Chapter Fifty-Eight: "Leng Zheng Loves Cheng Yunting for All Eternity"

“Tsk, Xiao Zheng, you’re the rightful head of both the Qin and Su families, yet you insist on coming here to chase your dreams. Tell me, why is that?” Qin Cheng looked with mild exasperation at Leng Zheng, who was waiting backstage to perform, and lapsed into contemplation.

“Because I’m bored, and this is much easier than running a company. Singing, after all, isn’t such a big deal.” Leng Zheng glanced at the program rundown, ignoring Qin Cheng entirely.

“Well, fine, that’s that. Good luck!” Qin Cheng nodded and then went off to find Li Xi in the audience.

“Teacher Leng, it’s your turn.” A staff member nodded at Leng Zheng, signaling her.

“All right, I know.” Leng Zheng took the microphone, striding confidently onto the stage.

“Hello, everyone. I’ll be your mentor for the coming week—Leng Zheng. I am a singer, dancer, and actress,” she introduced herself. “My musical works include ‘Summer’ and ‘Scorching Sun,’ and my screen credits include the film ‘Hello, Goodbye!’ and the television drama ‘The Beginning of the Story.’ I look forward to working with you all in the week ahead.”

With a graceful bow, Leng Zheng took her seat among the mentors, sitting quietly.

The applause was enthusiastic. If anyone were to name the most accomplished and versatile person in both the music and film industries today, it would undoubtedly be Leng Zheng. She was a true all-rounder, excelling at everything she set her mind to. How extraordinary was she? People called her a living legend, and even veteran actors addressed her as “senior”—such was the extent of her reputation.

Leng Zheng was the last mentor to make her appearance, so the next order of business was to explain the rules.

She had already memorized them, so she was idly preoccupied, her mind drifting to Chen Yunting: What was he up to? Did he miss her?

“Our rules are simple,” the host began. “We will have surprise challengers who may take on either the mentors or the contestants. If you beat a contestant, you get to stay. If you beat a mentor, you’ll become a mentor next week. The challenge starts now.”

The first contestant took the stage. Leng Zheng sat calmly, watching.

By chance, the contestant was someone she knew.

To be precise, a romantic rival, though hardly a worthy one.

“Hello, everyone, my name is Gu Wanqing. Today I’ll be singing ‘The Wind Rises,’ and I want to challenge Teacher Leng Zheng.” Gu Wanqing fixed her gaze on Leng Zheng, though she still managed to feign a delicate demeanor.

The other contestants all drew in sharp breaths. Who would dare challenge Leng Zheng? Clearly, this one hadn’t done her homework.

“Very well, please begin your song,” Leng Zheng said, glancing indifferently at Gu Wanqing.

On this journey, with its stops and starts,
Tracing the drifting marks of youth,
Just as I’m about to leave the station,
I hesitate for a moment,
I can’t help but laugh at my nervousness so close to home,
Yet some things are inevitable,
And the sky over Nagano
Is just as warm as ever,
The wind brings memories of the past…

When Gu Wanqing finished singing, the audience murmured amongst themselves, offering only a few perfunctory claps before stopping altogether, and all eyes turned to Leng Zheng.

Leng Zheng took a moment, then spoke to the staff, asking them to turn off the pitch correction.

“Everyone can hear me, right?” she tested the microphone. “This is my raw voice—just bear with it.”

Inwardly, the audience grumbled: Bear with it? Whenever the genius speaks so modestly, we’re already used to the humblebrag.

“Well then, I’ll just sing ‘Wild’ a cappella, no backing track needed.” Leng Zheng recalled the lyrics, nodded to the crew backstage, and began:

“You say, one, two, three, turn around,
You hear the panic I tried to hide,
I want, to look up at the warm spring sunlight,
You give me a simple embrace.
I want, to trample confusion and walk through time,
When you open your eyes, you’ll hear me,
I want you on my left shoulder, a smile on my right,
I want to run wild in your eyes,
I want a look from you to last a lifetime.”

She kept time herself, singing the climax of “Wild” a cappella.

The song “Wild” was the theme for the radio drama of the same name, based on Dog Egg’s story from Green River.

Everyone was utterly captivated by Leng Zheng’s voice, unable to extricate themselves from its spell.

“I’m sorry, but it’s obvious—you’ve lost,” Leng Zheng leaned back in her chair, a slight smile on her lips.

“I admit defeat,” Gu Wanqing lowered her head in shame.

“It’s all right, there will be other chances,” another mentor chimed in, easing the awkwardness.

Gu Wanqing nodded, then went to hug each of the mentors.

When it was Leng Zheng’s turn, she leaned in and whispered in Gu Wanqing’s ear, “You weren’t my match back then, and you’re still not now. Don’t live in your fantasies.”

“You—!” Gu Wanqing, infuriated by Leng Zheng’s words, flung her away.

Leng Zheng had anticipated this and did not resist, allowing herself to be shoved to the ground.

“Ah!” Leng Zheng gasped, the pain sharp. The floor was tiled, and Gu Wanqing had used considerable force. Leng Zheng’s arms and body were bruised, her arm scraped, and she found she couldn’t move her waist.

With effort, she struggled to her feet, looking innocently at Gu Wanqing. “Sister, what did I ever do to you? Why did you push me?”

“I… I… That’s not true! You started it… It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me!” Gu Wanqing was panicking, shaking her head and retreating. “I didn’t push her… I didn’t push her!”

At that moment, a man stepped onto the stage. He scooped Leng Zheng into his arms and draped his suit jacket over her shoulders. “Does it hurt?”

Curled in the man’s embrace, Leng Zheng replied pitifully, “It hurts, it really does. My waist feels like it’s broken.”

Gu Wanqing stared in shock at Chen Yunting, muttering, “No, it can’t be him…” while the others looked on curiously.

“I’m her husband. I’ll take her to the hospital,” Chen Yunting said calmly.

“Yes, you should go,” everyone agreed, making way for him. Gu Wanqing, watching Chen Yunting’s retreating figure, seemed to lose her grip on reality.

…

In the car, Chen Yunting carefully helped Leng Zheng turn over and massaged her stomach gently.

“Who’s your wife? We haven’t even reconciled yet, let alone registered our marriage,” Leng Zheng said, forcing herself to sit up and throwing her arms around his neck.

“We registered on your birthday,” Chen Yunting said, coaxing her to lie back down as he checked her over.

“Really?” Leng Zheng looked at him in surprise. How could she not know this?

“Don’t you want to? If you don’t, we can get a divorce in a few days,” Chen Yunting said softly, watching her closely.

“No, I like it very much,” Leng Zheng shook her head, hugging his waist tightly. “I really do. I finally have the right to be with you.”

Leng Zheng would love Chen Yunting for all eternity.