Linyi Olympic Sports Center Chasing Old Li: A Song by Li Zongsheng, Half a Memoir of Youth

"Crossing the hill, only to find no one waiting"—when this lyric echoed in the night sky of Linyi Olympic Sports Center, I finally understood what it means to "rush to a date that spans youth." From the moment I stepped into the venue, this modern building stunned me with its dazzling lights and the cheers filling the arena. In the following hours, Li Zongsheng’s songs connected the fragments of my memories one by one.

As the opening song "Ordinary People’s Song" started, the whole crowd instantly erupted. "You and I are all ordinary people, living in this world," humming softly along with Old Li’s voice, looking at the strangers around me who were equally moved, I suddenly felt all the fatigue from rushing to this concert vanish—turns out, being able to share a musical appointment with a group of like-minded people in a strange city is such a romantic thing.

At intermission, the melody of "Hill" played, and the big screen at the Olympic Sports Center flashed images of the years gone by. Old Li’s slightly hoarse voice sang, "There are still many things I want to say but haven’t yet," instantly touching the softest part of my heart. I recalled the secret time off I took to come to this concert, the nervousness of grabbing tickets, and the excitement of taking photos of the magnificent venue before entering. Suddenly, I understood: some journeys themselves are a tribute to youth.

The encore song "True Hero" was the climax of the whole audience’s sing-along. "Without experiencing wind and rain, how can you see the rainbow?" The lights illuminated the smiles on everyone’s faces. Under the dome of the Olympic Sports Center, the singing, clapping, and cheering intertwined. At that moment, there were no strangers, only a group of "dream chasers" healed by the same song.

As the concert ended, looking at the sea of phone flashlights lighting up the arena like stars, the words from "Hasty" echoed in my ears: "Life is a series of missed chances, may you not waste it." Walking out of the Olympic Sports Center, the evening breeze brushed my face, and I suddenly felt that this trip to Linyi was not just about attending a concert, but also a heartfelt farewell to my past self, filled with courage to rush toward the future.

If the shock of Linyi Olympic Sports Center was a double impact on sight and sound, then Li Zongsheng’s songs were a resonance of the soul—if there’s a chance like this again, I will still rush to a city for a single lyric. Linyi Olympic Sports Park Gymnasium Linyi Zhongwei Ronghua Hotel (Train Station Wanxianghui Branch)

Post by NovaRider | Oct 22, 2025