Chapter 82

[Xia Xi's singing in this song is absolutely amazing, and her dancing is incredible too. I'm completely mesmerized now. I hereby declare that I'm now Xia Xi's die-hard fan. From now on, I won't accept any criticism about Xia Xi, she's simply the best!]
[So stunning! I've decided to learn this dance and perform it at our graduation party to leave the deepest impression on everyone!]
[I also think Xia Xi deserved first place. I totally agree with the previous comment.]
[If you perform this dance at the graduation party, you'll definitely be the coolest person in your department!]

In stark contrast to the enthusiastic discussions among netizens, when Lin Wei performed, audiences lost interest from the very first note she sang. Their response could only be described as indifferent.
Compared to Xia Xi's performance, Lin Wei's could only be considered mediocre and perfunctory, her plain singing and ordinary music made her performance utterly unremarkable.
After tasting such exquisite artistry, anyone would find it difficult to settle for something ordinary, the contrast was simply too great.
This stark comparison gave netizens an even deeper appreciation for "Once Again We Met." They felt that when comparing Xia Xi and Lin Wei's performances, Xia Xi's was truly world-class.
From this moment on, public opinion about Xia Xi began to shift. At the very least, the previous tendency to dismiss her as worthless disappeared. It seemed everyone had reached a consensus almost instantly, setting aside their harsh criticisms and developing strong approval for Xia Xi.
This change was remarkable, but once it started, everything fell into place naturally. People's attitudes toward Xia Xi completely transformed, with previous impressions being overturned and replaced by entirely new, positive perceptions.
This was what people called "after extreme bad luck comes good luck", when things reach their worst, they naturally begin to improve.
Xia Xi's previous experience of being universally criticized online, though unpleasant at the time, had now turned into an advantage, since public opinion about her couldn't possibly get any worse.
"Xia Xi."
Just as Xia Xi stepped out of the studio, she heard a familiar, captivating voice. She paused for a few seconds before turning toward the sound. Lu Yisheng was smiling at her, the light in his eyes seeming capable of burning through everything around them.
"You sang beautifully," he said with a light laugh, his gaze unconsciously tinged with nostalgia as he continued looking at her. "On stage, you seem to glow. My eyes couldn't help but stay fixed on you. It was wonderful."
To see you like this again,
Hearing Lu Yisheng's words, or perhaps just seeing him in person, made the corners of Xia Xi's mouth curl up involuntarily. She pressed her lips together, trying not to appear overly delighted, and made an effort to suppress the excitement in her voice before replying, "Thank you for the compliment. I also think my performance on stage was quite good. All in all, the hard work I put in recently hasn't been in vain. Although my performance can't compare to professional singers, given my abilities, it was more than satisfactory."
Although Xia Xi was trying hard to suppress her delight, many details revealed that she was clearly very happy, something she couldn’t quite hide. Observant people could easily discern her mood from her reactions, let alone someone like Lu Yisheng, who was particularly sensitive to every nuance of Xia Xi’s behavior. He effortlessly sensed her true feelings but happily played along, not exposing her.
"Judging by your reaction, it doesn’t seem like you’re very satisfied with your performance, it’s quite subdued," Lu Yisheng moved a little closer to Xia Xi, shifting into a more comfortable posture for conversation. As he looked down, he could see her flushed cheeks and the strands of hair damp with sweat at her temples, clearly the aftermath of intense exertion. She looked like a tempting red apple, making one want to take a gentle bite.
The scene between them seemed to freeze in that moment.
One looking down, the other looking up, their eyes held only each other, and they could see no one else. They carried on with their sweet, couple-like behavior as if no one else was around.
But were they truly oblivious to their surroundings?
Certainly not.
This program was being broadcast live. What does "live" mean?
It meant that everything happening here was captured on camera, allowing viewers to watch the show’s events in real time. So, without a doubt, this corridor was also equipped with cameras. Xia Xi and Lu Yisheng’s heart-melting interactions were fully exposed to the lens, and netizens had seen it all.
Lu Yisheng’s appearance and his interaction with Xia Xi once again sparked a wave of comments.
[What’s going on here? Can someone explain? Are the two of them really together?
[Impossible. What status does Lu Yisheng have? How could he possibly be interested in Xia Xi? Xia Xi, this nobody, shouldn’t be trying to ride on Lu Yisheng’s coattails.]
[I don’t know if they’re together, but you can’t deny their interactions are so sweet. I’m totally here for it!]
[I suddenly believe in love again.]
[How amusing. Since when does love have anything to do with status? If your status matches, you can date; if there’s a big gap, you can’t? What kind of weird logic is that?]
[Is it just me, or does it feel like Lu Yisheng is always the one initiating conversations with Xia Xi? When they run out of things to say, he just finds a new topic.]
[Seeing their interactions really warmed my heart. If they announce they’re together after this, I wouldn’t be surprised at all.]
[I was against it at first, but after seeing the way Lu Yisheng and Xia Xi look at each other, I’ve changed my mind. If it weren’t true love, their gazes wouldn’t be like that. It’s so rare.]
[I think you’re all missing the point. Haven’t any of you wondered why Lu Yisheng is at the recording of 'Cross-Border Singing Joy'? Did he come specifically to see Xia Xi, or did he just drop by the set on a whim?]
[I don't believe Lu Yisheng ever personally admitted that Xia Xi is his girlfriend.]
[After seeing Xia Xi's expression while singing and dancing just now, I actually don't dislike her as much as before. This time, seeing her standing next to Lu Yisheng, I even feel like they look quite compatible]
[Right! Why is Lu Yisheng at 'Cross-Border Singing Joy'? Is he filming a movie next to the program crew? For someone who has never participated in variety shows before, is he there to experience the atmosphere of a variety program? His appearance was so sudden that I didn't even have time to think that deeply.]