Chapter 157: A Song for the "Morning Star"

Back in the lounge, Lin Qihua gave Su Zitong a thumbs-up. "Brilliant."

Lin Qihua was not exaggerating. In fact, Su Zitong's interpretation of this song was even better than his own. This was a matter of raw talent. Lin Qihua could hit the high notes, but he needed technique to compensate, whereas Su Zitong's ability was pure instinct, possessing a raw and unadorned aesthetic. It was much like watching an NBA game: no matter how complex and fancy the San Antonio Spurs' plays were, they could not match the heart-pounding, leap-to-your-feet thrill of Russell Westbrook relying purely on his physical gifts to barrel into the paint for a slam dunk. Some things simply could not be compared.

Su Zitong blushed. "I was still nervous at the time. Fortunately, I had practiced enough. Once I let go toward the end, it got a bit better. I really don't know if I performed well or not."

"Well, you performed exceptionally well," Lin Qihua and Su Jianhao praised in unison.

"That's a relief," Su Zitong sighed. "I was so afraid I wouldn't do well and end up hurting your scores."

"It doesn't matter. Actually, when I chose this song, I didn't give a single thought to the scores," Lin Qihua didn't explain too much to Su Zitong, choosing instead to comfort her. "Any result is acceptable. As long as you had fun, that's what counts."

"Okay." Su Zitong could finally rest easy, because she had completed her mission. Tonight's stage would perhaps remain permanently engraved in her memory; that sensation of voices intertwining and soaring through the clouds was something one could never forget.

Following Lin Qihua, Luo Ying took the stage. She and her partner—one playing the piano and singing, the other dancing—delivered a deeply affectionate and visually stunning performance. However, a slight mishap occurred in the middle. Perhaps due to excessive nervousness, her partner missed the mark on a pitch bend, resulting in a cracked note that left a tiny flaw in the show. Nonetheless, the audience still responded with warm applause.

Wang Yalyn was the second-to-last to perform. Nearly forty years old, she stood on stage with her partner and still radiated the absolute aura of a goddess, captivating countless audience members.

The song she chose was her signature love song. Through a flawless collaboration, pure vocals, and unadulterated emotion, the music flowed like a babbling brook through the hearts of everyone in the audience, drawing them helplessly into the melody.

"Incredible," Lin Qihua praised. Next to him, Su Zitong had already widened her eyes in shock, completely awed by Wang Yalyn's flawless performance.

"Is this what a top-tier singer's performance looks like?"

"Yes. But tonight, Sister Yalyn performed even beyond her usual level. Her partner played a crucial role; while he seemed to have little to do on the surface, he supported Sister Yalyn perfectly. A partner like that can be called absolute perfection—he didn't steal the spotlight, yet he helped his partner get even deeper into character. That alone deserves extra points."

"So, did my performance count as stealing the spotlight?" Su Zitong asked anxiously.

"Haha, it's completely different. This song was written specifically for you in the first place, and I couldn't possibly pull it off alone. What we needed was your flawless performance. You could say you completed the mission I gave you to perfection. Don't feel like you didn't do well enough compared to Sister Yalyn's partner; our roles are different. Besides, he has that kind of experience, while we still have a long way to go."

"Oh."

The final performer of the round was Zhang Yuxun. Tonight, she stunned the entire audience dressed in a gorgeous white tulle skirt. Together with her partner, she delivered a high-difficulty hip-hop track. Breaking away from her usual style, the fiercely infectious rap duets and relentless rhythmic beats quickly sent the entire venue into a frenzy.

"Ha, she's pulled out a wild card," Lin Qihua laughed. Usually, Zhang Yuxun sang love songs and the like; the audience's strongest impression of her was her clean, crisp voice, impressive high notes, and emotionally moving ballads. No one expected her to whip out a hip-hop style for the finals—it was completely unexpected.

As it turned out, this strategy worked. Judging by the audience's reaction, they thoroughly enjoyed the surprise she brought.

Zhang Yuxun was the last to finish performing. With her performance concluded, the first round of the duet segment officially came to an end, and the audience began casting their votes for the first round.

The atmosphere grew slightly tense. Tian Ler and Le Kai hosted from the stage, while the audience below whispered among themselves, each holding their own reasons and preferences.

"I think Wang Yalyn's performance was absolute perfection."

"Zhang Yuxun was such a wonderful surprise."

"Lin Qihua's performance was the real surprise, wasn't it? A song without lyrics—to dare bring that onto this stage takes guts. I love it."

"Lu Zhixuan and Yuan Xiaolai delivered such grounded interpretations. Very touching."

As Tian Ler announced the close of voting, the venue finally quieted down.

"All right, voting has ended. Who will take first place in this opening round? Let's look at the big screen for the exact numbers."

On the massive screen behind them appeared the feeds of the singers resting in their respective rooms, accompanied by a rolling ticker of live data below.

The results were soon revealed. Relying on her flawless interpretation and the steady support of her partner, Wang Yalyn successfully claimed first place in the opening stage. Yuan Xiaolai secured second place, while third place went to Lin Qihua. Zhang Yuxun, Lu Zhixuan, Huang Weidan, and Luo Ying rounded out the final four positions.

"I'm quite satisfied," Lin Qihua said, perfectly content with the outcome. "It shows that the audience genuinely liked this performance. You have to remember, Sister Yalyn's performance was definitely a cut above ours, and Brother Yuan was also perfection itself—his emotions felt so genuine that they really tugged at people's heartstrings. Landing in third place is a pleasant surprise."

Su Zitong finally let go of her worries. She had been fretting the entire time that she would hold him back. Now, she had gained some confidence because the audience loved her performance. This was crucial for building her self-belief and would play a vital role in her future development. Compared to the performance itself, this gain was far more significant.

Amidst light laughter and chatter, the second round officially began. According to the competition rules, the lower-ranked performers went first, and Luo Ying stepped back onto the stage.

This time, she went all out. Her highly distinctive and recognizable vocal timbre was her greatest asset, and she displayed it to the fullest. Although she already knew the championship was out of reach, singing every song well and bringing a fulfilling conclusion to her journey on The Vocalist was a sign of respect for the stage, for the audience, for her opponents, and for herself. Her performance earned enthusiastic applause from the crowd. Music has no winners or losers; as long as you are brilliant, people will love and support you.

Huang Weidan, Lu Zhixuan, and Zhang Yuxun appeared in succession, all performing with every ounce of their strength to deliver exceptionally brilliant vocal performances to viewers nationwide. At this moment, winning or losing had faded into the background. Everyone was enjoying the stage as if it were their own solo concert, interacting with the audience from time to time while bidding a final farewell to this stage, to the audience across the country, and to the three-month journey of The Vocalist. Even Lu Zhixuan found it hard to control his emotions as he sang. When he joined this show, he had never once thought about winning the championship, because he didn't need that title. What he wanted was to give an accounting of his artistic career and seek a higher artistic realm. Now, he had found it, and he was fulfilled.

"Brother Lu is getting married right after the competition ends. He's singing this song for everyone here, but more than that, he must be singing it to his fiancée," Lin Qihua, who knew Lu Zhixuan best, understood him thoroughly. "Roughly translated, it means: My dear, I'm sorry I'm late. Wait for me, I'm coming back right away, and the moment I return, I'll marry you."

"That's so romantic. It's just like a marriage proposal at a concert."

"Yeah, I'll let you in on a secret—he actually did propose to his wife at a concert. Going back now is just to hold the wedding ceremony," Lin Qihua laughed.

"Hehe."

"I'm heading out."

"Good luck."

Zhang Yuxun was soaked in tears. As a young singer, she had gained and grown the most on this stage. Not only did she become one of the three original contestants who were never eliminated, but she also reaped a surging wave of popularity and fans, winning the recognition and affection of audiences nationwide. Her career was ushering in a brand-new spring, and her future was infinitely bright.

There were so many people she wanted to thank, but the words failed her in the moment. Choking back her tears, she could only express the voice of her heart through her song.

Watching her standing on stage, looking like pear blossoms drenched in rain, the audience felt a pang of sympathy and continuously shouted her name to cheer her on.

After singing the final line of lyrics, Zhang Yuxun wiped away her tears as she left the stage. The sight of her waving goodbye to the audience while brushing away tears made everyone adore this girl even more.

"Thank you, Zhang Yuxun, for that wonderful performance. Yes, she has reaped so much on this stage, so she uses her song and her tears to express her gratitude to everyone who cares for and supports her. We hope that in the days to come, she will work even harder and scale even greater heights," Tian Ler comforted her from afar.

Le Kai picked up the thread. "Indeed. As for our next competing singer, before the match, he entrusted me to say a few words on his behalf. The upcoming song was written specifically for his fans, the 'Morning Stars.' It's also the theme song he promised their fan club, and today he will perform it live on this stage for them, thanking them for weathering the storms by his side through thick and thin without ever leaving him. He also hopes they will continue to support him in the future as he strives and grows to become a true 'Morning Star.' Next up, let's welcome Lin Qihua as he brings us the song *The Brightest Star in the Night Sky*."

"Ha, *The Brightest Star in the Night Sky*—isn't that literally the morning star? What a brilliant title," the audience thought.

"Such a profound name. Not only is it written for his fans, but isn't it also written for his own dreams—to be that brightest star in the night sky? Such ambition."

"Just hearing the title fills you with anticipation."

"I'm so envious of his fans. To have an idol write a song specifically to thank you... following an idol like that must be pure bliss."

"And it's an exclusive anthem for the fan club, too. It feels so high-end. Did I accidentally stumble into the wrong finals? Is this a football match?"

"I heard that the 'Morning Stars' fan club is a professional organization with insane combat power. Having a dedicated cheering anthem just like in football matches is actually pretty cool."