Chapter 37

Chapter 37

After Shen Huaixi boldly made his remarks, Sheng Yan ignored him.

At this moment, the stage lights slowly faded out, and the large screen went dark.

The audience, who had been cursing Shen Huaixi, gradually quieted down.

Everyone looked up, quietly waiting for the final group's video clip.

After a three-second countdown, the screen flickered.

The scene shifted to the moment Shen Huaixi was forming his team.

The video clip's colors were intentionally given a vintage look.

After showing the group from behind, the editor quickly cut to close-ups of several people's eyes.

The singer and dancer's confusion, the rapper's surprise, the folk singer's anxiety, and number 77's helplessness.

The previously aired version did not provide such detailed expressions of the contestants.

Seeing everyone's reactions in such high definition in the video clip, the audience felt a pang of sympathy for this group of contestants.

"Damn, every time I see Shen Huaixi's grouping, it makes me want to swear."

However, before the audience could finish cursing, the camera suddenly cut to a cute cat's face.

The scene moved to a corner after the grouping ended.

The smiling cat appeared utterly carefree, unaffected by the grouping.

He tilted his head slightly and stretched out a cute paw into the air.

A cold, mechanical voice, starkly contrasting with the cat's adorable look, said, "Let's celebrate our successful team formation!"

The other teammates, initially a bit down, extended their hands upon hearing this.

Four hands piled onto the cat's paw, and at the cat's urging, everyone cheered together.

But after the cheer, number 77's hand lingered, reluctant to move away.

He turned his hand and gently stroked the cat's fur a few more times.

"Cat, the fur on your paw is so soft... Let me touch it again..."

This sudden comment made the audience green with envy.

"Ahhhhh, let go of that paw and let me do it!!!"

"Number 77 clearly has ulterior motives, how could he not call me for such a good thing"

"Agreed, unfollowing number 77, unless he lets me touch the paw"

"Wuwuwu, the cat is really so cute and heartwarming, comforting and encouraging everyone when they're not happy"

"Our cat is the absolute cutest and most heartwarming."

Seeing this, the audience originally thought the atmosphere of this group would be very warm...

But the heartwarming scene was only briefly shown by the production team, and the tone of the VCR suddenly shifted.

Mentor Sheng Yan gathered everyone and asked with a serious look, "What style do you think suits our group?"

In the video clip, his question was met with a heavy silence.

Except for Su Xingyao, whose face was hidden under a headpiece, the others didn't look too happy.

Then the screen divided into four sections.

The top two sections showed other groups quickly finalizing their songs and already rehearsing.

The other two sections showed this group still in discussions, unable to reach a decision.

Later, the four sections merged into two.

On the right was a clock ticking away, and on the left was Sheng Yan, tirelessly searching for and listening to songs for this group.

The clock showed 4 a.m.

Sheng Yan's fans and the group's fans couldn't hold back their feelings.

"Sheng Yan is so pitiable..."

"He practically stayed up all night searching for songs."

"Ugh, the thought of Shen Huaixi sleeping soundly at this time makes me sick."

"This group is so pitiable too... Others have already started practicing, and they can't even settle on a song. With such a tight schedule, they're really at a disadvantage."

The editor knew exactly how to play with the audience's emotions.

Just as everyone was anxious about the group's song selection, the scene shifted to Sheng Yan bringing the songs to the practice room.

"Let's listen together. I've picked four songs."

Hearing that Sheng Yan had picked four songs, the audience's mood lifted slightly.

However, on the big screen, the editor immediately showed the contestants' uncertain expressions after listening to three songs.

Now, the audience's mood, which had just lifted, plummeted again.

"This VCR is making my emotions swing like a rollercoaster..."

"Is picking a song really this hard?"

"If this group has to cater to everyone, it's indeed quite challenging, with such contrasting styles."

"Can't they go for an electronic Chinese style?"

"Well... You're the mentor, but you can't have all the strong members adjust for the team's shortcomings..."

Just as the audience was heatedly discussing what kind of song would suit this group, there was progress in the VCR.

To keep it a secret, the editor muted the song.

But after listening to the last song, everyone finally showed a satisfied expression.

"Found it??"

"What is the last song?"

"I'm really curious!!"

Before the audience could celebrate, they heard Sheng Yan's helpless statement, "We don't currently have the copyright for this song."

"The song by xx needs his personal permission to use, and he is really hard to contact."

After Sheng Yan's words, there was a sigh from a contestant.

"Why do we always have such bad luck..."

The camera cut here, leaving no further details about the song choice.

The editor kept the final song choice under wraps, instead cutting directly to the group's practice session.

The show didn't reveal which song this group was performing, but they showed plenty of scenes of them being pushed to their limits during practice, yelling late at night, "I can't do this anymore; my voice is going to give out."

After watching, the audience was left feeling uneasy.

"What song did they end up choosing? I wasn't worried before, but now I am."

"Who owns the most suitable song? Is the copyright really that difficult? Was it resolved in the end?"

"Probably not. If neither the show nor Sheng Yan could secure the copyright, they likely had to change the song."

"I'm really worried... with so many people and a poor grouping, they finally found a song that suits everyone, but then there's no copyright."

"They're practicing incredibly hard."

"Their voices are hoarse from singing; it's really tragic."

"This training must be brutal..."

The group's segment ended with a shot of slender, pale hands playing the piano, meticulously refining details for the team's contestants.

But after watching this VCR, the audience, both in the venue and at home, didn't have time to wonder whose hands those were, their hearts were pounding with anxiety.

After all, the issues of song selection and the tight timeline for integration loomed over everyone like a sword.

Before seeing the stage performance, no one could predict how such a diverse and vastly different group of five would perform.

After all, among the previous dozen groups, some trios with strong skills and fitting styles had quite a few failures.

This thought left the audience deeply concerned.

But just then, the screen, which had gone dark, suddenly lit up again.

At the end of the VCR, the editor included a little surprise for everyone.

The video showed no images, just a snippet of dialogue.

Number 77: "Kitty, will you still wear this mascot costume for this performance?"

Su Xingyao: "No, this time I'm going to transform!"

The video finally faded to black.

The audience, who had been feeling down, suddenly perked up at this news.

"What???"

"Transform!!!"

"Is my adorable kitty really going to transform this time?"

"Ahhh, I'll miss the cute kitty, but I can't wait to see the transformed version, wuwu."

"Will they take off the mascot suit!!!"

"Ahhh, kitty, hurry up and come out!"

As the VCR ended, the stage lights dimmed.

Meanwhile, backstage, the five-member group, just like at the start of the VCR, all reached out their right hands to cover Su Xingyao's dog paw.

"Good luck out there!"

With that, they grabbed their mics and got ready to go on.

The folk singer, number 40, trailed behind, watching his teammates' shadows ahead, his hands trembling with nerves.

Knowing he was the group's weak link, he'd been under tremendous pressure.

Until now, he'd only recorded in the studio. Facing a live audience for the first time, he was terrified of messing up, his heart racing as he waited to go on stage.

Su Xingyao noticed his nerves.

The one in the dog suit turned and waited, giving his shoulder a silent pat.

Su Xingyao had been coaching the group for days, and the folk singer had come to rely on him like a mentor.

Seeing Su Xingyao's comfort, he couldn't help but share his worries.

"My eye won't stop twitching. I keep thinking something's gonna go wrong."

"What if I mess up the timing or skip a beat..."

Seeing how nervous he was about dragging the team down, Su Xingyao knew platitudes like "we're a team" would only make it worse.

So he leaned in close and whispered, "I've got your back."

For the folk singer, who depended on Su Xingyao's vocal skills, this meant more than any pep talk.

It was like a life raft appearing just when he needed it.

He knew Su Xingyao's skills were solid, so he trusted him completely to keep his word.

With that, the folk singer finally calmed down.

As the five took their places, the host's voice echoed through the dark.

"And now, please welcome our final group to the stage!!!"

A ring of soft light glowed around the stage as the crowd hushed.

A short intro played, and a smooth, sultry voice floated out of the dark.

"Hey, you said..."

The drawling recitation, deliberately delayed by half a beat, finally sounded.

A spotlight shone on the far left of the stage, revealing number 35, a rapper in a black and white spotted dog t-shirt, to everyone.

"You wanted to share your story with me."

The rapper, with slightly curled medium-length hair, chuckled softly during the rhythm break, following Su Xingyao's advice. Playing with a dog plushie in his hand, he exuded a relaxed demeanor.

"It must be exciting, I'm all ears."

After confidently striding to the center of the stage to finish his part, he kissed the dog plushie in his hand.

The song's intro was brief, and before anyone could clearly identify the song, the rapper's opening had already captivated the audience.

The audience immediately burst into uncontrollable screams.

"Ahhhhhh, this voice is so captivating!!"

"Is this still the number 35 I know?!! This recitation fits him perfectly, so rogue and charming!!"

"Please, keep this voice forever, it's so perfect, so perfect, wuwuwuwu."

"What song is this?!!"

"The melody resembles Lance's 'Kissing Summer,' but Lance's version doesn't include this recitation."

After the rapper's recitation, it was immediately followed by the clear voice of number 77.

Dressed in a pink rabbit t-shirt, he hopped onto the stage, clutching a rabbit plushie in his left hand.

"Hey there,

Gorgeous and passionate, dear summer."

Number 77 winked at the camera, bending the ears of the rabbit plushie in his hand as a friendly gesture.

"Meeting again, under a clear and vast sky."

As soon as number 77 appeared, his baby-faced cuteness, enhanced by the pink and white rabbit outfit, instantly charmed the audience.

"Ahhhhhh, my heart is melting!"

"Number 77, you're not allowed to be this cute!!"

"Girlfriend fans instantly became mom fans."

"Son, were you raised on cuteness?"

"Bunny, bunny, bunny, the adorable number 77 bunny."

As soon as number 77 appeared, the song's title flashed on the big screen.

"Kissing Summer."

"It really is 'Kissing Summer'!!"

"Ahhhhhh, what a dream collaboration!!"

"My favorite group sang a song by my favorite foreign singer."

"So it's Lance's song!! No wonder it feels so fresh and healing!!"

"Just wondering, who is Lance?"

"A very talented up-and-coming star from abroad."

"So, was the song they chose in the VCR this one? It's really hard to get Lance's permission; he has to personally approve it."

"Did they finally manage to contact Lance himself?"

The audience didn't have time to wonder about the song's permission.

The singer-dancer and the folk singer appeared together.

"Biking through the green shade,

The hem of their clothes flutters gently."

The two who appeared together were wearing a yellow-and-green dinosaur T-shirt and a blue-and-white dolphin T-shirt, respectively.

As they harmonized, the audience was immediately drawn to their outfits today.

"Ahhhh, their group's outfits are so adorable!"

"Each of them brought a doll that matched their outfit."

"What about our kitty? What is the kitty who's going to transform today wearing?!"

Under everyone's expectant gazes, an orange dog with soft triangular ears and big, shiny black eyes appeared.

"The sound of the wind and cicadas,

Decorating the summer melody."

When Su Xingyao finally appeared, the screen exploded with comments.

"Ahhhh, it's a dog!!!"

"Ahhh, my kitty turned into a dog this time."

"Dog, dog, I love dogs so much!"

"Kitty, oh no, dog, your doll outfit is just too much and too cute!!"

"I really like the kitty doll outfit, but why do I love this dog doll outfit so much too?!"

"I want to pet it again, wuwuwu~"

"You're all distracted by the kitty's doll outfit, but am I the only one seriously listening to him sing? His voice is so refreshing."

"Kitty, oh no, dog is like a walking CD player."

Seeing the audience below the stage waving their cheering sticks, Su Xingyao waved his cute paw at everyone before walking to the center of the stage to join his teammates.

Standing side by side, the five of them exchanged smiles and sang the previous section of harmony once more.

The song's style is refreshing and soothing, but the lyrics are as vibrant and passionate as summer itself.

Although many in the audience were hearing it for the first time, they were quickly drawn into the scene by their singing.

Even though it was still May, it felt like they had instantly stepped into a sunny summer day.

Viewers watching the live stream couldn't help but sway to the cheerful tune.

"This song is so refreshing, it suits each of their voices perfectly, especially the folk singer."

"Seeing them makes me feel happy without even trying."

"This song really captures the essence of summer, and I love their outfits too; every detail is spot on."

"I was really worried about them after watching the VCR, but they totally nailed it."

"Cat's voice is amazing, number 77 (the singer and dancer) is incredibly stable, number 35 (the singer and dancer) and number 62 were also outstanding today, and although number 40 had some flaws compared to the tycoon, it's okay, I would blindly adore him in this group."

The state and performance of this group completely exceeded everyone's expectations.

Seeing the singers on stage so happy, the audience realized they had all been fooled by the VCR earlier.

The folk singer in the dolphin costume on stage, seeing all the support, happily waved his hands.

Encouraged by his teammates, his mood gradually relaxed, and he began to fully enjoy the stage today, especially number 35 (the singer and dancer).

But the accident occurred just as he was relaxing.

When number 35, the singer and dancer, finished his part, number 40, who was ready to sing next, suddenly found there was no sound in his earpiece.

At first, he thought it was his earpiece acting up and couldn't help but glance at his teammates.

But the moment he looked over, the BGM of the entire live show also suddenly stopped, leaving number 35 (the singer and dancer) and the others in shock.

The whole venue fell silent, and the audience, clueless about what was happening, looked at the stage in surprise.

The sudden accident threw everyone off rhythm.

Number 40 noticed his teammates, who were totally into it, also suddenly froze.

Then, they all looked at each other in surprise, especially number 35 (the singer and dancer).

Since they were still performing, no one dared to speak, only using eyes and body language to communicate.

But no one had a clue what was going on.

Now, with no BGM, they had to figure out what to do next. Number 35 (the singer and dancer) looked particularly unsure.

Should they stop, or continue?

With no sound in their earpieces, the five of them were completely cut off from any instructions.

All eyes in the audience were now glued to them.

Even on the live stream, there were hundreds of thousands of viewers watching...

One second is a very short time, but for number 35 (the singer and dancer) and the others, it felt like an eternity.

But for the five on stage, every second was pure agony.

It was the first time any of them had faced such a situation, and no one had a clue what to do next.

After the background music was interrupted, Su Xingyao's mind raced with countless thoughts as he looked at his visibly panicked teammates.

He knew everyone was torn between pushing through or stopping to wait for a re-recording.

But he was well aware that this was a live broadcast, and it was part of a competition. No one could be sure that if they stopped at this moment, they would get another chance to perform.

Moreover, if they were to start over, that would be really unfair to the other contestants.

But if they couldn’t perform again, then stopping abruptly would leave them forever regretting it.

The stage is never free from accidents.

As a singer, facing any unexpected stage incident, one should have the responsibility and courage to continue singing.

Because often, there is no second chance on stage.

Su Xingyao, who deeply understood this principle, nodded to everyone.

So even without the accompaniment, they had to keep going with the competition.

After giving everyone a signal, he quickly raised his microphone and gestured for number 40 to continue singing.

Su Xingyao’s group hadn’t chosen a leader like the other groups had.

But during these three days of intensive training, Su Xingyao had already become a figure no less than a mentor in the hearts of his four teammates.

Everyone trusted his judgment and decisions unconditionally.

So now, when he signaled everyone to keep singing, the others quickly adjusted their expressions and mindset, deciding to sing on without hesitation.

Even the folk singer, whose composure had completely collapsed, nodded lightly at him and began silently counting the beats in his head.

After number 35 finished singing, there was supposed to be an instrumental interlude.

But now that the music was interrupted, he had been momentarily stunned by it.

So now, number 40 realized that no matter how hard he tried to count, he couldn’t get the timing right for his entry.

Looking at the expectant eyes of his teammates, number 40 tried to calm himself down.

But for number 40, who had almost no prior stage experience, encountering such a major live broadcast accident on his first live stage, the ability to handle such a situation on the spot wasn’t something he could just summon by wanting to stay calm.

The more he forced himself to stay calm, the more counterproductive it became.

As the weak link of the team, realizing that he was about to drag all his teammates down, his nervousness made even holding the microphone shake.

Under such pressure, he couldn’t accurately count the beats anymore and could only close his eyes to calm his mind.

So he didn’t notice the beats Su Xingyao was subtly signaling to him with gestures.

"Face with a smile~"

Finally, on what he thought was the right beat, he sang his part.

However, when he opened his eyes halfway through singing, he saw the astonished look in number 77's eyes.

His mind suddenly cleared in an instant.

Number 40 immediately realized he had entered on the wrong beat!

And he was a whole line of lyrics ahead!

Realizing his serious mistake, contestant 40's legs went weak.

Overwhelmed by guilt and the mistake, he even forgot the next line of lyrics.

His throat felt like it was being tightly choked, and he was on the verge of suffocation.

But the anticipated disaster didn't happen.

Right after he finished, a powerful yet soothing voice followed, firm and steady, covering his mistake.

"Face with a smile~"

Calm and composed, Su Xingyao picked up the microphone, acting as if nothing had gone wrong, and repeated the line contestant 40 had just sung.

The moment Su Xingyao's voice rang out, contestant 40's heart nearly leaped out of his chest!

As Su Xingyao began singing, the background music, which had been silent for over ten seconds, miraculously came back on.

And when it resumed, it perfectly synced with Su Xingyao's entry into the chorus.

Not a beat too early, not a beat too late!

Perfectly on cue!

With his heart racing, contestant 40 looked at Su Xingyao gratefully, finally grasping the meaning of his earlier assurance on stage—that he would fix things.

Su Xingyao had truly brought the song back in sync, without missing a beat!

Contestant 40 closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh of relief.

If it weren't for Su Xingyao, their performance would have been ruined because of him...

"always have the courage to fall

and come back again"

As contestant 40 breathed a sigh of relief, Su Xingyao effortlessly sang the remaining two lines, perfectly in sync with the returning music.

Before Su Xingyao joined in, contestant 40's a cappella voice sounded a little weak.

But once Su Xingyao joined in, especially when the background music kicked in, the song's texture and emotion soared.

After seamlessly covering contestant 40's falsetto, Su Xingyao kept going.

His clear, powerful voice filled the stage as he effortlessly hit three high notes in the next section.

The comments exploded!

"Incredible!!!!!"

"What just happened??? He actually fixed it perfectly!!"

"The dairy farm just called me to open the door for my delivery—turns out, the cow came home!"

"Ahhhhhhh Su Xingyao just saved the performance!!!"

"If the contestants' shock when the background music cut out hadn't been so genuine, I'd have thought this was staged—Su Xingyao's timing and transition were flawless!!"

"This part sounds absolutely stunning, with number 40's a cappella immediately followed by Su Xingyao and the BGM... ahhh, it's just so wonderful!"

"If this was on purpose, I’d give it a hundred thumbs up! If it was an accident, then Su Xingyao is instantly legendary!"

"Ahhh, Su Xingyao, my boy, saving your teammate is just incredible! Those three high notes are just insane, absolutely insane!!"

"Effortlessly switching between chest voice and falsetto, those three high notes are just full-on... singing two parts without even pausing for breath... is this what it’s like in the big leagues..."

After Su Xingyao’s dramatic save, the BGM also returned to normal.

After that, the five-member group, led by Su Xingyao, got back on track and began performing their parts normally.

Everyone interacted with the audience according to the arranged rhythm, and gradually, no one paid attention to the earlier accident anymore.

It was like that intense moment was just a tiny blip.

"Vanilla ice cream

The ultimate summer treat"

In the latter part of the song, when number 77 sang this line, Su Xingyao playfully raised his dog plushie.

The plushie dog in his hands raised its two little paws, looking adorable and cheeky.

Its eyes were locked right on number 77's rabbit plushie.

Then everyone noticed the rabbit plushie was holding two ice creams!

"No way, you even snuck an Easter egg into the plushies!"

"You even put so much thought into the props! And they match the lyrics perfectly!"

"Aww, this group is just too adorable and thoughtful!"

The audience was totally charmed by this little detail and couldn't help but scream.

While the two were interacting, number 40 walked over.

He stepped between Su Xingyao and number 77 and sang his second verse.

"Laughter and joy, boundless courage, blue skies and white clouds, moments with you."

After singing, number 40 instinctively turned to look at Su Xingyao.

But the second he turned, their stage hit another snag!

The BGM, which had cut out earlier, stopped again!

"No BGM again? Seriously??"

"What’s going on, production team??"

"What luck this group has! Who can handle this happening twice in a row..."

With the backing track failing twice in a row, the contestants were really struggling.

Especially number 40, who had issues during his singing part both times, his mind was completely blank at this point.

Even the singer and dancer with very rich stage experience was momentarily stunned.

Because unlike last time, this time the background music stopped at a very, very awkward moment.

It was during the transition between song sections.

And this section had a relatively long interlude.

So the interlude had no lyrics...

When the background music suddenly stopped, the stage fell silent, as if it had instantly lost its vitality.

According to the original plan, they had planned a relatively simple dance move here that matched the interlude very well.

But dancing without background music would look very silly.

And if no one danced and they just stood on stage waiting, it would be equally awkward.

The singer and dancer, with more stage experience, quickly recovered from his confusion and prepared to interact with the audience to get through the interlude.

However, when he was about to speak, he realized that this song was a cover of a foreign song.

The audience below the stage mostly couldn't sing along...

But they couldn't let the scene fall flat like this.

The five of them quickly glanced at each other, all trying their best to think of how to save their disaster-prone performance.

The series of mishaps made the audience restless once more.

The awkward silence on stage stood in stark contrast to the noisy chaos below.

Realizing the scene would spiral out of control if they waited any longer, the singer and dancer, determined not to let the competition fail, raised his microphone.

But he hesitated, unsure whether to use the simplest, most direct crowd-pleasers like "Are you happy?" or "Wave your hands, okay?" to get through the chaotic interlude.

Su Xingyao walked up to him and gently nudged his dinosaur costume with his dog costume.

In the next moment, a soft yet clear voice cut through the noisy crowd.

The cute orange dog on stage, unnoticed by anyone, raised the microphone and began singing the chorus again.

"Face, with a smile~"

The unaccompanied voice revealed an even purer clarity.

Amid the chaos, this singing voice acted like a tranquilizer.

The audience, filled with mixed emotions, fell silent in unison, holding their breath as they listened to the five-member group's next performance.

Contestant 77 was the first to react.

He quickly picked up Su Xingyao's rhythm and joined in for the second half of the chorus.

Their voices intertwined, instantly creating a beautiful harmony.

"always, have the courage to fall"

"and we'll come back again"

The singer and dancer, reminded by Su Xingyao's pat on the shoulder, finally understood the hint after glancing at his dinosaur plushie!

He was reminded to include the rap he had casually joked about during yesterday's team practice.

While Su Xingyao and number 77 sang the melody, he and the rapper would perform the rap, filling the gap left by the missing interlude together!

Even number 40, who was the most discouraged, understood Su Xingyao's intention.

Everyone naturally turned to Su Xingyao, and in the midst of his soothing singing, the flame of determination to not give up was ignited within them.

Just like the lyrics he was singing.

Their group never lacked the courage to start over.

What did it matter if the mentor had divided them into such a combination? They could make up for it through training.

What did it matter if there was no background music? The five of them could fill it with their voices!

The singer and dancer, with his fighting spirit reignited, felt his emotions surge once more.

He happily followed the rhythm of Su Xingyao and number 77's vocals, reciting the lines unique to their group of five amidst this gentle and melodious singing.

The lines were simple, but he delivered them with endless tenderness.

He walked over to number 77 and number 40, wrapping his arms around their shoulders with a warm smile.

"My rabbit…"

"My dolphin…"

His eyes sparkled with laughter, and within the simple lyrics, there was an endless depth of emotion.

This emotion was given a name.

It was called trust.

After a brief pause, the singer and dancer pointed to his little dinosaur and chuckled lightly.

"I'm dinosaur."

The rapper also walked over to Su Xingyao, playfully shrugging his shoulders in sync with the singer and dancer.

"Here's a cat and a dog."

"We are a group of cute animals…"

"And."

The lighthearted tone shifted subtly after this line, delivered like a soft sigh.

Next, he smirked mischievously, making an "I love you" gesture to all his teammates, his tone rising as he became like a flame reaching for the sun.

"We are even better brothers."

"We're with you, forever."

As the two finished their rap, Su Xingyao and number 77's gentle singing also came to an end.

The group hadn’t rehearsed or planned anything in advance, but relying only on trust and their tacit understanding, they flawlessly executed this entirely new segment.

In the audience, the emotionally charged crowd waved their glow sticks with fervor, cheering on the singers who faced countless hardships but never backed down.

Seeing this, the five on stage waved along with the crowd.

After the interlude, the background music (BGM) they were hoping for didn’t come through like it did the first time.

But now, the people on stage were no longer panicked.

After such a long time without the BGM, everyone had pretty much resigned themselves to the idea that it probably wouldn’t play again.

Instead of worrying about whether the BGM would play, Su Xingyao decided to take charge of the stage himself.

Standing in the center, he slightly bent over, placed his left hand flat on his chest, pointed at himself, and then made two downward, calming gestures.

His teammates all raised their left hands in unison, making an OK gesture.

Seeing everyone agree so quickly, Su Xingyao smiled lightly.

He also made an OK gesture to everyone.

Then he began a countdown with his hands.

The audience below, watching their silent miming, was curious but baffled.

"What are they doing?"

"Are they discussing something?"

"But why does it feel so thrilling?"

The audience, unsure of what was happening, watched intently, not wanting to miss a thing.

Thus, they saw that when Su Xingyao counted to one, all five raised their microphones.

In the center, Su Xingyao’s voice rang out, setting the pitch for the whole group.

"Still troubled by yesterday’s events?"

His voice echoed in the silence, as if amplified.

Su Xingyao’s voice was rock-solid, hitting every note perfectly.

After setting the pitch for everyone, he snapped his fingers softly through his gloves.

His snap acted like a signal, and the other four teammates all started singing in unison.

The five stood in an arc, with Su Xingyao at its center.

All eyes were on Su Xingyao at the center, snapping their fingers rhythmically, harmonizing perfectly with his melody.

Then, Su Xingyao sang the next line of the lyrics.

"Let go, turn around, and embrace each other

This is what summer feels like~"

The moment the five crisp and harmonious voices rang out, the audience, accustomed to hearing songs with various accompaniments, felt instantly refreshed.

"Ahhhhhhh it's actually a cappella!!!"

"Ooooh I thought the tuning by the cat was a bit off, but I didn't expect to be lucky enough to hear a live version of a cappella."

"Oh my god, what kind of luck do I have to hear a live version of a cappella on this stage!!"

"Ahhhhhhh their a cappella is so beautiful, so beautiful."

"Baby, this isn't just a cappella, it's a cappella."

"Can I ask, what is a cappella?"

"It's a multi-part musical performance using only human voices, without instrumental accompaniment."

"Simply put, since they don't have background music now, singing such a long segment without it would be a bit dry, so now they have the cat as the lead singer, and the other four teammates use their own voices to accompany him."

"So that's it!! No wonder it feels so layered."

"The cat's pitch is really accurate, like he grew up eating CDs."

The netizens were spot on.

In the last section, Su Xingyao and his teammates decided not to wait for the unknown background music.

Therefore, they decisively abandoned the previous singing format and directly had Su Xingyao take the lead.

After he took the lead to set the tone, the others immediately and tacitly used their voices to form the melody of the song.

Although this group was divided into different styles by Shen Huaixi, their vocal lines surprisingly blended well.

Su Xingyao had discovered this potential in their group during training, and on the first day of vocal training, he had tried to have everyone sing a cappella.

At that time, he just wanted to build everyone's chemistry, but he didn't expect...

Today, it was actually used in the competition.

"Press the shutter, and everything is frozen in summer

Happiness and smiles, brilliant and eternal."

In the pure and harmonious vocal melody of his teammates, Su Xingyao's clear and crisp voice resounded throughout the venue.

No one was lagging, and no one was out of place.

The five combined together, with each vocal line like a human instrument, perfectly blended, as if naturally formed.

The live audience was shocked by the clean and pure human voices, and many even forgot to wave their glow sticks.

In the live broadcast room, the audience was impressed by their strength, wisdom, courage, unity, and tacit understanding.

"I would believe they've been a group for five years."

"Damn, who said this group wasn't good? They are clearly the most suitable to be together."

"This group is really united, even I, a passerby, am moved to tears."

"This song is quite cheerful, but I feel so touched listening to it."

If this were another team, even if they survived the first round, their morale would likely collapse when the BGM failed in the second round...

But in their group, someone always steps forward whenever they face difficulties. It's truly a blessing to have such teammates. Even when mistakes occur, there's always someone to back you up. And in the end, without the BGM, no one worried about who sang more or less. With just one gesture from Su Xingyao, the leader, the whole team followed his lead, demonstrating incredible unity. They truly took the stage seriously and gave their all to deliver the performance...

It takes preparation to handle such situations perfectly on the spot. They must have practiced intensely, as shown in the VCR, putting in a lot of effort.

"Stop, stop, I'm about to cry."

"I'm going to cry. This group isn't just about their voices, but also the pure, genuine emotions they share."

On stage, after 35 seconds of pure a cappella, the teammates simultaneously put down their microphones.

Standing in the center, Su Xingyao's soothing and cheerful voice sang the final two lines of the song.

"This is summer~"

"Bright, passionate, and brimming with courage... summer."

The pure, clear voice came to an abrupt halt.

What followed was a profound, breathtaking silence.