Chapter Eighty: "Old Boys"

This song, "Old Boy," was indeed something Li Mu was reluctant to part with, as he was deeply fond of its melody, and it had once genuinely moved him. Back when the Chopstick Brothers created the miracle of "Old Boy" through their microfilm and the eponymous song, the short film garnered nearly two hundred million views online, while the song's play count on the internet and in karaoke bars soared beyond any measure.

Leaving aside the microfilm, the song "Old Boy" by itself is a masterpiece. Its composition originates from Japanese singer-songwriter Takumi Ohashi, whose original piece, "Arigatou" ("Thank You"), had won various awards in Japan. Not only is the melody superb, but the Chinese lyrics are equally outstanding. The lyrics revolve around the theme of "dreams," that most sensitive and persistent topic among the young. Every person, whether young or once young, has had their own dreams, but most ultimately compromise with life, picking up the trivialities of daily existence and abandoning their dreams. This song strives to awaken those who have given up, urging them not to grow numb and not to let their youthful passion slip away.

This is precisely why both the microfilm and its theme song "Old Boy" resonated so deeply with audiences.

Even though Zhang Kexuan and the others had never seen the microfilm, Li Mu’s rendition of the song still touched them profoundly.

At first listen, the song’s lyrics pose a monumental question: Have you fulfilled your dreams?

Listen more closely, and a deeper message emerges: If your dreams remain unfulfilled, now is never too late to pursue them anew.

Thus, it is a truly inspirational song.

Some say "Old Boy" is best suited for middle-aged listeners, but in truth, it strikes a chord in the heart of anyone who still cherishes a dream. Even a teenager can be moved by the ideals conveyed in this song.

The four members of Simple Plan, moved and elated, implored Li Mu to sing it again after the first performance.

Li Mu fetched pen and paper, handing them to Zhang Kexuan. “I’ll sing it two more times. While I do, jot down the lyrics and the chord progression.”

“Alright!” Zhang Kexuan nodded excitedly. As the band’s lead vocalist, he was always more thrilled than the others when receiving a new song from Li Mu, for after Li Mu's voice, the next to bring these songs to the public would be his own.

After two more renditions, Zhang Kexuan had grasped nearly all the lyrics and chords, and the melody was firmly imprinted in his mind. Li Mu then handed him the guitar: “Your turn to sing.”

Zhang Kexuan took the guitar, cleared his throat, and began to play and sing.

There were a few minor mistakes in the lyrics, which Li Mu promptly corrected with a pen. There were no errors in the chords or melody, further proving Zhang Kexuan’s strong musical sense.

When he finished, Li Mu offered some guidance: “In the opening verse of this song, you need to let your voice shine—make it as clear and bright as possible. This isn’t a song for a hoarse, smoky style.”

Zhang Kexuan nodded earnestly. “What about the chorus?”

“The chorus needs power,” Li Mu explained. “Treat the verse as if you’re narrating your story to the audience—calm and steady. In the chorus, unleash your strength. Think of it as challenging the listeners: Have your wishes come true? Is your dream now just a relic of the past? Are you really willing to give up on your dreams? The more forceful your delivery, the more your ‘challenge’ will resonate—not only moving them but also stirring their shame, reigniting their fighting spirit!”

In his previous life, "Old Boy" might have surpassed the film in popularity, but it gradually faded from the mainstream, and even the Chopstick Brothers rarely performed it again. The main reason was that they never secured proper authorization from Takumi Ohashi, and the Japanese record company granted the Chinese adaptation rights to another singer.

Now, with "Old Boy" in the hands of Simple Plan, Li Mu hoped they could use their unique strengths to make the song shine even brighter.

To Li Mu, their greatest strength was Zhang Kexuan himself. There’s no way around it—good looks can sell records even if the singing is off-key, and a handsome face can land acting roles regardless of expression. In this world—especially in the entertainment industry—appearance is everything. Countless attractive men and women release albums so heavily auto-tuned they sound electronic, yet still achieve nationwide fame.

Ye Tianming was thoroughly convinced. Li Mu’s song was indeed exhilarating, and he couldn’t help but envy Zhang Kexuan for having the chance to sing it. But upon reflection, he remembered he’d chosen to be the drummer when they formed the band, so while envy was natural, he kept his composure.

At the same time, Ye Tianming felt that with Li Mu’s song, it would be worth it even if he had to smash cars for him in person.

With the four members of Simple Plan having learned "Old Boy," Li Mu briefly discussed the arrangement, tailoring it to better suit their style.

Li Mu explained that he was currently swamped with other matters and wouldn’t be able to travel to Jinling to supervise their rehearsals in the next couple of days. However, since Easy Listen would soon be launching, he would make time to visit Jinling to guide them in rehearsing new songs and act as their producer, overseeing the recording of “Li Bai” and “Sunflower.”

By the time they finished working on the song, it was almost seven o’clock. The four, unable to contain their excitement, left Li Mu’s home and took Zhang Kexuan’s Land Cruiser to the eco-park, bringing Li Mu along.

As always, Song Liang played host. The four young men had come specifically to support Li Mu. Song Liang understood their real intent was to bolster Li Mu’s standing and ensure he wasn’t looked down upon. Their presence made clear that he was held in high regard by them, and so Song Liang would never underestimate Li Mu over a mere favor.

At the dinner table, apart from Zhang Kexuan, who still had to drive and raised his tea instead of wine, the other three each toasted Song Liang with white liquor, expressing their gratitude for helping their brother.

Song Liang couldn’t help but be impressed. With his keen eye for potential, he wouldn’t have underestimated Li Mu even without their visit. He judged people by their potential, not their current standing, and Li Mu seemed to have limitless potential, even if he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.

Song Liang said, “Li Mu is your brother, which makes him mine as well. I may be a few years older, but since we’re all brothers, there’s no need to be so formal. Otherwise, are you doubting my sincerity?”

Ye Tianming responded quickly, “Brother Liang, we’ve known you for years; of course we trust you. It’s just that you and Li Mu haven’t known each other long, so we worried you’d be too reserved with each other.”

Song Liang nodded, “So the four of you came over just for this? Isn’t that a bit too polite?”

Ye Tianming grinned, “Honestly, we mainly came to thank Li Mu. We came first in the semifinals yesterday, and that’s mostly thanks to him.”

Song Liang raised his brows in surprise. “So you’re heading to Yanjing for the finals?”

“Yes,” the four nodded emphatically.

Song Liang praised them, “Impressive! But I’m curious—who writes your songs?”

At this question, the four exchanged glances, and Zhang Kexuan replied evasively, “Our originals are collaborative efforts.”

Song Liang smiled and didn’t press further, though he sensed their awkwardness.

Li Mu noticed their discomfort as well. This wouldn’t do—when faced with interviews, journalists would surely ask about the creators behind their songs. If all four gave evasive answers, it would eventually come apart.

Still, Li Mu said nothing at the dinner table. He understood their intentions in coming and saw how they spared no effort to support him in front of Song Liang. Instead of making a fuss, he simply toasted each of them.

After dinner, the four, their minds full of “Old Boy,” were eager to leave. Song Liang didn’t press them to stay, had the hotel manager put everything on his tab, and accompanied the group downstairs.

At the parking lot, Ye Tianming asked Li Mu, “Are you riding with Brother Liang or coming with us?”

Li Mu replied quietly, “I’ll go with you. There’s something I need to discuss.”

“Alright,” Ye Tianming nodded.

Li Mu turned to Song Liang, “Brother Liang, I’ll go with Tianming and the others—we have some things to talk over.”

Song Liang smiled, “Alright, then I won’t keep you. Come visit me when you can. And the four of you, you’re always welcome in Haizhou.”

On the way back, as he rode in the front passenger seat, Li Mu said to the others, “From now on, there needs to be a clear designation for lyricists and composers. This is something both the media and fans will want to know.”

The four were somewhat embarrassed; Li Mu had written all the lyrics and music, and while they could all claim credit collectively, no one wanted to take the lead.

Li Mu considered for a moment, and just before they reached home, he offered a fair solution:

“Kexuan, you get the most time in the spotlight, so I won’t give you too much credit for songwriting. Besides, your image is easygoing, cool, and handsome, so I’ll make an exception—‘Li Bai’ will be credited to you for both lyrics and music.”

“Tianming, as the drummer, you’re the least likely to be noticed on stage, so you’ll be called the creative soul of the band.”

“Gu Wei, you play bass. Most people can’t even distinguish between bass and guitar, so you’ll ‘share’ in the songwriting credits and be named as the secondary composer when needed.”

“Xia Ji, as the lead guitarist, you’re up front and get plenty of chances to stand out, so you’ll be credited with arranging the music.”

In this way, each of the four had a clear role in the band’s creative process.

Li Mu’s generous decision to share the songwriting credits with all four members of Simple Plan moved them so deeply that their gratitude could have circled the globe a dozen times over.

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Ah, tickets, I need tickets—my one obsession… Begging for tickets, checking tickets, snatching tickets—everyone passing by this book, leave a ticket behind as you go!