Chapter 98: "Southern Girl"!

The host came on stage and said to Jiang Lun, “Among the students here, a few are especially fond of your songs. Recently, our school held a campus singer competition, and the student who won first place performed one of your songs in the finals!”

“Oh, really?” Jiang Lun feigned surprise, though he already knew this was part of the program. Still, he had to show enthusiasm and glanced toward the audience. “Is this student here today?”

“Of course!” The host smiled. “Not only is he here, but he also wants to sing a song with you on this stage!”

“Oh?” Jiang Lun’s expression turned genuinely surprised. “It’s not the song he sang in the competition, is it?”

“That, I don’t know! Let him come up and tell us himself!”

The host smiled mysteriously and called out to the audience, “Let’s invite the winner of our campus singer competition, Sun Yuhan!”

At that moment, a girl rose from the front row, weaved through the students near the stage, and stepped up onto it.

“A girl?” Jiang Lun was truly surprised this time, as Li Fangfang hadn’t told him about this.

“Hello, Jiang Lun!” Sun Yuhan approached and shook his hand. “I’d like to sing 'Fireworks Fade Easily' with you. Would that be alright?”

“Of course!” Jiang Lun smiled, and the host immediately handed Sun Yuhan a microphone while a staff member brought her a stool.

“You start with the first verse,” Jiang Lun said, beginning to play his guitar.

Sun Yuhan showed no stage fright; her voice was deep and steady. “The bustling sounds fade into emptiness, heart-wrenching the world…”

As she sang, many students applauded enthusiastically. This campus singer had her own fans, and many present were her classmates, some even admiring her as a goddess.

“…Raindrops fall, the old hometown’s grass grows dense. I’ve heard you still guard the lonely city. The shepherd’s flute sounds from the outskirts, falling upon that wild village. Fate takes root… We… listen to rain at the Jialan Temple, yearning for eternity…”

Their duet flowed with one voice rising while the other softened. Sun Yuhan sang with earnestness; her clear, bright voice carried a classical, lingering beauty. Jiang Lun harmonized with her perfectly, their synergy breathing new life into the song.

When they finished “Fireworks Fade Easily,” Sun Yuhan was moved to tears, clasping Jiang Lun’s hand again. “Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“You’re amazing! Keep it up!” Jiang Lun gave her a thumbs-up in encouragement.

But Sun Yuhan didn’t let go; she came forward and gave Jiang Lun a hug.

Jiang Lun kept smiling but sneaked a glance at Chen Yingying, who was watching him intently. When their eyes met, Chen puckered her lips and made a playful “hmph” expression.

After Sun Yuhan left the stage, Jiang Lun performed “What I Miss” and “Just Once.”

A week ago, the film “Youth in the Wind” had premiered, and its soundtrack was released alongside it. The songs were being widely promoted.

Especially among students, the campus was the most important battlefield for promotion. The film’s main cast and crew had already visited over ten universities for publicity. Jiang Lun couldn’t attend these events in person, but his songs played at every one.

After those two songs, the host returned to the stage and introduced the fingerstyle guitar champion from the club, who joined Jiang Lun to perform “Those Flowers.”

This champion’s finger technique was truly impressive—Jiang Lun himself felt outmatched. The nimbleness and speed of his fingers clearly came from years of rigorous practice.

In the guitar community, boys especially enjoyed challenging each other’s skills. At many universities in the capital, guitar club members often went to bars to challenge new singer-guitarists. The loser’s guitar would be smashed on the spot.

Recalling his past experiences, Jiang Lun smiled to himself.

The next segment was a simple “Guess the Song Title” game.

The host divided the game into two levels: first, they played the song’s intro; whoever guessed it right won a bottle of Master Wang’s herbal tea. Then, whoever could sing the entire song correctly, without missing a note or rhythm, got to come on stage for a prize draw.

Five students remained as finalists on stage. The winner was a girl, who almost fainted when she saw the prize—a Jiang Lun autographed album and book. Her reaction was dramatic.

“Thank you! Thank you! I’ve longed for this signed album. I will treasure it!” She wiped her tears, overwhelmed with emotion.

“Keep it up! Wishing you success in your studies!” Jiang Lun patted her shoulder encouragingly and added casually, “Actually, there’s a hidden track on this album…”

“‘Yellow’!” the students shouted before he could finish.

That song had never been released online, so many didn’t know it existed.

Only when fans who bought the album discovered it did it become public.

Though “Yellow” shared the same melody as “Meteor,” it caused quite a stir. In the alternate world, “Meteor” was a Chinese cover of “Yellow” by Zheng Jun, invited by the band Original Play Cool. But here, since both songs appeared on Jiang Lun’s album, “Yellow” became the English version of “Meteor.”

Jiang Lun singing in English surprised many, but when fans learned he wrote the English lyrics himself, it created a sensation.

Many English experts analyzed the lyrics and concluded they were flawless and perfect.

Hearing the students shout the song title, Jiang Lun said, “I’ve never sung this song publicly before, so today is the first time!”

“Wow!” The students erupted in applause and cheers.

“Look at the stars, look how they shine for you…”

Jiang Lun sang the English version first. On the second round, the lyrics switched to Chinese. During the English verse, few could sing along, but with the Chinese lyrics, almost everyone joined in.

“Willing to fall into your hands,
Transforming into a rainbow in the night!
Metamorphosing into the gentle moonlight breeze…”

As the songs flowed, the fan gathering gradually neared its end.

Though no one said it aloud, everyone knew it was almost ten o’clock—the customary time to conclude the event, as was tradition with every performer.

Jiang Lun looked at the mixed expressions among the students—some wistful, some reluctant—and couldn’t help but say, “How about this? Before the last song, I’ll give you a new one as a gift to all the students here at South University!”

“A new song?”

“Really? A first performance again?”

“So exciting! I’m filming this!”

Jiang Lun smiled faintly, fingers touching the strings as he played, saying, “This song is called ‘Southern Girl.’”

Hearing the title, a girl exclaimed joyfully, “That’s me! I’m a southern girl!”

“Ah, too bad I’m from the north,” another girl sighed wistfully.

“La… la la la…”

Jiang Lun looked into the distance and sang:

“In a northern village lives a southern girl,
She always likes to wear floral dresses, standing by the roadside.
She speaks little, but her smile is calm and melodious,
What is hidden in her gentle eyes is a sorrowful longing.”

…

“A southern small town, rainy winters not as cold as the north,
She doesn’t need bulky coats to hide her flowing features.
She leaves shadows and fragrance on the bustling streets,
In the blink of an eye, the scent fades, and the shadow disappears.”

…

“Southern girl, are you used to the autumn chill of the north?
Southern girl, do you like the straightforwardness of northerners?
Life passes like those sleepless nights!
She chews gum, talking to the walls about her dreams!”

…

“Southern girl, we’re all enduring the long wait!
Southern girl, are the tall buildings blocking your hopes?”