wavenovel Chapter 132 The Wind Rises
Chapter 132 The Wind Rises
In an old residential area, Chen Tao squatted on a creaky chair in his rented room, his eyes fixed on the clock on the wall.
7:55 PM.
Five minutes until the fourth episode of "The Voice of China" airs.
On the coffee table were two cans of beer, a bag of peanuts, and a cell phone with only 23% battery left.
"Taozi, are you sure this episode is really as amazing as you say?" His roommate poked his head out of the room, holding a bowl of instant noodles. "Can Wang Bo really make the audience cry with a folk song?"
Chen Tao didn't even turn his head: "What's circulating among the singers at the competition is that the fourth episode will be just as explosive!"
Despite saying that, Chen Tao was actually quite uneasy inside.
Since being awakened by Wang Bo's words, "Folk songs are not dead, they just need new vitality," he has stopped writing those overly sentimental love songs and has instead started studying urban culture and life narratives.
Chen Tao took a swig of beer and stared at the television screen.
Meanwhile, the internet has already entered a state of frenzy.
On Weibo's trending topics list, #The Voice of China Episode 4# remained firmly in first place, followed by the familiar word "explosive".
The topic square refreshes with hundreds of Weibo posts every minute.
Music critic Lao Erduo: "I'm keeping an eye on Wang Bo. Last episode made me cry. This episode has a 'city' theme, and I'm guessing he's up to something again."
Netizen Xiao Wang commented: "Am I the only one curious about which city Wang Bo will choose? The capital? Shanghai? Or his hometown?"
Expert-Data Team: "Insider information: Brother Bo is carrying an acoustic guitar this time. The song is unknown, but I guess... it's still an original [doge emoji]"
A passerby turned fan: "I became a fan after watching 'The Implied Meaning,' and after listening to all of Wang Bo's songs, I'm now a die-hard fan! I'll be watching again tonight!"
Li Xuan's fans: "Xuanxuan must make a comeback this time... If he loses again, he'll really have to go home and farm [crying]"
Qin Xiao's fans: "Brother Xiao has prepared an amazing stage for this episode. Looking forward to the piano prince's urban symphony!"
Prediction posts on various forums have also become incredibly popular.
"Let's have a rational discussion: Will Wang Bo continue his phenomenal run this time?"
The original poster said, "They've already been crowned 'gods' three times in the first three rounds. If they do it again this round, the other contestants might as well withdraw from the competition."
1L: "Based on the pattern, Wang Bo won't stick to one style. 'Blue Lotus' and 'Travel' are light rock, 'Those Flowers' is a campus song, and this episode has an urban theme, so I guess it will be urban folk."
2L: "Urban folk songs? Can Wang Bo write representative folk songs?"
3L: "Upstairs, have you forgotten who Wang Bo is? This man specializes in solving all kinds of 'impossibilities'."
4L: "I bet five cents that Wang Bo will add special elements this episode, like the children's choir from last episode, maybe this time..."
While the forum discussions were in full swing, Zhao Zhong, watching the real-time viewership curve at the Lin'an City TV station monitoring center, began to sweat again.
"Five minutes before the broadcast started, the viewership rating was already 1.8%," a staff member reported.
"The number of people who booked the online live stream has exceeded six million." Another addition.
Zhao Zhong: "All departments, get ready. Tonight... we're about to witness history again."
The clock on the wall ticked toward eight o'clock in the evening.
The fourth episode of "The Voice of China" has officially premiered!
The Western Regions, at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains.
Zhou Yuji, wrapped in a thick cashmere shawl, sat cross-legged on the carpet inside the tent, with a portable projector in front of her, displaying the live broadcast of "The Voice of China".
Outside the tent, the wind howled at minus ten degrees Celsius, while inside, the heater provided a warm and cozy atmosphere.
"Here it comes!" Zhou Yuji rubbed her hands together, poured a cup of hot milk tea from the thermos next to her, and stared at the screen without blinking.
The five members of her herding family gathered around. Although they didn't understand much Mandarin, they knew that this beautiful girl from afar was watching a very important program.
"This is one of my artists," Zhou Yuji gestured, "She sings exceptionally well."
The herdsman nodded as if he understood, and handed her a freshly baked naan.
Zhou Yuji took the naan, took a bite, and then looked back at the screen.
After the opening credits, host Lin Ling appeared, still exuding her usual flamboyant charm.
"Dear viewers, welcome to the fourth episode of 'The Voice of China'—the 'City' themed competition! Seven contestants will use their voices to tell their stories about the city..."
After the competition rules were explained, the contestants took the stage in turn.
The broadcast order and the live recording order have changed again.
Lin Xiaoya chose Shanghai, her hometown, for this episode. Her performance of "The Bund's Bells" was decent, but the stage design was very thoughtful. The large screen behind her displayed the night view of the Bund, creating a good visual effect.
Cheng Yinuo presented an original song, "Dongguan in the Past," which incorporated elements of traditional opera, giving the audience a refreshing experience.
Li Xuan chose the song "Rain in the Mountain City" for this episode.
When he walked onto the stage with his guitar, the entire audience was stunned.
Is this still the same Li Xuan who sang "The Victory or Defeat is Over"?
During his performance, Li Xuan tried hard to be sentimental, but something always felt off – like a tough guy wearing a skirt, it just didn't look right.
The comments section was filled with laughter.
"Li Xuan switched to folk music? Was he driven mad by Wang Bo?"
"To be honest, the singing was alright, but the facial expressions were too strained, like someone was constipated."
"The upstairs view is brilliant!"
"You can't sing folk songs well just by pretending to be profound, bro!"
After Li Xuan's performance, it was Qin Xiao's turn.
When he walked onto the stage, all the lights in the studio went out, leaving only a spotlight shining on him.
A white grand piano was placed in the center of the stage, with a small string section next to it—this was specially approved by the production team, and Qin Xiao really went all out for this episode.
"This city holds my childhood, my dreams, my losses and gains." Qin Xiao spoke calmly into the microphone, "Today, I bring you an original piano concerto—'Memories of Yongcheng'."
As the prelude begins, the piano music flows like water, and the strings join in at the right time, creating a grand and exquisite urban landscape.
Qin Xiao's playing skills are impeccable, and his composition and arrangement also demonstrate his profound academic foundation.
In the four-minute performance, the audience seemed to take a tour of Nanning through the city with the music—the evening breeze over the Yong River, the fireworks in the alleyways, the profound atmosphere of Minzu Avenue, and the old stories that have disappeared into the past.
When the performance ended, the audience stood up and applauded.
In the backstage contestants' lounge, Lin Xiaoya looked on with admiration, Xia Lizhi nodded in approval, and Li Xuan's expression was complicated.
Wang Bo sat in the corner and clapped softly.
Qin Xiao was truly impressive in this match.
But... that's not enough.
"Next—" the host drawled, "Next, please welcome Wang Bo, who has also brought his original work."
The lights went out.
Wang Bo walked onto the stage with his guitar in his arms.
She was still wearing the same simple gray sweater, jeans, and canvas shoes that she had been seen with before.
The stage setup was extremely simple: a standing microphone and a warm yellow floor lamp.
The background screen lights up, displaying a hand-drawn city map with simple lines and a playful, childlike style.
As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of a guitar began.
The simple arpeggios are clear and soothing, like the afternoon sun shining on the bamboo chairs in a teahouse.
Wang Bo spoke, his voice as gentle as if he were telling a story from long ago.