Chapter 251: Is It Still Not Too Late To Run Now?
Meng Lei’s gaze focused on the guitar strings, occasionally lifting up, as if penetrating the screen, conducting a silent emotional exchange with every listener.
The fatigued, world-weary, slightly hoarse tone was perfectly controlled by him; for this song, he hadn’t rested well these past two days.
This was also precisely why Meng Lei felt the video recording turned out well—staying up late instead brought his singing state to its best, and his voice had become quite hoarse.
After hearing the first line, netizens couldn’t figure it out either—how could there be eternal spring in the north? Because he’s thinking of people in the south, how could there be heavy snow in the south? Because he’s thinking of people in the north…
This kind of temporally and spatially intertwined emotional expression was excellently interpreted in Meng Lei’s low, magnetic voice; this song is pretty good.
One south one north, one cold one warm, scorching sun and cold night—these seemingly contradictory elements cleverly expressed the loneliness and longing of two people in different worlds, with a very strong contrast.
The creative technique in this line is very interesting, artistic with a touch of clever thought, making even the folk song master Lin Puyan unable to help but applaud in admiration.
“If I make it in time before nightfall
I want to forget your eyes.”
When singing this line, Meng Lei’s voice had a barely perceptible tremble; it was precisely this imperfect authenticity that made the performance more moving.
His playing technique was skilled yet without any show off skills; the guitar chord transitions were smooth and natural, completely different from when he sang rock music back then.
Meng Lei nearly got tangled in the cords while singing rock, his level was just so-so, clumsily awkward wouldn’t be an overstatement, somewhat embarrassing for his dad.
Lin Puyan often used this to tease Meng Han: the rock master gave birth to a son who doesn’t know how to play rock.
But today’s Meng Lei was clearly different; when the camera zoomed in, you could see his focused expression, eyes slightly closed, completely immersed in the world of music.
This fully invested state has very strong infectiousness; even through the screen, you could feel his purest love for music.
He doesn’t dislike music, he just doesn’t choose to “follow in his father’s footsteps”; he has his own path to walk…
Yu Wei’s this song is undoubtedly Meng Lei’s greatest contributor to proving himself; swapping to other works wouldn’t have this effect—the song’s own brilliance also built a good stage for him.
“He said any beauty of yours praised by others
Doesn’t compare to the first time he met you.”
As the song continued, in Lin Puyan’s view, this line was still wonderful: in the eyes of a lover, no matter how the outside world praises your beauty, it doesn’t compare to that stunning heartbeat of the first meeting.
Artistic and vivid description—yes, this is very folk song; he nodded in satisfaction while holding his mobile phone, completely ignoring the gazes of the contestants beside him.
Teacher Lin even specially held a mobilization meeting at the start, saying he would lead them to take down Yu Wei, but how come he defected to the enemy right at the beginning of rehearsal…
We vassals are ready to fight to the death, why has Your Majesty surrendered first?
“South Mountain south north autumn sadness
South Mountain has valley piles
South wind murmurs North Sea north
North Sea has tombstone.”
As the song entered the climax, Meng Lei’s voice gradually opened up, emotions layering progressively, like pouring out long-suppressed feelings from the bottom of his heart.
Still the contradictory expression of south and north, but this line’s artistic conception is undoubtedly deeper—not only south and north, but also life and death.
South Mountain’s valley piles symbolize harvest and hope, while the tombstone represents coldness and death; the contrast between them hints at the uncrossable distance and emotional chasm between the two people.
What most amazed Lin Puyan was that even through the mobile phone speaker, you could still feel the song’s texture and warmth.
No fancy arrangement, no complex production—just a guitar and a sincere voice, yet it constituted a moving music on-site.
He now had a rough cognition of Yu Wei’s creative ability; no wonder Meng Han couldn’t stop praising the kid—he really has talent.
At least at the concert, Lin Puyan didn’t feel it deeply, because Yu Wei’s songs back then somewhat catered to the gala theme—profound in meaning but mediocre in musicality.
But now it seems the kid was holding back; in a pure artistry comparison, Yu Wei still doesn’t fear anyone, including him and Meng Han.
Choosing this one out of three already says a lot.
When the last note slowly dissipated in the air, Meng Lei gently exhaled, revealing a shy smile, completely different from the world-weary him during the performance just now.
“This kid’s got it.”
Meng Lei’s performance also surprised Lin Puyan greatly; whether voice or temperament, he was very suited to singing folk songs—a good seedling.
Old Meng this guy, his son doesn’t follow in his father’s footsteps, but comes to steal his own livelihood?
“Teacher Lin, mobile phone…”
The little reader next to him stubbornly waited until the song finished—didn’t he enjoy listening too? And he has the nerve to say that?
“Practice well, no more mobile phone!”
Lin Puyan pretentiously handed back the mobile phone, not forgetting to instruct: “By the way, if there’s any new movement in Yu Wei’s novel, remember to tell me.”
Hearing this, the little reader felt quite complex—no more mobile phone but still following the novel; how is this not contradictory?
What movement—new song, right? Yu Wei’s book doesn’t have it, but Qi Luo An’s novel seems to have a new song.
Teacher Lin only told him to report movements in Yu Wei’s novel, didn’t say others—so whatever…
Lin Puyan specially had the contestant help scout intelligence, obviously really panicked; after listening to South of the Mountain, he finally began to recognize Yu Wei’s terror.
Folk song is his most adept field, yet Yu Wei has already broken in—feels like killing him to prove the Dao is just a matter of time.
Why provoke him for no reason; can he still run now…
Just as Lin Puyan thought of activating his avoidance skill again, the late-to-realize Meng Han arrived, starting with a flurry of flattery upon meeting.
“Old Lin, your South of the Mountain is great, it even carried Meng Lei to fly.”
“…”
Meng Han saw his son had posted the video, thinking this South of the Mountain was written by Lin Puyan, hence the earlier praise.
He had just finished listening to the song before coming over; this song is really good—not only would his son take off, even this old dad felt like flying after listening.
“I didn’t write this song.”
Lin Puyan sighed; he feared if he didn’t explain, Meng Han would say “better than all your previous songs,” directly shattering his Dao heart.
If only it were his song; after getting older, he could no longer write such sad love folk songs.
“You’re kidding me?”
If not his song, whose? His own folk songs don’t look like this, and the kid at home seems somewhat disdainful.
Meng Han looked at the despondent Lin Puyan and instantly realized he wasn’t joking—this song really wasn’t his.
It really is; if Old Lin had such a good work, he would’ve bragged about it to him eight hundred times, impossible to secretly give to others to sing.
No need for Lin Puyan to remind; almost the instant he reacted, Meng Han understood whose handiwork this song was…
“Yu Wei’s song?”
Meng Han had witnessed Yu Wei’s rise and heard many of his excellent works, but didn’t expect one song to land in their family.
If Lin Puyan wrote it, given their friendship, a thank you would suffice; but if Yu Wei, then the nature is completely different.
As musicians, they know what a representative work means; in this era teeming with talent, representative works are especially precious, let alone in this rotten present.
Doesn’t he know what his own son is like? This time he was really carried to fly by that Yu Wei…
“If I knew he could write like this, I wouldn’t have come.”
Lin Puyan strongly suspected this was a pre-performance rehearsal; Meng Lei had their three songs, yet he resolutely chose Yu Wei’s.
What does this mean? Means their two against one didn’t win; the finale performance won’t be the same situation, right?
“Look at you.”
Lin Puyan is good in every way, just chickens out too fast; where’s the win or lose in this program? It’s all music exchange—without exchange, how to progress?
Besides, Meng Lei choosing Yu Wei’s song doesn’t mean South of the Mountain far surpasses their two works; just that this song suits him more.
This song has lots of fragmented lyrics, including no lack of thoughts on love and life; the trivial narrative just like a young person’s inner heart.
Their two songs aren’t bad actually, but with age, they’re inevitably “full of stale flavor”—young people can’t sing the feeling, very normal.
Hearing Meng Han say this, Lin Puyan’s mindset recovered quite a bit; indeed that’s the reason—young people resonate more with each other, can’t represent everything.
Damn it, last time Yu Wei gave him psychological shadow, almost wanted to run again…
“Don’t worry, you go all out in chorus, I go all out in group singing—between the two performances, one should suppress him, right?”
Meng Han actually had no intent to compete with Yu Wei, but with the program at the end, not competing properly would be a pity—can only say sorry.
Lin Puyan main attacks chorus, he main attacks group singing, also to avoid internal competition within the alliance.
As for why not him in chorus, of course because he already lost to Yu Wei once in chorus…
Lin Puyan nodded upon hearing this—makes sense, what’s to chicken out about in two against one? Do you even know how to play?
“Still have to thank him though; this song helped a lot.”
Able to directly carry his no-good son to fly—Yu Wei’s level is really something; just for this, he owes him a big favor.
“When thanking, casually ask if this kid is provoking us?”
Meng Han was too lazy to deal with him—what provocation? Can’t young people have some interaction? Folk song isn’t his patent.
Pre-battle infighting is unwise, otherwise he’d really want to roast this cowardly, giveaway old thing to death!
“Thanks this time, owe you a big favor.”
When receiving Meng Han’s gratitude message, Yu Wei was helping Qi Luo An revise her writing; seeing this, he could only humbly say a couple things—it’s all Meng Lei striving himself.
A good song still needs a capable singer; Meng Lei’s performance today was indeed good—one song down, probably gained quite a few fans.
The entertainment industry little transparent who relied on dad to eat is finally able to eat at the table on his own.
Owing favors is good—Yu Wei’s purpose is achieved; when the time comes, pull them all to act in the movie, none can run.
“Perform well this time; don’t let us two old things be outdone by the newly minted Grand Slam singer.”
Meng Han’s words were interesting—both a kind reminder and a clear challenge vibe; Yu Wei couldn’t help but get serious.
He glanced at the novel plot of the second song just revised in front of him—whether he can compete or not, time will tell.
“Lin Puyan said he wants to decide superiority with you!”
This one made Yu Wei break character; he’s experienced deciding victory or defeat, deciding high or low, but deciding male or female—this is the first time.
What does it mean—whoever loses gets femmed, huh?
Looks like he really can’t lose then…
