Chapter 95: Though I Have No Old Songs, I Have New Ones (First Update, Please Subscribe)

Although "Singer Aura" had become a sensation, dominating half the entertainment world and even breaking the viewership record for music variety shows after its very first episode, Tomato TV's secrecy measures were so stringent that almost no information from the recording sites leaked before the show aired. Even the participating singers, unless they were performing in that episode, remained unaware of the recording outcomes. As a result, after every recording session, someone in the production team's group chat would inevitably ask: "How did it go today? Who advanced? Who was eliminated?"

Of course, no recording session stirred the group as much as the night following Hao Mingxing's second appearance. That evening, the chat was as lively as a volcanic eruption. Even before the recording had concluded, someone suddenly posted: "Oh my heavens!" Those three words unleashed a whirlwind of speculation among the members. Questions flooded in instantly.

"What happened?"
"What was the result tonight?"
"Did Hao Mingxing get eliminated?"
"Did a hot singer unexpectedly get knocked out?"

After a long while, a few participants finally replied:

"My entire family is shocked!"
"Wow, after this episode airs, the internet will go wild."
"I'm still getting chills."
"Oh heavens! Oh heavens! Oh heavens!"

With these responses, the group chat exploded. Everyone demanded to know what had happened, but those in the know remained tight-lipped. Hearts hung in suspense, high and trembling, until Saturday arrived.

That day, everyone waited in front of their televisions early, eyes fixed on Tomato TV.

...

Nowadays, there are countless ways to watch live broadcasts. Television is just one option. There are also live streams on Weibo, Douyin, and Tomato TV's own official website, among others. Douyin live streaming, in particular, is popular among younger viewers. In Tomato TV's Douyin streaming room, real-time viewers had already reached a million.

"Here for Zhou Jingyi."
"Here for Zhao Lian."
"Haha, I'm here for Hao Mingxing."
"Waiting for Hao Mingxing to be eliminated."
"Brothers, let's flood the chat: Poor Hao Mingxing, cannon fodder."
"......"

At eight o'clock in the evening, the program finally began in earnest. After more than ten minutes of advertisements, the host finally appeared on screen: "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight’s competition will feature six singers, all competing for four spots to advance. These six singers are: Luo Ning, Zhou Jingyi, Gao Xuan, Zhao Lian, Hao Mingxing, and Wei Wei. Which four will successfully pass through tonight? Let’s wait and see."

The live audience responded enthusiastically—they were, after all, "professionals." But the viewers watching the livestream reacted to the host’s words with a collective gasp. Barrages of comments soared across the screen.

"What the heck, this lineup!"
"Group of death!"
"Too strong, way too strong."
"This is insane."
"Even if Hao Mingxing gets eliminated, no one could blame him."

Seeing the six names, countless hearts shuddered. For good reason—the strength of this group was suffocating.

The entire program featured only two top-tier singers, and this group had Luo Ning, one of them. Zhou Jingyi was a top second-tier star. As for Gao Xuan, Zhao Lian, and Wei Wei, all three were solid third-tier singers. Hao Mingxing, in this group, seemed utterly inconspicuous.

Every grouping was determined by random draw, so when faced with such a lineup, all anyone could do was mourn Hao Mingxing in advance.

"I was hoping Hao Mingxing could pull off an upset, but now I have no expectations."
"With this lineup, Hao Mingxing would be honorable even in defeat."
"Brother Xing, may you find a smooth path ahead."
"Brother Xing, it’s not your fault."
"......"

The directors seemed to know Hao Mingxing was the focus of online attention, so he was given considerable screen time. In the footage, however, Hao Mingxing seemed unaffected by his grouping, sitting calmly in the lounge, waiting to go on stage. If nothing else, his composure was remarkable.

During the draw, Hao Mingxing picked the last spot for his performance. This order was mediocre at best. Taking advantage of the moment, the backstage host interviewed him.

Host: "Hao Mingxing, are you confident about your second appearance?"
Hao Mingxing: "Yes."
Host: "But your group is extremely strong. Are you sure you can beat them and advance?"
Hao Mingxing: "I don’t need to compare myself to others. I just need to sing my own song well."
"Oh?" The host’s interest was piqued. "From what you say, you seem quite confident in your song. Could you tell us what kind of song it is?"
Hao Mingxing: "That’s confidential."
The host was undeterred and continued: "Recently, there’s been a trending topic online, 'Poor Hao Mingxing, cannon fodder.' It’s about how netizens feel sorry for you. What do you think about that?"
Hao Mingxing’s expression turned serious: "I’m grateful for the attention from netizens, but I hope they don’t pity me. Only the weak need pity, and I… don’t wish to be weak."

This interview segment was broadcast almost unedited. Viewers who heard Hao Mingxing’s responses were left puzzled.

Did this mean… Hao Mingxing hadn’t given up? He was still fighting? From the tone of his words, he even seemed confident about advancing from this group. But how?

There was no time to dwell on it, as the cameras switched to the stage. The competition had officially begun.

The first to perform was Gao Xuan.

As the music played, a song both familiar and unfamiliar began: "On the muddy road, I smelled the scent of spring, the green of hope..." Instantly, everyone recognized it—a classic old song, but re-arranged to suit Gao Xuan’s voice.

Indeed, Gao Xuan’s performance was excellent, breathing new life into the old tune and surpassing his first-round standard. In the first round, every singer had performed their signature song, making it hard to judge differences. But in the second round, most would avoid repeating their own songs, as audience impressions would suffer. Instead, they’d choose classic songs, adapt them, and perform.

Thus, song selection and adaptation were crucial to victory or defeat.

That was why the second round was far more intense than the first and revealed each singer’s true level.

Online, viewers poured in praise:

"Gao Xuan’s adaptation is fantastic."
"Honestly, I think it’s better than the original."
"Gao Xuan truly deserves his reputation—his stage presence is solid."
"......"

With his second-round performance, Gao Xuan clearly leveled up from the first round. The opening singer raised the tension of the entire show.

Soon, the second singer, Wei Wei, took the stage. He also performed an adapted song, but deliberately changed his style, giving the song a unique flair. The audience was stunned. Another singer outdoing his first-round performance.

These two had already set hearts racing among the viewers.

Next, Zhou Jingyi, Luo Ning, and Zhao Lian performed in turn. Zhao Lian’s performance was steady. Zhou Jingyi’s appearance sparked a frenzy—her striking figure and beautiful voice made her a natural for the stage, eliciting wild screams from the audience.

But Luo Ning stood out most. As a top-tier singer, his stage presence and vocal skills were at their peak. Even an ordinary song, when sung by him, carried a classic charm, enchanting everyone.

Strong! Incredibly strong!

"My God, this is just the second round and it’s already this spectacular?"
"Deservedly the group of death."
"I feel like everyone’s performance is perfect."
"Only Hao Mingxing hasn’t performed yet—how could he compete?"
"I really feel for Hao Mingxing. After the five before him, he’s been utterly overshadowed."
"But Hao Mingxing just said in the interview that he doesn’t need our pity."
"He’s putting up a last struggle."

It was no wonder people lacked confidence in Hao Mingxing. There was a crucial reason: his vocal timbre was extremely unique. Across the entire music scene, his voice—dubbed "smoky vocals"—was one-of-a-kind.

Because of this, very few songs suited Hao Mingxing’s voice. After he became famous for "Whatever," journalists investigated: Yunhai Media had prepared over ten songs for him, but after trial singing, none fit well. In the end, Yunhai Media had to give up, not daring to let Hao Mingxing release new songs lightly.

That was why, months after his debut, Hao Mingxing still had only one signature song, "Whatever." In the music world, that was unprecedented.

For this reason, even ordinary viewers believed: If Hao Mingxing tried to adapt other singers’ songs in round two, it would almost certainly be awkward and mismatched. How could he compete with the others? Being grouped with the "group of death," elimination seemed inevitable.

On stage, as Zhao Lian stepped down, only Hao Mingxing remained to perform.

Under the spotlight, Hao Mingxing, calm and composed, finally ascended the stage. There was no disappointment, no nervousness, no trace of despair or frustration.

It was the host who seemed excited: "Hao Mingxing, how does it feel to be on stage?"

Hao Mingxing smiled slightly: "Very good."

Host: "You seem in great shape. Since you’re the last to perform and the previous five all sang adapted old songs, I want to ask: Are you also following the old-song adaptation route?"

Hao Mingxing shook his head. "No, I’m not singing an adapted song."

The host was taken aback: "Not an adaptation? Are you going to sing your own old song? But… if I remember correctly, aside from 'Whatever,' you don’t have any others, right?"

"That’s right."

"So you mean…?"

"Though I don’t have old songs, I… have a new song."

(To be continued)