Perfect Superstar.

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'In Spring' had already become very popular. 

The song was ranked 17th in the Chinese Original Music Charts for the first week of July, rising 26 places from the previous week.

Although the ranking for this week hadn't been officially released yet, it was expected to rise significantly.

Reaching the top spot was not a dream!

So it was quite normal for the contestants in the Singing China qualification round to cover this song.

And Gao Feng's rendition of "In Spring" was impressive.

This Beijing-based vagabond singer's life experience had shaped his unique understanding of this rock song filled with sorrow. With his raspy voice, he sang with raw emotion, expressing intense feelings of fear and inner struggle. His performance was deeply moving and resonated with the audience.

"If one day, I go quietly, 

Please leave me in this in spring, in spring~"

As he finished the last lines of the song, more than a thousand audience members stood up and applauded enthusiastically.

"Wonderful!"

Among the four judges, Tan Hong was the first to stand up and exclaim loudly, "Excellent!"

Then Lin Zhijie, Zhen Zhen, and Chen Fei'er also stood up and clapped.

Gao Feng's eyes filled with tears in the face of the standing ovation and the praise from superstar Tan Hong.

"Thank you!"

Holding his guitar, he bowed deeply, expressing his gratitude and excitement.

As a vagabond singer who had struggled at the bottom of the industry, Gao Feng had never received such high praise and admiration on such a big stage. If he wasn't strong enough, he might have been moved to tears!

In the back, Lu Chen also applauded Gao Feng.

'In Spring' was undoubtedly a true classic, but for Lu Chen, the song was too full of sorrow. Without enough life experience and the passage of time, he couldn't capture its essence.

Lu Chen knew that if he sang "In Spring", he wouldn't be able to do it justice. He would have to rely on his memories of Xu Bo and transform himself into the unknown vagabond singer in the dream world to convey the song's feelings of confusion, sadness, desperate cries, and introspective reflection.

He would sing "In Spring" only once. If he tried to release it as his own music single, it would probably seem deeply out of place.

But now that he saw how 'In Spring' had moved so many people, including major stars like Tan Hong, Lu Chen felt a strong sense of satisfaction.

Even though it wasn't his own performance, the fact that this classic song was shining in the world and getting the recognition it deserved... that was enough!

In the main studio, the applause continued for half a minute.

When everyone sat back down, Lin Zhijie from the judging panel said, "If I remember correctly, this song is a new release from the 'Wandering Band'? I've listened to the original version. Your singing technique might still need some work, but your emotional expression is even more genuine than the original. So I'm giving you a full score to advance!"

"Thank you, Teacher Lin Zhijie!"

Gao Feng suppressed his excitement and said, "This song 'In Spring' is the title track of the first album of the 'Wandering Band'. I really like it. I feel that this song truly expresses the voice of vagabond singers like us. I don't dare to compare myself with the 'Wandering Band', but I am very grateful to the person who wrote this song.

"If I ever meet this extraordinary songwriter, I would like to say, 'Thank you!'"

The entire audience burst into applause.

A humble person, never arrogant, easily gains the respect and recognition of others.

Tan Hong said, "I agree with you. Nowadays, original works with true power and emotion are rare. Whether it's the original version of 'Wandering Band' or your cover, I hope more people will listen to it.

"I think this is the true meaning of 'Singing China'. I give you a full score to go forward!"

The applause that had just died down surged again, reaching a new peak in the atmosphere.

Gao Feng bowed deeply, "Thank you, Teacher Tan Hong!"

Then, Zhen Zhen and Chen Fei'er also said a few words and gave their approval.

Gao Feng was unanimously admitted to the semi-finals.

"Next, please welcome contestant 0030, Lu Chen, to the stage!"

Lu Chen, fully prepared, took a deep breath. He reached out to take the wireless microphone from the host, and with a steady and powerful stride, he stepped up the stairs and walked to the center of the stage.

The bright spotlight shone on him as he faced the four celebrity judges and the 1,500 people in attendance.

There would also be millions of viewers watching on television and computer screens!

But despite all that, his mood was calmer than ever.

"He's quite a handsome guy," Chen Fei'er, who was sitting next to Tan Hong on the judging panel, said with a slight smile. "Please introduce yourself."

"Hello, judges!"

Lu Chen bowed politely and said, "I am contestant 0030, Lu Chen, 22 years old, from Zhedong."

Zhen Zhen asked, "So, what song are you going to perform today?"

Lu Chen replied, "The song I'm performing is called 'Walking while Sing', and it's an original song of mine.

"'Walking while Sing'?" 

Zhen Zhen was surprised. "Isn't that the theme of 'Singing China'?"

Zhen Zhen, the editor-in-chief of "Pop Music" magazine, was in her forties, but looked quite young due to good self-care. Her voice even had a youthful quality.

'Walking while Sing' was indeed the theme of Capital City TV's first reality talent show. This theme was perfectly in line with the structure of the competition. 

Singing China was divided into seven major singing regions: Capital City, Shengjing, Huhai, Hangzhou, Tianfu, Huacheng, and Bihai. The competition would continue with a unique tour PK system to determine the final champion.

The first round took place in the Capital City region, where contestants would go through auditions, qualifying rounds, and semifinals to secure one of the 32 spots. 

Then, in the elimination rounds, the top 16 would advance and the top 10 would be selected. The top 10 from Capital City would then compete against the top 10 from the other regions, with the winners advancing to the final 10, who would return to Capital City for the grand finale.

It was because of this unique competition format that the slogan 'Walking while Singing' was chosen.

Lu Chen nodded and said, "Yes."

"Then let's begin," Lin Zhijie said , one of the judges who didn't seem very interested. He said blandly, "Good luck."

As he spoke, a slight look of indifference flashed in his eyes.

To Lin Zhijie, Lu Chen's choice of song title seemed a bit opportunistic, and he didn't believe that Lu Chen could produce anything remarkable. He just said a polite word out of professional courtesy.

As the music director of Flying Stone Records, Lin Zhijie had seen many young hopefuls like Lu Chen in the Capital City area, and he had become jaded. 

These young, handsome people with a little talent-who could sing and play instruments- often lacked the dedication and hard work to succeed, and fantasized about becoming famous overnight.

Among them, only a few lucky ones succeeded and became famous for one reason or another. 

But Lin Zhijie had no affection for either the successful or the unsuccessful!

The entertainment industry was far too shallow these days.

Tan Hong said, "Keep it up."

Lu Chen nodded. He placed the microphone on the stand and gave a thumbs up to the sound technician behind the stage.

The intro of the music began.

Making his debut on the big screen stage, Lu Chen had meticulously prepared for this first qualification round.

The song 'Walking While Sing' was also a masterpiece from the dream world. To ensure the best performance, he had even hired Nirvana Workshop to recombine the music and record the accompaniment, and now, the moment he'd been waiting for had arrived.

"I've gotten used to it, 

Looking southward through the wind. 

Across mountains and seas, 

Is there someone with sorrowful waiting eyes? 

A little sadness, 

Suddenly feeling confused and anxious..."

The cold wind stings my face, 

And the tears soak my eyes. 

... 

The beautiful melody, the excellent lyrics, and Lu Chen's tender and emotional performance moved the four judging panel members in the audience from the very first few lines he sang! 

... 

"Actually, I also want to know, 

Where you are in this moment. 

The things we said, 

In the end, neither of us could fulfill. 

There's always a bit of guilt within myself, 

Escaping without a word, 

But the past is like yesterday, 

I can never forget!" 

... 

(End of chapter)