Chapter 114: Three-Peat Champion

The misty rain faded, the singing gradually fell silent, and the beauty withdrew, yet that Jiangnan town veiled in haze, its cooking-smoke curling gently upward, and that woman who was beautiful in her own quiet way, like blue-and-white porcelain, continued to linger in the audience’s hearts.

“This has become the norm,” Wei Hongzhang said with a smile. Yes, he was used to it by now. Every time Lin Qihua finished performing, the audience needed a moment to absorb what they had witnessed before they could react.

Sure enough, after a while, the spectators finally came to themselves as if awakening from a dream. They rose together and applauded and cheered with all their might.

“Thank you, thank you, everyone.” Lin Qihua took another bow, then pointed toward the musicians behind him. “Please also give your applause to these great musicians and our Chinese dancers—especially these top-tier traditional Chinese instrumentalists. Thank you all for bringing us such beautiful music and dance. Thank you.”

The applause thundered through the hall.

“Finally, allow me to introduce this guzheng performer with the greatest honor: my mother, He Yunyue. The inspiration for this song came from the love story between her and my father. May she remain as beautiful and captivating as blue-and-white porcelain forever.” Lin Qihua smiled as he put an arm around He Yunyue.

The applause continued, offering the scene their most sincere blessings.

He Yunyue smiled. She was perfectly content. Her beloved traditional Chinese music, her beloved son—this was the happiest moment of her life.

Lin Yilun smiled as well. A virtuous wife and a filial son—what greater pursuit could a middle-aged man have? He already possessed that happiness.

“Thank you, everyone.” Lin Qihua bowed once more before finally leaving the stage.

“Whew.” Lin Qihua let out a long breath and high-fived Su Jianhao in celebration.

“That was incredible.” Su Jianhao was utterly awestruck.

“Haha, there was so much to prepare beforehand. I was terrified something would go wrong. Luckily, we held it together, and the result wasn’t bad.”

“Wasn’t bad?” Su Jianhao’s eyes widened. “It was heavenly! Didn’t you see how intoxicated the audience was? They were completely immersed in it.”

“Haha, you flatter me.”

In the audience, Gu Yuhan and Han Jiaqi quietly left their seats at the prompting of their manager, then slipped away through a concealed exit backstage.

“I’m satisfied. Completely satisfied.” Sitting in the car, Han Jiaqi shouted, “The live performance really is the most beautiful! Lin Qihua really is the best!”

“Yes, it truly is a beautiful song.” Gu Yuhan smiled. She too felt that coming to watch it in person had been the right decision. Although it had been troublesome—and they now had to leave early to avoid causing a commotion—it had still been worth it.

“Sigh, Yuhan, how do you think Lin Qihua can possibly be so talented? How can he write so many gorgeous, moving songs?”

“Who knows? Perhaps that is simply what talent is.”

“That’s true. Some people just can’t be judged by ordinary standards. Lin Qihua is one of them—and so are you.” Han Jiaqi sounded glum.

“Why am I involved again?”

“How are you not involved? Think about it. How much pressure must it be to stand beside you? The difference between us is enormous, and people criticize me from every direction. Look, I’ve even lost weight.”

“All right, all right, it’s my fault. How about I buy you some ice cream?”

“Yay! I love you more than anyone!” Han Jiaqi cheered.

“Not feeling much pressure now?”

“As long as you don’t despise me, who cares about pressure?”

They both giggled.

Lin Qihua naturally had no idea that Gu Yuhan had come specifically to watch his performance before quietly leaving. In the lounge, he calmly watched Lu Zhixuan and the others bring out their various signature skills, each of them fighting with everything they had in order to remain in the competition.

Just as The Sound of Music had analyzed, everyone had gone all out in this round. They chose to attempt greater variation and higher difficulty, doing everything possible to please the audience’s ears.

“Sister Ting is in danger.” After watching Cai Yuting finish her performance, Lin Qihua thought anxiously.

When the results were announced, they proved his prediction correct. Cai Yuting once again ended up at the bottom and was eliminated with regret.

“It’s all right.” Seeing the concern in Lin Qihua’s eyes, Cai Yuting smiled and embraced him. “In truth, my strengths don’t lie on this stage. I came here simply to challenge myself. I’m already completely satisfied to have made it this far. I’ve learned so many wonderful things—enough to keep me occupied for quite some time. The future me will certainly be stronger.”

“The most important thing,” Cai Yuting continued, “is that I met all of you wonderful friends. Big Brother Lu and Sister Yalin, you’ve both taken such good care of me. Shengjie and Yuxun, you are my good friends. And Qihua, especially you—your talent has made me wonder whether I’ve been too lazy, whether I’ve stopped striving to improve. There is still so much I need to learn from this stage. You are the best. You must keep making the music you believe in. I’m certain your future is limitless.”

“Thank you. I certainly will.” Lin Qihua nodded.

In the final tally, Lin Qihua once again claimed the crown with an overwhelmingly strong performance, becoming the first person ever to win three consecutive rounds.

“It feels as though we are witnessing a miracle—the birth of a future superstar. Qihua, keep going!”

“Thank you, everyone. I will.”

After the competition, aside from the routine reports on the results, the coverage once again focused on Lin Qihua.

“The stream flowed gently, as plain and tranquil as blue-and-white porcelain. A voice as crisp as silver bells lingered in my ears. Against a splash-ink landscape, you were as beautiful as a figure in a painting. Wisps of delicate fragrance drifted like a dream—beyond my reach, impossible to touch—yet I could sense the hazy rain of late autumn, and in your clear, limpid eyes, the bewitching splendor of peonies, the fresh purity of lotuses, the elegance of orchids, and the proud character of wild chrysanthemums.

“You lifted your foot, then stopped; lifted it again, then stopped. The purity, sincerity, and stubbornness between your brows were impossible to fathom, yet they had become a beautiful scene engraved upon my heart, impossible to dispel. That woman was blue-and-white porcelain.”

“So the media wrote. “With extraordinary talent, Lin Qihua has composed a timeless masterpiece that has astonished the world. Blue and White Porcelain—what a moving name, what a tragic and beautiful story, what a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere. To quietly savor these lyrics is enough to become intoxicated.”

“The melodies of Jiangnan opera, the tenderness of a man, lyrics of exquisite beauty, and stagecraft, music, and dance that fit together seamlessly—all of it combines to create the astonishing, supreme, moving beauty of Blue and White Porcelain. Forgive me, but I can describe this song only with the word ‘beautiful,’ because it is simply too beautiful.”

“A masterpiece of the Chinese style. The true collaboration of Chinese and Western instruments—a genuine fusion of East and West—has created a classic.”

“A gathering of top traditional Chinese music masters, all assembled for a single song, Blue and White Porcelain. Lin Qihua has spared no expense in bringing us the ultimate listening experience.”

“‘Beyond the curtain, plantains provoke the sudden rain; the door ring provokes a patina of green. And as I passed through that Jiangnan town, I provoked you.’ These three uses of ‘provoke’ are the finishing touch, capturing all the beauty within the song.

“‘The color of the sky waits for the misty rain, and I am waiting for you’ is the absolute pinnacle of the entire song. ‘After the rain, the sky clears, and the clouds… in this color, let us shape the future.’ These lines reveal how rare and precious that rain-washed azure is, and how beautiful the beloved is whom the singer awaits. Their meaning grows ever more captivating the longer one savors it.”

“United in heart, mother and son can cut through metal. Lin Qihua brought his mother in as a collaborator, and the song was inspired by his parents’ love story. It is enough to make anyone envious. What a happy family they must be!”

The Sound of Music released its customary review and rankings the following day.

“Lin Qihua, awaited by millions, brought a Chinese-style song, Blue and White Porcelain, to this round.

“In terms of atmosphere, Blue and White Porcelain is like an ink-wash landscape of Jiangnan veiled in mist and rain. Amid the stirring waters and clouds, one can faintly glimpse a woman in white, her plain sleeves and ribbons fluttering in the breeze.

“In terms of lyrics, Blue and White Porcelain is a delicate letter written beside a window, its beauty hidden within every stroke. Its winding lines arise only because the heart is like a net woven of countless silk threads, filled with a thousand knots.

“In terms of melody, Blue and White Porcelain resembles a mountain stream flowing quietly over stone in the breeze—clear, cool, luminous, winding and looping, with a meaning that seems never to end.

“When these three elements are layered together, Blue and White Porcelain becomes exactly what its name suggests: a superb piece of celadon porcelain, beautiful in its own quiet way, washed clean of all artificial embellishment, at once ancient, elegant, fresh, and fluid.

“It can be said that he has once again surprised the audience. Their long wait through the week was not in vain; they were rewarded. The others also performed admirably, but beneath Lin Qihua’s radiance, they seemed dull by comparison. Perhaps that is their greatest tragedy.

“Lin Qihua: ten points. I had originally intended to give him nine. It is not that this song surpasses Existence, but its tragic beauty and misty rain left me utterly intoxicated, while the stunning stage design earned additional credit. In truth, it is a nine—but I will add one extra point for a perfect eleven. Consider it the writer’s indulgence.

“Lu Zhixuan: eight points. He changed considerably this time and earned second place.

“Yuan Xiaolai: eight points. The moment she opened her mouth, she was timeless. Third place is thoroughly deserved.

“Wang Yalin: eight points. A singer as steady as they come, a true powerhouse.

“Guan Shengjie: seven points. He seemed a little powerless this time. There was nothing he could do; his opponent was simply too strong.

“Zhang Yuxun: seven points. She was somewhat off her usual form, perhaps entering a period of fatigue. Hopefully, she will adjust soon.

“Cai Yuting: eight points. Yes, although she still ranked last and was eliminated, it was reasonable enough—her strengths simply could not be displayed on this stage. Yet she bravely challenged herself, revealed more of her potential, and achieved a sufficient breakthrough. The eight points are recognition of that effort. We look forward to seeing a new side of her.

“Lin Qihua placed second in the first round, then won three consecutive championships from the second through the fourth. He is unquestionably a champion of substance, and his strength speaks for itself. He is now at the height of his success, surrounded by brilliant flowers and blazing prosperity.

“But one point deserves attention: his achievements have raised the audience’s appetite and expectations. Can he continue to produce works of this quality? Without great new songs, will his vocal ability alone be enough to sustain his success?

“We shall see in the next round. You are already looking forward to his next song, aren’t you? Yes—I am looking forward to it as well.”

The Sound of Music’s review was objective and grounded. After reading it, Lin Qihua could not help but knit his brows. After winning three consecutive championships, the pressure upon his shoulders had indeed increased sharply.

But inspiration was not something that appeared simply because one demanded it.

Lin Qihua was worried.