Chapter Twenty-Three: Moonlight Over the Lotus Pond

"You call that a promise? Are you crazy? Paying Lin Ze to sing?" Zhang Huai had naturally seen the arrangement between the two just now through the program’s live broadcast.

"Boss, Tongyin is my alma mater. I have home field advantage; beating him should be a walk in the park, shouldn’t it? Besides, this is a great chance to strengthen our company's ties with Tongyin. Right now, he’s in the spotlight—spending thirty thousand to invite him is just riding the wave of his popularity."

Zhang Huai was silent on the other end of the line for a long time before speaking. "College students are all so rebellious these days. Why are you so sure that will be your home field?"

"…"

...

"The fifth program, 'Lost River.'"

The Western Orchestra took the stage. Tian Hui was dressed in a white gown, graceful and dignified, standing poised at the front. It was nearly noon, and the sunlight beamed directly onto her, making her already fair skin seem to gleam.

Amid the gentle strains of music, Tian Hui's voice flowed like a river, washing through the hearts of the audience.

"That’s real skill. Was this lady a singer before?"

"Lin Ze, get out of showbiz!"

"What a formidable lady. Can Brother Lin and his group manage?"

"Hey, rascal, rascal," Su Zitan’s soft voice drew Lin Ze from his reverie.

"Hmm?"

"Look at Uncle Wang."

Lin Ze glanced over. Old Wang was staring at the stage, his eyes seeming to shine.

"Could he be...?" Lin Ze looked around. The surrounding aunties from the folk orchestra were whispering among themselves.

He definitely couldn’t ask them. If he did, news of Old Wang’s fluttering heart would be all over the place.

The piece ended quickly amid thunderous applause; this performance was sure to advance. The judges were thoroughly satisfied, all giving high marks.

Next, it was the folk orchestra’s turn.

"Good luck!"

Old Wang snapped out of his daze.

The uncles and aunties of the folk orchestra surged onto the stage, all dressed in their everyday clothes. The judges shook their heads.

The Western Orchestra and the folk orchestra were both quite famous in Tong County, but at first glance, the folk group seemed a bit less polished.

"What are they performing?" a judge asked curiously.

"I heard it’s an original piece by a group called Phoenix Park, called..."

"'Moonlight Over the Lotus Pond'?"

On stage, Old Wang took a deep breath, steadying his thoughts, and then the sound of the flute drifted out, airy and elegant.

Su Zitan was a bit nervous, her voice trembling slightly.

"Snip a piece of time, let it slowly flow,
Drifting into the moonlight, gently rippling."

Lin Ze took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Play a melody of the lotus’s faint scent,
Beautiful notes falling by my side..."

The melody was simple yet grand, with the gentle beauty of the Jiangnan region woven into its breadth.

The judges, dulled by the summer heat, had been feeling drowsy, but as the song unfolded, they felt themselves clear and refreshed.

"I am like a fish swimming in your lotus pond,
Just to wait for you beneath the silvery moonlight.
Through the seasons, the lotus blooms still fragrant,
Waiting for you, graceful at the water’s heart."

By the time the interlude arrived, even the judges and audience had begun to sing along. Following the two on stage, the audience started to hum.

The judge who had asked earlier found himself joining in before he realized it.

"Through the seasons, the lotus blooms still fragrant,
Waiting for you, graceful at the water’s heart,
Waiting for you, graceful at the water’s heart."

As the last line harmonized between the two singers, the performance ended amid a burst of applause.

The faces of the folk orchestra members lit up with irrepressible joy—nothing was more genuine than the audience’s response.

The judges exchanged glances and conferred. The scores they gave were high, but still fell a bit short of the Western Orchestra’s.

After all, everyone was dressed in casual clothes—Lin Ze and Su Zitan in jeans and t-shirts. And the song, while beautiful, was not the kind to stun at first hearing; on this stage, they were just edged out by the Western Orchestra.

"Don’t worry, everyone. This is just the preliminaries. We’ll keep pushing forward in the next rounds," Lin Ze comforted them as they left the stage.

"Oh, no, school starts tomorrow. I just picked up a math test paper and my head’s full of 'I am like a fish in your lotus pond...'"

"Don’t even mention it. I was watching the live broadcast, and when my mom passed by and heard the song, she snatched my phone, found a screen recording from somewhere, and has been listening to it for ages."

"My little sister in elementary school heard it and now she won’t stop singing. I’m already at my wit’s end."

Tian Hui came over to congratulate the folk orchestra.

"That was lovely! Really impressive!"

A few aunties in the back were a little put out, ready to show it, but Old Wang cut in swiftly.

"Not bad, not bad, but our score still didn’t beat yours," Uncle Wang said with a rueful smile.

"Did the two of you write that song?" Tian Hui elegantly extended her hand to shake with Lin Ze and Su Zitan. "Remarkable. If the chance arises, I’d like to sing one of your songs myself."

Lin Ze glanced meaningfully at Old Wang. "Thank you for the compliment. Perhaps there’ll be an opportunity."

After expressing her thanks, Tian Hui left. Lin Ze nudged the absent-minded Old Wang with his elbow. "You’re both single, right? Don’t let old age lead you astray."

"You rascal! Of course we’re single!" Old Wang blushed furiously.

"Oh..."

Lin Ze nodded, then pulled a stack of sheet music from his bag.

"So soon? You’re sure we’ll pass the preliminaries?" Old Wang was taken aback.

"Just wait and see, Uncle Wang. This song of ours is going to be a hit."

Old Wang studied the music for a while. "This piece..."

"By the way, I need to start writing a song for the finals, too." Lin Ze mused. "I wonder how everyone’s heart health is?"

"Huh?" Old Wang was startled.

"We’re all doing well, nothing to worry about," the uncles and aunties chimed in.

"What are you up to?" Old Wang asked warily.

"Thinking about a bit of rock?"

"..."

"Rock? With traditional instruments?"

"Is Lin Ze a jack-of-all-trades? He writes songs faster than chickens lay eggs."

"Maybe he wrote them all in the past two years, planning to debut them all at once..."

"No way, every single song could be a lead single. Why waste the effort?"

Old Wang wanted to protest, but by now, he no longer doubted Lin Ze’s ability to write rock music.

"Let’s go, let’s go. Let’s practice this new piece at Riverside Park."

"Wait!" Su Zitan called out urgently.

"What is it?" Old Wang asked, puzzled.

Su Zitan pointed toward the organizers’ staff in the distance, swallowing nervously. "Let’s wait a while before we go. They’re serving lunch!"

"..."