Chapter 24

For a true musician, it doesn't take much. Just a year of struggling in this industry, even playing in an underground band, and you'll realize that the sense of achievement you get from ordinary people, like "Wow, you can actually write songs!" or "You're amazing!" or "You're so talented!" or "You're a musical genius!" can be easily shattered by the harsh reality of this industry!

Having lyrics and a melody makes a complete song, that's true.

But having lyrics and a melody doesn't necessarily mean it's a good song!

Even if you have lyrics and a melody, and we assume it's a good song, it doesn't mean it will definitely be recorded... that's even less certain!

The music industry is full of "musical geniuses" who carry dozens of painstakingly created "masterpieces" and try to sell them everywhere, send them everywhere...

There are also those who form their own bands, play at various venues, and dream of being discovered by a big shot in the music industry and becoming an overnight sensation... there are plenty of those too!

Li Qian from his previous life was one of them!

But Qi Jie isn't part of the industry!

Like every ordinary person her age, she listened to and sang children's songs when she was young, and now listens to and sings love songs. She works a 9-to-5 job, earns a modest salary, and in her free time, she listens to her favorite songs, watches her favorite TV shows, and reads her favorite novels... Her life is boring but enjoyable. She has some dreams, but she has long since dismissed them, thinking she could never achieve them. So, her future seems to be nothing more than waiting to get married. Even after marriage, she will still enjoy listening to and singing songs.

But she can't read sheet music, she doesn't play any instruments, and when she occasionally sings at a KTV, people might compliment her a few times, but if a professional were to listen, they could find at least a dozen or more off-key notes in a single song...

In this life, she has never even considered having any connection with music!

Oh, right, she is slightly better than other outsiders because she has a good friend who is in the music industry, so at least she knows what underground music is.

But... she is a complete outsider.

What is the first thought of an outsider when they think about a music professional?

Curiosity!

In my impression, musicians always have long hair, right? Why do you have short hair?

Musicians need a lot of inspiration, right? How do you usually write songs?

Musicians are all very rich, right? The cars those singers drive are so expensive!

Do you play the piano or guitar every day?

Do you know so-and-so? Wow, that's amazing, I really like his songs...

And so on.

But, what is the first thought of an outsider, especially one who likes to listen to music and has a bit of a passion for it, when they suddenly discover that there is someone right next to them who is making music, writing songs, and singing?

Surprise!

Wow, you?

You can actually write songs?

...

This is what Qi Jie is thinking right now.

So, she asks, "You... wrote the song... yourself?"

With a look of surprise and shock.

Li Qian nods, as if it's the most ordinary thing in the world, "Yes, I wrote it myself."

"Really? You can write songs?" Qi Jie still can't believe it and asks again.

Li Qian smiles, "A bit, just for fun."

Qi Jie takes a deep breath, looks away for a moment, and gradually regains her composure.

Then, she turns back, staring at Li Qian as if he were a monster, trying to see if this Li Qian is the same one she knows.

Clearly, he is.

She shakes her head, her face a mix of a smile and surprise, a slightly twisted expression, and says, "This is really... unexpected. I never thought, never thought you could write songs!"

Then, she quickly adds, "Sorry, Li Qian, I'm not doubting you, I just feel... very happy! Yes, very happy! You can write songs, my student can write songs! Ha, this feeling is... a pleasant surprise!"

Li Qian smiles in agreement, "Thank you. Actually... it's just for fun, writing for myself!"

Qi Jie's smile doesn't fade, and she praises him without hesitation, "That's still very good. Writing for fun is still writing, and... and the song you sang just now, you said it was your work, right? I think that song is really good! The melody is beautiful, the lyrics are great... everything is great! Li Qian, you're really something!"

Such pure praise is hard for Li Qian to respond to, so he just smiles.

At this moment, Qi Jie is still staring at Li Qian in amazement.

It's as if she's looking at some incredibly rare and protected animal!

If they were talking, it would be better, but just being stared at like this is not comfortable, so Li Qian quickly feels a bit awkward. He looks around, points to a nearby stone bench, and says, "Teacher Qi, do you want to... sit for a while?"

"Ah? Oh... no, thank you, I still have to...," she replies instinctively, then "Uh" and smiles, "Sure, I'm just curious about you writing songs!"

She pauses, then sits down on a nearby stone bench.

Hmm, the stone bench is a bit hot, and sitting down exposes half of her body to the sun, which is clearly uncomfortable. But at this moment, she just glances back at the sun's position, then turns back and looks at Li Qian seriously.

There's no help for it, as she said, she is just too curious!

Who is Li Qian?

He is a student she has been teaching since his first year of high school!

For two whole years, she has taught him hundreds of classes and graded dozens of his essays! Although she doesn't know much about him outside of school and class, after two years of interaction, she has a pretty good understanding of him!

In her memory, his entrance exam scores were quite good, but later, perhaps due to adolescence, he became a bit more playful and relaxed in his studies, so his grades dropped, and for a while, he was the most memorable negative example in the two classes she taught. Recently, well, after the last monthly exam, after that office talk, he seems to have woken up a bit and started to show signs of improvement.

How to describe this student? Well, he's a bit mischievous, loves to play, and is quite talkative, sometimes quite witty, but he's also a bit lazy, the type who will procrastinate if he can and won't move unless pushed.

Right, he seems to really like playing basketball, tall, long legs, broad shoulders, slim waist, the type with explosive power, and when he jumps, no one can touch the ball in his hands. The school's two sports meets, Class 5's basketball team did quite well, and he was the main player!

Oh, and he has a model student girlfriend, also her student, named Wang Jinglu.

Right, most importantly, his essays are really good!

His father, Teacher Li Shuwen, also teaches Chinese!

Ah... it's like a puzzle, and here, snap, the last piece fits!

Right, his essays are good!

Good essays and good writing skills are needed to write such good lyrics!

It all makes sense!

But... I've never heard that he likes singing? Every year at New Year's, the class and school organize cultural evenings, but I don't remember him ever singing on stage?

...

All the impressions of Li Qian flash through Qi Jie's mind, and she can't help but turn and stare at him again. Seeing him blush a bit under her gaze, she smiles, thinking about the songs she secretly listened to in the hallway. She is incredibly curious and asks, "So... do you have other works? The song you sang just now was really good, I think your other works must be great too! Why don't you sing another one for me?"

If it were unknown, Li Qian wouldn't have any concerns, but once face-to-face and knowing he's singing for someone, his protective instinct for the songs in his mind kicks in.

Although in his previous life, Li Qian never experienced the heartache of having his songs stolen, he has heard about it from being in the industry for a long time. So from the beginning, he knew that to make the treasures in his mind shine, protecting them from being stolen prematurely is a crucial matter.

After all, the saying "human hearts are treacherous" is absolutely true in any time and place!

So, singing for his parents, he has no worries, he can sing however he wants, whichever song he wants. Singing for Wang Jinglu... well, he's not worried either, at least now he is confident that Wang Jinglu would never do anything to harm him.

But... Teacher Qi Jie...

He hesitates, looks up at Qi Jie.

Clearly, as an outsider, Qi Jie doesn't understand what Li Qian is worried about. She is still looking at him with hope and encouragement. Seeing Li Qian's hesitation, she smiles and encourages him, "Come on, sing one! I really like your songs!"

Well... even if he sings for her, she probably won't remember the melody.

So Li Qian smiles and says, "Well... Teacher Qi, if I sing badly, don't laugh at me."

Qi Jie waves her hand, "How could I! Having a musical genius in the class, how could I laugh at you! I would praise you! Come on, sing one!"

Li Qian thinks for a moment, holds his guitar, clears his throat, smiles at Qi Jie again, and then starts strumming and singing, "Because I dreamed you left, I woke up crying..."

As soon as he starts, Qi Jie's eyes light up.

Indeed!

No wonder the song felt so unfamiliar, and I couldn't find any information about it online last night. It turns out it was indeed his own song!

So, her eyes shine brightly, and she watches Li Qian almost without blinking from start to finish as he sings the entire song—she has heard it before, but... it's still so beautiful!

Li Qian closes his eyes, his body swaying slightly with the beat, following his jumping fingers and moving lips, the beautiful music and beautiful voice echo on the rooftop.

Qi Jie watches him, and without realizing it, she starts to drift off.