Chapter 156: The Tug-of-War for Talent
Originally a print model, Dangdang possessed naturally striking features.
An aura of youthful vibrancy radiated from her entire being.
To top it off, today she wore a black sailor hat, a light white short-sleeved shirt, and pink leather pants, which lent Dangdang an extra touch of playful charm.
A wave of cheers erupted across the venue.
Hearing the cheers echoing through the space, the four coaches of *The Voice of Great Xia*—Jay Chou, Harlem Yu, Na Ying, and Yang Shen—swapped glances.
It seemed this contestant had generated a huge amount of buzz!
The four of them couldn't help feeling a flicker of anticipation.
Dangdang took a deep breath, then nodded at the sound engineer.
Upbeat melodies filled the air, and Dangdang's body began to sway to the rhythm.
The moment she started moving with the beat, the entire crowd broke into enthusiastic cheers.
"Da La La La....
The sky is a bit dark, the atmosphere a bit blue,
The bright moonlight appears exceptionally clear.
The dialogue is very simple, like an elaborate disguise,
Making it look utterly cliché."
Just with the opening line of "Da La La La," the four coaches looked at each other and nodded.
Jay Chou couldn't resist exclaiming, "Hey-yo, not bad!"
Her voice sounded imbued with a playful flavor.
"You don't have to be too nervous, honesty might be a bit difficult,
Perhaps perfection is merely an illusion to me.
The past is something I don't care to discuss, and having flaws doesn't matter,
I want your natural self."
Noticing the other three coaches still utterly entranced by Dangdang's rhythm, Yang Shen couldn't hold back and was the first to slam the button before him.
When Yang Shen turned his chair around to look at Dangdang, he froze in place.
He finally understood why there had been such massive cheers at the very beginning.
It was because this contestant was simply stunning.
Yang Shen's dumbfounded expression instantly sparked the curiosity of the remaining coaches.
Originally intending to listen a bit longer to the rest of the song, Na Ying and Harlem Yu could no longer contain their curiosity and directly pressed their buttons.
Only Jay Chou continued to listen intently to Dangdang's voice.
The three of them watched Jay Chou still listening seriously and gestured at him, urging him to turn his chair.
Yet Jay Chou simply waved his hand and kept listening to the music!
"Love must be open and honest, don't put on a pretense until eternity.
I want you to be kind, even if lying to me brings warmth.
Please be open and honest, there is no such thing as hundred-percent romance in this world.
The vows people speak are pitifully real,
Have you never known the despair of being betrayed by love?"
As the three coaches turned their chairs, the atmosphere in the venue was pushed to a climax.
Dangdang couldn't help interacting with the friends in the audience through her movements.
Yet her vocals remained as steady as ever, without the slightest hint of a tremor!
The moment the final syllable fell, Jay Chou abruptly slammed the button before him!
The atmosphere in the venue surged to yet another peak!
Up to this point, Dangdang was the only four-chair turn of the season.
Hearing the cheers of the crowd, Dangdang felt incomparably happy.
Finally, she had taken the first step on her musical journey!
And this was merely the beginning.
Dangdang wanted to show Su Bai that she was by no means inferior to Zhou Buyi.
At the start, Su Bai had only had eyes for Zhou Buyi, coaching him individually, which had stirred a sense of resentment in Dangdang's heart.
Was her performance really that poor?
Why did he only care about Zhou Buyi?
Driven by this, Dangdang had been the first to storm into Su Bai's office, which in turn led to Su Bai giving everyone a second round of auditions!
Of course, most people did not know how to cherish the opportunity placed right in their hands.
The moment Su Bai's reputation experienced a slight ripple, they chose to leave the company.
Dangdang only wanted to say one thing: "Your vision is far too shallow!"
Harlem Yu chuckled as he looked at Yang Shen. "Yang Shen, is your little heart about to leap out of your chest?"
The other coaches burst into hearty laughter.
Dangdang smiled as well.
Anyone with eyes could see that the look in Yang Shen's eyes when he gazed at Dangdang was somewhat different.
Yang Shen took the initiative to speak up. "To be honest, the moment I turned around, I was completely shocked!"
"Gorgeous, truly gorgeous!"
"What's your name, and what do you do for a living?"
Dangdang introduced herself, "Hello, four coaches, my name is Dangdang, and I am a print model!"
Before Dangdang could even finish, Yang Shen blurted out, "I knew it!"
Harlem Yu couldn't help teasing him again, "Oh, you knew beforehand?"
The others exchanged awkward chuckles.
Yang Shen's behavior was indeed far too unusual.
Even if Dangdang was exceptionally pretty, wasn't your reaction just a bit too...
Yang Shen hurriedly explained, "Why did I turn around? Because there was an inexplicable emotion in her voice that could infect everyone around her. Before the rest of you turned, I saw the audience around me couldn't help but cheer!"
Everyone simply stared at Yang Shen with a smile, listening to his defense without saying a word!
After the four coaches gave their critiques one by one, all of which were unanimously glowing, Dangdang couldn't help feeling a surge of excitement.
Na Ying was the first to extend an olive branch. "Dangdang, we're both women, so communication between us will be much easier. Besides, I excel at singing these kinds of romantic ballads."
As she mentioned how easy it was for women to communicate, Na Ying cast a sidelong glance at Yang Shen.
It seemed like a subtle hint directed at Dangdang.
Yang Shen clearly caught Na Ying's gaze, a flash of annoyance crossing his mind.
Say your piece, why are you looking at me?
However, seeing everyone turning their attention toward him, Yang Shen quickly spoke up.
"I have 32 concerts planned for this year!"
"If you join my team, I promise you, there will be a place for you in those 32 concerts!"
Whoa!
Everyone in the venue was shocked!
Ancient emperors once lit warning beacons to win a favorite concubine's smile.
Today, Yang Shen threw down a massive trump card of 32 concerts just to win Dangdang over to his team!
The other three coaches looked at Yang Shen in disbelief.
They hadn't expected him to go to such extravagant lengths for Dangdang.
Harlem Yu chuckled and said, "Young lady, don't let those 32 concerts blind your eyes. Choosing what is most beneficial for your future is what matters most!"
"So, come to my team!"
A wave of laughter rippled through the crowd. At a glance, it looked like they were tearing down the competition just to snatch a contestant.
Yet all the insiders understood what was really going on.
Don't let yourself get sidetracked by the gimmick of 32 concerts!
Yang Shen managed a smile, though a trace of irritation flickered across his face.
When it was Jay Chou's turn:
"You sing very well, with a lot of flavor. If you happen to be interested in the Greater Xia style, welcome to my team, and we can explore it together!"
Hearing Jay Chou's words, Dangdang looked visibly excited.
In fact, long before coming to *The Voice*, Dangdang had already picked her target coach!
At this moment, Dangdang firmed up the resolution in her heart.
The host's voice rang out at that moment: "Then may I ask, Miss Dangdang, what is your choice..."