The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

Zhao Qianfan's acceptance speech was interesting, humorous, and carried a touch of nonchalance.

He met Li Zichun's gaze with gentle eyes; no further words of thanks were needed, for a thousand words were understood without saying a word.

The three of them walked off the stage with their trophies. Zhao Qianfan shoved the trophy into Li Zichun's arms and said proudly, "I got it! Praise me!"

Li Ke rolled her eyes and was about to shove the trophy over when Zhao Qianfan snorted and said, "Don't embarrass yourself if you're second place."

Li Ke was so angry he gritted his teeth and said with dissatisfaction, "If it weren't for your good looks, I would have punched you this morning."

Li Zichun said speechlessly, "Alright, alright, stop fooling around. We still have to perform on stage later. It's just a small award. Is it worth fighting over it so fiercely and endlessly? With me here, you'll have plenty of opportunities to win awards in the future."

The two exchanged a glance, sparks flying, and then turned their heads away simultaneously.

On stage, other awards were being presented, such as Best Newcomer, Best Stage Design, Best Costume, and so on. He hadn't heard of many of these awards, but they made perfect sense. It was a singing competition held only once every four years, so naturally, those who deserved encouragement and praise should be encouraged. Just like the judging panel choosing Zhao Qianfan, someone who hadn't been in Kowloon for long, as the singing champion, it was both a way to make Hong Kong musicians understand the vastness of the outside world, to encourage them to go out and face the world, and to understand the importance of talent. It was also an incentive and boost for Kowloon's entertainment industry. What's the use of having many companies? What's the use of having many artists? A small company that's only been established for a short time can consistently produce high-quality songs; that's what matters. Quality and content are the core of an entertainment company. If it's just about packaging, how many years can it survive? Is it all just about looks?

After a series of awards, it was time for the final curtain call. A large group of guest stars stood at the front of the stage. Li Zichun, as a supporting guest, originally wanted to sing from another position, but he couldn't resist Li Ke and Zhao Qianfan, and was forced to stand in the center of the stage. He sang "Tomorrow Will Be Better" at the end, choosing the Cantonese version performed by a group of stars at the 1985 Hong Kong TVB Top Ten Golden Songs Awards Ceremony:

Zhao Qianfan: Co-creating the world's most beautiful sounds, with hit songs born every day.

Li Ke: The beautiful voice of peace resonates in the air, echoing the most beautiful sounds.

Li Zichun: Creative ideas emerge in the song; new song update.

Zhao Qianfan: Attracting the Hearts of Youth, Together We Leave New Footprints

Li Zichun: I wish to see vitality everywhere, and I wish to see many new stars born.

Zhao Qianfan: Art extends and expands; how attractive and delightful it is to see the new generation of singers.

Li Ke: It's so exciting to get together like this, gains and losses don't matter.

Li Zichun: Let's present more beauty together and let our songs soar together.

Zhao Qianfan: Working together to create a better future, we sing together on a joyful path.

Li Ke: Tomorrow, our brilliance will surely shine even brighter. We will strive for endless progress, help and encourage each other to continuously improve, and reach out to grasp blessings and encouragement.

......

Together: Let's work together to create something wonderful, treading a joyful path, singing as we forge ahead. Tomorrow, our brilliance will surely shine even brighter. Let's seek endless progress, helping and encouraging each other to continuously improve, reaching out to grasp blessings and encouragement.

A group of people sang together, and on the third verse, the people standing behind them joined in singing the chorus. This scene evoked fond memories for many Kowloon residents many years later, reminding them that the golden age of Cantonese songs had already passed.

The Kowloon Port National Singing King Preliminary Competition came to a perfect end. The sky was filled with golden ribbons that engulfed everyone on the stage, and the audience and viewers on television were in a frenzy.

But the significance of this performance goes far beyond that. Because of Li Zichun's participation, the popularity and viewership of the entire competition directly surpassed all other programs nationwide, and the hit songs and impact created during the performance ignited a frenzy of online discussions.

The Moon Emperor reappears: an innovative interpretation or just relying on past glories?

The Belated Champion: The Road to Victory for the Prince of the Night-Blooming Flower

The unparalleled perfect pairing

The golden age of Cantonese?

A perfect presentation of two lyrics in one song

The Birth of the Uncrowned King

Breaking news: Li Zichun and Li Yuehe are actually from the same school?

The Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust's Complete Victory

Various speculations about the identity of the behind-the-scenes musician, Senluo.

......

Li Zichun accepted Lin Ruhai's invitation and attended the banquet that evening with Zhao Qianfan, Li Ke, and others. Only the top ten from the competition were eligible to enter; the others were all wealthy and influential figures in Kowloon's high society.

The magnificent lobby and top-notch service were not the reasons Li Zichun came here. After greeting everyone briefly, he headed straight for the food area.

Food is the most important thing for people, and this buffet banquet by Kowloon's top chef was the main reason he agreed to come here.

Li Ke and Zhao Qianfan ate silently, but the food was a pleasant surprise as soon as it entered their mouths; the taste was truly unforgettable. The three of them ate heartily, while the others had never seen such a scene before. Everyone was here for social purposes, so they ate as little as possible, after all, their elegant evening gowns couldn't be tainted by worldly dregs.

After a hearty meal, the three of them contentedly savored their champagne.

Li Zichun rummaged through the shelves, looking at the dazzling array of fine wines available for casual consumption, and said with a heavy sigh, clutching his stomach, "This is truly the life of the rich; this is the real high-end enjoyment."

The three men were elegant in their manners and ate very quickly. Listening to the smiling faces and mutual flattery around them, they felt a sense of unreality. Li Zichun felt that he had been far, far away from this kind of life, so far away that he could hardly remember when it had been. It was probably after his wife fell ill that he had not been to such a banquet.

As he was pondering and recalling, a dignified beauty in a sequined evening gown walked up to him, extended her hand and said, "Hello, are you Mr. Li Zichun? I am Lin Xuehua, the host of this banquet."

His surname is Lin, so we have to give him face.

Li Zichun naturally stood up, shook hands, and said, "Hello, I am Li Zichun, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Lin Xuehua said with a smile, "I've heard you play 'Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon' and 'The Shepherd's Flute' before, and I really liked them. But what amazed me the most were 'The Butterfly Lovers' and 'Wedding in a Dream.' Musical talents like you are truly rare."

Li Zichun said politely, "You flatter me. It's just a humble piece I wrote in my spare time. It's my honor to have you like it."

Lin Xuehua said with a smile, "It's been a long time since I've heard your piano works. I wonder if we'll have the chance to hear your new compositions today."

Li Zichun said with a smile, "Since you have such an interest, I will play a piece to show my respect for this banquet. If I play poorly, please feel free to offer your criticism."

Lin Xuehua nodded and said, "Thank you, I will definitely enjoy it."

Li Zichun took a final sip of champagne, slowly placed it on the table, and, guided by the waiter and led by Lin Xuehua, went to the piano.

How could Li Zichun attend such a banquet unprepared? Every time he comes to such a high-end occasion, he mentally anticipates dozens of possible scenarios and conversations, so he can handle any situation. This short walk to the piano was his moment of rapid mental selection. The piece couldn't be too solemn or too casual; it had to be memorable and resonate with the audience, at least on par with the classics she had mentioned, like "The Butterfly Lovers" and "Wedding March," and it also had to be understandable to the business tycoons present... After much deliberation, he finally decided on that one piece.

He gracefully sat down at the piano, his tailcoat swaying gently, and under everyone's watchful eyes, began to play Joe Hisaishi's classic masterpiece, "Castle in the Sky."

"Castle in the Sky," originally titled "Sea of ​​Clouds Under the Moonlight," is widely considered to be the song's title because it's the theme song for the animated film of the same name. Its beautiful, moving, ethereal, and healing melody possesses a power to evoke the purest emotions within people.

The entire piece is melodious and captivating, its slow, melancholic tone calming the mind and drawing the listener in, offering a sense of boundless hope in its stillness.

As the song ended, thunderous applause spontaneously erupted from the audience. Although they don't usually listen to music much, they still make time to go to concert halls and recitals with their wives and children. They could tell the quality of a song just by listening to it; even if it wasn't a classic, it was still a rare gem.

For such high-profile banquets, the stage is specially recorded. After obtaining Li Zichun's consent, Lin Xuehua placed the song on the background of the company's official website. What she didn't know was that this simple act directly caused the company's website click rate to skyrocket, the company's stock value to rise slightly, and also laid the groundwork for her to successfully take over the family business.

The entire banquet was made famous by this piece of music. This was the first live performance of this divine song. How could anyone not be moved? Given Li Zichun's habit of never playing it a second time, this may be the only live performance of this kind, and it is destined to be recorded in history.

After the perfect end of the banquet, Li Zichun, Lin Ruhai, and Lin Xuehua successfully exchanged contact information and returned to the villa with satisfaction.

The three of them lay on the sofa on the rooftop celebrating their victory, with barbecue and beer as a must.

Although Li Ke was the runner-up, he was not dissatisfied, because the other team was the golden duo.

Li Zichun revealed to them the plan to release an album after the New Year, which was also the first step in the company's New Year plan. Li Ke and Zhao Qianfan naturally had no objections.

At Li Zichun's suggestion, Li Ke wanted to release an album that was half Mandarin and half Cantonese, while Li Yuehe would release an album entirely in Cantonese. Li Ke thought about it and decided to release an album entirely in Mandarin, as that was the trend. Li Zichun didn't say anything, just smiled and nodded. So, the final result was that Li Ke released a Mandarin album, while Zhao Qianfan and Li Yuehe released Cantonese albums. Besides the songs they sang during the competition, the albums also included other new songs.

Of course, all of this will have to wait until after the New Year, just like the singing competition, which will also be held after the New Year.

Li Zichun lay on the sofa, a straw in his mouth, slowly sipping fruit wine, gazing at the starry sky, and couldn't help but let out a long sigh. Whew, I didn't expect to have been in this world for half a year already. It's truly moving.

Qi Tong leaped onto the sofa, walked to his stomach, burped, and then lay down to rest.

Li Zichun stroked the cat's fur, feeling warm and cozy, and fell asleep without realizing it.

Li Ke wondered whether he should wake him up and let him sleep in the room, but Zhao Qianfan felt it was unnecessary. He went into the room, got a blanket, covered him with it, and gently touched the stray hairs on his forehead.

Seeing this, Li Ke held up the wine bottle and said softly to him, "You're so good to him, but you should know that he doesn't seem to have that kind of feeling."

Zhao Qianfan said with a smile, "Whether he meant it or not is not important. Does being kind to someone necessarily need a reason?"

Li Ke asked in confusion, "Isn't that necessary?"

Zhao Qianfan said calmly, "Is it really necessary? Why be so serious?"

After saying that, he gestured for Li Ke to come over. The two of them quietly moved the barbecue grill to a spot a meter away from him, and added some smokeless silver wire charcoal. The three of them chatted for a while, and then lay down on the sofa and fell asleep fully clothed.

The next day at noon, Li Zichun woke up lazily in the sunlight, having slept soundly all night.

Seeing Zhao Qianfan and Li Ke sleeping sprawled out, Li Zichun took a picture as a memento before going to wash up. Hearing the noise, the two woke up one after another. After tidying themselves up, the three prepared generous holiday gifts and red envelopes for their employees and headed out fully prepared.

The Spring Festival is a grand folk festival that integrates bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new, worshipping gods and ancestors, praying for blessings and warding off evil, family reunions, celebrations, entertainment, and feasting. The same applies to this sub-world.

With the Spring Festival approaching, they also need to start preparing for the New Year, including clothing, food, decorations, and all sorts of other things.

Although there is still a month until the New Year, it does not dampen everyone's spirits.

As one of the nine international islands in Kowloon, a place steeped in immigrant culture, Kowloon hosts a rich variety of celebrations during the Lunar New Year, including dragon and lion dances, floats, deity processions, temple fairs, flower markets, lantern displays, drum and gong parades, flag parades, fireworks displays, prayers for blessings, and spring-themed celebrations. There are also stilt walking, land boat races, and Yangko dances, among other activities.

Of course, these activities are divided into different areas. Urban areas and rural areas are different, and people from different regions come from different backgrounds. Even different streets in the same region have different customs and cultures. But because they are all in the same country, they are largely similar.

As a local, Li Ke led Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan through the streets and alleys, wandering around and experiencing the unique charm of this international metropolis. They only stopped and headed home when the three of them were carrying so many bags they could no longer carry them.

The three of them lay on the third-floor floor, their bodies aching all over, laughing and joking with each other. Life was unbelievably wonderful.

Just as the three of them were getting ready to rest, Li Zichun received a phone call from Lin Xuehua.

PS: Data is from the internet.

"Tomorrow Will Be Better" is a song performed by a group of Chinese singers, with lyrics by Lam Chun-keung and music by Lo Ta-yu, released in 1985. The song features 14 Hong Kong singers, including Sam Hui, George Lam, Alan Tam, Leslie Cheung, Anita Mui, Jacky Cheung, Julie Sue, and Priscilla Chan. However, the Mandarin version sung by Taiwanese artists is more widely known.