The final review period always passes quickly, but what arrives even faster than finals is the college entrance exam.
Qiu Qiu had been admitted to university through a recommendation program, so he never experienced the gaokao himself, but he was deeply aware of its intensity. Several of his classmates were brave souls retaking the exam after a previous attempt. The night before the exam, he specifically called Hua Xiang, wishing him exceptional performance and success in getting into his ideal school.
Hua Xiang was a special talent student; before the gaokao, he also had to pass specialized art exams. It was said that in his previous two attempts, he had passed the art exams smoothly but fell short in the gaokao by around a hundred points. It was uncertain whether he would achieve his wish this time.
The "Super New Voice" program team scheduled the dress rehearsal for the regional finals on the evening of June 8th. Hua Xiang, having finished his last comprehensive subject exam that afternoon, rushed straight from the examination hall to the studio without even stopping for a meal.
The considerate Qiu Qiu, knowing he hadn't had dinner, specially made him a sandwich stuffed with a thick layer of beef and egg, bursting with juices with every bite. Hua Xiang ate ravenously while chatting with Qiu Qiu about the exam questions, delightedly stating that the tutor he hired this time was very effective, having correctly predicted the key points for several major essay questions. He was eighty to ninety percent sure he could pass the cutoff score.
"Once I get into university, we won't be schoolmates anymore," Hua Xiang sighed dramatically. "My major is only offered at the conservatory of music. But we'll both be in the university town, so it'll be easier to find you later."
"What's your major? Vocal music or performance?"
"Neither! I'm studying drama."
"...Martial arts roles?"
Hua Xiang was furious. They were about to have the finals, and his good friend hadn't even watched his competition videos. The friendship between men was so fake.
Hua Xiang sulked for a good while before glancing down at the half-eaten sandwich in his hand and reluctantly deciding to spare Qiu Qiu's miserable life. "Forget it. But you can't run off when I go on stage for my sound check later. No answering calls from your godfather, not even from your real dad!"
Qiu Qiu quickly raised his hand in a vow, promising to stand in the front row of the audience this time.
Today was a non-costume rehearsal. The assistant director was still wearing that yellow vest, bustling around tirelessly. One moment he was yelling at the accompaniment band, the next he was running to find the lighting technician, exhausted like a dog.
Fortunately, the format for the regional finals wasn't complicated. It was still the same: six contestants would draw lots and then perform on stage, with advancement based on the judges' scores. Since it was a rehearsal, there was no drawing of lots. Each of the six contestants could have half an hour on stage for sound checks. If they managed their time well, they could run through their songs three or four times, which was enough to sync with the band.
The remaining contestants each had their own calculations. The elimination rate for the finals was a full fifty percent. Only three could advance to the national competition, and everyone wanted to be the final winner. Although they had a rough idea of each other's levels from the semi-finals, half a month had passed. Who knew if others had been training in secret?
So, when the assistant director held out the microphone, for a moment, no one reached for it. Everyone wanted to see the others' levels first before taking the stage themselves.
After a few seconds of stalemate, seeing that no one was competing, Qiu Qiu smiled and took the microphone.
He was strong, confident, unafraid of others seeing his cards, and not interested in secretly learning others' techniques.
Holding his guitar, he walked out from backstage and stood in the center of the stage.
This time was completely different from last time. Last time, thousands of lights were blazing, the stage glittered with starlight, light boards flickered in the audience, and as far as the eye could see, there was a sea of people. He stood on the high platform, enveloped by countless gazes of admiration.
But to save power and lower the studio temperature during rehearsal, only a single spotlight was aimed at the stage, falling right in front of the microphone stand. Because he was doing a guitar solo and didn't need band accompaniment, he was the only one on stage. The audience area was pitch black, with only the lights from the camera equipment and the flickering of walkie-talkies on the staff's belts visible.
It was his first time... singing for himself in such dim surroundings.
Qiu Qiu steadied himself. His left hand held the headstock, his right hand formed a fist, and he gently tapped the soundbox with his knuckles. The guitar he used was the most common wooden type. With his rhythmic tapping, the body of the guitar produced a clear, resonant sound.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight...
After eight beats, Qiu Qiu stepped forward and began singing softly into the standing microphone.
"You asked me to watch the stars with you,
But I was thinking about the Earth's axial tilt the geography teacher mentioned.
You asked me to travel the world with you,
But I was troubled, only knowing how to say 'hello' in English.
You asked me to play games with you,
But I couldn't abandon my workbooks to pull all-nighters with you.
You dreamed of us wearing suits,
But I hoped,
That after leaving school, we'd still have chances to chat and laugh, to skip class and climb walls."
This time, he had chosen another light, fresh song. However, it wasn't about pure first love anymore, but about the various experiences of a student in school. The high spirits upon entering the school gates, the anxious confusion of battling through a sea of practice questions, the excited anticipation nearing graduation, and the deep reluctance to part with beloved teachers and classmates.
This folk song wasn't technically difficult to sing, nor did it showcase any vocal techniques, but it excelled in its sincere emotion, moving listeners to tears while still filling them with hope. Standing under the spotlight, Qiu Qiu sang this song softly, gently, and repeatedly, evoking all the listeners' memories of their student days. Especially in conjunction with the graduation atmosphere right after the college entrance examination, it would absolutely make the audience cry.
The program's chief planner and director exchanged a look. Actually, which contestants advanced to the national competition wasn't just about singing ability; many other aspects had to be considered. The votes in the judges' hands weren't as important as the opinions of these behind-the-scenes staff.
Qiu Qiu could sing and was clever, a shining golden signboard wherever he went. Such a large, beautifully polished gem... how had no one picked it up in the past twenty-one years?
...
After Qiu Qiu came off stage, Hua Xiang rushed up and hugged him, crying his eyes out. Damn it, he had just finished the college entrance examination and then got hit with this emotional barrage. His tears were about to dry up, okay?
Qiu Qiu, now covered in snot, said helplessly, "Didn't you say you've taken the exam three times and don't feel anything anymore?"
"Can't a guy be emotionally rich?!"
After Qiu Qiu sang, it was Qi Qiqi's turn. The little guy once again sang an ethereal hymn, full of celestial air. One has to say, a young boy's voice is naturally more nimble than an adult's; he hit several high notes effortlessly.
With his ability, advancing shouldn't be a problem.
After that, three other contestants took the stage one by one for their sound checks. Their performances were average. Apart from one female contestant who posed a slight threat, the other two weren't worth worrying about.
When everyone else had finished, Hua Xiang was finally ready. He shot a love wave at Qiu Qiu, left behind a "Just wait and hear my secret weapon," and charged onto the stage with his gold-trimmed microphone.
Qiu Qiu kept his promise, making his way to the first row of the audience seats, sitting up particularly attentively to listen to his friend's live sound check. He truly couldn't figure out what Hua Xiang was actually singing. Hua Xiang said he studied traditional Chinese opera, but wasn't a martial arts role performer. Could he be singing the old male roles?
When the prelude began, Qiu Qiu was speechless to discover it was a familiar, overplayed, and utterly mainstream pop song. It wasn't even accompanied by a live band, but by a pre-recorded backing track playing from the speakers.
As the prelude ended, Hua Xiang picked up his golden microphone and started singing, swaying his head to the beat. Not a single piece of fabric on his outfit was intact—it was either slashed open here or missing a chunk there. Paired with his head full of dreadlocks and a thumb-thick gold chain, he looked like a hip-hop artist who had wandered onto the wrong set.
How to put it... the choice of this bubblegum pop song actually fit Hua Xiang's persona quite well, but the performance as a whole was unremarkable, sung in a perfectly average way that just wasn't standout. Even Qiu Qiu felt that if Hua Xiang was hoping to advance to the next round with this song, he would face great difficulty.
On stage, Hua Xiang was completely unaware his friend's mind had wandered. He sang and danced with full energy, his stage movements particularly flamboyant.
However, just as the song was approaching its climax, the accompaniment took a sudden, dramatic turn. The modern pop melody shifted, with traditional folk instruments replacing the Western ones from before. Jinghu, yueqin, and xianzi made their grand entrance, followed by flutes, sheng xiao, and tang drums taking their turns in the spotlight.
Hua Xiang executed a nimble pivot on stage. When he turned back, his fingers were delicately poised, his posture became soft and graceful, and the look of playful irreverence on his face had vanished, replaced entirely by the lively, mischievous demeanor of a young maiden.
Qiu Qiu clapped a hand tightly over his mouth, afraid he might cry out.
Good heavens! After twelve years of marching together, you never knew Mulan was a woman!
