The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

After Zhao Qianfan finished singing, he felt that the next few people were just so-so, and he didn't even want to comment anymore. He really wanted to finish quickly and leave. If he sat there any longer, he would have to pee in his pants. He should have known better than to eat so much at noon.

The competition was finally drawing to a close. After the last singer finished performing and the scores were tallied, the chief judges would hold a final discussion in the concert hall based on the votes. Usually, this break was for everyone to wait and watch the judges' evaluation process, but this year, due to Lin Ruhai's invitation, it became Li Zichun's live performance time.

Zhao Qianfan and Li Ke exchanged a glance. It seemed that no matter who won the championship, there would be gossip, because Li Zichun was about to start his performance.

This time is usually when guests and audience members go to the restroom, so people will get up from time to time to relieve themselves in order to prepare for the upcoming awards ceremony.

Li Zichun didn't care, he was just powerless, ultimately because his influence was insufficient.

As one of the most influential stars of the new generation, this person, who should have appeared in the singing competition, was brought down from his pedestal by an online storm. The whole thing seems to have a conspiracy behind it.

From the perspective of who ultimately benefited, it was undoubtedly a joint operation by the eight major companies. Li Zichun lost a large sum of money and his reputation was ruined because of this. The impact and threat he had previously posed to the eight major companies was almost fatal. While it seemed like he was merely topping the new song charts, he was actually blatantly mocking the companies for having no capable subordinates. As representatives of the domestic entertainment industry, the eight major companies were interconnected with various parties. Even Fan Liwen's company, Huating Entertainment, was privately held. Although it had official backing, it didn't reach the point of direct, forceful intervention. Such is the cunning of capital.

So, in the end, Li Zichun was the one who suffered the most. He only managed to escape after losing the copyrights to most of his musical works. If it weren't for the fact that almost every one of his songs was a hit, and that he hadn't managed to extricate himself in time, he would probably have been in debt for millions. He could only swallow this loss, since the "Moon Emperor's Demise" incident was out of control from beginning to end. Public involvement directly complicated the whole incident, and even major entertainment companies had to use underhanded tactics and secretly increase their stakes to squeeze him out of the Chinese entertainment industry.

An uncontrollable musical genius, a rising superstar, if he cannot be used by capital, it would be better to nip him in the bud.

After all, eight companies are already enough; adding another one would be excessive.

Ultimately, the turmoil in the mainland entertainment industry forced him to move to Kowloon. There were reasons for choosing this place, as can be seen from the national music company ranking competition to the preliminary rounds of the King of Singers competition. The capital here is more powerful, and it is accumulated by established families. A wealthy person is not qualified to enter high society if their assets do not exceed one billion.

Li Zichun put aside his good mood and stood on the stage to begin his performance. The song "Better Not to Meet" began to play in time with the music:

Getting your head wet is unavoidable.

London always loves raindrops

Taking an early flight, I tried to suppress my yawns.

Just to see you

Finding a little-known shop

We can't go back to the day we fell in love.

The spiritual energy was probably already contaminated.

Who will remain unchanged in life?

The more you long to meet, the more you discover

The ten years in between

The smiling face I long to see is only a memory.

I don't know how to chat anymore

Like me before I started smoking

I don't know how you changed.

It felt like a hundred years had passed, but suddenly I understood.

Even if we meet again

Mature performance

Better not to meet

......

The smiling face I long to see is only a memory / I don't know how to chat anymore / Like when I was a child before I smoked / I don't know how you've changed / It feels like I've waited a hundred years, and suddenly I understand / Even if we meet again, a mature performance is worse than not meeting at all.

Li Zichun's deep, resonant voice carries a profound weariness and sadness, as if bidding farewell to the Chinese entertainment industry and also serving as a self-admonition: What good will it do to go back? Will he once again become a machine manipulated by capital, carrying all his glory and talent?

He and the entertainment industry are like two people separated for many years. They no longer have the ease and comfort they had when they were together. Instead, they act like performers to cover up their inner unease. It would be better if they never met.

One song finished, and it was time for the next. The same melody began, but the title and lyrics were completely opposite; the four words appearing on the big screen were "Long Time No See":

I came to your city

Walk the path you came from

Imagining life without me

How lonely are you?

Take the photo you gave me

That familiar street

It's just that your image is no longer there.

We can't go back to that day.

Will you suddenly appear?

A coffee shop on the street corner

I will greet you with a smile and a wave.

Let's sit and chat.

How I long to see you!

See what changes you've made recently

We stopped talking about the past and just exchanged pleasantries.

I just want to say one thing to you.

long time no see

......

How I long to see you again, to see how you've changed, to stop talking about the past, to just exchange pleasantries, to simply say, "Long time no see."

Li Zichun's moving performance, along with the simple piano and string arrangement, makes this song perfect for quiet contemplation. The melody flows gently like water, simple yet profound, touching the depths of the heart with its understated emotion.

Hello everyone, it's been a long time! I, Li Zichun, am back.

Although the applause was sparse, he didn't care. Those who came back from the restroom would realize what a classic performance they had missed. After all, there were loudspeakers in the restrooms that could hear the live music. Many people who were squatting in the toilet were already regretting it and wished they could dry their butts and sit back down immediately.

Li Zichun seemed quite relieved after finishing his song. Applause was better than no response, especially since Li Ke and Zhao Qianfan were the main characters today. If he had thrown out a bombshell, it would have disrupted their moment of triumph. So, a song like this, with its quiet, understated elegance, was better.

Whether it's a classic or not doesn't matter anymore; it's just a transition. Take it or leave it, I'm spoiling you.

After Li Zichun finished singing and bowed, he was about to leave the stage when Zeng Ziwei quickly went up and whispered, "The judges have some disagreements about the rankings, so we might need you to sing another song."

Li Zichun was taken aback upon hearing this, but he quickly understood. Third place was naturally easy to choose, but the competition for first and second place was more difficult. Should he choose Li Ke or Zhao Qianfan? That was the question. Even he himself hesitated about who should be awarded first place. Their performances were indeed neck and neck, but historically, there could only be one champion per year. The first place winner of this preliminary singing competition would directly qualify for the national preliminary rounds and enter the finals, representing the face of their region. Therefore, he couldn't help but be extremely cautious.

In his mind, Li Ke wasn't that strong, but today he did perform exceptionally well, even outshining Zhao Qianfan in some aspects. However, if only this particular performance was considered, he would choose Zhao Qianfan, but if the entire performance was taken into account, he would choose Li Ke.

Forget it, these are things I can't control. Let them be who they are, they were both raised by me anyway.

Thinking of this, Li Zichun puffed out his chest and said to Zeng Ziwei, "Then let's sing another song, but it'll be a cappella, no accompaniment."

Zeng Ziwei gave an OK sign and stepped down, leaving Li Zichun alone on the stage.

He couldn't think of a song to sing a cappella for a while, so he closed his eyes and intuitively told himself that the first song that came to mind was the one.

Li Zichun closed his eyes, quickly went through the lyrics in his mind, and began to sing Leslie Cheung's "The Wind Continues to Blow":

I urge you to return home as soon as possible.

You said you didn't want to go back, you just wanted me to hold you.

A gentle sea breeze cooled the bonfire.

I saw you heartbroken. How could you bear to leave after you finished speaking?

Even when she's crying, she's absolutely beautiful.

How can I stop you from crying? I can only gently kiss your hair.

Let the wind keep blowing

Unable to bear leaving

Deeply longing

I hope to stay with you

The wind keeps blowing, I can't bear to leave.

Tears well up in my heart, but I refuse to shed them as I gaze at you.

How can we chase after so many happy memories together?

I want to wash away my sorrow and pain, and remember my tenderness and affection.

I must suppress my tears of parting, refusing to let them fall.

Sorrow hangs like a lock, brows furrow, tears of parting will inevitably fall.

I have brought you joy, and you have captivated me; you are already in my heart. There's no need to ask who you are anymore; I hold back every tear in my eye, yet it still flows silently...

Why does it still flow intermittently and silently?

Li Zichun uses throat resonance to make her voice clear and comfortable, sounding round and full, without putting too much strain on her throat. This makes her a cappella singing pleasant and easy to listen to. Her magnetic voice, combined with her heartfelt singing, makes it seem as if there is a breeze blowing, carrying a faint sadness that lingers in everyone's heart.

Li Ke and Zhao Qianfan exchanged a glance. Ha, well, they've been completely overshadowed.

The judges' results were already out, but when they heard this song, they were still moved by its unique emotional charm. It was as if a gentle lover was whispering in their ear, and their feelings lingered in their hearts, impossible to sever.

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience; the unaccompanied sound was all the more moving, which was quite remarkable.

Li Zichun smiled and bowed, then looked at Zeng Ziwei and Zhen Yuling, and then at the judges who were listening intently. Knowing that a result had been reached, he nodded to Lin Ruhai and calmly stepped down from the stage.

Zeng Ziwei and Zhen Yuling took the stage. After a brief introduction and announcement, the final award ceremony finally arrived: "Let us invite Mr. Lin Ruhai, the organizer of the Kowloon Harbour Singing King Preliminary Competition, to the stage to present the award."

Lin Ruhai walked onto the stage with great energy, took the cue cards handed to him by the judges, and did not announce it immediately. Instead, he looked around the room and finally fixed his gaze on Li Zichun, and slowly said, "I believe that after the whole competition, everyone has already made up their minds. There are only a few people who are capable of winning awards. However, it is still a bit of a pity. Some people did not participate in the competition, but they seem more deserving of the awards."

A murmur rippled through the crowd, and everyone knew without a doubt who he was talking about.

Li Zichun nodded gratefully to him, smiling in response to the old man's kindness.

Lin Ruhai nodded in return, then looked away and said with a smile, "Alright, the time has come to reveal the winners and losers. I hope the winners will continue their efforts and create even better songs, and I wish the losers will be more courageous in the face of setbacks and continue to strive for good results next year. So without further ado, the top three winners of this year's Kowloon Harbor Region Singing King competition are... Zhao Qianfan and Li Ke of the Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust, and Qin Junzhi of the Taiwanese Charm."

Zhao Qianfan stood up and hugged Li Zichun tightly. Li Ke also wanted to hug him, but Zhao Qianfan pushed him aside twice. Li Ke could only hug him from behind. The audience watching on the big screen burst into laughter. What an interesting trio!

This made Qin Junzhi, who came in third place, seem somewhat superfluous. Standing there shaking hands with the other members of the Taiwanese Style group, he wondered if he should hug the people around him as well. He glanced at Xu Meiqin and other female artists next to him, but in the end, he shook his head, clapped his hands, and went on stage. It was incredibly awkward.

What he didn't expect was that something even more awkward was about to happen. After receiving the award, it was time for the final duet song that Li Zichun had previously agreed upon. He felt more embarrassed receiving an award than ever before, and was utterly speechless.

Just as he was about to walk off the stage, Li Ke hugged him and said, "You sang very well! Li Zichun said we could collaborate on a song sometime."

Qin Junzhi's dim eyes lit up, and he was overjoyed. He looked gratefully at Li Zichun below the stage, wishing he could immediately go down and give him a big hug. Suddenly, he felt a chill down his spine. Zhao Qianfan was staring at him with narrowed eyes. He couldn't help but shiver. This guy is really petty. Can't he even hug me? I didn't rush up and kiss him. We're both artists, why be so stingy?

He only dared to mutter these words to himself and didn't dare to say them out loud. After all, everyone knew that the two of them were a golden duo who had been together since their debut. Moreover, the "Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust" now had an elusive and all-around talented junior sister who was a singer, as well as a musician master named Senluo who had never even shown his face. The public was too lazy to even guess anymore. A person who could cultivate two top singers must have an extremely extraordinary identity. Whether he showed his face or not was not something they could force him to do. Besides, who knew that Senluo didn't have other apprentices?

After Qin Junzhi and Li Ke's standard acceptance speeches, Zhao Qianfan gave her acceptance speech last: "I know I can sing, so I fully appreciate the recognition given to me by the competition organizing committee..."

The audience burst into laughter. Zhao Qianfan continued, "I know many people here will say that he shouldn't have won it, but through years of silence and hard work, I've learned that the award is in my hands, and I don't care what you say. It's none of my business."

PS: Data is from the internet.

"Better Not to Meet" is a Cantonese song by Hong Kong pop singer Eason Chan, with lyrics by Lin Xi, music by Chen Xiaoxia, and sung by Eason Chan. It is included in the album "What\u0027S Going On...?", released on November 23, 2006.

"Long Time No See" is a song performed by Hong Kong pop singer Eason Chan. The lyrics were written by Shi Li, the music composed by Chen Xiaoxia, and the arrangement was done by Jiang Zhiren, Sun Weiming, and Chen Po. It was included in Eason Chan's album "Accept It" released by Universal Music on April 24, 2007. This song was also featured in the film "Love is Not Blind".

"The Wind Continues to Blow" is a Cantonese album released by Leslie Cheung on May 1, 1983, and the title track is his signature song. The lyrics were written by Cheng Kwok-kong, the music by Yu Qilongtong, and the arrangement by Xu Riqin. It is also the theme song for the film "Once a Thief." In December 2010, the song won the "My Favorite Song" award in the 30-Year Classic Music Awards of the Chinese Music Awards. The original Japanese version is "The Other Side of Goodbye," sung by Momoe Yamaguchi.