Chapter Twenty-Five: Youthful Aspirations

Hearing Su Tong’s words and seeing his spirited demeanor, the normally composed manager of the CoolCool Business Department felt a surge of mixed emotions. Whenever Su Tong spoke like this and displayed such unshakable confidence, it meant he was about to make a major move—something earth-shattering was sure to follow.

Sure enough, Su Tong, holding his guitar, was no longer sitting; he stood up. Xiaoyu and Xiaoxiao moved their stools aside as well, standing excitedly on either side of him.

Tonight was Xiao Qiao’s farewell livestream. Her older sister had promised to stay awake until the end, but as her brother told stories, she couldn’t help drifting off to sleep. Now, knowing her brother was about to sing an inspirational song, she was instantly wide awake.

The accompaniment began, the guitar’s vibrant strumming bursting forth, the rousing melody sending a jolt through everyone present.

“Hey yeah~~”

“Ho ho~~”

Su Tong’s opening was nothing short of stunning. The two shouts in the prelude set the tone for the entire song—did it really have to be this high?

My goodness!

It was indeed a display of soaring high notes, goosebumps erupting on everyone’s skin, their blood beginning to race.

“I want to soar into the sky and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun
The world is waiting for me to change it
I’m never afraid to let anyone see my dreams
Here, I can make them all come true
Laughing out loud, shoulder to shoulder with you
Where in the world can’t we find endless joy?
Casting aside troubles, boldly stepping forward
Here I stand, center stage!”

As Su Tong sang these lines, the audience felt their goosebumps intensify—this was truly an inspirational song. The lyrics were simple and unadorned, yet every cell in their bodies seemed to leap and cheer in response.

“I believe in being myself
I believe in tomorrow
I believe youth knows no horizon
On the beach at sunset
On bustling city streets
These are the most beautiful paradises in my heart

I believe in freedom
I believe in hope
I believe I can touch the sky if I just reach out
With you by my side
Life is constantly renewed
Every moment is filled with excitement
Ob—”

By now, the audience could hardly contain themselves. Goosebumps scattered all over, their hearts surging with passion and excitement—the song was too uplifting, too stirring. Su Tong’s clear, resonant voice brought the inspirational theme to life, his uncompromising, positive spirit infecting everyone who listened.

“I believe in hope… I believe in tomorrow…”

So many, hearing this song, were filled with boundless determination, unable to resist the urge to throw their heads back and shout along.

If you have dreams, you must pursue them. With a heart higher than the sky, stride boldly forward. Stand at the center of the stage; the world is waiting for me to change it.

How many people have had their will eroded and their fighting spirit dulled by the burdens of study or work? Besides the routines of daily life, what dreams remain?

Youth knows no horizon!

Many in the audience were so moved they were brought to tears, especially when Su Tong’s voice broke into a raw, impassioned cry mid-song—each shout electrified them, drawing tears of inspiration.

Both melody and lyrics were invigorating. No matter how harsh reality may be, one must strive, must chase their dreams.

At this moment, the manager of the CoolCool Business Department was utterly stunned. Su Tong’s ability to compose songs like “Childhood” was understandable, given his age and the presence of his two younger sisters—it seemed only natural.

But this song… it also suited him perfectly, capturing the drive and energy unique to the young.

In Tangshan’s office before the livestream began, his face was grim, his heart deeply shaken. Having transferred over from Zhonghuang to the showcase platform, he had some insight into the entertainment and music industries. In his estimation, once this song was released, it would be nothing short of explosive, sweeping across the nation.

This was a song of youthful inspiration, destined to outshine by tenfold or a hundredfold the love-stricken pop songs currently popular.

Moreover, Su Tong, as the original singer, had set the melody so high that it established a new standard—not only leaving ninety percent of amateurs unable to follow, but even intimidating many professional singers. Yet the more unattainable a thing is, the more people yearn to try, love, and revere it.

In short, this song would propel Su Tong to the heights of the music world, cementing his place in the industry.

In her hotel room, Zhang Xin was also watching Nian Nu Jiao’s livestream on her computer.

“To stay cooped up in a small showcase like this is simply a waste of immense talent. His stage shouldn’t be here,” Zhang Xin’s heart, which had just calmed, was once again set alight. He belonged to the world—he must not be left to gather dust, to be buried and forgotten.

“This song is a true reflection and confession of himself.” Zhang Xin didn’t know why, but she was deeply moved by Su Tong’s heartfelt voice, on the verge of tears. He was shouting, calling, roaring—determined to fight against the heavens.

She had only interacted with Su Tong for about an hour, but his strength, optimism, and confidence had already left an indelible mark on her mind.

There truly are such people in the world—those who carry the whole world in their hearts.

Zhang Xin recalled a conversation with Su Tong, when he had bantered, “With a whole world supporting me, why shouldn’t I be confident?”

At this moment, not only the CoolCool staff were watching Su Tong’s livestream, but also headhunters from several other showcase platforms.

“Flawless image and presence, so talented, sings so well—it’s hard to believe CoolCool was blind before and is only now trying to make up for it.”

The headhunters were speechless at CoolCool. They had already dug up the history of Nian Nu Jiao’s previous fan base—just a few thousand fans.

Even if Su Tong hadn’t been singing at the time, with just Xiaoyu performing, the handsome trio of siblings—the dashing brother, the beautiful sister, and the adorable little one—should have attracted far more fans than that.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

As the song ended, six grand salutes fired in succession, stunning everyone.

“I never realized a song could be so invigorating. Even if I lost everything, I’d come back again. I’m full of fighting spirit—this song will change my life. I’ll keep fighting, for my whole life, never give in.”

“Brother, thank you from the bottom of my heart. My dormant blood is burning—I feel alive again.”

“To challenge the heights of the sky—this is how we should live. I can’t let myself sink any further. Time to pull myself together—roar, roar, roar…”

“Ahhhh, I’m about to transform into a Super Saiyan!”

“Brother, you’re amazing. I’ve always known you’re persistent, always striving, but I never really paid attention. Tonight, listening to this song, I heard the cry from deep within your heart. You make me ache with empathy, you inspire me…”

“….”

Fans flooded the chat with comments, many choking up. This was pure positive energy—there is a special kind of emotion called “brother.”

“Haha, with so many guardian angels appearing all at once, everyone must be hoping for an encore. Let me drink some water first—this song is quite exhausting,” Su Tong laughed. “I might have to break my word tonight. Just the six grand salutes—six encores—I really can’t manage. I’ll sing it one more time, please don’t keep beating a dead horse.”

Hearing Su Tong would sing it again, all the fans grew even more excited. Once was not enough—a song like this was an adrenaline rush, as if they’d been injected with pure energy.

“The most inspirational anthem in history, livestreamed—don’t miss it, join now!”

“Brothers, grab your gear and come listen to the anthem. After hearing it, the whole world will be yours.”

“Sisters, stand up! Our Prince of Dreams is serving up the strongest medicine—no, the greatest comfort for the soul! Actually, I love a single log…”

“….”

“I Believe” quickly entered the public’s heart, spreading by word of mouth. Everyone was sharing it with their friends, not wanting to miss out. By this point in the livestream, the number of viewers had actually surpassed half a million.