Volume One: At the Pinnacle from the Start Chapter 58: Chen Jing, Say Yes to Her

On the grand stage of the Voice of Huaxia finals, the contestants gave their all in dazzling performances. Even though Guo Feng knew he had no chance at the championship, he still devoted himself wholeheartedly to his final song. When he finished, the audience responded with thunderous applause.

As the host took the stage, Cai Lun asked Guo Feng how he felt about participating in this season’s Voice of Huaxia. Guo Feng smiled and replied, “I’ve gained so much from this experience. Although I won’t be the champion, I truly admire the person who will win. From today on, he’s my goal. I’ll work hard to catch up! On this musical journey, I’ll never give up.” Everyone knew who “he” referred to.

Guo Feng’s words won the crowd’s admiration. As the saying goes, you may lose, but never lose your spirit—Guo Feng embodied this perfectly.

“This Guo Feng has quite a good character,” Chen Jing remarked backstage to Lin Xi and the others as Guo Feng, perhaps for the last time, addressed the audience.

Lin Xi said coolly, “If he can always maintain this attitude, he’ll do well enough in the music industry.”

Lin Xi understood something crucial: persistence doesn’t guarantee success, but without it, failure is almost certain. That infinitesimal chance of success is merely theoretical if you give up.

The judges and audience then gave their scores—Guo Feng received 712 points. Adding his score from the first round, he totaled 754. Looking at his final score, Guo Feng smiled in satisfaction. He had broken the 700 mark. Though he missed the championship, he had given his best.

Guo Feng left the stage, and it was Yang Xingli’s turn. To the audience’s disappointment, Yang Xingli’s performance tonight was lackluster. He had already been overshadowed in the duet round by Huang Wenhao’s presence, and his solo now was unremarkable. There were no glaring mistakes, but nothing stood out either. For the audience, only standout moments command their attention—otherwise, why would they vote for you?

After performing, the host Wen Wan invited Yang Xingli to share his thoughts. He picked up the microphone and said with a wry smile, “There are so many hidden talents in this competition. I’ve come to see my own shortcomings clearly. I’ll work hard to improve my singing. I hope for your continued support.”

The judges and audience gave him 678 points, plus 36 from the previous round, for a total of 714. Clearly, Yang Xingli was out of the running, with a total even less than Guo Feng’s.

Next up was Xie Weiyu. She took the stage but, instead of signaling for her music, picked up the microphone and said, “Sorry, everyone. Please allow me a moment to say a few words.”

The audience looked at her in surprise, curious about what she would say. The production team didn’t intervene; as long as she wasn’t being disruptive, they welcomed a little unpredictability to liven up the finale and boost ratings.

With all eyes on her, Xie Weiyu took a deep breath and summoned her courage. “What I want to say is, for this last song, I wish to challenge Chen Jing. I know that, barring any surprises, Chen Jing will end up with the highest total score and the championship is rightfully his. That’s the way the competition works, and I accept it wholeheartedly. But this challenge is not about the championship. I just want to prove myself—I, Xie Weiyu, will not lose to anyone.”

Her stirring words won the audience’s enthusiastic applause, with many calling out their support for Chen Jing to accept the challenge.

“Well said! That’s the spirit you need in a competition.”

“Chen Jing, accept her challenge! How can you turn down a brave young woman who steps up?”

“That first round was unfair to the contestants—felt like it was all about who could invite the strongest duet partner!”

“Nonsense! Even without a guest, Chen Jing’s performance stood out above the rest.”

“Whatever the case, the final round is about each contestant’s true ability. Whoever wins, no one can dispute the result.”

The camera quickly cut backstage to Chen Jing, who smiled and gestured with a welcoming hand. The audience burst into cheers—he had accepted the challenge.

When the camera returned to the stage, Ling Ruohan rolled her eyes and said to Chen Jing, “Why did you agree to her challenge? You didn’t need to bother with her.” To Ling Ruohan, Xie Weiyu’s move was nothing more than dissatisfaction with Chen Jing’s high score in the duet round, implying his success relied on his guest partner. She wanted to use the final round to prove she was his equal. Ling Ruohan saw right through this little trick.

But was that really the case? In their duet, did Chen Jing show any weakness? Any discerning listener could tell their performance was harmonious and balanced, not carried by one over the other—something Ling Ruohan, as a singer, knew best.

“Exactly, Xie Weiyu is being petty,” Lin Zitan chimed in.

Lin Xi said nothing. She felt that since the outcome was already certain, adding a little drama would only make things more interesting.

Chen Jing smiled confidently, “It doesn’t matter. After all, in the first round, Ruohan and I went all out—it was a bit unfair. This gives them a fair shot. And since Xie Weiyu still doesn’t see the gap between us, let me make it clear for her. In this last song, I’ll sing so well she’ll have to accept it.”

Ling Ruohan was pleased by his words. Indeed, she thought, she and Chen Jing as a duo really were too much for the others.

Seeing Chen Jing accept her challenge, Xie Weiyu felt a surge of joy but quickly focused. She was determined to give her all in the upcoming performance.

The music started, and to everyone’s surprise, Xie Weiyu sang an English song. The audience was taken aback. Although English was still the world’s most widely spoken language, this was the Voice of Huaxia, with a Chinese-speaking audience.

Regardless of what the audience thought, Xie Weiyu poured her heart into the song. Her vocal ability was undeniable. She delivered the English song to perfection, expressing both its power and emotion with clarity. Although most of the audience didn’t understand English, they responded with enthusiastic applause. Perhaps because they couldn’t understand the words, the performance seemed even more impressive—such is often the case with English songs. In everyday life, if someone sings an English song on key, they’re almost guaranteed applause.

As the song reached its climax, Xie Weiyu finished with a powerful high note, ending the performance flawlessly. The audience erupted in sustained applause.

The host returned to the stage, and Cai Lun said with a smile, “I never expected you’d sing an English song, and do it so well. Truly impressive, Weiyu.”

Wen Wan added, “I agree. I can speak a bit of English, but singing in English is another matter entirely. Let’s hear from our judges.”

Su Tingting spoke first, full of praise: “You sang this English song perfectly, Xie Weiyu. I also noticed your voice is particularly suited to English songs—unique and captivating.”

Huang Wenhao smiled, “What matters most in English songs is the singer’s vocal tone. Some voices just don’t suit English, no matter how accurate the pitch and rhythm—the result sounds strange. Not you, of course—I’m talking about myself. But your voice is a perfect fit, and your performance was flawless. No matter what happens in your challenge with Chen Jing, your performance deserves recognition.”

Wei Guoqiang concluded, “To be honest, I’m not a fan of English songs, but your performance amazed me. Also, I admire your courage in challenging Chen Jing—we all need that fighting spirit. Whatever the outcome, I hope you accept it calmly.”

All three judges spoke glowingly, making it clear they thought highly of Xie Weiyu.

She bowed to the judges, and the voting began. Her performance was indeed outstanding: the judges gave her scores of 98, 97, and 95, and the audience contributed 480 votes.

In the end, Xie Weiyu’s score for this round was 770—higher than Guo Feng and Yang Xingli’s combined totals from both rounds. With 103 from the duet round, her total was now 873.

Seeing her score, Xie Weiyu thanked the audience and judges with heartfelt emotion. Even if she couldn’t quite surpass Chen Jing, she would only be a few points behind. That was enough—no one could say she wasn’t his equal.

She thought this to herself. Even as she earned her highest score yet, she never imagined she would actually surpass Chen Jing. She knew herself too well for such illusions.