Chapter 168: Ten Thousand Reasons

"The adaptation is excellent!" Jiang Yun said, holding the microphone. "This song is inherently avant-garde—a fusion of Peking Opera and rock!"

"You've pushed that avant-garde quality even further. However, you focused entirely on the Peking Opera style and neglected the rock elements. That concludes my critique." Jiang Yun lowered the microphone.

"Whoosh!" The audience erupted into thunderous applause.

Zhang Ting bowed.

"All right, let us now welcome our next contestant, Dai Quan, to the stage," Yang Yang announced.

Yang Yang and Zhang Ting stepped off the stage.

Dai Quan walked on. The stage lights flashed, and intense music began to play.

"Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang!" The sharp, vibrant sound of a guzheng rang out.

Dai Quan sang:
"One Night in Beijing,
I left behind so much longing.
Whether you love me or not,
It’s all just dust in the pages of history."

Dai Quan had completely abandoned the traditional operatic opening, rearranging the lyrics entirely!

Dai Quan’s performance grew increasingly intense:
"They say in the depths of the Hundred Flowers lane,
Lives an old lover,
Stitching embroidered shoes..."

"Whoosh!" The crowd was instantly electrified.

The rhythm grew fierce, and Dai Quan launched into a rap segment:
"The Zhao guest adjusts his silk ribbons, the Wu hook shines like frost and snow.
Silver saddle on a white horse, dashing like a shooting star.
Ten paces to kill a man, a thousand miles without a trace.
After the deed, he shakes off his robes and leaves, hiding his body and his name."

"Whoosh!" The crowd roared, erupting into wild applause.

As Dai Quan finished his performance, he bowed deeply toward the mentors' table.

"Clatter, clatter!" Everyone applauded.

Jiang Yun was also clapping vigorously.

Yang Yang and Zhang Ting returned to the stage.

Jiang Yun picked up the microphone: "Dai Quan, your adaptation was excellent—truly avant-garde!"

Tian Zhen remarked, "Dai Quan, being on Jiang Yun’s team is a real waste of your talent!"

Jiang Yun rolled his eyes. "What do you mean, a waste of talent on my team?"

"Hehe," Tian Zhen replied with a smile.

"All right! Now, Mentor Jiang Yun, please decide who stays and who goes," Yang Yang said.

Jiang Yun rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought. "I choose to keep Dai Quan. Zhang Ting, you are eliminated."

"Yay!" Dai Quan made a victory sign, looking delighted.

"Clatter, clatter!" The audience applauded.

Zhang Ting’s face instantly fell, and she hung her head in despair.

"Sigh, I have to leave this stage," she murmured, unable to control her emotions as tears began to fall.

Jiang Yun walked onto the stage, hugged Dai Quan, then turned to Zhang Ting and gave her a hug as well.

He patted her on the back. "There, there! Don't cry. You are a beautiful young woman."

"Mm," Zhang Ting nodded.

***

After comforting Zhang Ting, Dai Quan and Zhang Ting walked off the stage.

Jiang Yun returned to the mentors' table and winked at Li Mengya.

Li Mengya turned her head away with a huff, ignoring Jiang Yun’s playful gesture. Jiang Yun composed himself and sat back at the table.

Yang Yang began the next announcement: "Next, we invite Zhang Yang and Zhou Kai to perform!"

"Clatter, clatter!" The venue exploded with applause.

Zhang Yang and Zhou Kai walked onto the stage.

Yang Yang asked, "Which of you will go first?"

Zhou Kai stepped forward. "I'll go first!"

"Very well. Please welcome Zhou Kai, performing 'You Are a Song in My Heart'!"

A female guest singer walked onto the stage.

Jiang Yun frowned. Why had this group changed their song at the last minute?

Backstage, Zhang Yang stood anxiously, feeling disadvantaged because Zhou Kai had a guest performer while he did not.

Zhu Xiaoxiao walked up to Zhang Yang. "Zhang Yang, do you not have a guest performer?"

"Yeah," Zhang Yang nodded, looking distracted.

"Then what do you think of me?"

Zhang Yang was stunned. "You?"

He thought for a moment and nodded firmly. "That works!"

Zhu Xiaoxiao smiled.

Back in the studio, Jiang Yun sat at the mentors' table, brow furrowed, wondering what could have caused them to change their track list so suddenly.

After Zhou Kai finished his performance, he stood respectfully on stage.

Jiang Yun picked up his microphone and asked, "What is the reason for this last-minute song change?"

"This..."

Jiang Yun frowned.

Seeing that Jiang Yun was unhappy, Zhou Kai quickly explained, "It’s like this, Teacher Jiang Yun. Sigh!"

Zhou Kai sighed. "My ex-girlfriend is getting married. My current girlfriend said she wanted to sing this song with me as a duet, so I discussed it with Zhang Yang, and he agreed. That’s why I sang this."

Jiang Yun was speechless—this was truly melodramatic.

Jiang Yun waved his hand. "This behavior of yours makes me very unhappy. When it comes time to choose, I might pick Zhang Yang over you because of this."

"I understand, Mentor Jiang Yun. Even if you don't choose me, I have no complaints," Zhou Kai said.

"Mm," Jiang Yun nodded.

Yang Yang walked onto the stage, teasing, "It seems our contestant Zhou Kai is quite the romantic!"

"Next, let’s have Zhang Yang perform!"

"Whoosh!" The audience erupted into applause.

Zhang Yang walked onto the stage as the music began.

He sang soulfully: "You are a song in my heart, a flower blooming in my soul."

Suddenly, a female voice rang out: "You are a song in my life, longing gathering into a river."

"Whoosh!" The audience was shocked.

"That female voice is beautiful!"

"Where is she? Why can't I see anyone?"

Zhang Yang continued: "A song kept in my heart, don't just be a passerby."

"Leaving a song in my life, no matter what the ending may be." Zhu Xiaoxiao’s figure slowly emerged from behind the curtain.

***

"Whoosh!"

"So it was Xiaoxiao!"

"Clatter, clatter!" The audience applauded warmly.

After they finished, Zhu Xiaoxiao bowed and left the stage.

Now, only Yang Yang, Zhang Yang, and Zhou Kai remained.

Jiang Yun said, "This song has no real difficulty, and your arrangement was mediocre. If I could, I’d eliminate both of you."

"You changed the song without permission!"

Faced with Jiang Yun’s reprimand, Zhang Yang and Zhou Kai looked awkward. Neither said a word, quietly enduring the criticism.

"Mentor Jiang Yun, please make your choice," Yang Yang said.

"Before I choose, I have one question!"

"Please, Mentor Jiang Yun," Zhou Kai said.

"The person who sang the duet with you just now—is she your girlfriend?"

Zhou Kai shook his head awkwardly. "She is a staff member of the program."

"Oh! In that case, I choose Zhang Yang to advance!"

"Yes!" Zhang Yang jumped up in excitement.

Jiang Yun shook his head helplessly.

"Next, let’s welcome Zhou Shen and Zheng Yuan," Yang Yang announced.

Zhou Shen and Zheng Yuan stepped onto the stage.

Yang Yang didn't leave, but continued, "Zhou Shen is already somewhat famous, but Zheng Yuan is not to be underestimated!"

"Zheng Yuan is an internet singer. I believe many of you have heard his songs!"

"Clatter, clatter!" The audience cheered wildly.

"Zheng Yuan! Zheng Yuan!"

"Zheng Yuan, I love you!"

"Zheng Yuan is the GOAT!"

Yang Yang made a gesture for quiet, and the crowd calmed down.

"Now, please welcome Zheng Yuan, performing 'Ten Thousand Reasons'!"

Yang Yang and Zhou Shen stepped off the stage.

The soulful accompaniment began.

Zheng Yuan sang with deep emotion: "Just when the feelings became impossible to hold back, and you were determined to leave."

"You wanted me to find a reason to make you turn back,
But in the end, I still let you go."

...

"If you really need a reason, are ten thousand enough?"

"Whoosh!" The audience exploded into a frenzy.

A human wave rippled through the crowd as they spontaneously stood up and sat down.

Zheng Yuan continued: "If I really need an excuse, ten thousand aren't enough."

"Clatter, clatter!" The audience applauded in massive waves, rising and sitting in rhythmic unison.