A band, or a battleground?

The tall, thin guy, nicknamed Wild Child, said, "If you want to sleep with women, go ahead and do it. Why bother with friends?"

Qiu Mengxue took a deep breath: "Excuse me, please make way. You need to take the elevator upstairs, right? If you don't move aside, we can't get out."

However, Zhao Xukun only glared at the tall, thin man before turning back, his smile unchanged, and blocking the elevator entrance without yielding an inch.

Ning Qianyu questioned, "What do you want to do?"

Zhao Xukun smiled and said, "My guitarist teammate Li Qiye was a bit impolite to you guys, I'm sorry. I'd like to treat you to a meal as an apology."

Qiu Mengxue refused outright: "No need, we don't mind, and we have other plans."

"Don't be like that, beautiful lady, I don't even know your names... What are you doing, you little rascal!"

Before Zhao Xukun could finish speaking, the only boy in the elevator actually raised his phone and pointed the camera at him.

Qi Yuan said calmly, "Guess if I send this video to the production team, or post it online directly, will you be able to survive the first round?"

Zhao Xukun froze.

Li Qiye stepped forward, pointed at Qi Yuan, and said, "Damn it, what kind of skill is it to act like a paparazzi? You sissy!"

The next moment, Qi Yuan grabbed the hand that was pointing at him and tightly gripped the other person's wrist.

Li Qiye subconsciously tried to shake him off, but he couldn't break free. Instead, he felt a pain as if he were being clamped by iron pincers.

Qi Yuan put away his phone and grinned maliciously, "Want to fight? Fine, we're nobody, we have nothing to lose. What about you?"

At this moment, the band member with the beard said, "Alright, alright, stop making a scene. This is the show's territory. Young man, I apologize on their behalf. I'm sorry."

Qi Yuan then released Li Qiye's wrist.

The bearded man pulled Zhao Xukun with one hand and pressed down on Li Qiye with the other, making room for them.

Qi Yuan led three pale-faced girls out of the elevator.

But after walking only a few steps, he heard Li Qiye shout from behind: "Kid!"

Qi Yuan turned around and saw all five members of the Titans standing in the elevator, while the guitarist, Li Qiye, stared intently at him, raising his middle finger with his right hand.

Immediately afterwards, Zhao Xukun also gave him the middle finger.

Qi Yuan remained calm, raising both middle fingers and offering them to the two guys.

This is not over yet.

Before the elevator doors closed, Qi Yuan pointed at Zhao Xukun and Li Qiye with his left hand, then made a sharp slash across his neck with his right thumb.

Throat-slitting gesture.

Then the elevator doors closed.

Inside the elevator, Zhao Xukun and Li Qiye were taken aback at first, then immediately began to laugh:

"Who does this little brat think he is?"

"Damn it, you really want to get beaten up, don't you!"

But no matter how much they mocked him, the elevator doors had already closed, and the kid couldn't see them. This made the two, who were somewhat well-known in the circle, quite unhappy. It was like having an online argument with someone, and then the other person blocked you after the last sentence—it was like having a lump in your throat that you couldn't let out.

Zhou Tie, the burly, bearded man who had just tried to break up the fight, sighed, "Why are you doing this? You're just bored."

Zhao Xukun spat, "Didn't you guys see that girl? Damn, none of our female fans are that hot! She's beautiful, has a particularly pure feeling, and a bit aloof."

The drummer with dreadlocks also said, "The other two girls are pretty good too, better than the ones we met up with the last few times..."

Zhou Tie sighed and said, "You guys should fry less noodles."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

042 Aren't you the straight man?

After placing her order at the hot pot restaurant, Qiu Mengxue remained silent for a while.

The other two girls were similar.

Jiang Yi is usually quiet, and there's not much of a contrast now. But Ning Qianyu's usually unrestrained personality seems a bit strange.

Of course, Qi Yuan knew why they were like this.

When the water in the pot boiled, he asked, "Are you all worried?"

Qiu Mengxue sighed: "They are the Titans, after all... seniors in the industry. We haven't even entered that industry yet, and we've already started offending people."

Qi Yuan scoffed, "What circle? It's just a bunch of people huddling together. People with real talent don't need to huddle together; showcasing their work is enough."

Ning Qianyu then rallied and suddenly slammed her hand on the table: "That's right! And what Qi Yuan said back then made sense. We have nothing to lose, so we're not afraid of those who have shoes on. Even if others find out, we can actually stir up the conflict and ride their coattails!"

Qi Yuan: "You certainly have a broad perspective."

Jiang Yi whispered, "And even if we have to fight, I think we're not afraid of them with Qi Yuan around. As long as none of us girls are left alone, it'll be fine."

Qiu Mengxue was both amused and exasperated: "It's not some deep-seated hatred, it's not that serious. I just feel that they have a lot of connections in the industry, and they might secretly retaliate."

“If they really have a lot of connections, then they shouldn’t be competing like us; they should be on the judges’ panel,” Qi Yuan said, picking up his chopsticks. “The water’s boiling, don’t just stand there, put the mutton in! I heard the mutton here only needs to be cooked for a few seconds before you take it out, so eat it properly.”

When it comes to food, Ning Qianyu never skimps. But at this moment, she sighed, "But dipping mutton in sesame sauce is simply bizarre."

Qi Yuan: "How much chili did you put in that bowl? It's all red. What's the difference between that and eating hot pot with chili oil?"

Ning Qianyu: "It's different. The taste of cooking it directly in the meat versus dipping it in it is completely different..."

The two talked like this while busy cooking the meat in the hot pot.

Jiang Yi glanced at Qiu Mengxue, who had fallen silent, nudged her elbow, and whispered, "Mengle, what are you thinking about?"

Qiu Mengxue smiled and said softly, "I think what you said makes sense. Besides, Qi Yuan is really reliable."

Jiang Yi smiled and said, "Yes, I've always thought so."

"When did you start thinking that way?" Qiu Mengxue pressed, "Did you think that way before he joined our band?"

Jiang Yi was stunned: "Ah, this..."

Qiu Mengxue added, "I thought his last two gestures were too flamboyant and too provocative. But now that I think about it, it was that group of people who provoked us first, and they were the ones who gave us the middle finger. Qi Yuan was just responding in kind."

Jiang Yi nodded: "Yes, I think Qi Yuan did a great job. He didn't go too far, nor was he weak."

Qiu Mengxue cupped her cheeks in her hands and gently rubbed them: "If he weren't here, let alone how we would compete without those songs, we would definitely panic when faced with this kind of problem."

Jiang Yi chimed in, "They definitely wouldn't know what to do."

Qiu Mengxue: "But it's different when you have him. Society is different from school. You can't just get good grades and remain untainted. You need to have the ability and determination to protect yourself."

Jiang Yi: "Yes, thank goodness he was there."

Qiu Mengxue: "Yi Yi..."

Jiang Yi: "What's wrong?"

Qiu Mengxue laughed and said, "You're not only a bassist, but also a straight man."

Jiang Yi: "Huh?"

Just then, Qi Yuan picked up two slices of freshly cooked mutton and placed them in Jiang Yi's small bowl. He then picked up two more slices and placed them in Qiu Mengxue's small bowl.

Both girls were stunned for a moment.

Qi Yuan said, "I've never used chopsticks before, you won't mind, will you?"

This time, Jiang Yi reacted even faster. After eating a piece, she quickly said, "No, no, thank you! It's delicious! The lamb is of very good quality, and you cooked it perfectly!"

Qi Yuan nodded and continued to pick up slices of meat to cook in the broth.

Ning Qianyu was enjoying her meal and didn't need his help to cook the meat.

Qiu Mengxue then came to her senses, eating the mutton in her bowl, chewing it carefully, feeling... she wondered if it was just her imagination, was the hot pot mutton in the capital really that delicious, or was it because of Qi Yuan?

After she finished eating, she glared at Jiang Yi and complained in a low voice, "Aren't you supposed to be the straight man? How come you were spouting lines so fast just now?"

Jiang Yi: "?"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The day after arriving in the capital was free time for the contestants.

Led by teacher Su Wan, the four of them strolled along the famous music street as a relaxing pre-competition trip. The street was lined with musical instrument shops and all sorts of live music venues.

Having learned about the brief conflict with the Titans last night, Ms. Su Wan came with the group of teenagers today. When they arrived, it was still morning, and none of the livehouses had started performing yet, so the only place to browse was the music store.

They stopped in front of a musical instrument shop called 'Scale Workshop'.

The shop's glass window was filled with guitars and basses, both electric and non-electric. There was even a person sitting inside, playing a bass.

He was a middle-aged man with a stubble beard, his expression focused, yet his posture quite relaxed.

When Qi Yuan first joined the band, he couldn't tell the guitar from the bass, since they looked quite similar. But now, of course, he could tell them apart—the difference was obvious: the guitar had six strings, while the bass had four.

Music videos often feature guitar solos and guitar singing, but it's much rarer to see bass playing like this.

Because of its lower pitch, the bass is typically used in band ensembles as both a rhythm and harmonic instrument. It connects rhythm and melody, lays the foundation for harmony, provides bass support, and creates resonance… but if listened to on its own, those unfamiliar with the instrument might often say, 'What's so good about this?'

But at that moment, inside the music store, someone was playing the bass, and their playing gestures were particularly flashy.

Ning Qianyu patted Jiang Yi on the shoulder: "Shall we go in and take a look?"

Jiang Yi was still hesitating when Ning Qianyu and Qi Yuan pushed open the door and went in first. Seeing this, Jiang Yi could only follow them in, while Qiu Mengxue and Teacher Su Wan followed behind her.

As soon as they entered, they heard the sound of the bass guitar playing.

It wasn't just a simple, deep bass note; rather, it had a crisp, explosive power. That's because the person wasn't just plucking the strings with their fingers, but also striking the strings with the side of their thumb.

Jiang Yi overheard the conversation between the mother and daughter behind her.

Qiu Mengxue: "Is this the bass slap?"

Su Wan: "Yes, this person is quite amazing..."

Jiang Yi suddenly realized that compared to others, her bass playing was practically elementary school level.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

043 You're not allowed to participate in that...

Qi Yuan had never played bass before, so he naturally didn't know anything about slap techniques. He just felt an irrepressible urge welling up inside him as he listened to the man's bass solo in the music store.

This impulse made him want to follow the rhythm.

It's as if there's not just one person playing bass, but rather the bass and drums combined, creating an exceptionally strong rhythm.

Qi Yuan managed to control himself and not jump up with the bass, but when he looked down, he realized that he couldn't help but shake his leg.

Turning her head again, she saw Ning Qianyu trembling even more violently. It wasn't just her legs shaking; she was practically jumping up. It was only because there wasn't a drum set nearby that she wasn't already pounding away.

Suddenly, the middle-aged man pressed down on the strings, stopped playing his solo, looked up, and asked, "Do you want to buy a violin?"

Qi Yuan clapped lightly: "No, we're just browsing. We saw you play well and wanted to take a look. Are you the store manager?"

"Yes, I have all kinds of basses and guitars here, don't you want to take a look?"

At this moment, Qiu Mengxue said from behind, "Of course we can take a look, but we may not necessarily buy anything."

The shop manager shrugged: "It's alright. You guys are probably in a band, right? If you already have all the instruments, it's normal not to need to buy any more, but you can still check it out first..."

And so, the store manager and Qiu Mengxue started chatting.

Qi Yuan subconsciously turned around at the sound, but noticed Jiang Yi standing next to Qiu Mengxue.

The quiet little girl looked very disappointed, her eyes filled with dejection. No one else noticed this except him.

Qi Yuan originally wanted to ask directly what was wrong, but considering Jiang Yi's personality, he quietly moved over and suddenly asked in a low voice, "Are you unhappy?"

"Huh?" Jiang Yi looked up blankly. "I'm not unhappy."

Qi Yuan: "Come on, you're practically wearing your unhappiness on your sleeve. I didn't see you like this on the street earlier. What's wrong, something on your mind?"

The girl's fragile defenses were shattered in just a few words.

Jiang Yi was silent for several seconds, then muttered, "I just think the skill level is too low..."

Qi Yuan: "Who's less skilled, the store manager?"

"No, no, I'm talking about myself! Compared to the shop manager, I simply can't play bass. I've tried slap, and I can barely play it, but to switch rhythms so smoothly and easily, to make the slap sound like a bass drum... I could never do that."

As she spoke, Jiang Yi couldn't control her voice, especially the last two sentences, which were heard by everyone else in the store.