Eileenburg (5)
Ailian had never understood why her father was so determined to follow her mother. Now she finally understood his words: "Ailian, an infinite life cannot bring you happiness. Only when you find what you want will you understand what a true heartbeat is."
Ailian touched her chest; her feelings for her mother and father, as she remembered them, were not as deep as those for Xiaowei. Long-lived beings were born with almost no heartbeat, like wooden figures that could breathe and grow; what they ate and drank made no difference to them. Ailian had once asked her father, "Father, how can I know what I want?"
Her father stroked her head and said, "Child, when you meet him, you will know. When a long-lived being meets their destined one, all your senses will open up. You will feel your own heartbeat, you will feel joy, and you will only want to be with him. Everything he touches will be imbued with magic, making you want to possess it." As he spoke, her father held the cloak her mother had left behind. At that time, Ailian didn't know that one day she would be able to smell. Long-lived beings can only smell one scent—the scent of their destined one. When a long-lived being's heart begins to beat, the world will appear before them in a completely new light.
A new dahlia crown election has been held, and Ai Lian will soon join this year's winner in the quinquennial "Flower Nightingale" competition. Performances in theaters of all sizes are also increasing. After a year of relative quiet, Ai Lian has had no performances other than releasing a new song each month, and gossip news doesn't report on her much anymore. This is not good news for Ai Lian.
“I want to put on a full-length performance,” Mi said, holding his planner, “unlike traditional plays.”
“Okay.” Ailian flipped through the program list.
"How's your harmony training going?" Mi asked, looking at the two women and one man in the courtyard.
“The low notes are fine, and the harmonies are fine too.” Ailian thought for a moment, “The high notes still won’t work, so I can only use falsetto.”
"How about we invite a soprano?" Mi pondered for a moment and then decisively said, "No, you need to practice more. There's only one high-pitched song all night, so we can't let anyone else sing it."
Mi invited a large number of dancers from other theaters for this song and dance performance. Throughout the performance, Ai Lian will only sing in one corner of the stage; the majority of the performance will consist of stage scenery and dance. For this purpose, Mi specially invited many dancers from theaters such as Fool's Square to participate in the performance.
In May, the land of flowers, the new dahlia crown has been unveiled, and this year's Flower Queen selection will be held in a month. During this month, theaters will be hosting a constant stream of performances. A small advertisement appeared in the gossip news:
Play: Night Meeting
Theatre: Derek Royal Theatre
Performers: lead singer Elaine, band Iris, drummer Evans, cellist Nim, Jona from the Snow Theatre, Elisa from Fools' Theatre... The tiny advertisement lists all the performers, including the theatres they come from.
Invitations for the first performance were naturally sent to nobles, royalty, and the Adventurers' Guild. Mi also sent invitations to Elder Ziruda and Sheila. The venue was, of course, the Derek Royal Theater. The King and Queen attended the premiere in their finest attire, and eight of the twelve elders of the Adventurers' Guild came to watch. While Ailian wasn't the first noble to perform at the Derek Royal Theater, she was the first long-lived individual to give a solo performance there.
The curtain rises: a dimly lit street, dilapidated doors half-open, a thinly dressed girl emerges from a run-down shack, carrying a basket of vibrant dahlias, and slowly walks towards the brightly lit street. At first, the girl, selling flowers for the first time, cowers and avoids the crowds, until the first beautiful girl buys her flowers. As more people buy flowers, cheerful drumbeats sound, and she dances joyfully with the crowd.
Song: "The Flower Girl"
On the brightly lit streets, men and women in colorful clothes danced joyfully. Flower sellers weaved through the crowd, occasionally being stopped by pretty girls. Gentlemen would buy a flower to tuck into a woman's hair. The chaotic crowd dispersed, and couples twirled and took over the entire stage. Light strings and rapid drumbeats began to play. It was a new song sung by a man and a woman.
Track: "Male and Female Love"
(Woman) We love each other deeply, our feelings are strong, and we've fallen in love without even realizing it. You say I'm beautiful, I say you're loyal, and our love is at its peak in these sweet moments.
(Male) I pursued you earnestly; your beauty captivated me. Love is always so beautiful. True feelings are needed, but so is companionship; joy is needed, but so is sharing. Only then can love between a man and a woman last. Our love is deep, and time flies by unnoticed.
(Woman) We love each other deeply, our feelings are strong, and we've fallen in love without even realizing it. You say I'm kind, I say you're brave, and our love is at its peak during these sweet times.
(Male) I pursued you earnestly; your beauty captivated me. Love is always so beautiful. True feelings are needed, but so is companionship; joy is needed, but so is sharing. Only then can love between a man and a woman last. Our love is deep, and time flies by unnoticed.
(Both male and female) We love each other deeply, our affection is strong, and we've fallen in love without even realizing it. You say I'm beautiful, I say you're brave, and our love is at its peak in these sweet moments.
This song was released during the Dahlia Flower Crown competition, and it was immediately covered by many people. A gossip news outlet even published a commentary analyzing the different versions. Tonight, it was performed as a duet with dance, creating a relaxed and joyful atmosphere throughout the theater. Inevitably, some audience members hummed along.
The dance of handsome men and beautiful women on stage ended, and several tables were pushed onto the stage, revealing a simple tavern. Inside, a pretty proprietress twirled and leaped, holding a wine jug. Customers began to enter, and a valiant adventurer loudly recounted his adventurer's tale. A little girl, carrying a flower basket, pricked up her ears to eavesdrop on the heroes' stories. She peeked furtively at the figures in the tavern; the proprietress noticed and told her to bring her basket inside. The light shone on the girl's flustered and shy face, like the tinkling of a spring. Suddenly, the scene froze, leaving only the adventurer's stunning face and the girl's slightly flushed cheeks on the stage.
Song: "You Light Up My Heart"
The moment we first met, my heart pounded like a drum.
The moment our eyes met, love spread through my heart.
I turned my head away, hiding sweet longing within.
This feeling is so fresh.
You lit up my heart, and love is spreading.
My heart was pounding wildly, and I didn't dare look up at you.
You lit up my heart, and love is spreading.
This feeling is so fresh.
You lit up my heart, and love is spreading.
This feeling is so fresh.
The adventurer bought the girl's flowers and told her to go home early. As she walked, the girl kept looking back; the hero's figure in the lamplight slowly blurred, and the coins in her bag clinked crisply. The next day, the girl carried her flower basket again, hoping to see the hero from the previous day. But with so many people drinking and reveling, no one bought her flowers. The flower girl was pushed and shoved around in the tavern, completely lost and confused.
Song Title: Where Did You Go?
Nobody bought my flowers today.
I have very mixed feelings right now.
Gently wipe away the tears that silently slipped down.
So many flowers, so long nights
On the crowded street, no one stopped.
In the brightly lit tavern, no one loves flowers.
In a deserted alley
I wander alone
But where did you go?
I hugged the flower basket tightly.
I wrapped my cloak tighter around myself.
I want to be as brave as you.
I walked into the crowd.
I held the flower basket high.
Dahlias reflect brave smiling faces.
After selling all her flowers, the girl returned home wearily. On the stage, a simple door frame and a dim oil lamp stood. The girl took out her flower-selling coins and counted them one by one.
Song Title: "I'm Very Brave"
I walk alone in the darkness.
I was afraid and panicked.
The flower basket was heavy, and my steps were heavy.
But I told myself I was brave.
Every single one of my flowers is beautiful.
Even the most picky woman
She would also smile at the dahlias.
I am brave and unafraid of any difficulties.
Because I know I am brave.
Be brave like an adventurer, and move forward bravely.
This song was the only high-pitched song of the night. The melody rose higher and higher throughout the song, and at the end it was almost a roaring declaration of courage. Ai Lian's voice was still a bit thin, so to avoid cracking, a male and two female chorus was added to make the high notes more powerful.
Years passed as the adventurer left. The girl grew old, and her children grew up, taking over the flower basket from her hands. The adventurer sat down in the tavern again, watching the young man buy one bright flower after another from the stranger's basket. He remembered the flower girl from years ago. The noise gradually subsided, leaving only the indiscriminate sound of the accordion, and finally, the deep, resonant sound of the cello, with Ailian's rich alto voice accompanying the music.
Past
I poured myself a glass of aged wine and sat alone after dusk, its rich flavor lingering in my heart. I poured myself a glass of aged wine and sat alone after dusk, thinking of the past, thinking of the past.
I poured myself a glass of aged wine and sat alone after dusk, its rich flavor lingering in my heart. I poured myself a glass of aged wine and sat alone after dusk, thinking of the past, thinking of the past.
The wine of my memories, I take a small sip, and scenes from the past reappear before my eyes. The wine of my memories, my dreams, my sorrows, who can understand, who can understand?
I poured myself a glass of aged wine and sat alone after dusk, its rich flavor lingering in my heart. I poured myself a glass of aged wine and sat alone after dusk, thinking of the past, thinking of the past.
The wine of my memories, I take a small sip, and scenes from the past reappear before my eyes. The wine of my memories, my dreams, my sorrows, who can understand, who can understand?
As the curtain slowly falls, the story of a flower-buying girl and an adventurous hero, who meet briefly and then part ways, each harboring their own longings, comes to an end.
"The Night Meeting" was highly praised, and Queen Angelis even personally went on stage to present Aileen with dahlias. The gossip section also lauded it, dedicating an entire page to the courage adventurers instilled in ordinary people and the flower girl's resilience and bravery, claiming that this was precisely the innate courage of every citizen of the entire Sun City and the Flower Kingdom.
Every piece from "The Night Gathering" was met with fervor throughout the city. Elaine had stones placed in every square to play the music, and free tickets to the Derek Theatre were distributed to housewives in the west of the city. Women, burdened by daily chores and mundane concerns, donned their festive finery and strolled hand-in-hand into the Derek Royal Theatre. "The Night Gathering" ran for seven performances until the Flower of the Year competition began, where Elaine lived up to expectations and won the title.
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