Chapter 99: The Smile Departs

Seeing a group of singers come on stage holding hands, the entire audience responded with warm, enthusiastic applause. They were truly fond of this spirit of “friendship first, competition second.”

Wei Hongzhang looked at them with a sense of relief as well. This was the style he had always insisted on, and it was also one of the original intentions behind producing this program. He never thought that in this season, he would witness this scene, which made him gratified yet proud.

“Seeing you come on stage like this makes me very gratified,” Wei Hongzhang said. “But unfortunately, due to the format, someone will have to leave tonight.”

The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Zhang Yuxin and Wen Weizhe, who were ranked in the bottom two from the previous episode, were particularly obvious. Zhang Yuxin gripped Cai Yuting’s hand tightly, squeezing it hard enough to cause her pain, but she didn’t cry out. She only glanced at Zhang Yuxin with pity, understanding her predicament. In fact, she was very nervous too.

The audience below also felt a bit of reluctance, and some even shouted, “Don’t eliminate anyone, okay?”

“Unfortunately, someone must be eliminated,” Wei Hongzhang said. “But I hope that whether you stay or leave, there will be no losers tonight, because everyone has given their all to present the most wonderful performance to the national audience. Even if you leave, I think everyone has already seen your strength and recognized your performance. You are still a very excellent singer, only because of various reasons, you have temporarily become a loser on this stage, nothing more.”

“Brother Wei, just be straightforward and give a satisfying answer,” Lu Zhixuan said.

“Alright, now we will announce the results of tonight’s competition,” Wei Hongzhang didn’t get angry. He knew how to control the situation. In previous seasons, he had witnessed too many such scenes.

One name after another came from his mouth.

“First place,” Wei Hongzhang paused for a moment, “Lin Qihua.”

Cheers erupted from the stage and the audience below.

“Thank you all.” Lin Qihua stood up to thank everyone, receiving the crown representing first place from Wei Hongzhang’s hands. “I chose to sing a love song tonight. Everyone thought I might have made a wrong choice, but this result proves I was right. Thank you all for your recognition. Songs don’t have high or low, they only indicate the relative approval of my performance. Once again, thank you.”

“Qihua brought us a beautiful performance tonight,” Wei Hongzhang smiled, “This performance has captured the hearts of how many girls? Such a romantic scene will be engraved in many people’s memories. A piano and flute duet will become a classic. My only four words of evaluation: well-deserved.”

“Yes, well-deserved.” Everyone chimed in one after another. For Lin Qihua taking first place, everyone was convinced.

The audience below cheered even more enthusiastically. Wei Hongzhang had voiced their thoughts. Who knows how many gentlemen had already made up their minds to learn the piano well at home. More girls were anticipating that in the future, there would be a man who would put on such a romantic scene for them.

After announcing the first place, they finally arrived at the most crucial moment.

“Third place,” Wei Hongzhang read out the next name with a straight face, “Zhang Yuxin.”

Zhang Yuxin lifted her head in surprise. She had been too nervous to look at Wei Hongzhang earlier.

“This also means that the sixth place is Wen Weizhe,” Wei Hongzhang said with a trace of regret on his face. “Seventh place from last episode, sixth place this time, overall ranking. Unfortunately, this time the eliminated one is Wen Weizhe.”

The singers present had varied expressions: some breathed a sigh of relief, some sighed. Especially Cai Yuting, who had just won seventh place, she had already stood at the edge of elimination but still remained. The one eliminated was the strong competitor, Wen Weizhe.

Everyone looked at Wen Weizhe. He closed his eyes, gently let out a breath, then stood up calmly and smiled, “I was already mentally prepared for this. There’s nothing I can’t accept. I gave my best, sang my highest level. Indeed, my skills are inferior. I must admit this. Once I know this, I can continue to progress next time.”

“Well said. Thank you for your participation. Keep cheering in the elimination rounds,” Wei Hongzhang said, stepping forward to hug him.

“Thank you. I will work hard.”

Others also stepped forward one by one to hug him.

When it was Lin Qihua’s turn, Wen Weizhe smiled, “Qihua, don’t feel guilty. The first round was indeed unlucky, positioned behind you, but this is strength. Your strength is enough, while mine is insufficient. There’s no need to blame others.”

“I understand,” Lin Qihua also smiled, “I learned a lot from you.”

“Me too,” Wen Weizhe said, “From you, I truly saw how a singer can interpret a song so exquisitely, how they can truly enter people’s hearts. In the second round, that beautiful stage was simply a masterpiece. Don’t be proud, keep working hard. The road ahead is still long.”

“Thank you for the guidance,” Lin Qihua clasped his hands in thanks.

Wen Weizhe waved to the audience on site, thanking them for their support and appreciation of his performance. “When wine meets a bosom friend, a thousand cups are few; when song meets a bosom friend, why wouldn’t a thousand songs be few?” Unfortunately, he had reached the end here.

Buried deeply in his heart, with a smile on his face, Wen Weizhe walked off the stage under the gazes of everyone.

Perhaps what he needed now was to return home, back to his own harbor, quietly lick the pain in his heart, then gather his mood and continue onward.

The rankings for tonight are: Lin Qihua, Lu Zhixuan, Zhang Yuxin, Wang Yalin, Guan Shengjie, Wen Weizhe, Cai Yuting.

“It is indeed a wonderful stage,” all the audience sighed in amazement. They felt that The Singers this season was incredibly fascinating, filled with uncertainty and anticipation. All the singers were incredibly strong yet harmonious, bringing incredible shock performances and joyful scenes to everyone.

“Perhaps, it really might become a phenomenal program like the second season,” some senior figures thought to themselves.

The second season of The Singers was the second season after renaming and rebroadcasting. It was dazzling with stars, emerging talents one after another, classic works appearing one after another, stirring up the largest wave of variety shows back then. With an overwhelming momentum, it established the grand status of The Singers, and also nurtured several future stars. The current top-tier singer Gao Jun was a singer who became famous in one go back then. Then there were now three or four first-line singers who were also contestants from back then. At first, they weren’t expected, but they emerged one by one in a black horse fashion, turning over many old seniors, successfully reversing their positions, becoming famous in one battle, and from then on singing their way high, entering the highest realm of music.

“Will Lin Qihua become the next Gao Jun?” Countless people were thinking this.