After Jiang Xiao'e finished singing the song, her gaze remained fixed on Su Yu in the audience. Su Yu made no grand gestures, simply giving her a thumbs-up. Jiang Xiao'e immediately broke into a radiant smile.
"Teacher Ting Yu, I did it!" Indeed, this song showed significant improvement compared to her previous ones. Beyond her ethereal voice, under Su Yu's guidance, she had learned how to infuse the song with emotion, making her singing more captivating to the audience. As she put it into practice, Jiang Xiao'e felt an immense sense of exhilaration.
The moment she bowed slightly to the producers, Mo Yan and the others finally snapped out of their daze. They, along with the singers on stage, erupted into thunderous applause for Jiang Xiao'e! Being industry professionals, they understood just how well Jiang Xiao'e had performed. Regardless of her earlier renditions, this song alone possessed the caliber of a King of Singers. Especially in terms of emotional expression and song suitability, even some established Kings of Singers might not have matched her.
"Is there anyone who will say Jiang Xiao'e isn't worthy of singing Ting Yu's songs now?"
"Who else dares to say that? She sang this song so brilliantly; it felt tailor-made for her voice. No one else could deliver this kind of flavor!"
"Honestly, this song made me see Jiang Xiao'e in a new light. Her vocal ability has always been underestimated!"
"I was just eating and watching TV with my family, and we were so captivated by her singing that we didn't eat a single bite. She sang so beautifully!"
"Ting Yu is truly amazing. He perfectly utilized Jiang Xiao'e's timbre and also taught her other things."
"He managed to teach Jiang Xiao'e this much in just a few hours?"
Actually, Ting Yu teaching Jiang Xiao'e was only a minor surprise to the audience. But to have brought Jiang Xiao'e to this level in just a few hours was astonishing. However, the facts were undeniable, leaving no room for disbelief, especially since the audience had witnessed Ting Yu's hands-on guidance during the live broadcast. And Jiang Xiao'e's improvement during the performance was undeniably significant.
...
The song "The Whale Who Became an Isolated Island" left the audience utterly stunned. Consequently, the enthusiasm for Mo Yan's subsequent songs was noticeably lower. From this trend, it seemed the "Ting Yu Law" was beginning to take hold in "Singer King." As long as Ting Yu performed first, the rest would be affected. However, this time, it was the producers who wanted to hear him, which is why Ting Yu went first. The main reason was that at the beginning, no one could find an entry point into the story itself, which would have felt rather bland if translated directly. Little did they know, Ting Yu would find his inspiration in Chang Yu's work, using the lonely blue whale to craft the song. The effect was remarkably successful, especially the concluding integration of the blue whale and Chang Yu, earning widespread acclaim. Therefore, even though the subsequent program effects were somewhat lacking, the producers were not overly concerned, having been treated to such a magnificent song.
After listening to "The Whale Who Became an Isolated Island," Chang Yu turned off the television. The singing software hadn't launched yet, so he searched for it briefly before putting his phone down. His mind was in turmoil, his thoughts a jumbled mess, the melody of the song still echoing in his head. Like other viewers, he hadn't expected Ting Yu to use the whale from that painting as his starting point, telling the story of the loneliest whale and the little girl through song. Chang Yu, as a painter, deeply understood such romantic narratives. It was precisely because he felt a resonance with that blue whale that he had created the painting. This shared sentiment made the song resonate with him even more profoundly.
"The painting!" Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, he grabbed his phone and rushed out. Chang Yu's studio wasn't in his residence but at his own workspace. The studio was not far, about a ten-minute drive away. Upon arriving at the studio, he saw the whale painting displayed inside a glass case. Chang Yu took it out and quietly admired it. After a long while, he carried the painting over to an easel. Then, he picked up a brush and added a touch of red onto the blue whale's back. As the brushstrokes flew, the red gradually transformed into a girl in a long dress, standing on the whale's back and extending her arms towards the distant sea. Like the finishing touch to a dragon, the addition of this girl brought the originally desolate scene to life. The sense of loneliness vanished, replaced by a gentle warmth in the image.
"So... do you agree?"
The words came from a faint voice behind him the moment Chang Yu put down his brush. Chang Yu turned, and his eyes met Xiao Wen's. He stared blankly at the young woman. She appeared haggard, her eyes slightly swollen, clearly showing she hadn't been doing well these past few days.
"I watched the program and came straight here to find you," Xiao Wen said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and glancing at the painting behind Chang Yu. She paced slightly, moving around Chang Yu, then bent down to look at the girl in the painting, whose paint was still wet.
"You once said that because you were lonely yourself, you could understand it and capture its soul in your art. Now that you've added this little girl, does it mean the song will have a perfect ending?" Xiao Wen continued, her back to Chang Yu.
The atmosphere in the studio grew silent, Xiao Wen biting her lip, waiting patiently. Chang Yu opened his mouth several times, unsure how to respond. He loved Xiao Wen, but his ex-wife's betrayal made him hesitant to take that step. Furthermore, he wasn't sure if he could offer Xiao Wen a happy future. It was like the whale in the song; after the girl entered its heart, it felt so insignificant, unsure if it could provide the girl with a shore where she could run. Chang Yu turned around, looking at Xiao Wen's back, his peripheral vision catching the painting he had modified.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wen had lost patience. She had done a lot of emotional preparation for this visit, intending to try one last time. Seeing Chang Yu add a girl to his favorite painting made her happy, believing he had been awakened by the song. But now, it seemed her hopes were misplaced. With this thought, two streams of tears flowed from her eyes, and she lowered her head, preparing to leave.
Suddenly, her hand was caught by Chang Yu.
"I don't want any promises, because promises are meant to be broken. But I admit that I truly love you. So, are you willing to drift with me in the sea?"
Chang Yu's words made Xiao Wen pause slightly. Then, she could no longer hold back her emotions, letting out a soft sob as she rushed into his embrace. She had witnessed Chang Yu's profound loneliness and melancholy during their long companionship, like the scars on the whale's back battered by the waves. With her companionship, she had helped Chang Yu overcome his solitude, and today, he finally opened his heart to her. She was overjoyed.
When the forest is deep, you see deer. When the sea is blue, you see whales. When you wake from a dream, you see me.