Chapter 34: Second Round of Program (1)
The director could never have imagined what kind of storms and impending tsunamis were hidden beneath the calm surface of the second episode of the show.
On Wednesday afternoon, the audience trickled in. The venue was packed with fans, each holding banners and cheering loudly, determined to defend their respective singers.
Colorful hand-cards of various sizes were waving in the crowd. When Ying Zhisheng's face appeared on the exclusive LED screen of the Radio and Television Building, the crowd instantly erupted in roaring screams.
Backstage, the atmosphere was bustling with activity. Each team racked their brains to come up with stunning looks, while the staff meticulously arranged the process and confirmed stage details with the guests.
Ying Zhisheng was wearing a white shirt and black trousers. He had a slim waist and long legs. There were a few strands of dark blue in his hair, and the ends of his hair were silver-gray like moonlight.
"So handsome." Lou Sheng discovered that Ying Zhisheng's clothes were all specially supplied by big brands, and this treatment was simply unique in the circle.
"Does it look familiar?" Ying Zhisheng asked with a smile.
Lou Sheng frowned and thought about it, and suddenly found that Ying Zhisheng's hairstyle was somewhat similar to the makeup picture for his twentieth birthday that the studio issued.
Fuquan and others who were drinking coffee nearby pretended to be deaf, ignored Ying Zhisheng's mumbling, and continued to discuss in a low voice whether to accept the letters from fans.
As the show began, the long-awaited audience flocked into the live broadcast room to cheer for their favorite singers.
The order of appearances will be determined based on the rankings from the first round. Lin Wang, the last-placed contestant, has his name grayed out on the screen, leaving no clue who will be next.
The host read the advertising slogan to the camera with a beaming smile.
In order to create hype and attract traffic, the program team deliberately fabricated conflicts and played an interview video of Duan Ying Zhisheng less than three minutes after the show started.
"...Is there any opponent who makes you feel pressured?"
"No."
The concise dialogue and question-and-answer effect are explosive.
[Peanuts for Me (Stay-Up Version): Wow wow wow wow! This answer is so cool! This is the confidence that has earned us the Most Popular Male Singer title for five consecutive years and a total of 23 awards. Ying Tianwang is the coolest! !]
[Kuachazi cried and left tired: **! I just can't stand Ying Zhisheng's pretentiousness. He has no respect for his opponent at all.]
Band Rhapsody 963963: Jiang Huoda, get out of here! Get the hell out of here, you old bastard!
[Lonely Wolf Aoao: I hope Ying Zhisheng, this vase, gets slapped in the face. I hope Ying Zhisheng, this vase, gets slapped in the face and gets eliminated in the second round.]
[For My Peanuts 11: This is not a good thing for the production team. They put our Ah Sheng at the center of the storm from the very beginning. Are they crazy about gaining traffic? [Smile] [Confused]]
[Weiwohuasheng976/: I'm floored! It's such a hassle for us to have a child and participate in such a crappy show. Without Ying Zhisheng, would you have this much traffic? Can you even tell who the dad is?!]
[The meat of the foreign rat is delicious: Does Zhang Xing's dog face hurt? Zhang Xing only knows how to show off his skills, but his singing is terrible, like a robot, without any emotion [thumbs up] He even compares himself to Ying Zhisheng, who doesn't even take him seriously.]
There Shu: I used to be indifferent, but I'm getting more and more disgusted with Ying Zhisheng. He bullies Sun Qing in private. How about a few years in jail?
…
The verbal battle was so intense that even Liu Qifeng, who was delivering the opening remarks, was not spared. Because he said a few more words when introducing Ying Zhisheng, he was criticized by the barrage of comments as a dead bootlicker.
Backstage.
Lou Sheng sat at the dressing table, across from Sun Qing, while Zhou Qing stood beside her. A screen mounted on the wall was broadcasting the scene, and Liu Qifeng's clear, melodious voice echoed through the quiet room.
"As long as you pay him enough, he will help you deal with Ying Zhisheng." Zhou Qing's throat tightened.
Sun Qing couldn't contain his inner pride. He held his chin with one hand and smiled with raised eyebrows. "You are the ghost that Ying Zhisheng raised? Do you know what happens when a ghost betrays its master?"
Lou Sheng pretended to be shocked and asked, "Can't ghosts betray their masters?"
"Yes, yes, yes, of course I can. I'll just give you a scare." Sun Qing didn't expect that this ghost was still confused and knew nothing. Thinking of how Ying Zhisheng had been popular for seven or eight years and was praised for his talent, he felt that the ghost in front of him was capable.
Zhou Qing's fingers were shaking. She put her hands behind her back and said with a smile, "His name is Lou Sheng, a ghost raised by Ying Zhisheng. But Ying Zhisheng rarely feeds him. We had just met and chatted for a few minutes when he asked me if I had anything to eat, so I brought him here."
Seeing a ghost is extremely harmful to a living person. If this ghost wasn't so special, Sun Qing wouldn't have used the things Zhang Kai gave him.
Sun Qing knocked on the armrest of his chair and said thoughtfully, "If you help me ruin Ying Zhisheng's performance, I will give you a generous reward."
Lou Sheng looked over and asked, "How rich is it?"
To be honest, Sun Qing was unwilling to shed blood and cut flesh to feed these premature ghosts. If raising ghosts was not a very private matter that could not be leaked, he would have hired an ordinary person to feed the ghosts.
Sun Qing casually picked up the glass beside him and said leisurely, "This is the glass. I'll fill it with my blood and give it to you."
"Not enough." Lou Sheng jumped down, his eyes curved into crescents as he leaned over and pointed at Sun Qing's arm. "I still want to eat meat. The Golden Melody Award that Ying Zhisheng won when he was seventeen was earned by me eating five pieces of meat. I helped him achieve it."
This news resonated through Sun Qing's mind. Ying Zhisheng's achievements were something many in his circle could only dream of, leaving them envious, jealous, and resentful.
Zhou Qing whispered, "Lou Sheng is amazing. I can't compare to him."
"It's no use." Sun Qing tried to pinch Zhou Qing's face, but his expression turned pale when he found nothing. "I don't expect you to help me with anything. In the movies, female ghosts are the most powerful. If I had known you were dying, I would have dressed you in red clothes. It would have been best if you had become a fierce ghost."
Frank and selfish.
Sun Qing thought, he had finally made it out of a small town and become a much-loved celebrity. If he had been a little more ruthless, had cheated Zhou Qing earlier, perhaps he would have been even more successful than he is now.
To make it more realistic, Lou Sheng continued, "Ying Zhisheng is a cold-blooded, ruthless person who throws things away after use. He hasn't fed me since he won the award."
Sun Qing laughed heartily. Ghosts were creatures that needed to be kept alive by food. Overfeed them and they'd become lazy and inactive, while starvation would lead to ulterior motives. Ying Zhisheng simply didn't understand how to manipulate human nature.
"I'll also give you five pieces of meat and a glass of blood. As long as you can get Ying Zhisheng eliminated tonight."
This time he was quite generous. Zhou Qing lowered his head to hide the hatred in his eyes, almost nauseous at Sun Qing's vicious and selfish face.
"Zhou Qing, are you unhappy?" Sun Qing suddenly spoke, revealing the bright and sunny smile he used to have when he was in love, and looked at Zhou Qing. "But I know you won't blame me. You said you would risk your life to make me famous."
Besides, he didn't kill Zhou Qing and he even spent millions on her medical treatment.
"If you leave that dead baby alone, I'll make you drink my blood."
Sun Qing hated the child and always felt that he was born bad and deserved to die.
…
According to the ranking of the previous round, they took the stage in order. Jiang Huoda was the first to perform, and Ying Zhisheng was the last to perform.
Jiang Huoda took the stage and waved to the crowd, announcing his intention to break through and switch to rock music. Lin Chi of the band Crazy excelled at this style, and while outsiders saw this as a daring challenge for Lin Chi, only Jiang Huoda knew that Lin Chi would simply be a stepping stone.
Lou Sheng just floated back to the lounge where Ying Zhisheng was, and as soon as he entered the door he heard Jiang Huoda's hoarse shouting.
“That’s so awful.”
"Where did you go?"
Lou Sheng came up to Ying Zhisheng and said in a long tone, "I'm going to see the ghost girl."
Ying Zhisheng's eyelids drooped, and he said nothing. Although his expression remained the same, Lou Sheng could sense his low mood and a hint of anxiety.
Just when Lou Sheng thought Ying Zhisheng would be like he was in school, sulking by himself and waiting for others to find him, he suddenly heard a sneer and a cryptic remark: "You're quite busy, running back and forth between me and the female ghost. No wonder your mother said you have no shortage of people around you and asked me not to lead you astray."
Lou Sheng was quite confused when he heard the first half of the sentence, but the smile on his face suddenly disappeared after hearing the second half. He asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean? Ying Zhisheng, my mother actually came to you? When?"
Ying Zhisheng tried to appear calm, but the bitterness deep within him surged forth. He clenched his jaw, his throat so dry and painful it made it difficult to breathe. He managed to utter, "It was a long time ago. I don't remember it."
Lou Sheng kept moving closer to look at Ying Zhisheng's expression, always wanting to hold his face and say a few words of comfort, but his fingers kept slipping through him.
A cold ghost hand touched his cheek, and Ying Zhisheng's eyes moved slightly, but he still asked, "Where did you go just now?"
——
Jiang Huoda's performance was somewhat disappointing, but his courage was commendable. He has a deep voice, which is not a natural condition, but he sings slow songs gracefully, and when the rhythm is fast, he occasionally has a hint of his hometown accent.
The audience gave it a mediocre review, but the professional judges on stage gave it low scores without mercy. Online, some people praised and encouraged it, while others mocked and questioned it.
[The meat of the foreign rat is delicious: It was so bad that I went straight to watch the female anchor. It was so fucking bad! It was so bad! Her voice was like a squeaking fan!]
To reach the top: Isn't participating in this show ultimately about trying new things and breaking through? [crying] [crying] This spirit is so touching. Going for it even though you know it's impossible is so brave! Unlike some people who just show off their skills or stay in their comfort zone and sing love songs.
[The whole world is my dog: No, Jiang Huoda's fans are praising one and criticizing the other? Who are they implying? They say our sister Zhang Xing only knows how to show off, but that loser Jiang Huoda needs to have some skills to show off too.]
User 13497: Honestly, it's really not nice to hear. I'm not deliberately trying to discredit Jiang Huoda, but it really is not nice to hear.
[To reach the top: Zhang Xing is so talented, so amazing, so amazing. Even though she's so talented, she's not that popular. Is she ranked first? No way, everyone agrees that her singing lacks emotion.]
[To reach the top: Zhang Xing's makeup is always too fancy, and her skirts are thigh-high [vomit] [vomit] The price she pays for fame is not small.]
[Bubble Machine Hululu: Jiang Huoda fans, please shut up! Your comments are disgusting. How can you be so disgusting? Zhang Xing is awesome, Zhang Xing is awesome, you must be jealous!]
[The meat of the foreign rat is delicious: Jiang Huoda's fans are indeed the best [thumbs up] [thumbs up]]
[Anonymous Xiaomei: I'm really surprised that singers' fans are so obsessed with fandom nowadays]
[Kuachazi cried and left tired: Ying Zhisheng's fans are still extreme, the fan circleization started with Ying Zhisheng! ]
User 9743: Damn it, this barrage is so annoying, I’m turning it off!
…
After Jiang Huoda, Jian Qian appeared.
Jian Qian's look this time was sweet, with a bun and full of energy. She was a little nervous at first, but she was able to perform normally after singing the first two lines.
Sun Qing watched from the screen, his eyes filled with disdain. With the caliber of the first two performers, if they could win "Top of the Pop 3," the music industry would be doomed.
He rarely used the black porcelain bottle Zhang Fa gave him. Every time he applied it to his eyes, he would get a splitting headache, a torture comparable to torture. This time, he used it. Sun Qing turned his head and stared at his girlfriend who had died many years ago.
Time flies so fast. Whenever Sun Qing sees Zhou Qing's face, he will think of the girl who is quietly waiting with a bouquet of flowers in the audience.
In fact, he was quite sad when Zhou Qing died. He knelt beside the hospital bed, holding his dead girlfriend's hand, crying heart-wrenchingly for a long time and couldn't get over it.
However, after being teased and mocked by seniors with greater status and being treated coldly by the company, this little bit of emotion was washed away by resentment and ambition.
After all, Zhou Qing is just a dead man.
"Zhou Qing, wife." Sun Qing called her softly.
"I love you."
Zhou Qing was so hungry that he almost vomited.
At this moment, Sun Qing's assistant came running over and whispered, "Brother, Ying Zhisheng is in trouble. The program director and assistant director have rushed over."
"What's wrong?" Sun Qing couldn't contain his excitement.
"He couldn't breathe or speak. His agent rushed over to help him withdraw from the competition."
Withdrawal and elimination are almost the same. One is surrender without a fight, and the other is inferior in skills. Sun Qing is still quite satisfied.
Soon, the program crew informed everyone of Ying Zhisheng's poor health. For a while, there was a lot of discussion at the scene and on the Internet, with people speculating about the inside story and spreading rumors. Soon, even the news of Ying Zhisheng's death was reported.
There really is a difference between ghosts. As expected of a ghost who could help Ying Zhisheng win the Golden Melody Award, less than an hour had passed and Lou Sheng had already done it for him.
Soon, Lou Sheng came to Sun Qing to ask for his reward.
At this moment, Jian Qian had finished singing on stage, and it was Lin Chi's turn to prepare. Time was tight, and Lou Sheng was out of Sun Qing's control, so he couldn't break the contract.
Sun Qing hardened his heart, took off his coat, and cut his arm with a knife, letting blood drip into the glass. The cut was shallow, the blood flowed slowly and the amount was small. Soon Lou Sheng and others were anxious and made a sound. Sun Qing hesitated and cut the existing wound again.
Bright red blood slid down the transparent glass, leaving a bloodstain on the rim. Soon, the cup was half full.
At this moment, Sun Qing remembered, "Ghosts cannot harm people, otherwise they will be punished by heaven. How did you do it?"
Lou Sheng had already made up an excuse, "Ying Zhisheng is allergic to peanuts. I just slightly misled his assistant to give him the wrong food."
"Is that so?" Sun Qing frowned. He had never heard that Ying Zhisheng was allergic to peanuts.
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