Chapter 997

In the studio.

Host Dong Shanshan announced, “Let’s welcome our next singer—The Clown!”

Applause sounded.

The Clown came out onstage looking very lonely.

Chen Guang sighed. “This is the worse time to come onstage.”

Wang Zhuishu nodded. “The two contestants before him should’ve squeezed the atmosphere dry!”

Amy asked, “Who do you guys think will be the Masked King?”

Zhang Xia pondered and said, “Petal Shower’s chances of winning are the greatest.”

Chen Yidong disagreed, “Just based on the first round of songs alone, Sunflower is definitely going to be the Masked King!”

Zhang Xia said, “Petal Shower handled some parts of her singing really well.”

“Who can compare with Sunflower’s tenor?” Chen Yidong said.

The judges all had differing opinions and started disagreeing with each other, yet no one mentioned The Clown.

The audience did not keep him in mind either.

The two contestants before him had both performed passionate, fast songs with high notes. They were songs that fired up the atmosphere, which was why many in the audience were still clinging to the earlier performances.

“Aiya, Sunflower’s singing was so intense!”

“I still like my Petal Shower!”

“Haha, when did she become yours?”

“Anyway, I’m already a diehard fan of Petal Shower!”

“Do you know who she is?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I’m curious!”

“Eh, The Clown has already taken the stage?”

“He won’t be able to sustain his voice anymore, so he’s more like a supporting act in the first battle to be Masked King.”

“He only advanced because he got a lucky win.”

“Yeah, the Masked King will definitely be either Petal Shower or Sunflower.”

“Obviously. Must we spell it out?”

“Hur hur, seems like these two people have stage names related to flowers?”

“All that’s left to see now is which ‘flower’ has the greater skill!”

The lights suddenly dimmed!

When the audience and judges finally realized that the next performance was about to begin, they were surprised to discover that the house band had already left the stage!

Where had the band gone?

Where was everyone?

All of a sudden, they realized The Clown was sitting in front of a piano.

Ah?

Playing the piano and singing at the same time?

Everyone froze!

Chen Guang, Zhang Xia, and the others were also surprised!

They had all seen The Clown’s state and knew that it couldn’t have been faked. He was indeed quite sick and had to force himself to stay standing, but what was this? In that state of his, why would he still want to play the piano himself? Playing the piano was unlike playing a keyboard. It was pressure sensitive and required strength to play it properly! You already have no hopes of fighting for the throne of Masked King, so what are you trying to do? What are you thinking?

No one in the crew or judging panel could understand!

The audience was also unable to understand!

You pushed so hard to finish your previous song! Why are you trying so hard for the second song as well?

The judges and audience, and even the program team’s staff, knew one thing though. If you could get on this stage, you must at least have some level of fame. At the minimum, you had to be someone that a lot of people knew. To be able to get to that level, you couldn’t possibly lack a stage to perform on. Even if you gave up today, there would still be other platforms and stages welcoming you with open arms, so why are you risking your life like this! Just why?!

However, no one knew this one thing.

There were no other stages for the man under The Clown’s mask to perform on!

Banned!

Frozen!

Suppressed in the news!

Ostracized by industry peers!

Jobless!

Old injuries acting up!

A serious cold!

It was the worst period that he was going through, as well as the time he felt the most vulnerable!

No one appreciated him!

He had sunk to a supporting act!

The piano sounded.

A flowing, watery melody reverberated throughout the studio.

The judges were stunned!

The audience was stunned!

The piano’s melody carried sadness, a sorrow that silenced the entire studio!

The spotlights shone down on him.

Everyone’s gaze fell to where he sat.

Zhang Ye played the piano oblivious to all around him. The melody flowed from his fingertips ceaselessly with every note representing a part of his sadness. He should have been the most beautiful thing in this world, he should have been the most beautiful wild rose in this world. But right now, he could only wear a mask and hide all of himself beneath it. In this place where no one appreciated him, he would sing a song that perhaps only he knew, with that hoarse voice of his!

“These days, seasons fly by, flowers bloom aplenty.

“Winds wander, clouds float by, nature shut behind the door.

“To be plucked uneasily, I slowly realize.

“Bloomed already, but no one coming is completely expected.”

Han Qi was stunned in the wings. “Teacher…”

Music Director Bai Yuanfei was watching slack-jawed.

Zhang Xia was stunned!

Amy could feel herself getting the goosebumps all over her body!

This…

Zhang Ye closed his eyes and sang softly.

“In the night, I’ll sway with the wind and rain.

“When I see the break of dawn, I’ll shed some tears.

“I’m a beautiful, beautiful wild rose.

“Not letting spring arrive in vain.

“Blossoming til it’s dark, infatuating passersby.

“As I calmly watch myself wither away.”

Wild rose?

A withering but beautiful wild rose?

Chen Guang stood up impassioned!

Zhang Xia stood up!

Amy and the other judges all stood up in a frisson of excitement!

This…

This song…

Zhang Ye continued playing and singing with his eyes still closed.

“I’m a beautiful, beautiful wild rose.

“Hating the Heavens for being unfair.

“Plucked of my buds.

“Stripped of my heart.

“Sadly given away as just a rose.”

Plucked of his buds?

Stripped of his heart?

Sadly given away as just a rose?

Han Qi stared blankly at the stage, not knowing when her tears had started falling. She tried to wipe them away but found that she couldn’t stop them from flowing!

Many of the audience members watched the stage, hypnotized, feeling felt like someone had pierced through their hearts!

The figure sitting at the piano looked very sad and lonely.

However, there was a hint of a smile on his face when he finally opened his eyes. His singing was still as rough and hoarse as before. But this time, he didn’t even have the strength and voice to hit the high notes anymore, yet this represented the current Zhang Ye. Having had his hands and feet bound, getting his mouth muzzled, this was the current him!

“Ground’s my bed, sky’s my blanket, meteors are my tears.

“At times awake, at times drunk, the geese have made their return.

“In turn happy, in turn sad, the spring’s light isn’t bright.

“No regrets, no burdens, sweet dreams drift away like the stream.

“Willingness is a patch of color adorning the world.

“But unwilling to touch on what is right and wrong.

“I’m a beautiful, beautiful wild rose.

“Not letting spring arrive in vain.

“Blossoming til it’s dark, infatuating passersby.

“As I calmly watch myself wither away.”

Blossoming til it’s dark?

Even if no one were to appreciate him?

Even if no one found him?

Even if he was withering away?

Listening to this, Zhang Xia’s eyes reddened.

Why are you still smiling?

Why are you still smiling at this time?

Suddenly, the piano music stopped!

The man sitting at the piano was out of strength. The hand he was using to play the piano was no longer able to play the complex melody as it became more and more sluggish. He was forced to simplify the melody and use the simplest combination of notes to accompany his singing!

“I am a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful wild rose!

“Hating the Heavens for being unfair.

“Plucked of my buds.

“Stripped of my heart.

“Sadly given away as just a rose.”

There were no high notes, but those hoarse and sad vocals cut deep into everyone’s hearts!

Han Qi was crying!

Xiao Lu was crying!

A lot people were crying!

The emotions of many of the audience members exploded at this moment!

The entire audience stood up!

The atmosphere had hit a fever pitch!

Supporting act?

No!

No!

You’re the true lead!

You’re the most beautiful “flower” of all today!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_expression#Pressure_sensitivity_or_aftertouchWild rose – Specifically the Rosa multiflora, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_multiflora