HDIEUMDBTSB ### Chapter 7: Unless I Can't Hold Back
## Volume 1: The Road to Fame
"That's a high score," Wei Tongzi exclaimed in surprise.
Chu Zhi asked knowingly, "Is this score really high?"
In fact, before coming here, he had thoroughly researched the season's data.
"The highest score last time was Teacher Hou's 704 votes. 679 votes could be either the champion or the third place," Wei Tongzi explained.
One by one, the contestants took the stage, receiving 594, 611, and 647 votes respectively. Whether it was good luck or bad, the original contestants this round performed exceptionally well, and the audience votes were generally higher than the previous round.
One of the easiest targets, Zheng Yingying, also drew a song that suited her sweet voice. With slight adaptations in the arrangement, her performance was stable and impressive, earning her 635 votes.
In the small room, Wei Tongzi kept glancing between Chu Zhi and the button. When she looked at Chu Zhi, he seemed very close, but when she looked at the button, it felt very far away.
The show's setup was such that pressing the red button on the table would trigger a surprise alert on the stage, with red warning lights flashing. Chu Zhi, however, did not reach for it, and a flicker of disappointment crossed Wei Tongzi's face.
The only advantage for a surprise contestant was the ability to choose their own song, while the other contestants had to draw their songs by luck at the end of the previous round, with a week to make arrangements. Given that the songs for this round were all quite popular, Chu Zhi's advantage was greatly diminished.
"So scared, thank goodness they didn’t challenge me." After finishing her song without being chosen by the surprise guest, Zheng Yingying patted her flat chest, feeling relieved.
With a smile on her face, Zheng Yingying returned to the main hall, where Lin Xia, Tsune Mitsukuni, and others stood up from the sofa and applauded. "You sang really well today," "Amazing, an excellent female singer..."
"Yingying, you were in great form today, your singing was smooth and effortless," Hou Yubin, as the senior, didn’t need to stand but still applauded and praised her.
"Uncle Hou, there's more," Zheng Yingying said, looking at Hou Yubin. "Uncle Hou usually uses three idioms in a row. You've only used two: 'in great form' and 'effortless'."
"Really?" Hou Yubin hadn’t noticed but then added another, "Yingying's skills are outstanding among her peers. To add one more: 'a class of her own.'"
"Uncle Hou praised me. That’s worth a stage performance," Zheng Yingying said with a smile.
When she was younger, she had some minor cosmetic procedures done. Her eyes curved upwards when she smiled, full of energy, forming cheerful crescent moons. As an idol, a little touch-up on the face was almost expected.
"The main thing is to showcase skill and style," Hou Yubin said in the manner of an old artist. He didn’t have a Weibo account and rarely gave interviews, unaware that many netizens referred to him as a "walking dictionary of idioms," and he was quite popular.
"Who is the surprise singer going to challenge?" Zheng Yingying, feeling safe, grew curious. The suspense was like the Sword of Damocles hanging over them.
"Maybe they plan to challenge all of us," Lin Xia said firmly. "If my guess is correct, then it should be right."
Hou Yubin added, "I have the same thought. The surprise guest is very brave. So far, everyone has performed steadily."
The singers in the hall grew even more curious about the surprise guest. The previous two surprise guests were strong but still failed in their challenges. Was the new guest really that bold?
"I admire the challenger’s courage to take on everyone," Tsune Mitsukuni said, standing up and not sitting back down, as he was the next to perform.
On stage, the lights flashed, giving the feeling of stars surrounding the moon, which is why so many young people dream of becoming stars.
"This singer is known as the singer of a new era. With his moving low notes, he is also known as the 'beautiful voice on the Shinkansen'. Please welcome Tsune Mitsukuni to the stage," Gu Nanxi introduced.
One feature of "I Am a Singer" is that the host serves as the music partner and contestants act as hosts. This season's host was Gu Nanxi, who scored 647 votes this round, a high score.
Tsune Mitsukuni had adapted the Chinese song "Deserted Island" into a bilingual Chinese-Japanese song. Although he didn’t speak Chinese, it didn’t hinder his performance. There’s a legendary singer, Teresa Teng, who was selected by Japan's TBS as one of the "Five Great Divas of the Showa Era." She didn’t speak Japanese but left behind many classic Japanese songs by memorizing the pronunciations. This is not a rumor but confirmed by the lyricist Tokiko Iwatani, who worked with her. However, Teng quickly became proficient in Japanese, being a linguistic prodigy, and soon could converse freely in the language.
If a foreign star has been developing in a certain country for one or two years and still hasn’t learned the local language, it undoubtedly shows a lack of sincerity, even when it comes to just making money. Tsune Mitsukuni's score: 699 votes. He even surpassed Lin Xia, proving that foreigners singing in Chinese is a wealth formula, and his adaptation truly conveyed the sorrow of being on a deserted island of love.
The last to take the stage was Hou Yubin, who drew a popular Douyin song in the previous round. Despite its high recognition, it seemed rather shallow. However, Hou Yubin took it back, and his team rearranged it into a majestic and poignant piece. With his commanding voice, he transformed a trivial song into one filled with the parting and suffering of the battlefield, an unprecedented adaptation.
The audience was pleasantly surprised, thinking, "These catchy songs that have been stuck in my head have actually been cleansed." His stellar performance received the most enthusiastic applause. As expected, his score was the highest of the night, reaching 716 votes.
Hou Yubin returned to the main hall, and the other singers stood up. "Uncle Hou, your high notes blew me away," "When will I ever have such singing skills," "The arrangement was so unique. What instrument was the teacher on the left playing?" ...
"A fishing drum, more commonly known as a bamboo zither, is a traditional Han Chinese instrument that can be traced back to the Tang dynasty. Daoists would 'beat the fishing drum and sing Dao songs.' In mythology, Lan Caihe begged with a fishing drum while singing 'Tata Song.' Now, it’s mostly used in children's songs. Wang Xian and I discussed for a long time before trying to include it," Hou Yubin explained with great interest.
"Uncle Hou, you’re so knowledgeable," Lin Xia said. "I still don't know enough about traditional culture and need to keep working hard to continue improving."
Lin Xia was skilled at making conversation. Even though he was the spokesperson for meaningless talk, his questions hit Hou Yubin’s sweet spots, making him happy. On the contrary, Zheng Yingying's attention was on the name "Wang Xian," a famous domestic producer. She had previously asked him to contribute to her album, but...
Lyricists and music producers may not be well-known, but they hold high status within the industry.
The atmosphere in the hall was lively, and everyone temporarily forgot about the surprise guest until the screen darkened and Gu Nanxi began the introduction.
"This singer is hard to define," Gu Nanxi said, looking at the name of the surprise guest on the card with confusion. Wasn’t Chu Zhi washed up? Why is he on the show? Confusion aside, Gu Nanxi continued, "His digital album sales topped the charts in 2018 and 2019, and his fans call him the voice of heaven."
"Let’s welcome the surprise singer—" Gu Nanxi left the suspense hanging.
The stage went dark, and then the spotlight shone on the entrance. The white light was dazzling, like a heavenly path, and a slender figure slowly walked out.
Lin Xia and the other contestants watched the screen backstage. Initially, the light made it hard to see, but the front row of the audience immediately recognized the performer, and their murmurs spread like a plague among the 800 spectators.
"Looks like Chu Zhi?"
"It really is. Is this show crazy? Why would they invite him? What bad luck!"
"And calling him the voice of heaven, really? I used to like his looks, but his character is too low. I’ve turned from a fan to a hater."
"Here’s a joke for you: Chu Zhi is the voice of heaven."
"I’ve had professional training. No matter how funny, I won’t laugh. Pfft, hahaha, sorry, I couldn’t hold back."
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