Chapter 16 & 17

Chapter 16: Zhang Xiyang

Upon arriving at Music Department Thirteen, Lin Zhibai went straight to the recording studio. He had spent several days recording songs previously, and was now quite familiar with the sound engineer.

"Teacher Bai di!" The sound engineer greeted him warmly.

Lin Zhibai, who had risen to second place on the monthly season rankings since they last met, smiled back at the sound engineer, known as Lao Wang.

After exchanging pleasantries, Lin Zhibai handed over the rough demo from the system, discussing the important aspects for the upcoming recording session.

Not long into their discussion, Lao Wang looked outside, his expression changing as he muttered, "He's not here to audition, is he?"

Curious, Lin Zhibai followed Lao Wang's gaze and saw a disheveled man walking by. His clothes were clean but faded, and he looked out of place in the polished environment of Shinhwa Entertainment.

"Who is this?" Lin Zhibai asked.

"That's Zhang Xiyang," Lao Wang explained. "He used to be a top singer three years ago. After his divorce, he vanished from the scene. Now he's hardly recognized on the streets."

Lin Zhibai, who had been detached from the entertainment industry gossip during his three years of self-imposed isolation, realized he needed to catch up on the backgrounds of various singers.

"What happened to him?"

"The details are unclear. Since his divorce, he's been keeping a low profile, mostly staying at home. It's like he's a different person."

At that moment, Zhang Xiyang arrived at the recording studio door and knocked gently, his voice tinged with age.

"Excuse me, is Teacher Bai di here?"

"I am Bai di," Lin Zhibai responded, slightly embarrassed by the stage name given to him by his sister.

"Hello, Teacher Bai di," Zhang Xiyang greeted, his demeanor polite but not particularly enthusiastic.

"Hello, let's get familiar with the song first," Lin Zhibai said, handing him the music score.

After a minute of reviewing the score, Zhang Xiyang looked up, surprised. "This... was written by you?"

He quickly apologized, explaining he was impressed by Lin Zhibai's talent at such a young age. "I… can sing."

"That's something you'll have to prove," Lin Zhibai said, signaling Lao Wang to start the recording.

Inside the recording booth, Zhang Xiyang stood before the microphone, staring at the score in a daze.

"Why hasn't he started yet?" Lao Wang wondered aloud.

Lin Zhibai remained silent, sensing an air of loneliness around Zhang Xiyang.

Finally, Zhang Xiyang began to sing. His voice, despite its roughness and slight hesitation, carried a deep sadness.

"Zhang Xiyang is still the same Zhang Xiyang," Lao Wang murmured. "What do you think, Teacher Bai di?"

Lin Zhibai, without hesitation, replied, "He's perfect."

Lao Wang chuckled, and Lin Zhibai continued to listen, letting the song wash over him.

After the last note, Zhang Xiyang spoke through the glass, "Teacher Bai di, What do you think?"

Lin Zhibai smiled, "The official answer is 'to wait for notification'. My personal answer is 'I am impressed' "

"Thank you," Zhang Xiyang said, bowing deeply.

Lin Zhibai nodded, feeling satisfied with his choice.

Later, in his sister's office, Lin Zhibai shared his decision. Lin Xi's reaction was mixed.

"Zhang Xiyang?" she said, surprised. "He's talented but has been through a lot. After his divorce, he hardly came to the company. Last year, he had a big argument with the Third Department, so I transferred him to ours."

"Why did he argue?"

"He was originally with the Third Department. After the divorce, he changed. Aren't you curious about his divorce?"

"Will it affect the song's release?"

"No, it's just a normal divorce. It's his personal life."

"Then it's fine," Lin Zhibai concluded.

Lin Xi, curious, asked to listen to the rough version. Lin Zhibai handed her his phone with the recording. As she listened, he looked around her office, noting the neat arrangement and a family photo on her desk.

The photo, taken three years ago, showed a smiling fourteen-year-old Lin Zhibai with his family. The sight of his past self made him feel disconnected from that time.

Lost in thought, he didn't notice his sister finishing the song, her eyes red with emotion.

"Xiao hei," she called softly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, startled.

"Listening to the song made me think about what you've gone through these past three years."

Lin Zhibai realized she attributed the song's depth to his experiences during those years. Smiling brightly, he reassured her, knowing she believed his growth came from his hardships.

If "Song to Myself" needed a backstory, it was that he had matured beyond his years during those three years.

Chapter 17: Restart

The official recording wouldn't begin until the following day. Even if they rushed through the process, "Song for Myself" would not be officially released until the evening of the 2nd or even the 3rd, depending on how smoothly the recording session went. Lin Zhibai didn't linger at the company for long. He informed his sister he was heading home.

"I'll send someone to drive you," Lin Xi offered.

"No, I'll take a taxi."

"Okay, there's one more thing," Lin Xi added. "I've authenticated Baidi's identity for your Jiguang account through the company. You can use it to promote your songs as you gain more fans."

"Okay," Lin Zhibai agreed.

Jiguang, akin to Tianchao's Weibo, is the largest social platform in Qinzhou. Lin Zhibai already had an account there, and he followed his sister.

After bidding his sister farewell, Lin Zhibai arrived home to the sound of familiar singing emanating from the courtyard, 

"Mom, I'm back," Lin Zhibai called.

In the yard, there was a small swimming pool. His mother, in a swimsuit, was swimming laps. It was late summer, still quite hot, and swimming had become a frequent activity.

"Xiao Hei!" His mother swam to the edge and removed her goggles. "Is the song 'Xiaochou' playing now written by you?"

"Yeah."

"It's true. Your sister told me today. Why didn't you tell your parents earlier?"

"I was just about to," Lin Zhibai replied. He had no intention of hiding his identity as Bai di from his family. Besides, it was becoming widely known within the Thirteenth Music Department, making it impossible to conceal.

"You're full of surprises," his mother remarked, pinching his cheek. Then, her mood brightened. "This song is really good. I've been listening to it all morning. I heard you have a new song coming out?"

"Yeah."

"Good luck, Bai di," she smiled, fully understanding the significance of the stage name.

"Thanks, Mom," Lin Zhibai said, contemplating something before asking, "Mom, have you thought about working in the company again?"

"I've considered it," she admitted. "My job was always temporary, just to keep busy while taking care of you. Now that you're better, staying home all the time is a bit boring. Maybe I'll switch to another department."

"Thanks for everything," Lin Zhibai said, understanding that his mother had worked to take care of him during those difficult years. Now, she was seeking a new purpose.

"Let's talk about this later," she said, pointing upstairs. "Your brother is back from his business trip and working in the study. Go say hello."

Lin Zhibai was surprised, "Brother's back? I'll go see him. It's been a few days."

"Go on," his mother encouraged, feeling pleased with the family's closeness.

Upstairs, Lin Zhibai knocked on the study door.

"Come in," his brother's voice responded.

Lin Zhibai entered, and his brother, Lin Shengtian, stood up, smiling broadly. "You look great! I can see you're really well now."

"Hey, brother," Lin Zhibai greeted him. His brother, taller and more robust, handed him a gift.

"I got this for you from Qizhou. See if you like it."

Opening it, Lin Zhibai found a brand-new watch. He recognized the brand, knowing it was quite expensive. "I like it, but it seems expensive."

"It's to celebrate your recovery," Lin Shengtian insisted.

Lin Zhibai, not used to wearing watches, put it on his wrist out of appreciation for his brother's gesture. "Thanks."

"Why so formal with me?" Lin Shengtian smiled. "The business trip didn't yield the variety show we wanted, but we have alternatives."

"That's good," Lin Zhibai responded, though he wished he could help more. He lacked a variety show idea but hoped to draw one from the system someday.

The two brothers chatted for half an hour before Lin Zhibai left the study and returned to his bedroom. He checked the downloads of "Xiaochou," pleased to see they had exceeded 17 million. He anticipated being able to draw from the system again soon.

Logging into his Jiguang account, he found his ID had been updated to Bai di, now officially certified. The account still held some of his old posts, including youthful selfies and life updates. These posts, naive and sometimes embarrassing, had recently attracted new comments from fans intrigued by "Xiaochou."

Despite his rising fame, Lin Zhibai knew that Composers rarely garnered the same attention as performers. Only industry insiders and dedicated fans might follow their work closely.

Reviewing his old posts, Lin Zhibai found some private, gloomy reflections from his years of injury. These included dark thoughts about human nature and even musings on death, expressions of his deepest frustrations and pains.

"That's all in the past," he whispered to himself, systematically deleting these private posts. Each deletion felt like shedding a weight, leaving him feeling lighter.

After removing these shadows of his past, he decided to delete all updates from before his injury, leaving the account empty. He then typed and posted a new message:

"Hello everyone, I am Bai di."

As he hit send, it felt like a new beginning. The wind blew through the carved curtains of his bedroom, and the sunlight danced on the clean desk, signaling a fresh start.