ECG -Chapter 65 Returning the Favor

The four members of the band all turned to look at Lin Hao, not understanding what he meant.

The lead guitarist who had just been singing, Zhao Xiaoyi, looked extremely guarded. His breathing quickened and his heart pounded wildly, afraid that Lin Hao might lose his temper and throw the microphone at him again.

Ignoring the band completely, Lin Hao folded his arms, held the microphone near his mouth with one hand, and chuckled.

“I didn’t expect these two songs of mine to still be so popular!”

Many customers in the audience who recognized him laughed good-naturedly, and some even started applauding.

“Some friends here may not know this, but the two songs that this brother from the band just performed—Blue Lotus and The First Snow of 2002—were both written, composed, and originally sung by yours truly.”

Lin Hao remained calm and composed, smiling the entire time.

Wu Xiaozhou let out a long, sharp whistle.

Many customers immediately began whispering among themselves.

“Yeah, I know! Blue Lotus was sung by him!”

“Oh, so it’s his song!”

“It’s great. The band’s version has a different flavor, but both are really good!”

“Isn’t he that guy who was playing and singing earlier?”

“That’s right, it’s him. Handsome, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, not bad. He looks really clean-cut.”

“Look at those little eyelids of his—so firm and tight!”

“You shameless flirt!”

“Hehe!”

“I’ll tell you what, Blue Lotus is the better one. It actually made me cry!”

The fat man who said that still had red eyes.

“Yeah, it was my first time hearing it. Really moving.”

“It really is good.”

“…”

“As the saying goes, one good turn deserves another. Since this brother likes my two songs so much, I ought to sing one of theirs in return. Otherwise, I’d be the rude one. Don’t you all agree?”

The customers had no idea what was really going on. As soon as they heard that Lin Hao was going to sing again—and even perform with the band—they applauded enthusiastically.

Lin Hao turned and looked directly at Zhao Xiaoyi. At this point, he still didn’t know the man’s name.

“Brother, before you sang my two songs, what was that song you were performing? I thought it sounded pretty good. Mind if I sing it once?”

His smile never left his face, but a cold glint had already appeared in his eyes.

What could Zhao Xiaoyi say?

With so many customers watching, and Fourth Sister standing in front of the stage with her arms folded, he had no choice but to nod.

Lin Hao continued, “I’m getting old—my memory isn’t what it used to be. Could I take a look at the lyric sheet?”

The entire bar burst into laughter.

This kid looked no older than twenty. The fuzz on his upper lip had barely disappeared, yet he was talking about being old. It was hilarious.

Only after hearing the laughter did Lin Hao realize what he had said.

He hadn’t been joking at all. In his previous life, he had lived to forty-two years old. The words had simply slipped out subconsciously.

He wasn’t a deity, nor did he possess any supernatural abilities. He had only heard that song once before. Remembering the melody wasn’t a problem, but he genuinely couldn’t recall all the lyrics, so he needed a quick look.

Naturally, Zhao Xiaoyi couldn’t refuse.

He had already memorized the score long ago, so whether Lin Hao looked at it or not made no difference. He pulled the sheet music from the stand and handed it over.

The moment Lin Hao took the score, their eyes met.

Had every light in the bar suddenly gone out at that instant, people might have clearly seen sparks flying across the stage.

Zhao Xiaoyi was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, tall and thin. His pale face featured a pair of narrow eyes with slightly upturned corners.

Keeping his head lowered slightly, he looked up at Lin Hao through those eyes.

Lin Hao ignored him and immediately began reading the score.

But Fourth Sister, standing below the stage, saw that look from Zhao Xiaoyi perfectly clearly.

Her brow furrowed even deeper.

Just then, a man in his early thirties with a ponytail hurried over. He wore an extremely tight pair of black pants, making his already thin frame resemble a bamboo pole even more.

The moment he saw Fourth Sister, he bent forward with a flattering smile.

“Fourth Sister!”

She glanced at him.

“You got here pretty fast.”

The man let out a dry chuckle and said nothing more.

“Tell Zhao Xiaoyi to focus on the accompaniment and stop pulling unnecessary tricks,” Fourth Sister said softly.

Zhao Xiaoyi spotted the man beneath the stage at a glance, and panic immediately rose in his heart.

Why is Zheng Laoliu here?

Zheng Laoliu walked to the edge of the stage. Hugging his electric guitar, Zhao Xiaoyi stepped forward and lowered his voice.

“Brother Six.”

“Just cooperate properly. We’ll talk after you come down,” Zheng Laoliu warned irritably.

A shadow crossed Zhao Xiaoyi’s face.

He hadn’t expected Fourth Sister to value Lin Hao so highly that she had even summoned Zheng Laoliu.

Regret welled up inside him, but it was already too late.

On the sheet music were two large characters:

Journey

Lyrics and music by: Snow Country Band

Lin Hao only glanced at it briefly.

The stage had already been empty for several minutes. They couldn’t delay any longer. If they didn’t start soon, the sound engineer would have to play recorded music.

Turning toward the keyboardist, drummer, and bassist, he said:

“Thanks for your hard work, everyone. Key of G. Let’s begin.”

The keyboardist, another long-haired musician with fairly regular features but a face covered in acne, looked bewilderedly at the bassist before turning toward Zhao Xiaoyi.

Zhao Xiaoyi’s expression remained blank.

If Zheng Laoliu hadn’t shown up, he would definitely have curled his lip and said:

I can barely sing this in F major, and you raised it another key? Are you kidding me?

But Zheng Laoliu had already warned him, so he kept his mouth shut.

All he needed to do was finish the song properly.

As for whether this kid could actually hit the notes or end up humiliating himself, what did that have to do with him?

“Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!”

The drummer struck his sticks together four times.

Zhao Xiaoyi stepped on the wah pedal and entered with the electric guitar. Synthesized strings laid down the foundation while the bass remained silent.

As the noise faded away, the keyboardist began playing the electric piano beneath the stand.

Clear piano notes echoed throughout the bar.

The steady block chords, one beat at a time, instantly calmed everyone’s mood.

After two measures and eight beats, Lin Hao began to sing:

“Midnight,

Platform lights flicker like stars,

The train whistles mournfully,

Light rain drifts down…”

The moment he opened his mouth, Zhao Xiaoyi was so shocked he nearly dropped his guitar.

Lin Hao’s voice was incredibly rich and resonant.

Within its magnetic tone lingered a trace of helpless sorrow and weathered melancholy.

This was exactly the voice they had imagined when they first created the song.

The drums and bass didn’t enter until the second verse.

The drummer and bassist exchanged a glance, unable to conceal the astonishment in their eyes.

When Lin Hao heard the keyboardist strike a wrong chord tone, he casually glanced back at him.

The keyboardist had been watching Lin Hao.

His surprise had caused him to hit the wrong note.

As he looked away, he happened to catch Lin Hao’s drifting gaze.

His heart skipped a beat.

Not only is this guy’s voice incredible, but his ear is unbelievably accurate!

He’s heard the song only once, and he immediately noticed that I played a wrong chord tone!

Quickly regaining his focus, the keyboardist devoted himself completely to the performance.

The second verse began.

Bass, drums, and electric guitar joined in.

“Outside the window,

The night sways quietly like water,

Someone is listening,

Someone is speaking…”

Everyone in the bar listened in silence.

Fourth Sister and Zheng Laoliu both stood there with their mouths slightly open.

They knew Journey better than anyone.

Especially Zheng Laoliu.

He had heard it so many times his ears were practically calloused, because it was Snow Country Band’s signature song.

Two years earlier, Snow Country Band had even been invited to perform as an opening act at the Third Long Province College Student Music Festival.

The song itself was excellent.

The first half was tender and beautiful.

The second half soared with passion and excitement.

If Zhao Xiaoyi’s performance of the song deserved a score of seventy…

Then after hearing Lin Hao sing it—

This performance wasn’t just perfect.

It was a full 100 points.

No.

One hundred and twenty points.