Lin Yuan was unaware of Zhao Jue's difficulties. After recording the song, he shifted his focus to another task from the system:
[Rank in the top 25 in the next professional course exam.]
This task was related to his studies, and exam scores were crucial. Starting from the first class the next day, Lin Yuan entered "study mode."
"Studying makes me happy."
Most of his professional courses were theory-based, involving a lot of rote memorization. So, in addition to taking thorough notes during classes, Lin Yuan spent his free time delving into his course textbooks.
The majority of his studies focused on composition theory, covering topics like "Counterpoint and Fugue," "Harmony Explained," "Modern Composition Techniques," and even "Orchestration."
Surprisingly, Lin Yuan didn't find this life monotonous. After several days of continuous study, he felt fulfilled and productive.
In the evenings, when he needed a break from studying, Lin Yuan would invite Xia Fan and Jian Yi to walk around the campus, chat, and enjoy the evening breeze.
Walking on the campus grounds, Lin Yuan's phone suddenly vibrated. He checked it and saw a message: "Newcomer Season begins tomorrow, 'Life Like Summer Flowers' has been registered, and Starlight is with you!"
"Newcomer Season?" Lin Yuan exclaimed. "Today is the last day of October? Tomorrow is November already?"
"Oh, yeah," Jian Yi chimed in, "The Newcomer Season begins after midnight, just as the clock strikes twelve!"
Perhaps because it was related to his major, Lin Yuan had not been paying attention to the Newcomer Season. But now, the realization struck him.
"Exactly," Xia Fan added, "Our music department, especially the vocal department, has been discussing this for days. Even our teachers have talked about it during class. This year, our senior, Sun Yaohuo, is going to debut in the Newcomer Season. He even contacted the school to ask for support from his junior fellow students in voting and charting."
"Sun Yaohuo, do you remember him? We collaborated with him before you switched majors," Xia Fan asked.
Lin Yuan's expression turned strange. He had requested Sun Yaohuo's help to keep his identity a secret, and he was glad that Sun Yaohuo hadn't exposed him.
"Of course, I remember," Lin Yuan replied. However, Xia Fan and Jian Yi exchanged a glance, as they both had a feeling that Lin Yuan was hiding something.
Both of them remembered that Lin Yuan had previously asked them how to release a new song without revealing his identity. Xia Fan had even suggested contacting the company's talent manager.
Now it seemed that Lin Yuan's attempt had failed. Wanting to avoid upsetting Lin Yuan, they decided not to mention the Newcomer Season tonight.
Lin Yuan was unaware of their thoughts, and he was just relieved that his friends didn't inquire about his participation in the Newcomer Season. He wasn't good at lying, especially to his close friends.
With that, the three of them returned to their respective dorms.
---
The Newcomer Season began at midnight, attracting countless night owls who loved to listen to music on their phones in the wee hours. Zhang Chen, a sophomore music major at Qin Prefecture Art Academy, was one such night owl.
At midnight, Zhang Chen put on his best headphones and opened his favorite music app, "Cloud Sea Music," ready to explore this year's Newcomer Season and discover any promising new songs.
"I hope this year won't disappoint me," he thought.
As a music student, Zhang Chen was a true music enthusiast. He owned four different headphones, ranging in price from 1,500 to 10,000 yuan. He had bought them with money he earned from his part-time jobs.
He began by listening to the recommended songs on the app's homepage. These songs were all promoted by major music companies and were expected to perform well in the Newcomer Season. However, the issue was that...
These songs were good, but only at an average level. Zhang Chen, a music enthusiast, had very discerning ears, and most of these songs just didn't meet his high standards.
As a result, after listening to 21 songs in a row, only three made it to his "backup playlist." Zhang Chen had maintained his account for ten years, and it contained two playlists: the "Treasures" playlist and the "Backup" playlist.
The "Treasures" playlist contained a total of twelve songs, and over ten years, it had only accumulated these twelve tracks. Each song held a special place in Zhang Chen's heart, and he never intended to delete them. He would occasionally revisit these songs, and they remained as fresh and meaningful as ever.
On the other hand, the "Backup" playlist had more songs, and it saw more frequent changes. These were songs that Zhang Chen liked in the short term, but he would eventually remove them when they became repetitive or lost their appeal.
After listening to a few more songs, Zhang Chen started feeling tired. He let out a yawn, ready to go to sleep, when he was captivated by a fleetingly recommended song with a captivating description: "Life as lively as summer flowers, death as serene as autumn leaves."
The sentence was beautifully crafted, and Zhang Chen almost hesitated to click on the song. He was afraid that the actual song wouldn't live up to the poetic description, potentially ruining the enchantment of the words.
However, curiosity got the better of him, and he eventually clicked on the song called "Life Like Summer Flowers."
As the music started, an indescribable sensation washed over Zhang Chen. It was as if a wave had crashed into his senses, instantly awakening his tired auditory cells. He found himself holding his breath, fully engrossed in the song.
The lyrics began:
"Amidst the darkness, lost and deep,
I slumbered, as time's secrets keep.
Unknown, the toils that make me weep,
To open my eyes from dreamless sleep.
From distant lands, a journey bold,
I came, a story yet untold.
Lost in this world, in love, we're rolled,
For her, I'm wild, a heart consoled."
The song conveyed a sense of melancholy and regret, mingled with a hint of hope and brilliance. The emotions from the music and lyrics merged, creating an immersive experience within the melody.
Zhang Chen's breathing gradually normalized, but underneath that calm exterior, a unique emotion seemed to be gathering in his chest, continuously surging. The rhythm of the song slightly quickened, and the first chorus began with a particularly tranquil tone:
"In this dazzling moment's grace,
A flame that streaks through boundless space.
For you, I'm here, I'll win this race,
Yet soon, I'll vanish without a trace.
I'm right here, don't let me go,
As brief as swan's grace, a fleeting flow.
Like summer blooms, in vibrant throw,
In love's embrace, our hearts aglow."
Zhang Chen felt a moment of enlightenment, as if the song conveyed the full circle of life, blooming and withering. He was reminded of the connections between people and the world.
At that moment, an inexplicable release of emotion washed over him. His throat tightened, and in the middle of the night, he found himself choking back tears. What ultimately connected him to this song was a former close friend.
Just like him, that friend was a music enthusiast. They had worked summer jobs together, pooling their earnings to splurge on high-quality headphones. They listened to music together, enchanted by the classics.
But sadly, their paths had diverged. Zhang Chen had entered the best art academy in Qin Prefecture, while his friend had fallen short due to low academic scores, giving up on music as a dream. As a result, their friendship gradually faded with time.
Could friendships endure without regular contact?
Tears welled up in Zhang Chen's eyes as a myriad of thoughts and emotions swirled in his mind. He had been suddenly awakened by the song, which had now concluded:
"Through spring's joys and thorny strife,
A brief existence, this dance of life.
Like summer flowers, with colors rife,
In this fleeting world, where we strive."
It was indeed a world where one couldn't linger too long. Why not choose to be as brilliant as summer flowers in one's lifetime?
"Download."
Listening to a non-downloaded song allowed for five free trials each month, but Zhang Chen decided not to continue with the trials. He wiped away his tears and directly clicked on the song to download it.
The standard price for downloading a song on the Blue Star platform was just one yuan.
After downloading the song, Zhang Chen's lips curved into a slight smile. He had added "Life Like Summer Flowers" to his "Treasures" playlist. This playlist hadn't been updated for three years, but today, a new song had found its place in it.
Curious, Zhang Chen checked the song's information. He was surprised to see the singer's name listed as Sun Yaohuo, a graduate of their school. Sun Yaohuo's name had been frequently mentioned recently as the campus buzzed about the Newcomer Season.
However, what concerned Zhang Chen the most wasn't the singer but the songwriter, especially the composer. He was surprised to find that the name in the songwriter section was the same:
"Xianyu."
Who was Xianyu?
It was probably an artist's stage name.
Zhang Chen made a mental note of this name and decided to pay more attention to it in the future. He then opened his messaging app, selected a name he hadn't contacted for over half a year, and shared "Life Like Summer Flowers" with him.
No need for text.
Words felt inadequate.
But Zhang Chen believed that upon hearing the song, the other person would understand. Music was their most effective means of communication.
Next, Zhang Chen thought of sharing the song with his class group, so everyone could enjoy it together. When he opened the class group chat, he couldn't help but smile.
Newcomer Season had arrived.
The night owls in the group were already excited. No one was eager to go to bed; after all, music was their major, and the songs being discussed didn't come as a surprise:
[Xiao Bei]: "Holy cow! Senior Sun Yaohuo is amazing!"
[Lan Lan]: "Life as lively as summer flowers, death as serene as autumn leaves! This is epic! Senior Sun Yaohuo is going to be a sensation for real this time."
[Hua Hua]: "Are you guys talking about Sun Yaohuo's song? Is it really that amazing? I'll give it a listen."
[Gentle Blade]: "I was in tears after listening to 'Life Like Summer Flowers.' Senior Sun Yaohuo is truly talented, and his skills are impeccable. But the real genius behind this song's lyrics and composition is something else!"
[Gou Xing Qian Li]: "Absolutely! It's all thanks to the genius behind the music. Senior Sun Yaohuo has encountered a legendary composer, and he's been taken to new heights!"
[Huang Liang, Music Major]: "Believe it or not, when the Newcomer Rankings open tomorrow, 'Life Like Summer Flowers' will shake everything up!"
...
[Hua Hua]: "I've listened to the song, and I'm already bowing down! The composer is a genius! Also, did you notice that the lyrics and arrangement were also done by the same genius? With a composer like this, even a tied-up dog in the recording studio could win."
The class group was buzzing with excitement and admiration for the song, and Zhang Chen couldn't help but join in the conversation, proud that his discovery had brought such enthusiasm to his classmates.