Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

On the eve of New Year's Day, the auditorium of the art academy was brightly lit and packed with people.

The air was thick with a scent that mingled with youthful hormones and nervous anticipation. Backstage was like a boiling pot of water, a cacophony of cosmetic scents, sweat, and the cacophony of instruments being tuned.

Mu Wanqing, dressed in a light blue polyester dress, sat quietly in the corner, taking deep breaths repeatedly. Zhang Dabiao sat beside her, holding a worn wooden guitar, leisurely strumming the strings, as if he were about to face not a battle to determine honor, but a casual family gathering.

His composure, so different from the tense atmosphere around him, acted like a calming agent, gradually calming Mu Wanqing's heartbeat.

Trust Da Biao, he's right!

"Next up, Gao Feng, who will perform his original violin solo, 'Ode to the Steel Torrent'!"

As the host announced the program, a commotion broke out backstage.

Surrounded by a crowd, Gao Feng walked onto the stage like a star being fawned over. He wore a crisp Zhongshan suit, his hair was neatly combed, and his face carried the unique reserve and arrogance of an artist. The violin he held in his arms gleamed with a glossy sheen under the lights.

The music is ringing.

It must be admitted that Gao Feng's talent is genuine. His arrangement of "Ode to the Steel Torrent" is grand and skillful. The violin melody is sometimes like a gentle stream and sometimes like a raging storm, which vividly expresses the fiery and magnificent momentum of the industrial age.

The judges below the stage nodded frequently, and Director Zhou's face also showed an approving expression. When the song ended, thunderous applause erupted in the auditorium.

But in Zhang Dabiao's view, this violin technique...

He really wanted to blurt out "That doesn't sound good," but he didn't dare.

Gao Feng bowed and left the stage amidst applause. As he passed Mu Wanqing and Zhang Dabiao, he paused, his gaze sweeping over Mu Wanqing before finally settling on Zhang Dabiao and the somewhat shabby-looking guitar.

His eyes held undisguised contempt and provocation, as if to say: See? This is true art. Your sentimental love songs are ultimately beneath you.

He didn't speak, but his eyes said it all.

Zhang Dabiao didn't even bother to lift his eyelids; he simply swept his fingers lightly across the guitar, and a clear chord rang out, as if in silent response.

Gao Feng snorted coldly and turned to leave.

Zhao Weiguo and Liu Yuanchao stood not far away, watching everything unfold. Zhao Weiguo's expression was somewhat complicated. He nudged Liu Yuanchao and said, "Do you think they're up to the task? Gao Feng's piece could probably be submitted directly to the city for an award."

Liu Yuanchao curled his lip: "Hard to say. That kid Zhang Dabiao is really wicked. Just wait and see."

Finally, it was their turn.

"Next up, our first-year student from the Music Performance Department, Mu Wanqing, along with our special guest from outside the school, Zhang Dabiao, will perform an original song for us—'Towards the Distance'! Let's give them a round of applause!"

The spotlight came on, and in the center of the stage stood only two people.

Mu Wanqing held the microphone, and Zhang Dabiao held the guitar.

There was no band, no accompaniment, not even the harmonica that was expected. A murmur of discussion arose from the audience. Judge Chen, sitting on the panel, was also on edge. He knew the harmonica was a crucial element of the song; why was it missing?

Just as everyone was wondering what was going on, Zhang Dabiao slung his guitar over his back, tilted his head slightly, and moved closer to the microphone.

There was no prelude, no warning.

A clear, melodious whistle, carrying a hint of vastness and freedom, flowed from his lips.

The melody was like a ray of morning sunlight, piercing through the noise of the auditorium; it was also like a breeze from the grasslands, brushing against everyone's hearts.

The entire auditorium fell silent instantly.

Everyone was captivated by this sudden, pure melody.

As the whistling faded, Zhang Dabiao's fingers gently plucked the strings of his guitar, and a simple yet warm chord began to play.

Mu Wanqing closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were filled with light. She began to sing:

"Looking into the distance, the mountains and rivers stretch endlessly; smoke rises from the chimneys, signaling another new day..."

Her singing, without flashy techniques, possesses a power that touches the heart. Warm and pure, it is filled with longing for the future and love for life. The lyrics are simple and unadorned, yet like a pair of warm hands, gently soothing every soul struggling in the torrent of time.

"Looking into the distance, the river bends around the fields, the wheat fields stretch as far as the eye can see, and the wind stirs up ripples..."

In the chorus, Mu Wanqing's voice became high-pitched and firm, full of infectious energy.

The students in the audience were captivated. How many of them had left their homes to study in the capital, how many felt lost and anxious about the future? This song, without a single empty slogan, expressed the feelings of them all.

Halfway through the song, we reached the interlude.

Everyone's hearts were in their throats. Without the harmonica, what would they do? Leave it blank? That would be too sparse.

Just then, Zhang Dabiao's performance began.

He held the guitar, his fingers playing lively arpeggios on the strings, while his mouth transformed into an incredible instrument!

"Thump! Crack! Tap! Crack! Thud! Snap ...!"

The dull drumbeats, the crisp clatter of gongs, the strange scraping sounds, and even a deep, bouncy bass line... all sorts of incredible sounds burst forth perfectly from his mouth in sync with the rhythm!

B-BOX!

This "ventriloquism," which transcended the understanding of the times, exploded like a bomb in the silent auditorium!

The teachers and students below the stage were all dumbfounded, their mouths agape, wide enough to fit an egg.

What is this? What kind of amazing skill is this? How can one person's mouth produce the sounds of so many musical instruments at the same time?

On the judges' panel, Director Zhou abruptly stood up from his chair, gripping the table and leaning forward, his face filled with disbelief and shock. Teachers Chen and Fang even removed their glasses, as if trying to see if the person on stage had three heads and six arms. Leader Wu from the Municipal Education Bureau, his mouth slightly agape, completely forgot his position as a leader.

[There are skilled ventriloquists in the capital... The ancients were right!] Zhang Dabiao chuckled to himself.

He combined the rudimentary skills he learned from cached videos on Bilibili with the still relatively trendy fingerstyle guitar techniques of the time and poured them all out into the air.

For people of this era, this isn't skill, it's magic! It's a game-changer!

[Let me tell you, this song also has a rap version. If it weren't for the lyrics being difficult to change and potentially taboo, I would have released it today and scared you to death!]

As the interlude ended, Mu Wanqing's singing rang out again. This time, accompanied by Zhang Dabiao's beatboxing skills, which were comparable to a whole band, the atmosphere of the song was pushed to its ultimate climax!

That was no longer a simple folk song, but a rock and roll performance full of passion, power and boundless hope!

Of course, the concept of "rock" doesn't exist in mainland China yet. Those who have been exposed to it only dare to call it "swing music." But this song, "Towards the Distance," combines folk music, guitar, traditional beatboxing, and positive lyrics. It's safe to say that this song is acceptable no matter where you look at it!

As the last note faded, Zhang Dabiao's beatboxing and guitar playing came to an abrupt end.

The entire auditorium fell into a deathly silence that lasted for several seconds.