Zhong Yutong

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhong Yutong (钟雨彤)
Alias(es)	Tongtong; Prairie Girl; “Iron Palm on Water”
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Feiyang Music Movement 98
Occupation/Role	Singer-songwriter; Song Dao’s disciple
First Appearance	Chapter 47

Background / History

Zhong Yutong comes from a grassland family. She grew up alongside a childhood sweetheart whose family was close to hers; the two promised before the college entrance examinations to attend the same university and begin a relationship. His failure to enter a university in her city ultimately separated them, leaving their relationship unresolved 187.

Before gaining wider recognition, she spent five years as an internet celebrity with limited industry recognition. She entered the songwriter competition as a diligent contestant, seeking Li Jun’s guidance and cultivating a hardworking public image 47 187. Her progress earned her second place in the competition, after which Li Jun arranged for her to join Feiyang Music Movement 96 98.

Appearance

Zhong Yutong is a tall, long-legged woman with an attractive, clear-featured face and an elegant bearing. Her public image frequently emphasizes both her grassland background and her cool, poised stage presence 94 197.

• Often described as a “beautiful grassland girl” with a distinctive wild beauty while performing 94 187.
• Has a slender waist and graceful shoulders; her long hair is usually worn loose with softly curled ends 197.
• Her appearance and sweet voice drew considerable online attention during Best Songwriter 94.
• Performed at the Spring Festival Gala in prairie-inspired attire, reinforcing her “Prairie Girl” image 254.

Personality

Zhong Yutong is diligent, grounded, and initially shy in unfamiliar settings. She steadily improved her ability to address cameras and audiences, though she still blushes easily and can become reserved around senior industry figures 47 94 195.

Away from formal appearances, she is cheerful and adept at energizing a group. She is also emotionally candid once she trusts those around her, sharing her childhood relationship story on Walking and Singing despite initially wanting to keep it private 186 187 217.

She possesses a strong sense of dignity and a refusal to tolerate intimidation. When Jin Mingde threatened and attempted to assault her at a commercial event, she openly began recording, avoided his attack, and struck him after he continued insulting her 250. The incident turned “Iron Palm on Water” from a smear label into a public nickname associated with her resilience 251 252.

Abilities & Skills

Vocal Ability

Zhong Yutong possesses an unusually broad vocal range and a highly recognizable timbre.

• Low register — steady, affectionate, and emotionally expressive 94.
• Mid-range — rich and magnetic, with strong emotional appeal 94.
• High register — clear, stable, and penetrating; Lin Fei considers her stronger than Kong Xi in high notes 94.
• Vocal character — husky with a trace of world-weariness, suited to bold and emotionally charged songs 94.
• Her natural strengths led Song Dao to believe she could eventually handle the repertoire of an “Asian Heavenly Queen,” provided she received extensive training and a stylistic overhaul 94.

Songwriting and Interpretation

Zhong Yutong competed as a singer-songwriter and had already written and performed two love songs by the time of the competition’s later stages 94.

• Performed the ethnic folk-style song “Beautiful Grassland”, earning Ma Shen’s praise 48.
• Reinterpreted Song Dao’s “Promise” in her own style, demonstrating a markedly different but acclaimed reading of the song 187.
• Her performance of “Listening to the Sea” established her as more than a former internet celebrity and showcased her powerful high notes 197 217.
• Released “The One I Love Hurts Me the Most,” another major hit that contributed to her rising confidence and popularity 225.
• Released “Rose Boy,” a song about school bullying, after the Jinpeng Group incident; it rapidly entered the top five and sparked extensive public discussion 252.

Instrumental Performance

• Bass — played bass during the train-carriage performances on Walking and Singing 186.
• Morin khuur — appeared with a traditional Mongolian morin khuur during the show’s first episode 183.

Equipment / Instruments

• Bass guitar — used for impromptu group performances on Walking and Singing 186.
• Morin khuur — traditional Mongolian string instrument associated with her appearance on the program 183.

Relationships

• Song Dao — Master and principal career supporter. He recognized her vocal potential, wrote tailored songs including “Promise” and “Rose Boy,” and personally supported her during the Jinpeng Group crisis 94 187 251 252. Zhong Yutong develops feelings for him, though she initially tries to restore a clear master-disciple boundary 225 252.
• Li Jun — Her great-uncle and early career guardian. He sought to protect her from the entertainment industry’s darker side and arranged for her to sign with Feiyang Music Movement 97 98 171.
• Kong Xi — Close friend and fellow Feiyang artist. Their friendship became strained when Zhong Yutong learned of Kong Xi’s relationship with Song Dao, but Kong Xi later supported her throughout the Jinpeng Group incident 224 252.
• Xia Hong — Fellow Walking and Singing cast member who encouraged Zhong Yutong to share her story and publicly recognized her talent 186 187.
• Qin Ge — Fellow cast member and supportive companion on Walking and Singing; he encouraged her to tell the story behind “Promise” 186 187.
• Jin Mingde — Jinpeng Group heir who harassed and threatened her at a commercial dinner after she replaced Kong Xi at the event 250 252.

Story Role / Major Arcs

*Best Songwriter*

• Maintains a diligent contestant image and actively seeks Li Jun’s advice 47.
• Performs “Beautiful Grassland,” displaying a folk-oriented style and ethnic musical influences 48.
• Gains confidence through sustained training and reveals a broad, powerful vocal range during later performances 94.
• Finishes the competition in second place and joins Feiyang Music Movement afterward 96 98.

*Walking and Singing*

• Joins Song Dao, Xia Hong, and Qin Ge as a regular participant on the travel-and-music variety program 183.
• Performs with the group in train carriages, playing bass as passengers join the impromptu concert 186.
• Shares the story of her childhood sweetheart after encouragement from the cast and viewers 186 187.
• Receives “Promise” from Song Dao and gains widespread acclaim for her interpretation, transforming public perception of her from internet celebrity to serious vocalist 187.
• Continues gaining confidence after “Listening to the Sea” and becomes a more prominent performer on the show 197.

Jinpeng Group Incident

• Replaces Kong Xi at a corporate event, where Jin Mingde attempts to force her to drink on Kong Xi’s behalf 250.
• Publicly records the confrontation, avoids Jin Mingde’s attempted kick, and slaps him after continued verbal abuse 250.
• Faces a coordinated online smear campaign portraying her as an arrogant celebrity who assaulted a fan 251.
• Apologizes to the public for the disruption but refuses to apologize to Jin Mingde; Feiyang releases her recording and video evidence, reversing public opinion 251 252.
• Releases “Rose Boy” following the incident and becomes even more sought after commercially, though she chooses to postpone activities until after the New Year 252.

Notable Quotes

“Please have some self-respect!” 250

“Don't cause trouble for your family! If you really want to die, just try it!” 250

Trivia

• Her fans and viewers had long seen her primarily as an internet celebrity until “Promise” revealed the full extent of her vocal ability 187.
• She initially denied that online requests for Song Dao to write her a song had come from her 186.
• She has no personal assistant during part of Walking and Singing; Song Dao’s assistant Bai Yue carries her belongings while accompanying the program 197.
• Despite her powerful stage voice, she speaks softly after waking up and has low alcohol tolerance 268.