Chapter 128: A Sigh

"Eighth place, Lin Qihua." Wei Hongzhang announced the final results with an expressionless face. "The challenger has successfully challenged. It is a pity, but the singer we must bid farewell to this episode is Lin Qihua."

Applause erupted from the audience. They felt proud of their achievement. It was true that Lin Qihua had sung beautifully, but how could a singer with questionable artistic integrity and poor morals continue to stand on this sacred stage to perform? And so, even if he sang well, they had to cast him out, and now, they had succeeded.

Yet, why did there seem to be a lingering sense of regret in their hearts?

Lin Qihua stood up, bowed to the other singers beside him, and then to the audience. "Thank you all for quietly listening to my song tonight. Being able to sing on this stage is a great blessing. I have been blessed for a long time, and I have lived in a dream for a long time. Now that the dream has ended, it is time for me to summarize what I have learned and keep moving forward. Don't cry; life goes on, and my singing will continue. We will meet again."

Zhang Yuxun, fragile in her emotions, could no longer hold back her tears.

Lin Qihua hugged each of the singers one by one. When he reached Zhang Yuxun, he gently wiped away her tears. "Carry my unfinished dreams and keep going. Believe that you are the best."

"Mm." Zhang Yuxun nodded desperately, covering her mouth as tears welled in her eyes.

Wei Hongzhang also hugged Lin Qihua with a complex expression, sharing his thoughts in a rare moment of candor: "I have always believed that music should be left to music itself, and should not be infused with other sentiments. Regrettably, I did not see that tonight. I respect the decision of the public jury, but I stand by my own view: Lin Qihua is an exceptionally talented singer. Tonight’s song was a classic, and in this particular time and setting, it was remarkably fitting. Regardless of everything, thank you for the wonderful performances you have brought to this stage, and for the moments of emotion you have gifted us. Please, you must persist—persist in making good music, persist in being a good singer. We will be waiting for your return. The breakout round is waiting for you."

"I will," Lin Qihua replied, his voice choked with emotion as he accepted a bouquet from a staff member. "I will definitely be back."

Lin Qihua turned and left the stage without a moment’s hesitation. He had done his best, he had sung his heart out, and he had no regrets.

Zhang Yuxun covered her mouth, barely able to control her sobs. Wang Yalin gently wiped the corners of her eyes, Lu Zhixuan clenched his fists and let out a long sigh toward the ceiling, and Guan Shengjie turned away, unwilling to show his vulnerability in front of everyone.

The replacement singer, Huang Weidan, looked on with a sigh. She understood why Lin Qihua had been eliminated, but such a method was difficult for her to accept.

Even Xu Yichen, who had successfully challenged, felt completely at a loss. This was perhaps the least fulfilling victory in the history of *The Singers*. The audience had practically gift-wrapped second place for him just to ensure Lin Qihua would fall and leave.

"I didn't want this kind of result." He gripped his fists tight, wishing he had lost the challenge rather than winning it in such a way. To him, winning without honor felt almost like a disgrace.

The scene on stage was a portrait of human nature, but it could not change the outcome: in the fifth episode, Lin Qihua was eliminated.

This meant his journey on the stage of *The Singers* had come to an abrupt end. Some had once believed he was a strong contender for the title of "King of Singers," yet who could have guessed that a week later, he would leave in such a dejected manner?

***

After the show, media outlets like Red Bean Entertainment Network went into a frenzy. Using all sorts of words, they exaggeratedly described the behind-the-scenes and front-stage events of Lin Qihua's elimination, claiming that the people had finally made the right choice. They declared that their next step would be to purge him from the entertainment industry entirely to restore its purity.

However, online, many netizens raised this question: This was a live broadcast, and there was no doubt that nothing shady had occurred. Just as Director Wei said, this was the result of the public jury’s choice. Setting aside emotions, based on tonight's performance, was Lin Qihua really someone who deserved to be eliminated?

"Music should be decided by music itself. I don't know how the public jury judged that Lin Qihua's song should be eliminated, nor do I know why a challenger is allowed to take second place. I only know that the song *No Matter What* was beautiful, and Lin Qihua's performance was unexpectedly good. He was completely unaffected by the controversy. They say a guilty conscience makes a thief, but Lin Qihua was able to sing such a song so calmly, using his voice to express his conviction. So, could it be that we have misunderstood some things? Perhaps the truth is not what it seems?"

Of course, such comments were quickly drowned out by the tide of public opinion. More people cheered for his elimination, believing that his last line of defense was finally gone, and waiting to see how long he could hold out.

Among the media, apart from the majority like Red Bean Entertainment Network participating in the verbal assault against Lin Qihua, quite a few outlets remained silent. While they could not voice support for Galaxy Entertainment and Lin Qihua, they would not follow the trend to criticize him either. As insiders, they knew all too well the potential dark secrets involved.

*Voice of Music* was one such publication. Their post-show scoring and commentary were a favorite among viewers, and this time was no exception.

Lu Zhixuan, 1st place, 8 points. Lu Zhixuan’s performance was excellent; the changes he made had a great effect. This veteran singer finally displayed his full strength and claimed his first crown.

Xu Yichen, 2nd place, 7 points. As a newcomer, his performance was outstanding. To achieve such a great result, he should thank the support of the live audience.

Wang Yalin, 3rd place, 8 points. On par with Lu Zhixuan, she finally made some changes, which brought a pleasant surprise. Looking forward to her future performances.

Yuan Xiaolai, 4th place, 8 points. One of the "Three Elders," his strength is terrifyingly stable. Moreover, he dabbled in jazz, which surely shocked many, but this is *The Singers*—breaking through oneself to achieve classics. A thumbs-up to him.

Zhang Yuxun, 5th place, 7 points. The young girl didn't perform well today; it seems her emotions were affected. Hopefully, she regains her composure quickly.

Guan Shengjie, 6th place, 7 points. He attempted a new style and seemed a bit unaccustomed to it, but it was a good attempt. Keep it up.

Huang Weidan, 7th place, 7 points. A normal performance, but seeing the excellent displays by the other veteran singers, she still looked a bit nervous. Hopefully, she will have a breakthrough next episode.

Lin Qihua, 8th place, 8 points. This song was worth 9 points; it’s a pity he was eliminated, so I’m deducting one point.

After experimenting with various styles, Lin Qihua brought an inspirational English song, *No Matter What*. It was both expected and unexpected—expected in the sense that he would surely try a new style, but unexpected in that he had composed an English song. Please note: he *composed* it. Yes, this was his own work.

I think that upon hearing this song, everyone can think of recent events. Setting aside the analysis of right and wrong, let us just listen to the music. What did we hear in his voice? It was composure, persistence, and the temperament of "remaining calm despite the swirling clouds." His elimination was not the fault of the song, nor was it because he sang poorly. Just as Director Wei noted in his farewell, it was factors outside of music that determined the result of this competition. Regarding this, we have only one sentiment: a sigh.

***

The episode of *The Singers* once again shattered viewership records, yet what determined these ratings was no longer the competition itself, but the eliminated Lin Qihua. One has to say, that is a tragedy in itself.

Surrounding the competition's result, there was weeping and laughter; some were happy, some were sighing.

But Lin Qihua was already satisfied, for he had completed his performance perfectly. The slogan he often kept on his lips, "respect the stage," was not just empty words—he had truly lived up to it. He had not lost his courage due to the audience's attacks, nor had he panicked and ruined the classic song *No Matter What*. This alone made him proud and fulfilled. Furthermore, after the show, more fans and more viewers chose to believe in him and support him. Professional magazines like *Voice of Music* evaluated his performance relatively objectively and gave him affirmation, quietly tearing a gap in the suffocating pressure of public opinion. This was enough to fill Lin Qihua with joy.

Returning to Yanjing, at Galaxy Tower, Yu Fengqin greeted him with a big hug. "It's good to be back. Don't take it to heart; you did very well."

"I've made everyone worry." Lin Qihua knew that everyone must have been terrified while watching the television. Even Ma Xiaoqian, who was at the scene, had been so scared her face turned pale; when the results were announced, she had only been bracing herself to console him, while inside, she was on the verge of collapse.

"The situation is much better now," Li Zixuan reported calmly. "Influenced by this performance, the majority of rational netizens have chosen to wait and see. While they don't fully trust us yet, they aren't causing trouble, and we are pleased with that."

"Most importantly, the fans have stabilized again after the initial commotion. Everyone gathered together because of your voice. You used such a song to convey your true heart and your stance; everyone wouldn't fail to receive that, and the feedback we are getting is naturally heartening. The number of fans has initially stabilized now; there is no longer that collapsing decline from a few days ago."

"That's good," Lin Qihua smiled. This was precisely his goal: to open up a bit of breathing room for the company and himself.

"As long as things don't worsen, it's fine," He Li said, frowning. "It's a pity, they surely won't let it rest at that."

"Surely they won't let Yu Wenhao step in personally?"

"That won't happen; Yu Wenhao can't afford to lose that kind of face."

"Su Zitong?"

"Best not to. Let's hope not."