Marriage Concerto (Small Thing Called Love) Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Ding Meng Ding Meng, Universe’s Most Meng!

The next day, Ding Meng brought her compet.i.tion clothing to the broadcast building.

Since the contest wasn’t slated to begin until the afternoon, the contestants got their makeup done early in the morning.

Ding Meng changed into the blue dress that Qiao Yichen had given her and looked at herself in front of the mirror. The dress stood out a lot and the bright color made her skin look especially fair.

In Ding Meng’s opinion, if Qiao Yichen didn’t want to be a producer anymore, he could change his profession and become a stylist. He was so good at choosing clothes.

After some discussion with Ding Meng, the hair stylist curled Ding Meng’s hair into large waves which twirled very beautifully. The makeup artist also worked to match her clothing by giving her a very refined look. Even the lower lashes were applied very carefully.

“I recently brought all these makeup products over from Korea. The pigment is very light, but they give great results.” She didn’t forget to make recommendations while skillfully applying makeup on Ding Meng. “Your skin type really suits this kind of foundation. The color is very natural and it’s especially moisturizing. Also with this eyeshadow, you won’t even be able to tell that any eyeshadow was used but your eyes will pop. Oh right, I also really like this eyeliner!”

Ding Meng listened to the makeup artist’s endless stream of words. At first she responded every now and then, but after learning how much these products cost, she closed her eyes and focused on mentally preparing herself.

After her makeup had been completed, she opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror. She was stunned.

The makeup was extremely natural. Even though she couldn’t figure out what the makeup artist had actually done, her entire face had become more refined. She looked like one of those high cla.s.s models displayed in store windows. Of course, the impact of the hair that framed her face couldn’t be ignored. It was just as important. The her aura had immediately changed after going from long straight strands to long black waves.

The makeup artist took a few steps back to look at her make-over and spoke to Ding Meng, “This makeup matches better with your second outfit, that golden dress. We’ll be too rushed to give you a new look in the middle of the compet.i.tion, so I’ll just help you touch it up when the time comes.”

Ding Meng thanked her. Inside, she was still feeling anxious. She hadn’t tried on that golden dress yet. Would she really be able to pull it off later?

Noon arrived in a flash. After the program organizers distributed lunch boxes, everyone hastily ate a few mouthfuls. Backstage, the atmosphere was becoming more and more nervous.

Ding Meng scoped out Bai Jingrui. HIs outfit today was rather English styled. Looking as handsome as usual, he wore a pair of expensive dancing shoes. She looked back at herself. If this was a battle of attractiveness, they could probably be considered evenly matched.

Gradually, the voices of the audience began to clamor noisily. A staff member held a microphone to direct the spectators to their seats. The countdown to the compet.i.tion had started. All dressed up, a program presenter walked over and said h.e.l.lo to the contestants backstage. Then he continued over to the side of the stage, preparing to make his entrance.

Ding Meng felt anxious, as if she had been suddenly thrown onto an uninhabited island and had landed in a helpless situation.

She was puzzled by her feelings. She had always been on her own in the previous compet.i.tions but she had never felt this vulnerable before.

When the presenter on stage introduced the judges and read out Qiao Yichen’s name, she realized with astonishment, was this actually because of Qiao Yichen?!

……En. If she went on stage and couldn’t see Qiao Yichen, or if there was another person sitting in his judge’s spot, she would definitely feel uneasy. Yeah this was definitely it.

In any case, she had calmed down.

After the presenter finished introducing the judges, the curtains officially lifted on the compet.i.tion. Ding Meng and Bai Jingrui were the second group. Yet again, Tang s.h.i.+ran was the first to go on stage.

In the prelims, Tang s.h.i.+ran had also sang a Sima Xiaoxiao song. While the big screen on stage replayed the scene, even Ding Meng who was backstage could feel the awkwardness.

However, she still listened carefully. Tang s.h.i.+ran’s performance during the prelims was already very good. While it couldn’t really be considered a dark time in her past, it also didn’t give off an impression that she had changed much. In Ding Meng’s opinion, Tang s.h.i.+ran was already rather skilled and well-rounded so this compet.i.tion hadn’t helped her make much of an improvement.

Just like leveling up in a game, the higher the rank, the harder it was to level.

When Tang s.h.i.+ran performed her prelim song over again, Ding Meng sneakily snuck a few glances from backstage. She figured Tang s.h.i.+ran had still changed a bit. At the very least, her stage presence had improved.

The prelim song didn’t seem to pose any challenge to Tang s.h.i.+ran. She finished her performance with ease.

After the first group finished performing, the audience began to vote. Ding Meng couldn’t help but also feel nervous because the result would impact who she would go up against later.

Well, a.s.suming she could defeat Bai Jingrui.

After voting ended, Tang s.h.i.+ran entered the champions.h.i.+p match with a two hundred vote lead. The presenter interviewed both of them briefly and then let them exit the stage to prepare for the second song.

“Bai Jingrui, Ding Meng, come over and get ready!” The directing staff member shouted loudly. Ding Meng quickly walked over to the designated spot and stood.

The sequence of her and Bai Jingrui’s performances was such that Bai Jingrui would go first and she would follow. After the presenter called Bai Jingrui to the stage, a video of his prelims performance was played. Probably because the prelims mandated a simple acapella, he hadn’t danced at the time.

However when the song played once more on stage, a dance troupe danced with him. His song had also been rearranged and the rhythm was now much more upbeat. It easily energized the atmosphere. He even had a solo dance in the middle of the song, causing the audience to scream shrilly over and over again.

Ding Meng silently decided to start attending dance cla.s.ses at some point.

Even after Bai Jingrui’s performance had ended, the energized atmosphere of the concert hall remained. When Bai Jingrui walked off the stage, the audience was still loudly cheering for him. The presenter made a transition statement and switched the attention onto Ding Meng.

This time instead of asking her to come on stage first, they went ahead and played her prelims videotape.

“Greeting the judges, I am number 65, Ding Meng…”

When she heard her voice travel over, she couldn’t help but turn her head to look at the big screen. She had really been completely barefaced at the time. She hadn’t even applied foundation. The way her hair randomly draped over her shoulders showed that it must have just been washed. She was wearing the same white dress she had worn during that blind date…

She couldn’t help but sigh with regret after watching herself from a month ago. When she listened now, the way she sang her acapella rendition of Fly Me to the Moon actually did sound a bit like karaoke..

“You sound like you’re singing karaoke…” Qiao Yichen’s voice transmitted from the big screen. Ding Meng froze. The producers had actually included the judges’ comments, and it was somehow actually this particular phrase.

Now she was celebrating that she wasn’t standing on stage.

“Over a month, nearly two months of time have pa.s.sed. How much improvement has Ding Meng actually made? Let’s invite her on stage to let us see!”

“Ding Meng, please!”

The audience began cheering. Ding Meng took a breath and walked up on her low heeled sandals.

That blue color was too serenely eye-catching. The atmosphere that had been driven up by Bai Jingrui immediately became tranquil the moment she stepped on stage.

After arriving on stage, Ding Meng’s first glance was in the direction of the judges panel. Surely enough, Qiao Yichen was sitting in his spot. On his head he wore a cap that matched with the style of his clothing, most likely to cover up the gauze on his head.

Inexplicably, she suddenly felt like laughing. Qiao Yichen seemed to detect her slight change of mood and stealthily glared at her.

“Ding Meng Ding Meng, Universe’s Most Meng!”

T/N: Meng sounds exactly like the Meng in Ding Meng. In this case it means cute (just like ‘moe’)

Loud and clear voices suddenly traveled over from the audience seats in perfect unison. Stunned, Ding Meng looked toward the source of the voices. Waving small loudspeakers and doing their best to catch her attention, Jiang Nanqing and Xiao Zhuo-zi were standing in the friends and family section. Behind them was a small crowd. Some people she didn’t recognize, but others she was rather familiar with. They seemed to be from the same neighborhood. In the friends and family section, they lifted a long poster which read the catchphrase they had just chanted. Below they had signed —— Ding Meng’s Fan Club, A City’s Little Lemon Chapter.

T/N: They call themselves little lemons because the Meng in Ding Meng means lemon

Ding Meng, “…”

The perfectly uniform voices rang out with another catchphrase, “Ding Meng Ding Meng, Infinitely Charming ”

…Ding Meng felt her awkwardness levels. .h.i.t the roof.

She stiffly smiled at her friends and family group and walked to the middle of the stage.

The male and female presenters stood at her two sides. The female presenter exaggeratedly admired her, “Comparing the current you to the you in that recording, you’ve really become much more beautiful.”

Ding Meng replied, “That’s probably all thanks to the makeup. The program’s makeup artists are really skilled.”

The female presenter spoke, “Looking at the screen just now, you don’t seem to have put anything on. At least the other contestants applied a little BB cream.”

Ding Meng laughed, “Actually, I did use some sunscreen.”

The audience pfft-ed in laughter. On the side, the female presenter made a ‘so cold’ expression. The male presenter spoke, “You’ve seen the video just now too. Do you have any thoughts?”

Ding Meng spoke, “I think that the judges’ comments were very accurate. At the time, I was completely clueless about performing techniques and simply sang according to my emotions. When I listen now, I can spot a lot of mistakes. Thank you judges for giving me a chance and not eliminating me in during the preliminary round.”

“Are you confident that you can sing better than that now?”

“Yes.”

“Then next, let’s let Ding Meng bring us the song Fly Me to the Moon!” The female presenter’s enthusiastic words introduced Ding Meng’s performance.

After the presenters exited the stage, the stage lights gradually dimmed. Ding Meng slowly began singing as band played the prelude. A closeup of the moon rose up on the big screen behind her. Right as the lyrics began, the silhouettes of several dancers also appeared on stage. Dressed in formal attire, they waltzed beautifully to the music.

“Fly me to the moon, Let me play among the stars, Let me see what spring is like on, A-Jupiter and Mars…”

With Ding Meng’s light voice as a guide, this waltz felt tender yet complicated. The stage effects and lighting made the entire scene all the more gently touching. The dancers on stage looked as if they would follow her captivating song and fly toward the moon.

“…In other words, I love you.”

When the song had ended, the spectators in the audience were still immersed in the picturesque charm of the act. For a moment, no one reacted. Only after the stage lights brightened and Ding Meng gave the audience a deep bow did everyone enthusiastically raise their fists.

At that moment, the presenters walked on stage. “You’ve really improved a lot. Even someone like me who doesn’t understand music can see that.”

The female presenter spoke, “Rather than her technique, I care more about her aura. Wouldn’t you agree that after this period of training, her aura has increased a lot? It’s just like what we normally call a celebrity aura.”

After the two finished discussing Ding Meng, they invited Bai Jingrui back on stage. When he appeared, many spectators clapped for him. He smiled and waved at them as he walked to Ding Meng’s side.

“Now it’s time for the audience to make a choice. Bai Jingrui and Ding Meng, who do you guys want to enter the champions.h.i.+p match?”

“Bai Jingrui——”

“Ding Meng——”

The shouts of the audience varied. The male presenter made a stop hand gesture. Then he spoke to them, “Weren’t we going to compare their scores? Pick up the voting decide next to your seats and give your precious vote to whoever you want to vote for!”

At moments like this, the band would always play suspenseful music. After the presenters said go, Ding Meng and Bai Jingrui’s number of votes quickly shot up. Bai Jingrui’s momentum was strong and he kept inching ahead of her. When the voting period entered the last seconds, he was still in the lead.

Ding Meng and Bai Jingrui’s family and friends screamed their heads off, as if they could increase the number of votes by shouting louder.

The increase in numbers began to slow down. Ding Meng had already given up almost all hope. The female presenter watched the voting statistics on the screen. Looking at the audience, she reminded them, “The voting period will end very soon. Hurry up if you haven’t voted yet!”

Soon after she spoke, the suspenseful music halted. The voting period had ended.

Ding Meng’s number of votes had miraculously jumped at the last second. When voting ended, the score was 497-493.

493 for Bai Jingrui.