Prodigal System in the Flourishing City

Lu Xiaobu was cracking sunflower seeds and said to Zhang Feng, "Let’s get started."
Seeing Lu Xiaobu cracking seeds, the music directors all showed faces of annoyance.
Cracking seeds, really?!
Are you sure you can clearly hear the singing later?!
Upon hearing Lu Xiaobu’s words, Zhang Feng began calling out, "Number one, Li Li."
Shortly after, a very fair-skinned girl entered from outside.
As the door closed, she stood in front of the center microphone with a pretended calm and smiled, "Hello judges, I am Li Li, a college student. I have loved singing since I was young, and have won first prize in the 13th district singing competition and city..."
"Just sing," Elder Wang interjected.
He saw Young Master Bu’s eyebrows furrowing.
Li Lili nodded, "Alright, the song I have prepared is"Blue Blue"."
Enough said, it was off-pitch!
It took three sentences to find the right pitch.
"Although the singing wasn’t bad, it didn’t meet our standard, sorry, you can go back," Teacher Wang told the contestant.
People who go off-pitch right when they start singing, no way that could work.
Lu Xiaobu agreed, though he hadn’t heard this song before, he could tell it was off-pitch.
Everyone knows that when listening to songs, you don’t necessarily have to be familiar with the song to detect off-pitch singing.
Li Li bowed regretfully, "Thank you, judges."
She walked away.
"Next one," Teacher Wang continued the arrangement.
The second one.
The fifth one.
The tenth one.
In the blink of an eye, ten contestants had sung, but apart from one person who was somewhat decent, the rest were somewhat disappointing.
A clean sweep really tests the skill of the contestants as any flaw can be heard clearly.
"Next, Zhou Guogang."
Zhang Feng reported.
Hearing this name, the music directors immediately smiled and all looked towards Teacher Wang.
They knew this person was brought by Teacher Wang.
A seeded contestant.
Lu Xiaobu saw this but didn’t comment.
If he sings well, the method of registration doesn’t matter.
Zhou Guogang appeared composed.
The music directors concentrated, no longer looking indifferent.
The expectations for him were very high, as such a good talent could contend for the championship in other audition programs.
At worst, he’d be in the top five.
Now it was up to his on-the-spot performance.
Zhou Guogang began to sing.
What exactly he sang, I won’t elaborate; you haven’t heard it anyway, neither has Lu Xiaobu.
The song ended.
Zhou Guogang looked confidently at the directors, especially at Teacher Wang — he was certain he had passed!
The directors all showed pleased expressions.
"One of them said, "Although the high notes drifted a bit and the vibrato wasn’t steady, overall it was very good. I agree he should pass the preliminary."
Another said, "I agree too."
Teacher Wang just smiled silently, not giving his opinion, but there was a hint of smugness.
Even Elder Wang nodded, indeed it was well sung.
Zhou Guogang also smiled, "Thank you, all judges."
At that moment.
"Alright, you can go back! You’re not what I’m looking for."
Lu Xiaobu waved his hand dismissively, still cracking seeds.
Zhou Guogang was stunned.
Elder Wang was shocked!
All the directors were shocked!
Especially Teacher Wang, who furrowed his brows!
"Could you explain?" Teacher Wang’s expression turned ugly.
This contestant was brought by him. If he had sung poorly, it could have been overlooked.
But now, he clearly sang well. What did Lu Xiaobu mean by this?!
"Explain? Haven’t I said before? His voice lacks distinctiveness. If I want to listen to something pleasant, why wouldn’t I just go to the Heavenly King and Queen of Heaven?" Lu Xiaobu rolled his eyes as he explained.
"This is absurd! How can you compare a contestant to the Heavenly King and Queen of Heaven?" Teacher Wang grew angry.
From the moment Lu Xiaobu said those words, he was already irritated, and now that Lu Xiaobu really went ahead, how could he not be furious?!
"Whether I am being absurd is not for you to decide. Do it or get out!" Lu Xiaobu has a terrible temper; should we indulge him?
Teacher Wang was instantly furious.
And the other music directors quickly held back Teacher Wang.
Confronting Lu Xiaobu?
Do you want to die first or just not looking to live?!
Elder Wang reacted too, huffily sitting down and murmured, "At the least, you should let us know what the standards are!"
"Standards? Simple!" Lu Xiaobu waved his hand, tossing each of them a bag of sunflower seeds: "Here, crack some seeds. If a voice makes you stop cracking seeds, that’s the one I want!"
"Seriously!"
All the mentors went crazy.
Cracking seeds?!
What kind of audition method is this?!
Who doesn’t know how loud it is to crack seeds? And under such a distraction, a voice that makes them stop?
Are you kidding me?!
With your criteria, you won’t pick anyone!
All the mentors got a bit angry!
They just want to see what kind of person Lu Xiaobu actually wants.
The audition continues!
Nope!
Nope!
Nope!
Still no!
Normally Lu Xiaobu is the most anxious, but this time, he was not anxious at all.
Elder Wang listlessly says: "Next."
Zhang Feng calls out from outside: "Ning Feiping."
The person comes in.
A man in his twenties, looking very ordinary, with really short hair, dressed in *very* plain clothes, his shoes still covered in dirt and even some oil, giving off a somewhat "country bumpkin" vibe.
Looking at his profile, this guy should be someone who repairs bicycles.
Nobody had any other thoughts; after all, Lu Xiaobu had said to listen to the voice only.
A brief introduction was made.
Amidst the sound of Lu Xiaobu cracking seeds, Ning Feiping began to sing.
The song title "Everlasting and Unending," originally sung by a female singer.
Using a male voice to sing a female’s song, they had seen this before.
Most try to find a shortcut, but usually, the effect is much reduced.
So, hearing the song title, the mentors already mentally stamped him as a ’no’.
They were just waiting for Ning Feiping to sing a couple of lines, then they would send him back.
However!
"Is there really, everlasting and unending in the world..."
The moment his singing tone started, all the back-stage crew were flabbergasted!
"Pfft!"
Elder Wang, who was drinking water, spurted it out.
All the mentors also stood up one after another, their faces in disbelief!
Lu Xiaobu stopped cracking seeds too.
Excitement appeared in his eyes.
This is exactly what he wanted!
Because, from this perfectly average man, what came out was actually—a female voice!
More feminine than a feminine voice!
A tender and beautiful voice that couldn’t be softer!
"What happened?!"
Ning Feiping was startled.
What’s going on?
As he spoke, his voice returned to a male’s tone.
"It’s nothing, nothing! Keep going, continue!"
The mentors gestured for Ning Feiping to continue.
"Okay!"
Ning Feiping took a deep breath and relaxed.
Continued to sing.
Still in a female voice.
The song ended.
Unanimous pass!
"Alright, you’ve passed!"
Lu Xiaobu made the decision directly.
Elder Wang and the others had no objections, all expressing agreement.
Ning Feiping excitedly thanks: "Thank you, thank you all mentors!"
After Ning Feiping left, the mentors coughed and reached for the sunflower seeds on the table.
Even Elder Wang was not an exception!
Ah, finally, they understood what Lu Xiaobu’s standard was.
Well, it’s a bit embarrassing, but they admit, although Lu Xiaobu’s audition method seemed silly, it apparently works quite well!