Chapter 19: A Song That Saved a Life!

To save a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda!

With this thought in mind, Garen hurried to the side of the stage, where the live band was supposed to be, though no one knew where the band members had gone. He slung a guitar over his shoulder, pulled the microphone close, steadied his nerves, and prepared to speak.

Not far behind him, the live event director was shouting at the staff, “Did you call the police? What did they say?”

“The police said they’ve located the girl, but... it'll be half an hour before they can reach her! They want us to hold things together for now!”

“Half an hour? That’s impossible! Ask them to at least send a negotiator to the scene! Or a psychologist, for God’s sake!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell the police right away!” The staff member nodded repeatedly.

In the center of the stage, Huang Daming was at a loss for words, repeating, “Miss, please come down first, let’s talk it over. If you want to study acting, I can recommend you to the Beijing Film Academy. Please, don't do anything foolish...”

As he spoke, Huang Daming shot desperate looks at those around him, hoping someone could help him think of something to say. But aside from the host, no one could help, and he was left sweating in anxiety.

“Miss! Are you really sure you want to jump?”

Suddenly, a voice with a hint of playful skepticism echoed from the speakers.

Everyone on site froze, looking around to see who was speaking. Even the girl on the big screen was visibly taken aback.

From the girl’s fleeting expression, Garen saw a glimmer of hope and spoke again, “Miss, do you realize how detestable your irrational fangirl behavior is?”

All eyes turned to Garen, not knowing where he had come from, staring at him in astonishment.

Those who knew Garen showed clear signs of nervousness and dread upon hearing his words.

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Huang Daming barked immediately.

“Garen, shut up! Don’t say another word!” Wu Zhaoyang was panicking too; if the girl actually jumped because of what Garen said, it would be a crime.

But Garen paid them no mind. “Miss, many people in this world can’t bear the pressure and choose suicide. But before you decide to jump, I hope you can calm down and at least listen to me finish this song!”

A song?

Everyone was stunned, including the girl. No one knew what Garen was up to.

At a moment like this, he wanted to sing? What song? “Gardenias in Bloom”? “Those Flowers”?

He must be mad! No one would go this far just to get famous, would they?

Amidst the skepticism, Garen began to sing:

“The brightest star in the night sky,
Can you hear
The loneliness and sigh
In the heart of one who gazes at you?
The brightest star in the night sky,
Can you remember
The figure that once walked with me,
Now vanished in the wind?

I pray for a heart pure as crystal,
And eyes that know how to weep,
Grant me the courage to believe again,
Oh, to cross the lies and embrace you.
Whenever I cannot find the meaning of my existence,
Whenever I am lost in the dark night,
Oh, brightest star in the night sky,
Please guide me closer to you...”

The entire auditorium fell utterly silent.

Everyone held their breath, astonished, listening intently to Garen.

The girl on the screen, whose eyes had been dull and lifeless, began to glow with light under the song. Her previously chilling calmness broke, and she started to sob.

Just a simple acoustic guitar, a slightly husky voice, no flashy arrangement, no technical bravado—yet every lyric struck home.

“Young man, keep singing a bit longer, the police have arrived on the scene! The rescue operation is about to begin!”

During the interlude, a corpulent middle-aged woman hurried over and whispered to Garen.

He nodded slightly, continuing to sing.

News of this reached the tense audience immediately.

Everyone was wondering if he could really save the girl with just this song.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, “Look! The girl is moving!”

Instantly, everyone tensed up, eyes fixed on the screen, hearts pounding with both hope and anxiety.

Wu Zhaoyang silently chanted “Amitabha,” his heartbeat wild as if it would burst from his chest.

Huang Daming was drenched in sweat, his face dark; after all, the girl had called herself his fan—if she jumped, public outrage would surely follow.

“Whenever I cannot find the meaning of my existence,
Whenever I am lost in the dark night,
Brightest star in the night sky,
Please light my way...”

The lyrics whispered over and over from the girl’s lips. She moved—not forward, but one step back.

Suddenly, she broke down in tears, a wail echoing, and the screen shook as her phone fell to the ground. Yet, the camera still caught a glimpse of her covering her face, sobbing.

A collective sigh of relief swept through the auditorium. The media snapped out of their trance, thrilled, raising their cameras and frantically taking pictures.

“Finally, real news! Fantastic!”

“Are you even human? We almost lost a life... but this will definitely make the headlines!”

“He Saved a Life with Song”—that’s the headline!”

As the police appeared on the big screen, the turmoil gradually subsided, as if a boulder had finally come to rest.

But when everyone turned to look at where Garen had stood—he was gone.

The moment he saw the police, Garen slipped away. What’s done is done, let the hero stay unsung.

He had to remember to study that second-hand computer more, memorizing all those clever quotes to pull out at the right moment next time.

By now, Garen was back in the conference room. The moment he touched the chair, he collapsed into it, his legs still trembling, his palms and forehead slick with cold sweat.

The ordeal had felt like a brush with death, his heart rising and falling like a roller coaster. Now that it was finally over, he felt as if he had just retreated from a battlefield.

Just as he was regaining a bit of feeling, the door was suddenly thrown open.

A group of people burst in, led by Liu Xiahui, who had rushed over the moment he heard what happened.

Walking beside Liu Xiahui was the corpulent middle-aged woman, followed by the film’s director and several staff members.

The woman immediately grabbed Garen’s hand, shaking it excitedly. “Thank you! Thank you! Young man, you did a wonderful job! Not only did you resolve a crisis, you gave us some great news!”

“Uh...”

Garen froze, cursing inwardly—Are you crazy?

The girl almost died, and all you care about is the news?

Liu Xiahui, seeing Garen’s speechless look, understood how he felt, since he wasn’t comfortable with those words either.

But he still had to smooth things over. “Garen, this is the investor for our production, Ms. Fu Chunli.”

“Hello, Ms. Fu!” Garen responded politely—after all, the investor held the purse strings.

“Ah, hello, hello!”

Fu Chunli had been terrified just now—if something had really happened, her investment would have gone down the drain. “I’ve heard Ahui talk about you for a long time. Young people like you are truly impressive!”

“Thank you! It was the least I could do,” Garen replied modestly.

“I never imagined your music could save a life! Is it the power of the song itself, or a miracle granted from above? I can hardly believe it!”

Fu Chunli was at a loss for words to express her excitement.

Garen chuckled. “It’s the power of art.”

ps: Everyone has a song that once moved or saved them. That year, after failing my driving test, I was in low spirits. I heard “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky” on a taxi’s radio and listened to it several times after getting home before I finally calmed down. Music usually amplifies emotions, rarely reversing them, but if you have songs that truly heal, please recommend them.