BAI SUZHEN – WHAT LOVE CAN COST [Intro – Guzheng • Rain • Soft Erhu] [Native Mandarin female contralto • English with strong natural Mandarin accent • ancient, tender] For a thousand years I wandered, through the mountains, through the rain. I knew the rivers and the moonlight, but I never knew love's pain. Then one day beside West Lake, beneath a silver sky... I saw you standing in the rain. “许仙...” And for the first time, I wished that I was human. [Verse 1 – Guzheng • Gentle Erhu] [Mandarin female singer • accented English • warm, romantic] You held an umbrella above me, while rain fell from the sky. You saw a woman standing there, and never questioned why. You did not see the serpent. You did not fear my eyes. “谢谢你... 许仙...” Something I had never known began to bloom inside. A thousand years of silence, a thousand years alone... Then suddenly your gentle smile made this mortal world my home. [Pre-Chorus – Soft Female Voices] [Fragile • intimate] I knew the mountains. I knew the rivers. I knew the stars above. 可是... After a thousand years of living... I knew nothing about love. [Chorus – Erhu • Guzheng • Chinese Female Choir] [Emotional • melodic • repeated female responses] Bai Suzhen... [Female Choir] 白素贞... White serpent in the rain... [Female Choir] 白素贞... Bai Suzhen... [Female Choir] 我的爱... You gave my endless life a name. A thousand years to become a woman... One mortal life to learn what love can cost. 许仙... [Female Choir] 许仙... 为了你... I would cross two worlds for love. [Verse 2 – Warm becoming darker] [Native Mandarin female voice • accented English • uneasy] We built a little home together. Morning sunlight filled the room. For once I dreamed no more of mountains, only growing old with you. “我爱你...” I thought our days would last forever. But Fahai knew my secret. He looked at me and saw no woman. Only 妖. Only 蛇. Then came the wine. My hands began to tremble. My human shape was gone. And when you saw the serpent beneath my skin... you fell. [Music stops] “许仙?” No answer. “许仙!” [Pre-Chorus – Trembling • Sparse Erhu] 不要离开我... Please... Open your eyes. I waited one thousand years to understand love... Do not make me learn how quickly it can die. [Chorus – Darker • Female Choir] Bai Suzhen... [Female Choir] 白素贞... White serpent in the rain... Bai Suzhen... [Female Choir] 我的心... Love had finally taught me pain. A thousand years to become a woman... One mortal life to learn what love can cost. 许仙... 为了你... I would challenge even death. [Verse 3 – Crying Erhu • Low Guzheng] [Voice: desperate, loving] I carried your silence with me and begged the heavens for your breath. No mountain stood too high for me. No spirit frightened me. If death had taken you away... Then I would follow death. “等我, 许仙...” Wait for me. “我会救你...” I will bring you home. And when you breathed again... I held you close. For one beautiful moment... I thought love had won. [Bridge – Temple Bell • Dark Strings] Then Fahai stood between us. He called me demon. He called me serpent. He said our worlds must stay apart. [Voice breaking] “为什么?” Why? Does a serpent grieve less deeply? Does a spirit shed no tears? 许仙... “我的爱哪里不像人?” What part of my love was never human? [Female Choir – Distant] 白素贞... 白素贞... [Final Verse – Thunder • Erhu • Guzheng] Then Leifeng Pagoda closed the sky above my head. Stone replaced the morning. Silence took your place instead. No more walks beside West Lake. No umbrella in the rain. Only memories of your hand... and one name inside my heart. “许仙... 你听得见我吗?” Can you still hear me? “我还爱你...” I still love you. [Final Chorus – Soaring Erhu • Large Female Choir] Bai Suzhen... [Female Choir] 白素贞... White serpent in the rain... Bai Suzhen... [Female Choir] 我的爱... I would choose you all again. A thousand years to become a woman... One mortal life to learn what love can cost. 为了爱... I crossed two worlds for you... And even stone cannot imprison love. Bai Suzhen... [Female Choir] 白素贞... 白素贞... 许仙... 我爱你... Still... I love you. [Outro – Solo Erhu • Guzheng • Soft Rain] [Almost whispered • strong natural Mandarin accent] Once... I knew the mountains. I knew the rivers. I knew the rain. Then I became a woman... And I knew you. 许仙... If another thousand years were waiting beyond this wall... “我依然会爱你.” I would still choose you. [Chinese Female Choir – fading] 白素贞... 白素贞... [Whisper] 许仙... [Only the rain remains]
