Chapter 157: Glorious Days

The world that Ren Qian transmigrated into had changed in many ways, yet the sole constant remained the poverty and backwardness of Africa. However, this poverty and backwardness were not as exaggerated as in his past life; at the very least, the land here was not barren. While the people were not wealthy, things had not deteriorated to the point where starving children were reduced to mere skin and bones.

Africa was poor, but through the unremitting efforts of its people, aided by the outside world—especially the Huaxia Charter Empire—South Africa had successfully established a complete federation.

This federation enjoyed friendly relations with the Empire.

July 3rd marked the founding day of the South African Federal Republic. Shortly after the nation's establishment, its leader, Mandela, began scheduling a state visit to China.

When Ren Qian first heard the name Mandela, a familiar melody instantly resonated in his mind. Prompted by this, he went online to search for background information.

To his surprise, this search revealed that the local Mandela bore striking similarities to the Mandela of his previous world.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, born in Transkei, South Africa, was an active anti-apartheid campaigner and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress. It was he who brought an end to the apartheid regime and won global recognition for Black Africans.

Consequently, Mandela received widespread acclaim from all quarters, including his former adversaries, and was hailed as a pioneer in the struggle for racial equality... Wasn't this precisely that same figure?

With this man soon to visit China, the leaders of the Huaxia Charter Empire appeared to attach great importance to the event, having initiated publicity and preparations long in advance.

Rumor had it that following South Africa's first president Mandela's visit to China, the leaders of the Huaxia Charter Empire would reciprocate with a visit to South Africa, having agreed to foster mutual exchanges and communication with South Africa over the next decade...

Never mind; politics was beyond Ren Qian's comprehension. It was roughly along those lines anyway.

Setting aside such complex political maneuvers, Ren Qian focused instead on browsing Mandela's biography. A man who dedicated his entire life to eradicating racial discrimination against Black people was truly worthy of respect.

To be unjustly imprisoned for fifteen years yet continue striving for this noble cause without a single word of grievance or regret was nothing short of admirable.

Now, having finally weathered the storm to see the dawn, such perseverance and dauntless courage commanded people's utmost reverence.

Within the Huaxia Charter Empire, quite a few people were familiar with Mandela, largely because the Empire had consistently supported South Africa. Coupled with the newly founded South African president's impending state visit to China, public awareness of him grew even deeper.

What an iron-willed man!

No wonder Beyond, the band from his past life, could write a song for him—and such a classic one at that, *Glorious Days*.

Since this iron-willed figure was about to arrive in the Huaxia Charter Empire, Ren Qian could not simply stand by and watch. He decided to dedicate this song to him, for after all, this song rightfully belonged to him. It belonged to his glorious days.

***

Recently, *I Am Singer* had concluded its run. The album storm stirred by Murong Xue and the Heavenly Queen Li Feifei had subsided, leaving the music scene in a temporary lull.

Audiences who were accustomed to waiting for the punctual Friday night broadcast of *I Am Singer* suddenly felt a bone-deep sense of loneliness, emptiness, and cold.

Alas, they could only silently listen to Ren Qian's older songs...

Though some of those tracks had already been played to death...

Left with little else to do, bored netizens found themselves limited to a few simple activities: browsing chat software, scrolling through Weibo, and channel-surfing...

To their surprise, a special notification suddenly popped up.

God Qian had posted on Weibo.

The post contained a single sentence accompanied by a link.

"Though drinking ice for a decade, my hot blood refuses to cool!"

Beneath it lay a song link from the Wangyi Music platform.

Clicking through, they discovered it was available for free streaming, requiring no VIP membership for downloads.

It seemed God Qian had lifted the paywall for this release.

The song was titled *Glorious Days*. Judging by the title alone, it carried a remarkably profound resonance.

*Glorious Days*! *Glorious Days*!

This song was bound to be exceptional—magnificently so.

Light guitar strumming opened with a distinctly rock-infused prelude, unfurling a vast and desolate canvas. It depicted the scarred and battered land of Africa, where gazes yearning for equality condensed into heart-shaking musical notes.

Really?

Could God Qian's music truly carry such immense power, possessing such a profound capacity for emotional resonance and infection?

It was a remarkably evocative prelude.

*'The bell tolls, signaling the return home!*'
*'In his life,'*
*'There seems to be a hint of lingering sighs...'*
*'The meaning that black skin brought him,'*
*'Was a lifetime of devotion amidst the struggle of skin colors!'*

Hit once again by that emotionally charged, tear-laden sob in the vocals, listeners immediately felt a tingling sensation ripple across their scalps. The single line, *"The bell tolls, signaling the return home,"* made their hearts contract sharply, involuntarily conjuring the image of that freedom fighter locked away for fifteen years.

*"There seems to be a hint of lingering sighs."* Comparing the deep, resonant toll of a bell to a sigh inexplicably brought a stinging sensation to the listeners' noses.

And upon hearing the lines, *"The meaning that black skin brought him, was a lifetime of devotion amidst the struggle of skin colors,"* the audience finally dawned on the realization that this song, *Glorious Days*, was a tribute to South African President Mandela!

Even just within this opening section, audiences with sensitive tear ducts found themselves beginning to weep.

Whether through its melody or its lyrics, the song possessed the sheer force to strike directly at the listener's heart.

Augmented by Ren Qian's sobbing vocal inflection on the trailing notes, those resounding cries felt like a lonely, helpless fighter wandering along a path choked with thorns...

*'Years turn what was possessed into loss!'*
*'Tired eyes carry lingering hope!'*
*'Today, only a lingering shell remains,'*
*'To welcome the glorious days!'*
*'Clasping freedom tightly amidst wind and rain!'*

Fifteen years of imprisonment, a once-healthy physique, and former colleagues and friends had all grown haggard. He himself was teetering on the brink of exhaustion. Yet, the one thing that remained completely unchanged over those fifteen years was that unwavering heart yearning for a world free of discrimination, a world of universal equality!

Though he had fought from his youth until the twilight of his years, he still carried the same burning passion within him.

That cry of welcoming the glorious days burst forth with boundless emotion, resembling the morning sun—awaited by travelers for hours—leaping out from behind thick layers of clouds!

The joy and excitement of that moment defied description in words!

*'A lifetime spent through hesitating struggles!'*
*'Confident that one can change the future!'*
*'And who else could achieve this?'*

Having traversed a lifetime of hesitant struggles and maintaining the self-belief that one could change the future—this must have been the ultimate conviction of Mandela's turbulent life. Without the grand ambition and daring to change the future, how could anyone endure decades of imprisonment?

*'Can we erase the boundaries of skin color?'*
*'May this land see,'*
*'No division of high and low between you and me!'*
*'The beauty revealed by a riot of colors...'*
*'Stems from the fact that it does not,'*
*'Separate every single hue.'*

Embedded within these lyrics lay the power to summon people to oppose color discrimination and racial prejudice. The audience was utterly moved by the emotion conveyed by Ren Qian...

*'Years turn what was possessed into loss!'*
*'Tired eyes carry lingering hope!'*
*'Today, only a lingering shell remains,'*
*'To welcome the glorious days!'*
*'Clasping freedom tightly amidst wind and rain!'*
*'A lifetime spent through hesitating struggles!'*
*'Confident that one can change the future!'*
*'And who else could achieve this?'*
...

Shocking. For a fan who had listened to every single one of God Qian's songs, there were only two words that came to mind: shocking.

Whether it was the ethereal detachment of *The Book of Stones*, the ingenuity of *Dongfeng Po* and *Chrysanthemums Terrace*, or the pathological, lung-bursting frenzy of *Exaggerated*, none of them quite matched the sheer impact of *Glorious Days*.

Perhaps it was due to the extraordinary significance embedded within its lyrics?

As a literary youth, he felt compelled to write something down...

P.S.: Thank you for reading. (To be continued.)