Chapter 6
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Volume 2 + Chapter 6: The Second Round of Competition
“I didn’t expect that girl to be that strong!” At that moment, Ning Caiwei, in the lounge, said while biting her finger.
“No wonder she stood out from among a thousand female students to become the school beauty. Even though she hasn’t received any professional training, her strength is actually greater than any opponent I’ve ever seen in the talent competition!” Just recalling Ouyang Qianxue’s stunning performance in the previous round, a wave of fear surged in Ning Caiwei’s heart.
“Why would someone like that be willing to live here as just an ordinary student? With such rare beauty and such exceptional talent… But if she had participated in that talent show back then, maybe I wouldn’t have become an idol at all.”
“No—forget about others for now. Haven’t I, Ning Caiwei, come this far relying on my own strength? Sure, the opponent isn’t just some ordinary student, but I, Ning Caiwei, am a current, active idol! I don’t even remember how many setbacks I’ve faced like this before—but every time, didn’t I trample over the failures and reach the top? So even if I’m at a disadvantage now, I have no reason to be afraid. Besides, the next round is my specialty—singing!”
After all, Ning Caiwei was a professional idol. Whether it was her ability to handle pressure or to regulate her own emotions, both were extremely strong. In no time, she regained her confidence.
“Since both parties are now ready, let’s move into the second round of competition,” said Bai Yuxuan, signaling the official start of the second contest.
Having learned from the previous round, Ning Caiwei didn’t dare to be careless this time. Right away, she chose her signature song. She had decided to bring out her full power to crush Ouyang Qianxue.
As soon as Ning Caiwei opened her mouth, her singing instantly caught the judges’ attention. It was this very song that had won her the championship in the finals of that talent competition.
The song was themed around praising youth and perseverance, its emotions intense and stirring—enough to ignite one’s spirit just by listening.
As she sang, Ning Caiwei looked toward Ouyang Qianxue in the audience.
(So? Ouyang Qianxue, do you understand now why this song is my most confident piece? It’s because this song was born of all the sweat and tears I poured into the path of becoming an idol. This song holds all the hardships and struggles of my idol journey. No exaggeration—this song is my everything!)
As she continued singing, even tears welled up at the corners of Ning Caiwei’s eyes. She had poured all her emotions into this performance. On the surface, it looked like just singing—but in truth, she was showing the audience everything she had.
(Do you have any idea how much effort I, Ning Caiwei, have put in to get this far? Vocal training every day until my throat was hoarse, dance practice from dawn before the sun even rose! People like you could never understand how hard the idol road truly is!)
At that moment, Ning Caiwei reached the climax of the song—her passion completely infecting the students in the audience.
“What an inspirational song! We’ve already been in class all day, exhausted—but the moment I heard this song, I felt a rush of energy and motivation!”
“Amazing! Both rhythm and emotion were perfectly controlled. Just listening to her brings back memories of my own youth and struggles,” even the music club teacher at the judges’ table was moved by Ning Caiwei’s performance.
As the song ended, Ning Caiwei gave the audience a deep bow. Her face was drenched in sweat, her heart pounding in her chest. This song didn’t just inspire the audience—it inspired her as well. No matter when, as long as she sang this song, she felt there was nothing in the world she couldn’t overcome.
“An idol is an idol, after all—able to surpass herself even in competition. Although that little girl Ouyang Qianxue gave me quite a surprise in the last round, she probably won’t be able to handle going up against a true idol,” at that moment, after hearing Ning Caiwei’s performance, Bai Yuting was already anticipating Ouyang Qianxue’s defeat.
After all, through several years of idol experience, Ning Caiwei had acquired many things her peers couldn’t.
However, when it was Ouyang Qianxue’s turn, Bai Yuting was surprised to see that as she walked toward the stage, her face showed not even a trace of fear.
“To still keep that kind of composure after hearing that kind of singing—could it be…?”
When Ouyang Qianxue announced the song she would perform, the entire hall was stunned.
Because this was the signature piece of legendary diva Wang Shiman. The song was known for its fast tempo, tight melody, and extremely challenging high notes—easy to crack. Very few people had ever dared to cover it. Other than Wang Shiman herself, almost no one had ever performed it flawlessly.
“Ouyang Qianxue—she’s serious? Does she even realize how hard that song is to sing? Even I, as a professional singer, wouldn’t dare try that one lightly!” Bai Yuting couldn’t help but say.
Meanwhile, at Shiman Entertainment & Culture Co., a refined, well-dressed woman was reviewing documents.
“Boss, I’m a bit worried,” her secretary beside her said.
“Worried about what?”
“Worried about Ouyang Qianxue.”
“I heard she’s currently competing against the popular idol Ning Caiwei. Aren’t you worried she might lose to her? After all, Ning Caiwei is an active idol.”
The elegant woman smiled silently and lit a cigar.
“It’s been 25 years since that time, hasn’t it?” she looked at a yellowed poster on the wall. In the poster, a young girl was passionately singing. The headline read: “Genius Singer Wang Shiman’s Album Sales Reach #1 Nationally—Crowned the New Queen of the Music Scene.” If one looked closely, the face of the girl in the poster bore an astonishing resemblance to the woman in the office.
As it turns out, this noblewoman was Wang Shiman, the diva of the past.
“Do you know why I’ve been investing so much into training Ouyang Qianxue?” she asked the secretary.
“Because of her looks, right? Because she’s mixed-race—her stunning face and golden hair are rare.”
“That was just the reason I brought her back. The reason I chose to train her seriously is because, ever since founding this company to train idols, she’s the only one who has ever mastered that song of mine.”
Back in the cherry blossom campus gymnasium, every single judge was frozen in shock.
“Incredible… simply unbelievable!” Bai Yuting trembled as she spoke. Wang Shiman was the singer she admired the most. It was after listening to Wang Shiman’s songs in her childhood that she was inspired to become a singer herself.
To her, Wang Shiman was like a teacher who sparked her dreams. So she knew everything about her—including this signature piece.
“Whether it’s the rhythm or emotion—it’s exactly like the original Wang Shiman. If I closed my eyes now, I’d think the one singing in front of me is Wang Shiman herself!”
And upon hearing Ouyang Qianxue’s performance, Ning Caiwei collapsed onto the floor.
“Wh… why? How can an ordinary student sing at this level?!”
