My Landlord is an Idol Singer - Chapter 167

At first, Xia An’ge thought maybe Gu Zhinan was just too nervous. But when she saw him turn his back to the camera and say those words, she first looked puzzled, then her little mouth dropped open, and finally, she covered it with her hand as laughter spilled out. Hugging her pillow tighter, her eyes lit up with delight.

“Now that’s Gu Zhinan’s style! ‘Hand clasping the bright moon, plucking down the stars, there’s no one like me in the world!’ That was so him!”

“Ah??”

“Huh?? What did he just say? Something about the sun and moon?”

“He said, ‘Hand clasping the bright moon, plucking down the stars, there’s no one like me in the world!’ Damn, that’s ridiculously arrogant!”

Gu Zhinan had deliberately lowered his voice, and with the sound distortion added by Zhi Jiang TV, his tone became even deeper and more magnetic. Somehow, that only made his words hit harder.

“Holy crap!!”

“This guy a poet or something?”

“Domineering much?”

“I hereby declare Frog the strongest!”

“Others: blah blah blah. Frog: Hand clasping the bright moon, plucking down the stars… Hahaha I’m dying!”

“Domineering? This is downright arrogant!”

“Can someone from the poetry circle explain what that means? My brain’s fried.”

“It’s literal, everyone else is ordinary, he’s one of a kind!”

“Shit, I need to write this down and say it to people every chance I get!”

“Hahaha, you really gonna walk around saying that to everyone?”

“Brothers, I just tried it as soon as I heard it. I’m currently waiting for an ambulance!”

The internet instantly exploded. Netizens went wild searching for Gu Zhinan’s frog avatar and frantically voted for him. His popularity skyrocketed!

That single arrogant line was so bold, so brash, it blew everyone away. While others rambled on for minutes in their pre-stage speech, Gu Zhinan just turned around, dropped one killer line, and left.

What an impression!

Backstage, Lin Xi was preparing for the opening ceremony while keeping an eye on the live broadcast. Staff kept reporting updates.

When he heard Gu Zhinan’s words, he laughed. That soundbite was explosive!

Lin Xi’s resolve to study more poetry only grew stronger. “If only I could come up with a line like that someday…”

“Wait, what? That’s really Teacher Gu?”

Meng Xingye couldn’t believe it. Their whole film crew had wrapped up early just so they could all watch the premiere of Masked Singer.

“Teacher Gu is so cocky!” Chen Yuze was stunned too. If it were him on stage, he’d be trembling with nerves. After all, this was a nationwide live broadcast!

“It’s definitely him! That poser king!” Lai Jingming shouted angrily. Gu Zhinan had already told him he’d be the one with the frog mask.

Even with his voice altered beyond recognition, Lai Jingming could tell it was him! As expected, Gu Zhinan just couldn’t keep a low profile.

“That line of his… damn, pure dominance!” Situ Hongwei laughed out loud. He was starting to see Gu Zhinan as a man of true ambition.

“So handsome!” Yun Yinxue and the other girls had eyes only for that back view.

Inside the lounge, Xiao Li had overheard the line too, especially since Gu Zhinan had faced his direction when saying it. The pressure was overwhelming. Following Gu Zhinan into the lounge, he couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Teacher Gu, that was badass!”

Gu Zhinan reached up to rub his nose, only to remember he still had the mask on. “Did that line get attention?”

Lin Xi had told him to stir things up somehow. After thinking for ages, that was the only line he could come up with. He was just doing his job. “Attention?!”

Xiao Li almost collapsed. He’d been refreshing the rankings nonstop.

“Teacher Gu, look! You were dead last before, but now you’ve shot up to second place! You’re only five thousand votes behind the Monkey Singer, and the gap’s still closing! That line of yours was a total game-changer!”

“Perfect.” Now he could accept that hundred-thousand payment without guilt.

Slated to perform eighth, Gu Zhinan sat calmly in the lounge with Xiao Li. A TV on the wall streamed the live stage. “Teacher Gu, don’t be nervous. Sure, the contestants all have solid skills, some might even be ex-singers, but I believe in you!”

“…Thanks. I wasn’t nervous until you said that. Now I feel like dropping out.” Gu Zhinan rolled his eyes. He knew the lineup was a mixed bag, some were amateurs chasing fame, some hidden talents, some actors, and even a few ex-professionals looking to make a comeback.

The show was practically a mini star-making machine. Unknowns could become famous overnight, and even battle seasoned singers.

On stage, the host was introducing the judges, each one an industry heavyweight. Either top-tier singers or music directors, all once among the Four Heavenly Kings of China. 

Gu Zhinan’s confidence wavered. Luckily, he wouldn’t have to reveal his real identity. If he got eliminated right away, he could just leave without unmasking.

The host’s long-winded opening finally ended. The big screen showed the first contestant, Pink Rabbit, who had drawn lot number one. Her pre-performance video was modest. She said she’d try her best and hoped to defeat her opponents.

As the clip ended, she appeared on stage. All eyes immediately focused on her.

“She’s here! The first contestant’s a girl, rare!”

“Nice figure. I’ll give her 90 points! But my loyalty’s with Bro Frog!”

“Hahaha, can’t stop laughing!”

“Honestly, after hearing her pre-show video, all I can think of is that one line.”

“You mean ‘hand clasping the sun and moon…?’”

“Exactly! Damn it, it’s burned into my brain!”

“Same here!”

The live chat was buzzing as the host announced Pink Rabbit’s song choice, the viral hit Summer Wind.

That surprised Gu Zhinan, but it couldn’t be his landlady. Different build, different height. He smirked. Even without seeing her face, he knew the landlady would’ve crushed this girl in every way. While he was lost in thought, Pink Rabbit started singing.

Her version was more lively compared to the landlady’s deeper, emotional style. Not bad at all. When she finished, the audience cast their votes, and all five judges gave her points too.

Final tally, 1,650 votes. A strong showing.

Next came the judges’ question segment. They were only allowed one question per contestant. After some discussion, they asked if she’d received professional vocal training.

“Yes.” Pink Rabbit nodded. Her voice, altered by Zhi Jiang TV, sounded cutesy like a doll’s.

One question wasn’t enough to reveal much. The host sent her offstage to await results, but with that score, her advancement was practically guaranteed.

“What kind of dumb question was that? Might as well have just asked if she’s male or female!”

“Well, at least we know she’s professionally trained. Do any sharp-eared experts recognize her voice yet?”

“She does sound familiar. I feel like I know who she is.”

“Then who?”

“Honestly, she sounds like Xiao Qiangqiang… but also like Lin Cui. I used to listen to both, but they disappeared from the scene. Ugh, so frustrating! Why can’t they ask more questions?”

“Then what’s the point of masks? Might as well rip them off and sing barefaced!”

Online, fans went into overdrive. That single question had narrowed the pool, she was definitely a singer. Some people were already making wild guesses.

After all, every invitee had some singing skill, maybe even existing fanbases. The more they revealed, the closer fans would get to discovering their identities.

If you lasted long enough, when your mask finally came off, the audience would gasp.

‘So it was him!’

‘This hidden gem!’

‘That actor? I thought he couldn’t sing!’

That was the magic of Masked Singer, giving unknowns a shot at fame, giving stars a chance to cross into music, and offering shelved singers a new beginning.