Chapter 061: Sun Hao's Background

Sun Hao took the initiative to challenge Lin Feng, stirring a considerable ripple among the team members. In truth, the one person everyone least wanted to face was Lin Feng. It wasn’t his musical prowess that intimidated them, but the formidable "backing" he possessed. Not only did he carry the aura of a renowned sports star, but he was also the boyfriend of Qin Ruolin, one of the four main mentors. With such a background, no one believed the show would ever eliminate him.

Thus, being grouped against Lin Feng usually meant becoming cannon fodder. That Sun Hao would willingly propose a duel with Lin Feng astonished many, but those who knew the inside story were less surprised, for Sun Hao’s own background was far from simple. Otherwise, he would never have dared to challenge Lin Feng so openly.

The drawing of lots concluded, and the six matchups were revealed as follows:

Lu Chen vs. Phoenix Legend, theme: Cloud.
Haier Brothers vs. Chen Qiao, theme: Snow.
Lin Feng vs. Sun Hao, theme: Dream.
Zhu Xuejiao vs. Zheng Tong, theme: Rain.
Liu Wei vs. Leaf, theme: Journey.
Feng Yao vs. Wang Ning, theme: Friendship.

As this was the first round of internal duels, the creative time allotted was only two days, so the themes were not especially difficult, offering contestants plenty of creative freedom.

After announcing the groupings, Chen Fan spoke again, "Now that the themes and matchups are set, the next forty-eight hours are your creative time. Within this period, you must not only complete the lyrics and melody but also the arrangement. Of course, if you have any questions, you can come to me or Quan at any time, and we'll do our utmost to help you."

"Of course, this help doesn’t include writing your songs for you. We can only offer suggestions and assist with later stages of arranging," Chen Fan added, glancing around at everyone. "Is there anything unclear?"

"No," came the replies.

"All clear," echoed others.

"Good, then that's it for today. You can choose to head home and start working on your songs immediately, or stay and have a few more drinks—it's up to you." Chen Fan spread his hands.

"I think I'll go back and prepare my song. I haven’t got the faintest idea yet," someone said.

"I'm the same. The themes seem simple, but finishing lyrics and melody in two days is quite tough."
"Fan, Quan, you two enjoy your drinks; I'll head back and get started as well..."

Most chose to return to work on their songs, which surprised Lin Feng somewhat. Wasn’t it customary in such situations to stay and drink with the mentors, to build relationships?

But after understanding the rules of "Original Song Showcase," Lin Feng realized why. On Earth’s "Song of China," whether contestants advanced in internal duels depended entirely on the mentors’ decisions. But in this reality's "Original Song Showcase," mentors had only a single vote; the final decision lay with the audience.

Thus, those uncertain of their chances would not waste time drinking.

In the end, only four groups remained: the Haier Brothers, Chen Qiao, Feng Yao, and Lin Feng.

"Seems you all are quite confident," Chen Fan laughed.

"We stayed purely because we love drinking," Liu Dahai from the Haier Brothers replied cheerfully.

"Exactly. We feel uneasy if we don’t drink at least once a day," Yang Er agreed.

The two were a true uncle duo: Liu Dahai was thirty-seven, Yang Er already forty. Neither was remarkable in appearance; Liu Dahai was slightly plump, Yang Er bore the marks of a hard life. If the show weren’t about creative ability, they would never have advanced.

"Lin Feng, what about you? Confident you'll move on?" Chen Fan asked.

"I'm just here for the fun. If I go back too early, I won’t be able to sleep," Lin Feng replied with a smile.

"I heard your audition song, and honestly, I was amazed. I could hardly believe such a piece could come from a professional basketball player. No disrespect to athletes, but your crossover is extraordinary. You’ve outdone us pros," Chen Fan praised.

"Fan, don’t flatter me. I get very proud," Lin Feng laughed.

"No worries. Young people ought to have some pride," Chen Fan responded.

Lin Feng shrugged. "Alright, I do think my song was pretty good."

"Lin Feng, could you sing your audition song again? The promo played the chorus so many times, and I really want to hear the original," Feng Yao chimed in. She wasn’t as striking as Chen Qiao but had a curvaceous figure, accentuated by a low-cut top tonight that drew many eyes.

"I’d better not. I’ve had quite a bit to drink, my voice isn’t in the best shape," Lin Feng waved her off.

"Alright, sing it for me when you have time, promise?" Feng Yao gazed at him with a wistful look.

That gaze sent a shiver through Lin Feng, a subtle, ambiguous undertone lingering in her eyes.

"Sure, I’ll sing it next time," Lin Feng answered noncommittally.

"Come on, let’s drink! If you stayed just to discuss music, that would be dull," Hu Jiangquan said, raising his glass. The others quickly joined in.

Soon, each had downed two or three bottles. Lin Feng, feeling bloated, excused himself to the restroom.

As Lin Feng was relieving himself, Hu Jiangquan entered as well. Despite the drinks, he looked unaffected.

"Lin Feng, tell me honestly, do you already have an idea for your theme?" Hu Jiangquan asked.

"I have a few thoughts," Lin Feng answered.

"Good, but you’ll need to put in some effort. Sun Hao is quite capable," Hu Jiangquan advised.

"I honestly haven’t given him much thought," Lin Feng shrugged. He wasn’t boasting—on Earth, classic songs about dreams were plentiful. He could pick any one and blow Sun Hao away.

"Don’t underestimate Sun Hao," Hu Jiangquan suddenly warned, his expression serious. He walked to the restroom door, peered outside to ensure no one else was near, then lowered his voice. "Do you know Sun Hao’s background?"

"No," Lin Feng shook his head.

"He’s a student of Zhou Ziqian, who taught at Jiangzhou Music Academy for three years. Sun Hao was one of his favorite pupils. He’s also signed with Tian Di Entertainment, with corporate backing, plus he’s a rich second generation. So you’d better be cautious," Hu Jiangquan whispered.

"No wonder he insisted on dueling me—he wants to stand up for his teacher," Lin Feng realized. "But honestly, for someone like Zhou Ziqian, who made his name plagiarizing, I doubt he could teach any real talent."

"Don’t underestimate Sun Hao. He’s got talent. During auditions, Hua, Hasan, and I all turned for him; he was a three-turn contestant," Hu Jiangquan continued.

"Oh, that’s impressive," Lin Feng nodded. "Thanks for telling me, Quan. I’ll take it seriously."

Hu Jiangquan waved him off. "No need for thanks between us. You know I’m from Jiangning. You fulfilled our championship dream. Everyone in Jiangning is grateful to you."

...