They were still queuing, waiting for the process to proceed, completely unaware that on the other side, someone was already seething with rage.
Qin Xiao sat in the nanny van, eyes fixed on the two people under the parasol not far away. For some reason, a strong surge of jealousy instantly flooded her heart.
Why? Why did you become famous all over Jiangnan the moment you debuted?
Why do just a few songs enable you to soar to great heights?
Why are you a Queen at such a young age, while I have more resources, a stronger backing, but still can't get professional recognition just because I debuted a year later?
Why is it that you have tall, handsome men by your side, while I can only share a bed with a beer-bellied, balding old man, compromising in every way, and have to sneak around to find a handsome guy?
Her eyes were red with anger and dissatisfaction, her belly full of jealousy and resentment with nowhere to vent.
But what did any of this have to do with others? Did anyone care?
At least Xu Qingqiu and Chu Tian didn't.
After what felt like an eternity, the outdoor recording was complete, and people finally started trickling into the recording studio.
This was a film and television base, filled with recording studios of various sizes, mostly set up for variety shows.
"Teacher Xu, please follow me later. We will wait in the lounge first. Today we are recording the first performance. The performance is unranked; it's just the Singer's individual showcase. When the time comes, someone will escort you onto the stage according to the performance order," Zhouzhou said, taking the opportunity to keep going over the procedure with Qingqiu.
As for the performance order, it was determined by the official announcement time. There were a total of nine Singers, and Xu Qingqiu was sixth, scheduled to perform around the midway point.
"Alright, thank you for your trouble, Zhouzhou."
"No trouble at all, Teacher Xu. I will be with you practically the whole time. If you have any questions, just ask," Zhouzhou replied.
「…」
Because it was the first day of recording, and also the pilot episode, the schedule was set, but the actual process was a mess. In short, it was chaos.
It wasn't the production crew that caused the chaos, but the various problems stemming from the stars' teams.
One wanted to use their own makeup artist, another couldn't wear certain clothes, one wanted to change their song, and another thought their photo wasn't good and demanded a reshoot.
In short, all kinds of trivial issues.
The production team probably anticipated this scenario. They seemed well-practiced from the previous two seasons and were at least slowly gaining confidence from the experience.
Relatively speaking, the quietest group had to be their team of Singers.
How could it not be quiet? There were only three of them, including one who was mute. Aside from Xu Qingqiu and Li Chunhua, who would communicate from time to time, the three of them sat together as if watching a play, merely observing others' performances.
And wouldn't you know, they practically were watching a play.
The first round wasn't an official competition, and there was no live audience, just the recording itself. Everyone gathered in the studio's seating area.
People came and went on stage; the bands kept rotating, as did the stars. Every so often, teams would argue over disagreements, or someone would be in discussion with the director. It was far more entertaining than a TV drama.
Xu Qingqiu and Chu Tian sat together, each leaning on a chair back, utterly engrossed.
Xu Qingqiu was fine since she had just changed her clothes and makeup and could only keep her head raised. Chu Tian, however, had no such constraints. He was practically draped over his seat with his chin resting on the back of his hands, looking like he was watching a palace drama—all he was missing was a handful of sunflower seeds.
After much difficulty, things were finally sorted out, and the official proceedings began to unfold.
"Alright, everyone quiet down. We're about to do the final rehearsal round. After the rehearsal, we'll begin recording straight away. Please use the time well and avoid further delays," the chief director announced from the stage. The venue finally quieted down considerably.
One after another, the nine Singers took the stage. Some brought their own bands; some simply used the crew's. They had all rehearsed beforehand. Now it was just a final confirmation, so things moved quickly.
Xu Qingqiu currently had no company, no foundation, and no resources—she was essentially a Singer with nothing. She couldn't afford a band, lacking the money, so she had to use the one prepared by the production crew.
Fortunately, the song came with a complete arrangement and a demo. The content was detailed and ready to use; they had even provided a standard template. All she had to do was follow it.
"The official recording will now begin. Quiet on set!"
At the command, the first Singer took to the stage.
He was a male Singer in his fifties, apparently a veteran in the industry. Anyway, he carried himself with quite an air. Chu Tian thought for a moment and then remembered—this seemed to be Guan Che, an old-timer in the singing world.
In terms of seniority, he was definitely the oldest among the group. As for talent, he naturally had it, but with increasing age, he surely wasn't as impressive as he once was.
Guan Che sang an old song of his own that, after some adaptation, had a different flavor. After all, it was the signature song that had made him famous. Bringing it out here now, it appeared the old man was giving it his all, starting to sell nostalgia right from the exhibition performance?
The next performer was a female Singer named Zhu Yan. In her youth, she was the dream lover of countless people, but beauty fades, and appearances change. At over forty, she could no longer conceal the marks of time.
As one Singer after another performed, it was soon Xu Qingqiu's turn.
With a series of veterans before her, when it was Xu Qingqiu's turn, it was as if a flat plain had suddenly met a sheer cliff. It seemed as though she was just there to make up the numbers.
And indeed, the preceding performers were mostly in their thirties or forties. Even those in their thirties were typically in their late thirties, around thirty-seven or thirty-eight.
When it came to her, the age suddenly dropped to twenty-five. Those after her, like Qin Xiao and the others, were even younger.
Compared with a group of veteran Singers, it was hard not to suspect they were brought in to be supporting acts.
Supporting act or not, Xu Qingqiu didn't feel that way at all.
The spotlight fell, the music started, and Xu Qingqiu slowly walked to the center of the stage.
"If pride had not been coldly struck down by the sea of reality"
"How could one understand the need to work hard"
"To reach the distant shores"
Her cool, clear singing voice contained a hint of tenderness, as if she were reminiscing, yet also encouraging herself.
Xu Qingqiu gazed into the void in the distance, her mind replaying her journey—navigating currents, weathering storms, facing fickle fortunes.
In just a few short years, it felt like she had seen all the landscapes of life and witnessed the ugliness of human nature.
Just as she was at her wits' end, this song had abruptly appeared before her, as if telling her not to be lost, not to be discouraged; to think about her past, and why she had chosen this path in the first place.
"Plant the tears in your heart"
"And brave flowers will bloom"
"When you are weary"
"Close your eyes and smell a kind of fragrance..."
As the song continued, her conviction grew stronger, and the strength within her swelled.
The world was like that; reality never changed for anyone. What she could do was change herself, to defeat reality!
"The Original Dream tightly grasped in hand"
"The place you wish to go most"
"How could you turn back halfway?"
「…」
When the song ended, the silence was profound.
During rehearsals, Xu Qingqiu had always hummed quietly, partly to stay in form and also to protect her voice.
Those present had thought the tune was nice, but when she sang the whole song with full force, everyone from the directors and guests to the surrounding crew was stunned on the spot.
Was the song good? It might not have been the epitome of perfection, but it was definitely excellent.
Combined with Xu Qingqiu's clear and ethereal voice, sincere emotions, and well-honed Singing Skills, the people around were momentarily stunned.
Especially the directorial team, who had disbelief written all over their faces.
Seriously, lady? We invited you here just to be a supporting act. Did you really have to go all out like this?
You said you acquired a song on short notice. This is what you acquired? Where from? Can you at least name the source?
Wow. After listening to your song, I suddenly realize those veterans don't seem so unbeatable, do they?
Compared to everyone else's astonishment, Qin Xiao felt as if she had swallowed a fly.
Because she was the next to perform.
Thank goodness this is just an exhibition performance, no scoring, no ranking. Damn it, where did Xu Qingqiu find such an amazing song?