Chinese Entertainment King: Starting as a Fat Boy and Becoming a Singing King

The first round of the competition has officially begun.

The lights in the Capital Indoor Stadium switched from gold to deep blue.

The circular screen displayed four words: Mentor's Accompaniment.

Yang Kun and Xu Yao were the first to appear.

The moment the lights dimmed, a black platform rose in the center of the stage. Yang Kun stood on the platform, his black clothes covered with silver sequins reflecting a cold light under the spotlight.

Xu Yao stood on the right side of the stage, wearing a white sequined jacket. The lights shone on him, making him look as if he were coated with silver.

The two stood on opposite sides of the stage, facing each other across the entire venue.

The prelude to "Empty City" begins.

The piano and strings unfold, spacious and cold...

Yang Kun spoke first: "Perhaps it's loneliness, the air feels thin..."

His voice was hoarse, with Yang Kun's signature grainy texture.

Xu Yao stood on the other side of the stage, eyes closed, waiting.

The chorus is coming.

Xu Yao opened his eyes and caught the passage Yang Kun handed him: "This city is so empty, these memories are so fierce..."

The live chat exploded at that moment.

[The combination of Xu Yao's voice and Yang Kun's voice is absolutely amazing!]

[One husky, one deep; two bass cannons battling it out]

[The live stream had no audio editing; Xu Yao's voice is truly amazing.]

Xu Yao was completely unfazed when singing the chorus, going toe-to-toe with Yang Kun. It's a pity he's too fat, preventing him from becoming a darling of investors.

As the song ended, Yang Kun and Xu Yao high-fived each other in the center of the stage.

Yang Kun patted Xu Yao on the back and said into the microphone, "Xu Yao, you've made me feel like I'm twenty again tonight."

The audience erupted in applause. Xu Yao bowed slightly, panting heavily, the sweat on his forehead glistening under the lights.

Then came Nayoung and Zhang Bichen.

The stage lights were cut to a warm gold, like the color of an old record.

Nayoung was wearing a long black dress, and Zhang Bichen stood beside her, wearing a white top and a printed strapless skirt. When the light shone on her face, she exuded a calm and confident aura.

The prelude to "It's Better to Remember Than to Meet Again" begins.

Na-young's voice came out first, carrying her unique big sister aura, each word landing steadily on the beat.

When Zhang Bichen took over the chorus, his voice rose from low to high, and the breathy quality of his Korean-style singing filled the entire venue.

The comments section started flooded with messages: "Na-young took Zhang Bi-chen to see Gu Jian-fen; this is a passing down of tradition."

"Cheng Bing gathered students from three classes of Class 2 to cheer on Zhang Bichen, and the team spirit of Na Ying was explosive."

Nayoung's words to Zhang Bichen during rehearsals have also resurfaced online: "I'm holding the microphone in my left hand, which hand are you holding it in?"

"Your eyes need to stay focused when you sing; they can't wander. You've reached a point where you're a superstar on stage!"

The comments section instantly shifted its tone: "[Nayoung even dictates which hand she uses to hold the microphone, she's like a doting mother.]"

[I learned from Na Ying's style of encouragement]

[Zhang Bichen and Naying's voices overlapped, one deep and one bright, like a mother and daughter talking.]

Some netizens also noticed Nayoung's strictness during rehearsals: "The string tracks are fixed in place, and no matter how the piano tries to follow you, it will feel like you're dragging your feet."

Someone below chimed in, "Actually, Nayoung is genuinely teaching singing; she's not just going through the motions."

After finishing her song, Nayoung put her arm around Zhang Bichen's shoulder and gave a thumbs-up to the camera.

Then there are Qi Qin and Zhou Shen.

The prelude to "Wolf" begins.

Qi Qin was wearing a black leather jacket, and Zhou Shen stood beside him in a white shirt and light-colored trousers. When the light shone on his face, he looked as clean as a beam of moonlight.

The two voices overlap in the chorus—Qi Qin's voice carries the vicissitudes of time, while Zhou Shen's voice is clear and bright, like two wolves from different eras howling at each other under the moonlight.

The barrage of comments reached its climax at this moment during the mentor showcase segment.

[Zhou Shen and Qi Qin sing "Wolf," what an amazing combination!]

Qi Qin's voice carries the weight of time, while Zhou Shen's voice carries the essence of youth.

Two wolves, one old and one young, howled at each other in the moonlight, woof woof...

[“Wolf Dad” Qi Qin personally bought groceries and cooked for Zhou Shen, and also invited Zhang Yadong to help cheer him on]

Qi Qin's team has been renamed "Wolf Team," and Zhou Shen is the smallest wolf.

The smallest wolf, the biggest surprise.

Wait a minute, have you guys noticed that Zhou Shen's falsetto seamlessly transitions into his true voice without any stuttering? This technique is terrifying!

A degree in bel canto from a music conservatory isn't for nothing.

Finally, it was Wang Feng and Parhat.

The stage lights were dimmed to almost complete darkness, leaving only two spotlights.

One beam of light hit Wang Feng, and the other hit Parhati.

The two stood facing each other, each holding a guitar.

The intro to "Some Things We Can Never Control" flows simultaneously from the strings of two guitars.

The melody was niche, the lyrics obscure, but the moment the two voices overlapped, the entire venue fell silent.

Wang Feng's voice carried his usual strained quality.

Parhat's voice was like a dull knife, not sharp, but every cut went straight to the bone.

The two engaged in a guitar duel, showcasing their guitar and singing skills in a powerful and exciting performance. Wang Feng, on stage, exclaimed, "That was awesome! This is exactly the Parhat I wanted!"

Parhat's voice has sandpaper in it, and the sandstorm of XJ.

[Wang Feng and Parhat played guitar together; this wasn't a competition, it was just two musicians playing music.]

Wang Feng said Parhat is like a mirror, reflecting his state of mind over the past few years.

Parhat doesn't care about winning or losing; he only cares about the music.

Those who don't care about winning or losing often win the most beautifully.

Wait a minute, have you noticed how much Parhat's Chinese has improved? He was still stuttering during the blind auditions.

He practiced diligently, all for the sake of singing Xu Wei's "Gift".

When the song ended, Wang Feng went over and hugged Parhat.

The two guitars collided as they embraced, producing a soft, resonant sound.

After the mentors' duet segment ended, Hua Shao walked to the center of the stage and announced the real-time support data in the audience: "After the mentors' duet segment, the current audience support rankings are as follows: First place, Zhang Bichen; Second place, Zhou Shen; Third place, Xu Yao; Fourth place, Parhat."

The live chat exploded instantly: 【Zhang Bichen is number one?! Why?!】

Yang Kun and Xu Yao's "Empty City" is clearly the most explosive.

Qi Qin Zhou Shen's "Wolf" is the best song to listen to.

Which one, Parhat or Wang Feng, is the true work of art?

[In SMS polls, the number of fans determines everything]

Zhang Bichen's fans are really capable.

[Don't rush, don't rush, there's still a solo performance to come]

The individual performances are the main attraction.

Then came the four finalists' solo performances, combined with mentor and student showcases. The winner directly advanced to the finals to compete for the championship, while the last-place winner sadly left the stage.

Hua Shao picked up the microphone: "Please welcome Zhang Bichen to perform 'I Only Care About You'."

The lights were set in a warm amber hue, and Zhang Bichen, dressed in white with a graceful figure, stood alone in the center of the stage, singing Teresa Teng's "I Only Care About You".

The first line came out with a deep, resonant voice, still carrying the unique breathiness and magnetism of Korean singing style.

"If I hadn't met you, where would I be, how would I be living..."