Marriage Concerto (Small Thing Called Love) - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: The main point is, if you PK Sima Xiaoxiao, you’d lose completely.

After the contracts were signed, the Xingyao representative left. The top four contestants remained seated to listen to the program organizer explain the set up of the finals.

“The four contestants of the finals will be split into two groups by lottery. After the first round of performances concludes, the audience will vote to select two contestants to enter the championship match. Next, the two contestants who don’t receive as many votes will perform again. This time, the judges will vote to chose the competition’s third place winner. Then the two contestants who previously advanced will give a second round of performances. Afterwards, the judges will vote again to choose this time’s Heavenly Voice champion. Any questions?”

Ding Meng and the others shook their heads. One contestant raised a hand and asked, “In other words, this time I need to prepare two songs?”

“Correct.” The organizer nodded. “Also, this time the program organizers have a requirement for the first round’s performance.”

These words were beyond everyone’s expectations. Everyone looked at her, waiting for her to continue explaining. “The program organizers have made a provision that the first round’s performance must use the song you all sang during auditions. The videotapes of that moment have been saved by the program organizers. Later, the clips will be reedited and played on the big screen to serve as a comparison to your current performance.”

Ding Meng, “…”

This was simply humiliation play ah. The auditions were originally sung without music, and she hadn’t particularly dressed up. She was simply put… au natural. Not only that, she remembered that Qiao Yichen had even said she was singing karaoke. Would the judges’ comments also be edited in……

T/N: WELL… humiliation play is a BDSM term. Very unawarely googled that in Starbucks haha.

The other contestants had the same misgivings as her and everyone started to whisper amongst them themselves.

The organizer spoke again, “Everyone don’t be embarrassed ha. The audition can definitely be considered a dark spot in your past. It will let the audience see even more clearly how much you all have improved over the course of this competition. It will also become a measure to base their vote on.”

These words seemed to make a lot of sense, but the actual result may just be a drop in fans.

However, everyone had to follow the program’s rules. Even though everyone was bitterly complaining in their hearts, they all obediently went to practice.

This time’s training was not like any that came before it. Since this round, each person had an individual training room and practiced alone, no one was able to get close to another contestant’s room.

The program organizers explained not letting their opponents know their level of skill or even the second round’s song was for their own benefit.

But on the other hand, you also wouldn’t know your opponent’s level of skill or song ah. What happens if you chose the same song as another person? Ding Meng asked aloud the question in her heart.

The program organizers expressed that repeating a song was ok. If two people sang the same song, each one would have a distinct style. They were that headstrong.

Ding Meng silently went to her training room.

Because she still didn’t know what to sing for her second song, Ding Meng primarily focused on practicing her audition song. The instructor would come over from time to time to give pointers, adjust the arrangement of the song, and would sometimes even discuss the stage performance topics.

The first day of training peacefully blew over just like this. Ding Meng was once again ordered to figure out which song she would sing for her second performance by the next morning.

After she returned home, the first thing that Ding Meng did was take out the contract she had signed that morning and give it to Qiao Yichen to take a glance. After reading it through, Qiao Yichen spoke, “Other than the lousy peanut earnings, there are no problems.”

Ding Meng, ‘…”

“For a company as big as Xingyao, there’s no value in trying to swindle rookies like you guys.”

… He had started using his poison tongue without warning.

“However……”

Seeing him frown faintly, Ding Meng immediately became nervous, “However what?” They actually had been swindled, huh!

Qiao Yichen only shook his head, “Nevermind. Let’s wait until you actually win before saying anything else.”

Ding Meng, “…”

Okay, that’s fine too.

“Oh right, I have something for you.” Qiao Yichen put down the contract and stood up from the couch.

Ding Meng raised her head to look at him curiously, “What is it?”

“Wait a bit.” Qiao Yichen returned to his room and then came out with a rectangular gift.

Ding Meng considered the gift in his hand. With that size, it couldn’t be clothes, and it wouldn’t be a necklace, ring, or that kind of thing. What could it be?

“Yesterday I didn’t have enough time to prepare anything, but I suppose this can be considered a gift to congratulate you for entering the top 4.”

Ding Meng was even more curious. He had unexpectedly prepared a gift for her! She received the box and impatiently opened it. Inside was…a set of hair decorations. From combs to hairpins to hair clips, a total set.

Qiao Yichen spoke, “En, we agreed that I would buy you hair decorations.”

Ding Meng, “…”

Who agreed with you! She really wanted to take these hair decorations in her hand and throw them all in his face, but they looked so expensive. She couldn’t actually bear to take action.

She looked at the hair decorations in the case again. The workmanship was very delicate and the style was extremely unique. If he was willing to use such expensive things to tease her, how could she refuse?

“Thanks Goudan. Although, it’s a pity I won’t be selling my hair to buy you a watchband.” She smiled at him and then picked up the case and returned to her own room.

Sitting at her desk, Ding Meng carefully looked at the hair decorations again. The decorations on the wooden comb looked handmade. Every single flower was meticulously drawn on. The workmanship of the hair clip was also extremely detailed. That small little ruby wouldn’t actually be real right…..

It seemed like this present had actually been carefully chosen.

Not long after, Qiao Yichen came over to call her to dinner. There wasn’t any reason to skip training again tonight. After Ding Meng finished her half hour run, the nearby Qiao Yichen asked, “How goes your song preparations for the finals?”

Ding Meng used a towel to wipe away her sweat. Now when she finished running, she was no longer out of breath like before. She was able to speak normally to Qiao Yichen, “You should already know the competition rules right? The first song needs to be the one from the audition. Back then, I sang Fly Me to the Moon. As for the second song, I’m wondering if I should continue singing a Pan Ying song. Most of her songs are ballads, and I can sing those fairly confidently.”

Qiao Yichen thought for a bit and then faced her, “Your voice is very suited to sing that kind of gentle and slow ballad song, but you aren’t limited to singing that genre.”

Ding Meng was slightly startled, not quite understanding what he was trying to express.

“Your voice is your biggest advantage, but don’t let that kind of advantage restrict your growth.”

His voice was like a drumstick, lightly striking Ding Meng’s heart. She wrinkled her brows and looked at him. “You mean I should sing another type of song?”

Qiao Yichen nodded his head. “Always singing the same type of song, even if you don’t tire of it, the audience will get bored. Singers who can only sing one type of music have too narrow a musical path and won’t have much development in the long run.”

Ding Meng felt his words made sense and she also completely understood. Only, with her current skill and especially since this was the finals, she really didn’t dare hastily challenge an area outside of her specialty. “However even you said that I still have a far way to go. I don’t even have complete confidence in singing Pan Ying, no need to mention…”

Qiao Yichen interrupted her. “I said that besides your good voice, you still have many areas that need improvement. However, the most important asset to a singer is a good voice. All singing techniques can all be learned through hard work over time. Only the voice is bestowed by heaven.”

Ding Meng distractedly stared at him. So….he had been lying to her before?

“The singers standing at the peak of the music industry today, such as Gu Xin and even Sima Xiaoxiao, are all people who have been blessed with a good voice.” Qiao Yichen looked at her. His beautiful pupils were like magnets, firmly locking in her gaze. “It doesn’t even matter if you lose this competition. It’s only a competition. However, I want to use it to see more of your potential.”

Not knowing why, Ding Meng felt like her morale had been boosted. Even the blood in her veins had begun to boil. Her heart began to loudly pound without end.

Besides ballads, she could also sing other kinds of songs. She could even be like Tang Shiran and make the venue’s atmosphere burst with energy.

“Ah……” Full of expectations, she looked at Qiao Yichen and cautiously spoke out her thoughts, “Actually, there’s one song that I’ve always especially liked.”

“What song?”

“Sima Xiaoxiao’s First Flowers of February.”

Qiao Yichen, “…”

He wanted her to challenge herself, but he didn’t expect she would give herself such a big challenge.

The name First Flowers of February also sounded like a ballad, but actually it was a soft rock song with a lively beat. From start to finish, it attacked the audience’s eardrums with an energetic melody. With Sima Xiaoxiao’s booming and exceptionally explosive voice, this song and the singer herself were both sent into the realm of legends.

That’s right. First Flowers of February was a song that had established Sima Xiaoxiao’s current position in the music industry. It was also known to most people as the hardest song to sing of Sima Xiaoxiao’s songs. There were rumors that even Sima Xiaoxiao didn’t dare sing this song live.

Therefore, even though Tang Shiran had sang many songs by Sima Xiaoxiao since the beginning of the competition, she had not sung this song First Flowers of February.

Ding Meng saw the doubtful expression on Qiao Yichen’s face and frowned. “Weren’t you the one who said winning or losing didn’t matter and that you only wanted to see my potential?”

Qiao Yichen suddenly laughed, “Right, that’s what I said. Since you’ve decided to sing this song, you’ll first need to analyze your strengths and weaknesses.” He looked at Ding Meng and spoke, “Right now, you definitely can’t compete with Sima Xiaoxiao’s technical skills. But you are superior to her in that you can sing high pitches more naturally. This song’s chorus is very high. Back then, Sima Xiaoxiao also had to record many times before getting it down. However, this high pitch is different from your ordinary high pitches. For example, Pan Ying begins setting up for the high pitch chorus from the beginning of the song. When it is time to sing the high pitch, there’s no need to use much force. However, in First Flowers of February, the intro is a lively rock segment. The chorus abruptly raises in pitch, like a shout that has been held in for really long. It’s a kind of earth-shattering explosive power.”

After Ding Meng finished listening to his analysis, she couldn’t help but ask, “Back in the recording studio, did you also instruct Sima Xiaoxiao like this?”

She had absentmindedly felt as if the distance between her and the empress had decreased. Ding Meng couldn’t hold back the tiny excitement in her heart.

Qiao Yichen used his finger and poked her forehead. “I’m talking to you about serious business. This is the take home message you came up with?”

Ding Meng pursed her lips and held her forehead. “Ah, then what do you say the main point is?”

Qiao Yichen spoke, “The main point is, if you PK Sima Xiaoxiao, you’d lose completely.”