Chapter 6: "Ephemeral Fireworks"

"Woo, these lyrics are so beautiful..."
A young woman nestled in her boyfriend's arms, wiping away tears at the corner of her eyes, like a pear blossom touched by rain.
Her boyfriend could only hold her, patting her gently in comfort, unable to say a word, for his throat was choked with emotion as well.
Much the same could be said for the other guests, especially those single ones—looking back on days spent amidst myriad blooms, now left with not a leaf to cling to. How lamentable, how regretful!
Galen, seeing so few people applauding, assumed they disliked his performance and felt a pang of disappointment. He sighed softly and announced, "The next song, 'Fleeting Fireworks,' is for everyone!"
Unexpectedly, as soon as he spoke, the guests began to clap, especially some young women who stood up and called his name, startling Galen and prompting him to smile shyly.
The clear sound of the guitar rang out, followed by the piano, weaving a delicate backdrop. Galen began to sing:
"Splendor fades, retreating into silence, wearing down the world,
Dreams grow cold, tossing a lifetime, how many debts of love remain?
If you acquiesce, waiting for life and death,
Waiting through cycle after cycle of annual rings..."
"The Flowers That Once Were" was a traditional campus folk song, simple in structure yet melodious and catchy.
But "Fleeting Fireworks" carried a distinctly classical tone, its lyrics profound and evocative, the writing dazzling, and its melody skillfully employing the five-note scale of traditional Chinese music: Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zhi, Yu.
To the guests, listening was like witnessing a thousand miles of landscape, the tides of history rising and falling in an instant.
Some even envisioned ancient battlefields, flashes of swords and spears, and the entanglements of love amidst cold steel.
"Rain falls, grass grows thick in the old hometown,
I heard you still guard the lonely city,
The pastoral flute sounds on the outskirts,
Landing in a wild village,
Fate takes root, and that is us!"
A middle-aged man in the audience murmured a few lines along with Galen, then praised, "Wonderful lyrics! Truly wonderful! I wonder who wrote them—they're so beautiful! Absolutely brilliant!"
"Old Ye, why don't I ask for you later? I think whoever wrote these lyrics would be more than qualified for our Poetry Association!"
A man beside him chimed in.
At this table sat members of the provincial Poetry Association from a southern province, visiting the capital for research, now enjoying a drink at the bar after dinner.
They hadn't expected to hear such exquisite lyrics. They dared not judge the music, but when it came to lyrics, they felt entitled to comment.
"Alright, go ask around. If it's someone from our circle, we should pay them a visit!"
The middle-aged man named Ye nodded cheerfully.
Meanwhile, the viewers on Chili Live were stunned, flooding the screen with comments. Some mischievously claimed Galen couldn't have written the lyrics himself, while others insisted it was his original work. The debates were lively and endless.
Some tried to write down the lyrics, only to find it very challenging—after all, it was a live performance, and hearing it once wasn't enough to remember.
Luckily, some recorded it, though even then it was hard—many words were unclear, some sentences flowed beautifully when sung but seemed mismatched when written down. They could only ask Galen to share the original lyrics.
When the song ended, Galen accepted the cheers and applause with his guitar in hand.
Only now did he really feel it—the joy of being praised was simply indescribable!
"The third song is also my original. It's called 'Once You.' I hope you'll like it!"
Facing the audience, Galen was much more relaxed, "This song is dedicated to everyone listening tonight! Thank you!"
The guests applauded enthusiastically, and Cai Fei's group was especially energetic. Though none of them had heard the song before, they supported their brother wholeheartedly.
After speaking, Galen began to bend the strings, and when the clean, simple prelude ended, his right hand swept gently:
"Once dreamed of roaming the world with sword in hand,
To see the splendor of the world,
A youthful heart always a bit reckless,
Now you call the four seas your home..."
Compared to the previous two songs, this one had a stronger rhythm and was more uplifting, igniting the atmosphere. Most people, on first listen, found it particularly inspiring.
Inside a private lounge in the bar,
The mood was entirely different from outside. Three men and a woman sipped tea, watching the large screen in front of them, which played Galen's performance on the bar stage.
Among the four, the men were Lin Ruiliang, agent for Wen Tao; Ye Han, manager of the Artist Management Department at Starstone Entertainment; and Wang Dongsheng from the Music Production Department.
The sole woman was Shi Li, Wen Tao's girlfriend and one of Starstone Entertainment's shareholders.
"This Galen writes quite good songs, really has feeling! Seems to be a talented young man,"
Ye Han sipped his tea, looking at Galen on the screen with appreciation.
He was forty-three, formerly a director at a small film company, having produced several web series before being headhunted by Starstone for a generous salary.
His journey had been filled with both hardships and luck. Though uncertain about the future, he still pressed ahead bravely.
Hearing "Once You," he was deeply moved—the song stirred the perseverance and openness in a man's heart. Forty is not old; he was in his prime.
"Yes, this song is actually better written than the previous two,"
Wang Dongsheng, from a music professional's perspective, analyzed the song's humanity and musical philosophy. Especially when he heard, "The girl who once moved your heart has now quietly vanished," it brought back memories of his own youthful, sincere love.
Perhaps he would never again encounter such pure, untainted affection.
Now, though in his thirties with a long future ahead, he still yearned for that purity.
Lin Ruiliang and Shi Li remained silent, quietly listening to Galen sing:
"Whenever you feel sorrow,
Just gaze alone at the sea,
Always think of friends walking beside you,
How many are waking up now,
Let us drink this cup of wine,
A good man's heart is like the sea,
Having experienced the myriad forms of life, the warmth and cold of the world,
This smile is warm and pure..."
Though it was the song's debut in this world, Lin Ruiliang felt as though he'd heard it countless times—wasn't it the voice in his heart?
When Galen finished, he couldn't help but suggest to Shi Li, "Should we sign this young man?"
"Reach out to him first! Get to know his background,"
Shi Li replied, "Ask if he's willing to write songs for the company."
"Write songs?"
Lin Ruiliang opened his mouth. He thought Galen should be signed quickly and groomed into a popular singer-songwriter.
He didn't understand why Shi Li would have such a talent only write songs for the company.
Shi Li smiled knowingly, seeing through his thoughts, "The company is just starting up. My father provided limited funds, and it's wise not to move too quickly in this business. Aside from Wen Tao, I've invited Zhao Liang. This year, I plan to focus on them. Signing Galen will fill our gap in songwriting. He's a newcomer who's never even entered a competition. Giving him time to hone his skills is best; releasing an album in three to five years won't be too late."
"Oh, I see!"
Lin Ruiliang nodded heavily, expressing his understanding.
The company had its difficulties, and his job was to carry out orders. He would do as the boss said, but it was a shame to let such talent go unused.
...
On stage, Galen finished his three original songs and took the song request list handed to him by the manager.
He glanced quickly; they were all current popular hits, and as a professional bar singer, he could perform them all.
The list had been filtered, and apart from repeated songs, those previously sung by Wu Yusheng and other singers were left for them to perform when they returned to the stage.
After preparing briefly, Galen announced, "Thank you, Mr. Zang and Mr. Sun, for your support. This song, 'Hello, Friend!' is for you..."
Though not an original piece, it was a red-hot hit, so the applause was just as enthusiastic.
Sitting at the front, Cai Fei pulled a stranger beside him, "Hey, buddy, Galen's my friend! Thanks for clapping! Come on, let's drink!"
He had been boasting to his friends all night, sharing every embarrassing story, claiming that many of Galen's creations had come from his own inspiration or suggestions, leaving Wang Qilin beside him red-faced.
Half an hour flew by. When Galen finished the last song, he stood up, bowed to the audience, said a few words of thanks, and left the stage.
As soon as he stepped down, Wu Yusheng and the others gathered around, showering him with praise. Liu Qianqian, though standing at a distance, no longer looked at Galen with the same disdain as before.
"Brother, you were amazing!" Zhao Liang approached, "Did you write these songs yourself?"
"Yes," Galen smiled.
"Not bad. Simple, but it goes straight to the heart,"
Zhao Liang began to comment on the songs, "Sometimes the simplest things resonate most. If you make it too complicated, it's just showing off and doesn't move people. I think you'll have more potential than any of us."
His words made Galen's face flush. If not for that laptop, he wouldn't have achieved any of this—he might not even have this job now.
"Thank you, Brother Liang! I'm embarrassed by your praise!"
"Come on, no need for that. We're brothers now—just speak up if you need anything!"
"Alright!" Galen nodded.
At that moment, Aya took the opportunity to reach out with a smile, "Hello, Galen, I'm Aya!"
"Hello! Your singing earlier was very warm,"
You can't refuse a friendly gesture—even if they hadn't paid much attention to him before, now that they were willing to be cordial, he had no reason to spurn them.
"Really?" Aya was delighted, "Your songs are wonderful. You should enter 'Dream Star Show'—I'm sure you'd win a weekly championship!"