The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

140.

After Zhao Qianfan finished singing, he hugged Li Zichun as he left the stage. Although they both had doubts, they didn't voice them, as they both had to be discreet in front of the cameras.

Moreover, this was also Li Zichun's own request, forbidding him to make it public. When he said this, he was even somewhat harsh and unreasonable. Zhao Qianfan did not know the reason for his actions, but he still obediently complied, and therefore did not dare to be too presumptuous in public.

Li Zichun certainly had her own considerations. If he could really stay with her until the end, after all, she only had three years left to live. If she were to pass away, the pressure he would bear would be doubled. She could choose to end it all, but he couldn't. He was still young and had a long life ahead of him. If he had the burden of her well-known past, their love would inevitably be hindered.

He didn't know how deeply Zhao Qianfan loved him, but he truly loved him at that moment. Because he loved her, he couldn't stop her from going to someone better than him.

Even if it's just a possibility.

When it comes to cultivating love, I've always been serious about this word, "love." What about you? Just don't let me down when we're in love.

Li Zichun thought this through, neither too close nor too distant. In order to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and trouble, she only responded to him indifferently in public.

A song is neither too long nor too short, and soon we arrived at the seventh group.

Li Jiawei's groupmate was the Haoyu Fenghua duo, who sang one of their signature songs, "The Brave Are Fearless." The song, with its traditional Chinese style and passionate energy, combined with their youthful exuberance, was truly electrifying.

Li Jiawei initially had little chance of winning and was prepared for a first-round exit, but with the support of Li Zichun's lyrics and music, her confidence soared. Standing on stage, bright and confident, she sang Huang Liling's signature song, "Heartbreak Is Not a Crime":

You said I followed you closely, and you felt tired.

You forced me to retreat with just one sentence.

I didn't expect you to say you recently chose

I sleep alone. I hold back my tears. I respect my tears.

Long live loneliness! Heartbreak is no crime! Who can guarantee someone will be there for you when you wake up?

I was prepared for the darker side of human nature; it's not all that dark.

Long live being single! Heartbreak is no crime!

It is the person who doesn't love you enough who suffers.

Isn't it precious to trade past sorrows for freedom?

A person's breakdown is not a crime.

......

A person breaking down is not committing a crime.

She was indeed the singer Li Zichun had chosen. Her low notes were handled very well, creating a melancholy atmosphere for the listener. The line "Long live loneliness, heartbreak is no crime" seemed to bring a sudden realization of the unpredictable nature of interpersonal relationships. So what if you live alone? It's not a big deal. For those who don't love you, leaving is a relief, a chance to start a new life and become a better version of yourself.

This woman, whom he saw as having the potential to become a superstar, certainly didn't disappoint his good songs. Well, even if she's not from his own company, he can continue to nurture her.

Li Zichun has never been prejudiced against any particular faction, especially after the incident involving Li Ke, which made things even more unpredictable.

After agreeing to be with Zhao Qianfan, he's become increasingly audacious. He doesn't care about anything as long as it helps him complete his three-year mission. If it weren't for Zhao Qianfan, this exceptional individual, he wouldn't want to stay in this world for even a second longer.

After Li Jiawei finished singing, she looked at the score on her phone and thought, "Wow, not bad, I've got this one in the bag."

The next few contestants also pulled out their trump cards, doing their best to impress the thousand audience judges present.

Zhang Fenglin, one of the seven returned overseas students, chose the electronic dance music "You Belong to Me". With his own professional dance troupe, the stage effect was top-notch. He sang and danced, and even rapped high notes. The audience was instantly ignited.

After he finished singing, he looked at his phone. That domineering, charming, and slightly wicked eyebrow raise was so captivating that even Li Zichun was charmed. He's quite an interesting actor.

When it was Du Zihua's turn, he used his original song "Loving You in Silence," which he co-composed. The song was deeply affectionate, and his sorrowful face and naturally melancholic voice easily drew the audience into the story.

Li Zichun nodded to himself. She had singing skills and was good-looking. He would see how she was doing. If she had a good personality, he might be able to help her out.

Soon, it was Li Ke's turn to fight.

When Li Zichun left Beijing, he gave him twenty songs and the copyrights to the songs he had sung before, and repeatedly told him not to be impatient and to develop slowly. Unexpectedly, no sooner had he left than he held a new album release conference and had non-stop activities all day long, as if he was trying to completely dominate the market.

But man proposes, God disposes. To his surprise, the arrival of the Seven Returnees completely disrupted his dominance in the music scene and he was almost ostracized.

Li Zichun had been more than kind to him. Since he was disobedient, there was no need to care anymore; let him fend for himself.

Of course, not all twenty songs were classics. He used ten when he released his previous album, and now he only had half left. Moreover, the songs Li Zichun gave him were all newcomer songs, or to put it simply, internet hits. They didn't have any profound meaning, but they were still listenable. The songs were naturally credited under one of his pen names, "Lonely Tree."

Li Zichun was also curious whether he would sing old songs or take the risk of choosing those "internet celebrity" new songs.

Li Ke bowed to everyone, then turned and walked onto the stage. Whether it was to appeal to emotions or intentionally, he sang an old song, which was also the first song Li Zichun gave him, "Half Moon Serenade".

It's clear he really wanted to win, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen an old song that already had a certain level of popularity.

During his time with Li Zichun, he received exclusive vocal training every day. Now, when he sings this song, his output is stable, and his voice is plaintive. Coupled with the song's poignant melody, dramatic rhythm, and heartfelt lyrics, the other guests at the scene and the audience watching on screen can all feel his progress.

Li Zichun thought to himself that if he continued to use old songs and maintained such a stable performance, he might actually be able to make it to the finals.

After the last performance, the first round of performances in the first episode came to a complete end, and the score was checked on the phone.

As is customary, director Zhang Xiaochuan announced the rankings of each singer in the singers' area without directly revealing their scores. The first place went to the over-fifty-year-old veteran singer, Yuan Chengzhi, who sang one of his signature songs, receiving a great response from the audience. No one objected to him taking first place.

Li Zichun was completely convinced, because his voice reminded him of Tengger, the grassland "bandit" who could sing any song in his own unique way. He wondered if there was a chance to collaborate.

As for the rankings of the others, Zhao Qianfan was third, Zhang Fenglin was fourth, Li Zichun was fifth, Li Ke was seventh, Li Jiawei was ninth, and Du Zihua was tenth.

Because only the rankings were announced, without revealing the specific scores, the rankings could have been influenced by a single vote, or by dozens or even hundreds of votes. Everyone had different thoughts; some people wore their happiness and unhappiness on their faces, while others listened without expression and then left.

Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan did not stay at the hotel arranged by the production team, but returned to their own mansion to wait for next week's recording.

After they finished showering, Li Zichun lay in Zhao Qianfan's broad chest, scrolling through her phone.

Zhao Qianfan stroked his soft hair and said, "You really aren't going to forgive Li Ke? He still has a lot of potential."

Li Zichun didn't even lift his eyelids, continuing to scroll through the day's news, and said indifferently, "There are plenty of talented people, we don't need him."

After losing, he straightened up and leaned against the headboard, saying, "You're pleading for him? Heh, I can't teach a disobedient person anymore. I've taught him everything I can, but teaching people is not as good as teaching them through experience. If he thinks he can run the company well, then let him go and make his own way. Whether he gets hurt or becomes successful, it has nothing to do with us. After all, there are no more Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust."

Before Zhao Qianfan could reply, Li Zichun added, "Moreover, I have always hated it when people deceive my feelings. Some things can happen once or twice, but not a third time. He gave my songs to others during the singing competition, and now he's releasing songs randomly without following any arrangements. None of this was done with my consent. Since he's so confident, let him be."

Zhao Qianfan wanted to argue, but couldn't think of anything to say, so he could only worry for Li Ke in his heart.

Li Zichun pinched his chin and said, "Did he contact you secretly? Or do you not want to lose him?"

Zhao Qianfan swallowed hard, rubbed his nose against his face a couple of times, and said with a smile, "We're innocent. Besides, I'm already exhausted by you, my little vixen, how could I possibly be interested in anyone else?"

Li Zichun tossed his phone aside, straddled Zhao Qianfan, and said playfully, "Oh, you're not good again? Then let's sleep in separate rooms tonight."

After Li Zichun finished speaking, he turned around and prepared to go back to his room. Zhao Qianfan grabbed him and pushed him down onto the bed, laughing as she said, "Don't spread rumors. My functions are perfectly complete."

Li Zichun rolled his eyes and said with a smile, "I don't know that, after all, it's been a long time since I've tried it."

Zhao Qianfan pressed down on his hands and, mimicking Zhang Fenglin's wicked smile, said, "Then I'll let you try it today."

... (The text of an entire night is omitted here)

The next morning, Li Zichun finally understood what it meant to be utterly exhausted and weak; his whole body ached, and he could barely get out of bed. Looking at Zhao Qianfan sleeping soundly beside him, looking completely satisfied and radiant, he kicked him off the bed with a powerful shove.

Sure enough, when men go crazy, they're all big pigs, all they know is to charge around recklessly, they don't understand anything.

Li Zichun, supporting his back, struggled to walk towards the bathroom, leaning against the wall. He had only taken a couple of steps when Zhao Qianfan picked him up and said, "Last night was a bit too crazy. Let me carry you there."

Li Zichun tried to push him away, but she wasn't strong enough. She sighed and said, "I need to go to the toilet."

Zhao Qianfan hugged him and said with a smile, "I'll help you."

Before Li Zichun could say anything more, Zhao Qianfan sealed his lips with hers, and after a long while, she released him and said, "We've been completely honest with each other so many times, what's there to be ashamed of?"

Li Zichun couldn't argue with him, so she let him carry her to the bathroom. She spent the whole day in the toilet and taking a morning shower, and it dragged on until midday. If Li Zichun's stomach hadn't started growling, she probably wouldn't have had a moment's peace all day.

The two lived a shameless life in the mansion, completely oblivious to what was happening outside. They quietly ate, played, practiced singing, and prepared for next week's competition.

The paparazzi waiting outside were growing increasingly frustrated and helpless. Aside from the occasional sounds of them practicing their singing, they couldn't get any useful footage. If Zhao Qianfan hadn't regularly exercised in the garden every morning, they probably wouldn't have gotten anything at all.

Li Zichun had received special training from Lanxing on how to avoid paparazzi, and with the help of Qi Tong, a patrolling young officer, the people around the mansion knew that a celebrity lived there, but they didn't disturb him. After all, who living here doesn't have some fame and ability?

Occasionally, when Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan were shopping for groceries or walking their cats nearby, people would greet them and exchange a few pleasantries. Sometimes their children would be waiting nearby, and if they bumped into each other, they would take a photo together. There was nothing inappropriate about it.

Just because they haven't taken any action doesn't mean others won't.

Jin Dili and Zhao Jinmai would occasionally come over for a meal, and also exchange design concepts and drafts with Li Zichun.

Lin Xuehua would also come over for a visit from time to time, talking about trivial business information between various companies, and casually complaining about which company's employees were about to suffer big misfortunes.

Xu Chengfeng and Xu Qiunian would also visit from time to time to talk about literature and ask Li Zichun to comment on his latest works.

Luo Feiyu probably learned the address from Zhao Qianfan and would occasionally come over to chat with him about their sibling relationship. Li Zichun really couldn't stand this half-sister, not only because of her intoxicating scent, just like Zhao Qianfan's, but more importantly, because she always loved gossiping about their sex life. She claimed that nothing beats the thrill of seeing the drama unfold in person.

Dai Rong would also visit, and the three of them would sing opera and tell stories, living a very happy and fulfilling life.

Besides, there are a bunch of celebrities coming and going, who like to visit him all the time. The mansion is always bustling with activity, with guests almost every day. This makes Zhao Qianfan, who originally wanted to have a quiet time with Li Zichun, very depressed. He can only secretly make a fuss at night.

Li Zichun was also helpless about this; sometimes, there's nothing you can do when someone is too popular.

To Li Zichun's surprise, Du Zihua, one of the Seven Returnees from Overseas, actually came to visit. Looking at the man in front of him, who shone like a jade beauty in the sunlight at the door, he was somewhat mesmerized.

Zhao Qianfan angrily covered his shining eyes, glaring at the man outside the door with an unfriendly expression, and said discontentedly, "What are you doing here? Who gave you the address?"

PS: Data is from the internet.

"No Crime About Heartbreak" is a song sung by A-Lin, with lyrics by Lin Xi, music by Liu Yongzhi, and arrangement by Feng Wenfu. It is included in A-Lin's self-titled album "No Crime About Heartbreak" released in February 2006.