1. Time flies, and the smile is like a flower
Let's set our eyes on an ordinary day in 2023, where an elderly man in his late teens, Mr. Li Guyi, happened to quietly appear at the airport. Although time has quietly dyed her gorgeous hair white, her spirit is still full of youthful vitality.
Wearing a modern and colorful cotton jacket and a deep jujube red top hat on his head, he walked lightly and looked bright.
Looking at her vibrant face, can you still associate with her on the sickbed last year?
When I learned that at this year's Spring Festival Gala, Mr. Li Guyi was unable to attend because he had just recovered, a loyal fan said with emotion: "It's really a pity! If the teacher can suddenly appear on the stage of the Spring Festival Gala, we will definitely go all out to cheer for you.
Just as the fan's voice fell, Mr. Li Guyi stared at him affectionately and smiled slightly, although he did not answer directly, but the smile contained endless expectations, as if indicating that they would meet again in the future.
This smile is like a spring breeze blowing on the cheeks, bringing people endless hope. As a legend in the Chinese music industry, Mr. Li Guyi has sung the classic song "Unforgettable Tonight" on the stage of the Spring Festival Gala 26 times in the past 28 years, which has become a symbol of eternal memory.
Although it is unknown when she will return to the stage, people are full of eager anticipation for her return, just like spring silkworms constantly gnawing on mulberry leaves, full of endless yearning for the vigorous development of life.
Second, the marriage is ethereal, and the years are ups and downs
Looking back on Teacher Li Guyi's life process, her marriage road can be described as bumpy. Her first husband was the famous vocal educator Mr. Jin Tielin, who was famous for his educational methods at that time, and Li Guyi was the best interpreter of this singing style.
In 1967, at the age of 23, Li Guyi met 27-year-old teacher Jin Tielin for the first time, and Jin was immediately attracted by her unique voice and decided to take her as an apprentice. However, in the process of getting along with teachers and students, the two could not resist the arrangement of fate, fell into deep emotional entanglement, and finally tied the knot.
However, the road to marriage has not been easy. After marriage, Li Guyi devoted himself to his career, and the relationship between husband and wife gradually faded. Li Guyi once tried to save this marriage by having children, hoping that the crystallization of love could rekindle the happiness of the past.
However, fate did not favor them after all, and the two never experienced the joy of parenthood. In the end, Jin Tielin said helplessly: "It seems that we are destined to have our own children, so you should find another good partner."
This sentence was like a bolt from the blue, completely shattering Li Guyi's dream, and the two could only regretfully choose to break up.
After the divorce, Li Guyi devoted himself to the struggle for his career. It was at this critical moment that the second beautiful marriage in her life quietly came, and he, who was once a die-hard fan of Li Guyi, became her new partner.
Whenever Li Guyi sang on stage, the fan always held fragrant flowers in his hands and applauded and cheered for her off the stage.
The wonderful thing about emotion is that it can be gradually sublimated in the precipitation of time, and finally let two people enter the palace of marriage. Soon after, they ushered in the crystallization of love - their lovely daughter Xiao Yi.
However, although Xiao Yi's arrival brought the seeds of hope to the family, Li Guyi still couldn't let go of his persistent pursuit of his career, and often went out to perform for a long time. Although her husband always stood firmly by her side and gave her selfless support, her daughter Xiao Yi could not accept her mother's long-term absence, and finally even refused to call her "Mom", but only replaced her with the cold "Teacher Li".
Third, the art road is arduous and tenacious
It is precisely because of his firm belief in the cause and unremitting efforts that Li Guyi has made today's brilliant achievements in the field of art. However, the path she has traveled has not been smooth sailing, but has been full of setbacks and glory.
In 1980, Li Guyi's interlude "Hometown Love" performed in the movie "Legend of the Three Gorges" adopted her unique "soft singing", which was in stark contrast to the "air singing" that was prevalent at that time.
However, the song sparked strong controversy and abuse in the industry. Some people accuse "Hometown Love" of being "the sound of glamour", "hooligan music", "toilet music", etc.
In the face of these groundless accusations and insults, Li Guyi also felt physically and mentally exhausted, and once hesitated whether he should give up his musical concept. However, in the end, she chose to persevere, firmly believing that music art needs to be constantly innovated, and lyrical works are not only limited to "high-pitched, uplifting, sonorous" tones, but should also pay attention to "bringing love with emotion and conveying love with sound".
In 1984, when the turmoil of "Hometown Love" had not subsided, Huang Yihe, the director of the Spring Festival Gala, found Li Guyi, hoping that she could create a closing song that perfectly fits the atmosphere of the Spring Festival Gala.
Although Li Guyi has suffered a lot of criticism, Director Huang still persistently invites her. Eventually, the song, titled "Unforgettable Tonight," became a household classic.
When the song's lyrics came out, some people still questioned its lyrical melody and lyrics, arguing that it was not suitable for formal singing. However, Li Guyi once again firmly chose to record and sing this song, and will sing this classic at the Spring Festival Gala every year, which has won the warm welcome and deep love of the audience, and has become an eternal memory symbol.
At the same time that year, the well-known composer Zhang Yan in the field of music extended an olive branch to Li Guyi, but in the face of this challenging opportunity, many of his peers were deterred.
However, Li Guyi stepped forward without hesitation and responded firmly: "What is there to be afraid of?" It is precisely because of this fearless courage that he can stand firmly at the peak of the road of art, and has won the respect and praise of the world!
Fourth, guilt lingers, self-blame sinks
However, Li Guyi's brilliant achievements in the field of art were not easy. What she paid for her career was not only the sacrifice of her marriage, but also the breakdown of a complete family.
At the Spring Festival Gala in 2021, when Li Guyi took the stage again with her weathered face and sang "Unforgettable Tonight" affectionately, the cheers and applause from the audience were as passionate as the tide.
However, deep down in her heart, she has long been swallowed by endless guilt.
It turned out that on the eve of the Spring Festival, Li Guyi's second husband and daughter Xiao Yi's father unfortunately passed away. She has just experienced the pain of widowhood, and this time she stood on the stage of the Spring Festival Gala again, her singing was not completely filled with joy, but more about missing her relatives and feeling guilty about herself.
Li Guyi's biggest regret in life is that he failed to fulfill his duties as a wife and mother. She was so focused on her career that she couldn't give her family enough love and companionship.
I remember that once, when my youngest daughter Xiao Yi was seriously ill and had a high fever, Li Guyi should go home to take care of her in person, but she chose to ignore it and only instructed her husband to send her daughter to the hospital by phone.
As a result, Xiao Yi was in a coma in the hospital for two days and two nights, and his life was in danger.
Now recalling that past, Li Guyi has mixed feelings in his heart, and feelings of self-blame and guilt arise spontaneously. She knew that as a mother, she should pay more attention to her family, but she failed to do so, missing out on countless quality moments with her daughter, and she felt her own failure.
Later, in an interview with a program, Xiao Yi unabashedly accused his mother of her long-term "absence", refusing to call Li Guyi "mother", but indifferently calling her "Teacher Li".
These three words were like a sharp dagger, ruthlessly piercing Li Guyi's heart. She knew that she was at fault first, but she was powerless to refute it, so she could only silently bear this deep self-condemnation.