The day before the city preliminaries.
Xinghui's official Weibo posted a message.
This message instantly stirred up a storm online.
"Listening Rain's latest competition track, released in both Vietnamese and Chinese versions. The competition will feature the Vietnamese version, and the Chinese version will be released simultaneously after the competition! Both versions will be sung by singer Zhang Wei."
This news sent Listening Rain's fans into a frenzy.
This was an outcome no one had anticipated.
They had originally thought that Listening Rain would at most follow the opponent's preferred style and release a Vietnamese song. They never expected him to release a song in both Chinese and Vietnamese versions.
"Holy crap, Listening Rain is awesome!"
"As expected of you!"
"Seeing this news, I suddenly feel a surge of excitement!"
"Damn, Listening Rain writing a Vietnamese song, I really want to hear it!"
"If he uses a Vietnamese song and wins Huyang in the Vietnamese domain, that would be a grand slam in the regional competitions! He will have truly won against all opponents using their preferred styles!"
Listening Rain's fans left comments on Xinghui's Weibo.
However, besides Listening Rain's fans, passersby and fans of other contestants also saw this message.
Zhu Xinyu, as a King of Singers, naturally had many loyal fans.
Seeing Listening Rain's fans belittle the King of Singers, they did not entirely agree.
"Don't celebrate too early. Listening Rain's opponent is not just producer Huyang. Our Zhu Xinyu is a genuine King of Singers, his vocal skills completely crush Zhang Wei."
"That's right. Even if Listening Rain's song is amazing, if Zhang Wei can't match Zhu Xinyu live, the effect will still be subpar."
"Live performances rely on the judges' votes, and singers account for at least half the importance. The judges look at who performs better and can move them more, and they will vote for that person."
"Your opponent this time is a King of Singers!"
Neither side was convinced.
Everyone argued online.
This further increased the heat of the event.
Even with the fiercest online arguments.
Listening Rain did not come out to speak for Zhang Wei this time.
Because he had just helped Qin Xiaorou, with whom he wasn't very familiar, but not Zhang Wei, who had been following him.
This made netizens even more convinced that Zhang Wei was not important to Listening Rain.
Although everyone found his decision to put Zhang Wei in the finals inexplicable.
It didn't stop them from wielding their keyboards online.
...
Inside the Ace internal group chat.
It was very lively at this moment.
After Xinghui revealed that Listening Rain would release a Vietnamese song.
His opponent, Huyang, directly posted an incredibly domineering statement in the group.
"In the Vietnamese language, I, Huyang, have never feared anyone in the Chinese music scene. Since Listening Rain is seeking death, I will fulfill his wish. The enormous bounty for eliminating Listening Rain will be mine."
No one provoked him.
The group had been silent about Listening Rain for a long time.
Huyang's direct statement caused an uproar in the group.
"Huyang, you're amazing!"
"Holy crap, this is the spirit an Ace producer should have!"
"We should learn from Huyang!"
"That's right. Listening Rain dares to go against Huyang in Vietnamese, it's like looking for death with a lantern in a toilet."
Watching the show is always fun, and those who didn't participate in the city preliminaries were just spectating.
With such a big piece of gossip, they instantly became excited.
Normally, it was fine, they were all peers bragging, and it was okay to be proven wrong.
But now, there was a mysterious organization in this group.
If you dare to brag casually, you must be prepared to be embarrassed and have your face slapped.
Huyang's daring to say such a thing earned him the admiration of many in the group.
"Hmph, this myth, I will be the one to end it!"
Amidst everyone's flattery, Huyang sent another message and then smiled triumphantly.
He was afraid that Listening Rain would compete with him using ancient styles, but since Listening Rain was so headstrong and dared to use Vietnamese, he was naturally very happy.
...
The next day.
The Ace city preliminaries were about to begin.
In the backstage lounge.
Zhang Wei was getting his styling done.
His outfit and styling for this time were rather peculiar, to say the least.
Because his costume and makeup were completely different on the left and right sides.
The suit was in the style of a Western suit. The left side was red, and the right side was black. The two colors were split down the middle and spliced together.
Looking at him from the left, he resembled the classic appearance of a clown, with a white face, dark circles, and a red mouth extending to half his face.
From the right, he was wearing an exquisite black suit, and his makeup and hairstyle exuded a sense of stability.
These two styles blended together.
It looked somewhat abrupt, yet possessed a different kind of harmony.
The clown on the left appeared comical and tinged with sadness, while the suit on the right was steady and reserved.
However, Zhang Wei did not look in the mirror.
Instead, he was engrossed in scrolling through his phone.
He had endured too much criticism and mockery during this period.
The worst part was that he had to force himself to look at it.
Because after receiving the Vietnamese and Chinese versions of the song "Exaggerated," he cried for a whole hour.
Brother Yu was his confidant! He was the one who understood him best! He was also a god!
Because only a god could write such a fitting song for him!
The Vietnamese version narrated the pain and struggle of an ordinary person not receiving attention, which was him when he first participated in the talent show.
The Chinese version, on the other hand, narrated a singer's persistence in their chosen path, even when facing criticism and misunderstanding, they had to stick to their musical journey, which was him now.
These two versions of the song contained all of Zhang Wei's experiences from his debut to the present.
They also encompassed the shared experiences of many people working in the entertainment industry.
Therefore, the criticism and mockery he was currently enduring were the emotions he needed to experience.
It sounded somewhat masochistic, but he was willing to do it.
"Zhang Wei."
At this moment, Su Yu walked in from outside the lounge.
"Brother Yu." Zhang Wei looked up and managed a smile with the corners of his mouth.
However, due to his eccentric makeup, his smile didn't look very good.
"Still looking?" Su Yu glanced at the screen of his phone and couldn't help but smile.
"In Brother Yu's words, always maintain the state," Zhang Wei said, shaking his phone and casually tossing it onto the dressing table.
Su Yu smiled upon hearing this.
He had been wandering around outside and unknowingly ended up here. Seeing that Zhang Wei was still getting his makeup done, he decided to come in and take a look.
Among the many competitions in the singer group, this was the one he cared about the most.
It wasn't because he was worried about losing, nor was it because he was worried that Zhang Wei wouldn't be able to sing this song.
In fact, he himself didn't know the reason. It was as if, in some unseen way, he wanted this song to be presented in its perfect state in this world.
So, after returning from his cousin Gu Qianqian's place, he had been at Xinghui, providing Zhang Wei with detailed guidance.
"Zhang Wei, your strength is immense, and your technique is very proficient. However, sometimes emotion outweighs technique," Su Yu said softly.
Zhang Wei was taken aback, then nodded thoughtfully, "I know."
His only weakness was his tendency to express songs too much through technique, which made the audience feel a lack of emotional resonance.
Su Yu patted his shoulder and smiled, "You've already mastered the technical details of 'Exaggerated.' After what happened online, you should understand the emotions in the song better than anyone. So, go for it."
After speaking, he turned to leave.
Zhang Wei stared blankly at Su Yu's receding back. He felt that Brother Yu seemed a bit different today. He shook his head, dispelling these stray thoughts, and made a gesture of encouragement to Su Yu: "I won't let you down!"
Su Yu's footsteps paused upon hearing this. He didn't turn back: "It's about not letting yourself down. Tonight is your stage, exaggerate to your heart's content..."
With that, he left the lounge without further delay.
...