Chapter 81 On the River Liffey
The sun is back from its business trip, and Dublin is temporarily free from the long rainy season. The Andrews next door are leaving for another city to attend a friend's child's wedding, and before leaving, they asked the program crew to take care of their dog, Penny.
Yoo Hee-yeol usually goes for a morning run, so Penny has been running with him lately. When the topic came up at dinner last night, Han Yoon-sung's eyes lit up and she volunteered to join the morning run group.
Penny is a black and white Border Collie. Based on Begin Us's usual observations, this dog is aloof. However, perhaps knowing that the two people in front of her were there to take her for a walk, Penny went up and sniffed around Han Yunxing's legs, showing no fear at all.
Seeing this, Han Yunxing squatted down and took a deep breath close to Penny's thick neck. The smell of freshly baked whole wheat toast mixed with the steam rising from the grass wafted over. It was a fine dog scent.
Penny tilted her head, raised her nose, and sniffed Han Yunxing's palm. Her bright black eyes stared at her, and her tail swung like a propeller, silently urging: This human, hurry up and pet the dog!
Han Yunxing's patience was zero. She immediately reached out and gently patted Penny's head. Penny's fur was fluffy and soft, and the experienced dog massage therapist officially began her work.
She brushed past the outer layer of dense fur, getting closer to the soft downy hairs, the short, dense downy hairs trembling slightly under Han Yunxing's fingers. Master Han increased the pressure of her fingers, not forgetting to rub Penny's ears with her fingers, and then stroked along the top of her head and back all the way to the tip of her tail.
Penny's fluffy tail wagged rapidly. She rolled on the ground, paws in the air, exposing her soft belly, and made soft, whimpering sounds.
Liu Xilie looked at the puppy wagging its tail happily and said with surprise, "Andrew said that Penny doesn't like to talk to others."
Han Yunxing circled her hand on the puppy's soft belly, feeling the warm vibrations from her palm. Penny was solid. She thought of Jia Hu and said with a smile, "We have a puppy at home too."
The puppy, having failed to master its second foreign language, suffered the consequences of its lack of study. Hearing Han Yunxing's upbeat tone, it thought he was being praised.
Penny did a somersault, flipped over, shook its fur, quickly scurried to the doghouse, picked up the leash with its mouth, and headed straight for Han Yunxing.
“Looks like he can’t wait.” The moment Han Yunxing bent down, Penny eagerly burrowed her head into the collar: “Good boy! Let’s go.”
Penny is a smart dog. This is the first time this fragrant human has come out to play with her. She walks steadily and occasionally lowers her head to sniff the grass and flowers by the roadside.
Upon noticing Han Yunxing's effortless movements, Penny pricked up its ears, sped up, and ran forward, leading the people behind it to its favorite adventure destination.
When Han Yunxing returned, her ponytail tied at the back of her head was loose, and she was panting heavily, slowly calming down. If she didn't have a habit of exercising regularly, she really wouldn't have been able to hold Penny.
After resting for a while, Han Yunxing played frisbee with Penny in the courtyard for a bit before reluctantly sending the puppy back to the neighbor's.
At the dinner table, Han Yunxing showed everyone a photo of herself and Penny, praising, "Penny is such a handsome little dog."
Noh Hong-chul: "So cool, Hee-yeol hyung, I'll run with you tomorrow."
Now that we have the opportunity, we should seize it. Usually, when Andrew and his wife are at home, Penny never comes to visit their neighbor, so they have no chance to get along with her.
Yin Daoxian was willing but unable: "I can't run anymore."
Upon hearing this, Han Yunxing recalled the energetic little dog and nodded in agreement: "Penny gets excited and runs super fast."
After dinner, Begin Us would sit around in the living room, chatting about their favorite songs. When they got into a good time, they would pick up the guitar next to them and start playing and singing.
Lee So-ra also sang a section of "Bamboo Dragonfly," a non-title track included in Han Yoon-sung's mini2 album. Lee So-ra's gentle voice evoked carefree childhood fantasies.
Han Yunxing, clutching a cushion, moved closer to Li Suluo and exclaimed, "Unnie! You sound so good~ Your voice is amazing!"
Lu Hongzhe asked, his mouth itching, "Is the song good, or is the singing good?"
Li Suluo and Han Yunxing said in unison, "They both sound good."
Han Yunxing turned her head and glanced at Lu Hongzhe, then snorted, "Hongzhe-xi, you're just like that weird uncle who asks kids, 'Is Mommy better or Daddy better?'"
Lu Hongzhe was speechless.
Seeing his embarrassed expression, the others burst into laughter.
After resting well, everyone split up to rehearse for the afternoon performance.
After the weather clears up, the Begin Us event is divided into two parts: during the day, we perform on the streets; in the evening, we find a small pub, sometimes as performers, sometimes simply as spectators to quietly experience the Dublin night.
This afternoon, Begin Us will split into two smaller groups for free time. Yoon Do-hyun previously said he would sing rock music with Han Yoon-sung, and he didn't just talk the talk; he genuinely taught Han Yoon-sung a lot during their break. The two of them even rearranged the drumbeats of Han Yoon-sung's previous solo song "Yippee!" a while ago, adding a snare drum and bass to create a rock version.
The two were paired up for this street performance, and naturally, a few rock songs were added to their setlist.
Han Yunxing opened her throat and sang vocal bubbles to warm up her voice. This method was taught to her by Yin Daoxian and was more suitable for warming up her voice for rock music than the methods she had used before.
This method of warming up the voice lasts for a maximum of three minutes. By the time Han Yunxing arrived at the rehearsal location, her vocal cords were already activated.
Yoon Do-hyun: "Yoon-sung, try 'Instead'." It's a hardcore rock song. Han Yoon-sung's previous ballad rock was very well done. He was trying to subtly steer Han Yoon-sung onto the path of rock.
Han Yunxing's emotional expression in the music is very delicate, avoiding the pitfalls of rock music's emotional expression, which posits that rock music should be straightforward. However, this also means that her handling of the emotionally charged sections lacks the beauty of improvisation.
Yoon Do-hyun: "You have to act like you're tearing everything apart."
As soon as his fingers stopped tapping the rhythm, he began to demonstrate, his powerful vocal compression abruptly shifting the whisper of the verses to the roar of the chorus.
"The roar isn't just about creating a specific tone; don't strain your throat." Yin Daoxian gestured for Han Yunxing to try again.
Han Yunxing absorbed the key points, rehearsed them in her mind, then took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and adjusted the position of her pronunciation.
Her face hardened, and she compressed her voice, unleashing a tremendous burst of energy from her throat—a long, powerful note that pierced glass like a bullet.
I decided to remain silent.
instead—
instead—
Han Yunxing's metallic, edgy voice really got Yoon Do-hyun excited, and he shook his head to the rhythm.
After the song ended, he pondered for a while before raising his head.
He'd wanted to ask this for a long time: "Yunxing, are you a genius?!"
Han Yunxing frequently works with pop and R&B. Supported by a wide vocal range, her warm voice, when compressed, delivers a powerful and high-quality performance in hardcore rock music. Yoon Do-hyun once again marveled at Han Yunxing's ability to grasp the essence of singing.
Also, her functions are too strong.
Yin Daoxian quickly handed a bottle of water to Han Yunxing. "You must take good care of Jin Sangzi."
*
Grafton Street, the art artery of Dublin, is teeming with bands every five steps and dance troupes every ten. Art is free here, and street performances are an integral part of Grafton Street.
The warm autumn sunlight filters through the gaps in the ginkgo leaves, casting golden shadows on the red brick wall. In the roadside cafe, people leisurely enjoy the afternoon. A person holding a book rubs their sore eyes and looks up at the changing light and shadow on the brick wall.
"In front of the post office in autumn"
I'm waiting for you.
Small groups of pedestrians, passing by the red-painted mailbox, were drawn by the melodious piano music, stopped in their tracks, and joined the crowd of onlookers.
The gentle singing, carrying a hint of autumn coolness, echoed through the streets of Grafton, faint and subtle, like a breeze passing by.
How long can the beautiful things in the world last?
Can everything in this world really stand on its own?
The people around her were immersed in the melancholy of autumn's desolation. The next moment, the girl in the center of the crowd, holding a microphone, smiled and broke from her murmured words to sing:
Like those flowers that stand strong even in the pouring rain of midsummer.
Like those solid wood trees that still stand tall despite the winter snowstorms of the past.
Beauty can last forever, and solitude can be appreciated alone.
Before the chords had even faded, the girl pressed a key on the keyboard, exchanging a smile with the man beside her carrying a bass guitar. The exuberant golden melody washed away the lingering melancholy of autumn, and the unstoppable vocals, driven by an inspiring and uplifting rhythm, stirred everyone's emotions.
"I once ruled this vast world."
"The giant waves surged because of my life."
Bright and husky voices intertwine, singing of life's glory and its end, the boundless power of life carried in a bright and exciting melody.
Suddenly, Han Yunxing let go of the microphone, bent down to pick up the bass guitar next to her, swung the strap over her shoulder, and her hair drew a circle in the air.
She and Yin Daoxian stood facing each other, like black and white chess pieces locked in a game. Their fingers danced across the strings, their mid-range and low-pitched voices locked in a fierce battle, pushing the atmosphere to its peak, causing the air to freeze.
I also know that the gates of heaven will not open for me.
There will be no more honest but unpleasant advice.
But this is the era I rule.
"Viva la vida" means "long live life" in Spanish. The two distinct vocal registers create waves of life's ceaseless flow, constantly washing over the hearts of the audience.
When the chorus came on, Han Yunxing ran to the front row of the audience, raised her arms and shouted, "Everyone sing along!"
The entire audience resonated with the music, their eyes focused on the figure in the center, unaware that their footsteps were stepping on fallen leaves, their crisp voices swallowed by the heart-stirring singing.
A large crowd of people, drawn by the song "Viva La Vida," stood in a staggered pattern, forming a human wall in the open space in front of them.
Han Yunxing felt a slight sweat on her back, so she simply ripped off her leather jacket and tossed it aside, leaving only a white sleeveless top: "Next, I'll give you Instead."
She gripped the bass tightly, her hand on the pick slicing out a metallic sound. Pale blue veins bulged as she tightened her grip on the pick, and with a deafening roar, screams and cheers erupted from the surrounding crowd.
Two figures, one in black and one in white, entered the arena like gladiators, their low-to-mid-frequency sound waves colliding in a dazzling display of skill.
Struggling, suffocating, self-doubt
Questioning, provoking, silently cursing
I was alone in the empty room, looking at myself in the mirror.
I won't shout because nobody cares about me.
The enormous sound waves ignited the autumn wind, the air scorched everyone's eardrums, and people's emotions rose and fell with the rhythm, feeling as if they were suffocating in pain.
The next moment, emotions soared to the top of the drop tower, the metallic roar cutting through the howling wind and exploding in our ears:
No longer responding
No longer responding
You will eventually reap what you sow.
Han Yunxing frowned, her face cold, but her eyes seemed to flicker with fire as she roared:
Instead —
Yin Daoxian shook his head, a mocking smile on his lips, beads of sweat rolling down his Adam's apple as he roared, shouting, "Tear this injustice apart!"
"instead—"
Like trapped beasts, they broke free of their cage together, yet remained wary of each other, locked in a fierce struggle, roaring and howling.
"instead—"
Pushed by the sound of everything being torn apart, the onlookers couldn't stand still. They waved their arms and responded to the rapid bass beat: "Instead—"
The person in the center slammed down the final bass note, and the crowd erupted in thunderous applause, cheering and screaming, still caught up in the rock 'n' roll frenzy.
"encore! encore! encore!"
Han Yunxing was breathing heavily, her forehead already damp with sweat. She picked up the water from the ground and took a sip, and the burning sensation in her throat subsided.
She stood up, adjusted the bass straps, and nodded to Yoon Do-hyun, who was already seated at the keyboard.
As the intro to the adapted version of "Yippee!" begins, Yoon Do-hyun's slightly husky voice narrates the wonderful puppet performance in the theater.
Accompanied by the drumbeats, the bass's low notes surged, and the marionette carefully untied the strings wrapped around its body, meticulously planning an escape.
Han Yunxing's fingers moved faster and faster, her strumming becoming more expansive and dynamic. She controlled the absolute rhythm of the music, shouting:
“yippee——(yippee!!)
I shouted this
All the lines were reduced to shreds (torn to shreds!!).
Before the clock strikes twelve...
I run towards the sun—(Lyra—)
A few people stood in the corner of the front row, excitedly cheering along to the music. Every now and then, their eyes met Han Yunxing's smiling gaze, and they quickly covered their mouths to prevent their screams from carrying too far.
The song ended, but the atmosphere remained lively, though the performance was drawing to a close.
As the two packed up their instruments, the people around them reluctantly dispersed.
"Yunxing!!"
"Yunxing Qialan University—"
Han Yunxing picked up her leather jacket from the ground, slung it over her shoulder, greeted Yoon Do-hyun, and then walked towards a corner with a smile. "Hello everyone, are you here for tourism?"
"Aaaaaah!"
"Yunxing really came."
"What should I do? I'm so nervous!"
The group looked at Han Yunxing, who was so close to them, and became so nervous that they couldn't speak coherently.
In their minds, Han Yunxing had a delicate face like an ink wash painting. But when they saw her in person, all their impressions were overturned and rebuilt. She had a very striking face, with her eyebrows, eyes, lips and nose as three-dimensional as if they were sculpted. Her eyes, which were clear and bright, were captivating. When she got close, it was as if they could smell the fragrance of roses.
Seeing their flustered state, Han Yunxing chuckled, her dimples appearing and disappearing at the corners of her lips. She said softly, "Yes, I'm here."
My God, this woman kills people with her face.
Amidst the shoving and jostling, one girl swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on Han Yunxing: "Hey! We're here on our graduation trip. I never expected to be so lucky to run into Yunxing—"
As she spoke, her voice choked with emotion.
"Happy graduation!" Han Yunxing smiled and gave her a hug, then asked, "Want to take a picture together?"
"Really!" The group exchanged glances, their eyes lighting up.
The girl snapped out of her daze in the embrace and exclaimed excitedly, "We absolutely won't release it before the variety show airs—"
"Yes! We'll keep it a secret!"
Han Yunxing: "Of course, let's take a photo together."
She asked the staff next to her to take a photo with these fans.
Before leaving, the group whispered a few words to Han Yunxing, and reluctantly said goodbye.
*
Dublin's nights are even more bustling than its days. Begin Us and its group sat on a cruise ship, slowly sailing along the River Liffey, with shops lining both sides and the faint sound of clinking glasses drifting from the riverbank.
The performances on the cruise ship are more captivating than the scenery on both sides of the river, with exciting performances by veteran bands every day.
After an immersive cruise show, the group returned to the bow of the ship, completely satisfied.
"PD-nim, when are you going to sing?" Han Yunxing smiled as she looked at Li Dongxi, who was drinking water in the corner, her eyebrows raised.
Li Dong was stunned, and his hand holding the cup paused.
Han Yunxing crossed her arms, hinting, "My wish."
The photographer next to Lee Dong-hee pointed his camera at Lee Dong-hee with a mocking expression, capturing a face full of regret in the lens.
"I knew it, your fans are definitely on your side!"
It turns out that the fans Han Yunxing met in the afternoon were arranged by the production team, and they even wished Han Yunxing a happy birthday before leaving.
Han Yunxing then realized that the series of arrangements for today corresponded perfectly with the wishes she had written on the note.
Now, the other members of Begin Us have also broken their silence.
Liu Xilie clapped his hands, took out his guitar from his side, and volunteered: "I'll accompany you."
Seeing Liu Xilie quickly find his location, Li Suluo, not to be outdone, pulled out her phone and said, "I'll be the photographer."
Yoon Do-hyun followed closely behind, clenching his fist as if he had a microphone in his hand, and stretched it out in front of Lee Dong-hee's chest.
These people were moving too fast. Lu Hongzhe looked left and right, then scratched his head and sat back down: "Then I'll help by clapping."
The staff, eager for a good show, tidied up the seats and moved Han Yoon-sung to sit opposite Lee Dong-hee.
Lee Dong-hee, who was suddenly lifted up: ...You guys acted way too fast, I wasn't mentally prepared.
But when the cheerful and rhythmic guitar music started, Lee Dong-hee instantly got into character and showed off his singing voice.
The moment he opened his mouth, Lee Dong-hee exuded confidence and was completely at ease; he was the absolute master of the music.
This was a nightmare for the audience; the staff screamed and scattered, laughing and collapsing in a heap.
Han Yoon-sung: The writer sister wasn't lying to me, PD-nim's singing voice is incredibly catchy. He and Han Do-eun definitely have a lot in common.
Lee Dong-hee's singing voice is like a jelly bean; once you put it in your mouth, the domineering flavor goes straight in, and everyone's mind is filled with his mesmerizing voice.
Lee Dong-hee noticed the sudden increase in the number of cameras pointed at him, shrugged nonchalantly, and confidently greeted the audience while clapping, "Everybody! Pasu!"
"Please clap your hands with me if you feel relieved and stress-free."
Please clap your hands with me if you also believe that happiness and joy are the truth.
Because I'm happy
"because I'm happy"
Lee Dong-hee's rhythm and the guitar accompaniment were completely off track, and everyone couldn't find the right beat to clap for a moment. The applause was sporadic and chaotic. Someone started laughing, and everyone in the audience was doubled over with laughter.
Just then, the staff brought out the cake they had prepared, the guitar melody changed, and everyone started singing "Happy Birthday" in turn, inviting the birthday person to sit in the middle.
As the twelve bells rang, the distant lights scattered like gold foil on the river. Han Yunxing clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and the candlelight flickered on her face.
Amidst laughter and chatter, she bent down and blew out the candles.
-----------------------
Author's note: This sun is not that sun. [shrug]
Jiahu: Although you smell good, Yunxing's favorite dog is me.
Wishing everyone happiness and good fortune every day! [orange candy]
Yunxing's wish list revealed:
1. Pet the neighbor's dog -- Overachieved, completing the achievement of playing frisbee with Penny √
2. Try a rock concert – cool clothes, cool poses, and a really high-energy atmosphere!
3. Unveiling the secrets of PD Lee Dong-hee's golden voice -- awarding PD the Golden Broom Award √
4. Lee So-ra unnie can sing her own songs—not just self-promotion, but a fully automatic singing machine, like listening to celestial music that instantly brightens the ears. √
5. Quietly watching someone else's performance on the River Liffey -- Perfectly achieving the goal of celebrating my birthday on the River Liffey at midnight √
6. Wishing everyone happiness every day!!!
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This chapter's playlist includes: "In front of the post office in autumn," "Instead," "Viva la Vida," and "Happy." I really enjoyed "Instead."
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