Chapter 83 The Two Dukes (Part Two)
After changing dormitories, the route to the studio also changed. The route they now take is the one that most trainees have to take.
Unlike the villa where Meng Fanxi lived, where the people waiting were mostly their fans, this road had fans from various families waiting outside the fence.
After realizing that persuading fans to leave was ineffective, the production team thoughtfully set up sunshades inside and outside the venue to prevent fans from suffering from heatstroke. They also specially arranged some backdrops so that trainees who wanted to stop could stand in front of the backdrops with the show's logo to campaign for themselves, which not only promoted the show but also made it easier for fans to take pictures.
From the day Meng Fanxi moved into this dormitory, she could feel the number of fans waiting for her increasing every day. At first, some fans were very surprised by the regrouping and tried to communicate with them from outside the fence, hoping to get some spoilers.
They could only smile and remain silent when they heard questions like, "How did my huge, eternal six-star abode get demolished?", "How are the groups divided now?", and "Why have the dormitories been moved here?", unable to answer them.
Previously, some fans noticed that most of Meng Fanxi's teammates were ranked lower, and they thought that this grouping was forced by the production team and was not in Meng Fanxi's favor. So they directly asked him, "Fanxi, did you do this voluntarily?"
Meng Fanxi responded very sincerely at the time that it was voluntary, which reassured many fans.
On the day of the second performance recording, just as dawn was breaking, Meng Fanxi and the others rushed to Mushroom Park to get ready. To their surprise, the area outside the fence was already crowded with fans, all of whom were holding DSLR cameras to record and film.
Upon seeing them appear, they immediately erupted in screams, their boundless enthusiasm washing away all the morning drowsiness.
Meng Fanxi walked over first, getting closer to the fans, and the members of the "Wings" group and his teammates from the Eternal Six Stars group followed.
The quiet morning instantly became lively. As the fans saw them approaching, they became even more enthusiastic, calling out different names, and the sound of cameras clicking incessantly filled the air.
"Go for it, Vansi!"
"Charge for all six Eternal Stars!"
"You all need to keep up the good work! You'll definitely win!"
"Our bond as eternal six stars is so deep, we're definitely going to debut!"
...
Meng Fanxi, who usually receives plenty of support from everyone, felt that the fans' cheers carried a sense of solemn mission. He was a little confused about what the latest episode was about, but he still responded earnestly: "Thank you, everyone, you've worked hard! We will do our best!"
He turned to the side, reached out, and pushed forward the members—Fan Na, Zhong Chu, and Lu Ning—whose real-time rankings still showed them as having left, one by one. Facing the fans, he said, "We gave our all to this performance. If you like it, please vote for our team members. Thank you."
There are usually many people standing here to campaign for votes. Among them, apart from Wu Jianian who is a true social bully, the others are not very good at 'selling' themselves, so they have basically never seriously campaigned for votes here.
But today is the last chance, and the fans gathered here are very likely to watch the second performance live. It can't hurt to campaign for votes.
Seeing that Meng Fanxi had stood up for them all, Zhong Chu and the others had no reason to run away anymore.
They really wanted to stay, so they actively campaigned for votes in front of their fans, introducing themselves loudly in case the fans couldn't remember their names. The fans also cooperated by cheering and encouraging them.
Xu You's rap group members were also standing to the side. Meng Fanxi didn't miss the envy that flashed in their eyes. Trainees who were responsible for the rap part were actually at a disadvantage in this show, but they couldn't do anything that would ruin their image.
Meng Fanxi thought for a moment, then called everyone present to stand in a row and said, "Let's each thank our fans who came to support us so early."
Each person says a word of thanks, and the rap group can naturally blend in, without being deliberate, and still leave an impression on the fans.
He took the lead, saying, "Hello everyone, I'm Meng Fanxi. With your support, our stage can be even more wonderful. I hope our performance can bring you joy."
After he finished speaking, he stepped aside to make room for him.
The members of the Eternal Six Stars team followed Meng Fanxi and sincerely expressed their gratitude one by one. The fans were all moved and stood outside the fence, silently applauding and listening.
The members of Wings, the members of Xu You's Walker group, and other trainees who happened to be passing by and attracted by the commotion naturally joined in.
There's an unspoken understanding between them; they exchange only a few words before leaving the time for the next person.
One of the fans watching said, "It feels like a farewell; I'm suddenly a little sentimental."
Another person replied, "The rankings will be announced after this competition, so many people will definitely be eliminated. I'll get even more people to vote!"
The videos recorded by fans and uploaded to E-site attracted considerable attention. The comments section provided interesting reviews and introductions of each person, which was equivalent to secondary promotion and gave many previously unknown trainees some recognition.
After this video was released, fans of several small companies who usually clamored for "behind-the-scenes manipulation" and "unfairness" fell silent, and they didn't nitpick or mock the high-rise buildings praising Meng Fanxi on the forum.
Meng Fanxi, sitting in the waiting room, was completely unaware.
The order of the second public performance is Vocal, Dance, and Rap.
Before the competition, the order in which the four songs for each position were performed within the group was drawn.
The showdown between "Wings" and "Night Dance" was the second match in the Dance category, with "Wings" going first.
In the waiting room, since there were no traditional Chinese style performances on any of the stages this time, everyone had already changed into their performance costumes. Meng Fanxi and the others did a simple warm-up before entering, and it was still a bit hot when they sat down.
Lin Ruohe and Zhang Yang's group, "Passionate Forgetting," had bad luck and drew the first performance in the first group. Usually, the first performance is more nerve-wracking.
Meng Fanxi wasn't worried about Lin Ruo and the other two, but he was a little worried about their team members. Nine people was already a lot, and two of them had even gotten into a fight earlier. No wonder the Platinum Age team already seemed to have the victory in their grasp before the competition even started.
Sensing Meng Fanxi's concerned gaze, Lin Ruohe responded with a faint smile.
They were urged by the staff to go backstage to prepare. The nine of them were dressed in fitted white shirts and black pants, with simple makeup. When they stood up together, they were quite imposing.
However, Meng Fanxi noticed that apart from Lin Ruohe and Zhang Yang looking straight ahead calmly, the others were looking down, their nervousness causing them to fidget more and showing a lack of confidence.
This won't do; we're showing fear before the battle even begins.
Ignoring the stares of others, Meng Fanxi sat up straight, clapped his hands, and shouted loudly to the group of people walking out, "Go for it!"
The somewhat thin applause rang out in the waiting room. It was abrupt for a moment, but it eased the tense and stagnant atmosphere. Ren Yuchen, Xu You, and Gu Huailang followed up with vigorous applause, which encouraged more and more people to join in. Encouraging cheers came from all directions.
In the waiting room, at this moment, it seemed that there was no longer any opposition between groups, only the goal of perfectly completing the performance.
Although the expressions of the "Passionate Forgotten" team as they walked out could no longer be seen, their gradually straightening posture said it all.
The atmosphere in the waiting room was lively for a while before gradually calming down. The trainees were not only cheering for them, but also encouraging themselves when they were about to take the stage.
After lowering her hands, which she hadn't been using much force, Jin Ziran secretly glared in the direction where Meng Fanxi was.
An Yi watched Meng Fanxi and the other group members talking quietly from behind, lost in thought.
The stage for the second performance was designed like a fighting ring, with the audience positioned on three sides of the stage. Compared to the first performance, the audience was closer to the performers, creating a stronger sense of pressure.
The mentors and special judges were seated on a raised platform behind the audience, allowing them to have a clearer view of the entire performance.
Meng Fanxi was already familiar with the newly arranged stage during rehearsals, but when she saw it on the broadcast screen in the waiting room, the stage looked completely new and full of life after all the audience members had entered.
Yun Mengtao served as the host again, and after a brief introduction, Lin Ruohe's group performed "Passionate Forgetting".
The song "Passionate Forgetting" is just as its name suggests. It describes the attitude of passionately forgetting an extremely passionate relationship, even after it ends, and never looking back. The original singer is Tan Yi, a mentor on the show. She tells the story in a narrative style, and then it becomes very powerful. It is a great test of singing skills and is full of emotion. This is one of the reasons why the song has stood the test of time in the music scene.
It is important how Lin Ruo and the others express the emotions contained in the song from their own perspectives.
The stage setup for the Vocal group focused on aesthetics. When a beam of light shone down on the stage and the music started, Lin Ruo and the others formed a slightly curved formation on the stage.
Meng Fanxi carefully observed their expressions and demeanor. Good, they were all in the zone, a good start.
The song's arrangement is grand and majestic; the moment the strings come on, it gives you goosebumps. Judging from the audience's expressions, they have gradually been drawn into the song's atmosphere.
In this atmosphere, the first person to speak is especially important.
Meng Fanxi looked at Zhang Yang. In his spare time, he would visit his teammates' practice room to check on their progress. The word segmentation of "Hot Forgetting" had always been a problem for them, especially for several key sentences.
The same applies to the first line. The vocal coach suggested choosing between Zhang Yang, Kong Nai, and Mi Ming, but for various reasons, Zhang Yang did not want to argue with them and withdrew from the first line competition. The remaining two refused to give in to each other, which eventually became the fuse for the fight.
So after all that, Zhang Yang was the one who took the first line, and it was not only appropriate but also convincing.
Zhang Yang toned down his usual outgoing singing style, setting the tone for the song with a low, emotionally charged chant.
As soon as the song began, the audience members gasped in hushed tones, barely daring to make a sound.
Meng Fanxi's eyes lit up; the start was secure.
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