Huayu97: Starting with Wu Song Fighting the Tiger

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Liu Xiang lowered his head and kissed her forehead, then held her as they sat on the stone bench, saying:

"Don't be afraid. When you go on stage tomorrow, just imagine that the people in the audience are the mango trees and jasmine flowers in the yard, and that they only have eyes for me and only watch me sing. Then everything will be fine."

No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you.

"Mmm!" Liang Jingru nodded vigorously, buried her face in his chest, and listened to his steady heartbeat. The tension in her heart dissipated instantly.

She knew that as long as Liu Xiang was by her side, she would dare to stand on any stage, no matter how big it was.

As night deepened, the gentle light from the courtyard bathed the two of them, and the guitar rested quietly on the stone table.

The strings seemed to still retain a lingering warmth, waiting for the next day to play the most moving melody in front of the entire school.

.........

The sky was clear and the air was crisp on the day of the opening ceremony.

On the playground of Johor Town High School, rows of plastic benches are neatly arranged.

Nearly a thousand students from the entire school sat down according to their classes.

A temporary stage was set up in front, covered with a red carpet, and the sound equipment was tested. School leaders and teachers sat in the guest seats on both sides of the stage, making the scene exceptionally grand.

The opening ceremony proceeded quickly, with speeches from the principal, outstanding teachers, and new student representatives, all carried out in an orderly manner.

Most of the students in the audience weren't really paying attention to the speech; they were chatting away, looking forward to the upcoming performances.

Liang Jingru sat at the front of the class line, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, her palms covered in cold sweat.

Even though Liu Xiang had comforted her for half the night before, she still couldn't help but feel nervous when it was time to go on stage.

My heart was pounding, as if it was going to jump out of my throat.

Liu Xiang stood in the waiting area on the side of the stage, holding a brand-new wooden guitar in his arms, which he had specially bought from a music store in town yesterday.

He looked at the little girl fidgeting in the audience, smiled, mouthed to her, and said, "Don't be afraid, look at me."

When Liang Jingru saw his lip movements and met his gentle yet firm gaze, she instantly felt much more at ease.

She nodded vigorously at him, and slowly loosened her grip on the hem of her clothes.

Soon, the host walked onto the stage and announced with a smile:

"Next, let's give a warm round of applause to welcome Liang Jingru, the champion of this year's Penang Chinese Singing Competition, from Class 3 of Grade 11, who will be performing the song 'Song in the Coconut Breeze,' accompanied by guitarist Mr. Liu Xiang!"

As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted from the audience, and many boys whistled and cheered.

After all, Liang Jingru was a well-known beauty and academic star in school, and also a singer who won the city-level competition, so she was already extremely popular.

Liang Jingru took a deep breath, stood up from her seat, straightened her white dress, and walked step by step toward the stage.

As soon as she stepped onto the stage, Liu Xiang, carrying a guitar, walked up from the side and stood beside her.

The moment the two appeared, the audience quieted down considerably.

Fish Leong is already beautiful, and today she specially wore light makeup and a white dress. Standing on the stage, she looked like a clean white jasmine, fresh and charming.

Liu Xiang, standing beside her, was tall and straight, wearing a simple white shirt and holding a guitar. With his handsome features and calm demeanor, he attracted the attention of all the girls in the room, even just by standing there casually.

"Wow, is this Liang Jingru's brother?"

"He's so handsome!"

"Oh my god, I thought he was handsome when he was distributing snacks, but he's even more handsome standing on stage today!"

"I heard he wrote this song. He's handsome and so talented, he's practically perfect!"

The girls in the audience chattered excitedly, their eyes glued to Liu Xiang on stage; they absolutely adored her.

Ah Zhe sat in the class line, looking at the two people standing side by side on the stage, and was so angry that he gritted his teeth.

He was filled with jealousy and resentment.

He wanted to see what tricks Liu Xiang could pull.

On stage, Liu Xiang nodded slightly to Liang Jingru and then began to play the guitar.

A gentle and clear prelude slowly rose from the strings and spread throughout the entire playground through the speakers.

It lacks flashy techniques, yet possesses just the right amount of gentleness.

Every note seemed to resonate with everyone's aesthetic sensibilities, instantly captivating the ears of everyone in the audience.

The playground, which had been bustling with chatter, suddenly fell silent.

Everyone looked up at the two people on the stage, even the school leaders put down their water cups and listened with great interest.

As the intro ended, Liang Jingru picked up the microphone and began to sing softly.

Her voice is sweet and clear, carrying the unique gentleness of a girl from Southeast Asia, yet also possessing an indomitable courage. She sings every lyric with utmost sincerity.

The wind in the small town blows through the coconut grove, carrying the scent of the sea.

I embraced my dream, walked through the seasons, and never thought of giving up.

Until that ray of light fell into my eyes and accompanied me through the storms…

The singing, accompanied by the gentle sound of a guitar, echoed across the empty playground.

Everyone in the audience was completely absorbed in the music. No one spoke or made a fuss. The only sounds in the entire playground were Liang Jingru's singing and Liu Xiang's guitar playing.

As Liang Jingru sang, her eyes were only on Liu Xiang beside her, and all her previous nervousness and timidity disappeared without a trace.

She sings her own story, the light he gave her, and every lyric is filled with unconcealed love.

Soon, the song reached its interlude.

Suddenly, Liu Xiang raised her eyebrows, and the originally gentle melody abruptly changed rhythm, with a smooth guitar solo instantly resounding throughout the venue.

His fingers danced rapidly across the strings, effortlessly executing various difficult techniques without appearing flashy at all.

Every note is incredibly moving.

Sometimes gentle as a sea breeze, sometimes passionate as a surging wave, it builds up layer by layer, making your scalp tingle.

The students below the stage instantly erupted in cheers, with everyone standing up and applause and cheers deafening.

The girls, in particular, screamed and became complete fans of Liu Xiang.

Even the teachers in the guest seats couldn't help but applaud, and Ms. Li from the Literature and Art Department was particularly amazed.

She has been teaching music for over a decade and has never seen an amateur guitarist play to this level. Even professional guitarists in Kuala Lumpur are no better.

Ah Zhe sat in the audience, his face pale and his whole body trembling slightly.

His guitar skills, which he was so proud of, were simply child's play compared to Liu Xiang's solo performance.

Those difficult techniques that he had practiced for a long time and barely managed to play were played by Liu Xiang with ease and fluency. The difference between the two was like heaven and earth.

He had previously thought he could outdo Liu Xiang, but now he realizes he's just a joke.

As the interlude ended, the melody softened again, and Fish Leong's voice rang out once more.

This time, her voice had more confidence and strength, making her singing even more moving and perfectly complementing the guitar.

As the music ended and the last note faded, the entire playground fell silent for two seconds.

Then, a thunderous applause and cheers erupted, lasting for a long time.