Chapter 1254: The eighth episode''s knockout round! (First Half)


    Trantor: Legge Editor: Legge


    On this day.


    At noon.


    It was the day of eighth episode''s recording.


    At Old Wu''s parents'' house, Zhang Ye was ying Go with Wu Changhe in the courtyard after lunch.


    "Uncle, hurry up and make your move."


    "I''m still thinking, what are you rushing me for!"


    "I have to attend my show''s recording this afternoon. I barely squeezed out some time toe over for lunch."


    "Alright, alright, I''ll make my move here, a stretch."


    "Then I''ll y a push through over here."


    "Hey, no, don''t y it there!"


    "Why would I not y it there?"


    "You shouldn''t make the move over here. Make a stand over here instead."


    "Why would I y a stand there! That would make my group dead!"


    "Are you gonna y a stand or not?"


    "I''m not!"


    "Then I won''t y that move anymore!"


    "Damn, you''re trying to cheat!"


    "Who''s cheating? Ah? Who are you using of cheating?"


    "ce it back down! You can''t take back your moves!"


    "Well, I''m taking it back, so what!"


    The two men had only just started on the game, but they nearly came to blows!


    Beside them watching, Li Qinqin didn''t know whether tough or cry. These two grown men''s tempers were really the worst when they came together.


    In the end, it was still Wu Changhe who lost. He said angrily, "I wasn''t in my best form today. I''ll definitely ughter you next time! Just you wait!"


    Zhang Ye bade farewell and headed out of the house, saying in doubt, "I''ll ughter you twice!"


    "I''ll ughter you thrice!"


    "I''ll ughter you five times!"


    "I''ll ughter you ten times!"


    "I''ll ughter you fifteen times over!"


    Li Qinqin sent Zhang Ye to the door and closed it after he stepped out. However, even after the two of them were out of each other''s sight, they still shouted over the courtyard door. Now Li Qinqin did feel likeughing.


    …


    Later that afternoon.


    At the recording studio of I Am a Singer.


    When Zhang Ye arrived, Hou Ge and Dafei immediately came looking for him.


    "Aiya, Director Zhang, where have you been?"


    "We were all waiting for you."


    "Surely you guys have to allow me to eat lunch, right?"


    "Please have a look at this document."


    "Alright, I got it."


    "We''re starting the recording at 2 PM?"


    "Yes, there''s no change to the time."


    As the core leadership of the program team, and with all of the multiple roles that he was juggling, Zhang Ye couldn''t even step away for a bit. Every little thing that went on in the program team would require his attention. He had only juste back from lunch but was busy immediately. Even his n of taking a siesta was wrecked!


    But the sense was that everyone was in a good mood today. With the leadership change at Central TV, the main culprit behind their torture was finally gone. There was going to be a reshuffle over there, so I Am a Singer''s program team staff were all excited and motivated. They knew that no one would be picking on them in the near future.


    Backstage, he bumped into Zhang Xia and Chen Guang.


    "Zhang''er." Chen Guang waved.


    Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Old Chen, how''s the rehearsal going?"


    Chen Guang said confidently, "Everything is great."


    Zhang Xia asked, "Little Zhang, how''s your preparation going?"


    Xiaodong also came to join in on the fun. "Director Zhang, what will you be singing today?"


    Zhang Ye blinked. "I finished rehearsing, but I''ll keep the song a secret for now."


    Chen Guang said warily, "Are you going to bring out your killer move? Looks like I had better perform to my best."


    "Oh,e on. You''re speaking like you haven''t been putting your best foot forward the whole time." Zhang Ye chuckled.


    Xiaodong giggled. "I''ve also prepared a good song for this episode. It''s bound to give all of you a scare. Director Zhang, you had better be careful. Don''t lose."


    Zhang Ye said, "Sure."


    Zhang Xia smiled and said, "I''m just looking forward to seeing what new song you''lle up with this time. I''ll go and practice a little bit more, so I''ll see all of you onstage? Good luck!"


    "OK."


    "See you onstage."


    "Do well, everyone."


    Soon after, recording began.


    They picked lots first.


    Dong Shanshan smiled and said, "Before we pick lots, I suggest that we wee the new singer onto the show. Director Zhang came onto the show too suddenlyst week, and everyone was unable to react. Director Zhang stayed onstage the entire time and didn''te to join usst week, so since we''re all here now, let''s give him an official wee."


    "Wee, Director Zhang."


    "Hahaha!"


    "Wee!"


    "Director Zhang, please have mercy on us all."


    Everyone was apuding to wee him.


    Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Alright, thank you, everyone. But save the plea for mercy. I was one of the lower ranked contestants on thest episode, so it''d be great if I don''t get eliminated today."


    Xiaodong threw a jab out. "However low you''re ranked, would you be any lower than Amy?"


    Amy replied, "…Sister Dong, can I hit you?"


    Everyoneughed.


    The lot picking segment began. There were cheers and cries.


    Xiaodong had picked #1.


    Chen Guang was #2.


    Zhang Xia got #3.


    As for Zhang Ye, his luck was pretty good. He managed to pick #7, which meant that he would be thest one to sing.


    Today was the eighth episode, as well as the knockout round that took ce every other episode. The singers might all look very rxed as they joked andughed, but it would be a lie if they imed they weren''t nervous. The ones who did well would have to maintain their momentum and try to aim a little higher to not disappoint the viewers. Meanwhile, those who didn''t do so well the previous episode would have to give their all in order to stay in thepetition. They would have to pull out all the stops with their performances, or they''d soon be bidding farewell to thisrgest and most popr stage in the country.


    Everyone wanted to stay until the end!


    Everyone wanted a chance to be part of the grand finals!


    For this reason, every one of the singers would do their very best!


    At the front of the house.


    The studio was packed full.


    "I''m really looking forward to it!"


    "Let''s get started quickly!"


    "Gogogogo!"


    "I really like Zhang Xia!"


    "I super love Xiaodong and Amy!"


    "I only like Zhang Ye!"


    "Haha, I''m also looking forward to Zhang Ye''s new song!"


    "Is he really not going to sing the same song twice?"


    "Yeah, Zhang Ye has never sung the same song onstage."


    "With Sing! as good as dead, there''s only I Am a Singer to look forward to now!"


    "The viewership ratings peakedst week. It''s the knockout round this week, and with Zhang Ye joining the show, it''s definitely gonna go one step further. I wonder how it''ll do."


    "The song that Zhang Ye sangst episode was a real piece of work!"


    "Hahahaha, but it was very nice to listen to!"


    "He''s definitely going to sing properly this time."


    "Yeah, it''s the knockout round, of course he has to do his best!"


    "Yeah, Zhang Ye''s ranking at the moment puts him in a dangerous spot."


    "Teacher Zhang, we''ll be cheering you on!"


    Even before the singers came out, the audience was very excited about the show. Quite a lot of people were shouting the names of the singers they liked and cheering them on.


    The lights converged to a spot on the stage.


    Zhang Ye came out smiling, holding a microphone.


    The apuse burst through the roof!


    Standing still, Zhang Ye looked at everyone as he articted, "Hello, everyone. Wee to the stage of I Am a Singer, brought to you exclusively by our title sponsor, the leader in health products, Brain Gold. I am the executive director, Zhang Ye. Oh, and the host. Oh, and also a participating singer—hai, let''s not talk about that. If I say any more, I''m going to start crying."


    The audienceughed.


    Zhang Ye said, "Today is the knockout round, and one of our singers will soon exit this stage. That person could be either me, Teacher Amy, Teacher Zhao Wuliu, or Teacher Chen Guang. On this stage, anything is possible. So, as the new recement singer looking to avoid elimination, I''ve decided to seek the advice of our highly experienced Teacher Amy on how she sessfully avoids elimination every round."


    Avoiding elimination?


    Highly experienced?


    The audience was cramping up inughter!


    Backstage, Amy nearly fainted!


    Zhang Ye said solemnly, "Teacher Amy told me something that I thought was very beneficial."


    What did she say?


    What did Amy say?


    The audience was dying to know.


    Then Zhang Ye said, "To summarize what she said to me—" Suddenly, his expression changed as he took out a cue card and said, "Thank you to the leading health supplement brand, Brain Gold Company, for being the title sponsors of our show. Thank you to Hubei Pharmaceuticals'' strong support for us. If you''re going to use aputer tablet, use Li''s eight-inch tablet with multi-core technology. Honey Sweet fruit juice, so sweet that you can feel it in your heart!"


    Pfft!


    Fuck you!


    Was that it?


    You''re doing it again!


    The audience doubled over inughter while jeers rang out. "Yiiiii!"


    That feeling and atmosphere made it seem like they were watching a crosstalk performance!


    Zhang Ye smiled and said, "There, I''ve brought out those ads in the most inconspicuous of ways, so my job here is done. So then, shall we hand the stage over to our seven singers? Let''s wee the first singer."


    Pfft!


    Are you really inconspicuous?!