As the song ended, the boy in white let his fingers fall onto the final lingering note on the piano. The tourists who had stumbled upon the performance in the square stood there in a daze, not yet pulled back to reality. Some had already raised their cameras before the applause erupted—spontaneous and thunderous.
Fang Li had just stepped off the stage when Wu Xuxu pulled him into a fierce hug.
“Lili! You looked like an angel up there!”
She hadn’t expected Fang Li’s first performance to go that well. And in a place like Blitz Square, packed with onlookers, every note he played was precise and crystal clear. He was… born for the stage.
Fang Li was still reeling with nerves. This had been his first time performing on stage—not just performing, but singing with his real voice. From the moment he walked out to the moment he stepped down, the tension in his body never left. His heart still beat like a wound-up spring, the world around him muffled as if wrapped in cotton.
“Sister Xuxu! There are more and more people! We’re running out of postcards!”
“There are extras in the van!”
“Sister Xuxu! We need more help! I don’t have enough hands to take down the names!”
Several donation tables were now surrounded by passersby and tourists, curious and eager to contribute. Fang Li’s performance had drawn their attention and their feet—and that crowd only drew in more. The four band members tasked with managing the donation list and handing out postcards were totally overwhelmed. None of them had expected this kind of turnout.
Wu Xuxu glanced over at the growing crowd. “Lili! Take a break, okay? Qiao Shi and I will help out!”
She grabbed Qiao Shi and ran off. Before she left, she shoved a bottle of mineral water into Fang Li’s hands. A few foreign tourists had spotted him and asked for a photo, but Fang Li gently declined. He just wanted to return to the van and calm his racing heart.
That’s when someone called out behind him.
“Hey—classmate! Classmate! Are you Chinese?!”
The accent was unmistakably from Shanxi province—closer still, it was the dialect from Suixi and Chongsi, near where Fang Li had grown up. In all his years abroad, this was the first time he’d heard the comforting tones of home. He turned around.
Yang Yuecheng saw him turn and lit up. He understood! He was Chinese!
“Hi there! I’m a talent agent with a music company back home. My name is Yang Yuecheng—here’s my card. Are you studying here in New York? What year are you in? I was wondering… would you be interested in signing with us?”
“I’m not… I’m not a student…”
Fang Li took the business card, intending to explain further. Yang Yuecheng… talent agent… But as he looked down again, something caught his eye—and stunned him.
Because the company name at the top of the card read: Waves Music & Cultural Development Co., and when he looked more closely at the address printed below, he saw exactly what he thought he’d find.
It was based in Jinyang.
It was actually Waves Music—the same company he had sold songs to back in China!
Yang Yuecheng assumed he was an international student studying abroad. “Here’s the thing,” he said enthusiastically, “our company is focused on developing stars, and I think you’ve got everything—great image, great voice! Do you have plans to return to China? Would you consider becoming a singer, maybe even a superstar after graduation?”
To be honest, Yang Yuecheng had been in this industry for years. He’d seen his fair share of good-looking young men and women. But the boy in front of him had caught him off guard during the recording just now—his features were so flawless, not a single bad angle on camera. With that face, that voice, and that piano playing, if their company gave him the right polish, wouldn’t he become the heartthrob of every girl who’s ever loved a celebrity?
He completely forgot about his honeymoon and rambled on excitedly: “If you’re interested, you have to consider signing with us. We’re a pretty big name in Jin Province—very reputable. We’ve launched quite a few successful bands and singers these past few years. Oh, and where are you from?”
“I’m from Jin Province too,” Fang Li replied.
“You are?!” Yang Yuecheng’s eyes widened. “From Jinyang? That’s perfect! Do any of your friends or classmates back in Jinyang follow celebrities? I bet they’ve heard of our company. Artists like Yang Yang and the Southeast-Northwest Band—they’re all ours! If you signed with us after graduation, we’re confident we could turn you into a star!”
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”
Qiao Shi had noticed this man pestering Fang Li while helping at the donation booth. Thinking he was just another guy trying to get Fang Li’s phone number, he marched over. He switched to English: “Brother Li, let’s head to the van. Xuxu said we’re celebrating tonight—we should go reserve a table.”
Yang Yuecheng wasn’t great at English, but his wife was an English major. He glanced toward her, wanting her to translate, but she was still busy taking photos. Seeing Fang Li about to leave, he quickly said, “Wait! I don’t even know your name yet! My phone number’s on the card—please call me if you’re interested. I’m Yang Yuecheng!”
Inside the van, Qiao Shi glanced at the business card Fang Li was holding. “Brother Li, there are tons of people in New York claiming to be talent scouts. Most of them are scammers targeting students…”
“I know this company,” Fang Li said. “I used to write songs for them when I was in China.” He paused, thinking back. “They changed their name, though. They used to be just ‘Waves Music.’ Now it’s ‘Waves Music & Cultural Development Co., Ltd.’ or something like that.”
“Wait—Brother Li, you wrote songs for a music company in China?”
“Yeah. It was a long time ago. I wrote a few for a friend, and for one of their artists.”
Fang Li found the whole coincidence strange—after all these years, to cross paths with Waves Music again, here of all places.
“What are the odds?” Qiao Shi said, amazed.
Qiao Shi, now certain the man wasn’t a scammer, finally felt relieved.
He said, “Brother Li, your performance this afternoon was absolutely stunning! Did you see? So many tourists were taking photos of you. The way you looked on stage… it was completely different from your usual self!” After thinking a moment, Qiao Shi admitted he was struggling to find the right words: “You’re always handsome, Brother Li, but it’s like… something’s missing. But on stage—it’s like you shine. You draw everyone’s attention without even trying.”
He smiled at the rearview mirror. “Brother Li, if that guy isn’t a fraud, maybe you really should consider what he said.”
Fang Li gave a quiet laugh. Sign a contract and become a celebrity…? He probably wouldn’t even need to say anything before Qin Weidong killed him.
He rubbed his fingers unconsciously. Still, the feeling of being on stage—it was like it had awakened a long-suppressed side of himself, and the thrill of it was still reverberating inside him.
That evening, the band went out to a nearby restaurant to celebrate. The fundraiser had been a massive success—they’d raised three thousand dollars! Far exceeding expectations, considering that their previous events had only averaged around eight hundred.
As everyone raised their glasses to mark the successful close of the group’s two-year anniversary event, Wu Xuxu cleared her throat and brought even more good news: “Since today’s fundraiser went so well, we spoke to the plaza’s management center, and they’ve agreed to let us hold two more fundraising shows this weekend!”
Just as the group was about to cheer, she added: “And—our event is going to be featured in the next issue of the Times Square community brochure! Our band’s name will be printed right there!”
“No way! That’s amazing!!”
“We’re going to be in the brochure?!”
“Best anniversary gift ever! Cheers!!”
“To today’s fantastic performance!”
“Do we need to print more postcards now?”
“Cheers!! Brother Li, you were incredible today!”
The band members raised their glasses, grinning and cheering. Many of them went out of their way to toast with Fang Li—after all, he’d been instrumental in making the event such a hit.
The atmosphere was full of joy. Even Fang Li had two drinks, letting Qin Weidong’s no-alcohol rule slide for once. After clinking glasses with Qiao Shi, he picked up his phone to see two missed calls from Qin Weidong. Just as he was about to call back, the third one came in.
The alcohol had started to hit him a little. Fang Li stepped outside to take the call.
“Where are you? Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“I’m having dinner with some friends, at a restaurant across from the school…”
“You’ve been drinking?” Qin Weidong gave a quick word to You Yue, asking him to go get the car.
“I had a little…”
Qin Weidong frowned. “Don’t drink too much. Who’s taking you home? Should I send someone to pick you up?” He didn’t like Fang Li drinking when he wasn’t around.
“It’s all close friends, nothing wild… Qiao Shi will take me home.”
“Did you go to the rehearsal this afternoon?” Qin Weidong couldn’t remember which day was the rehearsal and which was the performance. It simply wasn’t something important to him.
Fang Li kicked aside a cigarette butt tossed by a homeless man on the sidewalk. “No.” He hadn’t gone to rehearsal today—had he? Fang Li thought for a moment and asked, “When are you coming back?”
“Around next Wednesday, probably,” Qin Weidong replied. “Be good. I have to drive. I’ll call you when I get back.”
After hanging up, Fang Li stood outside, letting the night wind wash over him. Across the street, several students from the conservatory were heading to an evening event hosted by one of the international dormitory clubs, instruments slung over their backs. A couple of them were even talking about that afternoon’s fundraiser in Blitz Square.
Fang Li stopped by a shop and bought a pack of cigarettes. He had just taken one out when Qiao Shi stepped outside.
“What’s wrong, Brother Li?” It was rare to see Fang Li smoke.
Fang Li lit the cigarette. “Nothing really. I’m happy today too—just celebrating, maybe.”
But Qiao Shi noticed the tension in his brow. He reached out and asked for a cigarette as well.
“Brother Li, I’ve always wondered… why doesn’t Brother Qin support your singing? You’ve got great talent and your voice is amazing. If he doesn’t like that you’re into music—well, I’ve seen him enjoy watching you play piano sometimes, hasn’t he?”
“He doesn’t care about what I enjoy,” Fang Li said. “What he cares about… he only wants me to stay at home.”
Qiao Shi couldn’t quite understand. “Why?”
Fang Li sat down on the steps. “It’s hard to explain why. He’s always been like this, ever since we were kids… We grew up together in some remote countryside, and it was such a small place that if he couldn’t see me for a while, he’d get upset—well, I guess you’d call it throwing a tantrum. Later, something happened at home and we moved to the provincial capital, but he didn’t change. I didn’t think much of it back then, so I just went along with it…”
Fang Li stubbed out his cigarette on the step. “He’s really capable. Eventually, he started making more and more money, and he’s always been the one supporting both of us—everything, back in China and here too, all the expenses. You’ve seen it. He can afford it, so he doesn’t want me going to school, doesn’t want me singing, doesn’t want me earning money outside. He just wants me to stay by his side.”
“I see…”
Though Qiao Shi couldn’t quite relate to this kind of stifling love, when he thought about all the restrictions Brother Qin had placed on Fang Li over the years… He glanced at Fang Li—his shoes, his coat, his watch—every item was from a luxury brand.
“Brother Li, do you know how much your watch costs?”
“Huh?” Fang Li glanced at it. “This one?” He thought for a second. Most of his things were picked out by Qin Weidong. Qin Weidong would buy them, and if Fang Li liked them, he’d just wear them.
Qiao Shi could tell right away that Fang Li had no idea.
He said, “Brother Qin gives you a great material life. But Brother Li, is that really what matters to you? That watch of yours is probably worth more than I’d make from a year of part-time jobs. Actually… I might not even earn that much in a full year. But if someone told me I had to give up the life I love—the freedom I have—for that watch, I couldn’t do it.”
Qiao Shi held his cigarette and propped his chin on his fingers. “My mom always told me that the most valuable things in a person’s life are the ones only they can feel and measure. So even though she’s been married to a bunch of men, I think as long as she feels happy, that’s enough. Brother Li, maybe you should talk to Brother Qin. What he gives you shouldn’t come at the cost of sacrificing the things you find precious. That’s not a healthy relationship.”
If any of Qiao Shi’s past boyfriends had dared say something like that to him, he probably would’ve dumped them straight into the Pacific Ocean.
A healthy relationship…?
Fang Li hadn’t dated as many people as Qiao Shi. Qin Weidong was his first love—no, more than that. They’d clung to each other for warmth since they were kids. They had shaped each other’s entire view of love. What even was a healthy relationship? Fang Li didn’t know.
Before long, news of their upcoming performance in Blitz Square spread throughout the Chinese student community at the Brooklyn Conservatory, thanks to the band’s promotional efforts. Coincidentally, a girl from the Friday performance had snapped a few photos and shared them with her classmates. Soon, everyone wanted to see the guy who not only sang beautifully but was also incredibly handsome.
Word spread fast. By Saturday, not even Wu Xuxu had expected such a huge turnout. The plaza was packed with music students—more than yesterday—all there specifically to watch Fang Li perform!
Fang Li was surprised too. “Students these days…”
If Fang Li hadn’t been about to go on stage, Wu Xuxu would’ve pinched his cheek.
“Haha, Lili! After yesterday’s performance, your beauty has become the talk of our music academy. Now everyone knows there’s a guy in our band more handsome than a fashion week model! My bestie in Chicago sent me eight messages last night asking if you have a girlfriend… Haha! I told her you’re already taken, and she was heartbroken!”
Being described as “beautiful” by a girl made Fang Li a little helpless. He adjusted his collar as Wu Xuxu lifted her Polaroid and snapped a photo of him. The photo happened to capture the moment he lifted his head. His fox-like eyes gleamed in the backlight of the setting sun, and a faint, resigned smile played on his lips.
Wu Xuxu held up the developed photo. As a woman and a sucker for good looks, she said, “Lili, if Brother Qin didn’t look so scary, I’d kidnap you home myself—have you play piano for me every day, and let me take endless photos!”
Fang Li couldn’t take it anymore. With an exasperated smile, he said, “I’m recording this. I’m gonna let your future boyfriend hear it.”
At the same time, You Yue and Qin Weidong were on their way to meet a practicing lawyer when they received a photo from Tong Na. They’d barely gotten three hours of sleep in the past two days. When You Yue saw the picture, he thought he was seeing things.
He looked closer and said to Qin Weidong, who was reading a file: “Your little boyfriend’s been singing in Blitz Square these past two days? His photo’s gone viral—even students at my school in Boston have seen it.”
Qin Weidong was still going through a prospecting report from the Rongshan mine back in China. When he heard that, he looked up. “What?”
You Yue showed him the photo: “Tong Na says Fang Li’s performances at Blitz Square have become a hit in the Chinese student circles. Her classmates are planning to go tomorrow just to watch him.”
The picture wasn’t very clear—it had been taken from the edge of the crowd—but Qin Weidong could still instantly recognize the boy playing piano and singing at the center of the plaza. The same boy who’d just texted him saying he was napping at home.
You Yue laughed. “Are these girls fangirling? I hear there’s another show tomorrow afternoon.”
But as soon as he finished speaking, he noticed the change—Qin Weidong’s mood had turned frigid, like the temperature had dropped several degrees. His expression… was grim, even ugly.
You Yue asked, “What’s wrong?”
Qin Weidong didn’t reply. He gripped his phone, the tendons in his hand standing out with tension.
But in the end, he didn’t make the call. He put the phone away. “After we meet Bacon tonight, I need to head back first thing in the morning. You stay here. At the latest, I’ll be back the morning after.”
Axolotl Translations 
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