Chapter 1632 - 610: Carrying Her Down the Mountain, Winning Her Heart!
Hu Ling praised spontaneously: "Your poem just now was really fitting for the occasion!"
Zhang Jingdong laughed nonchalantly: "Besides the poem, I think there's a song that matches this beautiful yet melancholy scenery quite well."
"Could it be 'Song of Sunset'?" Song Yunshan couldn't help asking.
Zhang Jingdong nodded meaningfully: "We really have a tacit understanding!"
Song Yunshan's face immediately turned red, perhaps to ease the awkwardness or out of curiosity, she subconsciously asked: "Can you sing this song?"
"This song is one of the ones I always sing whenever I go to karaoke."
Hu Ling was instantly intrigued as well: "Then why don't you sing it for us?"
Zhang Jingdong shook his head directly: "I'd better not."
"Why not?"
"Because my singing level is professional, so I usually don't perform without a performance fee."
As soon as he said this, Song Yunshan and the others were all taken aback.
They never expected that Zhang Jingdong's reason for refusing would be this.
Hu Ling joked: "That's a bit too arrogant, isn't it? I really don't believe you can actually sing at a professional level."
"So tell us, what's your performance fee, I'll pay it... but what if I pay and your singing doesn't reach a professional level after all?"
Zhang Jingdong glanced at Song Yunshan and said: "That situation is impossible, but since we are friends, how about you just owe me one favor for now, and let Song Yunshan owe me a favor too, okay?"
Song Yunshan's heart tightened: "Hey... how did I become involved in this?"
Zhang Jingdong giggled: "Just say whether you want to hear me sing a professional-level 'Song of Sunset' right now or not?"
"And I promise, if after my singing you don't feel my performance is at least on par with Mei Yanfang's and comparable to Zhang Guorong's, I'll owe you a favor instead, how about that?"
Hu Ling was instantly curious about Zhang Jingdong's singing skills and said: "Sis, just agree to it! He's totally bluffing, it can't be true!"
Song Yunshan herself became very curious about Zhang Jingdong's singing skills. Besides, Hu Ling put it that way, so she couldn't refuse.
Moreover, Zhang Jingdong said if they felt he was bluffing after the performance, he'd owe them a favor.
Since yesterday she had been taken advantage of by Zhang Jingdong several times and had been thinking about finding a chance to teach him a lesson, this seemed like a good opportunity.
So she hesitated a little, then nodded: "...Alright, it's a deal, go ahead and sing."
Zhang Jingdong noticed she took the bait and said: "But I must clarify beforehand, that after my performance, you have to give a fair and just evaluation, and you can't deliberately say my singing is inferior to theirs just to win."
Song Yunshan replied calmly: "Of course, but you also have to realize that Mei Yanfang and Zhang Guorong are superstar singers. It's entirely normal if we think you're not as good as them."
Zhang Jingdong remained composed: "That's okay, as long as you evaluate with a clear conscience."
"Alright, continue enjoying the beautiful landscape, this song is best experienced while admiring the sunset."
Song Yunshan and Hu Ling heard this and both turned back to continue enjoying the scenery.
Zhang Jingdong deliberately waited for about ten seconds before he started singing:
The endless setting sun
Only brilliant for a moment
As the clouds gradually scatter
The gone radiance will never return
…
As soon as Zhang Jingdong sang a small part, he absolutely stunned Song Yunshan and the others.
Song Yunshan and Hu Ling had heard Mei Yanfang's original version several times before, and they couldn't believe Zhang Jingdong actually sang even better than Mei Yanfang.
This was because, as is often the case, live acapella performances can sometimes be more moving than the CD versions when vocal skills are comparable.
And Liu Yang was shocked because his longtime friend, who previously would go off-key every time he sang, had improbably transformed, not only staying on key but also mastering both high and low notes, which was simply unbelievable!
In addition to the three of them, a girl nearby was also deeply moved by Zhang Jingdong's singing!
She hadn't listened to much music growing up, but the song Zhang Jingdong sang blended perfectly with the breathtaking scenery, creating an almost perfect audiovisual experience.
She had never had such a top-notch experience before.
Once Zhang Jingdong finished his song, none of them spoke for a while.
There was nothing they could do; the audiovisual feast was too enjoyable and too rare!
Zhang Jingdong perceived this and waited seven or eight seconds before saying: "Song Yunshan, Hu Ling, now evaluate my singing fairly and justly, based on your own conscience, please?"
Hu Ling and Song Yunshan finally reacted.
Hu Ling glanced at Song Yunshan and hesitated: "...Alright, you...you indeed weren't bluffing, your singing is no less impressive than Mei Yanfang and Zhang Guorong's."
"Now I am truly curious about how you manage to be proficient in so many skills at once?"
Zhang Jingdong smiled: "That's a long story; why don't we discuss it tonight?"
He then turned to Song Yunshan: "Your turn now, Song Yunshan."
Song Yunshan pursed her lips and sighed: "...Okay, I admit too, you weren't bluffing, your singing really was not inferior to Mei Yanfang's... you win."