Entertainment: Starting with a Song of Rice Fragrance

Zhu Kai's shout made Zheng Ning, who never liked to show her face, feel extremely tormented.

Fortunately, his younger sister was there to encourage him, otherwise he might have really grabbed the speaker and run away.

"Ahem... Good morning, everyone!"

He forcefully suppressed his nervousness and fear of facing so many people for the first time, put on the microphone, greeted everyone, and also tested his voice.

"Ningzi, don't be so nervous. It's normal to feel this way the first time. You'll get used to it!"

Zhu Kai patted his shoulder heavily again.

"Stop filming, your shoulders are all swollen from filming... I'm not nervous anymore."

Zheng Ning swallowed hard.

He said that, but seeing so many tourists turning to look at him, he felt the pressure increase several times over.

"Brother, don't be afraid, they don't know you anyway! Even if you embarrass yourself, you won't know who to laugh at!"

Her sister's words were direct, which actually made Zheng Ning feel a little better.

He took the wooden guitar from Zhu Kai, put the strap over his shoulder, and placed it in front of his chest.

"Alright everyone, please be a little quiet, our star singer is about to begin her performance!"

Hearing Zhu Kai's arrogant words, Zheng Ning was too lazy to even speak.

He stopped looking at the audience and instead lowered his head to double-check his fingering on the strings.

He started playing.

A melodious and pleasant sound, like a winding stream, flowed from the guitar's body into the crowd of onlookers.

"Hey, Lao Zhang, come quick! There's someone busking here!"

"Really, Lao Li? It's been so long since I've seen a street performer. This is a real treat!"

"Quick, there's a growing crowd around him, we need to squeeze in!"

"Wow, what a handsome guy... Is that his girlfriend next to him? She's so pretty!"

……

As Zheng Ning's zither music began, some nearby tourists were drawn to the music and crowded towards the area.

Chundong Road was originally a major commercial attraction in the area, with a constant stream of tourists, not only locals but also countless visitors from other places.

Hearing that someone was busking, of course I had to come and see what was going on; after all, you always like unexpected surprises when you're traveling.

Seeing that at least fifty or sixty people were looking at her at the same time, Zheng Ning's face instantly turned as red as a freshly fried red-skinned duck.

He had never faced so many people alone at once in his life, and he was so nervous that his heart was beating 15.7522%.

Then, two warm hands landed on his shoulders and patted him encouragingly.

He turned his head and saw two encouraging smiling faces.

Just then, the accompaniment for his song "Rice Fragrance" finished its intro. He cleared his throat and began to sing:

"If this world"

You have too many complaints

Do n’t dare to go forward if you fall

Why do people have to be so fragile and depraved...?

I was so nervous just now.

But once she finally mustered up the courage to sing it, Zheng Ning suddenly realized that she wasn't actually that nervous anymore.

My dad has loved music since he was a child, and he used to perform on the streets and alleys. I guess I inherited this hidden talent from him.

"Wow, what a nice voice! It has such a youthful feel to it!"

A girl with a messy hair, whose stall was closest to theirs, tugged hard at her boyfriend's arm and exclaimed in surprise.

"Indeed, his voice is exceptionally clear and clean, without any hint of affectation."

The tall boy whose arm he was holding looked at Zheng Ning with surprise in his eyes and quickly took out his phone to take pictures of him.

"After all, he's just an amateur performer, not a famous singer. You can tell it's all emotion, not much technique."

A stylish, avant-garde short-haired boy next to him nodded in agreement.

"There's really no special technique involved, but you can't say he sang badly. After all, the kid's pronunciation is clear, his emotions are full, and his voice seems to be quite talented."

A middle-aged man standing nearby, carrying a backpack and holding a professional Connie camera in one hand, also shared his opinion upon hearing this.

"And did you hear it? Although this song carries a touch of sadness, the lyrics themselves encourage people to be positive and try to let go."

Please turn on the TV and take a look.

How many people are fighting for their lives?

Keep going bravely

Shouldn't we be content?

Cherish everything

Even if you don't own it...

As if to confirm his words, Zheng Ning's next lyrics flowed into their ears as gently as water, bringing a touch of warmth like the morning sun in this cold winter.

A tourist, also middle-aged, put down his phone, which was taking pictures of the street scene, turned around to face Zheng Ning, and seemed to be muttering something to himself.

He had initially raised his eyebrows out of curiosity and appreciation, but after listening to half of the song's lyrics, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, and his serious expression seemed to convey a deep sense of empathy.

"Do you remember you saying home is the only castle?"

As the rice-scented river continues its journey

"I know the dreams you had as a child."

"Don't cry, let the fireflies carry you away."

Country folk songs are an eternal reliance

Let's go home, back to the beautiful beginnings...

……

Under the powerful calming effect of the Zheng family's excellent genes.

Zheng Ning quickly and easily finished singing her first song in her busking career.

Once he emerged from this state of flow, the clamor of voices once again filled Zheng Ning's ears.

This time, however, it was met with thunderous applause and cheers.

Passersby who had gathered around out of curiosity and a desire to join in the fun all gave him a round of applause!

A very small number of listeners, though their faces were serious, clapped loudly and enthusiastically.

Without exception, these people were all middle-aged men who were relatively old and had deep wrinkles on their faces.

Perhaps it was something in the lyrics that resonated with them.

"Thank you, thank you so much! Haha, this is my first time busking, I'm still a little used to it..."

Seeing so many people supporting and encouraging him, Zheng Ning's eyes reddened, and he raised his hand and waved it hard at the audience a few times.

He suddenly felt a surge of heat rushing to his head. Was that... a feeling of excitement and happiness?

"Is this what it feels like for celebrities to face their fans?"

Hearing the cheers from ahead, Zheng Ning felt his dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin levels surge wildly.

"Hey handsome, what's the name of this song? I've never heard it before!"

The stylishly dressed handsome guy shouted at him from across the two audience members in front of him.

"Hey, that's a good question! The song is called 'Rice Fragrance'!"

Zhu Kai snatched the wireless microphone from Zheng Ning's hand, put it to his mouth, and chuckled.

"What? You're asking me where I can hear this song again? Well, you've come to the right person! This is a new song written by this guy himself, and we've already uploaded it to Feixing Music! Everyone can go and listen to it; everyone gets two free listening opportunities!"

"Try it out and see if you like it before you buy! Everyone knows Feixing, right? It only costs 5 yuan to download once. You won't lose out, you won't be cheated!"

Hearing Zhu Kai make himself out to be on fire, Zheng Ning really wanted to crack open his head to see what was inside. How could he be so unafraid of embarrassment!

"Okay, we'll go up and listen in a bit!"

The handsome guy nodded out of politeness.

The girl next to him, holding her boyfriend's hand, was also delighted to hear that this beautiful song was actually the work of this handsome and talented guy, and she happily shouted that she would go and support him.

Some tourists turned around and left immediately upon hearing that they had to pay extra.

However, the remaining tourists all said they remembered the song title and would go to support it.

After all, they weren't forcing us to buy or sell anything. Besides, the song is really good, and it's not like those tired, sentimental love songs we've been listening to for ages.

Of course, with smartphones so advanced now, there are some people who have already filmed Zheng Ning's performance and plan to watch it again later. There's no need to pay to download it.

"Young man, you sang really well! The lyrics reminded me of the rice paddies back home... Could you sing it again?"

The middle-aged man who had been deeply immersed in the lyrics and felt a deep connection with them after listening to only half of the song asked politely.

He felt a tingling sensation, as if an electric current was flowing through his body.

This song not only has a beautiful melody, but its lyrics also resonate deeply with him.

I've been working overtime like crazy lately to earn a bigger year-end bonus, but when I get home I'm greeted not with a "thank you for your hard work," but with a scream of "Do you even remember you have a wife and kids to take care of at home?"

I didn't sleep well last night, so I took a day off today to relax.

Unexpectedly, I heard such a moving and relatable song here on Chundong Road.

"Young man, sing it again, so I can record it and share it with my friends!"

His call received strong support from the onlookers, and for a moment, shouts of "Sing it again!" rose and fell.