I Became an All-round Artist

Qizhou.

Shortly after the premiere of Dance of Fish and Dragons, the filmmakers, including the director Zheng Li, couldn't resist checking the reviews on Qizhou Movie Network.

• "Cried my eyes out after watching!"
• "I hereby declare a new champion in the tragic film genre."
• "I need a high-definition image of the white dragon transforming into a giant fish flying through the sky as my wallpaper."
• "That ending song really hits hard."
• "After seeing the credits, I have to say, the final song The Big Fishis the best theme song of the year, hands down."
• "I was feeling pretty sad after the movie, but then my buddy said the entire film was basically just a music video for the last song, and I couldn't help but laugh."
• "The movie was decent, but the lyrics of that last song... absolutely heartbreaking."

With a rating of 8.5 out of 10, the filmmakers erupted in cheers. "Looks like we’ve got a hit on our hands!"

This was an impressive score, far exceeding their expectations. Dance of Fish and Dragons wasn’t a massive blockbuster, with a mid-range cast and moderate promotional efforts. For a film like this to succeed, it had to rely on strong word of mouth.

As they celebrated, they also noticed the significant discussion around the song The Big Fish.

The producer, half-amused, remarked, "I can't believe so many people are saying our movie is just the music video for The Big Fish."

"Honestly, I can see where they're coming from," another member of the team said with a wry smile.

"Now you understand why I was so strict about the music, right?" Zheng Li, in good spirits, didn’t feel offended by the comments. She knew most people were just having fun.

From a different perspective, this was the audience’s way of complimenting how well the song enhanced the movie’s ending.

Even Zheng Li herself admitted that The Big Fish had added significant value to the film. The song’s mood, vocals, and perfectly fitting lyrics amplified the audience’s emotional connection to the movie.

Previously, Zheng Li had struggled with how to conclude the film. The overall tone of Dance of Fish and Dragons was somewhat melancholic, and by the time the movie was ending, this melancholy had accumulated significantly. She needed a moment to release all the built-up emotions.

It was clear that The Big Fish became the focal point of that emotional release.

Just then, Zheng Li’s phone rang. It was the representative from the investors.

"The movie turned out great!"

The representative sounded excited. "The company has decided to increase the promotional efforts for Dance of Fish and Dragons. I’ve already sent people to negotiate for more screenings at the theaters. Also, you should give Qinzhou a call and invite the singer of that final song..."

"The Big Fish," Zheng Li interjected.

"Yes, The Big Fish! Invite the singer over to Qizhou. Have her perform the song during the promotion; it’ll definitely have a huge impact!"

"Sure," Zheng Li replied, then added with a teasing tone, "But weren’t you the ones who were against me spending five million on a song? You said the music wasn’t that important and that the budget should be focused on the visuals. I had to beg you to let me spend that five million to get this song made."

Zheng Li had always been particular about the music. Initially, the investors felt that spending five million to commission a song for Dance of Fish and Dragons was a waste, but they eventually relented after much persuasion from Zheng Li.

"In the end, we went with your idea," the investor said sheepishly. "How about this—we’ll increase the budget for your next project, including more funds for the music. You’re the expert here; sometimes we don’t understand, but if you communicate with us more, we can work things out."

In any industry, results speak volumes. Before Dance of Fish and Dragons had proven itself, the investors held a high ground—after all, they were the ones funding the project.

But now, with the film clearly on the path to success, the investors were eager to keep Zheng Li, the director who could generate profits, on their side. They even brought up the possibility of investing in her next project, signaling that Zheng Li's status in the industry had risen.

"It’s a deal, then!" Zheng Li said with a smile.

She was already considering working with Xianyu again for the music in her next film. She might even share the full script with him this time. At this point, she was convinced—Xianyu was the go-to for her music needs.

In Qinzhou, Starlight was quick to react. Almost as soon as the premiere ended, the soundtrack for The Big Fish was prominently featured on all major music platforms, making it easy for viewers who had fallen in love with the song to find it.

In the office of Starlight’s manager, Lao Zhou, sat in front of his computer, eagerly awaiting the reviews and feedback for The Big Fish. With his years of experience, he knew this song had the potential to be a massive hit, which is why he had pushed the resources department to secure prime spots on the music platforms.

His instincts were right.

Within five minutes of going live, The Big Fish had already surpassed 30,000 downloads, and the comments section was buzzing with activity:

• "Just watched Dance of Fish and Dragons, here to check in!"
• "Same here!"
• "So this song is called The Big Fish. I love it!"
• "What are you waiting for? Listen, download, and save it!"
• "This song made me cry."
• "Everyone knows this song comes with a nearly two-hour-long music video."
• "Afraid you’ll fly away, afraid you’ll leave me behind, but even more afraid you’ll stay here forever... these lyrics hit so hard when you think of the movie."

It wasn’t just moviegoers; even those who hadn’t seen the film were drawn to the song, and through it, they discovered Dance of Fish and Dragons.

"So it’s the theme song for a movie? Now I really want to see Dance of Fish and Dragons."

"After hearing the song, I immediately bought two movie tickets. Going to see it with my girlfriend this weekend. Now, all I need is a girlfriend."

"I'm taking my crush to see it! After the movie, I’ll confess! My future happiness depends on this film and this song!"

Some people even noticed that the lyrics, composition, and arrangement credits for The Big Fish were all attributed to "Xianyu."

The singer, Jiang Kui, was still relatively unknown, but Xianyu’s name rang a bell for many listeners: "Isn’t Xianyu the one who wrote Life as Blossoming Flowers?"

"Xianyu? The one who topped the newcomer charts?"

"Yes, yes, I noticed this person too." "This Xianyu is really something. Just last month, he topped the Newcomer Charts, and now he's released The Big Fish. Both songs are exactly my style!" "…"

Seeing these comments, Lao Zhou couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear.

Although he hadn’t seen the movie, he could tell from the fans' feedback that Dance of Fish and Dragons was likely a solid film, giving the song a significant promotional boost.

"Not bad," Lao Zhou thought to himself, feeling quite pleased. "Lin Yuan’s growth is astonishingly fast. He's only a sophomore in college this year, and at this rate, it might not take long before the company has another star composer in its ranks!"

In the industry, it typically takes most newcomers over a decade to become top-tier composers, but Lin Yuan's potential is extraordinary. He might not even need ten years of honing his craft to become the company’s next star composer—

And that’s what Lao Zhou is most excited about!