Chapter 30: You Are All That Fills My Mind

Chapter 30: You Are All That Is in My Mind

"I heard it's pretty good. Someone in our class is in the guitar club, and he's heard them play."

"Some of the band members are also in the guitar club. Maybe they’re just hyping each other up?"

"We'll know once we listen."

The chatter was brief because the song had no intro. Shortly after Gao Shun finished speaking and the group signaled that they were ready, Li Jingkun began to sing.

"Oh honey, you are all that is in my mind,
I cannot resist this palpitation, it’s hard to breathe..."

It started with the low notes, which was, to be honest, a bit of a challenge for Li Jingkun and Gao Shun, as their natural voices weren't particularly deep. Many people know that high notes are difficult to hit, but in reality, low notes are no easier.

Fortunately, they had practiced enough, and they managed to get through the opening passably. Soon, they reached the chorus. This part was actually easier to sing because it was catchy; most people could sing along after hearing it just a few times.

"Ten thousand sorrows, yet there will still be a dream.
I have been waiting for you at the very end,
It seems I can only stay like this, fixed in one direction,
I cannot change..."

Many people were stunned when they heard this part. It wasn't that the lyrics were exceptionally profound—they were ambiguous, sounding like a song about love, yet equally like a song about dreams. It was hard to judge them at first glance. It wasn't just that they were singing exceptionally well—though they were certainly good—but that wasn't the point.

The point was that the song was unexpectedly beautiful, instantly striking a chord in their hearts. Often, that’s how music works; you don’t need to understand the lyrics or grasp the meaning immediately. As long as you are suddenly struck by the melody, you will be captivated, regardless of the language in which it is sung.

Most of the audience was now spellbound. The atmosphere of being there in person added to the experience, and knowing that the song was their own original creation created a truly powerful effect.

"Ten thousand sorrows, yet there will still be a dream,
I have been waiting for you at the very end, it seems I can only stay like this,
Fixed in one direction, I cannot change..."

Many students felt goosebumps. The guys on stage suddenly seemed to shine, transformed by the song. That is the charm of music; that is the power of music.

Why was Li Jingkun so passionate about music? It began when he was very young, watching a male singer perform on television. He had been so moved by the music and the stage presence that it sparked his own musical journey, even though he had long since forgotten who the singer was or what song he had sung.

"Every tear is ten thousand beams of light,
I have been waiting for you in the warmest place,
It seems I can only stay like this, fixed in one direction,
I cannot change..."

Huang Sisi stared blankly at the stage, though no one noticed her expression, as everyone else looked exactly the same. Wu Danrong whispered, "This is amazing! What was that lead singer’s name again? Sisi, why does he look even more handsome than your brother right now?"

There was no helping it; the most popular member of a band is almost always the lead singer.

The gala ended just after nine, which was quite late for the school. Those who lived in the dorms stayed behind, while day students were picked up by family or stayed with classmates, with the class monitors ensuring everyone got home safely. Wang Yajing had family waiting, but she delayed them because she wanted to attend the "Aurora Band" gathering.

Indeed, after the show, they held a small party in the practice room. In addition to the band members, Song Hairong, Zhu Miaotong, Wang Yajing, and Zhou Jiani were also there.

After the party, Li Jingkun went home and sorted through the photos he had taken that night. He didn't have the stage performance video—the two photographers had taken it—but Song Hairong had captured several photos of the performance. Then there were the party photos: the four of them together, and a group shot of over a dozen people raising their drinks, with their practice room in the background. These would become some of his most cherished memories of high school.

He uploaded them to his blog and social space with the title: "The First Performance of the Aurora Band."

By the next day, there were many comments.

"You look great. You started a band?"
"You performed at school? What song was that?"
"Your life is so exciting!" These were from his old classmates.

"That was amazing! It was so powerful! Our class loved your performance!"
"So cool! You guys were the highlight of yesterday, weren't you? I’m so envious of your friendship and your band!" These were from students at City No. 1 High School.

"Having a party without me? What’s the meaning of that?" This was from Liao Bingli, who was working in Liuchuan City.

The New Year's gala was followed by a few days off, but the Aurora Band didn't rest. They went to Jiedong City to retrieve the edited video, only to find that while the visuals were good, the audio quality was lacking—their recording equipment wasn't professional.

"If we want it to be like an MV, we’ll have to re-record the audio," they realized.

Recording a song was something Gao Shun and the others never dared to dream of; it felt too far out of reach. But now, with Li Jingkun, many things seemed possible. The only problem was the cost. Music is truly an expensive hobby for those without money, and this was only the tip of the iceberg. Recording equipment and studio time cost money, which was a significant burden for students with no income, especially for someone like Wu Lei, whose family was of modest means.

Li Jingkun decided to cover the recording costs himself.

After the break, Li Jingkun returned to school and noticed a change; people would occasionally recognize him as one of the lead singers of the school band. Freshmen would sometimes come to find him, and Xie Wenmin even initiated a conversation.

But that was all. Life continued in its orderly fashion. Soon, the end of the semester arrived.

They still hadn't managed to record the two songs. Gao Shun suggested doing it over the winter break, but Li Jingkun had already decided to travel. So, they pushed it to the next semester.

"Where are you going for winter break? Are you going alone?" Gao Shun asked.

"I'm heading to Shanghai and Beijing, probably with my family," Li Jingkun replied.

Since the winter break was short and the Lunar New Year was approaching, he decided to travel within the country. Since he couldn't go alone, he decided to take the whole family.