The second performer to take the stage was Wu Qingshan, a male singer in his fifties.
He sang an adapted version of an old song, where the old lyrics and memories evoked scenes from the past, yet brought about a new sensation, a new understanding.
He was likewise well-received by the audience. Many older audience members felt transported back to those years upon hearing his voice, their memories gilded and their thoughts stirred.
One by one, each singer finished their performance. After the last one had sung, everyone was invited back to the stage.
"Up to this point, all the singers have finished their performances. So, what are the results?"
The host dragged out his words as he walked toward the stage, keeping everyone in suspense.
This was the production team's old trick, and the audience did not indulge him, jeering from below the stage.
The host kept his cheerful demeanor. This time, he didn't turn to the audience but instead approached the singers standing on the stage.
"Teacher Guan, you are the most senior here. Why don't you tell us, what do you think the results will be?"
Guan Che was no fool. He chuckled, looked at the audience below, who were pretending to be angry, and said,
"How could I guess? Everyone is so formidable, with such a gathering of talent on this stage, how could I see through it? Right now, I'm just hoping I'm not last."
It's true what they say: the older the ginger, the spicier it is. With that, there was no way the host could continue asking.
Instead, the audience below was amused by him and burst into laughter, earning him a wave of popularity and goodwill.
"Alright, let's not beat around the bush anymore. Now, let's reveal the answer..."
"The winner of first place is... actually, let's not reveal that just yet. Let's announce the other placements first."
"Oh, come on!"
"Okay, we're really going to announce it now. Let's start with third place. And third place goes to... Ye Lanzhou! Congratulations!"
...
As each rank was announced, those who had already received their results breathed a sigh of relief, with mixed feelings of satisfaction or disappointment.
Those whose results had yet to be announced were on tenterhooks, extremely nervous.
Standing on the stage, Xu Qingqiu appeared calm, but in reality, her heart was almost leaping out of her chest. She looked down at the audience, hoping to find someone familiar for a sense of security.
However, at a glance, she couldn't make out anyone and could only give up in resignation. It was at this moment that the host called her name.
"And fourth place goes to our very own... Xu Qingqiu! Congratulations to her!"
Being suddenly called out startled her. That natural reaction, caught on the big screen, triggered roaring laughter from the audience below, followed by a burst of warm applause.
Coming to her senses, she quickly expressed her thanks, her cheeks flushed, unsure if it was from excitement or shyness.
Finally, the host announced the first and last places.
According to audience votes, Guan Che unsurprisingly won first place. After all, as a veteran, his strength was evident, and his status was established. The nostalgia factor alone scored him many points, not to mention his excellent song choice, which was very effective at drawing votes.
Second place went to Zhu Yan, the "Big Sister" figure of the competition. Her performances were always dynamic and bold, making them incredibly entertaining. Even if her songs were occasionally a bit lacking, her stage presence alone was enough to earn her significant points. This ranking wasn't surprising at all.
Surprisingly, third place went to Ye Lanzhou. She was a singer who started with folk songs but handled pop music with equal ease. Her talent was not to be underestimated.
Conversely, Wu Qingshan, who ranked third in terms of seniority, dropped to fifth place. It's fair to say his song choice was a problem. His singing skills were solid, but his song selection and arrangement seemed somewhat out of step with current trends. This was his biggest failing.
The other biggest surprise was Xu Qingqiu.
Among all the contestants, she had relatively the least experience, was one of the youngest, and was considered to have weaker singing skills. Furthermore, she had been the first to perform.
Yet, despite all this, she still secured fourth place—a result that surprised many.
It's safe to say that no one expected this result, but it happened just like that.
To secure fourth place amidst a field of veteran singers was no small feat. It's fair to say her performance in this round was a great success.
As for the others, Huang Dongjun, who hadn't performed rock music this time, took sixth place. Hua Ruyue was seventh, Qin Xiao eighth, and Jin Yuzhen ninth.
Jin Yuzhen had debuted as the center of a girl group, and her singing skills were never her strong suit. She was mostly there to fill a spot, essentially a supporting role, so her rank wasn't surprising.
Qin Xiao's result was more telling. He always boasted about his fantastic singing, but the reality of his abilities became clear once he was on stage.
Setting aside idle talk for now, once the host concluded the segment, the show's recording paused. The audience began to disperse for a break, and the singers also needed to rest and prepare.
Recording for the second round was scheduled to start in half an hour.
Once the on-stage portion ended, Xu Qingqiu was about to rush offstage when she was stopped by the other singers.
Indeed, sometimes strength really does elevate one's status. When she first joined the show, she had needed Hua Ruyue to introduce her to the senior singers, and even then, they had been somewhat dismissive.
But this time, after securing fourth place and with everyone having witnessed her performance, her talent was undeniable.
With talent and results validating her songs and popularity, her rise to stardom seemed inevitable.
As a result, everyone's attitude towards her shifted immediately. While they didn't say anything particularly profound, their demeanor was a world away from how they'd treated her before.
Once the conversations finally ended, she hurried towards the backstage area. Halfway there, she spotted a familiar figure intently watching a staff member operate a camera boom.
"Chu Tian? What are you doing here?"
"Ah? I'm waiting for you here."
"Waiting for me? This is how you wait for me? To think I just spent ages scanning the audience, and he was backstage waiting all along! I almost made a fool of myself! And he says he's waiting for me, but what's he doing gawking at a camera boom? Is he here to watch the show or to actually wait for me?"
Chu Tian still didn't realize what the issue was and naturally said,
"Yeah, Sister Hua asked me to wait here to take you back. Yiyi is waiting just inside the side door."
"Then let's go."
Xu Qingqiu didn't know what to say. She gave him a speechless look, then glanced at the large, dark camera boom. What's so fascinating about that thing? Do all men like such strange contraptions?
The remaining break time was spent on makeup touch-ups and bathroom visits.
「Soon, the second round of performances began.」
This time, the order of performance was the exact opposite of the first round.
Xu Qingqiu finally became the last singer to take the stage.
This had its pros and cons. The advantage was not facing the same intense pressure as those who performed earlier.
The disadvantage, however, was the uncertainty about how many votes the audience still held. If they had few votes left, her score would suffer no matter how well she sang.
Of course, even if the audience had many votes remaining, it didn't guarantee they would all go to her. The audience could choose to withhold their votes. If her performance wasn't good, they might not vote for her, even if they had plenty of votes to cast.
It was a gamble, and the outcome ultimately depended on the singer's live performance.