HDIEUMDBTSB ## Chapter 18: Unexpected Challenge
“Gu Jie, did you watch this week’s 'Red Dream'? It was so exciting,” Zheng Yingying chatted.
“It’s hard to believe that Teacher Dai Yang is so cute in private,” Gu Nanxi said. “This is a classic example of someone being completely different on and off stage.”
“They invited me to 'Red Dream' too. If my house hadn’t been such a mess, I would have accepted,” Lin Xia joined the conversation.
“Is it the same Dai Yang from the General Political Department’s opera troupe?” Hou Yubin asked, hearing something he recognized. “What does this show have to do with classical literature?”
“If there isn’t another high-pitched singer named Dai Yang, then it’s him,” Lin Xia replied. “Uncle Hou, 'Red Dream' is a popular live reality show where they film 24/7 in the homes of celebrities. They also give out tasks for the sake of the show.”
Zheng Yingying felt free to talk about other shows because 'Red Dream' was also produced by Mango TV.
Hou Yubin frowned and said, “People who enjoy this kind of show might have a voyeuristic interest in celebrities’ private lives. It's inevitable to have such a curiosity, but why name it 'Red Dream'?”
He didn't dislike the show but hated the idea of borrowing the name of a classic literary work.
Every show needs to have a concept, just like certain female-oriented websites that insist on a theme, even if it's a far-fetched one. Even a show catering to voyeuristic desires needs a fig leaf. Before the show begins, a couplet is always displayed: “Jade seeks a good price while in the box, Hairpin awaits the right time to fly from the casket.”
This couplet is from the opening of *Dream of the Red Chamber*, symbolizing that valuable people are waiting for the right moment to shine, just like the jade and the hairpin waiting in their boxes. The 'Red Dream' production team compares male celebrities to “jade” and female celebrities to “hairpins,” claiming that the show observes these ambitious artists rather than spying on them. The show’s chief producer is Pei Louguo from Mango TV, and his name, “Lou,” also played a part in the naming.
Lin Xia’s explanation finally eased Hou Yubin’s frown, though he still wondered why someone like Dai Yang would participate. As one of China’s top five tenors, Dai Yang enjoyed a high reputation in Asia.
“Nancy, you used the wrong word. 'Hypocritical' has a negative connotation,” Hou Yubin pointed out. “Teacher Dai Yang has created an excellent stage image for us.”
“Then I’ll put it in quotes, so it’s not wrong,” Gu Nanxi responded.
“Using a negative word positively can indeed be put in quotes,” Hou Yubin nodded seriously.
“I’m curious about the selection criteria for 'Red Dream'. They have both bel canto artists and young actors,” Zheng Yingying commented.
“If I’m not mistaken, Yingying, you’d like to be on the show too,” Lin Xia said.
Zheng Yingying looked at Lin Xia in surprise. “For once, you didn’t say something redundant. Of course, I want to be on that show. It’s really popular right now.”
After discussing the trending show, the conversation inevitably turned to today’s challenge guest, a topic they always obsessed over.
The entertainment industry truly is a vanity fair. The discussion kept revolving around Lin Xia, Hou Yubin, and a few others, leaving the rest of the contestants out. They sat on the sidelines while Chu Zhi silently rehearsed lyrics in his mind. About ten minutes later, the music partners returned with the order of performances.
Wei Tongzi’s luck was mixed. She drew the fifth spot, which was good, but the performer before her was Lin Xia. Generally, performing after a popular contestant means losing some votes.
“Why did I get the fifth spot? Third or sixth would have been better,” Wei Tongzi complained.
“Not being the first to perform is a win,” Chu Zhi comforted her.
Nobody wanted to go first, not just due to nerves but also because of the voting impact.
So, who was the unlucky one this time? It was Tsunemitsu Yoshi. His music partner Zhang Yue hadn’t drawn a favorable spot. After greeting everyone in the hall, Tsunemitsu Yoshi stood up and left. Gu Nanxi had already gone ahead to announce the lineup, so he had to prepare and change into his performance outfit.
Tsunemitsu Yoshi would perform “Mount Everest is Liquid,” a highly rhythmic dance track. For the first round of "I Am a Singer," contestants usually showcased their signature pieces. “Mount Everest is Liquid” was Gu Nanxi’s signature song.
His performance outfit for the night was a black leather jacket with metal chains hanging from his leather pants, making clinking sounds with every step, exuding a heavy metal vibe.
“I originally wanted to perform after Chu-san. Zhang-chan, next time, you must fulfill this request,” Tsunemitsu Yoshi said, taking off his beret. The warm wind in the corridor blew against his head, making his features stand out as he got into battle mode.
Hadn’t he just said he wanted to follow Lin Xia? Why the sudden change?
Zhang Yue hesitated for a moment before indirectly telling Tsunemitsu about the scandals surrounding Chu Zhi—being kept, secretly married, gay, plagiarizing, and more. Tsunemitsu didn’t harbor any hostility towards Chu, but he was concerned about the repercussions of being too friendly with him in case the backlash spread.
## Chapter 18: Unexpected Challenge
"Absolutely impossible!" Tsunemitsu Yoshi blurted out upon hearing the rumors. "It's all lies. There's no way Chu-san is that kind of person."
"??" Zhang Yue was stunned. He couldn't understand why this Japanese singer was so confident.
"You can tell a person's nature from their appearance. Just look at Chu-san, you can see he's a good person. He would never do such things!" Tsunemitsu Yoshi said firmly.
"..." Zhang Yue was speechless. He looked at Tsunemitsu Yoshi, whose expression was extremely serious. It was clear that for him, appearance equaled virtue.
"Zhang-chan, I suggest you don't believe those rumors either. And don't dislike him in the future. Someone must be jealous of Chu-san," Tsunemitsu Yoshi advised sincerely.
"...Alright." Zhang Yue realized that, in some sense, a "face lover" (someone who judges by appearance) is unbeatable.
After the host's introduction, Tsunemitsu Yoshi took the stage. The original version of "Mount Everest is Liquid" already had a strong rhythm, but he had modified the arrangement to add drum beats and the shamisen, giving it the feel of a hot-blooded anime opening.
“Liquid Mount Everest, dissolving and dissipating over time.
Gaseous love, unintentionally expanding and disappearing...”
The original chorus lyrics used the metaphor of the mountain to lament that love is not eternal, but this hot-blooded version felt like it was about to shatter Mount Everest.
Audience votes: 666.
A good number, but the result was worse than the last performance. Tsunemitsu Yoshi had received 699 votes in the previous round, just one less than Chu Zhi.
It's unclear if the audience for "I Am a Singer" included paid actors, but according to the official explanation, they were selected from volunteers. This episode's audience might have been more strictly screened.
The second and third performers also received fewer votes than in previous rounds.
"Next up is a singer who is the first to win the American Music Award for International Artist of the Year. His strength is undeniable. Let's welcome Lin Xia, performing 'Glass Flower,'" Gu Nanxi announced the fourth contestant.
Each episode highlighted different achievements of the contestants. This time, Lin Xia was set to outshine the previous three, even before starting, thanks to his outfit.
His performance attire was exceptionally lavish, resembling medieval armor with a transparent plastic surface that gave it a glass-like appearance. Under the stage lights, Lin Xia looked as if he were wearing a suit of glass armor.
As the saying goes, "genius starts with good diapers." Many might not have used top-quality diapers as kids, losing at the starting line. For celebrities, winning at the starting line means having the best performance attire.
In terms of hard skills, Lin Xia would be no match for Hou Yubin, but compared to fresh-faced idols, Lin Xia had a significant advantage.
Lin Xia delivered an operatic version of "Glass Flower" with exceptional skill. His high notes were effortless, and his emotions were nuanced and smooth. He felt a sense of exhilaration as he sang, and the four-minute performance ended with thunderous applause, earning him 725 votes.
An excellent score!
Last episode's champion, Hou Yubin, had won with 716 votes, and Lin Xia surpassed that.
However—
The stage lights flashed red, accompanied by the slightly jarring "beep beep beep" sound. A surprise guest was challenging Lin Xia.
NEXT