Chapter 131: Keep going, you can do it.

Ignoring the director team’s prompts to keep the competition moving, Su Xiaolin stepped off the stage.

Yuan Jinxia’s signature dolphin voice was performed quite well—enough to get the mentors excited—and she ultimately achieved the same high score as Si Shaozhe.

Before taking the stage, Xu Mengbai was so nervous that she looked for someone to cheer her on. Lin Yu was asleep, so she had to turn to Wang Fei for support.

"You can do it, go for it!" Wang Fei said with a beaming smile, making a cheering gesture that felt reminiscent of a Taiwanese girl.

This was not Xu Mengbai’s first time on a talent show. When she was a trainee, she had been a "filler" contestant for several shows every year. This was her first time participating as an official contestant, but she hadn’t expected the judges to be such high-caliber celebrities. This only heightened her anxiety.

Her agency had spent a fortune to secure the rights for her dance performance. Standing before these heavyweights—especially Rong Rong, a first-class national dancer—she felt like she was showing off her clumsy skills to a master. But there was no turning back; she had to face the challenge head-on.

As the piano music began, the spotlight hit her, and the fabric of her dress shimmered brilliantly, making her look like a fairy dancing in the center of the stage. The music from *Swan Lake* was all too familiar, and the audience could already visualize a swan spreading its wings across the water. Everyone fell silent, captivated by the performance. The dance was so graceful and immersive that it was unforgettable, drawing gasps of wonder.

Regrettably, the veteran artists had seen such performances too many times, and they felt a flicker of disappointment. Xu Mengbai’s steps were not particularly eye-catching—they were competent but conventional. However, just as the veterans were losing interest, the music suddenly shifted. The soothing piano transitioned into a lively dance track, and Xu Mengbai shed her outer garment to reveal a peacock-inspired long dress.

She danced like a peacock in the music, playful and radiant. As the drum beats intensified, she mimicked the fanning of a peacock’s tail. With perfectly timed expressions and movements—lifting her dress to one side—she created a stunning display that left the audience in awe.

Rong Rong had not expected a young person today to be studying such traditional dance. After all, Western and K-pop styles were deeply ingrained in the industry, and many artists spent vast sums learning Western dance. Unless it was an international competition or a specific showcase, classical dance was rarely brought to the forefront. It was hard to say if Western cultural encroachment was good or bad, but surely someone had to carry on China’s old, classical traditions? These days, it was difficult to find opportunities to perform classical dance, and without mastery, it was hard to gain mainstream recognition. Trying to dance it as a side act usually meant low pay and fierce competition.

Who would do a business that doesn't make money? Who would learn a craft that doesn't offer high rewards? Especially among artists, how many actually put in the effort to study dance? Although it was a singing competition, dance was permitted. As the dance concluded, Xu Mengbai was met with thunderous applause and cheers.

"Traditional dance is the GOAT!"
"Is this what they call a peacock fanning its tail?"
"I’m going to open a zoo one day, and I’m hiring Mengbai to dance for the promotion!"
"That was incredible! She’s like a real peacock!"
"I always thought Mengbai was a K-pop style artist, looks like I was wrong."
"Cultural heritage! Chinese dance is the best!"

Rong Rong was quite fond of Xu Mengbai, and her critique was clearly biased; she even offered to take her into her own dance association to teach her traditional dance personally. The other mentors gave their opinions as well; some felt the fusion of East and West was low-class, while others thought it was disorganized. After tallying the votes, Xu Mengbai ended up with one point more than Si Shaozhe.

The following performances were mediocre. It seemed that, thus far, there hadn't been a performance that truly satisfied the mentors. The fifth contestant received an average score, and the host announced that the next performer was Wang Fei.

Before heading to the stage, Wang Fei glanced at Bai Yichu. The goddess maintained her usual cold, distant demeanor and didn't even give him a proper look. Lin Yu, who had woken up by now, nearly laughed out loud at Wang Fei’s lovesick expression. *Is it possible that she really has no feelings for you? Why hang yourself from one tree, brother?*

Wang Fei performed the same song he had done at the music festival. Although a clip had been posted online, it was quickly taken down, so this counted as its debut on the platform. It was the familiar "When You Are Old," performed with the same deep affection, his eyes fixed on Bai Yichu, unable to look away.

Wang Fei was thinking that if a newcomer like Xu Mengbai could easily surpass Si Shaozhe, he surely could win this bet and win the goddess’s heart. It would be a double victory—and he could even consider having Si Shaozhe contribute to the song's album. It couldn't get any better!

As the accompaniment started, Lin Yu fully woke up and tapped Si Shaozhe on the shoulder, as if hinting at something. Si Shaozhe pointed at his phone, looking at Lin Yu with hopeful eyes, thinking he was about to help him rank up.

Instead... "Are you ready to be a dance partner?"

Lin Yu burst into laughter, imagining the scene: two men performing "When You Are Old," and as Wang Fei sang "When you are old and your hair is white," he would tenderly stroke Si Shaozhe’s hair. How amusing would that be?

Si Shaozhe turned pale. "Legal notice warning!"

He shouted it so loudly that the surrounding guests looked over. It was plain to see that this "King of Songs," who always played it cool, was blushing. Lin Yu watched him with a teasing expression and said nothing more, leaving Si Shaozhe in an awkward, heavy silence.

The little incident was projected onto the television screen. It had to be said, Lin Yu could build chemistry with absolutely anyone.

"Hey, what are you doing? Why is my idol acting like the younger one?"
"I’m dying, this pairing is inexplicably cute!"
"I ship it, I ship it to death!"
"What’s going on? It’s just brotherhood, stop talking nonsense!"
"Hilarious, the way he suddenly blushed is so overwhelming!"
"Bro, what’s happening? I just got here, can someone explain?"
"Yu is the highlight wherever he goes! The camera always catches him when he’s causing trouble!"

Fortunately, the camera cut back to Wang Fei just then, as it was his turn to own the stage. Once the performance ended, it was time for the critiques.