Chapter 124: Song Title in Numerical Form [Second Update]

Backstage, Yu Zhile looked at the number 5 he had drawn and glanced at his wife out of the corner of his eye. Although her beautiful face was hidden behind a mask, he knew she must be wearing an expression that screamed she was sharpening her knives for him.

He chuckled to himself. For this episode, he would sacrifice his own performance to help his wife, letting her enjoy a victory as the "Singer King" before she advanced to the semifinals.

Soon, "White Swan," who had drawn number 1, took the stage. Stubborn as an ox, she had chosen songs that didn't particularly appeal to the audience for two consecutive episodes. To his surprise, she had chosen yet another song for the third episode that Yu Zhile felt would lead to her elimination the moment he heard it. It was an English song, and one that even featured a rap segment.

Judging by the audience's reaction, it was clear that many were not moved by her performance. Given the integrity of the audience voting, she definitely wouldn't secure a high ranking.

"White Swan" finished, and "Lone Wolf" took the stage, followed by "Old Boy." Both had won one match and lost one so far, so even if they failed to reach the second round of competition this time, they remained safe. Unlike "White Swan" and "Polar Bear," who were facing elimination if they didn't make it through. They were fighting with their backs to the wall.

As for "White Swan," Yu Zhile felt she was likely doomed. As for "Polar Bear," his performance left Yu Zhile stunned. He hadn't expected "Polar Bear" to be a genuine rock singer! His choice of a rock song, combined with his surprisingly decent dance moves, brought the house down. This time, "Polar Bear" was truly giving it his all. However, because he performed without reservation, the judges and many in the audience began to guess his identity.

Once "Polar Bear" finished, it was Yu Zhile's turn. He hadn't brought an original song this time, but he was confident in his choice. When the veteran singer Zhou Jian participated in *I Am a Singer*, he had performed "A Person Like Me" in the first episode, bringing the classic song back into the spotlight. That was the song Yu Zhile had chosen.

He had rearranged it, tweaking two lines in the chorus that had always felt slightly off. As the accompaniment began, the audience wouldn't have even known which song it was if the information hadn't appeared on the big screen. When Yu Zhile’s adapted version of "A Person Like Me" echoed through the stage, "Lone Wolf" backstage squinted and praised, "Starfish is quite bold with this adaptation! But the melody actually sounds better than the original!"

Although Qin Haiyu didn't want to compliment the guy, she had to admit that this was the best version of "A Person Like Me" she had ever heard. It was clear that while this "Starfish" was annoying, he was truly talented in music. Of course, in Qin Haiyu's mind, no matter how talented Starfish was, he didn't even amount to one ten-thousandth of her own husband.

On the judge's panel, Mr. Wu nodded repeatedly. "Excellent! The adaptation here is superb! Once this episode airs, this version will become a hit. I imagine anyone who loves this song will listen to his version from now on!"

As a seasoned veteran of the music industry, Mr. Wu’s high praise was a testament to how well Yu Zhile had adapted the track. After the performance, Yu Zhile felt a sense of lingering satisfaction. This song had reminded him of Mao Buyi’s "A Person Like Me"; he had originally intended to sing that, but since he needed to go easy on his wife for this episode, he had settled for his own arrangement of this classic instead. Observing the reactions of the front-row audience, Yu Zhile knew his adaptation had moved many of them. He felt fulfilled—it proved that his work was successful rather than off-putting.

A moment later, voting concluded. The crew quickly reset the stage, and it was Qin Haiyu’s turn. When the information for her performance appeared on the screen, Yu Zhile began acting again backstage. "Damn! She has an original song too? But is this title for real? Did the production team make a mistake?"

The other masked singers were equally confused. Who names a song with numbers? The judges and the audience were just as bewildered.

"9420"
Lyrics: Red Rose
Composer: Red Rose
Performer: Red Rose

This numerical title was truly unimaginable. In everyone’s experience, they had never seen a song titled with just numbers.

At the center of the stage, Qin Haiyu saw the four judges whispering to each other and knew exactly what they were curious and confused about. When her husband first told her the title, she had been just as baffled. But when she heard him explain that "9420" was a homophone for "Just Love You," she immediately thought the title was genius.

9420! Just Love You! This numerical title was catchy at a glance. She was willing to bet that after this episode aired, this song, "9420," which her husband had prepared for her, would become the most popular original track since the show began.

She felt a little embarrassed, though. To fool everyone and maintain the image of a talented singer-songwriter as her husband suggested, she had listed her stage name as the lyricist and composer. However, after the show concluded, she would reveal that these songs weren't written by her, but by her husband. Just thinking about that day made her look forward to it. Even though her husband wasn't on the show, all the honors she achieved here belonged to him.

She lifted the microphone to her lips and said, "I dedicate this song to my lover in the audience."

This was her way of announcing she was taken. It was a signal for the audience not to conflate her with that guy called "Starfish." At the same time, it was to tell "Starfish" that, regardless of whether his song choice in the previous episode was intentional or not, they should keep their distance from now on to avoid further misunderstandings.

She began to sing:
"Hand in hand, walking down the street of happiness,
The gentle breeze blows as we lean on each other.
The gaze of love is so fervent,
This love is like a burning pyre,
The scorching flames like a blossoming rose..."

Hearing this, people finally understood why her stage name was "Red Rose." With roses mentioned in the lyrics, it was clear she had a special fondness for them.

Backstage, Yu Zhile acted along, nodding. "The lyrics are well-written, and the composition is great! How can I not guess who such a talented female singer is?"

"Lone Wolf" glanced over skeptically, equally unable to figure out the connection between this guy and "Red Rose." It felt like they should know each other, yet sometimes it seemed like they were complete strangers. It was all so strange and headache-inducing. This show was burning far too many brain cells!