers, so I asked her to duet with me.”

“Her role in ‘Love Lost in Thirty-three Days’ is also because she suited the character and loved the script. So we collaborated on the film. If you’re interested, please support us when the movie premieres on July First.”

While responding to the reporters, Chen Ling smoothly steered the topic toward the film—after all, less than two months remained until its release.

“Chen Ling, as far as I know, ‘Love Lost in Thirty-three Days’ is your first film as both director and lead actor. You’re only a freshman. Where does your confidence come from to direct and star in your own movie?”

A reporter, evidently familiar with the project, asked about the film.

“My confidence comes from many places. First and foremost, the original novel is excellent—you know the movie is adapted from a novel of the same name.”

Chen Ling then took out a hardcopy of ‘Love Lost in Thirty-three Days’ from his bag, a gift from Bao Jingjing when the book was published recently. He had tossed it into his shoulder bag and now, serendipitously, could put it to use.

Holding the novel, Chen Ling continued, “The screenplay adapted from the novel is brilliant. It not only faithfully recreates the story, but also improves upon it, earning the original author’s recognition and support.”

“Senior Bao Jingjing, the author, granted me the film rights precisely because she approved of the screenplay adaptation.”

By mentioning Bao Jingjing, Chen Ling not only answered the question, but also hoped to win over fans of the novel, so they would help boost the film when it was released. In the world of IP adaptations, loyal fans of the original are a powerful force—the more fans, the stronger their support, though the price of rights naturally rises as well.

“Additionally, Jing Tian, the film’s heroine, postponed joining the cast of ‘Warring States’ to star in ‘Love Lost in Thirty-three Days.’ That alone shows how extraordinary this film is.”

Reporters in the audience exclaimed in surprise—‘Warring States’ was a massive production with a budget of one hundred and fifty million yuan. Jing Tian chose this small-budget romance over such a grand project.

Was the film really so compelling? Seeing their curiosity piqued, Chen Ling knew his words hadn’t been wasted.

Thanks to the ‘Warring States’ crew, thanks to Lu Zheng, and thanks to his ex-girlfriend.

“To thank Jing Tian for her support and help, I specifically entrusted her to sing the movie’s ending theme. Moreover, the album nominated for the Golden Melody Award, ‘If Love Is Forgotten,’ is named after this song.”

With the enormous attention the Golden Melody brings, Chen Ling naturally wanted to leverage it as much as possible to promote the film.

“Chen Ling, what’s the story of ‘Love Lost in Thirty-three Days’?”

“It tells the healing journey of a girl who emerges resiliently from the shadow of heartbreak. There’s no deliberate sentimentality; I believe it’s the first domestic film to depict heartbreak from a young woman’s perspective.”

“Usually, girls suffer more from breakups. I also hope audiences pay more attention to contemporary young people’s emotional struggles.”

With more reporters focusing on the film, Chen Ling was delighted.

After answering a couple more questions about the movie, another reporter switched back to the topic of his music album.

“Chen Ling, I understand you’ve never taken a single music class or undergone any formal training. How did you manage to write and compose so many original songs for your debut album, which was then nominated for the Golden Melody Award? Is there any possibility you plagiarized?”

Who sent this tough question? Chen Ling glanced at the reporter—it was someone from Southern Daily, renowned for their sharp and direct inquiries.

Chen Ling thought for a moment and replied, “Perhaps your investigation isn’t thorough enough. If you looked into it further, you’d know that since enrolling at university, I’ve often audited courses in various departments.”

“As a director, creating good film music and soundtracks is crucial. Northern Film Academy offers music courses, and it was while attending classes in the music department that I discovered my musical talent and inspiration. With persistent effort, I finally produced these original works. These songs are one hundred percent original. If there’s any evidence of plagiarism, I’m willing to withdraw from the music industry forever.”

With this bold statement, no one asked about plagiarism again. Chen Ling had made his stance clear—if plagiarized, he’d leave the industry.

Chen Ling could clearly recall the release dates of all his songs; the original writers hadn’t even begun their own works, so infringement was impossible. He’d already registered the copyrights, but it seemed he’d need to keep creating in the future. If he stopped composing, doubts would inevitably arise again.

Thinking of this, Chen Ling added, “Of course, my main profession is film director. I hope everyone will focus on my movies going forward. As for music—well, whenever inspiration strikes, I’ll keep releasing songs.”