[UNEDITED] Chapter 12 – First Listener

When Lu Chen went up, Xiao Mi was sitting on table 035 near the stage.

Nibbling on the straw, her attention was on the three-other female friends on the same table, with an "I will just take a look and not speak", well-behaved look.

However, her bright eyes revealed a hint of mischievous that exposed her playful personality.

Xiao Mi is her nickname given to her by one of the big sisters in her dorms. Her real name is Mi Xuan and she is currently a freshman in Capital ShiFan University and had just celebrated her 19^th birthday a few days back.

She had actually intended to head down to the library to do some revision, but who knew that her dorm’s Big sister, Second Sister and Third Sister would drag her to Back Sea, with the reasoning that since they are going to graduate from being a freshman, they should come out and celebrate by looking at handsome guys!

Forget Grass bar’s atmosphere was actually quite good.

Xiao Mi previously went to another bar named SanLiChun. The crazy, dark and violent atmosphere there did not fit her personality of being a good girl and even her inner rebellious thoughts were frightened by it.

Forget Grass bar was undoubtedly more quiet, peaceful and of a smaller establishment.

However, where were the promised handsome guys? Where are they?

The singer that just went left the stage was very young and his singing skills can be considered not bad. It’s a pity that he gave others the impression of a narcissist and thinks that he himself is so handsome and charming. Before he left, he even gave the customers a flirtatious wink - vomit!

XiaoXiao sip a bit of her beverage and started thinking of how to plot against the Big Sister, Second Sister and Third Sister who were enjoying themselves, to vent her depressed feelings

Just when she was about to reveal her ‘foxtail’, she heard a voice coming from the stage.

"Tomorrow would you remember, the diary you wrote yesterday,"

"Tomorrow would you still think of, the you who liked to cry...."

She was momentarily stunned.

With a crystal-clear voice and a subtle hint of sadness, it was a song that she had never heard of its lyrics nor melody.

But it is a good song!

Xiao Mi raised her head and looked towards the stage and saw a young guy wearing a blue T-Shirt and denim jeans sitting on the stool, he was carrying a guitar in his hands and singing the song with all his emotions.

What’s the name of this song? What what’s the name of this handsome bloke on stage?

Xiao Mi stared at the guy and suddenly, whatever feelings she had previously disappeared!

It was only until the song ended, that she woke up from the trance and clapped loudly.

“Xiao Lu, sing the song again!”

Along with the waves of clapping, someone shouted: “<<You Who Sat Next to Me>>!

It was only then that Xiao Mi finally knew the name of the singer and the song. Although she wasn’t 100% sure, she also agreed to what other people had suggested — because she has yet to finish enjoying the song!

“Come back to earth Babe~”

A fair-skinned hand appeared in front of her and the waving action blocked her view.

Her roommates sneakily laughed, “Did you fall in love with this handsome guy? Keke”

“Big Sis!”

Instantly Xiao Mi’s face was dyed in a tint of redness, “What nonsense are you saying!”

Looking at her shy appearance, big sister, second sister and third sister were all laughing merrily and almost even toppled their drinks.

Luckily the atmosphere was very noisy and there were people who are clapping and whistling, else she didn’t know how much attention she would have garnered and with them looking at how she makes a show of herself.

The handsome guy on stage certainly did not disappoint as he agreed to do an encore with a smile.

historical

With a thought, taking the chance when others weren’t looking at her, she secretly took out the phone in her bag and switched to video recording mode while aiming the camera towards the stage and started recording.

After recording halfway, she suddenly realised that the atmosphere around her was a bit strange and thus turned her head out of reflex.

What appeared beside her was a waiter who was staring at the phone in her hands with a not-so-friendly expression.

"Excuse me, Miss, we do not allow any videography in the bar, we wish for your cooperation. Thank You!"

There were many frequent customers of Back Sea bar that is working elites and they are more or less considered as a famous person in their own industry and thus a number of them are quite cautious of their privacy. Therefore, while coming to a bar to relax, they would not like to have a camera pointing at them and recording.

Pubs such as Forget Grass bar usually have a prominent "prohibited usage of video recording" poster outside the entrance.

Xiao Mi stuck out her tongue and hurriedly apologised while keeping her phone, "I am sorry...."

Looking at how cute she was and that she had immediately apologised, the waiter did not say anything else and just walked away.

"Xiao Mi Babe!"

Big Sister used her ferocious eyes and stared at her — I brought you here to play and not to shame me!

Tonight, after going back awaits punishment!

Xiao Mi seemingly brought her head down shamefully, as if she is atoning and feeling sorry for the mistake that she had done, but in actual fact, her hands were grabbing onto her phone and her fingers skilfully typing out one whole chunk of text.

"Found a handsome guy tonight at Forget Grass bar and he sang a great song!"

Xiao Mi created a new post and attached the video she took earlier on and sent to the BeiHai City Forum she frequents.

BeiHai City Forum also known as BeiHai University Forum and is very popular amongst the student groups in the Capital. The usual replies were numerous and the Forum had gathered a lot of ShouDu students; through the forum, news in any universities will be immediately be spread around the community.

It was done purely out of playful intentions that she had uploaded the post using her own account.

Commonly this type of post’s survival duration inside the Forum was very short and in no time, will be brushed down and disappear from everyone’s sight.

It might just be view by someone occasionally, but basically, it wouldn’t raise much of an effect.

However, Xiao Mi didn’t care as she had only wanted to express her own love for this song and as for the singer....

Just a little bit! ><

Right now, Lu Chen was unaware that he had gained another fan.

He in all seriousness sang finish <<You Who Sat Next to Me,>> and once again, he received numerous orders for beers as donations. (Similar to Thai Clubs whereby customer purchases items and the earnings go to the singer)

Majority of tonight’s customers were campus couples, so compared to the working adults, their finances are limited. Thus, basically, they would not do huge donations — at most just one or two cans as sincerity.

However tonight was different, after singing <<You Who Sat Next to Me>> twice, he received at least 100 donations and according to the terms of a contract singer, he is entitled 70% of the earning which is equivalent to $1500!

Sadly, such a good thing was not possible every day. It was due to the fact that it was a Sunday, with more customers’ and they were more relaxed in spending money. Else just based on how generous the customers donations were, he wouldn’t have to worry day and night about the enormous debt back home.

Within the 100 plus donations, campus couples donated quite a big portion, and most of it was female who let the males do the job.

Whereas there were also some guys who weren’t that willing and the result was that they had to endure a grumbling and angry girlfriend.

Cutesy type: “Do you love me?”

Cool and Aloof Type: “Forget it, I shall just pay for it myself.”

Teasing type: “Are you actually being jealous? Keke, you don’t have to think too much as I purely just like this song!”

Unreasonable type: “Just one isn’t enough, add another one!”

........

Any guy who had EQ knew that if they didn’t want to become a single dog, he will have to open up his wallet and pay for it, even if they were to eat salted vegetables for the rest of the week.

While Lu Chen was receiving donations, he also received quite a number of resentment towards him.

So what if you are handsome!

Their resentment was so strong that even Lu Chen who was sitting on the stage could feel it.

Thinking for a moment, he then spoke through the microphone, “Thanks for everyone’s support, the song that I will be singing next is still an originally composed song and it is the first time I am performing it in Forget Grass bar, therefore all of you will be the first listener for this song!”

Wow!

Instantly there were chattering around the bar and a number of customers unconsciously sat up with a more serious expression along with some other customers revealing an excited expression.

The so-called term First Listener originated from a web game NPC, whereby players who sang loudly through the microphone would be able to receive different prizes.

Subsequently, it became a term widely used to address the first batch of listeners for an originally composed song or new songs.

“First Listeners....”

In the backstage room, Ye Zhenyang made a disdained face while his sight moved to the small room with the doors tightly closed and softly said: “Even Brother Ye doesn’t have the guts to say this!”

If others were to put “First Listeners” as a title, then this title would not definitely be casually given to anyone, as at the same time, it can be considered as an honour.

There are a lot of singers whom casually does compose but without ample confidence, they would not give the title of First Listener to people who listened to their original creations the first time as First Listeners this title should only be used on really excellent works, else they would become a laughing stock.

How can Lu Chen be so unashamed by sprouting such nonsense?

One should not forget that Forget Grass bar’s real big shot singer is Roaming band’s Tai Hanyang and even after singing his own composed songs numerous times, he has never once given out this title!

Li Hong and Wang Xiaoshuai who was present both revealed an agreeing look whereas Sister Na faintly smiled, “Xiao Lu is very talented. With just the initial song <<You Who Sat Next to Me>>, it has the potential to be a big hit and I believe that the new song would not disappoint.”

Ye Zhenyang’s facial expression was grim but he did not dare to refute.

Although Sister Na and Roaming band had a private resting room, she prefers to stay outside the room and chat with the other singers while listening to their performance and the enjoy the atmosphere from the bar.

If Lu Chen was unable to prove his abilities with<<You Who Sat Next to Me>>, then Sister Na would not probably think this way. However, right now she has great expectations for the new song that Lu Chen was going to perform!

Even she herself did not realise, within her expectations, there was another underlying meaning.

On the stage, Lu Chen played the front melody of the new song.

And once again, the bar was greeted with silence.

TLN: Phew, another chapter done. As I mentioned in my “ABOUT” page, please feel free to mention any mistakes or grammar problems that I might have missed out! Thank You~

P.S.To be honest, I’m also reading the novel while translating so I’m at the same chapter as you guys!