Chapter 130: The World
The students in the café erupted into cheers once again for Huang Guolun. At a nearby table, some older guests sincerely applauded his heartfelt performance. Hu Xuefang’s eyes never left Huang Guolun; she gently clapped along and sighed with Shen Yumeng, “He even sings old songs so beautifully—Teacher Huang truly is remarkable.”
Shen Yumeng smiled, praising Huang Guolun, “This must be what they call the demeanor of a master, right?”
“Mm,” Hu Xuefang nodded silently in agreement.
The students eagerly urged Huang Guolun to sing another song.
But Feng Zheng, unable to wait any longer, shouted loudly, “Teacher Huang, let Xiaobai sing a couple of songs first! We’ve been waiting forever!”
At Feng Zheng’s call, many eyes turned toward the corner where Bai Yao sat. Some didn’t even know who “Xiaobai” was and looked around, curious about this mysterious figure.
Those who had heard Bai Yao sing knew her voice could bring listeners to their knees, and they looked forward to her performance with great anticipation.
Shen Yumeng introduced her to Hu Xuefang, “Fang Jie, Xiaobai sings incredibly well too.”
Hu Xuefang smiled, “I know. Just hearing her speak, you can tell there’s something special.”
Shen Yumeng added, “But you wouldn’t guess Xiaobai is still in high school.”
“Ah? A high schooler?” Hu Xuefang was surprised, glancing at Shen Yumeng. Seeing she wasn’t joking, Hu Xuefang turned her gaze to Bai Yao, who had been invited by Huang Guolun to the small stage. She thought, This girl has developed so well! Could she have grown up drinking papaya milk?
Even if Feng Zheng hadn’t called her out, Huang Guolun was ready to let Bai Yao “warm up” the stage. After singing three songs himself, it was time for Bai Yao to shine.
With calm composure, Bai Yao walked to the small stage and sat on a high stool beside Huang Guolun. Feng Zheng led the applause and cheers for her.
Many in the café still didn’t know who this short-haired, well-endowed girl was. The viewers in the livestream were even less aware of Bai Yao’s identity.
Originally, everyone had been urging Zhao Jing to appear on screen, but now that Bai Yao was here, the focus of the otaku audience immediately shifted from Zhao Jing to Bai Yao.
The comment section exploded with messages:
“Who is this busty guy? I’m totally into him!”
“Is this the so-called Jing Ge? Her chest is huge! No wonder they call her Big-Bust Jing!”
“Did Jing Ge go to Korea? How did her chest get so big, like an inflated balloon?”
“Teacher Huang called her Xiaobai, and Jing Ge mentioned before that tonight’s music special would feature Bai Yao, the singer of the theme song for ‘The Beautiful People.’ Could this Xiaobai be Bai Yao? She looks so young! When she sang in the movie, I thought she was some rock-n-roll old lady.”
“Jing Ge, you actually invited such a stunning girl to the livestream—owe me two pounds of nosebleed.”
“Jing Ge, can you zoom the camera in? Give us a close-up of the key parts so we can see if it’s an F or a G cup.”
“Moderator reminder: Please keep comments civil. Those who are rude will be dealt with.”
“Even if I get a timeout, I have to say Jing Ge can go to hell—Xiaobai is the real deal!”
...
Seeing the overwhelming praise for Bai Yao and the insults hurled at her, Zhao Jing’s face twisted into a cold, disdainful smile.
If not for the increasing number of gift donations and the appearance of rainbow gifts, she would definitely have taken this chance to roast these ungrateful fools properly.
On the small stage, Huang Guolun whispered a few words to Bai Yao, discussing which song she would sing first. Then he asked her to introduce herself to the audience.
He himself put on the harmonica holder, ready to accompany her with guitar and harmonica.
With a voice that was startling yet confident, Bai Yao introduced herself: “Hello everyone, I’m Bai Yao, the singer of the theme song for the movie ‘The Beautiful People’ that you see here on my chest. You can just call me Xiaobai.”
Her words weren’t extraordinary, but her deep, husky, and rough voice—rougher than most men’s—startled some of the new guests in the café.
Anyone hearing Bai Yao speak for the first time would never have guessed that such a delicate, pretty girl could have such a coarse, gravelly voice, as if sandpaper was scratching her throat.
Some even whispered, “Was there a soccer match yesterday? Did she lose her voice from shouting? Can a voice like that really sing?”
The livestream chat buzzed with wild theories about her voice:
“Is my earphone broken? Why does the world suddenly sound so rough?”
“Oh my god! That’s scary! What’s with that busty girl’s voice?”
“They say beautiful girls often have hoarse voices, but this busty girl’s voice is way too hoarse.”
“Is this the legendary voice that makes you cringe? I almost crushed the walnut I was holding! Damn!”
“Is she a ladyboy? I’ve seen many in Thailand with big chests and hoarse voices like this.”
“Whoa, this voice is unique—I like it!”
“Can that voice really sing? Won’t it scare the people around me?”
“I’m about to turn down the volume; I can’t stand such a screechy voice. Jing Ge, say something! I’ve decided I like you more; I don’t like this Xiaobai—she’s too flawed.”
...
Zhao Jing covered the microphone and suddenly hummed, “You’re the idiot here.”
Seeing so many comments criticizing Bai Yao’s voice, Zhao Jing really wanted to retort immediately.
But Bai Yao was still speaking on the stage and about to sing, so Zhao Jing suppressed the rising anger in her heart.
Let Xiaobai use her talent to silence all those doubters!
On stage, Bai Yao continued, “Before I sing, let me give a little shout-out to the film produced by Kunlun Culture.”
She deliberately pushed out her chest, making the zombie-themed poster emblazoned there all the more eye-catching: “This ‘The Beautiful People’ might be the best zombie film in China. Fans of this genre definitely shouldn’t miss it. It’s available on all major video platforms.”
Feng Zheng loudly supported her, “We all watched it. The movie’s really good! Super good!”
Bai Yao nodded in thanks at Feng Zheng.
A chubby boy nearby excitedly asked, “Xiaobai, are you going to sing ‘The Beautiful People’ theme song ‘The Beautiful People’ tonight?”
Bai Yao smiled and replied, “Not just yet, but I will sing it tonight.”
Feng Zheng curiously asked, “So what’s your first song?”
Bai Yao glanced at Huang Guolun beside her.
Huang Guolun, already wearing the harmonica holder and holding his guitar, nodded, ready to accompany her.
Bai Yao sat upright, lifted the microphone from the stand, held it close, and said in a low voice, “The first song is one that Teacher Huang really likes—‘The World’ by Zhang Guonian. This one’s for you.”
As Bai Yao finished speaking, Huang Guolun immediately strummed the stirring opening chords on his guitar.
Everyone in the café felt a strong connection to the melody.
However, most had never heard this song before, nor did they know Zhang Guonian.
Hu Xuefang, a well-informed music host, had certainly heard of ‘The World.’
But seeing Bai Yao sing it, Hu Xuefang was a little surprised and whispered to Shen Yumeng, “It’s quite a challenge for Xiaobai to sing ‘The World.’”
Shen Yumeng, unfamiliar with the song, quietly asked Hu Xuefang, “Is it difficult to sing?”
“Not exactly difficult, but it’s hard to capture its essence,” Hu Xuefang explained. “Zhang Guonian’s songs aren’t easy to sing. He’s the kind of soul singer who probably only he can truly convey the spirit of his music.”
Hearing this, Shen Yumeng roughly understood the song’s style.
She pricked up her ears and listened attentively to Bai Yao’s performance.
On the small stage—
With Huang Guolun’s guitar accompaniment, Bai Yao closed her eyes as though she had fallen into a lonely night, with no one around but the guiding melody leading her forward.
It was as if an invisible thread pulled both her body and heart; if it broke, she would shatter into the depths of this somber night.
Each step felt perilous, as if she might lose her footing, but with this thread guiding her, Bai Yao felt unusually secure.
In this hazy, half-dream state, she began singing “The World” with a voice that pierced deeply into the heart:
...
“I offer you the clouds”
“I offer you the rivers”
“I offer you the evening breeze”
“All the brilliance is only for you”
...
With her extraordinary natural talent, Bai Yao delivered a divine performance that left listeners breathless.
The moment she sang the first line, Hu Xuefang, sitting near the stage, got goosebumps all over.
She remembered Zhang Guonian’s soulful rendition well, but she never expected this young Bai Yao to open her mouth and transform into a weary, weathered singer like Huang Guolun, striking straight into Hu Xuefang’s very soul and commanding her utmost respect.
For Wang Peng and the others, unfamiliar with “The World,” Bai Yao’s opening immediately sparked a desire to fall in love with the song—her voice gripped their ears so completely.
Watching the girl he adored sing such a lonely, heartfelt song, Feng Zheng felt moved to the point of wanting to literally rip open his chest and pour all his passion out for Bai Yao.
If Bai Yao would offer him clouds, rivers, and evening breeze, he was willing to offer her even more—he would even entrust his life to her!
The livestream chat exploded with “666” spam as Bai Yao’s voice filled the air.
Those who had doubted whether such a voice could sing were now pounding their keyboards with approval.
Her soulful singing had utterly stunned them.
On the small stage, Bai Yao’s singing took control. The melody now seemed to pull Huang Guolun’s playing along, guiding them both forward, lonely but growing more intense:
...
“When I sing the songs of the past”
“I know / I have already drunk deeply of the sunlight”
“When I sing the songs of the past”
“I know / I have already drunk deeply of the sunlight”
...
Huang Guolun, closest to Bai Yao, was deeply moved by her flawless performance, immersing his own soul in the song.
Like a drunkard facing the evening breeze, he blew his harmonica, evoking heart-wrenching emotions.
His harmonica playing elevated the song’s mood to a more beautiful and touching level.
His notes held everyone’s breath, as if they could see fleeting clouds and hear the flowing years slipping by...