Chapter 838: Li Nianwei, to the Stage!
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
As soon as the host said this, there was a burst of enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Heloise was the contestant with the loudest cheers from Shenluo City. Out of the more than one million people in the audience, many had come just for her. A conservative estimate would be in the range of one hundred thousand.
Do not underestimate this ratio of ten to one. There were a hundred such arenas in Shenluo City in the virtual world. That would add up to ten million fans.
It was an astronomical figure.
On stage, Ling Xiaoyi and the rest looked at the holographic projection image of Heloise and felt worried.
Li Yang: “Sister Xiaoyi, this Heloise seems like a strong competitor. Look at the applause for her. They’ve been clapping for such a long time and don’t seem to mind that their hands are hurting.”
Lucifer: “I heard that she was planning to take part. It seems like she has pulled some strings. I checked previously and found out she is currently the most popular singer in the entire Shenluo zone. There are two others whose popularity is just slightly lower than hers. It will be hard for Sister Nianwei to stand out, mainly because we are not well-prepared.”
“Yes.” Ling Xiaoyi naturally understood what Lucifer meant. They had just returned from Earth and were almost totally unprepared for Sing! Milky Way. It seemed like they over-reached. Against Heloise, who was very well-prepared and also had a powerful backer, there was nothing they could do. So, Ling Xiaoyi’s expression was extremely serious. “I hope Nianwei can perform as well as she usually does, otherwise it would be a huge blow to her this time.”
Ling Xiaoyi was not wrong.
Confidence was of utmost importance. When a singer felt unsure about her ability and lost confidence in herself, her music would lose its life.
Someone like that could no longer be called a professional singer. He or she would become a person who just sang. Although both sang, the difference was like that between heaven and earth.
“Dear audience, how are you!” Standing in the middle of the stage, Heloise put her hands up high and greeted the audience. “I am Heloise, please give me your support!”
Of the four guests who were present, Franklin was the first to comment. “Her image is not bad. She’s very well put together and, best of all, she seems perfectly balanced, neither too exaggerated nor too abject. It’s rare to see that.”
Brianna nodded in agreement. “Her voice is soft and coquettish, it must sound nice when she sings.”
Lake stroked his chin and said, “She must sound wonderful in bed too…”
Kristel looked at the abnormally excited crowd and shook his head. So much shady business going on. She had so much talent but still needed to affect people’s hearts using such means. Why…
“Hehe. Li Nianwei, today, I’ll show you what music really is!” She took a deep breath and composed herself. In her mind, Heloise thought of Li Nianwei again with disdain, then her expression turned serious and she got ready to start singing.
She was wearing a long yellow gown with a beautiful golden crown on her head, exposing her snowy white wrists. A small part of her beautiful slender legs was exposed and she had long golden wavy hair. She looked like a noble Queen.
Countless male fans in the audience went crazy. They shouted Heloise’s name non-stop.
It was likely that after they returned home that night, Heloise would definitely become the imaginary lover of many a man—it was certain that more realistic doll companies would also be making dolls that looked like her…
Li Yang looked at Heloise and he also felt a little excited. “Damn, I have to say, this woman has some skill…”
Of course, it was not possible for Heloise to know what Li Yang was thinking. At this time, Heloise had already started performing on stage and she was concentrating fully on her performance. She sang and danced. Her accompanying dancers were also performing to the best of their ability. The symphony orchestra behind was deafeningly loud, and the atmosphere on the set was suddenly brought to a climax.
Heloise dared to find Yin Tianzong for help, which implied that she definitely had some ability. Even in Kristel’s opinion, she could be ranked at the top, so he felt even more disgusted with the shady practices. Was it really necessary to resort to such?
“Great!” Franklin was the first to give an O.
“She is indeed a rising star,” Brianna said immediately after. She smiled and said to the other two, “What do you think? I think she is really great.”
“It’s awesome.” Lake nodded, smiling as he pressed the O button.
“Okay.” Although he still persisted in following his principles, in terms of ability, Heloise really deserved his vote.
Instantly, the crowd exploded!
“Look, hahahaha! Awesome, awesome! The first full light-up!”
“Yes, yes. I said she’s definitely a superstar. It’s not easy to get a full light-up!”
“That’s for sure. In the entire Shenluo City, only three people will be selected. She managed to get a full light-up, that means her entry into the level is almost ironclad. The pressure for those coming after her will be even greater!”
“Heloise, I choose you!”
Hearing the applause from the audience, Heloise was extremely excited. Her heart was celebrating her success, but she pretended to be a gentle, virtuous lady and bowed deeply to the audience. “Thank you, guests, thank you, dear viewers, I’m very happy to have your support!”
Her move won warm applause from the audience once again.
Franklin: “Not bad, not bad. It’s rare that she knows how to gain people’s affections. Heloise has a promising future.”
Brianna laughed and said, “No wonder she’s so popular, she knows how to make people like her.”
Lake pouted. “Be careful. You will have to get on her good side in the future.”
Kristel said: “Sigh, why did she have to do that, why go to so much trouble…”
In fact, in the music or entertainment industry, things were like that. No matter how much you tried to ingratiate yourself with the rich and powerful, in public you had to pretend to be morally upright. No matter how crude and despicable you secretly were, in front of your fans, you had to pretend to be noble and elegant.
Returning proudly to the backstage, Heloise raised her head slightly at Li Nianwei. Full of arrogance from her victory, she walked in front of Li Nianwei and lightly raised her finger to lift Li Nianwei’s chin. She laughed and said, “Little Nianwei, I’m really sorry. Right now, I have already taken one of the three slots, and it’s the top place. As for the other two, I don’t think you have any chance—there are two others who are almost as good as me.”
One of the most important conditions that Li Tianxing had requested when he offered his powerful backing was that she must defeat Li Nianwei. So, towards Li Nianwei, she would show no mercy.
When she saw Li Nianwei, the hostility in her voice was so obvious even a fool could hear it.
“I know.” Li Nianwei was not angry. In fact, there was nothing that could shake her confidence now.
The reason was simple. The song she was about to sing was written for her by Young Master!
Li Nianwei had faith that she would not lose!
…
Sing! Milky Way continued.
With Heloise’s stellar performance for comparison, all the other singers seemed weak. Each one went on stage and left in tears within a short time. Before long, it was the 43rd contestant’s turn.
“Next up is a very popular contestant from Shenluo City, Mr. Qi Shengjie! The song he will be singing is ‘How Can I Not Love You!’. Please welcome him!”
This was a male singer with handsome features and an athletic build. He was about 1.9 meters tall, with wide shoulders, eight distinctly angular abs and looked dashing with short blue hair. He had just gotten onto the stage and already he had won the affections of many in the audience. Many female audience members even started screaming crazily!
“Qi Shengjie, I love you! I want to bear your children!”
“Qi Shengjie, you are the best, you are my dream lover!”
“Idol, please court me, please pamper me!”
He was none other than Qi Shengjie, the most popular male singer in Shenluo City! His popularity was sky-high!
Qi Shengjie was one of the two people Heloise had mentioned would probably enter the top three!
He stood quietly in the center of the stage. Everyone’s attention was focused on him, especially the females in the audience. It was likely that there would be countless life-like androids with a full range of abilities, including the ability to make their own “milk” on the market soon.
“Look at how shameless he is,” Li Yang said with a scornful expression. “I hate narcissists.”
“He is indeed more handsome than you.” Ling Xiaoyi said with a smile, “But you are better than him. Not everyone can be a lackey.”
“Haha, that’s true, that’s true!” Li Yang instantly regained his confidence when he heard that.
Could just any Tom, Dick or Harry be Young Master’s lackey? You might be handsome, but you’re not nearly qualified enough to be Young Master’s lackey!
As Li Yang was here smiling, Qi Shengjie started his performance on stage.
As an idol with real ability, Qi Shengjie indeed had what it took. His performance was full of life and vitality. With the accompaniment of the beautiful lights on stage, the audience’s cheers rose in waves, each one louder than the last until the entire arena was awash in cheers.
Soon, the guests’ ratings were revealed.
Franklin, light up. Brianna, light up. Lake, light up. Kristel nodded with satisfaction and smiled. “Not bad, this young man has a bright future!” Light up!
All four lights were lit! Qi Shengjie gave an excited whoop and laughed. “My dear audience, I love you! Thank you! Judges, thank you for passing me!”
Then he left the stage glowing.
The cheering continued, and the women’s screams went on and on, reverberating around the arena.
The competition continued.
Qi Shengjie returned backstage and chuckled when he saw Heloise. Heloise gave him the thumbs-up sign. Their eyes met and gleamed.
“Congratulations.” Heloise went forward. “It seems that it will be no problem for you to advance to the next stage this time.”
“Hehe. You too, you too.” Qi Shengjie made an unbearably dashing gesture and smiled as he said, “My beautiful Miss Heloise, are you free tonight? Can I treat you to a drink?”
Qi Shengjie had the right to flaunt, he definitely had a lot to show—in every aspect.
“Of course.” Heloise smiled and glanced at Li Nianwei. She said, “Compared to some un-influential and unimportant people, the fact that I received an invitation from the very handsome you should be something that should make me very happy… don’t you think so?”
“That’s true.” Qi Shengjie laughed. He, too, suddenly glanced at Li Nianwei and said, “Speaking of which, you seem quite hostile towards that lady?”
“How is that possible,” Heloise said disdainfully. “Why would I lower myself to argue with her?”
“True.” Qi Shengjie smiled as he nodded, and said, “Let’s meet at Brent when the contest is over?”
“See you at Brent.” Heloise was clearly feeling flirty. “Maybe then, we can do other things, what do you think…” She teasingly stroked Qi Shengjie’s abdomen from top to bottom with one finger.
“That would be the best.” Qi Shengjie gave her a smoldering look and in acceptance of her request, said, “See you tonight.”
“See you tonight.”
…
Time passed very quickly.
By this time, more than seventy contestants had gone on stage. Among them, two had gotten a full light-up. The pressure was building.
The contestants who were supposed to go on later thus had some disadvantages.
Because it had been a long time since the contest started, the guests, as well as the audience, were getting tired and their spirits low. Furthermore, since they were only going to pick three winners in the semi-finals, the judges started getting very stringent and fussy. There were many contestants who left the stage in tears after the four judges, already bored, put their lights out after they had only sung barely two stanzas.
Time passed slowly and an hour and a half later, it was finally Li Nianwei’s turn to go on stage.
“Well, well, well. It’s finally our great beauty’s turn to go on?” Backstage, Heloise crossed her arms and looked at Li Nianwei, who had casually put on a chiffon gown. She sneered. “Next up is our big beauty Li Nianwei. Everyone, please put your hands together to send her off, haha!”
Normally, you would say “put your hands together to welcome her”, but she purposely said “send her off instead”. Her meaning was obvious—she was saying goodbye to Li Nianwei!
Clap clap clap clap! Applause rang out, delighted to partake in the gloating.
Heloise looked at Li Nianwei with a huge smile on her face. It was obvious she had been waiting to see Li Nianwei make a spectacle of herself.
“Thank you for your concern.” Li Nianwei smiled gently and in that one instant captivated all of the men in the audience. Even Qi Shengjie could not take his eyes off her. “This woman is really beautiful, even my soul is captivated. God, once I close my eyes, my mind is filled with her smiling face. Compared to her…” Qi Shengjie glanced at Heloise again. “Heloise still can’t compare to her…”
“We’ll see if you are still smiling later!” Heloise was so mad to see Li Nianwei so calm that she gnashed her teeth in anger.
Originally, she and Li Nianwei were just contestants going up against each other. However, she was jealous of Li Nianwei’s looks and right at this moment, she was exactly like the evil queen in Snow White.
“The next to come on stage is contestant 98th, Miss Li Nianwei. The song she’ll be singing is ‘Time Boils the Rain’. Please give her a big hand!”
Just then, the host’s voice said, “Li Nianwei, to the stage!”
The stage lights strobed.
Li Nianwei stood calmly on the stage.
There were no accompanying dancers, no orchestra and the lighting was calm. She stood on the stage all alone, similar to how she felt.
Young Master was not with her.
