“Question of the Day”: Guess the original composer and performer of this song. Great reviews get flowers

“Southern Girl,” written, composed, and performed by Zhao Lei.

Does no one like this song? Still not paying that much attention? It’s a wonderful song, one that embodies genuine emotions. Just like Nan Shan Nan, it depicts the feelings of confusion, helplessness, and struggle that the next generation of young people experience when they leave their hometowns to seek opportunities elsewhere; they bear the burdens of life on their not-so-strong shoulders, yet still possess an unyielding spirit. As the gentle guitar plays its melody, there are no screams or cries, yet it carries great power.

I’m reposting an online author’s review of this song; although it’s written in a somewhat cynical tone, as if criticizing harshly, doesn’t it make some sense upon closer reading? Review of “Southern Girl” by Zhao Xiaolei: I have listened to this song many times; my roommate, who likes playing the guitar, often plays it in the dormitory. It’s more of a matter of being exposed to it over time; as time passes, a sense of familiarity develops. Every time I think about it, I am filled with deep emotions. I once again think of Fan Wei’s famous saying, “It’s the same people everywhere – why is there such a big difference in how they behave?” ”I also unabashedly bring up the phrase “ruined a good song” quite often. Among those who live in the same world, some people bring to light those great songs that have been overlooked, allowing everyone to share their passions together; isn’t that a form of happiness? This is how I define my mentor, whether she acknowledges me as her disciple or not She had a significant impact on me in a short amount of time. She once said something like this: Happiness means being able to light up one or two lamps while achieving one’s own goals. I guess the roommate who shared this song isn’t exactly a hero for turning on the lights, but at least while satisfying himself, he didn’t bother anyone; instead, he shared the music with everyone. 　　Another example of the huge difference in how people behave is that person who ruins a good song; once he comes across such a song, he keeps playing it over and over again, from morning till sunset, and from sunset until the middle of the night. And that’s not all – he even sings it! Uncle Ben Shan’s remark that “others sing for money, while he sings at the cost of his life” probably refers to those who lack self-awareness. I also love music, but generally don’t dare to sing in front of others; at most, I sing however I like when no one is around. Those who truly love music disdain showing it off. Those who deliberately show off always have some hidden secrets. This might be described by a popular term these days: showing off. It’s inevitable to put on a show in life; to put it politely, everyone lies while wearing different masks. It’s understandable; to be honest, you pretend, I pretend, everyone pretends. **Just eat a bun; there are tons of idiots on the internet trying to explain things, and those people are just showing off. **Putting aside whether you’re really that impressive or not for now, your explanations are way too far-fetched! So, I hate showing off the most in my life; it’s fine to do it occasionally. Everyone shows off to some extent. If someone says they don’t show off, well, I can only say that they’re actually a real showoff. Just don’t overdo the act of pretending to be extremely passionate about music, about the country, and about the party. We all know very well what kind of society we live in now. Whatever thoughts are going through your mind can be easily guessed just by watching how you move your toes. So, why bother? Time reveals true character; living under the same roof, what is the most important thing? Stephen Chow said: When it comes to being human, the most important thing is to be happy. So how can one be happy? Is it really happiness just because you yourself are happy? It’s only when everyone is happy together that it’s truly happy. The kind aunties at kindergarten have taught us since we were young that being nice to others is what truly matters. And then there’s the phrase “Guangzhou Haodi” – although it has a very promotional feel, similar to that of a boys’ dormitory, after all they are sponsoring you, and it’s true after all! 　　I just never understood why one has to pretend so much in life And your happiness is built on everyone else’s suffering. Every time I think about it, I really want to slap myself… Never mind, I might as well slap myself to death. They say, take it easy! Dogs will never stop eating poop; just let them do it! Dogs will always be dogs, but sometimes people are not human. After spending time with people, I fell in love with dogs. Then, the final scene from A Chinese Odyssey appeared again. The Sunset Samurai, holding the Fairy Zi Xia, said to The Greatest Treasure, “That person looks like a dog.” ”Suddenly, a sense of sadness overwhelmed me; no matter how impressive or arrogant such so-called heroes may seem, they too are forced to submit and give in in the face of fate. Moreover, they are often not understood by the world; bearing too much responsibility, they appear like outsiders, monsters. Use a vulgar phrase implying reincarnation as a monkey to satirize the so-called tragic heroic complex of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. You see, maybe we’re all just dogs, so... please don’t act so tough, okay? 　　I’ve always hated this flaw of mine – I end up going off track while writing! Even at the end, it completely deviated from its original purpose. I guess I’ve strayed from the topic again, but maybe not. Who knows? If I became famous, even if my writing strayed from the intended path, a group of self-important literati would be there to analyze how it fits the theme, how the narrative flow connects various elements, and so on… I heard recently that some kind of Mo Yan research society has been established; Mo Yan sent a letter to congratulate them. It must be because he has too many flaws that people feel the need to study him and his writings. Mo Yan is very good at mocking and making self-mockery of people. Those idiots probably didn’t even know such a person existed before Mo Yan won the Nobel Prize! It’s still the Bodhisattva using someone else’s name to take advantage of Mo Yan in order to get a job and earn some RMB! That’s why I’ve always been skeptical of so-called research groups. There are too many professors in universities who can’t even teach their courses properly, yet they still engage in research of this sort or that; ultimately, it’s just to obtain higher academic titles, and at the end of the day, it’s for better salary benefits. Everything is centered around economic development, and this principle is being implemented quite well. 　　Regarding all these people who like to show off, the only response we can give is a “hehe” to express our feelings. A harmonious society requires calmness; one should not be too angry, or else they might be called in for a talk by those in authority. ““Hehe” – what a harmonious word. Before, it was “you know what I mean”; I wonder if that phrase has also been altered?

Continuing from the fourth floor: Back to the topic at hand. Although my ‘main narrative’ was filled with over a thousand irrelevant words, let’s still talk about this song! Before talking about it, let’s first talk about the composer of this song, Zhao Lei. This morning I watched a statement he made on \"China’s Good Songs\": Ever since I chose music as my path, I’ve never thought about becoming rich. Although only Liu Huan was there to push the pole for him, I think that was enough; after all, Bo Ya had only Zi Qi. Previously, he also performed with a certain male artist on a stage filled with beautiful faces; holding a guitar, he seemed out of place. I didn’t like watching that male artist, but later I went online to find videos about him. A netizen who likes him commented, “Every time I hear Zhao Lei’s music or just see him perform, I can sense the atmosphere of Beijing.” A touch of nonchalance, a touch of loneliness. It always makes one think of a singer with bare arms, slightly tipsy, singing while holding a guitar on some summer day. Zhao Lei didn’t make it through, and I was actually relieved on his behalf, because I really couldn’t imagine having to sing and dance with those guys from the entertainment industry if he had succeeded in advancing to the next round. ”“While folk music pioneers such as Wan Xiaoli, Zhou Yunpeng, and Li Zhi were either expressing their anger, composing poems, or criticizing society, Zhao Lei was still a naive and confused child, wavering between his ideals. His songs may not have any social value, but in China’s music industry, where standards are declining and there are so many idol singers who produce formulaic songs. There are not many singers who can fully express their own state in singing in a way that resonates with others. In my 20s, I went through all this together with Zhao Lei. But this seemingly masculine boy is able to express himself so delicately. ” 　　So when listening to “Southern Girl,” I felt something moving that I hadn’t felt in a long time; it’s not just sentimental words. It’s not that I’ll cry. I’m simply deeply touched. Xu Wei and Pu Shu have moved me for many years; in this frivolous era filled with “WeChat hookups” and “Momo hookups”, it’s truly comforting to see people who make music so purely. A good song is a cry that comes from the depths of the heart, reaching straight to the core of one’s being. 　　In a village in the north lived a girl from the south. She always liked to stand by the road wearing dresses with flowers on them. She didn’t speak much, but her smile was calm and gentle. What lay in her tender eyes? The sorrow of longing. The winters in the southern towns, with their rainy weather, weren’t as cold as those in the north. She didn’t need thick cotton clothes to cover her delicate face. She left behind her shadow on the streets as she walked back and forth, and that scent lingered in the hearts of those who glanced at her. In the blink of an eye, the scent disappeared, along with her shadow. Southern girl, are you accustomed to the coolness of autumn in the north? Southern girl, do you like the straightforwardness of people from the north? Time passes just like those sleepless nights; she chews gum while talking about her dreams against the wall. Southern girl, we’re all enduring the long days. Southern girl, have the tall buildings hidden your hopes? Yesterday’s rain fell on her frail shoulders, and even the Big Dipper in the night sky couldn’t help her find her way. In the sunlight, she hung her clothes in the middle of the yard, letting the winds of the four seasons blow through her hair as she comforted herself through time. Southern girl, have you fallen in love with the north? Southern girl, you said you’d be returning to your hometown today. Longing hurts the heart; it calls for tears. The fruits in the south are ripe now—that’s the simplest of dreams. When I listen to this song, I always imagine a clean-looking young man holding a guitar, in his small space, even if it’s just a ten-square-meter courtyard in the north. He is just a child who loves music; out of sheer love, on hot summer nights filled with the chirping of insects, under the dim light in winter, in the fields, deep in the mountains... whenever he wants to sing, he takes out his guitar. Why don’t I discuss the story behind this song? How did the author create this song? As long as I’m moved after hearing it, that’s enough. 　　Just because it’s genuine, without pretense or artificiality ； It’s just because of passion, that’s all.