Chapter 57: Let Me Sing "The Youth of China" for You!

Miao Miao stared blankly at Zheng Xiyi, radiant on stage in the show, murmuring,
"Zheng Xiyi looks even more beautiful in that dress."
Beside her, Xu Yan overheard and immediately retorted,
"So you do know that dressing up a bit makes you more beautiful. Yet you wear sweatshirts and jeans every day, looking like a tomboy. If you put in just a little effort, you’d be ten times prettier than Zheng Xiyi!"
Miao Miao fell silent for a while, then changed the subject, "Sister Yan, why hasn’t Xu Ze gone on stage yet?"
At this, Xu Yan realized, right, why hasn’t Xu Ze appeared?
By all rights, he should have performed before Zheng Xiyi; after all, his status isn't as high as hers.
But there was still no sign of Xu Ze.
The competition was already in its second half, and only the highest-profile guest, Zhang Yingjing, remained.
Could it be Xu Ze wasn’t going to perform?
That couldn’t be. It had been widely announced that Xu Ze would debut a new song, and many were waiting for him.
Could something have happened to him?
Xu Yan sent a message in the group chat to ask Xu Ze, but received no reply.
The two of them began to worry.
Soon, the competition reached its final stage. Dressed in an elegant black evening gown, Zhang Yingjing ascended the stage under the gaze of thousands.
The moment she appeared, the venue erupted into unprecedented cheers.
Such is the mark of a true superstar—no matter your profession or age, you may not know Wang Yihan or Zheng Xiyi,
But you will certainly know Zhang Yingjing.
The atmosphere was at its peak.
Even the leaders in the front rows, usually so stern, could not help but break into fan-like smiles.
The live stream audience was equally ecstatic.
"Zhang Yingjing is finally here! So beautiful!"
"She truly deserves her reputation; her presence is unmatched."
"Wow, even under the merciless close-ups, she’s still stunning!"
"Is she the last guest? I still haven’t had enough. This children’s music competition feels like a New Year’s gala with so many stars!"
At that moment, a viewer expressed confusion:
"Wait, wasn’t Xu Ze supposed to be here? Why hasn’t he performed?"
"Exactly, where’s Xu Ze? I came just to see him."
Then someone voiced a bold idea:
"Do you think… Xu Ze is the grand finale?"
The comment section erupted in disbelief.

"How is that possible? Are you suggesting Xu Ze outranks Zhang Yingjing?"
"He’s nowhere near that level. Unless the producers have lost their minds, not even their favorite could close the show."
"Most likely, something went wrong with his act, and he can’t go on."
"Ugh, why not? I was so looking forward to his new song. I’m curious which poem he’ll adapt this time."
Backstage at the competition.
A male celebrity who had already performed was waiting to leave after the final group photo.
He noticed Xu Ze still sitting alone and, surprised, turned to his friend and sneered,
"I told you something must have gone wrong with Xu Ze’s act. Look, Zhang Yingjing is on stage, and he’s still here."
His friend nodded, "I guessed as much when he skipped rehearsal. Something’s off for sure."
Both wore smug, gloating expressions.
Just then, Director Chen, the chief director of the children’s music competition, walked in.
The male celebrity recognized him from a distance during contract signing.
Everyone wanted to get on good terms with a director from Yangshi—even just being recognized might land you another show someday.
After all, these directors didn’t just work on one program.
The male celebrity immediately put on a flattering smile and hurried over, "Director Chen, hello, I’m—"
Before he could finish, Director Chen walked straight past him without a glance.
In full view, Director Chen stopped before Xu Ze, patted him on the shoulder, and said warmly,
"Xu Ze, are you ready? You’re on after this."
Xu Ze stood and nodded, "I’m ready, Director."
Director Chen looked him over and nodded in satisfaction, "Good. Your outfit looks great too. I’ll get back to work—stay relaxed, and good luck!"
"Thank you, Director."
After Director Chen left, everyone around was in utter shock.
What did he just say? Xu Ze is about to perform?
Xu Ze was actually scheduled after Zhang Yingjing—as the grand finale?
They couldn’t believe their ears. Just how influential was Xu Ze to receive such treatment from Yangshi?
Were they not concerned about offending Zhang Yingjing and her fans by doing this?
At that moment, the male celebrity and his friend fell silent.
The celebrity sighed, "Come on, let’s go to the front. I want to see what song Xu Ze is going to sing."
…
At last, the competition for all the children’s contestants was over; only the announcement of the results remained.
Just then, the stage lights dimmed, and a solitary figure walked onto the stage in the darkness.

Because it was so dark, no one could see his face, only that he was a tall, slender man.
The audience began to murmur,
"Is there another guest performance? Wasn’t Zhang Yingjing the finale?"
At that moment, the man on stage picked up the microphone and spoke,
"Hello everyone, I’m going to sing ‘Young China’s Voice’ for you!"
It was a man’s voice, but in the darkness, his face remained a mystery. His voice, though, was pleasant to hear.
Suddenly, someone in the live stream chat exclaimed,
"That voice—it’s Xu Ze!"
"Yes, I recognize it too!"
"No way! Xu Ze is really closing the show? That’s unreal—this is Yangshi!"
"Did he just say the song is called ‘Young China’s Voice’? What a positive title!"
"He must have written it specifically for this children’s music competition."
"I can’t wait!"
"Ahh, I want to see Xu Ze’s face, why is it so dark?"
…
As Xu Ze finished speaking, the stage lights blazed on.
On stage stood Xu Ze, dressed in a white shirt, a slim black tie, black slacks, and polished shoes. He stood tall and composed, quietly commanding the stage.
"So handsome!"
"It really is Xu Ze—he looks amazing!"
Many in the audience gasped in awe.
No one had expected Xu Ze to close the show.
Judging by the song’s title, it seemed to be about youth.
Behind him, the big screen slowly displayed the song information.
Title: Young China’s Voice
Composed by: Xu Ze
Lyrics by: Xu Ze
Performed by: Xu Ze