As Nick announced the winner, the camera quickly switched to Ye Cang. Ye Cang unhurriedly released Shen Huai, stood up, and arranged his clothes, before walking up the stage.

Nick opened his arms, giving Ye Cang a bear hug, and then, hugging his shoulder, took him to the microphone.

“We’ve always believed that music is the most universal language in the world, regardless of country or language. There is no standard for awards, and we will not limit what a singer should do because this is the spirit of the Colleen Awards.”

“What’s surprising is that this year’s finalists were not only excellent, but also had different styles. Any of these albums deserves an award, and the jury chose the most special one after a long and difficult discussion.”

Nick said, patting Ye Cang on the shoulder, “Just like I felt when I first heard this album.  I felt as if I had experienced the mysterious combination of life and death, as well as orient and rock, from birth to death and from death to life, making the rock music full of curiosity and infinite possibilities!”

“Let’s congratulate Ye Cang once again!”

Nick finished, and there was a big round of applause from the audience and the other candidates.

Ye Cang’s eyes swept over their faces. Because he was too far away, he couldn’t see the expression on Shen Huai’s face, but he still smiled in that direction.

Shen Huai stared blankly at Ye Cang on stage. He could still feel the warmth of his lips on the back of his hand, burning through to his heart.

But Shen Huai understood that this kiss had nothing to do with love. It was a display of Ye Cang’s attitude to fight together with him, side by side.

Sure enough, Ye Cang, who stood on stage, said, ”In my heart, songs are another language. Some emotions that cannot be expressed with words, can be expressed through music. Everyone’s music has a unique temperament and style. It’s not a commodity you can carter to people’s tastes.”

“Although in the past two years, the domestic music market has been full of impetuosity, I believe it is only temporary. Our country’s music is not bad, and our musicians are also excellent!”

An Yuanjie, who was sitting at the guest table, looked gloomy. How could he not hear what Ye Cang’s words implied?

Now the results were out. Ye Cang won the Colleen Awards unexpectedly, which was by no means good news for Huayue. There was no reason for him to stay here any longer.

An Yuanjie stood up with a cold face, ignoring Zhuo Feiyang, who was shouting beside him. He turned and left the awards ceremony.

 

–

 

Although there were some people, who didn’t want to see Ye Cang win the Colleen Awards, when Nick announced it wast Ye Cang who won the award, the domestic network reached its boiling point.

Before, everyone thought that as long as they were shortlisted, they had already won. However, when the awards ceremony really started, people still had some faint expectations. Maybe Ye Cang could really win the award?

It was just that this hope was so weak, that even fans didn’t dare to say that he could win.

It could be said that Chinese music was getting worse year after year, and they had long lost their confidence. Even though they thought that Ye Cang’s songs were very good, they were still timid in the face of such international awards.

When Ye Cang went to the United States, many music critics published articles to analyze the possibility of Ye Cang winning the award. Almost no one thought that Ye Cang could really do it.

Even the Music Association, which had always been supportive of Ye Cang was not optimistic about this matter.

Until Ye Cang really won the Colleen Awards, what he said on stage was absolutely enlightening to the Chinese audience and musicians.

Fang Zhilan, the vice president of the Music Association, who since he saw Ye Cang’s potential had been trying his best to protect him, but now hearing Ye Cang’s words, he suddenly understood that Ye Cang could see more clearly than they could.

As he said, their music was not bad, their musicians were excellent, and most importantly, they had to become confident first. Only when they believed in themselves, could the audience believe in them.

In the dark night, Fang Zhilan looked at the brightening sky and breathed a long sigh of relief. “The night is over, and the day will be bright.”

In addition to Fang Zhilan, many people from the industry were also paying attention to the Colleen Awards.

Hearing Ye Cang’s words, they all fell into contemplation.

Li Luan rarely broke his regular Routine. Sitting alone in the living room watching TV, he looked at Ye Cang’s face on the screen.

He sighed softly, “It’s really like…”

Not only their demeanor on stage was similar, but even his personality was very much like Lu Yang’s.

Sometimes when he looked at Ye Cang, he felt as if he saw Lu Yang once again.

If Li Luan wasn’t sure that Lu Yang had no children, and that Ye Cang’s age didn’t match, he would really have thought that these two were related by blood.

While Li Luan was deep in though, the mobile phone beside him rang suddenly.

Li Luan frowned and saw that the name displayed on the screen was Li Zihang, so he answered the phone.

Li Zihang said excitedly, “Grandpa! Did you see? Ye Cang won the award! He won at the Colleen Awards!”

 

Li Luan gave a “um”, indicating that he had heard it.

Li Zihang was as happy as if he had won the award himself. He completely forgot his fear of his grandpa and kept on talking.

After listening for a while, Li Luan suddenly asked, “Are you going on holiday this month?”

Li Zihang: “Huh? Yes.”

He thought it was a bit strange that his grandpa was suddenly interested in this matter.

Li Luan paused and said solemnly, “Cancel the holiday and come back to re-learn your music theory knowledge. In fact, your previous album could have done better …”

Li Zihang: “???”

Li Luan said coldly, “No?”

Li Zihang: “No, not…”

Li Luan: “That’s good. I asked your agent before. She said that you have been slacking recently. I even heard that you haven’t practiced the piano in the last few days? In spite of this, you have the nerve to say that you love music?!”

Li Zihang: “…”

His face was so muddled, that he was almost crying without tears. What was the matter with grandpa?! He had specially called to share the good news with grandpa in vain!

Li Luan also seemed to feel his grandson’s grievance, and said after a pause, “Didn’t you say before that you have always wanted to try a new style of arrangement, but was rejected by the company? I’ll give you the money to try!”

Li Zihang immediately felt refreshed, so he no longer blamed his grandpa for cancelling his holiday.

Li Luan listened to his grandson’s chatter about his views on music on the phone, as his eyes moved from the TV screen to the sky outside the window.

With the efforts of more and more people in the music industry maybe they really could go back to the splendid music scene that blossomed thirty years ago.

In that case, he would gladly watch it.

 

–

 

The hot searches on the Internet exploded.

[I waited for several hours, and it finally happened, when Nick called Ye Cang’s name, it’s no exaggeration to say that my tears fell in an instant. ]

[Cub Cang spoke so well! China also has its own excellent music! ]

[Originally, I never listened to Chinese songs. I only listened to foreign music. I always thought that China was full of unspeakable songs and Internet divine songs. But after listening to “Rebirth”, I felt I had to change my mind. There are still many musicians who quietly stick to themselves. I decided to support Chinese music in the future. ]

[As an independent musician, I can’t calm down at all. I’ve been walking in the dark for so long that I can’t tell whether I’m on the right path or not. But Ye Cang’s words give me direction. Persevere, and the excellent music will get the reward it deserves. ]

Ye Cang was just like the person who lit the torch. He walked forward in the dark with a faint light. But in this moment, the companions who continued to join were gradually expanding this light. One day, this light might break through the darkness, illuminating the night sky, and showing the road ahead.

Apart from the Internet, there was no one more excited than the media.

This time, many media had sent reporters to the Colleen Awards. Only when the awards ceremony was over did they go to find Ye Cang for an interview, wanting to get some first hand information, but they discovered that Ye Cang’s figure could not be found anywhere.

Ye Cang seemed to have suddenly disappeared and even his agent was gone too.

While all the reporters were running around C City like headless flies, looking for Ye Cang’s tracks, Ye Cang together with Shen Huai comfortably boarded the plane to Hong Kong.

At the end of the awards ceremony, the two people avoiding the attention of the public, went to the airport. But they didn’t plan to go back to Zhongjing directly, because they knew very well that the airport in Zhongjing would be watched rigorously right now. As long as they stepped at the airport, they would be immediately found out.

So they made a small detour. They would fly to Hong Kong first, wait for the enthusiasm of the public to subside a bit, and then go from Hong Kong to Zhongjing.

When they got off the plane, they immediately felt a burst of coolness.

At this moment, it had just rained, and the ground was still a bit wet. They could feel the sea breeze that was a little salty and very comfortable.

Ye Cang narrowed his eyes and then said to Shen Huai, “It’s nice here. Let’s play here for two days before we go back.”

Shen Huai was somewhat helpless. Ye Cang had just won the Colleen Awards and it was the best time to expand his popularity and influence. As an agent, he should advise him to return to Zhongjing immediately.

However, seeing the faint fatigue on Ye Cang’s face, Shen Huai hesitated.

They both knew that as soon as they returned to Zhongjing, a hard battle was awaiting them. Huayue, as the largest record company in China, was not so easy to deal with.

One could think of this as a brief indulgence before the war.

In the past, Ming Wei and the others were afraid that the phone would explode, but since Shen Huai’s identity was exposed, Ming Wei didn’t dare to urge her boss, even if she was in a hurry.

So Shen Huai and Ye Cang had a very unhurried time. Hong Kong’s entertainment industry was developed and had its own circle. Although Ye Cang was well-known in the mainland, it hadn’t been so long since he doubted, so he was not very familiar to the ordinary people in Hong Kong, and the two of them spent their time very comfortably during this period.

But these most comfortable days were still limited. After two days in Hong Kong, they still needed to go back.

They planned to visit Hong Kong Hall, Hong Kong’s landmark building. It could be said that all singers in Hong Kong and even in China wanted to hold concerts in Hong Kong Hall.

At a certain point, Hong Kong’s entertainment circle was in such a fierce competition that all the singers from the mainland were sneered at. Lu Yang was the first mainland singer to give a concert in Hong Kong Hall. 

Now that he was visiting this old place again, Ye Cang felt nostalgic.

When he was telling Shen Huai about the funny things that happened during his concert here, he suddenly heard a chuckle.

This voice was light and sweet. Her Chinese had a slight Hong Kong accent, so the ending sound was like a hook, with a bit of provocation.

“Oh? At that time, some people were too shy to watch their partners dance in bikinis. But they didn’t dare to say anything.”

Ye Cang did not expect to be exposed, and without even thinking, he replied, “How could I be afraid to look? I was showing respect!”

As soon as he finished, he realized that something was wrong. When he turned around, a girl with a sweet smile was standing in the empty hall, her hands holding a stool, her feet swaying in the air.

Her eyes were wide, her face small, her facial features delicate. She was wearing a popular dress from the last century, her long black hair fell behind her like ebony, her skin was fair with a healthy pink touch. She was like an unworldly little princess, who looked at the world with curiosity.

Seeing Ye Cang, she raised her eyebrows and showed a smile that didn’t belong to a princess.

“Long time no see.”

Shen Huai suddenly pressed his chest and took the hot amulet out of his pocket.

Edited by : LuLu

Proofreader: Taalia

Support translation: