Choke him to death at the very moment of his greatest triumph.

Netizens watching the livestream?!

[A second surprise hit?!]

[A double blessing?!!]

[Such unsportsmanlike behavior!!!!]

No matter how shocked everyone was, the performance on stage had already begun.

A spotlight shone on the center of the stage, where Yuan Bingbing stood elegantly in a sapphire blue gown, positioned in front of the microphone.

She took a deep breath, exchanging a distant glance with Qu Feiyang in the audience.

Over the past week, aside from practicing her songs, she had barely spoken a word, nurturing her vocal cords with egg-white solutions every day, all to sing this song to absolute perfection today.

The soothing and melodious piano prelude began, pouring like moonlight and flowing like a clear spring, instantly pulling everyone's thoughts into a tranquil night.

She opened her lips slightly, and a heavenly voice flowed slowly forth:

"The moonlight is like silver, casting a layer of frost across the ground,
The wind passes without a trace, yet stirs up waves of floral fragrance.
Who is softly chanting, who is lightly singing,
Who is gently releasing their longing into the night~"

Yuan Bingbing's voice was clear and ethereal, carrying a hint of faint sorrow, perfectly portraying the serene and profound sense of longing within the song.

[Yuan Bingbing's vocal skills are truly beyond reproach. She really lives up to her reputation as a walking CD. She sings wonderfully.]

[The artistic conception of this song is so beautiful; it gave me goosebumps.]

At the event venue, everyone quietly appreciated her singing.

In the audience seats, Lin Wan turned to Zhou Fangran and said, "It seems Qu Feiyang really held something back."

Zhou Fangran wore a cold sneer, a hint of smugness in the depths of his eyes.

"Some young people think that having a bit of talent means they can do whatever they want? Music isn't that simple. Qu Feiyang alone is enough to send her packing."

Lin Wan looked at Yuan Bingbing, who was singing at the top of her lungs on stage, and gently shook her head.

"Qu Feiyang really spared no expense this time. If this song, *Nightingale*, were premiered on any other platform, it would probably pull in quite a few downloads."

Downloads meant money, and the time-limited free access at the exchange convention cut into the profits of creators like them.

"Hmph, he just made a hundred million from *The Bitterness of Secret Love*, why would he be short of money?" Zhou Fangran scoffed through his nose.

What he looked down on the most were pop music creators; measuring art with money was simply an insult!

On stage, the song reached its climax, and Yuan Bingbing's voice rose accordingly, becoming soaring and powerful:

"The nightingale cries out, piercing the tranquility of the night,
What is it singing of? Is it longing, is it anticipation,
Or is it a yearning for freedom?
It beats its wings fiercely, striving to break through the darkness~"

Yuan Bingbing imitated the call of a nightingale, soaring, bright, and melodiously sweet, as if a real nightingale were truly circling and singing above the stage.

Lin Wan smiled as she appreciated the performance, "This section uses bel canto techniques; it sounds truly wonderful. What a pity for that child Ji Fanxing. I hope she can maintain her mindset and hold on until the very end..."

On the television screen in Zhou Ya's living room, Yuan Bingbing's singing continued.

Her mother turned to look at her daughter sitting on the sofa with a somewhat unsightly expression, a hint of banter in her tone:

"Master Qu has pulled out two songs in a row. No matter how high your idol's popularity is, there's no way he can help Ji Fanxing win now."

"Mom! Stop talking!" Zhou Ya's tone carried a trace of grievance and defiance.

"My brother Tianyu and Ji Fanxing are already amazing! Who could have expected Qu Feiyang to release two works? This is simply bullying the inexperienced with seniority!"

"Oh, now you're sticking up for them?" Zhou Ya's mother slid her chair over to her daughter's side.

"I told you long ago, chasing after celebrities is fine, but you can't be blind to reason, and certainly not unable to tell right from wrong."

Zhou Ya lowered her head and muttered softly, "I am not unable to tell right from wrong..."

"Then tell me, for this competition, did Master Qu force her to agree? Did Master Qu prevent them from preparing a second work?" Zhou Ya's mother asked.

Zhou Ya was left speechless.

"Mom is just teaching you. In everything you do in life, you must act according to your ability. If you don't have that capability, don't make boastful promises, lest you end up unable to step down with grace." Zhou Ya's mother patted her daughter's hand earnestly.

"I know..." Zhou Ya replied gloomily, while secretly praying in her heart that Ji Fanxing could create a miracle and deal a heavy slap to Qu Feiyang's face!

Meanwhile, at the venue, Lu Changhe, the head of the Lu family, sat in the VIP seats with a face as dark as iron.

"This Qu Feiyang is simply full of schemes and utterly cunning!"

Sitting right beside him, Lu Zixuan, the eldest young master of the Lu family, wore an expression of Schadenfreude, showing no intention of comforting his father.

His daughter, Lu Sange, had insisted on becoming a professional erhu player ever since she started following Ji Fanxing. Not only did her father not stop her, but he even expressed his support.

The Lu family was on the verge of becoming a laughingstock in the industry.

Now, once Ji Fanxing lost and was driven out of the music circle, Sange and his father might finally quiet down.

Not far away, the president of the Conservatory of Music furrowed his brows with a worried expression.

Fang Zhijing, sitting beside him, remained remarkably calm.

"Old Fang, something's wrong with you. Why aren't you worried at all?" The president finally couldn't help asking.

Fang Zhijing leisurely picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip. "What's there to worry about? The listening session has only just begun. Well... this tea is quite good. Come, have a taste..."

As the song entered its ending notes, netizens could no longer hold back their thoughts.

[Holy shit, the climax of *Nightingale* is simply peerless!]

[Bingbing is working so hard; look how red her face got from singing near the end.]

[Ji Fanxing's chances are probably looking grim this time. *Lanting Pavilion Preface* was neck-and-neck with *Dawn on Spring Mountain*, and now with *Nightingale* in the mix, her vote count is bound to be crushed.]

[Sigh, what a pity for such a great work as *Lanting Pavilion Preface* to be besieged by two songs.]

[Don't panic! Ji Fanxing set the record on *All-Around Singer* by pulling out four songs in one go. Maybe she's still hiding a major trump card right now!]

[Wake up, upstairs! Those four songs in that episode were all pop songs. As a new category, how could she possibly compose two songs in one go without any preparation?]

[Exactly! No matter how much of a genius Ji Fanxing is, she couldn't possibly pull off something like this, right? Don't forget, after singing *The Tragical Opera* and *Sound and Silence* during the competition, she never sang a national-style song again. She didn't even perform when the national-style atmosphere in the finals was so strong, which means there are limitations for her. An inversion is absolute impossible!]

Online, discussions about *Nightingale* intensified, and almost everyone believed that Ji Fanxing was doomed to lose this time.

Only Ji Fanxing's die-hard fans were still holding out hope for a miracle.

Time ticked away second by second. The program was nearing its conclusion, and even Chu Hao had already taken the stage to perform, yet Ji Fanxing still made no move.

On stage, the lights suddenly shifted, and a spotlight struck the center of the stage. Chu Hao, dressed in a black leather jacket and adorned with silver chains, made his entrance amidst the gazes of everyone.

He was tall, handsome, steady in his stage presence, and radiated boundless charm with every gesture.

Down in the audience, several clueless, outstanding students from the Conservatory of Music looked blankly at the senior student beside them.

"Senior, this... it's just rap. Why are we standing up and applauding?"

The senior helplessly covered his forehead. "It was a special instruction from the mentor. Just do it, don't ask so many questions."

The students looked at each other, their hearts filled with confusion.

Ji Fanxing, blessed with sharp hearing, caught every single word of their conversation. Remembering what Chu Hao had once said, she couldn't help laughing out loud.

Though these people didn't understand rap, they certainly knew how to show up and support.

Lu Tianyu looked at Ji Fanxing in disbelief. "Fanxing, you're about to lose, how can you still be so happy?"

Sensing that the time was right, Ji Fanxing gracefully stood up.

"Who says I'm going to lose? Just watch closely and see how to strangle an enemy when they are at their most smug."

By this time, Chu Hao had finished his performance. Amidst the unprecedentedly enthusiastic applause from the audience, Ji Fanxing lifted the hem of her skirt and walked onto the stage.

As they passed each other, Chu Hao glanced at her with a look that clearly spelled out:

"Showing off again, aren't you?"

Unwilling to show weakness, Ji Fanxing raised her eyebrows:

"Naturally."

Under everyone's disbelieving gazes, she came to a halt in the center of the stage.

The host announced the next act, "Please welcome~ Ms. Ji Fanxing, as she brings us her final song—*Pointing to the Moon with the Left Hand*!"