Chang Bin then recounted how he had been putting in tremendous effort these past few days, personally overseeing the order and setting up on-site. However, yesterday, a mistake by an employee caused a blunder, which angered the client. He not only had to work through the night to rectify the error but also provide financial compensation. At the same time, he had to comfort the employee who seemed completely bewildered after making the mistake. As a result, this order not only failed to generate profit but also resulted in a loss. Most importantly, his reputation was damaged.
In the past, Chang Bin probably wouldn't have cared too much. Seven years into his career, he hasn't gotten to where he is today without facing numerous setbacks and difficulties.
But now, precisely when he most wants to make a name for himself in his career, when he's burning with determination and most eager to prove himself.
Xiang Kun didn't know how to comfort his friend. He knew that Chang Bin had come to him mainly to confide in someone he could trust and vent his emotions. With his emotional intelligence, he didn't need any guidance or advice; he could find a solution on his own.
So Xiang Kun didn't say anything, he just poured Chang Bin a full beer...
Chang Bin suddenly laughed, "Speaking of which, you, me, and Zicheng, the three of us in the dorm, are all a bit foolishly arrogant. We always think that if we have the ability and are willing to work hard, we can do what we want, we can stand out from the crowd, and we can defy fate. You two are actually much more arrogant than me. Don't be fooled by Zicheng's nonchalant attitude after his failed business venture abroad; he's actually quite miserable inside, definitely unwilling and resentful. As for you... I could tell from freshman year that you were the most arrogant. But you are indeed very smart, and you are resilient, persistent, have a plan, and execute well. I thought back then that you would definitely achieve great things..."
Xiang Kun a wry smile, almost unable to resist taking a sip of wine as well. "I didn't expect things to turn out this way. You must be disappointed."
Chang Bin shook his head and said earnestly, "No, I'm very relieved. To be honest, when I first heard that your company had closed down, I was very worried about you because I know how much effort and hope you put into that company. I was a little worried that you would get stuck on it. It's good that you can take it so lightly now, really very good."
As he spoke, he lightly clinked his beer glass against Xiang Kun's glass of mineral water, then drank it all in one gulp.
Xiang Kun took a sip of water, sighing inwardly. Yes, everyone has their difficulties, and none of them have it easy. Others might think that Zi Cheng, this chubby guy, is just messing around with his business abroad. They might think that if it fails, it won't matter when he comes back, since his family is rich and he can live a carefree life as a rich second-generation heir by following his father. But they don't know how much effort, how much hard work, how many tears he swallowed, how many grievances he kept hidden inside, or what kind of ambitions and ideals he had. As for Chang Bin, outsiders would definitely think that he is already successful, young and rich, handsome, with a beautiful, rich, gentle, and considerate girlfriend who is also capable at work. He seems like a winner in life, but they don't know how many times he has fallen and how many injuries he has suffered along the way, or what kind of pressure and struggles he is currently under.
As for Xiang Kun himself, he couldn't help but sigh. "All I wanted was to buy a house in this city, settle down, and become a dedicated programmer. Why has it turned out like this?"
In fact, he knew that there were far more people in this world who had it much worse than them, and that what they had encountered was nothing compared to what those people had gone through.
But everyone is like this; what they see first is always their own little world, and what they are most sensitive to are their own little emotions.
Xiang Kun was thinking when he suddenly downed the 35-yuan bottle of mineral water in his glass, then got up and walked toward the small stage prepared for the resident singers in the bar.
There were no singers up there, Xiang Kun called over a waiter and asked how much it would cost if he wanted to go up and sing.
The answer he received was that it was free, so he told the waiter the song he wanted to sing, but their song selection software didn't have the version Xiang Kun wanted. Although he could open the music video for that song directly on his computer, the original audio couldn't be removed, which didn't suit his needs.
So Xiang Kun told the waiter he wanted to sing a cappella, and then, with the waiter looking somewhat doubtful and worried, he walked onto the stage and picked up the microphone.
Xiang Kun could hear the waiter whispering to a colleague, "That song is sung a cappella, won't it be a major car crash?"
The companion was also a little worried. "What should we do? What if the other guests throw bottles at us? Should we bring some snacks and ask him to come down early if he sings terribly? This guy doesn't seem to have had much to drink, he shouldn't cause any trouble, right?"
Xiang Kun deeply understood the waiter's concerns, because he himself was not confident either. After all, what he was going to use to perform this song was not mainly his singing skills, but a method he had just decided to try on a whim, relying mainly on a surge of emotion.
The song he's going to sing is a Cantonese song called "Da Zhang Fu" (The Real Man), composed by Liu Chia-chang, with lyrics by James Wong, and originally sung by Michael Kwan.
However, he wanted to sing Jacky Cheung's arranged version, so he didn't want to use the original accompaniment.
In their dormitory, Zicheng was a die-hard fan of Jay Chou, while Chang Bin was a loyal fan of Jacky Cheung. However, Chang Bin's favorite song was not Jacky Cheung's famous love songs or other original songs, but rather this cover of "The Real Man".
This song was a cover of Jacky Cheung's "Love and Symphony" concert in 1996. Chang Bin had a high-definition video of that concert and specially cut out this song and put it on his computer desktop. He would listen to it whenever he had free time. It was his cheering song, and unknowingly it became their dormitory's cheering song.
Sometimes when Xiang Kun and Zi Cheng's team was wiped out in a team fight, and they were analyzing their tactics, Chang Bin would play that music and say, "Come on, the Real Man!"
Then, without realizing it, the three of them started singing along, which drew laughter and curses from the next dormitory. "If you keep howling, we're going to come and beat you up!"
Xiang Kun's decision to go on stage was completely unexpected by Chang Bin. He knew very well that his friend was not good at singing, and even if he were, he would never take the initiative to go on stage to sing in such a public place. He was most afraid of such things.
"Good evening, everyone. I've brought a song, 'The Real Man,' sung by Jacky Cheung. Please excuse my poor performance."
After giving a brief greeting through the microphone, Xiang Kun began to build up his emotions.
In the past, just saying that would have been enough to make him so embarrassed he'd dig a hole and bury himself. But now he wasn't thinking about being embarrassed; he was focused on finding the right emotional trigger.
When Xiang Kun was chatting with Chang Bin earlier, Xiang Kun had repeatedly recalled the times when they listened to this song together in their dormitory during their university days. He also felt emotional about the current situation of the three of them. His emotions had been building up for a while, which is why the idea suddenly popped into his head: to take this opportunity to give it a try.
Under the watchful eyes of many in the bar, Xiang Kun listened to the intro and rhythm of that song in his mind, immersing himself in the emotion, and then naturally began to sing:
"How many hardships must a man endure in his life? How many times will he feel despair and anxiety? I have boundless perseverance, I will withstand all trials and tribulations, I vow to overcome all obstacles, and I will never bow down..."
Having heard it so many times before, Xiang Kun's Cantonese pronunciation in this song is not bad, but it's an a cappella performance after all, and he doesn't really have much singing talent, so it's normal for him to occasionally sing the wrong key.
Strangely, the entire bar suddenly fell silent; almost everyone was drawn to the music, and even the whispers ceased.