Chapter 6: A Guitar and a Wild Bird

The PK segment recording began. The host, He Hao, stepped onto the stage and started his opening remarks:

"Our fourteen teams have each sent a contestant for the PK round. Fourteen contestants, fourteen songs—who will ultimately prevail and claim the last two spots for advancement? Let’s wait and see."

After his opening, He Hao explained the competition rules: “The contestants participating in the PK round will perform in reverse order based on their teams’ ranking in the group performance.

“In other words, the contestant from the first-place team, ‘That Girl,’ will perform last. Preceding him will be our musical prodigy, Hashim, and so on.

“After each contestant’s performance, the four mentors will judge and reveal their decision boards to determine advancement.

“Only those who receive four advancement votes may take a seat in the advancement area.”

At this point, He Hao gestured toward the two seats on the elevated right side of the stage.

“Now, some of you might wonder—what if three contestants receive advancement? What then?” He Hao paused for three seconds, building suspense, before answering his own question: “It’s simple—they’ll battle. When rivals meet on a narrow path, the brave triumph.

“The PK segment officially begins. Please welcome our first contestant, performing ‘Undeterred by Wind and Rain.’”

There was no mentor Q&A after each song in this round—one performance followed directly by the next, making for a brisk pace.

After twelve songs, one contestant had received four advancement votes and took a seat in the advancement area.

As expected, that contestant was Shao Yu.

Next up was Hashim.

The stage lights dimmed as staff brought out various MIDI devices. Hashim carefully checked all the connections, and once satisfied, signaled that he was ready.

The lights brightened again. Hashim began working the drum pad, unleashing a flurry of electronic melodies. Combined with the dazzling stage lights, the atmosphere instantly transported everyone to a club dance floor.

After programming the electronic melody on the drum pad and looping it through his computer, Hashim moved to the MIDI keyboard for a live ensemble. Then came the electric guitar, the bass—he played each instrument in turn.

When he’d had his fill of instruments, he launched into his rap.

The energetic music quickly ignited the atmosphere, and the audience swayed along with the beat.

When the song ended, the crowd was still basking in the exhilarating rhythms of electronic music.

As anticipated, all four mentors raised their advancement boards.

Hashim took the second advancement seat.

Now, both advancement seats were occupied, but one contestant had yet to perform.

Fang Xing was the final act. He strolled to center stage, unhurried.

Liang Yusong picked up the microphone and asked, “You came up here without an accompaniment—quite bold. Are you planning to sing a cappella?”

Fang Xing glanced around and replied, “I need a guitar. Can anyone lend me one?”

“Oh, so you’re going to sing and play,” Liang Yusong chuckled.

Among the one hundred or so trainees present, many had brought instruments.

At that moment, Hashim stood up from the advancement seat and called out generously, “You can use my instruments—guitar or keyboard, whatever you need.”

Fang Xing couldn’t help but laugh. This fool had refused to lend him anything at noon, but now suddenly acted magnanimous. One face for the stage, another for behind the scenes—such people truly belonged in showbiz!

He Hao, ever the seasoned host, asked, “It looks like you forgot your instrument, Fang Xing. Hashim’s offered his—will you accept his help?”

Fang Xing ignored him, scanning the trainees until his gaze settled on a tall, buzz-cut contestant named Guo Keda. “Can you lend me your guitar?”

Guo Keda was momentarily stunned, pointing to himself in surprise.

“Yes, go ahead—use it as you like.”

Realizing at last, he hurried the guitar up to the stage.

“Thank you,” Fang Xing said, taking the guitar and moving to the microphone stand. He tested the instrument’s tone, and Guo Keda helped him hook up the audio line before stepping down.

Fang Xing clipped a capo on the fourth fret, then announced into the microphone, “This song is called ‘Wild Bird.’”

“Wild Bird” is the theme song from the TV series “The Qiao Family’s Children,” with lyrics by Wang Zihe and Chen Kexin, composed by Wang Zihe, and performed by Jin Runji.

Jin Runji, the original singer, was once the lead vocalist of the group Arirang. After the group failed and disbanded, he appeared on “The Voice of China,” where his singing made Na Ying turn her chair within four seconds, eventually earning all four mentors’ attention.

However, Jin Runji’s fame did not soar after the show. It wasn’t until eight years later, when he sang “Wild Bird,” that he showed signs of a comeback.

The producer of “Wild Bird,” Wang Zihe, was himself a musician with dreams of being a singer, but when that path closed, he turned to behind-the-scenes work. In Wang Zihe’s own words, working backstage was a way to earn money to keep his dream alive.

After “Wild Bird” became popular, he even rode the song’s momentum on social media. Even as the song’s producer, he still needed to chase after the song’s fame. It goes to show that in this era, talent alone doesn’t guarantee success.

Fang Xing had watched “The Qiao Family’s Children” and was fond of “Wild Bird.” The song’s spirit of resilience resonated perfectly with his current state of mind.

“Wild Bird” isn’t particularly difficult to sing; most of the melody sits comfortably within the natural vocal range, with only a few lines in the transition zone.

Fang Xing’s current vocal skills were more than sufficient.

However, the true challenge of the song wasn’t the range, but capturing that persistent, unyielding energy.

The prelude of “Wild Bird” features a whistling segment, originally performed by producer Wang Zihe. Coincidentally, Fang Xing could whistle as well. He rapped his knuckles on the guitar for rhythm, then began picking the intro and whistling along with the melody.

The moment the whistle sounded, everyone’s attention was instantly piqued.

Incorporating whistling into a performance wasn’t unheard of, but it remained rare.

This whistle carried a melody, sweet and clear, echoing the wild bird’s call in the song’s title.

As the prelude ended and the verse began, Fang Xing sang:

“A few nameless birds fly across the sky,
While those on earth, their hearts soar higher still.
Battered by wind and rain, yet forging ahead,
Dancing with hands and feet, a smile on their lips.
We’ll see who stands—no youthful heart can be toppled.
In defiant eyes, wildfires blaze…”

From the very first lyric, all the mentors and music critics in the audience were transfixed.

The song lacked soaring melodies, but it conveyed a tenacious spirit—small yet never defeated.

Especially when he reached the chorus, the line “Even if I’m insignificant, I’ll leap as high as I can” conjured the image of a tiny, unremarkable wild bird striving to fly high.

On the surface, the song was about a bird, but in truth, it spoke for all those quietly chasing their dreams in music.

Even in obscurity, they refused to give up.

Not only the mentors, but the audience too was drawn into the song’s world.

Moments before, the audience had been lost in the electric rhythms crafted by Hashim, riding a high as if just leaving a nightclub.

But as soon as Fang Xing began, he transported them to a world of simplicity and resilience.

“Wild bird in the scorching sun, barefoot,
Singing through hardship, proud and unbowed.
Unwilling to waste youth, even if small, still striving to leap high.
Mocked along the way, whistling like a wild bird in the sky, so defiant.
Clouds as bedding, wind as a nest, in our reckless youth, Lalala…”

With the final note, the guitar’s melody faded away.

The hall remained silent—no cheers, no shouts.

A long moment passed after the last note before the sound of applause came from the mentors’ table: clap, clap, clap…

The audience turned to see three people applauding—Chen Chaonan, Liang Yusong, and superstar Zhang Huiying.

Shen Xiyin was still lost in the world of the wild bird. Only after noticing her fellow mentors applauding did she join in, so as not to stand out.

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(The music for the lyrics in this chapter can be heard in the audio comments. If you’re using the Qidian app, click the voice-over when the protagonist starts singing for a richer reading experience.)