Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Five: The Official Commencement

While He Zhixing and his companions searched for companies and collaborators, they also devoted themselves to learning music, practicing guitar, and singing. Over more than ten days, they had rehearsed two songs: one was “Snowflake Man,” which had been released before at their old location, and the other was a newly learned piece titled “Bitter Coffee Shop,” whose lyrics were beautifully written:

Impossible is us
The bitter coffee shop
Sunlight spills across the windowsill—
Beans of longing tracing the heart’s door.

When love has turned to foam,
Hard to leave, hard to endure,
Sitting alone, dazed, for a century—
A statue of Venus’ love, sealed away,
Struggling bitterly.

The bitter coffee shop,
Words spoken with tear-blurred eyes, unbearable language,
The bitter year,
Crossing oceans to break barriers in reunion,
Silently longing for a silhouette.

Who still waits painfully at the place of love?
The mind slices through the soul,
Opening the door to Venus’ heart of love.

The bitter coffee shop,
Listening to tales of pain, helplessness, and confusion,
The woman in pain,
Witnessing love through Siberia’s chill,
Bitter and romantic agony—
A heart shattered but still enduring,
By the seaside of longing,
Through Victoria’s dusk reflecting your expectant gaze.

Just after finishing practice on this song one day around eight or nine in the evening, their private detective, sent out to gather information, returned with news: Zou Ning was at the Xiangtian Bar, drinking, singing, and socializing with several close girlfriends. He Zhixing thought this was an opportunity not to be missed and decided to make a good impression that night.

Upon arriving at the Xiangtian Bar, they found Zou Ning singing at the bar counter. Her voice floated through the air—clear, pure, with a magnetic, penetrating quality. Nearby, an original song played softly:

Once filled with laughter,
I never thought the room would grow so cold,
Memories scattered in every corner—how can I forget the beauty once owned?
Once vowed to accompany each other till old age,
No matter the storms, unwavering and faithful,
Why now must we turn away?
Is all this fate ordained?

You said I was your last angel,
No one else worth your love,
When time passes, leaving only goodbye,
Why can’t forever be fulfilled?

You said I was your last angel,
No one else worthy of your care,
My love turned into regret,
From now on, who else can I trust?

The three of them were captivated by the lovely singing as soon as they entered the bar. Silently, they chose a table near Zou Ning and her friends, ordered drinks, and listened quietly. Applause and cheers came frequently, especially from the group of girls accompanying Zou Ning.

After finishing the first song, screams and cheers erupted. Then Zou Ning sang “No More Contact,” a deeply moving song. He Zhixing heard it for the first time sung by a woman; the melancholic lyrics carried a subtle sadness. Her clear, melodious voice conveyed life’s helplessness and a yearning for true love. It was a stirring classic from the internet music scene, her transparent, magnetically sorrowful tone drawing listeners into a musical world—truly impressive.

When Zou Ning stepped down from the stage, the applause and cheers continued, with many patrons shouting, “Another song, please! So beautiful!”

Zou Ning declined all requests and returned to her friends’ table. There, she unexpectedly spotted He Zhixing and his group sitting not far behind them. He stood and waved to greet her. She was momentarily stunned but ignored him, sitting down beside her sisters. The girls quickly gathered around her, teasing, “Ningning, you’re amazing! Now that you’re famous, don’t forget your best friends. We’re a little jealous—why with such talent do you run an advertising company instead of pursuing a career as a singer or musician?”

Zou Ning replied, “It’s just a hobby, not professional. I only get a few chances to sing out. I’m afraid I won’t catch the eye of record company agents. There are so many better singers in Beijing. It’s tough... Enough talk, let’s drink!”

At that moment, two people approached—a man and a woman, dressed neatly. The woman spoke first: “Hello, we’re from Golden Summit Records. We just heard you sing—wonderful! Would you be interested in working with our label?”

Zou Ning was surprised. After just finishing her song, she was approached by a record company—it was unexpected. Previous times she sang, no one had been so proactive. She was skeptical about this sudden opportunity, knowing how many frauds masquerading as cultural companies existed nowadays. She had to be cautious.

She thought for a moment and said, “I’m not considering it right now. Are you agents from Golden Summit? May I see some information about your company? If I’m interested, I’ll contact you later...”

“Okay, no problem,” the man replied, handing her a company brochure.

“Alright, enjoy your evening. Hope we meet again,” she added politely.

Soon after, another record company approached her similarly but was politely turned away. Then came an amusing moment—He Zhixing wanted to join the fun and sing on stage himself, which surprised Jiang Ni and Xiao Da, the two women who came with him. They knew He Zhixing was usually low-key and never expected him to perform publicly.

He Zhixing took the stage and sang the two songs he had been practicing: “Snowflake Man” and “Bitter Coffee Shop,” accompanying himself on the guitar. It was impressive.

The moment his vocal cords opened, everyone was stunned. His voice carried a deep, penetrating sorrow. Using a combination of true energy and spiritual resonance, his unique vocal technique amazed the audience. From the instant his voice emerged, listeners were captivated, their senses awakened, hearts moved—goosebumps were inevitable.

After he finished both songs, the room was so silent one could hear a pin drop. Everyone was quietly absorbing the profound, soul-stirring melancholy of his voice. Long after the last note faded, many remained silent, still immersed in the moment. Then applause and cheers erupted, growing into continuous ovations that lasted seven or eight minutes...