Chapter 61

The camera captured this magical moment perfectly.

The two characters "Liu Qin" seemed to carry a certain magic, instantly quieting the scene and the countless viewers in front of their screens.

"This is... a sense of anticipation."

"Only a few popular contestants like Li Tianyin, Liu Qin, or Su San can capture the audience's attention like this." The judges on the panel were quietly discussing.

Luo Bingqing said with some anticipation, "Today, Liu Qin might sing an original song..."

Yi Bai also chimed in, "Many people on the internet are comparing Liu Qin to Li Tianyin. At this moment, Liu Qin can only silence the critics with a new song..."

Ma Haoran nodded, agreeing with the two of them.

Zhang Zonghuan smiled and said, "No need to guess, isn't it about to start..."

As Zhang Zonghuan finished speaking, the entire stage darkened, followed by a somewhat melancholic melody.

"This..." Yi Bai was somewhat taken aback, "Not a new song?"

The other three judges were also stunned, not expecting Liu Qin to not counter Li Tianyin with a new song but instead to use one of her previous songs for the competition.

The camera zoomed in.

On stage, Liu Qin was wearing a white round-neck T-shirt and vertical striped skinny pants, looking fresh and natural.

"The previous contestants put a lot of effort into their appearances, and Li Tianyin even designed a light chiffon to create a stunning effect as if a fairy had descended from heaven... but this one is dressed far too casually and simply."

Indeed, due to Li Tianyin's influence, most contestants who went on stage began to purposefully design their images to add points to their performances.

Only Liu Qin seemed to have no idea about dressing up or applying makeup, standing on stage in a relaxed and casual manner, smiling faintly to the music.

"This song... doesn't seem to be a new one?" Some viewers had already picked up on something in the music.

"Of course it's not a new song. This song is called 'Those Years,' and I've heard it many times. I really hope Liu Qin would sing a new song..."

"Right, although this song is nice, I've heard it so many times that I'm tired of it. Liu Qin has really disappointed me this time. Has she really run out of ideas?"

"I don't think I'm tired of it. As long as Liu Qin is singing, I enjoy it. You might be disappointed because you don't really like Liu Qin as a singer."

"Exactly, no matter what Liu Qin sings, I like it. Those who say they're tired of it are definitely not true fans!"

The audience below was discussing, and it seemed that Liu Qin's fans were divided into two camps: one supporting her, willing to listen to whatever she sang, and the other disappointed that she didn't sing a new song.

After the prelude, Liu Qin's voice rang out, and the murmurs in the audience gradually faded...

"Those years, how many times did we say goodbye,

After saying goodbye, we lingered on,

Unfortunately, no one has ever truly loved,

It's not a grand debate of emotions.

Those years, we hastily made promises

That were too heavy to bear,

We can only wait for others to fulfill them.

It's not the fault of the kiss marks not yet forming calluses,

Hugging and hibernating couldn't transform us into immortals.

It's not the fault of this love not having time to rehearse,

It's the grace of time that gives us the chance to regret.

If we meet again, will our eyes still be red,

Or will our cheeks still be flushed,

Just like those years when we hastily carved

The beautiful lie of 'forever together.'

If the past is still worth cherishing, don't rush to forgive,

Who would be content with being unconnected and unattached?

We need to owe each other something, otherwise, how can we reminisce..."

The familiar lyrics and melody, Liu Qin's voice carried a slight hoarseness, which added a touch of nostalgia, fitting the song's atmosphere perfectly.

Almost all the audience had heard this song before, but they were still immersed in the music. Only a small portion of the audience looked conflicted, clearly disappointed that Liu Qin didn't sing a new song...

——

"Liu Qin's voice is indeed good, but if the opponent is our Li Tianyin, Liu Qin can only be second." In a dormitory at Tiandu University, Ren Changjiang shook his head repeatedly upon seeing Liu Qin choose to sing her previous song "Those Years."

"Li Tianyin's new song 'Peach Blossom' is amazing. Liu Qin must have known she couldn't compete, so she chose this song... After all, this song is also very good." Zhu Changhong added.

This was the opinion of most people.

Liu Qin must have been unable to write a new song that could surpass "Peach Blossom," so she chose to avoid the battle and sing one of her previous songs.

"Is 'Those Years' not a good song?!" Wang Yu glared at her two roommates angrily.

Among the few songs of Liu Qin's that were popular online, Wang Yu liked "Those Years" the most.

"It's very good." Luoyang chimed in appropriately, which was also his true feeling. In his previous life, he had heard the song countless times, sung by the diva Faye Wong, and the unique atmosphere of the song was hard for most people to convey. However, Liu Qin had deeply interpreted the song.

What Luoyang found most perfect was that Liu Qin didn't blindly imitate Faye Wong but sang with her own feeling... This feeling was less sorrowful but carried a touch of indescribable nostalgia.

On stage, the song ended.

The audience burst into enthusiastic applause, the most enthusiastic of the night so far.

Regardless of whether she sang a new song or not, Liu Qin's voice and technique were worthy of praise. Her singing seemed to carry a certain atmosphere, captivating the audience and leaving a lasting impression.

"To be honest, I've heard this song dozens of times. When the music started, I was a bit disappointed because it's already widely known online. But perhaps because of the live setting, your voice successfully captured me." The judge on the far left, Yi Bai, spoke sincerely.

"Fresh and natural, like telling a story..." Ma Haoran also clapped lightly, "This song has your unique signature. I doubt any other singer could convey the same flavor."

In front of the screen, Luoyang breathed a sigh of relief.

Two consecutive judges praised Liu Qin instead of criticizing her for relying on her old songs, which put his mind at ease.

As the applause gradually subsided, the third judge, Luo Bingqing, spoke up, "Liu Qin, may I ask you a question?"

Liu Qin nodded, "Please ask, teacher."

Luo Bingqing paused for a moment, as if organizing her words, then said slowly, "Why did you choose to sing 'Those Years'... This is one of your previous songs, and many people have been comparing you to the previous contestant, Li Tianyin. She sang an original song 'Peach Blossom' yesterday, which caused a significant stir..."

"Many people on the internet have been speculating whether you would use a new song to counter the online comments... But you chose 'Those Years,' a song you've already released."

The question seemed somewhat pointed.

All the audience members stared at Liu Qin, curious about her response.

Liu Qin didn't seem to notice the sharpness of the question. She smiled faintly and said, "Because I've never considered anyone as my opponent. I'm here to sing because I love singing... When I want to sing a new song, I will. I won't be swayed by the external environment, forced to compare myself with others, and then use a new song to challenge them."

I've never considered anyone as my opponent.

I'm here because I love singing.

This answer was unexpected, and soon, the audience began to murmur...

"Qin-ge is too dominant!"

"Neither humble nor arrogant, with a strong personality!"

"Isn't that a bit arrogant? What does it mean to not consider anyone as an opponent?"

"Does that mean none of the excellent contestants on 'Next Queen' are worthy of being her opponents?"

"I think she's too full of herself. Such a girl is boring, always admiring herself."

"Talking about not caring about public opinion... Ha, how ridiculous. Is there anyone who doesn't care about public opinion?"

"Don't judge others by your standards! Liu Qin's words are flawless. Why are you so jealous?"

"Exactly... I didn't understand why people called Liu Qin 'Qin-ge' before, but I get it now. Just this level of dominance, no ordinary girl could achieve!"

Luo Bingqing also noticed the unusual atmosphere. She didn't expect Liu Qin to give such an answer, which was bound to spark controversy. She regretted her question being too pointed and quickly tried to salvage the situation, "Your words will be interpreted differently by different people. I believe you are a girl who sticks to your principles. Keep it up!"

"Thank you." Liu Qin bowed.

The camera then turned to the fourth judge, Zhang Zonghuan.

This veteran of the music industry looked warm and smiled at Liu Qin, " 'Those Years' is a rare song. It's no worse than any other song. Your choice of this song is perfect. Liu Qin, you are a unique contestant. People like you either... "

At this point, Zhang Zonghuan suddenly paused.

Either what?

The audience leaned in, eyes wide, waiting for the next words, but Zhang Zonghuan didn't continue. He simply raised a thumb and said to Liu Qin, "Keep it up."

(Thank you, Mingguo Gongzi Yi, for your generous support. It's great to see you again, old friend! Also, thank you, Tian グ Shiz 1888, for your generous support. Let's be friends, rich guy!)

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