Chapter 158: The "Phosphor" Rises

Compared to ordinary viewers, all the "Venus" fans instantly went wild. What was this? Their idol singing a dedicated song for them at such an important grand finale? How blissful was that?

Han Jiaqi was truly out of her mind with excitement. She stood up, shouting Lin Qihua’s name with all her might. Beside her, Gu Yuhan gazed at her somewhat abstractedly, feeling a mix of envy and understanding. She knew that Han Jiaqi had adored Lin Qihua for a very long time and had been extremely active in fan club activities. She fully understood the overwhelming thrill a fan feels when receiving such a response from their idol. If she felt any envy, it was perhaps envy of being able to pour her heart and soul so completely into loving an artist.

Amidst the cheers, Lin Qihua stepped onto the stage. This would likely be his final time standing on this platform. Looking out at the cheering audience below, a multitude of emotions welled up in his heart. This stage had brought him so much—it had successfully propelled him from a fifth-tier artist straight into the second tier, blessed him with a fandom of over thirty million people, and created miracles that others could scarcely imagine. All of this was a gift from this stage, and so, at this moment, he was profoundly grateful, hoping to use this song to pour out his gratitude to everyone.

The guitar strummed gently, serene and romantic.

"The brightest star in the night sky,
Can you hear clearly,
The loneliness and sighs,
Deep in the heart of the one gazing up?"

I once looked up at the starry night sky in solitude, catching sight of the brightest star in the firmament, unable to shake the loneliness and sighs lingering in my heart. I used to wonder if I could be like that star, hanging high in the sky and shining through the ages.

I endured the grueling training camp, believing I could finally realize my dreams. But reality taught me I was wrong, because there were still too many disappointments in this world, and consequently, my contract was terminated. Yet, even so, I gained something entirely new: my "Venus" fans. It was you who accompanied me as I embarked on my musical journey.

"Whenever I lose the meaning of my existence,
Whenever I get lost in the dark night,
Oh~ The brightest star in the night sky,
Please guide me to draw close to you."

I chose to start over. I sang as a resident artist in bars, refusing to let time wear down my dream. There, I found a rebirth, found the momentum to keep moving forward, and gained countless more fans. It was you who told me not to be afraid, not to be lost, that with all of you accompanying me, I had always been the brightest heart in the night sky.

No matter what, there would always be a most radiant star ahead guiding our forward momentum. In life, there are always things worth caring about, worth being moved by, and worth keeping a forever-beating pure heart for, rather than being assimilated by society, actively pursuing the brightest star in the night sky along life's path.

"I pray for a transparent soul,
And tearful eyes,
To grant me the courage to believe once more,
Oh, to cross over the lies and embrace you."

I made my comeback, rising to fame overnight on "The Vocalist," gaining so many fans. I was overjoyed. Were you willing to support me all the way? Were you willing to walk alongside me? Were you willing to be my "Venus"?

Yes, I had offended formidable people and suffered comprehensive criticism and suppression. But I endured it, I pulled through, because no matter the time, you were always by my side, using your starlight to guide me forward with resilience. Even when plunged into desperate straits, one must bravely seek out hope; even in moments of deepest disappointment or despair, one must learn to face everything. This provided us with life's guidance, using our own way to tell the entire world the meaning of my existence.

Thank you, my "Venus" fans. I will keep working hard, continue making the music I love, continue being a fine artist, and strive toward becoming "the brightest star in the night sky." No matter our circumstances, we must maintain a pure heart, listen to the call within, and pursue the direction of our lives.

Thank you to everyone who loves me, thank you to everyone who supports me, thank you to everyone who has ever helped me, and thank you to this stage. Finally, thank you to myself. I am the greatest; I am going to be a superstar, to be that brightest star.

The singing was not forceful, but rather filled with tranquility and ethereal grace. Yet, as the song progressed, one could feel the corners of their eyes growing moist.

Countless "Venus" fans, both in the audience and in front of their television sets, were weeping. They had received the emotions conveyed by Lin Qihua. And so, whether sitting in the audience or before their screens, they spontaneously stood up, tears streaming down as they waved their arms along with the music, thoroughly immersing themselves in this special song.

Prompted by them, the entire audience rose to their feet, waving their arms.

"The brightest star in the night sky,
Can you hear clearly,
The loneliness and sighs,
Deep in the heart of the one gazing up?"

The voice gradually grew softer, and the final line of lyrics lingered like a sigh, inspiring infinite imagination.

Thunderous applause erupted as everyone offered warm acclaim for Lin Qihua's breathtaking performance.

A stunning debut in the first episode, a dominant championship win in the second, securing a hat-trick of three consecutive victories in the third and fourth—the former dark horse had bloomed with peerless radiance. Yet, in the fifth episode, he had plummeted to rock bottom and suffered a stifling elimination due to the Su Zitong incident. He made a stunning return as a wild card in the sixth, advanced with nearly a unanimous vote in the eleventh-episode breakthrough match, and in the grand finale, presented an unrivaled wordless song and a tear-jerking anthem dedicated to his fans. Ten songs in total: every single one original, every single one brilliant, every single one a classic. He never disappointed, writing a heavy and colorful stroke in the history of "The Vocalist." Whether there would be anyone after him was uncertain, but at least there was no one before him.

For this alone, Lin Qihua had every right to be proud.

At this moment, Chang Yan was the most emotional of all. Hugging He Yanlin, she alternated between laughing and crying. "I knew it, I knew it! He promised me, how could he have forgotten? So it was for this moment, to sing it for us. I am so happy, truly so happy."

"Yes, indeed." He Yanlin's eyes were also wet with tears. As one of the "big three" leaders of the "Venus" fandom, her heart was likewise pounding. "We didn't misjudge him. He used his singing, used his most unique way, to respond to us. Being his fans is simply too blissful."

"From now on, this song is our official fandom anthem," Chang Yan declared, waving her arm. "We must demand that all fans—as long as they are fans of Lin Qihua—must learn to sing this song, and must sing it whenever they attend fan gatherings."

"Alright, alright, we'll implement it as soon as we get back."

After the singing concluded, everyone returned to the waiting lounge, where Lu Zhixuan and the others had already come out to greet them.

After exchanging hugs and mutual compliments on each other's performances, they sat down to await the final results.

Yuan Xiaolai's performance had also been somewhat emotionally out of control.

"Even someone as steady as Lao Yuan couldn't keep his emotions in check?" Lu Zhixuan asked in surprise.

"That's normal. Everyone's feelings run deep; the charm of this stage is just too powerful."

"Haha, Yuxun sang with the most emotion," Lu Zhixuan laughed loudly. "She went straight to crying her eyes out."

"Hate you," Zhang Yuxun feigned annoyance before breaking into laughter herself. "I didn't expect I wouldn't be able to hold it together either. Even my makeup got ruined, and now I have to rush back and fix it. What a pain."

"Qihua's fans are the happiest, getting a song sung exclusively for them. How blissful must that be?" Luo Ying said, having already let go of her lingering regrets.

"Well, I promised them before, and this stage felt just right. They haven't had it easy either; I should thank them."

"Indeed, fans are the ones who put food on our tables, so we really ought to thank them. Well said," Huang Weidan agreed approvingly.

"Look, Sister Yalin is up," Zhang Yuxun called out, drawing everyone's attention to the television screen.

As the heavy favorite to win the championship and the leader of the first round, Wang Yalin was the last to perform.

For her final song, she chose a piece of extreme difficulty coupled with intense emotional depth, delivering a flawless rendition. Unlike the others, she didn't have tears flying everywhere, but as she walked off the stage, everyone could still see the tear tracks at the corners of her eyes, proof that her heart had also been deeply stirred.

"Welcome back." Everyone greeted her arrival with the warmest applause.

"Thank you." Wang Yalin hugged her fellow contestants, the tight string in her heart finally loosening. In truth, she had been under the heaviest pressure. Yet, under that immense stress, she had still executed her work so flawlessly that everyone admired her to the point of awe.

"Seeing us all sitting here, I suddenly feel that who becomes the champion doesn't really matter. What matters is that we finished it, that we made it," Lu Zhixuan remarked with deep emotion.

"I came, I saw, I conquered," Lin Qihua smiled.

"Dominant," the others gave him thumbs-up.

"That's a famous quote by Julius Caesar," Lin Qihua explained. "We came to this stage, brought forth one classic song after another, caught a glimpse of our future development, and finally, we conquered this stage and conquered the nationwide audience. Having achieved this, there are no regrets left in our hearts."

"My sentiments exactly."

"Agreed."

Everyone chimed in, which was actually another way of hinting that they no longer harbored a desperate longing for the championship. Whoever won the crown, it would be acceptable to them all.

In truth, everyone understood that the so-called championship was merely a title and could not bring that many tangible benefits. As long as your performance won the recognition of the audience and your fan count grew, you had already profited.

When the seven of them walked back onto the stage hand in hand, the entire audience rose to their feet, offering their warmest applause to thank them for the breathtaking performances they had delivered tonight. In the eyes of everyone present, this season's grand finale was weighty enough to be recorded in music history.

The big boss, Wei Hongzhang, finally made his appearance.

"At this very moment, I imagine our feelings are all extremely complex, because 'The Vocalist' has finally concluded all the matches of this season. Over these past three months, our singers have given their all, bringing us magnificent performances and giving rise to countless classic works like 'Existence.' Every single brilliant moment is worth savoring slowly," Wei Hongzhang said emotionally. "However, all good things must come to an end, and in the end, we still have to say goodbye to everyone. Thank you for your participation and support, thank you for the splendor you brought us, and we sincerely wish everyone the best in the days to come—stick to your musical ideals, keep producing great works, and bring us even more excitement."

"Clap, clap, clap," everyone applauded together.

"I suppose who the champion is no longer matters, because all of us are champions."

Everyone wore expressions that were neither smiles nor frowns, waiting for his next sentence.

Sure enough, he delivered the expected follow-up: "However, a competition is a competition, and we must determine a single champion."

"Haha," the group burst into laughter.

Wei Hongzhang remained unfazed. "Based on the vote percentages from the first round and the voting results from the second round combined, tonight's champion is..."

Everyone watched him tensely.

"Wang Yalin."

"Clap, clap, clap." Thunderous applause filled the air. This was an outcome everyone had anticipated; Wang Yalin's performance tonight made her fully deserving of the crown.

Second place went to Yuan Xiaolai, third place to Lin Qihua, fourth to Lu Zhixuan, fifth to Zhang Yuxun, sixth to Huang Weidan, and seventh to Luo Ying.

Lin Qihua's journey on "The Vocalist" concluded the season in third place.

Yet, he had already reaped so much. "Venus" was now hanging high up in the sky, striving to become the brightest star of all.