The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

I hope a girl, as melancholy as a lilac, will drift by.

Li Zichun originally intended to use famous lines from classical Chinese poetry, such as "Lilacs bloom in vain, their sorrow lingering in the rain," and "The banana leaves remain unfurled, the lilacs remain closed, both facing the spring breeze, each with its own sorrow," to summarize the lilac. However, he felt that such lesser-known verses could not represent Chinese culture. Since he was going to export his work, he naturally wanted to export his best. And what could be more famous and evocative than the image of the lilac-like girl described by the "Poet of the Rainy Alley," Dai Wangshu, and included in textbooks?

A gasp of amazement rippled through the crowd. For a moment, it was unclear whether they were moved by the sorrowful expression on Zhao Qianfan's face as he held an umbrella in the rain, or marveling at the poetic imagery of the misty, rainy alley.

The band's music quietly began at this moment, and Zhao Qianfan, with a wry smile, sang "Lilac Flower," a song that had once been a nationwide hit:

You said you love lilacs the most.

Because your name is her

What a melancholy flower

A sentimental person

When the flowers wither

When the image freezes

What a delicate flower!

But they couldn't escape the wind and rain.

A life of drifting and swaying

So many beautifully woven dreams!

You left so suddenly.

It left me with a lifelong attachment.

The grave was covered with flowers.

The beauty you so longed for.

Look, the mountains and fields are covered with...

Do you still feel lonely?

Listen, someone is singing.

That song you loved the most...

How many troubles in the mortal world

From now on, there is no need to worry anymore.

The yard is full of lilacs

Full of beautiful purple flowers

I'm here with her.

"I will protect her for life"

"Lilac Flower" is a beautiful campus folk song, completed in April 2000. The song is a tribute to a girl who died in a car accident. It's said she was the girlfriend of Lei Jing, a close friend of Tang Lei. They were classmates, the girl a year ahead of Lei Jing in the Chinese Literature Department, a top student recommended for postgraduate studies, and a talented writer, a member of the school newspaper's reporter team. This girl, who should have been shining brightly with her talents in her prime, had her life forever frozen in a sudden car accident. The romantic era is full of touching stories, and the ivory tower is full of unforgettable emotions. The lilac flower is merely a vehicle; this song expresses a deep longing for the departed, and also a deep nostalgia for that dreamlike era.

Life may have ended, but love will never fade. The love songs that carry all of this love story have become a generation's musical memory of youth.

This is also why Li Zichun placed this song in the last performance of the Flower Show; it could not be placed at the beginning or the middle, but only at the end.

After Zhao Qianfan finished singing, the camera turned to Li Zichun, who continued, "The plum blossoms, layer upon layer, are so vulgar; the lilac, with its thousand knots, grows coarsely and bitterly. Its fragrance permeates the dreams of a sorrowful man a thousand miles away, yet it is heartless. Alright, let's get back to the present. The lilac season is over, so what's next? Now that night is falling, let's have a song called 'Night-Blooming Jasmine' for everyone."

The night-blooming jasmine has fragrant flowers, especially at night. However, the fragrance can cause dizziness, nausea, and discomfort in people with high blood pressure and heart disease, leading to symptoms such as chest tightness and difficulty breathing. It is extremely detrimental to health, so one should not linger near night-blooming jasmine bushes at night. This characteristic also makes it unsuitable for indoor placement. It is best placed outdoors as an ornamental plant.

As the saying goes, "Flowers are not flowers, mist is not mist. They come at midnight and leave at dawn. Their arrival is like a fleeting spring dream, their departure like morning clouds, leaving no trace." Since everyone has come to this grand floral festival, let us fully enjoy this breathtaking beauty of a hundred flowers in full bloom and savor the present moment. Here's a song, "Night-Blooming Jasmine," for you all.

After he finished speaking, he gently waved to the band, and they began to play.

Li Zichun naturally sang "Night Fragrance," a song with a European and American style, a rumba rhythm, and a dance style, with a gentle and affectionate tone: "The south wind blows cool, the nightingale sings softly..."

The flowers under the moon all enter dreams.

Only the night-blooming jasmine releases its fragrance.

I love the vastness of the night, and I love the song of the nightingale.

I love even more that flower-like dream, embracing the night-blooming jasmine, smelling the night-blooming jasmine.

Night-blooming jasmine, I sing for you; night-blooming jasmine, I think of you.

Ah... I sing for you, I think of you.

......

Night-blooming jasmine, night-blooming jasmine, night-blooming jasmine.

This song was auditioned by big-name singers such as Zhou Xuan, Gong Qiuxia, and Yao Li, but none of them were suitable. Finally, it was sung for the first time by the bilingual Chinese-Japanese singer Li Xianglan. In the decades that followed, although countless singers covered the song from time to time, no one's cover could surpass Li Xianglan's original. It wasn't until Teresa Teng reinterpreted the song that it became popular again.

Although the song was popular, its popularity was short-lived. Both the Japanese and Chinese versions were later banned from sale… The reason given was the song's soft melody and Li Xianglan's Japanese identity; any soft, sentimental foreign love song was considered offensive. This song, along with others like "Wine and Coffee," "Small Town Story," "When Will You Return," and "The Bright Sun of September," was categorized as "decadent music" and banned for a long time, only being unbanned after a period of reform and opening up.

Change leads to progress; this has always been true throughout history.

Many people say that this song immediately evokes the scent of capitalism, vividly depicting the decadent and extravagant lifestyle of Shanghai. And indeed, the song's melody is romantic and beautiful, timeless, and regardless of gender or instrumentation, humming it seems to transport listeners to that era, allowing them to savor its lingering charm.

As Li Zichun sang, she swayed her hips slowly and charmingly, appearing subtly seductive without being promiscuous, sweeping away the sorrow of "Lilac Flower," which made the audience laugh.

After finishing his song, Li Zichun smoothed his hair back and said with a smile, "I think I danced a little too wildly... Okay, let's just treat it all as a dream, and flowers bloom in dreams too. Here's a song called 'Flowers in Dreams' for everyone, I hope you like it."

Li Zichun walked to the band area where the white jasmine flowers were located, took a few deep breaths, silently adjusted the position of his vocal cords, and signaled that the band could begin.

Li Zichun's clear and penetrating voice sang along with the music:

The only pure white jasmine flower blooms amidst the amber crescent moon.

Even if I lose all the power of love, I will never be afraid.

A faint light shone from the sky, illuminating the emptiness and confusion.

Searching for the only dream amidst the ruins.

Ancient stone statues guard mysterious times

The clear blue river guides the way to the truth.

Passing through the sandstorm, my palms were cut.

Hold fast to hope and forge ahead

The only pure white jasmine flower

Blooming in the amber crescent moon

Even if all the power of love is lost

I was not afraid

Ancient stone statues guard mysterious times

The clear blue river guides the way to the truth.

......

I was not afraid

Stone slab paintings, dating back a thousand years, depict an eternal paradise.

Gently wiping away the wounds covering my entire body, I never despaired.

Li Zichun's penetrating voice conveys resilience and strength, carrying a sense of relief after regret and an unwavering commitment to love, striking straight to everyone's heart with each clear verse.

After singing the last line of lyrics, Li Zichun bowed slightly to express his gratitude.

The camera then turned to Zhao Qianfan, who was standing in the middle of the band, holding a bunch of Murraya paniculata and saying, "Alright, dear viewers, next we'll be introducing this Murraya paniculata."

The seven-mile fragrance has pure white petals and a rich aroma. When the flowers are in full bloom, their unique fragrance travels on the wind and can be smelled from seven or eight miles away, hence the name. It is just as the poem says, "I fear it will not be like the plum blossom, so I can enjoy the fragrance of the seven-mile fragrance in the spring breeze."

The leaves and flowers of the seven-mile fragrance (Murraya paniculata) have a strong, spicy-sweet aroma, making them very effective at repelling mosquitoes. "When a gentle breeze blows, it transforms into a garden full of fragrance." Here's a poem for everyone: "Seven-mile Fragrance."

As the classic prelude began, Zhao Qianfan slowly sang along with the music:

The sparrows outside the window were chattering on the telephone pole.

You said that sentence has a very summery feel to it.

The pencil in my hand moved back and forth on the paper.

I'll use a few lines to describe who you are to me.

The taste of saury is something both you and your cat want to know.

This is how we find the fragrance of first love

The warm sunlight was like freshly picked, bright red strawberries.

You said you couldn't bear to eat this feeling.

It rained all night; my love overflowed like rainwater.

The fallen leaves in the yard are a thick stack of my longing.

A few words of gossip couldn't cool my enthusiasm.

You appear on every page of my poem

It rained all night; my love overflowed like rainwater.

Butterflies on the windowsill, like beautiful chapters fluttering in a poem.

I will continue writing

Write my love for you forever at the end of the poem

You are the only one I want to understand.

......

Those plump ears of rice brought happiness to this season.

And your cheeks are like ripe tomatoes in a field.

You suddenly told me that the name "Seven Mile Fragrance" is beautiful.

All I want to do right now is kiss your stubborn lips.

......

All night long, my love overflowed like rain.

The butterflies on the window sill are like beautiful chapters flying in the poem

I continued writing, putting "I will love you forever" at the end of the poem.

You are the only one I want to understand.

Li Zichun had Zhao Qianfan specially learn Jay Chou's singing style, making the whole song sound poetic and emotionally rich. The audience was completely captivated.

Li Zichun had considered simply using Jay Chou's songs, which would be a complete disaster. However, after careful consideration, he decided against interfering too much with the development of this era. He was hoping for the emergence of a trendsetting, iconic singer like himself who could confidently and proudly declare on the awards stage, "Chinese pop music is the best." If such a person didn't appear within three years, he wouldn't mind using Jay Chou to dominate the entire entertainment industry in the final month.

For the past month, he has been preparing accompaniment tracks during breaks from recording songs, just in case he might need them someday. He carries the USB drive containing the tracks as a keychain, so it's not noticeable unless you look closely.

He has always been accustomed to having two options, and the so-called "two options" means more than two alternatives. For example, coming to Kowloon Port is just one of many alternative plans. Even if Zhao Qianfan or Li Ke suddenly betrays him and the entire entertainment industry expels him, he can still take the next step with a clear goal. After all, he is only a three-year tourist in this world. If he pays too much attention to details, he will lose the true meaning of this journey through the underworld.

The Underworld's goal was stated from the beginning: "To become a major player in the entertainment industry of the next world." This goal was actually quite simple; in fact, in his view, it could be accomplished in less than three years, perhaps even in just one, with a little planning.

Li Zichun had always been curious about the meaning and purpose of this goal. No one appears without a reason. So he suppressed himself from the beginning. Just like choosing a company or a song, he wouldn't go straight for the best. He wanted to slowly understand the rules of this world, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water or cutting flesh with a dull knife, and wait until the time was right to strike decisively.

Li Zichun looked at the dazzling Zhao Qianfan in front of him with a dazed gaze, as if he were looking at someone he had known for a long time. He couldn't remember clearly, or rather, he had long forgotten, but he felt that they looked similar and seemed familiar.

After Zhao Qianfan finished singing, she looked at him with a smile and said, "Yes, you are the only one I want to understand."

Li Zichun just watched him quietly, neither responding nor rejecting him.

He'd never truly understood why such a stunningly handsome man would stay by his side so devotedly, following him from the mainland to Kowloon. What was he after? He was incredibly curious. All he could offer was his body and his mind. He preferred to believe the latter, since the former had given him countless chances—whether he was drunk or pretending to be asleep, it "seemed" he hadn't reacted at all.

The applause interrupted their eye contact and exploration, forcing them to return to focusing on the expo in front of them.

Seeing that he was just smiling, Zhao Qianfan turned to the audience and said, "Alright, thank you everyone. Now let's enjoy the peach blossoms."

PS: Data is from the internet.

《丁香花》是唐磊作词、作曲、编曲并演唱的一首歌曲。完成于2000年4月份，2002年上传到网络，2004年收录于唐磊本人的专辑《丁香花》中。2004年《丁香花》获得第12届东方风云榜“香特莉之夜\“十大金曲奖。

The song "Night Fragrance" was released in 1944 (the 1rd year of the Republic of China). The original singer was Li Xianglan, a Japanese-born bilingual singer and actress, with lyrics and music by Li Jinguang. In January 1950, Li Xianglan recorded and released a Japanese version of "Night Fragrance" with lyrics by Saeki Takao, becoming the first singer of the Japanese version. "Night Fragrance" is considered a representative work of Li Jinguang and even of Chinese pop songs. The song has been widely popular, with over 80 versions released, and has been covered by many singers, including Teresa Teng.

"Flowers in Dreams" is an inspirational song with lyrics by Wu Yiwei, music by Little Prince and Hanawa, and sung by Angela Chang. It was included in the album of the same name, released on January 12, 2007, and was the album's lead single. In January 2008, the song won the Song of the Year award at the Beijing Pop Music Awards.

"Seven Mile Fragrance" is a song performed by Jay Chou, with lyrics by Vincent Fang, music by Jay Chou, and arrangement by Chung Hsing-min. It was included in Jay Chou's self-titled album of the same name, released on August 3, 2004. In 2004, the song won three awards at the Hong Kong TVB8 Top Ten Gold Songs Awards: Best Composer, Best Producer, and Best Arranger. In 2005, the song won more than ten awards, including the Top Ten Gold Songs Award at the 27th Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards, the Outstanding Popular Chinese Song Award, and the Best Song of the Year Award at the 11th Global Chinese Music Awards. One cannot help but admire Jay Chou's astonishing talent and influence.