Chapter 118: Became Addicted to This Song [Clan Leader: Watching Flowers Bloom and Wither, Extra Chapter 2/2]
The next morning, Mom took her granddaughter out for a walk, making it easier for her son and daughter-in-law to head to the TV station to record their show.
Since the granddaughter was still young and particularly clingy to her parents, taking her out for a stroll usually distracted her enough to be indifferent.
After all, children’s curiosity always outweighs their attachment to their parents, and Yu’s mother had plenty of tricks for dealing with overly clingy kids.
Being an elementary school teacher, she often encountered children in the lower grades crying and demanding to go home to their parents at the start of a new semester. Having soothed so many kids, she had amassed a wealth of experience.
...
Xu Ling arrived at the TV station a bit earlier. It wasn’t because she was moonlighting as Qin Haiyu’s assistant; she genuinely enjoyed watching music programs and soaking in the live atmosphere.
Yu Zhile put on his staff disguise, letting his wife and Xu Ling enter first before slipping in behind them.
The whole process felt like he was sneaking around!
Yang Bing came out to meet Yu Zhile and led him into a “secret base” unknown to anyone else. While removing his clothes and shoes, Yu Zhile asked, “So? What was last night’s premiere rating?”
“Hehe!” Yang Bing grinned slyly before excitedly replying, “2.78%!”
“Awesome!” Yu Zhile, pulling off his pants, said, “The premiere rating’s already this high. The ratings should easily break 3% going forward! And hitting 4% isn’t out of the question!”
Yang Bing handed over a costume for Yu Zhile to change into and said, “3% is something we can dream about, but 4%? That’s a stretch! I’m already very satisfied with this premiere rating and the audience scores! Compared to ‘I Am a Singer,’ these numbers are much better!”
“That’s true! Besides the now-ended ‘I Am a Singer’ and the current ‘Masked Singer,’ no other variety show this year has come close to even 2%, let alone 1.5%.”
Yu Zhile put on the mascot costume and matching shoes, then hurriedly said, “Let’s go, let’s go. It’s probably five to one waiting again!”
Yang Bing put away Yu Zhile’s clothes and shoes and said, “No worries. There’s still an hour before the recording starts! Right now, you’re the most mysterious and talked-about singer on the show, so to put it like a drama, the protagonists always appear last!”
Yu Zhile tugged at his slightly ill-fitting pants and said, “That’s nonsense. In reality, if I always came out last and kept everyone waiting, people would just call me a diva!”
After organizing Yu Zhile’s clothes and shoes, Yang Bing led him out, agreeing, “Then let’s head over now! Don’t want anyone talking behind your back!”
...
Backstage in the studio, Director Zhang still hadn’t located Yang Bing. No one knew where the kid had disappeared to at such a critical moment.
Six masked singers were present, but the one called “Patrick Star” hadn’t arrived yet.
Within the entire production team, only Yang Bing could contact “Patrick Star,” and only he knew his identity.
Despite repeated inquiries, Yang Bing stubbornly refused to tell.
They had hoped that after the show aired, sharp-eyed viewers would guess who “Patrick Star” was. But after last night’s performance of “You Through Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter” sent him trending, no one could produce concrete evidence to reveal his identity.
This was frustrating.
It even kept Director Zhang awake all night, wondering who “Patrick Star” really was.
He even dreamed about “Patrick Star,” only to wake without any answers.
It was a maddening predicament...
At that moment, a staff member came over and reported, “Director Zhang, ‘Patrick Star’ has arrived. Director Yang brought him in.”
“Hmm,” Zhang nodded slightly. No wonder Yang Bing had vanished—he’d gone to fetch “Patrick Star.”
Once all the singers were present and everything was ready, the production team began recording immediately.
Before the competition began, footage of the singers’ entrances and backstage lottery draws had to be filmed. For the sake of the show’s effect, some scenes were like acting and required multiple takes to get right.
After the draw, there was no room for error during performances. Each singer had only one chance—no retakes allowed.
This time, Qin Haiyu was lucky not to perform first, but Yu Zhile inherited his wife’s bad luck.
He was the first to take the stage.
After the host’s announcement, Yu Zhile waddled out like a penguin.
Standing center stage, he tipped his hat politely toward the band and gestured for them to start playing.
At that moment, the giant screen on stage displayed the information about the song he was about to sing:
“Mermaid”
Lyrics: Patrick Star
Composer: Patrick Star
Performer: Patrick Star
Yu Zhile was determined to push through three rounds in one go and advance to the semifinals, so he decided to play his trump card.
When everyone saw that Yu Zhile was about to perform another original song that no one recognized, the judges and the other five singers were stunned.
“Lone Wolf” smiled bitterly. “Another original? That’s harsh!”
“White Swan” spoke with a quiver in her voice, saying, “Mom, I regret joining this show!”
...
Qin Haiyu was surprised too.
She hadn’t expected “Patrick Star” to pull out yet another original song. It seemed he was aiming to claim the championship three times in a row and proudly advance to the semifinals.
On stage, Yu Zhile’s voice rang out:
“I draw circles on the sand,
In a world of ease just for us two,
No need to connect with others,
I don’t care if you’re from the abyss,
Nor do I mind the scales on your skin...”
As he sang, an image of a mermaid appeared on the big screen behind him. The visuals paired with the lyrics instantly evoked vivid imagery and deep emotion.
Qin Haiyu suddenly felt the pressure. This “Patrick Star” was incredibly strong!
His original song was truly beautiful.
Inexplicably, Qin Haiyu began to feel her own confidence waver.
Could the original song her husband prepared really beat this?
At that moment, Qin Haiyu lost faith.
She clenched her fist and tried to psych herself up, repeating over and over, “Don’t be afraid! My husband’s song is way better than his!”
But the more she listened, the more her confidence was crushed by Yu Zhile’s voice and the lyrics of “Mermaid.”
“Love can overcome everything, as long as you’re by my side, all the gossip and slander I completely ignore...”
“They say you willingly get stranded for love; I can dive into the sea for you...”
Ah! These lyrics were so beautifully written!
What was she to do? She felt herself falling for the song.
Her hard-won confidence was gradually shattered by Yu Zhile’s singing and the enchanting words of “Mermaid.”