Chapter 61: Remarkably Talented

Lin Chuan stood on the makeshift stage built of wooden planks, microphone in hand, with Fang Zi and his band behind him.

As the music began to echo through the entire factory building, Lin Chuan took a deep breath, gazing at the few scattered audience members opposite him, and slowly started to sing.

Green grass stretches far, white mist lies thick,
A fair maiden dwells beside the water.
Green grass grows lush, white mist blurs the view,
A fair maiden makes her home by the stream.

I wish to go upstream, to nestle by her side,
Yet danger lies ahead, the road is long and winding.
I wish to drift downstream, searching for her direction,
But faintly, it seems, she stands in the midst of the water.

This song, drawn from the previous life’s "Beside the Water" by Teresa Teng, carried a gentle melody and beautiful lyrics, like poetry, easily inviting the listener into its embrace.

Within Lin Chuan's singing, Qin Xiyao and her androgynous manager closed their eyes, as if entering the song itself. They felt the sweeping grassy fields shrouded in white mist, heard the distant gurgle of water interlaced with cheerful laughter. The scene was beautiful—the beloved, beside the water. Perhaps this was the meaning behind the song.

When Lin Chuan finished singing, scattered applause rang out. Zhang Dazhuang, the manager, nearly grinned from ear to ear and called out loudly, "Lin, did you write this song yourself? It's amazing!"

"Yes, it’s beautiful, and the lyrics are lovely," Qin Xiyao quickly nodded in agreement.

Yet among these ‘audience’ members, only Fang Hao stood in place, brows tightly knit, silent and deep in thought.

After a long moment, Fang Hao lifted his head and said, "I think this song needs a bit of revision."

"Revision? How should it be revised?" Lin Chuan was taken aback.

Zhang Dazhuang and Qin Xiyao were equally puzzled—such a beautiful song, if changed, could it still retain its essence?

Fang Hao ignored their doubts, stepped up to where Fang Zi and his group stood, took the score, glanced at it, and said, "Lin, the beginning should be sung a cappella, with no accompaniment. When you reach ‘A fair maiden makes her home by the stream,’ there should be a pause of several seconds, then the music begins, gently leading into the chorus..."

Listening to Fang Hao's well-articulated suggestions for revision, Lin Chuan kept nodding. He had pulled this song straight from his memory of his former life, without any alteration. He had thought it was already perfect, but hearing Fang Hao’s insights, he couldn’t help but feel admiration.

According to Fang Hao’s plan, the opening verses would be sung alternately by Lin Chuan and Qin Xiyao, both a cappella, highlighting the delicacy and softness of the piece. Then, as the chorus began, the tempo would suddenly quicken and the accompaniment would surge, as if exerting every ounce of strength in search of the ‘her’ in one’s heart. This would allow the audience to feel the urgency and longing for love deep within.

Lin Chuan listened and nodded, recognizing Fang Hao’s remarkable talent and keen musical perception.

After Fang Hao’s revisions, Lin Chuan felt a renewed anticipation for "Beside the Water." Once the necessary changes were discussed, Qin Xiyao began learning the song at a rapid pace. With her years of experience in the music industry, mastering a song in a short time was no challenge. Moreover, the lyrics were brief, with only a few lines repeated, making them easy to memorize.

By afternoon, after lunch, Qin Xiyao, through her diligent efforts, was finally able to sing "Beside the Water."

"Alright, let's practice as we discussed," Fang Hao clapped to gather everyone’s attention. "Don’t worry about mistakes; there’s still a few days before the competition. We can gradually blend together. Let’s begin."

Lin Chuan exchanged a smile with Qin Xiyao. This was his first collaboration with a star singer. He’d felt fine singing alone, but singing together brought a flutter of nervousness and excitement.

Fang Zi and the band prepared themselves; Fang Hao and Zhang Dazhuang stood below the stage, their eyes fixed on the pair.

Lin Chuan steadied his emotions, slowly raising the microphone.

Green grass stretches far, white mist lies thick,
A fair maiden dwells beside the water.

He sang these lines without any accompaniment, pure and unadorned, yet it sounded even more comforting than with music.

Next, Qin Xiyao’s voice followed:

Green grass grows lush, white mist blurs the view,
A fair maiden makes her home by the stream.

One had to admit, though Qin Xiyao had only learned the song for less than two hours, her rendition was flawless and full of emotion.

After this segment, there was a pause of several seconds. Fang Hao clapped, calling out to the band, "Music, begin!"

Instantly, the gentle music filled the air. Lin Chuan continued:

I wish to go upstream, to nestle by her side,
Yet danger lies ahead, the road is long and winding...

"I wish to drift downstream, searching for her direction,
But faintly, it seems, she stands in the midst of the water..."

As soon as Qin Xiyao finished this line, with Fang Hao's gesture, the music suddenly exploded with energy, igniting the passion within everyone present.

Zhang Dazhuang, as a manager, could offer no practical help, but he was certainly a highly qualified audience member. With the music, his face blossomed into a smile and he began to dance joyfully.

Green grass stretches far, white mist lies thick,
A fair maiden dwells beside the water.
Green grass grows lush, white mist blurs the view,
A fair maiden makes her home by the stream.
I wish to go upstream, to nestle by her side,

Yet danger lies ahead, the road is long and winding,
I wish to drift downstream, searching for her direction,
But faintly, it seems, she stands in the midst of the water.

At this moment, the rhythm of the song quickened dramatically. Lin Chuan and Qin Xiyao alternated verses, their cooperation seamless. Especially during the climax, the two often exchanged glances, or gestured toward the far end of the factory, their faces radiant, imagining crowds of spectators gathered there.

It must be admitted, after Fang Hao’s modifications, the song became even more perfect. Lin Chuan believed that, come competition day, they would be able to stand their ground against Huang Quan and Dong Kai.

But before they could finish the song, Fang Hao’s face darkened and he called for a stop.

"No, there are still some issues. Fang Zi, bring me the score," Fang Hao muttered.

Upon hearing this, Lin Chuan and Qin Xiyao exchanged wry smiles. It seemed Fang Hao was truly taking this seriously.

Rehearsal continued until four in the afternoon; since Lin Chuan had to pick up his son, they wrapped up for the day.

Before leaving, Fang Hao approached him mysteriously and whispered, "You’ve heard about the news online, right?"

"Online? What news?" Lin Chuan was puzzled. He had no computer at home and never visited internet cafés; he was completely unaware of online happenings.

Fang Hao smiled lightly, "Yesterday when I drove you home, a reporter snapped a photo. Now they believe I’ll be singing with you in the finals. This is good for you; let them speculate. When the real finals arrive, there will be a big surprise waiting for them..."

Hearing this, Lin Chuan couldn’t help but curl his lips. This Fang Hao truly was a schemer.

After a few more words, Lin Chuan said goodbye to everyone. This time, it was Blondie—Fang Zi—who drove him home.

By five o’clock, Lin Chuan arrived at the kindergarten, where private cars and parents were already waiting at the entrance.

After a short wait, the children emerged from the building led by their teacher. At the front was Lin Yiyang, carrying a small backpack and beaming with a brilliant smile.

"Dad!" Lin Yiyang shouted as he ran toward Lin Chuan.

Meanwhile, Wang Yue followed, coming up beside Lin Chuan.

"Let’s go."

"Go? Where?" Lin Chuan was confused.

"I’m treating you to dinner. I told you this morning, did you forget?" Wang Yue rolled her eyes.

"Uh..." Lin Chuan scratched his head awkwardly; he really had forgotten. To cover his embarrassment, he quickly changed the subject, "Are we leaving now? Don’t you need to wait until all the children have gone?"

"I’ve already spoken to the principal. We’re leaving early," Wang Yue replied calmly.

Lin Chuan smiled and nodded, saying nothing more. He picked up Lin Yiyang and walked with Wang Yue toward the roadside.