A band, or a battleground?

He's just good at pretending.

Because his mental age is much greater than his physical age, he doesn't show his emotions as openly as his peers. However, standing on the stage again and watching the curtain slowly rise once more, he still couldn't help but feel his heart race a little.

This is a live match, we can't afford to make mistakes, we can't afford to make mistakes...

Qi Yuan silently reminded himself of this, then began to strum the guitar strings and sing:

"How many people walk on, yet remain stuck in the same place?"

"How many people live as if they were dead?"

So many people love each other, yet seem to be separated.

"How many people smile while their eyes are filled with tears?"

Then, engage your diaphragm and abdominal muscles to prepare for the high note.

But at that moment, he accidentally played a wrong chord.

On the noisy rock stage, this didn't seem to be a big problem, and the teammates were performing as usual.

But Qi Yuan couldn't help but feel a tightness in his chest.

Next, there was only one second left before the high note.

Qi Yuan opened his mouth as usual, but suddenly found that his vocal cords were also tight, and he couldn't make a sound for a moment!

He was immediately terrified.

I was just telling myself not to make a mistake, but what I feared most came to pass.

He turned around abruptly and looked at Qiu Mengxue.

As previously arranged, Qiu Mengxue was to provide harmonies for the high notes in this song. And if I, as the lead singer, faltered, as long as the harmonies were still there, I could barely manage... right?

This moment was too brief; he was afraid Qiu Mengxue hadn't noticed his gaze.

However, the moment he turned around, he met the girl's gaze.

Qiu Mengxue had been staring at him the whole time.

Qi Yuan didn't have time to wonder why the girl was staring at him; he was just relieved—she had moved closer to the microphone, so the volume of her singing was naturally louder, and the harmony became the second lead vocal.

"Who knows where we should go?"

Who understands what life has become?

Should we find an excuse to continue living a life of ignominy?

"Or spread your wings and fly while remaining angry."

"How am I supposed to exist...?"

This high-pitched chorus was entirely sung by Qiu Mengxue.

The high notes that are very difficult for boys are not so difficult for girls, but the timbre is completely different.

The girl's voice was exceptionally ethereal and clear. What was originally a song full of anger took on a transcendent quality, like the voice of an angel who had witnessed the suffering of time.

Taking advantage of this time, Qi Yuan continued playing the guitar while swallowing hard, taking several deep breaths, and trying to adjust his vocal cords.

After the interlude, he sang the verse again:

"So many times I've felt honored yet humiliated."

"How many times have I experienced ecstasy followed by immense pain?"

So many times I've experienced happiness yet felt my heart was being torn apart.

"How many times have I shone brightly only to fall into despair?"

Now it's time for the chorus.

Qi Yuan felt that his voice had returned to normal, but he was still a little worried, so he leaned back slightly to keep himself a little further away from the microphone.

Who knows where our dreams should lead us?

Who understands what dignity has become?

After singing the two high-pitched choruses, he finally had complete confidence and was sure that he was fine.

At the same time, Qiu Mengxue was also singing this high note.

Should we find a reason to go with the flow?

"Or bravely move forward and break free from the cage."

"How am I supposed to exist...?"

Their voices merged together, and Qi Yuan continued to raise his voice.

To the audience, it sounded as if, under the compassionate gaze of an angel, a struggling mortal had risen up.

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.

Nearly five minutes later, the music from the boys and girls gradually stopped.

The audience erupted in enthusiastic applause once again.

As the host walked onto the stage, he said, "Many of you who follow the Spring Shadow Band know that this song was written on the spot by Qi Yuan during an interview with the band. But everyone's reaction tells me that what's written in one stroke isn't necessarily hasty and careless; it can also be an amazing masterpiece. Moreover, this song breaks the Spring Shadow Band's tradition of having only one lead singer and is designed to have two. Can you talk about why you designed it this way?"

The three girls looked at each other, suppressing any expression.

What kind of design is this? This is clearly an accident on stage!

Qi Yuan said in a serious tone, "As I said before, I'm not the only one in our band who can be the lead singer. I also hope everyone knows that Mengxue and Yiyi are both very outstanding lead singers."

He Dong then asked, "You've already performed six great songs on this stage, so why did you choose to use a dual lead vocal design for this particular song?"

Qi Yuan paused for a moment.

Without a microphone nearby, Ning Qianyu murmured in a barely audible voice, "Brother Gun, you have to make this up properly..."

Then Qi Yuan said, "Because of this song, the feeling we want to express is quite complex. It's not just simple anger. This world is very complex, and nothing is black and white. Like me, in that interview program, I said that my upbringing wasn't good, but you can't blame my parents entirely. People in this world are like small fish in the ocean; you don't know where the waves will carry you. People are products of their environment."

Ning Qianyu immediately became respectful: "What? Is the word that big?"

Qi Yuan continued, “We don’t know where we’re going, or what we’ll become in the future. How the world will change us is unpredictable, but we can resist. Even if sometimes this resistance seems futile, the act of resistance highlights our existence. In that case, if it’s just my voice, it would sound a bit monotonous, so we hope to have a second lead singer.”

The host, He Dong, also became quite serious: "So, when you chose this form of expression for this song, was there any philosophical consideration behind it?"

Qi Yuan smiled slightly: "It should be said that the creation of this song originally had a bit of an existentialist feel to it. Humans are products of their environment, but that's not all; we also need to have our own will."

The audience's applause grew even louder, with some shouting things like "Awesome!"

Ning Qianyu almost wanted to kneel down before Qi Yuan.

She wanted to say, "Brother, I know you can make things up, but to exaggerate a stage mistake like this, aren't you just making things up a bit too much?"

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.

117 Where should we touch you?

The applause and cheers from the audience echoed like a tsunami.

He Dong's summary pierced through the noise of the studio: "The Spring Shadow Band not only brought us an auditory feast, but also a profound philosophical discourse! So, how do the three mentors evaluate this song and this performance?"

Zhou Taishan laughed first, "Qi Yuan, I praised your lyrics and music before, but now it seems you're not just good at writing, you're also quite the talker. You've even started talking about philosophy, is that necessary? Just say you think it's a bit monotonous to sing it alone!"

The audience erupted in cheerful laughter.

Qi Yuan bowed slightly: "Teacher Zhou is right."

He appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Zhou Taishan hadn't noticed the mistake on stage. Although his boasting had seemed a bit pretentious, at least he'd managed to cover it up.

He Dong continued, "Ms. Liang Fei, what do you think?"

Liang Fei gave Qi Yuan a deep look and said, "Actually, I was terrified when I heard the first half of it."

Upon hearing this, the four young men and women on the stage simultaneously felt a jolt in their hearts.

Did this top diva discover the flaw in her statement?

Liang Fei continued, "Before the chorus, Qi Yuan, your voice suddenly became a little tense, like you were having a vocal cord injury."

Qi Yuan thought to himself, 'No wonder she's a diva famous for her singing voice; she even recognized that?'

However, Liang Fei changed the subject: "But after listening to what you just said, especially the part about people being swept up by their environment, I understand now. That was a deliberate vocal design, right?"

Qi Yuan's expression remained unchanged. He simply raised his eyelids slightly and looked at Liang Fei with a deep gaze that seemed to say, "As expected of you, you've seen through me."

Liang Fei analyzed earnestly: "He deliberately made his vocal cords tense to simulate the suffocating and struggling feeling of being choked in a desperate situation. Then, Mengxue's ethereal voice cut in and completed the redemption! So this song has made innovative and bold designs in details that many people cannot notice."

The audience erupted in thunderous gasps and applause once again.

Hearing the enthusiastic cheers from below the stage, Ning Qianyu bit her lip tightly, and even pinched her palm hard with her nails to prevent herself from bursting out laughing.

What kind of innovative and daring idea is this?! He's just suffering from a terrible voice!

Qi Yuan took a deep breath and bowed solemnly to Liang Fei: "Thank you for your kind words, Teacher Liang Fei. Musical expression does indeed require some risk."

As soon as she finished speaking, even the usually composed Qiu Mengxue quickly bowed her head to hide the wild grin on her lips.

He Dong shook his head with a sigh and looked at the last mentor: "Teacher Jia Shu, after the first round of voting, you gave it extremely high praise. After listening to this song 'Existence,' is there anything you'd like to add?"

The camera instantly cut to Chen Jiashu's face.

Chen Jiashu felt as if he had swallowed a dead fly. He had clearly noticed Qi Yuan's mistake. He had planned to point out the flaw in his critique with the regret and pain of an elder. Even if it didn't affect the vote, he wanted to at least shatter Chunriying's perfect record.

But who would have thought that Qi Yuan casually waved the banner of existentialist philosophy, not only fooling the audience, but even Zhou Taishan seemed to believe it, and Liang Fei, a senior in the music industry, even helped him turn his mistake into an innovation!

The atmosphere in the room had reached its peak. If he were to jump out at this moment and say, "That was a mistake," it would not only make him seem like he had no taste, but it would also offend Liang Fei and Zhou Taishan, who were in high spirits.

Chen Jiashu adjusted his glasses, his smile maintaining his impeccable demeanor.

"I have nothing more to add. From the anger in 'Shan Hai' to the contemplation in 'Existence,' your performance tonight has truly met my expectations. Fourteen million votes are just the beginning. I believe that on this stage, you have no rivals."

Although the words are still complimentary, they are no longer overly flattering and have become much more natural.

He simply didn't have the energy for it.

He Dong announced loudly, "Thank you to the three mentors for their insightful comments! Now, the moment of truth has arrived. The second round of the semi-finals, ten-minute countdown voting, begins now!"

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.

"Brother Gun, you're really good at talking nonsense."

In the waiting area, Ning Qianyu put her arm around Qi Yuan's shoulder and whispered something to him.

Jiang Yi watched her movements, her eyes twitching slightly.

Qiu Mengxue's gaze also seemed somewhat unnatural.

Ning Qianyu didn't notice her two partners' reactions, and was only concerned with exclaiming, "We didn't even do that during rehearsal. That was clearly a mistake, right?"

"Yes." Qi Yuan nodded.

There's nothing to hide from my teammates whom I spend every day with.

Ning Qianyu shook her head: "I really didn't realize you had such a talent for making up lies. Tell me, if you ever fall in love and cheat on someone, can you justify it by saying you were studying, doing field research, or rehearsing music? And will your girlfriend still believe you then?"

Qi Yuan: "..."

Jiang Yi and Qiu Mengxue's expressions became even more unnatural.

Ning Qianyu didn't notice their reactions, but Qi Yuan did catch a glimpse of them.

He quickly replied, "I'm not that kind of person. Putting aside whether I'm good at dating, if I were to date, I would definitely be aiming for a lifelong, monogamous relationship."

Ning Qianyu: Is that so?

"Of course, and the key point is that I'm not making this up. The key point is that I actually made a mistake, and at that critical moment, someone stepped forward and held the line. Thank you, Mengxue." Qi Yuan thanked her sincerely.

Qiu Mengxue smiled and shook her head, then reached out and gently patted his head.

Qi Yuan: "?"

Qiu Mengxue said softly, "I understand. You're under more pressure than anyone else. Everyone is hoping you'll write good songs and sing them well. After so many songs and so many competitions, this is your first mistake. It's already quite an achievement."

Qi Yuan: "..."

He was a little unsure how to respond. And although she was clearly a beautiful sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, her eyes and expression seemed more like those of a gentle elder, even carrying a hint of maternal concern.

Jiang Yi reached out and patted his head in return.

Qi Yuan: "There's no need to comfort me like that, you guys..."