Qin Xiangge, having found out earlier, remained the calmest. She furrowed her brows slightly and subtly brushed off Lu Nan’s hand.
Lu Nan stuttered with excitement, "Xiangge, do you think my makeup has messed up?"
Qin Xiangge smiled, "It’s very pretty."
Lu Nan hurriedly pulled out a compact powder from her bag and started checking herself repeatedly in the mirror.
Suddenly, Lu Nan’s hand holding the powder compact froze. "Oh no, I chose Pearl’s signature piece..."
Qin Xiangge raised her eyebrows slightly and reassured her, "Don’t overthink it, just focus on the competition."
In her heart, she felt fortunate that her choice of piece leaned conservatively.
As the host finished his announcement, the competition officially began. Contestants whose numbers were called stepped onto the stage with the guidance of staff members.
The contestant with number 1 seemed somewhat nervous, making several mistakes in the prelude. If they could calm down, there was still a chance; however, it was evident that their psychological fortitude faltered severely, leading to complete chaos in rhythm. In the end, they ran off the stage crying.
A defeat before even starting—the waiting area was enveloped in silence, and no one dared to laugh.
On the broadcast screen, the dashing young judge shook his head and marked a score on the card in his hand.
Qin Xiangge couldn’t resist clenching her palms, silently running through her piece in her mind. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novelꞁire.net
At this moment, a staff member called Xing Ye’s name. Xing Ye stood up and followed the staff out.
Qin Xiangge had competed with Xing Ye in several competitions before, but it was clear Xing Ye lacked talent. Her performance was standard this time, and she returned shortly with a sullen face.
Several more contestants followed, some performing well, yet an increasingly tense atmosphere seemed to envelop the room like a cloud.
Qin Xiangge unscrewed the lid of her cup, preparing to drink water, but held back.
She placed the cup down and thought to stand up and walk a bit.
Then, the staff called out: "Contestant number 15, Qin Xiangge, please prepare. Contestant number 15, where are you?"
Qin Xiangge immediately raised her hand, "Here."
"Follow me," they said.
Qin Xiangge took a deep breath, while Lu Nan cheered her on, "Good luck."
Before leaving, Qin Xiangge swept her gaze across the waiting area. In a corner, someone had a scarf draped over their head and a down jacket covering their body, deeply asleep.
Since she had entered the room, this person had been sleeping. To sleep under such circumstances—could they have forgotten why they were here?
Qin Xiangge let out a cold chuckle and turned to leave.
No one noticed the slender fingers resting on the knees of the figure in the corner, nimble like a butterfly, flitting and tapping rhythmically with a distinct musical tempo.
It had only been the duration of a single piece when the staff entered again: "Contestant number 16, Ann, please prepare."
In the corner, a pair of fair, jade-like hands tugged the red scarf away. It was as if moonlight had broken through cloudy skies—at that instant, soft moonlight poured forth, gleaming and serene, spreading everywhere.
The staff was momentarily stunned. The young woman had already stepped forward toward them. Her movements were as graceful as a moonlit shadow drifting among flowers. Her presence carried with it the sensation of a gentle breeze brushing your face, momentarily making one forget the present time.
"Shall we?" the girl spoke with a serene smile.
The staff snapped out of their daze, their cheeks flushing red as they immediately turned to lead the way, patting their chest nervously.
My goodness, had they just seen a fairy? How could someone this stunning exist in the world?
Still stealing glances from the corner of her eye, the staff noticed a glimpse of the girl’s skirt hem. As she walked, the silver patterns on the fabric shimmered like rolling waves, elegantly framing her figure and leaving an indelible impression.
What were those entertainment industry idols who endlessly boasted about their looks worth when compared to this? This face, this aura—truly a flawless creation of the goddess Nüwa.
Ann—they silently etched this name into their hearts. There was no way she would remain obscure.
Lu Nan, unintentionally raising her head, caught sight of a slender figure with softly curling chestnut hair cascading down to her waist. As she walked, her hair’s ends swayed lightly, accentuating her slender waist and graceful curves—a single glance was enough to stir emotions.
When Lu Nan looked again, the door had already closed, cutting off that figure.
A pang of hollowness suddenly crept into Lu Nan’s heart.
In the corner, Xing Ye withdrew her gaze thoughtfully.
Qin Xiangge, believing she had performed well, stood up and executed an elegant bow.
Raising her head, her gaze burned brightly as she looked toward the judge’s table.
The other two judges nodded approvingly and wrote their scores on the card.
Qin Xiangge steadied herself inwardly, then turned her expectant eyes to Pearl.
The man had a face so alluring it could be deceiving; with just a fleeting glance, he could render one dizzy with admiration.
"The control in Section A’s D minor was inadequate. The high octave needed lighter articulation. When transitioning to F major, the modulation lacked emphasis, making it hard to highlight the passing notes. In Section B, the third double grace note was sluggish, failing to form cohesion with the principal melody—the rhythm for the entirety of Section B was ruined."