Chapter Fifty-Six: Helping Lily and All Kinds of People...

Xiaoli took out a notebook with several phone numbers written inside. She dialed one of them: “Hello, I used to be a waitress at Red Romance Western Restaurant. Here’s what happened…”

“Beep… beep…”

“They hung up?” Xiaoli stared at the number in the notebook, hesitating whether to keep calling.

She walked into a hospital room. “Dr. Hong, how is my brother’s condition?”

“Not good. He needs a bone marrow transplant.”

“Ring ring ring!” Xiaoli’s phone rang. “Dr. Hong, excuse me, I need to take this call.”

“Go ahead.”

Xiaoli stepped into a deserted hallway. “Hello?”

“Hello, have you made up your mind? One is a foot massage parlor, the other is your kidney!”

“I…” Xiaoli was clearly struggling. “Please, give me a little more time. I’ll call you in two hours.”

“Beep… beep…”

“Hoo—” Xiaoli exhaled deeply, feeling powerless.

After a while, she grew resolute again. Xiaoli took out her notebook and began dialing the numbers one by one.

Jiang Yun sat in his office playing a computer game. “The games in this world are so outdated. Someday, I’ll develop a game myself.”

“Ding! Host’s desire to achieve greatness detected. Now issuing a mission: help Xiaoli, and you will be rewarded with game development skills.”

“Xiaoli? Who’s Xiaoli?”

“Ring ring ring!”

Jiang Yun picked up the phone. “Who’s this?”

“Xiaoli?”

“How can you prove it?”

“Send me the account number!”

Jiang Yun hung up and began transferring money to a stranger’s account. He entered 500,000, hesitated, then changed it to one million.

Xiaoli paced anxiously in the hospital’s fire escape, phone in hand, waiting desperately.

“Ding!”

She quickly checked her phone.

“On November 4th, XX year, 1,000,000 yuan has been credited to your account.”

Seeing the balance truly appear, Xiaoli was overwhelmed with joy and tears.

“Tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousand, hundred thousand, one million!” Xiaoli cried tears of happiness.

She dialed the phone: “Hello? Mr. Jiang Yun, thank you!”

“Mm. Live well.”

Flustered and excited, Xiaoli rushed to the doctor’s office. “Dr. Hong, I’m going to pay right now. Please start the matching process as soon as possible!”

Hong Yu, wearing glasses, nodded silently.

Canghai Villa Office.

“System, why hasn’t the mission been marked as complete?”

“Host, your assistance hasn’t taken effect yet, and the task is not yet finished!”

Jiang Yun frowned. “Alright then.”

He quickly put this matter out of his mind.

Jiang Yun sent a message to Li Lulu: “Is the schedule set?”

Li Lulu replied: “All set!”

The next day, Li Lulu drove Jiang Yun to the Magic City Broadcasting Hall.

Magic City has a local TV station—Tomato TV. “The Voice of Huaxia” is held right here.

Currently, it’s the preliminary audition round, not yet the official recording. The main show will be broadcast live, but for now, it’s being pre-recorded to create promotional clips.

Several mentors were present to oversee the auditions.

Ever since the variety show “Yearning for Life” became a hit, major TV stations have been launching their own variety shows.

Blue Channel devised a large-scale outdoor reality show, while Tomato TV planned a talent show.

When Jiang Yun arrived, the audition venue was packed with people.

He entered the studio to meet the other three mentors.

In the lounge, Jiang Yun saw two men and one woman and introduced himself: “Hello, everyone. I’m Jiang Yun!”

A woman with a commanding presence, dressed in a black leather jacket and wearing a ponytail, stood up and extended her right hand. “Jiang Yun, I’ve heard so much about you! My name is Tian Zhen.”

“Hello, Ms. Tian Zhen!” Jiang Yun shook her hand.

“Brother Zhou, long time no see!” Jiang Yun greeted Zhou Lun.

“Long time no see!” Zhou Lun replied with a smile.

The last mentor, a man in punk style, extended his hand. “I’m Wang Feng.”

“Hello, Mr. Wang Feng!” Jiang Yun replied politely, shaking his hand.

With Jiang Yun, the four mentors got acquainted.

Inside the studio.

The four mentors sat on red spinning chairs, watching the performers on stage.

The first contestant stood on stage, headphones on, lost in his own world, singing with a raspy, duck-like voice and a look of utter enjoyment: “Come with me, let’s set out at dawn. The dream has awakened, the heart won’t be afraid. There’s a place, that’s the happy homeland.”

“Hrrk, hrrk, hrrk!”

The four mentors could hardly contain their laughter at the contestant’s performance.

After he finished, Jiang Yun commented, “This song isn’t meant for this stage. You should be singing it in a slaughterhouse!”

“Thank you, mentor! I have another song!” The contestant fumbled with the microphone, looking awkward.

“No need, maybe another time,” Tian Zhen said.

“Alright, next please!” Zhou Lun called.

Then, a beautiful woman with a striking appearance walked on stage.

Wang Feng spoke into the microphone: “Please begin your performance.”

“Hello, mentors. My name is Li KK, and I’ll sing ‘Peach Blossom Luck’ for everyone!”

The music started, and Li KK sang along: “The wind blows through the peach grove, blossoms everywhere; magpies chirp on the branches.”

“Pfft!”

The four mentors burst out laughing.

Li KK’s voice was thick with the Bagui dialect.

“The handsome guys on site have found peach blossom luck,
Each one hopes to win a bride,
The wind blows through the peach grove, blossoms everywhere,
Magpies chirp on the branches,
The beauties on site have found peach blossom luck,
And every handsome guy’s eyes are on her.”

“My performance is finished!”

“I have to say, this song is perfect for singing to yourself. It’s ideal for the shower!” Jiang Yun said.

“Exactly, it’s perfect for singing alone behind closed doors, no need to bring it to the stage,” Tian Zhen agreed.

“Next, please!” Zhou Lun called.

This time, a young man took the stage.

“Wuhu, another guy!” Wang Feng said. “I wonder what song you’ve brought us?”

“I’ll sing ‘Heartbreak Alliance’ for everyone!”

As the music began, Wang Feng remarked, “Wuhu, another song from the eighties. I’m looking forward to it.”

“She always leaves only her phone number, never letting me walk her home…”

“Pfft!”

The four mentors burst out laughing as soon as the contestant started.

“Is it another Bagui accent?”

“This audition is turning into a Bagui dialect showcase!”

The contestant continued: “I hear you once loved her too, and couldn’t help yourself…”

…

“Alright, you can step down,” Jiang Yun said with a wry smile. “Be sure to get Li KK’s phone number!”

“Haha!”

“Heh heh!”

Zhou Lun and Tian Zhen both laughed.

“Next, please!”

Five people came on stage, one with a large white drum hanging from his chest, the others holding trombones.

“Wuhu, it’s a band!” Wang Feng smiled. “Please begin your performance!”

The drummer started beating his drum, while the others played their trombones.

“Toot, toot, toot, toot, toot, toot, toot…”

The five shook their heads in rhythm, playing with wild enthusiasm, growing more excited as they played.

“Well, this is really something…”

“There’s all kinds of people here…”