Chapter 83

After finishing the recording, Zhang Guan and Liu Feiren returned to the Temple of Heaven apartment. The next morning, they joined a large group and headed to the Capital Olympic Sports Center Stadium for the rehearsal of the large-scale concert "The Same Song."

Liu Feiren sang "So Much, So Much" with Hong Kong singer Kuki. Badminton coach Li and famous singer Sun Nan sang a song together. The new women's doubles tennis champions were set to perform "Friends," the women's volleyball team would sing "The Sun Will Come Out After the Rain," and the four fencers would perform "True Heroes."

As for Zhang Guan, he also met Wang Feng backstage.

"Teacher Wang Feng, hello!" Zhang Guan said while extending his right hand.

At this moment, Wang Feng still had his long, flowing hair, and his square glasses were not much different from later times. However, he was not used to Zhang Guan addressing him as "Teacher Wang Feng."

"Please don't, no need to call me teacher. Just call me Wang Feng," Wang Feng said.

After a brief chat, they got to the point.

"Have you sung 'Fly Higher' before?" Wang Feng asked.

"Yes, I really like this song," Zhang Guan nodded.

"How about this, let me take you through it once, okay?" Wang Feng asked.

"Sure!" Zhang Guan nodded, and then Wang Feng turned on the accompaniment machine and led Zhang Guan through "Fly Higher."

This was not a formal performance, and Wang Feng did not need to hit the high notes. He sang in a casual, practice-like manner, so it did not have the usual grand and powerful feel, but it still had a soul-stirring quality. In contrast, Zhang Guan struggled with both high and low notes, barely managing to stay on pitch, but Wang Feng was already quite satisfied with his performance.

This kind of joint performance was more about form than content. Wang Feng knew that although it was a concert, the main stars were the Olympic champions, and they, the professional singers, were just there to support them. They also had to help the Olympic champions sing well. In reality, no one in the audience would care about the singing skills of the Olympic champions; as long as they could sing, it was fine, even if they went off-key, the audience would not be too critical.

Next, Wang Feng gave Zhang Guan some pointers on the parts he sang poorly. If one were to be picky with a professional eye, Zhang Guan's singing was not good at all, but Wang Feng did not hold him to the standards of a professional singer. He just gave Zhang Guan some tips on high-note singing and vocal techniques.

Then Wang Feng led Zhang Guan through the song again, and Zhang Guan gradually got a better grasp of it.

"Let's take a break! Have some water to moisten your throat. I'll play a song for you." Wang Feng handed Zhang Guan a bottle of water, opened one for himself, and then played a song on the accompaniment machine.

"This is..." Zhang Guan recognized the music; it seemed familiar, and as it progressed, especially during the climax, he finally knew what it was.

"Isn't this the tune of 'Life in Full Bloom'? If I listen carefully, it's a bit different from the version I heard later. Wang Feng must not have finished improving it yet," Zhang Guan thought to himself.

After the song ended, Wang Feng said, "This is a tune I just created, and I only got the finished version today."

Zhang Guan suddenly felt a bit emotional, recalling the two different lives he had experienced. The first one was so ordinary, while the second one was like a blooming flower.

Two different lives, two different journeys. Zhang Guan felt that this song "Life in Full Bloom" might be more suitable for him, so he said, "This tune is great. Why don't we sing this one?"

"Sing this one?" Wang Feng smiled and said, "That won't work. I still need to make some changes, and there are no lyrics yet."

"The lyrics can be written! How about this, play it again, and I'll fill in the words," Zhang Guan said.

"You'll write the lyrics?" Wang Feng's smile grew wider. He was a musician skilled in both composition and lyrics, and his level was very high. He thought Zhang Guan was just joking to liven up the atmosphere.

"Alright, I'll play it again." Wang Feng turned on the accompaniment machine.

After the prelude, Zhang Guan started singing:

"Many times I've fallen on the road,"

"Many times my wings have been broken,"

"Now I no longer feel lost,"

"I want to transcend this ordinary desire,"

"I want a life in full bloom,"

"Like flying in the vast sky,"

"..."

"Like traveling through the brilliant starry sky,"

"Having the power to transcend the ordinary!"

Wang Feng's smile gradually turned into a serious expression as Zhang Guan sang. When Zhang Guan sang "I want a life in full bloom," Wang Feng suddenly stood up, his face filled with excitement and enthusiasm.

Although Zhang Guan's singing was still terrible, and he got many of the notes wrong, in Wang Feng's professional mind, a complete song had already formed!

"Great! This is the feeling I wanted, this is the lyrics I wanted! A life in full bloom! Well sung! A life in full bloom! Zhang Guan, are you really an athlete? You're a poet!" At that moment, Wang Feng felt as if he had caught the tail of his dream.

"Quick, quick!" Wang Feng took out paper and a pen from his bag and handed them to Zhang Guan, saying, "Quickly write down the lyrics, don't forget!"

Zhang Guan wrote down the lyrics and handed them to Wang Feng. Wang Feng's hands trembled as he took the lyrics.

"Many times I've lost my way, many times my dreams have been shattered! I want a life in full bloom, having the power to break free from everything! These lyrics seem to be about me!" Wang Feng couldn't help but recall those tough times, and the lyrics resonated with him deeply.

At that moment, he felt the inspiration come.

He no longer paid attention to Zhang Guan, took out the sheet music from his bag, and quickly made some changes. After about ten minutes, he stopped, carefully read through the sheet music, and then the lyrics, closing his eyes.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes...

Zhang Guan did not disturb Wang Feng, who remained with his eyes closed, as if he was brewing something.

Suddenly, Wang Feng opened his eyes and started singing:

"Many times I've fallen on the road,"

"Many times my wings have been broken,"

Wang Feng sang the song with a slightly weathered voice.

"I want a life in full bloom,"

"Like flying in the vast sky,"

Wang Feng seemed to start shouting!

Although it was a cappella, Zhang Guan could feel that Wang Feng had entered a self-forgetful state, completely immersed in the music. Although Zhang Guan did not understand music, he could feel that Wang Feng's singing was full of emotion, as if he was telling his past and his persistence.

At that moment, Wang Feng was singing with his soul!

"Like traveling through the brilliant starry sky,"

"Having the power to transcend the ordinary!"

Wang Feng finally finished singing, took a deep breath, but remained immersed in the music.

"Clap, clap, clap, clap..." Suddenly, applause came from the side, pulling Wang Feng back to reality.

A man in his fifties was standing there, clapping.

"Professor Zhou, why are you here?" Wang Feng immediately went up to him.

This man was a professor at the Central Conservatory of Music, a master composer who had been studying pop music since the 1980s and had unique insights into its development. He could be considered a leading figure in the domestic pop music academic circle. Wang Feng had graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music, so Professor Zhou was technically his teacher.

"This concert, the CCTV invited me to provide music guidance," Professor Zhou smiled at Wang Feng and continued, "Wang Feng, was that your new song just now? It's great, a rare gem."

"Thank you, Professor Zhou. I was just inspired," Wang Feng pointed to Zhang Guan and said, "It's mainly because of the lyrics Zhang Guan wrote. When I saw the lyrics, I was immediately inspired."

"Zhang Guan? The Olympic champion Zhang Guan!" Professor Zhou was surprised.

"Don't they say athletes don't read much? How can the lyrics be so poetic!" As he thought, Professor Zhou walked up and said, "I didn't expect an Olympic champion to be able to write lyrics, truly a man of both literary and martial talents!"

"Professor Zhou, you're too kind. I just got lucky," Zhang Guan said.

"I was quite moved by the lyrics just now. I thought they were written by Xiao Wang, but it turns out to be you. However, as an athlete, you might have a deeper understanding of setbacks and persistence than we do in the music world," Professor Zhou continued, "I heard you were planning to sing 'Fly Higher,' so I came to see."

Wang Feng hesitated for a moment and said, "Professor Zhou, I don't want to sing 'Fly Higher' at the concert. I want to sing the song we just did."

"Oh?" Professor Zhou was slightly surprised. Generally, singers would put new songs in their new albums to boost sales, and it was rare for them to perform them so easily.

Wang Feng explained, "The lyrics of this song were written by Zhang Guan, and I got a lot of inspiration from them. This is our joint work, so I think it's most appropriate for us to sing it together."

"Alright, it is a very good song. But is there enough time to prepare now? The song and lyrics are there, but we still need to record it and find a professional accompaniment. The concert is coming up soon," Professor Zhou asked.

"It's doable. Don't forget, I have my own studio, and recording is quick," Wang Feng said. Wang Feng had once formed a band, and although he had become famous, he still maintained a band and kept his music studio, which was a well-known fact in the music industry.

Then Wang Feng turned to Zhang Guan and said, "Zhang Guan, since you wrote the lyrics, why don't you name the song?"

"Life in Full Bloom, how about that?" Zhang Guan continued to copy the lyrics.

"Great, let's call it 'Life in Full Bloom'!" Wang Feng affirmed.

——

Additional chapter, the third one is here. Since this section involves copying lyrics, I'm adding this chapter to make up for the word count and plot. Please give me a recommendation!

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