HDIEUMDBTSB ### Chapter 33: The Whole Audience in Tears

 ### Volume 1: The Road to Fame

### Chapter 33: The Whole Audience in Tears

Whether it was due to the semifinals' arrangements or not, after the performances of the first seven contestants, the voting phase began, followed by brief comments from the judging panel. However, the results were not announced. This left the contestants uneasy—those who had already performed were uncertain, and Chu Zhi, who hadn’t performed yet, was equally unsure. He knew what he was about to face, but the anticipation made it impossible to stay calm.

It felt similar to anticipating an unpleasant monthly occurrence, hoping it would come but also hoping it wouldn’t cause chaos.

"My performance received the highest evaluation from the professional judging panel, which gives me an advantage," Li Xingwei said as he encountered Chu Zhi on his way back to the assembly hall.

"Looking forward to your performance," Li Xingwei smiled brightly, offering positive and encouraging words.

"Thank you."

Taking a deep breath, Chu Zhi arrived at the waiting area. His nervousness was palpable, even to the emotionally insensitive music partners.

"Mr. Chu, I will always be your little fan and support you," Wei Tongzi intended to say more comforting words, but when the moment came, she could only manage this simple statement.

Many people, like Wei Tongzi, are usually articulate but find themselves speechless when facing important people or confrontations, especially when losing an argument. After cooling down, they realize they had plenty to say.

"Having you as a fan gives me great courage," Chu Zhi said, though his internal tension did not lessen.

Host Gu Nanxi introduced him, and Chu Zhi stepped onto the stage. It was as if the atmosphere shifted from summer to winter in an instant. The waving light sticks, support signs, and applause all vanished. The audience seats were a sea of darkness, like a giant beast in the abyss opening its mouth, the path down its throat indistinct and filled with the unknown.

It was very quiet—no cheers, not even polite applause. Perhaps it wasn't silence but rather desolation that best described the scene.

Facing the serious stares of hundreds of people brings immense pressure, let alone the gaze of an entire audience. As soon as Chu Zhi stood at the center of the stage, he felt overwhelming pressure, like Medusa's gaze. His limbs seemed to turn to stone. Instinctively, he wanted to lift his microphone and say something to break the tension, but his arms were stiff and unresponsive.

Chu Zhi now understood clearly why older singers could falter on stage due to the audience's reaction. He used to think that as long as you have in-ear monitors, why would the audience affect you? Now, he realized how standing on stage and facing the audience's cold gaze was an entirely different experience. The contestants were supposed to announce their own songs in "I Am a Singer." Without him speaking, the atmosphere grew even heavier, like wet cement about to set.

"Black Tide!" The term sprang to Gu Nanxi's mind. She, as the host, couldn't intervene. This tactic, originating in Europe and perfected in South Korea, involved the audience plunging the singer into a sea of darkness and hostility.

"Who arranged this? The feeling of being abandoned by the audience and hated by the world is terrifying." Gu Nanxi thought, instinctively taking a few steps back from the suffocating atmosphere.

Even in the viewing hall, the oppressive feeling transmitted clearly through the screen.

"Are they opposing Chu Sang? Why do this? It's so unfair to the singer," Heng Kouyi, familiar with the concept of Black Tide, remarked. His favorite mentor (a charming older man) developed depression and eventually committed suicide after two concerts faced with such hostility.

A few psychological insights: severe depression generally requires medication for control, and therapists are more effective for mild to moderate depression. Successfully committing suicide by wrist-slitting means someone was truly desperate, as this method often allows time for regret and rescue.

Hou Yubin frowned deeply. He disliked the theatrics in singing competitions. Every contestant knew that without organizational support and the show's tacit approval, the Black Tide wouldn't be possible.

"This kind of environment severely impacts a performance," Hou Yubin commented. Realizing his understatement, he added, "The environment is like a raging storm, imminent danger, a critical moment. Even I would struggle to perform at half my usual level in such a setting."

Hou Yubin was considered the best singer among the contestants, even Li Xingwei, who privately looked down on others, acknowledged that surpassing him in the near future would be challenging.

Empathy is difficult to achieve. Li Xingwei, understanding the terror of the Black Tide, felt confident that he could easily handle the stage.

Zheng Yingying trembled, recalling her worst career moment when she faced boos right after debuting. The silent hostility of the Black Tide was even more terrifying because of its unknown threats.

"This is too bad. The audience for this episode is subpar, and the judging panel is inconsistent," Yang Guiyun protested, though his real gripe was that his performance hadn't received a good reaction either.

The music partners remained silent, knowing this was not their place to comment, even if one of them was a veteran of Mango TV.

"If it were me, I'd be lucky to stay conscious," Lin Xia muttered quietly to himself.

In the viewing hall, discussions continued for over two minutes while Chu Zhi stood like a statue, an almost performance accident.

"‘Against the Light,’ I’m performing an original song," Chu Zhi finally spoke, overcoming his stiff limbs. His initial panic turned into a peculiar calmness.

"Band members and chorus teachers, I'm ready."

Chu Zhi faced 800 people alone as the intro to "Against the Light" began. The piano intro wasn’t particularly catchy, but it was strikingly clear in the cold, silent background.

"Maybe I've always been afraid of answers, maybe love quietly circles in the wind."

The answers and circles were shaky, his breath unsteady, different from a deliberate tremolo, indicating technical shortcomings. Still, with the added weight of despair, the impact was significant.

As Chu Zhi sang the first line, no one realized the gravity of the situation. Hou Yubin thought it was unfortunate, believing Chu Zhi had been overwhelmed.

"Leaving is short-lived, then starts anew."

"Sometimes I question myself; I don’t want difficulties to break us apart."

"I blame myself for not being brave, regretting not reaching the destination."

"Hugging but still scared, pushing you away, yet I remain."

In the original, Stefanie Sun's version is upbeat, like a young girl recounting her past with a bit of playfulness and no sadness. Chu Zhi’s version was entirely different, painting a picture of despair.

There was an obscure landscape painter in Holland who became known for assisting Monet. He painted "Rue Saint-Séverin," one of Paris's oldest streets. Despite malaria and surrounding chaos, his depiction of a blissful street was like an inferno on Earth.

Through his singing, Chu Zhi expressed all the grievances of being cursed online, abandoned by fans, and misunderstood. His song depicted a personal hell, where strangers’ harsh words and once-supportive fans' betrayal were all conveyed in his voice.

"Was there a ray of light? What pain pierced through?"

Was there light in the audience? Only darkness.

Only pain, no piercing light.

"Your gaze is forgiveness; why is it hard to extinguish?"

The gaze of 800 audience members was full of malice, seriousness, and contempt, but no forgiveness.

"I see through the light, tears shining, a strength I no longer want to resist."

"Facing hope, against the light."

“Feeling the presence of love, it's always by my side.”

Without light, how can there be backlighting? Reality and the song may not be exactly the same, but they are not entirely unrelated, forming a strong contrast!

It makes the audience feel as if their hearts are being squeezed.

Tears welled up in Chu Zhi's eyes, but they did not fall, as if he was bearing the heavy blows of life. He sang a song of despair, yet still gave people hope.

The scene was a black tide, not a place where love existed, but Chu Zhi's singing made people believe that even if there wasn't a trace of love beside me, there must be some around you, definitely!

The soft piano background, accompanied by strings, acoustic guitar, military drums, and gentle harmonies, seemed to affirm that there is love and hope.

The band and harmony group teachers cooperated seamlessly, even though they had only changed the song a few hours ago in the afternoon, there were no mistakes.

“I don't want difficulties to scatter us, I blame myself for not being brave, regret not reaching, still afraid after the hug.”

“Even if I push you away hard, I still stay.”

Chu Zhi's gaze was fixed ahead, facing the silent darkness, still believing there was light.

The scene remained silent, but unlike before, the silence before singing was the professional quality of the extras, required to create an oppressive black tide, but now it was the audience being drawn into the song.

The girls in the audience began to sob quietly and wipe their tears. Fifty percent of the despair stirred the listeners' own memories, and ninety percent of the despair made them envision the scene presented by the singer.

It sounds mysterious, but think about listening to “Rice Aroma” by Jay Chou. Whether or not you understand what Jay Chou is singing about, many people's minds probably present an idyllic rural scene, something like that.

Chu Zhi looked firmly ahead. His features could be described as model-like, his eyes full of heroic spirit. The ancient phrase "eyes like autumn water" describes his eyes—clear and bright as autumn water. With tears barely visible, his eyes were both clear and spirited.

With hope, never extinguishing the longing for light.

“There was a beam of light, in that moment, what pain was so piercing, your gaze was forgiveness, why couldn't it extinguish.”

“I see against the light, it was tears, that strength, I don't want to resist anymore.” The sound of despair was used to ninety percent, and Chu Zhi's performance was fully absorbed.

Whether by coincidence or not, the tightly closed doors of the studio slowly opened, and the outside light shone in, Chu Zhi's voice pierced through the eternal night of darkness!

“Facing hope, against the light.”

“Feeling the presence of love, it's always by my side.” When Chu Zhi pronounced [the existence of love], he looked at the eight hundred listeners in the audience.

A young man with a buzz cut slightly lowered his head. He was in the seventh row and shouldn't have been seen, but he still didn't dare to look directly at the person singing on stage. A strange feeling surged in his heart. Clearly, he had stabbed this star twice, but not only did the star not blame him, he also told him with a dying voice: the world is gentle.

Thinking of this, his eyes felt a bit sore, and the cold expression he wanted to maintain couldn't hold. He turned to look at Brother Ming, who had more acting experience, but…

Brother Ming was sobbing, with tears streaming down his face, tightly closing his lips, trying to hold back his cries.

“??” The young man with the buzz cut was about to ask something when he saw the two girls on his left crying like pear blossoms in the rain.

The song ended, the accompaniment stopped, and the sobbing in the dark tide became more evident.

“Thank you for quietly listening to my song, thank you.” Chu Zhi bowed and thanked them, then thanked the band and harmony group.

As soon as he finished speaking and the singer left the stage, it seemed to ignite the audience. It wasn't a thunderous applause—extras truly have professional ethics, mainly because of the two hundred yuan fee.

But Brother Ming and others cried loudly.

“Awoo awoo…”

“Boohoo boohoo…”

“Wah wah wah…”

Out of the eight hundred people in the audience, at least three hundred were wiping tears, and at least a hundred had red eyes.

The scene was quite bleak.

“Hoo… the sound of despair is too overwhelming. Ninety percent and even I ended up crying.” Chu Zhi wiped his eyes, mostly to sing out the grievances of his original self.

As for why the studio doors suddenly opened, of course, it wasn't a coincidence. Chu Zhi had asked Wei Tongzi to help before the competition.

“But where's the host?” Chu Zhi stood for a while. The lights were off, and the stage hadn't proceeded to the next step.

Gu Nanxi walked to the judges' panel, passing through the painting of despair, his spirit not yet returned to the mortal world.

The only professional was the on-site photographer, breaking free from the emotions and capturing all the necessary shots—the crying audience, the stunned judges, and the slowly opening doors amidst the singing.

He also captured what shouldn't have been, Chu Zhi's careful tear-wiping action. The photographer definitely deserved a reward.

About half a minute later, Gu Nanxi came back to his senses, remembering his role as the host.

“Mr. Chu's performance is going to surprise everyone,” Gu Nanxi said. “It's the performance effect I most wanted to achieve, singing with soul. Mr. Chu, I originally thought you relied on your looks, but it turns out you rely on your strength.”

“Can you share, Mr. Chu, in what circumstances you wrote this song? I see the lyrics, music, and arrangement are all by you.” Gu Nanxi's hosting script didn't have this question.

“I hope those who listen to my song, whether they hate me, or hate me, or hate me, can be surrounded by light.”

“Likewise, if overwhelmed by expectations in love or life, they can walk against the light.” Chu Zhi said.

So gentle, even Gu Nanxi felt himself being tempted by the charm.

“‘Against the Light’ is the best original song I've heard!” In his excitement, Gu Nanxi gave a high praise, then quickly corrected himself, “The best this year, I'll definitely put it on loop.”

“If the song can encourage you, that's great.” Chu Zhi said.

In his earpiece, the director cued the flow. Gu Nanxi knew he couldn't chat any longer and said, “Let's see the professional judges' evaluation.”

Out of the fifty people on site, at least thirty hoped to be cued and wanted to comment on this performance.


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