Chapter 126: The East Sea International Violin Competition

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“An excellent performance in the first episode.”

At the Songstone Records meeting, Liang Yusong gave Fang Xing a thumbs-up and praised him generously.

“That was incredible. You took first place in the very first episode of Song of Voice.” A second-tier singer at the company looked at him with undisguised admiration.

Li Caiwei wore an expression of reflected glory as she said, “Naturally. Fang Xing’s singing ability is unquestionably at the top level of the pop music scene.”

“You flatter me, you flatter me.” Fang Xing clasped his hands modestly.

Liang Yusong began arranging the company’s priorities for the near future. “Fang Xing’s participation in Song of Voice is the company’s main focus for the time being. Every department must give it its full cooperation.”

“Of course. No problem.” The heads of the various departments agreed one after another.

Liang Yusong continued, “For now, the recording details of Song of Voice cannot be revealed to the public. We must make sure the confidentiality requirements are met. That is what the production team demands.”

In fact, it was not only Song of Voice. Most variety shows required their guests not to disclose recording content before the programs aired.

Song of Voice was simply even stricter about secrecy.

Liang Yusong went on, “What we need to consider now is our strategy for the second round of Song of Voice. We must take it seriously.

“According to the information we have received, the challenger who selected Fang Xing as his target in the first episode may choose Fang Xing again in the second. So we cannot let our guard down.”

Qiao Yinghong asked, “Do we know who the challenger is?”

“I asked Zheng Tao, but he wouldn’t say directly. He only said that we took that challenger’s position as the opening performer, so...” Liang Yusong did not finish the sentence, but the meaning was obvious.

Fang Xing raised an eyebrow. “So there’s history between us. I was wondering why he was so determined to challenge me. Still, aside from Chen Lizhu and me, the other opening performers all have considerable seniority. Choosing me isn’t exactly strange.”

Qiao Yinghong lowered her voice. “Should we find someone to investigate who the challenger is?”

To people in the industry, there were no true secrets in show business. Besides, the first episode of Song of Voice had already been recorded.

If they were willing to spend some money asking around, they could certainly find out.

The only problem was that if they did so, the other side would definitely learn about it as well.

Fang Xing waved his hand. “There’s no need. If he didn’t dare challenge me in the first episode, yet still chooses me in the second, then he’ll only have himself to blame.”

Liang Yusong pressed him further. “The theme for the second episode is ‘The Taste of First Love.’ Have you already chosen your song?”

Fang Xing thought for a moment before answering, “Not yet.”

“‘The Taste of First Love’ is an easy theme, but also a difficult one. The easy part is that there are plenty of songs in that style. The difficult part is that such songs are generally lyrical, and may lack enough impact for a competition.” Liang Yusong gave a brief analysis of the theme.

Fang Xing nodded. “I’m also thinking about what to sing.”

“If you don’t have any ideas, the company can help you rearrange an existing song. We do have several older songs in that style,” Liang Yusong suggested.

In his view, it was impossible for Fang Xing’s repertoire to cover every conceivable genre.

If Fang Xing truly had no song that fit the theme of “The Taste of First Love,” rearranging an existing song would be a perfectly reasonable option.

In fact, most of the contestants on Song of Voice followed that approach.

Reworking an old song could evoke nostalgia, while the new arrangement could also reveal the singer’s personal interpretation. It was a very shrewd competition strategy.

Fang Xing considered it seriously before saying, “I’ll think about it a little longer. I’ll decide on the song in a couple of days.”

“Are you planning to rest for two days?” Liang Yusong asked.

Song of Voice was an extremely demanding program. After completing a round of competition, taking a day or two off was perfectly normal.

He added, “If you’re tired, take a couple of days to rest first. But we need the song for the next episode finalized at least three days in advance, so we’ll have time to arrange and produce it and coordinate with the band.”

Fang Xing nodded. “I’ll go look for the feeling of first love.”

No one understood what he meant. They simply assumed he intended to go home, rest for two days, and search for inspiration.

...

In truth, when Fang Xing heard the words “the taste of first love,” the first person who came to mind was Lu Xiang’er.

The only problem was that if one counted his previous life, she was not actually his first love.

In his previous life, he had once been in a relationship that began during his school years.

That period had been beautiful. The girl had been somewhat like Lu Xiang’er—slightly absent-minded, with an appearance that made her seem easy to bully.

The memories were beautiful, but beauty could never withstand reality forever.

They had just graduated. He had no financial foundation and no performance opportunities, so he could only do odd jobs for a musical theater troupe. He lived in a basement and survived on instant noodles.

Those days had been difficult, but they were also unforgettable.

The girl had simply been unable to go through that difficult period with him.

Because they lived apart, and because neither of them could see any hope in those days, they tacitly chose not to disturb each other. Their names gradually gathered dust in one another’s contact lists, becoming nothing more than symbols.

Fang Xing had originally thought that the theme “The Taste of First Love” would first bring that memory from his previous life to mind.

Yet the result had taken him by surprise. The very first thing he thought of was Lu Xiang’er playing her violin.

After everything he had experienced in his previous life, he had long since let go of that past.

Fang Xing had once believed that in this life, he would never again feel the impulse and passion of first love.

A person’s impulse and passion in matters of love were limited. Once one passed through those youthful years, one faced relationships with greater composure and calm.

One could still love someone, but never again with quite the same intensity.

And even if one did love passionately, one would not show it.

...

Fang Xing received the information Lu Xiang’er had sent him about her violin competition.

It would take place at three o’clock the following afternoon in the symphony hall of the Eastsea International Media Center.

He had previously promised to attend her competition. Since he had given his word, he would go.

Perhaps love was simply a riddle that could not be fully understood even after two lifetimes.

In truth, Fang Xing did like Lu Xiang’er a little, but that liking had not yet become love.

Besides, he had experienced too much. Even if he felt a trace of affection, he would not impulsively pursue her relentlessly.

For that reason, despite knowing one another for more than three months, they had met only three times in total.

Fang Xing had originally thought that some beautiful things were quite pleasant to admire from a distance.

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But when he heard “the taste of first love,” the first person he unexpectedly thought of was Lu Xiang’er—and the violin she played.

Perhaps it had simply been too long since he had tasted “the feeling of first love,” and he had already forgotten what it was like.

Fang Xing felt that perhaps he ought to have a taste and find out whether it was sour or sweet.

...

The next day, at 2:50 p.m.

Outside the symphony hall of the Eastsea International Media Center, two girls stood waiting with their instruments on their backs.

Ning Xiaoyun urged her, “Hurry up and send him a message. Ask whether he’s coming.”

“I already sent one earlier.” Lu Xiang’er took out her phone and glanced at it, but did not send another message.

“How much earlier?”

“At noon.”

“At noon? That was more than two hours ago. That guy isn’t coming, is he?” Ning Xiaoyun rolled her eyes.

“He wouldn’t, would he?” Lu Xiang’er sounded uncertain.

“Why wouldn’t he? That guy is a celebrity now. Maybe he simply can’t be bothered with us.” Ning Xiaoyun snorted.

“He isn’t that kind of person.” Lu Xiang’er said it aloud, but she did not sound convinced even to herself.

“It’s already 2:50. If he doesn’t come soon, the competition will start, and you still have to go inside and prepare. How about I wait here a little longer while you go in first?” Ning Xiaoyun suggested.

Lu Xiang’er thought for a moment, then took out her phone again. “I’ll message him one more time.”

She tapped out a message and sent it:

Are you still coming? The competition is about to begin.

The reply arrived not long after.

Ning Xiaoyun leaned over. “Well? What did he say?”

The message read:

I’m too busy recording the show. I won’t make it.

Ning Xiaoyun’s face darkened. She clenched her fist and snorted. “I knew it. That guy is completely unreliable. That reply is obviously an excuse. He’s probably off somewhere enjoying himself!”

Lu Xiang’er’s face was filled with disappointment. She sighed. “He did tell me earlier that he had to record the show. Maybe he really couldn’t get away. Let’s go inside and compete.”

She turned and began walking toward the hall.

Ning Xiaoyun was still fuming. “How are you supposed to compete when you look so utterly dejected? If I’d known he was this unreliable, I never should have told him about the competition.”

Lu Xiang’er quickened her pace, head lowered as she walked toward the entrance. Halfway there, she nearly collided with someone.

“I’m sorry.”

She hurriedly looked up and apologized, then prepared to walk around him.

But the moment she raised her head, she saw the person waving at her.

“Two fifty-five. I’m still pretty punctual, aren’t I?” Fang Xing grinned at her from behind his mask.

Lu Xiang’er froze in place. Her eyes widened, her face filled with bewilderment.

Her mood seemed to plunge from heaven to hell, then rise from hell back to heaven in an instant.

Once her confusion faded, her brows shot up in anger. “Didn’t you say you couldn’t make it?”

“I was only joking.” Fang Xing continued grinning.

“Do I look that funny to you?”

Lu Xiang’er puffed out her cheeks angrily, elbowed Fang Xing aside, and strode into the hall.

Watching her irritated retreat, Fang Xing called after her, “Do your best! I’ll be cheering for you from below the stage.”

Lu Xiang’er was both angry and happy, and she could no longer keep her expression under control. Her face looked wonderfully peculiar.

The feeling was a little sour, a little sweet, and tinged with the flavor of a pout.

...

Once inside the hall, Lu Xiang’er hurried to check in with her violin on her back.

Fang Xing followed Ning Xiaoyun to their seats.

The symphony hall was quite large, with eight hundred seats in the audience.

Today was the Eastsea International Violin Competition, not a concert, so there were not many spectators.

Most of the audience consisted of contestants’ friends and family, who were gathered primarily in the first few rows.

After sitting down, Ning Xiaoyun stared suspiciously at Fang Xing, narrowing her eyes as she demanded, “Didn’t you say on WeChat that you couldn’t make it? Why did you suddenly appear?”

“It was just a joke. Don’t take it so seriously.” Fang Xing shrugged.

“If Xiangxiang performs badly because of you, you’re going to regret it!” Ning Xiaoyun threatened.

“And what if she performs exceptionally well?” Fang Xing turned to ask.

Ning Xiaoyun looked proud. “She doesn’t need to perform exceptionally well. You have no idea how talented Xiangxiang is. As long as she performs normally, she’ll definitely get a good ranking.”

The Eastsea International Violin Competition officially began.

The host first introduced the accompanying orchestra and delivered the opening remarks, then invited the contestants onto the stage one by one.

Lu Xiang’er was contestant number six.

The violin performances of the first five contestants were all quite good.

As a singer with a profound understanding of music, Fang Xing could tell that their abilities were solid.

He had performed with Lu Xiang’er before and had also heard her play during their instrumental ensemble class.

From what he remembered, her skill had been roughly on par with the previous five contestants, all of them hovering around the average level.

Whether she could secure a good ranking remained uncertain.

After the first five contestants finished performing, it was Lu Xiang’er’s turn.

She had changed into a white dress. Holding the violin in one hand and the bow in the other, she walked to the center of the stage and bowed first to the judges and then to the audience.

Then she placed the bow against the violin and prepared herself.

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The orchestra conductor held his baton level in front of him. After sweeping his gaze across the ensemble and confirming that everyone was ready, he brought the baton sharply downward.

The orchestral instruments sounded together.

After the orchestra played a short passage, it reached the moment when the violin took the lead.

The conductor raised his baton and pointed once in Lu Xiang’er’s direction.

Lu Xiang’er tightened her grip on the bow and drew it across the strings, producing a long note as she formally began her performance.

Fang Xing recognized the piece: the first movement of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major.

He was slightly surprised when he heard it.

Judging solely from a technical perspective, this concerto was not particularly difficult.

Fang Xing had heard Lu Xiang’er play the violin before and knew that she was capable of performing more challenging pieces.

In a violin competition, the difficulty of the chosen piece also affected the final score.

If two contestants performed at roughly the same level, the one who had chosen the more difficult piece would certainly receive the higher score.

From a technical standpoint, Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major was indeed a relatively simple work.

Yet every one of Mozart’s notes was as precious as a jewel.

Only someone who truly understood the preciousness of the piece could bring it fully to life.

If the goal were merely to play the entire work from beginning to end, most violin students with professional training could manage it.

The real difficulty lay in making a simple piece shine.

One had to infuse the music with one’s own understanding and then perform it in such a way that the audience could feel it.

That was the difference between a violinist and a true violin artist.

Mozart’s Third was simple, but it was not simple at all.

In truth, competitions of this level had not yet reached the stage where contestants were genuinely measured against the standards of masters.

Contestants usually chose violin pieces of great difficulty, displaying as much advanced technique as possible, because that made it easier to earn high scores.

Choosing a less difficult violin concerto and attempting to move the judges through one’s own interpretation was actually far harder.

Because the competition was not prestigious enough, even the judges might not be able to hear the different emotions beneath the notes.

But that did not mean the performance itself should be diminished for the sake of such a competition. Fang Xing felt that Lu Xiang’er should choose her music according to her own wishes.

Even if Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major failed to move the judges, it did not matter.

This was only a competition, not her life.

Having understood what lay within Lu Xiang’er’s heart, Fang Xing slowly closed his eyes and listened in silence. His fingers rested on his knees, tapping out the rhythm of the music.

Ning Xiaoyun had originally been bursting with things she wanted to say, but when she turned and saw Fang Xing listening with his eyes closed, she could only swallow her words and nervously watch Lu Xiang’er onstage.

The light, lively sound of the violin was like birds greeting the morning dew at dawn with melodious calls.

At times it seemed to dance through the sky; at others, it skimmed across the grass.

The notes echoed through the concert hall, creating an atmosphere of ease and delight.

An attentive listener could almost see a group of innocent children playing on the grass, chasing the morning birds in carefree pursuit, filled with joy and purity.

As he listened, Fang Xing detected a faint trace of longing in the violin’s voice.

It was as if the happiness and innocence within the notes belonged to a memory, a long-sealed chapter of the past.

Fang Xing opened his eyes and looked at Lu Xiang’er on the stage.

Her eyes were closed as she played with complete abandon, her entire being merging with the melody.

And the violin in her hands was unmistakably the birthday gift her grandfather had given her—the violin that had once been broken and later repaired.

At that moment, Fang Xing finally understood where the longing in her playing came from.

She was performing the innocent years preserved in her memories, while also remembering the old man who had given her the violin.

A smile appeared on Fang Xing’s face. He was happy for her.

She had already infused her emotions into her performance. This was the road that led from being a violinist to becoming a true violin artist.

She might not travel very far or climb very high along that road. But once she had set out, the notes within her heart had come alive.

From that moment on, the notes drawn from beneath her fingertips were no longer rigid marks on a score. They were the notes in her heart, filled with memories and emotion.

In the realm of art, machines could never compare with human beings precisely because humans possessed emotion. Every performance was different, and the finest performance was always the next one.

Lu Xiang’er finished playing. She paused for several seconds before lowering her violin and bowing to the audience.

Then applause came from the judges’ panel.

Not every judge clapped. After all, not every judge could understand the emotions contained within the piece.

Once all the contestants had performed, the scores were announced.

The five judges’ scores for Lu Xiang’er varied widely. Some were very high, while others fell below the average. In the end, she placed third.

Lu Xiang’er changed back into her student clothes and returned from backstage to the audience.

Ning Xiaoyun ran over and gave her a huge hug. “Third place! You got third place! At the end of the term, you can participate in the Paganini International Competition!”

Fang Xing walked over and congratulated her. “Congratulations. You played beautifully. I heard the strength your grandfather gave you.”

Lu Xiang’er froze at his words. Her hand tightened unconsciously around the violin strap.

The sensation of having one’s innermost feelings seen through was extraordinarily strange.

She was delighted, but also afraid.

She was delighted that someone had understood the music she had played.

And she was afraid for that very same reason—because someone had seen straight through her heart.

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