Chapter 186-191

Chapter 186. Rhetorical Question

Chen Tong was still standing on the stage, but director Sun rejected her proposal in public. The shame and anger from her performance's failure mixed with the awkwardness at this moment. Chen Tong's eyes immediately turned red.

She said unwillingly, "Who can not make mistakes? It's not like I'm a robot. Could it be that I'm the only one who will have problems? I've already said that it's the headphones that are not good. Everyone might not perform smoothly when the time comes, so how can we broadcast it to the public? Can't we edit it a little? The audience doesn't know how many times I've sung!"

...

In the waiting room on the other side, many contestants were shocked by Director Sun's words. Most of them started clapping spontaneously.

Too many things could not be controlled in the entertainment industry. If people with backgrounds participated in the competition with them, then if they enjoyed any special privileges, they would have no choice but to continue participating; they had to continue being the green leaf for others.

However, if the director team could keep their promise and everyone only had one chance to perform, it would not be bad if everyone relied on their abilities.

At the recording studio, Chen Tong's manager had a sad expression on her face. She ran over anxiously and waved at Chen Tong from the audience. "Xiao Tong! Come down quickly! It was already very nice just now. Trust me."

The manager had no choice but to coax Chen Tong off the stage first. Otherwise, the more Chen Tong said, the more mistakes she would make. How could she continue to stay here in the future? The collaboration this time was about to be ruined.

This was the first time Chen Tong felt that she was not confident on stage. This time, she was no longer fierce to her manager. Someone came to coax her, so Chen Tong used this opportunity to walk down the stage. She wiped her tears in a wronged manner and was pulled away by her manager.

The host heaved a sigh of relief. After hosting so many shows, he was most afraid of an artist like Chen Tong. If she insisted on solving the problem on stage, she would not let it go.

No matter how many smooth words she had, she could not hide it. Fortunately, this was only a recording and not a live broadcast. Otherwise, it would be the most embarrassing performance accident in the entertainment industry.

The host took a deep breath and warmly invited Su Yan to go on stage.

Su Yan frowned slightly as if he was unhappy about what had just happened. When he heard the host's words, he looked sad. He got up and quickly walked to the stage.

However, when the music started, Su Yan changed his expression. He was confident and put the microphone to his mouth. The high-level rap kept hitting the ears of everyone present. Everyone instantly forgot about the awkwardness and dullness just now; they started to dance along with the music.

The smile on Ding Shan's lips widened, adding some true feelings to it. She swayed her body slightly along with the rhythm.

Su Yan's voice was very varied. His clear, youthful voice was very enchanting. However, when he sang the high-pitched part, he was full of energy, and his lung capacity was astonishing.

After a long rap that did not stop, Su Yan put on a relaxed ending pose. He panted slightly and smiled brightly. He appeared demonic. Some staff members were little girls who could no longer hold back their low screams.

After Su Yan's performance, he stopped smiling and returned to his cold appearance. He bowed slightly, turned around, and walked off the stage.

Chen Tong had already been comforted by her manager and sent back to her teacher's position.

Seeing Su Yan leave the stage, Chen Tong seemed to want to find some comfort. She asked Su Yan, "Is the sound quality not very good? I can't even hear the accompaniment. The equipment is too bad."

Then, she seemed to want to prove something; she said to Ding Shan and Li Yang, "Sister Li, you have to be careful later. Also, Sister Shan, you haven't sung on the stage before and have no experience. There's nothing you can do about this situation. Don't feel pressured. Unlike me, I'm just a bit of a perfectionist, which is why I lost control of my emotions."

Chen Tong was anxious to find an excuse for her earlier performance and put on a professional look. It was customary for her to want to explain her mistake as the equipment was not good. Moreover, she had indirectly hinted to Li Yang and Ding Shan that she had made a mistake. It was probably impossible for the two of them, inexperienced, to make a mistake.

Chen Tong said these words purely to make up for it. At least everyone would be polite and push the blame onto the equipment. Then, she would still be able to save her face. Moreover, they were all in the industry. There was no reason to ruin her reputation; this was a natural thing.

However, Chen Tong forgot that the person she was asking about was Su Yan.

Chapter 187. Cooperation

Su Yan sat back in his chair and glanced at Chen Tong when he heard that. Then, he blinked and said, "No, this equipment is very powerful. It's top-notch professional equipment. It's more than enough for one person to sing."

It was unknown if he was sincere or doing it on purpose. Su Yan spoke very seriously as if he did not realize that Chen Tong was waiting for him to help her out by being polite.

...

After Su Yan finished speaking, he retracted his gaze and acted as if nothing had happened. He turned his head away.

Chen Tong was stunned. She stared at Su Yan in disbelief. She did not expect that she would be fooled again.

This show was bizarre. The people who came to participate were all weirdos. It was enough to have Ding Shan target and ridicule her. What was up with this, Su Yan?

Ding Shan couldn't help but turn her head to the side and snigger. This Su Yan was evil. He was so severe and irritating, yet he said it so sincerely that no one could catch his faults.

Others might not have seen it, but Ding Shan was sitting in the middle, close to the two male coaches. She could see the impatience in Su Yan's eyes and the evil smile that flashed across his face after he finished speaking.

Ding Shan snickered for a moment before she immediately returned to normal. She sat down demurely. It would not be good if a camera were pointed at her while the recording was in progress.

However, she did not know if the camera could capture Chen Tong's current expression. Her face was as ugly as if she had eaten a fly, and her expression was filled with disbelief; it was as if she had not expected to receive such an answer.

Chen Tong represented a group of people. Although Chen Tong was not old, she had thoroughly learned the hypocrisy and disgusting tricks of the entertainment industry.

Ultimately, she had become a part of this so-called "Big dye VAT." She did not think anything was wrong with performing a few more times and then using editing to deceive the audience. She also did not believe Director Sun would publicly refute her face. She also did not think that Su Yan, as a peer, would not cooperate with her.

Her rotten and twisted values were met with obstacles everywhere here. She probably did not understand why the unspoken rules she had taken for granted suddenly changed and did not work. Perhaps she thought that everyone had gone crazy and were all targeting her.

Ding Shan had said long ago that as long as one persisted, there would always be a brand new force that could overthrow these unethical practices in the entertainment industry.

Artistes like Yang Hua's agent and Chen Tong, who were typically inactive, would eventually be eliminated by the audience.

The audience was not stupid. How could they not be able to distinguish between the fake and the real? Yin Hui's show was a trend that would only push future shows to place more emphasis on authenticity.

Director Sun's set of values should have been the essential quality of every performer, but now it had become a rule that was required to be followed. This was also a kind of tragedy.

Fortunately, it was not too late to change now on. If there were more and more shows like this, the atmosphere in the entertainment industry would change rapidly.

In his previous life, Yin Hui had been crowned god because he was a pioneer in breaking the deadlock in the entertainment industry. It made the audience realize that.., the various works they had been fed were all garbage that countless people had processed. The entertainment industry that should be seen was so real and exciting.

It was time for Chen Xi and Li Yang's performance. Li Yang smiled at Ding Shan and was politely supported by Chen Xi as they walked onto the stage together.

Ding Shan was a little surprised and looked at the two people on the stage curiously. Li Yang said she did not know what to perform and was very worried. She did not expect that she would work with Chen Xi.

Chen Xi chose a new song of his own and could be considered to have relied on this program to promote it. The song immediately brought people into a gentle atmosphere as soon as the song was sung. His voice was soft, and the melody was long. It seemed exceptionally romantic.

Taking advantage of the interlude, Li Yang recited a love poem. It was as if they had crossed space and time. The two of them had a profound and affectionate exchange. The male voice was gentle, and the female voice was mature. There was a kind of magical artistic atmosphere.

After the program ended, everyone was pleasantly surprised by this idea and evaluated it exceptionally highly.

Li Yang laughed heartily, "I still have to thank Chen Xi for being willing to bring a pig teammate like me along. Otherwise, I really wouldn't know what to perform. Usually, I would tell the artistes to be more natural on stage. I didn't expect that when it was my turn, I would only discover that I was so nervous on stage!"

Everyone laughed out loud in agreement. It was not easy for Li Yang to be forced to open her business as his manager, but this also showed that she cooperated with the program team. She made her variety show debut and completed it in a very creative way.

Chen Xi smiled politely at the side, showing the attitude of a junior. He gave the show's main character to Li Yang, who acted as a greenhorn.

Chapter 188. Ding Shan Went on Stage

The awkward atmosphere left behind by Chen Tong was finally wholly broken. If Su Yan's performance just now was said to have forcefully brought everyone into a lively atmosphere, then Chen Xi and Li Yang's singing and recitation were meant to soothe everyone's injured hearts. It brought the atmosphere of the show back to its normal comfortable state.

Moreover, Li Yang's performance made Chen Tong seem a little unreasonable. Even the top managers in the industry did not act like big shots. They respected the rules of the show and were active in performing. Why did Chen Tong challenge the rules and make the show unique?

...

When Chen Tong came to this show, she felt that she was being ignored, while Ding Shan had been making the show unique. However, she did not expect that she would become the target of public criticism after a long while. Everyone thought that she was deliberately acting like a big shot. However, she had been neglected from the very beginning!

Chen Tong had some bitterness that she could not say. With a stiff face, she pretended to smile as if nothing had happened and barely managed to maintain the last bit of dignity. Now that she had reached this stage, she could only try her best to salvage the situation. Who asked her to be unlucky and be the first to go on stage? She would not have tried to show off if she had known earlier. She did not expect other people's performances to be so well prepared. Then, wouldn't she be easily defeated?

That's not right! Chen Tong slowly looked at Ding Shan and smiled gloatingly. Wasn't there still Ding Shan?

Chen Xi and Su Yan were professional singers. It was not surprising that they sang well. Li Yang was not an artiste. She could be considered to have muddled through by reciting a song. Her opponent had always been Ding Shan!

Chen Tong comforted herself in her heart. There was no need to compete with others. As soon as Ding Shan finished performing, everyone would talk about her. No one would remember her little mistake.

Li Yang might have gotten away with it, but Ding Shan was still an A-list artiste. Since she had come to participate in the show, it would not be appropriate for her to get away with it as Li Yang did. She was looking forward to what kind of show she could perform.

Out of the five coaches, four had already completed their performances. Everyone's gaze was focused on Ding Shan, and they were looking forward to it.

Since Ding Shan's accident two months ago, the internet has been a bloody mess. Probably not many people in the country knew about Ding Shan's exciting search that lasted more than a week. It could be said to be a glorious feat in the entertainment industry.

Since then, there has been no news about Ding Shan. It was just as she said; she had rested for two months.

Previously, many people had guessed that Ding Shan would not easily give up the exposure from those hot searches. After all, to dominate the hot searches for more than a week, this was popularity for which no amount of money could exchange.

Ding Shan had been going downhill previously. Taking advantage of that popularity and casually making use of it was normal. Many people were going crazy with envy behind her back. They wished they could have a big fight with their families and do a paternity test.

But Ding Shan kept her word. She resolutely gave up on the present bonus and chose to take a short break.

It had to be said that this move was unexpected and also gained a good impression. Some people said that Ding Shan was hurt and felt sorry for her. Some people said that she was seriously ill and worried for Ding Shan. Some people said that Ding Shan was retreating to advance. She was brilliant.

In short, no one knew what Ding Shan was thinking, but everyone could not forget the impact that Ding Shan had brought to them. Even though two months had passed, when Ding Shan was mentioned, it would still remind them of that day when the entire internet was in sensation.

No one had expected that Ding Shan would come to participate in the variety show. The staff at the venue had signed a confidentiality agreement and could not reveal it to the public. However, this did not prevent them from screaming in excitement at the scene.

The host politely invited Ding Shan to go on stage.

Ding Shan gently raised her hand to cover her chest and slowly stood up. She gracefully lifted the hem of her dress and walked towards the stage in high heels.

Many of the staff were Ding Shan's fans. They could faintly hear the girls whispering, "Oh my God! Sister has changed so much! So beautiful!"

Even the cameraman was working very hard. He aimed at Ding Shan and shot an extremely long shot. He followed Ding Shan onto the stage and captured her swaying figure and the hem of her dress dancing as she walked. Ding Shan stood on the stage, smiling as if she was shining.

Chapter 189. Memory Kill

On the second floor, Yin Hui and Xiang Hong were drinking tea on the sofa.

Xiang Hong looked casual, but his eyes were slightly lowered. His eyes were fixed on the stage downstairs.

...

Yin Hui sneered, "Old Xiang, your eyes look like you're about to eat Ding Shan up. Is it necessary? I finally know why you don't appear in front of Ding Shan anymore. With your current appearance, don't scare away the mentor I finally invited!"

Xiang Hong glanced at Yin Hui coldly and snorted lightly. "You're in a pretty good mood. When Chen Tong performed just now, the way I looked, I was also about to eat someone up."

Yin Hui's expression froze slightly after mentioning this, and a crack appeared in his smile. "Isn't that obvious? Who would have thought she would change the program on her own accord and even sing like that!"

Yin Hui gritted his teeth. Chen Tong messed up the first program and almost ruined it. She was clever and managed to salvage the situation. Although the final effect was not particularly good, it could be seen at least.

Before starting the recording, Yin Hui had already decided on the rules with the production team. He couldn't break the rules just because of Chen Tong. There were still so many contestants left. How was he going to manage them in the future?

However, Yin Hui quickly regained his calm and thought things through, "Forget it. Her actions won't affect anything. When the show airs, it will be a hot topic. The variety diva will be the first to appear on stage, and her high-pitched voice will encounter a waterloo. She chose it herself, so she can only endure the comments from the netizens. It won't affect my show much. There are still a few other coaches supporting her."

Then, Yin Hui looked at Xiang Hong with a mischievous smile. "From now on, it's up to Ding Shan."

Even though he said Yin Hui was a little nervous, he was afraid that Ding Shan would be as timid as Chen Tong.

Chen Tong was not the focus of this show. No matter how she acted, it would not stir up any topic. Ding Shan was the hot topic that Yin Hui wanted to create. Yin Hui would like to eat her up if something happened to her.

Xiang Hong looked down at Ding Shan on stage, and his eyes revealed a hint of gentleness. "She will be able to do it."

Yin Hui nodded and placed his hands in front of his chest to make a praying gesture. "God bless; Ding Shan must do her best for me!"

Just as he said that the music on stage started playing.

Yin Hui was stunned. "This is..."

Xiang Hong had always been unfamiliar with the entertainment industry and did not like to watch any television series or movies. When he saw Yin Hui like this, he was a little puzzled. "What's wrong?"

Yin Hui was a little excited. "This song is so familiar. What's its name again? I can't remember, but I used to love this song!"

On stage, Ding Shan stood coldly. She held the microphone and smiled faintly as she listened to the long intro.

Below the stage, everyone was stunned for a moment. Like Yin Hui, they were reminded of the familiar accompaniment and felt it was amicable.

Someone reacted quickly and said in surprise, "It's the theme song of 'Little City Girl!"

Then, the director criticized them. The program was recorded, and they had to keep quiet.

Everyone's faces were surprised, suppressing the excitement in their hearts. They could only turn it into physical movements. They raised their hands and swayed along with the accompaniment, cheering Ding Shan onstage.

'Little City Girl' was a childhood memory! Back then, it was famous all over the country. Everyone ran home after school and waited in front of the television to watch the TV series. The parents would not blame them.

Because This TV series was suitable for both young and old, everyone was affected by the joy, anger, sorrow, and joy of the little girl played by Ding Shan. In one scene, the little girl, played by Ding Shan, runs in the heavy rain to find her family. Everyone cried out their hearts.

In that era when Weibo was not very popular and there were no hot searches, this TV series became a shared memory in the hearts of the entire nation. It was also a big reason why Ding Shan became the daughter of the country.

And now, Ding Shan sang this theme song again! Suddenly, everyone's memories were pulled back to that time! What a precious memory!

Ding Shan spoke slowly. It had been many years since the television series. The theme song did not have any techniques, and it was all a warm feeling. The lyrics were catchy and coupled with Ding Shan's gentle voice; it was as if the girl from the small town had grown up. She became the person everyone had been looking forward to standing on the stage, slowly telling them about her childhood.

Everyone had a feeling of completion. It was as if the heart-wrenching girl in their memories had appeared in front of them after so many years. They were like old friends, laughing and talking about the past together.

Chapter 190. Touching The Hearts of People

Ding Shan had a lot of bad things happen to her recently. It made everyone think that Ding Shan was just like the little girl in the TV series who was struggling to find her family.

After suffering a lot, she remained kind. At this time, Ding Shan was as beautiful as a painting, standing on the stage and singing with a smile. The little girl's figure gradually overlapped with Ding Shan's current appearance as if to tell everyone that she was all right. She had already become a very outstanding and happy person. All the hardships in the past were not worth mentioning.

...

Some emotional staff had already begun to wipe away their tears quietly, crying as they said, "It wasn't easy. It wasn't easy for Ding Shan."

Someone beside them choked with sobs and said, "She was worth it. She was telling us that she was perfect."

Yin Hui stood up excitedly upstairs, "How clever! I was still worried that Ding Shan, as an actress, wouldn't have this variety of performance experiences so that everyone would feel a sense of distance. However, she chose the theme song of her famous work and instantly closed the distance between her and the audience. This wave of memories killing is too good!"

Xiang Hong narrowed his eyes slightly and looked carefully at Ding Shan. Xiang Hong had seen quite a several of Ding Shan's works. Some were high quality when she was young, while netizens had criticized others as useless in recent years. Ding Shan's emotions seemed to be found in movies and television works. Everyone said that Ding Shan had acting skills. After all, she was a movie queen and was recognized by the industry as talented.

However, Xiang Hong always felt that Ding Shan's emotions and emotions in movies and television works seemed to be separated by something. Perhaps her acting skills were excellent, but those were all due to Ding Shan's talent. Many of the highlights could be seen where Ding Shan was dull and numb. Only when the director called for filming to begin did Ding Shan feel as if her soul had been injected into her. She was like a handful of water, performing whatever she wanted.

Therefore, the more Xiang Hong watched, the more confused he became. What exactly was Ding Shan supposed to be like? The Little Fox that he spent the night with? Or the exquisite doll that had no expression in front of the camera? Or any of her roles?

Xiang Hong was unwilling to admit other possibilities. Only the night he met Ding Shan gave Xiang Hong the feeling that she was honest, alive, and irresistible.

The more he watched movies and TV shows, the more confused Xiang Hong felt. Therefore, he decided to come and see Ding Shan for himself.

At this moment, Ding Shan stood on the stage gently and sang slowly. There was a smile in her eyes as if she was reminiscing and looking forward to the future. Just like that, a song was sung by Ding Shan in a story-telling atmosphere that touched people's hearts.

At this moment, Xiang Hong seemed to understand that Ding Shan was three-dimensional. Not only did she have a sly side, but she also had a gentle side. He had previously thought that Ding Shan's disguise was good, but he was wrong. He felt he was only moved by the Little Fox that night, but he was also wrong.

No matter which side this woman revealed. It seemed to be able to move his heart. Just like at this moment, when she stood on the stage and sang, his heart was beating happily and sourly.

Yin Hui came in front of Xiang Hong and waved his hand. "Old Xiang, what's wrong? You're hopeless. You've completely fallen into it. Sigh! Brother, Welcome to the grave of love!"

Xiang Hong did not even bother to look at Yin Hui. He only frowned slightly. "Shut up; it's too noisy."

Yin Hui resigned himself to his fate and shut his mouth. He did not dare to disturb the infatuated man in love.

Ding Shan's singing soon came to an end. The extent of her beauty made everyone present feel that time had passed too quickly and they had not heard enough.

It turned out that Ding Shan's singing was also so good! Not only did the goddess know how to act, she even sang the theme song so well. It was simply too surprising.

Except for one person.

Chen Tong frowned and stared blankly at Ding Shan on the stage. She had a feeling that she had been deceived.

What was going on? How could Ding Shan sing so well? It must be an illusion. Ding Shan was too cunning. She had chosen such a well-known theme song from the television series. With the work filter, it appeared that Ding Shan's singing was not bad. She did not have any skills at all! It must be like this!

At this moment, the camera turned to the coaches below the stage.

Chen Tong forced a smile on her face, but it was evident that she was absent-minded. The director deliberately gave Chen Tong a shot. He did not expect Chen Tong to react, so he directly recorded Li Yang beside her.

Li Yang smiled and praised Ding Shan, "In my lifetime, I can still hear Xiao Hua singing to us. It feels like she's living happily in a parallel world. I'm delighted. The most important thing about a song is to move people's hearts. You've done it!"

Chapter 191. Linkage

Little Flower (Xiao Hua) was the name of Ding Shan's character in "Little Town Girl".

Ding Shan was only about eight or nine years old at that time. Her character was an abandoned orphan who her kind grandfather adopted. Her grandfather was not well-educated. When he picked up the child, he was a baby girl wrapped in a cotton quilt, so he named her little Flower (Xiao Hua).

...

Little Flower had a rough life. She and her grandfather depended on each other for survival. It was not easy for him to raise her. The days were so hard that the audience's hearts were beating. One after another, they cried. However, the little Flower was so sensible that it made people's hearts ache. The little girl went to school independently; she cooked and cared for her grandfather. Her face was always filled with a bright smile.

In the drama's second half, Xiao Hua ignored her biological parent's goodwill and resistance. She cried and ran home to find her grandfather. That was the first time in the drama that Xiao Hua cried her heart out. Her feelings for her grandfather moved the audience.

Ding Shan acted very well. Every expression was genuine, and there was no trace of acting. It was as if she was Xiao Hua, the girl raised by her grandfather. Bean-sized tears fell like beads because she cried too hard; her whole body trembled. She tried her best to break free from her biological parent's shackles and even rolled on the ground. She was panting, but her lines were noticeable.

"Grandpa is my family. Xiao Hua can't live without Grandpa, and Grandpa can't live without Xiao Hua." Ding Shan flawlessly performed this line, and it made people's hearts break. The audience wanted to run to the TV to help Xiao Hua go home.

Then, Xiao Hua ran home with her petite body and hugged her grandpa, who was so old that his eyes couldn't see anymore. This long sequence of scenes, accompanied by the theme song, was shot to the end, and little Ding Shan perfectly controlled it then.

This episode surpassed the works of many big shots in the same year. Little Ding Shan's acting skills and exceptional talent were also displayed, and she was named "National Daughter.".

It wasn't until a long time later that the plot and theme song of the movie "Little Town Girl" became one of the segments that would be on the leaderboard of the tear-jerking action. It could be said that it was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and the audience was broad.

Therefore, when Ding Shan finished singing this song, everyone present revealed feelings of nostalgia, relief, surprise, and other emotions. It was like what Li Yang had said; seeing Ding Shan and Xiao Hua interact once again in their lifetime was a great regret.

In the movie, the plot stops at the part where Xiao Hua chooses to return to her grandfather's house and stay in the small town to study, leaving the audience with endless fantasies.

And now, everyone believed that Xiao Hua was like Ding Shan. Even though she had experienced hardships, she had already grown into a dazzling young lady!

Even Chen Xi could not help but praise, "I didn't expect teacher Ding Shan to act so well and sing so well. How are we singers going to live like this?"

Chen Xi was a discreet person and had a very likable personality. Her joke at this moment could be considered a disguised acknowledgment of the show's success. Regardless of whether there was any technique or how good her singing was, it could move the audience; this meant that the show was a success.

Su Yan was still sitting at the side. He did not have any intention of speaking, but his expression had softened quite a bit. Even a faint smile on his face was difficult to detect. His gaze was evident as he looked at Ding Shan on the stage. It was rare for him to be so severe.

Chen Tong heard everyone praising Ding Shan and secretly gritted her teeth. However, Chen Tong also understood that from the moment the recording started, she was destined to be compared with Ding Shan. She originally wanted to use this comparison to step on Ding Shan's body, she wanted to perform well, but unfortunately, she failed and allowed Ding Shan to seize the initiative.

Since things had come to this, other than Su Yan, who did not like to speak and did not express his stance, she was the only one among the four coaches who had not spoken. If she did not tell her stance, it was inevitable that others would think that she could not see Ding Shan's good side and would be jealous of Ding Shan. Compared to her initial performance, Ding Shan's performance could be considered to have grasped the audience's hearts. It was cunning, and she could not help but admire it.

Chen Tong took a deep look at Ding Shan and thought, I have underestimated you. I did not expect you to be such a difficult opponent. As expected of an old senior in the industry. I did not even realize that you had such a move in the past!

Chen Tong picked up the microphone and smiled brightly. She teased, "Sister Shan, you hid it from us!" It was as if she had a perfect relationship with Ding Shan.