The guitar was getting faster and faster, the tune was also growing more and more vigorous.
The audience became more and more active as well.
When those in Class Three made out the guitar player, they all went stupefied.
“How come it is Fang Qiu?”
“Never heard Fang Qiu is doing a show tonight, did I?”
In particular, Zhu Benzheng, Sun Hao, and Zhou Xiaotian were all dazed.
They knew at first Fang Qiu was going to do a performance, which was precisely the opening song Start-of-Term Gift.
They also knew Fang Qiu was replaced by that jerk Li Qingshi.
They were even well aware that a moment ago Fang Qiu was dragged out by their pretty senior Liu Feifei.
However, to their utter surprise, Fang Qiu came on stage at this juncture, and he was going to perform a song all by himself.
“What’s this all about?”
“Isn’t the world changing too fast?”
“Whatsoever, let’s applaud first!”
“Anyway, it’s our good buddy who will cut a smart figure!”
“We shall welcome him with the warmest applause no matter what!”
The three began to applaud enthusiastically, totally ignorant of all the drama that pushed Fang Qiu onto the stage.
“Fang Qiu!”
“Fang Qiu!”
Led by Zhu Benzheng, Sun Hao, and Zhou Xiaotian, all the students in Class Three started to shout Fang Qiu’s name.
As the people of School of Chinese Medicine around them heard that the player was Fang Qiu.
They immediately recalled the wonderful hand flute show and singing show. Their interest was triggered at once.
And the performer was a student from their School of Chinese Medicine.
Quickly, the students from the entire School of Chinese Medicine started to shout for Fang Qiu.
“Fang Qiu!”
“Fang Qiu!”
“Fang Qiu!”
…
Students from other schools were all bewildered at the name. They did not know who Fang Qiu was. But being in such a thrilling atmosphere, they still applauded for Fang Qiu as welcomingly as they could.
At the sight of Fang Qiu on the stage, many officials sitting on the platform furrowed their brows.
“Why is this a boy?”
“The show list says it should be a girl named Zhu Weiyin. Why has she been replaced?”
The official directly under the Chinese Communist Youth League Committee scowled especially hard.
But soon, a breakout of cheers and shouts startled them again.
They immediately thought it was the show list that went wrong.
No performer was replaced at all.
Because this performer already had a good fan base. Now that he was so popular among all the students, he must be the original performer of this show.
On the waiting passage, as Li Qingshi heard the hubbub, his eyes were almost about to erupt jealous flames.
When he was performing on the stage, the cheers for him were not as loud as they were now. But Fang Qiu was welcomed by such cheers!
“Humph!”
“Fang Qiu!”
“Today I’ll witness how you fall from heaven to hell!”
Playing the guitar, Fang Qiu strolled to the center.
The moment he stood still, his singing rang.
“You don’t see.”
“How the Yellow River’s waters move out of heaven.”
“Entering the ocean, never return!”
The first line was so glorious and magnificent!
This simple and familiar line made everyone feel as if their scalps had burst open and their blood was boiling with excitement!
His singing was really powerful!
Really vigorous!
And unusually beautiful!
He did give everyone a pleasant surprise.
Those who were sitting sluggishly in their seats suddenly straightened up, ready to appreciate this song.
Accordingly, all the eyes landed on the only student at the center of the stadium.
There were no dancers to accompany him. He was just standing there with one guitar.
But he sang a song that made all the people on the scene burning with righteousness.
“You don’t see.”
“How lovely locks in bright mirrors in high chambers.”
“Though silken-black at morning, have changed by night to snow.”
As the second line was finished.
All those on the waiting passage was stunned.
“Beautiful!”
“Very beautiful!”
“Unexpectedly beautiful!”
“This is much better than the version I was supposed to perform!”
Mumbled Zhu Weiyin to herself, her eyes gleaming.
Perhaps this version was less excellent in terms of artistry than Song Zuying’s, but the will and spirit of ambitious scholars and the soul-stirring chant were truly peerless.
But the teacher who arranged all the shows knew much more than that.
She knew the music theories.
But she knew more about students.
“Almost all the audience here is at the age of being ambitious and full of vigor. Now, this song will make them feel they are bold enough to cast all restraints aside!”
“It will definitely strike a responsive chord in their hearts!”
Fang Qiu did give them a huge surprise!
As her heart fell to its original position, she even began to look forward to Fang Qiu’s fabulous performance.
“Go for it! Fang Qiu!”
Jiang Miaoyu murmured her cheers for Fang Qiu in her mind, but her flushed cheeks and clenched fists revealed how thrilled she was.
She did not expect Fang Qiu to sing such a grand and robust song. Before, Fang Qiu always seemed to be gentle and elegant.
But today, she saw a different side of Fang Qiu.
This Fang Qiu had the passion that exclusively belonged to the young!
“Bravo! I sure did not pick the wrong guy!”
Said Liu Feifei joyfully.
She was under extreme pressure. But now, everything was settled by Fang Qiu’s great show.
She gave a long sigh of relief.
Li Qingshi crossed his arms before his chest and continued sneering.
However, the sneer was getting fainter and fainter.
After hearing the first two lines, he already knew how charming this song was. But he still did not believe that Fang Qiu could perform so well for the whole show, maybe the first part was merely the result of his short preparation and he already outdid himself.
“Perhaps later he’ll be affected by the atmosphere of the scene, and go off key or crack his voice!”
“Don’t you see the audience is utterly silent?”
“No one is applauding?”
It was true that the audience had fallen into dead silence.
All of them were just too shocked to speak by the two lines Fang Qiu just sang. Their eyes were all transfixed on Fang Qiu.
It was the first time they heard that an ancient poem could be sung like this, which sounded so grand and majestic.
As Fang Qiu began with the next line, he suddenly raised his voice.
“…Oh, let a man of spirit venture where he pleases.”
“And never tip his golden cup empty toward the moon.”
“Since heaven gave the talent, let it be employed.”
“Spin a thousand pieces of silver, all of them come back!”
He was no longer standing on the spot. Instead, he played the guitar and headed forward. As he walked, he looked at all the students.
As if he was singing the song for their sake.
As if the lyrics were precisely what Fang Qiu wanted to tell them.
“Everybody, although we should let a man of spirit venture where he pleases, don’t forget that since heaven gave the talent, we should let it be employed.”
“We shall not let our youth pass in vain, let our energy go wasted. Let’s work hard, and contribute our share to the great renaissance of our Chinese nation!”
“If we do it, we’ll have a life worth living!”
“Fantastic!”
Somebody abruptly yelled out, which led to a sea of cheers.
“Excellent!”
Thunderous applause broke out. Everyone was applauding for Fang Qiu!
It was the most enthusiastic applause since the opening show. Actually, it was more ardent than that of the first show, than that of all the other shows.
At this, all the performers of previous shows staying backstage went dumbfounded.
This show that was added to fill the vacancy turned out to be the most popular one.
It was so jaw-dropping!
All of a sudden, Fang Qiu loosened the right hand that was holding the guitar and gave a high thumbs-up at students around him.
This gesture instantly livened up the whole scene!
Because it meant Fang Qiu was responding with the audience. He was interacting with them!
“Fang Qiu!”
“Fang Qiu!”
…
There was only one name reverberating in the stadium that was the name of Fang Qiu!
“Gosh! The youngest is stirring up a commotion!”
Roared Zhu Benzheng, who was covering his ears with both of his hands due to the loud shouts in the surroundings.
“That’s our ostentatious youngest! So overbearingly bold! Dare to stop short right in the middle of a show at the Start-of-Term Ceremony and give a thumbs-up to everyone! Impressive!”
Responded Sun Hao in the same loud volume, who was also excitedly clapping his hands.
“The more sensational it goes, the better! It’s the glory of our Dormitory 501! Fang Qiu! Fang Qiu!”
Zhou Xiaotian also began to shout along with the others.
The three were thrilled, whereas, the teacher in charge of the show arrangement and the official directly under the Chinese Communist Youth League Committee were both in a cold sweat.
“Shoot! You’re in the middle of the performance. And all the musical instrument you got is one guitar. When you stop playing, the music is off. You’re suspending the show!”
“And you dare to interact with the audience! Do you really think this is your personal concert?”
“This is the Start-of-Term Ceremony! Not your solo concert!”
“How intrepid!”
Said Liu Feifei, applauding and smiling. Inwardly, she was still wringing her hands over her nervousness.
“This student of mine is really going out of bounds!”
“When you’re on the stage, all you need to do is to perform. Why do you have to steal the spotlight like this? Are you the kind of guy who is prone to act up in the presence of guests?”
“But this defiant thumbs-up is truly impressive.”
Jiang Miaoyu’s gorgeous eyes glinted extraordinarily as she gazed at Fang Qiu, a trace of admiration flickering in her looks.
As Li Qingshi noticed the looks Jiang Miaoyu threw at Fang Qiu, his face instantly grew sullen.
There was even a second that he simply wanted to rush onto the stage and unplug the wire connecting the guitar Fang Qiu was holding to the sound system. However, he could not do so.
The only thing he could do was watching Fang Qiu play on the stage with a pair of cold eyes.
But he had to admit that the effect of Fang Qiu’s performance was way beyond his expectation.
Fang Qiu did not keep doing the thumbs-up. After five seconds, he swiftly put down his hand and continued to play and sing.
This move made every teacher who was having their nerves kept on tenterhooks feel relieved.
“… Oh, let a man of spirit venture where he pleases.”
“And never tip his golden cup empty toward the moon.”
“Cook a sheep, kill a cow, and whet the appetite.”
“And make me, of three hundred bowls, one long drink!”
This line Fang Qiu sang seemed to be a response to the zeal of all the students.
A response to their cheers and cordial applause.
As if he was thanking them for understanding what he was saying.
“At another time, let’s take three hundred drinks.”
“Don’t return until we all get hammered!”
After this singing part, another piece of wild guitar started to play.
In fact, the tune of the guitar did not have many ups and downs.
But the most important thing was the state and emotion of the singer, which actually kept the show going!
After ten seconds, the guitar solo was over.
Fang Qiu went back to the center of the stadium and proceeded to another singing part.
To be honest, according to the music score, the guitar solo was supposed to last about 16 seconds. However, if he did the full of it, adding the time for his thumbs-up earlier, the entire performance would certainly exceed five minutes and a half.
Thus, he cut off six seconds.
If others knew that Fang Qiu, a guy who was pushed onto the stage at the last minute, changed the music score and performing time during the show, they would lose their minds in shock.
This was too audacious!
He seemed to have no fear of blowing all this.
It was true that a capable person was fearless!
“…To the old master, Cen.”
“And the young scholar, Danqiu.”
“Bring in the wine.”
“Let your cups never rest!”
“Let me sing you a song.”
“Let your ears attend!”
At this point, it began to dawn on all those who knew about music theories that Fang Qiu did not rely on any voice modification or techniques to perform this song; all he resorted to was the soaring heroic spirit and the unbridled big heart.
They had never seen anyone who could sing a heroic and stirring song without using any technique.
Perhaps the greatest truths were always the simplest; the greatest music was always the most natural.
Only the music that stripped off all the artificial embellishment could really strike people’s heartstrings.
Perhaps just like the line said, “Let me sing you a song, let your ears attend!”
What he wanted was just to sing the heroic spirit in his heart to everyone.
The audience seemed to have seen Fang Qiu holding a wine glass instead of a guitar.
Now, the audience did not perceive themselves as the audience, but drinking buddies at a banquet.
And Fang Qiu was exactly the unappreciated poet Li Bai, who lived in ancient times and was voicing his indignation. He raised his cup to all the guests, telling them in a half-drunk state that “Since heaven gave the talent, let it be employed!” and “Spin a thousand pieces of silver, all of them come back!”
He was telling them, “Everyone, let me sing you a song!”
“What are bell and drum, rare dishes and treasure?”
“Let me be forever drunk and never come to reason.”
“Sober men of olden days and sages are forgotten.”
“And only the great drinkers are famous for all time.”
“…Prince Chen paid at a banquet in the Palace of Perfection.”
“Ten thousand coins for a cask of wine, with many a laugh and quip.”
“Why say, my host, that your money is gone?”
“Go and buy wine and we’ll drink it together!”
“This is what a great song should be like!”
On the platform, the principal suddenly exclaimed.
