Chapter 62

After the start of the third year of high school, Li Pu continued his routine of going to school and practicing, but he also spent some of his time with Tang Mei. Of course, the famous singer herself was quite busy, so Li Pu only needed to spare about one day a week. The rest of the time, he was with Qin Xia'er.

Just having Qin Xia'er around meant she would chatter away incessantly, leading some of the more gossipy classmates to almost believe that Li Pu and Qin Xia'er were a pair of lovebirds.

For other students, the pressure of the third year of high school was immense, but Qin Xia'er's academic performance was outstanding, and her family background meant she had no worries about college admissions. So even though she spent a lot of time preparing for extracurricular competitions, her family was very supportive of her pursuing her dreams.

As for Li Pu, no one at home or at school cared about him, and his future plans had long been unrelated to the college entrance exam.

Li Pu continued his novel serialization on "MeninBlack," and the response kept getting better. He even gained a large fan base overseas. The domestic science fiction magazine "Science Fiction World" had contacted him several times through forum messages, and overseas publishers had indirectly expressed their interest in signing him for publication. They also wanted to recommend his work for the Nebula Award.

But what Li Pu truly wanted was not these hollow cheers and honors.

—This book was merely a New Year's gift for a girl.

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Time gradually passed, and it was early April 2004, the day of the third round of the "Global Idol" Chinese-speaking region auditions in Shanghai.

Young men and women, and even some older dream chasers, gathered in the backstage hall of the Shanghai audition venue. Like in the United States, where the competition originated, all registrants had to pass an initial review before the official auditions. This initial screening would eliminate the majority of the registrants. Those who made it to the stage to face the four judges were usually either exceptionally talented or exceptionally amusing—this was to boost ratings, but it also eliminated many capable contestants who lacked the "star quality" for various reasons.

Li Pu and Qin Xia'er were among those who successfully passed the initial review and received their contestant numbers, entering the backstage hall.

Since this was an idol selection, talent was one aspect, but appearance was equally important. Qin Xia'er had dressed up especially for the occasion, wearing a light-colored, ladylike outfit from the latest ELLE collection, paired with a short skirt that revealed just the right amount of leg. Her legs were encased in BALLY's handcrafted deer leather boots, and her naturally beautiful face was adorned with just a touch of lip gloss, exuding the vibrant energy of a young girl. Her well-developed figure added a touch of feminine charm.

Li Pu thought that when he was younger, he didn't think much of Qin Xia'er. Back then, everyone was a bit plain, and she was still a little girl with a ponytail who hadn't fully grown. More importantly, Chen Xian, who was often compared to her, was exceptionally outstanding.

Chen Xian's mother, Chen Xin, was a rare beauty, and her father, Di Tianxia, had a face even more handsome than Jude Law, masking his dangerously charismatic nature. Chen Xian, inheriting the best traits from both parents, was outstanding in every way. Comparing Qin Xia'er to her was a bit unfair.

Most of the people at the auditions were young men and women, and apart from a few exceptions, they generally looked good. But among the crowd of aspiring idols, Qin Xia'er still stood out as a classic beauty. Her attire, however, made her look a bit too much like a wealthy young lady. Some of the girls who had come from other places, dressed in practical but cheap fashion, carrying heavy luggage, looked at Qin Xia'er with a mix of admiration, envy, and occasional jealousy.

However, Qin Xia'er, waiting to be called for her performance, was completely oblivious to the gazes of others.

"This is the first time... the first time I'm doing something I truly want to do." The thoughts swirling in her mind made her feel a bit nervous, but more excited.

She had always been a good girl, taking her studies seriously, whether she liked them or not. She was a model student in front of her teachers and never caused her parents any trouble at home.

Winning awards at school, achieving good grades, earning praise from teachers and parents, having good character and talents, becoming a class representative, and being a role model for her classmates—these were the milestones of her growth.

As a high school student, perhaps this was enough. But sometimes, Qin Xia'er felt that she might have been too rule-bound, striving for others' approval and losing sight of her true direction.

In her childhood, she had seen the mixed-race girl who climbed trees and played in the fields with Li Pu, reading various extracurricular books freely. Now, she realized that her seemingly dismissive attitude might have been a form of envy.

This feeling became more pronounced after the kidnapping incident.

A small transformation began to take root in her heart, gradually growing and blossoming.

So, she couldn't wait until after high school to try something new, to break free from her constraints and do something purely for herself.

Negotiating with her parents wasn't as difficult as she thought. Perhaps her sudden independence made her mother happy, and her father didn't object, only saying that if she was going to do it, she should do it well.

"Phew..." The girl took a deep breath, "I can do this, don't be nervous."

It was just a performance in front of four judges and nearly a thousand invited audience members. In the past, as a class representative, she had often given speeches in front of the entire school.

A staff member walked over, called out two girls' names, and then continued, "...and Qin Yuezhuang! The three of you are up next, please get ready."

Qin Xia'er stood up abruptly and said to the boy beside her, "I'm going now, don't be nervous, okay?"

"What do I have to be nervous about..." Li Pu sighed and gave her a thumbs-up, "Don't worry, with those big boobs, you'll be fine!"

Li Pu's voice wasn't loud, but in the crowded backstage hall, it was still heard by many, and dozens of eyes turned to look. Some were amused, while others cast strange glances at the girl.

"Hey, idiot," Qin Xia'er, now the center of attention, blushed and crossed her arms, annoyed, "This is a singing competition, what does that have to do with... anything?"

"You know this is an idol competition, right? Just singing well isn't enough; you need to look good too," Li Pu smiled, "I heard some Japanese talent shows even have swimsuit reviews."

"But this one doesn't," Qin Xia'er recalled and said confidently.

"That's a shame, you're losing a big advantage," Li Pu sighed.

"I don't want that kind of advantage..." The girl, who was still a few months away from turning seventeen, blushed and mumbled, but she felt a bit happy that Li Pu thought she was cute.

Li Pu's antics somehow calmed her down. When it was her turn to perform, facing over a thousand audience members and the four judges, she felt like she was back in school, standing in front of her teachers and classmates.

The four judges each had two buttons in front of them, one to approve and one to reject, to decide if a contestant had the potential to stay after their three-minute performance.

No matter how many people participated in the nationwide auditions, only eighty of the most outstanding contestants would receive a "Golden Pass." They would then compete in a series of live TV showdowns to determine the final five, who would represent the Chinese-speaking region in the Asian competition.

When Qin Xia'er gracefully walked onto the stage, Tang Mei, who knew her well, looked satisfied—her private student, regardless of her background, was one of the most outstanding candidates she had seen in every aspect.

Seeing the girl walk onto the stage, the popular young singer Wang Yu and the cool-looking, short-haired, single-lidded pop star Zhou Jielun, who was sitting to his left, exchanged glances. Zhou Jielun smiled and whispered, "Wow, a classic beauty."

The oldest judge, Liu Bu, smiled, "A very cute girl. What's your name? Are you still a student?"

Qin Xia'er clasped her hands together, her smile sweet and a bit shy, "I'm a student at Shanghai No. 1 High School, and my name is Qin Yuezhuang."

"Qin Yuezhuang, why did you come to this competition?" Liu Bu asked.

"Because I love singing!" Qin Xia'er blurted out without hesitation. Realizing how common that answer was, she quickly added, "I've always been very rule-bound, only focusing on my studies..."

She smiled wistfully, "I used to think it was good, but lately, I feel like I might be... lacking in personality. This is the first time I'm doing something I truly want to do, choosing my own interests and direction. Even if it's just a small detour, I'll feel very satisfied if I can do it well."

Without a tragic backstory, just a simple, heartfelt expression of her thoughts, she won the favor of the judges and the audience.

"Alright, now start your performance," Zhou Jielun said coolly.

Under the gaze of the four judges and over a thousand audience members, Qin Xia'er's eyelids lowered slightly, her lashes fluttered, and she took a deep breath.

She had prepared for a long time, so—this was it!