Chapter 544

They're an orchestra — they said they can play basically any instrument, but they meant things like piano and violin.

And now you're telling me you need suona, gongs, drums, clappers, and cymbals?

What on earth has any of this got to do with anything?

Wait, aren't you supposed to be going up to sing?

What song needs accompaniment like that?

……

Suddenly, a livestream opened on the domestic Douyin platform.

The one starting the stream was none other than the young man from the Ai Yue Orchestra who had just posted the video.

The video he posted had already attracted a great many netizens.

Quite a few netizens left comments demanding he start a livestream.

The stream had only just begun, yet already over ten thousand people had come in, with more still pouring in nonstop.

In the livestream, the young man's face looked very grim as he said through gritted teeth.

"This is bad! Teacher Su has run into trouble!"

Huh? His words made quite a few people freeze.

He went on.

"Just now, a singer from the Lighthouse Country publicly questioned Teacher Su, and even said all Dragon Country people are liars."

"Many of the musicians didn't say it outright, but they were deeply suspicious of Teacher Su as well."

"Teacher Su has been forced by them to sing on the spot!"

What? His words instantly made every netizen in the livestream boil with righteous indignation.

"Damn it! Foreigners are always like this — they can never stand a Dragon Country person being better than them!"

"So what if he sings? It's not like Su Meng can't sing."

"Whoever's upstairs, are you stupid? Bai Xiao Ling has already pushed the stage to this level — who could possibly follow it up?"

"What's there to be afraid of? Have you forgotten what Master Su's signature skill is? Suona, let's go!"

"Exactly, play 'Monkey Play,' scare the hell out of these foreigners!"

"No, no, Su Meng is being forced to sing."

"Right, although Su Meng's vocal prowess is decent, compared to his suona playing technique, it's still far behind."

"Dammit, these foreign bastards are all good-for-nothings — the imperialists never stop trying to destroy us!"

The young man glanced at the barrage of comments, then continued.

"The key issue right now isn't that."

"The most critical thing is, they forced Teacher Su onto the stage on the spot — Teacher Su wasn't prepared at all!"

"There's not even any accompaniment — how is he supposed to sing?"

"Right now, several teachers from our Ai Yue Orchestra are talking with Teacher Su, preparing to accompany him."

"I'll take everyone to have a look at the situation now."

His words made the netizens suddenly realize how serious the problem was.

Not even any accompaniment? How is he supposed to sing then? A cappella?

Under normal circumstances, with Su Meng's vocal prowess, he wouldn't fear singing a cappella.

But the problem is, the occasion right now is a little different.

According to the streamer's description, everyone present was a genuine musician — how impossibly picky would they be?

Especially now, these people were deliberately out to find fault with Su Meng.

The moment Su Meng failed to reach a perfect state, he was bound to be trampled!

For a moment, the netizens felt indignant again, yet utterly helpless.

They could only watch how Su Meng handled it.

The young man held up his phone and walked toward Su Meng.

He had just reached Su Meng's side when he saw Su Meng pat Wang Laowu on the shoulder.

"Old Wang, don't worry — having you guys accompany is the most professional choice."

The hell?

Every netizen in the livestream was dumbfounded.

Has Su Meng lost his mind?

With so many performers available, he picked a suona troupe to accompany him?

Wang Laowu was on the verge of tears.

"¨ˇMaster Su, we… we're just a suona troupe."

"We don't know those pop songs either!"

Su Meng, however, was full of confidence, chuckling as he spoke.

"Who says I'm singing a pop song?"

What? Not singing a pop song?

Everyone present and in the livestream was completely dumbfounded.

Didn't you just say you were going to sing? Why are you saying now you won't?

If you're not singing a pop song, then what are you singing?

Could it be bel canto? Then these suona players are even more useless for it!

Su Meng, however, was full of confidence.

"Old Wang, can you play the accompaniment for Yu opera?"

"What the hell? Yu opera?"

The live audience and the livestream chat fell into deathly silence.

……

In the rehearsal room of Henan Province Yu Opera Troupe One, a phone suddenly rang.

The shrill ringtone made the director furious.

"Who is it? Didn't I say phones are forbidden in the rehearsal room?!"

"Whose phone is this? Public reprimand!"

After a moment of silence, someone spoke up weakly.

"Director, it sounds like your phone is ringing…"

My phone? The director froze instantly.

He quickly pulled out his phone, glanced at the screen, and his expression turned serious.

"Hello? What? Really? No way?!"

Seeing his reaction, everyone in the room was stunned.

Director, I know Yu opera troupes are struggling these days, so are you planning to switch to xiangsheng?

After hanging up, the director's mind felt dazed.

"The person who just called was Deputy Director Shen Liangjun of the National Jingju Academy Troupe Three."

"He told me… he told me…"

What did he say? Come on, spit it out!

The group wanted to beat him up.

The director finally snapped back to reality, his voice trembling.

"Su Meng is going to sing Yu opera!"

What? The rehearsal room fell silent for a moment, then erupted.

"Is it true? Does this mean our good days are finally here?"

"Yeah, last time Su Meng sang that Peking opera segment, how many people started paying attention to Peking opera? Is it finally Yu opera's turn now?"

"Su Meng sings Yu opera?"

"Are you stupid? He's sung it before—'Getting Up Early to Collect Manure' was made popular by him!"

"Yeah, even though it was a parody, his singing had real technique!"

"Quiet! Quiet!" The director finally calmed down.

"Our immediate priority is to find out which segment Su Meng will sing!"