After the two finished their conversation, the camera returned to Hou Wenjie.
He stood in the center of the stage, gathered his emotions, and began to sing.
Many years have passed in the blink of an eye.
So many partings and reunions, joys and sorrows.
Once a young man with lofty aspirations
Envious of the geese flying south
figures going their separate ways
Hurriedly moving further and further away
Where will the ordinary future lie?
Who can give me the answer?
The people who were with me back then
Where are you now?
The person I once loved.
What does it look like now?
Have your original wishes come true?
Is offering sacrifices all that's been done now?
Let time dry up ideals
I can never find the real me again.
Looking up at the starry sky
The one that accompanied me back then
Do you still remember the story here?
Unlike "Stupid Kid", every line in "Old Boy" carries a shout!
Dreams and reality always collide in people's hearts, and when gazing at the starry sky, one can't help but feel excited!
Hou Wenjie didn't sing the first verse; he started directly from the second verse!
Those who once were together have gone their separate ways! Dreams have been dried up by the years!
The singing continues!
Life is like a merciless carving knife.
It changed our appearance
Must it wither before it even blooms?
I had dreams
Youth is like a rushing river.
Gone and never to return, no time for farewell
All that's left is my numbness.
The passion of yesteryear is gone.
Look at the flowers falling all over the sky
Withered at the most beautiful moment
Who will remember this world?
It has been here before.
Hou Wenjie put down the microphone after singing this part.
On the screen (bullet comments).
"So this is what Old Boys is all about! I get it, brothers! I used to be known as the 'Chasing Wind Boy,' the king of the high school basketball court, and now I'm a big fat guy with gray hair!"
"The pressure is immense! When I first started working, I was incredibly ambitious, but now my edges have been worn down! My initial dreams are long gone!"
"I still prefer 'Silly Kid,' 'Old Boy' is too tear-jerking, I can't handle it! I've drunk two bottles of beer while listening to this song, and I'm not drunk at all!"
"For middle-aged people, talking about dreams is too much of a luxury! We have elderly parents to support and young children to raise! And the company is always laying off employees!"
"I was transferred out by my company at the beginning of this year! I didn't dare tell my family!"
She pretended to be going to work every day! It wasn't until she found a job and started working that she told her family she had a new job!
"Old boy! Everyone has their struggles!"
…
The camera panned back to Yu Zhile, who smiled and said, "I think many viewers and fans should thank me because I let them listen to two more new songs for free!"
Alright, I don't need to comment on these two songs!
Next, the camera focused on Luo Chen.
Luo Chen seemed much quieter. He pressed the button and said:
"I really like 'Stupid Kid'. The lyrics, arrangement, and singing style are all great!"
…
Hou Wenjie has thus successfully advanced, marking the beginning of the second round of the finals!
Host Zhang Fei also announced the theme for the second round: Youth!
The live chat exploded!
"Holy crap! Didn't Boss Hou just sing 'Youth'? What the hell?!"
"No way, is this whole thing Yu Zhile pulled off a script? A pre-show teaser? A trailer for a play within a play? An endless nested doll?"
"Probably not? After all, that would be a bit lacking. If the chorus is already sung, singing it again wouldn't be as surprising!"
"Are you guys really that stupid or just pretending? Hou sang a cappella before! No accompaniment! That means he didn't even report those two songs to the production team!"
Understand?"
"Holy crap, it's the King of Knowledge! From what you've said, it means there's a new song coming out!"
…
No matter how enthusiastic the comments are! The video has already started playing!
The video begins with news and expert reports, with eye-catching headlines!
This will be a lost generation!
The content is written in the tone of a criminal, detailing various "misdeeds" committed by contemporary teenagers!
It seems they're destined to be nailed to the pillar of shame!
Each "misdeed" must be accompanied by a picture and an explanation!
At this moment, the scene shifts to a group of teenagers in school uniforms!
They leave for school very early and don't return home until very late!
There's always so much homework and so many tests to do!
The scene shifts again, and these people have grown up and entered various industries!
Some became doctors, some became researchers, some became construction workers, some became delivery drivers, and some became white-collar workers.
They also got married and had children, forming families, and each of them contributed their own strength to this country!
The video concludes with a list of economic growth indices and GDP data for the past decade!
"I get annoyed just looking at those so-called experts. All they say is, 'The lost generation! Generation after generation!' They lie through their teeth. It makes me sick just thinking about it!"
"What kind of so-called experts are these! They tell people not to live in the countryside, but to buy a house in the city and then drive to the countryside to farm!"
"The experts even said that if no one buys a house, we won't have anything to eat in the future!"
"Who isn't reckless and rebellious in their youth! What I hate most are those people who have a ton of problems of their own, yet still have the nerve to stand on moral high ground and criticize how kids these days are!"
"Every time I see articles that have a preconceived notion and create a fait accompli, I report them immediately!"
Such people are either attention-seeking or simply evil!
Life will teach everyone how to choose their future! This is what is known as natural selection, survival of the fittest!
How could there be a lost generation!
…
Clearly, this video touched the hearts of many viewers!
The sensationalism of many so-called experts and the chaotic state of self-media have deliberately created an atmosphere that is very unfriendly to young people!
After the video presentation, the advancing contestants took to the stage one by one.
Hou Wenjie was still the last to appear.
Along with him, there was a band and ten students in school uniforms!
Hou Wenjie knew exactly which song to sing right away!
After all, a song adapted from an article by the great writer Liang Qichao already has an unassailable position in terms of its theme!
When all eyes were once again focused on Hou Wenjie, he picked up the microphone and said, "Today, the song I'm bringing you is called 'The Tale of the Young Xia Kingdom'!"
With a drumbeat from the accompanying band, as powerful as galloping warhorses, the passionate recitations of young people echoed throughout the entire stage!
The wisdom of the youth makes the wisdom of the nation.
When the youth are wealthy, the nation is wealthy.
A strong youth makes a strong nation.
When the youth are free, the nation is free.
When the youth are wise, the nation is wise.
When the youth are wealthy, the nation is wealthy.
A strong youth makes a strong nation.
The freedom of the youth is the freedom of the nation.
The live chat exploded!
"Holy crap! That opening was amazing! That momentum... Boss Hou has unleashed another powerful move!"
"There were so many memorable moments this episode! What was the thought behind these lyrics? 'When the youth are strong, the nation is strong!' This vision is truly impressive. As a lyricist, I really want to kneel down in admiration!"
"Awesome! This opening has me on the edge of my seat! Looking forward to the rest of the performance!"
…
After the boy on stage finished reciting, Hou Wenjie picked up the microphone and began to sing.
The rising sun shines brightly.
The river emerges from its underground course and flows into a vast ocean.
The dragon soars from the abyss, its scales and claws gleaming.
The roar of the young tiger terrifies all the beasts in the valley.
Youth has its own youthful exuberance
Like mountains and rivers, its spine stands tall.
Dare to measure the sun and moon again
Today, I am the only young man.
Dare to challenge heaven and earth and test its edge
Who can stop us from overcoming all obstacles?
People laugh at me, but I will strive to be stronger.
Living up to our youth
Hou Wenjie's singing was very relaxed, capturing both the simplicity and sunshine of youth, as well as their unrestrained and carefree youth!
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