deltrittennovels Chapter 288 The Super Girl Finals Begin
Chapter 288 The Super Girl Finals Begin
On the day of the finals, the streets outside the Shanghai Cultural and Art Center were congested from the morning.
It wasn't just any ordinary traffic jam; it was the kind of endless, densely packed, and utterly hopeless traffic jam.
Scalpers weaved through the crowd, clutching stacks of tickets in their hands, the prices already inflated to twenty times the original price.
Someone stood in the cold wind for over an hour holding a sign that read "Tickets for Sale," their face red from the cold, but they still refused to leave.
Lu Ran sat in the backstage dressing room, his right leg propped up on a footstool. Looking out the window at the dense crowd outside, he couldn't help but shake his head.
"This is a bigger operation than I expected."
Shen Yuege, who was looking at the schedule next to her, didn't even look up when she heard this: "Nonsense. This is the final of 'Super Girl,' and tens of millions of people across the country are watching."
She paused, then added, "And quite a few people came to insult us."
Lu Ran smiled.
He knew what Shen Yuege meant.
The fact that the Super Girl finals were scheduled for this day was itself controversial.
Less than a month after the earthquake, reconstruction work in the disaster area is still underway, and countless people are still living in tents. At this time, holding an entertainment-oriented final is considered inappropriate by many.
The comments section of TUTU is already in an uproar.
[User "Sichuan Man Xiao Chen"]: Didn't we agree to postpone it? It's only been a short time, and you're already in a rush to hold the finals? People in the disaster area are still suffering, and you have the nerve to sing?
[User "Rational Analysis"]: Upstairs, look carefully before you start cursing. All proceeds from this grand finale will be donated to disaster relief, and there will also be a charity performance segment. This isn't entertainment; this is public welfare.
[User "Passerby A"]: Charity? It's just using the guise of charity to grab attention. If you really want to do charity, why not just donate the money directly? Why make such a big fuss?
[User "Sichuan Man Xiao Chen"]: I don't care about public welfare or not, I just feel uncomfortable watching a competition being held at this critical juncture.
[User "Left-behind Rabbit Alliance - Lao Zhang"]: You people are really good at talking without understanding the situation. Lu Ran went to the disaster area to deliver supplies and even broke his leg. Now he's holding a charity performance to raise funds, and you're still making sarcastic remarks. If you're so capable, why don't you go to the disaster area and help?
[User "spectator"]: Stop arguing, stop arguing. Take it or leave it. Anyway, I'm going to watch it. I like all ten finalists, and I heard there's a mystery guest too.
The comments section was in an uproar, but one statistic made Lu Ran very satisfied—the hashtag #SuperGirlFinals# on TUTU had already surpassed two billion views before the show even started.
Black and red are also red.
Whether some people like it or others criticize it, as long as people watch it, the traffic is real.
Lu Ran didn't care about the insults. He knew that once the charity performance ended tonight, and "Tomorrow Will Be Better" was sung, most of those insults would turn into applause.
"It's almost time." Shen Yuege closed the schedule, stood up, and said, "The stage is ready, and the contestants are waiting. You over here—"
She glanced at Lu Ran's legs: "I've placed the wheelchair on the side of the stage for you. You can just come on stage from the side. Don't be stubborn, use the wheelchair if you need to."
"Okay, okay." Lu Ran waved her hand. "You're practically my mom now."
Shen Yuege glared at him, turned to leave, then stopped and looked back at him.
"Lu Ran".
"Um?"
"Tonight, it will be a success."
She looked very serious when she said that.
Lu Ran looked at her and nodded with a smile.
"certainly."
At 7 p.m. sharp, the Shanghai Cultural and Art Center was packed with 1,200 seats.
The moment the lights went out, the entire venue fell silent.
Everyone stared at the empty stage, waiting for that person to appear.
A spotlight shone down.
Shen Yuege, dressed in a simple white dress and holding a microphone, walked out from the side of the stage.
Her steps were steady, her smile composed, as natural as if she were taking a stroll in her own living room.
"Welcome everyone to the Super Girl Grand Final." Her voice, clear and warm, resonated throughout the venue through the speakers. "Tonight, the top ten contestants will use their voices to determine the ultimate champion. The decision of who will lift this trophy rests in your hands."
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the entire room, then said softly, "But before the competition begins, I'd like to say something."
The audience fell silent.
"As everyone knows, a strong earthquake struck Sichuan not long ago. Many people's homes were destroyed, and many people lost their loved ones. We had considered postponing this competition because holding the finals at this time was indeed inappropriate."
"But then we realized that postponing the game wouldn't solve anything. What can truly help the people in the disaster area isn't canceling a match, but using the game's influence to do something tangible."
Her voice hardened: "Therefore, all proceeds from tonight's finals—tickets, GG, title sponsorship—will be donated to the disaster area. After the competition, there will also be a charity performance. We have invited artists from several companies to sing a song created for the disaster area."
"I hope that tonight is not just a game, but also a transmission of love."
There was a moment of silence in the audience, then applause broke out.
The applause was not only enthusiastic, but also very sincere.
It's like someone has lit a lamp in the dark; although the light is faint, it's enough to let people see the direction.
Shen Yuege bowed slightly, straightened up, and resumed the rhythm of a host: "Then, the competition begins."
In the first round, the top ten contestants each sang one song.
The rules are simple—each person sings a song of their choice, the judges score them on the spot, and the score is added to the points from previous competitions. The person with the highest total score wins the championship.
There were no complicated competition rules or lengthy procedures; it was as clean and efficient as a knife.
The first one to go on stage was Zhang Xinyi.
She chose a slow song called "The Road Home." The lyrics tell the story of a wanderer who has been away from home for many years and finally embarks on his journey home.
After the earthquake, countless people lost their homes, and this song, sung at this time, carries a special meaning.
Zhang Xinyi's voice was deep and resonant, like a piece of warm jade, each word sung with a steady and clear tone. When she sang the chorus, some people in the audience began to wipe away tears.
On the judges' panel, Xu Manlin remained silent for a few seconds after listening, then said, "Zhang Xinyi, you weren't singing today, you were telling a story. And you told it very well. I give you 9.4 points."
Liu Siqi chimed in, "Your technique has always been solid, but today your emotions were even more intense than before. I give it a 9.3."
Li Zonghan adjusted his reading glasses: "This song was a great choice, fitting the occasion without being contrived. When you sang it, I could feel that you genuinely felt sorry for those who lost their homes. You can't fake that. I give it 9.4 points."
Shen Yuege concluded by saying, "Zhang Xinyi, your performance today was worthy of this stage. I give it 9.5 points."
The average score is 9.4.
With her previous points added, Zhang Xinyi is currently ranked first.
The second person to go on stage was Zhou Wan.
She chose a folk song adaptation called "Little River Flowing," but gave it a completely new arrangement, incorporating rock elements.
The moment the high note hit, the entire audience erupted in cheers.
Judge Li Zonghan stood up and applauded, something that had never happened before in previous competitions.
"Zhou Wan!" He sat down, his voice still tinged with excitement, "Your voice is a gift from God! I give it a 9.7!"
Xu Manlin smiled: "It's rare to see Teacher Li so excited. I agree with you, Zhou Wan's performance today was truly amazing. I give her 9.6 points."
Liu Siqi thought for a moment: "Your high notes are impeccable, but I think your handling of the low notes could be a bit more nuanced. I give it 9.5 points."
Shen Yuege concluded by saying, "Zhou Wan, you are one of the contestants who have improved the most among the top ten. From the auditions until now, you have been pushing your limits every time you step onto the stage. This is more important than talent. I give you 9.6 points."
The average score is 9.6.
With her previous points added, Zhou Wan has overtaken Zhang Xinyi and is currently in first place.
The third one to take the stage was Su Qian.
She sang an original song called "Flowers on the Ruins".
She wrote the song while she was volunteering in the disaster area.
She said she saw a child at the resettlement site pick up a wilted wildflower from the ruins and carefully plant it in a plastic bottle. That scene inspired her to write this song.
Halfway through the song, her voice began to tremble, not from nervousness, but from emotion.
"Amidst the ruins, a flower bloomed. Small and thin, yet stubbornly alive."
Some people in the audience cried.
Moved by the song, and seeing many videos of disaster areas online recently, many people couldn't help but shed tears.
On the judges' panel, Xu Manlin's eyes reddened.
"Su Qian," her voice was a little hoarse, "this song of yours is really well written. And you sang it really well too. I don't have much to say, I just want to say—thank you for writing this song. I give it 9.8 points."
Liu Siqi took a deep breath: "Your creative ability has always been strong, but this song is the best of all your works. Not because of technique, but because of its authenticity. I give it 9.7 points."
Li Zonghan remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking: "I've lived for over fifty years and heard countless songs. Some songs I forget after listening to them, some I can remember for a few days, and some I can remember for a few months. But this song of yours, I will remember for a lifetime. I give it 9.9 points."
The entire audience erupted in uproar.
9.9 points, this is the highest score since the start of the "Super Girl" competition.
Shen Yuege looked at Su Qian, her eyes filled with heartache and pride: "Su Qian, you've come a long way from the auditions to where you are now, every step of the way has been difficult. But today, you've shown everyone that your perseverance has been worthwhile. I give you 9.8 points."
The average score is 9.8.
With her previous points added, Su Qian surged to first place.
Following them were contestants from other regions, all of whom tended to choose songs with themes of love.
However, the scores of the subsequent players were not as high as those of the previous players, and the top three remained unchanged.
The last one to go on stage was Lin Xiaoxi.
...