Life countdown begins, ice queen bursts into security room

The entire studio was plunged into darkness.

The number of viewers in the live stream jumped to 1520 million.

On the stage, a spotlight fell from the dome and shone on Shen Nian.

She walked out from the left side of the curtain.

She wore a white shirt dress and her hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, without any extra accessories.

Standing in that beam of light, she looked almost unreal, so clean.

Shen Nian took the microphone off the stand.

"Hello everyone, I'm Shen Nian. This song is called 'The Wind Rises'."

There was no unnecessary self-introduction, nor any sentimental prelude.

After she finished speaking, she nodded to the band in the direction of the side curtain.

Seeing Jiang Fan standing at the side of the curtain out of the corner of his eye, most of the tension in his heart disappeared.

The intro has started.

The piano notes flowed out slowly.

Shen Nian closed her eyes briefly.

When she opened her eyes again, she spoke.

"We traveled along the way, stopping frequently, following the trail of the boy's drifting journey."

"I hesitated for a moment before stepping out of the station—"

The moment the first line was sung, Peter Chan, one of the judges, immediately became interested. This piece…

Shen Nian's voice was completely different from when she rehearsed.

During rehearsals, she held back, only giving it about 50-60% of her effort.

"I can't help but laugh at this inevitable feeling of trepidation as I approach home, while the sky in Nagano remains so warm, and the wind stirs up memories of the past—"

She controlled her breathing very well.

The final sound of each word is clear and crisp, without any hesitation or lingering.

But what truly makes people stop is not technique.

It's an emotion.

Shen Nian's voice began to rise.

It rises naturally along the arc of the melody, layer upon layer, hanging steadily at the highest point without the slightest tremor.

"When I first came to know this world, I was captivated by everything. Seeing the horizon as if it were right in front of me, I was willing to go through fire and water to experience it all."

One of the female members of the audience covered her mouth, her eyes filled with tears.

At this moment, both the judges on site and those watching the live stream were completely moved by the song.

They all thought of the person they found most unforgettable in the past.

So this is what it means for the wind to pick up...

Having traversed this world, I linger amidst countless memories. Turning the pages of time, I unexpectedly encounter your smiling face.

The second chorus is half a key higher than the first chorus.

Shen Nian's voice came up without any hesitation.

The mentor's seat.

Tang Yingxue's expression was no longer as composed as before.

He put his legs down, which had been crossed over his shoulders.

During the interlude, the band's guitarist added an improvised arpeggio, giving Shen Nian eight beats of breathing time.

Shen Nian stood in the center of the stage, her chest heaving twice.

The spotlight shone on her face, and you could see something moving in her eye sockets.

But she didn't let it fall.

The last chorus.

"I was once overwhelmed by the vastness of the world and also indulged in its delusions."

"Neither truth nor falsehood, neither struggle nor fear of ridicule."

When Shen Nian sang those three "no"s, her whole demeanor changed.

I'm not afraid anymore.

She was no longer afraid of anything.

"What the heart desires, it goes with the wind. Walk against the light, let the wind and rain lash you."

Shen Nian's voice fell, as light as a feather.

The band stopped.

The huge studio was completely silent, as if everyone was lost in memories.

One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.

Then applause erupted.

Of the 500 people in the audience, more than half stood up.

The live stream chat was completely flooded with comments.

The screen was so densely packed with text that it was impossible to see anything else.

I cried, I cried.

"Shen Nian!!!!

Love arises with the wind, but when the wind stops, the heart remains unsettled!

Many netizens were deeply moved by this comment, and many hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye before they were gone forever.

Side screen area.

Jiang Fan leaned against the wall, his hands in his pockets.

The curve of the corners of his mouth was very shallow, but it never disappeared.

Zhou Yutong was crying her eyes out, her shoulders shaking with sobs.

On the stage, Shen Nian stood still, with the microphone hanging at her side.

The applause lasted for nearly twenty seconds before slowly subsiding.

When Teacher He came up, his eyes were also red.

"Shen Nian—" He paused for a moment, "Welcome back."

Four words.

Shen Nian smiled at him and nodded.

Teacher He turned to the mentors' panel. "We'd like to invite our three mentors to provide feedback."

Jay Chou picked up the microphone.

"I don't want to talk about techniques, pitch, or breath control." He shook his head. "These things are insignificant compared to what happened on stage just now."

He looked at Shen Nian.

"You remind me of myself twenty years ago when I first stood on stage. Back then, I had nothing, just a beat-up guitar. But that feeling—" He pointed to his chest, "was full."

Another round of applause erupted from the audience.

Peter Chan took over the conversation.

"I'll just say one thing. Who wrote this song?"

Shen Nian raised the microphone: "Jiang Fan."

Peter Chan nodded: "Jiang Fan, the author of 'Blue and White Porcelain'?"

"Yes."

"A good song deserves a good voice." Peter Chan pushed up his glasses. "If someone else sang this song, it might not have the same effect. But when you sing it, it comes alive. Because your experience matches the song's expression. The audience can tell which parts are genuine and which are fake."

He put down the microphone and didn't say anything more.

Finally, the camera turns to Tang Yingxue.

All eyes were drawn to this.

The chat in the live stream slowed down—everyone was waiting for her to speak.

Tang Yingxue raised the microphone and looked at Shen Nian.

"The song 'The Wind Rises' has a great melody and sincere lyrics. Shen Nian has a good voice and expresses emotions well."

In the side curtain area, Zhou Yutong breathed a sigh of relief and muttered softly, "Thank goodness, they didn't cause any trouble..."

Then Tang Yingxue changed the subject.

"but--"

The moment that "but" came out, the live stream went silent.

Zhou Yutong's heart, which had just been at ease, jumped into her throat again.

"I want to say something that might not be pleasant to hear."

Tang Yingxue tilted her head slightly, her tone remaining calm.

"A singer can't rely on just one good song."

"Shen Nian's performance tonight was indeed captivating, but how much of that captivating quality came from her singing skills, and how much from the 'story enhancement' brought about by her personal experiences?"

She paused for a moment.

"I think the jury should think this through when they vote."

The live stream chat exploded.

"What does Tang Yingxue mean by this?"

"Is she implying that Shen Nian is playing the victim?"

"That's true, there's definitely an added element of a backstory."

"Bullshit! Her singing skills are obvious!"

Zhou Yutong, who had just returned to the lounge and sat down, suddenly stood up.

"What does she mean! What do you mean by 'story enhancement'! Sister Nian sings so well, is there something wrong with her ears?!"

Jiang Fan stared at the broadcast screen without saying a word.

Not surprisingly.

Tang Yingxue didn't directly attack Shen Nian's singing skills—that would be too foolish and would backfire on public opinion.

Do you think she sings well because she really does, or are you moved by her story?

Once this question is planted in the minds of the jury, it will shake the votes that were originally going to be cast for Shen Nian.

Clever, but not very useful.

Jay Chou took the microphone and coughed.

"Let me add a couple of points."

His voice was much more steady than Tang Yingxue's, carrying the weight of an old-school musician.

"Yingxue has a point; the effect of a story does exist."

The comments section started to sway towards Tang Yingxue's side again.

"Does Jay Chou think so too?"

"It's all over, it's all over."

Jay Chou didn't finish his sentence.

"but--"

He leaned forward slightly.

"A singer's ability to sing about their own experiences and make listeners empathize with them is itself a skill."

He put down the microphone and leaned back in his chair.

"Shen Nian's performance of 'The Wind Rises' tonight was one of the most comfortable live performances I've heard all year. That's all I have to say."

The tide in the live stream turned around instantly.

"Jay Chou is awesome!"

"A direct confrontation with Tang Yingxue!"

"The words of senior figures carry weight."

"With two mentors holding opposing opinions, this show is going to be interesting."

"Jay Chou is right, the ability to turn one's experiences into songs is a natural talent."

Tang Yingxue didn't reply, put the microphone back on the stand, and crossed her legs.

His facial expression revealed neither joy nor anger.

Teacher He then continued, "Okay, thank you to the three mentors for their insightful comments!"

He walked to the center of the stage and opened his arms.

"Next—please welcome all eight of our singers to the stage! The final rankings for the first episode will soon be revealed!"