Chapter 9: The Song on the Rooftop

As the song progressed, his voice gradually rose, and the melody soared higher and higher.

“Whenever I can’t find the meaning of existence, whenever I’m lost in the darkness of night. Oh, brightest star in the night sky, please light my way forward…”

He sang with growing excitement!

The original meaning of this song was about choosing to believe, about past lovers and friends, no matter how many unpleasant things had happened before. But time would always soften hatred and deepen love. Even if they lost contact for a long time, by the end of their lives, they would still think of each other.

Yet, in Su Chen’s heart, he always felt this was a song about dreams. With youthful dreams, with the impulse and confidence of youth, it revealed the power of passion to every young heart.

He, Su Chen, wanted to become the brightest star in the night sky—shining and resplendent!

When the song ended, Su Chen immediately launched into the next one.

“If pride were never coldly dashed by the harsh waves of reality, how would you ever know how much effort it takes to reach the far shore? If dreams never teetered on the edge of a cliff, how could you know that those who persist are blessed with invisible wings…”

The third song!

“Run forward! Against cold stares and ridicule, how can one feel the vastness of life without enduring hardship? Fate cannot force us to beg for mercy, even if blood stains our embrace…”

His voice was at its peak. Though it was summer, Su Chen was trembling with excitement.

In his past life, his looks hadn’t measured up, and he was repeatedly rejected. No matter how outstanding his singing was, he could never stand at the forefront. In this life, he was handsome and talented, yet suffered a cruel twist of fate—his voice was ruined.

It seemed as though destiny was playing the cruelest joke on him.

Yearning, yet never attaining!

But now, he had another chance!

With all the resources of Earth at his back and the exceptional advantages of this life, what hardship could he possibly fear?

At this moment, it was as if he was pouring out every emotion from the two lifetimes through his singing.

“Who is that, so inconsiderate!”
“Wailing in the middle of the night? Don’t people need to sleep?”
“If you want to sing, can’t you do it earlier?”

A matronly voice cut off Su Chen’s singing.

Tonight, it was indeed rather late!

Sorry! Su Chen silently mouthed an apology.

But he couldn’t suppress his excitement and punched the air with all his might.

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Beneath the amber glow of a streetlamp on an old road in Jiang City, a striking figure was walking and making a phone call.

“Hello? Sister Hong!”

“Uh… I’m in Jiang City right now!”

“Don’t raise your voice so much!”

“I’m just trying to find a good song!”

“Granted, what you said makes sense, but we’re out of ideas right now!”

“Besides, I’m from Jiang City. Since I’m here, I want to take a break, too!”

“So, do you have a solution now?”

“Exactly! We might as well use this chance to catch our breath. How long has it been since we had a proper break?”

“And my classmate Wen Yan, you know her—she’s a teacher at the Academy of Arts here. Since I’m back, I’ll see if she has any connections.”

“When will I return? We’ll see! At most, a week!”

“Alright, alright! Don’t worry, I’ll be careful!”

As she spoke, a breeze carried the faint sound of singing to her ears.

“I pray… for a transparent soul!”
“…and eyes that cry!”

The voice was intermittent, and at first, she didn’t pay it much attention. Listening to the instructions on the other end, she absentmindedly hummed along.

Suddenly, she shivered as if struck by lightning—instantly awake!

What song was that? She had never heard it before!

Could it be…?

“Hello? Sister Hong, I have an emergency here. I’ll listen to you nag later!” Without hesitation, she hung up.

On the other end, her manager was still giving instructions. Hearing the sudden busy tone, she ground her teeth in frustration.

After hanging up, Jiang Yan exhaled deeply. Manager Zhou Hong’s constant nagging was enough to make her ears grow calluses. As a top-tier pop diva, just a step away from reaching the pinnacle, the person she feared most was Sister Hong, who hovered like a parent, always keeping her in check.

Was she really so reckless?

But that was the way of the entertainment world—managers had to be responsible for their artists. The slightest mishap could spell big trouble!

Shaking her head, she dismissed those worries, put away her phone, and listened intently, trying to locate the direction of the singing.

It seemed to be coming from the next street?

After confirming, she began to follow the sound.

She wore sunglasses and a mask, but could not conceal her striking figure.

Occasionally, passersby would glance at her curiously, guessing she might be a celebrity, but without certainty, few dared approach.

Jiang Yan paid them no mind; her head was full of the melody she’d just heard.

As she slipped into a narrow alley, the sound of singing grew clearer.

But just as she was about to go further, the singing abruptly stopped.

She stood there, disappointed, with a wry smile, wondering if she’d imagined it.

She turned to leave, but as soon as she exited the alley, the singing resumed.

“…
The place I most want to reach,
How could I turn back halfway,
The original dream will surely be realized…”

Another song she’d never heard? The melody was mesmerizing!

With that thought, she spun around and hurried back into the alley.

Out of the alley, as expected, the song was gone.

But this time, she didn’t move, instead waiting quietly for the singing to begin again.

Sure enough, before long, the voice floated over from the distance. Without hesitation, she dashed toward it.

Ahead lay the old street, lined with night market barbecue stalls and eateries. Usually, many singers performed here, taking requests for twenty yuan a song. Was that where the singing was coming from?

“Run forward! Against cold stares and ridicule!
How can one feel the vastness of life without enduring hardship…”

By coincidence, just as she started running, this very verse echoed in her ears.

In that instant, even she felt her blood surging with passion.

So exhilarating!

That electrifying sensation was something she had never experienced before.

It was as if a powerful force was being poured into her body.

Panting, she stopped in front of a deserted stall, looking around in confusion.

The singing had stopped. Was it not here? Had she gone the wrong way?

But she was certain—the sound had come from here.

She stood quietly, waiting for the singing to begin again.

But she waited ten minutes, then twenty… half an hour…

……

p.s. “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky” — original singer: Escape Plan; lyrics: Escape Plan; music: Escape Plan
“The Original Dream” — original singer: Fan Weiqi; lyrics: Yao Ruolong; music: Chen Wei
“Dream Chaser’s Heart” — original singer: GALA; lyrics: Su Duo; music: Gan Hu