Chapter 112: The Prelude to Anhe Bridge Plays, Even Passing Dogs Feel Regret!
“Please welcome Zhao Lei to sing 《Anhe Bridge》!”
After Zhao Lei stood with his guitar, he gently strummed the strings a few times and took a deep breath. His nervousness was almost overflowing the screen.
Long Danni pointed at the TV: “It’s him. This contestant is quite popular in the Chengdu Division. The folk songs he sings are very popular with artistic youths.”
Li Jing continued: “Look at the fans below, they are all dressed artistically. They are clearly very dedicated fans.”
Chen Gang raised his wine glass and clinked it with Shen Qing, a smile on his lips: “As long as he doesn’t have a music producer as powerful as Shen Qing behind him, there’s nothing to worry about.”
Long Danni: “He hasn’t sung any original songs before, which means he’s not a creative contestant. It’s just that his vocal and appearance fit the folk song temperament.”
Li Jing: “Having one strength is good enough. But many contestants have no characteristics at all. For example, Hong Jun, Cai Sitao, and Suo Xuan just now, none of them left a memorable impression.”
The entertainment circle doesn’t fear your flaws; it fears your mediocrity in all aspects.
……
In the live broadcast room, Zhao Lei didn’t strum the strings. He turned and bowed towards the band. In the camera, a drummer from the band nodded at him.
A tacit understanding.
Then.
Clear and clean drum sounds echoed from the studio.
The opening drum was an African drum, its sound relatively clean and clear. Although not as resonant as a Chinese big drum, it better suited the folk song style.
Folk songs are about regret, memories, and passion. It depends on who can sing these emotions to the extreme, and that person will be the top folk singer.
The original song’s drum solo was very long. To accommodate the live broadcast, Shen Qing asked Zhao Lei to shorten the prelude to about 15 seconds before he sang the first lyric.
“Let me look at you again, from south to north.”
Chen Gang: “???”
Long Danni: “Oh no!”
Li Jing: “It feels wrong, yet I can’t quite pinpoint why.”
Zhang Liangying: “Lei Zi has improved a lot. The emotion is very strong.”
Shen Qing was quite satisfied~
Although he only heard one line, Zhao Lei gave him a completely different feeling than during the preliminary selection stage, as if he were a different person.
Could it be that Shen Qing’s song gave him confidence?
Perhaps~
Once a person has confidence and feels supported, they can unleash unexpected potential.
In the studio and in front of the TV, many people were captivated by the first line. The first feeling many had upon hearing it was, ‘Hmm? Not bad~’.
Just like Shen Qing in his previous life, when he was cutting hair for a client at the barbershop, the shampoo girl first played 《Anhe Bridge》 on QQ Music. Shen Qing was immediately drawn in by its prelude and the first line.
Many years have passed, and he has transmigrated, yet Shen Qing still has the same feeling…
“Like eyes covered by the Fifth Ring Road.”
“Please tell me again about that day.”
“The girl holding a box and the man wiping sweat.”
After singing the first four lines, Zhao Lei sang a small story of regret, almost speaking it. His clear enunciation made people can’t help but smile.
But this smile…
was not one of happiness, but more like a release of remembering someone.
The drum sound, the guitar, and the low, regretful vocals made many feel a faint sadness.
At least in the hotel suite where Shen Qing was, everyone at the table was quietly watching the TV, the previous whispers gone.
When it reached the chorus, this emotion would become even more intense. The words ‘I know’ would make those with low tear thresholds or who had experienced unforgettable love instantly burst into tears.
“I know, those summers.”
“Can’t come back, just like youth.”
“The only thing that can replace dreams is making do.”
“I know, the bragging we did.”
“Will also be laughed away with youth.”
“Keeping me trapped in the city to commemorate you.”
“……”
Zhao Lei opened his eyes and looked at the silent fans below the stage and the other audience members. His emotions were undisturbed, and he closed his eyes again.
The song had reached this point, and Zhao Lei was completely immersed. He didn’t have time to think about what the audience was doing. Even if they were dissatisfied, he had to finish the song.
Meanwhile.
Chen Chusheng, Wang Zhengliang, Su Xing, and other contestants sitting at the edge of the stage had complex emotions. They felt as if they were reliving the scene of Li Yuchun, Zhou Bichang, and others facing Zhang Liangying.
Wang Zhengliang, who had been smug moments ago and impressed the judges with his guitar playing, showed a smile that said, ‘You got me there.’
He had already excluded Zhao Lei from the competition.
Not on the same level…
“Is this Zhao Lei’s original song?”
Wang Zhengliang was unsure.
He had asked Zhao Lei during rehearsal yesterday if he had written it, but Lei Zi stammered and wouldn’t say.
“It must be his, right?”
“Otherwise, who would give such an amazing song to Lei Zi?”
“If someone could write such a great folk song, why wouldn’t the original creator sing it themselves? They’d become famous with one song!”
……
The chorus just now was not the most impressive part of this song.
Next, everyone who loves music will experience a wave of regret.
What?
You have no regrets?
Then congratulations, it’s great not to have regrets!!
“Let me taste the autumn wine again.”
“Will it take too long to drive south continuously?”
“Let me hear that most beautiful sentence one more time.”
“You’re home, I’m waiting for you.”
After this section, Bao Xiaobai, Yang Erche Namu, and other judges, as well as hosts He Jiong, Wang Han, Xie Na, and Cao Ying, were basically certain that Zhao Lei would pass tonight.
Great lyrics, great melody, great arrangement…
Zhao Lei’s performance was also excellent.
But the subsequent 30-second interlude completely made them love and hate Zhao Lei.
……
At this moment, Zhao Lei looked back towards the band.
A musician held a Morin Khuur, slightly lowered his head, pressed the strings with the back of his left fingers, and slowly drew the bow with his right hand.
Simultaneously, the guitar and African drum provided perfect accompaniment.
This interlude was played in a very understated manner, yet it made people’s hearts restless.
Yang Erche Namu instantly shed a tear. She quickly wiped it away. The Morin Khuur from the grasslands made her think of her childhood life in her hometown in Liangshan, Sichuan.
The power of music is immense.
The 30-second Morin Khuur interlude continued, captivating many, making them recall past events to varying degrees.
Especially those who had just broken up, their emotions were even more complex. Some even picked up their car keys, ready to go to their ex-girlfriend’s place to ask for reconciliation.
Chen Chusheng clapped silently, Wang Zhengliang nodded with a smile, and Long Danni, He Jiong, Chen Gang, and others also had different reactions…
When the thirty-second interlude ended, Zhao Lei’s voice rang out again, but by this time, the audience’s emotional peak had passed.
There was no need to listen to the rest~
The judges and audience already had their answers in their hearts.
Wang Peng, the general manager of Tianyu, sitting at the back of the stage, clapped excitedly, “Good! This contestant is amazing! His live performance is so much better than the rehearsal. Tianyu has discovered another promising talent.”
……
He finished singing.
It seemed the impact was too great; many people hadn’t recovered. Even Lei’s fans were stunned. It wasn’t until He Jiong came on stage and led the applause that the fans cheered.
“Holy crap, Zhao Lei has ascended to godhood!”
“How can he lose now?”
“Judges, give a good review. Blink if the show’s producers are threatening you.”
“I didn’t realize Lei Zi was so talented? It reminds me of an old friend…”
“……”
He Jiong: “Wow, Zhao Lei, you were amazing! Let me take a moment to recover. The impact of this song is so strong; I can still hear the African drums and Morin Khuur in my head.”
Wang Han: “This is an original song. Our Super Boy stage always has contestants who will amaze you. Do you like Zhao Lei’s song?”
Fans in the audience: “We like it!”
Many fans of other singers also joined in shouting their approval.
He Jiong: “Next, please let the judges give their comments.”
Yang Erche Namu: “Zhao Lei, just as you said in your contestant declaration: Some people can sing, and some people must sing. You are going to start a new wave of original Chinese music. With this 《Anhe Bridge》, you have achieved it.”
Bao Xiaobai: “Any more words feel inadequate to describe my current feelings. In short, both the lyrics and the melody deeply resonate with me. Tonight, you are a music poet!”
This was the first time the judges had given such high praise tonight.
Wang Zhengliang hadn’t been this impressed earlier.
Li Xingliang, who was scheduled to perform next, was stunned. He didn’t know whether to go on stage or retreat, feeling put on the spot.
In the last few seconds before going on stage, he made peace with himself: “Anyway, I can’t sing better than Zhao Lei and Wang Zhengliang. As long as I don’t end up in the bottom.”
Li Xingliang was skilled at catchy, viral songs. His later representative works, 《The One I Wish to Marry Is You》 and 《The Person in My Memories》, were of this type.
This time, he chose 《Lilac Flower》, which was currently on the Baidu MP3 Ranking List. He sang it quite well, with a lot of emotion.
However, it was not even close to 《Anhe Bridge》.
The three judges unanimously agreed to let Zhao Lei be temporarily safe, and Li Xingliang entered the waiting area.
……
Hotel suite.
Shen Qing picked up a piece of abalone and said, “Everyone, please eat. The dishes will get cold.”
“Oh, right, right, eat, eat, let’s chat while we eat.” Chen Gang came back to his senses and looked at Long Danni, “Danni, what do you think of their viewership ratings?”
Shen Qing and Zhang Liangying exchanged a smile.
Zhao Lei’s song was given by Shen Qing. Liangying had known this for a long time. Seeing Chen Gang and the others looking anxious now gave her a sense of secret satisfaction.
It was like doing something big in secret, and her friends were all bragging about how amazing that person was, unaware that the person they were talking about was her.
Interesting!
Zhang Liangying secretly held Shen Qing’s hand under the table and whispered, “My great talent, when will you write such a good folk song for me?”
Shen Qing whispered in her ear, “It depends on your performance tonight.”
Zhang Liangying smiled sweetly, “As you command!”
On the other side.
Long Danni thought for a moment with a heavy expression and said, “Zhao Lei’s 《Anhe Bridge》 has elevated this competition to a level it didn’t belong in.”
Chen Gang sighed, “We calculated everything, but we never expected… there will probably be a lot of news tomorrow!”
Then, he asked, “The national finals of Come On! Boys start tomorrow. We can’t let the heat be overshadowed. Does anyone have any good ideas?”
He seemed to be asking others, but Chen Gang’s gaze turned towards Shen Qing.
