Initial evaluation (continued)

Fortunately, the BGM was loud enough, or he would definitely have heard the uncontrollable laughter from below the stage.

Only the bullet comments were impossible to ignore, like a herd of wild horses thundering along with their reins snapped.

[Help, his dancing is so funny hahahahahahaha!!!]

[You can cover everything below his neck.]

["Miura Yuki and his newly installed limbs"]

[What happened to the cool dance ace we were promised!?]

[Fake big-shot confidence, real composure in a crisis.]

[You can tell he really tried.]

[Once a day to keep depression away.]

Thanks to green mode, and thanks to the viewers.

That level of mockery was still within Lai Yudong's tolerance. He would just consider it sacrificing himself to bring everyone some joy.

So, how much longer until this dance was over?

After a few minutes that felt as long as a century, the music finally stopped. Lai Yudong hurriedly froze in his ending pose, only then realizing he had broken out in a cold sweat.

At the same time, the beginner tutorial vanished with a swish, like a television being switched off.

"Clap, clap."

Scattered, polite applause sounded from below the stage.

[Life is so long.]

[I laughed so hard my mom came knocking...]

[Waiting for the fancam /doge]

Lai Yudong stared at the stage floor, feeling that life held nothing more for him, wishing he could dig a hole and bury himself in it.

He swore this was the most socially mortifying moment of his life. Even being made by his parents to recite a poem in a broadcaster's voice in front of their relatives at New Year hadn't been this embarrassing.

The most terrifying part was about to begin—

The mentors' comments.

Besides Fu Hanyu, the highly recognizable host, there were three other mentors present. All were outstanding figures in the industry, and just sitting there, they radiated the aura of true big shots.

For instance, Wu Xihe, who had encouraged Lai Yudong before his performance, was the hottest singer-songwriter of recent years. Major galas all invited her to perform the songs that had made her famous, and she had dozens of hits that had broken out to a wider audience.

Then there were veteran actor Zhu Xiuming and new-generation rapper Li Ke.

Host Fu Hanyu picked up his microphone. "Thank you, You Shu, for that performance."

His control over his expression was truly superb. The smile on his face hadn't been affected in the slightest by the excruciating dance just now.

Things weren't as dire as Lai Yudong had imagined. The mentors were veterans who had weathered great winds and waves. There had been plenty of poor performers among the trainees before him, and they had grown numb to it.

In their eyes, at least Lai Yudong had remembered most of the moves.

With standards that forgiving, it was no wonder everyone kept predicting the downfall of talent shows.

Li Ke asked with a smile, "What did you think of your performance just now?"

Lai Yudong: "I..."

His mouth flew ahead, with his overseas contestant persona chasing after it.

Lai Yudong hurriedly swallowed the rest of his words and answered the question by rapidly shaking his head instead.

"Mm, it really wasn't very good," Li Ke commented bluntly. "You're good-looking, and your posture is excellent too. You've got long arms and legs, so why is it that when you dance, it's as if you're not familiar with your own limbs?"

[That blunt? Hahahahahaha]

[As expected of a rapper.]

[Li Ke says what I'm thinking online.]

"You Shu was probably too nervous," Fu Hanyu suggested. "Let's watch his additional performance."

Fu Hanyu made the suggestion partly because he wanted to generate buzz. However badly the previous trainees had performed, none had shown such a huge gap between their looks and their abilities, and for the show's popularity, they ought to give the good-looking trainees more attention. On the other hand, he genuinely believed that nerves had held Lai Yudong back and wanted to give him another chance to show what he could do.

But to Lai Yudong, this was undoubtedly a bolt from a clear sky.

An additional performance?

He had finally made it through, and now they were extending it!?

[Continuing to provide the host with a beginner tutorial, limited to the initial evaluation.]

[Vocal mode, on.]

Lai Yudong: ...

It seemed there was no room to maneuver.

The projection that popped up this time was no longer QQ Dance, but All-People K Song. The song title and singer were at the top, a Pitch Corrector made up of staggered lines was in the middle, and the lyrics were at the bottom.

Lai Yudong took a closer look. The song was an English song performed by Xu An—"Lose Heart."

The singer's name was familiar.

Xu An was the champion of the household-name music show "Listen to My Voice." He had been only eighteen when he won three years ago. The professional judges had hailed him as a walking CD, a genius youth whom heaven had undoubtedly blessed with a gift for the trade. Later, he had vanished from sight for some reason.

If he had picked any song Xu An had performed on the show, Lai Yudong could have hummed a few lines, but "Lose Heart" just had to be an obscure song whose title he had never even heard.

Although it was an English song, so he didn't have to worry about exposing his Chinese proficiency, he couldn't sing a single line!

Lai Yudong: [Can I change the song?]

System: [Host, the accompaniment has already started.]

Lai Yudong: [...I only have one question. How was the song chosen?]

System: [By random draw.]

Lai Yudong: [You might as well draw me straight into the debut lineup.]

System: [A fair talent show, with no shady dealings.]

Lai Yudong really wanted to punch the system.

He took a deep breath and raised the microphone with tragic resolve, his slightly trembling right hand betraying his unsettled heart.

Social death happened either zero times or countless times.

Facing death as calmly as going home, Lai Yudong tried to work out the tune from the Pitch Corrector and sang haphazardly. His voice came directly through his in-ear monitor, and even without looking at the score after each line, he knew his singing was atrocious.

The bullet comments were no less full of laughter than during the previous performance.

[Is that how the original goes?]

[Great singing. Don't sing next time.]

[The director is so wicked, actually cutting to Xu An hahahahahaha]

[Xu An: I can be the original singer, or I can be the plaintiff.]