Wait, I Got in the Wrong Car (GL) - Chapter 26

Mo Ying stepped into the filming set of Sing for the Song with a fearless determination, as if she had no intention of retreating. The filming site was a standalone tower, rising tall and quiet.

She pushed open the main entrance and peeked around with cautious curiosity. Not a single soul was in sight. Confused, she backed out and looked again at the iron gate, hesitating over whether she should enter at all.

Unbeknownst to her, every move was captured by the surveillance camera and transmitted directly to the production crew backstage.

“Yo yo, why is this little beauty coming in through the side entrance?”

“Probably took the wrong path. Let me see who this golden-ticket girl is…” Dong Yue, one of the music producers, flipped through the audition list, scanning each photo. After going through more than half, she finally matched the real person with the image. “It’s number 1801. Mo Ying.”

“Isn’t she that livestream sensation who suddenly vanished after going viral? The little mermaid with a voice like a dolphin’s, able to hit high notes effortlessly!”

While the crew were animatedly discussing Mo Ying’s adorably clueless behavior onscreen, the director playfully tapped his new script on each of their heads as if he were playing piano keys. Then he flipped it around and tapped them again. Several people dodged away quickly.

“Use all this as part of the behind-the-scenes clips. What are you all doing staring at the girl like that? Get to work.”

Mo Ying gave her belly a soft pat, as if comforting the Xiao Yu’er inside. After whispering words of encouragement to herself, she bravely took a small step forward. When no one came to stop her, her heart gradually calmed. She began treating the whole building like her personal garden, strolling around and pushing open doors out of sheer boredom. She would poke her head into each room to peek inside.

Several rooms were filled with props and surprises meant for later stages of the show. The director stomped in frustration. “Someone get that silly child to the recording zone already! The signs are too small, I can’t even see them from here.”

In one room, Mo Ying discovered a dazzling collection of theatrical costumes. Among them, a golden robe embroidered with dragon patterns particularly caught her eye. Masks for performances were neatly spread out across a table. She picked up a bizarrely colored mask and turned it over in her hands several times before holding it up to her face to test the look.

“Excuse me~ interview here—” A staff member nearly fainted the moment he saw the ghastly mask on her face. He gasped, his legs weakening so much he had to clutch the doorframe to steady himself.

“Heehee, hello.” A ridiculously beautiful face peeked out from behind the mask, with a sweet smile so disarming that it immediately soothed the traumatized staff member.

“You scared the life out of me! You really know how to play. Imperial opera costume with a Halloween horror mask? Everyone else is nervously waiting to be called, and you’re out here having a good time.”

Mo Ying blinked her emerald eyes in confusion. “Aren’t I the first to arrive?”

The staff, finding her too adorable to scold, sighed. “The others are at the East Gate. I’ll take you there.”

Curiosity bloomed inside Mo Ying about her future living arrangements. She inspected every plant, listened to every chirping bird, and buzzing insect. Anything alive or green caught her attention. The staff, amused by her energy, decided to casually probe her. “I heard you had a huge fan base from your livestream days. So why audition for Sing for the Song? Did you ever think you’d make it all the way to the finals?”

Mo Ying answered without hesitation. “Of course, because I’m hungry.”

The staff member nearly choked. “!!!”

Ni Xinyu/Yu Xuan: When someone asks why you auditioned or what your goal is, never say anything weird. Never say you just wanted food…

Suddenly recalling the advice her agent and Fourth Sister had drilled into her head, Mo Ying quickly covered her face, stuck out her tongue, and smiled sweetly to recover. “Ah, of course, I love singing very much. Have you heard me sing? Let me sing for you. How about ‘Second Brother, Second Brother’?”

The staff member, “….”

Her cheerful singing carried them all the way along the path. She hopped and twirled, belting out song after song without missing a beat or gasping for breath. After each number, she would turn around with eager eyes. “Was it good? Do you like my singing? I’m definitely making it to the finals, right?”

The staff member had her voice looping endlessly in his head like a hypnosis track. “Yes yes yes.”

With her stamina and cheerful performance, there was no doubt she would survive whatever the mentors threw at her. When he finally escorted her to the right place, he sincerely wished her well. “Xiao Yu’er, sing your heart out. I really hope to see you debut.”

Once inside the lounge, Mo Ying didn’t need directions. She followed the drifting streamers in the air and, as expected, spotted a table full of delicious snacks. Her eyes lit up like stars.

Clearly, joining the audition had been the right decision.

“Go ahead and rest inside. Someone will take care of your luggage. Wait for the mentors to call your number. You should prepare at least two love songs.”

“???”

The staff member winked at her.

Mo Ying waved back with half-understanding and found a spot to sit. She was still mulling over the comment. “Love songs?”

“Xiao Yu’er!”

Hic.

A sudden slap on the shoulder startled Mo Ying into a loud hiccup. The person beside her burst out laughing. “Tianxin, you scared the poor girl into hiccupping.”

Wanqi Tianxin looked closely at Mo Ying’s startled face. “She looks exactly like a hamster caught red-handed while stealing food. Adorable. She was like that when we first met at the auditions, too. Totally looked like she was sneaking something to eat.”

She suddenly remembered something. “Xiao Yu’er, what’s with you? I waited more than an hour last time. You promised to hang out after the audition!”

Mo Ying smacked her lips and smiled faintly at the three new arrivals. She looked at the short-haired, androgynous Wanqi Tianxin. “Sorry, I forgot.”

Wanqi Tianxin noticed her sitting obediently in the corner, but her brilliant golden curls made her stand out like a spotlight. “Fine. Since you’re my idol, I’ll let it slide. We’ve met again, so it must be fate. Hopefully, we four get assigned the same dorm. Let me introduce you to my girls, Chen Ruiling and Wu Si.”

“No need to introduce this one.” She gestured toward Mo Ying.

Chen Ruiling nodded at her politely before returning to her icy expression. Wu Si, on the other hand, reached out to pinch Mo Ying’s chubby cheek but was instantly slapped away by Tianxin. “Hands off. Xiao Yu’er’s skin is way too delicate. If you pinch too hard, you’ll leave marks.”

Mo Ying blinked and studied them for a moment. Her gaze lingered slightly on Wu Si. “Hello, I’m Mo Ying.”

Wu Si gave her a knowing look. “I’ve heard all about you.”

Chen Ruiling added, coolly, “I know you. You’re quite famous.”

Mo Ying widened her eyes and asked excitedly, “Are you my fan?”

Chen Ruiling responded coldly. “No.”

A familiar scene, yet an unfamiliar answer. Wanqi Tianxin nearly burst out laughing at their deadpan exchange, especially at Mo Ying’s baffled and mildly heartbroken reaction.

“Alright, let’s talk about today’s song choices.”

Mo Ying said, “Love songs.”

Wanqi Tianxin exclaimed, “!!! You sound just like Ah Rui.”

Chen Ruiling instinctively looked at Mo Ying, who was already distressed. “Love songs, huh.”

She pulled out her phone and started searching. The internet was flooded with options, but the most prominent ones were all from Su Bai. He was known as the prince of melancholy in the music industry, his songs so heartfelt that they could make listeners cry.

Wanqi Tianxin glanced over. “Songs by Su Bai, huh? You planning to sing one of his?”

Mo Ying listened to two and then ran a hand through her blonde curls in frustration. “None of my own songs are love songs.”

Chen Ruiling unexpectedly spoke up. “You’re not suited to sing his songs. Pick something else.”

Wanqi Tianxin elbowed her friend. “Haha, what Ah Rui means is your voice is really unique. When Su Bai sings, he lowers his voice a lot…”

The group debated their choices for a while. When the official call finally came, none of them expected Mo Ying’s number to be first among the four.

The remaining three sat inside the private room, watching the screen.

“I heard this episode’s guest mentor is a big name. Any guesses who?”

Chen Ruiling didn’t care much for such gossip.

Wu Si shrugged. “It’s not like they’re giving us special treatment. Doesn’t matter who it is.”

Wanqi Tianxin wanted to complain that they were too boring. They could at least pretend to guess. The big screen in the room flickered to life, casting colorful laser lights across the studio. The music pulsed, energizing the space. Four glittering thrones descended from above. Everyone started fidgeting from the tension.

Even Wanqi Tianxin fell silent. A spotlight hit each of the four judges. When the second chair turned around…

A gentle and elegant face appeared, so strikingly handsome and composed that it seemed to radiate warmth through the screen.

The room erupted in high-pitched screams that nearly blew off the roof. A crowd of girls clutched their hearts.

“Su Bai! Teacher Su Bai!”

Wanqi Tianxin and her two companions exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes wide with disbelief.

“Damn, never thought I’d live to see this.”

“She didn’t choose Su Bai’s song, did she?”

“She said she would make a few changes. I should’ve stopped her.”

All three of them silently worried for Mo Ying. Choosing the original artist’s own song for an audition was like wearing the same outfit as someone else. The one who wore it worse would be the embarrassed one.

The screen lit up with the familiar melody of the love song “Thank You for Having Been Here.”

Wanqi Tianxin clutched her pounding heart and forced herself to sound confident. “My Xiao Yu’er will definitely outshine him. I believe in her.”

“Don’t make us laugh. Outshine Su Bai?” A mocking laugh rang out beside them.

That one word, “outshine,” immediately attracted hostile stares from many contestants around them. Song Yuan smoothed her freshly curled burgundy hair, her cherry lips curving into a disdainful smile. “Don’t be ridiculous. At best, she’s just a mildly popular livestreamer. How could she compare to Teacher Su Bai?”

Just as tensions flared between the girls, a low and raspy voice came through the speakers. Su Bai’s devoted fans instantly recognized it and turned around in surprise. Then everyone fell into stunned silence.

“Huh!”

“Why does her voice sound like that…?”

The trio crowded around the screen in shock.

“Wow! My Xiao Yu’er is amazing. Look, even Teacher Su Bai is stunned. Haha.”

“I think his face twitched a little.”

The four judges had also been shocked by Mo Ying’s uncanny imitation of Su Bai’s voice. Dong Yue adjusted her glasses with a slight push. Teacher Liu Feiang straightened in his seat. Zhuang Yun’s eyes gleamed with visible astonishment.

When Mo Ying finished singing, she blinked and looked at the judges with hopeful eyes.

Su Bai smiled warmly. “I’m curious. With such a unique voice, can you perfectly mimic any song?”

Mo Ying frowned slightly. “Yes. I pick up songs very quickly.”

Liu Feiang teased her. “Then how long did it take you to learn this song by Teacher Su Bai so flawlessly?”

Mo Ying replied, “Two or three times.”

Dong Yue accidentally knocked over her tea and quickly covered her mouth. “Two or three times?”

The judges were clearly stunned. The other contestants, hearing what they saw as outrageous boasting, began to stir with discontent.

Su Bai smiled. “Perhaps she could try another song. What do you think, Teacher Zhuang Yun?”

Zhuang Yun jotted down a few notes before looking up with a smile. “Let’s give you another chance. Would you choose this same song again?”

Mo Ying replied without hesitation. “No.”

Her blunt answer made Su Bai’s smile stiffen, but the other two judges were visibly intrigued.

“Why not?” one of them asked.

Before Mo Ying could speak, Zhuang Yun interrupted, offering her own insight.

“If I were to grade you purely on imitation, I would give you full marks. Your vocal tone, your control over both high and low notes, and your overall technique are all impeccable. There is nothing I can find fault with. In fact… are you curious about your grade?”

Mo Ying nodded eagerly. “Will you tell me?”

Grades ranged from A to F. F meant the contestant was not ready. A was reserved for those capable of singing and dancing at the same time with professional-level performance.

Zhuang Yun said, “Just now, we were unanimous in thinking you should be placed in Group A. Opening with an A-grade contestant certainly makes for an exciting start…”

Mo Ying’s cheeks puffed involuntarily. Her face was filled with grievance.

Zhuang Yun saw her expression and could not help smiling. “Seems like you already know what I’m going to say. Your score is B. Congratulations.”

This was far from what Mo Ying had expected. She went on to imitate several other songs, but the more she sang, the less cheerful she became. Before leaving, she suddenly looked at Zhuang Yun.

“Can you tell me why I didn’t get an A?”

Zhuang Yun paused before answering. “In your imitations of love songs, I couldn’t hear any emotion.”

Mo Ying’s eyes looked a bit lost. She tilted her head instinctively.

Seeing this, Zhuang Yun explained with more patience. “What do you think Thank You for Having Been Here is about?”

Mo Ying answered honestly. “I think it’s a song a young woman wrote while mourning her late father. I believe she really loved him.”

Everyone was speechless.

Zhuang Yun asked gently, “Do you have someone you miss? Or do you love your parents?”

Mo Ying visibly deflated.

Zhuang Yun pointed out the core issue in her performance. “Xiao Yu’er, I couldn’t hear any emotion from you at all.”

…

After her performance, Mo Ying found herself in another hall. She crouched in a corner, deep in thought over Zhuang Yun’s question. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her.

She looked up and saw Chen Ruiling standing silently beside her. The girl then sat down next to her.

Neither of them said a word.

A long moment passed before Chen Ruiling finally spoke.

“The songs you sang earlier were all really nice.”

Mo Ying replied softly. “Hmm.”

“They had your own style. They sounded happy.”

Mo Ying nodded again. “Hmm.”

Chen Ruiling fell silent, unsure what else to say.

Just then, Wanqi Tianxin burst into the room excitedly. “Oh my gosh, Xiao Yu’er! You got a B. That’s incredible. Congratulations! We’ll definitely catch up to you.”

Mo Ying still felt she should have received an A. “What does emotional delivery even mean?”

Wanqi Tianxin scratched her head, then squeezed between the two girls, throwing her arms around their shoulders.

“Do you know what you need to sing a love song properly?”

No one answered, so she continued talking to herself.

“You need emotion. I mean… love. You need the sweet, bitter, sour, and painful experience of love to truly pour your feelings into the song. That’s the only way to sing a love song that belongs to you. Actually, I don’t think Teacher Zhuang Yun was entirely right. You do have emotion. Weren’t your previous songs all really happy?”

Chen Ruiling said flatly, “She just doesn’t know how to sing love songs.”

Wanqi Tianxin replied, “The theme was just not in her favor this time. If the topic had been joy, she would’ve been placed in Group A for sure. You’ve got to believe in yourself.”

Mo Ying felt like her heart had been pierced by arrows. With a sulky huff, she shoved Wanqi Tianxin’s hand away and scooted several seats over.

Chen Ruiling commented, “She’s heartbroken.”

Wu Si arrived just in time to see the two girls looking dejected while Mo Ying squatted by the wall, sighing deeply.

“What’s going on here?” Wu Si asked.

Wanqi Tianxin replied, “She’s wondering how to sing with emotion. I think Xiao Yu’er sang just fine. These judges are asking for too much. She didn’t even get into Group A…”

Wu Si said, “That’s easy. Watch me.”

She crouched beside Mo Ying and joined her in counting imaginary mushrooms on the wall.

“Actually, there’s a simple way to sing love songs. You just need to fall in love. Experience the sweetness and sorrow of romance.”

Mo Ying echoed in disbelief, “Fall in love?”

Wu Si nodded. “Yes. Find someone and have a relationship. Once you feel those highs and lows of love, you’ll know how to sing a proper love song. And it doesn’t have to be a gloomy love song like the ones Su Bai sings. It could be sweet and joyful too.”

Wu Si’s words struck Mo Ying like a bolt of lightning. Everything suddenly made sense.

Without thinking, Mo Ying pulled out her phone and began checking her contacts one by one, sending messages. No one responded. At the very bottom of her list, she found her boss’s number.

On a sudden impulse, she held down the voice button and spoke in a low voice.

“Boss, I want to fall in love. Can you introduce a girlfriend or boyfriend to me?”

Ding.

Lou Anran received the voice message while reading documents. She clicked play on speaker.

The soft and spoiled tone unique to that childlike voice came through. It had always been a sweet comfort before bedtime. But as the message finished, Chu Shu beside her audibly choked on her drink. Lou Anran’s expression darkened instantly.