Chapter 44

Qin Qingzhuo didn’t know what was happening backstage, but he estimated that everyone was in a panic, and the stage design and lighting had come to a standstill.

The stage was dimly lit, only revealing the silhouettes of the three members of Asperatus and the outlines of their instruments.

It wasn’t until Jiang Ji started singing that a beam of light fell on him.

Cold and white, like the dim light of the moon. It made his voice seem as if it were coated with the cold tones of moonlight.

“At two in the morning, standing on this old street

Watching the lights in front gradually extinguish

I step into the long night

Going to a rendezvous without time or place

The wind howls on the 17th floor of the high-rise

The long night seems boundless

You take a leap downward

Making the most decisive farewell of your life

Do the rustling tree leaves

Know the feeling of the cold wind piercing through the body?

Does the sun and moon hiding behind the clouds

Remember bidding farewell to you?”

As soon as Jiang Ji started singing, it felt like the surroundings had suddenly emptied, as if being in a deserted alley at two in the morning.

Qin Qingzhuo could almost imagine Jiang Ji standing on Honglu Slope Street, emptying his mind every night while watching the row of streetlights extinguish.

In his mind, many scenes flashed by in an instant, from the night at the music festival when Jiang Ji drank beer with his head tilted back, to the night after the first recording session ended, with Jiang Ji standing in front of a cold noodle stand leaning against a motorcycle, smoking.

Jiang Ji’s voice was very distinctive, not the kind artificially created through technique, but one that carried a sense of a scarred story within the tone, easily evoking empathy.

The main part of the song didn’t have too complicated arrangements. The electric guitar, with its slightly melancholic and slow melody, took the lead. The drums and bass were gradually added in, like the slow rise of a tide, slowly engulfing people in a thick emotional atmosphere created by the instruments, until they found themselves suffocating without realizing it.

When it reached the interlude, the drums and bass suddenly erupted, like an overwhelming torrential rain, with the dense drumbeats resembling gusts of wind hitting one’s face. They intertwined with the sound of the electric guitar, creating a heavy and violent atmosphere of sorrow.

This gradual and increasingly intense rhythm and melody had formed an impenetrable sound wall by the time of the chorus, with nearly roaring vocals enveloped within it, like a trapped beast rampaging, desperately seeking an exit.

“Why is there always disparity in fate in this world?

Some live passionately,

Some live despicably,

Some lives are full of thrilling details,

While others end in the cold December.

I pray for this beautiful world

To collapse in this silent long night,

Let those rotten lives

Be covered with the snowy white.

I pray for this radiant world

To perish in these decaying years,

Let all traces be destroyed,

Leaving only pale inscriptions.”

Jiang Ji sang the repeated chorus twice, the first time with a hint of confusion, and the second time with despair that tore at one’s heartstrings. The fusion of emotion and technique was seamless, and every subtle manipulation reaffirmed Qin Qingzhu’s judgment – Jiang Ji indeed possessed a keen sense of smell for music, akin to a beast hunting its prey.

The ending note was extremely crisp, and as the final drumbeat fell, the entire venue fell into silence.

The vast studio echoed with a heavy sadness, unable to find an outlet for release. The unexpressed emotions fermented and expanded within this limited space.

The unrelieved emotion trapped in the chest seemed to find an outlet the moment the applause erupted. In just a few seconds, the applause surged like a sudden rising tide, erupting unexpectedly and growing more intense.

Gradually, members of the audience stood up to applaud, and more and more followed suit.

In the end, almost the entire audience was on their feet, and the applause continued unabated, forming a massive and overwhelming applause tsunami.

Qin Qingzhuo saw Jiang Ji, with his head slightly lowered, his chest still heaving, and sweat on the side of his neck glistening under the spotlights. The arm resting on the guitar had prominent veins, and it took quite a while before everything finally subsided.

The applause lasted for several minutes, continuing even after the host took the stage and waited for quite a while.

“Thank you,” the host had to raise his voice to be heard over the applause, “thank you, the brilliant performance brought by the Asperatus band. I saw many audience members wiping their tears just now. Please be seated, take a moment to calm your emotions. Let’s first talk to the Asperatus band about this song.”

He turned to the three members, “I just received some backstage news. The demo you submitted before was not this song, so I want to ask the lead vocalist, why did you decide to change the song on the spot?”

“Because…” the tone paused, and Jiang Ji suppressed the answer flashing in his mind. He calmly said, “Maybe I didn’t want to lose.”

“It seems like a wise decision. Now, let’s hear the mentors’ comments on these two performances.” The host looked at Shen Cha, “Teacher Shen Cha, I saw you cried so much that your makeup is smudged. Is there anything special you’d like to say?”

“I cried a lot,” Shen Cha dabbed her eyes with a tissue, calming her emotions, “I feel that when people reach a certain age, their tear ducts become particularly sensitive. Just now, when I heard this song, I suddenly thought of many past people and events. Sometimes this world feels quite unfair. Some are born with a silver spoon, while others struggle and suffer… So I’d like to ask the creator of this song, Jiang Ji, why did you write such a sad and intense song? Have you experienced something?”

Qin Qingzhuo instinctively tightened his fingers, looking at Jiang Ji on the stage. He knew that once Jiang Ji decided to sing this song, he would definitely be asked about the backstory of the composition. Even if Shen Cha didn’t ask, other mentors and the host would surely inquire.

Images flashed in his mind of that late night, Jiang Ji with his head bowed, tears streaming down his face. Jiang Ji certainly didn’t want his wounds exposed to the public, so how would he answer?

On stage, Jiang Ji spoke, his tone casual, “Nothing much, saw some news, and then felt like expressing something.”

“Thank you,” Shen Cha nodded, not continuing the questioning. “I hope this song can be heard and liked by more people because it deserves it.”

Qin Qingzhu’s tightened fingers relaxed slightly, and he let out a gentle sigh of relief. It should be fortunate that Shen Cha was the first to ask this question, and with Shen Cha’s emotional intelligence, she probably sensed Jiang Ji’s evasive attitude and quickly dropped the topic.

The second mentor in charge of commenting was Ren Yu, “Teacher Shen Cha has just commented on the emotional aspect, so I will comment on the coordination of the musicians. The feeling I got from this performance is like a storm under the Asperatus. Zhong Yang’s drums are like dense raindrops, Peng Keshi’s bass is the howling gusts, and Jiang Ji’s guitar is the bursting lightning. The vocals are like a wounded and roaring trapped beast in the rain. Each part is excellent, and together, it possesses a soul-penetrating power. It’s truly wonderful. If this performance is a storm, then no one would escape from getting soaked.”

After he finished, Yang Jingwen took over, “Teacher Ren Yu’s words are very eloquent. Indeed, the Asperatus band’s performance is very emotionally impactful. The coordination between instruments and vocals gives a feeling of hearty and thorough enjoyment. I really like it. Of course, I think our Urban Collapse boys did quite well this time too. Their technical proficiency and exploration of experimental music have stepped up to another level, even more outstanding than any of their previous performances.”

“Yes,” Ren Yu nodded, “If Asperatus brings emotional impact, then Urban Collapse brings an audio-visual feast. Both bands performed very well, and it can even be said that they have the level to enter the finals.”

Having said that, the host looked at Qin Qingzhuo, “It seems that the other three mentors highly appreciate both bands. So, as the mentor of the Asperatus band, Teacher Qin Qingzhuo, how are you feeling right now?”

Qin Qingzhuo sat up slightly straighter and looked at the three musicians on stage—besides Jiang Ji, both Zhong Yang and Peng Keshi had a sheen of sweat on their faces, their breath still not completely steady. It was evident that everyone had been fully immersed in the performance just now and had given it their all.

He raised his hand to adjust the microphone near his lips and began slowly, “I remember during the first recording of the show, I asked the band what kind of cloud ‘Asperatus’ really is. It was the bassist who answered me then, saying that Asperatus is a kind of cloud with a particularly grim appearance. When twisted clouds cover the sky completely, it feels like the end of the world is imminent.

“After the recording, I specifically looked up this type of cloud. According to the information, Asperatus is an extremely unstable cloud. Once it appears, it will disrupt all stable factors in the atmosphere, creating an extremely terrifying weather condition. Underneath such extremely twisted clouds, everyone would feel that very bad weather is about to come.

“I asked the band a question back then, but the answer I got didn’t seem to be correct. So now I want to ask again, Jiang Ji,” Qin Qingzhuo looked at Jiang Ji, “does ‘Asperatus’ really indicate that bad weather is about to come?”

Jiang Ji looked back at Qin Qingzhuo, his eyes dark and calm, a look that Qin Qingzhuo had never seen on his face before—a profound calmness with a hint of relief.

“No,” Jiang Ji said as he looked at him, “it indicates… that the bad weather is about to end.”

“Ah,” Qin Qingzhuo smiled faintly at him, “so, whether grim or terrifying, it’s just the appearance of Asperatus that we see. What Asperatus truly harbors is hope. Just like your performance just now, with dark clouds pressing down, suffocating, but do you believe that after this storm, the bad weather will come to an end?”

The tone of the last sentence was very gentle, yet it contained an inexplicable firmness, just like that night when he said he wanted to take a chance, making it impossible for people to refuse.

“I believe,” Jiang Ji said.

Qin Qingzhuo smiled and looked away, “I really liked the performance of Asperatus, and I appreciate everyone liking their performance. Thank you.”

As he finished speaking, Zhong Yang on stage suddenly interjected, “Just liking the performance?”

Qin Qingzhuo smiled understandingly and took over his words, “Of course, I also really like your band and the three musicians in the band…”

“Then which musician do you like the most?” Jiang Ji suddenly spoke up too.

This question came unexpectedly, and Qin Qingzhuo was taken aback.

There was a burst of laughter from the audience below. No one expected that Jiang Ji, who had always been taciturn and extremely aloof on stage, could ask such a question. The suffocating feeling brought by the performance just now was dispelled by the laughter of the audience.

“Well, this question ah…” Qin Qingzhuo also laughed, “let’s talk about it privately.”

Some audience members below shouted, “Say it now!” and others shouted Jiang Ji’s name.

Qin Qingzhuo smiled and glanced at Jiang Ji on stage. This was quite a direct challenge right after recovering from the intense moment… Was it because the praise just now was too subtle? Qin Qingzhuo shook his head helplessly.

However, those few sentences just now were indeed a bit too subtle, because he was mindful not to show his preference too clearly. In fact, he had to admit that he did favor this performance.

In his opinion, this was the best performance since the recording of the show began. When he first received the score, he anticipated that the performance would be very shocking, but the band’s rendition was even more shocking and more directly touching than he had imagined. Once again, Jiang Ji made him feel amazed.

After the four mentors finished their comments, the host stood in the center of the stage, with the Urban Collapse band and the Asperatus band standing on either side of him.

“On one side is the auditory feast brought by technical proficiency, and on the other side is the soul-shaking emotion,” the host said, “so who will stay and who will leave? Let’s wait quietly for the audience’s vote—”

On the big screen, two light columns began to rise, with Urban Collapse on the left and Asperatus on the right.

Qin Qingzhuo stared at the screen, feeling the tension rising once again.

Indeed, the performance of Urban Collapse was also good, but judging from the reactions of the other three mentors and the audience, it was apparent that the performance of Asperatus was even more stunning. After all, since the recording of the show began, it was the first time that the entire audience stood up and applauded.

Moreover, in terms of popularity and buzz, Asperatus, as a newcomer band, has reached a level comparable to Urban Collapse, who already had a considerable following. In fact, Asperatus seemed to have even more momentum.

Shi Yao is someone who highly values the flow of the program. So, will he go along with the current trend and change the originally planned trajectory?

The vote count continued to rise, and the entire audience was glued to the big screen, except for Jiang Ji.

Jiang Ji didn’t turn around to look at the screen behind him; he just looked at Qin Qingzhuo in the mentor’s seat.

Qin Qingzhuo was earnestly watching the change in the vote count on the screen.

The insider of Urban Collapse being the pre-determined champion, Qin Qingzhuo should be clearer about it than himself. So why did he still harbor hope?

When Zhong Yang leaned over and whispered, “Are we going to defy fate?” just now, Jiang Ji felt he was too naive. But now, seeing the serious expression on Qin Qingzhu’s face, that unexpected sense of hope suddenly surged within him.

To win. This sudden desire to win caught Jiang Ji himself by surprise.

He turned his head and followed Qin Qingzhu’s gaze to the screen. Although the vote counts on both sides were still rising, Asperatus consistently maintained the lead, and the gap was gradually widening.

—Will they really win? This thought flashed through Jiang Ji’s mind.

However, just after Asperatus’ light column exceeded 200 votes, the rate of increase suddenly slowed down, and in contrast, the light column of Urban Collapse surged forward.

“Hurry up and rise, why is it slowing down!” Watching the increasingly close vote counts on both sides, Zhong Yang clenched his fists, “We just need a few more votes to exceed 250 to win!”

But no matter how loudly Zhong Yang shouted, the vote count on the side of Asperatus continued to rise steadily.

247, 248, 249…

Both sides reached 249 votes simultaneously, and the light columns paused.

In this moment where victory or defeat was about to be determined, the entire audience held their breath and stared at the screen intently.

The next second, Urban Collapse gained two more votes, while the vote count for Asperatus remained unchanged.

The final vote count froze at 251:249.

“F*ck!” Zhong Yang cursed under his breath.

The audience began to stir, some disappointed, some in disbelief, and others cheering for Urban Collapse.

“I announce,” the host raised his voice, “tonight’s winner is—Urban Collapse band!”

The trio from Urban Collapse turned their faces towards Asperatus, their eyes filled with provocation and smugness.

Ignoring them, Jiang Ji calmly turned his head and glanced at Qin Qingzhuo again.

Qin Qingzhuo frowned, his expression seeming somewhat cold.

The last time Jiang Ji saw this expression on Qin Qingzhu’s face was when he threatened him with that photo.

In fact, on the way to this competition, Jiang Ji had imagined what it would be like if he lost. It should feel relaxing, he thought, after all, he wouldn’t have to face so many people’s gazes for performance fees in the future.

Enthusiastic, curious, scrutinizing, frenzied… he didn’t really like any of it.

Compared to standing under the spotlight on stage, he preferred singing under the dim lights in a bar, where people drank their own drinks below while he sang his songs. After the bar closed, unrelated people would go their separate ways. Making money that way was easier and more justified.

But now, instead of the anticipated relaxation, there was a sense of loss.

On the big screen, the previously filmed documentary about Asperatus began playing, and Zhong Yang’s voice echoed, “Bro, make a wish.”

It was on his birthday, the day Jiang Ke Yuan suddenly appeared.

Jiang Ji looked at the screen and saw himself closing his eyes, his face illuminated by flickering candlelight.

He heard himself saying, “Let today end quickly,” and then, “Let every day end quickly.” Then Qin Qingzhuo took out a guitar to give to him, a guitar that Zhong Yang had sold for a good price, and Jiang Ji didn’t know where it was now.

Perhaps he should have kept it back then, this thought flashed through his mind. Keeping it was a wishful thinking, at least it could prove that Qin Qingzhuo had once truly entered his life.

After the short film ended, the host handed him the microphone, “Do you have anything to say to everyone before you go?”

Jiang Ji took the microphone, glanced at the other two people beside him, Peng Keshi shook her head, and Zhong Yang still seemed angry, showing no sign of wanting to say anything more.

Jiang Ji looked at the audience and spoke into the microphone, “Thank you all for liking our songs, and thanks to everyone who has helped us since the recording started. And especially, thank you… Teacher Qin.”

Turning his gaze towards Qin Qingzhuo, his voice subtly sank, “It was you who ended the bad weather.”