Chapter 329: “Yankee Doodle”
Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu were swamped with prepping for a friend gathering, visiting Grandpa Gan, and packing up their stuff. Amidst this chaos, they managed to churn out a new tune, preparing themselves for the final leg of their journey to Bai Jing City. At the same time, their numerous online fans had the web buzzing about their whereabouts.
“Wait, they vanished for a month before the college entrance exam, and now even after it’s over, there’s still no word?”
“Are they really that busy? Even after the exam, they haven’t bothered to say a thing.”
“Where is my Moonlight Brother? And what about my Cat Sauce?!”
“Who’s dealing with such a tragic fan experience? Still no sightings of their idol after the entire college cheerleading effort!”
“…”
To elaborate on the group dynamics of Moonlight’s and Cat Sauce’s fans:
Though they are complicated individuals, their fans carry an equal complexity. But in general, fans can be categorized into three types.
Firstly, there are the “Music Fans”. These folks are really into Moonlight and Cat Sauce’s music but couldn’t care less about them as people. A huge crowd, mostly just listens to the tunes and rarely engages in social media or comment sections. Often, they aren’t d*e-hard stans but enjoy some favorite singers’ work.
Even though they’re not deeply involved, these fans adore “Moonlight and Cat Sauce” and might not fight for online visibility. If we’re talking about pop icons who match this description best, Jay Chou tops the list.
So many of his fans listen to his music and share stories behind his songs, presenting themselves as lifelong fans.
But they don’t bat an eyelid at personal lives and love dramas; they simply love the songs.
In Moonlight and Cat Sauce fandom, they’re the largest group, spanning from kids of 10 to seniors of 80. For example, Qingjiang Province’s renowned old-school composer Master Tong Tai once publicly declared himself as one of their music fans.
The second lot is the hardcore fans who like both the music and the idols themselves.
Devoted to every song and the stars themselves, these fans often throw around endearing monikers like “Moon God” and “Cat Sister,” constantly promoting Moonlight and Cat Sauce all over the place with prideful declarations.
Comprising mostly young people and especially college students, they are the backbone of internet stardom for Moonlight and Cat Sauce!
The third type, the legendary “True Love Fans.”
These fans take fandom to another level. They love the music but also worship the idols. Unlike the others, their devotion borders on obsession, particularly regarding looks—Moonlight’s and Cat Sauce’s face is their ultimate fantasy.
They engage heavily in online battles against the trolls and know everything about the real-life stories of Moonlight and Cat Sauce, reciting countless small rumors and gossip without hesitation.
These true love fans form the most passionate CP support team. Sometimes, they prioritize matchmaking news over new songs.
A nuanced group indeed, some appear smitten by Moonlight’s talent while being indifferent to new tracks, obsessively daydreaming about when the duo will finally get together.
Currently, this group is mainly female.
And it’s these true love fans who show the deepest concern for Moonlight and Cat Sauce’s everyday life.
The situation was intense.
Fans were losing their cool!
True love fans felt like they couldn’t breathe anymore.
Before, everyone could bear the news of Moonlight and Cat Sauce’s hibernation for a full month. During the exam, they coordinated online and off with all sorts of campaigns.
Some extreme fans even posted TikTok videos.
Such as:
“If they pass the exam, I’ll confess to them!”
“What if they pass, I’ll jog-n*ked on campus!”
“I’d sacrifice ten years of my life to see them get into Tianchao Music University!”
“We won’t tolerate rejection! If you don’t take us in, we’ll drag Tianchao Music University down with us!”
There were vows, threats, curses…
All forms of support poured out.
After a tumultuous exam period filled with the hit track “Love on Strings,” expectations were high.
Yet, silence from Moonlight and Cat Sauce!
True love fans worked tirelessly to track any small news.
Finally, a whisper spread.
“Moonlight and Cat Sauce are heading off to Bai Jing. Preparing for Dragon Zither Cup these few days.”
When this broke, netizens erupted.
“Whaat?! So soon?”
“Yay! It’s starting, the Dragon Zither Cup!”
“Poor Moonlight and Cat Sauce, one week post-exam, the next they’re headed to nationals!”
“These two really have some backbone!”
Fans knew Moonlight and Cat Sauce were already atop classical music charts and were already the most prosperous music moguls in Tianchao. No need for contests for exposure anymore—they could live off album sales.
Yet, they stayed on the musical career path despite the fame and fortune.
In short, they’ve been pros since day one. Fans got complacent, overlooking contests’ importance.
Throughout the journey, some fans even lost their zeal.
Not Moonlight and Cat Sauce.
Refusing to prove commercial success alone, they aimed to validate their standing in the music world.
When fans saw them pushing toward Dragon Zither Cup, many couldn’t hold back tears of pride.
An exemplary case was Violinist Zhang Dong’s comment on Bilibili:
“See this, everyone, Moonlight and Cat Sauce. They’ve earned a lifetime of wealth from albums and shows yet insist on competing.”
This stirred heated debate online.
Many followers, unaware of the struggles behind a musician’s career, found inspiration in Zhang Dong’s comeback story: leaving the sport, becoming a streamer, then risking it all for his love of the stage.
Even those unfamiliar with athletes’ journeys sensed their dedication.
No wonder, Moonlight and Cat Sauce are seen as a breath of fresh air online.
This sentiment resonated with most followers, making their disappearance less jarring.
Just as fans rallied around Zhang Dong’s post, a message shattered their calm.
“Moonlight and Cat Sauce – new track ‘Yankee Doodle,’ released!”
Boarding the plane, under He Zhi Chen’s company, Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu were seated in first class. Gazing through the window as buildings shrunk below, Lin Tian realized:
Qingzhou—a tiny corner of this vast country.
Once, this city held his whole universe—birth, growth, and the struggle post abandonment, working part-time jobs, studying.
A different feeling compared to his trip to Japan.
Now, he knew stepping here meant a long stay in Bai Jing. Saying farewell to his 18-year hometown, venturing to the unknown.
Thoughts swirled.
Maybe it was his charm—or maybe it was the mood—he turned to the seat beside him, Gan Yan Yu, staring blankly out the window.
Was she feeling the same?
He’s probably faking his age, but Gan Yan Yu is genuinely 18—her maturity possibly lagging a bit further.
As the plane ascended, he couldn’t help humming softly,
“Once dreamed of wandering worlds afar, exploring life’s beauty…”
“What kind of tune is that?” Gan Yan Yu asked, eyes wide with surprise.
“Just singing, for fun.”
“It sounds so good! Lin Tian, I think this is the first time I ever heard you sing?”
“Do you like it? I’ll sing to you every day!”
“You’re full of songs.”
“Yes indeed.”
With a cocky smirk, Lin Tian hinted something.
“You secretly write pop tunes?”
“You catch on quick.”
Gan Yan Yu rarely saw such an inscrutable expression.
“Give me a couple more lines.”
“Sure, listen.”
“Want your smile, want to play and laugh with you, embrace you in my arms~”
Under their breath, Gan Yan Yu stared, eyes glinting.
“Once in a lifetime is enough, watching the sunset together… Laughter ringing in our ears…”
“Living happily without worries~”
“Enough. I’m stopping now.”
It happened suddenly. The tune just popped into his head.
His response blew Gan Yan Yu away.
“Ah… Lin Tian, continue… I want to hear more.”
Gan Yan Yu practically shrieked, a child in a fit.
She wanted to leap over and sit right next to him if it weren’t for her seat belt!
Not knowing Lin Tian composed love songs, she was intrigued despite being uninterested in typical love tunes.
“You’ll hear more, later…”
Lin Tian chuckled, “Only for you.”
“Not now?” she pouted.
“In marriage, of course…”
The realization made her cheeks flush, looking away.
“He’s sleeping.”
“Alright, let’s get this straight then. Once my dream comes true, you’ll sing for me!”
“Deal.”
Gathering her courage, she asked, “How much do you have?”
“A few songs. If you like ’em, I’ll sing them for you.”
“Not rushing things, huh?”
“Definitely not.”
Gan Yan Yu’s face burst into a delighted glow, turning away again to gaze out the window.
Lin Tian took out his phone, playing their new song, “Yankee Doodle.”
With the song’s release, official announcements explained its backstory and purpose, causing excitement among fans.
Although they hadn’t any news of Moonlight and Cat Sauce, the song revealed a lot, making d*e-hards immensely joyful.
“Ha! Now I can relax, Good luck Moonlight and Cat Sauce!”
“Phew, the relief after worrying about them finishing the exams!”
The song’s light hearted feel made fans feel lighter instantly.
Like ancient bards whose works echoed their states of mind, Moonlight and Cat Sauce shared their joy through this piece. Fans, like those during eras of poets and thinkers, felt emotionally enriched.
For a moment, many visualized the duo, smiling and waving, assuring them all would be well—
“This means we’ve been worried sick, responding with a whole piece of music just for us?”
“Wow! Moonlight has to nail Dragon Zither Cup!”
“I’m rooting for you the whole way, focus on training, updates will come!”
“Cat Sister, hang in there!”
In the web of cheers,
Lin Tian’s airplane sneezed.
Not online, oblivious to the current buzz,
Zhang Zhi Chun looked at Lin Tian with concern.
“Everything alright, Professor Lin?”
“Never better. Did you wake up?”
“Nah.”
“By the way, we’ve a message. Someone wants to treat you to a meal in Bai Jing tomorrow.”
“Who is it?”
“An old acquaintance.”
He replied,
“Professor Yao Han.”
(End of Chapter)
