A band, or a battleground?

Wow, there's such a good song? Why didn't he release it? Was it because it didn't meet the requirements of the competition?

Qiu Mengxue was still thinking about that song when Qi Yuan suddenly started singing the next one. And to her even greater shock, it was an English song!

"I used to rule the world"

“Seas would rise when I gave the word”

"Now in the morning I sleep alone"

“Sweep the streets I used to own…”

Qiu Mengxue consistently scored near-perfect marks on her English exams, so of course she could understand them. And precisely because she had no comprehension difficulties, she couldn't help but slightly open her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief.

'I once ruled this world, the waves surged at my command; now I sleep alone, sweeping across the streets I once possessed…'

Qiu Mengxue wanted to say that this is English poetry, lyrics that even native English-speaking musicians rarely write. And the accompanying melody, the melody he sang, is just as stunning!

“I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing”

“Roman cavalry choirs are singing”

"Be my mirror, my sword and shield"

“Missionaries in a foreign field…”

To the girl's surprise, the song was already so complete in Qi Yuan's mind that he even sang the climax of the chorus.

'I hear the bells of Jerusalem, the songs of the Roman choir, which become my mirror, my sword, and my shield, while my missionaries are in a foreign land…'

Qiu Mengxue no longer knew how to describe her feelings.

What is the theme of this song?

She knew Qi Yuan was very talented—of course, it was with that talent that he led his band into the finals, and in the semi-finals, he received a record number of votes, astonishing countless viewers. Even now, many people online are still discussing how each of the songs Qi Yuan performed on "Tomorrow's Band" could potentially compete for a Golden Melody Award.

Qiu Mengxue felt that, let alone the Golden Melody Awards, it seemed that even the Grammys were a possibility!

After Qi Yuan finished singing this song, he was quiet for a few seconds, and then he started singing again.

It's still an English song, but not as complete; it jumps straight into the high-pitched chorus:

"We are the champions my friends"

"And we'll keep on fighting till the end"

"We are the champions, We are the champions"

No time for losers

"Cause we are the champions of the world..."

The lyrics of this song are much simpler, basically conveying only one meaning: "We are the champions." However, the melody is even more rousing, making the simple lyrics exceptionally infectious.

Qi Yuan suddenly stopped and muttered to himself, "No, this won't do either. I'm setting a flag here."

"Pfft..." Qiu Mengxue almost burst out laughing, and quickly covered her mouth with her hand, afraid that Qi Yuan would find out that she was also there.

She was now terrified of being discovered by Qi Yuan.

It wasn't because she felt embarrassed about being caught eavesdropping; it was simply because she wanted to listen to more songs.

Qiu Mengxue understood. It turned out that Qi Yuan had shown such amazing talent to the world, but he was still keeping it to himself!

The fact that she was the only one in the world who knew this made the girl's heart pound uncontrollably.

Qi Yuan started singing again, returning to the realm of Chinese songs. And compared to the previous three songs, it had a more youthful feel to it.

"When I am different from the world."

"Then let me be different."

"For me, perseverance means using strength to overcome strength..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

122 Blooming Life

Qi Yuan finished singing "Stubborn" on the empty stage, and then shook his head.

He took out his phone and called Qiu Mengxue.

But to his surprise, he heard a bell ringing, and it was not far behind him.

Qi Yuan subconsciously turned around and walked towards the back of the stage.

As he reached the edge, he saw Qiu Mengxue crouching in the shadows.

The girl looked up and met his gaze, forcing an awkward smile.

Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow: "You were eavesdropping on me?"

"It wasn't that I was eavesdropping on purpose, it's just..." Qiu Mengxue struggled to find the right words, "I called Sister Liu, and she said she could bring our guitar over, so I came back, and I happened to hear you singing, and then... I didn't want to bother you!"

Qi Yuan looked at her and suddenly laughed.

Qiu Mengxue was squatting there with her back against the stage base, hugging her knees with both hands, looking somewhat disheveled.

Before this, this girl always presented a cool and aloof image, playing guitar or keyboard with effortless ease on stage. The contrast with her current demeanor is quite striking.

Qi Yuan said, "Aren't you tired of squatting like that? Get up."

Qiu Mengxue stood up, still looking up at him with her small face, and asked, "Were those songs you just sang ones that you wrote but haven't sung to anyone else yet?"

Qi Yuan nodded: "Of course."

Qiu Mengxue then asked, "Will the third song to be sung in the final be chosen from these few songs?"

Qi Yuan shook his head: "No, after I finished singing these songs, I felt that none of them were suitable for the finals."

Qiu Mengxue was taken aback: "Why?"

Qi Yuan explained, "First of all, we can rule out English songs. After all, the audience is mostly Chinese, and there is still a bit of an appreciation barrier to English songs, so there's no need to increase the risk for ourselves. As for the remaining two, one is too calm, and the other is not profound enough."

“Profound…” Qiu Mengxue pondered the word, “So you want a song that can both create an atmosphere and be passionate, but also has a profound feeling? Why?”

Qi Yuan: "You can interpret it as my aesthetic sense, or personal style."

Qiu Mengxue muttered, "But even if it's not quite in line with your previous style, I think it's still great. It would be such a shame if everyone couldn't hear it."

Qi Yuan laughed and said, "Don't worry, any song I write will be put to good use. If I feel it's not suitable for me to sing, don't you still have you and Yi Yi?"

"Thank you, but the song you wrote..." Qiu Mengxue shook her head and changed the subject, "Oh, right, I still want to say sorry to you."

Qi Yuan was taken aback: "Sorry for what?"

Qiu Mengxue said earnestly, "I'm sorry, I was eavesdropping on your singing just now. Although I didn't mean to eavesdrop, when I realized you were singing, I just wanted to hide here and listen. Because your singing is really so good."

Qi Yuan waved his hand: "Oh, it's nothing. Anyway, these songs will be released sooner or later."

Qiu Mengxue was silent for a few seconds, then couldn't help but ask again, "Do you have some songs that you've already written, but even I haven't heard of them?"

Qi Yuan: "Of course."

Qiu Mengxue smiled brightly: "That's good, that's good. You've made me really look forward to it..."

Just as the two were chatting, Liu Weiting came over carrying her guitar.

"I've brought what you wanted! Not just the guitar, but also this small amplifier, which is a necessary accessory, right?"

As Liu Weiting spoke, she walked to the front of the stage and noticed that the two people looked rather strange.

Qi Yuan stood on the stage, while Qiu Mengxue stood below, looking like a devoted fangirl. They were clearly bandmates, so why were their eyes sparkling like that? It was unclear what they were talking about.

However, Liu Weiting didn't dwell on it and simply asked casually, "Who wants it?"

Qiu Mengxue quickly pointed to the boy on the stage: "Give it to him, thank you Sister Liu."

"It's alright, it's nothing. I'm going back to the car now. Let me know when you're done, and I'll come back to get your guitars for you..."

Liu Weiting has managed up-and-coming artists as well as served as an assistant and manager for established artists. In her view, Chunriying has undoubtedly gained momentum. Although its rise has been short and its foundation is still relatively weak, it is not inferior to many established stars, and its future is even brighter and more promising.

Compared to those celebrities, Chunriying's four children, including Qi Yuan, are undoubtedly very easy to get along with and polite.

Qi Yuan said, "No need, Sister Liu, we can carry this ourselves. You can wait for us in the car, thank you."

"It's alright, it's alright, don't mention it." Liu Weiting handed him the guitar and then turned and walked away.

At this moment, Qiu Mengxue also stepped onto the stage and returned to the center of the stage with Qi Yuan.

Looking at the empty seats in the distance, the girl asked, "So, do you need to write the song you're going to sing in the final from scratch?"

"That's not necessary. I can try this..."

Qi Yuan pondered for a moment, then turned on the electric guitar and its accompanying amplifier. This small amplifier wasn't really needed on stage, as the production team would provide a more professional, larger amplifier, which required a power outlet.

The small speaker he turned on at that moment had its own battery, so it didn't need an outlet during performances. It was the one they used when performing in the small square. Now, they only used it when rehearsing at their villa.

Qi Yuan strummed the strings and sighed, "Even with the speakers turned up to the maximum, it's useless in a stadium like this. Even the closest spectators might not be able to hear it."

"But as long as it's your performance, someone will overcome all difficulties to make it resound throughout the venue. The sound system provided by the production team for the finals next week will definitely be excellent and very professional."

As Qiu Mengxue said this, she took out a guitar pick from her guitar case and handed it to him.

Qi Yuan closed his eyes and thought for a moment before pressing his left hand onto the string.

Qiu Mengxue knew what chord he was going to play just by glancing at him.

Is it an Am chord, using C major fingering? The girl had the question on the tip of her tongue, but she held it back.

After all, why ask so many questions? Just listen quietly.

Then Qi Yuan strummed the strings and began to sing:

How many times have I fallen on the road?

How many times have my wings been broken?

"I no longer feel lost."

"I want to transcend this ordinary, extravagant desire."

I want a life in full bloom.

"Like flying in the vast sky..."

Qiu Mengxue noticed that Qi Yuan used very conventional chords and simple strumming techniques. However, the guitar sound he produced, combined with his singing style and lyrics, created an indescribable feeling.

It is both profound and imbued with a storm-like passion.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

123 is a really good match for you

"Wow, is this the stage for the finals? It's huge!"

Ning Qianyu stood on the stage, opened her arms, and exclaimed.

Jiang Yi stood to the side, her gaze sweeping around before settling on Qi Yuan. She wasn't worried about the boy she liked seeing her pimple anymore, because a small pink star had been placed there.

Qi Yuan noticed the look she was giving him and asked, "Won't it be uncomfortable to have it pressed against like this?"

Jiang Yi shook her head: "No, it's quite comfortable. These acne patches are very breathable."

Qi Yuan: "Won't it make things worse?"

Jiang Yi: "It contains salicylic acid, which actually has a therapeutic effect."

Ning Qianyu interjected, "Actually, the shop assistant said that they could help her prick the wound and then apply medicine so that it would heal faster and she could recover before going on stage."

"What if I get acne scars?" Jiang Yi said, taking a step towards Ning Qianyu. "My cousin picked at them, disinfected them, and applied medicine, but the scars haven't faded even after two years..."

Ning Qianyu's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly jumped behind Qi Yuan to hide, shouting, "I was just making a suggestion, what are you trying to do! We already agreed that I've bought the acne patches, so you're not allowed to tickle me anymore!"

Qi Yuan pondered for a moment and asked, "Qianyu, are you really that ticklish?"

"I'm not ticklish, I just don't like it when people tickle me..." Ning Qianyu looked at his expression and felt increasingly horrified. "You wouldn't... want to tickle me too, would you?"

Qi Yuan shook his head.

Jiang Yi then asked, "By the way, didn't you say there was a third song? Have you decided what style you want to write?"

Before Qi Yuan could speak, Qiu Mengxue answered for him with a smile: "Don't talk about style, the song has already been chosen. He wrote it before."

Jiang Yi glanced at her, then looked at Qi Yuan, and couldn't help but ask, "Did you sing for her just now?"