Chapter 27
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Chapter 27: All promoted (1)
At 7 pm, the real-time broadcast of went live on the Internet. Unlike the previous live broadcast of the initial rating, the show had officially started for a week. The 101 contestants who were participating had already appeared on stage and had gained their own fanbase. Especially the newcomer Qiao Dai, whether it was for sleeping on the water, her stunning first stage, or her underwater portrait, was no longer an unknown player but had accumulated enough popularity to be one of the biggest dark horses of the show.
Fans had already joined the live broadcast room during the commercials and teasers, cheering for their favorite players.
[Yayyy, go Daidai!]
[Yiqi, go Yiqi!]
[Little Lu Ying, you’re the best!]
While fans were already commenting, players backstage were getting ready or training one last time, all while inquiring about the performances of the other groups.
Although the program had not made the repertoire public, during the latest rehearsal, some players had been walking around and had seen tidbits of practice from other groups; they could more or less guess the content of today’s show.
“Ruowei, do you know what song Qiao Dai’s team is performing?”
In the dressing room, Lin Lang and Jiang Ruowei were chatting. The two of them were teammates for this stage.
Jiang Ruowei shook her head. She had originally wanted to sneak in during their rehearsal to take a look but too many staff members had been watching the excitement and had prevented her from coming in. They had told her not to run around and cause trouble to them; she could only obediently go back
“But…”
Jiang Ruowei inhaled and recalled the costume she had seen. Although she had been far away, she could clearly see their outfits fitted with traditional songs.
“They should have chosen a traditional song.” Jiang Ruowei couldn’t help but chuckle, then added with a hint of sympathy in her voice: “For the first public performance, choosing the national style, ah! They are not afraid to be executed in public.”
Anyone with live experience knew there was an unwritten consensus, which was the hotter the stage, the better the effect. To put it simply, an upbeat performance would more easily ignite the excitement of the audience, therefore fast singing and dancing were the easiest to shine. On the contrary, more lyrical songs required for the viewers to think, and the results would not often be satisfactory.
Today was the first public performance, not the personal fan meeting of Qiao Dai’s team members. It was hard to imagine passersby would be interested in more classical songs until the end. This time, she was afraid that Qiao Dai had shot herself in the foot.
Lin Lang did not answer and retracted her gaze to look at herself in the mirror. Her small cat eye makeup made her sexier than usual but Lin Lang felt a little uneasy. Today, she had seen too many of this exact same shape backstage. She was afraid that when things reached an extreme, they could only move in the opposite direction1.
After the countdown in the live broadcast room ended, the host appeared on the screen, followed by the four mentors. Only when the teachers were seated at the judges’ table the host spoke: “Now, let’s give a warm round of applause to tonight’s mystery guest… Teacher Meng Lingsi!”
With a melody, a woman in her thirties walked out. She was a classical beauty, with big eyes and a slender nose. Her appearance was elegant and she looked generous, gentle, and sincere. The four mentors stood up to welcome her and Jiang Fengchi courteously pulled up her chair and waited until she was installed to sit back down.
The name Meng Lingsi might have been unfamiliar to a younger audience, but the others got excited as soon as they saw her. Yet instead of listing all the prizes she had won, they felt it was better to directly tell people she was the choreographer of a dance segment in a certain award-winning work.
[Miss Meng is here!]
Meng Lingsi sat down and chatted a little with the four mentors, a way to leave more preparation time for the first group. But since she was the guest of honor for tonight’s show, it was impossible to avoid talking about “Treading water”. Meng Lingsi smiled softly and her gentle voice was heard through the microphone: “I heard that one of today’s group chose “Treading water”. To be perfectly honest, I was both surprised and admirative. It takes a lot of courage to choose to perform a traditional song on this stage and I am looking forward to it.”
It wasn’t money nor fame that could convince her to make an appearance here but the opportunity to watch another adaptation of “Treading water”. She really wanted to see how classical and traditional songs would be performed in today’s entertainment industry. That was what she pursued in her career; she hoped to integrate Chinese traditional culture into the current entertainment circle. She wanted their culture and traditions to be recognized abroad so that more people would learn and understand instead of misappropriating them.
As soon as Meng Lingsi’s voice fell, the barrage in the live broadcast room exploded.
[What? Someone is going to perform “Treading water” in front of its original dancer? So strong!]
[Are there still people who don’t know this song? Well hurry up and watch it, you will definitely love it!]
But at the same time, other people were not as optimistic.
[“Treading water” is really good, yes. But can these little sisters perform it correctly? The original dancers and singers are all big shots.]
[+1, doesn’t it take an awfully long time to practice?]
But the debate around “Treading water” did not last too long as the first team had gone on stage and everybody turned their attention to them, instead of continually talking about a group who hadn’t performed yet.
[Omg, Luan Zhen’s rap is so good, there is really nothing wrong with it!]
[Krumping2! It’s the first time I’ve ever seen some in a women’s group!]
[They are too amazing! I know I keep repeating myself but let Sister Luan Zhen make her debut right away!]
Unsurprisingly, because it was a public performance, most of the top-ranked teams had chosen songs with explosive ambiances. They sang rap and high notes and their dances were more powerful than usual. The viewers were engrossed, their blood was boiling and the temperature on the scene seemed to have risen several degrees, the atmosphere suddenly high to the extreme.
“Qiao Dai and her team are about to be obliterated. The previous group has made the atmosphere so high, how can they ride it with their traditional song?”
When today’s show had officially begun, the program team had not concealed the schedule any longer. The order of appearance had been made according to the results of a draw, and after seeing Qiao Dai’s team song and time slot, the other girls couldn’t help but shake their heads. It wasn’t that their place was bad, it was just that all the previous groups had performed very popular songs. This meant that before they could go on stage, the mood of the audience had gradually risen; if they suddenly poured a bucket of cold water on the viewers’ heads while they were in a frenzy, wouldn’t the result be disastrous?
Perhaps because many players had gotten mediocre scores because of their lack of seriousness during the initial rating, this time almost all the top-ranked players had chosen more difficult songs and they had happened to be the first groups to perform. Now that the atmosphere had reached its peak, if the next group couldn’t keep up the mood, they would easily become cannon fodder.
Jiang Ruowei had been watching the performances of the other groups but when she saw how strong they were, she turned away and her fingertips felt a little cold. The latest group had been so powerful, crushing Jiang Ruowei’s song in every sense of the word. Even if it wasn’t her team’s turn yet, she already had a bad feeling.
Fortunately, the next one to perform was Qiao Dai’s group. No matter how she thought about it, she doubted traditional music would beat strong and popular songs. Just like that, the mood would fall and when Jiang Ruowei and Lin Lang would go on stage, the contrast with the first few groups would not be as strong and they would not look too bad. Thinking of this, Jiang Ruowei breathed a sigh of relief and returned backstage to prepare for her upcoming performance.
On Qiao Dai’s side, the girls were already waiting.
“Next group, get ready. Enter!”
Chapter 27: All promoted (2)
[I kind of feel my ears are fried *embarrassed*]
[It’s explosive, it’s awesome but my head hurts a bit now, can we get a break?]
All those hit songs in a row had ignited the audience’s enthusiasm, but on the other hand, their eardrums were in pain. Between the loud music and the soaring high-pitched notes, some of them were shivering.
As some of them were complaining, the lights on the stage gradually dimmed and a thin cloud of smoke spread. Music sounded, weak at first and slowly increasing, until the public realized it was the sound of running water.
The lights brightened once more, and a figure hidden in the smoke appeared. For a moment, the audience felt they had just been transported to the Peach Blossom Spring1.
Accompanied by the music, Qiao Dai lay on the floor, her soft body imitating undulating waves. Her movements were light and agile and she slowly stood up. This action looked rather simple but required a lot of muscle control; she could not get up with the help of her limbs as her body was trying to imitate the water. Only her torso was controlling the whole movement.
[She got up? How did she do it?]
[Wow, this muscle control is absolute! Not only can she stand up, but she can also do it so beautifully?!]
The audience was taken aback, it was the first time they had seen a contestant that soft yet that powerful. She really was like water.
[Hehehe, is that Qiao Dai performing “Treading water”?]
[Wait a minute, who is that? Isn’t that Song Yiqi? She’s not in C position?]
After the other girls came on stage, the audience was baffled. They would have never guessed a newcomer like Qiao Dai would have chosen such a difficult song, nor would they have imagined Song Yiqi would have given up the C position. This was incredible, wasn’t it? And as for Meng Lingsi, who was sitting at the judges’ table, held her breath and stared at the stage.
As the name suggested, “Treading water” told the story of a group of girls playing by the stream. A young girl was walking briskly on the edge, and afraid her skirt would get wet she gently held its corner. She kicked the water and made splashes with the toe of her shoes, her friends were singing and laughing around her, all of their movements full of youthful beauty and tenderness. At this time, their dance was without a doubt cheerful, their figures swaying like the water, their limbs nimble down to the fingertips; it was impossible to look away.
But all good things came to an end, let alone beautiful youth. Their homeland was invaded, trampled by the enemies; parents, brothers, friends, and lovers killed under the blades. The glory and laughter were erased and the once carefree and without worries girl became a married woman with a worried frown, homeless and miserable2.
The gaiety of the youth disappeared and their destroyed homeland was no more. The whole country was shattered and people had withered away. Having lived through many changes, the main protagonist headed to the stream where she used to play with her friends. The water was still bubbling, but her friends had drifted away and were long gone. Feelings changed with circumstances but the once young girl couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.
Once again, she picked up her skirt and walked along the water, the smile of the past forever lost, and resolutely leaped forward.
Following the last tune, Qiao Dai fell backward, her body covered by the fog, just like she had really jumped in the water.
The song ended.
The scene was extremely quiet for a moment. And in the next second, screams came one after another in the entire venue.
[Aaaaaaah!!!! Don’t jump! Don’t jump!]
[Wooooo, my tears are of little value.]
[Why abuse us again? Wasn’t the little robot enough? QAQ]
Both the audience on the scene and the one in the live broadcast room were immersed in the world created by Qiao Dai’s team. Through this song and this dance, they had clearly seen the stream and the group of beautiful girls, every moment until the camera changed and Qiao Dai jumped. This image had been so shocking everyone’s heartbeat had seemed to stop in an instant.
The suicide committed by the main protagonist of the song was obviously an artistic arrangement, but no one mentioned how it was impossible to drown in such shallow water. Everyone empathized with the girl at this moment, she was not the only protagonist of the story, they all were.
After their performance, Qiao Dai’s team stood on the stage again, waiting for the mentor’s evaluation.
The first to comment was Lu Cong. He seemed to think about what to say for a moment.
“I believe that the whole audience really saw the stream and the group of girls of your song. And so did I, it was fascinating.”
The next one to comment was Song Anni. She smiled and looked at the five girls on the stage and said: “Although there was somewhat of a lapse, I could definitely hear how graceful and meaningful your singing was. To be able to already achieve this level is very impressive. Song Yiqi, your opera voice is breathtaking but I am also very satisfied with all of you. As for the dance part, well, let’s ask someone more qualified.”
[Lu Cong gave such a high evaluation!]
[Song Song’s opera was so beautiful, she would have been the most popular actress in ancient times!]
[Teacher Song’s professionalism… Anyone with eyes can see it, right? I’m definitely going to brag about “Treading water” to everyone!]
But if Song Yiqi’s singing added a lot of points to their performance, Qiao Dai’s dance could be said to be the most important part of their stage and could determine the failure or success of their song, especially since the original dancer was sitting at the judges’ table.
As soon as Song Anni was done, Zheng Taijing couldn’t wait to speak. He was pleasantly surprised.
“Traditional dance pays attention to emotions and the fact that you have already achieved this is very good.” He realized his words were a bit rushed and slowed down a bit, “Qiao Dai, the action of you standing up was great, both beautiful and powerful. You have very good muscle control and abdomen strength. And finally, when you fell into the water, your action was clean and neat, without the slightest hesitation. Weren’t you afraid at that time?”
For her final move, Qiao Dai had to fall straight on her back, without doubt nor struggle. In addition to requiring a lot of muscle control, Qiao Dai also needed to have absolute trust in her teammates, believing they would catch her, otherwise she would not be able to perform the fall with full confidence. Without it, she could have shown the resolute state of mind of the protagonist, and the whole performance would have fallen short.
Hearing Zheng Taijing’s question, Qiao Dai didn’t think much about it and blurted out: “No, I wasn’t, I knew they would catch me.”
As she answered, Qiao Dai turned her head to glance at her teammates. The girls all looked at each other, smiled, and stood closer.
[Awww, she knows they will catch her. Daidai is too sweet!]
[Let’s take a minute, let me knock this fairy friendship CP!]
Zheng Taijing looked at the girls with some emotion and said: “I can see that you all have a good relationship.”
The next evaluation was from Jiang Fengchi. He took his time, recalling the performance in his mind. The hem of the wide skirt rolled up, the girls’ dance steps, just like undulating ripples on the surface, Qiao Dai’s face just as she jumped…
“This stage… I think I will remember it in my heart forever.” Jiang Fengchi finally said after a long time.
In an instant, the barrage exploded.
[Ah, ah, Teacher Jiang’s words are too seductive.]
[I wasn’t a fan of traditional songs but now, I guess I will perform on the spot!]
[Drunken Beauty, Silk-washing stream, it seems that since ancient times, beauty and water had a close relationship. Today, I announce that all the girls in “Treading water” are peerless beauties.]
[It’s Teacher Meng’s turn, she has something to say!]
After that, the audience noticed Meng Lingsi was about to speak. She was the original dancer or “Treading water”, what was she going to say about the girls’ performance?
Just thinking about it, the fans who had just been so enthusiastic for Qiao Dai’s team suddenly became a little nervous. There was a saying “to display one’s slight skill before an expert3”; even if they were themselves very satisfied with their stage, was it worth saying in front of the original artist?
Meng Lingsi’s expression had not changed much; she still has a gentle smile on her face, impossible for others to guess her current mood. Was this adaptation of “Treading water” good or bad in her eyes? Before she spoke, nobody dared to jump to conclusions.
[Even if Teacher Meng is not happy, it’s okay little sisters, you were great!]
[No matter what, this group was awesome and I will not forget about today’s “Treading water”!]
Some viewers had already started to comfort the girls in the barrage. Even if they knew they could not read the comments, they were so impressed by their stage they wanted to support them.
“It’s too bad.”
In a slightly tense atmosphere, Meng Lingsi finally opened her mouth. Her gaze calmly swept on the girls on the stage, saying those few words softly. The audience suddenly froze, even Jiang Fengchi’s eyebrows, who was sitting next to her, rose and he turned to look at the woman. For a moment, the scene was eerily quiet, everyone holding their breath in unison.
Meng Lingsi kept looking at the girls. Until her eyes finally stopped on Qiao Dai, who was standing in the center. The woman gently curled her lips and with a smile, she added: “It’s too bad… if only I were fifteen years younger, I believe I would be tempted to perform “Treading water” with you.”
She inhaled deeply, her voice rising and revealing her happy mood at the moment.
“You just allowed me to see the infinite possibilities of our traditional songs.” She turned to look at the other four mentors and asked: “I know I have no right to score, but please allow me to borrow the promotion card from you.”
“I want to promote all of you.”
All at once, the scene boiled up.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Chapter 27: All promoted (1)
At 7 pm, the real-time broadcast of went live on the Internet. Unlike the previous live broadcast of the initial rating, the show had officially started for a week. The 101 contestants who were participating had already appeared on stage and had gained their own fanbase. Especially the newcomer Qiao Dai, whether it was for sleeping on the water, her stunning first stage, or her underwater portrait, was no longer an unknown player but had accumulated enough popularity to be one of the biggest dark horses of the show.
Fans had already joined the live broadcast room during the commercials and teasers, cheering for their favorite players.
[Yayyy, go Daidai!]
[Yiqi, go Yiqi!]
[Little Lu Ying, you’re the best!]
While fans were already commenting, players backstage were getting ready or training one last time, all while inquiring about the performances of the other groups.
Although the program had not made the repertoire public, during the latest rehearsal, some players had been walking around and had seen tidbits of practice from other groups; they could more or less guess the content of today’s show.
“Ruowei, do you know what song Qiao Dai’s team is performing?”
In the dressing room, Lin Lang and Jiang Ruowei were chatting. The two of them were teammates for this stage.
Jiang Ruowei shook her head. She had originally wanted to sneak in during their rehearsal to take a look but too many staff members had been watching the excitement and had prevented her from coming in. They had told her not to run around and cause trouble to them; she could only obediently go back
“But…”
Jiang Ruowei inhaled and recalled the costume she had seen. Although she had been far away, she could clearly see their outfits fitted with traditional songs.
“They should have chosen a traditional song.” Jiang Ruowei couldn’t help but chuckle, then added with a hint of sympathy in her voice: “For the first public performance, choosing the national style, ah! They are not afraid to be executed in public.”
Anyone with live experience knew there was an unwritten consensus, which was the hotter the stage, the better the effect. To put it simply, an upbeat performance would more easily ignite the excitement of the audience, therefore fast singing and dancing were the easiest to shine. On the contrary, more lyrical songs required for the viewers to think, and the results would not often be satisfactory.
Today was the first public performance, not the personal fan meeting of Qiao Dai’s team members. It was hard to imagine passersby would be interested in more classical songs until the end. This time, she was afraid that Qiao Dai had shot herself in the foot.
Lin Lang did not answer and retracted her gaze to look at herself in the mirror. Her small cat eye makeup made her sexier than usual but Lin Lang felt a little uneasy. Today, she had seen too many of this exact same shape backstage. She was afraid that when things reached an extreme, they could only move in the opposite direction1.
After the countdown in the live broadcast room ended, the host appeared on the screen, followed by the four mentors. Only when the teachers were seated at the judges’ table the host spoke: “Now, let’s give a warm round of applause to tonight’s mystery guest… Teacher Meng Lingsi!”
With a melody, a woman in her thirties walked out. She was a classical beauty, with big eyes and a slender nose. Her appearance was elegant and she looked generous, gentle, and sincere. The four mentors stood up to welcome her and Jiang Fengchi courteously pulled up her chair and waited until she was installed to sit back down.
The name Meng Lingsi might have been unfamiliar to a younger audience, but the others got excited as soon as they saw her. Yet instead of listing all the prizes she had won, they felt it was better to directly tell people she was the choreographer of a dance segment in a certain award-winning work.
[Miss Meng is here!]
Meng Lingsi sat down and chatted a little with the four mentors, a way to leave more preparation time for the first group. But since she was the guest of honor for tonight’s show, it was impossible to avoid talking about “Treading water”. Meng Lingsi smiled softly and her gentle voice was heard through the microphone: “I heard that one of today’s group chose “Treading water”. To be perfectly honest, I was both surprised and admirative. It takes a lot of courage to choose to perform a traditional song on this stage and I am looking forward to it.”
It wasn’t money nor fame that could convince her to make an appearance here but the opportunity to watch another adaptation of “Treading water”. She really wanted to see how classical and traditional songs would be performed in today’s entertainment industry. That was what she pursued in her career; she hoped to integrate Chinese traditional culture into the current entertainment circle. She wanted their culture and traditions to be recognized abroad so that more people would learn and understand instead of misappropriating them.
As soon as Meng Lingsi’s voice fell, the barrage in the live broadcast room exploded.
[What? Someone is going to perform “Treading water” in front of its original dancer? So strong!]
[Are there still people who don’t know this song? Well hurry up and watch it, you will definitely love it!]
But at the same time, other people were not as optimistic.
[“Treading water” is really good, yes. But can these little sisters perform it correctly? The original dancers and singers are all big shots.]
[+1, doesn’t it take an awfully long time to practice?]
But the debate around “Treading water” did not last too long as the first team had gone on stage and everybody turned their attention to them, instead of continually talking about a group who hadn’t performed yet.
[Omg, Luan Zhen’s rap is so good, there is really nothing wrong with it!]
[Krumping2! It’s the first time I’ve ever seen some in a women’s group!]
[They are too amazing! I know I keep repeating myself but let Sister Luan Zhen make her debut right away!]
Unsurprisingly, because it was a public performance, most of the top-ranked teams had chosen songs with explosive ambiances. They sang rap and high notes and their dances were more powerful than usual. The viewers were engrossed, their blood was boiling and the temperature on the scene seemed to have risen several degrees, the atmosphere suddenly high to the extreme.
“Qiao Dai and her team are about to be obliterated. The previous group has made the atmosphere so high, how can they ride it with their traditional song?”
When today’s show had officially begun, the program team had not concealed the schedule any longer. The order of appearance had been made according to the results of a draw, and after seeing Qiao Dai’s team song and time slot, the other girls couldn’t help but shake their heads. It wasn’t that their place was bad, it was just that all the previous groups had performed very popular songs. This meant that before they could go on stage, the mood of the audience had gradually risen; if they suddenly poured a bucket of cold water on the viewers’ heads while they were in a frenzy, wouldn’t the result be disastrous?
Perhaps because many players had gotten mediocre scores because of their lack of seriousness during the initial rating, this time almost all the top-ranked players had chosen more difficult songs and they had happened to be the first groups to perform. Now that the atmosphere had reached its peak, if the next group couldn’t keep up the mood, they would easily become cannon fodder.
Jiang Ruowei had been watching the performances of the other groups but when she saw how strong they were, she turned away and her fingertips felt a little cold. The latest group had been so powerful, crushing Jiang Ruowei’s song in every sense of the word. Even if it wasn’t her team’s turn yet, she already had a bad feeling.
Fortunately, the next one to perform was Qiao Dai’s group. No matter how she thought about it, she doubted traditional music would beat strong and popular songs. Just like that, the mood would fall and when Jiang Ruowei and Lin Lang would go on stage, the contrast with the first few groups would not be as strong and they would not look too bad. Thinking of this, Jiang Ruowei breathed a sigh of relief and returned backstage to prepare for her upcoming performance.
On Qiao Dai’s side, the girls were already waiting.
“Next group, get ready. Enter!”
Chapter 27: All promoted (2)
[I kind of feel my ears are fried *embarrassed*]
[It’s explosive, it’s awesome but my head hurts a bit now, can we get a break?]
All those hit songs in a row had ignited the audience’s enthusiasm, but on the other hand, their eardrums were in pain. Between the loud music and the soaring high-pitched notes, some of them were shivering.
As some of them were complaining, the lights on the stage gradually dimmed and a thin cloud of smoke spread. Music sounded, weak at first and slowly increasing, until the public realized it was the sound of running water.
The lights brightened once more, and a figure hidden in the smoke appeared. For a moment, the audience felt they had just been transported to the Peach Blossom Spring1.
Accompanied by the music, Qiao Dai lay on the floor, her soft body imitating undulating waves. Her movements were light and agile and she slowly stood up. This action looked rather simple but required a lot of muscle control; she could not get up with the help of her limbs as her body was trying to imitate the water. Only her torso was controlling the whole movement.
[She got up? How did she do it?]
[Wow, this muscle control is absolute! Not only can she stand up, but she can also do it so beautifully?!]
The audience was taken aback, it was the first time they had seen a contestant that soft yet that powerful. She really was like water.
[Hehehe, is that Qiao Dai performing “Treading water”?]
[Wait a minute, who is that? Isn’t that Song Yiqi? She’s not in C position?]
After the other girls came on stage, the audience was baffled. They would have never guessed a newcomer like Qiao Dai would have chosen such a difficult song, nor would they have imagined Song Yiqi would have given up the C position. This was incredible, wasn’t it? And as for Meng Lingsi, who was sitting at the judges’ table, held her breath and stared at the stage.
As the name suggested, “Treading water” told the story of a group of girls playing by the stream. A young girl was walking briskly on the edge, and afraid her skirt would get wet she gently held its corner. She kicked the water and made splashes with the toe of her shoes, her friends were singing and laughing around her, all of their movements full of youthful beauty and tenderness. At this time, their dance was without a doubt cheerful, their figures swaying like the water, their limbs nimble down to the fingertips; it was impossible to look away.
But all good things came to an end, let alone beautiful youth. Their homeland was invaded, trampled by the enemies; parents, brothers, friends, and lovers killed under the blades. The glory and laughter were erased and the once carefree and without worries girl became a married woman with a worried frown, homeless and miserable2.
The gaiety of the youth disappeared and their destroyed homeland was no more. The whole country was shattered and people had withered away. Having lived through many changes, the main protagonist headed to the stream where she used to play with her friends. The water was still bubbling, but her friends had drifted away and were long gone. Feelings changed with circumstances but the once young girl couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.
Once again, she picked up her skirt and walked along the water, the smile of the past forever lost, and resolutely leaped forward.
Following the last tune, Qiao Dai fell backward, her body covered by the fog, just like she had really jumped in the water.
The song ended.
The scene was extremely quiet for a moment. And in the next second, screams came one after another in the entire venue.
[Aaaaaaah!!!! Don’t jump! Don’t jump!]
[Wooooo, my tears are of little value.]
[Why abuse us again? Wasn’t the little robot enough? QAQ]
Both the audience on the scene and the one in the live broadcast room were immersed in the world created by Qiao Dai’s team. Through this song and this dance, they had clearly seen the stream and the group of beautiful girls, every moment until the camera changed and Qiao Dai jumped. This image had been so shocking everyone’s heartbeat had seemed to stop in an instant.
The suicide committed by the main protagonist of the song was obviously an artistic arrangement, but no one mentioned how it was impossible to drown in such shallow water. Everyone empathized with the girl at this moment, she was not the only protagonist of the story, they all were.
After their performance, Qiao Dai’s team stood on the stage again, waiting for the mentor’s evaluation.
The first to comment was Lu Cong. He seemed to think about what to say for a moment.
“I believe that the whole audience really saw the stream and the group of girls of your song. And so did I, it was fascinating.”
The next one to comment was Song Anni. She smiled and looked at the five girls on the stage and said: “Although there was somewhat of a lapse, I could definitely hear how graceful and meaningful your singing was. To be able to already achieve this level is very impressive. Song Yiqi, your opera voice is breathtaking but I am also very satisfied with all of you. As for the dance part, well, let’s ask someone more qualified.”
[Lu Cong gave such a high evaluation!]
[Song Song’s opera was so beautiful, she would have been the most popular actress in ancient times!]
[Teacher Song’s professionalism… Anyone with eyes can see it, right? I’m definitely going to brag about “Treading water” to everyone!]
But if Song Yiqi’s singing added a lot of points to their performance, Qiao Dai’s dance could be said to be the most important part of their stage and could determine the failure or success of their song, especially since the original dancer was sitting at the judges’ table.
As soon as Song Anni was done, Zheng Taijing couldn’t wait to speak. He was pleasantly surprised.
“Traditional dance pays attention to emotions and the fact that you have already achieved this is very good.” He realized his words were a bit rushed and slowed down a bit, “Qiao Dai, the action of you standing up was great, both beautiful and powerful. You have very good muscle control and abdomen strength. And finally, when you fell into the water, your action was clean and neat, without the slightest hesitation. Weren’t you afraid at that time?”
For her final move, Qiao Dai had to fall straight on her back, without doubt nor struggle. In addition to requiring a lot of muscle control, Qiao Dai also needed to have absolute trust in her teammates, believing they would catch her, otherwise she would not be able to perform the fall with full confidence. Without it, she could have shown the resolute state of mind of the protagonist, and the whole performance would have fallen short.
Hearing Zheng Taijing’s question, Qiao Dai didn’t think much about it and blurted out: “No, I wasn’t, I knew they would catch me.”
As she answered, Qiao Dai turned her head to glance at her teammates. The girls all looked at each other, smiled, and stood closer.
[Awww, she knows they will catch her. Daidai is too sweet!]
[Let’s take a minute, let me knock this fairy friendship CP!]
Zheng Taijing looked at the girls with some emotion and said: “I can see that you all have a good relationship.”
The next evaluation was from Jiang Fengchi. He took his time, recalling the performance in his mind. The hem of the wide skirt rolled up, the girls’ dance steps, just like undulating ripples on the surface, Qiao Dai’s face just as she jumped…
“This stage… I think I will remember it in my heart forever.” Jiang Fengchi finally said after a long time.
In an instant, the barrage exploded.
[Ah, ah, Teacher Jiang’s words are too seductive.]
[I wasn’t a fan of traditional songs but now, I guess I will perform on the spot!]
[Drunken Beauty, Silk-washing stream, it seems that since ancient times, beauty and water had a close relationship. Today, I announce that all the girls in “Treading water” are peerless beauties.]
[It’s Teacher Meng’s turn, she has something to say!]
After that, the audience noticed Meng Lingsi was about to speak. She was the original dancer or “Treading water”, what was she going to say about the girls’ performance?
Just thinking about it, the fans who had just been so enthusiastic for Qiao Dai’s team suddenly became a little nervous. There was a saying “to display one’s slight skill before an expert3”; even if they were themselves very satisfied with their stage, was it worth saying in front of the original artist?
Meng Lingsi’s expression had not changed much; she still has a gentle smile on her face, impossible for others to guess her current mood. Was this adaptation of “Treading water” good or bad in her eyes? Before she spoke, nobody dared to jump to conclusions.
[Even if Teacher Meng is not happy, it’s okay little sisters, you were great!]
[No matter what, this group was awesome and I will not forget about today’s “Treading water”!]
Some viewers had already started to comfort the girls in the barrage. Even if they knew they could not read the comments, they were so impressed by their stage they wanted to support them.
“It’s too bad.”
In a slightly tense atmosphere, Meng Lingsi finally opened her mouth. Her gaze calmly swept on the girls on the stage, saying those few words softly. The audience suddenly froze, even Jiang Fengchi’s eyebrows, who was sitting next to her, rose and he turned to look at the woman. For a moment, the scene was eerily quiet, everyone holding their breath in unison.
Meng Lingsi kept looking at the girls. Until her eyes finally stopped on Qiao Dai, who was standing in the center. The woman gently curled her lips and with a smile, she added: “It’s too bad… if only I were fifteen years younger, I believe I would be tempted to perform “Treading water” with you.”
She inhaled deeply, her voice rising and revealing her happy mood at the moment.
“You just allowed me to see the infinite possibilities of our traditional songs.” She turned to look at the other four mentors and asked: “I know I have no right to score, but please allow me to borrow the promotion card from you.”
“I want to promote all of you.”
All at once, the scene boiled up.
Chapter 27: All promoted1At 7 pm, the real-time broadcast of went live on the Internet. Unlike the previous live broadcast of the initial rating, the show had officially started for a week. The 101 contestants who were participating had already appeared on stage and had gained their own fanbase. Especially the newcomer Qiao Dai, whether it was for sleeping on the water, her stunning first stage, or her underwater portrait, was no longer an unknown player but had accumulated enough popularity to be one of the biggest dark horses of the show.Fans had already joined the live broadcast room during the commercials and teasers, cheering for their favorite players.Yayyy, go Daidai!Yiqi, go Yiqi!Little Lu Ying, you're the best!While fans were already commenting, players backstage were getting ready or training one last time, all while inquiring about the performances of the other groups.Although the program had not made the repertoire public, during the latest rehearsal, some players had been walking around and had seen tidbits of practice from other groups; they could more or less guess the content of today's show.Ruowei, do you know what song Qiao Dai's team is performing?In the dressing room, Lin Lang and Jiang Ruowei were chatting. The two of them were teammates for this stage.Jiang Ruowei shook her head. She had originally wanted to sneak in during their rehearsal to take a look but too many staff members had been watching the excitement and had prevented her from coming in. They had told her not to run around and cause trouble to them; she could only obediently go backButJiang Ruowei inhaled and recalled the costume she had seen. Although she had been far away, she could clearly see their outfits fitted with traditional songs.They should have chosen a traditional song. Jiang Ruowei couldn't help but chuckle, then added with a hint of sympathy in her voice: For the first public performance, choosing the national style, ah! They are not afraid to be executed in public.Anyone with live experience knew there was an unwritten consensus, which was the hotter the stage, the better the effect. To put it simply, an upbeat performance would more easily ignite the excitement of the audience, therefore fast singing and dancing were the easiest to shine. On the contrary, more lyrical songs required for the viewers to think, and the results would not often be satisfactory.Today was the first public performance, not the personal fan meeting of Qiao Dai's team members. It was hard to imagine passersby would be interested in more classical songs until the end. This time, she was afraid that Qiao Dai had shot herself in the foot.Lin Lang did not answer and retracted her gaze to look at herself in the mirror. Her small cat eye makeup made her sexier than usual but Lin Lang felt a little uneasy. Today, she had seen too many of this exact same shape backstage. She was afraid that when things reached an extreme, they could only move in the opposite direction1.After the countdown in the live broadcast room ended, the host appeared on the screen, followed by the four mentors. Only when the teachers were seated at the judges' table the host spoke: Now, let's give a warm round of applause to tonight's mystery guest Teacher Meng Lingsi!With a melody, a woman in her thirties walked out. She was a classical beauty, with big eyes and a slender nose. Her appearance was elegant and she looked generous, gentle, and sincere. The four mentors stood up to welcome her and Jiang Fengchi courteously pulled up her chair and waited until she was installed to sit back down.The name Meng Lingsi might have been unfamiliar to a younger audience, but the others got excited as soon as they saw her. Yet instead of listing all the prizes she had won, they felt it was better to directly tell people she was the choreographer of a dance segment in a certain award-winning work.Miss Meng is here!Meng Lingsi sat down and chatted a little with the four mentors, a way to leave more preparation time for the first group. But since she was the guest of honor for tonight's show, it was impossible to avoid talking about Treading water. Meng Lingsi smiled softly and her gentle voice was heard through the microphone: I heard that one of today's group chose Treading water. To be perfectly honest, I was both surprised and admirative. It takes a lot of courage to choose to perform a traditional song on this stage and I am looking forward to it.It wasn't money nor fame that could convince her to make an appearance here but the opportunity to watch another adaptation of Treading water. She really wanted to see how classical and traditional songs would be performed in today's entertainment industry. That was what she pursued in her career; she hoped to integrate Chinese traditional culture into the current entertainment circle. She wanted their culture and traditions to be recognized abroad so that more people would learn and understand instead of misappropriating them.As soon as Meng Lingsi's voice fell, the barrage in the live broadcast room exploded.What? Someone is going to perform Treading water in front of its original dancer? So strong!Are there still people who don't know this song? Well hurry up and watch it, you will definitely love it!But at the same time, other people were not as optimistic.Treading water is really good, yes. But can these little sisters perform it correctly? The original dancers and singers are all big shots.+1, doesn't it take an awfully long time to practice?But the debate around Treading water did not last too long as the first team had gone on stage and everybody turned their attention to them, instead of continually talking about a group who hadn't performed yet.Omg, Luan Zhen's rap is so good, there is really nothing wrong with it!Krumping2! It's the first time I've ever seen some in a women's group!They are too amazing! I know I keep repeating myself but let Sister Luan Zhen make her debut right away!Unsurprisingly, because it was a public performance, most of the top-ranked teams had chosen songs with explosive ambiances. They sang rap and high notes and their dances were more powerful than usual. The viewers were engrossed, their blood was boiling and the temperature on the scene seemed to have risen several degrees, the atmosphere suddenly high to the extreme.Qiao Dai and her team are about to be obliterated. The previous group has made the atmosphere so high, how can they ride it with their traditional song?When today's show had officially begun, the program team had not concealed the schedule any longer. The order of appearance had been made according to the results of a draw, and after seeing Qiao Dai's team song and time slot, the other girls couldn't help but shake their heads. It wasn't that their place was bad, it was just that all the previous groups had performed very popular songs. This meant that before they could go on stage, the mood of the audience had gradually risen; if they suddenly poured a bucket of cold water on the viewers' heads while they were in a frenzy, wouldn't the result be disastrous?Perhaps because many players had gotten mediocre scores because of their lack of seriousness during the initial rating, this time almost all the top-ranked players had chosen more difficult songs and they had happened to be the first groups to perform. Now that the atmosphere had reached its peak, if the next group couldn't keep up the mood, they would easily become cannon fodder.Jiang Ruowei had been watching the performances of the other groups but when she saw how strong they were, she turned away and her fingertips felt a little cold. The latest group had been so powerful, crushing Jiang Ruowei's song in every sense of the word. Even if it wasn't her team's turn yet, she already had a bad feeling.Fortunately, the next one to perform was Qiao Dai's group. No matter how she thought about it, she doubted traditional music would beat strong and popular songs. Just like that, the mood would fall and when Jiang Ruowei and Lin Lang would go on stage, the contrast with the first few groups would not be as strong and they would not look too bad. Thinking of this, Jiang Ruowei breathed a sigh of relief and returned backstage to prepare for her upcoming performance.On Qiao Dai's side, the girls were already waiting.Next group, get ready. Enter!Chapter 27: All promoted2I kind of feel my ears are fried *embarrassed*It's explosive, it's awesome but my head hurts a bit now, can we get a break?All those hit songs in a row had ignited the audience's enthusiasm, but on the other hand, their eardrums were in pain. Between the loud music and the soaring high-pitched notes, some of them were shivering.As some of them were complaining, the lights on the stage gradually dimmed and a thin cloud of smoke spread. Music sounded, weak at first and slowly increasing, until the public realized it was the sound of running water.The lights brightened once more, and a figure hidden in the smoke appeared. For a moment, the audience felt they had just been transported to the Peach Blossom Spring1.Accompanied by the music, Qiao Dai lay on the floor, her soft body imitating undulating waves. Her movements were light and agile and she slowly stood up. This action looked rather simple but required a lot of muscle control; she could not get up with the help of her limbs as her body was trying to imitate the water. Only her torso was controlling the whole movement.She got up? How did she do it?Wow, this muscle control is absolute! Not only can she stand up, but she can also do it so beautifully?!The audience was taken aback, it was the first time they had seen a contestant that soft yet that powerful. She really was like water.Hehehe, is that Qiao Dai performing Treading water?Wait a minute, who is that? Isn't that Song Yiqi? She's not in C position?After the other girls came on stage, the audience was baffled. They would have never guessed a newcomer like Qiao Dai would have chosen such a difficult song, nor would they have imagined Song Yiqi would have given up the C position. This was incredible, wasn't it? And as for Meng Lingsi, who was sitting at the judges' table, held her breath and stared at the stage.As the name suggested, Treading water told the story of a group of girls playing by the stream. A young girl was walking briskly on the edge, and afraid her skirt would get wet she gently held its corner. She kicked the water and made splashes with the toe of her shoes, her friends were singing and laughing around her, all of their movements full of youthful beauty and tenderness. At this time, their dance was without a doubt cheerful, their figures swaying like the water, their limbs nimble down to the fingertips; it was impossible to look away.But all good things came to an end, let alone beautiful youth. Their homeland was invaded, trampled by the enemies; parents, brothers, friends, and lovers killed under the blades. The glory and laughter were erased and the once carefree and without worries girl became a married woman with a worried frown, homeless and miserable2.The gaiety of the youth disappeared and their destroyed homeland was no more. The whole country was shattered and people had withered away. Having lived through many changes, the main protagonist headed to the stream where she used to play with her friends. The water was still bubbling, but her friends had drifted away and were long gone. Feelings changed with circumstances but the once young girl couldn't help but feel nostalgic.Once again, she picked up her skirt and walked along the water, the smile of the past forever lost, and resolutely leaped forward.Following the last tune, Qiao Dai fell backward, her body covered by the fog, just like she had really jumped in the water.The song ended.The scene was extremely quiet for a moment. And in the next second, screams came one after another in the entire venue.Aaaaaaah!!!! Don't jump! Don't jump!Wooooo, my tears are of little value.Why abuse us again? Wasn't the little robot enough? QAQBoth the audience on the scene and the one in the live broadcast room were immersed in the world created by Qiao Dai's team. Through this song and this dance, they had clearly seen the stream and the group of beautiful girls, every moment until the camera changed and Qiao Dai jumped. This image had been so shocking everyone's heartbeat had seemed to stop in an instant.The suicide committed by the main protagonist of the song was obviously an artistic arrangement, but no one mentioned how it was impossible to drown in such shallow water. Everyone empathized with the girl at this moment, she was not the only protagonist of the story, they all were.After their performance, Qiao Dai's team stood on the stage again, waiting for the mentor's evaluation.The first to comment was Lu Cong. He seemed to think about what to say for a moment.I believe that the whole audience really saw the stream and the group of girls of your song. And so did I, it was fascinating.The next one to comment was Song Anni. She smiled and looked at the five girls on the stage and said: Although there was somewhat of a lapse, I could definitely hear how graceful and meaningful your singing was. To be able to already achieve this level is very impressive. Song Yiqi, your opera voice is breathtaking but I am also very satisfied with all of you. As for the dance part, well, let's ask someone more qualified.Lu Cong gave such a high evaluation!Song Song's opera was so beautiful, she would have been the most popular actress in ancient times!Teacher Song's professionalism Anyone with eyes can see it, right? I'm definitely going to brag about Treading water to everyone!But if Song Yiqi's singing added a lot of points to their performance, Qiao Dai's dance could be said to be the most important part of their stage and could determine the failure or success of their song, especially since the original dancer was sitting at the judges' table.As soon as Song Anni was done, Zheng Taijing couldn't wait to speak. He was pleasantly surprised.Traditional dance pays attention to emotions and the fact that you have already achieved this is very good. He realized his words were a bit rushed and slowed down a bit, Qiao Dai, the action of you standing up was great, both beautiful and powerful. You have very good muscle control and abdomen strength. And finally, when you fell into the water, your action was clean and neat, without the slightest hesitation. Weren't you afraid at that time?For her final move, Qiao Dai had to fall straight on her back, without doubt nor struggle. In addition to requiring a lot of muscle control, Qiao Dai also needed to have absolute trust in her teammates, believing they would catch her, otherwise she would not be able to perform the fall with full confidence. Without it, she could have shown the resolute state of mind of the protagonist, and the whole performance would have fallen short.Hearing Zheng Taijing's question, Qiao Dai didn't think much about it and blurted out: No, I wasn't, I knew they would catch me.As she answered, Qiao Dai turned her head to glance at her teammates. The girls all looked at each other, smiled, and stood closer.Awww, she knows they will catch her. Daidai is too sweet!Let's take a minute, let me knock this fairy friendship CP!Zheng Taijing looked at the girls with some emotion and said: I can see that you all have a good relationship.The next evaluation was from Jiang Fengchi. He took his time, recalling the performance in his mind. The hem of the wide skirt rolled up, the girls' dance steps, just like undulating ripples on the surface, Qiao Dai's face just as she jumpedThis stage I think I will remember it in my heart forever. Jiang Fengchi finally said after a long time.In an instant, the barrage exploded.Ah, ah, Teacher Jiang's words are too seductive.I wasn't a fan of traditional songs but now, I guess I will perform on the spot!Drunken Beauty, Silk-washing stream, it seems that since ancient times, beauty and water had a close relationship. Today, I announce that all the girls in Treading water are peerless beauties.It's Teacher Meng's turn, she has something to say!After that, the audience noticed Meng Lingsi was about to speak. She was the original dancer or Treading water, what was she going to say about the girls' performance?Just thinking about it, the fans who had just been so enthusiastic for Qiao Dai's team suddenly became a little nervous. There was a saying to display one's slight skill before an expert3; even if they were themselves very satisfied with their stage, was it worth saying in front of the original artist?Meng Lingsi's expression had not changed much; she still has a gentle smile on her face, impossible for others to guess her current mood. Was this adaptation of Treading water good or bad in her eyes? Before she spoke, nobody dared to jump to conclusions.Even if Teacher Meng is not happy, it's okay little sisters, you were great!No matter what, this group was awesome and I will not forget about today's Treading water!Some viewers had already started to comfort the girls in the barrage. Even if they knew they could not read the comments, they were so impressed by their stage they wanted to support them.It's too bad.In a slightly tense atmosphere, Meng Lingsi finally opened her mouth. Her gaze calmly swept on the girls on the stage, saying those few words softly. The audience suddenly froze, even Jiang Fengchi's eyebrows, who was sitting next to her, rose and he turned to look at the woman. For a moment, the scene was eerily quiet, everyone holding their breath in unison.Meng Lingsi kept looking at the girls. Until her eyes finally stopped on Qiao Dai, who was standing in the center. The woman gently curled her lips and with a smile, she added: It's too bad if only I were fifteen years younger, I believe I would be tempted to perform Treading water with you.She inhaled deeply, her voice rising and revealing her happy mood at the moment.You just allowed me to see the infinite possibilities of our traditional songs. She turned to look at the other four mentors and asked: I know I have no right to score, but please allow me to borrow the promotion card from you.I want to promote all of you.All at once, the scene boiled up.
