Chapter 258: Chapter 250: Does Qiao Jing Really Have the Qualifications to Be a Judge?
“She made a most fundamental error, playing the wrong note during the key change,” Qiao Jing said indifferently.
Lou Xinrou gritted her teeth, “The other judges gave me an A, and you’re giving me a B just for that? Besides, I didn’t play a single note wrong when I was playing at a fast tempo.”
“Playing the wrong note during a key change is a mistake that shouldn’t happen, not even beginners make such an error,” Qiao Jing did not intend to change the score, considering the mistake to be unacceptable.
It was a mistake not even a beginner would make, yet Lou Xinrou made it. Although she had some minor slip-ups in other areas, Qiao Jing believed that the error during the key change was indeed inexcusable.
Lou Xinrou’s eyes reddened as she stood on stage, refusing to step down, “The other judges didn’t mark me down for this.”
“Everyone has different standards for scoring, in my eyes, you only merit a B grade,” Qiao Jing said, as she put down her scoring board, “The next contestant can prepare to come on stage.”
The host hadn’t expected such a situation; he was just about to go on stage to urge Lou Xinrou not to delay the competition when a female voice rang out from below.
Su Manhan stood up from the VIP seats, pointing at Qiao Jing with anger, “You have no right to sit there! That is Master Chen’s seat! I don’t know what connections you’ve used, what kind of backing you have, or if you are related to Master Chen, but you can’t even play the piano. What right do you have to be a judge?!”
The audience murmured in response after hearing this.
“So, that’s the case. No wonder she’s so young. Look, she’s sitting next to Master Wang and Master Li, both well-known figures in the industry, and she has taken the most prestigious Master Chen’s place!”
“I was saying, how could such a young woman be as skilled as the experienced Master Chen? How did Master Chen let her become a judge in his stead?”
“I guess she used her face to get through the back door. At the beginning, when I saw the change of judge, I was somewhat worried she wasn’t professional enough, and now it turns out she can’t even play the piano! My goodness, does her previous scoring even count?”
In an instant, everyone was led astray by Su Manhan’s rhythm, looking at Qiao Jing with scorn.
Seeing the audience turn against Qiao Jing, Su Manhan was somewhat pleased. Then, with a sniff, she said, “Using your connections is one thing, but deliberately giving her a low score out of personal vendetta, I truly despise such an act of private retaliation!”
The comment exploded among the audience like a bomb, stirring up a commotion.
“I knew it! I heard this contestant play so well, how could she not get at least an A, but she was directly given a B. Turns out there was animosity towards the contestant.”
“I think her scoring shouldn’t count, let the organizers replace this judge!”
The murmurs from the audience grew louder, reaching Su Manhan’s ears. She looked triumphantly at Qiao Jing, wanting to see panic on her face.
But Qiao Jing sat calmly in her place, listening to the questioning of the others.
Su Manhan couldn’t see any trace of panic on Qiao Jing’s face.
I want to see just how long you can keep up this act!
Lou Xinrou on the stage, too, curled her lips into a smirk. After forcing tears to fall, she began to embellish the truth, “Judge Qiao, regardless of whatever personal grudges we may have, I hope you won’t let them affect your judgment. This competition is very important to me.” Qiao Jing’s expression remained unchanged as she glanced at Su Manhan in the audience.
When Su Manhan caught that look, she subconsciously wanted to look away. Hearing the audience questioning Qiao Jing gave her courage, and she stared back defiantly.
Master Wang spoke up, “Everyone, please remain calm. Our scores have been very fair, and this contestant indeed made the error that Judge Qiao mentioned.”
“Professor Qiao is right, each person has different scoring standards, and besides, she came personally appointed by Master Chen. You can all trust Master Chen,” Master Li also added in Read the latest chapters on NovelHub - completely free!
However, the words of the two masters did not calm the audience. On the contrary, they became even more agitated.
“If she can’t even play the piano, what business does Master Chen have sending her here?!”
“Why are Master Wang and Master Li speaking up for her? Could it be that they also have a connection with her?”
“Bringing in an outsider to judge, mixing personal grudges with official duties, is this what you call fairness?!”
Upon hearing the audience’s comments, Zhan Nanqing also felt anxious, at a loss for how to react in the moment. She was caught between Lou Xinrou and Qiao Jing, not knowing whether to speak up or remain silent.