My Landlord is an Idol Singer - Chapter 183

The first performer of the night always gets to enjoy all the “firsts,” the newly revamped stage, fog and dry ice drifting across, dazzling lights. All the spotlights converged on a single person. He looked like the king of the entire venue.

The atmosphere was leagues above the last two episodes!

Gu Zhinan was dumbfounded, especially since the stage lights made his own frog headgear glow. How was anyone supposed to sing seriously like this? Play some DJ Zui and he could lead the whole crowd dancing!

The Sloth contestant chose an old classic. From the host’s introduction, Gu Zhinan learned he was known as the “old song killer,” reinterpreting vintage tracks to perfection. His heartfelt delivery moved the audience.

When the song ended, the newly expanded 800-member audience and judges cast their votes.

Four judges gave him their support. In total, he scored 2,836 votes, an extremely high number, meaning only about a hundred people withheld their vote. Speculation pointed to him being a veteran actor, though no one expected his singing to be this good!

Gu Zhinan could only drool with envy. If he got that many votes, he’d be safe for sure.

The next up was Rabbit Girl, who had delivered strong performances for two rounds. This time, however, she chose a newly released song by a well-known singer. The arrangement didn’t land as well. When she finished, she earned three judges’ votes, totaling 2,442.

And then came the big reveal, the show dropped a bomb, Rabbit Girl was in fact the long-missing Xiao Qiangqiang. Some of her old fans watching the livestream rejoiced at her return. But whether her score was enough to carry her to the next round remained uncertain.

Contestants continued to perform in order. Gu Zhinan kept an eye on Mr. Lion, he was number seven. Which meant as soon as Lion went up, his turn would follow. Without a lounge to rest in, things were tough. Before, he could retreat backstage, and Xiao Li would even give him a massage when he was tired, like an emperor’s treatment.

Now with the new rules, no rest area at all. Who’d want to come back? Gu Zhinan sure wouldn’t, unless the pay was good enough. Still, he had to admit, he liked the atmosphere. He couldn’t even see the landlord. She was only visible when she sat among the guest performers on stage.

Without eye candy, Gu Zhinan was even more bored.

“Contestants seven and eight, please head backstage to prepare.” A staffer beside them gave a reminder.

Gu Zhinan and the Lion contestant both nodded and walked backstage.

“Hello.”

To Gu Zhinan’s surprise, Lion actually spoke first. His voice was rich, resonant, full of masculine charm. Was this what people called a bass cannon?

“Hello,” Gu Zhinan replied.

“I’ve heard your two original songs. They were really good. Did you write them yourself?”

“Yes.”

“So you’re a songwriter?”

“I just know a little about music.”

“….” Show-off. Mr. Lion was left speechless. Two such high-quality songs, and he brushed it off as “just a little.”

“Is your next one an original too?” He eyed Gu Zhinan’s plain wooden guitar. It didn’t look fancy at all.

“Am I even allowed to say that?” Gu Zhinan was puzzled. This was the first real conversation they’d had. They’d crossed paths in an elevator before, but never exchanged words.

“No worries. I’m about to go on stage. I’ll be singing one of my older songs.” Mr. Lion chuckled, indirectly confirming he was a professional singer, and a strong one at that. He’d advanced both rounds with top scores.

“I’ll be performing another original,” Gu Zhinan admitted. Since Mr. Lion had been honest, he couldn’t keep hiding either.

“Seriously? Another original?! Which company are you with? You can’t be Dynasty Entertainment… so are you with Star Entertainment, Global Sound, or Huaxing?”

“??” Gu Zhinan caught the hint right away. So this guy was with Dynasty Entertainment. He immediately ruled out his own company first.

A coworker of Wang Yuyan’s, then?

Before Lion could say more, staff announced it was his turn. He left with a parting line, “Do your best. I’ll be waiting for you out front.”

Arrogant!

But… not wrong. If not for his unusually gifted voice in this life, Gu Zhinan wouldn’t even be here. No matter how many songs you had, with awful vocals, nothing could save you.

Minutes later, the results came back, Mr. Lion scored all five judges’ votes, totaling 3,174. The first contestant to break 3,000!

Gu Zhinan wanted to throw Mr. Lion’s own earlier words back at him. Popularity-wise, they were neck and neck now, sometimes he led, sometimes Mr. Lion. And this round, the show revealed a huge clue: Lion was once a red-hot singer under one of the Big Four entertainment companies.

The Dynasty Entertainment judge even cautiously guessed a name. Mr. Lion didn’t deny it, making the audience even more certain. It was Luo Feng, Dynasty’s former second-tier top star.

“Is it really Luo Feng? I heard he switched to being a music director. Why step back on stage now?”

“His vocals are as strong as ever. Retired at his peak, and now he’s aiming for the summit again.”

“Confirmed. Next episode when he half-unmasks, it’ll basically be official.”

“Isn’t every half-unmask already obvious?”

The internet burst into heated discussion.

“Shut up, Bro Frog’s coming on!”

“Yeah, save your debates for later. Keep talking about the last guy and I’ll snipe your idol!”

“Wasn’t it ‘snatch the stars’?”

“Same thing.”

Backstage.

“Alright, Frog contestant, it’s your turn.” The staffer motioned him forward. Gu Zhinan nodded, slinging his guitar as he stepped toward the blazing lights.

Xia An’ge’s eyes lit up immediately. She’d been waiting so long, finally, it was his turn. And he’d brought his guitar with him. The host noticed too, glancing at his cue card. It confirmed that Mr. Frog would indeed perform another original tonight. 

“Good evening, Mr. Frog!” The host greeted him. The frog head bobbed. “Good evening.”

“As far as I know, you’ll be doing another original tonight. That makes three in a row, all originals! And this time it’s guitar-led, live singing. If you keep advancing, will you continue with originals only?”

“Most likely.”

“What’s this song called?”

One of the judges leaned forward eagerly, voicing what everyone in the room, and watching online, was dying to know. After all, the first two had been amazing. Surely the third wouldn’t disappoint?

“Tianxia (Under Heaven).”

“Tianxia…” Xia An’ge mouthed the name to herself. Just from the title, even before hearing the lyrics, she felt a powerful sense of grandeur. Was it bold? Or maybe still bittersweet?

“Alright then, let’s give a warm round of applause for Mr. Frog’s latest original,Tianxia! A live guitar performance!”

A staffer placed a chair and set up the mic and audio equipment. The host stepped off.

“Bro Sun-and-Moon-Frog! Unstoppable under heaven!”

“No way it’s another sad one, right?”

“This has to be bold and epic, like Borrow Another 500 Years from Heaven!”

“Hahaha, yeah, that vibe!”

“You all said Sea of Flowers was romantic, but it was only in the first part!”

“True. You can’t judge this guy with normal logic.”

“Here we go!”

On stage, Gu Zhinan raised a hand, signaling David, the only one who knew his rhythm, to start the accompaniment. He strummed the guitar. Through the frog mask, Xia An’ge knew his expression had shifted to that deeply serious focus he always had when it came to music.

He really did love it, even if he hadn’t realized it himself. The guitar began with a sorrowful, lingering tone. The audience felt a chill sweep through their hearts. Just from the intro, they knew, this wasn’t going to be the bold anthem they expected.

“When war flames rise, searching for love feels like waves upon sand. Meeting her, like pear blossoms mirrored in spring water. Sword raised to cut through the world’s edges, letting go of longing. In dreams, I remain foolishly bound to her.”

The voice dripped with yearning and regret, leaving everyone stunned, both in the venue and watching live. He’d done it again. Always defying expectations.

Gu Zhinan’s fingers danced across the strings. From soft lament, the tempo suddenly shifted at the word “longing.”

“Caring not for lords or kings, nor for eternal dynasties. I only ask for love to untangle this endless turmoil of the mortal world. To love more deeply, to hold forever; To be as gentle as flowing water, who cares who rules the seasons?”

The melody shifted again, pouring out heartbreak, resignation, and defiance.

“With love, why fear the storm? White hair cannot stop youth’s bloom. Cast away rivers and mountains, for her smile outshines it all. Worth more than a lifetime of empty longing. If the heart bears no resentment, let love and hate follow her. In this vast world, love’s path has no end. For her alone, I would lay down the world!”

The song soared. This was Gu Zhinan’s state of being, expressed through music. When the first half ended, while the audience was still reeling, he circled back on his guitar, repeating the intro melody, now joined with a touch of traditional folk instrumentation.

Each beat landed heavy on the listeners’ hearts. Then, once more, he began to sing.

Back at his seat, Mr. Lion, Luo Feng, tightened his fists. He knew it. Gu Zhinan was becoming unstoppable. The best way to truly captivate an audience was to live inside the song itself. But how did he enter that state so quickly?

He wasn’t the only one thinking this. The professional singers and judges all shared the same question. Wang Yuyan narrowed her eyes. She’d heard rumors before coming, about this frog contestant, a “monster” who kept performing originals, with vocals improving each time.

But… who was he, really?