I Became an All-round Artist

On the same day, in the heart of Yang City, Qinzhou.
The grand stadium known as the Bird’s Nest was lit up brilliantly. A long red carpet extended from the entrance up a series of steps. Security personnel were stationed at every corner, and countless reporters had arrived on-site — this was the Rising Star finals!
The event was being held here!

Inside the stadium, the atmosphere was electric. The crowd was buzzing, and the noise from the audience seemed loud enough to shake the roof. As the competition progressed, each cheer from the audience grew louder than the last, truly reflecting the fame of Qinzhou’s top talent show.

“Ladies and gentlemen!”
The male host’s voice boomed through the venue, “After several rounds of intense and brutal competition, the two finalists for this year’s Rising Star have been determined! They are…”

“Tang Yue! Tang Yue!”
“Xia Fan! Xia Fan!”

The audience responded with overwhelming enthusiasm.
The female host, with her clear and bright voice, continued, “Our live audience has already voiced the names of our two finalists, and we’re sure everyone watching at home is just as excited. But before we move forward, we’ll take a brief break to allow our talented contestants to prepare for their next performances. What happens next will determine who will be crowned champion!”

...

Backstage, Xia Fan was waiting nervously. Suddenly, a voice broke the silence, “Just stay calm. Your opponent is just as nervous. If you stay focused, you’ve got a good chance of winning.”

Xia Fan stood up. “Sister Zhao!”

The speaker was none other than Zhao Jue, who had rushed over from Star Glory Entertainment. Xia Fan was surprised to see Zhao Jue in person. The two had met once before during Xia Fan’s pre-signing with Star Glory, so they weren’t strangers.

“Well done,” Zhao Jue said with a smile.

Zhao Jue wasn’t here just because Xia Fan was a friend of Lin Yuan. The main reason was that Xia Fan had unexpectedly made it into the top four and was now one step away from the championship! This thrilled Zhao Jue.

When Zhao Jue first agreed to sign Xia Fan, it was mostly to do Lin Yuan a favor. At that time, she had no idea how talented Xia Fan really was and didn’t expect much. But to her surprise, Xia Fan had performed stunningly in Rising Star, constantly exceeding Zhao Jue’s expectations.

What started as a favor to Lin Yuan had turned into a stroke of luck for Zhao Jue. Xia Fan was a rising star in her own right, and now, securing her future with Star Glory was no longer a problem.

“I’m going to the restroom,” Xia Fan said, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Zhao Jue nodded with a smile. “You’ve already proven yourself by reaching the finals. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I’ll keep an eye on things here.”

Xia Fan nodded and left, while Zhao Jue watched her go, pressing her lips together. Despite her comforting words, Zhao Jue was perhaps more anxious than anyone for Xia Fan to win.

If Xia Fan won, it would mean that Star Glory had secured the Rising Star champion for two consecutive years! That would be a massive boost to the company’s reputation, firmly placing Star Glory ahead of competitors like Sha Hai and Shining Lights.

Even if Xia Fan only took second place, it wouldn’t be a bad result. But the difference in prestige between first and second was significant.

At that moment, Zhao Jue noticed someone familiar in the backstage area.

Is that her?

Zhao Jue frowned slightly. Could it be...?

Ten minutes later, Xia Fan returned and immediately noticed the change in Zhao Jue’s expression. “Sister Zhao, is something wrong?”

“There is,” Zhao Jue replied. “I just saw someone — Shi Mei. You probably don’t know her. She’s the lead manager at Shining Lights.”

Xia Fan froze.

Zhao Jue narrowed her eyes. “If I’m right, she’s here for Tang Yue. She sure acts fast.”

Xia Fan grew worried. “Can she influence the competition’s outcome?”

Zhao Jue chuckled. “Shi Mei doesn’t have that kind of power. Besides, I’m here. Even if she wanted to play tricks, she wouldn’t get away with it. But…”

“But what?” Xia Fan asked.

Zhao Jue shook her head. “Let’s just focus on the show. Tang Yue will be performing next. I hope my concerns are unfounded.”

...

On stage, the male host kept an eye on the time and guided the interaction with the audience. Once the director’s cue came through his earpiece, he smiled broadly and announced, “Thank you for your patience, everyone! Now, let’s welcome contestant Tang Yue for her final performance of the night!”

“Tang Yue!”
“Tang Yue!”
“Tang Yue!”

The crowd roared with excitement as Tang Yue appeared on stage, rising up from beneath it. The music that began playing was unfamiliar:

“That year, the peach blossoms bloomed. Your figure lingered, swaying amidst a sea of petals…”

“A new song?”

The four judges, all industry veterans, exchanged glances, surprised.

None of them had heard this song before. Clearly, it was a newly unreleased track.

Tang Yue’s final song was brand new!

Was she that confident?

Singing a new song on a competition stage was a risky move. New songs require time for the audience to warm up to them, whereas familiar songs immediately evoke feelings of recognition and fondness.

That’s why most contestants opt for well-known songs in their final performances — unless the new song is so good that it captures the audience’s attention instantly.

Otherwise, old favorites are always the safer choice.

However, as the judges listened, their expressions gradually shifted to satisfaction.

This new song was truly exceptional!

It was clear — Tang Yue had prepared well.

This new song seemed tailor-made for her!

On that same day, in the heart of Yang City, Qinhzhou, the giant stadium known as “The Bird’s Nest” was brightly lit, with a long red carpet stretching from the entrance to the grand steps. Security personnel were stationed in every corner, and countless reporters had gathered on-site. The stage was set for the grand finals of The Blooming, the top talent show in Qinhzhou.

Inside, the atmosphere was electric. The competition was halfway through, and the audience was roaring louder and louder, almost shaking the roof of the Bird’s Nest, a fitting spectacle for the show’s reputation.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” The male host’s booming voice echoed through the stadium. “After several rounds of intense competition, we have our two finalists for this season of The Blooming. They are...”

“Tang Yue! Tang Yue!”

“Xia Fan! Xia Fan!”

The audience responded with overwhelming enthusiasm.

The female host chimed in, her voice more crisp, “Our live audience has already called out the names of the finalists, and I’m sure our viewers at home are just as excited. We’ll be taking a short break to give these two amazing contestants time to prepare for their final songs. Their performances will decide who takes home the championship title this season!”

Backstage, Xia Fan was anxiously waiting when a familiar voice suddenly broke the tension, “Just keep a cool head. Your opponent is just as nervous as you are. If you stay steady, you’ve got a great chance to win.”

Xia Fan stood up, surprised. “Sister Zhao!”

It was Zhao Jue, who had rushed over from Star Glimmer. Xia Fan hadn’t expected her to come in person. They had met once before when Xia Fan pre-signed her contract with the company, so they weren’t complete strangers.

“You’ve done well,” Zhao Jue said with a smile.

Zhao wasn’t here just because Xia Fan was Lin Yuan’s friend. The main reason was that Xia Fan had made it to the final four, and now she was just one step away from the championship. Zhao Jue couldn’t help but feel excited.

When she initially agreed to sign Xia Fan, it was mostly to do Lin Yuan a favor. At that time, Zhao Jue had no idea how talented Xia Fan really was. She had expected nothing more than doing Lin Yuan a personal favor. But to her surprise, Xia Fan’s performance on The Blooming had been nothing short of dazzling, continually exceeding her expectations.

Now, Zhao didn’t feel like she had done Lin Yuan a favor; instead, it was Lin Yuan who had done her one. Xia Fan’s talent was so strong that she didn’t need to worry about signing with any company.

“I need to use the restroom,” Xia Fan said somewhat sheepishly.

Zhao Jue nodded with a smile. “You’ve already proven how talented you are by making it to the finals. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I’ll keep an eye on things here.”

Xia Fan nodded and walked away. Watching her leave, Zhao Jue bit her lip. Though she had reassured Xia Fan, Zhao secretly hoped more than anyone else that Xia Fan would win the championship. After all, Xia Fan had already pre-signed with Star Glimmer, and if she claimed the title, it would mean that The Blooming’s champion had signed with Star Glimmer for two consecutive seasons.

That would be a huge boost for the company’s reputation, putting them ahead of rivals like Sand Sea and Brilliant Silver.

Though finishing second would still be a good result, it just wouldn’t carry the same weight as being the champion.

At that moment, Zhao Jue noticed a familiar figure in the backstage area. She frowned slightly. Why is she here? Zhao couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

Ten minutes later, Xia Fan returned and noticed Zhao’s uneasy expression. “Sister Zhao, is something wrong?” she asked.

“There actually is,” Zhao Jue replied. “I just saw Qi Mei. You probably don’t know who she is, but she’s the top agent at Brilliant Silver.”

Xia Fan froze in surprise.

“If I’m not mistaken,” Zhao continued, narrowing her eyes, “Qi Mei is here for Tang Yue. She’s a shrewd operator, that one.”

Xia Fan’s worry deepened. “Can she influence the competition’s outcome?”

Zhao Jue chuckled. “Qi Mei doesn’t have that kind of power, and with me here, she won’t be able to pull any tricks. But…”

“But what?” Xia Fan asked.

“Just watch the show. Tang Yue is about to perform. I hope my concerns are unfounded,” Zhao said with a sigh.

On stage, the hosts were keeping the audience engaged as they waited for the next performance. When the cue came through the earpieces, the male host smiled. “Thank you all for your patience! Now, let’s welcome Tang Yue as she performs her final song of the night!”

“Tang Yue!”

“Tang Yue!”

The audience erupted in cheers once again, and as the platform lifted to reveal Tang Yue on stage, a new and unfamiliar melody began to play:

“Back when the peach blossoms bloomed, your figure was still in sight, swaying amidst the sea of flowers...”

“A new song?”

The four esteemed judges exchanged glances, each seeing the surprise in the others’ eyes. They hadn’t heard this song before.

It was clearly an unreleased track.

Tang Yue’s final song was a new, original piece!

Was she really this confident?

Performing a new song during a competition was a risky move. New songs required time for audiences to connect with them, while familiar songs could immediately evoke emotions and recognition.

Most contestants would choose a well-known song for the finals, ensuring they captured the audience’s hearts. Unless, of course, the new song was so good that it made a powerful impression right away.

Listening closely, the judges’ expressions began to soften, satisfied with what they heard.

This song was excellent!

It was obvious that Tang Yue had come fully prepared, and this new song was crafted perfectly for her voice and style. No wonder she dared to perform it in the finals—it was her secret weapon, something she’d clearly kept hidden for a long time. Even the crew members responsible for rehearsals smiled wryly when they heard it.

She changed the song?

This wasn’t the track she had rehearsed earlier!

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