As Shen Jing finished the final line.
The quiet venue erupted into a tidal wave of cheers.
The cheers and enthusiastic applause from below rose and fell.
Many had tears in their eyes.
The song was written very realistically and easily resonated with the audience.
On stage.
Shen Jing glanced triumphantly at Li Yunchuan in the singer's section, then bowed to the audience below.
Amidst even more fervent applause.
The host came on stage, asked Shen Jing a few fan questions, and then Shen Jing returned to the singer's section.
This performance was perfect.
It was much better than he had expected.
"Li Yunchuan, you should understand now. Even if you had gone for the audition with me back then, you wouldn't have beaten me. Whether I wake you up or not is simply not important."
Over the years, Shen Jing had felt guilty towards Li Yunchuan deep down.
After all, he had indeed acted dishonorably back then.
But this time, if he won against Li Yunchuan, the burden in his heart for all these years would finally disappear.
After Shen Jing's song finished.
There was a low murmur of discussion among the judges.
"Liu Quanlin's 'Strolling the Streets' is a superb piece of urban folk music."
"This song truly captures the loneliness of young people drifting away from home!"
"As expected of the folk music master, the quality is consistently high!"
"This song can be considered top-tier among all folk songs!"
"Listen to Rain is in trouble now."
"If Listen to Rain is truly a folk singer, they might be in for a downfall!"
The judges' seating area was not far from the singers' section.
Shen Jing could faintly hear the discussions.
He couldn't help but feel even more smug.
...
While everyone was discussing.
On stage, the host's interview with Su Yu and Li Yunchuan had concluded.
After Su Yu returned to his designated area.
The host turned to Li Yunchuan and said, "Next, let's invite singer Li Yunchuan to perform Listen to Rain's new song for everyone!"
After saying this, he walked towards the side of the stage.
On stage, the lights shifted to a somber atmosphere.
Assistants from the production team had already prepared a stool with a microphone stand and microphone in front of it.
Li Yunchuan sat down with his guitar.
On the big screen, the song information appeared.
"Xiāo Chóu" (Soothing Sorrow)
Performed by: Li Yunchuan
Lyrics by: Tīng Yǔ (Listen to Rain)
Music by: Tīng Yǔ (Listen to Rain)
*Snap!*
A spotlight hit Li Yunchuan.
He looked up, scanned the audience below, then glanced at the judges and the team Su Yu belonged to.
Finally, his gaze settled on Shen Jing.
Their eyes met. Li Yunchuan offered a faint smile.
He took a deep breath.
His fingers rested on the strings and gently plucked the first note.
The band members joined in, following his guitar melody.
The intro was melodious and flowing, with the guitar as the foundation, and a melancholic atmosphere immediately enveloped the audience's hearts.
"When you step into this hall of joy,
Carrying all your dreams and aspirations,
With faces of all colors and makeup of all kinds,
No one remembers your likeness."
Li Yunchuan's voice was low, with a slight rasp.
As he began to sing.
Coupled with the strong imagery of the verses.
The audience was instantly drawn in.
As if they were on a street with people rushing by, surrounded by crowds yet feeling out of place with the world.
That sense of loneliness and helplessness, even anxiety, intertwined, causing a tightness in their chests.
"After three rounds of drinks, you're in a corner,
Stubbornly singing a song of bitterness,
Listen to it being drowned out by the noise,
You raise your glass and say to yourself..."
Tears welled up in Li Yunchuan's eyes.
He had practiced this song countless times in the practice room.
Every time he reached these lines, his throat would tighten involuntarily.
His experiences of drifting in Beijing flashed through his mind.
Leaving home alone.
Trying desperately to integrate into the big city.
Only those who have gone through it understand the bitterness of striving for dreams with all their might, only to be met with repeated setbacks.
He had sung on overpasses on winter nights.
And delivered food under the warm summer sun.
He had seen the moonlight at three in the morning, and the first ray of warm sun at dawn.
Li Yunchuan's singing was like a narration, and also like an ongoing experience.
That desire to belong was both helpless and frenzied.
Shen Jing in the singer's section had unconsciously clenched his fists. The song's melody was calm, yet it stirred endless ripples in his heart.
"One cup to the morning sun, one cup to the moonlight.
Awakening my longing, softening the cold window.
Thus, I can fly against the wind without looking back,
Unafraid of rain in my heart or frost in my eyes."
Upon reaching the chorus.
The ace producers in the producer's section shivered, their pupils contracting sharply.
"Hiss..."
"These lyrics!"
"No, there should be more after this!"
"I have a bad feeling!"
The four ace producers, upon hearing this line, all sensed something unusual.
Especially the lines about toasting the morning sun and moonlight. With their professional expertise, they could detect a subtle abnormality.
The producers straightened up, their teeth gradually clenching, anticipating the following lyrics.
"One cup to my hometown, one cup to distant lands.
Guarding my kindness, urging my growth.
Therefore, the roads north and south will no longer be long,
And the soul will no longer be adrift."
*Swish!*
The four ace producers instantly rose from their seats.
They stared intently at Li Yunchuan on stage.
Their eyes were filled with yearning!
Yes, it was yearning!
They yearned to know the subsequent lyrics; the urgency was driving them to the brink of madness!
The emotions of the audience below seemed to be held tightly by a string, wanting to break free but unable to.
As the accompaniment faded, drums and various instruments immediately joined in.
Igniting the song's emotion in an instant.
Li Yunchuan released the chords on his right hand and began to whistle.
Yes, it was whistling!
Accompanying the increasingly powerful accompaniment.
It swept and swirled through everyone's minds!
Causing a tingling sensation.
Unconsciously, goosebumps rose on their skin.
"One cup to tomorrow, one cup to the past.
Forgiving my body, strengthening my shoulders.
Though I never believed in so-called insurmountable obstacles,
Life is short, why dwell on it endlessly."
The emotion continued to climb.
Li Yunchuan had put down his guitar.
He stood up from his seat, holding the microphone with both hands, his pitch gradually rising. However, he maintained his chest resonance, tightly holding onto that suppressed emotion.
"One cup to freedom, one cup to death.
Forgiving my ordinariness, dispelling my confusion.
Alright, after dawn, we always leave hastily,
The sober ones are the most absurd."
*Boom!*
As this line was sung.
It was like a thunderous explosion in everyone's minds!!
Freedom! Death!
The accumulated climax exploded, making every hair stand on end! A wave of tingling sensation washed over them repeatedly!
The four ace producers' mouths hung open, their faces filled with shock!
But in the depths of their pupils was intense satisfaction!
They finally knew all the lyrics; that sense of fulfillment swept over their entire bodies, and in a moment of heated emotion, two lines of excited tears involuntarily streamed down their faces.
Shen Jing in the singer's section was already crying uncontrollably.
He shared the same experiences as Li Yunchuan.
And this song sang about their past pursuit of dreams!
"Alright, after dawn, we always leave hastily, the sober ones are the most absurd..."
After the final line was sung.
The entire venue became eerily quiet.
After an unknown period.
Someone slowly came back to their senses.
Suddenly shivered.
"Eight cups of wine, to a lifetime!"
This voice was filled with immense awe.
The speaker was Liu Quanlin, the opponent of Listen to Rain this time!
ps: This version is Mao Buyi's 2 minute and 59 second live version from his competition. Because I feel the whistling is the soul, although the official version released later has added lyrics and extended duration, it is also very good. I still strongly recommend the live version... Please click to urge updates and watch the update videos. Thank you for your support!