Have you ever been a celebrity? Why are you writing about entertainment?

At 11 p.m., only the old-fashioned desk lamp on Meng Han's desk was still lit in his room. He was leaning back in his leather swivel chair, resting with his eyes closed.

The Grammy nomination certificate and Golden Melody Award trophy on the wall gleamed under the dim light, bearing witness to his more than 30-year music career.

He's urgently helping Meng Lei write a new song. That unlucky kid doesn't know what he's doing; the competition is almost over and he still hasn't released a song.

If he backs down this time, he'll never be able to hold his head high in the Chinese music scene again...

Thinking of this, Meng Han rubbed his temples, intending to work harder to finish the song in front of him. If all else failed, he would let Lei Lei sing it.

Just as he was worrying about how his son would survive the next round of the competition, his phone suddenly vibrated. It was a voice message from Meng Lei.

He opened the voice message, and Meng Lei's slightly nervous voice came through: "Dad, my song has been released. Do you... have time to listen to it?"

Although nervous, Meng Lei's voice carried an undisguised anticipation, as if he really wanted him to hear the song.

"It's been sent. When?"

Meng Han sighed. It seemed his son had ultimately chosen to just go through the motions. But that was fine too, since he wouldn't need the song anymore...

To be honest, he didn't have high expectations for Meng Lei, after all, at his age, he was already going up against Chen Ping in his prime.

Perhaps, as some netizens have said, this kid really didn't inherit much of his musical genes.

He would still give his son face. Without thinking, Meng Han opened the music app and discovered that Meng Lei's new song was called "Father," written by Yu Wei.

"This is……"

The simple guitar intro began, with a few clean and crisp chords, which surprised Meng Han. When did his son's guitar skills improve?

"Always asking you for..."
But I never said thank you.

Meng Han's eyes, which had been half-closed, opened slightly.

His son's pitch was much more stable than before, but what surprised him even more was the emotional depth in his voice.

Meng Lei's voice wasn't particularly outstanding; his midrange was somewhat thin. But at this moment, it conveyed a sincere awkwardness that made it all the more touching.

"Until I grew up"

Only now do I understand how difficult it has been for you.

Meng Han involuntarily sat up straight. These few lines of lyrics were simple and straightforward, yet they felt like fine needles gently piercing his heart.

He suddenly remembered when Leilei was in elementary school, he would often work in the recording studio until late at night, and his son would already be asleep when he got home; he remembered that he couldn't attend his son's junior high school graduation ceremony because he was in a meeting in Beijing...

"Every time I leave, it's always..."
Pretend to be relaxed

Smiling, I said, "Let's go back."
Tears welled in her eyes as she turned away.

Meng Han's fingers tapped unconsciously on the table. As a professional, he keenly noticed the effort his son had put into handling this verse.

The slight tremor at the end of the second phrase is not a result of poor technique, but rather a deliberate control of breathiness, which perfectly expresses the feigned strength of the emotion.

Such attention to detail is impossible without a deep understanding of the song...

When the chorus arrived, Meng Han was completely immersed in it.

"Time, time, please slow down."
Don't let yourself get any older.

Meng Lei's high notes weren't perfect; there was a slight tension. But it was precisely this sincerity within the imperfection that brought tears to Meng Han's eyes.

He recalled looking in the mirror last week and noticing that the gray hairs at his temples were no longer concealed; he recalled the sharp pain in his lower back when he bent down to pick up sheet music last month—he was truly no longer young.

I would give everything

In exchange for your eternal youth.

In these few lines of singing, Meng Lei's voice carried an almost devout, prayerful quality.

As a producer, Meng Han has heard countless professional singers perform various emotions, but he has to admit that the unadorned childlike innocence in his son's performance is something that many technically skilled singers lack.

As the music transitions into an interlude, a simple yet emotionally rich guitar solo unfolds.

Meng Han was surprised to find that her son's guitar skills were actually quite solid; his string bends and slides were handled with delicate restraint. This required a lot of practice, but when had the child started practicing?
As the second verse began, Meng Han closed his eyes.

At this moment, he no longer judged from the professional perspective of a music producer, but simply listened as a father.

Thank you for everything.

"Our hands hold up our home."

Memories flooded back, and Meng Han recalled 1998 when he was still working hard on his first album, his wife was pregnant with Lei Lei, and the family was struggling financially.

He took on three music arrangement jobs at the same time, sleeping only four hours a day, all to give his wife and children a better life.

It turns out my son knew about those exhausting years.

Always do your best

Give me the best.

Meng Han's Adam's apple bobbed. He always tried his best to give his son the best—the best school, the best material conditions—but he was stingy with his time.

He once thought that a successful father should pave a smooth road for his children, but he forgot that spending time with them is the best gift.

As the song reached its climax, Meng Lei's voice became completely unrestrained, even with a few off-key moments, but his emotions burst forth.

Am I your pride?
Are you still worried about me?
The child you long for.

"You've grown up."

At this moment, Meng Han finally couldn't hold back, and a tear slid down her cheek.

He never told his son, "You are my pride." He always had high expectations for his son and always felt that his son could do better.

Looking back now, did those silences make my son feel unappreciated?

The last line, "Thank you for being there all the way," gradually faded, the last note on the guitar disappeared into the air, the song ended, and the room fell silent.

Meng Han sat in the darkness, unable to calm down for a long time.

As a musician with thirty years of experience, this was the first time he had been so thoroughly moved by a song and a performance.

It's not because of its superior technique or complex arrangement, but because it directly touches the softest part of people's hearts.

Even if someone else sang this song, it wouldn't have had such a powerful impact on him...

He replayed the recording and analyzed it carefully as a professional. He wanted to give an objective evaluation of the song and ensure that his son could win!
The song "Father" is actually quite ingeniously composed by Yu Wei. The melody is simple and easy to remember, and the vocal range is within the range that ordinary people can handle. It is warm and nostalgic.

The lyrics are straightforward and plain, without any fancy words, yet every word hits the heart.

Yu Wei once again demonstrated his ability as a "music industry pastor," playing the emotional card very well, and even he almost listened to it.

Meng Lei's performance also had many clever touches. He lowered the volume in the verses to create a sense of storytelling; the emotional progression in the chorus was natural and not overly sentimental.

The line "Please accept this small token of my concern" was handled with great care, conveying a child's anxiety about wanting to repay his father but not knowing where to begin...

This song successfully made Meng Han realize that his son was not a coward!

We really have to thank Yu Wei. Without him, even if Meng Lei made progress, he wouldn't have had a chance to show it off.

The theme of this song seems tailor-made for the current situation, and Yu Weicai is the biggest contributor to this song.

Just as Meng Han was thinking of finding Yu Wei to express his gratitude, a new Japanese song suddenly appeared in front of him.

Milk Tea, by Yu Wei.

It's Yu Wei's new work! When did this kid secretly release another Japanese song...?

Meng Han subconsciously clicked on it, but the melody of the song seemed familiar. Wasn't this the verse of "Father" from earlier?

Therefore, Yu Wei's Japanese song is not intended to steal the base, but rather to divide it into two parts and try to do both.
That's truly a brilliant tactic! (End of Chapter)