Chapter 82: A Storm of Public Opinion

While this small gathering was filled with joy, public discussion outside had already begun to ferment.

As the most highly anticipated variety show competition, "The Singer" was closely watched by artists within the industry. As soon as the results were announced, some couldn’t wait to share their opinions on social media platforms.

“Yalin deserves the top spot—her voice is simply enchanting,” wrote the renowned actor Wang Junhao, posting immediately on his platform. “Goddess, forever a goddess.” He attached photos from tonight’s performance as well as old snapshots with Wang Yalin.

Fans flooded the comments below, each voicing their own perspective.

The famous singer Li Qingyu added, “Lu Zhixuan, the elder brother, outstanding vocals, magnificent live performance. Third place—what a pity.” She too posted a picture with Lu Zhixuan.

Yet the most popular post came from an account that rarely published anything.

The superstar, Gao Jun, shared his reflections on his own social media: “The You of the Past.” He spoke of memories from his youth, when he was still a wandering singer, tirelessly chasing every opportunity, enduring hardships just to participate in a single show. Yet he never gave up, never considered giving up being a singer. Fortunately, he survived the struggle, finally becoming a real singer, following his passion and achieving true success. Having experienced life’s ups and downs, the smile on his face remains warm and pure. “My favorite line: Even after all these years, my heart still races as before, my original dream unchanged.”

As soon as the superstar updated his platform, countless fans rushed in, eager to share their thoughts.

“Incredible! Even the superstar was moved by this song. How amazing must it be?”

“My heart aches for him—watching him come up from being a wandering singer wasn’t easy. This song is truly touching.”

“He sings of himself, but isn't he also singing about all our lives?”

With Gao Jun’s post, other artists in the industry also began to mention this song.

Liang Xichen: “A toast to the years—no looking back from here. After hearing this song, there’s nothing more to say. I flipped through old photos—gray hairs have appeared, but my heart remains the same.”

Luo Xue: “I want to cry, because the world should have been so beautiful! Yet here I am, lost. Where do I go from here? I keep thinking of friends who are still walking this path—how many are waking up?”

Yu Zimo: “The years have changed us so much, worn us down, marked us with hardship. There are always setbacks one after another, but the more there are, the more we take pride in our persistence, proud of stumbling yet holding on. A good man’s heart is vast as the sea—walking forward means you exist.”

As artists poured out their sentiments, the internet boiled over. Media, netizens—everyone started to speak up.

“This is an unforgettable youth, an unforgettable feeling. Lin Qihua is the biggest surprise, the biggest dark horse among this season’s singers. With ‘The You of the Past,’ he brought us an emotion we won't soon forget. Tonight, let’s raise our glasses: a good man’s heart is vast as the sea.”

“On the soccer field, there’s that one goal that makes you famous; on the stage of ‘The Singer,’ there’s that one song. Lin Qihua staked everything on his comeback—and he succeeded.”

“‘The You of the Past’ burst onto the scene, moving countless viewers to tears. This is something that the era of pre-recorded shows could never achieve. Now, ‘The Singer’ has done it. It proves that live broadcasting does not mean a drop in quality; on the contrary, it can be even better. It allows countless viewers at home to participate, to be present with their favorite artists, to be touched and moved to tears by the music. This is the power of live broadcast. Is the era of live TV still far off?”

“The biggest dark horse, the greatest surprise—one song, and the world knows his name. Tonight’s ‘The Singer’ belongs to Lin Qihua, belongs to ‘The You of the Past,’ and belongs to all the viewers. At this moment, what we feel can be summed up in just two words: youthful passion. That is enough.”

Netizens’ reactions were even more direct.

“I cried, I knelt—remembering the days of bunk beds in the dorm, remembering my brothers, remembering those drunken nights singing loudly on the track. Now we’ve all gone our separate ways, scattered across the world. Brothers, I miss you.”

“That girl who once made your heart ache has now quietly vanished. Love always makes you yearn, but also brings you trouble and pain. In everyone’s heart, there’s a girl who left an ache behind, but now she’s quietly gone. What a painful realization.”

“Dilililidilililidenda—I used to think this was just empty humming, but after listening to it several times, I realized this is the real essence of the song. So many memories and emotions that can’t be put into words are all captured in that refrain.”

“On the road to chasing dreams, there are hardships and there are highlights. That’s life. That’s the price of pursuing dreams. If you don’t want to pay that price, then don’t long for dreams. Everything comes at a cost, and dreams are no exception.”

“Determination, composure, and confidence—that’s the true spirit of this song. The you of the past, the you of today, all that you once were—all return to a pure and warm heart, like a good man’s heart, vast as the sea. All that remains is the persistence and pursuit of your dreams. Stay true to your original aspiration, face forward, and remain steadfast, composed, and confident.”

“To the girl from the past—where are you now?”

“Maybe people have forgotten who Lin Qihua is? A fifth-tier singer. But now, does anyone care about that? In my eyes, not even the top-tier singers move us like he does. Fifth-tier? What a ridiculous joke.”

As the public reaction continued to build, “The Singer” and its contestants shot to the top of the trending lists. In just one night, “The Singer,” Lin Qihua, “The You of the Past,” and Wang Yalin surged to the very top, becoming the hottest and most talked-about topics. This is the magic of “The Singer,” the collective force of netizens across the nation, the power of live broadcasting—and the way “The You of the Past” stirred the hearts of viewers everywhere, setting the internet ablaze and achieving a miraculous result.

“If we can keep up this momentum for the second episode, then this season of ‘The Singer’ will be rock-solid. Who knows, maybe it really could surpass the second season and become a classic,” Wei Hongzhang thought contentedly as he reviewed the report his assistant just delivered. He knew—choosing Lin Qihua was the right call, perhaps the best decision he’d made this time. He recalled the way Lin Qihua had sat before him, speaking so earnestly.

“Perhaps, just perhaps, it really is possible,” he thought, his heart filling with anticipation. He wanted to see just how far Lin Qihua could go.