Chapter 134: A Difference of One Vote

As the song concluded, Lin Yu bowed deeply to the audience in thanks. The crowd, caught in a wave of excitement, bowed right back. Lin Yu bowed again, and the audience mirrored him once more.

Good grief, they were so caught up in the high of the performance that they hadn't realized the show was over! There was no need to keep bowing!

Lin Yu bowed again, and the audience followed suit…

The judges' bench: ?
The mentors: ?

Was the performance over, or were they just going to stand there bowing to each other now? Should they join in? Why did they feel like they were missing out on some exclusive club?

Just as the mentors began to rise to join the fray, Lin Yu panicked. Stop it, everyone! The show is actually over!

"Mr. Lin's performance was truly spectacular. I heard he prepared an extra segment for today—shall we invite Mr. Lin to showcase it?" The host stepped in just in time to resolve the awkwardness.

Lin Yu took the flute handed to him by a staff member and pressed it to his lips. So, they wanted to play follow-the-leader? Fine, let’s keep playing!

Let’s see them try to play the flute along with him!

Come on! Blow! Let’s get lively! Let’s get wild!

Lin Yu took a deep breath and launched into a live rendition of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival."

The melody was clear, elegant, and melodious, perfectly capturing the grandeur and majesty of the scroll. It was fluid and deeply evocative, allowing the listeners to bathe in a serene, classical atmosphere. The audience, mentors, and judges were completely stunned. Wait a second! Wasn't this supposed to be a simple talent show? Wasn't it just about singing, dancing, and rap?

How did it suddenly shift from 1950s disco to a grand musical gala?!

The other contestants were dumbfounded, caught between pure enjoyment and utter shock.

The viewers in the live stream were going wild:

"Holy cow! What kind of god-tier talent is this?!"
"Not to be rude, but who did he learn his flute technique from? Lin Yu, do you have any junior sisters you can introduce? No ulterior motive, I just really want to learn the flute!"
"Damn! This flute playing is incredible! It’s continuous and flowing! The magnificence of the painting is right here before my eyes!"
"Mom! You won't believe this! I tuned into a talent show and it turned into a musical masterpiece! I’ve made it, Mom! I’m witnessing a master at work!"
"Guys, did you notice? The veteran vocal mentor, Mr. Song Ci, is looking at Lin Yu with nothing but astonishment and admiration! Holy cow! At this rate, Lin Yu is guaranteed first place!"

As the piece ended, the audience roared for an encore. The sound of the flute had been so immersive, transporting everyone to high mountains and flowing waters, with cascading waterfalls and lush, surrounding landscapes. They were trapped in the beauty, loath to leave.

For people living in the noisy city, when would they ever have the chance to experience the beauty of nature like this? Even if what was before them was an illusion, it felt irresistibly real.

"Thank you to Mr. Lin for that performance. Let’s give a round of applause as we welcome our mentors for their critique!" The host, prompted by the director, hurried onto the stage to change the subject. If this went on any longer, the entire show would just become Lin Yu’s personal concert.

During the feedback session, the vocal mentor, Mr. Song Ci, looked at Lin Yu with unconcealed admiration. "Come to my vocal class when you have time; we shall discuss the spirit of high mountains and flowing waters together."

Ms. Wu Yu, a representative for classical poetry, cast her vote before speaking. "I must say, through your flute playing, I didn't just hear it—I saw the landscape of high mountains and flowing waters right before me. The grandeur of the painting was so vivid it felt unreal."

"I don't know how to critique your performance. Your singing rocked the house and the atmosphere was perfect. While it wasn't the 1950s disco we old folks are familiar with, you managed to make us feel young again. You are a born performer."

"I don't know the proper way to judge you, so I'll use your generation's slang: I don't know what it is, but it's amazing! You earned this vote!"

The other mentors finished their critiques, mostly focusing on his performance of "Wild Wolf Disco." After all, trends in dance music from the fifties would always evolve, and the way he blended the old with the new so perfectly was exactly why they wanted to push him forward.

However, one judge frowned. "Although I can see you put a lot of effort into the stage presence, I still feel it was chaotic and overdone. The lyrics lacked depth, and the singing was a mess."

"Call this old man unappreciative if you must, but I cannot give you my vote."

"Not to mention the flute solo—it was technically impressive, but it didn't fit the theme. So, as far as I'm concerned, you didn't make the cut!"

Before Lin Yu could respond, the online audience had already lost their cool.

"Are you kidding me? The flute was an extra request from the audience! Do you have any idea how exhausting it is for a performer to keep going like that? Is it really appropriate to belittle him like this?"
"Exactly, it's easy to judge from your ivory tower. You look like such a fossil; you aren't suited for a trendy talent show, just go home and wash up!"
"My mom lived through the fifties and she said 'Wild Wolf Disco' was a blast! How was it 'neither fish nor fowl'? Combining old culture with new, isn't that how things flourish?"
"Can we calm down? The old gentleman was invited by the production team as a mentor; isn't he allowed to voice his opinion? Stop the fanatical screaming!"
"It was awful, honestly. 'Wild Wolf Disco'? 'Why are you calling me?' It's just a trashy pop song being blown out of proportion! Do you people even have any taste?"
"Trashy pop song? Let's see you try! Why don't you spit out a 'trashy' song and show us if you can sing half as well?"

The mentors finished their critiques, and it was time for the judges' scores. Lin Yu received eight votes, advancing with the highest score of the night!

After returning to his seat, the final contestant performed, but unfortunately only managed to secure six votes. The results were in: Sun Zhihan, Qu Chan'er, and Yuan Jinxia were eliminated.

Backstage, Su Xiaolin, who had been waiting, handed a bouquet of flowers to Lin Yu as he stepped off the stage.

"Mr. Ji had me prepare these flowers early. He was certain you would win today."

A warmth spread through Lin Yu’s heart. Once upon a time, he had been like mud beneath people's feet, ignored and forgotten. Now, he had someone silently supporting him from the shadows.

"Heading back to rest?" Su Xiaolin asked, before turning to walk in the opposite direction. Lin Yu called out to her.

"The way you're carrying yourself, it looks like you're heading to a brawl."

"Hahaha! I just have an appointment with a few other agents to invite the director for tea!"

Lin Yu didn't press further. It was their secret, and it wasn't his place to intervene.