Chapter 80

Liang Hui followed Xia Xi's pointing finger and saw Lin Wei, her face flushed red, staring at Xia Xi in shock. It was clear that Lin Wei was very unhappy with Xia Xi's choice.
"You're deliberately targeting me! This isn't fair!" Lin Wei immediately retorted loudly.
At first, Liang Hui was momentarily stunned by Xia Xi's choice, but then a flicker of delight clearly flashed in his eyes. He knew this episode now had its highlight.
He didn't know whether Xia Xi had intentionally chosen Lin Wei, nor did he care if it was an act of revenge. All he knew was that this episode now had a hot topic. With these two clashing, netizens were sure to go into a frenzy of criticism. With such explosive material, how could the show's ratings not soar?
Unlike Lin Wei's shameful anger, the other contestants were overjoyed upon hearing Xia Xi's choice, feeling as if they had narrowly escaped disaster. They believed that as long as they weren't paired with Xia Xi, they stood a chance of advancing. As for Lin Wei, who had already been chosen by Xia Xi, they could only offer silent sympathy, nothing more. After all, that's just how human nature is.
Bored sympathy has always been abundant, but practical support is pitifully scarce.
Everyone was quite satisfied with this outcome, their faces showing varying degrees of relief. It was a happy ending for all, except for Lin Wei, whose protests and anger went unnoticed and were completely ignored by everyone.
This just goes to show that in the face of absolute strength, any tactics are futile.
And because of Xia Xi's choice, the internet has exploded. Everyone is eagerly voicing their opinions online, while the show's ratings continue to climb to unprecedented heights.
[Xia Xi is so cunning. She must have deliberately chosen Lin Wei. She's clearly so much stronger than Lin Wei, this is just an unfair victory.] This netizen clearly supports Lin Wei and expressed disdain for Xia Xi's actions.
[I think Xia Xi is bold and cool. We all understand the grudge between Xia Xi and Lin Wei. Honestly, if your boyfriend was stolen by another woman, wouldn't you be furious and angry? Wouldn't you want to vent your frustration somehow? So, I think Xia Xi choosing Lin Wei is justified. I support her, and I also think she's genuine, unlike those two-faced people who maintain a facade of peace despite having terrible relationships. She lives freely and unrestrainedly, doing whatever she wants. She's the kind of person I aspire to be.]
[She's using her position to settle a personal vendetta! She knows she's stronger than Lin Wei but still chose her. She's so petty.]
[Hey, upstairs, if you have no brain, keep it to yourself. No need to flaunt your lack of intelligence everywhere. Honestly, Xia Xi has the freedom to choose whoever she wants, and she won't change her decision because of other factors. If Lin Wei isn't happy about it, she can prove herself by beating Xia Xi in the upcoming match. That would be truly impressive, instead of hiring a bunch of mindless trolls to smear Xia Xi. That's what I call being scheming and shady, okay?
[If she has the strength to do it, she can. Who are you to judge? It's not illegal, and she didn't eat your rice. What's the point of rushing to smear Xia Xi? Should capable people always compromise and not use their advantages? Just because you're weak, should I go easy on you? Isn't this world all about survival of the fittest? How did being weak become an excuse to demand special treatment?]
The online comments continue to rage fiercely, and the live recording of "Cross-Border Singing Joy" is equally intense. The selection of performance order and PK opponents is still underway, and amid all the controversy, the final matchups have been freshly announced.
First match: Xia Xi vs. Lin Wei
Third match: Feng Yuting vs. Zhao Qian
Fourth match: Liang Yue vs. Zhang Rusong
This grouping has everyone particularly excited. The matchup between Xia Xi and Lin Wei adds drama to the competition due to their conflict, and everyone is watching with a spectator's mentality. As for the latter two groups, it's a pure showdown between four top-tier powerhouses, sparking genuine anticipation. People can't wait to see these masters in action, making the Xia Xi and Lin Wei pairing seem less significant and less out of place.
"Alright, since everyone has been divided into groups, our competition officially begins now." Liang Hui, breaking from his usual style, was uncharacteristically concise this time. "I believe everyone shares my anticipation for the upcoming duels, so I won’t drag this out any longer. Let’s dive straight into the first round!"
As Liang Hui’s voice faded, the lights in the waiting room gradually dimmed, leaving only two glowing spots shining on Xia Xi and Lin Wei. Their match began amid eager anticipation.
Thud.
With a soft, unsharp sound, all the lights went out, except for the one illuminating Xia Xi. In that instant, the world fell into complete silence, broken only by the crisp, rhythmic click-clack of her high heels as she walked toward the stage. The sound was clear and pleasing, carrying a sense of unwavering determination toward hope and the grounded assurance that comes after pouring in effort. At this moment, Xia Xi had no idea whether her performance would succeed or if her intense focus might lead to some mishap. Her mind was empty of all other thoughts, fixated solely on the belief that following this beam of light would lead her to the finish line.
Ding… ding… ding…
As the lights fully dimmed, Xia Xi quietly closed her eyes in the darkness, savoring the profound silence and the joy she found in singing.
Honestly, Xia Xi never imagined she would one day come to love the stage of singing. In her previous world, her only passion had been acting, immersing herself completely only when studying scripts and delving into character roles. In the dark of night, with just a sliver of bright light seeping through a slightly ajar door, the silhouette of her hunched over a notebook, writing intently, appeared both lonely and stubborn.
That was the life of an actor: battling diligently on the solitary path of script analysis, using restrained emotions before the camera to interpret their understanding of a role. They didn’t have grand, massive stages, nor did they need them, because exceptional works couldn’t be filmed in such settings. Everyone would inevitably harbor too many reservations and doubts, and such acting segments would merely be flashy attempts to court attention and deceive the audience.
Thus, Xia Xi, who had once been wholly absorbed in acting, never dreamed she would stand at the center of such a stage, under the spotlight of countless eyes, filled with both anticipation and tension.