Chapter Forty-Seven: Who Is the Pig? Who Is the Cabbage?

The director of the show had dressed in ancient costume for the live event, and it was even displayed on the big screen. Yet, none of the internal staff had any prior knowledge of this.

One staff member scratched his head. It was their first time seeing Ji Mei in traditional dress. Of course, that wasn’t the main point. The key question was: why was Ji Mei’s ancient costume show appearing during Chen Fang’s stage performance? Was there some connection between the two of them?

The next second, a staff member with an earpiece spoke up, “A few days ago, I saw a report from an independent media source. It said that on the day Sister Ji returned from headquarters, Chen Fang apparently went to pick her up at the airport. What do you all think...?”

In an instant, everyone suddenly understood.

Well then! So there was that kind of relationship between Chen Fang and Ji Mei.

“Let’s not worry about this right now. Focus on managing tonight’s program first,” said a middle-aged man. The other staff members quickly composed themselves and returned to their work.

Below the stage, the four judges cast ambiguous glances at Ji Mei sitting nearby. They had also recognized her. Ji Mei’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn’t say anything.

Most of the audience, however, hadn’t recognized her. After all, Ji Mei usually worked behind the scenes and rarely appeared in public. Moreover, the earlier rumor about picking her up at the airport hadn’t gained much traction, so most people simply thought the woman on the screen was elegant, without connecting her to Ji Mei.

The chorus arrived.

Everyone held their breath, afraid to miss a single lyric.

◤A sky blue awaits the rain, and I wait for you
Smoke from the kitchen rises, drifting over a thousand miles across the river
On the base of the vase, I inscribe Han characters in the flowing style of the previous dynasty
Let this be the foreshadowing of our encounter
A sky blue awaits the rain, and I wait for you
Moonlight is drawn up, diffusing and blurring the ending
Like a timeless blue-and-white porcelain, beautiful in its own right
Your eyes are filled with a smile◢

The chorus was in two parts, both beginning with “A sky blue awaits the rain, and I wait for you.”

Many people didn’t know what “sky blue awaits the rain” meant. Or rather, 99% of people had no idea. On Earth, blue-and-white porcelain was better known, but in Huaguo, its fame was quite low.

After all, in the long stretch of history, blue-and-white porcelain existed for only thirty years.

As soon as Chen Fang began singing “Blue and White Porcelain,” many viewers searched for information online, but what they found was vague and general. Almost no one understood the deeper meaning behind the chorus lyrics. Except for one person.

When he heard “sky blue awaits the rain,” his eyes suddenly lit up.

That person was Xi Yuan Yuan’s father, Xi Dong.

In the living room, Xi Dong sat up straight, his curiosity turning into amazement. “This young man has a profound cultural background.”

“What’s wrong?” Xi Yuan Yuan, like most people, didn’t understand the meaning of that line.

Xi Dong explained, “Do you remember the documentary I filmed a year ago called ‘Porcelain Capital’? At that time, I researched a lot about porcelain, including blue-and-white porcelain.”

Xi Yuan Yuan didn’t recall much; she wasn’t interested in the film and television industry. Liu Ke, on the other hand, remembered and said with sudden clarity, “I remember now. Last year, you invited an elderly gentleman to our house named Li Jiye.”

“Yes, that’s him.” Xi Dong nodded.

With that, Xi Yuan Yuan began to remember a few things.

“Li Jiye is a professor of history, especially skilled in appraising antiques. He told me a lot of things that aren’t recorded in books. If I’m not mistaken, Li Jiye mentioned ‘sky blue’ at that time.”

“In ancient times, ‘sky blue’ was the highest grade in blue-and-white porcelain. Since the ancients couldn’t control humidity and temperature, only on rare misty, rainy days would the glaze turn into that dreamy sky blue when the porcelain was fired.”

The memory was still vivid for Xi Dong. Among all types of porcelain, blue-and-white porcelain had the shortest history, but its craftsmanship was the most difficult.

Xi Dong hadn’t expected Chen Fang to know these hidden secrets, let alone turn them into a song. That was what amazed him most. How did Chen Fang know about these things? These facts couldn’t even be found online.

After hearing her father’s explanation, Xi Yuan Yuan was stunned, her lips slightly parted as she recalled the scene of drinking tea with Chen Fang in her office. Chen Fang had found inspiration after gazing at a teacup for only a few seconds. Such terrifying talent!

“‘A sky blue awaits the rain, and I wait for you.’ The romance of ancient craftsmanship and the passion of a modern singer. This Chen Fang is truly impressive,” Xi Dong said, full of admiration.

Beside him, Liu Ke laughed so much he could hardly close his mouth, growing more satisfied with Chen Fang by the minute.

Back at the venue, the audience only found the lyrics beautiful, but did not understand their deeper meaning. The chorus ended, the singing paused.

The guzheng’s notes had continued uninterrupted from beginning to end, but with Chen Fang’s nimble fingers, the emotion shifted from gentle to melodiously passionate. Even setting aside the lyrics, the composition and arrangement of this song alone elevated it to legendary status.

The second part brought back the familiar melody, but the lyrics were entirely new.

◤A white-and-blue koi leaps at the bottom of the bowl
Copying the calligraphy’s signature, yet my thoughts linger on you
You are the secret hidden in the kiln’s flames for a thousand years
As delicate as a needle falling on silk◢

The final step in making porcelain is to stamp and engrave the signature. It’s much like singing a song: from the opening note, to reaching the heart of the piece, and finally preparing to conclude.

The lyrics and music were the greatest surprises, but there was another detail: the style of the song. During his performance, Chen Fang incorporated a touch of light R&B, blending classical national elements with modern rhythms, making it more appealing to contemporary listeners.

The four judges in the audience all noticed this. Even though they didn’t understand the deeper meaning of the lyrics, they were experts in these technical matters. Because of this, they admired Chen Fang all the more.

It was worth noting that the theme for the third round of auditions had only been announced three days earlier. In other words, Chen Fang had composed “Blue and White Porcelain” in just three days.

“I really want to know what Ke Min and Cheng Jie are feeling right now.”

“I really admire those two for their courage—trying to kick an iron plate.”

“The happiest ones must be Future Stardom. They’re probably grinning from ear to ear.”

“Back in the day, even An Tinghan wasn’t as fierce as Chen Fang.”

...

Online bullet comments flooded the screen. People’s attention was gradually shifting from the song itself to Chen Fang.

As the song drew to a close, Chen Fang finished the last line, “Your eyes are filled with a smile,” and the image on the big screen froze on a radiant photo of Ji Mei.

Something was definitely going on! There was absolutely something between these two!

The four judges all looked at Ji Mei. She crossed her legs, a smile playing at her lips, looking thoroughly pleased.

The next second, thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue.

Chen Fang rose, adjusting his long robe. One of the judges smiled helplessly and said, “Contestant Chen Fang, you may remove your mask now.”

At these words, Chen Fang took off his mask, revealing a dazzlingly handsome face.

In front of the television, Xi Dong and Liu Ke’s eyes widened in astonishment. This young man was truly good-looking, talented, and handsome—suddenly, it felt like their own daughter was the pig, and Chen Fang was the cabbage!