Gone With the Wind

Sui Qingchi, made his debut with the new West Wind, causing the word ‘West Wind’ to jump into the public eye. Liu Mei was relatively clear about the grievances between Sui Qingchi and West Wind. Now, watching Sui Qingchi recklessly bring the name into the hot search, makes her feel quite complicated. When he made the decision, It’s not that she didn’t try to persuade him but, if Sui Qingchi was someone who’d listen to persuasion, he wouldn’t be the current King.

The initial public reaction wasn’t too bad, there weren’t many complaints or hate comments. After all, West Wind is a niche underground band; not very influential, has very few fans and also already disbanded. The negative effect for the up-and-coming Sui Qingchi is very limited. But it’s a different story in a well-known anonymous forum where musicians and enthusiasts gather.

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Popular Science Post: The Past and Present of Sui Qingchi and the band West Wind

1L[1]: West Wind was founded 11 years ago and has disbanded for 3 years now. It’s members include guitarist and creator Fu Cuo, bassist Tan Si (deceased), drummer AK, main vocalist Sui Qingchi, second vocalist He Bin, and third vocalist Fan Fan (who is on bad terms with the band right now). Sui Qingchi had spent the longest time in West Wind, and is undeniably the most popular. Later, when they changed the main vocalist, many of his fans turned black[2] on the second and third vocalists. Sui Qingchi and the members of West Wind at that time were high school classmates. They had formed West Wind since the start of high school. You can imagine what their relationship was like. The reason why he left was that when Huanyi came to scout talents at the time, Huanyi only liked Sui Qingchi, so Sui Qingchi abandoned his teammates who had worked together with him for many years.

After that, Sui Qingchi made steady progress in his career. To be fair, in terms of singing skills, Sui Qingchi really isn’t bad. Such a person, with such a voice and appeal, for a long time, I couldn’t find words to evaluate him.

There will certainly be Sui Qingchi’s fans coming out to say that he wanted to take the band together with him, but the owner only wanted him to be a balabala[3], right? Maybe he really tried. Although I have resentment towards him, I don’t hate him just because he left. What I don’t like is that during that time, he complained that he was pushed away by West Wind’s other members. He blamed West Wind’s old fans, saying they refused to let him go, and that he was more wronged than Dou E[4].

I’ll stop here for now, go have dinner, and continue later. 

2L: When did Sui Qingchi complain about this?

69L: Didn’t he say that? You go on his Weibo, there are still remarks left on it. Do you want me to post two paragraphs for you to see? Is it really that West Wind has completely lost it’s fans?

Like the first floor[5] said, West Wind is the most soulful band I have followed in those years. You think they are the second LOTUS? That’s so braindead. Your King ruined a once-in-a-lifetime band, but this is not the ultimate reason why I hate him! Sui Qingchi stabbed West Wind in the back? What an understatement! Does anyone remember the Band Frenzy Competition? He was already red and purple at that time. He was invited to be a judge while West Wind participated in the competition. They passed through the audition, all the way to the TV competition. And what did Sui Qingchi do? He actually casted his decisive vote for Expanding Bullet[6] at the critical moment and eliminated West Wind! Yes, sure, without him, West Wind was missing something. The main vocalist seemed off, but still, to do it like that? Really? He eliminated his former teammates. Don’t even mention a word of sorry, but there wasn’t even any sadness in his expression. And how did his fans defend him on Weibo? It is said that he voted objectively. Expanding Bullet is better than West Wind. Some say that it’s not easy for him to withstand the pressure. Others say that West Wind is just bad. In that case, if he voted for West Wind, wouldn’t that seem biased?

To tell you the truth, two of the three judges and teachers voted for West Wind. Expanding Bullet only slightly beat West Wind in the media voting session. Even The Chuunibyou’s own idol, Shi Feng also posted West Wind’s competition video on their Weibo. What’s the level of West Wind? Don’t you have a little numbness in your heart? A bit of conscience? It would’ve been fine if they were eliminated by others, but they’re your past teammates. You know in your own heart that they don’t lose to Expanding Bullet at all! If you still remember a friendship in the past, even under the pressure of public opinion, at the very least you could vote for your teammates whom you stabbed in the back before! Besides, even two of the three judges voted for West Wind. Pressure, my ass.

Sui Qingchi, I’ll ask you here, why did you do that? What did you make Fu Cuo, Tan Si and AK think?

After being eliminated, Tan Si had a car accident the next night. Dare you say it has nothing to do with you? Did you show up at his funeral? Have you ever expressed a little sadness online? Half a year later, you released your new album, featuring West Wind’s old songs. I heard that Huanyi bought the copyright for you. You sang really well, right? I didn’t expect that in the past years, you still have the face to remake West Wind. Sui Qingchi, you’re really pushing the limit!

78L: As a former West Wind fan and now Sui Qingchi fan, I would like to say something objectively. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Sui Qingchi choosing Huanyi. Huanyi can give him better development. It has nothing to do with friendship, which isn’t supposed to be achieved by sacrificing his personal opportunities anyways. At that time, Liu Mei of Huanyi also hinted online that they were trying to sign Fu Cuo as well, but Fu Cuo didn’t agree. I have nothing to say if you think Liu Mei is talking nonsense, but I still believe what Liu Mei said is true. Fu Cuo and Sui Qingchi are obviously different people. Fu Cuo can’t abandon his former teammates. Not understanding Fu Cuo, Sui Qingchi left. You can imagine how the two parted. 

During the Band Frenzy, Sui Qingchi voted for Expanding Bullet instead of West Wind. I also thought he was too stubborn, but he would get criticism if he voted for any side at that time. After the show, Expanding Bullet was signed under Huanyi, indicating that Huanyi intended to let Sui Qingchi protect Expanding Bullet from the beginning. Honestly, I think with Sui Qingchi’s character, if he really wanted to vote for West Wind, no one could’ve stopped him. But it’s true that their that session was just like that. With the previous contradictions, Sui Qingchi had to push the boat into the water and vote for Expanding Bullet. Of course, I’m not justifying what he did, but Sui Qingchi, you know, he may just be unable to get through the hurdle in his heart. If someone in West Wind could make up with him at that time, he would definitely vote for West Wind. I have no doubt about it. This is his character.

PS, I also agree that West Wind’s songs are miles away from Sui Qingchi’s own songs. Sui Qingchi’s fourth album is the most sold one, and it is also the closest to the Best Album Award. His most known single is the old West Wind song in the fourth album. To be honest, West Wind’s songs seem to be made just for Sui Qingchi. They’re perfect for him. No wonder he has an obsession with them. West Wind and Sui Qingchi obviously compliment each other, but in the end, it wasn’t meant to be.

92L: Come on, it was said that the company put pressure on him? It was only 16 to 8 at that time. Huanyi had such good vision. Did Huanyi take a fancy to Expanding Bullet and let them win first place early that time? If there is no dust, don’t take out the car to wash your damn King. When he voted for Expanding Bullet, I was so disgusted that I almost threw up!

113L: Upstairs, when I saw Fu Cuo’s expression at the time. I could feel my heart being ripped into pieces, okay? This knife is too cruel!

114L: Fans of West Wind, can you not be so hypocritical? When your band disbanded, you vent your anger on Sui Qingchi. Your band doesn’t exist anymore. What’s the matter? Isn’t he soul that you mentioned yourself? I’m sorry that one of the band members had a car accident, but can Sui Qingchi be blamed for that?! Don’t you kill yourself by racing when you lose a game?! West Wind has dreams that can’t be trampled on. But does Sui Qingchi have no dreams?! Should he sacrifice his own dreams to stay while there is a better option?! Yes, he is a little chuuni, but I don’t believe Sui Qingchi is a heartless man! Sister Liu Mei also said that Sui Qingchi went to her to get the other band members and almost persuaded her. As a result, the band members didn’t appreciate it. What do you want Sui Qingchi to do?! ‘Forget it, I’ll be tied to West Wind all my life’?! I thank Huanyi for scouting Sui Qingchi from West Wind, and I also thank West Wind for giving Sui Qingchi his initial stage so that we can have him in our youths as our King!

121L: Hehe, that’s right. West Wind made Sui Qingchi. You finally admit it.

122L: I feel that the word hypocritical isn’t enough to describe you West Wind fans. Sui Qingchi’s popularity depends on himself. Why does West Wind rely on Sui Qingchi all the way? If Sui Qingchi doesn’t give his vote, he doesn’t care for his former members? Oh I’m sorry, this crime is too much, our heavenly King can’t bare it!

123L: My God! Who wants Sui Qingchi to care? I just begged him not to stab!!

124L: If Sui Qingchi had nothing to do with West Wind at that time, who he voted for was his freedom. How could it be called stabbing? It’s strange that West Wind didn’t take the lead with a big score. This vote fell to second place, which is also sad. In other words, I don’t know what West Wind is like, but I like Expanding Bullet. If he eliminated them at that time, it would be a loss. So you can stop when you insert a knife. Do you really think there is only black and no powder here?

129L: Well, let’s take it as West Wind fans’ glass hearts. Then can you please stop dragging West Wind endlessly? You want to play in a band, can’t you change your name? In addition, don’t buy the copyright of West Wind songs. Even if you sang those songs before, you don’t deserve to sing them now.

130L: Yes, yes, it’s all the West Wind. This old fan is hypocritical. This hypocritical fan kneels down and asks the King not to harm the West Wind any further and keep it as beautiful history!! Well, what else does the new West Wind have besides Sui Qingchi’s voice anyways? They’re as hollow and spiritless as an empty shell. Is there even any meaning behind their debut?

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Sui Qingchi buried his head in the posts. The smoke in his hand was basically finished, it burned to the bottom of his hand. His slippers were full of soot. He threw his mobile phone in a state of confusion, leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. As hollow and spiritless as an empty shell, huh… 

Fu Cuo came out of the shower and heard his mobile phone ringing. The call was an unknown number. He picked it up in some wonder. A drunken voice came from the other end of the phone: “You must be happy now. Seeing that your fans support you so much and scold me in bloody flames. Doesn’t that satisfy your hatred for me?”

Fu Cuo frowned, “How did you get my number?”

Sui Qingchi calmed down and hung up with a slap.

Fu looked at his phone in a daze and frowned. For a moment, he wanted to go online to see how Sui Qingchi was scolded, but he finally gave up. It’s all over. There’s no need to ask for trouble.

Around midnight, he picked up his ringing phone again, but no one made a sound for a long time. When he was about to hang up, the other voice whispered, “It’s me, don’t hang up.”

“Are you sober now?” Fu Cuo asked, “Do you know how late it is?”

“How late? Probably three or four…”

“Why do you have my number?”

“I already have it, there’s no point in asking anymore, is there?”

Fu Cuo was speechless and said, “Don’t call me again.”

“Fu Cuo, if you dare to hang up on me–“

Fu Cuo ignored him and hung up the phone.

The next day, Fu Cuo went to the bar and scrolled through his phone in boredom. He was surprised to see Sui Qingchi on the hot search again. Now with a very arrogant selfie on his Weibo. A rock n roll gesture was like a vertical middle finger, full of the scent of hostility. He also wrote a sentence;

The river waves from behind, drive on those earlier and those that die on the shore. Congratulations to the New West Wind for debuting. 

In the comments, someone asked if it was too much for Qianlong to die on the beach[7], and Sui Qingchi liked it.

Fu Cuo absentmindedly went around the bar, trying to suppress himself but in the end he couldn’t calm down. Finally, he went to the bathroom and called Sui Qingchi. “Listen. Please just let West Wind go–“

Sui Qingchi didn’t give him a breath and hung up after listening.

When he dialed it again, it was blocked by the other party. 

References

References↑1Referring to the n-th ‘floor‘, basically the n-th reply on a thread. Think something like reddit or tumblr. This whole section is an interaction on an online forum, there will be some slang that might or might not make sense in English.↑2To ‘blacken’ is a term meaning to defame; slander, to spoil someone’s reputation.↑3To ‘talk too much.’ Basically OP is saying that people thinks the ones defending SQC like that are just talking too much — making excuses, bullshit.↑4Reference to the book and play ‘The Injustice to Dou E‘↑5First post, thread starter, OP/original poster.↑6Another band’s name, lit. ‘Dum Dum Bullet‘ but they’re the same thing.↑7Probably a pun/internet reference/meme on SQC’s post caption. Not quite sure what it exactly is though, sorry :”