Chapter 51 The Third Performance
After entering the venue, the contestants went backstage to prepare.
Because there are only 40 people participating in this performance, the use of the dressing room is no longer as tight as before.
As for the guests participating in the supporting performances, they have their own makeup artists. Each of them will do their makeup in advance according to the style of the song, and then perform together with the contestants.
Because the style of "Tornado" is dark hip-hop, the contestants' stage costumes this time are also black.
In order to avoid the black costumes from becoming a mess on the stage, the costume team also made certain changes to the details.
For example, they would choose a bright white or light-colored inner layer, and add as many bright metallic accessories as possible. The contestants' new hair colors also brightened up their looks to a certain extent, adding a touch of brightness to the black.
This time, Mo Bei wore a black baseball jacket with dark embroidery and a white T-shirt underneath. Lei Lie wore a sleeveless vest with overalls, Sheng Yanyu wore a black leather jacket, Zhong Gaoyi wore a black short-sleeved jumpsuit, and Zheng Xingye wore a black T-shirt with a large print.
The remaining Zhao twins wore the same style of black long-sleeved sweaters. The difference was that the elder brother Zhao Chen wore a black and white headband, while the younger brother wore a thick silver twisted chain around his neck.
After finishing her stage makeup, Su Xi made some minor adjustments to each of their hairstyles, as she still had time. After a while, she folded her arms, looking at her work with a satisfied nod and a smile.
"handsome!"
Jiang Mo Nan, who has always sported black hair since the show, changed his hair color for the first time. His silvery-white hair, fair skin, delicate features, and tall, slender figure combined together made him look like a manga-esque character.
Even though it was just a wig, it gave people a sense of freshness. Even before the performance started, she could already imagine how crazy the fans in the audience would be.
In fact, not to mention the audience, even the staff passing by couldn't help but take a few more glances when they saw it.
When the contestants of the "Tornado" group walked into the lounge one after another, all kinds of boos were heard around them.
"Oh my god, Dark Wind!"
"Wow, Brother Ye even put on smoky makeup!"
To match the "Tornado" team's style, the contestants' makeup and outfits were all in a cool, dark style. Rap star Zheng Xingye wore a T-shirt with a dramatic print, smoky makeup, and his hair was styled into bold dreadlocks by Su Xi.
Zheng Xingye, who was teased by everyone, obviously didn't know what it meant to be embarrassed. He just raised his chin very confidently and said, "He's handsome, right?"
The contestants from other groups also responded enthusiastically:
"Handsome! Very handsome!"
And when Mo Bei entered the arena wearing a silver-white wig, the contestants' reactions were even more intense.
"Brother Mo Nan is so handsome! He can even pull off such an unconventional hair color."
"Sure enough, the completion of fashion still depends on appearance."
The atmosphere backstage was lively and bustling, and the audience on the other side was also preparing to enter.
In fact, in addition to the contestants' fans, some of the people who came to watch the performance today were fans of the guest performers.
It goes without saying that Yan Xiaoya is the OST queen. Xu Hexuan, an actor who never participates in any variety shows, actually becomes a guest performer and goes on stage to sing and dance. How can we not be excited about this?
At this time, Actor Xu, who was highly anticipated by everyone except the contestants, was sitting in the nanny car, looking at the new makeup applied by the stylist, and was speechless.
"Are you sure this is okay?"
"Don't worry, bro. Young people nowadays like this one."
“Isn’t that too exaggerated?”
Xu Hexuan looked around in the mirror, still feeling a little uncomfortable. As an actor, he had never worn such heavy stage makeup before.
Not only the eye makeup, but also the hair was combed back by the stylist.
"The makeup on stage has to be exaggerated because the lighting will eat away at it."
"is that so?"
After hearing what the stylist said, Xu Hexuan gradually felt relieved.
"Brother Xuan, we're here."
Hearing the assistant's voice, Xu Hexuan put down the mirror, suppressed his inner anxiety, straightened his clothes, stood up and got out of the car.
Unlike the other contestants, Xu Hexuan went through the main entrance, and thus happened to run into the audience and fans queuing at the venue.
"Fuck! Xu Hexuan!"
"Oh my god, Brother Xuan's look is so handsome!"
"I never thought that one day I would see Brother Xuan dressed in dark clothes. This trip was worth it!"
"Brother Xuan! Look here!"
Xu Hexuan was surprised to see so many of his fans at the event. After a moment's surprise, he waved to them. In an instant, the crowd erupted in excited screams again.
In order to avoid causing chaos, the staff of the program team immediately took the people into the venue.
Xu Hexuan was the last guest performer to arrive. Yan Xiaoya and the other mentors were already waiting on the scene. Seeing Xu Hexuan's completely different look from his usual style, the guests couldn't help but exclaim in delight.
Lu Ye: "Teacher Xu, this look is so handsome."
Li Zhaokai gave a thumbs up and said, "Okay, very cool!"
Being teased by everyone like this, Xu Hexuan felt a little embarrassed.
"Oh my god, that eyeliner and smoky makeup. Are you going to sing rock music?"
Lian Cheng's teasing came to his ears out of the blue, and Xu Hexuan immediately turned from shy to annoyed.
"What do you know? I'm doing this to match the stage concept!"
"Tsk, old cucumber painted green."
It is extremely harmful and insulting.
Lian Cheng's words infuriated Emperor Xu to the point of being speechless. The instructors were now accustomed to the bickering between the two.
Maybe at first they would even think about stepping in to act as a peacemaker, only to later realize that their worries were completely unnecessary. After all, for so many years, they have been in this state of love and hate.
Of course, if Lian Cheng and Xu Hexuan knew about this idea, they would probably all complain.
Who is in love with him!
After the guest performers arrived, they went to their respective groups to meet with the contestants.
Seeing Xu Hexuan appear in the lounge with a slicked-back hair, smoky makeup, and a stylish black leather jacket, the contestants all let out exaggerated exclamations.
"Brother Xuan is so cool today!"
"Teacher Xu is so handsome!"
The contestants' unstinting praise made Xu Hexuan even more embarrassed. Mo Bei was stunned for a moment when he saw his old friend, an actor who used to dress seriously, suddenly wearing such exaggerated stage makeup.
At the same time, looking at Mo Bei's silver-white hair, Xu Hexuan couldn't help but be startled, "You dyed your hair too?"
"It's a wig."
"..." Xu Hexuan: "Oh, that suits you quite well."
He paused and said, "How do you like my look?"
Seeing Xu Hexuan's nervous expression mixed with a hint of anticipation, Mo Bei nodded, "Great."
Hearing this, Xu Hexuan finally felt relieved.
For some reason, he always felt a sense of disbelief when others praised him for his handsomeness, especially after being ridiculed by Lian Cheng, he lost even more confidence. Although he knew that the guy would never spit out ivory from a dog's mouth, he still felt uneasy.
But once Jiang Mo Nan said yes, he finally put his mind at ease.
Perhaps it was because of the other person's calm and reliable personality, or perhaps it was because he and Mo Bei were too similar, which made him empathize with him. He always felt that Jiang Mo Nan would not lie to him.
The audience outside was completely unaware of the little incident that happened backstage.
After checking their tickets and entering the venue, they were anxiously waiting for the performance to begin.
The weather is very hot today, so the air conditioning in the venue is turned on high, which also cheered up the audience who had been queuing outside for a long time.
Because the "Tornado" group gathered many high-ranking players, Mo Bei and his team were scheduled to go on stage last. But even so, the four groups of players who went on stage first still had strong support.
After all, the competition has reached the third round, and the 40 contestants who remain all have a certain degree of influence on the Internet.
However, since the top three contestants are all in the "Tornado" group, the director deliberately used two cameras to shoot the members of this group for the sake of the show's ratings.
Since it was the last group to take the stage, the contestants had ample time to rest and prepare. Xu Hexuan, who was very considerate of them, even brought a large bag of snacks for everyone to share.
So the following scene appeared in the camera:
A group of boys dressed in dark clothes and dressed coolly and domineeringly were either holding AD calcium milk in their hands or eating Wangzai steamed buns and cracking melon seeds, doing things that were extremely inconsistent with their image.
The extraordinary relaxation of this group of contestants made the director team feel ashamed.
The performance is about to begin. Is this appropriate for you?
The dim lights on the stage suddenly came on, and the audience, realizing the performance was about to begin, erupted in excited cheers.
The host, Zeng Yu, appeared with his signature bald head. This time, he wore a bright red sequined suit, which made him particularly eye-catching on the dazzling stage.
"Welcome everyone. This is the third round of performances for 'Youth Project.' I'm sure you all know that this time, the contestants will perform together with several guest mentors."
“And it’s a brand new track.”
As soon as the words fell, the audience screamed. It was obvious that the audience couldn't wait any longer.
On the stage, Zeng Yu made a quiet gesture and then continued to introduce the performance process.
"This time, the 40 contestants will be divided into five groups to perform original music. The audience will need to choose their favorite contestant from each group based on their performance and vote."
"The contestant with the most votes will receive a reward of 150,000 votes!"
As soon as the words fell, there was an uproar at the scene.
I remember that the last round of performances only sold 100,000 tickets per person, but this time it has increased by 50,000. The production team is really getting bigger and bigger.
Before the audience could sigh, Zeng Yu continued, "Besides that, you all need to choose your favorite performance from the five groups. The group with the highest number of votes will also receive an additional 200,000 group reward tickets!"
For a moment, the emotions at the scene that had not yet subsided were instantly stirred up again by this sentence.
"What? 200,000 votes!"
"Oh my god! This is too much!"
The reward for group votes in the last round was only 100,000, but this time it was doubled.
If you can get both the popularity votes and the group bonus tickets, that would be a full 35 votes!
These 350,000 votes may not change the ranking of the top-ranked contestants, but for those contestants in the bottom-ranked circle who are already on the verge of elimination, this is their reliance for a comeback!
It wasn't just the spectators who were excited; the contestants were even more so. For a moment, many people started rubbing their hands in anticipation.
"That's all for the rules. Which team will be playing next?"
Zeng Yu said this with a smile as he looked down at the audience. There were all sorts of shouts from the audience, but the loudest voices came from the contestants in the upper circles.
"Let's welcome the first group of contestants to the stage. The song they will perform for us is 'Freedom'!"
As Zeng Yu announced, the contestants who had been waiting backstage for a long time walked onto the stage one by one.
"Freedom" is a house song with a heavy beat and smooth melody. The choreography of this group emphasizes body control and footwork changes, and the sword-like group dance in the chorus is also one of the highlights.
Chang Jun and Lin Jiongyi are both in this group.
Compared to the darker "Tornado" group, the style of "Freedom" is much fresher and brighter. It focuses on an American street style, with bright dopamine colors.
When Chang Jun walked onto the stage wearing an orange sweatshirt, the audience's screams almost blew the roof off.
Lin Jiongyi, who has always presented a serious image, broke through his previous impression this time. He dyed his smooth black hair chestnut color and curled it slightly. At first glance, he looked like a teenager who often appeared on the streets of Europe and the United States.
Although the hairstyle is a bit stereotypical, for fans, it's enough that it looks handsome.
Amidst the screams of the audience, the contestants introduced themselves one by one. The mentor Lu Ye worked with the "Freedom" group.
He also wore clothes of a similar style to the other contestants today, and he looked youthful and harmonious.
Because it was the contestants' home stage, Lu, as their supporter, only said a few words of encouragement and nothing else.
After a brief introduction, the host left the stage and the contestants were handed over.
The lights dimmed and the audience held their breath.
After a few seconds of silence, the bright lights came on again, and the eight contestants appeared on the stage.
A smooth melody sounded, and with a turn, they gathered into a neat triangle formation.
The production team cut to a close-up of the stage, and for a moment the contestants who were watching the live performance in the backstage lounge all let out excited shouts.
After the tempering of the previous two performances, although the contestants of the "Freedom" group were scheduled to be the first to perform, they were not overwhelmed by the pressure of the opening, but instead showed their best condition.
After the first verse and chorus, the long-lost mentor Lu finally appeared. He appeared from the side of the stage, holding the microphone and singing, and the audience erupted in excited screams again.
Needless to say, I'm definitely a fan of Lu Ye.
At the end of the chorus, Lu also joined in and danced with the contestants.
Seeing this scene, the audience burst into enthusiastic exclamations. Lu Ye's fans couldn't help but feel surprised.
Oh my god, their OST little prince, lyrical singer Lu Ye can actually dance?
After the performance, host Zeng Yu appeared again.
"What a wonderful performance. Now, please press the voting button in your hands and cast your precious vote for the contestant you support!"
The voting ended, and as expected, Chang Jun still had the highest number of votes.
Then the second group of contestants came on stage. This group had no high-ranking contestants, and was basically composed of middle-ranking contestants. Their mentor was rapper Li Zhaokai.
The repertoire they performed was hip-hop with a West Coast feel. Although they weren't very popular, they were all very talented.
Bai Li and Tao Xiaotie were the third group to perform. Contrary to everyone's expectations, they chose a lighthearted pop song. Their guest performer was none other than OST queen Yan Xiaoya.
Mo Bei and Lei Lie could understand why Bai Li chose this song, but Tao Xiaotie's choice of this song was unexpected.
Although judging from his image and age, this kind of fresh style is indeed very suitable for the young Tao Xiaotie, but the problem is that this kid is too talented, and it is a bit of a waste of his talent for him to perform this kind of song.
Although others didn't understand, the two still had a lot of fun performing.
The songs Yan Xiaoya usually sings are either sentimental and melancholic or showy in style, and this time performing a sweet song can be considered a new attempt.
The fourth group to perform included high-ranking contestants like Xu Tingchuan, Yi Chuheng, and Su Yi. Their song was a difficult R&B piece, challenging their vocal skills. However, they performed well.
As the fourth group of contestants came down from the stage, the staff of the program team also came to the lounge to urge the last group to prepare to go on stage.
Upon hearing this, the contestants put down the snacks in their hands.
Seeing this, the staff who came over to urge the scene couldn't help but twitch their mouths.
They can't have been eating since the beginning, right?
After shaking off the crumbs in their hands, several people stood up and stretched their arms and legs.
Xu Hexuan's eyes lingered on Mo Bei for a moment, then he extended his hand and said to everyone, "Come on."
Seeing this, everyone stretched out their hands.
Nine hands overlapped and swung upwards vigorously—
"come on!"
At the scene, Jiang Mo Nan's fans had been waiting anxiously. After four groups of performances, they finally got to see the person they wanted to see.
When the contestants in black costumes walked onto the stage, the high-decibel screams from the audience almost pierced their eardrums.
"So handsome, Lei Lie!"
"Long live the Dark System!"
"Ahhhhhhh Jiang Mo Nan!"
The long-awaited fans soon noticed the changes in their idol's appearance.
"Oh my god! It's the silver-haired Nan Nan!"
"Long live Baimao!"
"Holy shit! When did Nannan dye her hair?"
Luo Xinyi's eyes widened. Her hair was black this morning, so how could she dye it so soon?
"It's probably a wig."
Looking at the dazzling figure on the stage, Cai Shumin's eyes sparkled with stars. "I didn't expect Nannan to be so suitable for this hair color."
Jiang Mo Nan, with his black hair, was a natural beauty, but now with his silver-white hair, he looked more like a cartoon character from another world. He lacked a touch of humanity and instead had a more inhuman, divine, demonic aura.
The fans never expected that they would encounter such a big surprise when they came offline this time. The fans who were shocked by their idols' beauty had their heart beating faster for a while.
He wore a black baseball jacket with dark patterns, a white inner layer, dark gray trousers and Martin boots, and decorative silver chains around his neck and waist, making him look very punk.
If Jiang Monan previously gave people the impression of being a cool senior on campus, or a noble prince in a fairy tale, then at this moment he is more like the unruly and captivating Aquaman in the comics.
"This look is killing me, I can't take it anymore!"
"Damn it! Why can't I bring a camera?"
Fans of other idol groups were also captivated by their idols' new stage looks, and the screams from the audience could not be stopped.
Seeing this scene, the other contestants waiting backstage couldn't help but show expressions of helplessness and envy.
Although the popularity of this group is a well-known fact, this feeling of loss still remains deep in my heart.
An artist’s popularity is the most unreasonable thing. No matter how hard you try, if the audience doesn’t like you, then you just don’t.
The path to their dreams is clearly within reach, yet they feel separated from it by an invisible chasm. They can neither jump nor fly over it, and it is precisely this feeling of powerlessness that makes them even more sad.
However, even knowing these realities, they still have to face them and fight until the last moment.
This is not only a responsibility to your own dreams, but also a responsibility to the time and sweat you have invested in the past.
The host waited for a while, and the audience's emotions gradually calmed down. However, when the team leader Sheng Yanyu took the microphone and began to introduce himself, the audience erupted in fierce screams again.
This kind of scene happened nine times. Especially when Xu Hexuan started to speak, not only the audience, but also the contestants and mentors on and off the stage applauded.
As a result, the simple self-introduction took more than five minutes to finish.
However, the audience is also happy to see this happen. After all, this way they can interact with their idols for a while longer.
Mo Bei's gaze roamed around the stage for a while, and soon locked onto the two girls who had delivered breakfast that morning.
Cai Shumin and Luo Xinyi were caught off guard and looked into the eyes of their favorite idols. They were stunned for a moment, and then saw the people on the stage nodded slightly at them.
This action caused misunderstandings among others, and for a moment, the fans who were in the same pit with the two of them all screamed excitedly.
Hearing the deafening shouting beside their ears, Cai Shumin and Luo Xinyi gradually came to their senses, and their eyes suddenly lit up.
Jiang Mo Nan couldn't remember them!
As a fan girl, there is nothing more joyful than being remembered by your favorite idol.
Noticing the commotion in the audience, Lei Lie, who was standing nearby, also looked in the direction of the screams.
After scanning the pit, Lei Lie suddenly understood why the other party had been looking in that direction. Seeing this, he smiled at the two people in the audience.
For a moment, the fans in the audience cheered even louder.
Although everyone in this area is Jiang Mo Nan's fans, who can resist the handsome guy's smile?
However, in addition to being excited, Jiang's fans couldn't help but feel curious about why Lei Lie was also looking here.
But this doubt only stayed in my mind for a moment before I was quickly distracted by other things.
The stage is about to begin.
Ever since it was announced that the "Tornado" team would be collaborating with Xu Hexuan, the audience's anticipation for this performance has reached a peak. This is not only because Xu Hexuan is the most prestigious guest mentor, but also because the public has never seen Xu Hexuan sing or dance in all these years.
In addition, the performance consists of original songs, which further increases the audience's expectations.
As the host's announcement ended, the stage lights dimmed.
The darkness lasted for a moment, and then a blue-purple light fell, illuminating the dark shadows on the stage.
The contestants were seen bending their waists and leaning against each other, appearing in front of the audience like a circle connected to each other.
A white spotlight came on, shining right in the center of the ring.
In just a moment, the audience's attention was captured by the stage in front of them.
In the center of the circle, Mo Bei raised his head. Under the dazzling spotlight, his silver-white hair fell on his cheeks, making his already fair and delicate face look even more unreal. At first glance, it seemed as if his whole body was glowing.
Mo Bei on the stage raised the corners of his lips, revealing a charming smile that was completely different from his usual one.
"Warning.Tornadoit'ing!"
Jiang's fans were deeply moved by this scene, and there was a burst of screams at the scene.
Accompanied by a sharp alarm, the low bass and drum beats sounded in the accompaniment, as if the disaster had really come.
The players who had originally gathered in a group suddenly jumped and scattered, and Sheng Yanyu turned around and appeared in the center of the team.
Having the first and second most popular contestants open their performances one after another served as a very good catalyst for the performance. In just a moment, the decibels of the audience's screams almost drowned out the accompaniment on the stage.
After singing two lines of lyrics, Choi Jun-hee, who was the center of the performance, walked out from behind Sheng Yanyu and sang the next line.
His voice was low, like a storm coming in the darkness.
The formation changed, and soon Zhong Gaoyi and Zheng Xingye walked out from both sides of the team.
The two of them started a duet, with one singing the lyrics and the other rapping. As the music, which was full of personality and rhythm, played, the atmosphere on the scene became more and more lively.
Just like the lyrics say, they are taking the stage by storm.
Just as the chorus reached its climax, a lift slowly rose up, and Xu Hexuan, dressed coolly in a black leather jacket, appeared in the center of the stage.
As soon as Actor Xu appeared on the stage, the audience could no longer contain their enthusiasm and cheered loudly.
The man took a long step and jumped off the lift to join the team of contestants.
After a brief slowdown, the drumbeats suddenly sped up, and the nine people began to dance in unison. The stage floor vibrated in unison, echoing the low-pitched drumbeats.
"Ahhhhh Xu Hexuan, I'll give you my life!"
"Fuck! Jiang Mo Nan is so evil!!!"
"Sheng Yanyu——!"
"Husband Lei Lie! So handsome——"
"Choi Jun-hee! Choi Jun-hee!"
"Brother Ye is so wild!"
"Mother Zhong Gaoyi loves you!"
"Zhao Chen, Zhao Xi, invincible!"
For a moment, the audience was shouting the contestants' names, chanting words of support, and so on.
The air conditioning was on in the venue, but the "Tornado" group's powerful performance instantly raised the temperature. Everyone was screaming at the top of their lungs, using their voices to express their support and love for the contestants.
Driven by the atmosphere, the contestants on stage couldn't help but break into a sweat. Some of them were wearing thick costumes, and with all the singing and dancing on stage, it was hard not to feel stuffy.
Especially Xu Hexuan and Sheng Yanyu, who were wearing leather jackets. As soon as the performance ended, they couldn't wait to take off their jackets.
Seeing that Mo Bei was still wearing the baseball jacket, Xu Hexuan couldn't help but ask, "Mo Nan, why are you still wearing this? Aren't you hot?"
Hearing this, everyone looked over and saw that the man in front of them still had that pale and cold look.
Although the other team members were wearing short-sleeved vests and were not sweating as much as Xu Hexuan and Sheng Yanyu, they still couldn't help but sweat a little.
In contrast, Mo Bei, who was wearing a thick coat, didn't even have a drop of sweat on his forehead. This was particularly noticeable.
Lei Lie realized something and hurried to help Mo Bei make up for it: "Brother Mo Nan doesn't like to sweat."
Hearing this, Mo Bei nodded and said, "I really don't like to sweat much."
Hearing this, everyone remembered this little thing that had been ignored until now. Earlier, when they were practicing together, they really didn't see Jiang Mo Nan sweating much.
"I really envy this physique."
Zheng Xingye is particularly afraid of heat. Even if he wears a short-sleeved shirt and the venue is air-conditioned, he still can't help sweating while singing and dancing on stage. But he doesn't dare to reach out and wipe it off for fear of smearing his makeup.
Seeing that no one doubted him, Lei Lie slowly put his heart back into his stomach, which had been hanging for Mo Bei.
The results of the live voting for the third round of performances came out soon.
There is no suspense about the highest popularity vote.
Jiang Monan, who was ranked first in the overall ranking in the previous round, still won the first place in popularity votes this time.
The "Tornado" group also received the highest number of votes, becoming the audience's favorite performance of this round. Each contestant in the group will receive 200,000 group bonus tickets!
This result was expected.
After all, this group brings together the top three contestants plus the best actor Xu Hexuan. With such high popularity, it is hard not to win.
Although many people were optimistic when the mentors and guests were selecting the group at the beginning, thinking that Xu Hexuan was an actor and had no singing or dancing experience, he might be a drag on the "Tornado" group.
But this kind of lucky mentality was ruthlessly crushed by reality on the day of rehearsal.
Xu Hexuan did not hold back the group, but unexpectedly kept up with the pace of the others.
With regret and bitterness in their hearts, the contestants forced themselves to applaud and congratulate.
The fourth elimination round is from 40 to 20.
Without the group reward tickets and the popularity tickets within the group, they will most likely say goodbye to this stage.
The competition is so cruel.
Not only is he overwhelmingly superior in appearance, strength, and popularity, but also in luck.
If you want to take root in this industry, luck is often the most important thing.
Mo Bei agreed with this.
He has always had good luck.
Even though he lost his life in an accident 20 years ago, he has finally resurrected and is back on stage with another identity.
Although he knew that his luck had always been good, he would not be complacent about it.
Because he knows that luck is the most unpredictable thing, and you can't go far relying solely on luck.
The only thing he can control is to do his best in everything.
After all, opportunities always come to those who are prepared.
Only in this way can he seize the opportunity when it comes.
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