Chapter 9: A Tender Moment

Over the following day, Lin Chuan did not go out again, but remained at home preparing for the upcoming semifinals.

As he had expected, on the third day after the preliminary rounds, he received a notification call. The ten contestants advancing to the semifinals were announced one after another.

Early that morning, Lin Chuan left home with Lin Yi Yang, heading straight to the television station.

Upon entering the waiting room, he found only a handful of people inside.

Scanning their faces, he recognized most of them; they were familiar from brief encounters during the preliminaries.

One young man, carrying an electric guitar and sporting several braids, left an especially vivid impression on Lin Chuan. Judging by his attire, he was likely pursuing a rock music path.

Besides him, another man greeted Lin Chuan with a broad smile as soon as he entered.

“Hey, buddy, you’re finally here! Recording’s about to start—I thought you’d dropped out!” the man joked, stepping forward.

“Ha, the traffic was heavy. I didn’t expect you to make it to the semifinals as well. Congratulations!” Lin Chuan responded politely.

This man was none other than the one who had been quite close to Lin Chuan on the day of the preliminaries, even helping to look after Lin Yi Yang for a while.

He appeared gentle and refined, yet it was surprising to learn he was a strong singer.

Considering that the number of participants on the preliminary day had nearly reached several hundred, and only a mere handful could stand out and secure a spot in the next round, his strength was evident.

Especially when Lin Chuan recalled the white-haired, extremely strict judge Chen Dong, who was harsh with every singer; he couldn’t help but feel a chill. To earn a spot in front of him was exceedingly difficult.

After a few more words of small talk, Lin Chuan took his son to a sofa and sat down.

Due to the different competition zones, contestants from each area waited in separate rooms. Lin Chuan didn’t mind; he simply waited quietly.

Before long, the recording for the competition officially began. Even sitting inside, Lin Chuan could hear the host speaking into a microphone on stage.

Soon after, music filled the air, and a girl’s voice rose with the melody.

This round of the semifinals would select the top fifty out of one hundred contestants—meaning half would be eliminated.

Thus, every singer who stepped onto the stage presented their best song to the audience and judges.

The intensity of the competition was evident.

For the entire day, Lin Chuan sat motionless in the waiting room—not because he didn’t want to move, but because there were simply too many contestants for the recording to finish in a single day.

During this time, Lin Yi Yang, bored out of his wits, lay on the sofa with his head on Lin Chuan’s leg, napping several times. Each time he woke and realized they were still there, he simply closed his eyes and drifted off again.

It was only when night fell that Lin Chuan was told to return the following day for the continuation of the recording.

Leaving the television station, he did not head for the bar, having already arranged time off with Boss Xu.

“Dad, I’m hungry,” Lin Yi Yang mumbled as he lay on Lin Chuan’s back.

“What would you like to eat? Daddy will make it for you at home,” Lin Chuan replied with a smile, tilting his head slightly as he carried his wooden guitar.

“I want to eat…” Lin Yi Yang thought for a long time, listing several dishes in succession.

In his previous life, Lin Chuan often cooked for himself. Though he hadn’t reached the level of a master chef, compared to his peers, his skills were quite decent.

Father and son then went to the market, carefully selecting the ingredients for tonight’s meal before heading home.

Back home, Lin Chuan spent over an hour cooking. When the fragrant, colorful dishes were finally served, Lin Yi Yang couldn’t contain himself and began eating eagerly with his chopsticks.

Their simple dinner unfolded within the cramped and modest room, punctuated by Lin Yi Yang’s childish laughter and Lin Chuan’s playful words.

At that moment, it was the warmest, happiest time for Lin Chuan and his son—especially for Lin Chuan, who, since arriving in this world, had been busy for his child and their future.

It was the first time he had personally cooked dinner and eaten with his son while joking and laughing.

Lin Chuan felt deeply content.

After the meal, Lin Chuan washed his son from head to toe. When Lin Yi Yang lay in bed ready to sleep, he stared out the window at the night sky with wide eyes.

“Yang Yang, why aren’t you sleeping? We have to get up early tomorrow!” Lin Chuan asked, having tidied up the kitchen and returned to the bedroom.

“Dad, do you think Mom is watching us from the sky?” Lin Yi Yang murmured, not turning around, his voice barely audible.

Lin Chuan was momentarily stunned by the question, struck as if by lightning, standing motionless.

After a while, a gentle smile appeared on Lin Chuan’s face. He sat at the bedside and softly said, “Of course. Mom loves Yang Yang so much, she has to watch over you every moment.”

“But why does Mom only watch from the sky? Why doesn’t she live with us?” Lin Yi Yang turned, his eyes full of longing and confusion.

“Well… because Mom is very far away right now and can’t live with us for the time being. When Yang Yang grows up, you can go find her,” Lin Chuan sighed inwardly, but kept a smile on his face.

“Really? If I grow up, I can see Mom?” Lin Yi Yang sat up, his face bright with excitement.

Lin Chuan forced a laugh and nodded, though his heart ached because he knew, even if Yang Yang grew up, he would never find his mother, because…

To coax Lin Yi Yang to sleep, Lin Chuan began telling the story of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

Unexpectedly, the story only made Lin Yi Yang more alert, prompting all sorts of strange questions.

Thus, Lin Chuan explained and continued the story, time slipping by unnoticed until deep into the night, when Lin Yi Yang finally fell asleep.

Watching his sleeping son, Lin Chuan gently kissed his forehead and shook his head with a wry smile. “Looks like I can’t let him nap so much during the day, or he won’t sleep at night…”

Afterward, Lin Chuan lay down beside Lin Yi Yang, drifting into dreams as the stars twinkled outside the window.

The next morning, Lin Chuan once again brought Lin Yi Yang to the recording venue.

Entering the waiting room, they found only three or four people, as most had completed their recording the day before.

“Hey, looks like it’s our turn today!” the man who had become acquainted with Lin Chuan said cheerfully.

His name was Huang Quan, an unusual name, but his personality was very amiable; he got along well with every contestant in the room.

“Hopefully. But yesterday only a third was recorded, so it’s hard to say,” Lin Chuan replied with a smile.

“Yeah, I wonder how many spots are left. The later we go on stage, the harder it gets to advance, since fewer spots mean the competition gets tougher,” Huang Quan said gravely.

Lin Chuan smiled, not adding anything further.

The room fell into silence, making everyone feel inexplicably tense and oppressed, Lin Chuan included.

But it didn’t last; soon, Huang Quan broke the silence: “By the way, there’s a popular video online lately—I swear, the guy in it looks just like you!”

Lin Chuan was a bit surprised. “What video?”

“It’s a recording from a bar—a singer performing,” Huang Quan said, his face breaking into a mysterious smile as he watched Lin Chuan.

Lin Chuan chuckled, neither confirming nor denying it. But anyone could guess the truth.

As they chatted, a short-haired girl, looking quite tomboyish, strode over and scrutinized Lin Chuan curiously. “That song called ‘Ten Years,’ did you write it yourself?”

“It’s a song I wrote years ago. Sorry for the embarrassment,” Lin Chuan replied without blinking.

“Wow, didn’t expect you to be so talented, an original singer! I love that song, especially the lyrics—they’re fantastic. Hey, if there’s a chance, could you write one for me?” the tomboy was immediately excited.

“If there’s really an opportunity, I can write one for you,” Lin Chuan hesitated only slightly before agreeing.

Whether or not the chance would arise, helping her write a song was a simple matter for Lin Chuan. He had brought many songs from his previous life, including plenty for female singers.

All he would need to do was select one.

Both Huang Quan and the tomboy were taken aback by how readily Lin Chuan agreed, but the girl quickly broke into a grin. “That’s awesome! You’re amazing. My name’s Li Rong, but you can call me Rong’er!”