A band, or a battleground?

However, Qi Yuan still said in a low voice, "We don't need to prove anything by showing off our skills, and neither do you. The essence of Chunriying's music is emotion and melody, relying on the penetrating power of the work itself."

Jiang Yi: "But your work is so good, if you could pair it with an even better bassist..."

Qi Yuan asked with a smile, "Do you know how to cut a watermelon with a chainsaw?"

Jiang Yi was taken aback: "Huh?"

Qi Yuan: "You don't need a chainsaw to cut a watermelon. Similarly, my work doesn't need such flashy techniques. Too strong a bass, guitar, or drums won't benefit the work; instead, they'll overshadow it. Your bass skills are not only sufficient but also work very well with us, and that's enough."

Jiang Yi muttered, "Really? Are you just trying to comfort me?"

Qi Yuan: "I'm trying to comfort you, but it's also true. To be honest, your biggest problem is your mindset. It's okay for musicians to be sensitive, but there's no need to be this sensitive."

If someone else had said that, Jiang Yi wouldn't have felt it was enough. But as the composer of those songs, Qi Yuan's words, "My works don't need such technical flair" and "The collaboration was excellent," were very convincing.

Just then, the shop manager asked, "Young lady, do you play bass too?"

Jiang Yi looked at the store manager, subconsciously showing some respect: "Yes, but I can't compare to you."

The store manager smiled and shook his head: "What are you comparing me to? Are you happy in the band? Do you get along with your bandmates?"

Jiang Yi quickly replied, "Of course we get along, they're all very nice..."

The store manager waved his hand: "That's settled then, why worry about so much? Let me tell you, young lady, the most important thing about playing in a band is to have fun. Not to mention others, even someone like me has audiences who don't understand or don't like it. They think what I play is noise. Have you ever paid any attention to them? There's no need, really no need for internal conflict."

Qi Yuan also said, "When you're on stage, you don't need to think about anything else, just enjoy the music. When you're off stage, you don't need to think about anything else either, just live your own life well."

Store manager: "That's right, young man, that's what it means to live life to the fullest!"

After a few words, Jiang Yi's complexion had improved considerably.

Ning Qianyu, however, was a little curious and asked, "Uncle, did you used to be in a band?"

The store manager said irritably, "None of the bass players have ever played in a band?"

Ning Qianyu then asked, "Is your band still around?"

The store manager shook his head: "They're gone. I couldn't get along with them."

Ning Qianyu: "Why?"

The store manager looked up and recalled the past, his eyes filled with vicissitudes, and his tone was filled with regret: "They didn't call me when they opened Silverpa."

The three girls were stunned.

Qi Yuan expressed his deep understanding: "They really can't get along."

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.

That evening, all five of them gathered in Qi Yuan's room.

The production team provided standard rooms for the band contestants, with two beds in each room. So, Qi Yuan, who was staying in a room by himself, naturally had one bed free, which was perfect for everyone to sit on the edge of the bed and have a meeting.

"Alright, I need to go get the program team's notification to see what number you'll be on stage tomorrow, and what other precautions there are..." Teacher Su Wan said, looking at her phone. "Are you sure the piece you'll be performing tomorrow is 'Blue Lotus and Those Flowers,' right?"

The four members of the band nodded in unison.

"I'll be right back, you guys continue chatting," said Ms. Su Wan, getting up and leaving.

The door closed, and the room was quiet for a few seconds.

Suddenly, Qiu Mengxue said, "I had a question during the day, but my mother was there and I felt it was a bit inconvenient, so I didn't ask it."

Qi Yuan: "What's the problem?"

Qiu Mengxue stared at him, her face serious, and asked, "What did the shopkeeper mean by the silver handkerchief?"

Qi Yuan: "..."

Jiang Yi also said, "Yes, what does that mean?"

Qi Yuan: "Neither of you knew?"

Both girls shook their heads.

Qi Yuan was both amused and exasperated: "Neither of you understands what it means, yet you know you shouldn't discuss this in front of Teacher Su?"

Qiu Mengxue: "Although I don't know what it means, judging from your and the store manager's expressions, I feel that it might not be appropriate to talk about this with my mom..."

Ning Qianyu, who frequently surfs the internet, couldn't resist and pulled Qiu Mengxue and Jiang Yi aside for a few whispered words.

The two girls' expressions grew increasingly surprised.

Qi Yuan said calmly, "It seems I don't need to explain."

Qiu Mengxue suddenly turned her head and stared at him, asking, "Do all boys like this kind of thing?"

Qi Yuan curled his lip: "First, not all boys like it, at least not those who go to such lengths. Second, it's not just boys who like this kind of thing."

Jiang Yi also chimed in, "So, do you like it?"

Qi Yuan frankly said, "I only like music. You three are all quite cute, and you've probably received confessions from boys, right? But you've been in my band for two months now, have you ever seen me pursue you?"

Ning Qianyu: "I understand, you're a martial monk!"

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.

044 Do you have a grudge against each other?

Qi Yuan never expected that his first step in participating in the show would be to put on makeup.

To be precise, he was made up.

The contestants got up early in the morning and spent the morning doing makeup, getting ready, and taking photos before the afternoon when the show recording officially began.

When the four members of the Spring Shadow Band entered the waiting hall, they saw a huge crowd of people queuing up for makeup.

Ning Qianyu sighed softly, "There are just too many people..."

Qiu Mengxue said, "Because we passed the audition, there are a hundred bands participating in the main competition."

Ning Qianyu gasped in astonishment: "So many!"

Qiu Mengxue was a little angry: "We're about to have a competition, and you don't even know the rules?"

Ning Qianyu: "I know the competition format. The first round is the group stage."

Qiu Mengxue: "Do you know how many will be eliminated?"

Ning Qianyu shook her head.

Qi Yuan answered for her: "One hundred to sixty. The sixty bands that pass the test will be divided equally among the three mentors' groups, with each mentor having exactly twenty spots."

Jiang Yi gasped in astonishment: "Almost half of them will be eliminated in the first round? That's too cruel..."

Qiu Mengxue was a little annoyed: "How come you don't know either? It's one thing if the audience doesn't know, but we are contestants, we should at least do some research!"

Jiang Yi said weakly, "Because, when I watched The Coming One before, they didn't eliminate so many people in the first round."

Although Qiu Mengxue was slightly annoyed, she still explained, "Because there weren't as many participating bands in previous seasons. This time, there are a hundred bands that made it to the main competition, so the elimination rate is much higher. That's why the first round of the competition will take three episodes to air."

Ning Qianyu blinked: "What about the rest? Will it also be recorded and broadcast in stages?"

Qiu Mengxue: "The team battles from the second to the fourth round will be broadcast in two episodes. The semi-finals and finals will probably only be broadcast in one episode. Then, the final will be a live performance in a stadium, and the entire event will be streamed online. There will be no room for post-production audio editing, so it will all come down to real skill."

"Offline performance, online live broadcast..." Jiang Yi took a deep breath, but still felt a wave of dizziness.

"Don't think that far ahead, just focus on doing well in the first round." Qi Yuan patted Jiang Yi on the shoulder.

The four chatted idly for over an hour before it was their turn to enter the dressing room. Of course, the makeup artists were undoubtedly the hardest working this morning, each one operating like an assembly line, their movements incredibly swift and efficient.

"Next, come sit down!" a stylist holding a powder puff shouted.

Jiang Yi sat down in front of the makeup mirror somewhat awkwardly.

The stylist was about to apply foundation to her face when he paused. He carefully examined Jiang Yi's clear, fair face and muttered, "Such a good foundation? Is this what youthful collagen looks like...?"

So he simply applied a base makeup to Jiang Yi, tidied her eyebrows a little, and then called out, "Next."

Ning Qianyu and Qiu Mengxue received similar treatment; excessive makeup was a burden for them, making the stylist's job much easier. He finished the makeup for all three girls in less than twenty minutes.

When it was Qi Yuan's turn, the stylist looked him over and asked, "What style do you want?"

Qi Yuan twitched his lips: "I don't know anything about makeup, this style..."

"Alright, I'll do as I say."

The makeup artist started working as soon as he finished speaking. He could tell that Qi Yuan was in the same band as the three girls in front of him. Since the other three were wearing light makeup, he naturally wouldn't do anything too drastic to Qi Yuan's face, just make slight adjustments, conceal blemishes, and brighten his complexion.

Half an hour later, the four people walked out of the dressing room and returned to the waiting hall.

Their appearance not only attracted the attention of those around them, but also caught the eye of a cameraman.

Compared to other bands with their studded leather jackets, dyed hair, and smoky makeup, this group of young men and women is so clean-cut.

Qi Yuan wore a simple white work vest and trousers, Qiu Mengxue wore a red and black plaid skirt with long straight hair, Ning Qianyu wore a cyberpunk-style patchwork short outfit, and Jiang Yi wore a dark gothic dress. Although their clothes were different, they all exuded an undisguised youthful vibe, thanks to their clean and refreshing faces.

However, once they discovered the camera, all three girls felt a little uncomfortable, especially Jiang Yi.

Jiang Yi muttered to herself, "Could they be filming us?"

Qiu Mengxue replied in a low voice, "They're filming us. The production team will shoot a lot of footage and edit it into the show. You've seen Tomorrow Band before, so you should know that."

Jiang Yi couldn't help but smile wryly: "I know it, but experiencing it firsthand... it's a completely different feeling."

Qi Yuan, however, remained calm and composed. Ever since he started copying songs, he knew that sooner or later he would have to face the camera and get used to it.

So he said, "Let's just pretend the camera isn't there and do our own thing."

Qiu Mengxue, who is usually quite opinionated, asked blankly, "What are we supposed to do now?"

Qi Yuan smiled slightly: "Let's find a place to sit down and continue chatting. We'll wait for the staff to come and let us know when we're going to take our official photos."

"Oh, okay..."

So the three girls followed him and found a secluded circular sofa to sit down.

Less than half a minute after sitting down, Ning Qianyu pointed at the camera and said, "Hey, look, it's turned around, it's not filming us anymore."

Qi Yuan: "For nobodies like us, a couple of shots are enough, and they might not even make it into the final cut."

“There’s a band over there, and they’re having two photographers filming them at the same time…” Ning Qianyu said, but then recognized them halfway through, “Oh ho, it’s the Titans.”

It's the Titans band that had the conflict at the hotel elevator entrance the night before last.

Zhao Xukun, the lead singer who had flirted with Qiu Mengxue, was now all made up, looking handsome and dashing. However, while his appearance might attract many fans, it disgusted the three girls who knew his true nature.

Qi Yuan's gaze met that of Li Qiye, the guitarist with a buzz cut, but the connection was fleeting.

“There are cameras filming,” Qi Yuan joked. “These people are very polite.”

Qiu Mengxue snorted coldly, "Of course. What I'm worried about is them doing something underhanded in private. They can't do anything on the show."

Although the Titans received special treatment, the cameras didn't stay on them for long. The photographers quickly moved on to photographing other people.

The instant both cameras shifted their focus, Li Qiye glared at Qi Yuan. When their eyes met again, Qi Yuan made a slash across his neck with his right thumb, retaliating with the same throat-slitting gesture he had made the night before.

Qi Yuan pointed at him and laughed, "Haha, so petty."

The Titans didn't stay in the lobby for long; they were soon notified to take their official photos.

As soon as they left, a woody perfume scent wafted from the circular sofa.

A young male voice rang out: "Do you have a grudge against the Titans?"

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.

045 Besieged by wolves in front and tigers behind

"Do you have a grudge against the Titans?"

Upon hearing the sound, Qi Yuan slightly turned his gaze and took a closer look.

Standing before me was a young man in his early twenties. He had fair skin and delicate features, even possessing a touch of androgynous beauty; a hint of light red eyeshadow could be seen at the corner of his eyes. He wore a silk shirt with sequins and tassels, and a black choker around his neck.

As he spoke, his right hand unconsciously rose and gently adjusted his bangs, as if subconsciously afraid of messing up his hairstyle. And indeed, his hairstyle was quite meticulous.

Behind this person stood two equally flamboyantly dressed boys.

Qi Yuan glanced at him: "I guess so."

"Let me introduce myself, we are the Star Elements Band. I'm the lead singer, Su Muluo. And you guys?"

"Spring Shadow Band, lead singer Qi Yuan."