The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

139.

Because of the confirmed competition, Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan had to go there in advance, so they said goodbye to Li Xian and went to Beijing.

Before leaving, Li Xian repeatedly reminded everyone to be careful and remember to take precautions. The rest included things like wearing warm clothes in the cold weather and eating on time.

Zhao Qianfan, blushing furiously, weakly said, "We were taking precautions beforehand..."

Li Zichun glared at him, and he immediately shut up. Li Xian grabbed his ear and said, "Don't you dare bully Xiao Zhao. If you do it again, I'll fly over and beat you up."

After spending the past few days with Zhao Qianfan, Li Xian had gotten to know him pretty well. You can usually get a pretty good idea of ​​a person's character in about a week.

She didn't know how far things would go between the two of them, but with confidence in her son, she figured Li Zichun would know what was going on and wouldn't make any silly mistakes.

After packing up, Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan bid farewell and went to the capital. Their accommodation was naturally the mansion that Zhao Qianfan had asked Jin Dili to help buy. Unexpectedly, after going around in circles, they came back.

If Li Ke hadn't deviated from his plan, why would he have gone through all this trouble to participate in this ridiculous competition? It's so annoying.

Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan casually tossed their luggage onto the sofa in the lobby. Zhao Qianfan then hugged him from behind, buried her head in it, took a deep breath, and slowly said, "Mmm, I missed you so much."

Li Zichun's face darkened. He wanted to push her away but couldn't. He said speechlessly, "It's only been a few days since I've let you hold me while I sleep. Is it necessary to be so eager?"

Zhao Qianfan ran his fingers over his neck and said with a smile, "That's the most deadly thing. Do you know how destructive it is to see something but not be able to have it?"

Li Zichun turned around and said, "So, before we were together, how did you take care of yourself?"

Zhao Qianfan said with a smile, "Yes, you have no idea how hard I had to endure it before."

Li Zichun flicked him on the forehead, rolled his eyes and said, "Go take a shower first, you smell awful with all that sweat."

Zhao Qianfan said, feeling wronged, "Didn't you say before that it tasted salty and sweet when you licked it? How come you've changed your mind now that we haven't cuddled together for a few days?"

Li Zichun blushed and pinched his waist, saying irritably, "Stop being so clingy, or I'll make you sleep on the floor tonight."

Zhao Qianfan reluctantly let go of her hand and obediently went to take a shower.

Li Zichun sighed softly after he left. How come she hadn't noticed how clingy this guy was before? He seemed to want to stick to her 24/7. Men with love-struck minds are even more terrifying than women.

After Li Zichun and Zhang Xiaochuan sent a "Arrived" message, they waited patiently for the match to begin.

Over the next few days, Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan stayed in the mansion, focusing on investigating Li Ke's recent actions in Beijing and the development of a series of events.

Because of the cancellation of "Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust" company, the development of Li Ke's company was not very smooth. He and Yan Xiaoli were in charge of the entire company from its establishment to its development. It was nominally a subsidiary, but in reality, Li Ke was the only controlling shareholder.

Li Zichun had given him the copyrights to the songs he had sung before as an opening gift. But unexpectedly, he didn't follow the development plan that Li Zichun had made for him; instead, he had his own plans.

To avoid being implicated by his willful actions, Li Zichun decided to cancel the "Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust" account, lest he lose control and implicate himself and Zhao Qianfan later.

The announcement of the list of candidates for the "Battle of the Gods of Songs" has sparked a huge discussion online.

"All three of the Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust have been arrested, so there's been infighting this time?"

"What do you mean by 'went in'? If you can't speak properly, then speak less."

"They're arguing? No way, they were doing fine before. Could it be another case of someone deliberately spreading rumors?"

"Aren't there enough rumors about them already? If the paparazzi can't find any concrete evidence, they'll just make things up, won't they?"

"Indeed, apart from Li Ke, Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan don't seem to have any commercial performances, so it's difficult to even meet them."

"Is this what a truly talented singer who survives on their work is like? Their songs don't even need marketing to become household names."

"He could have relied on his looks, but he chose to rely on his talent."

"I wonder if those three will run into each other? How are we supposed to fight them?"

"I'm just hoping they'll release a new song, who cares how they play it?"

"It's said that it's decided by drawing lots on the spot, so it's all up to fate."

"I want to see Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan fight each other, the Moon Emperor versus the King of Songs, just thinking about it is exciting."

"Speaking of which, Li Yuehe should have been on the list of contestants, but unfortunately she retired from the entertainment industry. Sigh, I wonder if we'll ever hear Qianqian Quege again."

......

Li Zichun didn't receive an explanation from Li Ke before the competition started, and he had already made up his mind. It seems that this friendship was dispensable.

Because of the competition, Li Zichun didn't dare let him be too unrestrained at night, and just let him hold her until she fell asleep.

Before we knew it, the day of the competition arrived.

A group of singing champions arrived at the studio one after another. Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan arrived relatively late. There were already quite a few people sitting in the hall. The two glanced around and saw many old rivals: Jiang Yiyi, Zheng Conghu, Haoyu Fenghua, Fang Yujia, Qian Yuanyuan... To their surprise, Li Jiawei was also specially selected by netizens to participate.

As soon as the two entered, a group of singers greeted them and chatted enthusiastically.

Li Ke also forced herself to step forward and chatted casually with the two of them, showing no sign of estrangement. But all three of them knew in their hearts that some things could not be undone.

After everyone introduced themselves, Li Zichun noticed that two of the "Seven Returnees from Overseas" were among them: Zhang Fenglin and Du Zihua. "Hmm, indeed handsome young men, a sight to behold."

He was momentarily mesmerized. Perhaps unable to control his expression, Zhao Qianfan, standing beside him, kept a gloomy face and muttered irritably, "He's eating what's in his bowl while eyeing what's in the pot."

Li Zichun rolled her eyes speechlessly. Was it wrong to look twice? Had this little temper flared up with jealousy?

Looking at the other singers, sitting calmly opposite, from the fifty-something-year-old veteran singer to the thirty-year-old Zhao Qianfan, the range is quite large.

This gathering of so many people can be described as bringing together the top elites of the entire Chinese music scene, past and present.

While this statement may be somewhat exaggerated, each of you here has several representative works that you can be proud of. Even Li Jiawei has a well-known representative work like "Shuidiao Getou: When Will the Moon Be Bright?" written for her by Li Zichun, which carries considerable weight.

In contrast, Zhang Fenglin and Du Zihua seem somewhat weak. They both debuted as trainees abroad, and their representative works are all team productions from their previous companies. Their own abilities have not been fully utilized. Moreover, the songs they released in the past month or two after returning to China have been mostly electronic dance music. Although the click-through rate and download volume have remained high, those who have heard them live know that they are just so-so.

But Li Zichun felt differently about them. The two were handsome and intelligent, and their rare good looks alone were enough to make up for the shortcomings of the work.

Stage art is not just about the songs themselves. Throughout history, the performers' appearance has been a major factor in the success of live performances. Moreover, with live scoring, as long as their work isn't too bad, they might even make it into the top ten.

After all, youth itself is an asset, especially when it comes to bringing glory to the country. If the people sent are too old, it will make it seem like there is no one to carry on the domestic music scene.

Therefore, in Li Zichun's eyes, a singer who is over forty years old, without excellent stage arrangement and a series of amazing performances, probably won't make it to the final competition.

Soon, the competition officially began.

Zhang Xiaochuan walked in from outside and read out the competition rules. Then, the draw for the matches took place on the spot. Four people would be eliminated in the first round. No one wanted to be eliminated in the first round, so they would all give it their all.

Li Zichun had already discussed his song selection with Zhao Qianfan over the past three days, so he wasn't afraid of anyone. Moreover, he had outside help. When the roster was announced, he privately sent two songs to Li Jiawei, though publicly it was nominally written by his mentor, "Senluo," to ensure he wouldn't be eliminated in the first round.

He had originally planned to win over Jiang Yiyi and Zheng Conghu, but then he thought better of it. He couldn't be too obvious. He already had a fifth of the twenty people in the competition, and if he continued to develop the situation, he would probably be investigated.

The first round is naturally a free-for-all.

Li Zichun felt it didn't matter who it was; all he wanted to do was get it done.

The ten numbers from one to ten are used to determine who plays first, and those who draw the same number play in that order.

Li Zichun is in the third round (upper), Zhao Qianfan is in the fourth round (lower), Li Jiawei is in the seventh round (lower), and Li Ke is in the ninth round (upper). It seems that none of them will meet in the first round.

Nevertheless, since the song selection was free, the final outcome was still beyond Li Zichun's expectations. Because the first round was contested by Jiang Yiyi and Qian Yuanyuan, both of them chose their own songs, "A Thousand Songs" and "Song of the Setting Sun".

When Li Zichun heard the title of the song the two sang as a duet, he was stunned. When he heard their performance, he didn't know what expression to make.

So this round is a battle of golden hits between "Li Yuehe"?

Listening to the two singers' songs, Li Zichun felt, "Why bother?" Neither of them spoke Cantonese very well; there was some forced effort in their performances, and their pronunciation was not standard. However, this did not affect the emotional expression in their songs.

Li Zichun guessed that they chose this song probably to attract the attention of their "mentor," Senluo, during the competition, hoping he would write a song for them if given the opportunity. Knowing they had no chance of winning the "God of Songs" award, they figured they might as well take advantage of the original singer, Li Yuehe's, retirement to sing songs that would attract the attention of singer-songwriters and expand their market and influence.

After each person finishes singing, the audience has ten seconds to decide whether to cast their vote immediately. The final score is known only to the singer and the organizing committee. The two scores are added together to get their total score for the first episode.

After they finished singing and saw their scores on their phones, they went down to prepare for the next performance.

The singers who followed all performed their signature songs or representative works. Their expressions varied when they saw their scores on their phones; some gasped, some remained expressionless, and some didn't even bother to check their phones before heading off to prepare for their second performance...

Li Zichun was the third group to perform. He high-fived Zhao Qianfan, then stood up and went to the front of the stage. Taking a deep breath, he began to sing F.I.R.'s "Your Smile":

I like to sing out your flavor with my tone.

In this moment, a sweet feeling is fermenting.

A hundred languages ​​know that love has one voice channel.

Only then did I realize it was the code in your eyes.

Too many happy events have arrived, piecing together the beauty of love.

Smile, snuggle into your arms, and then act all cute.

No need for others to teach you, hold onto love tightly.

In this moment, I decide to embrace the beauty you give me.

Love is your unique flavor, lingering in my heart.

No one else knows, only you do.

Because of you, the world is no longer monotonous.

My smile is good enough if you understand it.

You are like the moon, orbiting the earth and shining brightly.

Write an exclamation mark on my planet

With you, the world is infatuated

Your smile weaves every wonderful thing...

This song initially incorporates elements of folk singing, which then transforms into a vibrant and energetic performance, exuding a youthful and sunny vibe. It is a typical pop song.

You may not be familiar with FIR's "Your Smile," but you'll definitely recognize the chorus as soon as it plays.

This song wasn't particularly popular back then, because the first few tracks on the album were so memorable, such as "Fly Away" and "Our Love." Among them, "Lydia," which ranked third, was a hit song that swept the streets and alleys with the TV series. "Your Smile," on the other hand, only ranked eighth on the album. It only became popular years later with the help of a number of singers' covers and short videos.

Li Zichun's performance was fantastic. He didn't even check his score afterward; for him, the unknown is what's most interesting. Being eliminated would actually be better, at least he wouldn't have to perform.

After Li Zichun finished singing, he stepped down. After waiting for another singer, Zhao Qianfan took the stage.

He sang JJ Lin's "Cultivating Love" along with the music:

Why should I be disappointed? I'll hide my tears in my heart.

The past doesn't lie, so don't dwell on it.

We don't need this between us.

I want to experience the bitterness of love.

Learn to let go of your past desires

How difficult it is for us to forget our beliefs!

Appreciation from afar, bewilderment up close

Who says the sun will find the moon?

We cannot imitate the love that others have.

Cultivating the joys and sorrows of love, our efforts are not simple.

Turning joy into tears is a form of courage.

Fantasy from years ago, forgiveness from years later

To heal a body full of wounds for the sake of a face

Don't tell me you miss me, I can't stand it.

Memory is so arrogant; the streetlights illuminate the pain.

How many times have lovers looked at the moon together?

How many times has it witnessed oblivion and heartbreak in the sky?

......

Saying "I love you" with a smile makes you crazy, saying "I love you" while crying makes you nervous, if you can't forget that person, you surrender...

Zhao Qianfan's entire song presents a gentle, subtle, and poignant emotion, coupled with his unique and charming voice. Even those who heard it for the first time were moved to tears, so it's no surprise that he received a lot of votes.

He sang with heart-wrenching emotion, his memories flooding back, as if the person he had lost truly existed.

Even knowing he might be a substitute for someone, Li Zichun felt a chill in his heart, and his thoughts drifted. Was he singing so emotionally? It seems he still can't forget him.

What Li Zichun didn't know was that Zhao Qianfan's songs were all about him. The cultivation of love is meaningless without him. Zhao Qianfan never said anything, and he never asked; the two remained in this state of stalemate, like a guessing game.

Ugh......

Are you also cultivating love while reading this book? Keep going! Don't give up easily, okay?

PS: Data is from the internet.

"Your Smile" is a song with lyrics by FIR, Hsieh Yu-hui, and Peng Tzu-min, music by FIR, arrangement by Oscar, and vocals by FIR. It is included in the album of the same name, "FIR", and is the eighth song on the album.

"Cultivating Love" is a song performed by JJ Lin, with lyrics by Yi Jiayang, music by JJ Lin, and arrangement by Wu Qinglong. It was released as a single on February 21, 2013, and later included in JJ Lin's album "Because of You" released by Warner Music on March 13 of the same year.