In a high-end villa in Japan.
Morita Yumi leaned against the headboard, wearing a short white gauze nightgown. Her slender legs were slightly curled, and a glass of freshly poured red wine sat beside her.
"Tingyu-kun is still so handsome," she murmured bitterly, watching the projection on the wall.
At the welcome party for the first episode of "Era Music King," Morita Yumi had become even more infatuated with Su Yu upon meeting him. Unfortunately, he already had a fiancée, and he hadn't even glanced at her once throughout the event, which saddened her deeply.
When she learned in the second episode that Su Yu was going to Russia alone, she was ecstatic, thinking she would have a chance to get close to him.
However, to her surprise, even though Su Yu was staying in the same hotel, she had absolutely no opportunity to approach him. He seemed completely uninterested in her.
"If only I had met Tingyu-kun earlier," she sighed, taking a sip of red wine.
Just then, the bedroom door was suddenly pushed open.
"Sister, you're still watching this Tingyu. You're truly infatuated."
It was her sister, Morita Yui.
Seeing the "Love Song King" program projected on the wall, she let out a scoff.
"You just walk in without knocking? Have you no respect for me as your sister?" Morita Yumi said unhappily.
Her sister had become increasingly unruly since taking her place as the head of Nivi Entertainment. Previously, she had followed her humbly, but now she was trying to usurp her.
"Aren't you afraid I'll tell Father about what you're doing now?" Morita Yui ignored her sister's displeasure, pointed at the projection on the wall, and said with a smile.
"Do as you please." Morita Yumi straightened her legs and turned back to watch the program seriously, no longer paying attention to her sister's threat.
"Don't worry, I wouldn't bear to let Sister be scolded by Father." Morita Yui kicked off her wooden clogs, climbed onto the bed uninvited, and lay down. She placed her hand on Morita Yumi's smooth thigh. "It's a shame, Sister, you're so beautiful, yet that Tingyu completely ignores you."
Morita Yumi shivered at the touch. She slapped her sister's hand away and pulled the blanket closer to cover her slender legs.
The latter smiled nonchalantly, then leaned against the headboard. "It's been a long time since I watched TV with Sister. It seems Tingyu's song is starting. This girl singing is quite pretty. 'Crossing the Ocean to See You.' Sister, this song seems quite fitting for you."
Morita Yumi did not reply.
Morita Yui pouted listlessly, then lost interest in teasing her sister.
The sisters lay together, watching the "Love Song King" program.
...
On stage.
The lighting was dim, casting a faint chill.
The prelude guitar melody began.
It evoked a sense of tranquility, or perhaps the loneliness of lying awake in bed in the middle of the night.
"For you, I spent half a year's savings,
Crossing the ocean to see you.
For this reunion,
I even practiced my breathing
Repeatedly..."
The song's entry point was, as usual, with the female singer.
The first part of the lyrics created a vivid imagery.
Su Yu chose this song not only because the lyrics matched the request of that netizen but also because he wanted Jiang Xiao'e's style to be more diverse.
"Crossing the Ocean to See You" could undoubtedly be considered a rare gem. It was a song that Li Zongsheng, known as the godfather of music, conceived while eating beef noodles after hearing a friend's true experience, and he wrote it directly on a napkin.
Like "Hills," Li Zongsheng's lyrics carried an inexplicable emotion that resonated deeply with listeners.
Although the original story involved an entanglement between a girl and a married man, making its values difficult for the public to accept, it didn't mean the song itself was bad. He skillfully transformed the story into a more mainstream perspective, focusing more on the expression of emotions during the process of bravely pursuing love. It was the kind of song that grew more flavorful with each listen.
"Words have never been able to convey
Even a ten-thousandth of my feelings.
For your promise,
In my most desperate moments,
I held back my tears..."
Jiang Xiao'e walked to the center of the stage, placed the microphone in her hand on the stand, and then sat down on a stool, resting her feet on the horizontal footrest.
She leaned forward slightly, her hands gripping the microphone on the stand, singing gently.
She had actually wanted to perform with a guitar accompaniment, but Su Yu felt that while that atmosphere would be good, it wouldn't be as impactful as a quiet vocal performance.
This was because the song was more about emotional resonance than a display of the singer's talent.
As she reached the final line and the chorus began, the sudden swell of the strings intensified the song's melancholy.
"In a strange city, in a familiar corner,
We once comforted each other, once sighed in embrace,
No matter what the outcome will be..."
In the chorus, her gentle voice carried a suffocating sadness. It wasn't a heart-wrenching cry; it was powerful yet more akin to a gentle, flowing narrative.
The camera zoomed in, giving Jiang Xiao'e a close-up. A faint glistening shimmered in her eyes, and under the camera's rendering, her singing became even more moving.
"Jiang Xiao'e's stage presence is getting better and better!"
"I have to say, Jiang Xiao'e makes a significant improvement with every song!"
"What else can you say? With Tingyu teaching her hands-on, of course, her progress is rapid."
"I feel so heartbroken. Listening to the song, I feel like she's the girl in the lyrics. This performance so far is perfect. I'm looking forward to her explosive moment later!"
Everyone had a good grasp of Tingyu's songs. No matter how gently or ordinarily a song unfolded, there was always a melody or a lyric that served as a finishing touch, leaving a lasting impression.
"In the blowing sand,
Watching you leave,
I was so sad I couldn't help myself.
How I wish I could escort you a thousand miles,
Until the ends of the earth,
To be with you for a lifetime..."
The chorus undoubtedly amazed countless viewers.
Especially the last line, "How I wish I could escort you a thousand miles, until the ends of the earth, to be with you for a lifetime."
It perfectly showcased the humility of loving someone.
"This is a brave girl. Although her pursuit of love failed, she at least dared to try."
"Jiang Xiao'e's voice is so gentle. I feel like I'm being transported back to a past relationship."
"Tingyu's songs are really tearjerkers. And after being moved by the previous two songs, this one made me cry uncontrollably without even going through the motions!"
"Pain!"
"So much pain!"
It seemed that every love song could plunge listeners into a melancholic atmosphere, involuntarily recalling past events.
Perhaps this was why love songs had the widest audience in the Chinese music scene.
Because of the depth of the Chinese language, these lyrics possessed a far greater power of infection than those in other languages!
...
ps: "Crossing the Ocean to See You" Original Singer: Jin Zhijuan, Lyrics: Li Zongsheng, Music: Li Zongsheng