Chapter 1043: 'Strive Hard to Succeed'! (First Half)
Translator: Legge Editor: Legge
Onstage.
The music started playing.
Flowing Time's stage presence was already entirely different from his first round's performance. The moment the music started, he skipped along to the rhythm as he danced playfully for a bit. Compared to his previous song, he was able to let himself go. This was who he really was!
"Ignore me.
"Squinty eyes.
"Hey, ho, hey."
Flowing Time sang loudly!
Authentic Hokkien spouted out with every line!
When the audience heard, they immediately got pumped up. A lot of them were waving fluorescent glow sticks in their hands along to the beat.
At the judging panel.
Amy looked next to her. "Is it Teacher Zhao Qiquan?"
Zhang Xia smiled and said, "He has to be!"
Wang Zhuishu nodded. "I can confirm that he's definitely Old Zhao. I've known him for many years, but I haven't had much contact with him for the past two years. I never expected that industry veteran Old Zhao would come and join King of Masked Singers. This will be interesting. It's been a long time since I've heard him sing, but he's as passionate as ever!"
Chen Guang also nodded firmly. "There's such a huge difference when Flowing Time sings a Hokkien song instead of a Mandarin song!"
Chen Yidong praised, "It's indeed wonderful!"
Yao Jiancai was delighted from listening to the performance. "Is this what the top Hokkien singer is all about?"
How legendary!
How cool!
This song was called "Squinty Eyes." Not many people had heard of it before, because Hokkien songs were less mainstream in this world and there were only a few well-known ones. Flowing Time probably considered how if he sang those well-known Hokkien songs that he had sung so many times whenever he got featured on television shows and in his concerts, everyone would probably be sick of them. It would no longer bring any excitement to the audience, so perhaps it was due to these considerations that he chose this song.
The audience members who understood Hokkien were bought right into this performance!
These people loved watching King of Masked Singers. Among them, there were some who liked The Clown, and some who were fans of Petal Shower, Sunset Glow, and the others. But now that there was suddenly someone singing Hokkien songs on the show, it brought a warm and familiar feeling to them, and they would definitely give their full support to him. Right now, be it The Clown or Petal Shower, they were both forgotten by these people!
This was human nature and easily understandable. For example, when you meet your fellow people in your hometown, you would not feel anything different and might even feel annoyed sometimes. But if you went to a different city and suddenly heard someone speaking your hometown's language on the buses or in the streets, you would surely be overcome by a surge of affection!
There was a man among them who was dressed differently from the employees. He obviously had the air of a boss and was likely one of the advertisers' upper management or even their CEO. He was probably a fan of Zhao Qiquan as he was currently standing and clapping with all his might!
The atmosphere was great!
Some of the audience members who did not understand Hokkien also got energized from listening. Although there was a language barrier, they could still look at the translated lyrics shown on the second teleprompter display behind the contestant. This teleprompter display was not meant for the contestants but the audience to look at. Some of the Hokkien words could not be translated word for word, and there were even some verses that were very difficult to translate into Mandarin, so only a transliteration was possible.
"Squinty eyes.
"Smiling guise.
"Ohh…ohh!"
When he was coming to the end of the song, Flowing Time even started dancing.
This "Squinty Eyes" was sung almost to perfection by him. From the song, his singing skills, to the musical arrangement, everything was flawless!
Although there were some people from Xiamen and Chaoshan who felt that this song's lyrics were just average, and that Flowing Time should have sung one of his more well-known songs, they were still quite satisfied that they could listen to a Hokkien song at the live recording of King of Masked Singers.
The song ended!
Everyone stood up and applauded!
"Good!"
"It was really quite good!"
"Experience still counts for a good showing!"
"I'm beginning to like Hokkien songs!"
"Me too! It was pretty good!"
Even some of the audience members who did not understand Hokkien also came to be interested in Hokkien songs. This was because either only Cantonese or Mandarin songs had been performed on this stage; everyone had heard them too often. So today, the audience was quite curious when someone suddenly sang a Hokkien song. They enjoyed it greatly!
Flowing Time bowed and went offstage with a smile.
When the audience saw this, they gave their most enthusiastic applause to him once more!
Flowing Time did not return to the waiting room. After he left the stage, he waited in the wings as he still needed to go back onstage after The Clown and Sunset Glow were done performing. Flowing Time kept his eyes peeled in the direction of the waiting area as he was quite curious about what song The Clown would sing this time to compete against him for this episode's Masked King!
At the judging panel.
Zhang Xia asked, "What do you guys think The Clown's and Sunset Glow's chances are?"
Wang Zhuishu laughed dryly and said, "They probably don't stand a chance."
When Chen Yidong turned around and saw those Hokkien audience members whose enthusiasm had not subsided yet, he also laughed. "I think so too. How are they going to compete with him this way?"
He had practically brought all of his extended family along!
A third of the people in the studio spoke Hokkien!
Chen Guang analyzed, "Actually, Sunset Glow still has some hope. Her form is very good today and she has maintained a low profile in each of the last three episodes, so the focus on her is lower than The Clown and Petal Shower's. The audience also seems to be looking forward to her performance, but as for The Clown…this round is much too difficult for him."
Amy added, "Unless he can come up with some weird surprises again!"
In the waiting area.
Zhang Ye listened as he watched without saying a word.
Han Qi was anxiously stamping around. Judging from the audience's reaction, Teacher Clown was definitely done for. If this were a normal recording like any other day, Han Qi would have been fine with things as long as The Clown was not eliminated. It was not like he had to be the Masked King every episode—that would be quite impossible—since he had already won it twice. Today was different. Flowing Time had issued the challenge and news of it had spread all over the Internet. If Teacher Clown lost today, who knew what Flowing Time would say? He was here to seek justice for Li Yu after all!
Han Qi did not like Flowing Time as she felt he had been hyping up the incident for his own benefit. Although he had some status in the industry, he was still just a minority language singer. His popularity was considered high, and he hadn't appeared on television for a long time. Before this episode's recording, Flowing Time had challenged The Clown directly. He even used the excuse of seeking justice for Li Yu to attract news and discussion interest onto himself. At the studio, he provoked The Clown through speech on more than one occasion. Now that there were many audience members who could speak Hokkien attending the recording, Han Qi couldn't help but suspect that this was all planned by Flowing Time!
How despicable!
He was just using The Clown to increase his own popularity. Did Teacher Clown offend you or something?
Li Yu was one!
Zhao Qiquan was another!
There were really all kinds of people in the entertainment industry!
Han Qi angered the more she thought about it.
But The Clown did not have much of a reaction. No one knew what he was thinking about.
Dong Shanshan's voice sounded, "Next, let's welcome—The Clown!"
Dafei came over and said, "Break a leg, Teacher."
Xiao Lu apologized, "I'm sorry, Teacher Clown."
The program team felt quite apologetic as they believed it was their negligence that led to this match between The Clown and Flowing Time starting off in an extreme state of unfairness!
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "It's alright."
He slowly walked out onstage.
Petal Shower had recovered a little and came over as soon as she could.
Sunset Glow and Spinach were also standing in the wings.
Everyone knew that it would be very difficult for The Clown to defeat Flowing Time!
Flowing Time was already breaking out into a smile underneath his mask. He was very relaxed as he gazed with great interest at The Clown, onstage. He knew that he already had this round in the bag.
The audience was also discussing, as well as pointing at The Clown.
"It's The Clown turn now!"
"It's time to decide who the victor is between the two of them?"
"Actually, the result is obvious!"
"The Clown won't win."
The lights turned off.
The studio grew quiet.
Chen Guang and Amy sat up straight. Even though they knew that The Clown did not really have a chance of winning, they still couldn't help but look forward to his second song of the day!
Everyone focused their attention on The Clown!
Everyone was paying attention to every move he made!
Zhang Ye looked at the judges, then the audience. From the looks in their eyes, he could see many things.
I can't beat him? These were the words Zhang Ye had heard most today. Someone mentioned it right in front of him, and he also overheard others who said it in their private conversations. He also knew that Flowing Time had home field advantage today as many of audience members could speak Hokkien. But Zhang Ye never once thought he would lose. He could afford not to fight for the crown of the Masked King today. But you, Zhao Qiquan, if you want to use me as a stepping stone to climb higher? You wish to use me to elevate yourself? Then of course I'm not going to let you have your way! You want to step on me by resorting to those petty tricks? You think you can beat me by getting some audience members who speak Hokkien?
You have really underestimated me, Zhang Ye!
I'll show you what you get for underestimating me!
All of a sudden, Zhang Ye's entire aura changed!
Zhang Xia was taken aback.
Petal Shower looked bewildered.
Flowing Time frowned.
The music started playing!
This melody was still a song no one had ever heard of before. When they saw the title of the song, it was also a song that they hadn't come across before. "Strive Hard to Succeed"? It was obviously an original!
Flowing Time smiled when he saw the title!
Strive hard to succeed?
What are you striving hard for?
How are you going to strive hard?
This is not something you can succeed at just by trying hard! You sure are naïve! Alright then, I'd like to see how you are going to strive hard and how you are going to succeed!
A Mandarin song?
Or a Cantonese song?
Hur hur, sing whatever you want!
The Clown raised his microphone lightly.
Then, when The Clown sang the first verse of the song, Flowing Time received a bolt!
The Clown sang.
"Don't despair when you're in the mourn.
"Don't be afraid when you're forlorn.
"Passing time without any hope,
"Every day going down to tope.
"A person without a soul is like a scarecrow."