The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

153. Changing Yourself (Part Two)

"Change Yourself" is a very positive and uplifting song with a very light and cheerful melody that makes people feel relaxed. Coupled with the pleasant lyrics and Li Zichun's specially trained slightly playful singing style, the whole song expresses a sunny and clean attitude.

Du Zihua was also impressed when he heard the finished product. Indeed, only songwriters and singers understand what kind of expression is most suitable for lyrics.

With the success of the first song, the second one was quickly mastered.

After Li Zichun finished writing the lyrics and music, he told him how to sing it and how to express it.

The second song was "Let Me Stay By Your Side," sung by Eason Chan and Lu Han. Under Li Zichun's guidance, he quickly got the hang of it and started recording:

I never speak because I'm afraid no one will answer.

I never struggle because I know the world is too big.

Too much time wasted, too many things to face.

Too much is no longer a problem; too much makes it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Too much turmoil and trouble, who is by your side?

Even the smallest me has a big dream.

Time marches forward; there are only crossroads, no end.

All the knowledge of this chaotic world

As long as I stay by your side

The smallest me

I have big dreams

I am willing to live quietly in every corner where you are.

If there's anything in life that makes you sad...

Don't be afraid, let me stay by your side and be with you through everything...

Du Zihua's clear yet passionate voice momentarily stunned him, as if everything had returned to square one. He had taught others to sing in the same way before, and now he found himself back in the middle of a teaching session.

We've come full circle and returned to a similar starting point, but everything is different now.

We will eventually reach the shore, and wherever we go, the sun will shine and flowers will bloom. I, the smallest of us, have a grand dream. Time marches on endlessly, with no end in sight, only crossroads. The little one has a small dream, never spoken, yet never forgotten.

Because I have never forgotten, all the twists and turns of love and debts are just the past.

Li Zichun seemed to be teaching him, but in fact he was also teaching himself, and gradually he began to understand.

Some people and some things are in the past. Now, it's time to do your own thing and complete your own tasks.

Soon came the third song, which resonated with the theme of "growth" and was a well-known pop song. Different people would have different feelings about it, but with Li Zichun's help, Du Zihua still did a great job. It was "The Wind Rises":

We traveled along the way, stopping frequently, following the trail of the boy's drifting journey.

I hesitated for a moment before stepping out of the station.

I can't help but laugh at this trepidation of returning home; it's still unavoidable.

The sky in Nagano remains warm, and the wind carries the echoes of the past.

When I first encountered this world, I was captivated by countless things.

Looking at the horizon as if it were right in front of me, I would gladly go through fire and water to experience it.

Having traversed this world, I linger here through countless entanglements.

Turning the pages of time, your smile unexpectedly bursts into view.

I was once overwhelmed by the vastness of the world.

I also indulged in it and talked in my sleep.

No truth or falsehood, no struggle, no fear of jokes

I once poured my youth into her, and I once played the notes of summer with my fingertips.

Let your heart guide you, and let things take their course.

Walking against the light, braving the wind and rain.

The short journey, with frequent stops, had already covered quite a distance.

I wonder if I'm touching a story or a feeling.

Perhaps all we're hoping for is to defy time.

Seeing you again in the cool morning light, your smile so sweet.

......

The evening breeze ruffles the white hair at your temples.

Smooth the scars left by memories

Your eyes are a mixture of light and shadow, and your smile is like a blooming flower.

Dusk obscures your faltering steps.

Entering the painting hidden by the bedside

You in the painting are speaking with your head down.

I am still amazed by the vastness of the world and captivated by the sweet nothings of my childhood.

Nothing remains—no truth or falsehood, no struggle, just a pointless joke.

I finally returned my youth to her, along with the vibrant summer that flowed from my fingertips.

What the heart desires, it's gone with the wind. In the name of love, are you still willing?

Many singers have covered the song "The Wind Rises," but Li Zichun's favorite version is Wu Qingfeng's. Wu Qingfeng's version gives the song an ethereal and beautiful artistic conception. His androgynous voice sings the youthful surge in the song in a pure and flawless way, untouched by worldly dust.

This song is not easy to sing. Under Li Zichun's guidance, Du Zihua recorded it more than ten times and only let him go after he met the requirements.

In Li Zichun's words, it was barely passable; singing the entire song in one go was indeed quite a challenge for you.

Du Zihua's version wasn't the best, but it showed him another possibility: that it doesn't have to be exactly the same as the original. After all, they weren't the original singers; they were people from this world, and it was enough for them to sing with their own unique flavor.

This is something he figured out during his travels. No matter how they sing, they will never be the original singers. Their understanding of the lyrics and the expression of their emotions are all different. There will be many, many more covers in the future, so it's a bit excessive to dwell on this. As long as they don't sing off-key, it's fine.

Next up was "Young and Promising," a song Li Zichun hadn't originally intended to give him because some of the lyrics didn't seem to reflect Du Zihua's own experiences.

"Young and Promising":

The TV keeps flashing, and I haven't deleted my contact information yet.

I mistakenly destroyed the kindness you showed me.

We once thought together about having a place to sleep and eat.

How can we endure this? Working day and night, we can't even scrape together the down payment.

I smashed the wall panel and it still hasn't been repaired.

A bowl of hot porridge, you were afraid I wouldn't have enough, so you left half to take with me.

When I describe a bright future to you, your eyes often turn red.

He cared about me back then, but I didn't understand.

If I were successful in my youth, not insecure, and knew what was precious...

I regret not giving you those beautiful dreams.

If I had been more capable and knew when to advance and retreat when I was young, I wouldn't have let you suffer for me.

Have a few more drinks at the wedding with your current partner.

......

If I had been successful in my youth, hadn't been insecure, and had tasted the bitterness of regret...

I've gained money and status, but I really want to give it back.

If I were young and accomplished, I would know when to advance and when to retreat.

I won't let you suffer for me. Drink a few more glasses at the wedding with your current partner.

"Drink a few more glasses at the wedding to wish me a successful youth."

Li Ronghao wrote "Young and Promising" to encourage young listeners to cherish everything around them and live up to people's expectations of "you". The song uses a lot of strings to weave a story, and electric guitar techniques are added in the middle to express the repression of men when facing love. It ends with a modified version of "Wedding March", which is a metaphor for a love that has no ending.

The lyrics, through familiar everyday images like "television," "wall panel," and "hot porridge," vividly depict the man's suppressed emotions, heart-wrenching pain, and endless regret. The recurring line "If I had been more successful in my youth" further portrays the reluctance and guilt with remarkable depth. The simple and straightforward lyrics are both heart-wrenching and deeply moving, allowing everyone who has been hurt by love to feel the pain acutely.

"Young and Promising" evoked nostalgic feelings in many listeners. Lyrics such as "If I had been successful in my youth and not felt inferior, I would have known what is precious" and "I would have felt guilty for not giving you those beautiful dreams" are simple yet powerful, instantly striking the hearts of middle-aged listeners.

These were also Li Zichun's concerns, and he only dared to sing for him after consulting with Du Zihua.

After all, these are things he hasn't experienced, but does that mean he can't sing them?

Du Zihua's voice is inherently infectious, an infectiousness devoid of life's hardships and trials, but rather filled with hope for the future and a step-by-step approach. Because he is already young and accomplished, the regrets that appear in the story are nonexistent, there is no feigned pain, no unfulfilled desires, only a young man's fantasies about beauty and a new definition of hard work—"I hope that when you appear, I will not regret it, nor feel inferior, but bravely and firmly be the one by your side."

The fifth song was "Rain Stops, Wind Sleeps" written by Du Zihua himself. Li Zichun thought it was pretty good, so he put it as the fifth song.

This poem is a self-expression about the journey of growth; when the rain has stopped and the wind has subsided, it is time to rise up.

Li Zichun quite recognized Du Zihua's talent. Someone who could live in such a large villa, with no worries about food or clothing, and possessing such excellent manners, must have received a good education from a young age and been diligent and hardworking.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to cooperate with him.

Thinking about it carefully, every person Li Zichun collaborated with possessed outstanding abilities and a unique skill. Money, fame, influence, strength, appearance, temperament... there was always at least one factor that he found acceptable; otherwise, why would they be included in his plans?

Someone of Zhao Qianfan's caliber, upon closer examination, is indeed a scion of a wealthy family. Just standing there is enough to attract attention, so it's normal that he couldn't resist.

It's best to avoid making this kind of mistake, otherwise it can easily disrupt one's mind.

It would be a lie to say that Du Zihua had no feelings for Li Zichun after spending these past few days together. He had more or less the same thoughts he had for Zhao Qianfan. If he could find a way to keep such a talent by his side, let alone a domestic superstar, even a world superstar would be a piece of cake.

But after thinking about it, he held back, after all, he had to respect the other party.

Therefore, he and Li Zichun had always maintained a close yet distant "brother-brother" relationship, and he made him call her "sister".

Li Zichun had given this title a lot of thought. After all, he had already ended up in this secondary world, so he could be as wild as he wanted. During his travels, he even fantasized about whether he should use foreign capital to inject into the domestic entertainment industry and clean it up, shattering the eight struggling entertainment companies into pieces.

But this would inevitably draw criticism, so after careful consideration, he held back. It's easy to invite a god but hard to send him away; those foreign capitalists are not easy to deal with either. Unless absolutely necessary, one should not easily resort to such a suicidal tactic.

Getting back to the main topic, this album has now reached its sixth song. Li Zichun originally intended to use this song as the lead single, but after some thought, he decided against putting it first. In his opinion, all the songs on this album are rare gems, and aside from Du Zihua's two tracks, any one of them could be placed first. This song is "The First Dream," which has touched countless hearts:

If pride hadn't been coldly slapped down by the harsh sea of ​​reality...

How could they possibly understand how much effort it takes to reach the distance?

If dreams hadn't tumbled off a cliff, a hair's breadth away...

How could anyone know that persistent people possess invisible wings?

Plant your tears in your heart, and they will bloom into flowers of courage.

In moments of weariness, you can close your eyes and smell a fragrance.

It's like having a good night's sleep until dawn.

They can hum a song as they walk, with light and quick steps.

When feeling down, the weight of loneliness is always palpable.

How I long for someone who understands me, someone to offer warmth and a shoulder to lean on.

I'm so glad we had such a long-lasting understanding along the way.

Through the wind and around the bend, our hearts remain connected, just like always.

The original dream is held tightly in the hand

The place I most want to go

How can you return halfway?

The original dream will definitely come true

Only when your true desires are fulfilled can you be said to have reached heaven...

"The First Dream" is a cover of "Riding on the Back of a Silver Dragon," the theme song for the Japanese drama "The Little Doctor on the Island," sung by Miyuki Nakajima. Christine Fan loved the theme song after watching the drama, which inspired her to cover it. She then asked her record company to negotiate the copyright. After acquiring the rights, lyricist Yao Ruolong rewrote the lyrics, while producer Chen Wei requested more pop elements in the arrangement and asked Fan to sing with her most authentic voice. Through continuous performances, Fan finally understood how to sing the song well.

This song is a popular inspirational song that interprets the important role of "belief" for the audience with its rich connotations. It tells the audience that as long as they stick to their beliefs and tenaciously walk the path they believe they should take, they will surely overcome the storms and reach the other side of success.

No heart will be hurt by pursuing its dreams. When you truly desire something, the entire universe conspires to help you. Never forget your initial dream, no matter what; persevere and never back down!

Li Zichun recalled his initial dream, which was to obtain a first-level ticket to enter the Eternal Heaven.

As for what the first level is, he didn't know either, but thinking about it carefully, the number starts with one and ends with nine, so it means the most basic level. But even the most basic level is better than being a ghost spirit working for free in the underworld.

He wanted to fight for his own life.

This song was the one that Du Zihua recorded most smoothly, probably because of his love and passion for it. After practicing it once, he basically got it right in one take.

This sense of rhythm and tacit understanding surprised Li Zichun.

Keep going, young people who still have dreams.

PS: Data is from the internet.

"Let Me Stay By Your Side" is a song with lyrics and music by Tang Hanxiao, arrangement by A Luan, and sung by Eason Chan. It is the theme song for the love version of the movie "See You Tomorrow" and was released on November 8, 2016. Lu Han's version of the theme song, "First Encounter," was released on January 15, 2017.

"The Wind Rises" is a song composed by Yu Takahashi, with lyrics by Migo, arrangement by Koichi Ikekubo, and sung by Mai Lajiao Ye Yong Quan. It was released as a single on February 22, 2017, but was taken down due to copyright issues. It was re-released as a single on December 3, 2018.

"Young and Promising" is a song written, composed, arranged, and sung by Li Ronghao. It was first released on July 19, 2018, and later included in Li Ronghao's album "Ears" released on October 17 of the same year.

"The First Dream" is a song performed by Christine Fan, with lyrics by Yao Ruolong, music by Miyuki Nakajima, and arrangement by Chen Wei. It was included in Christine Fan's album of the same name, released on May 1, 2004. In September 2012, the song was selected as one of the "Top Ten Inspirational Youth Songs" by Xinhua News Agency.