Chapter 1553: ‘The Ordinary Road’!

The second contestant came on!

Guan Xue quietly went onstage amid scattered applause.

Compared to Hai Yifei’s onstage appearance, it was an entirely different reaction.

A melodious voice floated out.

“Where is the piano?

“Where does the sound drift?

“To the heavens maybe?

“Can this be fate?”

Guan Xue sang with all that she could.

She hit the high notes.

She sang in falsetto.

She incorporated portamento into the song.

She was constantly switching between different techniques.

But not many people in the audience was taking her seriously.

…

Online.

The voting window had opened.

Even before some of the singers had taken the stage to sing, the fans were already voting crazily for them.

“Haihai shall be victorious!”

“Damn, let me give my vote to Qiqi first.”

“I’ve already voted for Qu Dong.”

“He hasn’t even performed yet, big sis.”

“So what? I’ll just vote first.”

“Guan Xue sang quite well too.”

“Yeah, I’ve voted for her.”

“Has everyone already voted? Why aren’t you all saving your votes until they finish singing? There are still three more contestants.”

“Zhang Ye is in real danger.”

“It was expected that he would be the first to get eliminated.”

“Actually, a lot of people here were Zhang Ye’s fans in the past, but there really aren’t too many of them left.”

“No matter what, he’s still a former Heavenly King. How can he get eliminated in just the first round? That would be so embarrassing.”

“He asked for it for not admitting that he has become old and insisting on coming to compete with the hunks.”

“Actually, I really wanna know what song Zhang Ye will sing.”

…

On the stage.

Qi Liang went onstage.

The cheering was deafening.

“Qiqi!”

“Qi Liang!”

“Qi Liang!”

“Let’s go!”

“He’s so handsome!”

“Qiqi, I’ll love you forever!”

Many girls started crying the moment they saw Qi Liang.

The extent of chasing after a star like that could only simply be described as feverish!

Today, Qi Liang had chosen an English song to sing. It was also a genre that he was very adept at performing. The moment he opened his mouth, many people in the audience stood up!

Compared to Hai Yifei, he had even more fans!

Qi Liang’s popularity was much higher than Hai Yifei’s!

…

Backstage.

In Room One.

An employee knocked on the door and entered.

The employee said, “Director Zhang, Teacher Qu Dong will be going onstage next. Please get ready for your turn.”

Zhang Ye laughed. “Don’t address me as Director Zhang anymore.”

The employee scratched his head in embarrassment. “Hai, I’m used to calling you that.”

“I’ve ready and can go at any time,” Zhang Ye said.

The employee said, “Alright then, have some water. We’ll bring you over in another two minutes.”

Zhang Ye nodded and figured that he might as well turn off the television. The room was suddenly plunged into silence, although the shouting from where the stage was could still be heard. There wasn’t a lot of time left. He then lowered his head to look at his hands and discovered that they were actually trembling. It had been four years, four years without meeting the audience, four years without standing on a stage to perform. Will they still acknowledge me? Can my voice still move them?

Zhang Ye did not know.

He only knew that he had a lot of things that he wished to say to them. He really had a lot to say.

I’m back.

But are you still here for me?

Do you guys still remember my story?

The employee said, “Teacher Zhang, let’s go.”

“Alright.” Zhang Ye stood up and went with him.

As they got closer to the stage, the shouting in the venue became clearer.

Qu Dong was still singing.

Zhang Ye was in the holding area now.

From where he was, he could see a portion of the audience and the stage. It was a very familiar sight and something that he missed greatly. This was the same stage as the one he helped to design. After five seasons, there wasn’t too much change. For a moment, Zhang Ye lost his focus. He suddenly remembered many things, such as the explosive popularity of “Small Apple,” how plaza dancing took the country by storm, and his finale song, “The King of Karaoke.” All of that was part of his story on this stage those years ago.

After four years, he was back.

Time really went quick.

All of a sudden, thunderous clapping and roars pulled him back to reality.

“Qu Dong!”

“Qu Dong!”

“Qu Dong!”

The onstage performance had ended.

The audience couldn’t contain their excitement.

Madness!

Screams!

Yells!

All of the applause was for Qu Dong!

Zhang Ye knew that it was time for him to go onstage.

…

On Weibo.

“Ququ is invincible!”

“This song was performed in such a godly manner!”

“Qiqi’s song was quite good too.”

“The greatest champion of the five seasons can only be a fight between Qi Liang and Qu Dong. Even if the others can sing in such a fantastic way, there isn’t much hope of them winning.”

“Yeah, their popularities are entirely different from these two.”

“Who’s the next singer?”

“Ah, it should be Zhang Ye’s turn, right? Next is the last one.”

“I don’t hold any hope for him.”

“Hai, he shouldn’t have joined at all.”

“I don’t even feel like listening to this blacklisted artist perform.”

“Right, with such a tainted history, he thinks that he can challenge Qiqi and Ququ?”

“He’s probably gonna get eliminated in the first round.”

…

Old Chen’s house.

Chen Guang was startled. “It’s Zhang Ye’s turn!”

Fan Wenli actually became nervous. “Will he be alright?”

“Let’s watch,” Chen Guang said.

Fan Wenli said, “He had better not get eliminated in the first round!”

…

At Zhang Ye’s maternal grandma’s house.

His cousins were making a ruckus.

“It’s our brother’s turn!”

“It’s finally our brother’s turn!”

“This is suffocatingly tense!”

“What song will our brother be singing?”

“I don’t know.”

“It’s probably going to be an old song?”

…

At Old Wu’s parents’ courtyard house.

Wu Changhe asked, “Hai, why have some people started leaving their seats?”

Li Qinqin said, “I don’t know.”

Wu Mo said, “Damn, this is so uncalled for.”

Li Qinqin said, “Yeah, why are the audience members leaving right now?”

…

At Qu Dong’s Studio.

“Pfft.”

“There are people standing up to leave?”

“They probably want to visit the bathroom after watching the performances for so long.”

“Go to the bathroom when it’s Zhang Ye’s turn? His social relations are godawful then.”

“His current popularity is really no longer the same as before.”

…

Back at home.

Zhang Ye’s mother roared, “What’s the meaning of this?”

His father was stunned. “Why would they visit the bathroom right now?”

His mother said angrily, “I told him not to join the competition! See! What did I tell you!”

…

Dong Shanshan’s house.

“What the hell!”

“Zhang’er is in a dangerous position.”

“Yeah, judging by the atmosphere, it really doesn’t seem like he stands a chance of going through.”

“Let’s see how Zhang Ye will handle this.”

“Can he turn the tide?”

“Who knows!”

…

At the live venue.

In the audience, a lot of people were leaving their seats.

“It’s been an hour already.”

“Yeah, let’s make use of Zhang Ye’s performance to quickly use the bathroom.”

“Yeah, there’s still the second round to go after this.”

“I’ll be looking forward to seeing Ququ’s performance in the second round.”

“Qi Liang is very good too.”

“Haha, they’re both quite good. Our ears are gonna have a feast today.”

“Look, Zhang Ye has come out onstage. He seems like he has put on some weight.”

“That’s because he was too thin in the past.”

“It’s been so many years since I’ve seen him.”

“Let’s go to the bathroom first. We’ll see how he performs after we get back.”

Over a dozen people were joking and laughing as they casually left their seats.

At this moment, on camera, Zhang Ye had walked out of the moon gate.

Some people were about to leave.

While some remained seated.

There was no applause.

There were no cheers.

The executive director, Xiao Lu, looked solemn. However, she was panicking badly on the inside!

How did it end up like this?

Why wasn’t there any applause?

Have you all really forgotten about Teacher Zhang?

Zhang Ye slowly walked out and stopped in his tracks. He stood quietly onstage and looked into the audience. Looking at those people who were leaving their seats without even giving him a look, he did not say anything at all. There was nothing he could say anyway. All he did was hold his microphone as he slowly closed his eyes.

At this moment.

The entire nation’s viewers were watching this scene on their televisions.

The entire nation’s viewers were staring at him curiously.

Backstage, Qi Liang, who had finished performing, was shaking his head.

Sitting beside him, Guan Xue let out a small sigh.

This was a scene they had anticipated.

The music played.

But what no one expected that everyone would be stunned when Zhang Ye opened his mouth!

The spotlights were focused on Zhang Ye.

The melody of the music was gentle and melancholic.

Then Zhang Ye opened his mouth.

Under everyone’s gaze, Zhang Ye gripped the microphone with his eyes closed. Standing on this stage that he helped build four years ago, he lightly sang.

This was his first time singing a song in an official setting since his return.

There were no high notes.

There were no techniques.

He was just singing ¹ in a calm and quiet manner:

“As you waver on the pathway

“Will you move forward? Via, via.

“Fragile, arrogant.

“That’s how I used to be as well.”

In the audience.

The people who had left their seats froze!

Zhang Ye sang gently.

“Impassioned, apprehensive.

“Where are you going? Via, via.

“Silent as a puzzle.

“Are you listening to my story?”

The people who were leaving stopped in their tracks!

They looked at Zhang Ye in surprise!

Xiao Lu was stunned!

The live audience members were dumbfounded!

The people watching TV were staring in shock at their screens!

Zhang Ye opened his eyes.

He looked at the stage.

He looked at the audience.

He looked at everyone.

He sang.

“I’ve traversed mountains and the seas,

“And cut through crowds of people.

“Once upon a time, I had it all.

“But it was all gone in the blink of an eye.

“I’d lost and was beyond hope, and even lost all direction.

“Until I saw that being ordinary was my only solution.”

Listening this, Xiao Lu’s eyes reddened!

…

At Yao Jiancai’s house.

“He can still write songs?”

“It’s a new song!”

…

Old Zhang’s house.

“This fellow is amazing.”

“So he can still sing.”

…

Dong Shanshan’s house.

“How has Zhang’er been living his life these past few years?”

“To have a home that he couldn’t go back to, to have a child that he couldn’t see. Just tell me, how did he live through all of that?”

…

At the venue.

Zhang Ye sang lightly.

“While you are still fantasizing

“About your future, via, via.

“Will it improve, or worsen?

“For me, it’s just another day.”

The crowd fell silent.

The people who hadn’t been paying attention to him earlier were now dumbfounded.

Zhang Ye reached out and clutched his chest. His grip tightened as he sang.

“I once destroyed everything I held dear,

“So I had to leave for good.

“I once fell into endless darkness.

“I struggled but failed to get out.

“I’ve been like you, like him, even like weeds and wildflowers.

“I’m desperate and yearning, I cry and laugh, but stay ordinary.”

This was Zhang Ye’s story.

These were his experiences over the past four years.

…

At Zhang Ye’s parents’ house.

His mother was crying. “Son!”

His father’s eyes were a deep red.

…

Back at home.

Sisi asked, “Mommy, Mommy, what’s wrong?”

Wu Zeqing said, “Mommy’s fine.”

“Mommy, don’t cry.”

“OK, Mommy won’t cry.”

…

Onstage.

Zhang Ye sang.

“Move forward, keep going, even if you were given over.

“Move forward, keep going, even if you were robbed.

“Move forward, keep going, even if you miss out.

“Move forward, keep going, even if you—

“I’ve traversed mountains and the seas, / And cut through crowds of people.

“I’ve asked all around the world, / But have never gotten an answer.

“I’m just like you, like him, even like weeds and wildflowers.

“As I face the unknown, this is the only road I will take.”

Xiao Lu was crying.

Many of the Beijing Television staff were crying.

Zhang Ye’s old classmates were crying.

Fan Wenli was crying.

When many of the audience members at the venue realized it, tears were already dripping from their eyes. They couldn’t even wipe them dry or get them off their faces.

Zhang Ye lowered the microphone.

Then he raised it again.

“Time flies by, and just like that.

“Tomorrow is here. Via, via.

“The wind blows, the road ahead is still long.

“How far am I into my story?”

The song ended.

There was still no applause.

There were still no cheers.

There were still no screams.

But Qu Dong froze.

Qi Liang, Hai Yifei, and the others also found it a little unbelievable.

They discovered that many of the staff and audience members at the venue were crying.

Those who had stood up to leave their seats, those who did not anticipate listening to Zhang Ye sing, all of them had thought that after so many years, Zhang Ye would have become a memory to them. They had thought that even after seeing Zhang Ye again, that passion in them from years ago would not get stirred up. They believed that they had all grown up and changed, that all of them had already moved on. But they didn’t expect that when faced with Zhang Ye again, upon hearing him sing again, they would still burst into tears!

His story from years ago had appeared in front of them once again!