Chapter 155: The Annual Grand Event

The grand finale had finally arrived, and audiences across the country turned their attention to Xiangzhou, a vibrant hub of entertainment.

Xiangzhou TV was thoroughly accustomed to spectacles of this scale. Every procedure was crystal clear, leaving Lin Qihua and the others with nothing to do but enter and participate according to the established schedule.

Unlike previous occasions, today featured a red carpet session, signaling Xiangzhou TV's high regard for this annual event and granting it a sufficiently grand scale.

Lin Qihua's partner on the red carpet was naturally Su Zhitong, the guest singer he had invited for the evening.

Having undergone meticulous styling today, she wore a long, off-the-shoulder, cream-colored gown that exuded nobility and elegance. Combined with her intensely captivating face and figure, her appearance before the crowd was breathtaking.

"Oh my, I'm dying of envy," exclaimed Shen Manni with playful exaggeration.

"Not at all," Su Zhitong replied. She had carefully chosen this relatively conservative gown over the more revealing one strongly recommended by her stylist. Yet, she had not anticipated that the blend of her temperament and physique would produce an even more striking visual impact.

"All right, stop teasing her," Lin Qihua intervened, stepping in to halt Shen Manni. Today, he had chosen a straight, sleek Zhongshan suit, which made him look exceptionally spirited and sharp.

Many people gazed at Su Zhitong with envy. No one had expected her to be invited by Lin Qihua as his guest singer, let alone to walk the red carpet with him—an honor coveted by countless individuals.

Artists like Xiao Xiao felt this sentiment even more acutely. While they were happy for her, it was impossible not to harbor private thoughts. Even Ma Qianqian cast a somewhat envious glance toward Su Zhitong, though unfortunately, an opportunity like this was simply out of her reach.

"Alright, time to get moving," He Li urged, noting that the vehicles and staff arranged by Xiangzhou TV had arrived outside. She bustled the two of them off, while the rest of the team would depart shortly afterward to watch the grand event live.

Inside the car, Su Zhitong visibly began to grow nervous, her hands gripping her dress and trembling slightly.

"Don't be nervous, it'll be fine," Lin Qihua could only offer words of comfort. In truth, though he was the main protagonist and lacked such experience, men generally did not place as much weight on walking the red carpet, nor did they view it with such gravity. For women, however, this was a veritable battlefield; wherever there was a red carpet, it was a stage to showcase their beauty and outshine rivals—a tradition unchanged across time and borders.

"Oh, okay," Su Zhitong calmed down slightly under his reassurance, taking a slow, deep breath to suppress her nervous anxiety.

However, as the car halted before the red carpet, facing a sea of flashing cameras and microphones, her heart leaped into her throat once more.

Lin Qihua smiled faintly, stepped out first, and walked around to the other side to open the car door with utmost gentleness. As she stepped out, he thoughtfully adjusted the hem of her dress to prevent her from accidentally tripping over it.

"Flash!" Countless camera flashes went off simultaneously, turning the scene before them into a sea of blinding white. Fortunately, both had undergone relevant training and knew how to react, quickly striking their best poses. An inexperienced newcomer might have instinctively thrown up a hand to block the glaring lights, which would have been a laughingstock.

"Lin Qihua! Lin Qihua!" Deafening screams echoed around them, accompanied by unified chanting cheering him on. Looking out, over a thousand fans from the "Morning Star" fan club were present. Dressed in matching attire and directed by Chang Yan and the others, they chanted their slogans in perfect unison. Even though many other fans were present, they could neither drown out nor eclipse the presence of the Morning Star contingent. Organized, visually striking, and disciplined—this was the overwhelming impression they left on everyone. With the event being broadcast live, the image of each artist's fan base was transmitted to thousands of households. Such high levels of organization and discipline led viewers to believe that if the fans were of such high quality, the artist they supported must be equally exceptional. Indeed, the entertainment industry operated on mutual reinforcement.

Lin Qihua waved and greeted the Morning Star fans, then crooked his arm and chuckled softly, "Let's go."

"Mm-hmm." Having regained her composure—proving that women possess an innate talent for this—Su Zhitong quickly adapted to the scene, smiled gently, linked her arm through Lin Qihua's, and walked slowly forward alongside him, continually turning to smile and greet the surrounding spectators and fans.

"Isn't that the leading lady from last year's viral incident?" a reporter gasped. "Why is she walking the red carpet with Lin Qihua?"

"Perhaps it's a gesture of appreciation for her bravely stepping forward to help him. You have to admit, it's a very heartwarming choice."

"Doesn't anyone else think she's a perfect fit? Goodness, this pairing is going to catapult her into becoming the public's new goddess."

"True! A blend of purity, elegance, and ultimate allure—without a doubt, she is the queen of today's red carpet."

Viewers watching soon learned her name, and word spread rapidly through the crowd. Everyone quickly realized that this girl named Su Zhitong was the widely admired artist from before. People held a great deal of goodwill toward this resilient, self-respecting, clever, and beautiful young woman, especially the Morning Star fans. As a result, the cheers grew even more enthusiastic, and many began shouting her name to cheer her on. Clearly, she had successfully won over a new wave of fans.

At least on this red carpet, she had successfully captured the lens's attention and the audience's affection, which would undoubtedly command greater attention in subsequent coverage.

A mere twenty-meter stretch of red carpet took nearly ten minutes to cross. Lin Qihua felt as though his face was on the verge of freezing into a smile by the time they finally reached the end.

Su Zhitong, however, seemed to relish the experience, showing not a shred of fatigue—a testament to the formidable innate talent of women on the red carpet.

With this formality out of the way, the singers had little else to worry about and could retire to the lounge to rest and prepare for the impending competition. Meanwhile, the grand annual event was only just beginning.

Guan Shengjie, Cai Yuting, Wen Weizhe, and other singers who failed to reach the finals were all in attendance, walking the red carpet before taking their seats in the auditorium.

Xiangzhou TV's formidable hosting lineup also made an appearance to show their support, each possessing a dedicated fan base that naturally brought gasps of pleasant surprise.

Next came the various guest attendees: Zeng Ziyi, Ma Yifan, Zhang Qingying, Li Hanqiu, and others. Nearly all were A-list superstars, and the arrival of each one sent fans outside into a frenzy of deafening cheers.

The climax arrived with the appearance of Gu Yuhan. Today, she wore a pink, form-fitting gown that radiated elegance and sweetness. The moment she appeared, the audience surged forward as if possessed, eager to shake her hand, causing extreme anxiety for the security personnel. Fortunately, Gu Yuhan was well-accustomed to such scenes and remained unfazed, taking the initiative to calm the fans and successfully preventing the situation from spiraling out of control.

She took nearly half an hour to traverse the red carpet, giving the audience and media reporters their fill before she was finally allowed to proceed.

As her partner, Han Jiaqi was tragically ignored by the crowd. However, she was easy-going and brushed it off entirely—or perhaps she was simply used to such treatment—and promptly dragged Gu Yuhan toward the singers' lounge to find Lin Qihua.

"Don't go bothering them," Gu Yuhan stopped her. "First, we don't know him well, so barging in wouldn't be appropriate. Second, he's facing a competition right now and needs to adjust his mindset. What if you disrupt him and negatively affect his performance?"

With those arguments, she finally managed to dissuade her.

As the clock struck eight, the performance hall was packed to capacity, glittering with starlight. Countless viewers sat before television sets across thousands of households, eagerly awaiting the start of the grand finale.

Tian Le and Le Kai stepped onto the stage. Known together as the Twin Jades of Xiangzhou, they possessed immense talent and a wealth of hosting experience. Aside from the heavyweights at CCTV, only they possessed the poise to command such a massive live production.

"After three months and eleven rounds of fierce combat, *The Vocalist* finally welcomes its ultimate battle tonight: the grand finale," Tian Le began with a smile.

"Indeed, our seven singers have weathered numerous trials to stand out and successfully reach this stage. It is by no means an easy feat, as their opponents are immensely powerful. Let us give a round of applause to these singers who have brought us countless surprises and moments of joy."

Thunderous applause erupted through the venue.

Guan Shengjie and the other singers seated in the auditorium also rose, smiling and acknowledging the stage and the audience.

"Our grand finale has received tremendous support from all quarters. Allow me to introduce our honored guests in attendance tonight: ... Thank you all for coming. Your presence is a profound honor for us and infuses our competing singers with even greater momentum. They will undoubtedly deliver a breathtaking competition for you all tonight."

The introduced guests stood up one by one to acknowledge the audience. When Gu Yuhan stood, she unsurprisingly received the most enthusiastic ovation.

"Oh? She's here too?" Lin Qihua muttered in slight surprise as he caught sight of Gu Yuhan on the live broadcast monitor.

"For an event of this scale, we extend invitations to all super-stars and influential A-list celebrities. Whether they choose to come is up to them. We are very fortunate this year that Gu Yuhan accepted; her presence alone is worth an army," Su Jianhao said with a smile.

"She is truly gorgeous," Su Zhitong remarked, her focus drawn entirely to Gu Yuhan's appearance. "Even with minimal makeup, she outshines the entire room. I'm so envious."

Gazing at the smiling Gu Yuhan on the screen, Lin Qihua could also sense her breathtaking beauty and extraordinary temperament. In terms of sheer facial features, Gu Yuhan certainly had reason to be proud. The girl beside him was already a rare beauty in her own right, yet compared to Gu Yuhan, she still fell slightly short. More importantly, Gu Yuhan possessed a captivating aura that sparked an insatiable curiosity—and that was her true superpower. At their level of beauty, facial features were no longer the primary measure; the entertainment industry gathered top beauties from across the nation, each with her own distinct charms, leaving temperament as the ultimate battleground. Tastes varied like green vegetables and radishes, but there was no denying that Gu Yuhan's aura was top-tier and nearly irresistible. Consequently, even merely as a spectator, she commanded the spotlight as the center of attention.