Jian Xingsui took a deep breath, stood up, faced the cameras and everyone's gaze, and said, "I am willing to accept the challenge."
The scene was silent at first, then erupted into unstoppable cheers and jubilation. Some people stood up and applauded, while others whistled, eager to join in the fun.
Teacher Li asked, "Are you sure?"
Jian Xingsui nodded.
Zhou Xun gave a somewhat sarcastic smile: "Are you really going to accept this?"
Jian Xingsui's answer this time was without hesitation: "I accept."
When the mentors on the stage saw that Jian Xingsui had agreed, he seemed to have a completely different aura than when he first came to participate in the audition. He seemed to have more confidence and presence.
Tuya clapped her hands in delight.
Fu Jinxiao smiled, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.
As the challenger, Zhou Xun began his performance, choosing a challenging rap song, "You Can't Stop Me," a very energetic and explosive track with a high-pitched intro. Zhou Xun's own rugged appearance, combined with this energetic song, created a very high-energy atmosphere.
You can't stop me
Unstoppable
better, run, away.
It's best to leave
When I enter, the game.
When we enter the game
We flash like lightning
Breaking through the darkness is fraught with danger...
Some wild sounds echoed throughout the competition hall, and the cheers from the audience were very loud. Zhou Xun is indeed very good at rapping, and although he performed this song very well, it is very difficult for someone who has never been exposed to rap before to sing the same song with such a fast pace.
After the performance, sweat dripped from his forehead, and Zhou Xun, panting, thanked everyone: "Thank you, everyone."
Teacher Li exclaimed, "Your rap skills are quite good!"
Zhou Xun bowed and said, "Thank you, teacher."
His performance was indeed excellent. It's safe to say that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, if Jian Xingsui couldn't deliver a presentable performance, he would undoubtedly succeed in this challenge.
Teacher Li looked at Jian Xingsui and asked, "Are you ready?"
Jian Xingsui nodded gently.
During the twenty minutes of preparation, the other contestants also rested, but they couldn't wander around. They could only go to the restroom or get a drink of water and touch up their makeup. When they were free, they would talk about Jian Xingsui. Many people were wondering if he could beat Zhou Xun, especially those who were with An Ran: "Ranran, does the person who bullied you know how to rap?"
An Ran had never known. He said softly, "I don't know. I think he only sings occasionally."
Actually, I prefer listening to music.
Because Jian Xingsui left the Jian family without taking many things, he only found out after moving in that there was a whole wall of albums in his room, Fu Jinxiao's albums. This person must really love music.
An Ran said, "Jian Xingsui is actually quite outstanding. He went to a music school abroad. I have always envied him. I am far inferior to him."
His words touched his teammates, who quickly offered words of comfort.
"Ranran, his studies abroad weren't even financed by his family's money!"
"He's far inferior to you."
"I wondered why he sang so well; it turns out he relied on his family's money."
"He is no match for you at all; you have achieved everything through your own hard work."
"This time he's definitely shown his true colors."
While everyone was comforting An Ran, Jian Xing Sui was testing the piano in the audience. His headphones were playing rap songs over and over again, the energetic songs echoing in his ears. He sat there quietly for a full five minutes without moving.
Even the vocal teachers are getting a little anxious.
Just when the vocal coach thought he would sit for twenty minutes, Jian Xingsui stood up and bent down to ask the vocal coach, "Hello, I would like to ask if I can do without accompaniment later?"
The vocal coach was taken aback: "Huh?"
Jian Xingsui smiled, a little embarrassed: "I'd like to sing a cappella, and could I use this piano for a bit? I'll play the accompaniment myself."
It's rare for someone to make such a request. Singing and playing instruments is generally very difficult, and performing it live is extremely challenging, especially since it's a song you've only recently become familiar with. It's astonishing that someone would make such a request.
The vocal coach thought for a moment and said, "I need to consult with the director and instructors."
Jian Xingsui bowed and said, "Thank you."
The vocal coach went to discuss it with the mentors and the production team.
Jian Xingsui, who remained where he was, didn't dare to just sit there and wait foolishly. He sat down and began to try to press the strings according to the arrangement he had just made in his mind. He pressed the keys little by little according to the progress of the song lyrics. All the lyrics and melodies seemed to be arranged into equations in his mind, regrouped and reorganized.
When he reached the climax of one of the scales, Jian Xingsui's hand paused. He didn't know how to proceed. The piano music stopped abruptly, and his fingers also stopped. Just as Jian Xingsui fell silent again, the clock on the wall had already reached 15 minutes. He was running out of time.
Just then, a pair of slender hands descended, replacing Jian Xingsui's hands, and pressed down on a few notes, perfectly connecting with the previous melody. This was like the finishing touch, smoothly linking the adapted melody.
Jian Xingsui looked up in surprise and met Fu Jinxiao's eyes.
Fu Jinxiao said, "Continue."
In music, some people seem to have a soul connection with each other.
Jian Xingsui composed himself and continued playing. By the time the piece ended, a thin layer of sweat had formed on his forehead. The original song was still playing in his headphones, but a new melody had already formed in his mind.
After Jian Xingsui finished playing the song, she glanced to the side and realized that Fu Jinxiao was still standing behind her. She immediately stood up in a panic, but because she was too flustered, she bumped her knee and hissed in pain.
Fu Jinxiao chuckled softly, "What are you doing?"
Jian Xingsui rubbed her knee, then let go and said, "No, I just bumped into it by accident."
Fu Jinxiao leaned against the piano stand and casually joked, "Are you always this reckless?"
“No.” Jian Xingsui quickly shook her head and said softly, “I just didn’t expect you to still be here.”
Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow: "You don't like seeing me."
Jian Xingsui shook his head so hard it looked like he was going to fall off: "No, no, I'm not unhappy, I'm happy, I'm happy..."
After stammering through the last few words, he belatedly realized what he had said. The word, paired with the sentence, carried a slightly ambiguous meaning. His ears involuntarily flushed red, and he glanced at Fu Jinxiao somewhat embarrassedly.
Fu Jinxiao did not use this opportunity to tease her, but simply explained, "I saw you were playing the piano, so I didn't want to disturb you."
It turns out that there really are people who, no matter how big their status or how precious their time is, are still willing to stand quietly behind you and wait for you when you are busy. They will not disturb you, but will just stand there and watch you. When you encounter difficulties, they will step forward to help you, and then give everything back to you. They are courteous and know how to behave appropriately.
Jian Xingsui felt a surge of warmth in his heart and bowed, saying, "Thank you."
"No need to thank me." Fu Jinxiao lifted her eyelids to look at him, her dark eyes carrying a hint of pressure: "I'm here to tell you that you can sing a cappella without accompaniment. Time's almost up, you'll be on stage soon, are you ready?"
Jian Xingsui took a deep breath: "Ready."
Fu Jinxiao smiled and called out, "Jian Xingsui."
"Um?"
He looked up and saw the tall man stand up straight, turn back to the mentor's platform, and toss him a "Good luck."
It seemed like he was just saying it casually, but such encouragement inexplicably gave Jian Xingsui a lot of courage. When the spotlight went out, he stood on the stage again.
A piano was placed in the middle of the stage, which surprised many people.
"Isn't it a rap song?"
"Piano rap?"
"Is this a case of 'what the hell'?"
Regardless of everyone's speculations, the spotlight shone down, and the brightness of the entire venue seemed to decrease significantly, except for the person in the center of the stage who was illuminated. Many people were waiting for the accompaniment to begin, but there was no accompaniment. The person sitting at the piano raised their hand, and crisp and elegant piano music poured out, followed by Jian Xingsui's a cappella singing:
You can't stop me
Unstoppable
I'm better, run, away...
I'd better leave.
It's clearly a very energetic song, but when he sings it slowly in his somewhat low voice, accompanied by elegant and gentle piano music, it's like a heartbroken boy expressing his longing for the woman he admires.
Not only did the viewers in the live stream suddenly erupt in chaos, but even Zhou Xun, who was originally determined to win, and a group of trainees who wanted to watch the excitement, widened their eyes in disbelief that someone could complete the adaptation of a song in 20 minutes!
The piano music carried a faint sadness, and the deep male voice sounded exactly like a lover's painful plea:
"My tears are its fuel, accelerating the burning process..."
"Never compromise, I cannot compromise..."
Chien Hsing-sui's singing voice is extremely infectious, a fact recognized from his very first performance. When he sings love songs, the feeling of heartbreak washes over you like a tidal wave. But when he sings these somewhat passionate lyrics, his deep and affectionate vocals, combined with the gentle and quiet piano music, actually draw everyone in, gradually calming their hearts down.
It was as if everyone was quietly listening to the heartbroken boy's resentful murmurs.
When the last key fell, the room remained completely silent.
The live stream chat exploded:
"This arrangement is amazing!"
"It actually sounds really good."
"His singing isn't actually that strong, but unlike some performances where I wish there was a fast-forward button from the very beginning, I listened to the whole thing without even realizing it."
"Maybe he's a hidden vocal powerhouse!"
Jian Xingsui's first performance was indeed a very simple singing, somewhat reserved, as if he really had the feeling that he was going to run away with the 20,000 yuan. But now, the person sitting in front of the piano, with the spotlight shining on him, is the master of this stage, and he is the focus of everyone's attention.
After the performance, Teacher Li smiled and said, "Okay, please invite Zhou Xun to come up on stage as well. We will re-evaluate Jian Xingsui's rating. Please wait a moment."
Everyone was very nervous when the mentors were discussing things with each other.
This seems like a comeback, and it seems to be on everyone's mind. Some people are speculating whether Jian Xingsui will advance to B, while others are speculating whether Zhou Xun can be promoted. The mentors on the stage are also discussing it. Tuya's smile has never stopped. She thought that Jian Xingsui's song was good enough for B when he first performed. Now that he has performed so well, Tuya feels like she can stand up straight.
The discussion lasted for more than five minutes, and when it ended, everyone's hearts were in their throats.
Some students had their results announced by Teacher Li, while others had them announced by Tuya or other mentors. But this time, Fu Jinxiao still picked up the microphone. He had announced before that Jian Xingsui could only get a B. Now, he was still looking at the people standing on the stage, a faint smile in his amorous phoenix eyes, making it impossible to see his true emotions. He opened his lips and said, "Guess, will you be able to maintain your rank?"
Jian Xingsui dared not guess; he was somewhat nervous.
Holding the microphone, he took a deep breath and answered softly, "I hope I can."
"Hmm." Fu Jinxiao's smile deepened, and his voice, transmitted through the microphone, reached everyone's ears: "Congratulations, Jian Xingsui, your final grade for the re-evaluation of the challenge is an A."
Author's Note:
Actor Fu: "A should still be saved for my wife."
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