“Is this guy about to fall asleep?”
“His eyes look exactly like mine during meetings.”
“Hurry up and start to Sing, look how bored the kid is.”
“Does no one else think Mu Li’s expression is cute?”
…
Whether intentional or not, the director projected Mu Li’s expression directly onto the large screen at the venue, and the audience immediately started discussing it.
Xu Wei was still introducing the previous contestants when his attention was suddenly drawn by the audience’s reaction. He then noticed Mu Li on the big screen and burst into laughter.
The five teachers who were discussing on stage were also drawn to it.
“This kid is quite relaxed,” Liu Zhengqing couldn’t help but chuckle.
Han Li pointed at Mu Li and asked, “This is the kid you told me about?”
Liu Zhengqing nodded and said, “That’s him. His creative level is very good. With his skill, coming to this show as a contestant is a waste.”
“Oh? This is the first time I’ve heard you evaluate a young person like that,” Han Li became somewhat interested. However, he also strongly agreed with Liu Zhengqing’s words.
He had done his homework before coming and had listened to Mu Li’s previous songs. He had to admit that Mu Li’s own performance was commendable, but there were also many flaws, especially his singing skills. However, purely from a creative standpoint, every single contestant participating in this competition was no match for him.
While the two were chatting, Xu Wei, with a mischievous smile, walked up to Mu Li: “Contestant Mu Li?”
Mu Li had clearly not reacted yet, his eyes still unfocused. Fortunately, Qiao Bo, who was next to him, couldn’t bear to watch and gently nudged Mu Li, who then snapped back to reality.
“Ah? Is it my turn? My name is Mu Li, and I’m a new singer. I hope everyone will give me a lot of guidance.” Mu Li subconsciously finished his introduction lines, then nodded at Xu Wei, signaling him to introduce the next person.
This instantly made many audience members laugh.
Mu Li’s absentmindedness funny level +50%
Mu Li’s subconscious self-introduction upon snapping back to reality funny level +100%
Professional smile after introduction +1000%
“No, why is this guy so practiced?”
“That last professional smile, it’s like me getting caught zoning out in a meeting.”
“I always feel like Mu Li isn’t here as a contestant, but as an audience member. His relaxed vibe is just incredible.”
…
Xu Wei was also left somewhat speechless and amused by Mu Li’s series of actions.
“No, Contestant Mu Li, it’s not your self-introduction yet,” Xu Wei explained.
“Ah? Not yet? Then why did you call me?” Mu Li looked at Xu Wei with a hint of complaint, but he quickly realized he was on live broadcast and that wasn’t very polite. So he immediately pretended nothing had happened, pointed forward, and said, “Ah? It’s not my turn yet? Then please continue.”
The netizens online were already laughing like crazy.
“Why is this guy so funny? Did he just realize he’s on live broadcast?”
“Does he think redoing it will let them edit out his previous reaction?”
“This little brother is too cute! Within 3 minutes, I want all his information.”
“A Li is too adorable!”
…
Xu Wei’s forehead veins were popping out, but what could he do? After all, it was still a live broadcast.
He helplessly explained, “Contestant Mu Li, we just noticed you were spacing out. What were you thinking about?”
“Ah? Spacing out?” Mu Li blinked, showing a puzzled expression, “Was I spacing out just now? Why don’t I know?”
Seeing Mu Li’s “you’re tricking me” expression, Xu Wei couldn’t help but shout, “Director, please replay Mu Li’s shot from just now.”
A few seconds later, Mu Li’s spaced-out expression reappeared on the big screen.
“I wasn’t tricking you, was I?” Xu Wei said triumphantly.
Mu Li frowned, looked at his own expression for a while, and then said, “No, you guys saw it wrong. This isn’t a spaced-out expression.”
“Oh? Then what kind of expression is this?” Xu Wei retorted.
“This is clearly…” Mu Li thought for a moment before saying, “This is clearly nervousness, yes, nervousness.”
“Nervousness?? Are you kidding me?” Xu Wei clearly didn’t believe him.
Mu Li quickly nodded and said, “Really, this is how I am when I’m nervous.”
With that, he covered his heart with his right hand, put on an expression as if he were about to freeze to death, and said, “Look, this is what I look like when I’m nervous. Isn’t it exactly the same?”
Xu Wei subconsciously blurted out, “You look like you’re having a heart attack.”
After he finished speaking, Mu Li’s expression turned somewhat dejected: “Sure enough, acting is too difficult. I’m still better suited to be a singer.”
Xu Wei’s mouth twitched: “Is that the point right now?”
Mu Li waved his hand and said, “Brother, you should go interview others first. Let me self-heal for a while. I’m so disappointed.”
Xu Wei nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood. He was about to say something else when he heard the audience below shout, “Brother, you go interview others first. Let A Li be disappointed by himself for a while.”
“Alright, alright, alright! You’re the ones who told me to interview, and now you’re the ones telling me to leave!” What else could Xu Wei say? He could only continue with the process, otherwise, there wouldn’t be enough time.
And when Mu Li saw Xu Wei leave, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief and thanked Qiao Bo next to him: “Good thing my acting is good, otherwise it would have been awkward.”
Qiao Bo was also speechless: Could that performance just now have been any more awkward?
Meanwhile, the online bullet comments were already turning it into a meme.
“Xu Wei: Whoever wants to host this messed-up show can host it!”
“Xu Wei: Am I the only one getting hurt?”
…
Of course, there were also the haters.
“This Mu Li is really putting on an act.”
“Playing dumb? Celebrities nowadays have no bottom line for getting attention.”
“He’s really too rude. Others are introducing contestants, and he’s spacing out. This kind of person has bad character.”
…
However, after that segment, Xu Wei knew that this part of the content should end. He didn’t try anything else, simply introduced the 16 contestants, and then began the drawing of lots.
“The first contestant to perform today, please step forward,” Xu Wei gestured.
As a result, he saw Mu Li, with his bright, clear eyes, take a step forward.
“Are you really the first to perform?” Xu Wei was still a bit disbelieving, thinking Mu Li was joking, until Mu Li showed him the drawn ball in his hand. Only then did Xu Wei confirm it.
“I don’t know whether to say you’re lucky or unlucky,” Xu Wei teased.
It is well known that in performances like this, opening acts often suffer a bit because the atmosphere in the entire studio is relatively poor. It usually takes one or two performances for the stage atmosphere to build up.
However, for a creative competition, especially with a common theme like today’s, performing earlier makes it easier to leave a deep impression on everyone.
But for Mu Li, he didn’t care much: Isn’t it just the live atmosphere? Who doesn’t have a cheat code?
Compared to Mu Li’s calmness, there was one person who was quite nervous now.
After seeing this theme, Fu Peiyao’s heart inexplicably stirred: “First love? Who is his first love? Could it be me? What kind of song will he write?”
Fu Peiyao’s mood was up and down for a while.
Until she saw the title of the song Mu Li had created: “Starry Sky.”
For some reason, she subconsciously recalled that night when she and Mu Li lay on the hillside, watching the stars.
At this moment, all the lights in the venue suddenly went out, leaving only complete darkness.
Then, tiny white lights appeared in the darkness, flickering like stars in the sky.
Suddenly, it was as if a meteor streaked across the sky, and a girl suddenly said, “It’s a meteor, quick, make a wish.”
The audience involuntarily watched the meteor in the sky, as if it traveled across the firmament, finally cutting through the sky and landing on the stage.
The starlight flickered, illuminating Mu Li on the stage.
“Drifting with the wind by the blue sky, a cloud fell before me.
Molding into your shape, following me with the wind,
Bite by bite, eating away sorrow…”
Fu Peiyao couldn’t help but recall that night, the first time Mu Li took her to ride on Togekiss, soaring through the night sky.
Clouds floated around them, and the air was so gentle. At that moment, her heart held no sorrow or worries; she only wished time would forever stop at that moment.
At this moment, all the audience members felt as if they were in a mountain forest. Bug Buzz, bird calls, frog croaks—various complex sounds mixed together, yet they didn’t make anyone feel the slightest noise. Instead, it allowed them to more calmly hear the breathing and heartbeat of the person beside them.
When the chorus began, two people quietly held hands under the starry sky. Their heartbeats quickened with the sound of the drums, and their blood flowed faster with the rhythm of the keyboard. Their cheeks unconsciously turned red, a little hot, but thankfully, the cover of night seemed to hide all this stirring.
When the second verse began, the audience seemed to have arrived at a sea, soaring on the surface of the sea under the starry sky with the wind. The sea reflected the stars and moon, as if two worlds merged into one. For a moment, it was impossible to distinguish between the sea and the starry sky.
They only wished to immerse themselves with their beloved in this illusory, almost imperceptible space.
The song ended, but everyone was immersed in that extremely romantic and sweet atmosphere, unable to extricate themselves.
It wasn’t until Xu Wei and Mu Li came on stage that everyone seemed to awaken from that atmosphere, their faces showing a complex expression of both sweetness and loss.
Before Xu Wei could even speak, Liu Zhengqing directly picked up the microphone and shouted, “Wait, let me speak first.”
Xu Wei helplessly said, “Since you’re like this, how can I not let you speak?”
Everyone immediately burst into laughter, but Liu Zhengqing showed no embarrassment. He asked Mu Li, “I want to ask something. Was I the only one who saw the starry sky on the hill and the starry sky on the sea just now?”
As soon as Liu Zhengqing said this, the audience at the venue started discussing animatedly.
However, what was even more puzzled than the live audience were the online viewers.
“What hill? What sea? I did hear the sound of wind and sea water.”
“Elite Liu probably meant that atmosphere, I also vaguely felt it.”
“What is all this nonsense? Are they having hallucinations?”
…
Unlike the online audience, many of the live audience members echoed, “I saw it too! I thought it was just a hallucination.”
“Everyone saw it? I thought it was just my imagination running wild?”
…
Like the audience below the stage, the other mentors on stage also couldn’t sit still.
Han Li asked in confusion, “Now that you mention it, I just realized how real that scene was. Wasn’t it some 3D projection made by the production team?”
“Did everyone see the same thing?” Li Xingyang asked curiously, “I thought it was just a fantasy triggered by the lyrics and music.”
Everyone couldn’t help but turn their gaze to Xu Wei and Mu Li: “Well, how about an explanation?”