The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

Lin Ruhai was amused by his words and laughed loudly, saying, "Hahaha, you really are a clever person. If I break them, I won't have the money to pay you back."

Li Zichun also laughed and said, "Oh dear, those two were just money-losing goods to begin with. It's their honor to have been smashed by you personally. Many people would never even dream of that."

Li Ke rolled her eyes so hard they almost flew to the sky. But she rolled them so hard that she felt dizzy. She looked at Zhao Qianfan next to her, who was calm and collected, and became even angrier.

Lin Ruhai stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "I've listened to all five songs for the New Year's greetings, and they're very good. That's why I'm discussing our next collaboration with you. Being able to write songs like these in a single day, I'm sure you can handle the next project. Spring will be here after the New Year. You should have heard of the World Flower and Horticulture Exhibition, the largest, highest-level, and most influential national-level flower event, which receives widespread international attention. I hope to collaborate with you three for this three-day stage performance. Each performance requires at least ten flower-related songs, meaning at least thirty songs in total. Before that, you need to compose a theme song and a promotional song."

Li Zichun said confidently, "No problem. I can hum it for you right now. If you think it's okay, we'll start recording."

Lin Ruhai was slightly surprised, but quickly said in a normal tone, "You can hum it now? I'd really like to hear it."

Li Zichun smiled and said, "No problem. Then my junior sister and I will each hum a song for you. The song I'm humming is called 'Please Listen,' and now it begins."

Lin Ruhai on the other end of the phone was also somewhat incredulous, casually saying "Let's begin." Li Zichun cleared his throat and, with an almost clear, clean, and penetrating voice, began to hum "Please Listen":

The soil beneath my feet is the soft, murmuring mother.

A sprouting seed is like an infant thunderstorm.

Leaves twining around stems are the laughter of youth.

A flower waiting to bloom is the whisper of lovers.

They lived silently, each finding their own joy.

Nature's messages hold many secrets.

When did people lose their ability to perceive?

Even simple crying requires an appointment.

Listen to your heart with my heart.

An unknown sound in the air

Listen to my heart with your heart.

The known past has produced honey.

Their hearts heard each other.

A life of mutual understanding becomes more transparent.

Flowers bloom everywhere, amidst noisy families.

A large tree that has weathered storms is a reminder of the elders' gentle nagging.

The falling petals are the breaths of time.

A sweet fruit is the melody of the soul.

......

They are the most serene and beautiful figures.

It contains a lot of information; it all depends on how you listen.

When you learn to cherish, you'll realize that all things have feelings.

When you learn to give your heart, you will understand yourself better.

Li Zichun utilizes sphenoid sinus resonance to maintain vocal balance, and skillful use of the nasal cavity to elevate the voice, keeping it at its optimal level. This song, the theme song for the 2018 Taichung Flower Expo in Taiwan, is a work written, composed, and performed by singer Wu Qingfeng. The reason for choosing this song is simply that other songs are patriotic odes praising the motherland or local characteristics, which Kowloon Port doesn't pay much attention to. This song, however, focuses on people and resonates more with the local context.

Lin Ruhai thought it was pretty good, but before he could react, Li Zichun switched to a smooth female voice and said, "Little Chun Chun, your singing has improved! It's my turn. Shall we start right away?"

Lin Ruhai said with a smile, "Miss Yuehe, please begin."

Li Zichun couldn't help but curse inwardly, "You pervert!" He'd never been this gentle with me when speaking in a male voice, but now he's all soft and sweet when speaking in a female voice. Damn it, is he trying to keep me as a mistress?

Despite his thoughts, he coughed lightly and began to sing:

Bloom, bloom, bloom! Let my longing be clear.

That's enough to love from the first sight to the last second, isn't it?

If we meet during the best years of our lives...

Looking back, it's all happiness.

Bloom, flowers of memories

The flowers of memory and the flowers before my eyes overlap and fall with the wind.

And then, in that instant, I vaguely heard you speaking.

The speed of April becomes visible: summer arrives at five centimeters per second.

The answer that spring didn't provide may never come.

I discovered by chance that it was flowering season again.

I'm so glad that you and I once stopped here.

So even if I forget, it's like we made a promise during this period.

Petals drifted down, falling like a fine rain.

I thought I'd only get wet briefly, but from then on...

It has been a long and persistent way of dampening my heart.

Bloom, bloom, bloom! / Let my longing be clear.

......

I know it won't be long, after a few more times...

Flowers eventually fade.

And I will be busy again, heading towards the next season.

You must have walked through here occasionally, and flowers must have fallen on your shoulder.

Have there been moments when I also gave you a flutter of excitement or a feeling of disappointment?

It was like a promise we were making, and we were looking forward to it.

Time and again, I wait for the next hanami (flower viewing) to be held.

It's as if turning into a flower is the reason I'm drawn to you.

Bloom, bloom, bloom, let my longing be clear.

......

Bloom! Bloom! Bloom! Countless moments are eternal!

Withering only makes the next wait more profound.

We have seen the most beautiful and magnificent tree in full bloom.

So, what's there to regret?

"Bloom, flowers of memories!"

Li Zichun sang in Li Yuehe's voice, making it even more melodious and moving, ethereal and pleasing to the ear.

He had just finished singing when Lin Ruhai asked in confusion, "Are you playing a recording? How can it sound so good?"

Li Yuehe said with a smile, "Mr. Lin is joking. It's just that our Master Senluo taught us well. If we didn't even have this basic singing level and couldn't use the resonance chamber, we would be expelled from the school. Moreover, these two songs are just two practice pieces that my master corrected and made acceptable. You don't know, we wrote four songs based on the four seasons, and in the end, only these two were accepted. He was very strict and almost scolded us to death."

Lin Ruhai smiled and said, "Miss Yuehe, you flatter me. You are so beautiful and understanding, how could your master bear to part with you? But speaking of which, I am very curious about who your master, Senluo, is. Could you introduce me sometime? We can all sit down, have some tea, and catch up."

Li Yuehe shook her head and said, "Haha, sure, as long as Master agrees, we two will gladly accompany him. However, our Master is currently in seclusion writing and doesn't allow us to disturb him. We won't even be able to see him, so we'll probably have to wait a while."

Li Zichun changed her voice and said, "Alright, junior sister, don't delay his business. What did Mr. Lin think of the two songs just now? Could they be used as the theme song and promotional song for the International Flower Festival?"

Lin Ruhai said with a smile, "Hmm, the songs are good, and the people are good too. Let's start recording right away. I'll go tell them over there that we'll use these two songs."

Li Zichun smiled and nodded, saying, "Alright, with us three heroes of the wind and dust on the job, we certainly won't let you down. However, my junior sister has been kept behind by our master for instruction, so she might not be able to perform for the time being. I'll have to take her place."

Lin Ruhai was taken aback for a moment, but then he thought of what he had said during the singing competition and realized it made sense. He smiled and said, "It's alright. With you, the Moon Emperor, taking the lead, I'm sure we'll get plenty of buzz and discussion."

Li Zichun said with a smile, "Thank you for your understanding."

Lin Ruhai said with a smile, "Alright, I will send my assistant to contact you about the follow-up matters today. That's all for now."

Li Zichun: "Okay, then I won't take up any more of your time. Just contact me if you need anything."

Lin Ruhai said a few words and then hung up, leaving the three people in the room looking at each other in bewilderment.

After confirming that Li Zichun had hung up, the three of them immediately burst into a loud roar, "Yay~~".

The first order of the new year had to be celebrated. At noon, the three of us had a hot pot, barbecue, and eight-treasure porridge. Eighteen kinds of side dishes, including roast duck, roast chicken, roast goose, braised pork, braised duck, soy sauce chicken, cured meat, preserved eggs, small sausages, dried meat, and sausages, filled the table. It was like celebrating the New Year in advance and also a farewell to Li Ke, who was going home.

The three of them drank and chatted, eventually passing out drunk on the sofa. When they woke up that evening, they hugged goodbye and promised to meet again after the New Year.

In the end, only Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan were left staring at each other, looking at each other with obvious affection.

Zhao Qianfan just smiled at him, while Li Zichun frowned and said, "Don't get any improper thoughts. Although I don't mind physically, I do mind mentally."

Zhao Qianfan was momentarily stunned by these words, wondering if they meant yes or no. How annoying.

Seeing his dazed expression, Li Zichun didn't want to pay attention to him anymore. She put her legs up and lay on the sofa to sunbathe.

Zhao Qianfan, sensing the situation, lay on the sofa next to him and scrolled through his phone. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Usually, international flower and horticulture exhibitions only require three songs and one live performance, lasting one day. Why is it that this time, when it comes to our exhibition, it requires three days and has as many as thirty songs?"

He waved his phone in front of Li Zichun and shared the information he had seen with him.

Li Zichun rolled her eyes at him and said irritably, "No need to look. Whatever he says is what it is. You can ask his assistant when he arrives."

Just then, the doorbell rang downstairs. The two thought it was someone Lin Ruhai had sent, so they quickly went downstairs and opened the door to find that it was Jin Dili and Zhao Jinmai.

Zhao Qianfan asked, quite surprised, "Why are you here?"

Jin Dili said speechlessly, "This little girl said she missed you a bit and insisted on coming over to see you."

After saying that, he greeted Li Zichun, who nodded and said, "Don't stand at the door, come in quickly. Jinmai, you've become even more beautiful lately."

Zhao Jinmai ran into Zhao Qianfan's arms and said, "Of course! I just turned seven a few days ago. I'm at the age when I'm sprouting new leaves. I'll definitely grow more and more beautiful."

Li Zichun smiled as he took their luggage and said, "Since you're here, let's celebrate the New Year together."

Although I said that, I was still a little surprised. Had you two actually slept together? How could you be so nonchalant?

As he was thinking about which room to put them in, Jin Dili said, "No need to bother. My family owns several properties in Kowloon, and we have to go there to take care of some things later. It's just that this little girl insisted on coming over to see you, so we came over first to check in and chat, as a way of letting you know in advance."

Well, you're definitely a rich girl. Any property here that catches their eye must be worth at least tens of millions.

The four of them, each with their own ulterior motives, went upstairs. Looking at the well-arranged potted plants, pavilions, and balcony, Jin Dili smiled and said, "At least it looks like a place fit for human habitation."

Zhao Qianfan: "......"

Li Zichun: "......"

The four of them chatted about their recent lives and what they had been up to. Before long, Li Zichun wisely went back to his room to take a shower and rest.

After Li Zichun left, Zhao Qianfan looked at the two who had shifted to a more comfortable position and were completely oblivious to the fact that they were outside, and said speechlessly, "Didn't we agree not to contact each other for the next three years?"

Jin Dili rolled her eyes at him and said with a look of disgust, "Do you think I'm happy to see you? If this little guy hadn't begged me to come, I wouldn't have bothered coming to this godforsaken place."

Zhao Jinmai stuck out her tongue, took out a lollipop from her pocket, and said casually while tearing off the wrapper, "Mom, stop being so hypocritical. We're here on official business, so let's stop talking nonsense."

Zhao Qianfan took a sip of tea and said, "A government-sponsored assignment? What, new work again?"

Zhao Jinmai pursed his lips and said, "Yes, a holy war broke out on the main star, and some meteorites fell into the sea here. We need to go and retrieve them to teleport back."

Zhao Qianfan said indifferently, "Holy War? These old guys can't wait any longer? Well, they've been calling themselves saints for too long, and without all three thousand holy envoys, they can't open the Heavenly Gate and enter the Realm of Immortality. Nobody wants to just die like this."

Jin Dili said indifferently, "Heh, there's nothing we can do. The people in the lower realm are too poor in aptitude, and spiritual energy is scarce. It's a long and arduous road for them to return to the main star of the celestial realm."

Zhao Qianfan turned to look at her and said, "What? Don't you want to go back too? Why are you pretending it's none of your business?"

Jin Dili glanced at him, crossed her legs, and said, "Ha, wanting to go back is one thing, how to go back is another. These fools are delusional to think they can force their way out of the gates of heaven, not knowing that those who don't follow the rules have already entered the Book of the Dead."

Zhao Qianfan and Zhao Jinmai looked at him in confusion and asked, "What do you mean?"

As a celestial maiden, Jin Dili helplessly explained to them, "The Heavenly Gate is the gateway between the two realms, and only a Celestial Venerable can move it at will. If anyone else tries to destroy or forcibly open it for their own selfish gain, they will surely suffer divine punishment."

Seeing their clueless expressions, she added, "In the parlance of this era, it means being cursed, contracting unknown diseases, or dying suddenly while still alive, and their families will suffer endless misfortunes, with no peace for ten generations."

PS: Data is from the internet.

"Please Listen" is a song written, composed, and sung by Wu Qingfeng in 2018. The song is included in Wu Qingfeng's album "Please Listen" released in 2018.

"Flower" is a Chinese version of the hit song "SAKURA" by the Japanese band Ikimonogakari, performed by Ju Jingyi. It was produced by Sony Music, with lyrics by Wu Shang and Yoshiki Mizuno, music by Yoshiki Mizuno, and arrangement by Guan Tiantian. It was released on February 4, 2023.