Volume One: A Debut at the Pinnacle Chapter Fourteen: An Opening with a Royal Flush

At the recording site for the first round of “The Voice of Hua Xia,” it was time for contestant number seven. Number seven was a stylish young lady named Gu Tao, a highly talented competitor who delivered a powerful performance, winning thunderous applause from the audience. With scores from the three judges and the audience combined, her total came to 692 points—the highest among the seven contestants so far.

After Gu Tao left the stage, the male host, Byron, remarked with admiration, “Our contestants truly are exceptionally talented.”

The female host, Wen Wan, echoed him, “Yes, I can hardly wait to see what the next contestant will bring.”

“Hehe, since everyone is so eager, let’s quickly move on to the next performance,” Byron said.

“Alright, please welcome contestant number eight to the stage,” Wen Wan announced.

Music began to play as Chen Jing stepped confidently out from backstage. Standing on stage, he flashed a radiant smile, “Hello, everyone—audience, judges. My name is Chen Jing.”

His tall frame, stylish attire, and handsome face paired with that sunny smile instantly captivated the hearts of the women in the audience, eliciting a wave of excited screams.

“Ahh! So handsome!”

“Oh my God, he’s so charming…”

The voices from the audience grew a little chaotic, but it didn’t affect the recording—after all, the show would be edited before broadcast.

Judge Huang Wenhao was the first to speak, his praise evident: “Chen Jing, right? What a young and dashing lad—makes even me a little envious.”

Wei Guoqiang chimed in, “Young people these days are getting taller and taller. Sometimes I wonder if it’s us who can’t keep up with the times.”

Chen Jing smiled modestly, “You flatter me, teachers. You’ll always be our idols.”

Huang Wenhao and Wei Guoqiang both laughed heartily.

Su Tingting, sitting nearby, was less impressed. She asked, “Chen Jing, what song are you going to sing?”

“It’s an original song I wrote myself.”

None of the previous contestants had performed original songs, so Chen Jing’s choice immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Huang Wenhao’s eyes lit up. “An original? You wrote it yourself?”

Chen Jing nodded. “Yes.”

Wei Guoqiang nodded approvingly, “Didn’t expect you to be a singer-songwriter. Good.” As a songwriter himself, he looked favorably on Chen Jing.

Su Tingting cut them off, “Let’s begin your performance then.” She knew Chen Jing was from Jingrun, and that he was now managed by Lin Xi, her former agent, which made her less inclined to support him. Jingrun had specifically spoken to the production team, so she couldn’t eliminate Chen Jing outright, but she could still try to undermine him.

“Alright, let’s hear your song,” Huang Wenhao said.

Wei Guoqiang offered encouragement, “Good luck!”

Chen Jing smiled and nodded. Silence fell over the hall, and the music started.

The gentle, upbeat rhythm surprised the three judges. They exchanged glances, each seeing astonishment in the other’s eyes.

“This rhythm…” Huang Wenhao muttered, frowning slightly, but resolved to listen to Chen Jing’s singing.

As the prelude ended, Chen Jing began to sing:

Ya la xie~

Ya la xie ye~

The brightest star in the night sky, can you hear

The loneliness and sighs within the heart of the one gazing up…

Indeed, the song Chen Jing chose was not “Birch Forest” as before, but “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky” from his previous life.

That Sunday night, after thoughtful reflection in his rented apartment, Chen Jing decided to change his song for the preliminary round of “The Voice of Hua Xia.” He wanted to electrify the crowd and chose “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky,” feeling it suited the competition stage better than “Birch Forest.”

The next day, Chen Jing told Lin Xi at the company about his decision to switch songs. At first, Lin Xi disagreed, believing “Birch Forest” was excellent and didn’t need changing. However, after hearing Chen Jing sing “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky,” her view shifted—some songs are truly meant to ignite the stage.

Chen Jing chose the Zhang Jie version from his previous life, not the original by Escape Plan, because Zhang Jie’s rendition allowed him to showcase his vocal prowess.

“I pray for a heart as pure as crystal

And eyes that know how to cry

…

Whenever I can’t find meaning in existence

Whenever I lose myself in the night

The brightest star in the night sky

Please guide me forward…”

Chen Jing’s ethereal, resonant, magnetic voice filled the stage. Su Tingting’s pupils widened in shock as she watched him perform.

That skill—was he really a newcomer?

“Wow!! Whoo!!” The bright, stirring melody energized the audience. Everyone watched Chen Jing, standing center stage, with excitement.

“Shi ba la shi o lei ya xie yo~

The brightest star in the night sky…” As he began to show off his vocal technique, Chen Jing’s brilliant voice ignited the crowd.

Wei Guoqiang stared in disbelief at Chen Jing’s passionate performance. Are newcomers really this talented now? Or have we simply grown old?

“…The brightest star in the night sky, please guide me forward…” After another climax, Chen Jing took a deep breath. The accompaniment surged, and Chen Jing followed, singing in falsetto and harmonizing.

“Ah~ ah~~ ah~~~ Hula la hu~ hula la hu…”

Chen Jing gave himself fully to the music, effortlessly switching between low and high notes, blending real and falsetto harmonies. The audience erupted, some girls even stood up, joining him in chanting along.

Huang Wenhao smiled wryly at Chen Jing’s dazzling display. With this level of skill, why were the company people worried about him not advancing? If he didn’t move forward, then the show might as well end. They’d even asked him to look out for Chen Jing—was that necessary?

Backstage, the other contestants watched Chen Jing electrify the hall, feeling intense pressure. This was just the preliminaries—not the finals! Did he really need to start with such a bang? How were they supposed to follow that?

Whatever others felt, Chen Jing paid no mind. He only wanted a flawless performance for his first appearance on screen.

“The loneliness and sighs within the heart of the one gazing up…” With the final note, Chen Jing gently lowered his microphone.

“Whoo!” Though the song had ended, the audience’s enthusiasm soared.

Host Cai Lun came on stage, his face full of excitement. “Thank you, Chen Jing, for a splendid performance. Now, let’s invite our three judges to share their thoughts.”

Huang Wenhao spoke first, his praise unabashed. “First, the song is excellent—I’m certain it’ll become a hit. Second, Chen Jing’s vocal skills are impeccable. The most crucial thing in performance today is expressiveness. Frankly, if I didn’t know Chen Jing was a newcomer, I’d have thought he was a superstar. His stage presence is remarkable.”

Wei Guoqiang nodded in agreement, “Chen Jing’s performance was indeed perfect. I won’t say much more. I’m sure ‘The Brightest Star in the Night Sky’ will be a golden hit. To create such a song and sing so well—if nothing unexpected happens, I foresee the rise of a new star.”

Su Tingting added coolly, “The song is indeed good. It’s a party anthem, perfect for live shows, so it’s naturally popular.” She commented only on the song, not the singer, since she couldn’t fault Chen Jing’s vocal ability. Her words were deliberate—implying the song’s popularity was due to its suitability for the stage, not necessarily its merit elsewhere.

Chen Jing bowed politely. “Thank you, judges, for your guidance.”

He understood the judges’ remarks—there was no need to say more; results would speak for themselves.

Wen Wan smiled broadly, “Alright, now let’s have our three judges give their scores.”

Soon, the scores were announced: Huang Wenhao gave 95, Su Tingting 90—not low at all. But to Chen Jing’s surprise, Wei Guoqiang gave 97 points, two higher than Huang Wenhao.

Cai Lun exclaimed, “95, 97, and 90—congratulations, Chen Jing, the judges awarded him a total of 282 points!”

“Oh my, that’s the highest score given by the judges so far!” Wen Wan cried in amazement.

Cai Lun agreed, “Yes, and I think Chen Jing’s performance deserves it.”

“Next, it’s time for the audience to vote. If you enjoyed Chen Jing’s performance and his song, please cast your points for him.”

Compared to the judges’ scores, Chen Jing valued the audience vote more.

Numbers flashed across the screen, quickly surpassing four hundred, and finally settled at 488.

Seeing the score, Cai Lun announced loudly, “Congratulations to Chen Jing—he received 488 points from the audience, for a total of 770, now the highest score among the contestants.”

Chen Jing’s tense body relaxed slightly. With this score, his advancement was assured. His debut was solid.

Knowing he was no longer needed for the rest of the recording, Chen Jing left backstage with Lin Xi and Lin Zitan.

In the business van, Lin Xi narrowed her beautiful phoenix eyes, staring at Chen Jing, making him feel uneasy.

Chen Jing glanced around, checking himself, but saw nothing amiss. Noticing Lin Xi’s unabashed gaze, he joked, “Ahem—were you dazzled by my handsome performance just now?”

Lin Xi rolled her eyes, unwilling to indulge his brief moment of triumph, then quietly murmured, “I still underestimated you.”

After hearing from the teachers she’d arranged for Chen Jing that he was a bit extraordinary, Lin Xi thought she knew him well. But Chen Jing always broke her perceptions—whether when he quietly proposed switching to “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky,” or with his remarkable performance in the competition. Lin Xi realized Chen Jing still had much more to show.

Chen Jing shrugged, striking a pose, “Don’t doubt me—I don’t even know where my limits are.” With a wealth of works from his previous life as his foundation, Chen Jing could say this with absolute confidence.

(A tribute: Zhang Jie’s “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky”)