Just because I wrote "Zhu Xian," the school beauty sent me razor blades.

Tianxing Music Studio.

Lin Yuan didn't open any rhythm templates or write lyrics first; instead, he sat there thinking for nearly twenty minutes.

Faye Wong and Na Ying.

When these two names are put together, there are very few songs in the entire Chinese music scene that can match this lineup.

He wasn't thinking about the melody or the lyrics; he was thinking about these two people.

Faye Wong's voice is like a cloud, clear and pure, untouched by worldly concerns, but if you listen carefully, you can hear a kind of serenity that comes from experiencing a lot.

Na Ying's voice is warm, deep, and expansive; her voice evokes the warmth and humanity of everyday life.

The two voices, one ethereal and the other warm, one celestial and the other earthly, are placed together.

If I write too much detail, it will seem contrived; if I write too little, it won't do justice to our twenty-year friendship; and if I rely on the usual "friendship over the years," it will fall into cliché.

The more difficult part is that the Spring Festival Gala stage is not a place to showcase skills.

At this time, it's almost midnight on Lunar New Year's Eve, and everyone is sitting in front of their screens with their families, filled with anticipation for the whole year.

What this song is about capturing is that moment, that emotion.

The melody abandons the exciting arrangement, with the piano as the base, the strings slowly unfolding in the middle section, and the harmonies overlapping in the chorus.

At 2 a.m. on the third day, he put the last note on the score, leaned back in his chair, listened to the complete demo, and sent it directly to Fei Zhao: "It's ready."

Fei Zhao received it at eight in the morning. After reviewing the score and listening to the demo, he replied with three words: "Sent."

The email was sent simultaneously to three places: the Spring Festival Gala directing team, Faye Wong's agent, and Na Ying's agent.

While waiting for feedback, Lin Yuan took a nap. When he woke up and checked his phone, Fei Zhao sent him a message:

"Wang Fei and Na Ying said they are free this afternoon and can connect via video."

Lin Yuan glanced at the time and replied, "Okay."

At 3 p.m., the video call connected, and Faye Wong and Na Ying appeared on the screen at the same time.

Na Ying was the first to speak, her tone direct: "Over the years, it's rare to hear a song that perfectly captures our friendship. It's not deliberately sentimental, but every line speaks to the heart."

Faye Wong replied casually, "The melody is clean, no need for screaming, suitable for calming emotions before midnight on the Spring Festival Gala."

Na Ying said to the screen, "Xiao Lin, this is well-written; this song deserves to be sung well."

Lin Yuan didn't refuse and said, "Thank you, Sister Na."

Na Ying laughed out loud, and Faye Wong's lips twitched, which could be considered a smile as well.

The three of them spent an hour and a half online working on it, meticulously refining a few lyrics, adding two lines of dialogue, and finally finalizing the harmony arrangement:

Each verse is sung solo, the chorus is sung together, and the song ends with a chorus.

Faye Wong said her final words: "That's enough, sing it like this."

The news was leaked the following morning.

#Lin Yuan directs Spring Festival Gala duet with Faye Wong and Na Ying# This hashtag unexpectedly went viral, and within half an hour, it had over 20 million views.

Fans from all three sides flooded the comments section almost simultaneously, creating a scene reminiscent of a pre-Chinese New Year movie hype.

@AkinaMountainOldManLoyalFan: Wait, wait, wait, Old Man writes a Spring Festival Gala theme song? Or is it a duet by Faye Wong and Na Ying? I need to calm down for a second... Okay, I've calmed down, I'm blown away!

@Wang Fei Global Fan Club: Faye Wong is back on the Spring Festival Gala stage after many years, teaming up with Na Ying and Lin Yuan's original song, a triple bombshell! I must stay up until the very last second this New Year's Eve.

@NaYing's fans, look here: Finally, I've waited for these two old friends to share the stage, and it's even a custom-made original performance. I've already moved my little stool and am waiting for the Spring Festival Gala.

@Senior music critic Feng Zian: To be honest, what I'm most curious about is the musical style. Lin Yuan's own compositions already have a certain style, but how will he handle the two vocal lines simultaneously when writing exclusive duets for two divas? This really tests his skills. I'll wait for the Spring Festival Gala.

@Passerby_Doesn'tChaseStars: Ah, my mom finally agreed to sit down and watch the Spring Festival Gala on New Year's Eve this year, because she's a Faye Wong fan. I sent her a screenshot of this trending topic, and she replied with four words—"Go home early."

Twenty days before Lunar New Year's Eve, Lin Yuan set off for the CCTV rehearsal base.

For their first in-person meeting, Lin Yuan arrived ten minutes earlier than scheduled and waited in the corridor.

Na Ying arrived first, and upon seeing him as she entered, she exclaimed, "Oh, you're here even earlier than me!"

Lin Yuan stood up. "Hello, Ms. Na Ying."

Na Ying waved her hand, "Call me 'sister,' 'teacher' makes me feel old."

Two minutes later, Faye Wong arrived, her scarf wrapped twice around her neck and her hat pulled low. She took it off as she came in, saw Lin Yuan, nodded, and said, "You're here."

Lin Yuan said, "Hmm."

In the rehearsal room, the accompaniment music started playing. Faye Wong and Na Ying stood in their respective positions, exchanged a glance, and began to speak.

The first time, without any prior rehearsal or trying to find the right rhythm, the entire rehearsal room fell silent for about three seconds the moment the two of them opened their mouths to sing and the chorus and harmony came down.

The background music was still playing when a young assistant director in the directing team turned to his colleague and whispered, "Is this all for the first take?"

After Na Ying finished singing the chorus, she stopped and said, "Okay, this feels right, that's it."

Wang Fei didn't speak, but the corner of her mouth twitched slightly, which could be considered as her approval.

The director attended the performance, listened to the entire piece, and immediately approved it for prime time; the stage design was finalized that very night.

The main visual features a blue-purple gradient, tiered lighting, and a stage filled with mist. There are no backup dancers. Faye Wong and Na Ying stand at opposite ends of the tiers, slowly walking towards each other in the middle, and holding hands on the last line of the chorus.

This proposal was suggested by Lin Yuan, and the production team didn't change a single word.

For the next twenty days, Lin Yuan stayed by the backing track every day, watching the mixing, adjusting the breathing points, and fine-tuning the arrangement to match the live vocals of the two divas.

On the seventh day, Na Ying came over, stood beside him and listened for a while, then said:

"You're even more serious than us."

Lin Yuan replied, "It's only right to be meticulous; this song deserves it."

Na Ying didn't say anything more, patted him on the shoulder, and walked back onto the stage.

The final rehearsal ended before Lunar New Year's Eve.

In the corridor, Faye Wong, Na Ying, and Lin Yuan said goodbye.

Na Ying patted him on the shoulder, her voice steady: "Tomorrow night's live broadcast, leave this song to us."

Wang Fei glanced at him and said softly, "Your lyrics capture the essence of time."

Lin Yuan stood there, not saying anything fancy, but simply nodding.

The two divas turned and left, the corridor lights casting shadows on their backs—one aloof, the other open and cheerful. Their friendship of over twenty years needed no explanation.

Outside the window, fireworks were already lighting up the city sporadically, and the festive atmosphere of the New Year was spreading in from the city's outskirts. It was lively and bustling, and another year was about to pass.

Lin Yuan leaned against the window, looking at the sky, without saying a word.

The song has been submitted, and tomorrow is the Spring Festival Gala.