211: Chapter 211 Midnight Departure

As the singing faded, the accompaniment gradually subsided.

Wang Bo and Zhou Bule were both still immersed in the emotions of the song, unable to pull themselves out.

They kept wiping the tears from the corners of their eyes, not wanting the audience and netizens to see their vulnerable side.

However, the audience and judges on-site were in an even worse state than they were.

Some even let their tears flow freely, soaking their collars.

Jin Xiao had long been sobbing uncontrollably; wasn't this song a true portrayal of her father?

She could no longer restrain herself; before the program had even ended, she stood up and ran out.

She wanted to hear her father's deep, kind voice immediately.

"What kind of divine song is this? The sense of immersion is too strong; I miss my father. Everyone, give me courage—I'm going to apologize to him."

"Looking at my father snoring and drooling next to me in deep sleep, may I ask how I'm supposed to make myself cry?"

"Cherish him well; don't wait until there's no father left to call out to before you regret it."

"When my father had cancer, he also pretended to be at ease. I'm willing to give everything I have... I'm bawling!!!"

"Only after becoming a father yourself can you understand the weight of the words 'a father's love is like a mountain.'"

...

After Host Nige walked onto the stage, he didn't speak immediately, instead giving everyone some time.

Once he saw that everyone's emotions had improved, he put on his trademark Host's smile and said loudly,

"I see that everyone's spirits aren't very high; I feel the same way."

"But the show must go on. Judges, please give your comments on this song."

As soon as he finished speaking,

Han Hong gave two thumbs up. "Perfect!"

Teacher Gu Jianfen didn't want to say anything and gestured for the other mentors to continue.

Liu Huan: "Perfect!"

Li Zhongsheng: "Very perfect!"

"Perfect!" Fang Wenshan stood up and adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose; his bloodshot eyes were clearly visible.

"I'll add one more thing. Whether a topic is easy to write about is closely related to the level you want to reach."

"Take Young Master Ping's song 'Father'—would you say it's hard to write? Regardless, I couldn't have written it."

After the comments ended, it was time for the final vote.

As expected, this song received a perfect score from both the judges and the public jury, totaling 15 votes.

A good song is one that can evoke empathy in the listener.

'Father' was such a song, and a top-tier one at that.

Finally, Chen Shaoping happily accepted a check board representing a 2-million-yuan prize from Liu Huan's hands.

Under Host Nige's loud announcement, the fourth episode of 'the singer & songwriter' concluded.

Since the song ended, Chen Shaoping had been a bit absent-minded, his mind constantly preoccupied with the matter mentioned in Intel 1.

Now that the program was over, he checked the time; it was only 1:49 AM, so there was plenty of time.

He relaxed a bit internally.

"Bu Lie, you head back to the hotel first. Wang Bo and I are going to take care of something; we'll be back in an hour or two."

Chen Shaoping's tone was firm.

"CEO Chen, let me go with you guys."

"I'll just be idle if I go back."

Although Zhou Bule didn't know what it was about, he also wanted to tag along.

"No need; it's actually worse with more people. If CEO Li or Manager Zhang asks, just tell them directly."

After Chen Shaoping finished speaking, regardless of whether Wang Bo was willing or not, he pulled him along and left.

"Da Ping, slow down! Let go, I'll go with you!"

Wang Bo was pulled so hard he stumbled, nearly falling over.

The two of them left the CCTV hall, hailed a taxi by the roadside, and set off.

"Master, go to Dingyuan Bridge."

The driver glanced at the two young passengers in the back seat through the rearview mirror and asked curiously,

"Young brothers, what are you going there for so late at night?"

"It's gloomy and quite scary."

"I've heard people say that you can often hear a woman's crying there at night; it's incredibly eerie."

Chen Shaoping didn't believe in such things and said calmly, "Master, are you just cowardly and afraid to go?"

The driver was immediately displeased at being mocked by Chen Shaoping. "Young brother, what are you saying? In this Capital City, there isn't a place I don't dare to go."

"Sit tight; I'm going to speed up."

Chen Shaoping found the driver's cowardly-yet-pretentious look amusing and decided to tease him.

"Master, since it'll take a bit of time to get there, why don't I tell you a story?"

Regardless of what the driver thought, he began.

"A long, long time ago, there was a scholar traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations. Suddenly, he encountered heavy rain, but fortunately, there was a ruined temple ahead.

He went inside, intending to take shelter from the rain. He wanted to start a fire for warmth, but no matter what he tried, the fire starter wouldn't light.

Gradually, his eyelids grew heavier. At some point, he felt a bone-chilling cold on his body, and a frigid female voice whispered in his ear.

'Young Master, please help me, open the door... my foot hasn't made it in yet.' The voice grew louder and louder, but it just repeated that one sentence.

A clap of thunder woke the scholar. He tightened his clothes to warm himself up, realizing it was just a dream.

However, it felt too real, as if someone were still right by his ear. Just as he was about to try starting the fire again, a woman's sinister voice suddenly came from beside him again.

'Young Master, please help me, open the door... my foot hasn't made it in yet.' Simultaneously, a 'thud-tap, thud-tap' sound came from outside the door, like someone kicking it.

The scholar cautiously approached the main door and gently opened it. He saw a pair of red embroidered shoes hopping against the threshold; once the door opened, they walked inside, leaving one footprint at a time.

The voice came to the scholar's ear again: 'Young Master, thank you! My feet are in. To repay you, let's get married tonight; I will serve you well.' The scholar felt like those embroidered shoes were smiling at him..."

*Screech!!*

The driver slammed on the brakes. Chen Shaoping, who was immersed in his storytelling, didn't have time to react and slammed directly into the seat.

"Ouch!"

"Driver, what's wrong with you?"

"That hurts like hell!"

Chen Shaoping complained loudly.

Wang Bo had also pressed close to him at some point; the clearly spacious back seat was so crowded by him that it felt as if it were full of people.

The driver turned his head, his face pale and his voice trembling. "I... I just saw someone wearing embroidered shoes walk across the front of the car, so..."

"But after stopping, I didn't see anything again."

"Brother, I'm begging you. Can you switch to another car? At most, I won't charge you for this trip."

"No way. In the middle of the night, in this remote place, where would I get another taxi? Let's go."

Chen Shaoping naturally wouldn't agree, but he was very satisfied with the driver's reaction; his story hadn't been in vain.

"Second Bo, can you stop crowding me? Move over a bit."

"Oh."

Wang Bo agreed verbally, but his body didn't move at all.

Chen Shaoping pushed him away with force.

"Second Bo, so you're actually afraid of this? If you dare to provoke me in the future, I'll keep telling you stories."

"I have plenty of stories like this: 'The Sighs from the Old House,' 'The Sound of Lectures in the School,' and so on."

For the rest of the way, the driver and Wang Bo didn't dare to say a single word, making Chen Shaoping feel a bit embarrassed.

"Young brother, we're here."

Chen Shaoping and Wang Bo got out from the back. Just as he was about to scan the code to pay, the driver floored the gas; the car let out a roar and flew off.

The speed must have been at least 180.

"Master, you haven't been paid yet!"

However, even the car's taillights had long since disappeared into the night.

Chen Shaoping shook his head, put away his phone, and looked around.

Under the night sky, Dingyuan Bridge spanned across the pitch-black Tongzi River.

The streetlights on the bridge were dim, reflecting a stillness on the river water; only the rustling of trees in the wind could be heard, and the surroundings were empty.

"Da Ping, what exactly are we doing here?" Wang Bo followed closely behind him, his voice several notches lower than usual.

Chen Shaoping didn't look back, stepping onto Dingyuan Bridge.

"Saving someone."

"Sav... saving someone?" Wang Bo was stunned and quickly caught up. "Saving who? How can there be anyone in this ghostly place?"

Chen Shaoping gave him a kick. "Cut the crap and follow me. If I'd known you were this cowardly, I would have brought Zhou Bule instead."