Chapter 76: Blow, Blow, My Wild and Proud Heart!

The more fiercely the wind howled, the more untamed her heart became. The very first line sung by Sun Na instantly stunned everyone present. Huang Minghao, who had just finished his own performance and was stepping off the stage, stumbled when he heard Sun Na’s voice, nearly losing his balance.

“Is that Sun Na singing?” he asked, incredulous, immediately stopping in his tracks, his expression grave as he listened intently.

On stage, Sun Na gripped the microphone tightly and continued her performance:

Like a speck of dust in the wind, I dance freely in the storm. I want to clutch the courage in my hands, though it scatters away. I will become a giant, treading on strength and dreams.

Sun Na’s voice, as if always on the verge of breaking free from its constraints, left the audience so captivated that they hardly dared to breathe, afraid to miss a single note.

At that moment, mentor Wei Ping’s face was set in deep concentration. “This Sun Na, though her voice carries a tremor, it is precisely this perfectly measured vibrato, combined with her slightly Western vocal style, that seizes everyone’s attention even before the song reaches its climax,” he thought. Casting a peculiar glance at Zhang Yingjing, he wondered silently why everyone in her team was so extraordinary. Xu Ze, who hadn’t even performed yet, was already known as a prodigy, and now even Sun Na, who seemed the weakest, was astonishingly strong. Could it be Zhang Yingjing’s coaching? The thought sent a chill down Wei Ping’s spine—Zhang Yingjing was almost terrifying.

Meanwhile, mentor Wang Yihan looked the most unsettled. When he first heard that Huang Minghao would be competing against Sun Na, he thought the outcome was a foregone conclusion and that Huang Minghao would win effortlessly. Yet now, as he listened to the first half of Sun Na’s song, he felt a jolt run through him. The song was powerful—too powerful. He could only hope the latter part would falter; otherwise, Huang Minghao was truly in danger.

At this point, Sun Na was entirely absorbed in her performance. Her voice grew ever more wild and unrestrained. Taking a deep breath, she launched herself into the song’s most soulful high notes:

Blow, blow, let my pride run wild. Blow, blow, you cannot destroy my pure garden. Let the wind rage and chaos reign; what I envision at the end cannot be destroyed.

Blow, blow, I walk barefoot without fear. Blow, blow, no disturbance can trouble me. See how bravely I smile, see how bravely I wave my hand.

Boom!

The entire venue erupted. Every member of the audience was left wide-eyed in awe.

If Zhu Zhengting’s earlier performance of “Big Fish” had left people feeling as if they were basking in a gentle sea breeze, then Sun Na’s rendition of “Wild Child” made it seem as though the wind had smashed through all boundaries, tearing apart every shackle.

“Absolutely electrifying—her voice sent me soaring!”

“The lyrics at the start felt so suppressed and constrained, then suddenly she broke into the climax, like riding a roller coaster straight into the sky!”

“I never imagined Sun Na would have such creative talent. This song suits her voice perfectly, as if it was tailor-made for her.”

“I used to think Sun Na was just a pretty face, but I was completely wrong—she’s a powerhouse vocalist!”

Mentor Jiang Yiyan was left speechless, goosebumps covering her arms. She had never imagined seeing such explosive force in a woman her own age. Sun Na’s cool outfit today made Jiang Yiyan want to exclaim, “Sister, you’re amazing!”

Beside her, mentor Wei Ping frowned, analyzing the performance in earnest. To be honest, he had never before encountered a singer capable of carrying vibrato even in the highest notes like Sun Na did. It was a testament to her profound vocal prowess. During the verses, her melodic lines still resembled those of many Chinese female singer-songwriters, but in the chorus, she completely unleashed herself. Some parts seemed like chaotic improvisation, giving the impression of spontaneous patchwork, but ultimately they fused into a distinctive melodic line all her own. This, Wei Ping concluded, made the song nearly impossible to imitate; no one else could deliver it with Sun Na’s unique emotion. The song was simply perfect for her.

He couldn’t help but sigh, “This year’s contestants are the strongest in the history of the competition.” Every one of them was formidable—let alone the fact that there was still Xu Ze, that unrivaled talent.

At that moment, mentor Wang Yihan’s eyes looked almost vacant. He kept repeating to himself, “Impossible! This can’t be happening…”

Clenching his fists, Wang Yihan wondered if any of this made sense. In Zhang Yingjing’s group, Sun Na had suddenly revealed astounding vocal prowess and had even written a song that showcased her strengths perfectly. Zhu Zhengting was even more exaggerated. His entire voice had changed, and his performance of “Big Fish” was so transcendent it felt out of this world. How could this be reasonable? Wang Yihan simply could not believe that Zhang Yingjing’s teaching could account for all this. If she was truly that capable, why had she been stuck just short of stardom for so long?

But if it wasn’t her…

A terrifying thought suddenly flashed through Wang Yihan’s mind. “No, impossible, impossible!” he quickly denied it. Xu Ze wasn’t some kind of deity—how could he have written so many masterpieces in a row? And besides, each song was completely different in style; Xu Ze had always only composed traditional-style songs, hadn’t he? He must be delirious to even entertain such an absurd idea.

…

At last, Sun Na finished her performance. Thunderous applause broke out. She bowed to the audience in gratitude, then, just as Zhu Zhengting had done, turned to the back of the stage and bowed deeply in Xu Ze’s direction, her heart racing with excitement: “Xu Ze, I haven’t let your song down. I’ve succeeded in bringing it to life!”

Meanwhile, the audience thought, “Here’s another contestant who’s left completely disoriented by their own performance.” But it was understandable—after all, this song was a true test of strength.

The host and Huang Minghao then took the stage to begin the voting segment. During the interlude, as was customary, the host started interviewing the contestants. Huang Minghao, expecting the microphone to be handed to him, was just about to speak when the host unexpectedly turned toward Sun Na first and asked, “Sun Na, your performance of ‘Wild Child’ was extraordinary and fit our theme perfectly. Could you share with us the story or inspiration behind creating this song?”

Still catching her breath, Sun Na took a moment to compose herself. The host waited patiently, disregarding Huang Minghao’s visible annoyance at not being addressed first. Once she had recovered, Sun Na took the microphone, smiled, and said, “I’d prefer to keep it a secret for now.”