The literary era since 1979

"If I lose you, I will become the star that shines on you. Whether it is a night of smiles or tears, I will always be by your side."

"The first snow of the year, we snuggled up to each other..."

Keiko Matsuzaka sat at the kotatsu and sang "Snow Flower" to Kurihara Komaki face to face.

After the song was over, Kurihara Komaki exclaimed, "Sparasi, Fangyan-kun is really a genius."

"You think so too, don't you?"

Keiko Matsuzaka looked very proud, "This song is no worse than "Sunset Song". Fang Jun sang it in one go without any pauses. I was completely mesmerized by it..."

Kurihara Komaki joked: "Ala, your trip to Otaru was really worth it!"

Keiko Matsuzaka curled her lips and said, "Oh, I didn't come to Otaru just for the song!"

"Yes, yes, you did it for love."

Kurihara Komaki pointed to her neck and said, "But you should at least be more restrained and remember to wear a scarf when you go out."

Keiko Matsuzaka looked down and noticed several strawberry marks on her fair neck that had not yet faded. Her cheeks immediately flushed:
"Little Juan!"

"Hahaha!"

The two of them were laughing and "wrestling" in a ball. The loose bathrobe accidentally slipped off, revealing their slender collarbones and revealing their spring scenery.

"Alright, alright, stop making trouble and don't disturb Fangyan-kun's creation."

Kurihara Komaki was pressed down underneath. She made a gesture to keep quiet and glanced at the tightly closed shoji door.

Hearing Fangyan's name, Matsuzaka Keiko immediately softened and stopped playing around, saying with resentment in her tone: "It's all your fault."

Kurihara Komaki smiled and changed the subject, "But now it's good. With Fangyan-kun's song 'Snow Flower', the president and vice president won't blame you for rashly running to Otaru City. Maybe they will let you stay and squeeze Fangyan-kun dry... Phew!"

Faced with her bestie's sudden dirty joke, Keiko Matsuzaka hit her lightly in annoyance:
"Although it would be a good thing to stay here for a while longer, we can't disturb Mr. Fang too much."

"Wagada, Wagada, Mr. Fangyan has entered the 'Mysterious Realm'."

Kurihara Komaki's description of the "critical period of creation" is quite childish.

Keiko Matsuzaka rolled her eyes, then looked towards the shoji door. Next door, Fangyan was concentrating on writing the first draft of "Love Letter".

It was not until noon that the proprietress personally delivered a lunch box containing high-end Kaiseki cuisine to the room.

"Mr. Fang, can you take a break?"

Keiko Matsuzaka knocked on the door and gently reminded everyone that it was time for lunch.

There was a "rustling" sound, and the paper sliding door was opened. Fangyan walked out, shaking his slightly sore arms.

Kurihara Komaki placed the plates on the table and asked, "How long do you plan to stay here, Fangyan-kun?"

Fang Yan said, "It may take another ten days or half a month. I hope to finish writing the novel as much as possible before returning home."

Matsuzaka Keiko's eyes dimmed, and she pretended to be nonchalant: "Can you finish it so quickly?"

"It's just a first draft. It will be submitted to the people sent from Kyoto for review when the time comes."

After all, it was the first time that the mainstream Japanese literary aesthetics of "mono no aware", "yugen" and "wabi-sabi" were introduced into pure love novels.

Different from the depressed, lonely and painful youth literature of "Norwegian Wood", "Love Letter" contains deep feelings, nameless sadness, sentimentality, the impermanence of life, the dreamlike life, etc., which is equivalent to the blooming of romantic pure love in the soil of mono no aware.

Therefore, it is necessary for Kyoto school literature professors to make careful revisions and improvements during the translation.

"When do you plan to return home, Fangyan-kun?"

Kurihara Komaki asked the question that Matsuzaka Keiko wanted to ask.

“Probably in February.”

Fangyan looked left and right, "Maybe I'll have to trouble you to accompany me here for a while longer."

"No, no, no, it's no trouble at all."

Kurihara Komaki waved her hand and said that Shochiku Film Company did not arrange much work for them after the New Year.

After all, he was about to join the crew to start filming the Japanese remake of "The Ring", and before that he had to familiarize himself with the movie script.

"Whizzing."

Keiko Matsuzaka nodded repeatedly: "And every time at this time, many people in the company will come to Hokkaido for a ski vacation."

Fangyan drank the soup that enhanced the flavor and said, "Skiing..."

Keiko Matsuzaka clapped her hands, "Fang-kun, Xiaojuan, why don't we find some time to go skiing!"

Kurihara Komaki readily agreed, but Fangyan touched his nose and smiled awkwardly: "I don't know how to ski."

"It's okay, we can teach you!"

Keiko Matsuzaka laughed and said, "Komaki is the best skier in the whole club. Even the vice president has to admit he's better than her!"

Kurihara Komaki followed suit and persuaded her, and finally after their constant persuasion, Fangyan agreed to go skiing and get some fresh air in between his creations.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door again. The proprietress said that someone who called himself "Funaki Minoru" wanted Fangyan to answer the phone by name.

Fang Yan was very surprised and asked, "Deng Liyun's agent?"

Kurihara Komaki frowned, "How did they know we were staying in this hotel?"

“We’ll only know that after we talk.”

Fang Yan walked out of the door, and returned to the room after a while, shaking his head and laughing, "He said that Miss Deng is coming to Hokkaido to participate in an event, and she wanted to visit me on the way..."

"I'm afraid it's not as simple as a vacation visit?" Keiko Matsuzaka narrowed her eyes.

"She's a singer. She probably came here for Fangyanjun's lyrics."

Kurihara Komaki cast an inquiring look.

"I think so too."

Fangyan glanced at Matsuzaka Keiko playfully and said, "I think this is the only thing I can make Miss Deng remember."

Matsuzaka Keiko blushed, "Souga, what's your reply?"

“Don’t hit someone who smiles at you, let alone your compatriots who are far away in a foreign land.”

Fangyan shrugged and said, "Of course I invite them to come skiing with me. I can't just turn them away."

………………

Two days later, at Tenguyama Ski Resort in Otaru City.

Compared with other ski resorts in Hokkaido, the ski resort here is not well-known, but it is one of the few ski resorts where you can directly overlook the port from the top of the snow. The snow is pure white, delicate, and soft like granules, so even a novice will not feel pain if he falls.

Therefore, it is also known as the "Powder Snow Paradise".

Deng Liyun followed Funaki Minoru to the agreed rest area, and saw Fang Yan, Matsuzaka Keiko and Kurihara Komaki had already arrived.

"Look, my worries were not wrong, but I am still a step too late!"

Funaki Minoru felt very sad, "Keiko Matsuzaka got ahead of her again. I wonder if she got a chance to sing?"

Deng Lijun comforted him: "Don't think so. Maybe they are just here for vacation."

"I hope so."

Funaki Minoru's expression changed instantly, he forced a smile, walked up to him and greeted him enthusiastically.

Everyone exchanged greetings for a while, and at Fangyan's eye signal, Kurihara Komaki took Matsuzaka Keiko away with him under the pretext of skiing.

"I didn't expect Mr. Fang and Ms. Qingzi to have such a close relationship." Deng Lijun said, "No wonder you wrote so many good songs for her, such as "Sunset Song" and "Sakura Tree Love."

Fang Yan smiled and said, "Compared to a singer like Miss Deng, there is still a gap between me and her in terms of popularity and ability."

"Why don't you call me 'Lijun', or my nickname, 'Xiao Deng'? It sounds a bit strange to always call me 'Miss Deng'."

The sound of Teresa Teng's voice when she spoke was like soft glutinous rice balls.

Fangyan originally wanted her to call him "Yanzi" or his name, but Funaki Minoru declined on his behalf and suggested calling her "Teacher Fang".

"I'd better call you 'Fang Sheng'."

Deng Lijun smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment just now. I am not worthy of the title of Diva yet."

"It's not modesty."

Fang Yan said, "Based on your influence and fame in many Asian countries such as China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan, even if you are called the 'Asian Diva', I'm afraid not many people would dare to say 'no'. What do you think, Mr. Funaki?"

"What Fangyan said makes sense. Xiao Deng is indeed worthy of the title of 'Asian Diva', but to be honest, her popularity and song sales in Japan are far from reaching the level of a 'Diva'. The key to the problem is that she lacks a single that would make a big splash in Japan."

Fang Yan smiled without saying anything and looked at Deng Liyun, who lowered her head slightly in shame.

"Although 'Repayment' performed well and was even performed at the Red and White Songs Contest, it is not comparable to the amazing works such as 'Barefoot Season' by Seiko Matsuda, 'Girl A' by Akina Nakamori, and 'Sunset Song' that you wrote for Ms. Keiko, so..."

Funaki Minoru sighed.

"Mr. Zhoushan, Deng Xiao... Lijun and I hit it off right away, so let's get straight to the point."

Fangyan interrupted, "You came all the way to Hokkaido to find me this time. Do you want me to write the first poem?"

Deng Liyun didn't expect him to be so direct. She and Funaki Minoru looked at each other and both bent down:
"Hello, Mr. Fang!"

"I'm afraid this is a bit difficult to handle?"

Dialects are unmoved.

"Could it be that Fangyan-kun has been hired by Shochiku as a royal lyricist?"

Funaki Minoru's heart skipped a beat. If he signed an exclusive cooperation agreement, then this trip would be in vain.

Fang Yan said: "That's not the case, but I have to ask for permission first."

Deng Liyun suddenly realized, "Is it because my identity is sensitive, so Fang Sheng has to ask for instructions..."

"Not just me, you too."

Fang Yan said: "Only when both sides get approval can we cooperate further."

Minoru Funaki asked, "What you mean, Fangyan-kun, is that if both parties agree, you will agree to create for Xiao Deng."

"If that's the case, considering that you guys are asking so sincerely, and this is the first time Lijun asked me, I shouldn't refuse." Fang Yan changed the subject, "But don't thank me yet, I also have conditions."

Minoru Funaki thought they were talking about remuneration, and said he would give the highest standard of royalties and share of record sales in the Japanese industry.

“This is indeed important, but it is not the most important thing.”

Fang Yan said: "I have a request for Lijun. It can't be considered a request, but rather an unreasonable request."

"I?"

Teresa Teng was confused, with all sorts of random thoughts in her mind.

The dialect said in a joking tone: "I want you to..."

Deng Lijun was startled at first, then a look of shame and anger flashed across her face. She never expected that he was also a hypocritical "disciple of Hu Shi".

Just as Funaki Minoru was about to refuse with a righteous rebuke, Fangyan stopped joking and said bluntly:
"If I have the opportunity in the future, I can go to the mainland to hold a solo concert, or go on TV to sing for the national audience."

"what?!"

Deng Liyun breathed a sigh of relief, and then she realized that she had been tricked by Fangyan and had been teased by him.

Funaki Minoru calmed down and said, "But Fangyan-kun, Xiao Deng can't go now..."

“Not now, but in the future.”

Fang Yan said: "Don't feel that you are at a disadvantage. The mainland also has large-scale New Year's evening parties like the Japanese Red and White Song Contest, called the Spring Festival Gala."

"This this……"

Deng Liyun was confused and couldn't speak for a while.

"Since you said you are from eastern Shandong, have you ever thought about going to eastern Shandong one day to take a look? And try the Shandong cuisine there?"

Fang Yan said: "I hope that one day, you can sing the song I wrote for you in person in the mainland. This is my condition."

Deng Liyun stared at him blankly, her clear eyes full of confusion and shock.

Seeing that she had no reaction, Funaki Minoru bowed slightly and said, "Mr. Fangyan, can you give Xiao Deng and I some time to think about it?"

"Sure, I'm going to learn skiing."

Fangyan stood up, held out his hand and said, "Please do as you please. Once you have discussed it, come to me."

Deng Liyun shook hands with him and watched him walk away. She really couldn't figure out this man...

…………

After a long time, the sun set and the sky darkened unknowingly.

Fangyan also got the answer she wanted from Funaki Minoru, and Teresa Teng agreed.

"Did you already intend to make this offer when they said they wanted to visit you?"

Keiko Matsuzaka sat on the cable car with a cunning light in her eyes.

Fangyan looked at her left, then at Kurihara Komaki right, and smiled without saying anything.

"Mr. Fangyan, how do you know that they will agree in the end?" Kurihara Komaki was very curious.

"Even if she doesn't agree, her agent will find ways to convince her to agree."

Fang Yan said: "Without the mainland market, she can't be considered a true 'Asian singer'."

Matsuzaka Keiko's eyes lit up, "According to what you said, I have to hold a concert in China in the future to prove myself!"

Fang Yan joked: "Open, open, open! Just for your reputation, it's not too much to hold 32 concerts!"

"Yeah!"

Keiko Matsuzaka leaned her head over and whispered, "I'm jealous."

Fangyan smiled and said, "Look, the song "Jealous" I wrote for you, there is nothing wrong with it, right?"

Keiko Matsuzaka rolled her eyes in annoyance. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Kurihara Komaki covering her mouth and laughing secretly:

"Little Juan!"

"Let's go back to Tokyo together after I finish writing the first draft."

Fangyan smiled.

Seeing that Matsuzaka Keiko was full of doubts, Kurihara Komaki explained that Fangyan was planning to renovate a house in Tokyo before returning to his country.

"By the way, Keiko is also the loan guarantor for that apartment."

Fang Yan lowered his voice and said, "This can be considered our little nest, right?"

Matsuzaka Keiko's heart suddenly became hot, and she forgot about Deng Liyun's matter and couldn't wait to go and see the house as the hostess. (End of this chapter)