The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

141.

Under Zhao Qianfan's unfriendly gaze, Li Zichun welcomed Du Zihua into the house. He was also very curious as to why such a handsome man had suddenly approached him.

After his agent introduced them and exchanged pleasantries, it became clear that their purpose was both to make friends and to request a song from him.

During the last competition, Li Zichun was quite familiar with his voice. It reminded him of Lu Han, the man who was a top idol for five years and set China's first Guinness World Record for social media in the era of big data.

The two look quite similar, but Du Zihua is taller and more slender. He is gentle and humble with a youthful spirit, and his face is soft with a bit of baby fat that hasn't completely disappeared. He looks like someone who wants to rub his face.

Zhao Qianfan felt threatened by the man in front of her. It was best for someone with looks that could rival hers to avoid appearing in front of them.

Li Zichun listened indifferently and did not immediately agree.

Du Zihua had specifically inquired about the location with the production team before coming today, even canceling his own events to see him, which showed his sincerity. However, Li Zichun wasn't someone who could be easily fooled, but he didn't refuse. After listening to Du's requirements for the song and the concept he wanted to convey, he exchanged contact information with him and then told him to go back and wait for further notice.

This was the first time the two had met privately, and they didn't have any special relationship or interaction. This sudden visit was just to convey an intention to cooperate. If they were interested in each other, they would naturally continue to keep in touch privately.

The three chatted until late before leaving. Li Zichun wanted to invite them to stay for dinner, but then thought better of it, since it was their first meeting and they could do it another time.

After seeing off the two unexpected visitors, Zhao Qianfan put his arm around Li Zichun and said, "You're mine, you can't fall for someone else."

Li Zichun chuckled softly, raised her eyes slightly to look at him, and said, "Are you jealous?"

Zhao Qianfan snorted but didn't say anything, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Li Zichun couldn't help but laugh out loud. Indeed, Du Zihua's serene and refined face was easy to make people have all sorts of wild thoughts, so it's no wonder he felt threatened.

Li Zichun, deliberately teasing him, said, "Oh, but speaking of which, he's definitely just as handsome as you. I..."

Zhao Qianfan forcefully turned his body around, silencing his smacking mouth, and said seriously, "I'm right in front of you, so don't talk about other people."

Li Zichun swallowed hard, licked his lips, and said, "Hmm, okay, but you think you can get rid of me with just a kiss?"

Zhao Qianfan watched him slowly approach and said with a smile, "So what do you want?"

Li Zichun didn't speak, but his right hand had already reached through his waist and touched his left shoulder. He said seductively, "Guess."

Zhao Qianfan was aroused by his teasing and picked him up, carrying him to the bedroom.

Another sleepless night and a morning I can't wake up.

------------

Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan had been fooling around in the house for a week, and the whole room was filled with their scent.

Because of their identities, the two of them didn't dare to hire a housekeeper to clean up. Zhao Qianfan took it upon himself to clean up the mess and tidy up the place that the two of them had made dirty and messy.

Li Zichun finally understood what it meant to be indulging in extravagance and debauchery, where the spring nights were too short and the sun rose high, and from then on, the emperor no longer held morning court.

If it weren't for the occasional visitor, he doubted he would ever need to get out of bed and get dressed.

Before we knew it, it was time for the second round of recording for the first episode. A brand new episode, a brand new panel of a thousand judges.

The rankings from the last round were obvious to everyone, so the results of this round will determine who stays and who goes. I wonder which four unlucky ones will be eliminated in the first round.

After a brief introduction by director Zhang Xiaochuan and the usual presentation of sponsorship, the official competition began.

Based on the results of the previous round, the ranking order determines the final order of appearance.

The first to appear is Mr. Hara Seiji, the singer who won first place in the previous episode. Because he won first place in the previous episode, he will not be eliminated no matter what. So he can choose his song more freely this time. As long as he performs well throughout the episode, he will not be eliminated no matter what.

He sang an old song he wrote early in his career, "Water Rests, Wind Sleeps," an artistic song that leans towards creating a mood or atmosphere.

Li Zichun thought it was pretty good. Although this alternate world lacked culture, there were still many incredibly talented people who could find treasures in the ruins and create moving songs. No wonder he's been a veteran for so many years; he really has something special.

After a brief introduction and interview, it was soon time for Zhao Qianfan, who came in third place, to appear.

Amidst a chaotic set, Zhao Qianfan sat on a dirty sofa, took a deep breath, regulated his breathing, and began to sing "Agony," a song that had once nearly suffocated JJ Lin:

Knowing you were just a bird, after the embrace, all that was left in my hands were feathers.

Why did you waste so much coffee and roses to bother me in the first place?

I want to think quietly, so that love and hate will no longer waver on the scales.

Thinking about you makes me lose my balance. I can't turn off the lights, even if I do. This storm...

The moment my heart skips a beat, love begins to torment me, every minute, every second.

The fire is burning; how wonderful it would be if it could burn to ashes, so that longing wouldn't make a fuss.

I believe I'm almost there.

I'm almost forgetting you, making up with loneliness again.

If you can't get it, don't beg. How to do it doesn't need anyone to tell you.

In the depths of the ocean, where I've sunk too far, I have only myself left to rely on.

......

I believe I'm almost there, really almost there, almost there, able to smile and face the next embrace.

The message "Agony" wants to convey to fans is: don't be sad, find strength; no hardship is insurmountable. This song describes the process of being deeply hurt and unable to extricate oneself from a painful experience, losing the meaning of life at one point, but ultimately finding rebirth. The song begins with the lowest female vocal range and soars to the highest in the chorus, hovering between the lowest and highest notes, spanning a 16-degree range of true vocals—a very challenging vocal range. It's like a girl in love who has been dumped and hurt, falling from heaven to hell, struggling with torment and despair.

Singing this song requires excellent chest resonance. This week, Zhao Qianfan spent his time either hanging out with Li Zichun or receiving special training from him.

Judging from the results of the live performance, Zhao Qianfan's chest resonance has reached a high level of mastery, and the live effect of this song is excellent. Many people found it very enjoyable, with the explosive transitions between high and low notes sending shivers down their spines and making them feel as if their nerves were on fire.

After he finished singing, Zhang Fenglin took the stage, delivering the same energetic songs and dances that ignited the stage. However, he clearly didn't fare well following Zhao Qianfan's performance. The audience had just endured a grueling bombardment and couldn't engage with him with the same fiery enthusiasm. So when he saw the final score on his phone, he couldn't help but feel a bit gloomy.

When he returned to the lounge, he secretly glared at Zhao Qianfan. Li Zichun noticed, and although she was displeased, she didn't say anything. Ha, these people are probably spoiled by their fans; they always think all the good things in the world should be directed towards them alone.

Thinking this, he glanced at the quiet and picturesque Du Zihua. These two were truly two extremes, like fire and flowers.

Du Zihua felt Li Zichun's gaze and smiled faintly at him. Zhao Qianfan pursed his lips and cut off their gaze with his hand, saying in a low voice, "Stop flirting. It's your turn."

Li Zichun rolled his eyes, stood up like Pan Zhoudan, rolled his eyes again, and walked towards the stage.

Because he was performing a duet today, he had been practicing his breathing techniques for the past few days to ensure a perfect performance, putting in a great deal of effort. He stood on the stage with half his face covered in makeup and began to sing "A Glimpse of Beauty" to the rhythm of the music:

Turning one's hand to make clouds, turning it back to make rain; washing one's hands in a golden basin to stop the wind and rain.

I don't yearn for worldly pleasures, yet I can't let go of memories; every moment has you in it.

Our first meeting in our youth, you've always been in my heart; your deep affection has never diminished over the years.

How can any landscape compare to the scenery you gave me?

Hearing the zither under the willow tree, I danced and sang a tune.

It seems to reflect the past, a graceful figure like a startled swan.

Who stirred up feelings with just a few words?

Whose every smile and frown stirred the nebula?

The paper fan hides foreshadowing; the mystery lies within the poem.

Purple smoke ignites unspoken words, lingering fragrance awaits the one who seeks them.

History records heroes, but how much merit and demerit do they possess?

What do I ask for in this life? Only you.

......

A gentle flute melody drifts from the distant mountains at dawn; the morning breeze sweeps away the passing time; the waning moon sinks into my frosty temples. With you, all grudges and grievances vanish like wild geese leaving footprints in the snow.

...What do I ask for in this life? Only you.

"A Glimpse of Beauty" is a song written by Xu Song himself, with the arrangement work completed by Mr. Tian Mi, who also arranged "Rolling Up the Pearl Curtain". To ensure that Xu Song's own ideas for the arrangement of instruments and vocal layers are fully realized, he personally completed the mixing work in his studio.

When Li Zichun performed this duet song, he had to subtly adjust his vocal range in a very short time. The male voice had to convey the scholarly air of Xu Song, who was indifferent to fame and fortune, while the female voice had to convey the charming and alluring Jiangnan style of Huang Ling. Every time he changed his vocal range, it would elicit gasps from the audience.

Many predecessors have tried singing songs with male and female voices. In traditional Chinese opera, there are many male singers who sing female roles, but to do it as smoothly and seamlessly as he does is extremely difficult.

After Li Zichun finished singing, many people in the audience stood up and applauded. This song was the first ancient-style song to appear at the competition. Unlike the previous heart-wrenching high-pitched bombardments and immersive art songs, it brought everyone an unprecedented and wonderful experience.

After Li Zichun finished his performance, he bowed and left the stage. He checked the total score on his phone and thought, "Hmm, I think I've got this first episode in the bag."

After he finished singing and came backstage, everyone looked at him with strange eyes because the female voice in the song was so natural that it could be mistaken for a real one.

Everyone's gaze, intentionally or unintentionally, drifted towards his lower body, some even questioning his true gender. Only Zhao Qianfan and Li Ke, who knew the truth, smiled faintly and remained silent. After all, having known each other for so long, they were already used to this man who had transformed into "Li Yuehe." Back then, he had easily won first place in the Kowloon Port music company ranking competition for the "Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust" without revealing his identity to the audience, all while veiled in a secret.

Hearing his female voice again now stirred strange emotions in all three of them. People who once drank, chatted, and moved forward together had now gone their separate ways.

Li Zichun parted his lips slightly, quietly licking the inside of his teeth. After a long while, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

Li Ke is quite good; he knows a lot and has seen a lot, yet he hasn't used the popularity of himself and Zhao Qianfan to leak information. At least his character is trustworthy. He's a bit harsh on him because he has too many expectations of him, and Li Ke's mediocre, inconsistent performance always frustrates him.

As he thought about it, he lowered his head and chuckled softly a few times. Hmm, it seems like they were both at fault.

Soon it was Li Ke's turn to perform, and he sang another old song, "Under Mount Fuji".

"...The past hardens like stone, I casually toss it aside and run away. I'm not uncommon; I walk around the streets once, and I vanish into nothingness..."

Li Zichun listened quietly and smiled faintly. Singing this song in this kind of occasion actually felt a bit like giving up on himself. Cantonese songs, as dialect songs, don't really have an advantage in this kind of occasion, but he still chose to sing the song from that time, and the meaning was self-evident.

Li Zichun's mind raced, but he simply made a small decision: to help him out when he was in a low point in the future.

Soon it was Li Jiawei's turn, and she was to sing a song that Li Zichun had given her, A-mei's "Relief":

Love is a city that never sleeps; memories are like stars.

The more my tears boiled, the colder I felt.

The more you think about someone who has changed their heart, the more hurtful they become.

I sat there until dawn, when the sunlight turned on the room lights.

If the ending is the same, why bother thinking about it anymore?

If hurt makes us grow, why am I afraid of the pain of breaking up?

Relief is acknowledging that it was a mistake and that I shouldn't have lingered on it.

You have the freedom to leave, and I have the freedom to live my life well.

Liberation is knowing how to wipe away your tears, look ahead, and find a new direction to move forward.

This world is vast; I will always fulfill a dream.

......

There was a yearning in my heart for courage.

Don't let those who love me worry about me anymore... I will always achieve a dream.

Li Jiawei's performance remained stable, and the whole song was heartfelt and smooth, as if she had truly been freed from those broken memories.

Following her was Du Zihua, who sang another original song, a light, natural, and touchingly refreshing style, just like his personal temperament, like a spring breeze blowing into people's hearts.

PS: Data is from the internet.

"Suffering" is a song with lyrics by Si Yu and Xu Shizhen, music by Rao Shanqiang, and sung by Malaysian singer Li Jiawei. The music video was directed by Zhou Getai and is included in the album "Thank You, My Love". The song was released in Taiwan in 2011 and won the 2012 Hito Pop Music Awards' Most Popular Online Music Video Award.

"A Glimpse of Beauty" is a song with lyrics and music by Xu Song, arrangement by Tian Mi, and sung by Xu Song and Huang Ling. It is included in Xu Song's 2014 album "Let's Have Some Tea".

"Relief" is a song with lyrics by Yao Ruolong, music and arrangement by Xu Huaqiang, and sung by A-mei (Chang Hui-mei). It was included in A-mei's debut solo album "Sisters" in 1996. It is one of A-mei's classic representative works and has been covered by many singers. The song was also featured in the 2014 film "I Love You on the Road".