No one thought Zhang Xiaorong's song "Xiaguang" had been written for her by An Luning.
After all, the girl had practically grown up under the audience's watch. If she had the ability to write songs, how could she have hidden it until now?
The "mysterious" creator ultimately still did not unveil her identity.
For the production team, this matter was not that important.
To a certain extent, Zhang Xiaorong's "sudden emergence," along with the "original songs" she brought with her, was the secret weapon against this overpowered monster, Bai Youlou.
If things really got out of hand—so far out of hand that Zhe Lan TV could no longer withstand the pressure—then they could use Zhang Xiaorong to eliminate Bai Youlou.
Perfect plan. My ass!
The plan fell through the moment An Luning appeared.
Even though the girl looked harmless, and was so beautiful that anyone who saw her couldn't help revealing the faintest smile,
her appearance represented more than just herself.
What a headache. Fortunately, the director's team had already reported this headache to their superiors. Let the higher-ups worry about it.
For now, the most important thing was still to record the show properly.
And now, the most heavyweight contestant was finally about to appear.
"Every department, get ready! Bai Youlou is taking the stage!"
Every staff member in the studio wearing an earpiece heard this announcement.
There was no such reminder in the mentors' earpieces, however.
After all, most of them were musicians. They were not four Best Actors sitting there. If they were warned in advance, they might not be able to capture such a genuine reaction.
Zhen Dongjun, however, vaguely sensed that something was happening.
Ah! The fragrance of fresh grass~
The lights in the studio went out. Vaguely, a chair could be seen being placed in the middle of the stage.
If someone had especially sharp eyes, they might even have spotted a somewhat familiar figure beside the stage.
Long Ziqiang was already standing there, but he was not a contestant this time. He had come to provide backing vocals for Bai Youlou.
After the situation changed and the "plan" had to be altered, Bai Youlou directly switched the song he was going to sing.
Since it seemed that The Voice's production team wanted to make a big splash, how could he refuse to play along?
This commotion not only left the audience somewhat bewildered. Even the contestants watching their competitors' performances backstage, hoping to gauge everyone else's strength, sensed that something was off.
At that moment, a figure approached the host standing at the entrance and paused. The host seemed to hear a soft chuckle. Before he could react, the microphone had already been taken away, leaving him with nothing but a departing back and a faint scent of tobacco in the air.
During postproduction, subtitles were added to this shot for the viewers at home.
"Lone Brave"
Lyrics: Bai Youlou
Music: Bai Youlou
Arrangement: Bai Youlou--
"Everyone is brave
The wound on your forehead, your differences, your mistakes
None of them need to be hidden
Your battered doll, your mask, your true self"
"."
It was not actually difficult to sing "Lone Brave" with stirring passion. What was difficult was holding back while singing, keeping the emotions pressed down.
To remain angry, yet perfectly clear-headed as he sang every word distinctly.
Bai Youlou actually liked this song very much. Even though, in his original world, it had already been taken over by elementary school students and become a true children's song.
Some things were simply strange. Once a song became popular and was branded as "for elementary school students," many people who had originally loved listening to it stopped.
What had really changed—the song, or the people?
"They say they'll carry the light and tame every monster
They say they'll mend your wounds, for no one loves a clown"
"."
"Only imperfection in people is worthy of praise
Who says someone covered in filth cannot be a hero?"
One spotlight after another switched on, all shining on the same point.
They also gradually revealed the man sitting on the chair and singing softly.
Surprise, bewilderment, confusion. Many similar emotions surfaced on the faces of the audience.
When Long Ziqiang had taken the stage earlier, he had only said that his song had been written by the director, without revealing Bai Youlou's name.
Now, the truth was laid bare, because the same movie title printed on Long Ziqiang's clothes was also printed on Bai Youlou's.
But the audience did not make too many surprised sounds, because they heard the song before they saw the person.
Across the stage, Bai Youlou could not reach anyone. He was merely performing, yet it left people "breathless."
One mentor after another turned around, but not one bit of it affected the audience. They did not even cheer.
The oppressive atmosphere at the venue seemed to accompany the song.
Until the emotions were ignited.
"I love you walking alone through the darkened alleys
I love the way you refuse to kneel
I love you for standing against despair
For refusing to cry even once"
"."
Zhen Dongjun, the last to turn around, looked at Bai Youlou onstage, his expression extraordinarily complicated.
Only the person who wronged you knew just how wronged you were.
He had originally intended to use the surveillance footage in his possession to negotiate with Bai Youlou, because in his view, Bai Youlou was the one who desperately needed it.
As far as Zhen Dongjun himself was concerned, being cheated on was already an established fact.
Did it matter who had cheated him?
Exposing it again would only tear open the wound and let netizens poke at it all over again.
It would bring him no benefit whatsoever. As long as he found a way to determine the identity of the third person, he could simply take revenge on them in secret.
However, after spending so many years in the entertainment industry, he had become extremely shrewd. What Zhen Dongjun wanted was to make Bai Youlou cooperate, thereby obtaining the greatest possible benefits and attention.
But at this moment, he had a very ominous premonition.
Even if Bai Youlou had no evidence, could his reputation and scandals really continue affecting him forever, leaving him unable to recover?
This world was strange. If Bai Youlou swore to heaven and earth and shouted himself hoarse, perhaps people still would not believe him. They might even mock him as a clown with nowhere left to turn.
But if he spoke through his work, music seemed capable of telling the whole story.
He did not need to say a word. People would interpret it for him, as long as the work touched them deeply enough.
The world would always yield to tragic heroism.
Why had the ancients feared being cursed in poetry?
Because that shit really could become "immortal."
And to Zhen Dongjun, this kid had pulled out a song worthy of winning the Golden Melody Awards!
If the earlier "Miss Dong" had been a direct, devastating attack on him, then this song could crush that woman into the dust.
A thought surfaced in Zhen Dongjun's mind: cut ties!
One should never underestimate the moral standards of the media and marketing accounts.
Although he was perhaps being excessively overcautious, he had to consider how this matter might develop. It could be twisted into a story about him and his wife joining forces to set Bai Youlou up and frame him.
The more he thought, the more conflicted his expression became.
In the end, he felt relieved.
You win.
"To the sobs and roars within the darkness
Who says only those standing in the light can be called heroes?"
The voice faded, and the performance ended.
Bai Youlou, having completed a performance that satisfied him, raised his head and began formally taking in everything before him.
However, the scene in front of him left him slightly puzzled.
The next second, thunderous applause erupted.
That's more like it~
Before you continue