Chapter 166: The Voice, Episode Seven—Head-to-Head Match

It was actually Li Mengya’s mother, and Jiang Yun got an idea. Jiang Yun approached Li Mengya and began tickling her underarms.

“Hehehe!” Li Mengya slapped away Jiang Yun’s hand.

“Mengya, what’s wrong?” a woman’s voice came through the phone.

“Nothing!” Li Mengya lied.

“Mengya, I haven’t even asked yet. You were recording the show with that boy—who is he?” Li Mengya’s mother asked over the phone.

“Mom, I didn’t expect you to be so well-informed!”

“Of course! Who’s your mom? I’m a woman who keeps up with the trends!” The woman on the phone sounded a bit silly.

Li Mengya rolled her eyes, finally understanding where her self-deprecating genes came from.

“He’s just a friend of mine, Mom. Don’t overthink it!”

“All right, all right, I’ll hang up now!”

“Mom, are you playing mahjong again?” Li Mengya asked.

“No!”

“Whatever!” Li Mengya hung up.

After ending the call, Li Mengya lunged at Jiang Yun, clawing wildly because he had been tickling her just now.

Jiang Yun crossed his arms and said mockingly, “He’s just a friend of mine, don’t imagine more than that!”

Li Mengya looked at him, “What, are you jealous? I don’t even want to call you my friend!”

Jiang Yun paid her no mind.

At noon, they had a simple meal together. In the afternoon, the two sat in the office, each scrolling through their phones.

Around two o’clock, Jiang Yun grabbed his jacket. “Let’s go record The Voice.”

“Mm!” Li Mengya responded and followed him out of the office.

The Voice had shifted from live broadcasts to pre-recorded shows because the later rounds involved head-to-head battles, and the coaches needed to guide the contestants, making live broadcasts impractical. The live time was too short for proper coaching.

Jiang Yun, Li Mengya, and Li Lulu went downstairs. Li Lulu opened the car door, they got in, the car started, and they drove off.

This episode was an internal battle within Jiang Yun’s team.

Jiang Yun and Li Mengya arrived backstage at the studio. Upon seeing Jiang Yun, Cai Ming hurried over. “Ah, Jiang Yun, you really brought Mengya!”

“Hehe!” Jiang Yun smiled.

Cai Ming chatted with Jiang Yun for a while longer, then said, “Have Mengya sit in the special guest section later!”

Jiang Yun nodded.

Cai Ming left to prepare for the next tasks.

After a while, Zhou Lun, Tian Zhen, and Wang Feng arrived at the lounge.

Jiang Yun checked the time. “Almost time. Everyone, I’ll go coach the contestants first!”

“Okay!”

---

Jiang Yun entered the contestants’ lounge. “Everyone, long time no see!”

“Hello, Coach Jiang Yun!”

“Coach Jiang Yun, long time no see!”

Jiang Yun smiled and nodded. “Next up, Dai Quan versus Zhang Ting, Zhu Lu versus Zhu Xiaoxiao!”

“Ah?” Zhu Xiaoxiao frowned instantly. “Coach Jiang Yun, does it have to be like this? Do we really have to eliminate one of us?”

Jiang Yun took a deep breath and said earnestly, “Xiaoxiao, the battle was inevitable. Now we’re choosing the top four. After that, there’ll be four into one, then the national top four battle!”

Zhu Xiaoxiao sighed.

Zhu Lu comforted her, “Xiaoxiao, it’s okay! Besides, how do you know I’m the one getting eliminated? Maybe it’s you!”

“Hmph!” Zhu Xiaoxiao playfully retorted, “You’re heartless! Maybe it’s you!”

Jiang Yun chuckled at the scene. “Alright, continue. Everyone listen carefully!”

“Dai Quan and Zhang Ting, Zhu Lu and Zhu Xiaoxiao, Xu Wei and Liang Su, Li Ge and Wang Meng, Zhou Shen and Zheng Yuan, Hu Wen and Li Jian, Zhang Yang and Zhou Kai!”

“Everyone clear on that?”

“Clear!” they all answered in unison.

“Good!” Jiang Yun nodded and began coaching.

Jiang Yun pointed to Li Ge and Wang Meng. “You two sing once for me!”

They began singing Jiang Yun’s song, “Heartbroken Pacific.”

Jiang Yun rested his chin on his hand, nodding constantly.

Cameras captured every move.

“Wang Meng, when it’s your turn for the battle, just keep your state steady! Good luck, I’m rooting for you!” Jiang Yun encouraged.

“Thank you, Coach Jiang Yun!”

Wang Meng hadn’t joined Jiang Yun’s team during the blind auditions but was selected in the sixth revival round.

Liang Su, Li Jian, Zhou Kai, Wang Meng, and Zheng Yuan were all chosen during the revival rounds.

After some more coaching, Jiang Yun left the lounge.

Jiang Yun and Tian Zhen sat on red chairs with four others. Li Mengya sat alone in the guest section, accompanied by Mao Yi, who had also been invited as a special guest.

Tian Zhen and the others were ready.

“Okay! Let’s begin!” The broadcast announced.

“Clap! Clap! Clap!” The audience erupted in thunderous applause.

Jiang Yun and the others sat at the coaches’ panel facing the stage.

The stage lights flickered as Yang Yang stepped up. “Dear audience here and viewers at home, welcome to the seventh episode of The Voice of Huaguo, sponsored by Kidney Treasure Pills!”

“Next, please welcome the first group of contestants from Jiang Yun’s team for their battle!”

Wang Meng and Li Ge walked onto the stage.

“Who will go first?” Yang Yang asked with the microphone.

“Ladies first!” Li Ge said.

“Hehehe!” Yang Yang laughed, “That’s not how ladies first works!”

Li Ge felt embarrassed, “Then I’ll go first!”

“Alright! Please welcome Li Ge singing ‘Heartbroken Pacific’!”

“Clap! Clap! Clap!” The audience applauded warmly.

Yang Yang and Wang Meng stepped down from the stage.

“Doo doo doo doo doo!” The intense rhythm of the music began.

Li Ge sang with deep emotion: “Is leaving truly cruel? Or is gentleness the real disgrace?”

“Wow!” The audience applauded enthusiastically.

“Wow! That was really good!”

Jiang Yun nodded approvingly.

“He didn’t change much from the original melody but altered the singing style!” Wang Feng commented.

“Before this wave subsides, another wave crashes!”

“Whoa-oh-oh!” The music accompanied a beautiful harmony.

Li Ge finished singing and bowed.

Jiang Yun took the microphone. “What was your thought process behind this arrangement?”

Li Ge replied, “The original accompaniment is so classic that I didn’t want to change it much, just adjusted my singing style.”

Jiang Yun nodded. “Well sung! Great arrangement!”

Yang Yang returned to the stage. “Now, let’s have Li Ge rest a bit and welcome Wang Meng!”

“Clap! Clap! Clap!” The audience applauded enthusiastically.

Jiang Yun and the others sat at the director’s panel while Li Mengya and Mao Yi whispered about something unknown.

Wang Meng took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage.

The music began, carrying a desolate tone that made one feel as if immersed in a martial arts world.

“Is leaving truly cruel?

Or is gentleness the real disgrace?”

“Wow!” Tian Zhen sighed, “Really good! More flavorful than the previous singer!”

“Feels like a gangster vendetta!” Wang Feng remarked.

“Right?” Tian Zhen agreed wholeheartedly, “Like watching ‘Young and Dangerous’!”

“Mhm!” Wang Feng nodded.