Chapter 1102: Chapter 1102: Moved to Tears
"Hoo~"
From a distance, Zhuo Ming watched Lin Tian and let out a long, turbid breath, as if he wanted to exhale all the pent-up frustration in his chest.
How sharp was Lin Tian’s perception? The moment he felt someone’s gaze on him, he immediately turned his eyes over.
The two faced each other from afar, their gazes suddenly colliding for a brief moment.
For some reason, Zhuo Ming suddenly became like a mouse that had met a cat. He hurriedly dodged Lin Tian’s eyes, withdrew his thoughts, lowered his head and sat in the chair, no one knew what he was thinking about.
All of a sudden Zhuo Ming regretted it. Why was he feeling guilty? He clearly hadn’t done anything yet. Wasn’t the correct way to go up and say hello?
Just from one look meeting another, Zhuo Ming had already fallen into a disadvantage.
Lin Tian, on the other hand, furrowed his brows in confusion, feeling that this person seemed to have something he wanted to say to him.
Noticing Lin Tian’s gaze, Jiang Pan Die also glanced in that direction and said, "That’s the guest Tong invited. He’s pretty nice, I’ll introduce you two later."
"Okay." Lin Tian nodded, not taking it to heart.
Zhou Mi hooked her hand around Jiang Pan Die’s wrist and muttered quietly, "Pan Die, it’s not that he’s nice, it’s that he’s into you—he wants to hit on you. I suggest you stay away from him. I don’t like him."
"I know all that. I really don’t feel much for him. And it’s not like he’s done anything to you, why do you hate him so much?" Jiang Pan Die said, a little exasperated and amused. In her eyes, Zhuo Ming at most counted as a colleague who had passed her water a few times, praised her a couple of times, and didn’t have much to talk about. He didn’t even really count as a friend.
Jiang Pan Die had way too many colleagues like that around her, and far too many people wanting to hit on her. But they didn’t harbor any real malice, and Jiang Pan Die couldn’t say she liked them, but she didn’t dislike them either.
"Because... he’s too girly, and too delicate, not a shred of manliness. His face’s already that pale and he still puts on makeup for no reason, it’s just..."
The more Zhou Mi spoke, the more disgusted she sounded, and at the end she even rolled her eyes.
"You’re one to talk, you’re like a little tomboy yourself, cluck cluck cluck." Jiang Pan Die didn’t have many friends usually; Zhou Mi counted as one. After half a year of getting along, the two were basically like best girlfriends, so teasing a little was perfectly normal.
Zhou Mi lifted her chin proudly. "This is what you call handsome, way more handsome than that sissy!"
Seeing her like this, Lin Tian actually found her quite cute and couldn’t help but chuckle. Someone who’d once been a big-sister boss really was different; this personality of hers probably wasn’t going to change in this lifetime.
"Alright, let’s not stand here chatting. Lin Tian, I’ll take you to meet a teacher." Jiang Pan Die said.
"Teacher?" Lin Tian looked at her, puzzled.
"An arranger. We can’t just sing the original version on stage; we have to make some changes." Jiang Pan Die said.
Lin Tian shrugged. "Sure, this is your turf anyway. I’ll just do whatever you say."
The "teacher" Jiang Pan Die mentioned was Zhou Wenhong, a middle‑aged lady in glasses who looked to be around fifty and exuded a very refined air; her vibe was somewhat similar to Xv Baiping’s. She was a very famous lyricist and composer, having written over a thousand lyrics and melodies over the past twenty years. She was also the music director at Heyue Company. Some people said that if she had been born in ancient times, she would have been a renowned female poet on par with Li Qingzhao.
Even if Lin Tian was ignorant about a lot of things, he still knew of someone this famous. After all, many of his favorite songs were written by her.
Jiang Pan Die brought Lin Tian over to her and introduced them to each other.
On first meeting Mr. Zhou, Lin Tian’s first impression was that she was easy to get along with; at the very least, her voice was soft and gentle, and she had a strong sense of warmth about her when she spoke.
"Hello, Lin Tian. I’ve heard Pan Die mention you before—you’re not only skilled in medicine but also a good singer. Your performance on the Medical University stage last time was very good." As she spoke, Zhou Wenhong proactively extended her hand.
This talented lady could definitely count as Lin Tian’s idol. Being praised like that, he suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. His little heart thumped as he shook her hand, touching and then letting go.
Only now did he fully understand just how stirred up Zhou Mi must’ve felt when she first met Jiang Pan Die earlier. It really was exciting.
Seeing Lin Tian’s face, Jiang Pan Die burst out laughing. "Didn’t think you’d blush too."
Lin Tian gave a couple of sheepish laughs. "I’m just excited to see my idol. Mr. Zhou, could I get your autograph and a photo later?"
Zhou Wenhong was stunned for a second, then chuckled softly. "Of course. We’ll be spending quite a bit of time together these few days, so there’ll be plenty of chances. For now, let’s talk about what song you’re going to sing on stage."
"Okay." Lin Tian nodded, acting like an obedient little boy.
"I’ve watched the video of you singing on the Medical University stage. Your rap is pretty good—great sense of rhythm and pitch. I honestly can’t imagine that was all improvised on stage," Zhou Wenhong said. This was definitely not flattery; it was a very honest assessment.
Lin Tian smiled. At times like this, it was better to be modest.
His adaptability was strong; the wild excitement from meeting his idol had already settled down a lot, though he still held that respect in his heart.
"What other styles do you suit? After all, Zhuo Ming already has two rap tracks. For the best effect, we should have something different," Zhou Wenhong said.
Lin Tian tilted his head and thought for a moment, but in the end didn’t really come up with anything specific.
"I guess... I can sing anything..."
"What do you mean ’anything’?" Zhou Wenhong frowned, clearly displeased with such a vague answer.
"Mm... I feel like I can sing any style," Lin Tian said. He wasn’t exaggerating and he wasn’t being humble; that was genuinely how he felt. After all, his Eight Extraordinary Meridians had all been opened, and he’d even formed his Golden Core. He could control his breath and voice extremely steadily, so singing shouldn’t be a problem.
From the side, Jiang Pan Die chimed in, "Teacher, Lin Tian really can do a lot. Why don’t you test him on the spot?"
"Hmm... you know ’Ten Years,’ right? Use that to warm up." As she spoke, Zhou Wenhong sat down at the piano, her ten fingers poised on the keys, ready to accompany Lin Tian. "Tell me when you’re ready."
Lin Tian nodded. "Teacher, you can start."
Zhou Wenhong closed her eyes, her expression turning much more serious than before. As the first note was struck, her hands became like two butterflies dancing lightly over the keys, flying across them as if guided by some divine power.
She didn’t make too many changes and played almost the same as the original arrangement, but it was incredibly pleasant to listen to.
As the accompaniment eased into the melody, Lin Tian opened his mouth and began to sing.
If those two words hadn’t trembled
I wouldn’t have realized how much it hurt
...
Ten years later
We’re still friends, we can still say hello
It’s just that kind of tenderness
Can’t find a reason for an embrace anymore
Lovers in the end are bound to turn into friends
...
Lin Tian sang with his eyes closed, very focused. The sound of the piano and his low voice seemed to blend into one.
Jiang Pan Die and Zhou Mi were his most loyal listeners right now, and they were also listening with the same testing mindset as Zhou Wenhong. But as they listened, somehow, Lin Tian’s voice seeped into them like a spring rain that moistens without a sound, stirring up a sour ache in their hearts. It was as if they could actually see two lovers who had been together for ten years, standing on a familiar street corner, breaking up in tears.
Lovers in the end are bound to turn into friends...
As Lin Tian finished the last line, Jiang Pan Die and Zhou Mi were left standing there in a daze, tears streaming down their faces like pear blossoms in the rain, as if they were the ones who had just gone through the breakup.
