The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

When Li Zichun returned to the villa with Qitong, neither Li Ke nor Zhao Qianfan had returned. The house was quiet and deserted, but this did not dampen his enthusiasm for work.

He booked a recording studio by himself and went to work on the backing tracks. Thirty-odd songs couldn't be finished in a short time. By the time he was done, the other two would be back soon. He figured that this couldn't go on forever. Once he got his share of the profits, he definitely wanted to buy a house and a professional recording studio. After all, there were still more than two years left, and he couldn't let himself suffer.

Of course, you don't have to buy it. After all, Lin Ruhai had mentioned the financial assistance to him before. He almost couldn't resist when he saw it. This guy is so generous. He gave you a villa to live in right after you met him. Who wouldn't have some doubts?

While Li Zichun was peacefully recording songs in the recording studio, Zhao Qianfan was already fishing at the bottom of the sea.

To be precise, it was an octopus. Zhao Qianfan, Jin Dili, and Zhao Jinmai stood calmly suspended in the center of the deep seabed, with a giant sea serpent constantly wriggling beside them to prevent them from falling in.

The three people and the snake frowned as they looked at the octopus, which was dozens of meters long.

Zhao Jinmai's eyelids twitched as she said, "So I'm going to eat takoyaki for a year?"

Jin Dili patted her head and said, "Hehe, it's not impossible."

Zhao Qianfan's eyelids twitched as he saw the two looking at him. He said speechlessly, "If you want to take it, you can take it yourselves. I'm not going to crawl inside its belly."

After he finished speaking, he looked at the sea snake wriggling beside him. The snake opposite him also shook its head and tilted its head upwards.

Zhao Qianfan said helplessly, "Let's get this thing to the nearest deserted island first. It's pitch black here and we can't see anything. We don't want to make a mistake."

After saying this, they had the sea snake coil around its swaying tentacles, and the three of them together pushed this giant sea creature to the shore of a bare reef.

The sea snake lay obediently to the side, watching Zhao Qianfan and Jin Dili skillfully cut and dissect the food. Its eyelids twitched, and it dared not move. Zhao Jinmai comforted it by stroking its head and said, "Be good, okay? Only good babies get to eat, otherwise they'll be eaten."

While breaking down the food, Zhao Qianfan told Zhao Jinmai to start a fire: "We'll have takoyaki for dinner." Then he looked at the sea snake beside him: "Don't steal any. You can't digest the things hidden in these deep-sea monsters. You have to roast them until they're charred before you can swallow them. It will be useful for your tribulation."

The sea serpent nodded gratefully. It wasn't stupid; this octopus weighed at least several hundred pounds and was several times larger than itself. You all dealt with it so easily. If I were to steal a bite of the corpse under the knife, it would be mine.

After much effort, Zhao Qianfan, Jin Dili, and the others finally managed to deal with the giant octopus. After discarding the huge tentacles, they finally found the few small stones that hadn't been digested yet, and then Zhao Jinmai happily ran over and swallowed them whole.

The sea snake standing nearby was completely dumbfounded. All that effort for just a few small stones?

The three people and the snake were quietly eating takoyaki on the deserted island. Zhao Qianfan glanced at the time and frowned. So many days had passed. The New Year was over. Well, their romantic getaway was ruined.

Zhao Jinmai looked helpless and said with a burp, "Dad, you still don't understand love. To put it bluntly, love is about fertilization. You only love someone if you've slept with them."

Jin Dili slapped her on the head: "Did you peek at porn? How can you say something like that?"

Zhao Qianfan looked at Jin Dili speechlessly and said, "Stop letting the kids watch those messy romance dramas and read those novels. Dreaming is more interesting than that."

Jin Dili rolled her eyes and ignored him. The three of them waited until late at night and, seeing that they had digested their food, said to the sea snake, "Take us back. Don't let the people on the shore find you."

The sea serpent nodded, and the three of them stood on its head and sped towards the Nine Dragons, giving them a feeling of riding the wind and breaking the waves.

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

After recording the accompaniment, Li Zichun saw that it was still early, so he took Qitong for a stroll. The two of them attracted a lot of attention, mainly because everyone was looking at Qitong, since Li Zichun had dressed it in the clothes of a guard with a knife, and it looked like it was going to kill you as it walked towards you.

Li Zichun didn't know where to go either, so he followed Qitong's directions, stopping here and there. The two of them, one human and one cat, arrived at an art district with many cultural and creative areas. There were wax figures that only moved when paid, clowns playing with colorful sand balls, and street singers with signs broadcasting live.

Li Zichun stood aside and listened for a while. He had his own song, but he sang it only so-so, which made him unhappy.

Seven-Card also looked disgusted. What kind of thing does this guy dare to set up a street stall? Damn it, if it weren't for the fact that you're not bad looking, I wouldn't be here with my servants to help you gain popularity.

Li Zichun smiled and held up the seven of bamboo, saying, "You didn't sing as well as me, did you?"

Seven of Bamboo responded with a "meow," and he laughed happily. But the wandering singer was not happy and said, "If you're so good, you do it."

"Go ahead, I'm not afraid of you." Li Zichun stepped forward with his imperial bodyguard in tow and said, "Don't be stubborn, let me teach you how to sing."

Li Zichun was wearing a mask, and his voice sounded a bit muffled because of the mask. He even changed his tone of voice, so the people around him didn't recognize him.

He originally wanted to sing the song he had just sung, but after thinking about it, he decided to sing a new one. So he said, "When you're out setting up a street stall, of course you have to sing your own original songs so that more people can see them. But you also have to be careful that others don't copy them and call them your own songs. Since you think I'm not convinced, then I'll just sing a few of my own original songs. Just listen to them casually."

Li Zichun, wearing a hood, thought for a moment, and then began to sing "The End":

You and I approached, walked closer, and walked to the end.

My heart is devoted to, loyal to, and finally...

Only when I'm powerless to change my love can I finally let myself go.

Countless nights I tossed and turned in unease

People who suffer from insomnia are always lonely.

It's not difficult to resist disturbing others, but it just feels like half my heart is empty.

From talking about everything to having nothing to say, the novelty has worn off between us.

From gradually getting used to it, to taking it for granted, and finally to breaking up completely.

......

We start from the stages of near connection, advancing connection, and waning connection.

In the end, she was all alone.

Some words can be put together

Some people can't be together, just like you and me.

......"

After finishing a song, Li Zichun saw that more and more people were gathering around him, and everyone spontaneously applauded. Many people even inserted coins or scanned QR codes. He couldn't help but laugh and said to the street singer, "You're so handsome, but you should be humble. Come over here and listen to the pronunciation of my next song. Maybe you can learn more from it."

The singer, no longer displaying his previous arrogance, realized that he genuinely wanted to teach him, and moved a little closer.

Li Zichun asked him to hold her cat, then smiled and waved to the people nearby: "Hello everyone, I'm new here. I'll give you a song called 'Slowly Getting Cold' written by my senior sister. I hope that after listening to this song, those who are heartbroken or sad can have a good cry and feel a little comfort amidst the heartbreak."

Li Zichun smiled and then fell silent, lowered his head, took a deep breath, and then slowly raised his head and sang:

That's all I have to say.

They always sat silently facing each other, their eyes filled with the deep darkness of the night.

Love is obsessive; the more you love, the more obsessive you become.

I don't believe what I saw

If you insist on calling a crack a fold, it's just a wrinkle.

Why did the hottest thing turn cold first?

It's slow-burning but never stops boiling.

Watch as time races by, turning at will.

People who are slow to cool off tend to torture themselves.

Impulsive people are never able to hear pleas for help.

The world is so big that it's hard not to travel.

Romance makes you gentle, and it also makes you most captivating, bringing tears to your eyes.

Holding your hand casually

You're like a passive puppet.

How ruthless and disgusting the spoilers are!

Why did the hottest thing turn cold first?

......

Love can never overcome personality; the most painful thing is an unyielding heart.

Unfortunately, I always remember the initial thrill of being intensely loved.

Why does what was initially fiery turn cold first? / What was slow to heat up keeps boiling and won't stop. / Watching time run wildly, turning at will. / Slow-to-cool people torture themselves. / Impulsive people never hear pleas to stay. / This world is so big that it's hard not to travel. / Romance makes you gentle, but it also makes you most prone to tears.

After the song ended, some people around were already crying, and many middle-aged women had unfocused gazes. When did love turn cold? When did he stop holding my hand? He said it was cheesy and inappropriate, that we were a legally married couple, what was wrong with that? He was busy with work, I was focused on the family, we went to our own homes for the New Year, the promised trip turned into me going alone, and then, nothing happened.

Looking at the people around him, laughing, crying, and applauding, Li Zichun suddenly remembered a quote from Sammi Cheng. He continued with a smile, "Relationships, actually, don't require you to exhaust yourself trying to prove anything in life, because you can't prove anything anyway. Understanding your own life in the present is enough! We're all here to have fun, I'm really sorry for making everyone cry. We've already taken advantage of my senior sister's song, so let's take advantage of my senior brother's song too."

The audience laughed at his humorous remarks, but then he continued, "That's life. Some people just happen to like you, and some people just happen to dislike you. You don't know why they like you, you just feel grateful and unworthy of it. You don't know why they dislike you, you just feel you don't want to be entangled with them in this life. I'll dedicate a song called 'Just Like You' to everyone."

Li Zichun adjusted the position of his voice and slowly sang a cappella:

The sorrow lingers, the distress persists.

Why is my heart so empty?

Love is lost, everything is lost.

My deep resentment and sorrow cannot be dispelled.

Why do you always say the same thing? Why won't my heart die?

Realizing that love is lost, everything is wrong.

Why do I fall for you?

Love has become a burden, loving each other is like suffering, my heart is now filled with bitter tears.

The past love is still intoxicating, but now I fear to pursue it again, yet my heart yearns to see you.

Why does my heart think about the past every second?

Why don't you remember at all?

Affection is lost, love is lost.

Why do I fall for you?

Love has become a burden / Loving each other is like suffering / My heart is now filled with bitter tears / The old love was intoxicating / Now I fear to pursue it again / Yet my heart still longs to see you.

......

"Love and affection are gone, tenderness and affection are gone, yet why do I still love you?"

After Li Zichun finished singing, the audience erupted in applause. They had surrounded him in layers, and he, who had been singing with his eyes closed, was startled. Damn it, he had messed up.

Qi Tong looked at him with a gloating expression. Ha, serves you right for showing off. Let's see how this lackey of yours gets out of this human den.

Just as he was about to leave, he saw the street singer next to him holding up his payment QR code above his head and almost burst out laughing. "I'm singing so enthusiastically, and you're making money off me."

Before Li Zichun could even put the microphone on its stand, someone in the audience shouted, "One more!" The other audience members immediately echoed, and then applause erupted again. Li Zichun really didn't want to sing anymore, but judging from the atmosphere around him, if he didn't sing, he probably wouldn't be able to leave unscathed.

He paused, holding the microphone, and said, "Since everyone is so enthusiastic, let's sing one last song. But what should we sing? We've already taken all the senior brothers' and sisters' songs, so let's take one of the junior sisters' songs. Although this song didn't receive the master's complete approval, it's not bad either. And this is the last one, too. I can't remember how to sing any more. I'll dedicate 'Early Enlightenment' to everyone. After listening, remember to support my senior brother's performance at the International Flower and Horticulture Exhibition. He can do everything!"

The crowd burst into laughter. "Is he even advertising? Interesting." Just as everyone was waiting for his next song, he added, "Remember to support my senior's performance! You absolutely must remember! I'm afraid he'll beat me up, so I'm saying it three times: remember to support his performance at the World Flower and Horticulture Exhibition!"

His mischievous antics drew laughter from everyone. Whose skinny little monkey was this? He was so mischievous! After he finished speaking, he composed himself, coughed a few times, and sang mournfully, "I accept my lingering resentment..."

Early enlightenment of the cause of suffering, returning to this body after drifting in the sea of ​​bitterness.

We are the ones who, in a moment of greed, ruin our entire lives.

The wind suddenly dispersed without a trace; I couldn't bear to follow it past the red gate.

Rain, following me, stains a book of mortal dust.

The needlework depicts lotus and mandarin duck patterns with meticulous, delicate stitches, conveying a sense of sorrow.

Whose deep affection is this?

In my dreams, I've heard the wild geese fly away and the fish sink, and I am utterly alone.

After asking several times why I wouldn't accept your love, I finally agreed.

The empty moon locks the heavy doors; regrets make the past hard to preserve.

Looking back, fate is deeply intertwined.

I relinquish my lingering resentment / I long ago realized the cause of my suffering / I returned to this body after drifting through the sea of ​​bitterness.

How can you not accept that it both eliminates your coquettishness and changes your temperament?

The person upstairs laments the passing of spring / Let us not dwell on the fleeting time / Trapped in a locked purse

A moment's greed can ruin a lifetime / That's us

In my dreams, how many times have I heard the wild geese fly away and the fish sink?

I am utterly alone.

After asking several times why I wouldn't accept your love, I finally agreed.

......

"To be greedy for a moment, yet ruin one's entire life, is what we are all about."

The last few lines even incorporated elements of traditional Chinese opera singing.

After Li Zichun finished singing, he said, "Thank you everyone, that's all. Remember to support my senior brother's performance at the International Flower Festival. Bye-bye. Keep it up, young man."

After he finished speaking, he put the microphone back, took the cat from his arms, and ran away quickly. Little did he know that the live stream had gone viral. Fortunately, many people had recorded it, and it was eventually uploaded online. Everyone was speculating about who this guy was who was so audacious, and who his "senior brothers and sisters" were, since his words sounded so familiar.

PS: Data is from the internet.

"Walking to the End" is a song performed by L (Tao Zi), included in the album of the same name, and released by Vientiane Star Cloud Records.

"Slowly Cooling Down" is a song performed by Fish Leong, with lyrics by Yao Ruolong and music by Hsiao Huang-chi. It is included in the music album "How Am I? - The Sun Rises as Usual". In 2019, the song won the Golden Melody Award at the 2019 Chinese Music Awards.

"I Just Like You" is a Cantonese song performed by Danny Chan, with lyrics by Cheng Kwok-kong, music by Danny Chan, and arrangement by Chow Kai-sang. It was included in the album of the same name, released by Warner Music in August 1983. In 1983, the song won the 1983 Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award. In 1989, it won first prize at the Tokyo Music Festival's TBS. In 2015, the song was used as an insert song in the film *Lost in Hong Kong*.

"Early Enlightenment" is a song performed by Fushengmeng/Xiyin Society, with lyrics by Weng Ouhong/Wang Xueqiao, music by GIR, and arrangement by dr.e. It was released on July 29, 2022, and included in the album of the same name, "Early Enlightenment." Some lyrics are excerpted from the Peking Opera "Suo Lin Nang."