The song "The Actor" at the beginning stunned me with its portrayal of the aloof school be

After the contestant from Shengda finished singing, he put down his instrument, and the audience erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

Good songs that you buy are indeed of high quality.

The atmosphere at the scene was very high.

He was smug and looked defiantly at Jiang Che below the stage.

The look in his eyes made it crystal clear.

Look, this is the strength of Shengda.

You're doomed today.

He seemed to have victory firmly in his grasp.

Jiang Che met that gaze with a slight smile.

There was no hint of tension in that smile; instead, it was as if he were watching a clown jumping around.

Then, he got up and went onto the stage.

He took a guitar from the staff and sat down on the stool.

All eyes in the room turned to him.

The people of Shengda are waiting to see how he responds.

Those in the know, however, had a vague premonition that something big was about to happen.

Jiang Che sat down and began to pluck the strings of his zither.

……

The song "Anhe Bridge" flowed out slowly.

This is a folk song unlike anything ever heard before in the world.

Simple, restrained, and full of the weight of time and nostalgia.

As soon as the prelude begins, it gently touches a chord in one's heart.

The melody evokes images of old streets and alleys, and of people who have passed away.

There are regrets that cannot be spoken and can only be buried in time.

Jiang Che then spoke.

The song began.

Let me see you one more time, from south to north.

"Like being blindfolded by the Fifth Ring Road."

"Please tell me again, about that day."

"The girl holding the box"

"And the man wiping his sweat?"

Jiang Che used a different fighting style.

No showing off skills.

Don't rush to take photos.

He spoke in a gentle, detailed manner, as if recounting a long-ago story.

But it is precisely this gentle, narrative style that, without anyone noticing, captures the breath of the entire recording studio within the melody.

No one speaks.

No one was distracted.

Everyone was gently led by this song into the time it described.

The noise caused by the song we just bought seemed particularly hollow compared to this one.

There wasn't a single note in the song that showed off technical skills.

But it is precisely this simplicity that touches people the most.

Some audience members quietly teared up, unable to pinpoint which line had moved them.

It was a kind of unspoken yet universally understood resonance.

It tells other people's stories, but as you listen, they all become your own.

This is true folk music, with the power to penetrate people's hearts.

The recording studio was so quiet you could hear someone breathing.

The cameramen instinctively moved more quietly, afraid of disturbing the moment of tranquility.

Even the director, who had been watching the ratings data intently, stopped and listened to the entire segment in a daze.

At this moment, there is no competition, no winning or losing, only a song and a group of people moved by it.

……

The singing continued at that moment.

I know, those summers.

"Just like youth, it can never come back."

"What can replace dreams is only doing what is difficult."

"I know, it was all just bragging."

"I'll just laugh it off as I get older."

"Let me remain trapped in the city, in memory of you."

Lin Xi'er, sitting in the guest seats, closed her eyes.

She could tell that the previous song was technically impeccable.

The arrangement, harmony, and instrumentation are all exquisite.

But that's the exquisite craftsmanship, devoid of warmth.

Jiang Che's piece is even simpler technically.

But there's something in every single note.

It has stories, it has witnessed the passage of time, and it has genuine emotions.

This is the fundamental difference between a song you buy and a song that resides in your heart.

Money can buy sheet music, but it can't buy this genuine feeling.

Lin Xi'er gently opened her eyes and looked at the person on the stage, her doubts deepening.

Just how many more things like this are he hiding?

……

On the mentors' panel, the expressions of the mentors gradually shifted from solemnity to emotion.

Those who were pessimistic about Jiang Che because of the good songs that Shengda bought have been completely wrong.

They originally thought Jiang Che was going to fail this time.

As a result, Jiang Che used an even more authentic folk song to completely deflect that heavy blow.

Qin Lie sighed softly, his eyes filled with emotion.

"This is what folk music should be like."

Shen Yan shook his head, but couldn't help but smile.

He knew better than anyone how much money Shengda had invested in that song.

No matter how much money you spend, it all becomes a joke in the face of this one song.

Cheng Xue's eyes welled up with tears, and she remained stunned for a long time.

The music critic who had previously predicted that Jiang Che would be in trouble remained silent for a long time in his live stream.

He had already prepared a pessimistic article.

At this moment, he quietly deleted the entire article.

He faced the camera and after a long pause, managed to utter a single sentence.

"I was too naive."

"You can't buy a song's soul."

"This poem, 'Anhe Bridge,' won a clean sweep."

……

The comments in the live stream instantly reversed.

The people who were worried about Jiang Che just a second ago have all changed their tune.

"Now that's what folk music is all about!"

"Shengda's money was wasted, hahaha!"

"A song bought is still a song bought; it has no soul."

"Jiang Shen has created another masterpiece; I'm convinced, truly convinced."

"The previous song sounded pretty good, but compared to this one, it suddenly feels empty."

Shengda: I spent a lot of money. Jiang Che: Oh, it was just a casual rendition.

"Those in the know have already said it was ghostwritten, now the passersby believe it, right?"

Wang Haoran in the dormitory was laughing so hard he almost fell off his chair.

"What did I say again!"

"You think you can compare your bought songs to my brother's? Dream on!"

"Those who just shouted that Jiang Shen was going to fall, come out and apologize one by one!"

……

The song that Shengda carefully acquired was exquisitely arranged and perfectly packaged.

Compared to a truly original work that comes from the heart, the mere piling up of words and the emptiness of the work immediately become apparent.

One is the exquisite design achieved by spending a lot of money.

One is genuineness that flows from the very core of one's being.

The difference in quality is immediately apparent.

……

Jiang Che slowly played the guitar on the stage.

The singing filled the entire venue.

"Let me have another sip of autumn wine."

"Keep driving south, it won't be long."

"Let me hear it one more time, the most beautiful line."

"You're home, I'm waiting for you."

One side of the stage.

The Shengda contestant, who had been full of provocation just moments before, gradually looked dejected.

From being smug and triumphant to looking utterly embarrassed.

He heard with his own ears how Jiang Che effortlessly neutralized the "killer" attack he was about to unleash.

He couldn't even explain what kind of advanced technique Jiang Che had used.

Jiang Che didn't use any fancy stuff.

Just a guitar, a song, and a person, sitting there quietly.

But it was precisely this quietness that made him, and the entire Shengda Group's schemes behind him, seem utterly ridiculous.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word of rebuttal.

The words "I'm not afraid of you" stung his face.

He recalled that before he went on stage, someone from the company patted him on the shoulder and said that this song was a sure win.

With this song, Jiang Che is a joke.

But now, the person quietly playing the guitar on stage is the real mountain.

He himself, along with the song he bought at great expense, became a stone placed at the foot of the mountain.

He opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing, and walked off the stage dejectedly.

……

I know those summers, like you, will never come back.

I will no longer have high expectations of anyone.

I know that there are too many regrets in this world every day.

"So, hello, goodbye~"

The last note fell.

The entire room fell silent for three seconds.

Then, thunderous applause erupted.

The entire audience stood up again.

The result was a foregone conclusion.

That Shengda contestant lost.

Shengda went all out in this attack, spending a fortune, buying good songs, and allocating top-tier resources.

In the end, Jiang Che decisively shut it down with a guitar and a song, "Anhe Bridge."

A series of slaps in the face.

The second cut has been made.

Jiang Che put down his guitar, stood up, and nodded to the audience.

His expression remained calm and composed.

It was as if the duel that the entire internet regarded as a tough battle was just something he casually played a song for.

In the end, Shengda's meticulously prepared counterattack only added another stepping stone to Jiang Che's path to godhood.

Two phases, two cuts.

Shengda lost two key generals, and all the money and resources they invested went down the drain.

In return, Jiang Che only received two more legendary songs that went viral across the internet.

They wanted to dampen Jiang Che's spirit, but instead, they became the two loudest drumbeats on Jiang Che's path to godhood.

Below the stage, some people watched Jiang Che's retreating figure, with only one thought in their minds.

This person is someone that Shengda simply cannot shake.

He was so big that the entire show could barely contain him.

Jiang Che himself, carrying his guitar, slowly walked back to his seat.

It was as if nothing had happened.

For him, nothing really happened.

It was just another song played.

As the mentors below the stage watched his retreating figure, a thought simultaneously arose in their minds.

This time, Shengda has shot itself in the foot.

Those whom they tried so hard to suppress actually used this stepping stone to stand even higher.

This young man named Jiang Che's path ahead is probably unstoppable.

……

P.S.: "Anhe Bridge", sung by Song Dongye, lyrics by Song Dongye, music by Song Dongye.