"It's a personal thing," Ye Huanqiu explained. "Learning English was a real headache for me growing up. I used to wonder why we had to learn it—did foreigners even bother learning Chinese? But as I got older, I realized that learning English was about expanding my horizons. Every language you learn opens up new possibilities."
"Still, I never forgot that childhood thought: the idea of foreigners learning Chinese is fascinating. That idea found its way into my music, and that's how 'Chinese' came to be. I hope everyone enjoys it."
Ye Huanqiu spoke calmly, without excessive boasting or grand pronouncements. He simply shared the spark of an idea that blossomed into a widely loved song.
"Fantastic, especially the lyrics! Did you write that tongue-twister yourself?" Wang Ziqiang asked. A veteran of xiangsheng (comedic dialogue), Wang Ziqiang knew the value of tongue-twisters for training articulation, logical thinking, and mental reflexes—they were a fundamental part of his craft. He hadn't heard one this witty in years.
Ye Huanqiu could only nod sheepishly. In truth, the tongue-twister was a gem of collective wisdom, passed down through generations by the common people of Earth.
Meng Yan turned to the other Creators for their opinions. Li Yuanjie was about to speak when Zhao Ziyun cut him off.
"The melody is incredibly beautiful," Zhao Ziyun remarked. "Perhaps because I'm primarily a composer, I'm particularly attuned to the nuances of the arrangement. Teacher One Leaf Knows Autumn, may I ask if there's a flute in this piece?"
While Western instruments are commonly used in modern arrangements, the current Earth Star entertainment industry predominantly features foreign instruments and synthesized sounds. Traditional Chinese instruments are rarely employed. Zhao Ziyun, who was exploring new musical avenues herself, was thrilled to hear the flute's delicate notes.
"Yes, it's a pan flute, also known as a paixiao," Ye Huanqiu confirmed.
Zhao Ziyun's excitement grew. "A pan flute consists of multiple bamboo pipes of varying lengths arranged in parallel, either from shortest to longest or vice versa. Each pipe is sealed at the bottom to create individual sound chambers. The earliest known pan flutes date back to the Western Zhou dynasty, over three thousand years ago."
The mere mention of such a vast historical span was enough to awe even those unfamiliar with the instrument's significance.
Sui Gu, noticing his junior colleague had already spoken, rose to commend Ye Huanqiu's lyrics. "They're free of flowery rhetoric," he observed, "yet every line strikes directly at the heart. I feel I should learn more from Teacher Ye's lyricism, rather than trying to appear cultured by using hollow, pretentious words."
With both critics showering Ye Huanqiu with such extravagant praise, Li Yuanjie, who had never even heard of him before, found himself at a loss for words. He was arrogant, but not foolish; forcing a comparison now would only make him look worse.
Meanwhile, among the singers, Zhang Yanzhuo stepped forward to launch an attack on Ye Huanqiu. "Teacher Ye," he said, "I have a question for you. Don't you think it's awkward to force these tongue-twisters into hip-hop tracks? This isn't authentic black pop at all! Forcing low-class material into refined music is an insult to the art!"
Ye Huanqiu paused, not because he lacked a response, but because he was genuinely astonished by Zhang Yanzhuo's bizarre line of reasoning.
Li Yuanjie felt a surge of satisfaction. He had initially dismissed Zhang Yanzhuo as utterly useless, but if he could tear down Ye Huanqiu like this, he was alright in his book.
Yang Chaoyue, furious, reached for the microphone, but Ye Huanqiu stopped her. With skillful diplomacy, he replied, "Mr. Zhang Yanzhuo, is it? I'm not entirely clear on your definition of 'authentic black pop,' but let's agree to disagree. Not everyone shares your purist views. You're entitled to your opinion, and I'd like to offer four words: 'Universally Enjoyable.'"
Zhang Yanzhuo's seemingly eloquent words significantly damaged his public image.
Even seasoned veterans like Sun Nan and Tan Weiwei, who had navigated the entertainment industry for years, secretly admired Ye Huanqiu's eloquent response.
There's a world of difference between the words of a thoughtful person and those of an impulsive one. An impulsive speaker is like a prickly hedgehog, bristling at everyone and making polite conversation impossible. A skilled communicator, on the other hand, speaks with the gentle warmth of a spring breeze, making dialogue a genuine pleasure.
The audience wasn't fooled. Zhang Yanzhuo's words instantly infuriated them.
His statement implied that everyone who had applauded earlier only listened to "low-end" music. What did that make them?
There's a reason idols are so often disliked. Spoiled by their rabid fanbases, they spout whatever comes to mind, unfiltered and reckless. They insult audiences on TV, netizens online, and practically rage against the very air.
Do they really think this is their personal traffic farm?!
The audience vowed to remember this slight.
Wang Ziqiang didn't give Zhang Yanzhuo a friendly look either, but as the host, he had to smooth things over. "Alright, everyone might not understand the clash in musical philosophies, but it's time to vote. If you enjoyed Yang Chaoyue and One Leaf Knows Autumn's performance of 'Chinese,' please cast your vote now. The deadline is approaching. Write your vote on a slip of paper and drop it into the transparent ballot box at the front. We'll publicly reveal the final vote tally at the end of the show, right here in front of everyone."
Voting had already begun. With a maximum of five hundred votes available today, this first episode wouldn't include any external voting. They would adjust their strategy based on viewership figures after the show aired.
Shen Tao approached Director Zhang and said, "You've seen it too, haven't you? One Leaf Knows Autumn is likely to get a substantial number of votes this time, making his elimination impossible. Should we mobilize our fifty staff members...?"
"No need," Director Zhang interrupted. "Let the audience decide." The moment he heard "Chinese," he had a premonition that it would be a hit, potentially rivaling the impact of "Blooming Life."
Originally, they had only hired One Leaf Knows Autumn as a temporary fill-in, but now they had landed a formidable talent. Director Zhang was eager to see how far this newcomer could go.
After the voting concluded, Ye Huanqiu and Yang Chaoyue returned to their seats. The subsequent performances were decent enough, but Tan Weiwei, the vocal powerhouse, truly shone. She took a song of only "minor fame" and transformed it into a "Rising Fame" masterpiece.
The audience erupted in thunderous applause, and even Ye Huanqiu couldn't help but marvel at her vocal prowess.
This is the result of talent honed through relentless effort!
However, when Zhang Yanzhuo took the stage, the audience's hopes for a dazzling performance were quickly dashed. Instead, he served them a steaming pile of "shit."
Li Yuanjie's smile froze. He mechanically turned to Gou Bing.
The song I originally arranged wasn't this godawful!
"Young Master Li... he changed it without permission, and I couldn't stop him. I thought since One Leaf Knows Autumn would be at the bottom anyway, I didn't..."
Gou Bing trailed off, unable to continue. Not only had Li Yuanjie been publicly humiliated, but with this disastrous performance, he was likely to finish last.
Eliminated in the first round? Where would he save face? Doesn't his mentor, the prestigious Platinum-tier writer, deserve better?
His face ashen, Li Yuanjie stormed backstage and summoned executive director Shen Tao for an urgent discussion.