I Became an All-round Artist

On stage.

With the judges showering Tang Yue with praise, the atmosphere had reached a fever pitch. The audience was nearly frenzied, calling out the name of the next contestant—

This stage was hard to follow!

Even the host couldn't hide his excitement: "I never expected Tang Yue to bring us such a heavenly new song. Her voice is still echoing in my ears, but our next contestant is just as impressive. Please give a warm welcome to Xia Fan!"

As the lights flickered, Xia Fan walked onto the stage.

At that moment, the director, the crew, and the judges were all stunned. Xia Fan's outfit was far too simple for a finale performance. Contestants at this stage were usually decked out in glamorous attire.

"What’s going on?"

The backstage director was furious.

The staff explained helplessly, "We dressed her up beautifully. She had earrings, a dress with lace, and strings of pearls. She must have taken them off herself—we have no idea why."

"..."

The director was exasperated.

What was going on?

First, Tang Yue changed her song last minute before her performance, even though everything was fine during rehearsal. Thankfully, it worked out beyond expectations, so the director didn’t get angry. Still, his heart was pounding, worried something would go wrong.

“Director, something’s wrong!”

Just as he grudgingly accepted Xia Fan's lack of accessories, a staff member suddenly called out:

“Xia Fan’s manager just requested a song change! We can’t afford to offend Xingmang’s Zhao Jue. Should we let her switch?”

“Switch, let her switch! Whatever she wants! She can switch to any song she likes!”

The director felt like the whole competition was falling apart! But contestants were allowed to change songs, after all.

Besides, Tang Yue had changed hers on the spot—how could they deny Xia Fan the same chance?

But at this point, would a new song make any difference?

Meanwhile, in the audience, people were whispering, still discussing Tang Yue’s song, unable to shake the atmosphere she had created.

Most of the live audience was fairly neutral, fans of whichever singer performed best.

“Wow, Tang Yue was really hiding her talent!”

“And with a brand-new song too!”

“It suits her voice perfectly!”

“It’s almost like Zhao Yingge’s performance last year!”

“Yeah, Zhao Yingge’s championship was well-deserved. Xia Fan’s no slouch either—she’s left a strong impression throughout the competition. But this is the finals, and Tang Yue’s ace card was just too strong.”

“…”

Even the judges sighed inwardly. Xia Fan barely had a chance now. The outcome of this final seemed almost certain, especially with Tang Yue going first and completely winning over the crowd.

Then, the lights began to shift.

A soft piano melody filled the air, followed by a drumbeat, gradually building with other instruments, drawing everyone into a new emotional space.

Xia Fan stood simply on stage, her outfit plain, and her voice matched the simplicity of her appearance as she began to sing:

“If pride had never been struck cold by the waves of reality, How would we ever know how much effort it takes to go far? If dreams had never dangled over the edge of a cliff, How would we understand that those who persist Carry invisible wings...”

The audience, who had been murmuring moments before, began to lift their heads.

This song—it was unfamiliar.

But somehow...

It sounded good?

The four judges exchanged glances, then sat up straight, a flicker of surprise crossing their faces.

Another new song?

Was Xia Fan really going to counter Tang Yue’s new song with one of her own?

This was getting interesting.

After the initial shock, the judges were excited. New song versus new song—this final was turning out to be more thrilling than they had imagined!

On stage, Xia Fan’s articulation was particularly crisp, her bright voice resonating throughout the hall. There was a sense of resilience in her voice, a kind of strength, and a touch of defiance…

It was as if something was about to break free, to finally bask in the sunlight, though for now, it struggled, just shy of emerging. This subtle tension gripped the audience, filling them with an inexplicable sense of anticipation.

“Plant your tears deep within your heart, and they’ll bloom into brave flowers, Even in weary times, you can close your eyes and smell the fragrance, Like waking up from a full night’s sleep until dawn, Walking and humming with a light step…”

It was like a beam of light piercing through the darkness, like a gust of wind sweeping away the fog, or a pair of gentle hands soothing an unknown pain.

In that moment, all eyes were on the stage.

The expressions of the judges gradually shifted.

Xia Fan, though dressed simply, without Tang Yue’s elaborate costume, seemed to shine brighter with every note. Her voice melded seamlessly with the music, climbing higher and higher:

“When you’re down, you can clearly feel the weight of loneliness, Wishing so much for someone to understand, to lend you warmth, a shoulder to lean on, I’m so grateful for the bond we’ve shared through all these twists and turns, We’ve weathered the winds, and our hearts remain as connected as ever...”

As the first emotional peak of the song hit, the audience felt something missing inside them being filled by her soaring voice.

Like ascending a staircase, step by step!

Xia Fan’s voice rose higher and higher, and as the second emotional crescendo came, everyone felt a profound sense of release:

“The first dream, tightly held in my hands, The place I want to go the most, How could I turn back halfway…”

Her extended note was winding and melodious, as if pausing for the next key moment. Xia Fan gripped the microphone with both hands.

At that instant, countless cameras zoomed in!

Blinding lights followed her onstage, finally focusing on her white-knuckled grip on the mic.

She leaned back slightly, her clear, unrestrained voice tearing through everything, the music surging like ocean waves, echoing through the entire studio. Everyone felt like they were basking in scorching sunlight, their bodies growing hotter!

Defiant! Unyielding!

Xia Fan’s gaze remained fixed midair as she prepared for the final, dramatic high note that shook the entire hall. It was also the emotional climax of the song:

“The first dream will surely be reached, and only when my true desires are fulfilled, can I say I’ve seen heaven~~~”

Boom!

Almost at the same moment!

The judges stood up abruptly!

As if in response to this, the audience erupted. Camera flashes whirled through the air, some of the crowd standing as well!

“Camera 3!”

The director went wild backstage, not caring if the show had gone off-script. He instinctively roared along with Xia Fan, directing all the crew:

“Keep the shot on the singer from the left!”

“Follow her with every light!”

“Capture the audience reaction!”

“Get close-ups of the judges!”

“I want their expressions! Their expressions!”

The cameras zoomed in.

The judges had different reactions, but one thing was clear—they were all completely absorbed.

As the four judges sat there, mouths agape, completely forgetting about their image management, their exaggerated expressions reminded the audience of someone constipated. The audience’s emotions exploded right along with them—

“Holy crap!”

“What is this!”

“I’m losing my mind!”

“Ahhhh!”

At that moment, everyone’s minds went blank. They were submerged in the sea of Xia Fan’s song, and the audience’s unconscious screams rose and fell in waves, as if they were ready to leap off a cliff if asked to.

Some were punching the air with all their might!

Others clapped until their hands turned red!

Backstage, Tang Yue’s eyes widened, almost forgetting to breathe. Next to her, Xi Mei took an unconscious step back, looking completely dazed.

Only one person remained calm.

That person was Zhao Jue.

Zhao Jue even smiled slightly, recalling the brief conversation she'd had with Xia Fan before she took the stage, a conversation that was simple enough:

"Why are you changing the song?"

"Because it’s a song by Xian Yu."

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