Chapter 121: Su Bai’s Second Interview

Everyone knew that Zhou Buyi had been called over by Su Bai for a private session. The other girls were all eagerly waiting for Su Bai to call them in after Zhou Buyi came out of the office.

But a long time had passed since Zhou Buyi left, and Su Bai still hadn’t summoned anyone else.

Whispers began to spread among the group. They wondered why Zhou Buyi alone had earned Su Bai’s favor. They believed they were no less talented than he was.

After waiting for a long time with no response, Ding Dang, unable to sit still any longer, knocked loudly on Su Bai’s door.

“President Su, I have a question!” she called out.

Su Bai looked up, puzzled, recognizing the girl as Ding Dang.

“What’s your question? Please ask.”

“Why did you only listen to Zhou Buyi’s song and give him guidance, but not offer us any feedback?” Ding Dang asked bluntly. “Don’t you think that’s a bit unfair? We’re all newcomers who just joined the company, and you haven’t heard any of our songs. Why did you single out Zhou Buyi’s song?”

Su Bai was momentarily at a loss for words.

It wasn’t that Su Bai was biased. After Zhou Buyi left, she had been deeply engrossed in planning the entire competition schedule, especially the order in which the songs would be performed.

In Su Bai’s view, it was unwise to start with a knockout performance. That would give the judges and audience the impression that there would be no progression.

Instead, the competition needed to build momentum gradually.

So absorbed in these thoughts, Su Bai had forgotten about the fairness Ding Dang raised.

“Sorry, I was just lost in thought,” Su Bai apologized.

“That’s alright. Everyone will get a chance,” she assured her. “Since you’re here, why not sing the song you find most challenging?”

Singing right now? Ding Dang was taken aback by Su Bai’s directness.

She had only intended to ask a question but now had to think quickly about which song to perform.

“President Su, I’ll sing ‘Compendium of Materia Medica’ by Zhou Mulun,” she said after a moment’s thought.

Su Bai was surprised but nodded approvingly.

Zhou Mulun was a singer she admired—a truly talented artist who had long held a unique position in the Chinese music scene.

His style was distinctive, but his songs were notoriously difficult to sing.

Most people couldn’t capture the essence of his music.

But since Ding Dang wanted to sing his song, Su Bai agreed.

After all, the direction an artist chooses is ultimately their own decision.

The company could provide packaging and advice, but the final say belonged to the artist.

“If Hua Tuo were reborn,
Western medicine would be cured,
Foreigners would learn Chinese characters,
Igniting my national pride.
Nux Vomica, Cassia seed,
Cocklebur, and lotus seed,
Yellow medicine seed, bitter bean,
Chuanlian seed—
I want my dignity,
In my own way,
To rewrite history.”

Listening to Ding Dang’s clear enunciation and steady rhythm, Su Bai couldn’t help but nod in approval.

“Nothing else matters,
Follow me and chant a few words—
Yam, Angelica, Goji, Go!
Yam, Angelica, Goji, Go!
Watch me grab a handful of herbs,
Take a proud dose,
My expression relaxed,
Dance roughly,
Movements light and free,
You can’t learn the neon signs,
Adjust your state,
In this magnificent city,
Waiting to awaken,
Quickly in this era,
Inner strength spreads,
Heroic strokes of regular script,
Deliver a punchline,
In this magnificent city,
Waiting to awaken.”

By the end of the song, Ding Dang was breathless.

This song truly tested one’s vocal ability.

Zhou’s songs were famously demanding.

Though ‘Compendium of Materia Medica’ was one of Zhou’s easier pieces, it still posed a considerable challenge for a newcomer.

Ding Dang looked at Su Bai expectantly, hoping for feedback.

“First, choosing Zhou’s song shows courage,” Su Bai began.

“Your diction is fairly clear, and your breath control steady. You must have had professional training?”

Ding Dang nodded, saying she graduated from a music conservatory.

Su Bai acknowledged this, no wonder her breath control was so solid.

“Are you aiming for ‘Light of Tomorrow’?” Su Bai asked.

Ding Dang shook her head. “I want to go to ‘China’s Voice.’”

Her reasoning was simple: most of the company’s newcomers were going to ‘Light of Tomorrow,’ so she didn’t want to compete with them for resources.

“Can you sing something more conventional? Not hip-hop style. I’m not very versed in that genre, so it’s hard for me to critique.”

Actually, Su Bai could sing hip-hop.

Her system endowed her with all-round singing skills, able to master any style.

But she didn’t want to appear too versatile.

The previous songs had stylistic differences, but none as stark as hip-hop versus others.

Such a dramatic shift would be difficult to explain.

So she used that excuse.

Ding Dang thought for a moment, then sang a popular contemporary song.

“Honestly, your voice is crisp and pleasant. You should focus more on these cheerful love songs.”

“While hip-hop can showcase a singer’s skills, it’s not advantageous in competitive reality shows.”

“Also, your hip-hop performance didn’t quite captivate the audience.”

“It felt like you flawlessly executed the song without mistakes, but it lacked a spark.”

“I think you noticed it yourself—hip-hop felt a bit forced, not as effortless as the love song.”

“One felt strained; the other flowed smoothly. That creates different impressions.”

“The first sounds slightly awkward, the second comfortable.”

“Of course, you’re not forbidden from singing hip-hop.”

“That can be your trump card or your spice—something to surprise people occasionally.”

“But at critical moments, you should use your sweet love song voice to move the judges and the audience.”

Ding Dang nodded earnestly.

She had long been torn between these two styles.

She knew her voice was better suited to cheerful love songs.

But the market was already saturated with singers like that.

So she wanted to carve out a unique path with hip-hop, hoping to stand out.

Hearing Su Bai’s analysis, Ding Dang realized she had strayed a bit in her musical journey.

A musician must focus.

Delve deeply into their unique style to shine in the vibrant world of music.

Ding Dang bowed sincerely to Su Bai and said, “Thank you, Teacher Su Bai!”

“Thank you!” she replied.

With that, Ding Dang left.

One by one, the other artists then displayed their talents before Su Bai, effectively undergoing a second audition.

Su Bai offered her critiques based on her understanding.

To be honest, only Zhou Buyi was truly outstanding.

Ding Dang also showed potential worth exploring.

The rest were just average—ordinary singers.

Whether they would become stars depended largely on fate.