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

Hua Shao's voice echoed in the stadium.

"The second round is the final showdown for a spot. Zhang Bichen, the champion of Na Ying's group, will perform 'A Dream,' while Xu Yao, the champion of Yang Kun's group, will perform 'Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart.' The winner will advance to the final showdown to compete against Zhou Shen for the annual championship."

The audience fell silent.

Xu Yao stood on one side of the stage, watching Zhang Bichen walk out from the other side.

In the original timeline, Zhang Bichen defeated Yu Feng on this stage with the song "A Dream," and then defeated Parhat with "Where Has the Time Gone," becoming the champion of the third season of "The Voice of China."

It wasn't just pre-arranged; Zhang Bichen is genuinely talented.

With her stage experience as a trainee from South Korea and her exquisite interpretation of ballads, she captivated the audience's emotions with every step.

The stage went dark.

When the lights came back on, Zhang Bichen, dressed in a white dress, stood in the center of the stage.

The light shone down from above, illuminating her like a thin veil.

Her white skirt shimmered softly under the lamplight, and she stood there, as quiet as a painting.

The intro begins.

The piano music flowed out gently, simple and clean.

Nayoung's original version of "A Dream" was included in the 1999 album "Simply". It was written and composed by Yuan Weiren and was inspired by his story of "conveying his feelings through song" after breaking up with his ex-girlfriend.

The two did not see each other for two years after their breakup, and each expressed their emotions through songwriting.

The lyrics, "If I had known it would be like this, like a dream, I wouldn't have put all my love in one place," describe a woman's helplessness and self-mockery after her love ends, when she finally sees everything clearly but still can't let go.

Zhang Bichen spoke up.

"We've all made promises to each other out of loneliness, and we've all grown weary of life because of the torment it brings..."

Her singing style is very unique; it's not the kind of screaming outburst, but rather a soliloquy in the dead of night.

Her Korean-style ballad singing gives her voice a unique husky and magnetic quality.

She kept her voice very low during the verses, as if she were talking to herself, or as if she was afraid of disturbing something.

The use of chest resonance is very restrained; the voice is almost squeezed out from deep in the throat, carrying a sense of relief that has been suppressed for a long time and is finally spoken.

Her breath control was remarkably steady; she dragged out the last syllable of long sentences, like a thin thread trembling and floating in the air, yet never ceasing.

Xu Yao listened in the waiting area.

He had to admit that Zhang Bichen's voice, with its "naturally story-telling quality," was a gift from God and was very suitable for singing OSTs.

Especially when it comes to tragic OST tracks, Zhang Bichen is practically a must-have among female singers.

Xu Yao could tell that her experience as a trainee in South Korea had made every detail on stage meticulously designed, yet the design was so subtle that it was impossible to tell.

This sense of relaxation requires a high level of singing talent.

In the chorus, her voice rises, a warm, breathy lift.

"If I had known it would be like this, like a dream, I wouldn't have placed all my love in one place..."

Zhang Bichen added a subtle breathy touch to the word "dream," making the sound suddenly softer, as if he had stopped breathing for a moment.

Then the word "a performance" was suddenly pushed up, the volume increased instantly, but it was controlled perfectly, without cracking or tearing, and it stopped abruptly at the highest point of emotion.

Na-young's original portrayal leaned more towards "a sorrowful and infatuated woman," while Zhang Bichen's version added a layer of stubbornness.

Xu Yao recalled the music review Zhang Bichen wrote after winning the championship in the original timeline.

"Zhang Bichen's cover of 'A Dream' is warm and infectious, expressing the emotions in the song to the fullest, making the listener feel as if they are in a dream about love and pain."

This music review later became the number one trending topic.

People in the audience started humming along, and the sounds converged from all corners, like a river.

Zhang Bichen stood under the spotlight, and when the last note fell, the entire audience fell silent.

Then applause broke out.

Someone in the audience was wiping away tears.

This is Zhang Bichen.

The show's production team later said at the post-competition press conference that she was a "competitive seed player who sang very consistently."

It is indeed stable.

The live chat exploded at that moment.

"The moment Zhang Bichen opened his mouth, I knew Xu Yao was doomed."

"This breath control is too perfect! I couldn't hear a single breath the whole time. Is this a human or an AI?"

"The handling of the soft mixed voice in the verse is so delicate, the sound is like velvet gliding over you, the proportion of chest resonance is just right, any more and it sounds greasy, any less and it lacks thickness. This level of control is beyond the student level."

"The transition from breathy to mixed voice in the chorus 'like a dream' is a textbook example of vocal cord closure technique. Zhang Bichen is truly strong; it's not hype, it's solid skill."

"Her voice really tells a story, which is a big advantage for her when competing against technical players."

"It will be a tough battle for Xu Yao against her. The two have completely different styles, and it's hard to say what the final outcome will be."

"No, can you guys stop boosting others' morale and belittling your own? Xu Yao hasn't even sung 'Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart' yet, so it's not certain who will win or lose."

"That's true, but given Zhang Bichen's condition today, anyone would have to think twice before coming here."

"A rational analysis shows that Zhang Bichen's choice of 'A Dream' was incredibly smart. Ballads are her comfort zone, and Na Ying is her mentor; she's practiced this song countless times. Xu Yao's choice of 'Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart' is a good song, but the original GALA version is too wild, making it extremely difficult to cover. Xu Yao has already lost in terms of song selection."

"Who would dare to sing those high notes in 'Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart' live? Even GALA himself can't reach them. Xu Yao is digging his own grave."

"Xu Yao dared to choose this song, which means he's confident, okay?"

"After Zhang Bichen finished singing this song, Xu Yao felt even more pressure. The person before him sang so well that it was hard for the person after him to keep up."

"No, Xu Yao is the kind of player who gets stronger when facing stronger opponents. The stronger the opponent in front of him, the more explosive he becomes."

"I bet a pack of spicy strips that Xu Yao is going to unleash his ultimate move today."

"I bet two bags that Xu Yao is a cunning fat man. Have you guys forgotten about the previous competitions? You don't naively think that Fatty Xu will just quietly finish singing a song, do you?"

The comments were still scrolling, but Xu Yao could no longer see them.

Lights surged in from the front, creating a blinding white expanse.

Xu Yao walked onto the stage and stood in the center.

The spotlight shone on him, landing on his shoulders, which felt slightly warm.

In the Capital Gymnasium, which holds 18,000 people, glow sticks lit up like a sea in the darkness.

Hua Shao's voice rang out: "Next up, Xu Yao, the champion of Yang Kun's group, will perform 'Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart'."

Xu Yao took a deep breath and gripped the microphone tightly.