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Lu Chen took the guitar handed to him by a TV station staff member, cradling it in his arms as he tested a few strings for sound.
He felt… a little out of practice.
Lately, he had been busy with his workshop and filming TV shows. During the rare moments when he had time to relax, most of it was spent with Chen Fei'er in quiet affection, he had hardly touched his guitar.
Now, holding it again, Lu Chen couldn't help but think back to those simple and happy days, when he was still struggling to make a living, singing and playing guitar in bars or in front of his computer. It all felt as if it had happened just yesterday.
Everything had changed so fast.
Taking a breath, Lu Chen looked toward the microphone placed in front of him and said,
"Before I came on New Star Show, the production team told me, 'You'll need to prepare a song.'"
"I was puzzled, I'm just a guest, not the main contestant. Do I still have to sing?"
"They said yes. 'Because you're a vagabond singer! When a vagabond singer comes on the show, of course people will want to hear him sing!'"
"So I started thinking, what should I sing for everyone today?"
He put on a thoughtful expression.
"My Old Classmate!" "Those Flowers!" "The Brother Who Sleeps on the Bunk Above Me!"
The audience responded enthusiastically, shouting out the titles of Lu Chen's signature hits, all folk ballads he once sang with just a guitar.
Lu Chen smiled. "You've all heard those songs already. Today's a special day, so… how about I sing a new one instead?"
A new song! That immediately stirred the audience. Applause broke out like a wave.
Lu Chen let the sound wash over him for a moment before continuing, "Actually, in a few days, there's a very special occasion, or rather, a festival. I think everyone here has celebrated it before… or maybe even been the protagonist of that festival."
"Children's Day!"
Someone shouted the answer, and laughter rippled through the crowd.
Lu Chen grinned. "That's right, June 1st, Children's Day! I still remember how happy I used to be when that day came around. So, for those of you who still have the right to celebrate it, make sure you enjoy it while you can!"
The audience burst out laughing again.
Lu Chen strummed his guitar lightly and said, "Childhood is something unforgettable, something you'll never truly leave behind. This song is called 'Childhood'. I want to dedicate it to the Little Tiger Group, and also to everyone here today."
"I hope that when you hear it, you'll think of your own childhood, just like I do."
The next moment, the opening chords rang out.
The T2 Studio Hall of Capital City Television quickly fell silent. Even the most excitable teenagers stopped talking, their eyes wide and focused entirely on Lu Chen on the stage.
Because Lu Chen's songs were the kind you had to listen to with your heart.
"By the pond, beneath the banyan tree,
The cicadas are singing that summer is here.
On the swings by the playground,
Only butterflies stop to rest there.
On the blackboard, the teacher's chalk
Keeps chirping and squeaking without pause.
Waiting for the bell to ring,
Waiting for school to end,
Waiting for the games of childhood…"
The lively melody and carefree lyrics instantly captured everyone's hearts.
'Childhood' had an easy, upbeat rhythm, the kind that made people instantly recall those lighthearted, joyful, worry-free days of youth. It pulled them back into their brightest, happiest, most beautiful memories.
It brought hope, endless yearning. It stirred nostalgia, infinite longing.
"Always waiting till it's bedtime,
To realize the homework's barely begun.
Always waiting till the exam's over,
To regret not studying when we could!
An inch of time, an inch of gold…
The teacher said no gold can buy back time.
Day after day, year after year,
The hazy, blurry days of childhood…"
Those lines drew knowing smiles from the audience, bittersweet ones. The older listeners, especially, felt a faint ache in their hearts, touched by the nostalgia. They couldn't help but recall those innocent years, the fleeting days, and that tender, unguarded stage of life called childhood.
In Lu Chen's dream world, "Childhood" was an immortal classic, a song that had touched generations. Though it carried a hint of social critique in its original era, stripped of that context, it remained endlessly charming, timeless, warm, and deeply human.
Some of the lyrics weren't quite suitable for the current context, so Lu Chen made a few small adjustments, but that didn't take away from the song's timeless charm. His simple guitar-and-vocal performance carried something deeper, his own hidden memories and emotions.
"Day after day, year after year, longing to grow up, in childhood!"
As his final note faded, the studio erupted in thunderous applause! Because the audience had just heard a song that truly touched the heart.
"Thank you, thank you, everyone!"
Lu Chen rose with his guitar in his arms and bowed deeply to the cheering audience.
He had completed his part, it was time to return the stage to the real stars of the show.
After recording for New Star Show wrapped up, Lu Chen couldn't refuse Sister Li's insistence and agreed to let her treat him to dinner that evening.
But before that, he hurried back to his workshop, his sister had something important to discuss with him.
It had been a while since Lu Chen's workshop had moved into its new home in the art district. By now, all aspects of the business were running smoothly. The scale had grown considerably, staff numbers had doubled, and operations were expanding in all directions.
The multi-million–yuan recording studio they had built certainly didn't sit idle. With top-tier equipment and Lu Chen's rising influence in the pop music scene, a growing number of small and mid-sized record labels and entertainment agencies were sending their artists there to record.
In the pop music world, a singer of Lu Chen's caliber stood at the very top. His songs had repeatedly proven their immense market appeal, so even if some couldn't buy or afford his original works for now, they still wanted to build a good relationship with him.
With recording, composition, and arrangement services all in-house, plus Nirvana Band's packed schedule, the workshop now had the polish and structure of a full-fledged professional company.
However, what Lu Xi wanted to discuss with him wasn't about business operations.
It was about an invitation, one that had just arrived from the Jeju City Department of Culture and Tourism in South Korea.
The Jeju City government was formally inviting Lu Chen to serve as their Tourism Image Ambassador.
This was no ordinary offer. Usually, tourism ambassadors were chosen from among local celebrities or public figures. For Lu Chen, a foreign artist, to receive such an invitation was unprecedented, a first of its kind.
The reasoning was clear: Jeju Island was aggressively expanding its tourism industry and targeting the massive mainland Chinese market. Lu Chen, a fast-rising star in China's entertainment world, had exactly the image and popularity they wanted.
Moreover, Lu Chen's current drama, Full House, was being filmed extensively on Jeju Island. Once it aired, it would undoubtedly boost the island's tourism exposure, making the timing perfect for the city to capitalize on his influence.
And so, this special honor naturally fell upon him.
(End of Chapter)