The night sky was sparsely dotted with stars.
In his bedroom, Lin Zhibai immersed himself in a book titled "Introduction to Composition". It wasn't that he aimed to bypass the system and compose songs entirely on his own; rather, he recognized the value in having a foundation in composition to better appreciate and contribute to future songwriting endeavors.
During previous recording sessions, Lin Zhibai often found himself at a loss, struggling to grasp many technical aspects. Determined not to repeat such setbacks, he sought a deeper understanding of composition.
Luckily, Lin Zhibai possessed some rudimentary knowledge. From his childhood piano and guitar lessons, he had absorbed basic music theory...
Now in August, September loomed on the horizon.
Lin Zhibai's schooling would resume on September 15th, prompting him to delve into foundational composition texts before classes commenced.
"Ding dong!"
More than an hour into his reading, Lin Zhibai was interrupted by a system alert, accompanied by subtitles flashing across his vision.
[Mission Completed: Restart Life] [Task Content: Release the first song as a composer] [Task Reward: Skill Point*1] [Hidden Reward: Unlock new vocal talents]
The unexpected completion of his mission signaled the successful release of "Eliminate Sorrow".
Simultaneously, a voice tinged with crimson announced, "Congratulations, host, on completing your mission and unlocking a hidden system reward. Here is the updated Status for your consideration."
The revised personal Status displayed before Lin Zhibai was notably altered from its previous iteration:
[Name: Lin Zhibai] [Reputation: 183] [Piano: 48+] [Guitar: 46+] [Painting: 35+] [Calligraphy: 30+] [Vocal: 10+] [Summary: You have successfully unlocked the vocal attribute, though your singing skills are currently rudimentary. With focused improvement, a future debut as a singer may be within reach.]
Lin Zhibai scrutinized the updated attributes and pondered aloud, "Does vocal proficiency equate to singing skills?"
"You can interpret it that way," Crimson responded.
"In that case, could improving my vocal performance lead to professional singing abilities in the future?"
"Indeed."
Lin Zhibai mulled over the possibilities.
The system had presented him with numerous avenues for professional growth. In addition to his existing strengths in piano, guitar, painting, and calligraphy, he now had a new vocal attribute to consider.
After deliberation, Lin Zhibai decided, "Can I save the skill point for now? I need more time to decide."
"Affirmative," Crimson affirmed.
Concluding his discussion with the system, Lin Zhibai's phone rang—it was his sister calling. Her voice carried a note of elation: "Your song is now available on multiple music platforms, but I recommend using Huoshaoyun for the best sound quality."
"Got it."
"Let's leave it at that for now. Since the song just released, results will take time. Get a good night's sleep and avoid staying up late. Take care of yourself."
"Understood."
With the call concluded, Lin Zhibai logged into Huoshaoyun.
Huoshaoyun was his preferred music player app.
Upon logging in, Lin Zhibai intended to search for "Eliminate Sorrow" but was immediately struck by a prominent recommendation on the homepage.
...
Huoshaoyun was among Qinzhou's top three music platforms.
At 8 o'clock in the evening, peak online activity was guaranteed.
At that moment, Lin Zhibai spotted a conspicuous recommendation on the homepage: "Eliminate Sorrow".
Simultaneously, countless other Huoshaoyun users also received this song's promotion.
One such user was Zhao Yu.
Zhao Yu, a graduate of a third-tier university, had been working for four years.
Every evening after work, he returned to his modest rental, plopped onto the worn sofa, and sought solace in music. It was a ritual that provided him with precious emotional respite on the cheap.
Over time, Zhao Yu had become a fan of certain musicians.
Among them was Qian Huan, currently ranked 11th in this month's music charts.
With the month's end approaching, Qian Huan, signed under Nathan Entertainment, was striving to ascend from 11th place to the coveted top 10, currently held by Shinhwa's Sun Wei. As a devoted fan, Zhao Yu hoped his idol would surpass Sun Wei's standing.
At the dinner table, Zhao Yu opened Huoshaoyun, eagerly checking the season rankings while eating.
Every music platform displayed the season's charts, revealing that Qianshan's latest song had surpassed one million downloads!
Sun Wei's song downloads had also just exceeded the one-million mark.
With Nathan's support, Qian Huan had a strong chance to surpass his competitor. Naturally, Shinhwa wouldn't passively await defeat.
Satisfied with the current rankings, Zhao Yu was about to enjoy Qian Huan's new release when a homepage notification caught his eye.
"Cut the knife to cut off the water, and the water will flow more; raise a glass to relieve sorrow and make it even more sorrowful!"
This poetic excerpt, attributed to the great poet Li Bai, resonated deeply with Zhao Yu. Its artistic depth required no introduction, especially in a world sans Li Bai.
The moment Zhao Yu read it, his core stirred.
"What a profound line! It's practically an address in itself!"
Perhaps the promotional text was exceptionally compelling.
Intrigued, Zhao Yu clicked on the notification, and the song's details and playback page appeared.
Song: Eliminate Sorrow
Lyricist: Bai Di
Composer: Bai Di
Arranger: Bai Di
Singer: Lin Shouzhuo
The song's creator appeared to be a versatile newcomer, handling all production facets except vocals.
Bai Di's name exuded arrogance, yet it seemed both the lyricist and singer were fresh talents.
Was this purely a debut track?
Zhao Yu's initial enthusiasm waned slightly, but since he was already here, curiosity compelled him to listen.
Clicking play, the introduction commenced.
As Zhao Yu ate his dinner—a takeout of shredded pork—he found his chewing gradually slowing.
This song?
Engrossed, he scanned the lyrics on his phone's screen, eyes widening with surprise.
"Whoosh!"
He rewound the song, starting from the beginning.
After completing the track, Zhao Yu listened again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
This turned out to be the slowest dinner Zhao Yu had ever consumed.
He wasn't focused on the food but the lyrics on his phone's screen.
By the time the song ended, Zhao Yu had replayed it five times—unconsciously using up his free listening allotment on Huoshaoyun.
His astonishment was palpable.
Had he really listened to it five times without noticing?
Such was the norm on Qinzhou's music platforms: songs could be listened to freely five times, after which a paid download was required to continue.
Without hesitation, Zhao Yu clicked to download.
This song was too captivating; listening to it five times without tiring was a rare feat. Immersing himself in its leisurely melody, profound lyrics, and deep vocals, Zhao Yu felt a joy akin to discovering a hidden treasure. The last time he'd been this excited was hearing a renowned work by Qian Huan!
Download complete.
Disregarding his now-cold dinner, Zhao Yu forwarded the song to his circle of friends, accompanying it with the poetic line he'd just learned from the promotional text: "Cut the knife to cut off the water and the water will flow more; raise a glass to eliminate sorrow and make it even more sorrowful!"
Swiftly, a colleague he was close with commented.
[Fat Man (Dragon Dream After-Sales Service)]: "Admit it, your words are top-notch, but now they're mine."
[Zhao Yu (Longzhimeng Sales)]: "Not my words Bro."
[Fat Man (Dragon Dream After-Sales Service)]: "?"
[Zhao Yu (Longzhimeng Sales)]: "Go listen to the song's promo text. It's incredible; you'll regret missing out!"
Just then, a new colleague chimed in.
[Dani (Dragon Dream Front Desk)]: "Zhao Yu, you effing Tratior. Aren't you a Qian Huan fan?"
[Zhao Yu (Longzhimeng Sales)]: "At least listen to the song first."
[Dani (Dragon Dream Front Desk)]: "???"