The photographer was extremely professional.
He took close-ups of the mentors and then the photographer responsible for shooting the audience focused on a few bewildered spectators.
"Is 'Dark Night Rabbit' not a mainland Chinese singer?" Liu Huan asked, snapping back to reality.
"Anyway, when I heard him sing, his Vietnamese was very standard," Mo Yan said, completely bewildered.
Could 'Dark Night Rabbit' not be Ting Yu, but rather a Vietnamese singer found by Ting Yu?
That didn't seem right either. During interviews, although 'Dark Night Rabbit' used a voice changer, his Mandarin had none of the accent typical of Vietnamese speakers.
After all, many Cantonese singers' Mandarin isn't very standard.
Take, for example, the memes constantly circulated by netizens like "I am Zha Zha Hui," and similar accent jokes.
They were accustomed to Vietnamese pronunciation, so speaking Mandarin always carried a slight accent.
But 'Dark Night Rabbit' had none of that.
"I'm so confused..." Mo Yan slapped his forehead. The unexpected turn of events made him question his life.
However, the audience below was even more shocked.
"Alright, now 'Dark Night Rabbit' isn't just changing his vocal tone, he's even changing his accent."
"That Vietnamese is so standard; 'Dark Night Rabbit' must be a Vietnamese singer."
"Does Ting Yu know Vietnamese?"
"Nonsense, if Ting Yu didn't know Vietnamese, how could he write a Vietnamese song? You know, Vietnamese rhyming is different."
"Many music producers know Vietnamese; it's a very large market after all. But they can't achieve such a standard accent. Locals can tell the difference with just one listen."
"So, is 'Dark Night Rabbit' really Ting Yu?"
"Heaven knows..."
The surprise came too suddenly. Just when everyone thought 'Dark Night Rabbit' might be Ting Yu, his flawless Vietnamese pronunciation completely stunned them all.
What was even more astonishing was that his Mandarin songs were equally standard. People were already speculating that 'Dark Night Rabbit' had already showcased his versatile vocal range, and now he was playing with accents.
How much more did he have left to reveal?
...
"If I don't say how good love is,
I only remember touching it once.
The two of us riding bicycles,
Holding each other close from behind..."
Su Yu sat on the stage with his guitar, quietly strumming and singing.
Ignoring the noise from the venue, he cast his gaze towards the father and son playing on bicycles on the stage.
Chinese fatherly love seemed to be forever silent.
Moreover, the more you recalled your childhood, the more you noticed the differences. As you grew older, communication with your father lessened, and memories often only included occasional playful moments as a child. That embrace from behind the bicycle was probably the first time.
He knew his father loved him very much, but they couldn't be intimate with each other.
As 'Dark Night Rabbit' infused the song with a subtle, melancholic emotion,
Gradually, the audience's attention shifted from his accent to the song itself.
The song had a warm melody, but 'Dark Night Rabbit's' rendition carried a hint of bitterness. Combined with the lyrics, the complex feelings between father and son instantly struck a chord.
Just then, a series of intense drumbeats sounded.
As if beating against one's heart.
Without any pause, it transitioned into the chorus!
"Reluctant to part, wanting to hold tighter,
Vast life feels like a wilderness.
If a child could rest on his father's shoulder,
Who would want to get off...
"Reluctant to part, there will always be some,
Such are human feelings, unavoidable.
No matter how cold the world,
Remembering this bicycle, happiness can still be borrowed..."
Su Yu had put down his guitar.
He picked up the microphone from the stand and slowly walked towards the father and son playing amongst the props simulating a field.
The scene was incredibly warm, highly relatable, and evoked strong memories.
Chen Ning's father gritted his teeth, staring intently at the stage. The father and son playing by the bicycle—that heartwarming scene was so familiar.
Memories surged like a tide.
"Wah, wah, wah..."
When the child was born, he held his baby, overwhelmed with excitement.
...
"Ningning, slow down, don't bump into anything."
When the child was toddling and crawling around the house, his hand was always there to prevent the child's head from hitting a wall or furniture.
...
"Daddy... Daddy..."
Finally, the child could speak. Hearing those "Daddy" calls filled him with joy, making him feel like a child himself.
He would boast to his friends everywhere: "Haha... Ningning called me Daddy! He actually called me Daddy!"
...
At some point, his emotions gradually became reserved.
It wasn't that he deliberately tried to be a stern father; he just felt his child was growing up and becoming more sensible, and he didn't know how to express certain things. Looking at his son, who had grown up in his arms, he found himself unable to hug him anymore.
When his child achieved excellent grades, he was genuinely happy, but the praise, halfway to his lips, would suddenly be swallowed back.
Riding a bicycle with his child to the market, when those small hands held his waist, the feeling was one of unprecedented happiness, a memory that remained vivid to this day.
At some point, he realized their conversations with his child were becoming fewer and fewer.
Why had it come to this?
He hadn't realized it until now, and even if he had, he couldn't figure it out.
"Already given, how can you not see?
Although playing your role is indeed difficult,
...
Remembering the bicycle that brought us together,
The only embrace we ever had."
Entering the second verse.
Many in the audience were already moved by the poignant emotion conveyed in the song.
Especially the middle-aged men who were fathers themselves, they all looked thoughtful.
Younger people, however, heard it differently, but their expressions were also very complex.
On the commentary panel.
Liu Huan watched the playful father and son on stage and said, "What 'Dark Night Rabbit' does best is actually his ballads. Although his high notes are powerful, the emotional delivery in his voice is absolutely top-notch. I hear incredibly complex feelings in his singing, as if he's expressing love and dependence on his father, but with some ineffable other feeling."
Mo Yan took a deep breath and smiled faintly, "It's resentment, but not hatred. The lyrics of this song are brilliant, and the arrangement and vocals are imbued with many emotions that need careful savoring."
This was probably the first time Yin Na had listened intently to 'Dark Night Rabbit's' ballads. She pursed her lips, "Is it that hard to understand? This song is clearly accusing you men. You love your children dearly, but you just don't show it. Of course, this is a typical example of Chinese fathers."
Hearing Yin Na's commentary, Mo Yan and Liu Huan both showed surprise.
Upon further reflection, there was no fault in what she said. The song was sung from the child's perspective.
It was just that everyone had a habitual way of thinking. Most songs about parents in the market praised the father's selfless love and his greatness. So when they saw this song about father and son, they habitually analyzed it in that direction.
"Love me more,
So I can walk stronger tomorrow.
If you're willing to protect me,
Who else can I rely on for shelter..."
On stage.
The father and son had stopped playing.
The father smiled at the child and slowly backed away towards the edge of the stage.
The lights shifted, as if time were passing.
The previously happy child stood there alone.
He looked lost in the direction of his father, standing by the bicycle.
'Dark Night Rabbit's' singing became more heartfelt. He went to the bicycle, sat on the back seat, and watched it all like a bystander.
The visual impact, along with the child's lonely figure, directly brought tears to the eyes of the audience.
The entire stage performance was simple, depicting a childhood spent playing with his father in the fields.
What was initially a heartwarming scene ultimately portrayed the passage of time and the father's eventual departure.
The period in between could be skipped.
And where was the missing part?
Of course, it was in this song!
"Reluctant to part, wanting to hold tighter,
Vast life feels like a wilderness.
If a child could rest on his father's shoulder,
Who would want to get off.
Reluctant to part, there will always be some,
Such are human feelings, unavoidable.
No matter how the world resents my faults,
Do you know I only have you to bear my wildness or ferocity..."
The visual impact, coupled with the final line sung with a hint of a sob,
The emotions of the entire song finally exploded!
And when the last line was sung, everyone finally understood that the song was indeed sung *to* the father, but it wasn't a praise; it was an accusation.
"Giving more is not as good as understanding me."
This could be sung not just to fathers, but to all parents.
What you give might not be what your child wants.
Do they love their children?
Yes, they do.
But... their way of loving is wrong.
When the song ended,
On the big screen, an effect resembling a time tunnel suddenly appeared, and the final image froze on the father riding a bicycle, the child holding his waist from behind, the sky a brilliant blue, insects chirping, birds singing—a seemingly incredibly heartwarming scene.
Yet, it was incredibly tear-jerking...