Chapter 46: Mengmeng, Save My Bias One More Time!

Before the broadcast of Sing My Heart Tonight Season 7 at 10 PM, the new episode of All-Star Launch Season 2, jointly produced by neighboring Whale Web and Fish & Rice TV, was also about to finish airing.

The Positioning Round had a massive runtime, so long it had to be split into two parts.

Last week’s Part 1 covered grouping, song selection, and most of the training process. This week’s Part 2 was rehearsals + the official performance + the new vote tally + eliminations…

Only now did viewers fully understand why fans exhausted every trick to help their trainee biases compete for Mengmeng’s songs.

Vocal and rap were direct-output performances, making it relatively easier to convey feelings and emotions. But this didn’t mean the dance group didn’t sing.

Mengmeng’s song “Want” was special. It was special in how he balanced singing and dancing. The lyrics weren’t many, the whole song just over 3 minutes, but it perfectly hit the theme, filling the atmosphere to the brim! Whenever there was a lyrical verse, the choreography happened to miss the most intense beats, so no one looked like they were running out of breath while singing and dancing simultaneously.

The instrumental bridge reserved for the dance break was the most endlessly flavorful part!

From the rehearsal stage alone, it was clear that “Want” had a superior stage effect.

After the official performance, the Mentor panel also openly stated that this group of trainees showed the greatest improvement.

What “Want” presented was the ultimate effect everyone hoped to see in the Positioning Round:

All male trainees giving full play to their strengths!

Because Star Two had 9 debut slots, a large 9-member group inherently couldn’t treat everyone equally. Everyone’s individual showcase time was very limited. If a trainee couldn’t find their position within the group, falling into confusion and stagnation was just a matter of time.

The purpose of the Positioning Round was to let everyone adapt in advance to what they might face in the future.

Currently, it seemed that only the “Want” team deeply understood the production team’s intent.

The editing also subtly emphasized this point in this episode’s storyline.

From the audience and fan perspective, the songs for the three positions in this round clearly weren’t on the same level. Of course, you couldn’t say the other two songs were unpleasant, just that the results the male trainees delivered were noticeably different.

But was this the production team’s fault?

Jie Yifu had long since had so-called “insiders” leak to platforms that the original composer assigned to the dance department had a fundamental controversy. No matter how well-written his song was, the production team didn’t dare use it.

This was a failure in the background check. Did Whale dare take this risk?

So, Mengmeng, who was already providing a song for the Final Phase Public Performance, was drafted.

Friends who watched Star One knew Mengmeng could write excellent dance tracks.

The song “Passion” released by Star One Girl Group was, by now, an acknowledged minor hit. Its derivative clips were endless like cuts, feeding who knew how many music bloggers: sped-up versions with various DJ sound effects blasting through the streets; slowed-down, pitch-lowered versions turned into seductive themes; 1.5x speed, pitch-raised versions added to girls’ makeup BGM playlists…

Trusting in “Passion,” experienced show fans were naturally prepared.

Otherwise, how did the incident of three fanbases jointly besieging the number one seed trainee come about?

Now, after watching the “Want” stage, they understood the value of Mengmeng as a Producer. You give Mengmeng a chance to provide a fill-in song, and Mengmeng gives you a hit stage in return with everything you could ask for!

~

【Rebuilt Public Opinion Observation Room | Star Two’s First Hit Has Arrived】

————

Congratulations, “Want” team, your stage is a hit

Also congratulations to these water buffalo who dance passably (not a fan)

From the premiere until now, Star Two fans, your suffering has finally paid off, right? The golden boy really is golden.

1L: What level were the hits back in Star One?

6L: Very hit, but this time in Star Two is even bigger. You can see how huge the female audience market is.

9L: Forget Weibo, the main battlefield. Douyin’s trending search is already #1 site-wide. There will probably be a flood of dance and song covers tonight. The scariest thing is Bilibili; the fastest-spreading video there currently has 10K+ current viewers. And this is with split traffic; if the official 4K cam footage is released directly, I can’t imagine…

16L: Star Two really needs to kowtow to Mengmeng.

21L: Now you know how far-sighted those fanbases doing the besieging were.

25L: So all it takes to overtake is one hit stage (smoking emoji)

31L: Star Two Group is urgently tallying Super Topic data after the stage was released. The water buffalo in the “Want” group are visibly skyrocketing. I’m done. If these people debut in the group, is the Star Two Boy Band just not planning on singing live?

39L: I just want to ask, when will Mengmeng’s original version be released?

40L: The stage looks great, but the singing is really mediocre.

42L: The chorus after the bridge raised half an octave. The water buffalo couldn’t quite hit it, so there’s some obvious pitch-lowering and note-swallowing. So you can very clearly hear Mengmeng’s backing track. Also, the best part, the bridge, the electronic sound + finger snap beat + some unknown instrument—that’s actually Mengmeng’s voice, completely unedited. (I’m a Mengmeng ear, you can trust me.)

59L: Seeing the dance team skyrocket, I really hate my bias for being so indecisive.

62L: Your own bias’s failure is certainly anxiety-inducing, but the rival’s rise is even more painful.

65L: Lighting one up for the pain (smoking emoji)

……

492L: For the finale, two songs, one choice. Mengmeng, please save my bias one more time!

499L: God Mengmeng, my bias absolutely must choose your team!

502L: The Star Two Group is already investigating which fan support clubs follow Mengmeng (shocked emoji)

506L: The male trainees aren’t allowed to use phones, how would they leak the Final Phase grouping?

519L: Don’t worry about the insider bro/sis sources. Just listen and trust the intel!

~

Li Tingzhou had just returned to the hotel when he saw Mao Maoyu and Dai Jier eating crayfish.

“Mao Maoyu, this is what you call making light, gentle food for a patient?”

Dai Jier blocked him. “Ah, he’s just happy!”

Because “Want” was a temporary song provision, the royalty contract Heartbreak and Mengmeng signed with Whale was different from the pre-negotiated “BAD.” To be precise, the credited singer of “Want” was still Mengmeng.

The male trainees’ stage exploded in popularity, so the male trainees ate the biggest slice of the profit cake.

And Mengmeng was definitely the undisputed second-tier beneficiary.

Mao Maoyu was happy precisely because of this small matter. He brought a perfectly peeled crayfish tail to Mengmeng’s mouth. “Eat, eat, my ancestor. Don’t argue with me about this, okay? The crayfish is for me. Brother Jier is only eating plain noodles.”

Eldan was eager to try, so Dai Jier gave him a small bowl too.

The four of them turned on the TV, ready to watch the live broadcast from Blue Ocean TV.

Sing My Heart Tonight had added new ads again.

This episode started with the guests’ resentful, exhausted faces.

There was no helping it. Feng Mo, that Resource Star, had truly drained everyone mentally. Once he left, everyone was too tired to manage their expressions. Each face showed visible relief.

But Qu Lang, who stayed behind, fared no better.

People who watched the Summoning Match Special found it hard to generate purely good feelings for him anymore.

As netizens sharply observed: Qu Lang clearly has such talent, but after ten years in the inner entertainment circle, he’s still not famous. Beyond external objective factors, his personal flaws must be significant. This person seems a bit ungrateful, unable to distinguish good intentions from bad.

Put more bluntly, he couldn’t differentiate right from wrong.

Thus, in this episode, the Night Heart Seven production team justifiably “exiled” him.

The other Premier Singers were still busy. Although rehearsals and performances were postponed by a day, time was still tight. This episode, the production team intended to solidify the Top Five dynamics early (which were already pretty clear). Everyone’s preparation storylines were crisp and fast-paced.

Many viewers had just finished Star Two and seamlessly switched to Night Heart Seven.

For these viewers, the latter’s viewing experience was incredibly satisfying!

A group of professional singers + professional producers, after nearly two months of working together, had formed a tacit understanding. Often, just a glance, a casually hummed melody, and the partner would instantly get it. This kind of synergy was a script no top-tier writer or director could produce. The audience had to admire the director team’s foresight in casting.

Night Heart Seven Bot:

【Main Poster’s Random Musings-872】

This episode was so good!

Even though the cross-selection song rule was quite dark, luckily the songs were decent.

You can feel everyone’s urgency for the Top Five Competition. Even Sister Chen Min is starting to get anxious.

The tragic Ancient Style King seems to see the light of liberation, bless him (pray emoji).

Finally, I want to say, Mengmeng is just too steady. Every time First Sister is anxious, he’ll tell a joke with a straight face to cheer her up: Like how he watched Phoenix Tangled Branches as a kid, blah blah blah. Who understands? Calculating his age, Mengmeng was only around 6 years old at the time. What could a little kid understand?

– Main Poster, better be careful this follower-only post isn’t reported to Sister-in-Law Station (this is all I can do to help)

– Truth is, Sister-in-Law Station was also charmed by it (hand-over-mouth emoji)

– I completely can’t remember what I was doing at 6 years old. Why does Mengmeng remember so clearly?

– That’s why you’re you, and Mengmeng is Mengmeng (smoking emoji)

– Some people just mature very early. Like, your real continuous memory starts when you enter kindergarten, but some people retain memories from age 3. Their brain just started earlier…

– The song A Courtyard of Fragrance is really a classic. I like to listen to it as BGM when reading heart-wrenching stories.

– I feel like the 4th Performance will sound great. All songs I like!

~

When the broadcast reached the rehearsal scenes, Li Tingzhou realized this had happened not long ago.

Especially seeing Zhong Peiyao appear.

After she appeared, Mao Maoyu kept sneaking glances at Eldan and whispered to Dai Jier: “Isn’t Li Fushun supposedly good at reading people? Can’t he tell his junior apprentice sister used to like our Mengmeng?”

Dai Jier thought to himself: He only focuses on the present.

You had to know, Zhong Peiyao and Li Tingzhou were quite similar.

Once she made up her mind to maintain a certain relationship, she’d be incredibly disciplined in controlling herself from crossing the line. Ordinary people couldn’t do it, but Zhong Peiyao could, because she was pure enough.

They could see it, so naturally, the audience could see it too.

Thinking back to the 2nd Public Performance for Curved Moon, with the Central Arts Troupe’s string accompaniment, that First Chair had certainly stirred up enough gossip. Also holding a Concertmaster position in an orchestra, Zhong Peiyao was clearly more likable.

Putting aside romantic factors, the masses generally prefer those with less aggression.

Especially since Zhong Peiyao occasionally displayed traits similar to Li Tingzhou’s, which made everyone love her by association. This fondness reached its peak when she cajoled Li Tingzhou into playing a segment himself—

Some people say they rarely practice their instrument once they have all kinds of software and tools.

But in reality?

The moment he started playing, that aura, that presence.

No wonder people always say boys should learn instruments like piano or violin to cultivate their minds. People who’ve truly studied it do have a distinctive aura. You can’t find an exact word to describe that feeling, but it undeniably exists.

How could someone who started learning the violin at age 5 easily throw away their accumulated skill?

Li Tingzhou’s version of A Courtyard of Fragrance had its own unique flavor.

When the full performance video came out, this version of A Courtyard of Fragrance was directly guaranteed first place.

Without a doubt.

Their winning odds were huge!

Not only was First Sister still breaking her limits, but Mengmeng himself was both capable of shining alone and brilliant at lifting others.

In any shot with him, even before he started singing, he gave the audience a sense of soothing comfort and reassurance. The sense of security was maxed out, because you never had to worry about Mengmeng’s stage featuring wavering pitches, strained notes, or slightly flawed high notes. Especially the ascending chorus segment after the bridge—he sang it so well it made your whole body tingle!

The climax was paired with pure white petals flying everywhere.

The perfect stage combining singer + sound + choreography and stage design was no less than this!

By the time A Courtyard of Fragrance ended, the violin’s lingering resonance still seemed to hang in the air.

Without an audience leaking reviews to raise expectations in advance, who could have imagined? At 8 PM prime time, after Star Two produced its first hit stage since the premiere, the 10 PM slot for Night Heart Seven welcomed its second batch of hit live performances for the season.

This Friday, the luckiest ones were the vast audience of variety show fans.

~

Sis Has Some Money Bot:

【Forgivable No Matter How Many They Date Series-123】

[Mengmeng playing violin.GIF]

[Mengmeng frowning.JPG]

Was going to stop after 100, but recent promotional materials have exploded.

Thanks to the sisters helping go over the special episode, adding some new Mengmeng shots.

In the 4th Performance, Mengmeng is even more composed. The first half is steady with a hint of playfulness. In the second half, with his junior sister there, he has to maintain some senior apprentice face, so he keeps a small straight face for a bit, frowns just for show (spicy emoji).

The essence is the violin-playing bit, already savored it 520 times.

Thank you, Junior Sister. You didn’t take Mengmeng’s rosin for free.

– A supreme specimen among Band Boys, even in the wider inner entertainment circle.

– I remember Li Fushun replying on Little Red Book that Mengmeng taught him the violin.

– A Courtyard of Fragrance was sung better than the first round’s Spiritual Heart, maybe because Mengmeng had more parts.

– A Courtyard of Fragrance‘s visuals were maxed out; clearly, a lot of money was spent.

– Thought things would be shoddy after the incident before the 4th Performance, but every group did great. Looking at it this way, Night Heart Seven isn’t that harmonious either. On the surface, they’re all “why isn’t this done yet, we don’t have time,” but behind the scenes, everyone is bringing their ace game…

– Is it really that good, I wonder? I thought they were just preemptively wrapping things up with dumplings [performing obligatory harmony].

– This episode was quite fierce, but some people better not ride the wave to boost their own status.

– Watch Night Heart Seven Bot. It started by leaking Mengmeng info, now it focuses on equal distribution.

– Before, the random musings were one post per person, now Mengmeng is just an extra tag-along.

– Unfollowed long ago. If you’re so bold, don’t post as follower-only like the Main Poster and let everyone judge.

~

Sis Has Some Money Bot:

【1021】

Definitely broke up.

Last time they posted anything was last time.

The Tarot reading from before was quite accurate. That adult women’s talent show on Tide is already speeding up preparation, and the proposed invite list is expected mid-August (got some minor connections).

DM me for verification if you want the original Tarot post.

【1022】

Although our station often jokes about Fushun, he’s definitely a straight guy x1.

I dug up something on Instagram. Him and his ex dated for quite a while.

The funnier thing is, he and Mengmeng broke up around the same time. Brothers in distress…

Sis Has Some Money Bot:

Alright, the main poster will do some proper work tonight too.

Hope everyone doesn’t cry when sad, and doesn’t float away when happy.

– You could tell from when he was photographed before, he had that ‘filling the void with work after a breakup’ robot vibe. Not terribly dejected, but definitely brittle, like a little cookie.

– Him and Li Fushun have a reason they get along.

– Both are very emotionally rich people, can’t spend it all.

– XH is indeed participating in that adult women’s talent show. She’s actually quite suitable for it.

– Like the saying goes, XH is okay, others are not (hand-over-mouth emoji).

– Next time, can you talk about Vinegar? I’m really curious how he and Mengmeng play together.

– Remember Shark Sister’s famous line: When things are up, it’s CL [Cannot be Published], when not, it’s Vinegar.

– I’m gonna shout it, Vinegar Vinegar Vinegar Vinegar, flood Shark Sister’s big search!

~

【When to Criminalize Lip-Syncing and Fake Playing | Feeding Expert LTZ】

————

Congratulations, First Sister and Mengmeng, on taking first place this round.

Even before the rehearsal, I had a feeling something huge was about to happen, and sure enough~

Just checked Weibo. There’s a trending topic related to the lead actress too, which caught the buzz from the TV festival. As expected, the 4th Performance should yield another batch of hit live stages.

1L: In terms of arrangement structure, I still preferred last week’s A Woman’s Heart.

5L: +1. This episode rode more on atmosphere. Early powerhouse musicians were really fierce. A divine composition like A Courtyard of Fragrance will sound good no matter the arrangement, but First Sister and Mengmeng’s group chose the most melodious approach. Both sang very clearly. Since the first performance, this counts as a small showcase of their skills.

21L: You guys are commenting so fast. I’ll just say one word: Good!

26L: If Mengmeng hadn’t formed a band and became a proper solo singer, maybe he’d be even better…

34L: But he already did (shrug emoji).

38L: Who would’ve thought that after graduating and just wanting to find an internship, the stall got bigger and bigger, directly becoming a label head. What can you do? He’s already here.

40L: Totally understandable they started signing NDAs from the 4th Performance onwards.

If these details leaked in advance, it would indeed reduce a lot of the surprise.

The others too. Feels like approaching the finale, everyone’s going all out.

49L: The Top Five dynamic was already obvious since the 3rd Performance Summoning Match (hand-over-mouth emoji).

53L: Behind-the-scenes footage is out, quickly sample—

……

241L: First Sister was humming Endless Summer backstage, what a treat!

256L: The Ancient Style King stopped pretending too. Off stage, he went straight to Mengmeng’s group’s waiting room.

268L: Can they really show this in the behind-the-scenes footage? (scared emoji)

271L: Congratulations, Ancient Style King, for escaping the sea of suffering. Though he suffered, he got the buzz he wanted. Wishing his solo concert all the best.

290L: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Qiaoqiao opening mouth wide showing throat.JPG]

294L: Mengmeng, you should be renamed Mengmeng (cute/spaced out)…

346L: AHHHHHHHHHHH HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT!

367L: [Mengmeng holding white petals, scattering them towards Li Fushun.GIF] Who understands this?

382L: Such a great shot, and you put it in the behind-the-scenes footage?

398L: Okay, I can understand why This Meng has many dream girls. Because he’s really so smooth, occasionally giving you a small, romantic surprise. If I were Li Fushun, I’d just give in on the spot…

405L: I declare this the most godly shot of this episode!

407L: I declare your declaration valid!

417L: This Meng is Not Simple (I’ve said this a hundred times).

421L: No wonder Li Fushun traveled so far to join Heartbreak. If it were me, I’d also follow Mengmeng wholeheartedly.