92. Boomerangs, Each One Piercing the Heart-Back at Full Power: Shaking Up the Entertainment Industry with Chinese Classics(The Tide Rises in the Sea of Ink)

The live broadcast had not been thrown into chaos by the scrolling comments; the climax of the results announcement had already passed.

A more exhilarating moment was about to arrive. Fang Zhijing was about to present the heavyweight invitation he had brought to the person he admired most in the entire hall.

"Now, please welcome all the contestants onto the stage!"

At last, the final segment had come. To the sound of rousing music, host Du Ge invited everyone up.

Ji Fanxing, Hai Lan, and Chu Hao, the top three of the competition, stood at the very center.

The awards were to be presented personally by the master producer Fang Zhijing.

At Du Ge's invitation, the stage lights blazed and converged on Ji Fanxing.

Holding the gold microphone and crown, symbols of the highest honor, Fang Zhijing walked toward her with calm, measured steps.

"Congratulations to Ji Fanxing! Champion of the first season of All-Round Singer King, and King!" Du Ge's voice rang through the microphone, drawing bursts of screams and applause from the audience and from the viewers online.

Ji Fanxing smiled as she accepted the gold microphone and crown, lightly stroking the two emblems of supreme honor.

"Thank you, Teacher Fang, and thank you to everyone who has supported me. I will keep working hard and keep moving forward on my musical path."

Before the screens, the online audience had already erupted.

["Oh my god! Our Ji God is amazing!"]
["This is real strength! Both the gold microphone and the crown are hers!!"]
["See those haters now? Our Ji God is the true All-Round Singer King!"]

On the other side, fourth-place winner Ji Shengxue, clutching the ordinary microphone in her hand, was the stark opposite.

Though her heart was in turmoil, she still forced out a smile in the face of the cameras and the audience's expectant gaze.

"Fanxing is really amazing." Her tone was flat, but it could not hide the disappointment beneath it.

The atmosphere turned awkward for a moment.

But just then, the other contestants from All-Round Singer King gathered around to offer their congratulations. Some cheerful, some envious, they patted Ji Fanxing on the back and offered their blessings.

"You’re incredible!"
"The future is bright!"
"We have to work together more often from now on."

Ji Shengxue stood off to one side of the stage. Though emotions surged in her heart, she forced herself to remain calm. She told herself, None of this matters. What truly counts is the invitation to the National Music Exchange Conference. She took a deep breath, trying to pull herself out of her disappointment.

At that moment, Fang Zhijing held in his hands the invitation that could change a singer's fate. Every gaze in the venue swung toward him at once, and the air seemed to freeze. Everyone was guessing: whose hands would that priceless invitation ultimately fall into?

Smiling, Fang Zhijing glanced around the room, then, under everyone's watchful eyes, walked straight toward Ji Fanxing without the slightest hesitation. "Ji Fanxing!" he called loudly. "Champion of the first season of All-Round Singer King, and King! You have not only won over the ears and hearts of us all and of the audience, but also proved that you are worthy of standing on an even greater stage."

As soon as he finished speaking, he handed her the invitation, a symbol of both honor and opportunity. The venue erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.

The viewers online exploded once more.

At that moment, complex emotions flickered across Ji Shengxue's face in the corner. Though she forced a smile and said, "Congratulations, Fanxing," inwardly she felt as if she were trapped beneath a heavy bank of clouds, envious and helpless all at once.

The other contestants came forward to congratulate her as well, and began whispering among themselves.

"It looks like sticking with Ji Fanxing is a pretty good choice from now on."
"Exactly. Talent, opportunities, and Teacher Fang's recognition too."

The invitation in Fang Zhijing's hand seemed like a searing flame; everyone's eyes were fixed tightly on that scrap of paper capable of changing destiny. Ji Fanxing stood beneath the spotlight, the gold microphone and crown gleaming in her hands.

"Ji Fanxing!" Fang Zhijing called again, extending the invitation toward her. "This is the honor you deserve."

Yet at that very moment, Ji Fanxing shook her head gently. "Teacher Fang, I... I don't want this invitation."

Silence fell over the venue. Everyone stared at her in shock. On the screens, the comments began to flood in: "What?! Ji God turned it down?"

"How is that possible?" Fang Zhijing's face was full of disbelief. "Do you know what this means? The National Music Exchange Conference is the stage every singer dreams of!"

Ji Shengxue, standing in the corner, felt her turmoil deepen. The other contestants began whispering to one another.

"Why?" Fang Zhijing asked urgently.

Ji Fanxing drew a deep breath. "Because... I think there are many people who need this chance more than I do. My path has gone fairly smoothly, but they may be at the point where they most need to be seen."

At those words, applause rose across the venue, low at first and then steadily growing louder. The online viewers also began to change their tone.

["I see... We understand, Ji God!"]

But Fang Zhijing clearly had no intention of giving up. "In any case, you must accept it." With that, to everyone's astonishment, he actually took Ji Fanxing's hand and stuffed the invitation into it.

"Even if you are not thinking of yourself, please think of music," he said gravely.

Just then, He Hongjing and Hai Lan also came to Ji Fanxing's dressing room.

Both were wearing black leather jackets with silver accessories, shining with a distinctive luster beneath the lights.

Most striking of all were their vivid, richly colored red lips, full of personality, the most eye-catching hallmark of the band Blazing Red Lips.

"Wow! Look at our goddess!" He Hongjing said with her usual boldness.

Hai Lan, still being held by the hand by He Hongjing, greeted her a little shyly. "Fanxing."

"You’re here." Ji Fanxing stood up and warmly welcomed them.

"Hai Lan just said that after this competition, we might not get to see each other often, and she got a little sad, so I brought her over." He Hongjing patted Hai Lan on the head. "This girl is far too sensitive."

"Mm, Fanxing, I just suddenly felt awful." Unable to contain herself, Hai Lan threw her arms around Ji Fanxing and tried hard to hold back her tears.

"How could that be? We’re friends. We can meet whenever we want." Ji Fanxing gently patted her back to comfort her.

Moved by Hai Lan's emotions, Ji Fanxing found her thoughts in turmoil.

A steady, powerful voice came from outside the door. "May I come in?"

Everyone turned to look.

Chu Hao stood at the doorway, dressed in a simple yet elegant black suit, paired with a white T-shirt and a pair of clean, crisp sneakers. The whole look preserved the handsomeness expected of a singer, while also carrying a hint of rebelliousness.

"Of course," Ji Fanxing said with a smile, stepping aside to make room for Chu Hao.