Entertainment Era: Starting with Teaching Sister Meng to Sing

The recording of the mentor battles officially began on the second day.

Arriving at the studio at 10 a.m., Meng Ziyi went to the waiting area without greeting anyone. Wang Xiaozhou followed Wu Qiuyan's seat and sat down behind her under her resentful yet expectant gaze.

The two made eye contact.

Wu Qiuyan meant, "Just wait, today is the day I'll eliminate Meng Ziyi and vent my anger."

Wang Xiaozhou meant: "A jerk is just being dramatic."

Another group of contestants left the stage, and the four mentors already looked tired. The contestants who had made it this far were all above the baseline level, and their comments required careful consideration and were mentally and physically exhausting.

"Li Qi has already taken office, how long until Meng Ziyi is released?"

Amei rubbed her eyes and asked Yingzi beside her.

Amidst their busy schedules, the appearance of some stunning contestants is a rare treat for the mentors, and everyone is eagerly anticipating Meng Ziyi's performance.

Yingzi remained expressionless upon hearing this: "Soon, in another half hour?"

"What song is she singing? Is it an original song?" A-mei asked curiously.

Yingzi shook her head: "I don't know, she's never been in my class."

Wang Feng felt somewhat helpless. From Yingzi's attitude, he had already guessed the outcome of Meng Ziyi's match this round.

Time flies, and after the two groups of students battled it out, the host finally called out Meng Ziyi's name. All the mentors perked up. Putting aside the competition results and other miscellaneous things, what they were most looking forward to was what song Meng Ziyi would sing today.

The contestant against Meng Ziyi was a member of Harry's team. Harry knew his student well; he knew that this student's singing skills were nowhere near Meng Ziyi's level. However, he still had to follow the director's instructions in the earpiece and get hyped up with the other mentors to prepare for Meng Ziyi's elimination.

Sure enough, after the first contestant finished singing, the mentors racked their brains to praise her lavishly, just so that it wouldn't seem so abrupt when they eliminated Meng Ziyi later.

Looking at Wu Qiuyan's smug expression, Wang Xiaozhou silently gave her a thumbs up in his heart. They were even unwilling to use Li Qi to eliminate Meng Ziyi, so that when the audience's emotions erupted later, only the student from Harry's group would be criticized. This resource exchange was really brilliant.

But thankfully, I have a cheat code!

Guided by the host, the mentors finally stopped their awkward flattery, each resting their chins on their hands and watching Meng Ziyi take the stage with pity.

As Meng Ziyi stood in the center of the stage, Wang Xiaozhou silently used his power fruit on her. To everyone's surprise, Meng Ziyi had tears in her eyes for the first time before she even started singing.

coming!

The huge circular screen in the background suddenly lit up.

There is no intro, no subtitles; what first catches the eye is the raw black and white imagery.

A group of soldiers, dressed in old-fashioned uniforms and with dark complexions, stood solemnly before a desolate bridge. The leader, his right fist raised high, veins bulging, uttered a hoarse yet resounding oath that seemed to transcend time, echoing in every corner of the scene:

"If anyone invades our territory or disrupts our order, we will spare no effort to eliminate them, in order to fulfill our duty to protect our land!"

"This was the oath taken before the 'Jiangqiao Resistance'!"

"What is she doing?"

The four mentors looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and confusion, wondering why Meng Ziyi had a separate stage design on The Voice of China.

"Didn't Li Qi hire someone to do the stage design before? There's nothing strange about it. Just watch and listen carefully."

Wang Feng was the first to wave, signaling everyone not to make such strange faces.

Looking back at the large screen on the stage, the scene abruptly changed. In a snow-covered forest, a figure stood tall as a mountain, his voice resolute: "We've all surrendered, so what about us?!"

The next second, the camera zooms in, and an elderly man with round-framed glasses and a scholarly appearance addresses the gathered crowd, shouting in heavily accented Mandarin: "Regardless of north or south, young or old, everyone has the responsibility to defend our land and resist the Japanese invasion..."

"The day the Japanese pirates are wiped out will be the day my son returns home!"

As the accompaniment begins, the screen shows countless young people carrying their bags, leaving their hometowns. The camera zooms out, and dust from all directions converges towards the north.

Meng Ziyi's singing finally began.

"You are the long road, the light in the thick fog of the mountains."

I am a child, walking in your eyes.

You are the bright moon and gentle breeze, and I am the dream you caress.

Whether we meet or not, I will embrace you for a lifetime.

The mentors felt a chill run down their spines; at this point in the video, everyone knew what Meng Ziyi was singing.

But how could she dare? If she didn't sing this kind of song well, people would criticize her mercilessly, and there have even been cases where celebrities were forced to leave the entertainment industry due to the criticism.

The other mentors all looked at Wang Feng, their meaning clear: You have experience singing this kind of song, can you give us some feedback?

Wang Feng smiled wryly. What else is there to comment on? It's just another new singing style. This time, Meng Ziyi's pronunciation even had an ethereal quality. There are no mistakes. This all-around singer is probably going to be hailed as a god this time.

The scene shifts, and the video now shows footage of a million soldiers crossing the snow-capped mountains.

There's no need to elaborate on what the song "As You Wish" is about. Paired with a self-edited video on the big screen, Wang Xiaozhou simply wanted more people to understand this century-old history.

This allows everyone to better understand the different stages the song is trying to express, and the combination of lyrics and music makes the second chorus even more relatable.

"And I will love the world you love."

May you smile as you wish.

I'm holding your hand, stumbling along; please take me to tomorrow.

If you've ever tasted bitterness in my sweetness...

I want to live up to your wishes.

May this glorious era not be in vain, may we forge ahead with courage, every single day.

As Meng Ziyi paused, the interlude gradually faded, and a man speaking in a thick local dialect addressed his junior in the video:

"No one knows what this country will become in the future. When you grow up, you will see how this country becomes better."

The audience felt a pang of sadness, and a sense of regret spread through the venue.

The child in the video looks to be only twelve or thirteen years old. In that era... he probably wouldn't have grown up.

These twelve- or thirteen-year-old predecessors, holding the hands of modern people, have brought us to where we are today, yet they will never enjoy the wonderful life they have worked so hard for.

If only they had the chance to come and see this now, even just for a piece of candy, they wouldn't have to suffer for the rest of their lives.

The accompaniment grew louder, and the bugle call, symbolizing a counterattack, sounded in the video. The screen image violently shifted to a dim, yellowish desert and an endless Gobi. The crackling sound of countless abacus beads being turned into raindrops, igniting the audience's passion and even giving the four mentors goosebumps.

"Six, five, four, three, two, one, detonate!"

Silence,

Then--

At 10:15 PM on October 16, 1964, a ray of light more dazzling than a thousand suns burst forth in the depths of the Gobi Desert, engulfing the heavens and the earth, and then transforming into a raging wave of flames that swept across the land, rising into a mushroom cloud that shook the world!

Ladies and gentlemen, listen to the dragon's roar!

"Bang!!"

The stage lights blazed on, and a powerful orchestral melody surged in. Meng Ziyi stepped forward and began to sing, her voice filled with a sense of mission to carry on the legacy and usher in the future.

"You are the sky where sparks ignite the long river of time."

I am an admirer, so I will sing your praises.

You are where I came from.

It is also where my heart belongs.

Every path in this world will lead you there.

Meng Ziyi's voice began to rise with passion. If the first verse expressed her gratitude and aspirations as a child, then this verse became a reflection of inheritance and longing in her youth.

That is how we should live, and I believe in building a strong nation!

"And I will love the world you love."

May you have the smile you desire.

I'm holding your hand, albeit unsteadily.

Please take me to tomorrow.

If you've ever tasted bitterness in my sweetness...

I wish to live out your wish.

May our efforts not be in vain, may we forge ahead bravely, every single day of this prosperous age.

As the last drumbeat fell, the singing and accompaniment came to an abrupt end.

The video features fast-paced footage of fireworks during National Day, the awe-inspiring march of soldiers during the military parade, a massive warship docked at the coast, and gray fighter jets leaping from the ground!

The blowers on both sides of the stage started, and Meng Ziyi's long dress suddenly billowed up. Flames, appearing from nowhere, instantly spread and completely enveloped Meng Ziyi.

The mentors all lost control of their expressions, holding their heads in disbelief.

The audience erupted in cheers, and Meng Ziyi's name resounded throughout the venue.

The fire quietly died down, and when Meng Ziyi reappeared, her original white dress was gone, replaced by a bright red dress, Chinese red!

The drumbeats gradually intensified, the rhythm became aggressive, and the opening lines were all powerful and dry!

"The mountains and rivers are safe and sound, and the fireworks are as usual."

But you got to gaze upon it as you wished.

Children, sleep peacefully in your dreams.

Just like you loved so much!

The drumbeats followed each heavy beat, raising everyone's emotions to a fever pitch, filling the entire venue with passion!

"And I will dream the reunion you dream of."

May your wishes come true forever.

I'll walk the long road you've walked, and that's how I love you.

I will also see a world you have never seen.

Write the poems you haven't written yet.

The moon in the sky, the longing in my heart, you will always be by my side.

As the drumbeats subsided, Meng Ziyi's singing grew gentler, and the video on the big screen switched to playing images.

A thousand lights illuminate homes, a sumptuous meal is laid out, children's faces beam with smiles, teenagers radiate pride, young adults are filled with the excitement of lofty ambitions, and the elderly wear peaceful smiles.

Buildings rising from the ground, roads as dense as a spider web, towering towers and power lines traversing mountains and valleys...

As the images flashed by, everyone present clenched their fists, their hearts filled with a sense of pride and excitement.

Meng Ziyi finally raised the microphone and quietly ended the conversation.

"Meeting you has brought me a lifetime of clarity, like your face in your youth."

As the music faded into the background, the video gradually went black, followed by lines of white text flashing by.

This is a list without a period.

The enemy can only cut off our heads, but can never shake our faith.

Death is inevitable for all men; its weight can be as weighty as Mount Tai or as light as a feather.

The flames claimed a young life.

He is the quartermaster.

[Use your body to block the enemy's machine gun.]

......

As the outro ended, the credits stopped at the last line.

This prosperous era is as you wished.

The cheers at the scene almost burst the roof off.

Wang Feng stood up, clapped, and waved his hand repeatedly to encourage the audience to cheer.

A-mei cheered Meng Ziyi on enthusiastically, clenching her fists, and tried to rush onto the stage several times.

Harry sat in the chair, sighing with a helpless expression.

Yingzi raised two thumbs up and kept gesturing to Mengziyi.

Amidst the commotion, Wang Xiaozhou, his eyes bloodshot, met Wu Qiuyan's horrified gaze and shouted recklessly:

"You motherfucker, come on, eliminate me!"