Perfect Superstar.

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"Perhaps one day,

I will be old—no [country] home for me,

Please leave me,

In that old time!"

"If one day,

I leave quietly,

Please leave me,

Here in 'In Spring'."

"'In Spring～'"

When Qin Hanyang, the lead singer of the Wandering Band, finished singing 'In Spring', the entire venue erupted into cheers!

This rock masterpiece, originally composed by Lu Chen, was on its way to becoming a classic. With the Wandering Band and Qin Hanyang's performance, the song had begun to spread everywhere— on the streets, in bars, in plazas, and even in underground passages, being covered by countless vagabond singers.

Yet, no matter how brilliant the covers were, they could never match the allure of the original performance.

Tonight, Daylily Bar was packed with guests. Alongside its regulars, many visitors from other bars had rushed over upon hearing the news.

They didn't mind that it disrupted their own work or cost them earnings.

It felt like a pilgrimage.

Those who loved this song the most, those most deeply moved by it, weren't the ordinary pop music fans. Instead, it was the vagabond singers—those who wandered from place to place, surviving at the very bottom.

Because 'In Spring' told their stories, echoed their voices, and expressed their desires!

Some even believed that being able to hear or sing this song was the greatest fortune in their lives.

So tonight, at Daylily Bar, witnessing the Wandering Band live and hearing Qin Hanyang sing in person, everyone was overwhelmed with excitement, wishing they, too, could be on stage.

Their pent-up emotions were released through thunderous applause and cheers!

The atmosphere surged like a tidal wave!

It took several minutes before the bar finally calmed down.

"Thank you!"

Qin Hanyang spoke into the microphone, "Thank you to everyone who came tonight to listen to our music."

"First, I want to thank Brother Jianhao, our boss Chen Jianhao. Thank you for always supporting me and the Wandering Band. Without him, there would be no Wandering Band!"

He raised a fist toward Chen Jianhao, who was leaning against the bar, then pounded it against his chest.

This was Qin Hanyang's way of showing respect.

Chen Jianhao raised his glass in response.

The applause erupted again, loud and genuine.

The story of how Chen Jianhao exchanged 5% of Daylily Bar's shares for the copyright to 'In Spring' and gifted it to the Wandering Band as a farewell present had already become a legendary tale in Houhai.

Now, when his name came up, who wouldn't give him a thumbs-up and call him generous?

These days, countless vagabond singers were scrambling to join Daylily Bar, even if it was just to be a backup singer.

To follow such a boss was sheer luck.

Qin Hanyang continued, "Next, I want to thank our musical genius, Lu Chen. Thank you for writing such an incredible song for the Wandering Band, a truly exceptional song!"

He clenched his fist again, this time gesturing toward Lu Chen, who was standing at the edge of the stage.

Lu Chen was caught off guard but responded with a respectful bow.

The applause, which had not yet subsided, grew even louder, rising into a new wave of fervor!

Everyone knew how outstanding Lu Chen's talent was. His original works were all exceptional, one after another.

It was he who had elevated the Wandering Band, and now he was on his own path to stardom.

"Now, let's welcome Lu Chen to perform for everyone!"

As soon as Qin Hanyang's words landed, the atmosphere in the bar reached its peak. Cheers and applause echoed endlessly.

With a smile, Lu Chen stepped onto the stage.

Just then, two waiters rolled a piano out from the corner of the stage.

Seeing this, the audience was stunned.

Was Lu Chen going to play the piano?

Neither the new patrons nor the regulars had ever seen Lu Chen play the piano before.

They heard Lu Chen say, "Today is a very special day."

"Like Brother Hanyang, I want to first thank Brother Jianhao, our boss. Thank you for taking me in during the hardest time of my life and giving me a job that put food on my table. Thank you!"

He bowed deeply to Chen Jianhao, expressing his heartfelt gratitude.

Chen Jianhao's drink swirled out of his glass in surprise. He hadn't expected Lu Chen to do this. Even this seasoned veteran of the entertainment scene was caught off guard and didn't know how to respond.

Lu Chen continued, "I also want to thank the regular patrons who have come to the bar tonight. Your support kept me going and gave me the courage to persevere. Thank you!"

He bowed to the audience.

The crowd responded with applause, not as thunderous as before, but undeniably sincere.

A few sentimental women in the audience even had tears in their eyes.

They knew how hard Lu Chen had worked to get to where he was. His dedication had not gone unnoticed.

Lu Chen straightened up again and said, "So, I want to dedicate a song— a brand-new original song— to Brother Jianhao and everyone here tonight. May Daylily always remain our harbor of the heart."

"This song is called 'Daylily', and it will be performed by me, Brother Hanyang, and the Wandering Band together!"

The audience buzzed with excitement. No one had expected Lu Chen to debut a new song, let alone one performed in collaboration with the Wandering Band.

'Daylily'!

Lu Chen sat at the freshly positioned piano and leaned into the microphone, saying, "When I first learned piano, it was just to impress girls. I never thought I'd be performing for everyone, so don't laugh if I play badly!"

The crowd burst into laughter.

In the next moment, a soft piano prelude resonated, and the venue fell silent.

Lu Chen's voice soon flowed into their ears:

'"Let the weak among us learn what it means to be cruel,

To face the cold of life with ruthless resolve.

Those we loved and parted from unwillingly,

Are often bound by fate but not by destiny.'

'Who takes who seriously,

Who aches for who,

And who is whose only one?'

'The scarred and battered innocent souls,

Long ceased to believe in gods or miracles.'

'Beautiful lives, kind-hearted people,

The pain, the bitterness, the burdens,'

'Too trivial to matter.

We, who come and go, meet and part,

It's better to simply smile and let it be.'"

To be fair, Lu Chen's piano skills were quite average—so average that even children who had passed a basic Grade 4 or 5 music exam could easily outshine him. His piano playing was nowhere near the level of his exceptional guitar skills.

However, this song didn't require any intricate piano techniques. Lu Chen played with earnestness, hitting every note correctly. Even though he had only resumed playing the piano a few days ago, his rhythm and melody were spot on.

And that was enough. Because what truly moved people wasn't the technicality but the song itself and the emotions infused into his voice.

This was a warm and sentimental piece. It began by painting a stark and sorrowful reality but gradually transitioned into an optimistic and poetic outlook on life. The "Daylily" metaphor symbolized a way of living—simple yet profound, turning from complexity back to simplicity.

'"…

Daylily, forget it all,

Dreams fade with time.

Some distant shore,

Some secluded isles,

Some day, some month, some moment, some embrace.'

'By the riverside grass,

Quietly waiting till the end of time!'"

When Lu Chen finished the first verse, Qin Hanyang and the Wandering Band joined in for the chorus:

'"Let the weak among us learn what it means to be cruel,

To face the cold of life with ruthless resolve.

Those we loved and parted from unwillingly,

Are often bound by fate but not by destiny!"'

Their deep and powerful voices elevated the song's atmosphere to an even greater height.

Then Lu Chen continued, '"Who truly takes who seriously?

Who aches for who?

Who is whose only one?"'

Everyone present listened attentively. They smiled, they were moved, and they seemed to grasp something profound.

Life is unpredictable, and time spares no one, but we still have music to console our hearts!

The entire bar was enveloped in a unique, indescribable atmosphere.

When Lu Chen finished the song, no one spoke for a long time.

Chen Jianhao was the first to clap.

It was as though everyone woke from a dream, joining in with a round of applause. There were no cheers or whistles, only synchronized clapping filled with sincerity.

"Thank you!"

Lu Chen stood up and expressed his gratitude to everyone.

He picked up the microphone resting on the piano and said, "I will transfer the copyright of 'Daylily' to our bar permanently and free of charge. Consider it my special gift to Brother Jianhao tonight."

The applause grew even louder.

Lu Chen raised his hand to signal for quiet and continued, "I'm sure everyone must be curious, right? Well, you'll find out with the next song!"

He reconnected the microphone and sat back at the piano.

Suddenly, all the lights in the bar went out!

Before anyone could react with surprise, the sound of the piano began again.

Among the startled gasps were excited cheers.

The next moment, warm orange candlelight cut through the darkness, revealing Sister Na pushing a cart out from the back.

On the cart stood a large multi-layered cake adorned with colorful candles!

"'Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you'…"

No one knew who started it, but soon everyone joined in, singing the birthday song in unison to Lu Chen's piano accompaniment.

The cart was pushed in front of Chen Jianhao.

Sister Na smiled and said, "Jianhao, happy birthday!"

Her smile, illuminated by the candlelight, was extraordinarily beautiful—a beauty unrelated to physical appearance.

Today was Chen Jianhao's 40th birthday.

Chen Jianhao was completely stunned.

He finally understood why Lu Chen and the Wandering Band had come to the bar that evening and why the regular patrons had been acting so mysteriously around him.

They had all conspired together.

It was Chen Jianhao's 40th birthday, something even he had forgotten.

But someone remembered.

He looked at Sister Na, standing right in front of him, and struggled to say, "Thank you, Nana."

There was no one else but Sister Na who could have orchestrated this.

Tears that had been welling in his eyes finally fell.

Sister Na laughed and said, "Make a wish and blow out the candles! Everyone's waiting for you!"

Chen Jianhao nodded.

He closed his eyes, silently made a wish, then took a deep breath and blew out all the candles.

In the past, he had thought such gestures were childish.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The lights in the bar came back on.

With a thunderous cheer, party poppers were twisted open, and a flurry of colorful streamers shot into the air, drifting down like confetti, filling the room with a festive atmosphere.

Cheerful music began to play, turning Daylily Bar into a sea of joy.

Tonight would be sleepless!

(End of Chapter)