Superstars of Tomorrow

Fang Zhao came out from his room around dinner time.

Natiwuzi hadn’t waited for Fang Zhao to have dinner together as he didn’t know when Fang Zhao would be out. Upon seeing Fang Zhao, he took the opportunity to introduce his friend’s band, explain their idea and ask Fang Zhao whether he was willing to perform a short segment tonight.

Fang Zhao thought about it before nodding. “Alright.”

When the band members saw Fang Zhao agreeing, they indicated that they were willing to allow Fang Zhao have the opening performance on the Midnight Stage.

Fang Zhao didn’t understand Space Nightclub’s Saturday program so Natiwuzi patiently explained it to him.

Fang Zhao’s popularity within Yanzhou was well known. If Fang Zhao was willing to reveal his face, Natiwuzi said that he would bring over more manpower so Fang Zhao wouldn’t have to worry about security or harassment from entertainment reporters.

“It is still a little early for the opening segment. Do you want to practice? Have you thought about which song to play?” Natiwuzi asked. Most of Fang Zhao’s works weren’t suitable for guitar performances so he thought that Fang Zhao would choose someone else’s song.

“No worries,” Fang Zhao said. “I composed a new song today. Playing it on the guitar is fine.”

Natiwuzi grinned. “Come, come! I will practice with you! Does this new song have a different style compared to your previous ones? Oh, you didn’t bring your guitar. Let me bring you to pick one. I might not have a lot of stuff here, but the one thing I do not lack is guitars! Tell me whichever one catches your fancy!”

Those band members who had been invited to perform whispered in hushed tones to each other when they saw Natiwuzi’s delighted manner. “Natiwuzi is talking a lot today.”

“He is in a good mood today.”

“I’m in a good mood too. I never imagined we would run into Fang Zhao and hear his new works!”

“But Fang Zhao is a composer. We can’t say for sure how his live performance will be until we have seen it.”

Their global fame was a far cry from Fang Zhao’s, but they still had some confidence when it came to Space and Yanzhou’s pop music circles. They couldn’t compete in terms of music composition or the depth of their work, but they had no fear when it came to expressing themselves on Space’s stage. They had given the opening act to Fang Zhao for two reasons. One was as a sign of goodwill due to his popularity; the second reason was to get a hang of Fang Zhao’s ability so they could react appropriately. If Fang Zhao’s performance wasn’t good, they would perform tactfully to give this young star some face. If Fang Zhao’s performance was outstanding, they would also adjust their original plans to not be overshadowed and lose face.

…

Saturdays from 10pm to midnight was the period in Space where people would let loose. With catchy rhythms and strong beats, the performances here would incite people to gradually reach a crazed and wild high.

People’s emotions could be stirred up easily late in the night. Whatever grievances, unhappiness, weariness or concealed helplessness in the day would all come out when people shed their regular daytime personas.

Of course, there were also people here who came to drink, listen to music and talk.

In a certain VIP box.

A webcast host started today’s live stream. He livestreamed at Space every Saturday mainly for the Midnight Stage program.

“It’s a little noisy here… can everyone hear me clearly?”

The webcast host controlled the camera to capture the situation from inside the VIP box.

“There are really a lot of people here on Saturdays. I wonder who they invited for the Midnight Stage today.”

Minors were prohibited from entering. Even university students who were of legal age would find the prices here rather expensive. Once or twice was still alright, but coming here week in and week out would be a huge financial strain. Besides, they wouldn’t even be able to afford good spots if they entered. An hour in a VIP box like this could be equivalent to an entire month of living expenses. With such a comparison, it was still more worthwhile to watch the livestream.

It was different for the webcast host. He had some financial ability and could book a good spot every time. Having his own space made it convenient to livestream and interact with his audience. People who couldn’t watch the performance live came to watch his livestream.

As a music webcast host who had made a name for himself in the streaming world, he used professional recording and streaming equipment. Even if the surroundings were very noisy, it wouldn’t affect him from being able to interact with live stream audience and fans.

In a certain SVIP box.

A group of about seven or eight were gathered inside.

“I don’t like to brag, but I’ve been a regular customer for over two decades here. Countless invited performers have come and gone. If they have some fame or reputation, I can discern at least eight out of ten even with my eyes closed! Masks can’t hide them from my golden fiery eyes!”

“You? You dare brag in front of me? You have only been here listening for twenty odd years. I, on the other hand, have been following this music program for over four decades! Singers and performers, new and old, I am even familiar with those with little reputation!”

“Exaggeration!”

“Let’s have a competition if you don’t believe it!”

“Bring it on! Let’s see who is able to guess correctly first! Lend me that new flying transport you just bought to play around with for three months if you lose.”

“Heh, who’s afraid? I don’t want your flying transport if you lose. Hand over your private yacht at Teasandsea for three months.”

“Sounds good!”

“Hey Ron, you want in?”

All the others in the booth looked towards the one smoking a cigarette on the sofa.

Ron Zak was the same age as Natiwuzi and was Natiwuzi’s old classmate. His family was quite well-off do, so he had been able to dabble in various instruments from a young age and had set up numerous bands. However, he hurt his hand in an accident sometime later and no longer played the guitar much. However, as a longtime customer of Space, he liked coming to Natiwuzi’s nightclub to listen to music. Ron’s innate talents could be said to be mediocre in all other aspects, but he really wasn’t afraid of anyone when it came to his ability to listen and distinguish sounds. His ears were coined by the Yanzhou Musician Society as the “golden ears”!

He could tell who was lip-singing or using auto-tune right away. Besides that, he had also done extensive research on the styles of all sorts of musical performers and could match the compositions to the right person most of the time. In the past, there had been a singer who had hired someone to write a song on behalf of himself and then passed it off as a self-composition. Ron Zak had exposed this relentlessly on social media and the ensuing brouhaha had lasted for quite a long time.

Hearing his friends call him, Ron Zak waved his hands uninterestedly. “You all go ahead with the game. I don’t bully others.”

“Heh, makes sense. This really wouldn’t pose a challenge to you.”

“These are the ‘golden ears’ that the Yanzhou Musician Society acknowledges! It definitely wouldn’t be difficult for Ron.”

“Speaking of ears, I remembered that Fang Zhao was lauded for his ‘godly ears’. I wonder how they compare to Ron’s.”

Someone else joined in the laughter. “Those are ‘godly ears’. Heh, those definitely wouldn’t be low -evel. Ron, when are these ‘golden ears’ of yours due for an upgrade?”

One was only “golden”, while the other was praised as “godly”. They didn’t know the standard of “godly”, but the authoritative media outlets were the ones who had coined this name. Of course, this didn’t affect the private discussions between the professionals.

Ron looked up and sucked on his cigarette. He exhaled the smoke from his nostrils.

Ron would be lying if he said he didn’t care. However, his attitude towards Fang Zhao was ordinary mostly because Fang Zhao’s works weren’t in the same genre he liked. He had to admit that Fang Zhao was outstanding, but whether he liked Fang Zhao’s works or not was another matter. Ron hadn’t listened to a live concert of Fang Zhao’s, so he maintained a reserved stance towards him.

“That kid Fang Zhao does have some talent.”

Hearing this insipid tone, the others all knew that Ron didn’t particularly enjoy talking about Fang Zhao, so the others no longer pursued the topic.

As midnight approached, the venue’s lighting began to change. The previously pulsating beats also gradually decreased. Everyone followed the rules here and the venue quietened down.

Although the people who were already high stopped for the time being, the intensity in their eyes never dimmed. On the contrary, their anticipation blazed more ferociously with each second and minute that passed.

“It’s almost midnight!”

“I wonder who was invited today.”

“The stage is being cleared, the stage is being cleared! Let’s see what they put there… Eh? Just a stool?”

A staffer had moved a patterned stool onto the stage that had just been tidied up. However, no matter how many patterns it had, it was still just a stool! Everyone was waiting to see what else would be added. Would there be any drums or bulkier instruments? But, after a while, there was still only a stool on the stage.

“There is only a single prop for today’s performance!”

Everyone looked towards the stage expectantly as they counted down the time.

At the stroke of midnight, a person holding a guitar walked onstage.

On second glance, it was still just one person.

Discussions sprouted within the venue.

“Just one person?”

“Who was the one with insider information saying that it was a band that was invited tonight? I wondered if it was that band that I liked. I booked a two hour time slot just for this.”

Slots inside Space were charged by time. Many people came early and waited for a few hours just to see who would be the ones invited tonight.

“This doesn’t seem like a band. Fraud! The information is wrong!”

But, regardless of whether it was a fraud or not, everyone still looked curiously towards the stage when it was time.

The person on stage was wearing ordinary leisure attire. He wore a hood and mask that covered his face so tightly that even his eyes couldn’t be seen. The performer could see them through the mask, but they had no way of seeing who it was behind the mask.

The eyes offstage scanned this person from his physique, hair color, skin color and apparel. Not a single detail slipped by them. However, they were still unable to deduce any identifying information.

“No tattoos, chains, rings or ear studs. The shows aren’t limited edition either. Who is this?”

“Although I can’t say that I’m a fashion expert, I can tell that this person isn’t fashionable. And from what I see, either his hair is too short, or he hasn’t done any styling.”

“In my opinion, the dull clothes and the lack of an impressive aura mean it is most likely a has-been.”

The opinion of many people was that this person onstage didn’t have much of a personality.

Many public figures, especially those in the entertainment circles, would sport trendy hairstyles in public. However, despite all of the scanner-like gazes, no one in the audience was able to discern any special features. Nobody would have paid this person any attention if not for the fact that this person had appeared onstage.

Inside the SVIP booth, those guessing had no clue either.

“I can’t tell. I’ll have to analyze his skill and music style before making a better guess.”

“I can’t see any distinguishing features from a first look. Fortunately, he doesn’t seem nervous.”

The “golden ears” of the Yanzhou Musician Society, Ron Zak, was also interested now.

Interesting. Natiwuzi has given everyone quite the conundrum.

Given Natiwuzi’s style in handling matters, he wouldn’t go as far as to invite someone without any genuine talent or reputation. Could it be… a certain bigshot who hadn’t been active in the industry for a long time?

Who was it?

Ron pepped himself up as he noticed the person on stage preparing to begin.

Fingerstyle? Not strumming?

On stage, the masked Midnight Stage performer’s entire aura changed the moment he sat down. An ordinary person had become a firm and substantial statue. He looked quiet yet extremely forceful. Not saying a single sound was emitted, but the emotions still clearly flowed through.

The now-quiet venue was filled with a prelude that contained a slight air of mystery from the top-notch sound system. The music distinctly permeated every corner of the room.

The immersive warm melody gently rose and made the listeners’ hearts feel lighter. A blank space appeared in the minds of the listeners. Those who were careless were completely submerged.

Amidst the haziness was a tree growing by lake.

There was a strange reflection in the lake beneath the tree.

It was as if something had been forgotten.

A dream? Or an ideal?

It was too distant and indistinct.

Time elapsed.

There was no sound from the tree. Leaves fell gently to the ground. Then, they were picked up by the wind and blown to a faraway and distant place.

The leaves made a long journey.

They wafted back and forth, wandering around. They completed a full circle and everything lost was regained.

The cozy sun shone through the passing clouds in the sky. A warm breezed passed through chatter and laughter in a bustling place and stopped in solitude.

Space, time, displacement.

Days, years, longing.

A leaf floated towards a remote starry sky. Dazzling multicolored particles started to change and warp.

One could stand still and look back into the past. The large tree still stood by the lake, still as luxuriant and vigorous as ever. The people smiled beneath the tree.

Ron shut his eyes and listened as he felt the peculiar sensation brought by the melody. He clearly hadn’t heard it before, yet it felt intimate. It was as though he could hum it the next second, as if it had already long been etched within his soul. The world had become quiet.

The cigarette in his hand was still emitting smoke, yet it was completely forgotten at this moment. The atmosphere around him suddenly became clear. There was only the melody in his ears.

The fingers of his free hand drummed the table with the beat. The sides of his mouth arched upward into a faint smile.

His eyes glistened.

The tune was simple yet charming. It stimulated the senses.

It evoked a variety of sensations: a familiar longing, a peaceful mind, a contented soul.

The guitar strings seemed to have come alive. Every note appeared at the right moment and triggered a myriad of thoughts in the clear-headed listeners. It left behind a realization after an endless time.

Words came from the heart but stopped at the mouth.

It was plain, clear and peaceful.

Ron already couldn’t think of why he found himself here. He was simply celebrating being able to listen to this sort of performance. It was moving, simple and pure, like a storyteller recounting a long-forgotten tale on a fine day.

The tune wasn’t long. It lasted for less than four minutes, yet it made listeners feel as though they had traversed through a faraway time and space. No one bothered to study the performer’s skill. No one bothered to analyze the tune’s style as their thoughts carried them away.

At the end of the tune, Ron sighed deeply as he was hauled back to reality by the rapturous applause.

“Sounds of the world from the outside, reflected from the inside. A real work of art!”

After so many years of listening to music at Space, there were really too few pieces that could be praised as “works of art” by Ron Zak on the spot!

The others in the booth were also stunned by Ron’s evaluation. But, at the same time, they were grimacing. They still couldn’t guess who it was after listening to the entire song!

Upon exchanging glances, they realized, Oh, everyone was the same!

“Ron, can you tell who it is?” Someone asked.

Ron didn’t say anything and fixed his sights on the person onstage.

He couldn’t tell!!

But to play out this performance to such an extent definitely meant that this was an original work by that person. And such an expressive performance that could resonate within the souls of the listeners definitely meant that he wasn’t an unknown!

Could this really be some bigshot who had left the music circles many years ago?

Under the watchful gazes of the audience, the person onstage stood up and bowed before nimbly pulling down his hood and removing his mask.

The venue went crazy when the mask was uncovered.

Shrieks and screams erupted as people jumped up and down to get a better look.

“Fang Zhao?”

“The f*ck! It is Fang Zhao!!”

“Hit me quick! Am I hallucinating from having too much to drink? I am actually seeing Fang Zhao here!!”

Some drunk lying on the sofa in a booth opened his eyes and mumbled, “I actually dreamt that there were people shouting Fang Zhao’s name.”

Yet another ear piercing shriek rang out.

The recent news had caused quite a stir. And, this was on top of Fang Zhao’s previously accumulated popularity. The majority of people in the larger regions of Yanzhou wouldn’t make a mistake recognizing Fang Zhao’s face.

Ron had dropped his cigarette in shock. His eyes were wide open as if he was watching the world crumble.

He swallowed and searched for an image of Fang Zhao disbelievingly. He then looked towards the person onstage holding the guitar and couldn’t lie to himself any further.

It was Fang Zhao!

Why is it Fang Zhao!!

He had also studied Fang Zhao’s works before, and there simply hadn’t been this kind of style! Furthermore, this sort of expressive ability wasn’t something that could be done without decades of training and experience!

But! He could swear on his golden ears that there definitely wasn’t any falsification in this performance!

But… why was it Fang Zhao!

Countless “whys” whizzed around in Ron’s mind.

At the same time, Fang Zhao’s movements were quickly circulated through various information channels, and all the entertainment reporters in the city rushed towards Space.

Online, fans, anti-fans and curious netizens with nothing to do got embroiled in discussions and flame wars. The trending news late at night was out of the ordinary.

Reports, complaints and other issues reached a peak within a short time on the social media platform. The automated customer service was jammed and switched to manual. Malfunctions occurred a short while later, and customer service teams and maintenance engineers in Yanzhou were woken up in the middle of the night for overtime.

Fang Zhao! You again!

Why are you playing the guitar in the middle of the night!!

Ah?!

Why are you playing the guitar!!!