Chapter 80: Singing for Peace and Prosperity
“Thank you, thank you Zhang Liangying, what a wonderful performance, did you all like it?”
“Yes!”
“Liangying Liangying, beautiful voice beautiful Liangying.”
The camera lingered on the Liangfen for a good seven or eight seconds, and everyone in the frame had smiles on their faces, cheering in unison.
The fervent energy overflowed the screen.
It made the Liangfen in front of their TVs incredibly excited, and many regretted not being able to witness the event live.
Even casual fans were moved, and they all took out their phones to compose text messages, voting for their favorite contestant, or rather, their favorite 《Moonlight》.
“I’ve been listening to music for 30 years, and this is the first time I’ve heard singing like this, so many twists and turns~”
“I understand why ancient scholars and poets liked listening to music; who wouldn’t be captivated by such a voice!”
“Liangying must have been a female knight and ridden horses, otherwise she couldn’t sing with this kind of flavor.”
“I think Shen Qing coached her well; he wrote these songs, so he definitely knows how to sing them to be most appealing.”
“You’re right, but I’m a man, and I like Liangying.”
……
At this moment.
On stage, a female Liangfen ran onto the stage holding a plush doll half her height and presented it to Liangying.
Zhang Liangying’s surprised expression showed she was very happy.
It’s these little surprises that make people happiest.
Zhang Liangying glanced at Shen Qing, winked, and thought, “I’ll give him the doll later, he’ll definitely be happy too!”
“Wow, what a thoughtful Liangfen!” After the fan left the stage, Li Xiang said with a smile, “Then, we have a special segment. We’ll invite a fan of Zhang Liangying to come up and campaign for votes for her, okay?!”
The fan who came on stage was not randomly selected…
It had been planned in advance.
The fan who came on stage this time to campaign for Zhang Liangying was the president of the Changsha Zhang Liangying Fan Club—a male fan who was a lecturer in the Computer Science department at Hunan University.
Don’t let his STEM background fool you; when he gets passionate, he can rival even the most flamboyant arts students.
President: “Liangying is a very warm and kind girl. I remember last week, a fan from Heilongjiang came to Changsha, and it was her birthday that day. We sent a text message to Shen Qing, Liangying’s friend. Shen Qing didn’t reply at first, but half an hour later, Liangying and Shen Qing showed up at the birthday party with flowers and cake…”
President: “Here, we want to say to Liangying, Liangfen are happier with you.”
Fan: “Ahhhhh… Liangying, keep going!”
Liangying: “Thank you, thank you!”
Shen Qing couldn’t help but laugh after hearing this~
This president is really good at telling （made-up） stories. That birthday party was actually a pre-arranged gathering~
But Liangying had a rehearsal and a meeting that day and was busy until very late before she could go.
She almost didn’t make it.
But the fans at the time were super happy.
In their eyes, as long as Liangying showed up, they were satisfied.
Li Xiang: “When he was speaking just now, I noticed a detail, his eyes were a little moist…”
President: “I want to say to all the fans here today, let’s all shout together, ‘Liangying, you are the treasure in our Liangfen hearts’.”
Liangfen: “Liangying, you are the treasure in our Liangfen hearts!”
Li Xiang: “Thank you. So, you are here today to campaign for Liangying. How will you do it?”
Many were anticipating!
Shen Qing knew what the method was, but Shen Qing wouldn’t say.
President: “I know many friends watching on TV are silently appreciating Zhang Liangying and haven’t participated in the voting. I think now is the time to show our passion. Let’s vote for Liangying together, and let’s sing 《Passionate Desert》 together~”
……
In front of the TV~
“Haha, this male fan is so eloquent, I even want to vote.”
“Indeed, very sincere.”
“Did you notice? Liangying’s fans are so different from other people’s fans. We Liangfen are just better~”
“I’m going to cast my first vote!”
At the same time, Zhang Liangying picked up the microphone and started.
“My passion, like a fire”
Then, the drum kit struck a dynamic rhythm, and the president also sang.
“Burned the entire desert”
“The sun sees me and hides away”
“It’s afraid of this fire of love from me”
“……”
In less than 30 seconds, the atmosphere was ignited again.
Even Ke Yimin was having a blast, raising her hands and swaying to the beat of the music in her seat.
After the campaign segment ended, Li Xiang announced the voting method again, reminding the audience not to forget to vote.
Liangying’s interview concluded here.
This time, Li Xiang did not end the interview perfunctorily as she did in the previous round, because she was completely moved by Liangying’s singing.
That 《Moonlight》 just now made her tremble all over.
It felt like an electric current, and her legs involuntarily pressed together.
……
Changsha Telecom.
Contract worker Xiao Wang watched the TV while monitoring the backstage data. Every refresh brought tens of thousands of text messages.
Especially after Zhang Liangying finished singing, the number of text messages surged. Wang immediately reported the news to Li Lei.
Meanwhile, Li Lei was at home showing off, standing with his hands on his hips next to the TV, smugly looking at his sister and wife:
“Haha, this song 《Moonlight》 caught you off guard, didn’t it… Wait a minute, Xiao Wang’s text message is here. Oh my goodness, Zhang Liangying is far ahead…”
Just as the president said, many people appreciate silently and don’t actually vote.
Therefore.
Even though 《Super Girl》 in 2005 was incredibly popular, Li Yuchun’s text message vote count was only a little over 3 million, and that was with one person being able to cast 15 votes.
If you want to get votes from the audience, you need to present songs that are moving enough, just like 《Moonlight》 has already taken some people’s votes.
But 《Moonlight》 attracted more young people!
Middle-aged and elderly groups might not be too keen on this song. To get their votes, you need a song that is extremely popular.
At that time, the scene of aunts, uncles, grandpas, and grandmas voting with their reading glasses on would surely be spectacular.
……
The third round of the competition would not continue for another half hour.
Li Xiang and Wang Han were hosting an emotional segment on stage, making Li Yuchun, Zhou Bichang, and Zhang Liangying’s mother in the audience almost cry.
Station Director: This segment must be edited and broadcast separately tomorrow, to show the outside world how positive our 《Super Girl》 is!!!
But the audience didn’t seem to like it.
Many people went to the restroom, browsed forums, or called friends to chat about the competition. Not many were watching the whole thing.
【Super Girl Tieba】
【Moonlight is Godly! 2005 Mainland China’s Best Single!】
【Zhang Liangying Pre-books the 5th China Golden Record Award】
【One song with an unbeatable arrangement, one song with an unbeatable original, Liangying ends the competition early】
【If the championship isn’t Liangying’s, Mango TV can go bankrupt】
【……】
Time flew by, and more than half an hour passed.
The third round of the competition arrived late.
At this moment.
The audience’s emotions were at their peak, especially the fervent fans of the three contestants, each one was sweating for their idol.
Wang Peng in the director’s room, looking at the just-tallied text message votes, turned red with anger: “Outrageous! How is Zhang Liangying already leading by 650,000 votes? Are the Corn fans just sitting around doing nothing?”
If the competition were to end now, Wang Peng would still have to tamper with the data.
It’s just a 650,000 difference, right?
He could grit his teeth and force it to be smoothed over.
But if another round of singing were to continue, and Zhang Liangying’s vote count continued to increase, expanding to over 1.5 million, then it would be difficult to manipulate.
Because the huge fluctuation in text message volume in Changsha within a single day could not be created by ordinary users; it must be fans voting.
Who could make the fans vote so crazily and concentratedly, with a single day’s votes equaling those of the previous few weeks!?
Li Yuchun?
Unlikely.
Her performance today was the same as usual, with nothing noteworthy. How could she have so many new fans??
It must be Zhang Liangying’s new fans.
Because the two songs Liangying sang today completely broke through her previous style, both in terms of style and singing technique, they were even better than before.
Only she could attract so many new fans to vote.
Moreover.
When the third song, 《Myriad Lands》, came out, it would be even easier to explain.
If Wang Peng were to forcibly tamper with the data, the Liangfen would not stand idly by if they saw Liangying falling behind Li Yuchun. They would mobilize all their forces to expose the operator’s original data.
At that time, once the data was released to the public, everyone would discover Mango TV’s manipulation, and then 《Super Girl》 could be shut down.
……
On-site Executive Director: “Please welcome Zhou Bichang to perform 《Ten Thousand Waters and Thousand Mountains Are All Love》!”
The second performer, Li Yuchun, brought 《Hometown Clouds》.
In this round, the three contestants seemed to have a telepathic connection, all choosing very ‘red’ songs to bring a perfect conclusion to the 2005 《Super Girl》.
The older audience members in front of the screen indeed felt a stronger resonance. Even the grandpas and grandmas who were forced to watch the competition with their grandchildren no longer objected at this moment.
After the two finished singing, the entire venue erupted in cheers.
In this round, Shen Qing was no longer solely focused on Li Yuchun’s singing skills.
Because Li Yuchun’s emotions and state were very good at this moment, very invested and sincere, Shen Qing wanted to give her a thumbs up.
Although her rendition of 《Hometown Clouds》 wasn’t as good as Wen Zhang’s or Fei Xiang’s, it incorporated Li Yuchun’s own emotions and thoughts, giving it a different flavor.
Actually, with this type of song, as long as the singing skills aren’t too bad, it generally won’t be terrible.
After Li Yuchun finished singing, Shen Qing led the applause.
……
The last contestant, Zhang Liangying.
After she finished singing, all the competition would be over.
Not only the Liangfen, but even other audience members felt a sense of reluctance.
The fan groups of Corn and Bichang no longer made sarcastic remarks but quietly watched Liangying take the stage.
“Which red song will Liangying sing?”
“Maybe an original?”
“An original red song? That’s too difficult; you can’t just write such a song on demand.”
“You’re right. I guess Liangying will sing 《My People, My Country》. What do you think?”
“……”
Almost no one believed Shen Qing could write a red song for Zhang Liangying. Among those present, only the band and a few staff members had heard the simplified version of 《Myriad Lands》.
Earlier, Shen Qing had given the band some red envelopes, asking them to practice the accompaniment more.
During the rehearsal, Liangying and the band only coordinated once.
And.
They didn’t even sing the full version; the opera-style part was omitted.
As a result, the staff who had heard it didn’t truly realize the infectiousness and power of 《Myriad Lands》.
The purpose of doing this was simple: to achieve fame overnight.
Soon.
Zhang Liangying came on stage wearing a white long dress adorned with golden and red peony patterns, exuding a strong Chinese Style.
On the band’s side, two women with a peaceful and prosperous aura led a cute little girl and stood in the harmony section.
This change piqued the interest of Hei Nan and others.
He Jiong: “Wow, the preparation is so thorough, even the harmony teachers are hired by yourselves?”
Hei Nan: “Is Zhang Liangying really going to sing a red song?”
Chang Kuan glanced at Shen Qing, who was sitting in the corner of the first row, and said, “It probably wouldn’t be difficult for Shen Qing to write a red song, but the challenge is whether it will be good. This isn’t ordinary pop music; composition and arrangement are very important.”
Ke Yimin: “Looking at this setup, it seems to be an original. Let’s look forward to it. Perhaps Shen Qing can really write a song that’s not inferior to the previous two. Even if it’s just close, Zhang Liangying would be the undisputed champion.”
Hei Nan: “Exactly. As long as it can come close to 《Hometown Clouds》, the championship is hers.”
Ke Yimin muttered to herself: “At that time, if Zhang Liangying sings a red song that the whole nation loves, I don’t believe that Mr. Wang would go against public opinion and give the championship to Li Yuchun. They are not even in the same league…”
……
In front of the TV.
The audience was eagerly anticipating the most talented Zhang Liangying to perform a red song, bringing the Super Girl competition to a perfect close.
Zhao Lei stared intently at the TV.
Li Lei remained silent, clutching his phone.
The on-duty Xiao Wang watched the live broadcast while keeping an eye on the number of text messages.
Old Wu put on his reading glasses…
Everyone was waiting.
On stage.
The lights dimmed and then lit up again.
The music began, and a clear, bright little girl’s voice emerged, making everyone feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.
It wasn’t Zhang Liangying who started?
Another new trick!
At the same time, the subtitles appeared.
Song Title: 《Myriad Lands》
Lyrics: Shen Qing
Composition: Shen Qing
Arrangement: Shen Qing
Vocalist: Zhang Liangying
……
The live camera cut to the face of the little girl singing.
She was an eight-year-old elementary school student with pigtails, rosy cheeks, and bright, lively eyes.
Extremely cute.
Under the gaze of everyone, the little girl was not nervous at all, and with a smile, she sang the first few lines of 《Myriad Lands》.
“The red sun rises in the east, its great path filled with rosy clouds”
“How fortunate I am to be born in your embrace”
“Inheriting a lineage flowing through my blood”
“Sharing hardships, sharing blessings, standing tall with our spines straight”
“My country, Myriad Lands, with benevolence”
“A faith that will never be extinguished for a thousand years”
“……”
Inside and outside the live broadcast, everyone was stunned by this scene…
What’s going on?
Where did the little girl come from?!
Since Super Girl began, there has never been a precedent for an elementary school student singing along! Everyone was very curious.
Firstly, her voice was clear and bright, and the little one’s singing skills were remarkable.
Secondly, her appearance was very cute, like the sun at eight or nine in the morning, full of vitality.
Such an elementary school student appearing in a red song was incredibly fitting.
“A stroke of genius!”
“This little girl’s acapella made my whole body tingle, a feeling was brewing.”
“Shen Qing is truly amazing, how did he think of having an elementary school student sing the opening?”
“The camera is on Liangying, she’s about to sing.”
“Liangying, keep going!”
……
At the same time, the judges below the stage were also very surprised, but more so, they admired Shen Qing’s imaginative ideas.
Hei Nan: “Wow, Shen Qing really has ideas.”
Ke Yimin: “Most people wouldn’t think of such a combination. I feel like this format might become popular.”
……
When the little girl finished singing, the camera cut to Zhang Liangying, who raised her microphone.
“Writing the heavens, only writing a corner of the sun and moon’s long expanse”
“Painting the earth, only painting a corner of mountains and rivers in peace”
“Observing the ages, from ancient times to the present, heaven and earth are revered together”
“Only Yanhuang, with a broad heart, travels in all directions”
Zhang Liangying’s opening immediately gave a sense of peace and prosperity, complementing the little girl’s vibrant energy.
This combination was refreshing and made everyone even more eager for the upcoming chorus.
The lyrics in the first few lines, though excellent, had not yet shown the strength to rival 《Hometown Clouds》.
But it already sounded very pleasant.
However, there were still many who were critical.
“Is that it?”
“What is this? Is today’s Zhang Liangying addicted to using parallel sentences?”
“It feels very ordinary, not as stunning as the little girl at the beginning!”
Shen Qing knew some people would say this~
But it didn’t matter.
Liangying would soon shut them up and show them what singing a red song with an opera style was all about.
Not only that, but the grand and majestic momentum displayed in the lyrics later would move any child of China, and tears welling up would be a basic reaction.
“Cherishing the flowing light, brick by brick, the years soak the red walls”
“Sighing at prosperity and decline, flower by flower, tree by tree, joys and sorrows pass through time”
“……”
“Only Huaxia, showing its sharp edge, the road is in full bloom”
In the last five words, Zhang Liangying’s voice gradually rose, and her emotions became more passionate and full.
The chorus was here!
The two opera-style harmony teachers also leaned closer to the microphones, ready to sing.
At the judges’ table, Ke Yimin, He Jiong, and Hei Nan all leaned forward involuntarily, wanting to listen carefully.
“The red sun rises in the east, its great path filled with rosy clouds”
“How fortunate I am to be born in your embrace”
“Inheriting a lineage flowing through my blood”
“Sharing hardships, sharing blessings, standing tall with our spines straight”
“My country, Myriad Lands, with benevolence”
“A faith that will never be extinguished for a thousand years”
“……”
Zhang Liangying performed some simple opera movements with the accompaniment of the harmony singers.
This opera-style section seemed to echo in everyone’s minds and genes, instantly evoking everyone’s patriotic emotions.
The older audience members in the studio applauded excitedly, more vigorously than the younger ones.
Hei Nan and Ke Yimin simultaneously turned to look at each other, seeing surprise and amazement in each other’s eyes.
Hei Nan: “Is this still the Zhang Liangying I know?”
Ke Yimin: “Oh my god! This is too strong.”
Li Yuchun and Zhou Bichang were stunned.
Zhang Liangying, how can you sing like this? Can you give us some face?
This makes us look bad. It’s like a university student and an elementary school student taking the same elementary school test…
Crushing!
At the same time.
The few local Changsha opera singers who had appeared on stage earlier applauded and said, “Good, good, good, well sung, little girl!”
As for the older audience members in front of the TV, who knows how many were captivated by Zhang Liangying’s song!
Many aunts, uncles, grandpas, and grandmas who had seen the ‘sun’ were even moved to tears.
The old soldiers remained silent, only wanting to cast a vote for Zhang Liangying in their hearts.
As for the young people and students, they listened to the song solemnly.
A sense of pride arose spontaneously.
And Shen Qing, he only wanted to use a sentence to describe his current mood: After this section, Liangying will let everyone know what the ‘peace and prosperity’ singing style is!
From now on, who would dare to say Zhang Liangying is just an ordinary talent show singer who entertains the audience on the Super Girl stage?
Please call her: Reserve for the National Team!
——
PS: Unknowingly, over 5200 words. I originally intended to finish the finals in one go, but I felt one chapter was too long. I’ll release the ending in one go tomorrow and connect the subsequent plot. （The author has been writing all day, and my hands are slow, so I write very slowly. Please vote for double monthly tickets. Thank you for your support! ）【This section is under 200 words and is free 】
