Chapter 5: A Debut That Stuns the Room

Xiang Qian hummed a tune all the way home, a smile he couldn't hide plastered across his face. The moment he pushed open the door, his mother noticed his unusually happy expression, set down the vegetable basket in her hands, and asked, "Qian-zi, what are you so happy about?"

"Mom! I passed Shaw Brothers' preliminary audition registration!" Xiang Qian closed the distance to his mother in three quick strides. "Tomorrow I take part in the official preliminary audition performance."

His father, who had been reading the newspaper, looked up at the words: "You passed already? Looks like my son really does have the makings of a star!"

His mother wiped her hands, smiled, and patted Xiang Qian on the shoulder: "I told you my son is the best! What number are you performing tomorrow?"

"I've prepared an original song." Xiang Qian gave a mysterious wink. "Guaranteed to give the judges a real shock."

His father set down the newspaper and asked curiously, "Original? Since when do you know how to write songs?"

"Well..." Xiang Qian rubbed the back of his head, "I got some inspiration recently. Dad, Mom, I'm going back to my room to practice a bit more."

Under the desk lamp, Xiang Qian cradled his guitar and gently plucked the strings. The melody of "Let Me Be Happy, Let Me Worry" drifted slowly through the room. He hummed softly, and in his mind rose the scene of Zhou Huajian singing this song in a later age.

"Should be fine..." Xiang Qian set down the guitar and glanced at the alarm clock. "It's already one in the morning — I need to get some rest. Tomorrow I have to go on in top form."

Xiang Qian arrived at the venue two hours early. The preliminary audition was being held in a small studio at Shaw Brothers Studio, and a long queue had already formed at the door. He noticed a familiar figure standing not far away — Zhou Huimin, head lowered, looking at her sheet music.

"Huimin!" Xiang Qian walked over on his own initiative to greet her.

Zhou Huimin looked up, saw it was Xiang Qian, and a sweet smile immediately spread across her face: "Qian-zi! You're here this early too."

"Yeah, I wanted to get familiar with the venue ahead of time." Xiang Qian pointed at the sheet music in her hand. "What song did you prepare?"

"'The Moon Represents My Heart'..." Zhou Huimin said, a little embarrassed.

Before Xiang Qian could say anything, a staff member began calling numbers: "Numbers 18 through 25, prepare to enter!"

"I'm number 20." Zhou Huimin nervously tightened her grip on the sheet music.

"Don't be nervous, you'll do great." Xiang Qian encouraged her softly. "I'll wait for you outside."

Half an hour later, Zhou Huimin came running out with a flushed face: "I... I passed! The judges said my voice is very pure!"

"That's wonderful!" Xiang Qian was genuinely happy for her. "I told you you could do it."

"Numbers 26 through 30, prepare!" The staff member's voice rang out again.

Xiang Qian took a deep breath: "My turn."

The studio wasn't large, but it was very professionally arranged. Three judges sat behind a long table directly in front — on the left was the famous writer Ni Kuang, in the middle was Shaw Brothers' Head of the Artists Department Li Ling, and on the right was music producer Huang Zhan.

"Number 29, Wu Xiang Qian." Li Ling flipped through the registration form. "Your paperwork says you're performing an original song?"

Xiang Qian walked to the center of the stage with his guitar and gave a slight bow: "Yes, an original of mine called 'Let Me Be Happy, Let Me Worry.'"

Ni Kuang pushed up his glasses and said with keen interest: "The young man has courage — go ahead."

As the first chord sounded, the entire studio fell silent in an instant. Xiang Qian's clear voice, paired with the beautiful melody, made all three judges unconsciously sit up straighter.

"Love to the end, spilled water hard to reclaim, love lingers on and hate lingers on..."

When the chorus came in, Zhou Huimin, standing in the backstage waiting area, covered her mouth in surprise. She had never heard such a moving melody, and she had never expected Xiang Qian's vocal prowess to be this outstanding.

The last note fell, and the studio was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Suddenly, Ni Kuang was the first to stand and applaud: "Good! Excellent!"

Huang Zhan slapped the table excitedly: "This melody, these lyrics! Young man, are you sure this is your original?"

"Absolutely." Xiang Qian answered without changing expression, though in his heart he was silently apologizing to Zhou Huajian.

Li Ling's eyes lit up: "Perfect pitch, a unique vocal timbre, astonishing creative ability... Wu Xiang Qian, you've passed the preliminary audition! Come back tomorrow morning at nine for the secondary audition!"

"Qian-zi! You're amazing!" Zhou Huimin trotted after Xiang Qian, her cheeks flushed red. "That song was really so beautiful, I cried listening to it!"

Xiang Qian scratched his head, embarrassed: "It's not that exaggerated..."

"Really!" Zhou Huimin's eyes sparkled. "You're handsome, you can write songs, and you sing so beautifully... I've never met anyone as amazing as you!"

Being praised like this by the goddess of his heart, the tips of Xiang Qian's ears turned red: "Actually... if you like, I could write a song for you too, for the competition."

"Really?" Zhou Huimin jumped up in delight, then shyly lowered her head again. "But... wouldn't that be too much trouble for you..."

"No trouble at all." Xiang Qian looked at her seriously. "I'd be very happy to write a song for you."

Zhou Huimin's face turned even redder. She lowered her head and fidgeted with the hem of her clothes: "Then... then it's a deal. Good luck at the secondary audition tomorrow!"

"Mm, see you tomorrow." Xiang Qian watched her leave, his mind already beginning to conceive what song to write for Zhou Huimin. "The One I Love Most"? "Infatuation Exchanged for Deep Affection"? Or perhaps...