Chapter Eight: Showing Off at Jay Chou’s Concert

Liu Suxin listened in shock as Yan Fei recounted the story. “Senior, you invested that entire one million directly into the crude oil futures market? And on top of that, you used the maximum 20 times leverage?”

Yan Fei smiled calmly. “Yes, I’m confident this time there will be gains.”

Recalling Yan Fei’s expertise and vast knowledge, Liu Suxin smiled and said, “Then I’ll buy a little too. How should I go about it?”

Yan Fei thought for a moment, then said in a low voice, “Wait until Monday. You can go long with ten times leverage, but don’t buy too much—the risks are hard to control.”

“Go long?” Liu Suxin frowned. “Senior, all recent news has been bearish. Going long against the trend is a big taboo. Are you sure we should go long?”

“Absolutely!” Yan Fei said coolly. “I predict by tomorrow night at the latest, there will be significant bullish news. It will be huge. So the market will surge at Monday’s open—you must buy decisively.”

Although Liu Suxin trusted Yan Fei’s professionalism, seeing his unwavering confidence made her worry he might be overconfident. After all, except for insiders, no one can truly predict the news.

The two soon arrived at Jay Chou’s concert. They took their seats according to their tickets, waving glow sticks as they awaited the start. Neon lights flickered across the stage.

Five minutes later, the stage lights were ready. Amid thousands of eager eyes, Jay Chou appeared, looking out over the crowd and shouting, “Welcome, everyone! I’ll start with the first song, ‘Nocturne.’”

As the enchanting melody began, Jay’s singing filled the air.

A swarm of bloodthirsty ants drawn to decaying flesh,
I stared blankly at the lonely scenery,
Losing you, love and hate become clear,
Losing you, what else is there to care about?

Yan Fei and Liu Suxin quietly enjoyed the beautiful song, a long-lost excitement stirring within them, softly humming along.

Playing Chopin’s Nocturne for you,
Commemorating my dead love,
A voice like the night wind,
Heartbreak sounds so beautiful,
Fingers gently tapping the keys,
I carefully give my longing,
The place you buried is called the netherworld.

When the song ended, all the fans cheered ecstatically. It was truly the hottest song of the moment. “Nocturne” swept countless awards in 2005, and even four years later, it still sounded incredibly beautiful.

After “Nocturne,” Jay Chou performed countless classic hits like “Starry Mood,” “Tornado,” “Nunchucks,” “Simple Love,” “Silence,” “Love Before BC,” “Peninsula Iron Box,” “Dragon Fist,” “Sunny Day,” “East Wind Breaks,” “In the Name of the Father,” “Common Jasmine Orange,” “Hair Like Snow,” “Faraway,” “Chrysanthemum Terrace,” “Listen to Mother,” “Blue and White Porcelain,” “Rice Aroma,” “Where Is the Promised Happiness,” and “Lanting Xu,” among many timeless classics.

The flood of songs intoxicated the tens of thousands of fans, who screamed and cheered like a thunderous storm. Liu Suxin and Yan Fei enjoyed themselves immensely during the two-hour performance.

After two hours of nonstop singing, Jay Chou, drenched in sweat, began interacting with the audience to catch his breath. Spotlights swept across the crowd, soon landing on a young woman.

Excited, the chosen girl grabbed the microphone and nervously said, “I want to request ‘Promised Happiness’ for my ex-boyfriend. When he courted me, he promised me a lifetime of happiness—but then he left.”

“Wow!” The crowd roared with excitement at the juicy gossip, eyes fixed on the girl and Jay on stage.

Sensing the crowd’s anticipation, Jay smiled and comforted her, “Missing you is his fault. You’ll find someone better. This ‘Promised Happiness’ is for your ex, and I hope all the gentlemen out there give their beloved a lifetime of happiness.”

With that, the beautiful melody began as Jay’s voice carried through the arena.

Your replies are scattered at this moment,
I think of the white dove by the fountain, sweetly scattered,
Emotions tug inexplicably, I still love you,
And you sing brokenly, pretending nothing’s wrong,
Time passed, love faced a choice,
You grew cold, tired, I cried,
The unhappiness of leaving, you wrote with a card,
Some love only lasts this far, and it truly hurts...

When the song ended, the girl covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face, overwhelmed with emotion.

After the song requests ended, Jay performed more classics, slightly out of breath, before starting another round of interaction.

“Now we’ll randomly select a fan to come on stage to sing a duet or solo with me.”

“Ahh...” The crowd erupted with excitement, waving their hands wildly. The spotlight scanned the audience and soon landed on Yan Fei, whose expression turned shocked.

“How did I get chosen?” Yan Fei was stunned, feeling the situation was almost too dramatic—as if the plot was forced for the sake of padding the story. Yet with tens of thousands of eyes on him and Liu Suxin excitedly waving her arms nearby, he had no choice but to go on stage.

“Seriously, I don’t want to pad the story!” Yan Fei thought helplessly. Perhaps it was fate or a protagonist’s aura that brought him such luck.

Jay noticed Yan Fei’s reluctance and smiled warmly. “This fan looks a bit nervous. Let’s cheer him on, shall we?”

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the crowd. Feeling their support, Yan Fei accepted his fate, looked at Jay, and said, “Jay, thank you.”

“Hello!” Jay smiled. “May I ask your name? And what song would you like to sing?”

Yan Fei smiled back. “I’m Yan Fei. I’d like to sing ‘Confession Balloon.’”

“Confession Balloon?” Jay furrowed his brow, puzzled. “I haven’t heard of that song before. Isn’t it one of mine? But if you want to sing it, sure. Do you need any instruments?”

Yan Fei looked at Jay and smiled. “Thanks, Jay. I need a piano. This song is a solo.”

Jay nodded with a smile. “Alright, the stage is yours. We’ll listen and enjoy the beautiful song.”

The venue quickly fell silent. Yan Fei sat at the piano, tested the keys, and sought the familiar feel. Soon, an inexplicable emotion surged forth as his hands began playing the prelude to “Confession Balloon.”

By the Seine, the Left Bank café,
I hold a cup, savoring your beauty,
Lips leaving a mark,
The florist’s rose, whose name was misspelled?
Confession balloon, blown across the street,
Smiles flying in the sky.

Yan Fei’s soft and graceful voice enchanted the audience, who fell completely under the spell of the song’s vivid imagery, immersed in the romantic atmosphere.

You said I’m a little hard to chase,
Wanting me to give up,
No need for the most expensive gifts,
Only leaves from the Champs-Élysées,
Oh... setting the scene for a romantic date,
Not afraid of messing everything up,
Having you is having the whole world,
Darling, I fell in love with you from that day,
So sweet and easy,
Darling, don’t be stubborn, your eyes,
Are saying ‘I do.’

As Yan Fei sang, he gazed deeply at Liu Suxin below the stage. Her heart pounded wildly, a strange emotion spreading within her, her cheeks flushed with shyness.

Darling, falling in love with you, love diary,
Fragrant memories,
A whole bottle of dreams, all with you,
Mixed together,
Darling, don’t be stubborn, your eyes,
Are saying ‘I do.’

As the final note faded, the entire audience of tens of thousands was enveloped in the sweetness of love. Couples gazed tenderly into each other’s eyes.

Jay Chou came to Yan Fei’s side, smiling. “So sweet—a wonderful love song. It suits my style well. Yan Fei, did you compose this yourself? I just checked online and didn’t find it.”

Yan Fei stood and smiled. “Sort of. Jay, if you like it, it’s yours.”

Jay’s expression froze briefly, saying nothing. They chatted casually for a moment before Yan Fei stepped down. The concert continued with the fans quietly enjoying the beautiful music.

After a few songs, Jay smiled and said, “Would you all like to hear a new song?”

“Yes!” The crowd roared like a tidal wave.

Hearing their enthusiasm, Jay said loudly, “Next, I’ll perform a new national-style song that Fang Wenshan and I wrote this year, ‘Jialan Rain.’ Hope you like it.”

The stage went quiet as tens of thousands held their breath, listening to the exquisite melody as Jay began to sing.

The sounds of prosperity, retreating into solitude, breaking hearts,
A cold dream, restless life, debts of love,
As you agree, life and death wait in vain,
Waiting again and again, the rings of years,
The pagoda tower, broken layers, whose soul is lost?

Pain rushes straight, a dying lamp, the collapsing mountain gate,
Allow me to wait once more, history turns,
Waiting for the wine’s aroma, waiting for you to play, a guzheng piece...

The hauntingly beautiful voice filled the ears of the crowd, stirring deep emotion. Fans felt as if their ears were being blessed.

Rain falls, the old hometown’s grass grows thick,
I heard you’re still alone,
The mottled city gate, old roots cling,
On the stone slabs echoes ‘still waiting,’
Rain falls, the old hometown’s grass grows thick,
I heard you still guard the lonely city,
The shepherd’s flute at the edge of town,
Fate takes root in us,
Listening to youth, welcoming laughter, envied by many,
The chronicles, gentle yet harsh,
Fireworks fade, people part,
And you ask if I still care,
A thousand years later, who still waits,
How can history be untrue, Wei Shu, Luoyang city,
As if you follow the past life’s door,
Following worldly dust, following me, wandering all life...

As the chorus ended, the melody lingered. Countless fans gazed at Jay with endless delight, touched by the sorrowful yet graceful story within the song.

When the song finished, the crowd remained entranced, some fans’ eyes glistening with tears, deeply moved by the song’s bittersweet tale.

Half a minute later, tens of thousands cried out in unison, “One more time, one more time...”

Feeling the fans’ passion, Jay hesitated. “Dear fans, the concert time is almost over. We need to coordinate with the organizers.”

Soon the organizers agreed to extend the concert by a few minutes. The crowd cheered excitedly. With Jay’s hands pressing down, the fans quieted as the prelude to “Jialan Rain” began once more.

The sounds of prosperity, retreating into solitude, breaking hearts...

As if you follow the past life’s door,
Following worldly dust, following me, wandering all life...

When the song ended, the fans still felt unsatisfied. Such a captivating song left them wanting more, though they politely refrained from unreasonable demands. As the concert concluded, the crowd began to leave in an orderly fashion.

Yan Fei and Liu Suxin were preparing to follow the crowd when a young man suddenly ran over, smiling at Yan Fei. “Mr. Yan, please wait a moment. Jay wants to invite you backstage for a chat.”

The two immediately guessed it was about “Confession Balloon.” Following the young man backstage, Yan Fei soon saw Jay Chou again. He approached quickly, shaking Jay’s hand. “Hello, Jay.”

Jay smiled and nodded, then said seriously, “I want to buy the rights to your ‘Confession Balloon.’ If you want to pursue a singing career yourself, that’s fine. But since we know each other now, if you ever need arranging or composing help, feel free to reach out.”

Yan Fei promptly replied, “I have no intention of entering the music industry as a singer. The copyright for ‘Confession Balloon’ is a gift for Miss Liu. Of course, I’m happy to let you sing it for free.”

Jay glanced at Liu Suxin beside Yan Fei and softly said, “A perfect match—congratulations to you both. I hope you find happiness soon.”

Liu Suxin, stunned and dazed by Yan Fei’s words earlier, now blushed deeply at Jay’s remark, swallowing the words on her lips.

The young man nearby looked at Yan Fei admiringly and said, “Mr. Yan, thank you for your kindness. We can’t just sing your song for free. How about this—we’ll buy exclusive performance rights. Apart from you and Miss Liu, no one else can commercially perform this song. We’re willing to pay one million RMB.”

Yan Fei’s expression turned apologetic. “No need for such formality. I truly want to give it freely.” He thought to himself, “After all, this is your future song, and I don’t want to take advantage of a singer I admire.”

After some negotiation, Yan Fei proposed the same solution as with Eason Chan—he wrote an IOU to Jay, took the one million RMB, and asked for some exclusive signed photos. Happily, he left with Liu Suxin.

The end.