Chapter 146: The Five Notes of the Pentatonic Scale—Themed Performances Begin

The next day.

The competing singers held their rehearsals separately. As before, the production team kept the identity of the substitute singer a secret. Consequently, Li Caiwei was the first to rehearse in the morning, and once finished, she was whisked away to her hotel in a production vehicle. Throughout the process, she had no contact with the other performers. Fang Xing rehearsed at ten in the morning and returned to his hotel to rest immediately afterward.

At four in the afternoon, the director notified everyone to gather for the contestant entrance segment. When Fang Xing arrived at the waiting room, Shen Xiyin, Xie Yuwen, and the others were already there. After exchanging greetings, Fang Xing walked over to the sofa. Instead of sitting down immediately, he counted the bottles of Natural Pasture milk on the table.

"There are only six bottles. The count is off," he remarked.

Once all the singers, including Zheng Tao, had arrived, Zheng Tao replied, "Fang Xing just mentioned there are only six bottles of milk. That is correct—there are only six, because one has already been taken by the substitute singer."

Xie Yuwen’s eyes lit up. "Is the order for the substitute singer’s appearance also chosen at random?"

"Not exactly," Zheng Tao explained. "The substitute singer gets a privilege upon their first appearance: they can choose their performance slot freely. So, they took the bottle they wanted."

Xie Yuwen pressed, "Was it a 'he' or a 'she'?"

Zheng Tao smiled. "That remains a secret for now."

Undeterred, Xie Yuwen continued, "Which number did the substitute singer take?"

"You'll know once you've all finished your milk," Zheng Tao replied, still refusing to reveal the answer.

"It must be number six, right?" Shen Xiyin joined in the speculation.

Zheng Tao’s smile grew even wider. "I can't tell you the number, but I can reveal this: the substitute singer did not choose number six, so it is still on the table."

Hearing this, everyone turned their eyes toward the remaining six bottles.

Xie Yuwen couldn't wait any longer. "So, we're using the milk to determine the order again, right? Can we start?"

Zheng Tao gestured for them to begin. "You may start choosing. Who goes first?"

The singers looked at one another, each deferring to the others.

"You go first."

"No, you go first."

"You have good luck. Why don't you pick? Maybe you'll get number six on the first try."

Zheng Tao intervened, "Since everyone is being modest, why don't we go in the order of arrival?"

"That works," everyone agreed.

"The first to arrive today was the Heavenly King Liu Hongsheng. Please choose, unscrew the cap, take a sip, and show the cap to the camera," Zheng Tao directed.

Liu Hongsheng straightened up, reached out into the air, hesitated for a moment, then grabbed a bottle. "I'll take this one."

"Then open it," Zheng Tao prompted.

Liu Hongsheng unscrewed the cap, glanced at the inside, smiled, and took a sip of the milk.

Xie Yuwen watched intently. Seeing Liu Hongsheng’s reaction, he immediately said, "He smiled! It must be a five, six, or seven."

Liu Hongsheng turned the cap to the camera and said with a wide grin, "It is indeed number six."

"That is some incredible luck," Shen Xiyin sighed.

Subsequently, the other singers made their choices. In the end, Fang Xing got number seven, Shen Xiyin three, Xie Yuwen two, Zhong Yuanxun four, and Xu Xinyu one.

They tallied the numbers and realized that number five was missing.

"So, the substitute singer chose number five," Xie Yuwen deduced.

Everyone knew the result now. However, it needed to be relayed to the audience, so Xie Yuwen took on that responsibility.

After the order was decided, Xie Yuwen pointed to the lounge on the second floor. "Is the substitute singer already upstairs?"

Zheng Tao nodded. "Yes, the substitute singer was the first to arrive."

Xie Yuwen asked again, "Is it a male or female singer?"

Zheng Tao countered, "What do you think?"

The singers present began to discuss. "Who did you run into at the airport? Can anyone guess who it is?"

"I ran into Liang Qingyun," Xu Xinyu said. "I even said hello, but he claimed he was just there for a vacation and even showed me his sightseeing tickets."

The singers began listing the colleagues they had encountered on their flights. Only Fang Xing remained silent.

Xie Yuwen finally asked directly, "Fang Xing, did you run into any other singers on your flight?"

Fang Xing made a strange expression. "This..."

Zheng Tao interrupted, "There is one more thing I should tell you all: the substitute singer’s performance song for tonight was produced by Fang Xing, so..."

The group’s eyes widened at this news. Some even gasped, "What?!"

Xie Yuwen looked restless. He stood up as if to leave, saying, "I’m done. I’m not recording this. This is too much."

Shen Xiyin added, "Exactly. The fact that the substitute singer’s song was produced by Fang Xing is just too unfair."

Liu Hongsheng frowned. He had only considered Fang Xing his true rival, but if the substitute singer was also performing a song produced by him, he suddenly faced an additional hurdle.

Fang Xing smiled. "Actually, it wasn't produced specifically for the show. This song was performed elsewhere before. The substitute singer just chose this song; it wasn't my decision."

Since the show did not prohibit covering other artists' songs—for instance, when Shen Xiyin made her debut in the first episode, she sang Fang Xing’s "Rising Wind"—it was perfectly normal for the substitute singer to pick a song they liked.

Shen Xiyin thought for a moment and said, "Wait a minute. If Fang Xing is producing the song for the substitute, could it be 'Painted Heart' or 'Big Fish'?"

In reality, Lu Ming had only appeared on one show, "Star of Tomorrow," and his credentials were arguably a bit thin. If he were to participate in "The Voice," he would more likely come as a challenger. Li Caiwei, however, was different; she was already a near-first-tier singer. Recently, she had released "Painted Heart," a chart-topping hit, making her fully qualified to join as a substitute.

Xie Yuwen immediately asked, "Is it Li Caiwei? Director, just tell us, is it Li Caiwei?"

Zheng Tao smiled. "If it were Li Caiwei, would you feel pressured?"

Xie Yuwen grabbed his hair. "That would be incredibly stressful." He started humming a few bars of "Painted Heart" under his breath, then said, "Wait, no. 'Painted Heart' doesn't fit the 'Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zhi, Yu' scale. If it were Li Caiwei, she wouldn't be singing that. 'Chi Ling' doesn't fit either."

Xie Yuwen recalled all the songs Fang Xing had performed and looked at him in surprise. "Wait, none of the songs you’ve performed fit the 'Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zhi, Yu' scale, do they? 'Fireworks Cool' doesn't either."

Fang Xing offered a mysterious smile and did not reply. "The production team won't let me say. You'll know when you hear the song later."

"Give me a hint, is it Li Caiwei?" Xie Yuwen leaned in, grabbing Fang Xing’s shoulders and staring into his eyes.

Fang Xing kept smiling, offering no answer.

After Xie Yuwen sat back down, the others asked, "Did you see anything?"

Xie Yuwen threw up his hands. "Nothing at all. But I have a bad feeling—this is going to be a formidable opponent."

The entrance segment concluded. Zheng Tao announced a one-hour break, with the performance recording to begin promptly at seven.

In the substitute singer’s lounge, the accompanying director began the pre-performance interaction with Li Caiwei. To keep her identity secret, the director did not use her name.

"Substitute singer, you chose the fifth performance slot. Why that position? Everyone else seemed to prefer number six."

Li Caiwei thought for a moment. "Actually, I’m very nervous about participating in 'The Voice.' The later the slot, the more nervous I get. But the slot everyone wanted wasn't seven—it was six. Being the very last to perform is the most stressful position. I wanted to sing earlier, but not too early, so after considering it, I chose five."

...

At seven in the evening, Zheng Tao picked up his walkie-talkie and announced that recording had officially begun. The broadcast director played the opening music. The host, He Hao, walked onto the stage to the beat of the drums and delivered his opening remarks with enthusiasm.

"Guests, singers, and dear audience friends, welcome to the fifth episode of 'The Voice.' Tonight, we welcome a mysterious substitute singer. This individual possesses an ethereal, crystal-clear high register and has mastered the dolphin voice. Hearing this, you might assume they are a female singer, but... are they? Well, we will reveal this mystery once the singer takes the stage. Tonight’s theme is 'Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zhi, Yu.' I'm sure some of you are wondering what that means."

He Hao picked up his cue cards and read aloud: "I have a professional explanation from the production team here. 'Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zhi, Yu' are the five notes of the ancient Chinese pentatonic scale, dating back over 2,600 years to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. As you can see, our research into music goes back a long way. Simply put, our modern scale has seven notes: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti. In numbered notation, that is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. The pentatonic scale uses 1, 2, 3, 5, 6. That’s right—no 4 or 7. To honor the ancient musical traditions of our ancestors, our songs tonight must adhere to this pentatonic rule. Many singers have complained that this theme is too difficult. How will our original and substitute singers handle this challenge? Let's wait and see. Please welcome the first singer."

The first singer was Xu Xinyu. She was famous for her ancient-style songs, so her albums were filled with them. While not all of them fit the pentatonic scale, she had two or three that did. Therefore, tonight’s performance was arguably her home turf. She sang "Crossing the Red Dust," which was melodically beautiful and rich in ancient charm, earning thunderous applause from the audience.

Subsequently, the other original singers performed. When it was time for the fifth singer, He Hao spoke with suspense: "Who is the fifth singer? It is tonight’s substitute singer, an artist with a perfect high register. She chose this slot herself because she was too nervous, fearing that the later she performed, the worse she would do. Just how nervous is she? Let’s welcome her to the stage!"

As soon as he finished, the back of the stage lit up. A female singer in an evening gown walked out, her gait elegant, her silhouette graceful and slender. As the backlight faded, everyone saw her face clearly—it was indeed Li Caiwei.

He Hao exhaled. "I can finally say your name. Caiwei, you are an established singer—are you really still nervous?"

Li Caiwei nodded. "Very. It’s been many years since I’ve stepped onto a stage this large."

He Hao continued, "I heard from the production team that your song tonight was produced by another original singer here. Is that true?"

Li Caiwei nodded again. "Yes. It’s not the first time he has produced a song for me, and I am very grateful to him."

At this, the audience had already guessed who it was and shouted, "It’s Fang Xing! It’s Fang Xing!"

"Shh..." He Hao made a gesture for silence. "That singer hasn't performed yet, so let’s not call his name just yet."

He then asked, "We know that in the first episode, a challenger sang a song by that same artist from 'Star of Tomorrow.' So, is your song also one that was performed on 'Star of Tomorrow'?"

Li Caiwei shook her head. "No. Actually, some of you may have heard this song, but likely not many. It hasn't been performed in an official capacity, so you could consider it a new song."

The audience racked their brains, but most couldn't identify it. Because apart from the songs performed on "Star of Tomorrow" and "The Voice," the only other songs produced by Fang Xing were Li Caiwei's "Painted Heart" and Lu Ming's "Big Fish."

However, some audience members remembered a video that had gone viral a month prior. One person shouted, "I know! It’s 'Life as a Summer Flower'!"

Once that was shouted, others who had seen the video realized it immediately. "Could it really be 'Life as a Summer Flower'?"

Still, some were skeptical. "But the person in that video wasn't necessarily Fang Xing."

He Hao smiled. "It seems some of you have guessed it. Caiwei, are they right?"

Li Caiwei smiled coyly. "Won't you know as soon as I start singing?"

"Very well, let’s hand the stage over to Caiwei." He Hao turned and left the stage.

The lights dimmed, and the spotlight focused on Li Caiwei. She took two deep breaths, prepared herself, and looked toward the band.

The music began. Li Caiwei picked up her microphone and began a gentle, haunting vocalization. The version she was singing was the one Zhang Liangying had performed on "I Am a Singer." The intro featured a stunning vocal melody that captivated the audience immediately.

As the intro ended, she sang in a tone filled with narrative depth:

"I don't know how long I’ve been sleeping in the dark.
I don't know how hard it is to open my eyes.
I came from afar, and it just so happens that you are here too..."

The audience was instantly moved. They raised their arms, swaying along with the music. Li Caiwei’s female version of "Life as a Summer Flower" felt even more ethereal and clear; her beautiful timbre and the rustic, folk-like simplicity of the song washed over the room. The audience was completely immersed in the rhythm.

When the song finished, the audience began to applaud. It wasn't the loudest applause, but it was the most enduring. People began whispering to one another:

"The host said this song was produced by another singer—was he talking about Fang Xing?"
"Of course it's Fang Xing."
"But is this Fang Xing’s song? I’ve never heard it. I thought I’d heard all his work."
"This is a song Fang Xing improvised while traveling. A passerby filmed it and posted it online, and it went viral. But he was wearing a mask, and his company never confirmed it was him."
"I saw that video too. I thought it looked like him. The passerby used a beauty filter, which made the image look a bit unnatural. Fang Xing is handsome enough that he doesn't need filters."
"I thought the song was great back then, but I could never find a studio version. I've waited so long to finally hear the official version. Even though it's not Fang Xing singing, it's still beautiful."
"It’s a great folk song, isn't it? Good folk music touches the heart. This song is going on my playlist."

After Li Caiwei finished, He Hao returned to the stage, thanked her, and sent her back to rest. He then moved on to the next performer:

"The next singer is truly remarkable—a permanent mark on the history of Chinese pop music. However, this theme is quite a challenge for him. Because he can no longer sing his own songs, this means he must perform a cover for the first time on 'The Voice.' What kind of performance will he bring us? Let’s invite him to the stage!"

The backlight appeared again. Liu Hongsheng walked onto the stage, smiling and bowing slightly to the audience. After a brief interaction, He Hao introduced the song Liu Hongsheng was about to perform.

"The next song is called 'Rainy Night on the Phoenix Tree.' It is a beautiful piece. Let’s hand the stage over to Liu Hongsheng."

The music began. Liu Hongsheng moved slowly to the melody. Once the intro concluded, he raised his microphone:

"The sound of rain on the phoenix tree, each drop enters a dream. Waking up with wine and the bright moon, I pick up the sword shadow in my glass, a flick of the finger, and there is the tenderness of your returning gaze..."