Volume Two: Shadows of the Past Chapter Sixty-Seven: Live Singing Performance
From an outsider’s perspective, Chen Jing seemed to have lost only the chance to restore his supernatural abilities. Yet, what no one realized was that by using that opportunity to save Li Zijie, Chen Jing had not merely forfeited the chance to regain his powers—he had also sacrificed his own chance at survival.
Only after confirming that Wang Nianjun was safe and all matters had settled did Chen Jing board the plane back to Xiang City.
This time, he was returning alone. Zhang Jingzhi and Molly had both remained at the Imperial Dynasty headquarters.
Though Molly no longer possessed the blessing of the supernatural spark, her powers still had a remarkable effect on treating Li Zijie’s psychological trauma. However, due to her low power level, the recovery was slow, so Chen Jing left her at the Imperial Dynasty headquarters. Zhang Jingzhi, meanwhile, took the opportunity to stay for the Dynasty’s new trainee program.
In truth, Chen Jing was quite satisfied with this outcome.
The teacher had regained his supernatural spark, Li Zijie’s condition had stabilized, Molly was unharmed—everyone was safe. That was enough.
Gazing out at the white clouds beyond the airplane window, Chen Jing recalled the day he had carried Molly past Wang Nianjun. As they stepped outside, Molly whispered sadly into his ear, “Daddy, Mommy’s heart is crying.”
Teacher, I’m sorry…
“A Jing… are you really sure about this?” Lin Zitan’s voice broke Chen Jing’s concentration as she watched him set up the computer monitor and adjust the speakers and microphone.
Without looking up, Chen Jing replied calmly, “Of course.”
Beside her, Lin Xi watched with amusement as Chen Jing transformed his room into a livestream studio.
There wasn’t much to tidy up, really—Chen Jing’s room was usually quite minimalist. He had simply added a set of livestream equipment.
It was the third day since Chen Jing returned to Xiang City. On the first day, he had been busy editing the film “SPL: Kill Zone” with Wang Shumin. The second day was spent accompanying Lin Xi to submit the film for review. To meet the tight schedule for a May Day release during the Golden Week, some connections had to be leveraged, as there was only about a week left.
Once those tasks were done, it was time for promotion. According to Lin Xi, they could hire internet trolls to stir up a public opinion frenzy. The groundwork was laid; once the film premiered, they would ignite the flames of hype and turn the tide.
Yet Chen Jing felt relying solely on media hype wouldn’t suffice. After some thought, he recalled the massive livestream promotions from his previous life. Coincidentally, Jingrun Company operated a popular livestream platform. That gave Chen Jing the idea behind today’s plan.
Yesterday, Chen Jing had already announced on Weibo that he would go live today, so he wasn’t worried about being unnoticed.
After finishing the computer setup, he checked the time and opened the livestream room.
He had anticipated a slow start, but as soon as the stream began, viewers flooded in—first one or two, then suddenly the room was packed.
“Hahaha, I’m the first fan to enter Boss Jing’s livestream!”
“Don’t be ridiculous, I was first!”
“Ah!!! Since ‘Voice of Huaxia,’ I haven’t seen my brother on screen. Today, as always, he’s still so handsome.”
“…”
“Filming movies and livestreaming, Boss Jing, how do you manage to be so undisciplined? When’s your second album coming out? I’ve got the money ready.”
“Everyone, don’t rush him. I’m just here to watch my idol.”
Watching the barrage of comments flood the screen, Chen Jing smiled knowingly. He paid no mind to the chatter and simply greeted, “Hello everyone! Long time no see!”
No sooner had he spoken than the screen was overwhelmed by gift notifications.
“Most beloved Chen Jing sends a rocket to Chen Jing’s livestream!”
“Boss Jing is invincible sends a rocket to Chen Jing’s livestream!”
“…”
Startled by the flood of gifts, Chen Jing suddenly remembered he had forgotten to disable the gift-giving feature. Hastily, he found the setting and turned it off.
“Hey! Boss Jing, why did you close the gift-giving? I still want to send you planes!”
“Oh wow, Boss Jing is awesome! Closing the gift feature—truly a breath of fresh air in the celebrity world.”
“Brother, please turn the gift feature back on! I want to send you rockets.”
“…”
Chen Jing quickly waved at the camera and said, “No! Please don’t send me gifts.”
Then, jokingly, he added, “Today’s stream isn’t about tricking you out of your gifts. Guess what I’m live for today?”
After a moment, many viewers typed “movie promotion” in the chat. Chen Jing smiled and said, “That’s right! I’m here to promote the film I starred in.”
“Let’s not talk about how good the film is—after all, I’m not one to boast. Wait until it’s released, and you can judge for yourselves. But I guarantee with my musical talent, it’s definitely worth watching.”
“No need to say more, Boss Jing, I’ll definitely support you when the movie comes out!”
“Support +1”
“Support +2”
“…”
Seeing the flood of supportive comments, Chen Jing was quite pleased. He then began the main segment of the stream.
“Hehe~ Thanks in advance for all your support! Since you’re all so behind me, I want to give something back. Well, these days, this movie promotion livestream isn’t just talk,” Chen Jing paused, then continued, “How about this: a ticket costs around thirty yuan. Over the next few days, I’ll sing a new song live for you every day—ten songs in total. That’s like three yuan per song, helping you get your money’s worth.”
“Cool!”
“Woah, such an amazing bonus! Watching a livestream and getting to hear Boss Jing’s new songs.”
“Come on, I’m ready.”
“Waiting for the good news!”
“…”
Soon the screen was flooded with “waiting for the good news” comments.
Chen Jing smiled slightly and didn’t keep them waiting, picking up the guitar beside him. He asked, “What kind of songs do you want to hear?”
“Traditional style!”
“Rock!”
“Love songs!”
“…”
Chen Jing saw a variety of requests, even one that read, “Boss Jing, sing an erotic song, guaranteed to hype the whole room. Perfect for promotion.”
Chen Jing laughed wryly, “To the fan asking for an erotic song, please carry him out gently—I don’t want my first day livestream shut down by the moderators.”
“Hahaha, that’s hilarious! Asking Chen Jing to sing an erotic song—that brother is brave!”
“Well, I have to admit, I’d like to see Boss Jing sing an erotic song.”
“Same here!”
“Want to see +1”
“Want to see +2…”
Seeing things spiral out of control, Chen Jing quickly interrupted, “No, no, I can’t sing erotic songs. Since I’m playing and singing myself, I’ll sing you a simple but beautiful tune. Special reminder: boys trying to woo girls, make sure to take notes.”
With that, Chen Jing stopped reading the chat and seriously began strumming the guitar.
“Deng-leng deng-leng~”
The cheerful guitar melody filled the entire livestream room.
“Wow, guitar intro, so impressive!”
“Didn’t expect Boss Jing to play guitar so well.”
“Heh~ You think the title ‘musical genius’ is just for show?”
“…”
After the intro, Chen Jing smiled gently and softly sang:
“Walk with me into the cicada’s summer, beyond the city’s clamor...
...
The years cannot stay, the drifting clouds await~”
Just at the opening verse, fans couldn’t help but praise.
“Tsk tsk, as expected, Boss Jing truly has poetic talent. Not only are the songs beautiful, but the lyrics are elegantly written.”
“Don’t talk, just take notes. I guarantee this song will be a hit.”
“Do you need to say that? Every song from my brother is a hit.”
“That’s true...”
In fact, the most moving part of the song “Paper Short, Love Long” was its climax.
Chen Jing then shifted the guitar rhythm and, with his bright and sunny voice, cheerfully sang the chorus:
“I really miss you, in every rainy season.
What you chose to forget is what I cherish most.
Paper short, love long, countless ripples told...
...
”
Chen Jing’s rendition was joyful and lighthearted, giving the song a sweet romantic flavor. Though in his previous life, he had occasionally sung it with a sadder tone, he preferred this cheerful style. He felt this was the emotion the song should convey.
As Chen Jing reached the climax, the fans stopped typing and immersed themselves completely in his voice.
“...
How could I fall in love with her
And decide to go home with her
Giving up all my everything without care
Paper short, love long, endless tales of youth
My story is still about you~
”
After the climax, Chen Jing didn’t continue with a second verse. Instead, he gently played the guitar to close the song.
“Hehe, how was that?” Chen Jing smiled softly at the camera.
Only then did the fans react, filling the screen with “666” and “awesome!”
“This song is amazing! Especially the chorus—it makes me want to fall in love right now.”
“Yes, hearing this makes me remember my first love.”
“Ah!!! I want to be in love too.”
“Come back to reality, bro. Look at your wallet and you won’t want to.”
“Alright, I was just daydreaming. Sorry to bother...”
Seeing how much everyone enjoyed the song, Chen Jing felt deeply satisfied.
The reason he loved singing was exactly this: it allowed him to express his emotions while giving listeners a place to anchor their feelings—joy or sorrow, both were good.
(In tribute to: Smokehandle Band’s “Paper Short, Love Long”)
(End of chapter)