Chapter 8: The Self-Persuading Mentor

The hall was enveloped in complete silence.

Even the trainees seated below the stage were utterly captivated by Gu Jingyi’s performance.

They did not resort to exaggerated reactions to grab attention; instead, they watched Gu Jingyi with genuine admiration.

At the mentors’ panel, Zhang Yixing picked up the microphone. This gesture signaled the beginning of the mentors’ commentary segment.

Originally, Zhang Yixing intended to be the first to speak. However, noticing Li Ronghao's restless expression beside him, he joked,

“Let’s have Ronghao bro go first to comment on Gu Jingyi’s performance. Actually, he’s been a bit restless since the start of the show. I was worried he wouldn’t be able to sit still if the vocal mentor didn’t speak first.”

Zhang PD’s teasing lightened the atmosphere.

Li Ronghao smiled, adjusted the microphone in front of him, and accepted the role without hesitation.

He glanced at Gu Jingyi, his admiration plainly evident on his face. Then, before speaking, he paused momentarily.

With deliberate gravity, Li Ronghao offered his evaluation: “Gu Jingyi, your stage execution is very polished. But what’s even more important is your solid foundation. Your voice projection, pitch accuracy, and breath control—all these fundamental skills are well mastered. Your emotional expression carries a certain brilliance. Among the contestants I’ve seen, your performance is one of the most striking.”

A shy smile appeared on Gu Jingyi’s face, as if overwhelmed by praise from this rising musical talent. “Thank you for your affirmation.”

Li Ronghao’s gentle smile deepened, his eyes narrowing into crescent shapes.

“Moreover, what pleases me most is your original song, which is excellently crafted. You didn’t chase ornate lyrics; instead, simple phrases brought listeners an unimaginable beauty of imagery. Your emotional conveyance is also very strong—ranking among the top ten singers I’ve encountered. Perhaps this advantage stems from your acting background, giving you a deeper insight into capturing and rendering emotions.”

“To my eyes, today’s stage surpasses typical talent shows; it could easily stand alongside ‘I Am a Singer’ without losing ground.”

Such high praise from the usually reserved and slow-to-warm Li Ronghao stirred an excited buzz among those present.

Yet Gu Jingyi remained composed, his face maintaining a gracious smile.

“Slowly Loving You,” originally released in August 2018 in another timeline, was a composition by Li Ronghao, performed by Karen Mok.

Using “future works of Li Ronghao” to impress the present-day Li Ronghao naturally yielded remarkable results.

Zhang Yixing then spoke up, beginning his remarks.

“So far, Gu Jingyi’s performance is the one I am most satisfied with.”

His casual, understated words instantly made the trainees realize Gu Jingyi’s rating was undoubtedly an “A.”

“In fact, before your debut stage, the production team had already compiled all the information forms you filled out in the studio and sent them to me.”

Zhang Yixing gestured toward the thick stacks of materials in front of each mentor.

“Among the trainees here, very few rated themselves as A, and not many rated themselves F either; most were conservative. Gu Jingyi was the first to self-assess as A, and his explanation was straightforward—he claimed to embody the standard of an A rating.”

This insider revelation stirred a ripple of excitement among the trainees.

Wang Jiaer worried that such excessive praise might breed enemies for Gu Jingyi. Just as he was about to interrupt, Ouyang Jing gently tugged his sleeve behind the camera, signaling “don’t worry.”

Indeed, Zhang Yixing shifted his tone, and the seriousness on his face gradually softened.

“After watching your stage, I suddenly realized: A should look like this. On stage, only strength speaks. Gu Jingyi, you have every reason to be proud.”

“Thank you, PD.”

Gu Jingyi pursed his lips, then subtly lifted the corners in a quiet smile.

Since Gu Jingyi did not showcase any rap, Wang Jiaer and Ouyang Jing abstained from commenting.

The production team apparently knew Gu Jingyi was acquainted with them, and Zhou Jieqiong and Cheng Xiao’s reactions were indeed intriguing.

After Zhang Yixing’s critique concluded, a quiet prompt came through his earpiece: “Yixing, let Xiao Xiao and Jieqiong also give their comments before finalizing the rating.”

Zhang Yixing nodded almost imperceptibly and cued Cheng Xiao to speak.

Cheng Xiao was still gazing dreamily at Gu Jingyi, momentarily caught off guard.

Time slipped by quietly, and Zhang Yixing, with a faint smile, remarked to Cheng Xiao, “Looks like Xiao Xiao is still immersed in the song. Jingyi’s stage charisma is truly powerful.”

In talent shows, stage charisma is vital.

An outstanding performance can elevate someone who might rate a seven out of ten in looks up to a nine, thanks to the stage’s enchanting filter.

This is what fans call an “atmospheric handsome guy.”

Gu Jingyi’s natural good looks alone could easily score a perfect ten.

After singing “Slowly Loving You,” Gu Jingyi stood on stage like the boy in a campus youth drama, riding his bicycle past, the faint scent of laundry detergent lingering on his school uniform jacket. Like a butterfly, he could linger in the hearts of every girl for a long time.

With just his face and powerful vocal ability, he was poised to go far in the competition.

Zhang Yixing interpreted Cheng Xiao’s dazed expression simply as a young girl’s instinctive reaction to seeing a handsome guy.

No one knew that Cheng Xiao was still deep in thought.

She recalled the past, when she and Gu Jingyi met secretly during a speech at their alma mater in Xiang Province.

Gu Jingyi had worn a pristine white school shirt. After the speech ended, instead of changing into casual clothes, he went straight to an empty classroom and drew the thick curtains.

Dressed in his clean uniform, he was doing something completely out of character.

Footsteps echoed in the corridor, making Cheng Xiao nervous: “Someone’s coming.”

Gu Jingyi’s fingers lightly traced near her throat. “Don’t be nervous. The seniors are all at the oath-taking assembly.”

“I must have lost my mind to come here with you. If we get caught…”

Before she could finish, Gu Jingyi, wearing a tender yet slightly rough smile, gently grabbed her neck.

“It’s true, Xiao Xiao, you’ll have to endure a bit more,” he murmured softly, his expression a striking contrast.

Thus, when she saw Gu Jingyi dressed as a typical school boy on stage, Cheng Xiao couldn’t help but recall everything that had happened that day.

Her feelings stirred uncontrollably.

Zhang Yixing’s teasing finally snapped her back to reality.

A subtle trace of fluster showed on Cheng Xiao’s face.

“I really like this song. Gu Jingyi, your emotional expression is exceptional. It’s a perfect stage and a wonderful performance.”

Her voice was initially hesitant, like a long-idle mechanism suddenly starting to turn.

As she spoke on, she regained confidence and adopted a composed demeanor, speaking with the authority of a mentor in her critique of Gu Jingyi.

“Thank you, Mentor Cheng Xiao.”

Gu Jingyi’s sudden address caused Cheng Xiao to slightly tremble.

They both knew that the title “mentor” carried different connotations depending on the context.