Perfect Superstar.

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"Now, let's welcome contestant number 007, Lu Chen, onto the stage!"

With the host's enthusiastic announcement, Lu Chen stepped onto the now-familiar big stage with confidence.

The Capital City TV broadcast hall had been redecorated, presenting a fresh and captivating look. All 1,500 audience seats were filled to capacity, and the four heavyweight judges—Tan Hong, Chen Fei'er, Lin Zhijie, and Zhen Zhen— were present.

On the last day of July, the 16-to-10 Final of the Capital City division of Singing China began right on time.

This was the final round for the Capital City division. By the end of the night, the top 10 contestants would be chosen to embark on a nationwide tour in early August, competing against other regional top contestants to determine the national top 10.

This made the competition especially crucial and highly anticipated.

"Good evening, esteemed judges and all audience members!"

Standing before the microphone, Lu Chen bowed respectfully to the judges, then turned to greet the audience on both sides: "I am contestant number 007, Lu Chen!"

The order of appearances for the 16 contestants was determined by a computerized draw. Before Lu Chen, six contestants had already performed, delivering impressive performances.

Possibly influenced by Lu Chen's precedent, two of the contestants had presented their original compositions!

In most singing talent shows, particularly those centered on vocal performance, original works often held more weight than covers, earning significant bonus points.

Encouraging originality had become a mainstream stance. Moreover, audiences craved novelty— even with covers, many contestants would rearrange songs or intentionally add challenges to showcase their skills.

However, originality came with a caveat: the quality of the piece must be strong; otherwise, it could backfire.

Talent outweighed technical skill, which, in turn, outweighed appearance. To make it to the top 16 in the Capital City division, none of the contestants were pushovers.

Contestant 002, Zhang Junhua, performed 'Ocean of Love', and contestant 005, Zuo Qiuqing, presented 'Anniversary'. Both were high-quality works, receiving high scores from the judges and audience alike.

Currently, these two are leading the rankings for the 16-to-10 competition.

Unlike the previous elimination rounds, this final was broadcast live, and the scoring was done in real-time. Contestants received their scores immediately after their performances.

This change in scoring not only tested the contestants' abilities but also their mental resilience.

They had to give their all during their performances, leaving no room for error.

The exceptional performances of Zhang Junhua and Zuo Qiuqing placed immense pressure on Lu Chen, who was the seventh to perform.

In the qualification round, Lu Chen's Life on a String had been commendable. However, his My Old Classmate during the 32-to-16 round had taken the spotlight.

Three out of the four judges had awarded him perfect 10s, giving him an overall score of 39, firmly securing the top position among the 16 finalists.

Following this, intense debates on forums and blogs thrust Lu Chen into the spotlight, earning him recognition as a budding songwriting genius.

"Think you're better? Then write a classic like 'In Spring' and prove it!"

As the saying goes, "The bigger the tree, the more wind it attracts." While Lu Chen gained fame and accolades, he also became the target of envy and criticism. Countless eyes were on his performance in the Capital City finals.

No one believed Lu Chen would fail to make the top 10, but if he delivered a lackluster performance or couldn't produce a strong original piece, his critics would have plenty to say.

The outstanding performances by Zhang Junhua and Zuo Qiuqing served as prime ammunition for detractors.

If Lu Chen faltered, comments like "past his prime," "lacking innovation," or "out of ideas" would undoubtedly pour down like a torrential storm.

Additionally, Lu Chen had been pitted against Xiangnan TV's heavily promoted contestant Ling Xiaoxiao. Their performances could significantly influence the viewership ratings of their respective talent shows.

If Lu Chen underperformed, it was almost certain Xiangnan TV would seize the opportunity to spin the narrative.

Would the reigning regional TV giant miss such a chance? Hardly.

As a result, the pressure on Lu Chen for this performance was immense.

In the Singing China official forum, many casual fans were already expressing their concerns for Lu Chen.

And, of course, there was no shortage of debate.

"Lu Chen's performance is up next. Can't wait for his new song!"

"Zhang Junhua and Zuo Qiuqing are really strong. It's going to be tough for him to stay at the top!"

"How do you know he's performing a new song? What if it's a cover?"

"Pfft! No way! Even Chen Fei'er said she's looking forward to his new song. He'd have to deliver, even if he forces one out!"

"Do you guys really think Lu Chen writes all his own songs? He's too good to be true."

"Buying songs isn't impossible— many people do it."

"Don't kid yourselves. Lu Chen sells songs to others; why would he need to buy them? What a joke!"

"Exactly! Our Lu Chen won't lose to anyone!"

"Hahaha, a cover? Do you even know how many original songs Lu Chen has?"

"How many?"

"Wait and see!"

The Singing China official forum, although recently established, already had over two million followers.

Thanks to its interactive nature and live-streaming integration, countless members of the "Lu Family Army" gathered there to support him after he entered the competition.

So far, the Singing China official forum has practically become the base camp for the Lu Family Army. The number of active fans there was astonishing, and their enthusiasm converted many casual viewers into Lu Chen supporters.

When they saw others doubting or worrying about Lu Chen's ability, many of his fans couldn't help but laugh.

Lu Chen unable to deliver a good original piece? What a colossal joke!

In the last Whale TV PK Theme Show, Lu Chen casually rolled out seven or eight original songs, ultimately securing second place. The entire live-streamed competition was still available for viewing on the Whale TV forum.

Each of those songs was captivating, some even destined to be classics. However, since the live-streaming community was relatively niche, and Lu Chen hadn't engaged in any deliberate promotion or hype, his work wasn't widely known outside the circle. Otherwise, there would be no room to question his talent.

For this Singing China Capital City division final, Lu Chen had plenty of options to choose from.

The only question was: which song would he perform?

While Lu Chen's fans stood firmly behind him, every star has their haters. The forum, a mixed bag of opinions, soon became a battleground. Seeing the Lu Family Army's confidence and pride, some couldn't resist mocking them.

"Lu Chen's fans really know how to brag!"

"Bragging doesn't cost a penny, does it? Hehe."

"Laugh now, cry later when he flops!"

"If he's written so many great songs, how come we've never heard of him before?"

"Hehe…"

The haters started their tirade, but Lu Chen's fans were not ones to back down. A heated argument broke out immediately.

However, no matter how chaotic things got online, none of it affected the Singing China live broadcast in the slightest.

"Lu Chen, hello again…"

The first to greet him was Chen Fei'er, who smiled warmly. "What song have you prepared for us today?"

Lu Chen replied, "Tonight, I've prepared an original song, one of my personal favorites. I hope everyone enjoys it, and I look forward to your guidance."

"Great!"

Chen Fei'er clapped her hands enthusiastically. "We're all looking forward to it!"

The live audience responded with loud applause and cheers.

Lin Zhijie then asked, "Lu Chen, we've already heard several of your impressive works. What inspired you to pursue a career in music?"

Unlike the previous elimination round, the finals had fewer contestants, allowing for more interaction between the judges and participants. According to the program's director, the judges were required to ask questions before each performance to add depth to the show.

To maintain authenticity, the judges' questions were prepared in advance but not shared with the contestants beforehand.

This made the contestants' communication and improvisational skills especially important.

Lu Chen thought for a moment before responding, "I've always liked music. I learned piano and guitar when I was younger, but back then, I mainly did it to impress girls…"

"Hehe…"

His candid answer drew laughter from the judges and audience alike.

'Interesting.'

Chen Fei'er chuckled, "You actually had to chase girls? I imagine very few could resist you."

Lu Chen, with his tall, handsome looks and talent, seemed like the kind of person who would attract girls rather than chase them.

Zhen Zhen then asked, "So, you didn't study music professionally?"

Lu Chen nodded. "That's right. I graduated from Jianghai University with a degree in computer science."

A computer science major!

His answer surprised everyone, sparking a buzz of discussion in the audience.

Many had assumed Lu Chen had a formal music education, given the quality of his compositions. They hadn't expected his academic background to be unrelated to music.

Zhen Zhen praised him sincerely, "That's truly amazing!"

At this point, Tan Hong joined the conversation. "So, what made you decide to participate in Singing China ?"

Lu Chen hesitated briefly before answering, "To make money. I want to earn a lot of money."

His response took everyone by surprise.

Most had expected Lu Chen to say something about fulfilling his musical dreams or pursuing his passion— similar to the answers given by earlier contestants.

But Lu Chen admitted outright that his goal was to make money.

Who doesn't want to make money? Still, saying it so bluntly might seem inappropriate or harm his image.

Yet, from another perspective, Lu Chen's honesty was refreshing.

Tan Hong and Chen Fei'er exchanged amused glances. The latter said, "Well then, let's see your performance. Keep it up!"

Lu Chen nodded and smiled.

(End Of The Chapter)