Chapter 250: Could It Be Provocation Toward Me?
“Without a doubt, I will of course choose ‘Obscure Characters’.”
After racking his brains to win against the AI singer, Zhang Lingye didn’t hesitate at all and directly selected this song that almost knocked him out in the top 48.
Although this song isn’t strong in musicality, it still has something in terms of cultural symbols. Choosing it is like choosing a new title for himself.
What nutrient-less internet celebrity song? He is the inheritor of Chinese character culture; his identity outside is one he gives himself.
Zhang Lingye wants to progress too much…
“Then hurry up. This song should be done sooner rather than later.”
The song has been released for some time already. If official media really forwards it for marketing, it’ll be in these couple of days. The higher-ups don’t care about real person or AI—whoever has the better effect gets used.
Moreover, this song is popular, but it truly can’t escape the essence of an internet celebrity song—popular for a while and then nothing after. To catch the popularity, you have to do it early.
“Don’t worry, bro. I’m already memorizing the lyrics.”
For any other song, Zhang Lingye could master it after singing it for half a day, but the lyrics of ‘Obscure Characters’ are too tongue-twisting. Without getting familiar, he really can’t sing it smoothly.
Before, he even envied Fei Hong and the others. Clearly they met later, but Yu Wei directly gave him a song as a representative work. As an old teammate, he got nothing.
He wronged his brother. Turns out he saved something better for him. Before it was Wei Zi, now it’s Yu Bro—this is his sincerity.
Don’t underestimate a guy calling out “bro.” This is already the greatest respect. If he gets carried twice more, he’s afraid he’ll have to call him dad…
Zhang Lingye’s matter came to an end. The next day, Yu Wei and his team arrived at the practice room arranged by the program team. They had a full week for final rehearsal.
This program’s practice time was longer than before. After all, it’s a performance in a large stadium, and live broadcast at that—definitely needs to be taken seriously.
Previously it was record first then broadcast, so the program team would fix the sound a bit in post-production, but live broadcast has no post-production. If the performance flops, it’s all over.
Of course they’re not worried about the several guests—they’re all old jianghu with rich experience—but the civilian friends are all performing on such a big stage for the first time, so they must prepare mentally in advance.
According to cooperation experience, Yu Wei’s eight civilian partners were grouped. Athlete Xing Chao and tour guide Fang Ze are in the ordinary group—average technique and mentality.
Lin Yuting, newcomer author Hu Xing, driver Liu Wang are in the mentality group. Their technique is much stronger than amateur, so as long as they steady their mentality, there won’t be a problem.
Qi Luo An and Sakuraya Rio—their gold content goes without saying, professional-level standard. Even among stars, their singing skill is reliable.
Finally, teacher Tian Jun, in a group by himself. This guy is too heaven-defying. Yu Wei is still shrouded in the shadow of his broken-gong voice.
Based on their levels, the duet track will need corresponding adjustments at that time. At least someone like Tian Jun can’t be allowed to sing too much…
Best to arrange some recitation for him. He’s a language teacher—this should always match his specialty.
“You guys warm up your throats and practice your voices first. We’ll start rehearsing in the afternoon.”
Mainly, there’s nothing to practice now anyway. He hasn’t written the song out yet. Wait until it’s updated and redeemed.
By the way, give them some time to get to know each other. Chorus still needs a certain tacit understanding degree. Getting familiar and making friends is pretty good too.
“The song—let me see it.”
Qi Luo An immediately started asking for yesterday’s ‘Beautiful Myth.’ Others can’t practice it, but she can.
After all, it’s a song to chorus with Yu Wei. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t curious. What do the lyrics and melody look like? Can it give her and Yu Wei an unforgettable night?
“Don’t look. Write first.”
Yu Wei is still counting on Qi Luo An to help him write songs. There’s plenty of time in a week to practice—redeem the song first.
“Don’t be so stingy. Just one look.”
Honestly, Qi Luo An had been thinking about it all night. Just imagining standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Yu Wei to sing made her so excited she couldn’t sleep. What’s wrong with one look? At least it quenches the thirst a bit.
“Fine.”
Yu Wei took out the sheet music and handed it over, but Qi Luo An directly reached to snatch it. Yu Wei had anticipated it though, feinted and pulled it back.
He still doesn’t know this girl’s temperament? The one who can’t wait for the curtain to tear it open herself. If she really snatched it, she definitely wouldn’t let go.
“I’ll hold it for you to look. I’ll let you see it roughly.”
Qi Luo An pouted and had to give up. One look is one look—hopefully this song meets her expectations…
Yu Wei still wasn’t reassured and simply gripped both her hands, then raised the paper with the lyrics and melody.
“5, 4… 1.”
“Hey, I haven’t looked yet.”
Seeing Yu Wei count down and directly take the paper back, Qi Luo An was a bit frantic. She’s not being cheeky—she really didn’t see it.
With both hands cuffed by Yu Wei, she couldn’t help but have some wild thoughts. Just that moment of daze and time was up—this really can’t be blamed on her.
The several civilian guests nearby all saw it and directly ate a wave of dog food. These two aren’t avoiding people? Showing affection like this?
The seven looked at each other, all feeling it was very awkward to stay here. How about they go out for a stroll?
The program team’s rehearsal rooms are all connected. Yu Wei’s next door is Su Xinnan; Meng Han and Lin Puyan’s practice room is across a hallway.
The few discussed it. Anyway, staying here they’re just third wheels. Better to go scout the enemy intel than continue eating dog food.
Yu Wei didn’t mind them. As long as they don’t go to other people’s practice rooms to make trouble. Seeing Qi Luo An obediently starting to write in the corner, he was greatly relieved.
He wasn’t idle either. Today there’s still a big show to write: Meng Lei’s ‘South of the Mountain’ versus the last little idol in the competition.
The second round competition has three matches left to end. Almost forgot to send this one off. Yu Wei watched the video—singing skill is okay, but no match for a new song.
The two were very tacit, sitting opposite each other to write. During this, Xing Chao and the others came back a few times, but seeing them writing, they didn’t want to disturb.
Now they know why these two aren’t blind box close friends. These two specialize in being in sync—can’t compare, can’t compare.
“I’m done.”
Yu Wei writes slower than Qi Luo An, but today he was the first to finish.
He’s heard ‘South of the Mountain’ many times, so writing it was effortless. But Qi Luo An had never heard the second song at all, so naturally constrained everywhere.
“Stop writing first. Help me post the competition video.”
……
“What are those little kids doing?”
Lin Puyan had noticed early on. Outside the practice room, several young people were wandering aimlessly, peeking in from time to time.
According to the program team, these are members of Yu Wei’s group. This kid does gimmicks himself—that’s fine—but how are his teammates so flashy too?
Practice time and they’re not practicing, coming here to stroll?
Lin Puyan wasn’t worried about them peeking. This time he was fully confident—both songs carefully prepared. He didn’t believe he could still lose.
Just in case, he even swapped songs with Meng Han for modifications. The two of them double swords united—could Yu Wei have three hands?
“What are you doing?”
Lin Puyan pondered darkly for a while, then looked up to see a young contestant playing on his mobile phone. Is this the time to play on the phone?
“Yu Wei’s novel updated.”
The young man awkwardly scratched his head. If Yu Wei were here, he’d definitely recognize him—this was the little fan from episode seven who fanned the flames when he wasn’t there.
He was the guest performer’s partner, so this time automatically assigned to Lin Puyan.
“What’s good about a novel?”
Lin Puyan had of course heard Yu Wei writes novels, but in his view, this kid was completely wasting time being superfluous.
For a singer, too much exposure isn’t necessarily good. He even specially held a competition—this isn’t asking for trouble?
Young man, settle down and focus on creation—that’s the right path…
But mentioning the competition, Lin Puyan suddenly remembered. He seemed to have given that Meng family kid a song for this competition. Wonder how it went.
“What did he write?”
He just asked casually, but today’s match was really Meng Lei. Wait, he only gave the song yesterday morning—learned it this fast?
This kid has such talent—how did he not know…
“Cough cough, what did Meng Lei sing?”
With this song’s standard, winning this fake competition shouldn’t be hard, premise being that kid performs well.
“‘South of the Mountain’.”
“What thing?”
Lin Puyan was stunned when he heard it. He didn’t sing his song—not even his dad’s. Where did South of the Mountain come from?
The little reader smiled, thinking Lin Puyan teacher was shocked by the unfamiliar song title. “I didn’t search it up either. Should be Yu Wei’s new song.”
What’s there to make a fuss about? Yu Wei is just like this. He’s used to it long ago—this is the confidence reading Yu Wei’s novel gave him!
Yu Wei’s new song—how was it snatched by this kid?
“Let me see.”
Lin Puyan took the civilian’s mobile phone. He had no interest in the plot, just scanned the song’s related information. Seeing it was a folk song, he frowned.
His most skilled music genre is folk song. Hearing that Meng family kid needed one, he gave it without thinking. Didn’t expect it to be snatched?
This kid—is he provoking me, wanting to fight in the arena with me?
Then he must listen to this so-called ‘South of the Mountain’…
“This song—where to listen?”
Seeing Lin Puyan suddenly take great interest in this novel, the little reader was confused. Didn’t he say novels have nothing good?
“Flip a bit further and it’ll be there.”
Lin Puyan then flipped to the Easter Egg Chapter. Seeing Meng Lei in the video holding a guitar and sitting upright, he clicked play without hesitation.
His fingers lightly swept over the strings, and a low, familiar prelude of ‘South of the Mountain’ flowed out, instantly pulling the Lin Puyan in front of the screen into a serene atmosphere.
This melody is interesting…
“You in the southern sunshine with heavy snow flying
Me in the northern cold night with four seasons like spring.”
Meng Lei opened his mouth to sing the first line, his voice warm with a touch of husky texture, a shallow sense of vicissitude, yet exceptionally sincere.
The civilian contestants practicing all stopped their actions. This lyric is pretty strange—snow flying in the southern sunshine, four seasons like spring in the northern cold night.
If they hadn’t heard it was Yu Wei’s song, they’d suspect the creator lacked basic cultural knowledge.
But it sounds surprisingly good. This near-recitative singing style, every word full, unconsciously draws people in.
Lin Puyan’s frown deepened though. This kid has something. The mismatch isn’t describing real climate, but a metaphor for emotional rift.
A simple line not only writes the physical distance of lovers separated in two places, but the warmth and cold of temperature also reveals the emotional misalignment in the intimate relationship.
This kid writes too well. After listening, Lin Puyan only felt the design was ingenious. He hadn’t encountered a folk song work that grabbed him from the opening in a long time.
“Lin teacher, the phone…”
“Talk after listening.”
Such an interesting novel and you’re sneaking peeks? Confiscated.
