Zhang Yichen pressed the play button, and the melodious prelude slowly began to flow, drifting gently into everyone's ears.
Chen Xiaoxi opened her eyes and let out a soft breath. Following the rhythm of the music, she slowly began to sing—
"Red sun rises in the east,The great path bathed in radiant light.How fortunate I amTo be born within your embrace,Carrying the same flowing bloodline.
Sharing fortune and hardship,Standing tall with unyielding backbone,My vast nation—built on benevolence,A faith unextinguished for a thousand years."
Her voice flowed like a gentle breeze, carrying a faint sense of historical weight as it drifted into every corner of the room.
Ah Hua's eyes lit up. His fingers unconsciously tapped along with the rhythm, the smile on his face growing wider.
"Not bad… really not bad."
Gangzi, however, frowned slightly, as if not entirely satisfied with Chen Xiaoxi's performance.
Still, he didn't interrupt her.
"Writing of heaven—only a corner of sun and moon everlasting,Painting the earth—only a glimpse of mountains and rivers at peace,Looking across five thousand years,Heaven and earth stand in reverence,Only the descendants of Yan and Huang walk with open hearts."
Ah Hua's gaze was filled with admiration. He leaned slightly toward Gangzi and whispered,
"Gangzi, I think Miss Chen's performance this time is very good."
Gangzi's brows relaxed slightly, but his voice remained steady.
"This song does highlight Miss Chen's talent and strength… but the opera-style section still has some flaws."
Zhang Yichen listened quietly to their conversation.
His gaze swept across the two of them before settling on Chen Xiaoxi. His eyes held both admiration and expectation.
In truth, he also knew Chen Xiaoxi's opera-style singing wasn't perfect—but there was little he could do himself.
Now, however… a master of opera-style vocals was standing right in front of him.
This was Chen Xiaoxi's opportunity.
"Sharing fortune and hardship,Standing tall with unyielding backbone,My vast nation—built on benevolence,A faith unextinguished for a thousand years…"
As the song ended, Chen Xiaoxi slowly removed her headphones, her cheeks lightly flushed from nervousness.
She carefully glanced toward Ah Hua and Gangzi, trying to read their expressions.
Ah Hua was the first to applaud, wearing his signature warm smile.
"Very nice, Miss Chen. Your tone is very unique and suits Rise perfectly. Especially the chorus—the emotion was spot on. It even got my blood pumping."
Gangzi, however, remained expressionless, arms crossed, his tone calm yet direct.
"Overall, it's good. But the opera-style section is still a bit stiff. If you can smooth that part out, the overall effect of the song will improve significantly."
Chen Xiaoxi lowered her head, her fingers twisting together unconsciously.
"Thank you, Teacher Gangzi… I'll continue to work hard," she said softly.
Zhang Yichen stepped forward and gently patted her shoulder.
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. We can ask Brother Gang to guide you on the opera-style parts. His experience is incredibly valuable."
Gangzi glanced at Zhang Yichen, the corner of his lips lifting slightly—a rare smile.
"You're quite good at seizing opportunities, kid. Fine… for the sake of such a good song and such a dedicated singer, I'll make an exception and give some guidance."
Ah Hua burst into laughter and patted Gangzi's shoulder.
"Gangzi, it's been a long time since you were this proactive. Looks like Brother Zhang has quite the influence."
Gangzi shrugged, still speaking calmly.
"I just think this song deserves a better presentation."
Chen Xiaoxi looked between Zhang Yichen and Gangzi, feeling both grateful and nervous.
She bit her lower lip, her voice firm.
"Thank you, Teachers. I'll learn seriously."
After speaking, she turned around, put on her headphones again, and stood before the microphone, waiting for Gangzi's guidance.
The air in the practice room seemed to freeze at that moment. Everyone's gaze focused on Chen Xiaoxi.
Gangzi stepped forward and stood beside her, his expression serious.
"The key to opera-style singing lies in breath control and tonal transition. Your current problem is that your breathing isn't stable enough, which makes the tone sound abrupt."
He raised his hand, palm upward, gesturing for Chen Xiaoxi to follow.
"Let's start with basic breathing. When inhaling, sink the breath to your dantian. When exhaling, keep it steady—don't release everything at once."
Chen Xiaoxi closed her eyes and followed his instructions, breathing deeply.
Her chest rose and fell as she carefully felt each shift in airflow.
Gangzi nodded slightly and continued.
"Next is tone transition. Opera-style singing differs from normal singing. You need to find a balance between head voice and chest voice. Try transitioning gradually from low notes to high notes without breaking in between."
Chen Xiaoxi opened her eyes and began to try.
At first, the notes were stiff, but as she adjusted, her voice gradually became smoother.
Ah Hua watched from the side, approval in his eyes.
"Improvement already. Gangzi's guidance really works immediately."
Gangzi didn't respond, still focused on Chen Xiaoxi.
"Again. This time, add emotion. Opera-style singing isn't just about technique—it's about emotional expression."
Chen Xiaoxi nodded and adjusted her state again.
Her gaze softened, as if she had returned to an ancient stage, hearing gongs, drums, and the cheers of an audience.
She began once more. This time, her voice flowed more smoothly, carrying a hint of age and deep emotion.
"Red sun rises in the east,The great path bathed in radiant light,How fortunate I am,To be born within your embrace…"
This time, her opera-style section was no longer stiff. Instead, it gained a graceful and lingering charm, like wisps of smoke slowly rising and wrapping around everyone's hearts.
Ah Hua unconsciously tapped along with the rhythm, smiling wider.
"Nice. The opera-style part has clearly improved."
Gangzi remained expressionless, but the coldness in his eyes softened slightly. He nodded faintly.
"Not bad… but remember, this is only the beginning. Opera-style singing requires long-term practice and understanding. It can't be mastered overnight."
Chen Xiaoxi took a deep breath and removed her headphones. Though she looked slightly tired, her eyes shone brightly.
"Thank you, Teacher Gangzi. I'll keep working hard."
Zhang Yichen stepped forward and handed her a bottle of water.
"You're already doing very well. Don't pressure yourself too much."
She took the water and sipped it, then looked at Gangzi hesitantly.
"Teacher Gangzi… may I ask another question?"
Gangzi glanced at her calmly.
"No need to be so formal. Just ask."
"Besides technique… what else should I pay attention to when expressing emotion in opera-style singing?"
Her voice carried a hint of nervousness—but her eyes were filled with determination to learn.