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

In the top-floor office of Tianxing Entertainment, a gold-embossed invitation letter lay quietly on a specially made mahogany desk.

The hard, black cover was covered in expensive gold leaf and printed with several large, cursive English words: The Sound of Eternity.

Initiated by the European Council for Vocal Arts and the International Music Expo (IME), this is the world's first top-level music competition, broadcast live in 4K ultra-high definition across the entire network, a true battle of the gods.

However, the name of the contestant written on this invitation letter seemed absurd no matter how you looked at it—Linyuan.

Below, a line of competition rules was meticulously marked: To ensure international reach and fairness, all competing pieces must be original or adapted works entirely in English.

Gu Zhiwan, holding two French fries in her hand, leaned close to the desk, squinted at it for a long time, then turned to stare at Lin Yuan with a strange look: "Director Lin, you've gone from acting to singing, and from singing to teaching foreigners in Vienna? Tell me honestly, did you bribe the organizing committee? They didn't mention your movie at all, but they put you on the 'first singer' list."

"What are you talking about?" Lin Yuan snatched the fries from her hand and popped them into his mouth, his face righteous and awe-inspiring. "This is called the international community's comprehensive recognition of my artistic cultivation. Besides, giving money is vulgar behavior; this is called judging by appearance... no, it's about winning people over with talent."

"Come on!" Gu Zhiwan rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide the pride in them. She muttered under her breath, "That's an all-English song competition. The whole internet is waiting to see this 'Oriental Magician of Light and Shadow' fail."

Previously, Lin Yuan swept the Oscars with "The Shawshank Redemption," winning several major awards including Best Director and Best Picture, and was directly hailed as the "Pope of Eastern Cinema" by authoritative Western media. Even more impressively, "Pride and Prejudice" had previously caused a sensation in European and American literary circles and was regarded as a masterpiece by countless literary youths.

In the eyes of overseas netizens, Lin Yuan is an undisputed artistic giant, a genius of light and shadow, and a literary master.

But the only thing that no one knew was that he could sing, let alone participate in the world's highest-level music competition!

At 1 p.m. that day, the official account of the European Council for Vocal Arts simultaneously announced the first batch of debut lineups on major social media platforms around the world.

The moment the list was released, the entire internet exploded.

A top pop diva in North America, a tenor of European national theater caliber, a three-time Grammy Award winner for Best Pop Vocal Performance... Behind this dazzling list of titles, the name "Lin Yuan" stands out so abruptly and incongruously.

On overseas social media platforms, comments filled with question marks instantly flooded the screen:

"What?! Lin Yuan? Lin Yuan, the Oscar-winning director of 'The Shawshank Redemption'? He's attending 'Eternal Sound'? Did he wander onto the wrong set? This is a music competition, not a film festival after-party!"

"Has the organizing committee resorted to any means necessary to attract the huge Eastern market? They actually invited a film director to participate? Even if he's an artistic genius, this is a live, live performance! Are they expecting him to draw up storyboards for his competitors on stage?"

"Hilarious! This is like a 'cross-border tourist'! Although I admire Director Lin's films, the organizing committee's strategy for generating buzz is too obvious this time. But for Director Lin's sake, I'll forgive this kind of hype. I just hope he won't be too embarrassed when he's eliminated in the first round."

In contrast to the confusion and ridicule of overseas netizens, domestic social networks have completely plunged into a sea of ​​revelry and frenzy.

Weibo's servers crashed on one side within five minutes of the official announcement, and the trending topics list was instantly decimated.

#Lin Yuan Joins Eternal Voice# (Breaking News)

#Oscar-winning director applies to compete in the music industry# (Breaking news)

#Foreigners are completely unaware of Lin Shen's musical power# (Trending)

In the eyes of his domestic fans, Lin Yuan's identity has long transcended that of a "director." Those hit songs he casually released back in the day are still battling it out on various charts!

"Foreigners are still too naive! They think Lin's father is a director, but actually he's a ruthless songwriting machine!"

"This is hilarious! Overseas netizens are still worried about whether Lin's dad will be embarrassed in the first round. They have no idea what kind of shock from the East is about to happen! It's like you thought you hired a Gold-ranked player to make up the numbers, but it turns out he's a hidden Master-level account owner!"

"But honestly, the all-English song format is a bit risky. Lin's father is fluent in English from movies and novels, but this is English music! The rhythm and pronunciation requirements in Europe and America are extremely high. Will Lin's father be able to hold his own this time?"

"I don't know if it's stable or not, but I do know that Father Lin never fights a battle unprepared. I suggest the foreigners start preparing nitroglycerin pills now, lest they be so overwhelmed by the singing that they question their existence!"

In the Tianxing Entertainment office.

"Lin Yuan, the flight is ready. The IME pick-up team and rehearsal schedule in London have also been fully checked."

Fei Zhao stood in front of the table, his eyes showing a rare seriousness and a hint of interest. "However, on the overseas odds list, your odds of winning the championship are currently ranked last. Everyone thinks you're just going there for sightseeing and working part-time as a publicity ambassador."

Lin Yuan straightened his suit collar, raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Last place? That's great, high odds make it more fun. Sister Fei, how much liquid capital does Tianxing have left? Hurry up and bet it, we'd be letting down our foreign friends' kindness if we didn't make a killing this time."

Fei Zhao laughed in exasperation upon hearing this, and slapped him on the arm with the folder: "Stop talking nonsense! Would selling yourself out be enough to cover the cost? The international internet is waiting to see you make a fool of yourself, and you're already scheming about betting odds. This time, it's not just about you personally. Show us your true talent, and don't embarrass the domestic music scene."

"Don't worry, Sister Fei, we'll win." Lin Yuan blinked, his tone relaxed, but his eyes revealed an undeniable confidence.

"Lin Yuan! Your negative attitude towards the game is dangerous!" Gu Zhiwan nudged him from the side, complaining as she thoughtfully packed his neck brace and portable coffee into his bag.

"I call this confidence." Lin Yuan casually draped his coat over his arm, reached out and ruffled Gu Zhiwan's hair. "When I bring back a trophy from London, I'll give it to you as a tool to crack walnuts."

Half an hour later, in the airport VIP waiting room.

Lin Yuan and his team quietly boarded a private plane bound for London.

The plane roared into the sky, leaving the bustling night view of the capital city far behind.

High in the sky, the cabin was very quiet.

Lin Yuan leaned back in the spacious first-class seat, casually unbuttoned his suit jacket, and opened the exquisite gold-embossed invitation. The morning light streamed in through the side window, casting a soft golden glow on his sharply defined profile.

Outside the window, the sea of ​​clouds churned, and undercurrents surged.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the sea, a top-tier music storm that will completely break down the cultural barriers between East and West and shock the global music scene is quietly brewing.

Lin Yuan closed the invitation, a slight smile playing on his lips, and then closed his eyes to drift off to sleep.

He's here in London.