RBCT Chapter 290 The Concert Begins
Chapter 290 The Concert Begins
Lu Ran's right leg was in a cast and rested on the footrest of his wheelchair. He was wearing a dark blue suit and his tie was tied meticulously.
Shen Yuege walked to his side, pushed the wheelchair, and slowly walked towards the center of the stage.
The applause from the audience reached its peak at this moment.
It was a heartfelt, respectful applause.
"Lu Ran!!! Lu Ran!!! Lu Ran!!!"
Someone stood up and applauded, then a second, a third, a fourth... and finally, the entire audience stood up.
Sitting in his wheelchair, Lu Ran looked at the sea of people below the stage, at those who stood up and applauded for him, and suddenly felt a lump in his throat.
He never intended to be sentimental, much less to play the victim.
He simply felt that since he had written this song and organized this benefit performance, he should stand on this stage.
Even if he is in a wheelchair.
Shen Yuege pushed him to the center of the stage, then let go of his hand, walked to his side, bent down slightly, and whispered something in his ear.
Lu Ran smiled and nodded.
Shen Yuege straightened up, walked onto the choir stage, and stood in the leftmost position.
Then, Lu Ran pushed his wheelchair himself and slowly drove it toward the choir stage.
The wheelchair moved very softly on the stage, but in that quiet moment, everyone heard it.
He drove to the very front of the choir stage and stopped in a spot reserved for him—not on the choir stage, but below the stage, directly facing all the singers.
He picked up the microphone, looked at the dozens of people on the stage, then at the audience below, and nodded slightly.
It means: I'm ready.
Shen Yuege stood on the choir stage and raised her hands.
Everyone took a deep breath.
The image on the LED screen has changed—it's no longer a scene from the disaster area, but lines of lyrics slowly appearing, the white words standing out clearly against the dark background.
The prelude begins.
The piano notes fell like water droplets onto the still lake.
The strings approached slowly from afar, like the morning sun piercing through the thin mist, gently illuminating the whole world.
The entire theater was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
No one spoke, no one moved, and everyone held their breath.
Shen Yuege picked up the microphone and sang the first line—
"Gently awaken your sleeping soul, slowly open your eyes."
Her voice was warm and clear, like the first cup of hot water on a winter morning, warming you from your throat all the way to your stomach.
Some people in the audience closed their eyes, some gripped the hands of the people next to them, and some had already started to tear up.
Next up is Lin Xiaoxi—
"Look at this busy world, is it still spinning on and on, all alone?"
Her voice was clear and bright, with a natural infectious quality, as if asking everyone: How long has it been since you stopped to look at the world?
Su Qian continued—
"The spring breeze, though oblivious to romance, stirs the heart of a young man."
Her voice has a story to tell, as if she is telling a story about growth and loss.
Zhou Wan —
Let the tears on yesterday's face dry with the wind of memory.
The high notes were hit steadily, neither harsh nor ostentatious, but every word resonated deep within the listener's heart.
Then came Zhang Xinyi, Zhao Yiman, Chen Xue, Liu Yuxin, Wang Ruoxi, and Sun Xiaoxiao—each of the top ten contestants sang their own line. Some were steady, some were a little nervous, but everyone was very serious.
When it was Xu Manlin's turn, she picked up the microphone, closed her eyes slightly, and began to sing—
"Who can disregard their homeland and abandon the childhood memories they hold dear?"
Her voice was beautiful and soulful, every transition perfectly timed, like a butterfly fluttering among flowers. Some in the audience began to weep, not in loud sobs, but in silent tears, which slid down their cheeks unnoticed.
Lin Weiwei continued singing—
"Who can bear to see yesterday's sorrows take away our smiles?"
Her voice was gentle as water, with a tenderness that tugged at the heartstrings.
The line sung by Andy Lau—
"Youth is oblivious to the ways of the world, and rouge is stained with dust."
The sound was deep and powerful, like an ancient bell, each strike resonating deep within one's heart.
Finally, it was Lu Ran's turn.
He sat in his wheelchair, picked up the microphone, waited a few beats, and then began to sing—
"Sing out your passion, reach out your hands, and let me embrace your dreams."
His voice was steady and powerful, like a mountain standing firmly, giving people a sense of security.
Some people in the audience cried.
It's not because of sadness, it's because of hope.
This song is for those who lost their homes in the disaster, those who rebuilt hope on the ruins, and those who still believed that spring would come in the cold winter.
Li Mengdie and Huang Wanzhu sang their parts one after the other, followed by Chen Hao and Zhou Zihan.
Chen Hao's voice is clean and clear, with a youthful spirit. When he sang the line "Let me embrace your dream," a young girl in the audience covered her mouth.
Although Zhou Zihan was nervous and her voice trembled slightly, her naivety gave her the phrase "Let our smiles be filled with the pride of youth" a more sincere power.
Then there's Xu Manxue.
She sang the same lyrics as newcomer Zhou Zihan—
"Let our smiles be filled with the pride of youth."
Her voice wasn't as professional as others, but it was exceptionally full of emotion, as if she were speaking for all ordinary people.
After her solo performance, Shen Yuege raised her hands again.
Everyone knew what was coming next.
The voices of dozens of people came together like a river, flowing from a trickle into a mighty torrent, eventually surging into the sea.
"Sing out your passion, reach out your hands, let me embrace your dreams—"
"Let me embrace your dreams, let me see your true face—"
"Let our smiles be filled with the pride of youth—"
"Offer a sincere prayer for tomorrow—"
At that moment, the entire theater was shaking.
It's not a physical vibration, but an emotional resonance.
Thousands of audience members were present; some were standing, some were sitting, some were holding the hands of the person next to them, some had their eyes closed and were shedding tears, and some were humming along with their mouths open.
Tens of millions of people watched the live broadcast on their screens. Some stopped what they were doing, some put down their chopsticks, some took off their headphones, and some turned the volume up to the maximum.
Those who lost their homes in the earthquake, those living in tents, those still searching for hope in the ruins—they also heard this song.
In a hospital ward, an elderly man injured in the earthquake leaned against the headboard, listening to songs coming from the television, tears streaming from his cloudy eyes.
Inside a tent at a resettlement site, a group of children gathered around a radio, listening to a song. The oldest girl started humming along, followed by the second, the third, and finally all the children were singing.
In Beijing, an office worker in a building took off his headphones and turned his phone volume up to the maximum, making the whole office hear the song.
No one spoke, no one complained, everyone listened quietly.
On stage, the chorus continued.
The final chorus is in a higher key.
Everyone opened their mouths wide and poured all their emotions into it.
"Sing out your passion, reach out your hands, let me embrace your dreams—"
"Let me embrace your dreams, let me see your true face—"
"Let our smiles be filled with the pride of youth—"
"Offer a sincere prayer for tomorrow—"
...