Chapter 131: The Ultimate Performance, the Birth of "Exaggerated"-God of Song in a Flourishing Age(The Lazy Book Devoured by Tigers)

"I won't preach to you. I'll take your number and call you in a year. I believe by then, you will have transformed from a mere extra into a lead actor. When that time comes, I will invest in your new film!"

As Ren Qian wrote the music, he spoke to the audience on the other end of the phone. This was undoubtedly an effective way to encourage others, as the person being encouraged could see tangible benefits, which in turn strengthened their motivation to pursue their goals.

"Give me another ten minutes; I need to arrange the music."

The audience was strangely silent. They knew the "God of Talent" Ren Qian was brilliant, but just how brilliant was he? No one could say for sure. And because it was uncertain, they were all the more curious. If Ren Qian could write a high-quality song in such a short time, they would have yet another reason to support him—my idol, Ren Qian, produces a classic every twenty minutes. With this kind of speed, he is no less than the first generation of singing legends. How could anyone still be unconvinced?

As for the possibility of him failing to write it, that was not even worth considering. Ren Qian had already said he was arranging the music—did that sound like he hadn't written anything?

Therefore, what they needed to focus on next was the quality of the song.

Ren Qian was fully immersed in his writing. His handwriting was neat, his expression refined and focused, as he perfected both the score and the arrangement.

He then sent it to the band, and of course, a copy of the lyrics was sent to be projected on the large screen. Otherwise, the audience wouldn't be able to understand the lyrics, as this was a Cantonese song.

"These musicians are all incredibly talented. You give them a melody, and they can improvise a solo. Just like that gambling sound from earlier—it was very stimulating. I think if you have some spare time, you should learn an instrument, or encourage your children to learn one. After all, music can cultivate one's character. If you have a son, you'd better force him to learn; it's an extra skill for when he tries to find a girlfriend. If he masters eighteen instruments, you might even save on the bride price."

After Ren Qian finished speaking, the audience burst into laughter. It actually sounded quite reasonable.

Ten minutes later, everything was ready.

The piano intro sounded like a mournful funeral bell...

At that very moment, before Ren Qian even opened his mouth, the audience couldn't help but hold their breath. They didn't even need Ren Qian to command the stage!

In fact, the song "Exaggerated" was a song mourning the deceased.

When C.Y. Kong heard the news that Leslie Cheung had jumped to his death, he was heartbroken and wrote a song titled "Depression" to express the grief of losing a dear friend, the shock of hearing the news, and his confusion over why his brother had chosen to leave.

Later, Eason Chan chose this song for his album and intended to write the lyrics himself to express his longing for "Gor" (Leslie Cheung). However, he couldn't write lyrics that satisfied him, so he handed the task to Wyman Wong.

Wyman Wong transformed the story from a tribute to Leslie into the cry of a frustrated, insignificant person. Unexpectedly, Wyman’s astonishing lyrics and Eason’s hoarse, desperate vocal style created a masterpiece that perfectly captured the life of an ordinary nobody.

Every struggling person who has heard this song has shed tears.

I believe this song will satisfy everyone to the extreme, Ren Qian thought.

He always appeared affectionate and tender in public. This time, to give that audience member strength and to show a different side of himself, he decided to subvert his own image.

"Someone asks me, and I will speak, but no one comes. I wait, until I feel helpless; I have things to say, but there is no one to receive them. My mood is like a bottle cap, waiting to be pried open... Yet my mouth is growing moss. The quieter I am in the crowd, the more I am ignored... I have to cause a scene! Like suddenly singing out loud. Every place feels like a four-sided stage. Wearing the flashiest clothes, pretending to be deeply moved. If someone comes to take a photo, remember to put your hands in your pockets."

The chorus began with "being ignored," and between the lines, it was filled with the wailing of a nobody.

"My mood is like a bottle cap waiting to be pried open, yet my mouth is growing moss. The quieter I am in the crowd, the more I am ignored. I have to cause a scene!"

These four lines flowed out in one breath, describing the psychological journey of someone who has been ignored for too long and decides to transform into something "exaggerated."

Wasn't I originally a person who followed the rules? But who paid attention to me? Who knew whether my mood was good or bad? Who cared what I thought about anything? Who was willing to put down their trivial matters and take a moment to listen to what I wanted to say?

No, nobody cared about these things. The more silent I became, the more I was ignored. Finally, one day, I decided to cause some kind of accident, to make people cast their eyes on me, so I wouldn't be like a pathetic clown hiding in the shadow of the spotlight anymore.

My sudden singing, my flashiest clothes, my feigned deep emotions, my posturing with hands in my pockets when being photographed—it was all just for a single glance!

Is it ridiculous? Being ignored for too long, being treated like nothing for too long—that’s just how it is...

The audience was startled!

Ren Qian, who had always been like a noble young master, opened his mouth and was suddenly filled with resentment, as if he were a nobody who had endured cold stares. That emotion, that struggle, that indignation—it was vivid, lifelike, and leaping off the page.

If he hadn't personally experienced the feeling of being ignored, how could he sing it so authentically? How could he make the audience feel like they were there? How could there be such a strong sense of immersion?

Could this be the true extent of his vocal prowess? Is it not a bit too heaven-defying?

In reality, this song was a reflection of Ren Qian's previous life. Friends had accused him of being obsessed with fame, but only he knew that he had no power, no connections, no background, and no looks. He couldn't take shortcuts, couldn't pull strings, and couldn't cultivate blind fans. He could only rely on ten times, a hundred times the effort, relying on his own talent, struggling step by step... just to win that sliver of a chance...

He was a nobody through and through!

Now, with his voice in top form and his technique flawless, singing "Exaggerated" to convey the twisted psychology of a nobody trying to gain attention was a breeze. Moreover, he could guarantee that once this version was released, few would ever be able to surpass it.

"Just treat me as exaggerated! It's only exaggerated because I'm so afraid! If I were like wood or stone, would I get any attention? Actually, it's because I'm afraid of being forgotten that I perform so dramatically! Very uneasy, how can I be elegant? Does the world still praise silence? Not explosive enough! How can there be any topic? Let me be exaggerated. Be a great entertainer!"

The emotions in this section exploded completely out of control!

In Ren Qian’s performance, the protagonist was like a clown having a mental breakdown. The exaggerated body language and the sharp, piercing cries made people look on in awe. This was a nobody who had cast everything aside just to gain attention...

Yet, this person still ridiculously made excuses for himself. The dark, humorous words made the listeners' noses sting with sadness.

Just treat me as exaggerated! Staying silently in the crowd is no different from being a stray dog that nobody notices; why must you blame me for being exaggerated?

You say I’m not elegant? That I’m just like a clown who is laughed at and scolded?

Haha. Look at how few people in this world pay attention to those who are silent.

Just treat me as a clown. A clown like me who can provoke laughter and insults is also a "great entertainer."

Don't believe me? Think about it: while you are criticizing me for "not being elegant," aren't you watching me? You are even watching me and laughing. Being able to make you laugh is thousands of times better than dying in silence.

What is it like to push the emotion of a song to the extreme? It means being able to make the audience follow the melody and lyrics, helplessly thinking of their own experiences, and then sparking a sense of resonance.

In front of the television, Liu Bo was watching the concert. From the very first line of the lyrics on the subtitles, his eyes blurred with tears.

He didn't have high education, his status was not noble, and he had no powerful background. So, whether at school or at work, he was the one who was never welcomed. In this society where interests come first, he was a person with no utility value, and therefore, no one wanted to bother with him.

He was exaggerated. He was afraid. He tried hard to attract attention, but everything ended in failure...

How perfectly this song matched his experiences!

Ren Qian was truly a "God of Talent." The songs and lyrics he wrote in such a short time could possess such deep power—it was simply miraculous!

The concert accompaniment continued. Backstage, a "fatal" error occurred: the sound mixer had broken down.

One must know that for a singer's live performance, a sound engineer is as important as the post-production processing in a recording studio. Many singers’ recordings might be mediocre, but after mixing and editing, they become pleasant to the ear. In a live setting, if you remove the sound engineer, most singers are just wailing like ghosts!

At such an important concert, a knob on the mixer had actually broken! The sound engineer was immediately covered in cold sweat. The performance was already halfway through; to stop now would be a slap in the face to Ren Qian. If they didn't stop, and Ren Qian was up there sounding like a ghost, that would also be a disgrace to Ren Qian.

They were stuck between a rock and a hard place!

But Ren Qian hadn't noticed at all. He picked up the microphone and continued singing.

"That year, at eighteen, at the school prom, standing there like a nobody. At that time, I swore through tears that everyone must see me! In this world, there are too many ordinary and plain paths! Which building do you live in? In school, at work, I have been ignored too much! My self-esteem has been trampled upon! Attention can cure hunger! Only when you’ve never had it do you know why I make such a big fuss! Committing these mistakes, trying to get people to look at me, is that considered pathological?"

These lines were a recollection, tracing the "neglect" suffered in the past. The protagonist had been ignored too much, which led to his twisted psychology—this was easy to understand.

"Attention can cure hunger!" was both an expression of indignation and a sincere truth. It was precisely because he had been ignored for so long while being unknown that he knew "attention" could truly "cure hunger."

"Committing these mistakes" and "Is that considered pathological?" were lines worth pondering.

Even though I don't care about being seen as a clown, don't care about being mocked for not being elegant, and don't care about being called "exaggerated," there was still a voice in my heart reminding me that this was wrong, that it was pathological.

A conflicted state of mind fermented suddenly in Ren Qian’s unusual vocal tone, like a thunderstorm on the African savanna, roaring in, whipping up a stampede of life, and bringing with it a race against death.

Rather than lingering in the suffering of being ignored, it is better to die in the spotlight!

Once again, a hoarse, hysterical roar. I know this is "wrong," this is "pathological." But I am afraid of the loneliness and emptiness of being forgotten and ignored.

Gather all your eyes upon me!

I need attention to make up for the anxiety and fear in my heart! I am exaggerated! I will be exaggerated until I die. I would rather die in the spotlight than linger in the suffering of being ignored!

"There are not many lucky ones. If you haven't been one, you won't know why I do this! Use ten times the effort to be the one who stands out! Are normal people as provocative as me? Call me exaggerated; I’m not afraid of a few boos! If I’m here and there’s a dull moment, will you watch my performance? Is it hysterical enough? Let’s drench the flowers with tears; I only want you to be surprised! Was I like I never existed before? Raise the stakes!!!! My veins are bulging! Tell me, do I exist now? Stare at me! Don't just look at the ceiling! Even if I’m not your cup of tea, you can still drink me to your heart's content, right? Don't forget that someone is... for you... losing their voice...!!"

How many lucky people are born into the world with all the love and affection? I don't have that kind of luck; I can only spend ten times the effort to become a controversial figure. You say I'm exaggerated, but are normal people as talked about as me?

Actually, the following sections were all unmixed—pure, raw roaring from Ren Qian. But these roars carried an inherent power, making it impossible for the listeners to find any flaws.

The emotions, the vividness, the direct piercing of the heart—everything was spot on. It was total madness, hysteria, drenching the flowers with tears, raising the stakes, even to the point where the veins were popping!

It’s just that, since I am this pathological, please don't just stare at the ceiling. Just look at me for a moment. Look at this humble clown who has suffered so much neglect.

Eileen Chang once said, "Meeting you, I become very, very low, low into the dust, but my heart is joyful. And there, a flower blooms." In Eileen Chang's view, "abandoning oneself" was not pathological because this kind of "love" could at least allow the one who possessed it to "bloom a flower."

The "Exaggerated" interpreted by Ren Qian, however, had no positive energy. It was "degeneration" and "struggle" from the start. On one hand, he didn't approve of himself, but on the other, he couldn't let go of this life. Carnival and pain were combined; while there was a certain alluring beauty to it, this beauty was ultimately pathological, leaving people feeling only sorrow and pain.

Precisely because of this, the audience below the stage felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, as if a chill of despair was permeating their bodies. It was like the pathological dependency of someone who knows they are wrong after taking drugs but is unwilling to break free, choosing instead to self-medicate. It was also like the apocalyptic carnival of someone who, drunk and having lost all self-control, finds that the more they degenerate, the more relaxed and happy they become.

It was a demonic performance...

When that final cry faded away, whether it was the audience at the venue or those in front of their TVs, they all felt like their heads were about to explode from the lyrics that pierced their hearts—yes, explode! They completely believed themselves to be humble, insignificant people, indulging and degenerating right along with Ren Qian!

But is indulgence relaxing? No. The more one degenerates, the more the heart aches, aching until one cannot breathe!

P.S.: Hiding in a dark corner, I wrote this chapter. I hope everyone likes it. (To be continued.)