Chapter 24: Striving for Perfection

What does love look like? Liao Meiqi didn’t know. She had never been in love. With an exceptional older brother as her standard, she couldn’t help but compare every suitor to him, and each attempt ended before it even began.

Yet, what girl doesn’t yearn for love?

When her brother sent her this song, Liao Meiqi was instantly enchanted. The melody seemed to contain all the world’s loveliness, compelling her to ask, “What’s it called?”

“If There Is Another Life.”

At that moment, her brother’s voice was weighed down with loneliness and sorrow, and Liao Meiqi felt a sharp pain in her heart, as if she couldn’t breathe.

She understood that a man’s story could never be told in full, even in three days and nights.

But this song… she adored it!

The love depicted in its lyrics was exactly what she longed for.

Yet, why should such beautiful, moving lyrics bear the title “If There Is Another Life”?

All eyes were on her.

A gentle piano began to play.

Liao Meiqi steadied her emotions, drawing a deep breath, picturing her brother’s breath as he sang this song. With this feeling, she poured all her yearning for love into the performance, weaving it into a poignant tale in her mind:

“In April, people once began the harvest,
Lying atop high piles of grain, laughing,
I walk through golden wheat fields
Singing to the scarecrow,
Waiting
For the mountain winds to blow…”

Another ballad?

Everyone wore a look of unsurprised recognition.

But this song was worlds apart from “For the Rest of Our Lives.” From its opening notes, it exuded a unique folk flavor—like a gentle spring rain by the Rhine, or sunlight in the suburbs of Xinsan. The images painted by the lyrics were romantic in their simplicity, transporting the listener to a place where happiness and hope reside.

“The lyrics are simple, but the melody is exquisite—perhaps even a cut above ‘For the Rest of Our Lives,’” praised mentor Zheng Yongxu. “This is undoubtedly the work of a brilliant composer. Their musical talent is astonishing!”

Yu Lianzhou’s expression was one of quiet satisfaction, lost in thought.

“You passed through a little town called ‘Me’,
Just as the snow on the roof melted into rain,
You wore a transparent dress,
Singing just for me,
Every song
Was one I loved—”

Under the shifting stage lights, the crane camera swept swiftly and seamlessly around Liao Meiqi. Watching through the monitors, Fu Yuntao was suddenly moved, seeing the tremble of her lashes.

Such pure, heartfelt singing—from an eighteen-year-old girl.

Her voice was like a kingfisher skimming water, a golden oriole’s song, flowing softly into the heart. For an instant, Fu Yuntao felt as if he saw a scene by a beautiful lakeside on the vast grasslands—poetry incarnate.

All the female contestants felt a stirring in their hearts.

At the age of blossoming youth, who doesn’t dream of love? If love looked like what Liao Meiqi sang, it’s no wonder that throughout history, so many have thrown themselves headlong into its sea.

“We’ll go to the lake on the prairie,
Waiting for the birds to return,
When we’re grown,
We’ll have a child,
He’ll grow up and leave,
And we’ll go our separate ways,
I’ll write you letters,
But you won’t reply,
And that’s how it will be—”

“Her timbre is delicate, her voice sublime,” agreed Chen Xiuyuan. “This is an utterly mature song—flawless. Any attempt to add or subtract would risk ruining the whole.”

Zheng Yongxu smiled, prompting, “Listen closely. The song is full of hidden depths—it’s not as straightforward as it seems.”

Chen Xiuyuan paused, then listened intently, tears welling up in his eyes.

When Liao Meiqi finished, thunderous applause filled the hall.

The contestants gazed at her with shining eyes. Each was captivated by her voice, and the star performers of Class A stared at her as if to carve her face into memory.

If a singer could deliver a song of this caliber every time…

The prospect was terrifying—just imagining it made those top contenders shiver and feel breathless.

On stage, Liao Meiqi bowed in gratitude.

Her challenger, Ju Nianzhi, looked utterly defeated.

The victor was clear for all to see.

At the judges’ table, Chen Xiuyuan was silent for a long time before asking curiously, “What’s the name of this song?”

Liao Meiqi pressed her lips together, her voice trembling with emotion as she replied, “If There Is Another Life.”

The room fell silent.

Every line painted scenes of joy and beauty, yet the title was “If There Is Another Life”… All happiness and hope were entrusted to another life; not a word for this one.

The imaginative, passionate women in the audience couldn’t help but grow misty-eyed. What they thought was a love to look forward to, it turned out, could only be fulfilled in another life…

“The title is the finishing touch. Because of it, the song’s meaning is elevated to another level entirely,” Zheng Yongxu praised, clapping. “Number Seventy-Three, every time you take the stage, you bring me a different surprise. Oh, how I wish I could peek inside your head and see what wondrous things are hidden there.”

“Thank you, Teacher,” Liao Meiqi replied, overwhelmed.

The mentors began to confer, evaluating the battle.

Ju Nianzhi sighed, walked onstage, setting aside her earlier arrogance. She smiled kindly at Liao Meiqi and extended her hand.

Liao Meiqi hesitated, then quickly reached out and took it.

The mentors finished their discussion. Chen Xiuyuan picked up the microphone and announced, “After discussion among the five mentors, I now declare the result: Ju Nianzhi’s challenge against Liao Meiqi… has failed!”

“Congratulations, Liao Meiqi, for defending your spot!”

…

East Sea Radio Station.

Liao Yuan carried a packing box into the station’s storage room, loading a condenser microphone and computer sound card into a carrying bag. After registering the equipment with the warehouse manager, he nodded to Director’s Assistant Chen Muen. “Thank you.”

“You should thank Director Lai,” Chen Muen replied coolly. “Without her approval, you wouldn’t have been able to take this equipment.”

She checked the time and added, “It’s almost the end of the workday. Are you going back to the studio?”

“The first part of ‘Ghost Blows Out the Light’ has finished recording. I’ve also pre-recorded some greetings for the audience. When the show airs tonight, you can just have someone play it,” Liao Yuan said, lifting his bag. “Tonight I’ll review the plot for the second part of ‘Ghost Blows Out the Light’ and organize my thoughts for the next phase. If there’s any broadcast issue during the program, feel free to call me and I’ll come right away.”

Chen Muen looked at him for a moment. “Alright, goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

Liao Yuan didn’t linger and left East Sea Radio Station at once.

Though he’d unexpectedly gained permission to use the company’s condenser microphone and sound card, he didn’t feel an urgent need to start recording his first work just yet.

He was a perfectionist.

The sound quality problem was solved, but the inherent shortcomings of the ukulele’s tone still bothered him.

So, once again, he headed to the Steinway Music Store.